Nothing felt real.
⸻
The sirens came too late.
Flashing lights filled the building, officers moving in and out, voices overlapping—but none of it reached Kang Min.
He hadn't moved.
Not since it happened.
Jae In lay where he fell.
Covered now.
But that didn't change anything.
⸻
Ara stood a few steps away, her hands trembling slightly despite how tightly she held them together.
Her eyes never left the scene.
"…he was just talking to us," she said quietly.
No one answered.
Because there was nothing to say.
⸻
Bong Soo arrived shortly after, breath uneven from rushing.
"What—what happened?"
He looked around.
Then he saw.
And just like that—
The words disappeared.
"…no…"
It came out weak.
Uncertain.
Like if he said it softly enough, it wouldn't be true.
⸻
Su Young's voice came through the comms, sharp and urgent at first.
"Did you find him? What's going on?"
No one responded.
"…hello?"
Silence.
Then—
Bong Soo reached up slowly and turned it off.
⸻
Time passed.
No one kept track of how long.
⸻
At the station, everything changed.
The energy.
The noise.
Even the air felt heavier.
Jae In's desk remained exactly the same.
Files stacked neatly.
Chair slightly pushed back.
Like he had just stepped away.
And would come back.
⸻
But he wouldn't.
⸻
Ara stood in front of the board, staring at the Ghost Eyes case again.
The photos hadn't changed.
The victims hadn't changed.
But now—
There was one more.
Even if they hadn't put his picture up yet.
⸻
"You shouldn't blame yourself."
The voice came from behind her.
She didn't turn.
"Then who should I blame?" she asked quietly.
No answer came.
Because the truth was simple.
They all knew who.
⸻
Across the room, Kang Min sat alone.
Not working.
Not speaking.
Just sitting.
Still.
Too still.
⸻
Bong Soo hesitated before walking over.
"…Captain…"
No response.
He tried again.
"…Kang Min."
Slowly—
Kang Min looked up.
His eyes were different.
Not angry.
Not emotional.
Just—
Empty.
⸻
"He went alone," Bong Soo said, voice unsteady.
"We didn't know—"
"I did."
The words cut through him.
Bong Soo froze.
Kang Min's gaze didn't waver.
"I knew he found something," he said.
"I knew something was off."
A pause.
"And I still let him go."
⸻
Bong Soo shook his head quickly.
"That's not—"
"It is."
Silence.
Heavy.
Unavoidable.
⸻
Ara finally turned.
"Stop it," she said.
Her voice wasn't loud.
But it was firm.
"This isn't on you."
Kang Min didn't respond.
Because part of him didn't believe that.
⸻
Later that night—
The apartment was quiet.
Ji Won sat on the couch, scrolling through her phone absentmindedly.
The door opened.
She looked up immediately.
"You're late again—"
She stopped.
The words didn't finish.
Because she saw him.
Really saw him.
"…what happened?"
Kang Min didn't answer right away.
He stepped inside slowly.
Closed the door.
Then—
"…we lost someone."
⸻
Silence filled the room.
Ji Won's expression shifted instantly.
"…who?"
A pause.
Then—
"Someone important."
⸻
She didn't ask more.
Didn't push.
She just stood there for a moment.
Then walked over quietly.
And hugged him.
⸻
At first—
He didn't react.
Didn't move.
Didn't return it.
But she didn't let go.
⸻
"…you always come back quiet like this," she said softly.
"And I never know what to say."
A pause.
Then—
"So I'll just stay."
⸻
Slowly—
Very slowly—
Kang Min lifted his hand.
And held onto her.
⸻
Back at the station—
A new file was placed on the desk.
Stamped.
Reopened.
Assigned.
⸻
Ghost Eyes Case — Returned to CID