Just Wanna See you More~ (Lyney and Lumine ship)

'Shut it-Heizou'

Lyney

The warehouse was growing quieter as we made our way back toward the exit, the weight of the faint clues we'd found pressing down on me. Heizou, on the other hand, seemed energized by the mystery—his steps light, his mind clearly working through a dozen possibilities. He had a way of keeping his excitement just below the surface, like a spark waiting to ignite.

I wasn't so sure. A strange piece of cloth, a bit of sulfur dust... It was hardly the explosive reveal I'd hoped for. Something was missing. Something critical. And Hugo Lain was far too confident for someone caught in the middle of a potential scandal. The man was hiding more than just illegal shipments—there was a deeper game at play.

As we stepped outside, the cold night air hit my face, and I let out a sigh. The dim streetlights flickered, casting eerie shadows over the abandoned docks. I glanced over at Heizou, who was already pulling out his phone, probably sending some coded message to his contacts or filing a report. Typical Heizou—always in control of every little detail.

"I don't like this," I said, breaking the silence. "It's too clean. He's covering his tracks perfectly, but then he leaves something just suspicious enough for us to find? It feels like a setup."

Heizou slipped his phone back into his pocket, nodding thoughtfully. "Exactly. And that's why we can't rush this. Hugo knows we're watching him, which means he's either preparing to make his next move, or he's baiting us into making ours."

I frowned, frustration gnawing at me. "But why leave the sulfur? Why the cloth? If it's all a setup, why not make it look clean?"

Heizou's expression shifted, his eyes narrowing as he stared out toward the docks, deep in thought. "Because whoever's behind this isn't interested in playing clean. They're leaving just enough for us to follow—but not enough to lead to them. They're careful, but not perfect. The cloth... the sulfur... it's meant to tease us, to keep us chasing shadows."

"So, we're just playing into their hands?" I asked, crossing my arms. "Is that what you're saying?"

Heizou gave me a knowing smile. "Not quite. They want us to think we're playing their game, but we're not. We just have to make sure we stay one step ahead. Right now, they think they're in control. Let's let them keep thinking that—for now."

I shook my head. "You're enjoying this too much."

"Maybe," Heizou admitted, "but you should be too. This isn't just some petty crime, Lyney. It's a performance, and we're in the middle of it. The trick is figuring out who's behind the curtain."

I hated to admit it, but he had a point. This was more than just a puzzle; it was a battle of wits, and whoever was orchestrating this mess was counting on us being two steps behind. But Heizou wasn't one to be easily outplayed. That much was clear.

"So, what's our next move, then?" I asked, glancing around the quiet docks, half-expecting Hugo to show up out of nowhere.

Heizou's eyes gleamed with mischief. "We let things simmer for a bit. Hugo's going to be paranoid now that we've been snooping around. Let him sweat, make him think he's in control. In the meantime, we follow up on that symbol from the cloth."

I raised an eyebrow. "You really think it'll lead us somewhere?"

"Oh, I know it will," Heizou said with confidence. "That symbol is from an old network—one that was supposed to have been dismantled years ago. If it's resurfacing now, it means someone's rebuilding old connections. And that means we're dealing with more than just one man with a shady business."

I shifted uncomfortably. The thought of this case growing even bigger didn't sit well with me. If Hugo was tied to a larger network, we were stepping into dangerous territory. And it wasn't just Lumine's safety at stake anymore.