Love Maze | BTS Poly

Jamais Vu

He returns a short while later, a mug in each hand. "I hope you still take it the same. I just started making it out of habit before I realized how long it's been."

"You remember how I take my coffee?" I ask, taking the mug from him.

"Two sugars and a shitton of cream. I'm pretty sure those were your exact words the first time I made you some," Seoyun chuckles. "I'm actually a little surprised that your preference hasn't changed considering..." His normally chipper attitude suddenly becomes melancholy. "You've just grown so much, that's all."

"Nice way of saying I'm old now," I jest, trying to lighten the mood as I blow on the cup of coffee. The steam rolls off the brim and disappears into the lavender-scented air. I take a sip. It's perfect.

The corners of his lips turn up in a slight smile. "You're not old, Audaire. What I meant was that you're just so mature now. You were mature back then, too, don't get me wrong. But seeing you again after all these years, you...Honestly, I don't know the right words to use here." Seoyun takes a long, slow drink from his mug while he thinks. And eventually, he finds them—the words he was looking for. "Your aura has changed."

My eyebrows knit together. "My aura?"

He nods. "I'm not saying it's a bad thing."

I know it's coming, so I might as well get the ball rolling. "But...?"

Seoyun exhales a small sigh as he places his mug on the coffee table. "But I'm not saying it's a good thing either." He doesn't recline back into the chair once he sets it down. Instead, he remains leaning forward, resting his forearms on his thighs. "Forgive me for being so blunt with what I'm about to ask, but...are you happy?"

I begin gulping down my drink to avoid having to respond. There's only so much liquid in the cup, though, and it quickly runs out. I can feel Seoyun's eyes on me as I dab my mouth with the back of my hand. I then clear my throat and answer with a simple "Yes."

"I want you to be honest with me, Hoobae. You can trust me."

I know what he's doing.

I know because it's the same tactic I use in interviews and interrogations to make people feel like I'm their friend.

I adjust my posture and smooth out my blazer. "Mr. Lee, I'm here to interview you; not the other way around."

His lips form a line. "Right. Sorry."

I brush it off. "We should get started."

"Yeah, we should."

***

I arrive at the company and find my partner sitting at a desk in the security office.

"Welcome back," says Alex. "How'd it go?"

I plop my stack of notes down in front of him. "I cleared him."

"You seem kinda pissed about that."

"Well, I kind of am," I reply, my tone a bit snarky.

"Care to explain?"

I point to my notes, too frustrated at the moment to tell him everything. And while he skims through them, I take a seat on the couch in the corner and close my eyes.

Finally some peace and quiet, I think to myself. However, it doesn't last long.

"What do you mean he's got 'weird vibes'?" Alex asks, his voice too loud for my oncoming migraine.

"He just does."

"And you're upset 'cause that's not enough to not clear him."

"Is that a question or a statement?"

"Statement," he responds confidently.

I groan and rub my right temple.

"Look," Alex goes on, "someone can be innocent while also being a fucking weirdo. Remember that girl who was murdered in her dorm room last year and was found nearly decapitated? We were convinced it was her boyfriend because he was a raging creep, and he would always act really weird during interrogation, too. But then we got hit with the biggest plot twist in the history of fucking plot twists: it was her best friend who maybe weighed a hundred pounds soaking wet." He lets out a humorless chuckle. "Love triangles. Crazy, huh?"

I stare blankly at him. "You brought up that disgusting case just to make the point that two things can be true at once?"

"Sorta. I might've gotten a little carried away with my storytelling, though."

"Oh, really? I couldn't tell."

Alex ignores my sarcasm. "There's something else to take from that case."

"Which is?"

"Sometimes the perpetrator is the person you least expect. The best friend seemed sweet and sincere when, in reality, she was a cold-blooded killer."

"Love makes people do inexplicable things," I remark. "Most just don't take it as far as murder."

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" he wonders with a smirk.

A lightbulb goes off in my head; it's so bright that it could probably be seen a mile away. I sit up in my seat, my migraine suddenly gone. "Lover's revenge."

"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned."

[AN] Thank you for your patience on this part. I appreciate you guys 💕