The Tiger King (Chaelisa)

79| The Gangnam Gambit

But she only did that when Irene was home; they had decided there needed to always be an adult in the house with Ella. Seulgi never spent too much time outdoors: her guilt that Ella was not able to go outside always gnawed at her but she held strong on her decision to keep the girl hidden, for now. She had groceries be delivered instead of going to get them herself. Nights were spent trying not to toss and turn too much and disturb Irene.

But Irene always cottoned on to Seulgi's restlessness and comforted her with an arm around her waist, hugging her tightly with small kisses pressed between her shoulder blades, or her collarbone if they would be facing each other. Seulgi was able to relax a bit then, eventually dropping off to a dreamless sleep.

In mere days, Seulgi had swiftly taken up the mantle of vigilant protector. And she was now starting to understand a tiny smidge of what Jennie had been going through all this time without anyone ever knowing. It made her respect for Jennie grow even more.

Seulgi grabbed an umbrella from the stand at the door and clutched it tightly as she peered through the peephole. She set her jaw when she saw a tall lanky man waiting awkwardly outside. He seemed to have a wad of paper under his arm. 

Seulgi spoke up when he raised his fist to knock again. "Who is it?"

"Oh uh..." the man fumbled in his pocket with his free hand and raised his police badge up to the peephole. "Detective Park Chanyeol. Uh, I'm here to drop off some uh...letters? From Rosé Park? Sorry for interrupting dinnertime."

Now that she could see his whole face, Seulgi recognised the detective. She had seen that harried face on TV, answering reporters' queries about some murder investigation. But she had seen and heard plenty in the last few days alone. She wasn't going to let him off the hook so easily. He could be trying to bait her. He could be working with Jinyoung. He could be trying to winkle them out.

"Rosé? I don't know who that is. You must have the wrong address," she lied, hoping she was erring on the side of caution.

"Uh, well she and Jennie told me..." he seemed to come to a decision. "I understand you might be afraid and not trust me. So what we'll do is...I can post these letters one at a time to you."

Seulgi was about to say no, she wanted to say she didn't consent to this bizarre interaction even though she desperately wanted to believe him and ask more about Jennie and Rosé, but the detective beat her to it.

"Please, it's for her daughter. I know this is the right house, Jennie specifically told me the address. It's alright. I'm not here in the name of the law," he said softly.

Seulgi swallowed, remembering Ella's anguish that she heard not one word from her mother, remembering Irene's mounting worry and lack of appetite, and how her own nerves were fraying waiting on any good news at all.

"Alright. Post them."

The detective left as soon as the last sheet of paper had gone through, bidding the door a brief 'thank you and goodnight' before he stalked off into the night. Seulgi watched him go then gazed down at the sheets of printer paper before her. 

When she bent to pick them up, she frowned to find them blank, though slightly stiff and with a faint orange scent. There were fifteen sheets in total, all folded in half.

"Clear," she called down the hallway, summoning Irene and Ella.

"Who was it?" Irene whispered as she led Ella out, stopping dead when she found Seulgi sitting among the pile. Ella came forward as well, hopeful.

"Was it Mom?"

"It wasn't your mother but apparently these letters are," Seulgi said dumbfounded. She looked up at Irene and shrugged. "A detective dropped them off."