Itsy Bitsy Spider

58. What Phinks Knows

Zepile didn't remember much about that day. He'd been tipsy from some bourbon the auctioneer offered him after he'd sold at least a dozen of his counterfeits for a solid amount of money. The details were all fuzzy; perhaps it had been a cold night, and maybe he'd been in Manttahan City. He just... didn't know.

But after—after he'd gotten drunk, after night had fallen and all was dark and dim, after nearly everyone cleared from the building—he did remember a few key details.

Stumbling down a hall with the cash he'd earned in his hands.

A shining dress.

And champagne, different from his whiskey.

As the night went on and they both sobered up, everything got a little bit more clear. They were strangers, not knowing each other names. If he recalled correctly, he'd mumbled something about his name starting with a surprising 'Z', but he knew nothing about her. He'd been so out of it he hadn't bothered to ask for her full name or to give his full own, or if he did, he didn't remember. Only a few points stuck with him—hearing aids, smooth hair that matched her eyes, freckles all over her forehead, chin, cheeks—but one couldn't conduct a search with just a physical description.

All he'd been left with were a couple of indistinct memories, a breathtaking conversation about the moon and literature that left him feeling strangely light and aware of his ignorance, and the stunning realization that his pockets full of cash had been stolen, leaving him broke.

But in time, he'd forgotten all about it, and he wanted to curse himself at the stupidity now.

"Looks like it jogged your memory," Phinks said.

He groaned and let his head fall into his hands, unable to stop the heat crawling up his face. Just because he'd had no qualms about it back then didn't mean it didn't embarrass him now. "I made a lot of stupid mistakes when I was younger, and I regret every single one of them, trust me. Ugh, I was so dumb back then..." Zepile looked up, slight hope entering his look. "But if you're asking about this, does that mean you know her? Is she here?"

"Died a long time ago," Phinks returned curtly. "The fact you weren't with her might've been one of the reasons."

"Oh. I... see."

Machi's face twisted questioningly as she attempted to gather all the facts. "So you stand by the fact that you remember. Phinks, is it true then, what you said? Is this man Zushi's father?"

"He said it, not me." He was surprised at his own ability to stay calm. Considering how he'd felt up until now, he'd expected himself to be more angry and itching to let off that steam. But looking directly at him instead of from afar, his appearance seemed different, somehow. A non-threatening being that only made him wonder why Temmi had liked such a guy instead of the mysterious figure he'd partially blamed for her death.

"Wait, but that's not... that's not proof. There's nothing as evidence, right?" Zepile asked. "You mentioned testimonies or stories matching up on the way over here, but that doesn't prove anything."

"DNA." Phinks pulled out his phone and started to search. "I asked Shal and he said some test would help. So I stole a hair off the brat's pillow and swiped one off of your head when you weren't looking this past week." He lifted his screen to show them Shalnark's simple reply: No doubt about it.

"I," Zepile took a moment to readjust himself on the chair, disbelieving. "I have a kid."

Feitan stood up so he could look down on the man, and kept his hands tucked deep in his pockets. "So?" he asked, voice low. "What you going to do about it?"