The room felt tighter than before.
Not physically—
But mentally.
⸻
CID — Strategy Room
Files covered the table.
Photos.
Timelines.
Victims.
Patterns.
And still—
Nothing concrete.
Kang Ara stood at the board, marker in hand.
"We have four victims now," she said.
"Same pattern. Same staging. Same lack of forced entry."
She circled the timeline.
"He's consistent."
⸻
Pressure Builds
"And we still have no suspect," Lee Bong Soo added, leaning back in his chair.
"That's the problem," Ara replied.
"No," Song Kang Min said quietly.
"That's not the problem."
Everyone looked at him.
⸻
Kang Min's Perspective
"The problem," he continued, "is that he's not making mistakes."
Silence.
"He's not rushing," Kang Min said.
"He's not improvising."
A pause.
"He's executing."
⸻
Jae In (Supporting)
"Which means he's done this before," Jae In added calmly.
Ara nodded.
"Yes."
Then looked back at Kang Min.
"You think earlier cases were missed."
"I know they were."
⸻
A Sudden Interruption
The door opened abruptly.
An officer stepped in.
"Captain. Detective Kang."
Ara turned. "What is it?"
"There's been an incident."
⸻
The Shift
Kang Min's eyes narrowed slightly.
"What kind of incident?"
The officer hesitated.
Then—
"Kidnapping."
⸻
Details
"Victim is a 9-year-old girl," the officer continued.
"Taken on her way home from school."
Ara's expression hardened immediately.
"When?"
"This morning."
Bong Soo sat up straight. "That's broad daylight."
Jae In added quietly, "That's bold."
⸻
The Unease
Kang Min didn't react outwardly.
But something about the timing—
Didn't sit right.
⸻
Command Decision
"Another team is being assigned," the officer added.
Ara frowned. "What?"
"The Ghost Eyes case is being reassigned."
Silence.
Heavy.
Immediate.
⸻
The Blow
"To who?" Ara asked.
"Major Crimes Division 2."
Bong Soo blinked. "They're taking our case?"
"Yes."
"Why?" he pushed.
The officer hesitated.
Then said the words everyone expected—
"Lack of progress."
⸻
Reaction
"That's not true," Ara said sharply.
"We're close."
"No evidence supports that," the officer replied.
"And the higher-ups don't want resources tied up."
⸻
Kang Min's Response
Silence filled the room.
All eyes turned to Kang Min.
Waiting.
But he didn't argue.
Didn't raise his voice.
Didn't react emotionally.
He simply said—
"Understood."
⸻
Aftermath
The officer left.
The room remained still.
Bong Soo slammed his hand lightly on the table.
"This is ridiculous."
Ara exhaled sharply. "They're pulling us off right when we're getting somewhere."
Jae In remained quiet.
Watching Kang Min.
⸻
Something Off
Ara turned to him.
"You're not saying anything."
Kang Min's gaze stayed on the board.
"…Because this isn't about progress."
A pause.
Then—
"It's intentional."
⸻
Realization
The room shifted.
Bong Soo frowned. "You think someone wants us off the case?"
"Yes."
Ara crossed her arms.
"Why?"
Kang Min didn't answer immediately.
Because the answer—
Was worse than the question.
⸻
New Assignment
"Kidnapping case is now ours," Ara said finally.
"Effective immediately."
Bong Soo sighed. "From serial killer to babysitting."
"Watch your words," Ara snapped.
"That's a child."
He raised his hands. "I know, I know."
⸻
Kang Min's Decision
As the team began gathering new files—
Kang Min didn't move.
His eyes remained on the Ghost Eyes board.
Every photo.
Every detail.
Every pattern.
Burned into his mind.
⸻
Ara Notices
She stepped closer.
Lowered her voice.
"You're not letting this go."
Not a question.
He looked at her.
"No."
A pause.
Then—
"Neither should you."
⸻
The Line Crossed
Ara held his gaze.
She understood what he was saying.
What he wasn't saying.
And what it meant.
"This stays between us," she said quietly.
Kang Min nodded once.
⸻
Two Cases Begin
One official.
One hidden.
⸻
Elsewhere
In a quiet office—
A file was placed neatly on a desk.
Stamped.
Reassigned.
Closed.
The name on the file:
Ghost Eyes Case
A hand rested on it briefly.
Calm.
Satisfied.
Then moved away.
⸻
Final Scene
Back in CID—
Kang Min stood alone for a moment.
The room now focused on something else.
The case—
Taken from them.
Just like that.
But not really.
Because in his mind—
It never left.