Detective Jeon Jungkook had never doubted his skills until now. It was a strange new sensation, to second-guess himself. What if he'd come to the wrong conclusion? What if he'd missed a crucial clue and strayed from the lead he was supposed to follow? What if Kim Taehyung was not in Riomaggiore and this trip was just a waste of time and money?!

I've never seen him happier than during that summer by the sea.

These were Namjoon's own words. As the thrill of the chase was dying down, Jungkook realized his entire hypothesis was based on a rather slim piece of evidence. Had it been Taehyung's intention to fly him down here? Or had Jungkook completely missed the mark?

He'd arrived three days ago, and despite having shown a newspaper cutout featuring the handsome bachelor to just about every local he had encountered, none had seemed to recognize the dashing young man. A child had pointed at the picture, calling it something that sounded like angel, but Jungkook couldn't be sure. (He really should study Italian a little more thoroughly.)

Angel—

His shoulders shivered.

What if—?

The thought was so terrifying he couldn't bring himself to formulate it. Yet once rooted in his mind, it lingered, stubbornly.

"Are you alright, Detective Jeon?"

Jungkook had not realized his whole body was shaking until he felt a gentle grip on his forearm. The lady sitting at the breakfast table next to his had reached out to try and calm him down. Turning to face the gentleman sitting vis-à-vis, she added quietly, "see, I told you I'd recognized him."

The man cleared his throat before speaking. "Please forgive my wife for prying like that. She sometimes can't help herself."

"I'm not prying, I'm expressing concern because obviously, breakfast did not sit well with him," she protested, a little red in the face.

"Wilhelmina dearest, Detective Jeon is probably trying to enjoy some well-deserved vacation time, just like we are. Why don't we leave him alone."

But the woman insisted on pouring Jungkook a glass of water. "Here, drink this."

"Thank you," he said, voice too weak for his liking.

He emptied the glass and some colour returned to his face. Ignoring her husband's plea, the wife pressed on. "So, Detective, are you here on business or pleasure?"

"Mina, that's enough!" The man was beyond embarrassed but there wasn't much he could do besides making a scene, which he was trying to avoid at all cost.

"No, that's fine. Thank you for your concern." Jungkook had to ponder over the question for a moment before answering. "I'm here for pleasure."

"Oh, really? I thought for one second you were working the missing artwork case," she added with a shy laugh. "I don't know why I thought that. I mean, you'd be in Venice and not here, for one."

"Missing artwork?" He had read about the vanishing Monet, but that happened in Paris. Not Venice.

"A Pizzirani, if I remember correctly. It was all over the news yesterday!"

He shook his head, admitting his ignorance on the matter. (He really should start paying more attention to local news.)

She perked up at the idea that she was now in a position to provide information to one of the brightest minds around. "The Italians are losing their wits over the heist! No sign of breaking and entering. Not a single clue. It's mind-bending!"

Jungkook smiled at that. "I'm sure they'll catch the culprit sooner or later. There is no such thing as a perfect robbery."

"You're probably right. By the way—"

"Mina, drop it." The man could have been talking to a brick wall.

"How long are you here for?"

The detective's amused facial expression faded at once. "Actually, I was thinking of checking out today."

"Oh, so soon! It's a pity." She heaved a disappointed sigh. "Riomaggiore has so much to offer. And the food here is just divine!" she rambled on. "Have you tried Francesca's calamari rings? I can't get over how delicious they were. Her restaurant is not too far from the fishing port. Speaking of which, we should head down there today. I heard they have a luncheonette on the pier that serves the best grilled lobster in town!"

"Darling, let the young man be, for heaven's sake!" While the husband had spoken loud and clear, the wife had pointedly elected to ignore him.

"Would you join us for lunch, Detective? That is, if you have time before your departure."

The thought of having lunch with this very talkative woman was far from enticing but Jungkook did not have an acceptable excuse ready to dodge the invitation. "I would be delighted," he replied with a forced grin.

—

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