BAMBAM IS NOT THAT PLEASED TO see Doyeon and I enter his precinct. Of course the conversation held seconds before entering is a little somber in comparison to the smile she has as she approaches the officer, but I try to ignore the thoughts and set them aside for dissection at a later time.

"Aren't you supposed to be in school?"

"It just let out, actually." She corrects, leaning her elbows on the counter. "Can you tell us about the case?"

Bambam raises his brows. "That's pretty bold of you to ask. I'm afraid that is confidential information."

"Oh come on," Doyeon pouts. "please. She was my best-friend. Shouldn't I get something?"

"Knowing you? You'd tell half the school, and then Seulgi's father will be up my ass."

She scowls, which almost makes me laugh. "I so would not. My lips are sealed."

"Still not budging."

"Well. I think I have my suspicions of who did it." I state, casting him a determined look. "So if you're not going to tell us anything, I might as well go interrogate them myself."

That's a lie, obviously. I haven't a clue who did this. But the fib makes the officer crack a little, and he sighs.

"Fine. But you make a deal to keep whatever I say out of your paper, okay?"

"You have my word."

He nudges his head, gesturing for us to follow him into his office. One thing that's unsaid about him, he's pretty organized. His room is tidy, file cabinets neatly arranged, stacks of papers piled neatly into categories.

"We have reason to believe that the mayor is hiding something from us regarding his daughter's demise."

"The mayor?" I frown. "But why? He did all these extravagant things in her honor."

"Ladies, you know this place. Anything here could be for show, I think that might have been one of them. This is a murder of passion, one that likely has to do with family issues."

"Family issues?" Repeating his words as we leave later, I once again swear his utterance into secrecy. Doyeon chimes something about how her charmed methods always work, in this case had I not interfered it would not have, but I chose to rescind that statement, letting her wallow in her moment of glory while I think about the piece of information he had lent us.

"You know, I think Yeonjun's supposed to meet me at the diner now. I'll text you later?" I ask her. She nods.

"Of course lovebird. Have fun!"

🥀

IT IS THE SEASON WHERE BIRDS return from the Southern Hemisphere, leaves begin to litter the branches of trees, buds of flowers emerge. But it's the in-between phase from one season to another that many fail to recognize or acknowledge. Where the snow is still set in patches across the fading-into green grass, and the little stubs of leaves growing on trees. While I'm admiring the view through the sunset, Yeonjun slips into the booth.

"You finished at the station?"

"Yeah." I nod. "They think the mayor isn't revealing everything he could know about Seulgi's murder?"

"To be honest, what would he know? He wasn't even there." He frowns. "That doesn't make much sense to me."

"I know. I'm still confused about it." I watch him wave over one of the waitresses. After we order — a large platter of fries with respective dishes of hoagies and one large strawberry shake with two straws — I glance back at him.

"Anyways, enough of that. How was practice?"

"It was good." Yeonjun shrugs. "Lucas is being a bit more of an ass than usual, but other than that; great."

"I wonder what his deal is, honestly." I admit, trapping my palms underneath the weight of my legs. "He just chooses to be mean for no reason."

"I'm telling you, he has issues. And he's probably just jealous." He stops in his train of thought when our food arrives. It's delivered by none other than my sister, who snorts at the two of us.

"I see you two have become friendly again?"

"Something like that." Yeonjun agrees. I smile at her, mumbling a thank you, and she leaves. I watch the older girl leave, returning back to her spot at the front counter where she ties her hair back into a low ponytail.

"Am I missing something? Are you two suddenly not at war with each other?"

"Oh please Jim Stark, grudges are so old-fashioned." I laugh, picking up my sandwich. "I'm better than that."

"Yeah." He glances down at his food, sharing a chuckle. "You definitely are."

🥀

MAYBE I REALIZE WHY LISA HAS YET to fall into a stabilizing relationship. One that comes in the form of that hardworking yet charming officer down the road, who follows her around obediently. Maybe it is that she enjoys this in-between phase, falling and fallen. Maybe she likes to be free, enjoy being loose, and unbound to a commitment.

Maybe she's not ready. My sister, sad that it is, had been through far worse than I have. Only now have I seen a small glimpse of what life is like through her eyes. I had always wondered the mystery to Lalisa Manoban, and why she wears that facade so religiously. She wears it because she longs for it. Longs to be that cheerful and energetic girl which the town watched grow up into a beautiful woman. And when her mother left her to take on the role she abandoned so raucously, her smile slowly began to fade. Trying to hide the dark world from someone she cared so deeply about, only to have them despise her in the end.

Seeing what Lisa had been through, it's certain why she doesn't love. And I hope that one day, she does.

"If I'm Jim Stark," Yeonjun's voice brings me back. "what are you? Judy?"

A smile etches across my lips. "You watched the movie?"

"Who hasn't seen it? I mean you are the local girl, and I'm the notorious new kid with a troublemaking past—"

"Judy is fitting, I guess." I used to appreciate how short the walk is from the diner back to my place, but now it feels far too short. We're standing in front of my house now. "Judy was his love interest though."

"Yeah. Are you not my love interest?"

"No. You're my love interest. There is a difference, Choi."

He laughs easier now, a notable difference. It makes me smile too, the cheesy and lovesick kinda grin. The fact that I was capable of such a thing would have made the Lamai Manoban from earlier this year vomit. My previous regret of a relationship had never been so...colorful.

"You should head inside."

"You know, it's such a long walk from here to your house." I let out a breath. "You should invest in a bicycle, or something."

"Maybe. I like walking more."

"Whatever fancies you Yeonjun." I blink when he abruptly steps in to press my lips against his. It's short, barely lasts a second, but enough to send my insides into haywire.

"Sorry. I was trying to figure out when to do that."

"You are so awkward." I stifle. "I like it."

He rubs a hand over his face, hiding his smile. "Go inside. It's late."

I roll my eyes, heeding his words. After shutting the front door behind me, I lean against it, standing in the blue moonlight shining through the glass panes. Peeling off my shoes, my feet pad up the stairs to the rosy bedroom, door already cracked ajar.

Then I pull back the curtains, so uncharacteristically pink. He's still standing outside, staring back at me. And I let out a small chuckle.

I too, feel very pink.