The rain didn't fall heavily.
It drifted.
Soft, steady, almost like the night itself was breathing.
Jane walked through it without noticing.
Her boots hit the pavement in a steady rhythm—calculated, controlled. Everything about her was like that. Clean lines. Sharp instincts. No hesitation.
People said she had a presence that made others nervous.
She liked that.
It made her job easier.
A quiet report had come in—nothing urgent, nothing dramatic. Just something off. A place still open when it shouldn't be. Lights still on when the street had already gone to sleep.
Jane didn't expect much.
She pushed the door open.
A soft bell rang.
And then—
Everything slowed.
Warm light wrapped around the room, gentle and calm. It smelled faintly of powder and something floral—subtle, not overwhelming. Music played quietly in the background, almost blending into the air.
And at the center of it—
Her.
The girl stood behind a chair, leaning slightly forward as she carefully applied makeup to someone's face. Her fingers moved like she wasn't just working—but feeling. Every motion precise, soft, unhurried.
Jane watched.
Longer than she should have.
"Police."
Her voice cut through the room.
The client flinched slightly, but the girl didn't.
Instead, she looked up.
Their eyes met.
And something unfamiliar slipped into Jane's chest.
Not fear.
Not suspicion.
Something quieter.
Something that stayed.
"Is something wrong?" the girl asked.
Her voice wasn't loud. It didn't need to be.
Jane blinked once, grounding herself. "We received a report. Routine check."
The girl nodded, calm. "Of course."
No panic.
No defensiveness.
Just… acceptance.
"I'm Keam," she added softly.
Jane didn't answer immediately.
Because for some reason—
Her name echoed.
"…Jane."
It came out lower than usual.
More human.
Jane moved around the salon, her eyes scanning every detail.
Nothing looked wrong.
Everything was too normal.
Too peaceful.
And yet—
She couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't adding up.
Behind her, she could feel Keam's presence.
Not watching in a suspicious way.
Just… there.
Like a quiet pull.
"You can check everything," Keam said. "There's nothing hidden."
Jane paused.
Something about the way she said it—
Made it hard to doubt.
"I will," Jane replied.
But her voice had softened.
By the time Jane left, the rain had stopped.
But something else hadn't.
As she stepped outside, she glanced back once.
Keam was still inside.
Looking at her.
Not intensely.
Not desperately.
Just… gently.
And for the first time in a long time—
Jane felt like she had left something unfinished behind.