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Leia, on that particular day, avoided wearing anything that revealed too much of her skin. She instead wanted to appear classic, polished and well put together. She threw on a pair of urbanic blazer and palazzos hued in pastel green. In the fullness of time, the day ultimately came— the day Leia has been waiting for so avidly, so keenly. She picked up one of the hundreds of her lip tints, blueberry flavoured, and put that shade on her plump pair of perfectly curved lips ; of all her lip tints, she prized this one the most. As soon as she screwed the stopper back into the tube, she heard the calling bell.

Rashly spraying some perfume all over her, with a curious but animated heart she reached the hatchway, turning the knob, "Come in, Wooshik," she bit her lips to fight off the shyness, while tugging her long brown locks behind the ear. "Please come in!"

She acutely pinned her hopes onto her appearance and wished that she appeared necessarily pretty to her boyfriend. 

"Leia, I haven't got much time. I have already stood someone up for you, so…" he said stepping on the other side of the portal, again and again peeping at his watch. 

Leia nodded diffidently, "Come this way," she took the lead and escorted the man to one of her rooms, 

"Woo…uhm- I don't know how to say this, but all I can say is that- that I am really very happy today!! Really," she wore a smile and stood on her tiny toes to envelope Wooshik's nape in between her arms,

"Finally, Woo…"

Wooshik returned Leia's arms back to its holder, "Leia, I really have not got enough time. What is it? Why did you call me so urgently?"

"Woo, my parents are here!!" Leia smiled while her eyes shone with electrified tears of felicity, "They are here to meet you. They now want to sew up the date of our engagement. We can now officially become each other's fiance and fiancée, rather than just an ordinary couple."

Wooshik's heart dropped at such words, "But Leia…" It got weighed down by the heaviness of grief, "Leia, I'm not ready yet."

The unreadable guise writ all over Wooshik's face did not leave Leia any space to ponder over how she should react, or why Wooshik decided to speak something so inconsiderate, 

"Woo, you are okay right?"

When no words could be extracted from the dyed blonde, Leia herself spoke again, "You can tell my parents that you're not ready yet. I'm sure they would understand. In the end, marriage should be a commitment from both sides, and not only adjustments."

"Leia, honestly…" Wooshik touched his neck, "I don't want to play games with you."

"What- what do you mean?" Leia's elevated smile faltered, "Are we good, Woo?" She held the man by his shoulders. 

"I will explain everything to you, but not now. Will you meet me at the new art cafe tomorrow morning? I will pick you up," He removed Leia's hands from his shoulder and averted his gaze, "I can't meet your parents, I'm sorry. I hope you will understand, Leia! You are a discreet woman, so I put my faith in you."

Leia nodded bitterly, "Fine then, see you at the cafe," her accent was filled with woe, and were all muted. 

"I'll take my leave now," Wooshik bowed scurrying along the door to the out, in the process, knocking off Leia and Wooshik's first ever picture clicked together, due to being too rushed— Wooshik did not register it however, and he left without turning around, whereas Leia sat on her heels, staring at the smashed pieces of glass of that ruined and incoherent picture.

-

For their hearty brunch, Daeseong served the kimchi eggs over fluffy rice in four different paper plates and garnished them with fresh herbs Joon bought just at the beginning of the week,

"Eve's food is put in the container, after he wakes up, I will serve it to him."

"You really like to do houseworks, don't you Daeseong?" Joon remarked, claiming a plate as his own, "Your wife is lucky!!" 

"Husband," Daeseong promptly made that correction, "I am not into women and one more thing, houseworks has nothing to do with your position in the marriage. Both should be equally responsible for both inwards and outwards responsibilities. Isn't that why marriage is known to be 50-50? But sometimes, circumstances don't permit it, I know. 

And in such cases, the adjustments shouldn't be all done by only one of the two, compromises need to be 50-50 too. As long as everything is 50-50 and respect is given equally for either's sacrifices, a marriage works out…no matter how imperfect it might seem. And even if on days the 40-60 or 80-20, those need to be equally divided too," he smiled, pouring a handful of green herbs over his dish.

Minhyuk wore a look of gratification, as if he was a proud parent— who has raised his son too well, "That was impressive, Daeseong!" He folded his lips while minimising the newsfeed screen opened on his android.

"Thank you! Anyway, now about work related," he flung a tiny box to the blue headed, "Earplugs. Plug in, since you probably wouldn't be interested in listening to our case related conversations."

Minhyuk caught them in his grips,

"Thank you!! That was really considerate. But follow my suggestion, and ask Eve to be with you all, I'm sure he might find some lead from that eerie phone call," putting the bud in one his ears, he advised. 

"I will go, invite him to be with us," Chris half raised his right arm, and sprang to the detention room, knocking vehemently on it, "Hey Eve!!! Come join us right now, we are discussing something really crucial. We need your help!!"

Chris left a little space between him and the door to their detention room, he stood when he heard the sound of footsteps growing closer, 

"Capt-? Oh, Chris hyung?" Sehun's exuberance somewhat dwindled when he opened the door, and did not see who he was subtly expecting. Sehun looked behind Chris, "I think I overslept, I'm sorry," he bowed holding the door, his eyes distended from sleeping too long. 

Trailing Sehun behind him, Chris retired to their drawing, "So, something happened last night with me, and I am here to narrate the incident once more, just bec-"

"Wait, wait!! Aren't Minnie participating??" Sehun was bewildered on seeing Minhyuk shake his legs rhythmically, acting idle— which went much against the Choi Minhyuk Sehun knew.

Daeseong swapped a glance with Joon, who in turn switched his gaze with that of Chris's,

"He has withdrawn himself from the case? Do not mind him, he wouldn't bother us as you can see," Daeseong elucidated, "And for the time being, assume me as the case leader, since our leader has backed off."

"Uh- oh, but why would he do such a thing?"

"It's really not a big deal, Eve. Now stop being perturbed about that and come here, take your food," arraying the food on another paper plate, Daeseong urged him.

"Let me freshen up first please," Sehun said to Chris, "Would you mind?"

"No. Go ahead."

It took Sehun nearly twenty minutes to get over with his morning business, since to get access to the washroom, anyone from that hideout had to use a public one, at a walking distance from there— as because Wooshik couldn't afford to bear their disclosure just because of water supplies, and Sehun was no exception. 

"Sorry, did it take long?? The washroom was too crowded today," putting the door off behind him, he partook with the rest, picking the plate of brunch up on his hand.

Chris prepared to speak, when Sehun's eyes went all around the huge drawing area, searching for something, or rather someone. 

Clearing his throat, Chris almost spoke, "Okay, so now to what I was telling you. Yeste-"

"Well-" Sehun however couldn't help, but chip in, "Where is Captain? Isn't he helping us too?"

Daeseong’s food was stuck at his throat, and he coughed strenuously, earning Joon's and Chris's "done" and Sehun's baffled looks,

"Wh- who? Did I hear it right?"

"I only asked because apparently Minnie is not taking the lead for this case anymore, so the presence of at least one prominent leader was expected, but nevermind," bashful he looked away, the fingers of both his hands fiddling with each other, while often picking the nails too, "Chris hyung, you may now begin, I don't have any more curiosity. I will try not to disturb any further."

Chris fixed his collar and stance, "So, yesterday…I received call, from an unknown woman," he looked at Sehun in the hope he might know something and give them any proper lead, but when he did not, Chris recommenced, "So, I know I'm going to be rendered a fool again, but yeah so I believed in her words. Now you must want to know what she said to me? She said that sh-"

"She has information on your informant, aka Siwoo hyung? And it won't be possible for her to tell anything over the phone, since it could be unsafe and so you were asked by her to meet her at a very secluded, dark, isolated, far from the town place. Am I right?"

The mind of Chris was blown out, as his faltering lips indicated, "D- did you eavesdrop?"

Sehun only returned a chuckle, "What is the need to eavesdrop? That is what all the abductors say in order to lure their prey out to get them to step those prey in their trap. Believe me, they have no better strategy than this and ransom," he leaned back against the cramped back of their couch. "However, the question now arises how did that lady know you? And how did she know about Siwoo? She must be someone one of us knows personally."

"So…what should we do now?" Joon asked. 

"Beat her at her own game!" Sehun stood up, brushing his ripped blue pair of jeans, "But to do that, we first need to sort out her motive. To sort out her motive, maybe we can assess the area she invited Chris hyung over last night? She might have left some clues, but remember…that is only a probability, but we have nothing to lose anyway."

"Hmm, that doesn't really sound bad, Eve," fondling his chin, Daeseong assented. 

"And Chris hyung, you need to come with us, since it was you whom she chose to be the victim," Sehun looked at the blackish-brown headed boy, with his grey pair of shimmering eyes. 

"Uh- m- me? Ag- again?? Are you people…by any chance, trying to…make me the bait??" Chris psychically let out a snigger, "That is not the case, r-right?"

Sehun sighed with a smile and reached the earlobe of that aforementioned, "We are going to the June-Way gay bar too," he whispered, and pulled back winking at Chris, immediately receiving an affirmative reaction.

"I'll stay here. Someone needs to stay. You and Chris are needed primarily for the purpose and Daeseong has to attend, since he is the leader as of now. I'll stay with Minnie and look after the sketches," Joon put forth and the others assented before leaving for their destination. 

-

"You stood me up for a half an hour, how do you think you are going to make up for it, sir??" 

As a response to his confrontation, there was only silence. Dahyun was not sure if the blonde man sitting opposite to him was zoning out or had no proper explanation for being behindhand. 

"Sir??" Dahyun drummed his fist on the table, "Are we here to pay tribute to any ritual of silence?" He clamoured, "Can we talk about work instead?"

Wincing at the abruptness of his yells, Wooshik shook his head in an effort to think things straight, "I- I am sorry. I promise I put a reminder for this particular meeting. But, something came up. Can I treat you to a meal?"

"Forget it. Tell me about my first task," Dahyun sank back in the chair, "with a reasonable fee."

"Dahyun…"

Dahyun was creeped at Wooshik's very awkward deportment, that was no match for the first time he met the blonde, "Yeah?" 

"What do you think of love?" Thoughtlessly Wooshik let out those words, "Is it okay to fall in love with someone else when you're already in a relationship? In a commitment?" He said looking blankly out of the large wooden window right beside him. 

"Oh my God!" Dahyun's pupils felt uneasy, as he slinked a little backwards, "Are we here to have a love class or something? I thought I needed to clean up the murder spot and all. I am not good with shits like love. But yeah I can say that if you fell for someone else when already in a relationship, you never loved the one you were in a relationship with, I think so. Is that satisfactory?" At Wooshik's silence again, Dahyun did not mind to comment,

"Whoever you are in love with right now, has very definitely left you absolutely deranged. And that fact is so obvious." 

Wooshik suspired, "Forget it. Enjoy your food," he pointed at those delectable cuisines, "Let's really get back to work."

"Hmm," stuffing his mouth in a spoonful of spring onion soup, Dahyun bobbed his head. 

"Do you know the June-Way gay bar??"

"Yes. I do," he put another spoonful in.

"Your first task will be to keep an eye on them for 24 hours without getting caught. You have to be a human CCTV camera, for at least a week. 5,00,000 won by the end of this month and bonus if you are compatible enough."

And almost instantaneously Dahyun spat the soup.

-

"Oppaaaaa!!!! It has been a long time, right opppaaa!!??" 

Sehun was aggrieved at even the mere mention of those two girls— and here they were, preparing to pester him again. 

"Uh- hello Nani, hello Dahlia. Please make yourself comfortable," he bowed before them, "Seriously!! Just leave already," his mind spoke volumes about his already preconceived exhaustion.

"Do you remember us, Sehun oppaaa??" The girl with two bright brown braids on either side, and a honeyed complexion jumped from his chair, "We used to study for the B.sc course together, remember? Biochemistry department! You used to be the hottest guy of our class, not only by looks but also by behaviour and academically too, you remember??" She seemed too unbearably enlivened, "I used to send you so many love letters and lovey-dovey presents, why did you never accept any of those?" She sulked, pouting. 

"Me too! But I was not an idiot like Nani, even now I am not. I had genuine feelings for you, and I still do. In fact, it shouldn't come as a surprise to you that almost all of the girls in our class had a crush on you. You were like that college heartthrob, Sehun oppa," Dahlia, the red headed, standing at 5 '5" complemented, "Have you got yourself any girlfriend though?"

"Uh, Nani, Dahlia…can we not talk about such things right now?" He disapproved internally of both the girls' presence, concealing it with some sweetened demeanour, and turned his back to them, facing his used-to-be best friend instead, Park Jihyo.

"Jihyo!!" Sehun planted a brotherly punch over Jihyo’s shoulder, reminiscing their days together when they used to be classmates to each other,

"Let's go to the spicy ramen restaurant? I remember how much we loved it, that at every restaurant no matter wherever we went, we would only order it," he jokingly poked at that man's navel.

"Yes, of course! Spicy ramen for life!!" Jihyo, in a pretentious manner wiped his tears, as if in nostalgia meeting his old university classmates, he was carried away. 

"AHHHH!!! SPICYYY RAMENNN!!," Nani, the 5'3'' girl, jumped as if in ecstasy, propelling herself against anyone who was beside her, not quite realising who actually was there— Daeseong. 

The earth beneath Daeseong’s feet swerved away with that external shove from Dahlia, the suddenness left no room for Daeseong to even convey his surprise in words— but to his fortune, before his head could meet with a blood spattered mess, he instead fell into unyielding arms. Daeseong’s eyes met with the one resolutely holding, leaning over him, resisting Daeseong’s fall on the floor; the other man's mien was as surprised and flushed as Daeseong’s.

"Ji- Jihyo hyung?" 

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