Morning came with movement.
At the Central Investigation Division, the board had changed.
Not dramatically—
But enough.
New markings.
Highlighted locations.
Cross-referenced notes.
Su Young stood in front of her screen, scrolling through the data she had compiled from service records.
"These are the repeated locations," she said.
Ara stepped closer.
"Limit it."
"I already did."
A few keys later, the list shrank.
"Six places," Su Young continued. "These are the only locations that show up across multiple victims."
Bong Soo leaned in.
"Six is still a lot."
Kang Min didn't look away from the board.
"We don't need all of them," he said. "We need the one that matters."
Ara nodded.
"We split."
Su Young glanced at her.
"You want to cover all six today?"
Ara shook her head.
"No. We start with three."
Kang Min turned.
"I'll take one. Ara, you take another. Bong Soo—go with her."
Bong Soo straightened.
"Why do I feel like I got assigned extra work?"
"Because you did," Ara replied.
Su Young closed her laptop halfway.
"I'll stay back and keep running data."
Kang Min nodded.
"If anything changes, call."
Across the City
Kang Ha Eun stared at her notebook again.
Names.
Places.
Notes scribbled in different inks.
She circled one location slowly.
A consultation center.
It had appeared twice in her independent research.
Not enough to confirm anything—
But enough to stand out.
"…this again," she muttered.
She leaned back, thinking.
The police had already visited families.
Already checked backgrounds.
But not everything leaves a direct trace.
Sometimes—
It hides in routine.
That thought stayed with her.
She grabbed her bag.
"I'll just check," she said quietly to herself.
Not a decision.
More like a pull.
Location: Consultation Center
The building looked ordinary.
Glass doors.
Neutral colors.
Nothing that drew attention.
People walked in and out without hesitation.
No tension.
No urgency.
Ha Eun stood across the street for a moment before crossing.
Her eyes followed the entrance.
Still—
She walked in.
The reception area was calm.
A woman behind the desk looked up.
"Hello. How can I help you?"
Ha Eun smiled politely.
"I'm a reporter. I wanted to ask a few questions about your services."
The woman nodded.
"Of course."
It started simple.
General questions.
Harmless ones.
"What kind of clients do you usually get?"
"Mostly consultations. Personal matters, legal guidance, counseling."
Ha Eun nodded, pretending to jot things down.
"Do you keep records?"
"Yes, basic information for registration."
Names.
Contacts.
Addresses.
Exactly what she expected.
Her eyes moved subtly around the room.
Nothing stood out.
But something felt—
Off.
Not wrong.
Just—
Slightly out of place.
She couldn't explain it.
"Can I speak to one of the staff?" she asked.
The receptionist gestured toward a hallway.
"One moment."
Ha Eun waited.
That feeling didn't leave.
At the Same Time — CID
Ara and Bong Soo stepped out of their car.
"…this is one of them?" Bong Soo asked.
Ara nodded.
"Same type of place."
He looked at the building.
"Doesn't look like much."
"That's the point."
They walked in.
The same reception.
The same desk.
The same calm atmosphere.
But they didn't know—
Ha Eun had been there minutes earlier.
Inside the Consultation Room
Ha Eun sat across from a staff member.
A man in his late thirties.
Polite.
Professional.
"So you're writing an article?" he asked.
"Yes," she replied. "About public consultation services."
He nodded.
"We've been getting more clients lately."
"Any specific reason?" she asked.
"People are more open to seeking help."
That sounded reasonable.
Too reasonable.
Ha Eun studied him carefully.
Nothing obvious.
Still—
That feeling again.
Like something just beneath the surface.
She leaned slightly forward.
"Do you personally handle registrations?"
"Sometimes," he replied.
"Do you notice patterns among clients?"
He smiled slightly.
"Everyone is different."
That answer didn't satisfy her.
But she nodded anyway.
"Of course."
Back at Reception — Moments Later
Ara approached the desk.
"We're from CID."
The receptionist straightened immediately.
"We'd like to ask a few questions."
Bong Soo stood beside her, glancing around casually.
Same layout.
Same calm.
But something about it didn't sit right.
Outside the Building
Ha Eun stepped out.
The air felt different outside.
Lighter.
She exhaled slowly.
"…what was that?"
She couldn't explain it.
Nothing had happened.
No evidence.
No direct suspicion.
Yet—
Something stayed with her.
She looked back at the building.
Just for a second.
Then turned to leave.
Across the Street
A figure stood still.
Not close.
Not obvious.
Just—
Present.
Watching.
The moment Ha Eun stepped out—
That attention shifted toward her.
Not sudden.
Not aggressive.
Just—
Aware.
Her movements.
Her pace.
Her direction.
She didn't notice.
She kept walking.
Completely unaware.
Inside — CID
Ara spoke with the same staff member Ha Eun had just left.
"Do you handle registrations?" she asked.
"Yes."
"Do you keep client records?"
"Basic ones."
Ara nodded.
"We'll need access to those."
The man hesitated slightly.
"Is something wrong?"
Bong Soo stepped in.
"Just routine."
The man nodded.
"Of course."
But there it was again—
That slight hesitation.
Small.
But noticeable.
Ara caught it.
She didn't react immediately.
Just stored it.
Outside — Ha Eun
She walked down the street, lost in thought.
Her mind replayed the conversation.
The tone.
The answers.
Something didn't match.
Not clearly.
But enough.
She slowed down slightly.
Then stopped.
Turned around.
The building stood the same.
Nothing changed.
Still—
That feeling.
She frowned slightly.
"…am I overthinking?"
Maybe.
Or maybe not.
She turned again and continued walking.
Still unaware—
That she hadn't been alone.
Inside — CID (Later)
Files were handed over.
Access granted.
Su Young joined remotely through call.
"I'm in," she said.
"Check everything," Kang Min's voice came through.
Ara leaned against the desk.
"Start with recent entries."
Su Young's fingers moved quickly.
Scrolling.
Comparing.
"Nothing immediate," she said.
Bong Soo sighed.
"Again?"
"Not yet," Su Young corrected.
Kang Min spoke again,
"We're not looking for obvious."
Ara nodded.
"We're looking for repetition."
Su Young continued working.
Cross-checking names.
Dates.
Patterns.
Then—
She slowed.
"…hold on."
Ara straightened slightly.
"What is it?"
Su Young didn't answer immediately.
Her eyes scanned the screen again.
"…this is strange."
Bong Soo leaned closer.
"What?"
She pointed at the data.
"Some entries are incomplete."
Ara frowned.
"Incomplete how?"
"Missing follow-up logs."
A pause.
"Like they were accessed—but not fully processed."
Kang Min's voice came through again.
"List them."
Su Young nodded.
"I'm compiling now."
Ara looked at Bong Soo.
"This might be it."
Not confirmation.
But closer.
Outside — Distance
The figure moved.
Not toward the building.
But in the direction Ha Eun had gone.
Not hiding.
Just—
Following at a distance.
Unnoticed.