“We’ll call ourselves The Mysterious Corporation.”
“Haseul, that sounds like it’s a few letters away from a copyright infringement.”

---

The corner booth of the local malt shop presents a familiar sight to all. Four short girls sip on half-priced milkshakes. A large Alaskan Malamute clambers onto the cushioned seat. The fluffy toast-brown fur blending into white along her ribs resembles the fresh crinkle cut fries in front of her. Her tongue lolls out of in anticipation. She dives for the potatoes, but her jaws chomp down on air. She glowers at the thief.

“Take a look at this, gang!” Haseul shouts over the jukebox. She spreads open the weekly newspaper. “Civilians reported sightings of two shadows slinking around town. Break-ins. Minor property damage. Paranormal noises always follow.”

“Like, do we really have to talk about this while we eat?” Heejin groans. She yelps at the snout sniffing by her ear. “Sorry, Hyunjin.” She scoots the platter of fries closer.

“Jeepers. That sounds terrifying. I hope nobody’s hurt,” says Vivi.

“This is our town! We should catch those creeps!” Yeojin bangs her fists on the table resolutely. “Nothing like cracking open a good case to earn some bank.”

“Don’t you have school?”

“Don’t you?”

“Touché,” mumbles Haseul. “I’ll tell mom I’m picking you up tomorrow. Then we can start investigating.”

“Won’t people be suspicious if a bunch of students start snooping around? Here’s a better plan. We come back for more milkshakes and jump on that super saver pizza slice deal!” Heejin’s hopeful eyes flicker between her friends.

“Nonsense! We’re all about helping people. I’m sure they’ll appreciate the extra interest. And I’ve got the perfect name for us. We’ll call ourselves The Mysterious Corporation.”

“Haseul, that sounds like it’s a few letters away from a copyright infringement.” Vivi’s critical tone trails off when Haseul slumps dejectedly in her seat. “I mean… It’s a lovely name. Spunky yet professional.”

“We’re in for a long week, Hyunjin.”

Hyunjin stabs four fries into Heejin’s vanilla shake to cheer her up. Then she gobbles up the remaining food, making sure to the dipping cup of garlic mayo clean.

~|~|~|~

Vivi meets Heejin and Hyunjin at the university’s cafe. The generous barista gives Heejin’s emotional support pup a free cup of whipped cream. When the clock strikes four, an outdated trumpeting honk draws their attention.

In the parking lot sits a garish azure and lime convertible. The orange flower decals resemble cartoon ink splats more than anything. Haseul waves through the cafe window.

“What is she wearing?” Vivi asks in horror. The same shame that makes Yeojin cower in the passenger seat constricts Vivi’s lungs.

Haseul somehow owns a combination of a white sweater vest, a sky blue dress shirt, an orange ascot, and moss green plaid capris shorts. Everyone in the vicinity knows jeans would’ve been a wiser choice. Haseul wouldn’t look like an unsocialized billionaire golfer and Vivi wouldn’t be breaking out in hives. Vivi can’t even comprehend the blonde bob cut wig with sideburns that seem to have been glued with craft-store materials.

“Wow, what a groovy aesthetic! Right, Hyunjin?” Heejin nudges her dog with her elbow. Hyunjin pretends not to hear and instead focuses on stealing Vivi’s abandoned chocolate croissant.

“Hey,” greets Haseul jovially.

Vivi yanks one of only two doors open and ducks inside before anyone can get a clear photo of her in the monstrosity. Heejin follows slowly, high-fiving Haseul. Hyunjin tries to squeeze between the folded driver’s seat and the car’s frame. Vivi tugs on her front paws while Heejin and Haseul shove her from behind. Once she pops in, Vivi’s left side completely engulfed in fur, Heejin wedges herself in what’s left of the backseat. Haseul creaks the driver’s chair back into place. The engine sputters to life and they roll out onto the main road.

Half an hour’s drive takes them to a large dumpy estate on the outskirts of town. There’s an open dirt lot in front of a long wooden cabin and imposing garage. Old car models with flat tires litter the property. The business just teeters on the side of automotive repair facility instead of a dodgy chop shop.

A woman stomps along the shaded porch in clunky boots with a hand on her hip. A greased up tire chain decorates her torso like an Olympic medal. She waves at the gang with a pair of tongs in her free hand. Burnt bits almost rain down on the skunk stripe of blonde hair gelled into a two-foot mohawk. The rest of her sleek black hair rolls down her back like a cape.

“Howdy, y’all! Welcome to Soul’s Spare Parts ’n Ribs! They call me Jinsoul, they bein’ my ma ’n pa, bless their hearts. How can I help ya?” With the high-pitched toots of her S’s still carrying in the wind, she grins wide to reveal her two front teeth and all her canines are missing.

“Hi! We’re hoping to piece together all of the weird events going on lately. We heard the rumors about your land being haunted. Would you be willing to talk about it?” says Haseul.

“Oh sure,” whistles Jinsoul. “You young’uns helpin’ out the community. Love it! Come on in.”

“Young’uns? She looks your age. You know, if it weren’t for all this,” mutters Yeojin, gesturing vaguely at all of Jinsoul from behind. Haseul elbows her in the stomach.

Jinsoul clears a table and offers the girls some freshly stewed chowder.

“Rank rou,” says Hyunjin, panting as Jinsoul places a bowl on the floor with a plate of toasted bread.

“Can you tell us what happened?” Haseul asks with a notepad at the ready.

Jinsoul clears with a peppy smile, then slaps the table and leers over them, her voice rough as a grinding stone. “It was a dark and stormy night. Hail slashin’ across my windows. Like fish spittin’ pebbles. Pew pew pew! I was just mindin’ my own business. Smokin’ a whole rack of lamb, ya see. Expandin’ my culinary horizons.” She waves in a wide arc like she’s painting the sky with her palm, her eyes unsettlingly wide. “Then there was a great big BOOM!“

Jinsoul pounds the table again. The silverware clatters against the wood.

“Zoinks!” Heejin yelps, jumping into Hyunjin’s arms.

“Now this BOOM wasn’t like anythin’ I ever heard before. It was crunchy. Creaky. I knew at once my babies were hurt. But ‘That can’t be right,’ I thought. I had ‘em locked up in the garage all snug and safe. So I put on my best blue booties and raincoat. Took a lamp out back. Had a shotgun loaded and everything.”

“A shotgun?!” Vivi gasps. “That’s so dangerous!”

“Ma’am. There are bears out here. Gotta be prepared. They also make a mighty fine fried minced meat cutlet. You folks ever watch an Anne-E-May called Cooking Battles? I highly recommend it. Ten outta ten. That Maso Hirayuki boy is plucky.”

“Cooking. Battles. Search. Krustymaki website. For fully subbed seasons,” Haseul mutters as she scribbles another bullet point.

“Anywho. When I got out to the garage, saw two shadow-like things creepin’ about. It was all foggy inside. They were too quick and I didn’t have a clear shot. Wasn’t worth the chase in that storm. Checked up on my babies and there was a big ol’ dent in one of ‘em. A pick-up with the most bee-YOO-tiful grill grate I ever laid my eyes on. It’s a downright shame.” Jinsoul shakes her head gravely.

“Mind if we see it?” Yeojin asks.

The students file out after Jinsoul to the back lot. Hyunjin scuttles behind them on her hind legs, holding Heejin bridal style with little difficulty.

Jinsoul pulls back a dusty tarp. A truck nearly twice Haseul’s height gleams back at them. Its body has a few gashes around the wheels, but the bed is sturdy and the interior is clean. The front bumper sports a nasty dent as if it imploded when Haseul stepped onto the land in her eyesore of an outfit.

“That’s strange,” mumbles Yeojin. “It doesn’t look like a fender bender. It would’ve curved to the shape of another car. And the grate doesn’t feel rough or scratched. It’s like nothing even touched it.”

“Checked all of ‘em. Engines cold as the hail. Nobody rammed into her. Even if they managed to kick start one, there wasn’t enough room to drive in the garage.”

“Alright, gang. Let’s split up and look for clues. Heejin and Hyunjin, you stay here. Vivi, Yeojin, and I will search the property,” suggests Haseul.

“B-b-b-but Haseul. You forgot to put on sunblock. Maybe you should check out the nice, dark, spooky garage. For the health of your cells.” Heejin’s lips stretch into a constipated smile. Hyunjin also bares her teeth in an unconvincing grin.

“Okay. Then you two can take the forest. Beware of the bears,” Vivi says offhandedly, pulling Haseul and Yeojin back inside.

“On second thought, we much prefer the enclosed steel-fortified garage. Isn’t that right, Hyunjin?”

“Ruh-uh. Ruh-uh!” Hyunjin refuses stubbornly.

Vivi holds up a fried honey-cinnamon pastry dipped in icing. “Would you do it for a Hyunny Bun?” Hyunjin considers it. “Two Hyunny Buns?”

“Mmm…. Roh-kay. Rwo.”

Hyunjin sits on her haunches and catches the two snacks in . With renewed courage and sugar in her system, she salutes with one giant paw.

“Anything I can do to help?” Jinsoul offers.

“I’m very interested in those spare ribs,” says Yeojin, wiggling her eyebrows.

“Beef or pork? I’ll throw in some cornbread for your assistance. Looks like you could use the extra carbs, you cute lil nugget.” Jinsoul winks and saunters inside while whistling a slow country tune.

“Was she hitting on me or is that just southern hospitality?”

“We’re quite far up north and she doesn’t strike me as predatory,” Haseul replies.

Yeojin skips along the dirt trail with boundless energy. Haseul strolls leisurely with Vivi in tow. The three fan out in a clearing up ahead. The sun dips lower in the sky, bringing on the soft purple of dusk. Soon, smartphone flashlights sweep across the ground in wide arcs.

A shrill scream has Haseul and Yeojin running back to the edge of the forest. They spot Vivi’s legs flailing in the air. They pull her upright, dusting the dirt off her clothes.

“Are you alright?” Haseul asks worriedly.

“My ankle hurts a bit but I’m fine. I didn’t see the fallen tree.”

“It looks a bit more than ‘fallen’ if you ask me,” notes Yeojin. They step around a large trunk that had been poorly split with an axe, then seemingly torn to shreds. Its dark mossy bark matches a tree at least fifty paces away. “Someone must’ve targeted it. None of the other trees took damage so it couldn’t have been a natural event like the storm.”

Haseul putters around the area while making rough sketches on paper. “Take a look at this. There’s a whole nest of wood chips. The kind factories make for playgrounds. Too uniform to be from the dead bark. It’s like someone threw it as confetti.”

“Why would someone bother to destroy a single tree all the way out here and spread wood chips in a forest?” Vivi wonders.

Yeojin hums thoughtfully. A patch of dirt twinkles from the glare of her phone’s flashlight. Scooping up the soil, she unearths a small plastic vial.

“This looks like silver glitter from an arts and crafts store.” Yeojin grunts and straightens up, using the nearby tree for support. “It’s everywhere, all the way up to that low thick branch.”

“Let’s rendezvous at Jinsoul’s for now,” suggests Haseul, pocketing her notepad.

When they return to the cabin, Heejin and Hyunjin are at the table with bibs and an array of barbecue sauces. There’s a stack of five take out boxes on the counter.

“Sorry to steal your friends. Couldn’t pass up the chance to test my new recipes,” says Jinsoul.

Haseul waves off the apology. “Did you two find anything?”

“Reah! Reah!” Hyunjin digs around in Heejin’s bag for a moment. She pads over to Yeojin and drops several small objects into her palm.

“Ick.” Yeojin wipes Hyunjin’s slobber on Haseul’s shirt.

“You can’t just take spare parts from the garage, Hyunjin,” Vivi berates.

Jinsoul furrows her eyebrows. “Actually those aren’t mine. Looks like they came from a science fair doodad. And I ain’t ever seen plastic like that. All geometricky and not solid.” She scratches her head with a fork, then digs into a bowl of beans.

“There were a bunch of them swept under the truck. Nowhere else. And get this. Silver glitter! It’s like someone sneezed a whole pile into the grill grate. I have a hunch that’s unhealthy for a car so it wasn’t Jinsoul’s doing.”

“Smart girl, this Heejin,” says Jinsoul, jabbing a thumb over her shoulder.

“Strange. We found glitter out in the meadow too. This mystery isn’t making any sense,” says Haseul.

“Don’t worry. We’ll find whoever’s behind this,” assures Vivi.

“If it turns out two whippersnappers from town are to blame, I got some colorful words for ‘em. So colorful they’ll taste the rainbow. And then maybe some applewood smoked sausages with a side of pipin’ hot chicken and dumplings because I cain’t stand to see sad faces. It’s very…”

“Sad?” Heejin guesses.

“Yeah,” Jinsoul chokes out. She blows her nose and resumes shoveling down beans.

“Whippersnappers?”

Yeojin squeaks when Haseul’s foot deliberately flattens her toes.

~|~|~|~

Haseul practices her breathing exercises on the elevator ride up to the thirteenth floor of the fine arts building. She has a solo performance coming up as her midterm and she’s already on the border between grades.

“Stupid pigeons ruining my recital.” Infinite Haseuls mutter together in the dizzying reflections of the mirrored panels.

She trudges past the larger rooms meant for members of the orchestra and band. A quiet alcove around the corner hides a few more practice rooms. They’re just big enough for two people and a piano. The first is occupied by a violinist who must’ve been pushed out of the other spaces. The second has a notice that the piano has a broken pedal and loose keys. Haseul frowns. The final room is dark and still. Haseul presses her wallet up to a black panel. The ID reader beeps with a green light as the door unlocks.

“Oh my God! I’m so sorry! I thought the room was empty!”

Haseul spins on her heels and shields her face. Her composition folder flies out of her grip. Sheet music rains down on her head. Haseul dares to peek over her shoulder, her eyes barely visible through the cracks between her fingers.

One of the girls stumbles out of the cramped room with her flannel ruffled and her hair sticking out at odd angles. Haseul refrains from pointing out her buttons are misaligned. The other girl crumples against the piano in embarrassment. The keys under her forehead drum on the strings inside and a low, dissonant chord settles over them. Haseul pretends not to see her tugging at her shirt collar to hide the striking red lip stain on her neck.

“No, no. We’re sorry. We probably shouldn’t be doing that. Here.”

Haseul’s head is reeling. Heat creeps up the back of her neck at having walked in on such a scene. But the girl’s eyes are absolutely captivating, a bright butterscotch. Frankly, that alone warrants Haseul’s forgiveness. The disheveled student blushes and bends down to pick up the papers. Haseul drops to her knees to wrangle a few pages from under a bench.

“I-it’s understandable. It’s college,” Haseul shrugs, her tone light but wheezy. “After all, it follows MMM. Music Makes the Mood.”

The girl chuckles and hands over her stack.

“Thanks—” Haseul’s eyes shoot wide open. “Whoa, you’re really cold. Be careful or you’ll get sick.”

An easy smile tugs at the girl’s lips. “I’m fine. I just like iced drinks no matter the weather and sweaters get too stuffy. Jiwoo, let’s…” She jerks her head toward the elevator.

“Sorry, again,” the second girl grins apologetically. She shoulders her backpack as her girlfriend takes the other. They duck out of sight when the elevator dings.

“Young love,” Haseul sighs. “Can’t relate.”

She unlocks the practice room again. Flicking the light switch, she stares in horror.

“Haseul, I knew you’d be here. I wanted to help out with your solo. You sounded so nervous on the phone yesterday— Wow. Did a tornado rip through here?” Vivi peers over Haseul’s shoulder and gapes at the state of the room.

Haseul must’ve scared the couple out of their wits. The windows were left open, letting in a bone-chilling breeze. A wave of black grains blows from the windowsill onto the floor. Haseul takes a pinch and inspects it closely.

“This isn’t sand. It’s really warm.”

“I think it’s iron powder. The black must come from the activated carbon.”

Haseul raises an eyebrow, her eyes shining with both awe and curiosity. “That’s so specific.”

Vivi shrugs and dips her head. “I buy a lot of hand warmers.”

“The ones you give me in a Christmas stocking?” Haseul smiles softly.

“Yeah. I-I mean, they’re for me too! And sometimes if you jostle them too much, the powder leaks from the corner. I had to vacuum my coat pockets to get it all out.”

“Well at least one of them is fighting off hypothermia.”

“One of who?” Vivi asks.

“Long story. Actually it’s quite short but recalling it is making me faint. There were two people in here before me.”

“Is one of them named Jungeun?”

“I… don’t know. Why do you ask?”

Vivi slips one of the sheets out of Haseul’s pile on a tilted music stand in the corner. Haseul always prints her compositions from a program. This one’s handwritten with a name scrawled in the corner.

“Those contacts might be hers too.” Vivi points at an oval plastic case on top of the piano. “I can give these to the lost and found at the front desk while you set up.”

“Thanks,” says Haseul. She shuts the windows and sweeps up the powder.

~|~|~|~

“Yo Heejin. What’s crackalackin’?”

“Haseul asked me to pick you up. She’s a bit busy with Vivi at the moment,” says Heejin, leaning against her Intelligent vehicle.

“Rello Reojin,” Hyunjin pants happily.

Yeojin reaches around the passenger headrest to scratch Hyunjin behind the ears. Hyunjin looks so scrunched in the padded trunk, the suburban public PETA patrol would smash the tinted windows with a brick.

“Finally,” Yeojin groans. “Was starting to worry her eggs would disintegrate.”

“I’m so confused. Like, what does preparing for Haseul’s midterm recital have to do with her eggs?”

“Eggs? I didn’t say eggs.”

“But you just—”

“No, you did. Are you feeling okay? Do you need to lie down?”

Heejin dodges Yeojin’s reach for her forehead. Their eyes narrow suspiciously. They raise their hands as if to chop each other in the neck before realizing it’s very painful to be a ninja. That and Yeojin just finished cardio day during P.E. so she’s not up for a brawl with her ride home.

“Haseul gave us a job before I drop you off. She said to check out the craft stores around town.”

“Sounds like a plan. Where did I put it?”

Yeojin rummages through her bag for the empty glitter vial and hands it to Heejin. They search up directions to the nearest locations that sell the brand.

Someone gasps from behind. “Are those my sparkles?”

“Hi,” Yeojin says in surprise. “Heejin, this is Yerim, my lab partner. Yerim, meet Heejin and that’s Hyunjin in the back.” Hyunjin sticks her muzzle out of the window and sniffs at Yerim’s purple hair in delight. “Why would you think this is yours?”

“That’s my handwriting.” Yerim turns the tube over in Yeojin’s hand. “For rainy days,” she reads.

“We found this in the woods just outside of town,” says Heejin slowly.

“Huh. I knew I lost it but I didn’t think it’d travel that far away.”

“Jinkies!”

“Bless you.”

“Ress rou.”

Yeojin glares at Heejin and Hyunjin. Then she shakes Yerim by the shoulders. “I need to ask you for a favor.”

“What’s in it for me?”

“Happy Farmers.” Yeojin holds out a sack of colorful individually wrapped translucent hard candy.

“Done.” Yerim takes the sack and shakes Yeojin’s hand.

“I don’t know what just happened but Yerim, I hope you have a ride home. I only have a safety harness for Hyunjin in the trunk and you can’t sit on her.”

Heejin ends up following a motorcycle back to Yerim’s girlfriend’s house. It’s pleasantly sunny today. None of that breaks through the black velvet curtains of the basement windows.

“I’m Yeojin. This is Heejin and Hyunjin. Nice to finally meet you. Yerim always talks about you.”

“Olivia Hye.” Yerim’s girlfriend holds out a hand, reluctantly judging by the scowl on her face.

“No, I’m Yeojin.”

The girl stares back. “I’m Olivia Hye.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. Hey Olivia.”

The girl huffs and speaks more slowly. “Olivia. Hye.”

Yeojin tilts her head. “Yeojin. Hi.”

The girl’s eye twitches. “Yerim, remind me why I permitted these imbeciles to enter my den.”

“Because they’re trying to help the community! We love contributing citizens.”

Olivia Hye growls at the unsatisfactory answer.

Yerim adds, “And because I love you so you agreed. No takesies-backsies.” She feeds her girlfriend a blue raspberry Happy Farmer.

Olivia Hye sinks into her gaming chair in an attempt to hide her grin. Without looking back, she demands, “Tell me what you want so you can get out of my sight.”

“God, your sass is so refreshing in this godforsaken town. I might be in love with you,” sighs Yeojin.

“Uh, anyway. We’re trying to solve a mystery,” says Heejin.

“Nosy goody two shoes,” grumbles Olivia Hye. “How am I involved?”

“We found a glitter vial in the forest up north. Yerim says it’s hers,” says Yeojin carefully.

Olivia Hye stiffens in her seat. “Yerim,” she calls softly. “I bought that snack you like. The pirate cookies that stan the Moonies. The Mooniverse? The… singer group thingie.”

“Ooh yay!” Yerim kisses Olivia Hye’s cheek and dashes up the stairs.

“Zoinks!” Heejin howls and jumps into Yeojin’s arms.

Olivia Hye spins in her chair, glaring through strands of straight black hair under a flickering light bulb.

“Whatever you’re meddling with, Yerim has nothing to do with it.”

“It’s her vial. She admitted it herself,” counters Yeojin in an equally level voice.

“She lost it.”

“No. You sold it.”

“Shh!”

“Aha!”

“Gah!” Olivia Hye rakes a hand through her hair with a grimace. “Look. I love her, but she’s crazy about glitter and I’m crazy about my custom-built PC which has a lot of air vents. It doesn’t take a genius to realize those two things don’t mix. I just conveniently misplaced it.”

“With an order.”

“How do—” Olivia Hye shakes her head. “How much do you know?”

“You’re the biggest underground techie at school. What are the chances I’ll find a master list on your precious PC?”

“Alright! Alright. Just…” Olivia Hye sighs. “Don’t tell her. When my Spasm streams have a slow day, this is how I fund our dates, okay? What do you want from me?”

Yeojin drops Heejin on the floor and steps over her. “Tell us who you gave the glitter to.”

The smallest of grunts escapes Olivia Hye’s throat. It sounds pained. “I don’t know.”

“Reejin! Reojin! Rook!” Hyunjin scampers up to the trio with a bag between her teeth.

Heejin pours out a bunch of small plastic screws and bars. She and Yeojin shoot Olivia Hye an accusatory look.

“Tsk tsk tsk,” tuts Hyunjin, sitting on her haunches. Recognizing her toes are too stubby, she rubs one front paw over the other to convey shame.

“Out with it. I think I hear that ball of sunshine approaching the stairs,” warns Heejin.

“Ugh. Fine. A client sent me the schematics for mechanical parts. I ran them through my 3D printer. Those are the faulty ones. I had to resize them and some of the supports wouldn’t shave off cleanly.”

“Who?” Yeojin presses.

“I don’t know! Honest!” Olivia Hye starts speaking very quickly. “It’s part of the deal. I never meet the clients even if they’re students. They deposit into my private account and I drop off the goods at a public location. Hide it in a store’s flower pot. Behind the napkin dispenser at a Stardollars. In the CD section of the local library. The anonymity keeps us both safe. I panicked when Yerim brought the glitter over one day. While I was messaging the client that the parts were finished, I asked if they’d be interested in the glitter. They paid me in full on the spot.”

Yeojin sighs heavily. “Can you at least tell us where you made the exchange? We promise not to tell Yerim. People steal stuff all the time at school.”

“Really?” Heejin’s voice dips unusually low.

“You wouldn’t believe the creeps in our class. I stuck gum under my desk and someone took it.”

“Oh that’s just—” Olivia Hye gags. “I hate that I know who you’re talking about.”

Hyunjin whimpers against the wall in disgust. Then she eats three Happy Farmers off the floor.

~|~|~|~

“What exactly was the purpose of a two-hour lunch break?” Vivi asks.

They’re seated in the university’s food court.

“We’re staking out the bubble tea shop where our shadows picked up the whatchamacallits,” says Haseul. She proudly thumps Heejin on the back, who coughs up her pasta.

“Why would they return if they already used the parts in the garage? Besides, thousands of students pass through here every day. Yeojin’s friend would’ve thought up a better handoff. Like tipping the cashier to serve it with a very specific order. Something absurd like a chocolate smoothie with three times the tapioca and a cup of sugar.”

“God forbid,” mumbles Heejin.

“Oh. You’re right. Huh, how’d you think of that?” Haseul says slyly.

Vivi rolls her eyes. “I’m not just some pretty face with s, you know.”

“Ruh-roh…” Hyunjin trots up to the table while balancing a wooden board on her head. Her eyes shift uneasily between the two eldest.

“Th-that’s not what I meant,” Haseul stammers.

“I have to go. I have class in fifteen across campus.”

“Rye, Ribi.”

Hyunjin wags her tail when Vivi pats her on the head with a tired smile. Taking the vacated spot, she sets up her gourmet cheese and bread board on the table. Haseul’s and Heejin’s jaws drop. Confused, Hyunjin offers them toasted baguette slices with a spread of brie and cracked pepper.

“Don’t you sulk now too,” whines Heejin.

“She’s mad at me and I don’t know why.” Haseul sinks into her chair with a pout.

Hyunjin pulls an old fashioned bonnet out of nowhere. She bats her eyelashes, holds a paw up to her pointed ear, and melts onto the floor dramatically with a wail.

“Hyunjin’s right. You keep treating her like some damsel in distress.”

“I do not,” Haseul argues petulantly.

“You literally called her that when she almost tripped on the way here.”

“It’s not my fault she’s accident-prone!”

“No,” Heejin agrees, “But you don’t have to treat her as if that’s all she is.”

“Riendzoned,” coughs Hyunjin.

“What was that?”

“Nothing.” Heejin cuts across. “So what do we do now?”

Haseul groans and bangs her head on the table.

“Incredibly helpful.”

“Hey, Heejin.” A short blonde girl approaches their table.

“Chaewon! H-hey. What, uh, what are you doing here?” Heejin slurs in an unnaturally low octave. She rests her elbow on the table and snaps her head to the side, feigning nonchalance.

Chaewon gives Heejin a confused lopsided grin. “I got out of class and now I’m hungry? Why, what are you doing here?”

“Ray ranicking,” Hyunjin mutters. She growls when someone kicks her paw.

“Did you just say…” Chaewon furrows her eyebrows and turns to Heejin. “Never mind. So are you coming to my game tonight? It’s on the home field.”

“Right. Softball. I’m sorry. I have a meeting for a group project. If I don’t go tonight, I might never see them until we have to turn in the stupid thing. And I really hate using the Goggle coD chat as the sole method of communication.”

“College kids.” Chaewon scoffs. There’s less strength in her eye roll.

Heejin bites her lip guiltily. “Can I make it up to you on Friday? That’s a home game too.”

“You checked the schedule without me telling you?” Chaewon chuckles when Heejin burns bright red.

Even Hyunjin snickers. With one glare, she obediently stuffs a buttered roll in .

Chaewon shakes her head. “I’d love it if you came, bit it might rain. We play regardless. I just don’t want you getting soaked in the stands.”

“Maybe next time— Oh my God.”

“Heejin?” Haseul squeaks, finally lifting her head.

“Rain. Softball. Baseball! THUNDER! Chaewon, you’re a genius!”

“I don’t understand why but thanks.” Chaewon grins into Heejin’s hair as she’s lifted into the air. The faint blush remains long after Heejin sets her down and plants a loud smooch on her cheek.

Heejin grabs Haseul’s collar. “I gotta run. Call up the gang tomorrow night. I think we have this mystery solved. Let’s go, Hyunjin!”

~|~|~|~

“Is everyone ready? Over.”

“Roger. Over,” three voices affirm through a walkie-talkie.

Haseul watches the rumbling clouds roll over downtown miles away. Her device beeps again.

“Why couldn’t we just do a four-way call? Over,” Yeojin complains.

“I’m out of minutes. Over.”

“Who uses minutes anymore? And we all have nosePhones. It’s free. Over,” reasons Heejin.

“What is this, Rag on Haseul Day? I’m out of data too. Over.”

“How much longer are—” Heejin cuts off abruptly.

“Rey. Rover rere!” Hyunjin’s muffled growls crackle through Heejin’s line.

Haseul spots the dog in a thick bush pointing across the clearing at the far edge of the forest.

“I see them. Get into position. Over,” Vivi reports.

Two shadows emerge closest to Vivi’s hiding spot. They’re wearing caps with their eyes on the ground and the grey sky saps most of the sunlight. They whisper to each other. Then one stays put while the other walks further out. The closest shadow swings at the air.

“It’s an aluminum bat,” Yeojin confirms. “Over.”

Haseul shifts nervously as they lie in wait. The batter kicks at the grass and plants their feet firmly into the ground. The pitcher holds the ball in their glove in still silence like a prayer. The heavens roar menacingly. Lightning cracks high above, then thunder rips through the atmosphere. The boom mutes the perfectly timed swing as the ball collides with the bat. The pitcher doesn’t chase it. They gun for the batter instead. Neither are following the path of a diamond. They seem to abandon all rules of the game. The pitcher finally closes in. Haseul thinks they’re going to tackle the batter. Instead, the pitcher lifts them up and brings them closer. The batter wraps their legs around the pitcher’s waist, their arms circling around the pitcher’s neck. Haseul averts her eyes immediately.

“Now!” Vivi shouts into her transceiver.

Haseul remembers their mission. She takes up a sturdy hose and cranks the lever on the portable pump hidden in the bush beside her. Her arm grows numb but it gets easier to rotate the lever with the continuous momentum. Water spouts like a geyser onto the field. Another shower rains from Vivi’s position, then the biggest onslaught from Heejin’s as Hyunjin works double-time at the largest pump.

Just as the gang predicted from the live weather report. Based on the wind currents, the rain wasn’t supposed to move north to the recreational field for another half hour. The shadows didn’t have the same foresight. They pull their jackets over their heads and dart for the roofed benches on the sidelines.

The walkie-talkies beep again with Vivi’s signal. “Yeojin!”

Yeojin sprints out from under the spectator stands with a long rope in her hands. It winds around steel beams and wooden poles. The shadows try to run, but they react too late. The rope tightens and traps them in the middle of the open air shelter. They struggle against the binds until they deplete their energy, slumping onto the ground back to back.

The gang emerges from their positions and surrounds the two culprits.

“Let’s see who’s been terrorizing the townsfolk,” says Haseul.

Hyunjin bites on the visors of the caps. Loose auburn hair rolls over their shoulders. They glance up with round, shining eyes.

“Who the hell are you?” Yeojin grunts.

Haseul squeaks from behind her hand. “You two! You were making out in the practice room!”

The two girls blush and lower their heads.

~|~|~|~

The cheap pen flies across the clipboard with rough scrapes. The red and blue lights flashing from the roof of the police car get on Officer Ha’s nerves, so she shuts them off.

“Kim Jungeun and Kim Jiwoo,” she drawls. She hands back their IDs and poises her pen above the next section of the report. “How exactly are two college students responsible for the recent disturbances?”

“They’re hormonal, in love, and don’t have fully formed frontal cortices.” Yeojin’s raspy voice fluctuates like a gossipy middle-aged aunt. She’s exhausted, starving, and this apparently doesn’t excuse her from her homework.

“I don’t follow.”

Haseul diverts the cop’s attention. “We started our investigations with the property damage at the car repair shop outside of town. There’s a small meadow nearby. Jungeun and Jiwoo must’ve chopped part of a dead tree. It was already soggy and rotting, so throwing it at another living trunk would’ve smashed it to bits. They sprinkled wood chips around for additional grandeur.”

Yeojin picks up the story. “We found silver glitter at the site. It was all over one of the trees at the edge of the clearing, where someone could perch on a branch and observe quite far out into the meadow. They got the glitter as a bonus with some 3D printed screws. Like a construction kit.”

Heejin holds up a plastic bag of gnarled plastic nubs. “Hyunjin and I found some left behind in the garage. They were used to build a very strong electromagnetic device. The plastic was durable enough to build it, lightweight for transportation, relatively cheap, and wouldn’t be attracted to the other components. Jungeun is an engineering major at our university. She must’ve designed it herself. It was only good for one use, but that’s all she needed. Just to dent one of the car’s bumpers. Jinsoul also said the garage was too foggy to catch them.”

“How does a garage fog up inside when it’s closed?” Officer Ha asks skeptically.

“Ry rice,” barks Hyunjin.

“Dry ice sublimes into fog,” explains Vivi. “Just add hot water. Jinsoul washes the cars and her equipment all the time. She wouldn’t notice a tub of water days after the incident. Especially not if one of her prized vehicles was damaged.”

“All of the smaller instances of spooky sounds and shadows lurking around town were just them showing off a bit of strength and running around at night. When they finally settled on something bigger, Jinsoul’s business gave them the perfect opportunity,” concludes Haseul.

Officer Ha rubs her temples. “Okay so now we know how they’ve been scaring off the townsfolk. But why? What’s their motive?”

Heejin clears and bashfully presents a novel to the cop.

“Dusk… You’re telling me all their shenanigans were influenced by teenage supernatural romance fiction from over a decade ago?” Officer Ha shoves the book back in Heejin’s arms as if it had personally offended her.

“Vampires are all the rage,” Yeojin provides unhelpfully.

Hyunjin nuzzles into Heejin’s side, giving her courage.

“Not just influenced. Reenacted on a budget. The book’s set in a sparsely populated city where it rains year-round. Edmond takes his love interest, Brenda, to a meadow. Then he kinda shows off his strength, his dangerous nature. Smashing trees like an industrial shredder. Running faster than the human eye can detect. And of course how his skin sparkles like a million diamonds in the sunlight. Thus the glitter.”

“Of course,” Officer Ha says ironically.

“The dent in Jinsoul’s car represents when Edmond saved Brenda in the school parking lot. A student’s tires skidded on ice and Edmond jumped between Brenda and the car. Being nearly indestructible as a vampire, the force of his hand crunched the truck’s bumper instead. Jungeun built a device that repelled the grill grate so much, it imploded.”

“You said you could explain what Vivi and I found in the practice room too,” prompts Haseul.

“Oh God, there’s more?” Officer Ha groans. She scans the report that’s already filled to the margins with nonsense. The other officers on duty would have a field day reading this.

“Happy Farmer?” Yeojin offers.

Officer Ha opens to tell the teen off, then silently takes a single candy.

Heejin recounts the rest of her epiphany. “Haseul and Vivi found powder from disposable hand warmers. Jiwoo probably had them in her pocket to keep her temperature up. Haseul said Jungeun’s hands were ice cold. Vampires have such low body temperatures, it was one of the things Edmond found most fascinating when Brenda touched his skin. That sensory difference was exhilarating for them. Officer Ha? Do you need a moment?”

The cop turns around, cricks her neck, and shouts towards the forest. Three flocks and a bird of prey fan out from the canopy in complete pandemonium, sending little moist presents pelting towards the cruiser. Everyone flinches. Hyunjin whimpers into Heejin’s stomach, her ears flattening against her head.

An eye twitch. Maybe two. It’s actually more of a drawn out spasm. “I’m fine. I’m fine. Continue.” Officer Ha rasps.

“The idea didn’t hit me until my friend Chaewon asked about her softball game. I finally realized why it all seemed so familiar. Jungeun’s butterscotch eyes, like a vampire’s after feeding so that the blood of a love interest is easier to resist. Jungeun’s self-composed piano piece. Brenda was Edmond’s inspiration for a song too. He played it for her when she met his family. The next logical event Jungeun and Jiwoo would reenact is the baseball scene. The vampires played during a storm so the thunder would muffle the clashes of their game. They didn’t have to hide their enhanced physical abilities. When Chaewon said it would rain today, I searched for a recreational field. This was far enough north that they’d have time to play before the rain hit.”

Officer Ha makes one last scribble and combs back her hair. “I might regret asking, but how did you kids manage to catch them?”

“Actually, Vivi came up with the whole plan,” says Haseul, her voice filled with pride.

Vivi flushes under the sudden attention. “Um, well we had the location and the time, so we just needed a way to lure them into a trap. We rented these portable pumps and filled them with water. The hoses with sprinkler attachments let us emulate the rain. The closest shelter was the bench area. We made a rope snare and buried it with a light layer of dry sand and dead leaves. When they were in position, Yeojin pulled on the rope. A quick and safe solution.”

“That’s… so extra but brilliant,” sighs Officer Ha. She pats Vivi on the back. Gesturing to the two crestfallen girls on the ground, she commands, “Alright. To the station.”

The police cruiser sputters down the dirt road toward town. The gang heads to the parking lot on the other side of the field.

Vivi holds Haseul back until the others are out of earshot. “Haseul, I’m so sorry. I’ve been really rude to you the past few days.”

“Don’t be. I’m sorry for always treating you like a dainty little flower. I just worry about you a lot.” Haseul’s eyes never leave the ground.

“Worrying is fine. It shows you care. But being protected all the time can get suffocating. People don’t talk to me like I have a brain or personality or a backbone. I’m just there as the pretty ditzy klutz,” Vivi says sullenly.

“Well I definitely think you’re beautiful.” Haseul nudges Vivi. “But I never once thought that’s all you have to offer the world. You’re so, so smart. And so brave. You’re pursing a biochemistry degree in the honors program to prepare for medical school. All in a different country with a new language, without your friends or family. You volunteer at a dog shelter because ‘Not every Hyunjin has their own Heejin.’ Yeojin confides in you more than she sees me any given day. And I just— You let me breathe? When I’m having a bad day. You walk up to me and I remember where I am. To this day, I can’t comprehend how you exist.”

Vivi smiles gratefully. “You never told me any of this.”

Haseul shrugs. “Sometimes it’s hard to talk to someone as incredible as you. Especially for someone like me.”

“Someone like you?” Vivi parrots back.

“Yeah. Me. I’m just Haseul.”

Vivi stops walking. She tugs on Haseul’s hand and turns her around. “Well, Just Haseul. I think you’re pretty darn great. Pretty, very cute actually, and great. If it weren’t for you, I probably would’ve flown home two years ago. So stick with me a bit longer, okay?”

“Okay.”

Vivi’s smile is enough to paralyze Haseul where she stands. She’s utterly helpless when Vivi brushes back her shoulder-length hair, now a natural brown shade, and kisses her reddening ear. The one that Vivi said was her favorite feature of Haseul’s in a full grammatically correct sentence when they first met. The one that’s folded.

Of all the childishly passionate schemes she’s come up with, Haseul thinks The Mysterious Corporation was one of her best.

~|~|~|~

“We are in so much trouble,” mutters Jungeun.

“Maybe. But you gotta admit. This is kinda hot.”

“Being handcuffed in the backseat of a cop car?”

The glint in Jiwoo’s eyes make her grin look sinister.

“Oh no,” Jungeun shakes her head repeatedly.

Jiwoo can see Jungeun’s resolve crumbling. She leans over and trails featherlight kisses along Jungeun’s jawline. “Oh yes,” she whispers in a sultry undertone.

“Oh God,” Jungeun breathes.

“OKAY.” Officer Ha slams on the brakes. “That’s it! I don’t care if you’re both legal adults who are supposed to spend the next two nights in a holding cell. You’ve managed to give me a migraine. My blood pressure is through the ROOF. You have shaved at least, at least twenty years off my life. And I cannot STAND another twenty minutes with you two delinquents and your hormones in my car. Get out! GET OUT! NOW!”

“But the cuffs—”

“OUT!”

Officer Ha jams the button in her haste to unlock the back doors. Jungeun and Jiwoo scramble out of the cruiser and smush themselves as far into the nearby bus stop as possible to avoid the cop’s wrath. The doors bolt shut.

Officer Ha leans over to shriek through the open window. “Pay off the damn fine in the next two weeks or I will report this to your university. AND your parents!”

The cruiser speeds away with a tire screech and the smell of burnt rubber.

---

A/N: Gosh darn those Loona kids, meddling in my life, makin' me stan. Ugh.