Ring ring.
The silence stretched until Benjamin finally picked up.
"Benjamin speaking. Who's this?" His voice was clipped, measured—the kind that said he didn't have time for nonsense.
"Grandpa Benjamin! Did you see the handsome neighbor!? So handsome! Even if he's fishy, can I have him?" The voice practically bounced down the line, reckless and chaotic, vibrating with teenage excitement.
Benjamin pinched the bridge of his nose. "Rookie, you can't. Give Mister Dohyun a break. He shouldn't be dealing with a murderer like you… or us." Casual on the surface, but that underlying sting of insult was pure Benjamin.
A small, sharp voice piped in. "Why are you guys calling in the group chat?"
"Oh hey, Jen! Did you get a good look at the new neighbor?" Kyuri's voice chirped. Full of energy, teasing, dangerous, like she was a cat pawing at the wrong corner of the room.
Jen paused, then carefully said, "Oh… the handsome hyung? Yeah, he gave me chocolates. What about him?" He hesitated, then added in realization, "Ah… you like him, Kyuri noona? I thought you and Red hyung were… dating."
Kyuri's laugh was sharp and playful. "We are, but Dohyun Oppa is more handsome."
An awkward silence fell. Teenage recklessness, a scowling kid, and a grumbling old man all collided over the line.
"By the way, noona," Jen continued, voice precise, "that hyung is thirty-four years old." The fact landed like a weight.
Benjamin's voice cracked down, sharp and gruff. "Jen! Hacking private files without authorization—again? I swear if you leak one more thing—"
Jen waved a hand defensively. "It's fine, Grandpa Benjamin! I didn't hack anything bad! Well… maybe just a little. I mean, come on, it's Dohyun Oppa! His profile said 'Special Investigator, Case #3421'—I didn't touch anything else!"
Benjamin groaned audibly. "You… brat."
Kyuri squealed. "WHAT?! Oppa's an investigator?!" She sounded both thrilled and scandalized.
Red's deep, amused voice cut in: "Brat. You just leaked his whole life story again. You're lucky I'm not there."
Jen shrieked defensively. "He likes me! I mean, I didn't—okay, maybe I peeked. But he's so mysterious! And, well… handsome!"
Red sighed, exasperated. "Yeah, yeah, Whale's in the kitchen making noodles. Bodies handled. Clean-up done. Don't worry about it." His tone was casual, almost domestic, like he was talking about a grocery list instead of mass murder logistics.
Kyuri giggled. "So, Dohyun Oppa, super serious investigator by day, handsome chocolate-giving neighbor by… well, now?"
Benjamin barked again. "Kyuri! Behave. You're making it worse!"
Jen added mischievously, "Also, his files say he's been undercover near the flower shop. That's why he's always so… watching."
Kyuri squealed again. "No way! He's been observing Sof all this time?"
Red muttered, half-laughing: "You realize you just outed him to everyone here? Even me."
Benjamin pinched the bridge of his nose again, muttering: "Everyone, just… chill. His cover is fragile. Let him breathe for five minutes."
A pause settled over the call, the chaos muted for a moment, but the tension still lingered. Dohyun's secret had officially slipped into a group chat of teenagers, killers, torturers, and second-in-command masterminds.
And somewhere across town, the man whose life was quietly under investigation remained blissfully unaware…