The morning sun filtered gently through the curtains, casting a warm glow over Cherry's room. She stirred awake, her body still weak from the recent surgery. Just as she tried to adjust her pillow, her phone buzzed loudly on the nightstand. The unexpected ring startled her.
With a soft groan, she reached for the phone.
"Detective Cherry speaking," she answered, her voice slightly rough from sleep.
On the other end, a low voice replied, "This is Sub-Inspector Anderu. I want to discuss Jennifer's murder with you... if you're willing to meet."
Cherry sat up, her brows furrowed. "I'm not in condition to travel. My injuries..." she hesitated, then decided quickly, "You can come to my house instead. I'll give you the address."
There was a short silence before Anderu responded, "Understood. I'll be there soon." The call ended abruptly.
Cherry exhaled and turned to Kail, who was already awake, leaning against the wall and watching her with sharp, cautious eyes.
"Be aware, Kail," she said in a serious tone. "This might be a trap. Stay ready for anything."
Kail gave a small nod, his jaw tightening. "Don't worry. I'll be ready."
---
A few hours later, the doorbell rang. The quiet house seemed to hold its breath. Kail moved first, his hand instinctively reaching for the knife tucked behind his belt. He peered through the door's small hole-everything outside looked normal. A man stood calmly, his posture relaxed.
Kail called out through the door, "Who is it?"
"Sub-Inspector Anderu," the man's voice came, steady but low.
Kail's grip tightened on the knife. Slowly, he unlocked the door and stepped to the side, letting the man enter but keeping a close watch. As Anderu walked in, Kail held the knife openly, his eyes cold and calculating.
"I know you've been through a lot these past few days," Anderu said calmly, raising his hands slightly, "but I'm not here to harm anyone. I only came to help."
Kail's expression didn't soften. "How do I know you're not another assassin?" he muttered, still blocking part of Anderu's path.
"I'm here because I want the truth about Jennifer's case... just like you do," Anderu replied, his voice firm.
Reluctantly, Kail lowered the knife slightly, but his stance remained tense. "Fine. But I'll be watching you."
They moved toward Cherry's room. Anderu walked ahead, while Kail stayed close behind, gripping the knife in his hand. The tension in the air was thick enough to cut.
Inside the room, Cherry sat up on her bed, watching the scene unfold. Anderu took a seat in a nearby chair, his movements slow and deliberate. Kail stood beside Cherry, still on edge.
"Water?" Anderu asked politely.
Kail hesitated, then handed the knife to Cherry. He leaned down and whispered, "If he tries anything, stab him. Don't hesitate."
Cherry nodded silently, her fingers clutching the knife tightly as Kail walked to the kitchen.
Moments later, as Kail filled a glass of water, a sudden sharp scream pierced the air. Cherry's voice.
Kail dropped the glass, water splashing across the floor, and bolted back to the room. His heart pounded like a drum. He slammed the door open to find Cherry doubled over in pain.
Rage ignited in his eyes. He grabbed Anderu by the collar, slamming him against the wall.
"What did you do to her?!" Kail roared, his voice trembling with fury.
Anderu struggled to speak, his hands raised defensively. "I didn't touch her! I swear!"
"Kail, stop!" Cherry's voice broke through the chaos. She gasped through the pain, her voice weak but clear. "He... he didn't do anything. It's just... the stitches. They hurt suddenly. That's all."
Kail froze. His grip loosened, and he slowly released Anderu, breathing heavily. The anger faded from his eyes, replaced with concern as he rushed to Cherry's side.
After the moment settled, Kail handed Anderu the glass of water with a cold glare. Anderu took it silently, then began to speak.
"One day," he said, "a man came to the police station with the Commissioner. He handed over a pouch of money to the inspector and ordered them to close Jennifer's case."
Cherry's eyes widened. "A constable told me something similar. But he didn't mention the Commissioner..."
Anderu nodded. "Yes. This proves the Commissioner is directly involved in the cover-up. He's part of the secret behind Jennifer's murder."
Kail leaned forward, his tone harsh. "And what about Jennifer's boyfriend? Why is he still locked up?"
Anderu's voice lowered. "The police think he was the reason behind Jennifer's 'suicide.'"
Kail slammed his fist on the table. "Suicide?! How can someone tie themselves up with rope and hang themselves like that? It's clearly murder!"
Anderu met his eyes calmly. "I know. That's why I'm here. I'm collecting evidence against the Commissioner. And I'll work to free Jennifer's boyfriend-he's innocent, I believe that."
Cherry's gaze softened. "Please... do whatever you can. He's already broken. I don't want him to suffer any more than he already has."
Anderu nodded and stood. "I'll do my best." Without another word, he left the house, the sound of the door closing echoing behind him.
Silence lingered for a while. Then Cherry turned to Kail.
"Why do you behave like this?" she asked softly. "You're always so... intense."
Kail looked away, his eyes darkening. After a long pause, he spoke.
"I have personality disorders."
Cherry's breath caught. "What? Why didn't you tell me?"
Kail's voice was low, almost trembling. "Because you're my only friend. I've been alone because of this problem. Everyone knew... except you. When I saw you were also alone, I thought maybe... maybe if I hid it, I could stay by your side without scaring you away. I believed my rage was gone forever... but I was wrong. It just changed. It became something else... a protector's rage. For you."
Cherry's heart ached. "When did this all start?"
Kail's eyes glistened with a darkness from the past. "When those boys buried you alive. That day... I killed them. But after that, the police caught me and sent me to juvenile prison. Your family told you I went away for studies, didn't they?"
Cherry nodded silently, tears brimming in her eyes.
"They didn't want you to know the truth. In prison, I trained. Special forces training. After four years, I worked as an agent. When I was released, they wanted me to continue-but I refused. I became an investigator instead. I thought my rage was gone. But in X-Bar, it came back."
Cherry couldn't speak. The weight of his words crushed her chest.
"And yet," she whispered, "you still came to help me... even knowing I was the reason you suffered so much."
Kail looked at her, his voice firm. "Because you're my only friend. Maybe it's the rage... or maybe it's something else. But I'll protect you. Always."
Cherry didn't respond. Instead, she sat silently, her hand resting lightly over his, both of them lost in the storm of emotions.
End of Chapter 4