I blinked.

"Wait, what?" I asked with my voice going higher than I intended it to . Jungkook, who until now was in deep thought, snapped his head at Namjoon, shocked by the new revelation.

Namjoon leaned back while casually swirling his coffee cup. "We thought of not revealing it to keep it professional at work. No one knew. But now..." he shrugged, "I don't see a reason to keep it a secret anymore."

I stared at nothing, still trying to process all the information being thrown on my face. Out of all the possible things I expected him to say, this was definitely not on the list.

My train of thoughts broke when Jungkook spoke, suspicion evident in his voice. "Then let me ask you something else, Mr. Kim." His face was unreadable as he tapped on his coffee mug. "That voice recording—was it real? Or was it another plan of Mr Choi?"

Silence.

That was a damn good question, but Namjoon just stared at his drink. I could hear the ticking of my watch, until he took a long deep breath before nodding his head.

"Yes," he said. "The recording was real."

A strange relief washed over me. Relief for what? Probably the fact that the accused is the real murderer.

He continued, "Ms Song accidentally overheard Mr Choi speaking to Yeonjun, but...she was caught. Mr Choi, instead of silencing her, took advantage of the situation. It's true—he ordered Yeonjun to kill Jimin. And Yeonjun did it. Ms. Song heard their call after the murder too."

I felt like the air in my lungs was being sucked out by a vacuum cleaner.

Yeonjun was the murderer. The real murderer.

I suspected this outcome, a part of me knew he could be the real murderer . But hearing it now, made it unsettling. The murderer was finally found. The mystery is closed.

Then why did it still feel like we still lost?

I questioned Namjoon about something which suddenly struck me. "Why are you telling us this?"

Namjoon gave a chuckle which lacked humour. "Because it doesn't matter anymore. Whether I tell you or not, everything is going to happen exactly the way Mr. Choi planned it." He leaned forward and lowered his voice. "Or maybe, I want you two to come to a conclusion."

Saying that, he stood up and adjusted his coat. "Thanks for the coffee, Haerin. Don't overthink it."

I managed to give a small nod as he left me and Jungkook sitting there in silence.

We found the murderer or more likely, we were forced to by Mr Choi. His plan didn't make complete sense to me, but I guess that choppy plan was his only way out of this mess.

I gritted my teeth in anger. I hated this. Hated the fact that my father's words came true. "Money is more powerful than justice."

Despite Yeonjun paying for his crime, the fact that Mr Choi would escape angered me. But fighting against it? That would lead me nowhere.

I clenched my fists and tried to find a good note even in the bad outcome, that at least the murderer is deserving his punishment. I was glad that his own father threw him to the wolves.

Jungkook broke the silence. "A father who's willing to put his son in danger..." he muttered. "That's some twisted shit."

I nodded while taking a slow breath. "Yeah. But honestly? Yeonjun deserves it."

Jungkook and I sat there in silence, not sure of what to do next. Move on with our lives? The case was closed? Something in me told me it's not the end yet. But the fact is, it was.

I glanced at Jungkook who was busy in thoughts. He was staring at his coffee as if there were all answers in it.

"Are you thinking the same as me?"

He looked at me, with his ever handsome gaze, which was making me weak. His charm was distracting and I hated that it wasn't the right time to feel this way.

"I'm afraid I don't know what you're thinking, Miss Jung."

"I was thinking... I don't know. It doesn't feel real. Like, in just one coffee break, we knew everything from who planned it to who executed it and even what is going to happen next. Shouldn't it have been more complicated than this?"

He chuckled. "I understand you, Miss Jung."

He continued, "I was like you with my first case."

I furrowed my brows. "What do you mean?"

"The thing is, every case is different. Some are too easy while others can be nearly impossible. Sometimes, the truth falls into your lap without making an effort, and sometimes, you have to fight tooth and nail to find it. Luckily, this time the truth fell right onto our laps."

I nodded slowly, but still not satisfied by how things were going.

Jungkook chuckled again. "Most of the time, my cases turn out like this. They are less dramatic like crime thriller movies and more like a boring case. 

I let out a short laugh. "I guess that's true."

And there was silence again. We both sipped our coffees, enjoying its warmth as if we had not just found out the mystery behind my best friend's death.

Just then, both of our phones dinged at the same time. We both pulled it out together and read the notification.

BREAKING NEWS: CHOI YEONJUN CONFIRMS HE WAS THE MURDERER.

I looked up at Jungkook and instantly knew that he read the same thing as me. We looked at each other with an unreadable expression.

We both sighed. The weight of it all settled at once.

"So," I murmured. "I guess this is the end of the mystery."

Jungkook didn't respond right away. He took a few minutes before responding. "Yeah," he finally said. "I guess it is."

Finally, the answers had come. The justice I was waiting for did come, but not entirely as Mr Choi still had the scope of escaping.

Now, there was nothing left to fight for. Jimin was gone. His murderer had confessed. The world would move on.

I should have felt relieved, but the victory felt empty.

Jungkook glanced at me. "You okay?"

I forced a smile. "I don't know. Should I be?"

He chuckled and smirked. "Probably not. But sometimes, you don't get the ending you expect."

I let his words sink in. He was right though. Some stories are not meant to end the way we expect it. They just... end.

Suddenly, I remembered something. In a few days, it is going to be Christmas, something Jimin always waited for every year.

This year, Christmas will be colder than ever without him.

____________________________________

It was Christmas Eve. I stood on my balcony, gazing at the warm street lights dominated by Christmas lights. The cup of hot chocolate in my hands barely bought any comfort. Yeonjun was arrested, but his case is still going on in the court. Yeonjun managed to get good lawyers, but even they are struggling with the strong evidence against Yeonjun.

My mind diverted to the times when Jimin made sure that Christmas was the best part of the year. If he were alive now, I would be savouring the tastiest cake made by a man with the most angelic smile ever.

Tears streamed down my face as I remembered how me, Yoongi and Jimin would dance around the Christmas tree, without giving a fuck about how bad we were at dancing. Suddenly, a question struck me. Would we be celebrating this day, if Jimin were alive? Even after the argument we had?

I already knew the answer. Yes, we would.

Despite insulting each other, we would have patched up, just like always. I knew he didn't mean anything he said. He must have been stressed back then with the knowledge of his and his sisters life being in danger. I knew he would have still tried his best to gain my forgiveness. But, I still wished I could turn back time and change one thing, that our last interaction had been not an argument.

This year there was no celebration. I would have tried to celebrate it with Yoongi, but he wasn't here either. Even if he was here, it wouldn't be the same. Dad and Hoseok never celebrated Christmas. It was only because of Jimin that this day felt like a festival.

I made my way to the kitchen as I was hungry. The house felt too cold. I opened all the racks in the kitchen to find a ramen packet. But on finding none, I grabbed my jacket and car keys and left for a convenience store.

Seoul was covered in white snow. Everyone was looking happy with their family and friends. Huge Christmas trees were placed in the centre of roads and small ones in front of every store.  The whole world looked happy. But, I wasn't a part of that world anymore.

I parked my car outside the convenience store and got out of it. The streets looked warm with happy smiles, despite the freezing cold. The sounds of crunching of snow beneath the feet blended in with the laughter.

The moment I stepped inside, the smell of ramen and fresh baked cakes entered my nostrils.The store was neatly decorated with colorful lights hanging on the shelves and walls. From the ceilings were hung bright red banners.

Merry Christmas!

The words should have brought a smile to my face, but it didn't. That should have reminded me of the sweet moments with my best friends. But for now, I could only think of what I was missing.

I tried to ignore the ache in my heart and grabbed a pack of ramen from the shelf. I made my way to the counter. The cashier gave me the bill with a bright smile.

"Merry Christmas!" He greeted me with enthusiasm.

I forced a small smile, my grip tightening around the plastic bag. "Merry Christmas," I murmured, the words feeling strange in my mouth.

I sat at one of the outdoor tables. I took a long breath and saw a cloud of air leaving my mouth. The street in front of me was a picture of joy. Couples were walking hand in hand, children were tugging their parents to toy stores, demanding their Christmas gifts, a man dressed in Santa costume, was dancing as a group of choir sang carols.

I stared into my ramen cup and stirred the noodles absentmindedly. I followed the steam rising from the bowl.

How do I move on? I knew I would, eventually. But when?

Just then, I heard a chair being pulled back. I looked up to see someone sitting in front of me. Someone I knew.

Jungkook.

He sat down as if we already planned to meet each other under these Christmas lights. His breath was a little uneven, as if he had walked in the cold for too long. He smiled at me, which usually did things to me, but for now I couldn't feel anything. 

A small chuckle escaped my lips. "What a coincidence," I prompted. "What brings you here?"

He didn't answer right away. He stared at my eyes and instantly his smile vanished. "You cried, didn't you?"

The way he asked so gently with real concern made my breath hitch.

I glanced back at the streets, trying to hide my eyes. But too late, he already caught me. My eyes started getting blurry as tears started welling up in my eyes...again. It was true. I cried the whole evening and tried to calm myself with hot chocolate.

From the corner of my eyes, I saw his hands making way towards mine on the table. His fingers brushed mine before he held my hand firmly. His hands felt warm even in the cold winter. He held my hand as if reassuring his comforting presence, as if telling me that I wasn't alone in this.

We sat like that for what felt like hours with his hand resting on mine. The only sound between us was the occasional sniffle which I failed to hold back.

In that quiet moment, I knew it.

This man was someone more than a person who entered my life unexpectedly, more than just a man helping me. He was someone who stayed.

I was scared to admit this but I was sure...I loved him.

I didn't know how it turned out like that, nor did I know how my heart had the capacity to feel something so strong towards a man, despite the chaos I was going through.

Jungkook finally broke the silence with a gentle voice.

"Miss Jung, why don't you join us for the Christmas party tomorrow?"

I was caught off guard by the offer. "Oh—uh, it's okay," I stammered. "It's your family time, I would rather not intrude."

He let out a soft laugh. "You wouldn't be intruding." His eyes softened. "I want you to come."

I wanted to go, especially when he invited me so sweetly. But the thought of celebrating as if everything was normal, clenched my heart. But, Jungkook's kind smile made it hard to say no.

My fingers tightened under his. I slowly nodded. "I guess...I'll come then."

His smile widened, his eyes disappearing.

"Good."

The next few minutes, we talked about how Jungkook's family was preparing for Christmas night. Eventually, we bid our farewell and made our way to our respective homes.

In a blink of an eye, the morning came in, brighter than ever. Obviously, no excitement, no enthusiasm and no warmth. Most of the day, I curled up on my coach, watching K drama, which hardly had my attention. I wasn't even employed anymore to distract myself with work.

The characters on the TV screen laughed as if mocking my state.

Hours passed and it was evening already. I sighed remembering the party I had to attend. A part of me suggested that I cancel it and stay at home, avoiding the world.

But then I remembered how Jungkook's face lit up when I said I would come.

I sighed as I stood. I promised and it wouldn't really be good to cancel it at the last moment.

____________________________________

I parked my car outside Jungkook's house. A thin layer of snow covered the driveway. From inside, I could hear chaos. A warm chaos.

I stood in front of the main door, hesitating to knock. I haven't celebrated anything since his death. The idea of feeling warmth and joy again was foreign to me.

But before I could prepare myself and knock, the front door opened, revealing Mrs Jeon in her elegant white frock. If I hadn't known, I would have mistaken her for Jungkook's sister.

"Haerin, you're here!"

Before I could greet her, she held my shoulders and hugged me, which I returned back. It was at this moment I realized that I forgot to bring something for the family. I came with empty hands. I started to feel ashamed of myself until Mrs Jeon pulled me out of my thoughts.

"I was starting to think Jungkook made up about you coming tonight," she said warmly. "Come inside before you freeze."

The moment I entered, I was greeted by the warmth in the house. It was warm due to the huge fireplace, but apart from that the energy of this family provided warmth too. The scent of baked cake and roasted chicken was spread across the house. In the corner of the living room was a huge Christmas tree, lit with colourful lights. The tree, which almost touched the ceiling, was surrounded by neatly wrapped gifts.

"So dear, would you like to have the wine before, during or after dinner?" Mrs Jeon asked.

Jungkook appeared from the hallway. He shook his head as he made his way towards us. He was dressed in a simple blue and white striped shirt with a pair of jeans.

"Mom, let her breathe."

His mother ignored him and beamed at me while taking my coat off, despite me rejecting politely since an elder doing it for me felt inappropriate.

"I'm happy you are here dear. We were almost going to start the fest. Go and join the others at the dining area. I will join you all after doing finishing touches to the cake I made" Mrs Jeon said.

I smiled softly. "Thank you for inviting me."

"Oh, of course, sweetheart. Jungkook would have gone mad if you hadn't come."

Jungkook groaned. "Mom—"

She smirked. "What? It's true."

I laughed, probably for the first time that day.

_________________________________________________

Dinner was filled with laughter and fun. The cake made my Mrs Jeon tasted so damn good. The clinking of the utensils overlapped with the lively conversations.

Jungkook's mother was on a mission to not leave my plate empty. Every time, I was about to put down my spoon, she would add some other new dish. Gosh I swear, I was losing count on the number of times she served me. "Eat more, Haerin. You have become weak."

Jungkook sighed. "Mom, she's fine."

She gave him a sharp look. "Isn't it your responsibility to look after your future partner."

I almost choked on my drink. Jungkook placed his fork down and rubbed his temples.

"Here we go again." He said, exhausted by his mother being too overwhelmed.

Jungkook's brother grinned across from the table. "You know, Mom might not be wrong regarding you both making a good pair. Maybe we should start planning the wedding."

This time, I really choked on my food. Jungkook, who was sitting beside me, passed me a glass of water.

Jungkook groaned. "I hate this family."

His mom smiled while sipping her wine "You'll thank me one day, Jungkook."

I could feel my face becoming hot. I refused to look up from my plate. Them teasing us made me blush but something about this moment...felt good.

I needed some air after dinner. Hence, I came out of the dining area and stepped into the balcony, hugging myself as the cold hit me. The city lights were far away, but still visible. Snowflakes started falling slowly on the railing, the driveway, the ceilings and the roads.

I exhaled heavily.

Maybe healing isn't a one time process. Maybe it came with little moments like these with crowded and messy dinners, where a lady treats you like her own daughter and teases you.

I leaned onto the railing, ignoring the snow on it which was making my dress wet.

I never thought I would celebrate Christmas without Jimin. This day lost its meaning after his death. This day just became a reminder of what I lost.

But for some reason, tonight turned out to be something completely different than what I expected.

Maybe, not exactly happy...but lighter for sure.

Maybe, healing wasn't about forgetting, it might be about learning to live with the memories made.

I heard the door of the balcony sliding behind me. I felt someone drop a jacket on me. I knew it was Jungkook. His voice confirmed it.

"You'll catch a cold," he murmured. "And...sorry about my mom back there at the dinner."

I turned to him and offered a small smile. "Thank you and its okay. She is just overwhelmed."

He didn't say anything. He just smiled and leaned onto the railing beside me. 

I wouldn't say I didn't like Mrs Jeon teasing me because to be honest...I loved it. That's something I would never admit.

I looked back at the sky. Only one star was visible and something in me told me that it was Jimin, trying to assure his presence. 

"Merry Christmas, Jimin." I whispered.

And somewhere in the cold wind, I swear I heard him laugh. I was ready. Not to forget, but to live again in a world where he, my best friend, once existed. 

End.

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End?

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Author's note: Stay tuned for the epilogue.