Back at the Homicides Investigations Department, Wonshik gathered everyone who has been secretly investigating the matter of the Apostles, for a meeting. Both Jisoo and Wongeun joined the meeting as well.

"So, what you're saying is that the Apostles have been around for more than a decade ago?" Wongeun asked Taekwoon as Taekwoon told them about what he heard from his informant.

"That's what I was told. I also went down underground to double-check and asked around. There were many who have never heard of the organization but I also ran into some who did know. However, when I asked them about the Apostles, they looked really shocked... afraid almost, just hearing the name," Taekwoon said. "The less you know, the better, that's what they told me."

"But if an organization which was gathered for the sole purpose of bringing justice and revealing the truth, why would anyone be scared of the Apostles?" Jisoo asked. "That doesn't make any sense."

"It seems that there were changes along the way and when the previous leader of the organization died, many rival organizations tried to get rid of the Apostles before they disappeared on their own."

"Getting rid of each other?" Wonshik asks.

"I don't think it's for profit at all though," Taekwoon continues. "But it sounded more like trying to shut people up. It seems that they didn't want people talking about the organization. They were trying to erase every traces of their organization before they disappeared for good."

"If that's true, then doesn't this also seem a little strange?" Hongbin noticed. "If they've been hidden so well all this time, without anyone talking about them, hushed all those who did know of them, then why... why are they suddenly doing all these things now as if they're telling people they exist? Doesn't that seem contradictory?"

"I think it's either a change of plans or a change of heart," Jisoo said and looked at the others to see if they agree with this theory.

"If that's the case, it means that there's a possibility of a new leader trying to revive the organization, don't you think?" Wongeun said.

The others nodded in agreement.

"K..." Wonshik mutters the name of the first person that came to mind. "This new leader could be 'K'. The one we still haven't found anything about."

"I think so too. Doesn't that mean that this K person, this God-like person in the organization, is trying to revive the Apostles? Similar to what the previous generation of the organization was doing?" Hongbin said.

"Not only that, but I feel like even the members of the organization are different from those previously. Think about it, both Jung Ilhoon and Lee Minhyuk are all still in their early twenties. If the Apostles existed for over a decade up until this point, then the current suspects would have only been a bunch of kids at that the time when the Apostles were first formed. There's no way that they'd be able to lead such a thorough organization at that age. Do you think it's possible that the current members are the successors of the previous Apostles?" Jisoo said.

"You mean like an inheritance of some sort?" Wongeun asked back.

"Possibly, right? I think that's probable at this point. Just think about it, if their predecessors were the ones who formed the group, creating the Apostles, then it should also make sense that whoever follows after will have inherited the name as well, right?"

"True, but I've already looked at the current suspects' family and background. It's true that both Minhyuk and Ilhoon comes from an influential family, both Alex Kwok and Evan Choi also had a rich family before their parents passed away but from what I know, it seems that none of them were particularly close to their family. Especially Lee Minhyuk, it's quite well known that he's already cut ties with his family and started doing things on his own. His family had already disowned him when he was in high school, though the reason is unknown, there were rumors that it was because he was quite a delinquent," Taekwoon mentions.

"Hmm..." they all started to think of the other possibilities.

"I think there's also something we shouldn't forget. The thing Hongbin found."

"The artwork?" Jisoo asks.

"That's right. Though there's a possibility of this whole successor thing, let's not forget the fact that the members right now met through 'art'. Though at this point, only Ilhoon has anything to do with art and majoring it, I think that there's something else with the fact that we found all their old artwork in one single place."

"And we still haven't been able to find the exact date to when they have met. If only we can figure that part out, then I think we'll be able to figure this whole mess out as well," Hongbin said with confidence.

"Thanks, Jisoo, and Wongeun-hyung for coming today," Wonshik said as he saw the two from the Narcotics go back to their regular duties.

"We should be the ones thanking you guys," Wongeun said as he patted Wonshik on the shoulders. "Jisoo and I have been wracking our brains out for several months since we discovered the organization's existence. We thought that we could get to the bottom of this on our own but we got nowhere as near as to what your team has been able to figure out together in just these past few months. You've honestly been a big help, Wonshik-ah. You've got good teammates."

"Thanks, hyung," Wonshik said as he looked at Taekwoon and Hongbin chatting away on the side. "I think I got a good team too."

"Honestly, I didn't think that it'd become something this big though. Initially, we thought that it was just some drug organization or a possible crackdown but now we're talking about some hidden organization that's been around for over a decade? Who would've guessed?"

"Yeah..."

No one would have guessed.

"Anyways, I'm going back to my department. You've done great today. If you find anything else, let us know right away. But first, get some sleep," Wongeun said as he noticed the big bags under Wonshik's eyes.

Just as the Narcotics left, Wonshik and his team headed back to their office. But just as Hongbin turned around the corner, he accidentally runs into Eunji, knocking out all the documents she had in her hands.

"Oh my god, sorry, Eunji-ah," Hongbin said as he frantically bent down to pick up all the loose-leaf pages that scattered across the floor.

"It's okay," Eunji said while the other two also helped around to collect the pages.

"Why do you have so many things with you?"

"I was just doing some research and looking into some things. I guess I printed out too much?" Eunji let out an embarrassed chuckle.

Wonshik gathered some of the pages on the floor and when he picked it up, the first thing that appeared on the page caught his attention. "Adoption?" He asked out loud.

"Hmm?" Hongbin also took a peek of what's on the pages. "Eunji-ah, you're looking to adopt someone?"

"Huh? No, not me. There's no way I'd adopt anyone... I don't have the right to do so," Eunji said with a sigh.

"Then, what's this about?" Hongbin continues to ask out of curiosity.

"Do you remember Song Badam?" Eunji asked him back.

"Yeah, what about him?"

"Well, actually both Lee Jaehwan and Cha Hakyeon have been asking me if they could adopt him after he's released from Juvie but I'm not sure about the procedures and I think there are a lot of legal documents they'll have to go through. There seems to be a lot of criteria too if they want to take in a child. Both of them are single and still in college, so I couldn't really give them a proper answer. They're both good kids and they mean well but there are things that we can't control."

"Cha Hakyeon? Lee Jaehwan?" the names piqued Taekwoon's curiosity.

Wonshik turned around, knowing exactly why that the name might have piqued Taekwoon's curiosity. That's right, he was looking into Cha Yoojae before...

"Oh, right. Taekwoon-ah, you didn't join us yet at that time. Earlier this year, we came across a juvenile homicide case and met a child name Song Badam. Since he was a minor, the sentencing was a little on the light side but also because it was found later on that he was mentally unstable and needed counseling, Eunji got assigned to looking after him," Hongbin briefed Taekwoon about the case without hesitation.

"I see. But if I remember correctly, isn't Lee Jaehwan your cousin?" Taekwoon asks.

"Haha, yeah... long story but I guess it was thanks to that case, I reunited with my cute younger cousin and his brother," Hongbin said.

"Brother?" Taekwoon seems confused.

"Well, adopted brother to be exact, Cha Hakyeon. But you haven't met either of them yet, right?"

Taekwoon seems a little quiet as if he was thinking deeply into the two names that were mentioned. Wonshik also couldn't help but notice the confused expression on Taekwoon's face because if he looked into Cha Yoojae's son, Cha Hakyeon, before, wouldn't he also know something about Lee Jaehwan as well? It wasn't as if the whole world doesn't already know about the infamous Lee family of South Korea.

"But did Jaehwan really ask to adopt Badam?" Hongbin resumes back to talking about the main issue.

"Mhmm. He mentioned about wanting to do so. He didn't want to see Badam separate from them and end up in some foster home with some stranger especially if he has to move far away from them. At the moment, if Badam gets released and adopted by other families or going into a foster home, the chances of it being outside of Seoul is quite high due to his records... So, Jaehwan was kind of worried about that happening and consulted me about it," Eunji said. "I can understand their worries though. I also think that it'd be best for Badam to go with them and I don't mind helping them writing a letter of recommendation either to appeal to the court but as I said, it's a hard process and it's won't be a guarantee that it'll work out the way they want it to."

"I see," Hongbin sighed. "As expected of my devious little cousin, adopting people left and right. I guess that's never going to change. My aunt will go crazy if she finds out."

"Your aunt?" The rest looks at Hongbin.

"You remember her, right?" Hongbin looks at Wonshik. "That lady that came rushing into the hospital when my cousin got hospitalized?"

"Uh, yeah..." Wonshik still remembers the drama that happened that evening. Jaehwan's mother slapped Cha Hakyeon right across the face in front of everyone, despite the fact that there were cops watching. That little happening left quite the first impression of the Lee family.

"Anyways, I feel like she might really go insane if she finds out about her son wanting to take in a child who has a criminal record..." Hongbin shook his head left and right, shivering down to his spine just thinking about the craziness that might happen in the Lee family household if it does happen.

"But, Eunji-ah," Hongbin continues. "I didn't know you were keeping in touch with those two still."

"Well, I am Song Badam's personal therapist. So, I do talk to them from time to time in emails or phone calls since they're the only ones who care enough to be the child's guardians."

"I see. Well, now I'm jealous," Hongbin pouted. "You talk more with Jaehwan than me! And I'm the cousin here."

"Haha, maybe if you pester him less and act your age, he might talk to you more," Eunji laughed.

"Well, you can say that my clinginess to people is mainly because of Jaehwan," Hongbin defended himself.

"What do you mean?"

"What do you mean what I mean. Just look at how he follows Hakyeon around all the time. If you don't call that clingy, I don't know what to call it."

"Rather than clingy, I think it's more so that when he's with Cha Hakyeon, he feels a lot more secure or calm. If you look at it from a psychological perspective, if what you say about your aunt's family is so crazy, then doesn't it mean that Lee Jaehwan just wants to find some way or someone to escape to whenever he wants to leave that family. I think that Cha Hakyeon is the answer to that," Eunji said. "They're like polar opposites, north, and south poles of a magnet, different but are attracted to each other due to the circumstances they encountered when they were young."

"You know about that too?"

"Jaehwan mentioned it a little when we chatted before."

"Really?" Hongbin thought. "But I guess you're right... if I was in their shoes, I'd probably be the same."

"Anyways, I have to get back to work and so do you guys. Thanks for helping me pick up the papers again," Eunji said as she walked away.

"See ya!"

Hongbin took out his phone immediately as soon as he reached his desk.

"What are you doing?" Taekwoon peeked over out of curiosity.

"Texting my cousin."

"Jaehwan?"

"Mhmm."

"What for?"

"To sulk! How can he talk more with Eunji than me? I'm the cousin here. I'm jealous!" Hongbin said jokingly but he sent the message to Jaehwan anyways.

"I see," Taekwoon looked at him awkwardly, not knowing whether to laugh or sigh. "You seem really attached to your cousin. What's he like?"

"Jaehwannie? He's completely different from his biological brother. I used to be classmates with his older brother and often went over to their house to play. He was super cute when he was young. A little smug and liked to joke around a lot, but he was just a child who wanted the attention. He would often follow his brother around when he was younger and we used to play video games a lot. Of course, he'd always lose to me, hehe~" Hongbin sounded too proud about winning against a child. "We lost contact after his brother's wedding and him moving out. I didn't hear anything about him until people started talking about how he followed Cha Hakyeon all the way to college to study criminology. I've always known there was a falling out within the family, I just never asked since it wasn't my business. Plus, if you ever meet my aunt and uncle... it'd be quite easy to understand why my cousin ran away. Even I can't stand them."

"You mentioned earlier that your cousin adopted Cha Hakyeon? Why?" Taekwoon couldn't stop asking about the confusing situation. This could be things that even his informants don't know about ...

"Yeah, but I'm not sure the details to be exact. I don't know how they met and why my cousin became so attached to Cha Hakyeon but they've known each other since they were kids and I guess, Jaehwan grew more fond of Hakyeon over his own brothers or even friends. It could have been pity at first but seeing them now, I doubt it."

"What do you mean by pity?"

"Well... I don't really know the details but I heard that Cha Hakyeon's mother was killed by his own father who eventually went into prison for murder and child abuse. Hakyeon got sent into an orphanage before he was adopted by the Lee family. I don't really like gossips but when that happened, those involved and not-involved were all talking about it. That's as much as I know about what happened but I know my cousin, he won't follow someone around aimlessly unless he trusts and looks up to someone. Honestly speaking, I kind of envy their relationship. Like having someone to be by your side to help you, encourage you and just appreciate you for who you are."

Wonshik, who overheard everything, didn't say much. Though Jung Taekwoon knows that Cha Hakyeon is Cha Yoojae's son, Hongbin doesn't know anything about that yet. He's seen Cha Hakyeon several times and could see the type of character he's become and even Wonshik thinks that Hakyeon is quite formidable for his age. But then he wonders, does Cha Yoojae know about what his son is like now? Does he even remember the fact that he still has a son?

If you knew what your son is like now, how will you react? What would you think? Would you still be as indifferent as you were when you killed your wife and my sister? Wonshik clenched his fist just thinking about it. No matter how much Wonshik tries to move on from his sister's case, there was really no way for him to forget and definitely never forgive.

However, as he continued to watch the two from the side chatting away about Hongbin's cousin and Cha Hakyeon, Wonshik noticed how curious Taekwoon seems to be about Cha Hakyeon. He couldn't still be investigating about Cha Yoojae, could he? Something doesn't feel right...

✣

Hakyeon stood there on his balcony, watering his plants and stared at the pot of white roses that have started to grow buds despite the cold weather. But since the weather has started to change, and its been getting chillier at night, he decided to bring the roses into his room.

"Does Jaehwan know... about the White Rose Killer?" Hakyeon started to think that maybe it wasn't necessary anymore to hide the roses from the younger. "But how did he find out? Did I give myself away? When?"

Hakyeon has always been careful with his actions, so it was really hard for him to understand exactly when the younger might have noticed that the one who has been by his side this entire is the infamous White Rose Killer.

The younger has been quite strange lately and his behavior have also changed drastically towards him recently, is that when he found out? Then back then... when he asked me about the killer's motives... damn, I shouldn't have said those things... whether or not there were some truths in what Hakyeon said about his motives to kill those people, he shouldn't have said those things to Jaehwan of all people.

"He must've been scared," Hakyeon still remembers how the younger dashed out suddenly with a very upset expression on his face, one he's never shown before and Hakyeon was too stunned to run after the younger that time as well. "What are you going to do now, Cha Hakyeon?"

He stares at the roses sitting on his living room coffee table with a heavy sigh. His glance followed its way to the calendar on the wall and as he saw it, he flipped a few pages to a later date. There was a red circle marked on a very specific date, only a few months away. When Hakyeon first marked this date on the calendar, he was so certain about it and doing the thing he promised himself to do and finish the thing he started but now, as images of Jaehwan flashed across his mind, he wasn't so sure anymore...

It was supposed to be the last time.

He gulps nervously as he looked at the circled date, both in doubt and worried about the future that might not come and the last person who will fall victim to the White Rose Killer before he disappears for good.

It all started out as a delusion, then an addiction he couldn't escape from but he knew that he would have to quit one day so he made his resolve to end everything - One last time.

I can't drag Jaehwan into this. If he really does know about me, then I can't put him in danger as well. I need to disappear before I get caught... before anyone else catches on. Since the police have no idea about me at this point, I need to take advantage of it and just disappear. Erase all traces of the White Rose Killer.

Hakyeon looks back at his desk and his drawers, all hiding the equipment he's been using to kill his victims. He needs to dispose of them immediately.

"If I get caught... what's going to happen to Jaehwan?" Hakyeon wasn't worried for a second about himself but all he could think about was