Doctor Demon

Hobin arrived at the hospital only to find that Soobin's spot was empty. He frowned and checked the messages in his phone to realize that Soobin had texted him earlier that she was taking the day off. 

"I guess I'll have to do the paperwork today myself," he sighed and went into his chamber. He just put on his coat when Siwan entered his room.

"Busy?" Siwan asked. "Or can we talk?"

"Bro, you don't have to ask!" Hobin groaned. "What is it?" 

Siwan sat on a couch while Hobin took a seat opposite to him. "It's about the kid, Wook," Siwan began. "I've been keeping tabs on him and his condition. We managed to save him that night but he's traumatized. So I want to discuss his treatment plan with you.. Other than physical treatment, we'll also have to incorporate mental therapy for him. His aunt is keen on therapy but knowing that you're also involved in the case about his parents, she was hoping that you'll sign a non-disclosure agreement. She doesn't want him to be exposed nor tormented by the police."

"She doesn't have to worry," Hobin said. "This...this is officially a serial murder case. If we find the culprit, we might not have to use his testimony anyway. DNA evidence will be enough."

"Serial murder?" Siwan frowned. "There were more such cases?"

"Officially, there are now three murders with the same pattern so the police have to call it a serial killing case," Hobin nodded. 

"What's the murderer after?" Siwan asked. "I know you're not supposed to answer but maybe I can provide a perspective? After all, I treated one of the patients."

"That's okay. This information will become public anyway."

Hobin leaned forward. "One of my patients who was found dead today had the murderer's symbol in his apartment," he explained. "But there was one other thing. The patient who died, we saw a name in his diary."

"I suspect that this name has got to do something with the murders," Hobin went on. "Jina and I didn't tell the name to the team yet because we want to find her first. That girl might be hiding and she's in danger. If the police find her, then she'll be exposed to the public and the murderer will target her. Which is why we're trying not to use her in this case at all."

"She seems to be in a tight spot," Siwan sighed. 

"She is," Hobin said. "Anyways, we've sent Detective Jiwoon and Chanmi to the house of my patient's boss. Hopefully they'll be able to say something."

"What's the name in the diary anyway?" Siwan asked. 

He was about to pour himself a glass of water when Hobin said, "Ming Jisoo."

Siwan froze in his actions. Ming Jisoo?

"Yeah, we're trying to find her as quietly as possible," Hobin went on. "I know you won't tell anyone. Hopefully, Detective Jiwoon will be able to find enough clues from the Cho's so that we don't have to find Jisoo."

"Cho's?"

"Yeah, the steel magnate? Owner of Cho Industries-Where are you going?"

Hobin was surprised when Siwan suddenly stood up. "If anyone is looking for me, tell them that I had to leave!" Siwan was saying. "It's an emergency!"

"What-"

But Siwan was gone, leaving Hobin completely shocked. He had never seen his brother act like that before. 

What the hell is going on? He wondered.

…

Jiwoon was nervously standing outside the mansion, waiting for Chanmi to come out. She kept her back to the house but could not help glancing back every now and then to make sure that no one spotted her. Thankfully, the guards were new and did not recognize her. The car was parked across the mansion anyway, so they did not bother much.

She leaned against the car when she noticed a black BMW approaching the mansion. Youngjoon was in the car, reading a paper when he noticed the police jeep outside his mansion and someone was standing there with their back against the house.

"What's that?" he frowned. "Driver, stop the car here."

The driver obliged and Youngjoon came out of the car. Jiwoon was unaware of the man approaching her because she was texting Chanmi to ask how long it would take her to question the Cho's.

"You! Who are you?"

Jiwoon froze when she heard the familiar voice call for her. She was frozen to her spot, unable to move. Her heart was racing nervously and she suddenly could not breathe. That voice...it was Cho Youngjoon, her father-in-law!

What should I do? She wondered frantically. Her hands were shaking as she heard the footsteps approach her way. He was going to turn around any second and see her. What if he recognized her? Her hair was shorter than it was eight years ago and she was skinnier now but the Cho's would recognize her right away!

Jiwoon was panicking. Every second enhanced her fears and she was counting the footsteps as they slowly came her way.

"I'm asking who are you-"

Suddenly, a hand grabbed Jiwoon and turned her around. Before she could react, she found herself pressed against someone's chest and another familiar voice rang in her ears.

"Honey, I'm so sorry that I'm late!" Siwan said out loud. Youngjoon paused in his steps. He was only a few feet away from the girl. For some reason, she looked very familiar so he decided to approach her but another man appeared and was now hugging her. Youngjoon could not see her face because the other man was embracing her tightly.

"I know I'm late for my date, Areum," Siwan went on. "But don't be mad, honey!"

"What are you doing?" Jiwoon whispered.

"Just follow my lead and don't talk," he muttered in her ear. "I know who you are, Ming Jisoo."

Jiwoon was shocked. He remembered her?

Siwan put his hand around her shoulders and quickly pulled her away. Youngjoon shrugged and went into the mansion. 

Heaving a sigh of relief, Siwan pulled the visibly shocked Jiwoon to a corner, away from the eyes of the people in the mansion.

"How do you know my real name?" she gasped.

"Well, you repeated the same line I told you all those years ago," he pointed out. "You really think that I'll forget my first patient?"

Jiwoon looked down. She leaned against the wall, trying to collect her thoughts. 

"Hobin told me that you came to this place," he went on. "And I figured that you wouldn't want to face these people. Not after what they did to you. Are you okay?"

She slowly nodded, still not looking at him. Her heart was still beating in fear. To think if Siwan had not arrived, she would have been exposed to the Cho's once again.

"I don't know how to thank you," she mumbled. "You saved me again."

Siwan was about to say something when someone else spoke up.

"Jisoo sis?"

Jiwoon's neck snapped around. Siwan was also surprised to see two girls standing there, equally shocked. 

"Soobin?" he frowned.

"Doctor Kang? Detective Kim?" Soobin asked. "What are you doing here?"

But the people in the most shock were Baekha and Jiwoon. Baekha could not believe her eyes. Jisoo was back?

They were all so shocked by the events that none of them realized the temperature around them was falling. An eerie chill was in the air, swirling around Jiwoon. She shivered but was too dumbfounded to pay any heed.

Jisoo...the demon was seeing his Jisoo after many years. She was thinner and her dark, beautiful locks were cut off. But it was her. She was back, only for him.

Then his eyes fell on the other man. The one who dared to touch his Jisoo. She was tainted by his touch and the demon was now going to cleanse her.

I found my vessel, he thought in glee.