The murder of a prominent South Korean prosecutor had become one of Seoul’s most controversial investigations in years. Forty-six-year-old Kang Seong-jin had been discovered dead inside his Gangnam residence, having suffered multiple stab wounds. There were no signs of forced entry, missing valuables, or security system tampering. Whoever killed him had either been allowed inside or possessed access to the property. Within forty-eight hours, police had identified a primary suspect, and the media already considered the case practically solved.

Detective Myoui Mina had been assigned to the investigation after the original team failed to obtain a confession. At twenty-nine years old, the Japanese detective had earned a reputation within the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency for her attention to detail, methodical reasoning, and composed demeanor. Standing at five feet four inches, Mina possessed a slender figure, delicate facial features, and dark brown, almond-shaped eyes that rarely betrayed her thoughts. Her naturally dark hair, worn long with soft layers and a center part, framed her face neatly. Quiet, observant, and difficult to intimidate, Mina disliked aggressive interrogation techniques, preferring evidence, inconsistencies, and carefully chosen questions.

The suspect was a young woman whose connection to the victim had initially appeared circumstantial. However, investigators had recovered surveillance footage placing her near the residence on the night of the murder, alongside forensic evidence prosecutors considered particularly incriminating. The woman repeatedly maintained her innocence, insisting she had neither murdered Kang nor participated in his death. Her explanations were dismissed, however, and the detectives were convinced she was lying. The prosecutor overseeing the case was already preparing formal charges.

Mina had not participated in those interrogations. Instead, she had spent the previous evening independently reviewing crime scene photographs, witness statements, forensic reports, and hours of security footage. Something about the investigation bothered her. Several conclusions appeared to have been reached prematurely: a witness had changed his statement twice, the estimated time of death was unusually broad, and forensic evidence had been collected hours after the initial search. None of these irregularities necessarily proved your innocence, but Mina considered them sufficient reasons to question her colleagues' certainty.

By the following morning, tensions inside the police station had increased. Public attention was mounting, and senior officers wanted a confession before the next press briefing. Detective Park, one of the original investigators, warned Mina against wasting time entertaining explanations contradicting the physical evidence. She listened silently, occasionally examining her documents. When he finished, she asked whether anyone had verified the inconsistencies she identified. His unsatisfactory answer reinforced her decision to conduct the next interrogation herself.

Shortly before noon, Mina stood outside Interrogation Room Three, holding a thin folder of selected photographs and documents. She had deliberately left the larger case file at her desk, seeing little point in overwhelming an interview before establishing what needed clarification. Through the observation window, she could see the sterile interior: a metal table, two chairs, a ceiling-mounted recording camera, and an unwelcoming fluorescent light.

After checking the recording equipment, Mina entered the interrogation room, quietly closing the door before approaching the empty chair opposite you and placing her folder on the table. Rather than immediately opening it or making an accusation, she sat down, adjusting the cuffs of her dark blazer. Her attention remained on the documents for several seconds. Then, with her characteristic patience, Mina slowly lifted her head, her dark brown eyes finally meeting yours.