I lean forward, my voice gentle but probing. "Ms. Kim, did you recognize any of the men who approached your car?"
Min-seo shakes her head, her eyes distant. "No, I didn't. It was too dark, and everything happened so fast."
"What about Jae-hoon?" I ask. "Did he seem to recognize anyone?"
Again, she shakes her head. "I don't think so. He looked just as confused and terrified as I was."
Min-seo takes a shaky breath before continuing. "The men... they were so aggressive. They threatened us, yelling things I couldn't quite understand. Then they just... they dragged Jae-hoon out of the car." Her voice breaks as she recounts the memory.
"Jae-hoon kept asking, 'Who the hell are you guys? What do you want?' But they didn't answer."
I nod, encouraging her to continue while jotting down notes.
"They beat him," she whispers, her eyes filling with tears. "They hit him over and over. I could hear him crying out in pain. Then they tied his hands behind his back and covered his mouth with tape. I wanted to scream, to do something, but I was frozen with fear."
"Was there no one around to help?" I ask gently.
Min-seo shakes her head. "It was so late, and we were in a secluded area. No cars passed by. I couldn't call for help or reach my phone. We were completely alone."
She pauses, swallowing hard before continuing. "After they subdued Jae-hoon, they came for me. They blindfolded us both and covered our mouths. I felt myself being lifted, carried somewhere. I had no idea where we were going or what was happening. I've never been so scared in my life."
I lean back, processing this information. "So you were both kidnapped," I summarize. "Taken to an unknown location."
Min-seo nods, a tear finally escaping and rolling down her cheek. "Yes. And that was just the beginning of the nightmare."
I can sense there's much more to this story, and that we're approaching the part that connects to her earlier confession about her boyfriend. I brace myself, knowing that what comes next will likely be even more harrowing.
"What happened next, Ms. Kim?" I ask softly, preparing myself for her response.
Min-seo's voice trembles as she continues her story. "When they finally removed my blindfold, I found myself in some kind of underground room. There were no windows, just bare concrete walls and a single light bulb hanging from the ceiling."
I lean forward, my brow furrowed. "Ms. Kim, when exactly did this happen?"
She looks up at me, confusion clouding her eyes. "What... what date is it today?"
I tell her the current date, and her eyes widen in shock.
"A month," she whispers, her voice barely audible. "I've been there for a month."
Suddenly, the dam breaks. Min-seo starts to sob, her whole body shaking. "They... they raped me in that room," she chokes out between sobs. "Over and over again."
My heart sinks at her words. I stand up, trying to maintain my composure. "Ms. Kim, I'm going to bring you some hot tea or coffee. Would you like that?"
She nods, wiping her eyes. "That would be great, thank you."
Just as I'm about to leave, there's a knock on the door. I open it to find the auxiliary police officer I spoke with earlier, and beside him stands Sue, a femail officer who is responsible for administrative works for our unit.
Sue looks at me with concern. "I heard from the auxiliary officer about a woman coming in. What's going on?"
I step out into the hallway, closing the door partially behind me. "It's a complex case," I explain in a low voice. "The victim, Min-seo, has just revealed she was kidnapped and raped. She's been held captive for a month."
Sue's eyes widen. "That's terrible. How is she holding up?"
"She's understandably distraught," I reply. "Actually, I'm glad you're here. Min-seo is about to discuss her assault in more detail, and it would be better to have a female officer present. Would you be willing to join us?"
Sue nods without hesitation. "Of course. I'd be happy to help."
"Thank you," I say, feeling a wave of relief. "I was just about to get her some coffee. Why don't you go in and introduce yourself? I'll be right back with drinks for all of us."
As I hurry towards the break room, my mind races with questions. The coffee machine hums to life, but I barely notice as I'm lost in thought.
How did Min-seo manage to escape? The detail nags at me, a loose thread in her harrowing story. If there were at least five or six men involved in her abduction, and she was locked in an underground room for a month, how did she get away?
I pour the coffee mechanically, my brow furrowed in concentration. The logistics don't add up. An underground room suggests a secure location, likely guarded. Multiple captors means multiple obstacles to overcome. And after a month of captivity and abuse, would she have been in any physical condition to attempt an escape?
The inconsistency troubles me. It's not that I doubt Min-seo's story of kidnapping and assault - her trauma seems all too real. But there's clearly more to this narrative than she's revealed so far.
As I arrange the coffee cups on a tray, I remind myself to approach this carefully. Min-seo is clearly traumatized, and pushing too hard too fast could shut her down completely. But I need to understand the full picture, especially given her initial confession about her boyfriend.
As I return to the meeting room, I see Sue sitting beside her, offering quiet support. I remain across the table, taking notes and gently guiding the conversation.
Min-seo's story unfolds in painful fragments, each revelation more horrifying than the last.
"There were five of them," she says, her voice barely above a whisper. "They... they took turns. Every day. Sometimes more than once." Sue places a comforting hand on Min-seo's arm as she struggles to continue.
I nod, encouraging her to take her time. "What about Jae-hoon? Your boyfriend?"
Min-seo's eyes fill with fresh tears. "They'd beaten him so badly when they took us. He was barely conscious most of the time. They didn't give him water, or any medical attention. He just... he kept getting weaker."
The room falls silent for a moment, the weight of her words hanging heavy in the air.
She looks up at me, her eyes haunted. "And... They made me kill him."
Sue and I exchange a glance, both of us tensing at this revelation.
"What do you mean, they made you kill him?" Sue asks softly.
Min-seo's whole body seems to shrink as she recalls the memory. "It was maybe a week after they took us. Jae-hoon was so weak, he could barely move. They... they dragged me over to him and..." She stops, her breath coming in short gasps.
"It's okay," Sue murmurs. "Take your time."
After a few moments, Min-seo continues, her voice hollow. "They put my hands around his neck. Told me if I didn't do it, they'd kill us both. I tried to resist, but they were so strong. They forced my hands to tighten and... and..." She breaks down sobbing.
I sit back, my mind reeling from this information. The horror of what Min-seo has endured is beyond comprehension.
As the first rays of sunlight begin to filter through the blinds, a sharp knock on the door interrupts our conversation. I glance at my watch, surprised to see it's already morning.
I open the door to find Han and several other team members, their faces a mix of curiosity and concern.
"Park, Sue," Han says, his eyes darting between us and Min-seo. "What's the situation here?"
I step out into the hallway, partially closing the door behind me. "It's a complex case, sir. We've been here all night. The victim, Min-seo, has shared some... disturbing information."
Han's brow furrows. "How serious are we talking?"
"Very," I reply quietly. "Kidnapping, rape, forced murder. It's... it's bad, sir."
Han's eyes widen slightly, but he nods, understanding the gravity of the situation. "Do you need more time with her?"
I nod. "If possible, yes. We're just scratching the surface here."
"Alright," Han agrees. "Wrap it up as soon as you can, then brief the team. We'll need to move on this quickly."
I return to the room, where Sue is quietly speaking with Min-seo. "Min-seo," I say gently, "we know this has been a long night. Do you need to rest, or can you continue?"
Min-seo looks up, her eyes red-rimmed but determined. "I can continue. I need to finish this."
I nod, settling back into my seat. "Alright. You were telling us about... about what happened after Jae-hoon."
Min-seo takes a deep breath. "After they made me... after Jae-hoon, things got worse. I lost track of time. But then, one day, something happened."
Sue and I lean in, sensing a shift in her story.
"There was an explosion," Min-seo says, her voice barely above a whisper.
"A big one. It felt close, like it was just outside wherever they were keeping me."