Chapter 13 - {Last Two Gifts For You}

He turned away, fast. Walking down the corridor, the file clutched in his hands like a live bomb. The walls felt closer than they used to. He tossed the file on his desk and stared at it. Jo Tae-gyun. That name wasn't just familiar. It was personal. Five years ago, Tae-gyun had been one of the officers who covered up Soo-jin's first partner's abuse case. Back when no one listened. Back when Soo-jin still smiled through broken ribs and swallowed the truth. And now? Dead. Neat. Silent. Like a gift. He sat down. Stared at his reflection in the dark window. Then whispered, not sure if he meant it as anger or ache: "You're doing it again… aren't you?" He waited. But no one answered. He turned away, fast. Walking down the corridor, the file clutched in his hands like a live bomb. Just his own eyes haunted and a little too still. Then a thought crept in. A dangerous one. "Would it be so wrong… to let him?" "Just until the list runs out…" He shook his head, gripping the edges of the desk. No. No. No. But the thought lingered. Long after the lights went out. A letter arrived. No name. No return address. Just his handwriting. Soo-jin stood over the sink, staring at the envelope. His coffee had gone cold. His hands didn't move. He should've thrown it away. But instead, he opened it. [Letter – Written by Carlos] My Soo-jin, They'll call this obsession. Delusion. A sickness. But they don't see you the way I do. They don't know how you look when your walls finally drop. When the anger leaves. When you're just you bruised and brilliant and broken most beautifully. You asked me to stop. But tell me, Soo-jin...When you saw that name in the report, didn't a part of you feel lighter? Be honest. Isn't there something holy in vengeance? Something pure? I'm not doing this to you. I'm doing it for you. And when I'm finished…When all the ghosts have been burned out…Will you still try to save me? Or will you finally let me stay? Yours always, Carlos Soo-jin read it twice. Then a third time. Then he sat down hard, like his legs had given out. The paper shook in his hands. And the worst part? His heart was pounding like he'd just read a love letter. Because in a way… he had. Restricted access. A small, dark room, lit only by the flicker of black-and-white monitors. CCTV feeds filled the wall. Most showed empty corridors, standard cells, and guards pacing. But one was different. One screen showed Soo-jin, alone in his apartment, sitting perfectly still with a letter in his lap. Carlos stood in front of it, arms behind his back. Watching. Breathing slowly. Studying him. Behind him, a nervous guard waited, sweating. "We shouldn't be tapping into external feeds. This isn't legal. If the Commissioner finds out..." Carlos held up a hand. Didn't even look at him. "Leave." The guard hesitated. Then vanished like he'd never been there. Carlos stepped closer to the screen. Soo-jin hadn't moved in minutes. Just sat there, lost in the echo of Carlos's words. Carlos whispered, barely audible. "I wonder what you'll do now…" "Will you run?" "Will you bury it?" "Will you beg me to stop… again?" He smiled. "Or will you finally admit that you need me?" He reached forward and gently pressed his fingers to the glass, right where Soo-jin's heart was on the screen. "One more name, Soo-jin." "Just one more." "Let's see if you stop me…" Then he turned, slowly, calmly, and walked out of the room. But the screen stayed on. Soo-jin still hadn't moved. Everyone else had gone home. Only the hum of old computers and buzzing fluorescent lights kept Soo-jin company. He moved like a ghost, hands steady, eyes hollow. He was digging. Hard. Victims connected to him. Every person Carlos had a reason to target. He had a new list now five names, only three crossed out. The last two?