Dahye swallowed. “I’d appreciate that.”
“Right this way.”
She didn’t want Bora to come with her, but she was already following close behind. Inspector Kang was waiting for them in his office. He was an older gentleman, in his sixties, with hair that he had obviously—and poorly—attempted to cover up with box dye. His sagging jowls gave him the look of an angry bulldog.
“Sit, sit.” Inspector Kang gestured toward the empty chairs on the other side of the desk. His computer was on, its screenbright, the fan humming. “Officer Lee said you have some questions, Miss …”
“Kim,” Bora supplied, before Dahye could answer. “This is Park Dahye. She’s the one submitting the report.” Inspector Kang nodded.
“Bora, I …” Dahye started, but Bora shushed her, then continued.
“Thank you for taking the time to talk to us. You see, Dahye was the victim of a terrible crime. She was dating Jang Hyukjoon, the son of the YS Media Group CEO. Do you know him?”
Inspector Kang made no indication that he heard her question.
“Anyway, he was the one involved in that molka scandal a few days ago. Recently, I came across some screenshots on Naver, alleging he assaulted numerous women, including …” Bora put her hand on Dahye’s shoulder. Dahye coughed, waited one second, then shrugged it off. The feeling from earlier—that something was burning in her throat—returned. “Given Hyukjoon’scircumstances, it’s important for us to know that this will be handled the correct way.” Bora looked at Inspector Kang expectantly. “Can you explain what the next steps are in this process?”
“Bora, I—”
“I’ve got this, don’t worry,” Bora assured her. “You don’t have to say a word.” Dahye closed her mouth.
“Next steps?” Inspector Kang said mildly. “Well. We’ve received your report. We’ll assign an officer, and that officer will call you for more information.”
“This is a serious crime,” Bora said. “A high-profile one. You should assign someone today.” She jabbed the desk with her index finger. “In fact, you should do it right now.”
“I understand how upset you must be,” Inspector Kang said. He looked directly at Dahye, and she turned away, her cheeks reddening. Still, she could feel his gaze on her, and her skin prickled. She was furious at herself for coming to the police station and furious at Bora for taking over the conversation.
“There are many serious crimes going on in Seoul at one time. Did you consider that the screenshots might be fake?”
“That’s not the case here,” Bora said.
Inspector Kang shrugged. “We won’t know until the investigation is conducted. Just this morning, I heard a story on the radio about a woman in Busan who claimed her boss was sexually harassing her. She took screenshots of their so-called conversations to the police, but once an investigation was conducted, they turned out to be photoshopped.”
“Like I said, these aren’t fake,” Bora said angrily.
“Hmm.” Inspector Kang leaned forward, clasping his hands under his chin. Though Bora was staring daggers at him, Inspector Kang seemed amused. He cleared his throat. “I appreciate you stopping by. I can take that.” He held out his hand for the form. Dahye handed him the completed report, and he placed it at the top of the stack in the center of his desk. He gave it a little pat. “We’ll do our best to contact you within five to seven days.”
“Sir, with all due respect—” Bora started.
“Miss.” He sounded exasperated. “I’m very sorry about the situation you both are in. But there’s really nothing I can do at this time. As I’m sure you understand, there’s an established order to how we do things around here. We receive the report. We assign an officer. The officer will call you for more information. It’s a process. And it ensures everything is done fairly and equitably. If I assigned someone right now, that would be unfair to everybody else who came before you. Those people are alsodealing with very serious matters. Are you trying to tell me that your issue is more important than theirs?”
“No, of course not.” Bora looked down, seemingly embarrassed. Dahye watched her, feeling distant from the situation. It was like she was watching it unfold in a television show.
“In that case, if there’s nothing else, I’m going to have to ask you two to leave,” Inspector Kang said, standing up. “It’s been very busy, and we have a lot to do.”
“One second,” Dahye said. Her throat was dry. “Bora, would you mind waiting outside?”
“What—” Bora started to say.
“Please.” Dahye stared at her hands. “I just need a few minutes to talk to Inspector Kang alone.”
Bora’s expression twisted, but she stood and walked out, shutting the door behind her. Inspector Kang raised his eyebrows and sat down.
“I hope this isn’t a terrible imposition, but is there any way I can see a file while I’m here?” Dahye asked. Inspector Kang started to frown, prompting her to add, “My sister’s.” At this, his manner abruptly changed, and he looked on solemnly. “She died when I was young, and I never learned what really happened to her. I was hoping to get some closure.”
“Alright,” he said. “This kind of thing isn’t usually permitted without a lot of paperwork, but given your current circumstances, and since you’re her direct family …” He trailed off. “I’ll make an exception just this once. What is your sister’s name and date of birth? And do you know the date of the incident?”
“Park Eunhye. She was born on October 19, 1995. I don’t know the exact date she died, but her body was found on June 12, 2013.”