Everyone is afraid of dying, until you lose a child...then you're afraid of living.

-Unknown

***

Lisa waited until the next morning to phone Namjoon.

"Any progress?" he asked from the other end.

Lisa hesitated. "Actually, yes." She paused, remembering how she'd gotten his hopes up last time, and she was about to say more when she heard him speak.

"No...the- did they-" Namjoon cut off and there was muffled silence.

"Namjoon? Namjoon, are you-"

"Daddy wants to know if they found his body by the river," came a child's voice.

Lisa stilled. "Jin? Is that you?"

"Did they?"

Lisa sighed, shaking her head. "No, sweetie. Tell your dad that we haven't found anything and to get back on the phone, all right?"

A few beats of silence before Namjoon got back on the line. "Lisa?"

"Namjoon, we haven't found him yet."

"But you think he's there."

Lisa sighed again. "This call isn't about that."

"Then what is it about?"

Lisa heard a few sniffles. She guessed that Namjoon was crying. "It's actually good news, Namjoon. It might be nothing, but we got a call from the tip line saying that someone might have information."

"Information about Jimin?"

"Yes."

"Who is it?"

"I'm not sure, the connection was bad. But it was a woman, and she's coming in at noon. You don't have to be here but-"

"Don't start without me." He hung up.

Lisa just sighed.

***

Twenty minutes later, Namjoon was sitting next to Lisa in an interrogation room.

"Who's watching the kids?" Lisa asked, as it was a Saturday and they didn't have school.

"Your brother," Namjoon replied tensely.

Over the past 5 years of the investigation, there had been countless time when Lisa had needed Namjoon and he couldn't leave the kids by themselves, so Lisa had volunteered her brother to watch the kids, although Namjoon had never forgiven Mark for letting Yoongi give Jungkook a bowl cut.

Lisa nodded absently, and they let the silence stir for a few minutes before Namjoon spoke.

"What time is it?"

"12:03."

"Your informant isn't coming."

"She's probably just late. Relax, Namjoon. I know it's hard, but just try not to look like you're being electrocuted."

They both sighed, and Lisa watched on her watch as the minute hand went from the 3 to the 5 to the 10 to the 15.

When it hit the 30 and there was still no sign of the anonymous informant, Namjoon stood up. "It was probably just a sick joke. I know what some of the other officers in the station say about me."

Lisa sighed. "Namjoon, they-"

"It's fine, Lisa. I don't care if I seem crazy. I'm a father. That's what being a father is like. Unconditional love, unconditional hope."

"I don't think you're cra-"

"You're searching for bodies by the river. You've already sent out search teams to the cemetery to look for fresh unmarked graves, Lisa. You're waiting to recover Jimin's body because you think he's dead. You think I'm crazy."

Lisa opened her mouth to disagree when the door swung open.

Namjoon stared at the woman for a second before shaking his head violently. "No. Hell no."

Namjoon's ex-wife stared back at him dispassionately. "Please, watch your language," she said before rubbing her slightly protruding stomach. "The child will hear."

"What are you doing here?" Lisa asked, putting her hand over Namjoon's in an attempt to get him to calm down.

The woman raised her eyebrow. "What do you mean? You told me to come in."

Lisa's eyes widened. "Wait, you're the informant?"

The ex-wife gave Lisa a pointed glance. "Better work on those detective skills, honey. No wonder you haven't found the boy yet. But yes, I'm your informant, and you're going to want to hear what I have to say whether you hate me or not."