Rule #11: Look for clues everywhere. Sometimes answers are right in front of you

"My customers are ogling you like a piece of expensive steak." Saera said when she handed Mark a glass of lemonade.

He was perched on top of a ladder, screwing in a security camera behind the counter. He took the glass from her and eyed the customers that were seated at the small tables.

A lot of them were women.

And a lot of them were staring at him.

Mark snorted and climbed down the ladder and finished his drink before setting it aside. "Are you jealous?"

Saera made a face, "As long as these girls keep paying for pastries, I don't care if you start stripping for them. In fact, it'll do me great for business."

Mark bumped into her shoulder teasingly. "If I start stripping in this bakery you might become the wealthiest woman in Korea."

Jackson wouldn't believe it, if someone told him that Mark Tuan teasingly bumped shoulders with someone.

He wouldn't even believe that his partner made a joke.

So thank god, he was back at the precinct.  

Saera smiled and rolled her eyes before wiping the counters down. "Might be better than working three jobs."

Mark's lips fell as he stared at the vacant look in her eyes. He didn't know what to say which was why he was grateful when Mireu came in from the back kitchen.

"I got the next batch of cookies, cooled." She said as she set down a tray.

Instead of taking the cookies, Saera pulled out a small plastic box and handed it to Mireu. Mark watched as the other girl took the box with a confused smile before she opened it up.

A slice of strawberry cheesecake.

Mireu's lip began to quiver before she set the box down and hugged Saera while sniffling. Saera returned the gesture, tightly hugging Mireu back.

"I love you, hun."Mireu said tearfully.

"I love you too." Saera whispered.

Mireu pulled away and smoothed down her apron before wiping her face, "Well, I better head back. I just put Madelines in the oven and they're going to burn."

She squeezed Saera's arm and took the slice of cake before slipping away to the back with a smile on her face and a skip in her step.

Mark looked stunned, "What just happened?"

"We just made up."

Mark leaned against the counter with his arms crossed, "I didn't realize you two fought."

"Not anymore."

"That's a--"

"Amazing? Yeah, I know." She said cheerfully.

Mark gave her a dry look, "What was with the cake though?"

"This is how bakers apologize to each other." She said with a shrug.

Mark's eyes sparked, "If all bakers apologize like that, then maybe I should start dating one."

"Oh trust me, you don't want that. If you date a baker, she'll stuff you with so many goodies that no one will want to see you strip, even if you pay them." She said with a knowing look.

Mark felt his lips unconsciously curving upwards into a smile as he watched her set the cookies in the display case.

She almost didn't look like the distraught mother-sister that she was yesterday.

"Did you have any visions lately? You've been kind of running dry, lately."

"Ouch." Saera said in mock hurt. "Why don't you tell me that I look older, too?"

Mark looked unbothered, "Yeah, but it's kind of your job, right? We're really depending on your vision and the clock's ticking. We need something on The Collector as soon as we can."

Saera shifted uncomfortably, "I'm sure something will hit me soon."

"Excuse me?"

Both Saera and Mark turned to see a high school student twirling a strand of hair between her fingers while batting her eyelashes.

"How can I help you?"

"I was wondering if I can get a refill?" She asked cutely.

Saera stared at the girl until she realized her gaze was pinned directly at Mark. Saera hid her smile and took the cup from the girl, "I'll get right on that."

Realizing that he was about to be left alone with the flirty teenager, Mark cleared his throat, "You know what? I'm done over here, I'll start on the ones out back."

Saera tilted her head cheekily and blocked his exit, "Are you sure? I think you might want to stay back here and work on this camera a bit more."

"Funny." He mumbled under his breath before turning away and grabbing the ladder before taking it to the back alley behind the bakery.

-----

Mark propped the ladder up across from the back entrance and climbed up with the cameras.

"Do you need help?"

Mark looked down and saw Youngjae standing at the base, holding the ladder steady with a bag of tools on the ground.

He raised his brows at the boy, "You want to help?"

"Sure. Mireu and Saera have the bakery covered and I'm not really a good baker, either." He said with a shrug.

Mark pursed his lips before climbing back down off the ladder, "Here. You do it."

"Really?" Youngjae asked while taking the camera from Mark.

"Go for it, I'll lead you." Mark said as he steadied the ladder while Youngjae climbed up it.

Mark watched the boy carefully begin to screw the camera in, "And just connect the two wires together."

Youngjae followed his instructions before looking down at Mark, "I'm surprised that Saera let you live with us. She's pretty untrusting of new people."

"Why is that?" Mark asked.

Youngjae shrugged, "Ever since our parents left I guess she just expects everyone to leave sooner or later."

"So I guess she must be pretty protective of you." Mark pointed out to the young boy.

Youngjae snorted, "She is."

"That must get annoying."

"It is." He deadpanned.

Mark in his cheeks before asking, "Is that why you got mad at her?"

Youngjae paused at the top of the ladder, as if he was in thought before he started to climb down, "Have you ever cared so much about someone that it makes you mad?"

"Yeah, I guess." Mark said with a nod.

"That's how I feel towards her."

Mark shook his head, "I don't think I follo--"

"You're a detective, right?"

Mark crossed his arms and leaned against the brick wall before nodding, "Yeah?"

"Do you think…do you think I could come down there sometime?" He asked nervously.

Mark tilted his head with confused eyes, "You want to come down to the station?"

"I mean…if I can and if it's not a bother." He said while kicking the ground.

Mark watched Youngjae carefully, his face totally blank, "Are you scouting out the place before you get into another fight?"

"N-No, I th--"

"So why do you want to come to a police station? It's not really a teenage boy's dream vacation. What's you angle?" He said with narrowed eyes, his inner interrogator coming out.

Youngjae shrugged childishly, "I don't know, I guess if my sister trusts you enough that she's letting you live 10 feet away from our apartment, than I can trust you too."

"And what does this have to do with you coming down to the station?" Mark asked suspiciously.

"Okay look, next week is Take Your Kids To Work Day and I know, I'm not your kid, but I've been at the bakery almost as long as I can remember. Every time this day rolls around it's the same routine. It's not really a learning experience, it's more like me just doing chores." He said, almost embarrassed.

Mark closed his eyes and shook his head, "You want me to take you to work for school? Like, a field trip?"

"You spent two extra terms in the freaking navy and you're a cop who solves crimes and puts away bad guys. That's basically the most metal thing in the world." Youngjae gushed.

The flattery didn't distract Mark as he pinned his gaze on Youngjae, "And?"

"You said you were a cop, so I thought--"

"That you want to be a cop?" Mark asked in astonishment.

Youngjae shrugged bashfully, "It's an opt