Sun Hee's blurry vision made it difficult for her to appraise the situation. Her eyes flickered like a broken bulb until she felt the heavy weight of her body. Everything around her was disoriented. Her ankles were itching, and she realized she was hung up and down. Someone tied her hands and she couldn't speak because her mouth was also sealed with duct tape.
There was a knock on the door before someone stepped inside.
"Hello, Doc. I am your VIP client for today," he said and grabbed an old chair.
Her body swayed through the air as she wiggled forcefully.
"Don't waste your strength, Doc. I'll let you go if I want to. Can't you enjoy the view?" he said with sarcasm in his voice.
They were inside a filthy and fusty psychiatric building. The people abandoned it a long time ago when mysterious deaths of patients forced it to close. The rusted wire fences surrounding it invited no one to trespass. The most disturbing remnants of its former life drove the spirits of the dead lurking from a woozy experience.
"My friends are delighted by your presence, Doc. I mean the souls who never departed."
Sun Hee screamed under her breath.
"What?" he asked and removed the tape from her mouth.
"Psycho!"
He smirked and covered her mouth once more.
"Oh, my. Is that how you talk with your patients? I am disappointed."
He flittered in front of her. His all-white clothes and eyeglasses shaped him into an angel.
"Is there a cure for loneliness? Is there a comfort for rejection? Can you give me medication for emptiness? Those unanswered questions make me kill..."
He let out a burst of evil laughter.
"But the saddest part was," he paused at her face. "Nobody asked."
He lay his hand on her cheek.
"Only my victims cared to ask what's wrong with me."
The loud thumping of her heart was all she could hear.
"It wasn't my dream to become a murderer. No one was born to have that mindset. But when my first victim asked me why I am doing this, I felt less lonely."
He walked towards the broken window and stared outside.
"I thought people only listen to me when I hold them hostage. And so, an accident became a hobby with a twist. I kill them to set them free from misery. Isn't it heroic?"
He shifted his attention back to her.
"Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. I am the faceless murderer, and you are Doctor Cha Sun Hee. Am I right?"
He removed the seal on her mouth and trace her lips through his fingertips.
"You know what? I have a terrible experience with a detective. She was hot-headed and wild. We didn't work out. You are more calm and angelic. A doctor must understand me better. So I thought we could make great partners," he whispered.
"So this is how it feels to be chosen, huh?" she said.
He chortled.
"You were just like me, unseen and never the first choice."
"No, you are wrong. We are not the same because once I'm shattered, I pick up the pieces, never to return from the thing that broke me. While you? You are stuck with your routine. You seek attention and acceptance as if it's all that matters."
He nodded and held her chin.
"Tell me what matters, then."
"Nothing. Nothing matters. Not you or me."
He grinned.
"That's it? I thought you'll say life matters."
"Why? Do you expect something grand? My life itself isn't remarkable."
His biceps were visible from the thin fabric of his long sleeves as he folded his arms.
"What is this, Doc? You almost sound like a psycho. Are you on the verge of enlightenment?"
She suddenly exploded with maniacal laughter.
"We are supposed to talk about life over a bottle of soju."
"Or a dead body."
Their shoulders shook as they laugh in unison. It's weird how he didn't frighten her. Although she couldn't gaze straight at his image because of her position, she wasn't seeing a murderer. She saw an innocent boy drowned by trauma and anxiety. A harmless human who gave up a decent life to seek revenge.
A few minutes later, they heard some sirens approaching.
"Are those the cops already? Geez. Why are they so quick-witted?"
"I know, right? Too bad, we can't continue the chitchat."
He smiled, showing off his healthy teeth.
"If you may, I might visit you soon."
"I appreciate a suitable venue where I could wear a fancy dress and sit upright."
"I'd love to dress up as well. What can you suggest?"
"A slim black suit will do, with white long sleeves and a black bow tie. You don't have to prepare much because you are good-looking," she said in a casual tone.
"I see. I'll consider you saying I am your type."
The police walked in slow motion while doing some hand gestures as they entered the building.
"Send my regards to the guests downstairs. I'll see you later, Doc. Don't let your guard down because the next time our paths cross, I'll forget about being gentle," he said and jumped out of the window without a sound.
Sun Hee used the chance to scream her lungs out. A cop shot the tip of the rope on the ceiling and freed her. Before her body could hit the floor, she landed in a warm embrace. The hands of the prosecutor she despised the most caught her in a speed of light, like a knight in shining armor.
"Are you okay?"
She avoided his intense gaze.
"I am, 4 minutes ago before you came."
"Sun Hee, don't humor me at this moment."
He walked down the building carrying her like a bride with her sharp eyes piercing through him.
"Am I too late? Where did he hurt you? The way you look at me, you don't seem fine."
"I have a secret," she said.
His brows furrowed when she cupped his face and whispered, "The killer has got inside my brain. I think I'll turn into a psycho."
He put her down when they arrived at his car.
"Hey, Cha Sun Hee. Get it together, will you? From now on, I'll keep an eye on you 24/7."
she clenched her fists and punched his chest.
"Hey, who are you to watch over me? I don't need your protection and whether the killer will come back for me, it's none of your concern."
He put his hands on his waist.
"He is coming after you?"
"I told you, this is none of your business. So please get lost."
He bit his lip and pulled something from his pocket. Before she could react, he held her left hand and locked it with a handcuff together with his right hand.
"What do you think you're doing?"
"You can't escape from me now."