Silence settled around him, strange and heavy despite the wail of sirens and the constant noise spilling from the street. Even with everything going on, the surroundings felt… quiet.
Doyeon stood there for a long moment, staring at the empty space where she had been, his gaze lingering as if expecting her to return.
"Take care of her…?" he repeated under his breath, the words sitting wrong in his chest.
Something about it felt incomplete. Like a sentence that had been cut off halfway.
Then—
A thought clicked.
His eyes shifted toward the ambulance, widening slightly.
"No way."
He moved quickly this time, jogging toward it and peering inside. The dog was still there, wrapped tightly in a blanket, its frail body barely rising with each shallow breath. But now— it wasn't just lying there. Its eyes were open. Weak… but aware.
Doyeon went still for a second.
Then he let out a quiet breath, the meaning settling in.
"I see…" he muttered softly, his voice lower than before. "So you want me to take care of her…" His gaze stayed on the dog a little longer before he gave a small nod. "I will. Don't worry."
His expression dimmed slightly after that, something passing through his eyes.
(I didn't even get her name.)
After a moment, he stepped back and turned away, heading into the alley again.
The smell hadn't gotten any better, but he ignored it this time. Wonho was still there, leaning against the wall with a tired posture, pinching the bridge of his nose like he was trying to push away a headache that wouldn't leave.
Doyeon walked up beside him and stopped.
"Ahjussi," he muttered.
Wonho's head snapped toward him immediately, his expression twisting into irritation. "Ahjussi? I'm your samchon, you brat!" he snapped, grabbing Doyeon and pulling him into a rough headlock before grinding his fist lightly against his head. "I'm your mom's brother, so yo—"
"Yeah, yeah, sorry, uncle," Doyeon cut in flatly, barely reacting. "Just trying to lighten the mood."
Wonho clicked his tongue but eventually let him go, but the tension in his shoulders eased just a little. He let out a breath and glanced back toward the building, his expression hardening again as reality settled back in.
"Yeah… that victim was tortured badly," he said, voice lower now. "And the dog…" He paused for a second, his jaw tightening slightly. "Looks like it hasn't eaten for days."
Doyeon stayed quiet, listening.
Wonho exhaled slowly before continuing, "You said the ghost was panicking, right?" He glanced sideways at Doyeon. "Then that's probably it. She wasn't scared for herself… she was worried about the dog."
Doyeon's gaze shifted slightly toward the ambulance outside.
For a brief moment, he didn't say anything.
Then, quietly—
"Yeah," he muttered.
His hands slipped into his pockets as he looked away, his expression unreadable. The image of her clinging desperately to the dog flashed in his mind again, the way her arms passed straight through it… the way she didn't stop trying anyway.
A small breath left him.
"Figures."
For someone who had already died…
She had still been thinking about someone else.
After a while, Doyeon let out a slow breath, the tension from earlier still lingering faintly in his chest. Then he turned his head and looked at Wonho, his expression settling into something more serious.
"Uncle… I want to ask you something," he said.
Wonho glanced down at him, then casually slung an arm over Doyeon's shoulder like he always did, pulling him in slightly. "What is it?" he asked.
Doyeon hesitated for half a second before speaking.
"Do you know someone named… Ha-eun?"
Wonho's hand paused mid-motion. He pulled it back slowly, his brows knitting together as he tapped his chin, thinking.
"Ha-eun… Ha-eun…" he murmured under his breath, eyes narrowing as he searched his memory.
Then—
His eyes snapped open.
He turned sharply toward Doyeon, his expression shifting instantly.
"Don't tell me…"
"Yeah," Doyeon said calmly, though his gaze hardened slightly. "I met her too."
Wonho stared at him.
"Where?"
"On a highway," Doyeon replied. "Middle of the road. I almost ran her over."
His eyes drifted away for a brief moment.
(…I mean, I actually did… in the first timeline. And I died for it.)
He exhaled quietly and shook the thought off before it could settle.
Then he looked back at Wonho.
"I need your help, Uncle."
Wonho didn't respond immediately. Instead, he placed both hands on Doyeon's shoulders, his grip firm, his expression unusually serious.
"Doyeon…" he muttered. "What the hell is going on with your life lately?"
There was a pause.
Then his voice lowered.
"Do you even know? Ha-eun's been missing for three years. That case…" He exhaled sharply. "It's already closed."
Doyeon froze.
His eyes widened slightly as a cold sweat ran down his back. "(￣□￣;)!!! W-w-wait… so you're saying—you can't help me?!"
Wonho looked down for a second, his shoulders dropping— Then suddenly snapped his head back up dramatically.
"I—"
"You can't?" Doyeon pressed.
Wonho blinked.
Then frowned.
"…I can."
Doyeon went still.
Wonho scratched the side of his head, looking mildly annoyed now. "I'm a captain, remember? Reopening an old case isn't that hard for me. Just give me the details— the location, the highway, everything."
He jerked his thumb toward the building behind them. "We'll head there once we're done here."
Doyeon just stared at him.
"ಠ_ಠ…"
For a brief moment… he genuinely considered slapping him.
(If I were stronger, I would've already done it.)
"Uncle, fuck you," Doyeon muttered under his breath.
Wonho smacked the back of his head lightly.
"Watch your mouth, kid."
Doyeon rubbed his head, exhaling as he tried to refocus.
"Okay… alright," he said. "The location is—"
He paused, recalling it carefully.
"It's along Route 46, near the outskirts of Yangpeong, heading toward the mountain roads past S##raksan Ridge Pass. There's a long stretch of highway surrounded by dense forest… barely any streetlights."
His eyes narrowed slightly as the memory became clearer.
"There's a curve there. Sharp enough that you can't see what's ahead until you're already turning."
The air felt heavier just thinking about it.
"I saw her standing right in the middle of the road," he continued quietly. "No cars. No lights. Just her."
Wonho's expression darkened.
"That area," he muttered. "Below, there's an old abandoned factory, right?."
Doyeon gave a small, humorless smile.
"Yeah," he said. "I can see why."
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Wonho straightened slightly and glanced toward the alley entrance where the patrol cars were still parked.
"Alright," he said firmly. "We'll check it out tonight."
Doyeon blinked.
"Tonight?"
Wonho looked back at him with a faint smirk.
"What? You scared?"
Doyeon scoffed.
"No," he replied. Then after a small pause, he added, "Just annoyed I'm doing overtime without pay."
Wonho laughed under his breath.
"Get used to it."
Doyeon exhaled, glancing once more toward the ambulance where the dog had been taken.
Then he looked back at Wonho.
"Let's just finish things here first," he said.
But deep down—
That uneasy feeling had already started creeping back in.
Like something was waiting for them… On that dark stretch of road.