Neon Street: Red Herring

🎭53: The More the Riskier

"I remember getting a box of cookies from her on our first monthsary. It was an epic fail because she bought expired ones. We ended up eating cereals while watching the view from the glass terrace over there--" Kit turned to Mirae next to him and found out that she was already sleeping with her mouth open. "I told too much, didn't I?" He let out a sigh and stretched his arms and legs.

Mirae listened to his story for hours and unknowingly shut her eyes closed after getting exhausted. But, Kit had told her the parts she needed to hear during the first hours because Mirae asked him to.

Kit somehow felt relieved after telling someone about his experiences with Kane. For months, he had to keep it between them no matter how proud and happy he was happy about those moments. 

He silently stood up and went to his room to get a pillow for her. It was already too late to wake her up and ask her to return to her room. It's also past curfew. "Thanks for listening to me," Kit whispered as he carefully slid the pillow under Mirae's head. "I trust you so much that I told you everything about us. I just hope I didn't put you in trouble by doing it." He also pushed her chin to close her mouth and quietly snorted. 

"There are fasteners in the closet," Mirae suddenly spoke with her eyes closed. Kit quickly moved away with his eyes wide in surprise. "What do you mean by blue? They're all white." He raised a brow, realizing what was going on. She's thinking of fasteners even in her sleep? "My stuff. No one borrows my stuff."

"Tsk. Tsk. Good night. Dream of happy things too, not just fasteners," Kit said before walking to his room to sleep.

--

"Swan?" Lloyd looked for her in the convenience store the second he arrived. To his disappointment, Swan didn't show up. "Did something come up?" He looked at the wall clock hanging near the counter and cussed. He arrived thirty minutes past curfew because of the traffic. It was rush hour, and he didn't have much choice.

"I should've called," Lloyd tells himself and walks to the kitchen's back door, hoping Chef Anne is still waiting for him. He knocked four times and waited. Suddenly, the sound of the door unlocking made him sigh in relief. "Thank goodness you're still awake. I was going to meet Swan, but--" Lloyd stopped, seeing who opened the door for him. "Fin?"

"Come on. You're lucky no one's walking around the hallway right now." Lloyd hesitated to come in. He had no idea how Fin found out that he was taking the kitchen door and why he wasn't surprised to see Lloyd at this hour. "I know Chef Anne too. There's no need to doubt me."

"This is crazy," Lloyd went in and closed the door. "H-How... Did Swan tell you?" Swan was the only person who was friends with Chef Anne. No one from the hotel would have connections with the chef because she wasn't the social type.

"She was the one who let me in the annex building that night I sneaked in. I just found out that she was working with Swan today." Fin looks at Lloyd in confusion. "I also found out that you were working with Swan all this time. Why didn't you tell me?"

"Swan didn't want her job disclosed to more people. I had to keep my promise if I wanted to work with her. But how did you find out? Did you catch her? Did she tell you, herself?"

"I thought hard about why Swan was suspecting Winnie the other day. Of course, we can't assume that Winnie can't be the one behind the murder because all of us are suspects here. But, she did it out of the blue. The timing wasn't right. That's why I came up with one possibility. Swan was also onto something."

"Ah, did you talk to Swan already? I don't think I should tell you what she's up to."

"Chef Anne didn't want to tell me, so I tried talking to Swan. But it seemed like she didn't want to tell me anything too. She was waiting for you in the convenience store," Fin explained.

"That's unfortunate. If Swan doesn't want you in, I can't do anything about it. But I'll try persuading her tomorrow. I know I can trust you, and so can she." Lloyd patted Fin's shoulder and turned to the hallway. "We should head to the room. Let's continue this tomorrow."

Five minutes to ten.

Swan lingered around the convenience store, not wanting to leave when Lloyd hadn't arrived yet. "What's taking him so long?" She looked at the road outside, focusing on the passing taxi cabs. "Did something happen to him?" She was about to call him when the bell at the door rang, indicating that someone had entered. "Lloyd?" She asked. But it wasn't Lloyd who arrived. "Oh."

"Lloyd? How do you know him?" It was Fin, wearing casual clothes to blend in. "I was right all along. You were up to something." He pulled out a chair and sat. "Were you supposed to meet him here? For what?"

"Can't you just go? The reason I'm here doesn't concern you at all." Swan opened the refrigerator behind her and grabbed a cold coffee drink. Did he follow me? How could I mention Lloyd's name so carelessly? "I'm not acting myself. It must be because of that." She went to the counter and paid for the drink before leaving the store. I'll meet him tomorrow. I can't stay in the same room with that guy. 

"Whatever you're doing," Fin started as he went out. "Can I help?"

Swan scoffed and faced him. "Don't shit with me. Go mind your business."

"You should know that Lloyd and I trust each other. I just got ahead of myself and forgot to tell him about France that day. You can trust me too. I want to help." Fin stood next to her with a smile. "I know a lot more than you think."

"I do not understand what you're getting at," Swan turned around and walked briskly to the hotel. Working with Lloyd and Chef Anne is enough. She didn't want another person onboard. The more people, the more chances of getting exposed.

"I only want to catch Kane's killer," Swan stopped walking, hearing what Fin said. "I need help too." She slowly turned around, facing him. "There's no way I could do this on my own."

"Kane's parents already hired a detective for that. Let them do the work. Why don't you just sit back and wait for the result of the investigation? Many people want to know who killed Kane, too--not just you. We'll find out the truth eventually."

"We can't," Fin sternly said. He walked closer to Swan with his hand inside his pocket. "Do you know what Kane had before she died?"

Swan furrowed her brows, taking a few steps back just in case Fin would do something to her. "What do you know about it? Don't act like you know something when you don't. It's not gonna convince me."

"Do you really have no interest in what I'm going to tell you? You might regret it." Fin kept his hand inside his pocket, waiting for Swan's response. The latter didn't show any curiosity until the end, making Fin sigh and pull out his hand. "Okay. I'll find someone else who's willing to help me. Thanks for your time," he said and walked past her.

--

Any guesses?🤭 A little bit of Jinsoo though I did say the elevator incident was going to be the last one🙉 I just thought this scene was needed😄

Something is coming out in the next chapter!! Clue: Blood

I hope the chapter was all right😅 I'll be back with a new one soon🤍 Also, it's almost time for Proof to come out! Let's get ready to streammm❣❣