Wanted - Nishimura Riki

7

Minji's POV:

I dial the number on my phone without having to look it up. I know it by heart. The phone rings for a few times before they pick the phone up.

"Hey, Minji, what's up?" I hear Jake's voice through the phone.

"Uh, nothing much... I just wanted to talk to you about something... if you're free right now," I say slowly and quietly as to not alert him that something's wrong.

"Yeah, sure, I'm not occupied right now. Do you want me to come over or would you prefer to say it over the phone?" He says.

"Jake-" I hear a girl's voice in the background of the call.

"Not now... my friend..." I hear some of what he says but the rest of it is too muffled to understand.

"Fine! I'll go!" The girl yells and I hear some shuffling, then a door slams.

"What was that, Jake?" I ask him.

"Uh, that was nothing. Just a... friend. Don't worry about it. So, do you want me to come over now?" He says.

"Yeah," I say.

"Okay, be there in five," he says and hangs up the call. I sit on the couch and watch whatever show is playing on my TV, waiting anxiously for Jake to arrive.

The doorbell rings and I jump up and open the door.

"Jake-" I say and as I reach for a hug, I see someone else. "Who... who are you?" I say, backing up.

"I am a real estate agent. I just had a few questions about the property if you don't mind," the man says, smiling oddly at me.

"Uh, this house isn't for sale."

"I know, the company just sent me to ask some questions and take a look around so we can fill paperwork out for the next time it's being sold," he explains to me and fidgets with the clipboard in his hand.

"But don't you usually ask all these questions when a house is put on the market? Not when someone is still living there..." I say.

"We've changed our policy. Now we keep up to date on the house's condition whether it's being sold or not. I promise, it won't take any time at all," he says and walks in.

"Oh, okay..." I say. I close the door behind him and watch as he surveys the house.

"Huh, it's a nice house. When did you move in?" He asks, turning around to face me.

"I moved in a few years ago, when I moved out of my parent's house," I explain. He nods and writes something on his clipboard.

"So do you know what year this house was built in?" He asks, still scribbling on the clipboard.

"No, I'm not sure. You can probably talk to the person that sold the house to me and they could tell you, but I don't know much about the house itself," I say.

"Okay..." he says. He writes for a little longer before closing his pen and turning to me. "Thank you for being so... kind to me when I just walked right in. I'll be going now, right after I get your name."

"Park Minji."

"Okay, thank you, Ms. Park. I'll be going now. But I would like to tell you what a wonderful house you have. Perfect for a... stowaway..." he says, quietly, smirking as he leaves through the front door.

What did he say? A stowaway? Does he know about Riki?

"Minji, who was that?" Jake says, running inside and grabbing my wrists.

"Uh, just a real estate agent guy. They changed some policy and he just has to ask me a few questions about the house. Nothing too serious," I say, shaking a little.