Since the first moment she woke up, Haru was stuck to her phone. Between classes, her fingers were busy scrolling through the news updates to find out more about house 0124. 

“Unbelievable.” 

The word slipped from her lips as her finger stills upon the sight of a familiar face. 

Purple sneaks. 

A news outlet was able to steal a picture as he was being escorted into the police station. This level of publicity is unreal. Was this case so big?

Now, this article would have normally made Haru delighted but the following headline ripped her happiness away from her grasps – he was released. With no evidence against him. 

“What are you looking at, Haru?”

Flinching at the sudden voice, Haru looks to the side to see Jieun peering over her shoulder. “I was just looking up some things.” Slipping her phone away, she resumes her previous task of reaching her locker. Though as soon as she opened it, Jieun places a small flower pot inside – so small that it would fit easily in the palm of one’s hand. 

Confused by the action, Haru shot her a look.

“A gift.” She explains. “To commemorate our friendship.”

“That is unnecessary.” Who gives gifts over something so small?

“Unnecessary but it made me happy.” Jieun reasons while gesturing towards the plant. 

Haru turns back to look at it and the situation triggers Jongup’s words from last night. She refuses to have him take this away from her. No one steals from her. No one is allowed to do anything to her unless she allows it. Reaching out, she lifts the tiny plant up closer to her eyes.

“This is going to die under my care.” It already looks fragile enough. 

Her joke brings Jieun chuckling. “Are we going to lunch now?”

“Yeah, let’s go.” Placing the plant back inside her locker for safekeeping, she closes it before walking away with Jieun. 

In the background, Jieun continues her usual rambling about nonsense. The hallway was quieter now with people either in classes or already in the cafeteria. So, anything Haru came across stuck out like a sore thumb…

Specifically, a pink backpack.

Right in front of Mr. Jung’s door. 

Leaning down and from what she could guess, slipping something underneath its cracks. 

***

“Mr. Jung, are you not tired of seeing my face yet?” For this whole week, she has stopped in here at least once due to his beckoning. 

“Of course not.” He took the joke good-naturedly before spinning away from his desk to meet her eyes. “I don’t know if this is Jieun’s influence but Haru…I heard you admitted 50% of your completed homework – I am so happy to hear that.”

“Why do you know all these things?” 

“I have to keep a close eye on you.” While all the other students have been working hard, Haru has demonstrated a lack of the mentality. 

“This school has about 400 students and you need to keep a close eye on me?” 

“I offer my time to students who need it the most.” Mr. Jung responds without missing a beat. 

“Yeah, but aren’t there students who just want to talk to you?” Or see him?

“Why do you say that?” He chuckles, not understanding what she was getting at. 

Haru points at the bright envelopes on his desk. “Someone has been leaving you notes…I’m sure whoever it is, would like to speak to you.” If his time is consumed by another student, she wouldn’t have to visit so often. 

“Whoever?” 

“It has to be the same person.” Haru reveals nonchalantly. “It’s the same design, same envelop, really similar handwriting…you got another one today, right?”

For the first time, Haru saw the smile drop from his lips. “How do you know that?”

“I saw a girl slip it underneath your door – “

“Who?” He blurts before she could finish speaking. 

“I don’t know.” Startled by the sudden change in his behavior, Haru just sat back and observed him. “I just saw the back of her. She had a bright pink backpack – she has something for the color pink for sure.”

“Oh, is that so?” Mr. Jung weakly chuckles as if he knew he was acting strange and needed to cover it up. 

What’s with the reaction…?

“Haru, you should head home. We’ll talk some more tomorrow.”

He was the one ending the meeting this time? Well, there’s nothing to complain about. 

***

“How certain are you that he wasn’t the one?” Haru questions as soon as she sat across from Yongguk and Youngjae in the station. 

“Alibi was confirmed. A camera from a convenience store captured him around the time the burglary took place.” Youngjae responds. 

There’s no way.

“A witness also noticed him acting