Two Days Later
Elaya stood quietly in her flower shop, gently brushing her fingers over the petals, a faint smile playing on her lips.
How much longer do we have to keep doing this? she wondered. It feels like we'll never catch him… not anytime soon.
She sighed and unlocked her phone. A news notification popped up:
"President's son, Caius, arrives in Seoul after a long trip to the USA. Grand celebration planned."
Elaya raised an eyebrow.
"Only Prime Minister Seo Hong knows about us. No one else," she murmured under her breath. "But sometimes I feel like President Kang is plotting something with his son. The way their trips align… the promises they make to the people of South Korea… as if he's the Prime Minister himself. Irony."
Her thoughts spiraled until a sharp voice interrupted them.
"Where are you?"
Elaya flinched slightly and looked up.
Emris stood there, smiling widely, a few shopping bags in his hand.
She gave him a small, awkward wave.
"You didn't answer my question," he said softly. "I've been asking for four days…"
He scratched the back of his neck, glancing at her repeatedly.
Elaya lowered her gaze, irritation flashing across her face.
Why are you testing my patience? Silence means no. Can't you understand that, you dumb jerk?
She shut her eyes briefly, then quickly opened her notebook and wrote in bold letters:
NO, KAREN.
Holding it up with both hands, she looked at him coldly — direct and unwavering.
Emris pouted, then lip-synced, Okay.
"I'll try again," he giggled lightly, like an innocent child, before walking away.
Once inside his car, the innocence vanished.
Emris smirked.
"Lia will bring you to me," he muttered darkly. "And there, I'll end your story with a tragic ending. And your friend? Don't worry. I'll find her soon."
His eyes darkened as he typed a message.
Have you manipulated Lia enough?
The reply came: Yes.
"On Sunday, she'll get accidentally hit by my car," he typed. "Close enough to make her faint. Far enough to avoid serious injury. We still need her for the mission. The accident will happen at 4 PM."
He sent the message.
"Drive to my flat," Emris instructed casually, a faint laugh escaping his lips as the driver started the car.
Meanwhile…
Ava stared at the documents Detective Ayaan had just placed in front of her.
"Thank God, Ayaan. You finally gave me these."
She began arranging the files while Ayaan leaned against the wall, gazing out the window with a heavy sigh.
Ava stood and walked toward him.
"Why don't you confess to Elaya already? It's been two years since you've had a crush on her."
She slipped her hands into her jacket pockets.
Ayaan avoided her eyes.
Ava gently lifted his chin so he had to face her.
"Look at me."
He met her gaze briefly before looking down again.
"I don't want our friendship to break," he murmured. "It's been five years — you, me, and Elaya. I can't ruin that with my stupid love."
He stepped back slightly.
Ava pressed her lips together, rubbing her eyes in frustration
"Try once," she said firmly.
Ayaan gave a faint smile.
"She deserves to know," Ava continued. "She deserves to know who sent her letters of comfort every month… along with her favorite dark chocolates to brighten her mood."
She paused.
"She should know who took the blame when the police came to arrest her for something she didn't do, 2 years back"
Ava gripped his shoulders tightly.
"She should know who stayed awake every night, guarding her house so no one could hurt her."
Ayaan lowered his gaze again.
"But—"
"But what?" Ava snapped, rolling her eyes in frustration.
Without answering, Ayaan walked out of the room.
Ava dropped into her chair, staring at the door he had just closed behind him.
She picked up the documents again.
"I'll tell her… once this case is over," she whispered to herself.
Ava spent a full two hours going through the four documents Ayaan had given her about Emris and his family.
"This is the twentieth time I'm reading this… but something feels off," she muttered, tossing the papers onto the table.
She rubbed her eyes, exhausted — when suddenly her gaze fell on the last line of the first page.
Mr. Kang was seen with Mr. Kim several times at hotels and business parties.
"Wait… what?"
Ava quickly grabbed the document again and reread the line carefully.
"Kim… President Kim…"
Her eyebrows furrowed.
"President Kim had connections with Mr. Kang. I'm sure of it," she whispered. "And now Mr. Kang is dead… but Mr. Kim isn't."
Her mind began connecting pieces rapidly.
"When Kang died, President Kim came for condolences. He said he was visiting his mother's grave and happened to see the funeral… so he joined."
Ava closed her eyes, running her fingers through her hair.
"He didn't come for the funeral," she whispered slowly. "He came to make sure Kang was actually dead."
Her eyes snapped open.
"Mr. Kang and Mr. Kim were involved in something. And if Emris is Kang's son… then he might be involved too."
She paused, her head beginning to ache.
"But Kang died. ? What if it was all staged?"
Her breathing grew heavier.
"And what's the connection to Lia… and Czar?"
The headache intensified as her thoughts spiraled.
Meanwhile, Elaya was closing her flower stand. It was 4 PM.
She glanced around absentmindedly, her thoughts restless.
"Karen… I can't trust him. I don't know why, but my gut keeps screaming at me to remove him from my life," she sighed.
Her eyes drifted across the road, where a small child threw a ball at his father's back.
Elaya chuckled softly.
"I remember how you saved me from that ball, Czar…"
Her thoughts echoed, and she quickly shook her head.
"What am I even thinking?"
Elsewhere, Ayaan threw himself onto his bed with a sigh.
He stared at his phone wallpaper — a picture of Elaya.
"There are a hundred reasons to fall in love with you every day, Elaya… and zero reasons not to," he murmured with a soft chuckle.
"I still remember your reaction when you first bumped into me… you giggled like a child. November 20th. 7:08 PM."