Desire

Minho was asleep in the bedroom of a luxurious villa overlooking the Han River from the south end of the Hannam Bridge.

Sunlight criss-crossed through the curtains and cast a beam of light over his handsome features.

A blanket skimmed the outline of his muscular body.

The sound of his phone and the doorbell ringing at the same time startled him awake.

"What–"

he grumbled as he checked his phone and saw the number of his secretary.

"What’s going on?"

"Sir! Something urgent!"

The hysterical tones of the secretary was a sharp contrast to Minho’s sleep-sluggish voice.

"Did an alien show up?"

"I’m at the door now. Please open up!"

"My door?"

"Yes!"

Minho languidly pulled himself out of bed.

He was naked except for his underwear, and his youthful and fit body was built like a sculpture.

He pulled a robe from under his bed and draped it over himself before he went to the front door.

As soon as he opened it the secretary immediately rushed in.

"Sir! The chairman...the vice chairman..."

"Are you talking about my father or my brother? Stop crying and tell me."

"The both of them...they’re gone!"

Minho’s face stiffened.

"Say it again. What?"

"The chairman and vice chairman last night...both of them passed away."

Minho stood there blankly without any hint of a tremor.

He closed his eyes and didn’t say a word.

The secretary looked up at him.

Seo Minho was acting strange.

He was too calm for someone who had just heard of his parent’s death.

He didn’t even ask where and how he died.

’Did he know this would happen?’

*

Jiyeon started her work on the case before the Central District Prosecutors’ special investigation team was put together.

She went to observe the autopsies of Chairman Seo Geon-u and Vice Chairman Seo Minhyeok.

She rode the car of a police investigator and headed to Sinwol-dong.

The examinations were to take place at the Seoul branch of the National Forensic Service.

Jiyeon, who had attended several autopsies before, abstained from eating lunch.

The sight of a scalpel cutting through a dead man’s body was not something she could get used to.

The police investigator stayed on the first floor due to the limited number of people allowed to visit the office, and Jiyeon took the elevator alone.

It would be inconceivable to see the bodies of the chairman and vice chairman of the largest Korean conglomerate lie side by side.

She couldn’t believe it until she saw it herself.

Even though she wasn’t even near the autopsy room yet, her palms were sweating.

Easy. Stay calm.

The elevator door was about to close.

"Please hold a moment."

A man’s hand came in and pushed opened the elevator door again.

"My apologies."

The man bowed low then stood upright.

The scent of his unknown cologne drifted in the air.

Jiyeon looked at the man who stood a head taller than her.

"Oh!"

Jiyeon gave a small gasp of recognition.

It was Seo Minho.

The second son, the Prince of the Night, the one who may be the new heir of the Eunseong Group.

He apparently came to see the autopsy as a representative of the family.

She felt as if she was being rude as she stared at his face...

Minho also looked back at her.

His eyes were deep pools of an emotion that she found difficult to describe.

It was an expression like a mixture of sorrow and playfulness.

She tried to avoid to his heavy gaze but then,

"Prosecutor Cha Jiyeon. It’s been a long time."

‘What? I don’t even have my prosecutor’s badge on. How does he know my name?’

Jiyeon was unnerved.

‘It’s been a long time? Have they met before? ‘

she wondered.

"Do you know me?"

Instead of replying with an answer, Minho responded with a question.

"Do you believe in love?"

Did she believe in love? What kind of ridiculous question was that?!

And right now of all times!

How could he ask something like that when he was about to watch the autopsies of his dead father and brother, both who died just the night before?

"You’re asking me?"

Jiyeon said cautiously.

Minho looked around the six-person elevator.

"Who else is here besides the two of us? A ghost?"

"Then what do you mean ’do I believe in love?’"

"That was the last question you asked me."

"What?"

"You really don’t remember."

Minho regarded Jiyeon with a deep sadness.

"I knew you for over a year, did you really forget about it?"

A white fog started to cloud Jiyeon’s mind.

Were she and this man lovers? For more than a year?

Then why didn’t she...