UNFORGIVEN (Kazuha x Fem Reader)

Chapter 22

Y/N POV

Hyunjin? Working for Chaewon and Y? I was definitely hallucinating, or delusional. Either way, it doesn't make sense. I mean, it would make sense if Hyunjin was desperate for something or someone.

Kazuha noticed the pensive look on my face as we settled back into our booth. "His hair, his features, and the height maybe," she said.

"He's in the clear," I mumbled.

"He has alibi," Kazuha stated. "I mean he's been with us all the time."

I nodded my head in agreement. "Yeah, he's been with us all the time." I slid the picture and held it up. The picture was blurry but it was obvious the person had cat eyes and short hair. Haerin has super long hair so I could rule her out of the question. Yeji has long hair too so she's out of the question. Anyone with cat eyes and long hair, I've ruled them out.

Kazuha leaned in, examining the blurry photo with a frown. "The cat eyes are a distinct feature, but the short hair narrows it down a bit. It could be someone we haven't thought of yet."

I sighed, placing the photo back on the table. "Yeah, but with this quality, it's hard to make a definitive call. Could just be someone we've overlooked."

Kazuha nodded thoughtfully. "It's weird though, isn't it? They're usually so careful about their appearances. To be caught on camera, even like this, seems like a slip-up."

I looked up, meeting her eyes. "Or maybe they wanted to be seen, like a taunt. It's just... ugh, it's frustrating."

Kazuha reached across the table, her hand gently squeezing mine. "Hey, we'll figure this out."

I stood up and slid into her seat, resting my head on her shoulder. Kazuha wrapped her arm around me, her touch gentle and comforting. For a moment, the weight of the situation seemed to lift, replaced by the warmth of her embrace. I closed my eyes, taking in the steady rhythm of her breathing and the reassuring scent of her perfume. It was a small oasis of calm amidst the chaos we were navigating.

The drinks came and I straightened up.

I sighed. "I'm sorry it's just, things aren't making sense now, and seeing Jackson just now hasn't really helped."

Kazuha nodded, understanding in her eyes as she took a sip of her drink. "It's okay. This situation is complicated, and it's normal to feel overwhelmed. We just need to take it one step at a time."

I took a deep breath, letting the warmth of the drink and Kazuha's presence soothe me. The bar's dim lighting and soft chatter around us created a cocoon of normalcy, a stark contrast to the chaos of our investigation and the tangled emotions brought up by running into Jackson.

Kazuha set her glass down and leaned closer. "Maybe we should take a break from all this for a bit. Just relax and clear our heads. We can figure out our next steps tomorrow."

I traced the rim of my glass with my finger, the cool condensation a reminder of the reality I couldn't escape. Despite everything swirling in my mind, I found myself nodding in agreement. "A break sounds good. It's been a lot, and I could use some time to just... breathe."

Kazuha's smile was small but encouraging. "Good. Let's just enjoy tonight, then."

We spent the next hour talking about anything but the investigation. Kazuha told me stories from her childhood, and how the four of us were really good friends back in elementary school. I told her about how I got into street racing and how Ning-Ning kept telling me she won the lottery by having me on her team.

The clock ticked at a surprisingly fast speed. I checked the time and realized it was already three-thirty in the morning. Kazuha and I gulped down our drink and headed back home. Fortunately, I didn't order any alcoholic drinks and neither did Kazuha.