When Shadows Fall | BTS Kim Namjoon

Chapter 16: Intern

I looked over at Jisuk. "How would you explain the roses?"

She groaned. "That again? I told you, there were a ton of white flowers at the funeral and someone took one to put on your car and probably other cars too. And the red one is probably from some secret admirer."

"Jisuk... That would be a big coincidence."

"You're telling me you don't believe in coincidence?"

"Too many coincidences have happened to me." I turned to lie on the couch, staring at the ceiling. "Remember Creepface?"

"Of course." She came over and stood next to me. "Don't tell me you think he's behind this!"

I sighed. "I don't know."

She put her hands on her hips. "How many times have you seen him in all?"

I thought for a minute. "From May a couple of years ago to February or March of last year, I saw him frequently - two, three, or four times a week. And then once... no, twice, right after Christmas last year."

"So you've seen him twice in the past year?"

I sat up. "I guess it is pretty implausible to think that he would kill Hajun and bother me with roses." I thumped the couch cushion. "And even more improbable that anyone else would do that."

"I agree."

I sighed, reluctantly letting go of the weight that had been dragging on my shoulders. "I'm still keeping my eyes out, though."

"You go ahead and do that." She went back to the stove and pulled a pot off the burner. "But don't let it drive you crazy. You've been so jumpy lately."

"Sorry. I'll try to stop dreaming up bizarre scenarios." I joined her in the kitchen and helped dish up the kimchi stew.

She grinned at me. "Thanks. You were starting to get even me unnerved." Setting bowls of stew on the table, she pushed the textbooks and papers to the side. "Let's eat. And, just warning you," she said as I took a sip, "I might have accidentally made it really spicy."

She smiled sweetly at me as my face constricted and I broke into a sweat. "Cook dinner yourself next time," she said, calmly patting my hand.

I coughed. "Good idea."

*

Parking in front of the newspaper's building, I wondered how on earth I had managed to arrive forty minutes early. I didn't want to seem overeager, although I was looking forward to a new challenge - a new distraction. I looked around the street as a police car drove past. I liked the area - it seemed nice, and secure. It was a long drive, but I could deal with that for a summer. As long as the junker kept running.

My phone buzzed. I picked it up to see Jisuk's text - "Good luck." I smiled and was about to set my phone down when it went off again.

A text from Namjoon?

Hey Chunhwa, I was just

wondering what happened

when you left so suddenly

in the café last month?

Are you okay? Has your

boyfriend been found?