Coffee and Letters Ep. 35 - (A MiChaeng FF Story)

**Chaeng asked Tzuyu to stay with her, while she pushed Mina to drive back home and rest. She protested, of course, but then gave in after some time. Just come back tomorrow morning and bring me a cup of coffee. That’s what Chaeng bargained to her, and she agreed.**

Tzuyu: Why didn’t you let her stay?

**Tzuyu asked as she dust off the couch with the pillow Chaeng lent her.**

Chaeng: She needs to rest, and I need to rest, too. If she’s here, I don’t think I’ll be able to rest well. All I’ll do is think about her.

Tzuyu: Won’t you think about her more if she’s in her house? ‘Cause if it’s me, I will.

**She’s now lying on her side staring at Chaeng, who’s lying on her back.**

Chaeng: I guess I want to talk. I mean, talk about the horror I felt when I was at that cabin. But I don’t think Mina is the best person to hear all of it.

Tzuyu: Why? She’s your lover now. Shouldn’t lovers need to be there for each other? Listen and comfort if they have a story to tell.

Chaeng: I know. But this isn’t the case for us. She’d been through a lot. And me, pouring another misfortunate to her cup is the last thing I’ll do for her.

**Tzuyu curled up on the couch. Eyes heavier than before, yet still willing to listen to her best friend’s story.**

Tzuyu: Okay. Can you tell me everything? I understand Bam held you for several hours. But what I don’t understand is how he lured you to come with him.

**Chaeng gasped for air. She couldn’t understand either. If only she followed her instinct, all of this won’t happen.**

Chaeng: He said we’ll just have a talk. A friendly talk. I honestly couldn’t remember everything after I woke up in the cabin. It must be because of the drugs he put on my drinks. The only thing I remember is, we were sitting at an old pastry shop, talking about her feelings towards Mina.

**She paused, still trying to recall everything that happened today.**

Tzuyu: He’s sick and disgusting. Imagine thinking about you as a threat and even thought about killing you because he’s so damn obsessed with someone who doesn’t love him.

Chaeng: I guess that’s how just the world is, you know. Full of sick people. But you know what, I wonder what secret he wants to tell me. Before he went out to find something to eat, he kept on mentioning that he has a secret. And that it’s something I won’t expect. It’s not that I have little interest when he said it. It’s just, I want to get out that place sooner ‘cause I know I won’t be able to see the sunrise ever again if I’ll stay there for another couple of hours.

Tzuyu: Secret? What secret do you think it is?

**Chaeng shook her head. Not sure if Tzuyu saw it, yet she still continued to shake her head.**

Chaeng: I do not know what it is. But I’m guessing it’s something important ‘cause he’s so proud about it.

Tzuyu: Well, what if he’s just making things up and just want to get your attention? He has a twisted mind, so it’s difficult to trust him. You know.

Chaeng: Right. You’re right.

Tzuyu: I hate to ask this, Chaeng. But did he hurt you so badly?

**Chaeng closed her eyes for a while, imagining herself sitting in that dark room again. Watching her perpetrator move and interpreting the expression he’s giving her. But his expression is useless. It’s hard to read and makes her body shiver.**

Chaeng: Twice, I guess. The first one was when he hit me on my jaw, which sent my head to the wooden floor. The second one was when he strangled me for a few seconds. I thought I’ll lose my breath that time. His right hand covered my entire neck with his fingers, pressing the muscles under my jawline. That thing hurts a lot. And it took me several minutes before I breathed normally again.

**Tzuyu winced at the thought of it.**

Chaeng: You know what scares me more?

**She reeled towards Tzuyu, who’s gazing at her.**

Chaeng: It’s when he shows me his blank stare. There’s nothing in it. No emotion. No story to tell. Just nothing. I don’t know if I should pity him or what. But it honestly sends a shiver down my spine every single time he looks straight into my eyes, as if reading my deepest desire, while I get nothing from him.

Tzuyu: Why do I feel like I’m watching a serial killer movie? They said those people don’t have emotions, too.

**The right corner of Chaeng’s lips arched a little.**

Chaeng: Maybe, maybe he possessed the same thing. We just don’t know.

*****

**Officer Kim entered the interrogation room with a laptop in her hand. Everyone was already there, Detective Manoban, Detective Park, and the guy whom they chased earlier.**

**The guy was oddly staring at Detective Manoban who’s sitting in front of him. He’s saying nothing, though. She couldn’t even understand why his not showing any emotion. It’s like you’re staring into a statue.**

Detective Manoban: Why don’t you talk? Tell me anything. Everything.

**Bam leaned on his seat, yet his hands still resting on the table, intertwined. He smiled lopsidedly, and that smile pissed Detective Park off. He’s thinking of kicking the foot of the table to startle him. But with Bam’s stare, even putting a gun on his head won’t do anything.**

**Detective Manoban reeled at Officer Kim and signaled her to walk towards her. It’s the signal that Officer Kim was waiting, and she’s so dying to show what she got from her laptop.**

Officer Kim: Why don’t you watch this thing? I’m sure you’ll know what all these things mean. And maybe better give us some light. What do you think?

**She ticked the play button and that brought them to the time when he and Ms. Son were talking in front of the bookstore. The smug on his face vanished, and he clasped his hand so tight that his knuckles turned white.**

**So, this is it. This is the reason they caught him. He remembered surveying that area two days ago, and he’s a hundred percent sure that there’s no camera in that place. Nothing. Not a single one. But what is this video playing in front of him?**

**The video stopped at the part where he and Ms. Son entered the mouth of the twelfth alley. Then the footage from the parking lot where he parked his car played. It was so clear that he’s assisting Ms. Son on his waist while walking towards his 1989 Toyota Corolla.**

Detective Manoban: I know you’re smart. So smart that it made it difficult for us to find your trace. But the thing is, we’re smarter.

**Officer Kim pulled the laptop from the table after all the video she saved for this show ended.**

**Detective Park walked towards the table. Rested his both hands on it and leaned closer to Bam.*

Detective Park: Convince us it’s not you and make us believe you did nothing to the girl.

**His eyes never blink.**

Bam: It’s me.

**Then he stared straight at Detective Park.**

Bam: You’re right. I planned these.

**He chuckled as if not bothered about the case they’ll throw at him. He then again wore the smug he wore earlier, and that disgusts everyone in the room.**

Bam: And I didn’t expect you’ll be able to find evidence to pin on me.

**He paused and chuckled again.**

Bam: It almost became a perfect crime. Isn’t it?

**He moved forward so he could gaze closer to Detective Manoban.**

Bam: I just hate the fact that I wasn’t successful at burying her before you found me. She’s so lucky, you know?

**Detective Park could no longer hide his disgust at this man. So, he swung his right hand to the table, and it sounded like a gun fired to a piece of metal.**

Detective Park: You’re sicker than I thought. You can only harm people who are weaker than you.

Bam: Isn’t the world like that, detective? Survival of the fittest? Eliminating the weak?

Detective Manoban: If you think life is about survival of the fittest, why don’t you go after the stronger one first? That will at least make you look stronger, too. ‘Cause what I see is a coward killing the weak. Someone who doesn’t have balls, you know what I mean?

**That comment from Detective Manoban sent Bam to kick the foot of the table and hit it with the side of his hand. Detective Park straightened up and grinned. Bam’s reaction is the best thing that he ever saw the entire day.**

Detective Park: Maybe he doesn’t really have balls, that’s why.

**Bam pushed himself to his feet and exchanged glare with Detective Park. His fists clenching on his side, and Detective Park could assess that he wants to lay those fists on his face. He snickered as if provoking the latter to do what he wants to do.**

Detective Manoban: Sit down, Bam. Sit down.

*****

Ryujin: You think Chaeng will be all right?

**She asked as she pulls the blanket up to her chin.**

Mina: I don’t know, Ryujin. I’m hoping that she will.

Sana: It might be a forever nightmare for her.

**Sana said while finding her space on Mina’s bed. The three of them will spend the night together again.**

Mina: That’s what I’m afraid of. That it will be a forever nightmare for her. And I know, no matter how much I say or feel sorry about what happened tonight, it will change nothing. It will leave her scared all the time.

Ryujin: But she doesn’t look scared at all, you know.

**Sana whirled to face the two, lying on her side.**

Sana: It more looks like she’s trying to be tough ‘cause she doesn’t want Mina to worry about her. I’m not saying I’m right, Ryujin, but it looks like it.

**Mina didn’t answer. It’s exactly the same deduction she has. That the reason Chaeng joke around at the hospital is that she doesn’t want to cause more trouble to anyone. And that she’s hiding every single thing she’s feeling at this moment.**

Ryujin: That sucks! I mean, keeping everything to yourself. That might make me insane. Not able to release whatever shit I have inside.

Mina: Hey! Watch your language, young lady.

Ryujin: Oh… I’m sorry. But it’s the perfect words to describe it, you know?

Mina: I know it’s shit! But isn’t it redundant to put those words in your sentences?

**Sana laughed. This conversation is better than having a melodramatic one. She thought.**

Ryujin: Fine, fine! I’m sorry.

Mina: And why didn’t I know that you’ll have a date on Saturday? Shouldn’t I be the first person to know about that? And not my girlfriend?

Sana: Oh-oh, Ryujin, I guess you have to explain everything now! Like everything!

**Ryujin pressed her lips and pulled the quilt more to hide her face from her now raging sister.**

Mina: Answer me, young lady!

Ryujin: Uhm… I guess we’re more alike, Eonnie, than we are. I mean… outgoing. You know. And… and I kind of feel like she’s my older sister now.

Mina: So, does that mean you have replaced me with her?

**She said teasingly. Well, she knows exactly what Ryujin wants to say, and she loves it. She loves the idea that Ryujin and Chaeng is now having a deep bond. But hoping that they won’t make a habit of chasing girls.**

Ryujin: Aaaah! Of course not, Eonnie!

**Then Sana and Mina laughed beside her.**

Mina: I know. I just hope that you two won’t hide anything from me, especially chasing girls, or else I’ll both dump you to the dumpster.

Sana: Better choose your side now, honey. Better choose your side now.

Ryujin: Yaaaaaah!

***TO BE CONTINUED***

Episode 34       Episode 36