Ahn Jiwook felt the detective's eyes cutting into him like paper.

"You were the last number she texted, on Sunday, isn't that right?" Detective Park asked him. This had to have been the sixth time she asked the question, but it was the first time they were doing it behind two-way glass. Jiwook didn't like the feeling of being flanked by both the officer and the company's lawyer, not to mention the cameras, but he simply kept his eyes averted.

"Yes," Jiwook said softly.

Detective Park sighed, exasperated. The insistence that Jiwook knew something was remarkably frustrating, especially from an officer who was barely older than he was.. "Can you tell me what she said?"

Jiwook ran a hand through his dyed blonde hair as he put together the words in his mind. "She said...that she was going home. Her boyfriend was going to give her a ride home."

"We did look at her texts and saw it was written in English. Is there a reason why?"

"If you look at texts between the two of us, you may notice we switch languages a lot," Jiwook said. "I'm from New York originally, as I am sure you are aware."

"My little sister is a fan of 1SH0T, yes."

Great, Jiwook thought. Not a fan, but close enough. "Well," he said gently. "She wanted to learn English back in our trainee days, so we always switch languages. Honestly, she probably speaks better than I do."

"Have you heard from the boyfriend?" Detective Park asked him. This was the eighth time this question had been asked, Jiwook counted.

"No. We have no connection. I only know his name, and that's from the text."

"Do you have any way of reaching him?"

"No."

"Was he aware of the health issues she was having?"

"I would assume so."

"Were you?"

"Only as much as anyone at the label would," Jiwook said.

The detective looked up at Jiwook. The repeated interrogations, in and out of the home, were starting to get on his nerves. "Sir. Ha Seojin has been missing for three days. If you know anything it could help."  

"If I knew anything, Detective, I would have told you." Jiwook's irritation dripped from his tongue. The lawyer next to him put a hand out, telling him to cool his temper slightly. "...she's my best friend. We've been friends since we were teens. I want her found too, more than anything."

"I just want to find Miss Ha, that is all." Detective Park pressed her fingers against the bridge of her nose. "Was she-"

"I do too." Jiwook looked at her apologetically. "But I can't give you anything that could help you."

"Well...I want you to tell me one thing, at the very least." Detective Park pulled out a manila folder. She opened it up to reveal detailed phone records with highlighted portions. "She did say the following: 'Thanks for listening, Ji.' What was the conversation about?"

Jiwook stared at the text in front of him.

Ahn Seojin 7:48 PM: I'm going home with Yun Seo. Thanks for Listening, Ji.

"Listening" was with a capital L.

Jiwook ran his fingers over the spelling. He hadn't noticed the error before, but now he was hyper aware of it. Seojin's spelling was always impeccable, as was her grammar. She never messed that up.

She didn't...

Did she?

Jiwook blinked at the text for a moment, then looked up. "She was saying how much she loved him," he said, grateful that this wasn't a lie. "And how happy she was. I guess...she hadn't said it out loud yet."

There was silence between all parties at the table - the idol, the officer, and the lawyer.

Finally, the company's lawyer spoke up.

"Are we done here?"

The officer's eyes pierced Jiwook's defenses, but did not break them. "...yes. Yes we are. Thank you, Mr. Ahn."

"Thank you, Officer Park."

Jiwook couldn't leave the precinct fast enough.