* All images used here belong the original Purple Hyacinth creators.

ORIGINAL EPISODE LINK: https://www.webtoons.com/en/mystery/purple-hyacinth/s3-ep-142-waning-worries/viewer?title_no=1621&episode_no=147

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KIERAN'S POV

There she was in her signature pose, arms crossed and hand on her chin, deep in thought while musing over the cluttered evidence board in front of her. It was obvious that Lauren was passionate about her work. It's like she was born to be a detective. Now that she partially has her former detective rights back, she has been working hard to solve Greene's case. Maybe it's best for her to do so. The greater the distance she is away from me, the better.

Ever since that night she stitched me back up in the cave and I told her about my scars, these feelings have been weighing heavily on my heart. It's getting too dangerous. Everything we've unraveled about the Phantom Scythe so far has been becoming bigger than what we can handle. Even if Lune is presumed dead, the target on our backs will only grow bigger in size. 

If the wrong people discover that Lauren is working with me and she gets caught snooping in places she shouldn't be in– I didn't even want to think about that possibility. I couldn't drag her into that world. I wanted her safe, here, in the precinct. But how could I say that to someone as stubborn as her and so willing to put herself in danger to seek answers? We've quite literally been through fire and hell together and somehow she is still as bold as ever.

Quietly, I slipped into the room. Just as I approached her, her reflexes kicked in. In one rapid motion that seems to have been done dozens of times before, Lauren dodged and aimed her gun directly at me. Immediately upon recognizing my face, her eyes widened in surprise.

"Your reflexes have gotten a little sluggish, detective," I said, breaking the tense atmosphere. "You didn't even notice me slipping into the room."

She proceeded to yell at me in furious whispers.

"Are you crazy? I could've shot you!"

"Considering shooting before even recognizing your target?" I said, raising an eyebrow. "That's even worse than I thought."

With a sigh, Lauren turned to close the door behind us.

"Don't make me consider shooting despite recognizing the target."

Classic Lauren. Of course she had to return with a retort.

"Where have you been?" she asked, shutting the door. "I was looking for you."

I leaned on the wall, telling her about my progress on gathering evidence that could incriminate Redcliff, which was pretty much confirmed to be Apostle VII. Her eyes lit up in excitement. 

This wasn't making what I was about to do any easier.

"Let's go to the cave to work on it," Lauren said, eagerly shuffling through the countless papers on the desk. "I need to just put away those files–"

"No."

The sound of the rustling papers stopped. For a moment, the room was silent. I knew I had to choose my next words carefully.

"What do you mean no?" Lauren's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, as if she believed she misheard me.

I averted her gaze, and looked down at the floor.

"It's better if we don't go there. Besides, there's practically nobody in the precinct at this hour, we can talk here. I'll handle Redcliff. You've got work to do here. It's your first case in forever. This may be your chance to earn your rank back."

"Kieran, we've talking about finally ambushing an apostle and avoiding another tragedy here," Lauren cut in, walking towards me. "Haha! Isn't that the priority?"

She's still taking my words like a joke. I needed to break it to her directly.

"You've done enough already," I replied. "It's not safe. Besides, there's nothing you can help me with from this point on."

She froze with my last sentence. I've rarely ever lied to her before, but what else could I do?

"I'm investigating in the underworld alone," I said, forcing the words out. I looked up only to meet a pair of confused amber eyes.

Feeling trapped and stiff, I continued saying the lines I've rehearsed over and over again in my head.

"Once the evidence is gathered, the matter should go into Dakan's and the APD's hands. We've played vigilantes for long enough. The longer we spend time together, the more dangerous it becomes for you and your friends."

"What?" she replied in disbelief. "But–"

"We shouldn't be working together."

Another lie. I knew that my thoughts weren't going to be well received, but her reaction was making it harder to face her. I turned away as she continued to walk towards me. I wasn't even processing the new view in front of me. I was doing anything I could to not look at her and remain my composure. Was I wrong about this? Had we come too far to stop?

"You know I can hear lies, so why are you doing this?" she asked with a hint of frustration in her voice. "You're spewing this nonsense because you're worried."

It was difficult to search for a response. I owed her some honesty.

"We've violated the terms of our deal multiple times and ... I'm not indifferent to what happens to you or your friends anymore."

No– now I care too much. And that scares me. 

From the expression on Lauren's face, I knew I was about to be hit with an argument from her that would make me lose my resolve.

"I was fully aware of the risk when I accepted the deal," Lauren began. "Stopping now won't protect anybody. Quite the contrary, in fact. If we have the means to defeat the Phantom Scythe and prevent hundreds of deaths again, we have to keep going."

Lauren was almost face-to-face with me now.

"And we're not vigilantes anymore," she continued. "We're working directly with the chief of the police and the king's right hand. And with Kym and Will, who are willing to help despite the dangers."

What happened next caught me off guard. She swiped my glasses away from my face. I couldn't hide behind them anymore.

"I'm not afraid of you," she said as she locked her gaze with mine.

"You're a fool not too," I replied, my voice feeling weak.

Lauren grabbed my hand with both of hers, intertwining the fingers until we were back in that familiar handshake that started everything in the first place. I couldn't let go. Maybe I didn't want to.

"We're partners, aren't we?"

I couldn't avoid the truth of her words anymore.

"Your gift of detecting lies gets annoying at times, you know?" I replied, surrendering to her determination.

"Great! Now let's get back to work now that your attitude's fixed– subordinate."

Lauren grinned, enthusiastically turning back to the table where she was flipping through documents earlier. All I could do was watch her– this woman who somehow was able to provide a rational perspective to counter my worries.

Now, my glasses were perched upon the bridge of her nose and I spied a little smile of satisfaction stretching across her mouth. I could feel my own stretching into a similar curve. I was still scared of the unknown future. But as long as I had my partner, I knew that I was going to stay as long as I could beside her side.