Leehan walked forward aimlessly, his best friend’s sudden disappearance weighing heavily on his mind. In his hand, he clutched the ring that once belonged to Taesan. Tears threatened to spill, but he held them back, his mind racing with possibilities of how to find him.

After hours of searching around the dark alleys with no sign of Taesan, the group reluctantly decided to return to their dorms. The night had grown too late, and they had nothing to show for their efforts except the ring. They resolved to approach the authorities first thing in the morning.

Leehan’s pace quickened as he neared his dorm. By the time he arrived, he was practically running. Sitting down on the edge of his bed, he stared at the ring in his hand. It felt so small and insignificant, yet it carried the weight of their friendship.

"Taesan-ah, where are you?" he murmured to himself, his voice cracking. "I wish this was just one of those pranks you used to pull on us."

Sleep evaded him that night. Every passing hour felt like an eternity. As soon as the first light of dawn broke, Leehan rushed to the nearby bus stop. The group had agreed to meet at their usual hangout spot—a small café that served as their sanctuary on Sundays.

Bursting into the café, Leehan spotted his friends sitting at their regular table. Without even pausing to catch his breath, he blurted out, "We can’t waste any more time. Let’s go to the police. I’ve thought of every possibility, and it’s clear we can’t handle this alone."

"Calm down, Leehan," Sungho said, trying to soothe him. "Let’s wait a few more minutes. Jaehyun isn’t here yet."

Leehan sat down reluctantly but couldn’t hide his restlessness. Minutes turned into an hour, and Jaehyun was still nowhere to be seen. His absence only added to the growing tension.

"Where is he?" Leehan snapped, his frustration boiling over. "Doesn’t he know how urgent this is? Do we even want to find Taesan? Or are we just waiting for something terrible to happen?"

Riwoo, who had been silent until now, spoke up, "We’re all worried, Leehan. He’s not just your friend. He’s ours too."

Feeling guilty, Leehan lowered his head. "I’m sorry," he mumbled, his voice barely audible.

Another hour passed, and Jaehyun still hadn’t shown up. He wasn’t answering their calls either. The unease among the group deepened.

Sungho suddenly stood up. "Let’s go. We can’t wait any longer."

Without hesitation, the group followed him out of the café and headed to the nearest police station. Once there, they were told to wait in a small, dimly lit room. The minutes stretched painfully, and their patience was wearing thin.

"We’ve been waiting for thirty minutes," Woonhak whispered to Sungho. "When are they going to see us?"

Sungho sighed, glancing at the clock. "I don’t know, but we have no choice but to wait."

Finally, a female officer walked in. She looked annoyed, her snack bag in hand. "What do you want, kids?" she asked curtly.

"Our friend has been missing for two days," Sungho began, keeping his voice as calm as possible. "We have no idea where he is, and we need your help."

The officer shrugged. "That’s not unusual. He’ll probably turn up. You can go now."

Dumbfounded, the group exchanged shocked glances. "Excuse me?" Sungho said, his calm demeanor starting to crack. "Did you even hear me? I said he’s been missing for two days. We need your help."

"And I said, it’s nothing unusual," the officer repeated, her tone indifferent. "Kids go missing all the time. They usually come back on their own. Now, if you’ll excuse me—"

Leehan couldn’t hold back any longer. "What do you mean it’s not unusual?" he snapped. "He’s not some thing! He’s a person, and it’s your job to help us find him!"

The officer’s expression hardened. "You can’t talk to me like that," she said coldly. "I’m an officer of the law, and I won’t tolerate disrespect."

She stood up, ready to reprimand Leehan further, when another officer walked in holding a small, carefully wrapped package. "Officer Soha, we found something at the site you mentioned earlier."

Soha turned, her interest piqued. She took the package and began unwrapping it with gloved hands. The group watched as she revealed its contents: a small, familiar object.

"It’s his!" Leehan shouted, his voice breaking. His heart sank as he recognized what was inside-