The stairs were filled with students trying to leave. It was hard for people to pass because someone seemed to have fallen at the foot, causing a jam.

“Let’s take the lift.”

“Are you insane? There might be a fire and you want to take the lift?” Yael whispered-shouted.

“Come on. It’s just a lie. They just want to make sure that everyone is going an orderly manner. There isn’t gonna be any fire.”

Moonhee then her heels. Yael followed after as they padded towards the lifts. They were just outside their victimology classroom when they wrinkled their noses.

“So you smell that?” Yael asked.

Moonhee opened to reply when the missing lines to what she was thinking suddenly connected.

“It was kerosene! She was carrying kerosene!” She exclaimed and held Yael’s wrist. “You have to get out of here. We bumped into the arsonist earlier. Go!”

They barely took a step when smoke started to fill the air. It blew out of the classroom and filled the hallway. Students started coughing and panic began to rise again.

“Moon Yael. I want you to run and tell the officers that you saw the arsonist.” Moonhee’s voice was hoarse. “Stay low.”

“What about you?” Yael held onto her best friend’s hand. “I can’t let you go like this.”

“I’ll be fine. Just go. I’ll see if I can grab hold of the arsonist. Okay?”

The former nodded worriedly and let go of the girl. Moonhee ran off to the direction they last saw the girl student went. Yael got to her feet and kept low as she quickened her footsteps towards the stairs.

Just as she reached the stairs, she bumped into someone. She looked up and saw Jinyoung staring down at her.

She brushed past him, wanting to go down when he flashed his ID at her.

“You’re an officer, for real?” She blurted.

“What’s with people and their doubts?” He huffed. “Do I not look like an officer?”

“That’s not the point. We saw the arsonist earlier, she headed that way!” Yael coughed.

Jaebum appeared behind them and held her shoulder, “You saw the arsonist?”

“Moonhee-” she pointed at the direction she came from and coughed when she inhaled too much of the smoke.

“Let’s talk later,” Jinyoung made them crouch down lower. “Let’s get out of here.”

“We can leave Hee in there!” Yael fought against the officer. “I have to get her!”

“I will! Jinyoung, get her out!”

***

Jaebum ran down the hallway until he turned a corner and saw someone on the floor, coughing and on the verge of passing out.

He ran up to her and realised it was Moonhee. He helped her to her feet. They were about to leave when JB noticed someone turned at the end, he could make out someone watching them.

He grabbed Moonhee’s waist, making her jerk her head up. He rolled his eyes at how defensive she was acting and pulling her out of the smoking school.

Yael and Jinyoung were waiting outside, the girl looking exceptionally worried.

“Moonhee!” She yelled and ran up to the girl, hugging the girl tightly. “Are you alright? Let’s get you to the hospital!”

“I’m fine.” Moonhee whispered hoarsely. “What about you-- Hey!”

She was cut short when Jaebum caught her arms behind her back. He pulled on the zip tie around her wrists.

“You are being arrested under suspicion of arson. What you say will be held against you in court.” Jaebum said monotonously. “You are entitled to have a lawyer. If you do not have money for one, one will be provided for you. Do you understand your rights?”

“Why the hell are you arresting me for?” Moonhee was perplexed. “You can’t accuse me of being the arsonist! I saw the arsonist! I’m the witness! You can’t arrest the witness!”

Jaebum pulled down slightly on her wrists, making the girl wince.

“I asked, do you understand your rights?”

“God damn it! Yes!” She howled. “Get your ing hands off me!”

“No can do, hothead.” Jaebum cooed, his voice dripping with warning. “I overheard you talking about setting someone on fire yesterday and something happened. Same thing here today. You ran after the arsonist but there was no one around.”

“And you’re arresting me for that?” Moonhee scoffed, pushing against JB again. “Using your power over an innocent citizen?”

“Shut up and follow me.” He ordered and pulled the girl towards the carpark. “Jinyoung, take your little friend’s statement and meet me back at the precinct.”

“Hey! You can’t just take her away like that!” Yael yelled after Jaebum but the pair had entered the car and he drove off.

She whipped around and shoved Jinyoung’s hand off her shoulder.

“You’re just gonna let him take my friend like this?!” She jabbed his chest.

“It’s off my hands!” Jinyoung tried explaining. “We overheard her talking about fire and one actually happens to the boys she was threatening. We have, to a certain extent, the right to bring her in.”

“Those boys were harassing us! They do that to other girls all the time!” She spat. “Why don’t you arrest those girls as well? I’m pretty sure they threatened the boys too?”

She took a step away.

“Or, why don’t you guys arrest those boys instead? For bullying? For ual harassment?”

“WE need tangible proof, girl.” Jinyoung ruffled his hair. “Come on. I need your statement.”

He gestured towards the side, where it was less crowded. The area was filled with students trying to leave and lecturers trying to keep everyone in order.

What a day.

***

“Why were you at the scene of the crime?”

Jaebum and Moonhee were in the interrogation room, the girl was seated with a scowl on her face while JB was on his feet, trying to intimidate her with his authoritative aura.

“Are you trying to intimidate me with that tone of voice and actions?” She let out a smirk. “It’s not working.”

JB shook his head, amused before turning and leaning in close to her from opposite her seat.

“Answer the question.”

She leaned forward as well, mirroring his confidence. She then let out a short chuckle and relaxed against the chair, her cuffed hands on her laps.

“I’m a university student. Why do you think I’m there for?” She taunted.

“I don’t need your attitude.” JB snarled at her audacity to speak to him like that. “What. Were. You doing. At the scene of the crime?” He repeated, breaking his sentence.

“I was there for a victimology class. With Yael. With Jinyoung. With those douchebags that you heard me speaking to. And those other classmates.” She looked at JB straight in the eyes. “Happy?”

He moved away from her, nodding in satisfaction at her words.

“That wasn’t too hard, was it?” He mocked her.

She just rolled her eyes and looked somewhere else.

“You m