Lying once can be forgiven, although Kai thinks getting caught in a lie makes you beyond stupid. Lying twice and getting caught twice makes you not stupid, but suspicious.

Kai thinks it's strange. He's lied many times, but he is bad, so it checks out. Mr. Harrison lied twice, and he is supposed to be good. That does not check out.

So, either he's back like Kai is, or Kai is missing something important.

He stops on the side of a gas station; unsticking his phone from its holder. There are not a lot of records of his mom or dad on any social platform, mostly because his father was against it and his mother passed before any of the relevant platforms were created.

He does find an account to his mother's name on the deleted platform Six Degrees. It takes him a while to find the right serve since the platform is no longer running. He breaks through some internet walls until he finds her profile.

It is evident that she was on the platform only briefly since there are 2 photos uploaded in total. There are many comments, though.

His mother was popular, he knows that much.

The comments are different than those you find in today's social media, short and to the point. Mostly compliments but nothing else.

Then, he stumbles across a comment that catches his eye. Under a picture of his mother hugging her two friends; Yui is there too.

Let me hold you it reads.

Not pretty or your hair looks amazing XX

Let me hold you. No emoticons, no XX. Just a dot at the end, signing the sentence on a serious note.

Kai clicks on the profile; it has no name or photo. Just numbers.

They have no photos on their wall too. He wonders if he can track the IP of the address where the comment was sent. The internet server is too old, but it might work, and "might" is just about good enough for Kai. He fetches his computer from the trunk and begins tracking.

He has to try multiple times on multiple sites, and it eats his data but when he finally gets an IP location it's worth the wait.

He enters it in his GPS and it sends him on an hour's drive in the very opposite direction of his house, but he's more than willing to drive for even 20 hours.

....................

When he gets to his destination it's pouring rain outside. He embraces himself and gets out of the car, immediately hit by striking raindrops.

He pulls his coat from behind him and brushes the water off; it does nothing to help him look more put together.

The house is small, more like a big cabin, really. It's on the woodside surrounded by trees. It was a hassle to navigate through the bumpy road there, but he made it safely.

By the flourishing garden in front of the cabin and the lights coming from the window, he assumes it's lived in, and the person who does is home.

He knocks on the door; his hair dripping with water following his every movement. His slippers sink in the mud, dirtying his socks; it reminds him he left without proper shoes.

An old lady opens the door.

"Hello." Kai bows his head slightly. He thinks there is no plausible way this lady ever sent a comment under his mother's post, especially not a comment like that. He knows asking will raise questions. "I'm looking for the previous owners," he says. "Do you know anything about them? Names? Whereabouts?"

He knows he caught her a bit off guard, she looks old enough to be a little confused too. So, he will take it with a grain of salt whatever she says.

"I-" she turns around, and whatever is left of her white hair turns with her. "Hold on young man." her hands shake as she closes the door in Kai's face and opens it back again after 2 minutes.

She holds an envelope. "This." She hands it to him. "Belonged to the previous owners." she smiles. "I hope it helps.

The lady then shuts the door and Kai thinks it's appropriate to leave now so as not to disturb her further. He slipped the envelope inside his black coat to keep it from getting wet and hurried back to his car.

His phone pings as soon as he turns on the heat.

Hyung: Saved you breakfast. Don't be out too late, and no smoking.

He leaves him on "read" and looks for the envelope in the inside pockets of his coat. He pulls out the white paper and looks at it closely now that it's dry enough to do so.

That... can't be right, can it?

Aaron Harrison

is the name of the addressed person on the stamp. This was Mr. Harrison's family home, at least when he was younger.

He sent the comment.

And he sent many others, now that Kai is actively looking for that same numbered user under his mom's photos.

You are all I see

Let me in

I long for you

And many others.

......................

Hyung: are you not coming home? 3:30 pm

Hyung: Lunch is in the fridge. 5:53 pm

Hyung: I'm going out with Taehyun and Soobin. Come back before dinner, okay? 6:34 pm

2 Missed calls from Hyung.

.....................

"One americano, one peppermint tea, one caramel macchiato." the cashier recites their order, passing the receipt to the blond-haired barista. The three of them wait by the counter for their drinks to come out.

Soobin swipes his card being the eldest he was pestered to pay for the group. He acts like he hates to spoil the two, but it appears he enjoys it.

"Thank you." Beomgyu takes the bag from the cashier with egg tarts in it. It will accompany Kai's dinner as he enjoys this bakery's tarts. It is raining outside so Beomgyu shoves the paper back into his tote and hopes it won't go bad on the way to the car.

He drops off Soobin and Taehyun who left his car at the cafe parking lot while complaining there isn't proper parking next to their dorm building.

"Are you coming to the party tonight then?" Beomgyu asks as he parks the car next to the building. "I won't but I'm asking for Yeonjun-Hyung." he clarifies.

"I might, honestly. I have an assignment due but I'm afraid I won't finish it without the help of a couple of beers." Soobin jokes. "I'll be there." He gets out of the car and joins Taehyun who already stands outside. "Bye, Beom-ah."

Beomgyu chuckles; waving goodbye. He drives off.

He expects Kai to be home when he arrives, but the house is just as empty as it was when they left; odd. He takes the stairs to the basement, wondering if he could find the younger one there.

As soon as he opens the door to what he calls "Kai's sanctuary." He realizes something is terribly wrong.

On the wall, the wall that used to be empty concrete is now covered with multiple pictures of people Beomgyu does not recognize, all but two pictures.

Finn and Soo-Ha.

It's a mess of strings; and pins scattered on the floor. Is that a professor from their campus on the wall? It can't be.

There are papers everywhere, and the printer next to a computer Beomgyu has never seen before keeps on printing one sheet after the other; beeping nonstop.

He knew Kai had to have kept track of his father's case but this... this has gone too far. Beomgyu approaches the investigation wall closely, tracing his fingers on the pictures, newspapers, addresses, and everything with shocked eyes.

This must have taken Kai years upon years to build up.

The printer keeps beeping. Beomgyu yanks its power cable, and it finally halts after pouring a pile of papers onto the floor. He picks one sheet from the floor.

Why would Kai print transcripts of Sociology lectures? He looks at the professor's name. It's familiar but he can't remember where he had heard a Jack Harrison before.

He drops the paper to the ground.

The drawer under the computer is open ajar. He pulls the handle, immediately hit with a sick feeling in his stomach.

Bullets.

....................

Hyung: Get home, now.

Hyung: answer my fucking calls, Kai.

Hyung: Pick up your phone, damn it.

Hyung: Kai.

Hyung: Kai, please... just pick up your phone. You don't have to do anything...

Hyung: Let's talk, okay?

17 Missed calls from Hyung

.......................

Author's note

another triple update. I am the best. My ear itches. 

okay, bye now