Wren had a heavy breakfast that morning, helping her to temporarily forget about the mysterious note calling her a liar.
While she munched, her mind was still occupied with its thought, however. A lingering worry as well as...anger.
A liar, huh? Now when the hell did I start lying. I swear to god I never lie. Maybe half-truths. But at least not yesterday. Oh did I upset that unnamed writer of the note? If only they left some details. Oh god, how am I going to fix it now? Well...there wasn't anything to fix to begin with. Is this a prank? After all, they cannot directly come up with a note to call me names!
She took a deep breath to calm herself while tightening the angry fist she was making below the table.
LIAR?!
Aunt Honey noticed her eating absent-mindedly. "Is the food bad? You seem to have a hard time swallowing the food in your mouth from that time...."
"Huh? Oh! Oh no no no!" Wren exclaimed quickly swallowing down the food. "In fact, it is really good! I am enjoying every bit of it."
"Oh? Then have some more!" Aunt Honey exclaimed, moving towards the kitchen counter. Wren started stuffing her mouth with the next bite.
"Mph, Aunt, I am full!" She muttered with a stuffed mouth.
Her aunt now spoke with frustration at her actions. "Ah, come on now! Do you think I don't understand that face? Something is troubling you and I-I can't help if you don't tell me. You are working so hard and taking so much stress recently. This is the least I can do. I am trying my best to help you-"
"-You Are The Best!" She said taking a huge gulp. Anyone could tell what this woman was going through as a single foster mother.
Aunt Honey gave a sweet smile and realized that it would be better to change the subject. "Oh dear, I am worried if Orion's taking care of himself. You were with him last night, right? Did he complete his meal? "
"Oh of course! I mean he was starving the whole day. He is now resting. He deserves it anyways." She shrugged.
Aunt Honey nodded. "Well, I'm surprised you woke so early after all that happened that day. You don't seem to break your schedule at all!" She praised full of enthusiasm.
Wren grinned. Her eyes went to the clock for calculating how much free time she had left before opening the bookstore.
"Oh and Wren, I would like to tell you that you can take a break today. I mean I will manage the shop."
She beamed with joy. "Really? That's amazing!" She then collected herself, "I mean, I could help. I don't have anything serious to spend time on. But if you want to..."
To this Aunt Honey couldn't help but laugh aloud. "That's what a break means, Young Lady! Nothing serious to spend time on. Just free time for yourself. Also, who do you think managed the store before you were able to work with me?"
Aunt Honey's voice was loud and confident. Wren loved how she looked. The chubby cuddly built with a warm personality as that! Who couldn't love her! Wren thought about this internally, her faint smile getting wider.
Gah, she is so cute!!!
Her face remained as calm as ever.
"Let me get the newspaper." She went to the backdoor and stepped outside. The backyard was filled with colorful flowers; some were wildflowers and some that they had planted.
Yes, I can tend my babies too. She thought looking at her flowers. She loved gardening, after all.
She walked to the gate. The small shop right opposite to their backyard was very convenient. It was those kinds of mini departmental store that somehow seemed to have every little thing.
She stopped when she reached the shop and couldn't stop her forehead from wrinkling up with a small frown. The shopkeeper smiled at her, "Morning, Wren!" His voice was so loud that even the other costumer looked startled for a bit.
"Morning", she said under her voice while casually picking up a newspaper and holding it under her arms, the elbow pressed to her body. However, she was eyeing the costumer, Sameul, who had never once been seen in the town, let alone in that very alley, while now being right in front of their house.
Sameul. Orion told me to be cautious...
Sameul turned his head and grinned at her while handing out some coins to the shopkeeper for a film roll.
"Good morning to you too." She said hurriedly when he made eye-contact and gave the most appealing smile she could. After all, you should not suspect someone harshly without any evidence.
He bobbed his head absent-mindedly while he pushed the film roll into his satchel. Then looking at her curious eyes, he gave a soft chuckle and explained, "Just some advanced shopping for my trip."
"Trip?" Wren internally went through a lot of questions.
He is leaving the town? But then, it would mean the murderer is escaping, if I accept that Orion's suspicion is right. However... if he is just a usual man...?
He smiled at her attentive eyes, happy that they could finally start a good conversation.
He pulled out his camera from the satchel and did a little act of clicking her photo. "I am a camera man, you see. I actually do visits around interesting places and click pictures on interesting subjects." He then let out a chuckle before preparing to say his next words. "Which reminds me you too are an interesting subject. Would miss Wren like a photo for herself?"
She couldn't help but get flattered. Miss Wren? That certainly was new to her. She just gave him an awkward smile thinking what to say.
"Uh sure...? No, uhm- Sure, why not? That's really sweet of you. But first", she pulled him away from the shop to her gate to not be eavesdropped by that teaseful shopkeeper, "tell me, was I able to help you yesterday? What did you do with that list? Who helped you?"
He gave a small downward smile. "Nobody." He shook his head. "They won't believe in my pictures of evidence as the things that I have, they believe they already have. Sooo, I am kind of useless." He shrugged.
"Oh no, you seriously can't be that useless. Care to show me the pictures? I wasn't there during the investigations." She said in a comforting tone while her hand casually pushed the gate to invite him inside.
She walked towards the house while he followed her, his right hand busy searching the satchel. His shoes got quite muddy by the soil of her backyard, so she offered him a pair of sandals. She opened the door to the kitchen, and both sat down on the dining table in the middle. Aunt Honey saw the new guy but didn't mind, for clients were common in their house at any time. She just left the room silently.
Sameul spread all his pictures on the table. Wren's eyes gleamed with interest as she saw the different types of things he had clicked.
Amazing...
The more she looked at them, the more she got mesmerized. She quickly separated the pictures he wanted to show for investigations. Without analyzing them, she quickly started checking out his other pictures. Sameul just watched her looking at them like a little kid choosing a toy in a toy store.
"Oh, these are stunning! So beautiful!" She mumbled as she looked at them, giving quick glances at Sameul with her face radiating joy.
"Is it that good?" He spoke with a smirk, although his hesitating voice gave him away. He was definitely happy with her compliments, so he gave out a forced chuckle to show his usual coolness.
"Of course! You are so very talented, I swear!" Her hands swiped one photo after the other. "Oh oh oh wai- OH! AAHHH!"
"W-What?" He jumped at her squeal.
"YOU HAVE BEEN TO THE ROYAL GARDEN!" Her eyes were stuck on the picture like a kid who had finally chosen a toy for life. "You have been to the royal garden. That's so beautiful. Oh, this picture is a masterpiece, Sam!" She stopped, realizing she already gave him a nickname.
Am I not getting close to him too soon? It is too soon to call names.
His usual calm and flirty composure had vanished by her energetic yapping.
"The royal garden? Haha, yes. I have been there quite a few times." He said with a genuine smile, scratching his long hair.
"So, you keep going to the capital? Oh yes? My, my, you are so lucky. I have always wanted to go there." Her eyes never left the picture of the royal garden while she mumbled, her mind mesmerized with the different types of plants there.
"Well, what's stopping you from going?" He asked, one eyebrow raising slightly as he tilted his face.
She laughed at the face he made.
Oh, he looks like a pigeon-
She put hands over her mouth to resist her laughter.
"It's so easy for you to say, isn't it?" She said, closing her eyes as she leaned back on her chair; the wood making a small creak sound at the pressure. Her head hanged down as she faced the wall behind her. She looked outside of the window then sighed and looked up at him. "The thing is...it is so far away and I...I have never been on a train."
"Well, I can take you there someday. Travelling on train is pretty much my identity." He shrugged.
She sat up straight, surprised at his proposal.
Travelling together?
"...."
He looked at her silent face, unable to read her emotions. He started feeling uncomfortable.
"I-I am not imposing anything but! So don't- no need to worry. I won't make you leave your brother—"
She snapped out of her flustered thoughts with a shock.
Leave my brother? Like separate us? No normal person would say—What does he actually mean by that? I should be more cautious, yes... Let's stay silent. He will talk more.
She narrowed her eyes as she looked into his eyes.
Honestly, it was pretty dumb for me to get a good impression on him just because of him flirting. What am I? A high school girl? Tsk, shame on you, Wren.
He looked back at her innocent eyes that refused to give away a single hint. Confused if he had offended her or not, he took a moment to think and scratch his head.
"You are probably really close to your brother. So maybe I shouldn't have given such a suggestion. Oh wait… Oh! How about we three go together? Yes, Wren? Please say something."
"Oh yes. Sure." She nodded. "Don't worry, I was just considering your proposal."
He took a deep breath at her response.
Proposal? Is that what she thinks …? He gulped. Ah well…
"No, we can go together without Orion." She confirmed with a nod.
"Wait, it is fixed?" He had thought they were having light talks. He never expected her to take it this seriously.
"Are you busy in something else?" She tilted her head while straightening her posture and bringing back her composure.
It is easy to recognize eyes that judge or mock you.
Sameul tried to force out a laugh but couldn't. That was it. He too, got back his usual composure.
"Why, miss, are you having suspicions on your client without even checking the clues he is trying to provide?" He asked leaning forward as his back crouched a little, resting his chin on one hand over the table and then rolling his eyes up to stare at her with a powerful look. His other hand slid across the table towards the pictures she had previously separated.
"A client would…" He paused for a moment to check if she was observing his action of slowly pulling the pictures towards him, away from Wren. "Would naturally hope for a better treatment from the host.
Her lips twitched in one corner as she resisted her frown.
Tsk. Trying the cheap trick customer trick, huh? Showing your back so that I stop you from going and save you, my customer, my earning? I DON'T NEED YOUR MONEY, YOU—
"Well," She took a deep breath as she stood up, "I thought you had nowhere else to go so I INVITED you here. You are not my client and I am not a detective. Even you know it or did you think I am a liar?"
He shrugged, his face unserious as ever.
"I was trying to have a normal conversation and be considerate for you while all you did was pull up your judging face, as if I was hiding something. WHEN ALL I WAS TRYING TO DO WAS LOOK OUT FOR YOU WHILE EQUALLY PROPOSING YOU."
"Oh come on now! How can you propose someone you have just met?"
He scoffed and raised his voice in a sarcastic tone. "Well maybe I am the dumb guy who likes girls better than me."
She rolled her eyes realizing how obsessed he was with flirty words. "Maybe? Oh Please! It is certain that you are!"
He looked into her eyes, finally giving up while she breathed heavily, her face showing a mixture of frustration and enjoyment in the flow of their argument.
He couldn't help but smile at her comebacks. She saw his smile and turned her face away to hide her smile.
Oh god. I am getting too carried away.
"Want a snack till Orion comes?" She changed the subject quickly, walking towards the kitchen counter.
"Anything, my lady." He said, standing up and following her.
She gave a questioning look when he followed.
"I want to help."
"No. Sit down."
"No." He replied with a playful smile.
"I don't think you want to argue after all that." She forced a smile realizing how easily he got on her nerves.