Case 2: It Strikes

A month later

"Detective Rae" a loud cough above her interrupted her slumber on the cold floor. Rae gasp and stand up from the floor as quickly as possible. She seems to have fallen asleep on the floor yet again, Jae Min doesn't look so happy with how she messed the office floor with notes and scribbles that he can't understand. "Yes, my dear?" Rae asked her assistant, drowsiness still lingers in her eyes.

Jae Min narrowed his cute eyes to her, his tall figure could easily overshadow anyone who crossed his path, including the detective. He was and will always be the Detective lackey. The reason was simply because Detective Rae is a person who lacks common sense. He ruffled his auburn hair softly as he sighed at my appearances.

"I know that you are a hard worker and pretty much workaholic, why don't you get a rest Detective?," he sighed as he handed her a can of coffee from his suit. “It’s been months since the last Cannibal case”.

"I am very thankful my dear, but the case remains unsolvable", Detective Rae growled. She stands sleazily and sits on the hard blue chair office as she browses through files by files to write her diary. The detective would never have thought that the Cannibal case exhausted her brain. 

Cases like murders, theft, vandalism are always around the corner like cereal with a milk. However, she always manages to solve them all except for this particular case, the Cannibal case.

"Detective, let’s just grab something outside" she received a pat from her assistant Jae Min. Her assistant grabbed her shoulder and pulled the detective to refresh outside the agency

"Lead the way" she yawned.

The two of them walked slowly across the streets, Rae eyes gazing upon the milkshake street vendors. Jae Min quickly noticed the Detective's interest in the milkshake. 

"Anyway Ms. Rae , aren't you tired researching about the killer? Like really? Let's take a break! I’ll help you detective!" Jae Min winked at her proudly. On the contrary of his cute eyes, his tall figure just annoyed Detective Rae.

“Aw, I forgot my wallet!” Jae Min sighed.

"Good gracious, fine you problematic child", Rae sighs as she took out her wallet.

Despite her failure, lots of clients still asked for her help. Ironically, her reason to become a detective wasn't because of a noble cause to save the world or put justice in the right place, those sort of things are quite boring, needless to say. 

It was because of the thrills and excitement she gained as she captured criminals. The amount of data and quick decision she takes are equals to her competence in investigating a crime scene.

Jae Min looked at her, "The usual flavor?".

She nodded as his smile widened to the shop assistant.

"One Chocolate milkshake for the kid, please” Jae Min giggled.

Detective Rae elbowed his stomach with a sigh, "What's with that smug look of yours?".

“Sorry Ms. Rae, your drink choice is cute though! Don’t worry!” Jae min blushed.

Rae face reddened as she could hear the people behind her are giggling at them, she pulled his collar in embarrassment.

"Be quiet" she glared at Jae Min but he only added more fuel to her embarrassment.

"I can understand why you like milk Detective, I know that you are pretty short, what was your height again? Oh right, it’s-”.

Rae elbowed him so hard that he coughed hard before he could continue his sentences.

"Just stop embarrassing me", Rae cringed awkwardly. The female detective picked up the drinks as she dragged his assistant away from the sea of customers. She could not comprehend why she could have such an assistant. He's a brat, insensitive, and also too cheerful for her to handle. 

"Right I know...anyway!" Jae Min switched the topic fast like a lightning bolt. "Are you going to visit your crush again in the office?". Rae choked on her chocolate milkshake as he mentioned my crush.

"He’s not my crush", she shushed him. 

"Aw come on,he will be home soon anyway" Jae Min looked at his cell phone screen. "Since it's 4 PM right now,'' he added.

Ignoring her assistant words, after getting some fresh air Rae immediately sits down on her chair. Her eyes latched on the files as she works analyzing some unfinished cases, including the Cannibal one. When the female detective works, she always forgets about painful things.

It's a way to avoid unnecessary emotional pain. She flipped her pen around her fingers, focused her gaze on that aquamarine penguin pen. The stacks of paper on the desk won't get any less if she kept rolled the pen around her fingers and yet she keeps daydreaming about the gentleness of that crush of her, useless thoughts.

"Did you miss him already?" she could hear a faint whisper from behind me. That playful tone would definitely belong to Jae Min. 

The female detective ignores her assistant, thinking that he’s non-existent. 

Time flies so fast and unnoticed when she focuses her attention to the task wholeheartedly, as for Jae Min he's just cleaning the detective agency. It is as if his sole purpose in the agency is to become Rae personal butler. 

"Oh my, are you done?" Rae asked her diligent assistant.

"Just a moment" he answered short.

That’s when all of the sudden an uninvited guest knocks on their agency door. Jae Min immediately opened the door, as if he knew who would come. It was none other than Taemin, the detective crush.

“Detective! Thanks for finding my cat!” Taemin smiled. “But now he’s-”.

“Missing again?” Rae sighs.

“Ah, yes” Taemin scratched his head awkwardly. “Is it alright for me to request such a case?”.

“Yes, yes, as long as it’s an official case” Rae furrowed her eyebrows.

“Thank you Rae! I appreciate your kindness” Taemin's smile melted the detective heart thoroughly.

Rae blushed as she lowered her head to hide her embarrassment. 

“Sure” she stuttered awkwardly. 

That’s when her phone suddenly rang loudly, indicating yet another case might afoot. As her loyal assistant, Jae Min took the phone swiftly. 

“Yes, Silverstein Agency here!” Jae Min answered enthusiastically. 

He nodded his head affirmatively, to every word the person on the phone uttered. However, his expression soon turns grim. Jae Min has a readable expression after all.

After a while, Jae Min closed the phone and sighs heavily.

“A case?” Rae asked.

“Yes, in fact you need to come quickly! It’s near our agency! Just a few blocks from ours!” Jae Min panicked. “It’s the Cannibal! He strikes again!” 

Rae grinned wider, her excitement was shown quite clearly. Like a child finding a new toy, she soon decides to depart with Jae Min to the crime scene. “I want to come too! Let me come!” Taemin insisted. 

“For what?” the detective asked the ecstatic young man.

“I need to be there after all, I have a meeting with my boss in a restaurant nearby,” Taemin answered.

“Fine, but drive your own vehicle Taemin, I’m not sure I can take you home” Rae said bluntly. “The inspector might pester me to investigate more”. 

Tae Min nodded to Rae, the three of them soon departed to the crime scene.