Chapter 20
"Mr. Gu Young-seok, you mentioned that you believe Mr. Moon Jung-ho was involved in the death of Ms. Young So-yeon."
Moon Jung-ho's brazen gaze began to waver slightly.
At the same time, the loud voice of Gu Young-seok echoed from the stairs above.
"Hey, you crazy bastard! Where the hell are you lying? It was you who So-yeon went to see! When did I ever—?"
"Mr. Gu Young-seok, lower your voice. This is a police station."
Detective Kim Seok-ho, who was standing next to him, tried to calm him down, but Gu Young-seok showed no signs of settling.
"You’re the one who messed up So-yeon and now you’re trying to pin it on me! You psychopath!"
"You’re the crazy one…"
"What, what did you say?! How dare you act so shamelessly!"
"It seems like you’re the one lying."
Moon Jung-ho's piercing eyes turned toward Gu Young-seok.
"When did you stalk So-yeon because you liked her? You were the one who called me first that day, weren’t you?"
"Th-that was just to grab a drink… But you were the one at So-yeon’s house that day! I only went because you called me…"
"And your windbreaker."
"...What?"
"The torn one. What’s that about? Did you tear it because you killed So-yeon and got blood on it?"
Gu Young-seok’s eyes widened in shock.
"You… you crazy bastard…"
Gu Young-seok had admitted to wearing the windbreaker he was currently wearing when he went to the victim Young So-yeon’s house.
His honesty had given Moon Jung-ho a weapon to frame him as the culprit.
"You murderous bastard! How dare you try to pin this on me!"
Gu Young-seok, breathing heavily, tried to lunge at Moon Jung-ho down the stairs, but Detective Kim Seok-ho stepped in front of him to block his path.
"I told you, this is a police station."
"It’s him! He’s the murderer who killed So-yeon! That pervert not only secretly filmed her but also killed her!"
"Understood, I get it."
As Detective Kim Seok-ho held Gu Young-seok back, he glanced at Joo-won downstairs.
Joo-won then turned to Moon Jung-ho.
"We should hear Mr. Moon Jung-ho’s side of the story as well."
Moon Jung-ho, who was noticeably calmer compared to Gu Young-seok, nodded.
Joo-won spoke to Detective Kim Seok-ho.
"Detective Kim, please take care of Mr. Gu Young-seok."
"Sure. Mr. Gu Young-seok, let’s go."
"But are we taking statements in the interrogation room?"
A short while later, in the interrogation room.
Joo-won, sitting across from Moon Jung-ho, offered a friendly smile.
"The office is a bit busy. It’s always chaotic in the morning. The interrogation room is the only quiet place."
Moon Jung-ho had sharp eyes and a warm appearance.
[With his handsome looks and a degree from Korea University’s prestigious business school, it would have been easy for him to gain trust from others.]
‘Even with Gu Young-seok causing such a scene earlier, he didn’t bat an eye. His personality must be something else.’
[I agree. Additionally, Moon Jung-ho is the victim Young So-yeon’s ex-boyfriend and the perpetrator of the illegal filming distribution case. He is highly likely to be the culprit in this murder case.]
Joo-won also agreed with Terra’s assessment.
There was no direct evidence, but for some reason, he felt something off about this guy.
‘Maybe it’s because he’s a criminal.’
An indescribable, unsettling feeling. Of course, you can’t prove guilt based on a feeling.
Evidence is needed.
‘So you’re saying this Moon Jung-ho guy is likely the culprit?’
Terra suspected Moon Jung-ho.
The biggest reason was that the crime scene was the kitchen, suggesting the perpetrator was someone familiar with the victim.
Additionally, moving Young So-yeon, who was already bleeding heavily, to the rooftop would require someone with considerable physical strength.
And...
[It is because of the motive for murder that Moon Jung-ho has, which Gu Young-seok does not have. It is highly likely that Moon Jung-ho believed that his life had been marked by a red line due to the victim, Young So-yeon, and this thought likely led to the murder.]
"Understood."
[First, please verify what I mentioned earlier.]
Joo-won turned on his phone, did something, and then placed it back on the table.
"Detective Kim is working on it."
[Then, in the meantime, interrogate Moon Jung-ho.]
Joo-won looked at Moon Jung-ho.
Moon Jung-ho, with calm eyes, also looked back at Joo-won.
He's not an ordinary guy.
He was suddenly brought into the interrogation room, but he's not trembling at all.
In fact, he even seems to be enjoying it.
Joo-won slowly opened his mouth.
"So, are you reporting that you suspect Gu Young-seok? Because of the windbreaker you mentioned earlier?"
Moon Jung-ho nodded.
"That's right. Gu Young-seok, that bastard, told me himself. He went to the officetel to see So-yeon and moved her unconscious body to the rooftop."
"Did he also confess to killing her?"
"No, he didn't. Even if we're close friends, Young-seok isn't stupid enough to admit something like that directly. He killed someone, but he wouldn't tell me, who isn't even family, about it, would he?"
"But why do you think Young So-yeon's death was a murder?"
"Huh?"
"The Young So-yeon case was concluded as a suicide. Why do you think it was a homicide?"
"Well..."
Moon Jung-ho rolled his eyes upward.
"I heard that Young-seok went to the police station. On the way, I saw an article saying that the Gangjung Police Station was reopening the investigation. But... Detective."
His slowly moving eyes stopped on Joo-won's pupils.
Moon Jung-ho's eyes had turned cold.
He continued speaking.
"Are you suspecting me right now?"
There was no emotion on Moon Jung-ho's face.
All that remained was a chilling gaze fixed on Joo-won.
Joo-won shook his head.
"You were Young So-yeon's ex-boyfriend, right? Earlier, when you reported about Gu Young-seok, it seemed like you really loved Young So-yeon... If it really was a homicide, wouldn't you want the culprit to be caught?"
"Of course. It's important."
"So, from my perspective as a detective, I have to suspect everyone. It might upset you, but could I ask for your understanding?"
Moon Jung-ho let out a faint smile.
"Of course. I must have overreacted. But it's not me. I just heard that the case was being reinvestigated..."
"Just?"
Joo-won, cutting off Moon Jung-ho's words, scratched his forehead.
Just because the reinvestigation started, you came to report your close friend's murder?
Joo-won slowly leaned forward.
"You were her ex-boyfriend, and you loved the victim, Young So-yeon, so much, yet you just thought it was a murder because the reinvestigation started?"
"..."
"I'll ask you again. What is your reason for thinking it was a murder?"
At Joo-won's words, Moon Jung-ho's gaze turned directly toward him.
Empty, cold eyes.
The same feeling as before.
An inexplicable chill.
Moon Jung-ho opened his mouth.
"Young-seok had strong stalker tendencies. When I was dating So-yeon, he held back because we were friends, but after the incident, when I broke up with So-yeon, he kept visiting her house."
"Do you have any evidence? That he kept visiting Young So-yeon's house."
"Isn't that something you, as the detective, should find?"
The atmosphere in the interrogation room was tense.
Joo-won smiled and nodded.
"Yes, I'll look into that. Please continue."
"So, I thought. That guy with strong stalker tendencies..."
"If it were him, he definitely would have committed murder. He would have brutally killed Soyeon and dragged her to the rooftop to make it look like a suicide."
"How could he have dragged the already dead Young Soyeon to the rooftop?"
"Well, through the stairs..."
"Not the elevator?"
Moon Jeong-ho's mouth stopped.
But only for a moment.
"There's CCTV in the elevator. Yeongseok isn't stupid enough to drag a corpse into the elevator, right?"
"Hmm."
Juwon nodded.
"And then her clothes got caught on the doorknob and tore?"
"Exactly."
"Everything you've said so far, did you hear it directly from Mr. Gu Yeongseok?"
"Yes."
In response to Moon Jeong-ho's answer, Juwon opened his phone.
He checked something on his phone and continued speaking.
"So, on the day of Young Soyeon's death, you were only at home? Even though Mr. Gu Yeongseok called you from Young Soyeon's house?"
Moon Jeong-ho nodded.
Juwon glanced at him, then turned off his phone and asked.
"Then, can we track the location of your phone when Mr. Gu Yeongseok called you?"
"Huh?"
"When Mr. Gu Yeongseok called you from Young Soyeon's house, you said you were at your own house, right?"
"...Don't you need a warrant for that?"
"You want to catch the culprit, right? Do you really need a warrant? If you give us permission, we don't need a warrant."
Gu Yeongseok told the same story as Moon Jeong-ho.
Of course, Gu Yeongseok claimed that after Moon Jeong-ho was tried for illegally distributing filmed material, his obsession with the victim, Young Soyeon, grew even stronger.
So, that day, Moon Jeong-ho went to Young Soyeon's house and called Gu Yeongseok, he said.
Exactly the same story as Moon Jeong-ho.
[So, the story is likely true, and one of the two is likely lying.]
That's why they needed to verify.
Who was with Young Soyeon at her house when she died.
They needed evidence, not just testimony.
Juwon asked Sergeant Kim Seok-ho for help.
So, Sergeant Kim requested Gu Yeongseok's phone location records from that time, and Gu Yeongseok readily agreed.
But Moon Jeong-ho did not.
At the request for phone location tracking, the emotionless man's eyes gradually filled with tension.
"Detective."
Was Moon Jeong-ho the one who lied?
Thinking he was caught, Moon Jeong-ho's lips twisted bitterly.
"Yes?"
"I'll call my lawyer."
At those words, Terra said.
[Don't worry, we'll help you.]
Juwon nodded.
"Call him."
