THE MAN IN front of me took a quick sip from his coffee and stared at me for quite a while with no words escaping his lips what-so-ever.
"Excuse me? Mr Lee? Can you tell me what you discovered?" I asked my eyes filled with anticipation as the detective fixes his glasses on his nose with his index finger.
He let out a deep sigh, indicting another set of disappointing news. I've heard this sigh once before. The information I'm about to receive is going to suck.
"There seem to have been some miscalculations on our side," he finally spoke, looking for the right words in his cup.
"Okay, Mr Lee, that's enough. Say no more. It's not like I expected something from this investigation anyway," I said, forcing a smile, I was pretty accustomed to it by now, " I said it's okay so you can stop looking for him now."
"Miss Park, but I promised..." before he finished his speech, my hand was already up to stop him from speaking any further. I know he means well, but the fact that he's helping me like this because of a promise with my father pains me even more.
"It's okay, stop now. When you say things like that, it feels like you're my employee." I tried to change the heavy and saddening atmosphere by my cheerful chuckle. Mr Lee is like a father for me, so hearing him say that makes me feel like my "father" took care of me because someone told him to.
"That's hardly it. I see you as my second daughter," he immediately renounced my words, as if they hurt him, " but about the boy, we found some news about him..." he trailed off and took an agile look around.
I became more than curious and propped my elbows on either side of my cup, being slightly less cynical about the whole inquisition of the boy I so desperately wanted to find.
However, the look in his eyes told me that I shouldn't have. His eyes were filled with the sadness he felt for me.
"The forces in other districts were participating as well and helped us to find," I eyed him, "... his grave." It's over now. He's dead.
"I see, at least he's in a better place now.." I looked at him, eyes smiling, but with no emotions. The thought of our meeting kept me up when I was at my lowest. The older man kept staring at me, not buying my happy-go-lucky behaviour at all.
He knew it was fake, that it was just a sign, signalling that my cheeks would become wet any second. However, I did not cry. Not yet. I was heavyhearted I admit, but how could I cry like I'm the only one in this small coffee shop?
"Okay, uncle, it's time for me to go," I got up from a chair, looking at my watch. I was on my way to the cashier, but uncle grabbed my hand and went to pay instead. I assured him I was okay once more and ran to be on time for my lecture.
I pushed some random people on the way with my shoulder, but I screamed my apologies after them. The streets were empty, just a couple of couples or seniors with their grandchildren on a walk. On my run around the park, I noticed, that the cherry blossoms were already fully bloomed.
I checked the time on my watch again, finding out I have more than a half-hour left, I stopped and focused on the beauty up in front of me. I didn't know, but a tear was already rolling down my cheek.
The time to break, to cry like crazy, came as my eyes followed the petals getting lifted by the wind, flowing through the air, and in the end, they hit the ground.
Once on the ground, they get stepped on and all of their beauty is suddenly forgotten.
I got reminded of him again. The feelings inside of me are whirling like a tornado. I can't seem to figure out what emotion would express my feelings the best right now.
"Hey, you! Stop daydreaming for once, will you?"
"The way you speak is still as rude as ever."
"Why do you think I'm rude only to you, though?" his smirk was so irritating. I turned around and grabbed him by the back of his back and started dragging him to school.
"That's enough for now, Tea Jerk." at the mention of his golden nickname, I couldn't hold my giggles.
____________________
"By the way, what's up with you today?" Taehyung asked rather calmly while eating his chocolate bun.
"I met with Mr Lee today. About Jungkook's disappearance."
"I already told you that moving to study abroad is no disappearance!" he became flustered all of a sudden and seemed pretty restless.
"But that's too suspicious! Even your behaviour right now is absolutely...." I couldn't finish my sentence. I felt like Tae might know something about this case. Something I didn't.
"Absolutely what? Say it," he said those very words so coldly even for him. I don't understand what goes on in his head.
"Jesus! You're so salty and irritating today! What's wrong?" I felt like a fight would be the most effective to dissolve this issue. It didn't matter we were in the park behind our school where people rarely went.
He didn't say a word. He did that only once in a blue moon. yTea Jerk quiet? What's with today?
"Look, you either tell me or I'll gotta use my Detective Major knowledge."
"..Go ahead."
____________________
".... Was what he said, but there's something severely off about today." I sighed as I sat at the bench all alone now. Even the way he left was weird as ****.
He was okay in the morning, though.
When the first evening wind stroke me, I decided it was time to go home. I stayed just sitting there for so long without even realizing it.
I was on my way to the park gate when the wind crashed into my body with full force. I almost lost balance. Although I couldn't hear well, I saw something unbelievable.
The fact that this park didn't have any Sakuras planted was making it even stranger. The wind that whirled around me carried hundreds of cherry blossoms.
If I remember correctly, the only Sakura anywhere near is the one near the coffee shop. But that's like two-hour ride by bus.
However strong the wind is, it just doesn't make sense.
Even as the wind calmed down, the petals kept swirling near my feet. That's when I finally distinguished the muffled voice from before.
"SooA...SooA..." the voice I didn't recognize kept calling my name over and over. I got chills all over my body. I started shaking, not because of the wind or low temperature.
I have to get out of here as soon as possible. I was ready to set off and run for my life. I ran the quickest, I ever did in my life, but I shouldn't have turned around. Perhaps even if I didn't, the outcome would be the same.
I felt some weight on my waist and back, like a hug.
Wait a minute. Are actual petals hugging me, now?
I was so scared kept on trembling. Could it be...the ghost?
"SooA...,"
I want to run,
"let's watch cherry...,"
No, please!
"blossoms together..."
I turned around quickly, as the petals abruptly slipped from my waist upon the ground. I took this chance to run away.
Seriously, what's with this day?
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