THE CURSED ONE - THE BOY WHO CHALLENGE DESTINY

Cruel Defamation - 1

The wind tonight felt very cold as if ice arrows were piercing the skin. Jin pressed his hands against his body to keep it warm, this is the first time he feels night as cold as this. His feeling was uneasy and his intuition told him that there was going to be a storm and something really bad was going to happen tonight, but he ignored his intuition and continued walking towards the food warehouse.

He reached the food warehouse and is shocked to see if everyone still in there moreover they were gathered in the yard. Everyone looks at him but the first person he goes to is Jung Kook. He immediately bowed before Jung Kook and apologized for failing to complete his assignment today.

“Sir, I am very sorry that my task today was not completed properly. I know this was a mistake but I have a reason.” Jin said solemnly.

“Jin, where have you been? No one saw you all day long, and you even not telling me if you want to go somewhere.” Jung Kook felt a little emotional, apart from the problems with the investigators' team, also because this was the first time Jin not updated him all day long.

“I sincerely apologize, Sir, I have been passed out behind the Blue Hall since lunch break.” Jin explained his reason for not fulfilled his assignment.

“Wait, what?” Jung Kook asked again to make sure if he heard it correctly.

“Yes, Sir,” Before Jin continued his explanation, Seok Man, The Investigator come out and interrupted his words.

“Who’s next? Come inside fast.” Seok Man said it loud.

 “It looks like everyone you have called in, Sir. Can my workers go home now because it's already late night?” Jung Kook negotiated with Seok Man.

“No, not right now, please be patient for a while because we will wait for master Yong's decision,” Seok Man answered, Jung Kook couldn’t do anything except waiting again. “Wait, who’s that kid?” Seok Man asked.

“He’s just our helper, Sir.” Jung Kook answered, he tried to protect Jin from having to enter the interrogation room.

“You ask the kid to come here. We need to get information from everyone even it is a kid.” Seok Man kept asked Jin to enter the interrogation room.

“Okay, Sir, please wait for a moment,” Jung Kook asked for a minute.

“Listen, Jin, you have to go inside, there are Mr. Yong and the investigators inside and they want to ask about the theft in the Yellow Hall, just answer their questions honestly you’ll be fine, I'm sure none of us are involved.” Jung Kook tried to give Jin some directions.

“Come quickly, kid.” Seok Man asked.

“Yes, Sir.” Jin answered, he moves his feet towards Seok Man and entered to Food Warehouse which is now used as an interrogation room.

“Well, who is this kid?” Yong asked.

“He is one of the helpers in this place, Sir.” Seok Man answered.

“Okay, come here and have a sit.” Yong asked Jin to sit down in the chair in front of him. Jin obeyed him.

“You have good eyes, full of determination and fearless. Who’s your name?” Yong asked.

“Jin, Sir.” Jin answered.

“Jin? Are you the one who saved Youra from the kidnapper?” Yong asked as he heard if the boy who saved Youra’s name was Jin.

“Yes, Sir.” Jin answered shortly.

“My opinion about you was correct, you are indeed a brave kid.” Yong praised Jin.

“No, Sir, I just do what I must.” Jin humbled himself.

“Very well then, I will ask you some question, Jin, you must answer it honestly otherwise you’ll become the suspect.” Yong said the rules.

Jin nods his head to confirm if he understands.

Yong asked Jin many questions, some questions are directly related to the theft but other questions unrelated at all, and Jin answered them as honestly as he can. It took almost one burnt of incense until Yong finished all his questions to Jin and he feels if Jin answered all the questions honestly.

“Okay, Jin, I think you are honest, you can go out now.” Yong said.

“Thank you, Sir.” Jin stands up and walks outside but before he reaches the door, Seok Man stopping him.

“Hold it, kid, we’ll have to check your belonging first, stand still while we do it.” Seok Man instructed Jin not to move during a body check.

At this moment Jin still doesn’t think negatively because he believed that he was not involved in the theft but he did not realize if he was being framed by Hyul and his g**g. He was not realizing if the stolen kinds of stuff were inside his clothes until Seok Man found a bundle of cloth inside Jin’s clothes and he took it and he asked Jin what was inside the bundle. Jin who doesn’t know about that bundle confused to answer the question, he answered if he doesn’t know about it but Seok Man doesn’t believe his words just like that.

“You said if you didn’t know why this bundle inside your clothes? How it was possible? Let’s find out what inside first.” Seok Man questioned Jin’s confession.

“Sir, we found this inside this kid's clothes.” Seok Man said and gave the bundle to Yong.

“Hmm… open it now.” Yong ordered.

Seok Man opened the bundle and they found all the stolen items inside, all of them looked at Jin who now standing in confusion.

“We had found the thief, Sir.” Seok Man said to Yong.

“Well, Jin, what’s your explanation? All of these are the stolen items and you brought them inside your clothes. Now all the evidence pointing to you, how you will defend yourself?” Kim Yong asked. He kept his calmness instead of his emotions.

“Err… I don’t know, Sir, that was not min and I didn’t know how it got inside my clothes.” Jin answered.

“Listen, I respect your bravery to save Youra, but theft isn’t something that is accepted and condoned in this sect. If you can’t prove yourself innocent then we will punish you without tolerance.” Yong said it strictly.

Jin doesn't know what to answer because he didn't understand how it got inside his clothes. He suddenly remembered that this noon before lunch break he was made unconscious with drugs by Eral and his friends, Jin thought that it was likely they were the ones who trapped him, but for what? He didn't understand at all. He decided to tell everything to the investigator

“Why you keep your silence, Kid? Or, you are admitting if you are guilty?” Yong pushed Jin to answer the questions.

“No, Sir, absolutely not. I just tried to remember all the things that happened to me before I tell it to you.” Jin answered.

“So, tell me your plea immediately.” Yong urged.

Jin told Yong and the investigator everything that had happened to him from this morning until this evening. He mentions everything including Eral and his friends and how they attacked him and knocked him unconscious with some kind of medicine or d**g. He also mentioned his suspicions about Eral and his friends who put the stolen items into his clothes while he was unconscious.

“Did you have any proof to back your story? No matter how legit your story was, if you didn’t have any proof then it’s pointless. You stand on the edge, Jin.” Yong explained Jin’s current situation.

 “I didn’t have any evidence, Sir, but please trust my story, I never lied, you can ask Mr.Jung Kook.” Jin tried to defend himself by persuading Yong.

“My opinions and decisions are based on the facts and evidence that I have, I cannot make decisions based solely on a story that anyone can compose. But, because I still considering your heroism when you saved Youra, tonight we call Eral and his friends and ask them separately what they did today and whether they knew you or not. This is all that I can do, if their answer contradicts yours then I can't do anything. Just remember that every theft within the sect will get the punishment that they deserve.” Yong gave Jin his last chance.

Seok Man asked Dan to take Jin to a separate room and guard him while he goes to Blue Hall’s dormitory to find Eral and Cha. When he stepped out from the door, Jung Kook directly asked him about Jin’s interrogation.

“Is the interrogation not over yet?” Jung Kook asked.

“Not yet, we find a clear clue but there are still some things that need to be clarified before making a decision.” Seok San answered.

“What about Jin? Why he hasn’t come out?” Jung Kook continuously asked.

Rather than answering, Seok San runs using his body lifting technique towards Blue Hall and let Jung Kook’s question unanswered yet. Jung Kook senses that something bad will happen soon enough but he tries to be positive, maybe Jin knows something about the thief so he is asked for a longer time than the others, that's what Jung Kook thinking right now.

Meantime, Jin, who was guarded by Dan in a separate room, waited uncertainly for Eral and Cha's arrival as he knows if he is in a very difficult situation right now. He just realized that the bad intuition he had felt in the past few days was not because Youra's kidnappers were about to strike again, but because he would be in serious trouble himself. What he wanted to know right now was why Eral and Cha did all of this to him, do they have a grudge against him? Or they just do this for fun? He felt if he needs to ask them directly.