"I think you've forgotten who your boss is. I don't need a warrant. I am the warrant. You will investigate it tomorrow. I'll send you a team to assist you."
That was unexpected.
"I understand."
"Miyeon."
Nephthys called his name.
"Yes?"
"Don't forget to dress nicely."
"…?"
Why would he need to dress nicely at a crime scene?
Miyeon was confused—until realization hit him.
"Yes, of course."
The ball was only a few days away. He had completely forgotten and tried to play it cool.
"You forgot."
He knew better than to try fooling the all-knowing Nephthys.
"Cough—cough."
He attempted to play it off with a fake cough, hoping to reduce the embarrassment. It didn't help. Especially not while his boss—who suffered from alexithymia—was giving him a silent, judging stare.
Miyeon sat down behind his desk, deliberately avoiding eye contact.
"I will work hard."
He wanted to give her a thumbs-up to support his claim, but since he wasn't looking in front of him—careful not to meet her gaze—his hand went straight into his cup of tea. The cup tipped over, spilling across the desk and onto the floor.
Now he had to stand up in front of her and clean it.
Miyeon still refused to look at her as he picked up the pieces of what had once been his cup. Nephthys never stopped judging him in silence.
***
"If our hypothesis is correct…?"
Miyeon and Nephthys were walking back home. Even then, they were technically still working.
"Yes…?"
She encouraged him to continue.
"The killings have been going on for years now, and it doesn't look like they're going to stop anytime soon."
"..."
Nephthys waited patiently for him to finish his thought.
"That guy must've loved that person a lot to go this far…"
"And your point is…?"
"Well… it's kind of sad. I bet he's all alone and miserable…"
"..."
Nephthys looked at him for a moment—then smiled, amused.
"Are you trying to make fun of me?"
They had reached the gate. Miyeon quickened his pace, leaving her behind.
"Wait, wait."
Still amused, Nephthys followed him inside. Her smile quickly turned into laughter.
Miyeon would've kept walking, but he stopped and turned around.
This was the first time he had ever seen her smile.
No—she was laughing.
He froze.
"Alright, I'm sorry. It's just that I've been working in this field for a very long time, and I've never encountered someone who pities a serial—serial—"
She tried to say serial killer, but couldn't finish.
"Bwahaha!"
She burst out laughing.
"Stop laughing at me!"
Right in the middle of the conversation—or rather, in the middle of Nephthys mocking Miyeon—someone suddenly appeared behind her and covered her mouth.
Miyeon immediately prepared to fight, but Nephthys didn't even flinch. She had known who it was long before he showed himself. Miyeon relaxed once he recognized the face and sighed in disbelief.
"Avner, just what—"
He was cut off by an agitated Avner.
"You—you! How dare you!"
Miyeon blinked, confused.
"How dare you two flirt in broad daylight?!"
"Flirt…?"
Miyeon was even more confused now. He looked at Nephthys, whose mouth was still covered by Avner's hand.
Seeing that she wasn't reacting—and that Avner was still glaring at him—Miyeon's confusion turned into irritation.
"What the hell…?"
Avner ignored his cousin completely and turned to Nephthys.
He placed his hands on her shoulders, his expression wounded.
"Why would you do this to me…?"
Then, dramatically, he pressed a hand to his chest, gazed up at the sky, and asked God,
"What have I done to deserve such betrayal?"
"What the actual fuck…"
Miyeon was fairly certain his cousin had finally lost his mind.
Avner lowered his hand back to her shoulder and looked into her eyes again.
"How could you never smile at me, but decide to laugh with this joke of a man?"
Nephthys remained unimpressed.
Miyeon, however—
"Joke? A joke?"
He was ready to throw hands.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!"
From a distance, Amabilis saw things spiraling and sprinted over, grabbing Miyeon around the waist before he could reach Avner.
"You—you let me down! I'll show this monkey how much of a joke I am!"
Miyeon struggled violently.
"Calm down!"
Amabilis strained to hold him back.
Annoyed beyond reason, Miyeon twisted around to face Amabilis instead—and punched him.
"Ow! Why are you hitting me now?!"
Amabilis clutched his head where his cousin had struck him.