NO ONE dares to speak, the only sound that can be heard is the chirping of birds. Tamioka just stared at me, waiting for me to start talking. Like what I've said, I really don't know where to start. I don't even know how he will find the perpetrator.

"We need a list," he said, breaking the silence between us.

"W-What list?"

"A list of people that you think would do this," he said.

I felt my throat dry because like what I've said... I don't have any idea, "I don't know..."

His jar hardened at what I said, his eyes flashing dangerously, "For god's sake, Kocho" he said calm but his eyes are not looking at me dangerously "We all know that you know them"

"I don't know!"

"You keep on protecting the perpetrator, Kocho"

"I'm not protecting that criminal!"

"You are protecting them if you're not going to cooperate with me. I need a list, Kocho. A fucking list!" he said as he gritted his teeth.

"Why are you pushing me to create a possible perpetrator? I fucking don't know who wants to kill me!"

He brush his fingers through his hair "stop being stupid, Kocho. The more you cooperate the quicker that we'll get this done. It's not just your life that's at stake here and you know that"

Fear gradually penetrated my body because of what he said. Maddy carried the burden of the danger waiting in the shadow for me. She was young. Too young. She didn't even have her own family yet. She had lots of things that she didn't experience because I deprived him of that.

But it's not done yet. The lives of the people around me were still at stake until the perpetrator was caught.

"What will happen to them?" I asked, my voice dropping into a whisper. My hands are now shaking with an unmistakable fear.

"They will be fine"

"My colleagues—"

"We dispatched a lot of our employees for them. The police will also conduct patrols" he said "We really need the list, Kocho"

I stare on his face and then bit my lower lips before I open my mouth to speak "I don't know how"

"You can start by giving us names of everyone you had a relationship with"

"There will be no much of list then," I murmured

"I'm not here to count the number of your lovers. Just give me names" there's a sharpness in his voice when he says that. There's anger in his eyes again but this time it looks different.

I wrung my hand anxiously "I never dated anyone" I said which made him frowned.

"Never?"

"Never."

He continued looking at me for a moment. It was as if he's trying to read my soul, digging through the defenses that I built over the years to protect myself.

He opened his mouth to say "Then close friends or someone that knows about you doing the Wisteria Medicine" he said.

I started giving names. He wrote it down in his notebook. He also asked me what my relationships were with those people, "Our agency will do extensive research about these people. Also, I'm going to ask you about your statement"

"Your colleagues already asked for my statement in the hospital" I said.

"You didn't tell them everything, Kocho" he said "Every information coming from you is important to solve this case" he said with a soft voice.

"Then let's start," I took a deep breath and averted my eyes "Why don't you ask me? If you are going to tell me to talk. I'm telling you I don't know where to start" I said.

"Are you ready to answer my questions, Kocho?" His voice is too serious. I bit my lower lips and nodded my head in response.

"When did the death threat start?" he asked me.

I frowned and then looked at him. I wanted to tell him that I already answered that question before I came here to the safe house. But I couldn't... I couldn't find myself to say those things.

"That started five months ago. When I started making the Wisteria medicine. It was a simple prank call at first. Telling me to stop doing the Wisteria Medicine. But I didn't listen to him and continue doing and develop the medicine"

He didn't say anything and he just stared at me as if he was trying to read my mind. I bit my lower lips and avoided his gaze. Because whenever I'm looking at his deep blue eyes, I feel like he is consuming my soul.

"Why do you need to do Wisteria Medicine?"

It was a question I never expected to hear from him. I felt my throat dry out as my heartbeat quickened. I bit my lower lips as I clench my fist.

"Everything started when you started doing the Wisteria Medicine, Kocho. Now, I want to know the reason why you are doing the Wisteria Medicine and risking your life to complete it"

"Do you really need to know? Would it help you find the perpetrator if you knew the reason why I made the Wisteria medicine?"

He let out a frustrated sigh "Please just answer my question, Dr. Kocho. I need the answer now"

My lips trembled and my heart felt like it was stabbed by a knife. It was an unexpected reaction from my internal organs and I can't understand why I'm feeling like this. It wasn't the first time that someone called me 'Dr. Kocho'.

It wasn't the first. But hearing it coming from his mouth makes me feel upset. It was almost as if he was setting a boundary between us.

"It's..." I inhaled trying to organize my thoughts.

"It's an antidote, isn't" he said which made my eyes wide. I opened my mouth to speak but my own words failed me.

"Wisteria Medicine is not really a medicine but an antidote, am I right?"

I looked into his eyes. The things I tried so hard to hide are gradually becoming known. I took a deep breath as my heart felt like it was being crushed – making it hard for me to breathe. I know pain crosses into my eyes especially when the memory I had tried so hard to forget came back.

The memory of my sister dying because of the poison I developed.

Caprice...

It was the poison I created.

_____________________________ End of Caprice #8