riki.nishimura → airport hug

36

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I head back to the art gallery, by now, a few police officers were present, examining fingerprints, how the entry even happened and so on.

A few news reporters even made their way to crowd around the building, reporting the burglary of the gallery.

I debated even stepping out of my car, knowing I'm gonna be swarmed with journalists and others.

But I still did it anyways, my director was talking to the police officer, and as an artist and main contributor to the gallery, I should know what's going on.

I stepped out, people darting their heads towards me and immediately heading towards me with microphones and giant cameras. Cameras flashed and clicked, recording and so on.

"MEI HIRATA! CAN YOU GIVE YOUR WORDS ON WHAT HAPPENED?" 

"IS IT TRUE THAT THE THIEF ONLY TOOK YOUR PAINTINGS?"

"DO YOU HAVE ANY SUSPECTS ON WHO COULD HAVE DONE THIS?"

I had my head down, walking over to the director in a hurried pace. She quickly encapsulated me in her arms for a brief moment, then shielded me from the dozens of people questioning and instigating on an issue that was none of their concern.

"Any leads?" I inquired, trying to ignore all the people screaming my name and shouting for me.

"Not many, all we know is that the entry wasn't forced and that the suspect ranges from a height of 5'4 and 5'7, shoe size is also, I'm not sure.. average?" The director tried to show me with her hands how big the shoe size was, but I just gave a small chuckle.

"Mm, okay." I debated telling her about my suspicions on Boyoung - it didn't seem too realistic though, which is why I had my doubts.

Because why would a girl I've worked with even before I showed my face, someone who's had hold of my paintings before being sold for auctions, someone who literally helped me move my paintings into the gallery, betray me like that and pull a stunt like that.

Exactly, it's just not realistic in any way.

I sighed, looking at the crowd just getting bigger and bigger. This was bound to trend on news websites, and Niki probably already heard of this.

Just why my paintings though? I don't even understand how someone could take the painting off the wall like that too - surely it required some knowledge of mounting.

The paintings are literally mounted to the wall in a special way to prevent thieves and occurrences like this to happen.

Ah, for some reason, my suspicions grew larger on Boyoung as I thought about it more. But seriously, something was telling me that it just couldn't be her and that I was just looking for someone to blame.

Whatever.

"You can go answer the interviewees if you want, I guess the more media coverage, the better chance of getting a lead." The director gave a sigh, completely defeated and powerless.

"Yeah, I'll just do a few." I shared the same expression as her, Boyoung suddenly came out of the building, heading to the director.

I looked at her, really wondering if such a bubbly girl could do something heinous like that.

I shrugged, walking off to the cameras and crowds of people.

"HIRATA!! OVER HERE! COULD YOU EXPLAIN WHAT HAPPENED??" A man asked.

"Unfortunately, within the early mornings, a break in and burglary had occurred at the museum, all my paintings have been stolen, and various of other artists' work have been destroyed." It pained me to say that my paintings have been stolen.

That is just a whole new level of low to do something like that.

"MEI! WILL YOU CONTINUE WORKING WITH THIS GALLERY AFTER THIS EVENT?" Another question was asked, and I thought for a while.

"I'm not sure, after all, I believe it's not the gallery's fault. Someone with malicious intent just decided to target my paintings, I probably will." I gave another sigh, turning my head to the side.

Running was heard, and from a distance, Niki was rushing over to me, still in his surgeon scrubs. I smiled seeing him come closer to me.

He immediately pulled me into a hug, cameras flickering and flashing, yelling and shouting at this. He gave a quick peck on the cheeks, looking at me with worried eyes as he held me by the shoulders.

"Someone broke in and stole your paintings? The fuck??" Niki was equally as frustrated as me.

I wasn't feeling too great today, this had completely ruined my mood, but at least seeing him made me feel better.

"And why aren't you in work?" I chuckled, trailing my finger over his chest, the blue fabric of his scrubs making him stand out - but also, he looked real good in them.

"I was finishing anyways, not a busy day, but whatever, irrelevant, are you okay? Do you know any suspects??" Niki asked me, genuinely concerned and annoyed.

"I have one, I haven't told anyone because I'm still not sure, maybe I'm thinking too deep into it." I gave a sigh as Niki pulled me away gently from the cameras and all the people wanting to know everything.

"You know I'll stand by whatever you say, who do you think?" Niki wasn't cutting his gaze off me, but as I was about to tell him, the main suspect came up to us herself.

Niki glanced over at Boyoung, and then looked at me, we exchanged words through eye contact, and he understood me immediately.

"Oh hey Niki." She smiled, glancing over at me for a second, and then mainly looking at Niki.