Shadows of Deceit | MilkLove AU

Ch13: Third Player

"Hi, Sergeant," Pan greeted her, the sweetness of her tone contrasting sharply with the danger lurking behind her eyes.

Pat was frozen, surprised to find Pan standing there, a warm smile on her face, with a bouquet of white lilies resting in her hands. What is she doing here? Pat was confused, a whirlwind of questions swirling in her mind. Why is she acting like everything is fine?

Pan stepped forward, unfazed by Pat's shock. "Hey there! Miss me?" she teased, her tone playful, a flirty banter that felt out of place given the circumstances.

Pat blinked, trying to shake off the confusion. "What are you doing here?" she asked directly, her voice steady despite the rising tension.

Pan's smile widened, a flirty glint flashing in her eyes. "I thought you missed me, so I just dropped by."

Pat struggled to find her voice, trying to mask the turmoil inside. "I didn't expect to see you," she managed, her mind racing to piece together the implications of Pan's unexpected visit. What does she want?

A standoff silence hung between them, with Pat assessing the situation while Pan appeared relaxed, leaning against the doorframe. Pan's nonchalance only deepened Pat's unease. Shouldn't she be more careful?

Pan tilted her head, misinterpreting Pat's silence as mere surprise. "I guess you don't miss me enough not to be excited. I thought I'd be welcomed with your sweet smile."

A wave of nausea washed over Pat. This can't be happening. The carefree tone, the way Pan leaned casually against the doorframe – everything felt wrong. As Pat studied Pan's face, a realization began to dawn on her. The warmth in Pan's eyes felt hollow, and an unsettling chill ran down Pat's spine. This isn't Pan. In that instant, a knot tightened in Pat's stomach. How long has she been pretending? How much does she know?

"Am I not welcome here? I thought you'd be happy to see me," Pan added, her smile unwavering.

Pat's pulse quickened. She fought to maintain her composure, the weight of the moment pressing down on her. Stay calm. Don't let her see your fear. But inside, the conflict raged on. The revelation about Captain Pasu and the twins still echoed in her mind, and now here stood San, seemingly untouched by the chaos that had just erupted in Pat's life.

She took a breath and tried to compose herself. "I'm just not feeling well with everything that's happening," she finally replied, hoping to deflect.

Pan(San)'s smile remained, blissfully unaware of the storm brewing beneath Pat's facade. Pan(San) stepped closer, her voice softening in a way that felt almost too practiced. "Yeah, I see it. You look a bit pale. Can I come in?"

Pat hesitated, then opened the door wide, inviting her inside. As Pan(San) stepped over the threshold, she dropped a statement that sent chills down Pat's spine. "I heard what happened to the Captain. I'm really sorry for your loss."

Pat's heart sank. "How do you know about this? We haven't released anything yet," she asked, trying to catch San in her lie.