ʟᴜᴘɪɴ│ᴛᴋ [complete]

.22. ɪɴ ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀs ʟᴇᴀʀɴ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛᴏᴍᴀᴛᴏ ᴊᴜɪᴄᴇ ᴄᴜʀᴇs ʜᴀɴɢᴏᴠᴇʀs

Jungkook looked at Chief Rieken with wide eyes, which made the latter fidget in his seat. The detective was beginning to question his hearing. "Did I hear that correctly? Your wife expects a what now?"

"An invitation. Please Jungkook don't make me repeat myself," grumbled the police officer who, by the looks of it, was considering his own request utterly ridiculous.

"An invitation to what?" insisted Jungkook who found the whole situation beyond absurd.

"To your wedding, what else?!" Chief Rieken had finally spit it out and the young detective was once again left speechless.

"But who says I'm even getting married?! Why is everyone suddenly taking an interest in my love life?!" Jungkook yelled angrily.

"Blame it on boring headlines and the dull state of current affairs. Celebrity gossip is the only thing people talk about these days," replied the chief very matter-of-factly.

Jungkook tried composing himself. "I mean no disrespect, chief, but have you been at all listening to what I've said so far about the Lupin case?"

"Yes, I have. And it's all very interesting, but I don't really see the point for further investigation. After all, Lupin has not stolen anything — what's the word — tangible."

"Oh so am I to understand we only care about material things now?" Jungkook was quite disappointed by the twist given to this conversation.

"It's just that I cannot ask the men to guard a grand piano for the next thirty-six hours!"

"Why not? All evidence points to this upcoming event."

"By "all evidence" you mean the poem."

"That, and the tickets that were sent to me anonymously."

"Why do you absolutely have to make this about Lupin? Perhaps you should just take your fiancé out on a date and enjoy the recital. I hear Min Yoongi is quite the virtuoso."

"How can I possibly enjoy a show while knowing it's bound to get ruined and that I did nothing to stop it from happening?"

"Relax, Jungkook! We'll get on it once complaints are filed."

"You mean, after the facts. What ever happened to all those prevention of crime precepts I thought were de rigueur in the police force?"

Chief Rieken let out a deep sigh. "Crime is a big word that does not really apply to the handful of incidents you have described. Don't you think you're being a bit overzealous over minor news items?"

Jungkook growled at the chief's stubbornness.

"Consider your reputation, Jungkook. You don't want to be remembered as the detective that ran around chasing after a serial prankster."

The other didn't even bother replying and simply turned around and walked out.

"You'll thank me later!" was the farewell Rieken managed to yell before the door to his office slammed shut.

♠

No sooner had Jungkook set foot into his apartment that Lizbeth scurried outside the kitchen. "Thank heavens you're back!" she almost cried.

"What's the matter?" asked the young man, a little concerned some other incident had occurred during his absence. Strange sob-like noises coming from his study confirmed his hunch.

"Do we have an unscheduled visitor?"

Lizbeth's voice dropped an octave. "It's the Park boy, sir."

"Jimin? I'm surprised you let him in."

"Well, he was making a fuss outside. He's not sober, you see."

Jungkook could tell, by the look on the old woman's face, that she disapproved of the reporter's behaviour. However, she had not had the heart to send him away. "Before you go check on him," she added, "here are some telegrams."

The first one, from Drosselmeyer's Clocks, Toys & Models — where he had deposited the kantanto's choker the day before — was rather short.

"I have answers" is all the shop's owner had sent, which meant Jungkook was to drop by if he wished to hear in person the much needed explanation as to what had happened on the night the Jin's comeback show.

The other was more intriguing.

"I don't know how you did it but thank you." It was signed Stella. He didn't have time to ponder on the mysterious message: Jimin suddenly walked out into the hallway, stumbling.

"Detective Jeon? Is that you? I thought I heard voices!" The reporter looked utterly wrecked.

"Tell me the name of the bartender who let you drink this much so early in the day."

"Greyson did nothing wrong! I needed to forget about her." Tears began pooling in his eyes.

"Her?"

"Stella! I thought we had — I really believed there was — Arrh I can be so stupid sometimes!"

"Stella as in the Jolly-Monkey-Circus-Stella?"

Jimin nodded sheepishly before burying his face in the other's shoulder, weeping. "The circus is gone, Jungkook! And she didn't even bother saying goodbye!"

His partner-turned-friend tried to comfort him the best he could. "We can talk about this if you want, but first, we need to get you sober. Lizbeth? Could you perhaps fix him something?"

"Will do, sir," replied the woman who did not waste any time returning to the kitchen.

Soon enough, Jimin was sipping on a glass of fresh tomato juice and digging into the most scrumptious omelette he had ever tasted. Or so he claimed.

"I reckon you feel better now," asked his host.

"I do, thanks to your lovely housekeeper." Jimin was visibly doing his best to get on Lizbeth's good side.

"I want you to take a look at this telegram I just received", said Jungkook, placing the slip of paper on the table.

After reading it, the reporter blinked a few times. This message could only mean one thing: "Stella got the old Hoseok back!"

"I'm sorry for underestimating you, my dear Watson!" joked the young detective. "Seriously though, don't you think the timing is odd?"

"How sho?" asked Jimin with his mouth full.

"Don't you remember what Taehyung said last Sunday?"

"I do, but it could be a coincidence."

"I don't believe in those. Besides, the circus left and took with it another piece of evidence."

"You mean the clown's dressing mirror?"

"Precisely."

"Does that mean we ran out of clues?"

"No, it doesn't. In fact, once you're done eating, we'll head out to Drosselmeyer's Toy shop where I believe we shall finally get some answers."

—

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