The entire country was boiling because of the brutal death of the famous presenter Lee Woo Jin.
The news spread like wildfire, dominating every channel and social media platform. Crime scene photos, analyses, conspiracy theories, public outrage… everything revolved around a single case that shook public opinion violently.
People demanded answers from the police.
And the police… stood between two fires.
An angry public that showed no mercy.
And a sadistic criminal calling himself "The Purifier," challenging everyone with cold blood.
His crimes said one thing with terrifying clarity:
"Do you call yourselves the nation's protectors? Then… protect them if you can."
But for Hemi…
All of that was nothing but distant noise.
Woo Jin's death, public anger, media chaos…
Everything faded in front of a single phone call.
A short call from private investigator Mr. Bong.
But that call was not ordinary.
It was like a hand reaching out from years of prolonged despair.
"I found something that might interest you."
Those simple words were enough to pull her violently out of the sea of helplessness she had been drowning in for years.
For a long time, she had been chasing a ghost.
A shattered memory.
A broken childhood belonging to Minsoo.
And always… with no result.
But now…
A glimmer of light finally appeared.
The anger she had felt toward Minsoo for throwing her out of his house vanished completely, as if it had never existed.
She didn't even realize how she reached her car.
Or how she started the engine.
She drove quickly through the city, while lights and buildings passed by like blurred streaks.
Traffic signals.
Car horns.
People in the streets.
Everything lost its meaning.
Only one thought remained in her mind:
"Maybe… this time I'll reach the truth."
She tightened her grip on the steering wheel, as if afraid this hope might slip away if she loosened her hands even for a moment.
She whispered in a trembling voice:
"Minsoo…"
There was hope.
This time, there truly was hope.
She closed her eyes for a brief second, and Minsoo's smiling face appeared in her mind.
A real smile.
A smile free from the constant pain that always lived in his eyes.
Free from the guilt that slowly consumed him.
Just the thought of him having a normal life one day…
Was enough to make her heart tremble.
When she arrived at Mr. Bong's office, it felt like stepping into a world detached from time.
Heavy air saturated with the smell of old paper and dust.
Tall shelves packed with faded yellow files, some tilted as if about to collapse.
Scattered papers covered the desk in exhausting disorder, mixed with dry pens and an old computer emitting a faint buzzing sound, as if it were slowly dying.
Even the light looked tired.
Dim… barely slipping through a half-closed window.
Everything in that place whispered one thing:
Secrets.
Many secrets still not uncovered.
Hemi sat in front of the desk.
Her body looked still…
But inside, a full storm was tearing her apart.
She tried to stay composed, but her hands betrayed her.
Her fingers were tightly intertwined until they turned pale, her breathing uneven, and her eyes drifting around the room without focus.
Fear.
Hope.
Doubt.
All of them were fighting violently inside her.
Mr. Bong slowly lifted his eyes from behind his glasses.
He watched her for a long moment before speaking:
"Miss Hemi…"
His voice was calm in a disturbing way.
"You came to my office a month ago."
She quickly raised her head, as if his voice pulled her out of her thoughts.
"Yes…"
Her voice came out faint, barely audible.
He studied her face for a moment, then said:
"You told me you had been searching for years… without any result."
Her heartbeat quickened.
"That's right."
This time her response came faster, but more fragile.
Bong leaned slightly forward, interlocking his fingers.
"You were looking for the woman who sent your friend to the orphanage more than twenty years ago."
Hemi froze completely.
Her eyes remained fixed on his lips.
Even blinking… she seemed to forget how to do it.
Bong took a slow breath before continuing:
"Do you think I found her?"
For a moment, the world went silent.
That single question was enough to scatter everything inside her.
Broken memories.
Distant sounds.
Incomplete images of a small child left alone.
She shook her head slowly.
"I… I hope so."
Silence fell.
Two seconds…
But they felt like an eternity.
Finally, Bong opened one of the stacked files beside him and slowly flipped through the pages, as if deliberately prolonging her anxiety.
Then he pulled out a small yellowed paper.
And placed it in front of her.
"This is her name… and address."
In that moment…
Time stopped.
Hemi stared at the paper without touching it at first.
A deep fear moved inside her.
Fear that this might be another closed door.
But something pushed her forward.
Her trembling hand reached out and took it.
Her eyes moved slowly across the words…
Letter by letter.
Then…
Her eyes widened suddenly.
And filled with tears.
She couldn't believe it.
After all those years…
And all the dead ends…
She was finally holding a real lead to Minsoo's lost childhood.
To the past that created all his present pain.
She bowed slightly without thinking.
"Thank you, Mr. Bong…"
Her voice trembled.
"You don't realize what you've done for me."
Bong turned his face slightly away, hiding his emotions.
Then said dryly:
"I'm paid for my work."
A pause.
Then he added:
"No need for thanks."
Hemi turned toward the door, clutching the paper tightly between her trembling fingers, but before she left…
She heard his voice again.
This time it sounded different.
Heavier.
Rougher.
"Miss Hemi."
She stopped.
He said without looking at her:
"My job ends at finding the woman's name and address."
A short silence.
Then he continued in a lower tone:
"But… I don't think she will welcome talking about the past."