Doctor Demon

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

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I'll give 10 chapter mass release on 1st October if we reach 5000 privilege unlocks this month <3

....

The autopsy on Hyoseop's body was completed within seven days. On the day of the results, Jina, Hobin and Chanmi went to Kyuhyun's lab to get the report. 

Kyuhyun was bending over Hyoseop's body, sewing it back up. He did not look up when the detectives arrived.

"Hi Kyuhyun," Jina greeted. "What-"

"The victim's name is Jung Hyoseop, age 17 years old," Kyuhyun parroted. "Died from excessive blood loss from due to the piercing of a wooden stake in his heart's arteries. Victim lost nearly 3 litres of blood and his wrists are also pierced with nails which are five centimeters long. His ribs were torn apart by bare claws which dug seven centimeters into his skin and the victim's hands have the residue from oil paint produced by the Meng clan. The body was hung on the wall using nails on the wrists and the ribs while twelve centimeters of his skin had been peeled off in the process of tearing his ribs apart."

An awkward silence fell on the room but Kyuhyun did not seem to care. He was busy in his own world, stitching the corpse with utmost precision.

"All I said was a simple hello," Jina muttered but Hobin cleared his throat.

"So you're saying that his ribs were clawed apart by an animal?" he asked.

"The victim's ribs were torn apart by claws."

Chanmi was staring at the dead body which Kyuhyun was working on. She was not fond of seeing the bodies undergo autopsies and the strange doctor in the lab only made it seem even weirder for her.

"Well, an animal would simply attack and kill a person but won't hang them up against a wall," Jina reasoned. "We'll have to find more solid evidence. Dahoon is still working on the CCTV footage."

"Are the autopsy reports ready?" Hobin asked Kyuhyun.

"They are with the receptionist," he replied, not looking up.

"Alright. Goodbye Doctor Kyu," Chanmi said but her did not respond. He was busy with the things he loved to do.

"What a weirdo," Chanmi muttered once they were outside. "That doctor is way too serious about dead bodies."

"It's his job," Jina groaned.

"Boss, he narrates the results like a parrot! It's as if he memorizes everything about dead bodies just by looking at them. I won't be surprised if he could tell what kind of porn the victim used to watch."

"You'd be surprised to meet the doctors at the hospital then," Hobin said in a deadpan way. "They can diagnose people with one glance. It's not uncommon. Besides, it's the guy's way to communicate with people. He's passionate about his work and that's rare. And he's damn good at it."

They approached the receptionist and asked for the results. She searched for the file while Jina received a call. It was her grandfather. 

"I'll be back," Jina said and she stepped aside to receive the call. Chanmi muttered something about going to the washroom and hurried off.

"Yes, old man," Jina greeted over the phone.

"Jina, where's Miyoo's bunny?" Junho's frantic voice came from the other end. "I can't find it!"

He was looking everywhere for Miyoo's favorite stuffed animal because the girl was becoming cranky without it. 

"Miyoo bunbun!" Miyoo pouted in the background. "Miyoo bunbun!"

"It's in her bag," Jina replied. "Look in the side compartment."

She heard her grandfather rummage through Miyoo's bags. Jina briefly glanced at the reception where Hobin was now talking to the receptionist. She was eyeing the auburn haired doctor and they were around similar age. 

"So, are you new in town?" the receptionist asked in a flirty tone which made Jina scowl a little. She had to admit that the receptionist was a dark haired exotic beauty with sharp features and a sultry look. Hobin was now a little interested, reciprocating her flirtatious behavior.

"I am," He replied with a smirk. "And are you new here? I've been working with Kyuhyun for a while but I never saw you before."

"I just joined last week. Are you a cop?"

"A psychiatrist who works with the cops. I create criminal profiles and I practice at the hospital."

"A doctor," the receptionist remarked. She had heaved out her chest and stealthily unbuttoned her uniform enough to show off her cleavage. Hobin pretended not to notice that. What he did not notice was a certain someone sending deathly glares at the receptionist who was openly flirting with him.

"I've been having difficulties in sleeping," the receptionist claimed. "Would you mind if I booked an appointment with you?"

"Stop by anytime," he grinned. "Maybe we can discuss this at my cabin."

"And a cup of coffee?" she winked as she handed him the file.

Hobin was not serious about all this. He knew that she was flirting with him and while he enjoyed the attention from women, he was not interested in anything more than innocent flirtations and talks. Dating and relationships were far out of his mind at the moment.

"Oi Jina!"

Jina broke out of her reverie and returned to her call, trying to ignore the sudden surge of anger she was feeling. Why did she care about whom the guy flirted with? He could date any girl he wanted! She was sure that he slept with several girls.

Then a sinking feeling crept in her heart. Was he merely teasing her that night? Did he not mean any of the things he told her?

"Did you find it?" she asked her grandfather, trying to keep her voice steady.

"Yeah. It was in the side compartment."

"Miyoo bunbun!" 

Jina sighed and hung up the phone. Hobin was now laughing and smiling with the sultry receptionist. He took the file and turned around to find Jina giving him a cold glare. She did not say anything but turned around and stormed off towards the car.

"Why is the boss in a bad mood?" Chanmi asked as she approached Hobin.

"God knows. Probably thinking of how Peter Pan paid more attention to Wendy than to her."

Huh? Chanmi wondered. These two are weird.

They got into the car where Jina was still seething but ignored Hobin throughout the ride and also for the rest of the day. He could feel that she was angry about something but not what was going on in her mind.

Back at the precinct, Jina called her teammates to a brief meeting and filled them in on the coroner's report.

"So was it an animal?" Jiwoon frowned.

"We can't tell," Jina replied. "We didn't see any animal entering the premises. Moreover, an animal can't hang the corpse on the wall like that."

"It's possible that the killer used artificial claws," Hobin pointed out. "Easy to find on Amazon or Ebay. Point is that whatever killed him had a high level of intelligence."

Jina and Hobin knew that no one was going to buy the demon story so they would have to proceed with the case and go around in circles until the Commissioner closed the case. There was no trace of a person nor animal so the case was going to go cold eventually. 

But for the moment, they would have to work on the case as per the police procedures.

"Dahoon, did you find anything?" she asked.

"I did find something strange," Dahoon noted. He was typing on his laptop and opened a file.

"Two days before the festival, one boy took a painting into the store room," he stated. He turned the laptop around for the others to watch the clip. 

A skinny boy was taking the painting of snakes and fire into the store room. Hobin and Jina immediately recognized the painting but hid their thoughts well. They watched as the boy took the painting towards the store room and came out of it without the art. The store room had no CCTV cameras in it so they did not have a footage of the actual murder.

"I checked our checklist," Dahoon went on. "I didn't find this particular painting on it. The photos from the CSI also didn't show this painting anywhere in the store room, whereas no one else entered the store room after this boy until our victim went there."

"Was this painting stolen?" Woohee frowned. 

"Possibly."

"Find out information on this boy!" Jina ordered. "Talk to the school and also tell them that a painting is missing. If someone stole it then it means that the painting must be valuable."

"Yes boss!"

Jina dismissed the meeting. Everyone left except Hobin who was still thinking hard.

"This boy…" he began. "Is it possible that he's the artist's relative?"

"I'll look into it," Jina said curtly. 

"Alright. Take me with you when-"

But she did not stop to listen. Instead, she packed up her things and walked out of the room, not looking back at him. Hobin was slightly surprised by her behavior. Ever since they returned from the lab, she had been distant and aloof. He annoyed her a lot but she would usually come up with a cheeky reply or scold him. But to ignore him like that…

"Oi Tinkerbell!"

Jina ignored him. She was at her desk, reading case files. Hobin sat across her, staring at her with his dark eyes.

"What's going on?" he demanded. "Why are you avoiding me?"

"Avoiding?" Jina echoed in a sweet tone which was mocking him. "I'm being completely normal, Doctor Ohm."

Doctor Ohm? He raised an eyebrow at her. She never called him Doctor Ohm when they were alone. 

"Now, if you'd excuse me, I have tons of work to do," Jina stated. "Unlike you, I can't waste my time on frivolous things."

With that, she went back to her files. Hobin frowned at her.

"Fine. Detective Hwang."

He walked away, not looking back at her.