Oh, it was hard.

Believe her, this is the hardest thing she has ever had to do in her entire life. Watching Jieun smile and talk to her as if everything was dandy in the world and with her pretending that everything is indeed dandy was awfully difficult. 

This isn’t what she does – she doesn’t hold back.

But here she was, holding back. She had to.

She can’t or more like shouldn’t do anything when she doesn’t have the whole story yet. You can’t rush perfection and Haru is looking forward to perfectly kicking Jieun’s, or whoever is backing her up, . 

“Haru, do you want to study together today?”

Forcing her lips into a pressed smile, Haru shakes her head. “I have plans after this.”

“We haven’t hung out much lately.”

Yeah, let’s keep it that way. “Soon.”

“But, graduation is coming up and we’ll have to start preparing for that.” Jieun pouts from where she was sitting.

Haru isn’t even sure Jieun would be able to see the light of that day. “We’ll play it by ear.”

***

The two watched the clock.

Noticing the strange atmosphere, Sungwon stops by. “…Are you two waiting for something?”

Yongguk sighs. It was twenty minutes passed the time Haru should have arrived. “Is she not coming today?”

“Haru?” Sungwon repeats in curiosity. 

“Did she message you?” Youngjae wondered.

Yongguk shakes his head. “How about you?”

The detective shakes his head. Yongguk turns away from the clock to offer him his attention. Strangely, there was this restless air hovering around Youngjae. 

“Haru, didn’t come again today?” Sungwon asks once more but again, he receives no answer. He looks at the two. “She only has three days left, she’ll come in.” He says before returning to his desk. They were really absentminded. 

Youngjae releases a sigh before leaning back into his chair. The idle hand planted on the surface of his desk transitioned to finger tapping. 

“Is there something wrong, Detective Youngjae?”

“Why do you ask?” Youngjae gives his hands a rest and diverts his attention to the officer. 

“…You’re fidgeting.”

Suddenly leaning forward, Youngjae thinks over his words before voicing them. “Did Haru ever mention anything? Like, talking about her future?”

“Once. When we were talking about what she planned to do after high school.”

“What did she say?”

“She said ‘University’.”

“But, how did she say it?”

Yongguk didn’t know what the detective was fishing for. But, nonetheless, he tries to remember her exact words. “She said…something like, she would have to go to University.”

“How about what she wanted to do?”

“She didn’t know.”

“Did she mention she was in any trouble? Did she seem distracted?”

“It did look like something was on her mind.”

There was a bit of silence between the two and Yongguk finds no better time than now since they were on the subject.

“I’ve been wondering for some time now,” Yongguk begins and their eyes meet once more, “who is Haru?”

“She’s a 17-year-old girl.”

“Not that.” Yongguk struggles to smile to offset the weird atmosphere. “Since the beginning, I tried to not think too much about the grey areas. I didn’t question why she was sent here to do 70 hours when normally, she could have gone to some soup kitchen. I didn’t really question why she always insisted on going to Sugo Street. And I never really questioned how she was able to flip around criminals like it’s some ordinary day…”

Youngjae remains silent.

“We’ve been working together for three years now. You’re never involved unless it’s some big case…the robberies in that affluent neighborhood isn’t one.” But, he was there every step of the way to patrol with them. “This is the first time I’m really questioning anything– is there something you’re hiding? What am I missing?”

“I was watching Haru.” Youngjae replies, surprising the officer with his bluntness. 

“Why?”

“Yongguk, everyone that comes into the station gets their backgrounds checked – the court checks.”

“So then, who is Lee Haru?”

***

“No, you’re leaving.”

“I just got here, Hana.” In fact, she only just took one step inside and she’s already being shooed away. 

“I got an earful from Jongup.” Like she expected.

“Who cares.” Haru strolls right in and takes her seat at the bar counter. “He’s a tamed dog – all bark and no bite.”

“Okay, hurry up and tell me why you’re here and then get going.” Hana plants her hands on the counter to offer Haru all of her attention. “Jongup is still annoying to deal with.”

A small smile appears on Ha