Qri was standing at the balcony of their house. Gentle breeze caressing her long hair gives a nice view of her. She’s still in shock with the news about Areum. They probably didn’t know each other for a long time but it was enough to left her a deep impression. She let out a big heavy sigh.

“Have some.” Soyeon lend her a cup of hot chocolate.

“Thanks.”  A weak smile curving at the edge of Qri’s lip as the mug exchanging hands. Soyeon takes her seat beside Qri, enjoying the night view while take a sip of her drink.

“I will love the light for it shows me the way, yet I will endure the darkness because it shows me the stars. I often think that the night is more alive and more richly colored than the day.” Soyeon said with an impressed smile.

“Then, night is certainly more novel and less profaning than day.” She stops for a while and continue her word. “You can be the moon and still be jealous of the stars.”

“Mind to share?” Soyeon ask without divert her attention from her front view.

“Erm? You read me?” Qri turned towards Soyeon, frowned.

“Come on. We lived with each other for years, not a day. You weren’t a good in hiding something by the way.” She ruffles her hair. Qri chuckles over Soyeon’s word.

“Yeah, I know. But please, not my hair.” Qri hit Soyeon’s hand lightly and fixes her hair. She leaned on Soyeon’s shoulder. Her finger was running around the opening of the mug.

“Sso.”

“Yeah.”

“Sometimes, one feels freer speaking to a stranger than to people one knows. Why is that?"

“Probably because a stranger sees us the way we are, not as she wishes to think we are.”

 “This girl, I don’t know but each time I looks into her eyes, I can see there is a girl trapped within her pain. A girl feeling all the emotions of anger and sadness. She’s fighting for a way out. Some friendships last forever, but some do not. Too bad, ours was the latter. It didn’t lasts forever, just like what I thought it would be. It was so amazing in the beginning. We got along so well and had a lot in common. We played and talked for most of the time. I still can hear her husky voice at this moment. It keeps hitting me, never bother to let me go. ‘Love between strangers takes only a few seconds and can last a whole life’. Now I understand what was that means.” Qri bites her lower lips, trying not to shed a tear.

“There are no coincidences in life. What person that wandered in and out of your life was there for some purpose even if they caused you harm. Sometimes it doesn’t make sense the short periods of time we get with people or the outcomes from their choices. However, if you turn it over to God he promises that you will see the big picture in the hereafter. Nothing is too small to be a mistake.” Soyeon stated. She turned to Qri, and embraced her.

The best place in the world is in the arms of someone who will not only hold you at your best, but will pick you up and hug you tight at your weakest moment.

“Sso, how long you’ll be my friend?”

 “I don't know, 'cause I really don't know which one to choose. Forever or always?”

Both of them giggle. Never bother to budge from each other embrace.

“I love you Park In Jung.”

“I love you too Lee Ji Hyun.”

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

“Girls. What was the update?” Eunjung asked as she entered the room and takes her seat beside Hyomin.

Luckily, today was weekend, so they have a chance to gather all the members altogether and proceed with their investigation more freely.

“The autopsy of Areum’s body was conducted last night. The samples taken included those from her hair, finger nails, stomach contents, and other solid organs. They are trying to find more details about her death, such as whether the poison was inhaled, swallowed, or injected.” Soyeon stated. “However, the autopsy results could take "several weeks" to be completed.”

“Why it took so long?” Hyomin frowned, seems not satisfied.

“How should I know?” Soyeon shrugged.

“Could you please asking them to make it faster? Maybe shorten them within a week or less than that? If their response was negative, told them just leave it to us to handle.” Jiyeon said, walking in with a tray of soda. She delivered to each of them.

Soyeon nod, take her note. This youngest member was really strict when taking the decision during handling the cases. That was her strength; even her older sister can’t resist her determination.

“Oh, about the camera recording, I've got good news and bad news.” Boram raised her hand. “Which one do you want first?”

“A new study in the journal Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin suggests the decision may depend on whether you're the giver or the receiver of the news. Researchers from the University of California, Riverside, found that recipients of news are more likely to want to receive bad news before good news, but givers of news are more likely to want to give good news before bad news.” Hyomin stated, revising her reading.

Boram who got what Hyomin trying to say continue with her words.

“I’ve already going through all the recording from the CCTV from last 15 days. There was nothing suspicious at all. Unfortunately, the recording video for 11/12/2013 the day of the incident was missing from the system. So, I tried to get the video tape for that day.”

“Then you got it?” Qri ask. Boram replied with a nod.

“Oh, thank goodness.” Soyeon breathe a sigh of relief.

“Keep your excitement later. Take a look at this.” Boram shows the video through the projector.

“There is nothing interesting happen during the day. The victim walking in and out from her room, alone until one of her classmate comes into her room. But then she is running out from victim’s room 5 minutes later and coming back with their teachers and security.” Boram was explaining all the way the recording was running.

Jiyeon was studying her note, then voice out. “She leaved her room at 8.00 am. The last time victim appeared on the cam was 12 at noon. Her friend came after 2 and half hours later. And she was dead at least four hours before they found her body. It was kind of weird.” She frowned as she analyzes the flow of the incident.

“Speak your doubt.” Hyomin stated, asking for some explanations.

“According to the condition of victim’s body from the report, the range of time she was dead 4-5 hours before they found the body. The police and forensic officers came in after 45 minutes. That’s means they recorded the report at roughly 3.15pm -3.30 pm. In theoretically, the time of death was supposed to be at 10.15 am – 11.15 am. But the gap between time of death and the last time she found enter her room in this video was only 3 and half hours.”

 “Was that means she was already dead before she entered her room?” Qri ask.

“If we refer to the forensic result, then it was supposed to be like that.”  Jiyeon replied.

“Can you replay the video again?” Hyomin demanded, trying to figure out Jiyeon’s analysis.

“Sure.” Boram said, clicking the replay button.

All of them watching the video again, more focusing this time.

“Just drag the video at the certain time that Jiyeon state earlier.” Hyomin commanded.  She gets the response from Boram. And they continue observing the video.

“You are right. It doesn’t make sense.”  Hyomin said, biting her thumbnail.

“Do we have any probability that the result was wrong?” Boram voiced out. Well, human makes mistakes.

“If you believe in science then you should put your trust on them.”  Soyeon said.

“Do you have any other video from security system? I mean before the accident?” Eunjung finally voice out.

“Yes. You want me to play all of them?” Boram ask, wondering what they got related with their current issue. “But I’ve already watch..”

“I know. Can you play one of them? For 1/12/2013.” Eunjung cut off Boram’s word.

“Okay.” Boram slowly replied, search the folder for the video and project the video. Is she doesn’t believe on her?

The room was filled with silence till the end of the video. Perhaps, half is focusing on the video content, and the other half thinking about what in Eunjung’s mind.

“I don’t find any suspicious event or people from this video.” Jiyeon shook her head.

“I’ve told you earlier.” Boram said, a little bit disappointed.

Eunjung move towards Boram and caressing her hair. “Don’t worry Unnie, I believed in you. Can I make other request?”

Boram smile towards Eunjung. “Sure. What date?”

“11/12/2013.”

“It was almost a month before the date of the accident. Can you give me a minutes, I need to enter the security system first.” Boram’s fingers quickly running at the keyboard. Within a minute, she successfully downloads the video. “Here.” She pressed ‘Enter’ button.

“Girls, I want you to put more concentration in this video and observe carefully.” Eunjung says, more to commands.

The video was half way to finish when Eunjung asking Boram pause the video.

 “What’s wrong?” Hyomin asked.

“You find anything? Jiyeon?” Eunjung ask. But Jiyeon shook her head.

Eunjung change her attention to Qri. “You may share yours, Qri unnie”. They exchanged the smile with each other.

 “Did you see anything?” Boram whispered to Soyeon but Soyeon just shrugged.

“Unnie, put this video next to the video for the day of the accident and play them altogether.” Qri state her order to Boram. Boram follow the instruction given and play them together.

“As you can see from this screen, both of the video didn’t get any related with each other. But if you watching this video, with this video starting from 10 am..” She paused and asking for Boram to drag the video according to her explanation. As Boram get it done, she continued. “Both of these video got similarities. The person who passing by the corridor and the time which the victim entered her room was completely the same.”

“What a coincidence!” Hyomin says, almost shout.

“It can’t be.” Jiyeon shook her head. She frowned, thinking about the possibilities of the coincidences.

 “You are right Jiyeonnie. Because the video at 10 am till 12 noon for 11/12/2013 was taken from 12/11/2013. Look at the date. This video was edited, not the original one.” Qri said, pointed her index finger to the screen.

“That’s means the suspect wasn’t an ordinary person and she wasn’t alone. This case wasn’t as simple as we think.” Eunjung said, take a sip on her drink.

Boram clears . “Girls, do you still want to hear the great news?”

“Of course. What is it?” Hyomin ask, excited.

“We was lucky because a day before Areum’s dead, our Qri was with her. And I bet she can get enough view about the changes in Areum’s room before and after the victim was found dead.” Boram smiled.

“Oh really? Why you didn’t say anything about this before?” Eunjung ask.

“I plan to tell all of you later, but it seems like I don’t have to anymore.” Qri chuckles awkwardly.

“It was great then. Soyeon and Boram Unnie, can you accompany Qri Unnie to victim’s room and take note every single things that all of you can get.” Eunjung says and after getting a positive response from the two older members, she continues her words. “And don’t forget, tonight we have to attend Areum’s funeral at 8 pm. We will leave together at 7.30 pm.”

“Ai ai captain!” All of the members except for Jiyeon answer her in unison.

“Why I didn’t see it before?” Jiyeon let out a deep sigh. Her eyes were still focused at the screen.

Realize the changes in their youngest member, Eunjung approach Jiyeon and sit next to her. “Still thinking about this?” She asked, smiling. Jiyeon nod, keep her head lower. Eunjung laid her hand around Jiyeon’s shoulder.

“It’s okay. You cannot eat every tadpole and frog in the pond, but you can eat the biggest and ugliest one, and that will be enough, at least for the time being.” Eunjung says, trying to comfort Jiyeon.

“Eww, I never knew you eat frog.” Hyomin said, disgusted.

“Yah, it was a quotes you pabo!” Soyeon smack Hyomin’s head make them burst into laughter.

“How should I know?” Hyomin mutters.

“Yeah. You were great, Ji. It was my advantage this time because I’m lucky to have this ability naturally, I was born with it. But you have the talent that I myself can’t learn.” Qri caresses her back, bringing the smile into Jiyeon’s face.

“Thanks guys.” Jiyeon says.

“Come on. We should find the black dress for tonight.” Eunjung drag Jiyeon from her seat. ”Minnie, want to come with us?”

“Of course! Crying is for plain women. Pretty women go shopping.” Hyomin says; jog off to reach her handbag. The others laugh over her words.

“This kiddo. So full of herself.” Eunjung shook her head. “How about you unnie?”

“It’s okay. Three of you may go first. We will join later, after we finish our work.” Boram says, smiling.

“Okay. Please don’t regret. Bye.” Hyomin bid her goodbye follow by the other two.

The older trio just shook their head, watching their younger member’s action.

“So, can we proceed to the victim’s room?” Soyeon ask as the trio leaved their meeting room.

“Sure.” Qri nod.