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"just when you think you've hit rock bottom, you realize you're standing on another trapdoor. "

— Marisha Pessl —

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[ 3RD PERSONS VIEW。]

"Renjun! Haruka is already here!" Mrs. Huang yelled from the living room as she ushered the girl inside their abode.

Meanwhile, Renjun was already rushing to stuff his things into his backpack, confused as to why Haruka came so early. Since it was a school day, they had to wait until after school to visit Haruki's grave.

Renjun had managed to trick Donghyuck and Jeno separately do that both of them will go and visit Haruki, of course with an acceptable excuse.

Running down the flight of stairs, hair messy as he bustled his way towards the front door, sending her a quick smile before putting on his shoes. "Why are you here so early? Or am I just late?"

Haruka chuckled softly, almost shocking the boy as she did, "No, I just didn't want mother to see me close to you." she said nonchalantly before stepping out of the house, "Let's go?"

The walk to the cemetery was chill. Birds chirping, autumnal leaves being crushed by the soles of their feet, and the pinkish-purple hued sky right above them.

"Have you been to Jinhae-gu before, Haruka?"

The said girl was caught off guard with Renjun's sudden question. Her mind blurring as she thought deeply about it.

"I think so...?" she answered, her voice wavering a bit. "I'm sorry, it's just that–"

"Yah! Huang Renjun!" they both flickered their eyes up, seeing Jeno and Donghyuck glaring at the blonde-haired boy.

Renjun smirked before pulling off an innocent look, "Oh? Seems like you two came early."

Donghyuck rolled his eyes, "What the hell? I thought it was just you and Haruka? Why invite him?" he blabbered, jabbing his thumb towards Jeno with an irked expression.

Jeno was taken aback, scoffing lightly with a piercing glare, "Me? He shouldn't have invited you!"

"Can't both of you just shut up?" Haruka spoke out loud before gesturing down at Haruki's grave, "You're literally fighting in front of my sister."

The two boys froze and bowed their heads, "R-Right... we're sorry."

Renjun clasped his hands together, "Haruka's right, let's just forget the fight and become friends again, right?"

Jeno sighed, pressing his lips together as his eyes trailed onto Donghyuck, "Hyuc–"

"Finally learned your lesson, loverboy?" Donghyuck said with a sly smirk, provoking Jeno.

Jeno gritted his teeth, fingers balled into a fist, raising it up, "You're seriously annoying me right now–"

Renjun cuts in the middle, spreading both of his arms out as he feigned a smile towards them, "Fight each other right now? Seriously? In front of Haruki and Haruka?"

Jeno's lifted arm slowly dropped to his side, his gaze piercing, clashing with Donghyuck's before looking away, "Bastard."

Donghyuck snickered before looking down at the grave, as he did, goosebumps covered his whole body. His vellus hair on his arms standing up after catching a glimpse of the gravestone beside.

Swallowing hard, he bit down his bottom lip before eyeing Haruka. "Hey... I have a question..."

Haruka craned her attention towards the boy with purple-dyed tips. Donghyuck pointed down, "T-That's not yours... right?"

Renjun froze, he completely forgot about the gravestone. Jeno was perplexed, gleaming down as he gasped lightly at the engraved name, however, he wasn't totally buying it.

Haruka approached the gravestone, her non-covered eye squinting as she stared at it, "No."

Donghyuck gulped, "But it says Haruka!"

Jeno hissed and crouched down, using his fingers to try and scrape off the dried candle wax that mainly covered the rest of the gravestone. "Help me, will you?" he looked up at Donghyuck who scoffed.

"Me? Why–" the latter got caught off as Jeno pulled him down abruptly.

"Just do it."

Donghyuck deeply sighed and opened his wallet, grabbing an old dated arcade card before using it to scrape off the wax.

Haruka peered over them, slowly reading the full name engraved under the candle wax. "Shima Haruka?" she read slowly before averting her gaze onto Renjun.

"Shima Haruka? That sounds... hold on." Renjun grabs his bag, zipping it open, searching amongst the dozens of old newspapers he brought with him.

Jeno dusted his pants, nose scrunched as he weirdly stared at Renjun's stuff, "Who the fuck brings newspaper with them?"

Donghyuck stifled a laugh, gesturing a hand at Renjun's bag, "Apparently, Huang Renjun does!"

"Aha! Found it!" he exclaimed and laid out the newspaper.

Jeno tilts his head, "June 1996?"

Donghyuck froze, "Is that..."

"The first-ever copycat ghost! Shima Haruka!" Renjun pointed out before grazing over the gravestone, "See? Died on June twenty-one."

Donghyuck pressed a hand over his mouth, "Oh my God, I'm so sorry, Haruka!"

Haruka shook her head, "It's alright, it happens."

Donghyuck shook his head vigorously, he felt bad that he had accused her once again. "It's not alright, Haruka! I'm really sorry– for everything I've said..."

Haruka mouth gaped a bit, "I told you it's fine."

"I'm still sorry," he mumbled, looking down at his feet.

Jeno sighed, pulling Donghyuck into a sudden hug. "You don't need to feel bad, Hyuck. Haruka said it's fine, and besides," he gazes down at the gravestone, "at least we know the truth."

Renjun raked his blonde hair with his fingers, his bangs falling back onto his forehead as he creased them, "All we have to do is find out who the killer is and who the copycat ghost is."

Haruka tilts her head, "You want to find the copycat?"

The trio nodded their head at her and she smiled sadly, "I can help with that. After all, Haruki did trust me to help you solve her death."

"Was she really murdered?" Jeno frowned.

"That's what we're going to find out."

— • • • —
the owner of the gravestone is finally revealed :')