Red Hills, a tiny-populated village, has only one important rule. To never go out at night.
Everyone knows that the myth about a serial killer lurking in the woods - is true.
But so it happened that a young boy, unknowingly, stumbled upon that plac...
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Springfield was a rather peaceful, small town, you could say. It was rather rare for anyone in there to break the laws and get in trouble with police officers, since it was mostly elder, innocent people living there, not seeking any harm.
Therefore, it was quite an intriguing sight seeing something what resembled a crime scene in the middle of the night, being investigated by officers around a house, with maybe two to three cars waiting around it, a yellow tape securing the area from curious strangers passing by.
It has been already raining lightly from the dark clouds for quite a while. It seemed as if the two officers, that were standing right next to the secured area, were looking around in search of a someone. But when their eyes landed on a Bentley that has been making its way towards them, they knew they found what they have been looking for.
As the car parked, a young man, most-probably in his twenties, exited the car, locking it with his keys. With his brown long coat, roundy black glasses and red hair parted in the middle, he made his way to the officers, in an almost elegant way.
"There you are, Detective Park. We've been waiting for you." One spoke out, having his arms crossed all the time.
"My apologies, officers," the man retorted politely with a small bow, alongside a small smile on his lips. "Something urgent came up. But now I'm here." "Guess you are" the other policeman shrugged it off.
"So, what do we have here? A homicide?" Detective Park asked as his eyes wandered to the house next to them, examining it thoroughly.
"No, just a kid that ran away from his parents. Been missing for three to four days now." One of the law-protectors explained as both looked to the house too. "So far we know that he wasn't kidnapped. He left his home by himself through the window, and some further ahead, we lost the DNA trail. We are still patrolling around to find him."
"I see. Any family members in there?"
"Just the mother and the father. They're highly worried, as we can't find him anywhere, at all. Seems like the kid just vanished in air. You're their last hope, Park."
"I've had worse cases than these," the man spoke confidently as he adjusted his glasses, being done with the examination of the house from the outside. Now it was time to meet the parents. "I should be able to find him. See you later, gentlemen."
With that, he bid the officers goodbye and crouched down a little to pass the yellow tapes, then walked over to the house, taking tiny steps up before knocking on the door thrice.
Soon after, a middle-aged woman opened the door. She had brown, tired, kind of fearful eyes and her black hair was tied up in a messy bun. A confused look was plastered on her face, which immediately softened after the red-haired man introduced himself.
He took out his detective badget out of his inside-pockets from the coat and showed it to her. "Detective Park Jimin, M'am. I'm here to help you find your son."
"Oh! Of course, of course! Please come in-" she hurried as politely as she could, stepping aside and letting the attractive male in. He thanked shortly as he bowed, and then let himself enter the house.
"Darling! Detective Park is here!" The mother called out, and then closed the door as she looked at Jimin, who turned around to her. "Ah- excuse my manners, please. I'm Jeon Ji-eun! Can I offer you some coffee?" She asked, leading her guest to the living room.
"Thank you, I'd prefer some water." he answered as he followed her. Soon after, the father joined in too, having already introduced himself. Then, they have seated themselves in the living room on two couches- detective park on one, and across of him and the small coffee table in between, the couple on the other side.
Smalltalk and drinks aside, the detective started his investigation. He leaned in and folded his hands. "So. I heard your son has been missing for about three to four days. Is that correct?" He wanted to make sure, to which the father, named Minseok, quickly retorted. "Four. Four days."
Jimin hummed. He asked some more questions to find about Jeongguk's persona himself, and for example about where his favorite spots in the town were, yet was quickly disappointed discovering that they couldn't tell him anything about any places. It did made Jimin think a little about that.
"Do you have any idea on why he could have ran away?" He concluded.
"Absolutely not. We're a perfect family! It's so out of the blue." the mother stated flabbergasted, but giving by the look Minseok was giving her, a stare he couldn't read, Jimin knew something was off about that.
"A perfect family? No problems at all?" the detective frowned at that statement. The mother nodded eagerly, to which the father looked away. Seeing that, Mr. Park sighed.
"Look. If you want me to find your son, I need you to cooperate with me. Every detail is a clue somewhere. So if you're lying to me right now, it will just makes things harder, and the clock is ticking." he chose his words carefully, making sure to give the parents a rather pressured thought or two about if it's really worth it to deny the truth. To his luck, Minseok opened up.
"Me and Ji-eun were planning on getting divorced." he mumbled, looking down. However his wife jumped right in on that. "P-partly! We- we're kinda complicated. First thing we love each other, and the next thing we know is how we hate each other and talk about divorce."
"... I... see... so one day you're up for marriage, the other not?" he dug in more to make sure, and both nodded, a faint blush on their cheeks signalising they were indeed ashamed of how that came off, and by that, really stupid. Now, it was making sense to Park Jimin.
"I'm no psychologist. But judging by what I've heard, your son is probably sick and tired of that and doesn't want you guys to get divorced. He's showing that he's not okay with that by running away," the red-haired spoke, pushing his glasses more onto his nose. "But of course, that is only my speculation judging on your statements. Knowing this, It'll be easier to reach out for him once I find him."
"D-do you think he's safe?" the father stuttered out. Jimin looked at him unsurely. "He should be. He shouldn't be too far away." He said carefully. "How old is he again?"
"Jeongguk just turned 18 this September." the mother muttered. Jimin nodded silently.
Afterwards, he gained permission from the married couple to check Jeongguk's room for more clues. However, nothing in particular was found. Everything hinted to a sudden escape from home. Sighing, Detective Park left the room and went downstairs, back to the parents.
