Chapter 19

The Red Notebook — Chapter 19: (The Evidence)

The USB sat on the table.

Yuri stared at it.

After all these years, the evidence was finally in their hands.

But nobody touched it.

Mrs. Han sat across from Yuri and Ji-hun.

“We can't rush this,” Ji-hun said.

Yuri looked at him.

“We've waited long enough.”

“I know. That's exactly why we can't make one mistake now.”

Mrs. Han nodded.

“He's right.”

Yuri sighed.

“Fine.”

The Investigation Room

The three of them took the USB and the old case files to a private investigation room connected to Yuri and Ji-hun's legal office.

The room was quiet and secure.

Ji-hun placed the USB on the table.

“We'll preserve the original first.”

He carefully made a forensic copy of the USB.

Yuri watched the screen.

Mrs. Han remained silent.

Then the copied files appeared.

There was only one folder.

ROOM 214

Yuri's eyes widened.

“That's the hotel room.”

Mrs. Han slowly nodded.

“Yes.”

Ji-hun opened the folder.

Inside were several old files.

Photographs.

Documents.

And one damaged audio recording.

Yuri immediately leaned forward.

“Play it.”

Ji-hun shook his head.

“Not yet.”

Yuri frowned.

“Why?”

“Because it's damaged. If we keep opening it directly, we could corrupt it.”

Mrs. Han looked at him.

“Then what do we do?”

“We send a copy to a digital-forensics expert.”

Yuri nodded.

“Good.”

Ji-hun saved the evidence carefully.

Then they examined the photographs.

One showed Yuri's father outside Room 214.

Another showed Mrs. Han entering the hotel.

The third photograph showed someone else.

Their face was hidden.

Yuri stared at it.

“Who is that?”

Mrs. Han looked at the photograph for several seconds.

“I don't know.”

Ji-hun zoomed in.

There was a small marking on the person's coat.

H-17.

Yuri immediately remembered the HAN file.

“The same mark as the USB.”

Ji-hun nodded.

“So the USB, the HAN file, and Room 214 are definitely connected.”

Mrs. Han looked worried.

“But that still doesn't tell us who the person is.”

“Not yet,” Ji-hun said.

He opened another document.

It was an old evidence-transfer record.

At the bottom were three names.

Yuri's father.

Mrs. Han.

And a third name.

Yuri frowned.

“I've never seen that name in the case file.”

Mrs. Han stared at it.

Her expression suddenly changed.

“I've seen that name before.”

Yuri looked at her.

“Where?”

Mrs. Han hesitated.

“Seven years ago.”

Ji-hun immediately looked up.

“What happened?”

Mrs. Han lowered her voice.

“That person was near Room 214 that night.”

Silence filled the room.

Yuri looked at the photograph again.

“So they were there.”

“Yes,” Mrs. Han said.

“But we still don't know what they did.”

Ji-hun closed the file.

“That's why we're not accusing anyone yet.”

Yuri nodded.

“We need proof.”

The Waiting

The next morning, the forensic expert began examining the copied USB data.

The damaged audio would take time to restore.

The photographs needed to be checked for hidden information.

And the old documents had to be verified.

For the first time, Yuri understood something important.

Solving the case wasn't about finding one shocking clue.

It was about putting every piece together.

She sat beside Ji-hun while Mrs. Han waited across the room.

Hours passed.

Finally, Yuri looked at the clock.

“Still nothing?”

Ji-hun shook his head.

“Not yet.”

Yuri sighed.

“I hate waiting.”

Ji-hun smiled.

“I know.”

Mrs. Han looked at them.

“Be patient, Yuri.”

Yuri leaned back.

“Fine.”

Then the computer suddenly made a sound.

Ding.

All three looked toward the screen.

A new report had arrived.

Ji-hun opened it.

His expression slowly changed.

Yuri immediately noticed.

“What?”

Ji-hun didn't answer.

He looked at Mrs. Han.

Then at Yuri.

“The audio has been recovered.”

Yuri sat up.

“Play it.”

Ji-hun looked at the file.

“We can.”

He clicked it.

Static filled the room.

Then a man's voice came through.

A voice from seven years ago.

Everyone went silent.

The recording began with one sentence:

“If you are hearing this, then the case has started again.”

Yuri's eyes widened.

The recording continued.

Then a man's voice spoke clearly.

“I was the one who threatened your father.”

Yuri froze.

Mrs. Han's face went pale.

Ji-hun immediately stopped the recording.

Yuri stared at him.

“Why did you stop it?”

Ji-hun looked at the screen.

“Because we need to hear the rest together.”

Mrs. Han slowly stood up.

“Then let's do it.”

Ji-hun opened the forensic report.

“There are still two files we haven't examined.”

Yuri looked at him.

“What files?”

He pointed to the screen.

ROOM 214 — ORIGINAL

H-17 — FINAL EVIDENCE

Yuri's heart began racing.

The threat was no longer a mystery.

Now they had to discover who was behind it—and why they wanted the case buried.

Yuri looked at Ji-hun.

“No more guessing.”

Ji-hun nodded.

“Only evidence.”

She closed the red notebook.

For seven years, the truth had been hidden.

Now, they were finally one step away from uncovering everything.

To be continued…

I could end the mystery here… but I’m having way too much fun. ✌️😎