Chapter Text
chapter 1
Kang Daniel crouched down beside the dead body examining the cold flesh, the skin having grown pale from the large amount of blood lost in such a short time. He curled his nose up in disgust as the stench of rotting flesh overwhelmed him. Unable to stand the horrible odour, he stood up, turning away from the scene. It was the fifth body he’d come to see within the space of a month, only one of the hundreds of murders that had been left unsolved over the past few years. They were all the same; sharp, clean cuts to the vital parts of the body with not a trace of the killer left behind. Daniel let out a sigh as he walked out of the alleyway. Ever since he’d taken on this case, he’d begun to feel that his skills were inferior. He was once known as the rising star of the police force, yet his career had hit a dead end when he took up the ‘apollyon’ case. The other detectives were quick to sympathize with him, for all the other officers who had taken up the case were either dead or in an early retirement. He didn’t think much of it at the time, but looking back on it now, he realized how naïve he had been.
Jin Young was standing off to the side outside the alleyway, interviewing the witness who had found the body. The man was still in shock, his voice shaking as he recounted the morning’s events. Daniel made his way over just as Jin Young finished.
“Thank you for your co-operation, Sir,” he said in a formal voice as he jotted down the last of her notes. Jin Young looked up at the man with a kind smile. “If you remember any more details, please do not hesitate to contact us.” he reached into his pocket and pulled out a card, handing it to the man. He took it somewhat reluctantly, nodding before he made his way off. Jin Young watched him walk away, a sad smile on his face.
Daniel went to lean against their car, taking in large breaths of the fresh air to clear the stench of the dead body from his nose. Jin Young made his way to lean on the car next to him, letting out a tried sigh. Daniel glanced over in his direction, already guessing as to the reason for his sigh. “Nothing useful?”
Jin Young shook his head. “Nope, nothing at all. He was just coming down the alleyway looking for stuff he could sell when he stumbled upon the dead body. That’s about it.” he let out another heavy sigh.
Daniel smiled grimly. “Well, that’s to be expected with a ‘Apollyon’ victim. No trace of the ‘death god’ at all.”
Jin Young rolled his eyes at daniel last comment. “Please, don’t be so pessimistic. The morale on this case is bad enough as it is. We don’t need our head detective giving up hope.” he stood up from the car, giving him a slight punch to the shoulder. “Where’s the energetic, motivated young upstart who solved three murder cases in three months, one of them involving a high profile politician?”
Daniel couldn’t help but smile at his comment, feeling some of his old pride returning to him. It was true that he had achieved that and it was one of the reasons his superintendent had given him the ‘Apollyon’ case. Jin Young, noticing his small smile, grinned even wider. he placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.
“Come on, let’s get out of here. We’ll let the forensics team sweep the place for clues while we get a cup of coffee. It seriously is too early to come and look at dead bodies.” Jin Young feigned a yawn as he stretched his arms, walking over to the passenger side of their car. Daniel chuckled slightly at his antics as he shook his head. He could always rely on his partner to cheer him up. They had graduated from the academy together and ever since were always together as partners.
Turning around to open his door, the smile on his face was wiped off as he saw the white body bag of the dead man being carried out of the alleyway. His eyes never left the bag, the image and stench of the dead body still fresh in his mind. Entering his seat behind the wheel, he gripped the steering wheel firmly, his eyes hard. Jin Young, noticing his mood, decided to remain silent.
“I will find out who ‘Apollyon’ is,” he said with finality in his voice that revealed his determination in capturing the murderer. “I will.”
Apollyon was perhaps the most favored member of the Syndicate. The Syndicate’s leader,known as‘’Dawn’’ had never held back the rewards he lavished on his most prized servant. Many others wondered how one man could earn the respect and favor of the most powerful and influential person in Korea. lee Min Soo was a well-known man, for he dealt in all walks of life from his legitimate multibillion dollar corporation to the various illegal trades of the black market.
Just outside of Korea, Dawn had built his home, which he humbly called his mansion yet it was something more of a palace. He had many live-in employees, one of them being his favored assassin, 'Apollyon'. he lived in his home under the name of Ji Hoon, as Min soo personal guards. Min Soo had given him a splendid room which looked over the fifty acre garden, all the way to the distant mountains. But Ji Hoon wasn’t impressed. he had never felt anything for the empty beauty he woke up to see each day after the night’s cruel work. And it wasn’t as if he wasn’t aware of all the rumours that were circulating the social circles of upper class society, either.
Min soo wife had died years ago from a terminal illness, which was said to have sent the Syndicate leader into a year of depression. It was around that time Ji Hoon had happened across him and the older man had taken him into his care. People began whispering behind their backs then, but as time went on, the rumors became nastier and more abundant. Ji Hoon always turned a blind eye to such spiteful words; it didn’t mean anything to him. It wasn’t true so why should he care about the foul winds that emanated from their mouths?
Ji Hoon was still deep asleep in his bed, his satin gold quilt twisted in a mess about his spread out form. he wasn’t a motionless sleeper, always twisting and turning in bed in the throes of the nightmares that plagued his dreams. No matter how hard one tried to cut their emotional ties, their conscience always catches up in the subliminal messages that are sent to us in the form of dreams. It was there that Ji Hoon was at his weakest, prey to his own unforgiving heart.
A soft knock sounded at the door, too quiet for Ji Hoon to hear. His nightmare had been long over and he lay perfectly still on his bed, a small crease on his brow. Few ever dared to knock on the fiery guard’s door, as once he had sent a maid packing after throwing a vase at the poor girl for entering his room without permission.
Getting no response from the occupant of the room, the elderly maid decided to enter it on her own. She walked into the room, throwing the curtains wide open to let the late morning sunshine in. This still did nothing to stir Ji Hoon out of his deep sleep. The maid peered over at Ji Hoon desk, a small motherly smile spreading on her face as she noted the mess of paper sprawled around the place. She turned back to Ji Hoon, shaking her head before giving him a firm slap on the back.
“Working all night again, Ji Hoon shhi?” she teased, earning a tired glare from Ji Hoon.
“It’s you,sunmi” growled Ji Hoon before burying his face back into his pillow. “It’s still too early,” he muttered, his voice muffled by the pillow.
“Nonsense, Ji Hoon! It is almost ten thirty in the morning!” exclaimed the maid as she began shaking Ji Hoon.
Ji Hoon ignored her for a few minutes before succumbing to the older lady’s persistence. “Fine! I’ll get up now.” Ji Hoon sat up in bed, sending an annoyed glance at her before storming off towards the bathroom with a yawn. sunmi was the only person in the house Ji Hoon would allow to act with him in that manner. Since he came to live at the Dawn mansion, sunmi had been the only one to put up with Ji Hoon temper, eventually earning the young dude respect. However, Ji Hoon still kept up the pretence that he didn’t favour sunmi one bit.
sunmi began with her standard chores of fixing Ji Hoon bed, along with selecting a suitable outfit for the day. She never went near Ji Hoon desk, for it was off limits, even to someone he somewhat trusted like sunmi. The shelves nearby were also forbidden, and the old maid had often wondered why. There never seemed to be anything on the shelf that sunmi would have thought Ji Hoon wouldn’t want anyone touching. It was understandable why the desk was off limits, but the shelves? All that occupied the shelves were numerous books and sculptures.
Ji Hoon now returned from the bathroom, wearing a robe as he threw his shirts into a basket. he made his way over to the bed, hand drying his hair with a towel as he looked over the outfit sunmi had chosen for today. Satisfied, he headed towards his dresser where he began fixing his hair.
“Master lee has left the message that you are to see him at his office in apgujeong-do. He also said that you could take your time, seeing as you would have been up all night working,” said the maid from behind Ji Hoon.
Ji Hoon smiled somewhat bitterly as he began fixing his hair. ‘Of course he knew I would have a late night.’
Looking at sunmi reflection in the mirror, Ji Hoon said, “Send him the message that I will be arriving soon.” sunmi bowed and left the room.
After sunmi left, Ji Hoon stopped fixing his hair as he stared at his reflection in the mirror. Sometimes he wondered how his life would have turned out if he had never stumbled across Dawn that fateful night ten years ago. His hand went to his face as achieved by years of living in luxury had lavished on him. he was nothing more than an obedient pet to him. as he threw the hairspray at the mirror, causing the polished glass to crack. His reflection stared back at his fractured, just as was his nature. Ji Hoon had never wanted to be a killer. he didn’t want this pampered, two-sided life. If only her mother had never married that man…
Ji Hoon shook himself away from that train of thought. It was no use remembering the past, longing for what could not be. Min soo was waiting for him. he cleared his mind as he went to get dressed. Once he was satisfied with the way he looked,Ji Hoon picked up his bag and his file, making his way outside. As he reached the main hallway, he passed a lone servant who was busy polishing the floor. Ji Hoon came to a stop beside the girl and he saw her visibly stiffen. he smiled in a cold, off-handed way, glancing away from the servant.
“I need a new mirror in my room. Make sure it’s there by the time I get back.” Ji Hoon then left the servant to quiver on the spot, thanking the gods that she was still alive.
tbc.