Chapter 130 - Hann Constructions (VIII) Frustrations

The drive back to Seoul was an uneasy one for Eli. She had tried to obtain the CCTV footage from Jung Taewon's accident but to her shock, she found nothing. The police were not cooperative and claimed that it was an accident and there was no CCTV around the area at that time. However, Eli had an inkling that they were paid exorbitant amounts of money to keep their mouths shut. Was it by the Cartel or by Kwon Jinhyung, it was a mystery.

The whole thing was so damn complicated for her! Eli felt frustrated that she was unable to come to any conclusion. But the thing that surprised her the most was not Kwon Jiwon being a witness to that accident; it was the fact that Hyun Jung was also a student in this school. 

The current headmaster showed her an old student directory to prove Kwon Jiwon was a student there. Right next to him, was Hyun Jung's picture. Both the boys were in their mid teens, standing together, smiling for the camera. The sight of her partner shocked Eli. Hyun Jung never even mentioned that he knew Kwon Jiwon. And when he went to Hann Constructions the previous day, he had pretended that it was his first time going there whereas it is owned by the Kwon family. 

Eli glanced at the student directory which was lying on the passenger seat. It really angered her that Hyun Jung hid such an important part of his life from her. She gripped the wheel hard as she swerved towards the main city.

I need the goddamn answers! Eli thought. What was going on? Why were all the evidence hidden?

"Screw it," Eli mumbled. "I'll have to talk to Kwon Jiwon directly."

She stepped on the accelerator and sped off, not caring how many traffic rules she broke.

….

KJ was tapping his foot impatiently. Dasom was at the recording room, singing his part but his pitch was too low.

"Dasom, you gotta increase the pitch," KJ said through the microphone. "Your high notes aren't up to the mark."

"I've been singing for hours!" Dasom groaned. "It's affecting my pitch."

"You've been singing one line for hours," KJ said sharply. "Can't you focus on your voice more?"

Dasom rolled his eyes. KJ was being his usual strict self again. Ever since he rejoined the group, he had become harder on them. They were practicing day and night for their upcoming album. Moreover, after CEO Ahn's death, the administration workload also increased. 

As one of the shareholders, Dasom had to meet up with high profile investors and potential partners in order to keep Mystic Entertainment at top. Even though the CEO of Abyss was the actual owner of the agency, she had assigned different roles to each shareholder. Since Dasom came from a wealthy family himself and had an aptitude for marketing, she sent him to deal with important clients.

Unfortunately, KJ was also being a pain in the neck with his paranoia on making the next album a success, which was putting a toll on Dasom.

"Come on KJ!" Dasom whined. "Can't we take a break? Please?"

He put on his famous puppy dog expression. It never worked on KJ but he still had to try.

KJ sighed. "Fine," he conceded. "We'll take a break. But only ten minutes!"

Dasom felt relieved. He came out of the soundproof room and slumped on the sofa behind KJ. 

"How are your muscles now?" he asked. It was a long time since he had a proper chat with KJ and since both Ash and Jinhyun were out, he thought he would also catch with his friend.

"They're fine now," KJ replied, flexing his hand. "I'll still need to practice harder for our choreography."

"Why don't you sit out on the promotions?" Dasom suggested. "You can be on the music video and also the song. Just don't dance. As for the promotions, Ash can take over your parts until you are completely healed. Health comes first KJ!"

"I can't sit out on the promotions," KJ said. "EXOTIC is way too important to me. I want to do this."

Dasom sighed. He knew there was no way he could convince KJ to take a break from promotional activities. The guy is just too darn stubborn.

"I thought we had lost you," Dasom admitted. "When you were shot. Even though we were told that you were shot by an anti-fan, we had an inkling it wasn't true. And when the CEO of Abyss told us the truth...we felt so lost."

"Remember when we were trainees," he went on. "We were all cramped up in one dorm room? Our agency had no money to give us proper accommodation and we had to take up many odd jobs to support ourselves?"

"Yeah," KJ sighed. "Those were difficult times."

He remembered their time very well. Even though he had changed the timeline, he still went ahead to disassociate himself from the Kwon family. After becoming trainees for EXOTIC, they were all put together in a small dorm room, which was barely big enough for two people. 

Ash was the eldest yet, all of them had chosen KJ to be their leader because of his exceptional songwriting skills. Dasom was only a middle schooler then while Jinhyun was in the last year of his high school. Like KJ, Dasom too had left his family behind while Jinhyun was an orphan. Ash escaped his abusive household with his little sister. He had to leave her at his aunt's home and sent money to her every month through the various jobs he had to do for the Cartel even though the other did not know about it.

All four of them had their own pasts they wanted to escape from. They ran away from their lives and came across each other. Together, they shed blood, sweat and tears to reach the heights they achieved. 

Reminiscing their past was a painful experience. But they had each other's back. Dasom was raised by the other three, who also paid for his school tuition through their income. He remembered how they had to make ends meet just to make sure Dasom's education was not hampered. Since then, he had always been trying hard to make his brothers not worry for him. 

All four of them made EXOTIC. If any one of them is harmed, then EXOTIC will disappear forever.

It was difficult for him to hold his emotions back. Dasom was always an expressive person and he had no qualms in saying what was on his mind. 

"Why didn't you tell us?" he questioned KJ. "Did you not trust us? We've been through so much for the past ten years! You could have told us about the constant danger in your life."

There was a hint of frustration in his voice. It angered him when KJ and Ash hid things from them. Especially when it came to the dangers in their lives.

KJ sat there, letting him vent. Dasom was right. After all the time they had spent together, he owed them the truth.

"I didn't want to burden anyone," KJ admitted. "I thought I was protecting everyone by hiding my secrets. But turns out, I was only putting all of you in more danger…"

"I felt really bad when I found out that you hid all this from us," Dasom said. "I wish you had trusted us more."

A long silence stretched between them. The usually cheerful and carefree Dasom was being very serious. KJ could not help but think how the fourteen year old child had grown into a mature man right in front of his eyes. It seemed like only yesterday when the small, skinny kid walked into their dorm with that odd mushroom cut.

Kids do grow up fast, KJ mused. He was about to open his mouth to say something when a knock interrupted them.

"Who is it?" KJ asked. One of their assistants peered in.

"Sir, a detective has arrived to meet with you," she informed them. "She is waiting at the cafeteria."

KJ and Dasom looked at each other.

"We're coming," KJ said. The assistant nodded and went off.

"Why is a detective here?" Dasom asked. "Could something have happened?"

"Let's find out," KJ frowned. 

They entered the cafeteria to see a tall woman in her late twenties. She was wearing loose, baggy clothes and her hair was tied up in a messy bun. 

"I'm Detective Lee Eli," she introduced herself, holding up her badge. "Do you mind if I ask you some questions, Mr. Kwon? Also to you, Mr. Song."

Dasom was startled. What was going on?

"Not at all," KJ said, ushering her to a chair. "Please sit."

All three of them took their seats.

"Mr. Kwon," she began.

"Please call me KJ."

"Alright, KJ," Eli said. "I want to ask you about the night Jung Taewon and his wife, Ms. Song Sohee died."

KJ blinked while Dasom frowned. 

"I know you were with them," Eli stated. "You witnessed the accident. Or rather I should say...you witnessed their murder."

KJ did not betray his emotions. Instead, he kept a straight face. 

"I was they when they died," he said. "However, I do not recall that night clearly because I was badly injured. I lost consciousness and woke up in the hospital."

KJ chose to keep the truth to himself. He did not know where the detective's loyalties lay. Eli raised her eyebrows.

"KJ, you know what happened and yet you're hiding the truth," she accused him. "You know they were murdered-"

"I'm saying what I know," he lied with a poker face.

Eli knew he was lying but she also had an inkling he would not budge. She turned to Dasom, who was looking at her curiously.

"Mr. Song," she called him. "Can you tell us about the night EXOTIC was attacked. Did you see anything unusual at the venue?"

"I don't recall anything in particular," Dasom replied. "We were all busy with the extra practice sessions and hardly got any time to notice anything much."

"Tell us about CEO Ahn's death," she demanded. Dasom told her the details of how Ash and Hyun Jung found the body. At the mention of Hyun Jung, Eli jumped on him.

"You know Detective Hyun Jung?" she asked both of them.

"Yes, he's a friend," KJ frowned. "Why are you asking this?"

"I'm his partner," Eli revealed. "We're investigating Hann Constructions because we suspect that Shun Oguri might have had a hand in Jung Taewon's death."

Dasom frowned in confusion while KJ maintained a stoic face. He already knew the details.

Eli was getting annoyed. She had expected him to act surprised or even outraged but he was sitting there, calmly thinking.

"Tell the truth, Kwon Jiwon," she demanded. "What really happened that night?"