The metal shutter of the café stood silent in front of them, reflecting the yellow streetlight in dull streaks. Alina folded her arms while staring at the lock as if it might suddenly explain everything. Kai, standing beside her, studied the place with a calm but sharp gaze, the way someone examines a problem that needs solving rather than simply worrying about it.
For a moment, neither of them spoke. Then Alina suddenly turned around with determination flashing in her eyes. "We have to find her."
Kai raised an eyebrow slightly. "That is already obvious."
"No, I mean we actually investigate," she clarified, lowering her voice like someone discussing a secret mission.
Kai's gaze shifted toward her slowly. "Investigate."
"Yes," she said firmly. "Like partners."
Kai stared at her for a moment before asking in a flat tone, "And who exactly decided that?"
"I did."
She said it so confidently that Kai almost laughed. "Absolutely not," he replied calmly. "If anyone is leading this, it's me."
Alina immediately turned toward him with narrowed eyes. "Why you?"
"Because," he said simply, "I have better judgment."
She crossed her arms. "Excuse me? I have experience in this."
Kai paused. "Experience?" he repeated, his expression turning slightly serious. For a second, he actually considered the possibility that she had some kind of training he didn't know about.
"You do?" he asked.
Alina nodded proudly. "Of course."
Kai studied her face carefully. "What kind of experience?"
She straightened her posture like someone about to reveal a major qualification. "I've watched a lot of suspense dramas," she declared confidently. "Thrillers, crime series, murder mysteries… basically all of them."
Kai blinked. Once. Then twice. "You're telling me," he said slowly, "your investigative experience comes from television."
"They're very educational," she defended immediately.
Kai rubbed his temple in disbelief. "We are not solving a mystery episode on TV."
"Well, excuse me, Mr. Serious," she shot back. "At least I know the basic steps. First, you collect clues, then you follow the trail, then you confront the suspect."
Kai stared at her for a moment before sighing deeply. "This is exactly why you are not leading anything."
Alina frowned. "And why should you lead?"
Kai answered in the same calm tone, "Experience."
Alina blinked."Experience?" she repeated.
"Yes."
"What kind of experience?"
Kai tilted his head slightly and replied matter-of-factly, "I've worked in films and television for years."
She stared at him. "So?"
"So," he continued patiently, "I've acted in crime thrillers, detective dramas, investigation series… I know how these situations usually unfold."
Alina crossed her arms immediately. "You mean you *pretended* to solve crimes in front of a camera."
Kai looked mildly offended. "It's still an experience."
"No, it's not," she protested. "That's acting."
"It still requires understanding how investigations work."
"That's scripted!"
Kai sighed. "At least my knowledge comes from professional sets, not random imagination."
"I'm still leading."
"No, you're not."
"Yes, I am."
"No."
"Yes."
They stood there in the empty street arguing like two stubborn children while the locked café silently watched their ridiculous debate. Finally, Alina raised her hand dramatically.
"Fine," she said.
Kai blinked. That had been far too easy. His eyes narrowed slightly as he studied her face, searching for the catch. Normally, Alina would argue, question him, or at least make a sarcastic remark before agreeing. But this… this was suspiciously smooth.
Something is definitely wrong. Inside Alina's mind, however, it was absolute chaos. Thoughts spun wildly as a dozen little plans began forming at once. If Kai thought this was going to be simple, he was terribly mistaken.
She was already imagining how she would stay one step ahead of him the entire time. If he started investigating one clue… she would already have reached the next one.
She wasn't trying to ruin anything serious. She just wanted to make a fool of him. Just a little.
Kai lifted an eyebrow slowly. "You agreed too easily."
Alina folded her arms, looking completely calm. "I'm confident you won't get it," she replied.
Kai stared at her for a long moment, suspicion growing stronger, then he ignored it and turned back toward the café. "If we're going to do this," he said, "we start logically."
Alina leaned slightly closer, curious despite herself. "Alright, detective. What's the first step?"
Kai began walking slowly along the sidewalk while explaining. "Every investigation begins with the last known point of contact."
"And that means?"
"The last phone call she made," he said. "The last message she sent. The last place she was seen. And the last person she spoke to."
Alina blinked. "…Okay, that actually sounds impressive."
Kai continued speaking with quiet focus. "If something happened to Maya, the answers will start somewhere in that timeline."
"So where do we start?"
Kai stopped walking and turned toward her. "We start with her house."
Her eyes widened slightly. "You think something might be there?"
"If we're lucky," he replied calmly, "we might find something useful. A clue, a message, anything."
Alina nodded immediately. "That makes sense."
Kai slipped his hands into his pockets. "Her address?"
Alina didn't answer immediately. Instead, she turned around and started walking away from the café. Kai watched her for two seconds before calling out, "Alina."
She continued walking. "Alina," he called her again, still nothing.
Finally, she glanced over her shoulder and said casually, "Minus one."
Kai frowned slightly. "Minus one what?"
She pointed at him as she walked backward. "You forgot to ask the most obvious question first."
"And what was that?"
"Do I even know her address?"
Kai stared at her. "…Do you?"
Alina turned back around and continued walking confidently. "No," she admitted cheerfully.
Kai closed his eyes for a brief moment. "Congratulations," he said dryly while following her. "We haven't even started, and we're already lost."
Alina waved her hand dismissively. "Relax. Detectives improvise."
Kai sighed while walking behind her. Alina grinned mischievously and started walking down the street with sudden confidence. "Come on," she said over her shoulder.
Kai followed her. "Where are we going?"
"To Maya's house."
Kai kept walking beside her. "You could have said that earlier."
"And ruin the dramatic detective moment?" she replied playfully. "Absolutely not."
Kai shook his head slightly but continued following her. The quiet street stretched ahead of them, dimly lit and strangely empty. Somewhere in the distance, a dog barked, and the wind rustled the leaves along the sidewalk.
Alina walked with determined steps, clearly leading the way now. Kai glanced at her briefly. This entire situation had turned into something chaotic far faster than he expected. But one thing was certain. If they were going to find Maya… it would probably involve a lot more arguments before the mystery was solved.