Calls, Confessions, and Clues

Okay. ⛅

Now I know how it feels to be Jisoo when she questions all her life choices.

Because the moment I got my phone back and called Kyonii-chan's number...

Papa took over.

🍜 "Miko-chan."

Uh-oh...

🍜 "WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN???"

⛅ "Ahaha! Papa! Missed you too!"

Big mistake.

And just like that, the worried Papa phone call, turned into a lecture. It evolved from "Where were you?" to "Is this school even safe?" — "Should I fly over there and get you!?" — "Have you ate?"

I accepted my fate.

Guilt. Guilt. Guilt.

I feel so sorry for worrying him. I hope he's okay now... (Gomenne. >_<)

After twenty long minutes • • •

🍜 "Mou, sonna shinpai kakeru na yo. Tanomu kara." (Just, don't scare us like that again. Please.)

⛅ "Wakatta, Papa. Gomenne..." (Okay, Papa. Sorry...)

Then—

🍜 "...Chanto mizu, nondoru?" (...Have you drink enough water?)

Ah... Asian parents.

...~•~...

Round Two: Oton's Turn.

"Oton" That's how I call the man who raised me in Osaka...

Oton is Papa's bestfriend.

The moment he popped up on the phone screen, I knew.

I picked up his call and I heard a soft sigh.

🍙 "Miko-chan..."—"You okay?"

His voice was gentle.

And that—made me feel worse. Because that means he's disappointed.

And somehow, the guilt of disappointing him hit harder than the guilt of worrying Papa.

⛅ "I'm okay." — "Oton."

🍙 (calmly) "You know why I'm calling, right?"

Yeah. I did.

⛅ "Un..."

🍙 "Ee ka, Miko. Omae wa na, hitori de ikitorun ya nain ya de. Jibun no tame dake ni oru wake ya nain ya" (Listen, Miko. You're not living in this world alone. You don't just exist for yourself.)

⛅ ". . ." I know where this is going.

🍙 "Omae wo kini kaketeru ningen ga gyousan oru tte koto, ee kagen jikaku shii ya." (You got a whole damn lot of people who care about ya. It's about time you realized that.)

⛅ "...Wakatteru." — "Gomen na, Oton." (...I know. — I'm sorry, Father.)

🍙 "Hona, kondo wa chanto sugu renraku dekiru you ni shitoki ya." (Please make sure you're easier to contact next time.)

⛅ "Haaai..." (Okaaay...)

⛅ "...Nee, Oton." My voice came out quieter than I wanted.

⛅ "Genki?" (How are you?)

🍙 "Omae ga buji nara, uchi wa genki ya de." (If you're safe, we're fine.)

I took a deep breath as I try to steady my voice.

⛅ "Gohan, tabeta?" (Have you eaten?)

🍙 "Uchira mo, omae ni aitai de." (We miss you too.)

And Oton... of course he knows I asked him that because—I miss him.

⛅ ". . ."

🍙 "Naite ee de, Miko." (Let your tears fall, Miko.)

⛅ ". . ." Ah... Right! He does know.

🍙 "Uchi wa koko ni oru. Itsudemo tayottara ee." (I'll be here. Anytime you need me, just reach out.)

I smile faintly as tears silently fall, one by one...

🍙 "Yoru wa tsumetai kedo na... namida wo nagashitara, chotto wa attakou naru yarō?"

Yeah, Oton is right again.

The night might be cold... But when you let your tears fall, it gets a little warmer, doesn't it?

...~•~...

Katarina Iliescu, had just finished reviewing reports when a name popped up on her screen—Ji Hye.

🗨️ [Chat Message]

🇰🇷 Kariiin! Heard you attended the meeting. As a hologram from Moldova, huh?

🇲🇩 Of course. I may be away, but I'm still the Vice President.

🇰🇷 Classic Vespera.

. . .

🇰🇷 How's your mother?

🇲🇩 Stable. The treatment is working. I should be back at school soon.

🇰🇷 I'm glad. Everyone's waiting for you here, you know.

🇲🇩 I know. Thank you. But I can't promise that I'll be there before the opening ceremony for the first-years.

🇰🇷 No rush... But I hope you'll be there with us.

🇰🇷 Anyway, while you're gone, we're moving forward with countermeasures.

That got Katarina's attention. She sat up a little straighter.

🇲🇩 Countermeasures?

🇰🇷 For the worst-case scenarios. Evie and I have been coordinating.

...~•~...

Ah. Aegis's deputy. Ivelle Rowena Schwarzenberg.

Rowena was always working alongside him. Why of course... She's his deputy.

Aegis Dmitry Zorin... He had a certain way of speaking to his deputy and Katarina's mind is was always there.

...~•~...

🇰🇷 We're blending security and the health department. A small team from security will go undercover and mix with my people. I'll pick six girls to integrate into security as an exchange.

🇲🇩 That's a solid plan.

. . .

🇲🇩 Zorin approved?

🇰🇷 He's discussing it now.

🇰🇷 Evie told me.

🇰🇷 She's in a Zoom meeting with him to exchange recent updates and go over team rearrangements.

Katarina stilled.

Oh.

Of course. They're working together. Late at night. Just the two of them.

Her grip on the tablet tightened slightly before she forced herself to relax. You're being ridiculous, Vespera.

🇲🇩 Understood. Keep me updated.

🇰🇷 I will.

. . .

🇰🇷 Karin.

🇲🇩 Yeah?

🇰🇷 You're asking about him now?

Katarina's fingers froze.

🇲🇩 It's relevant to the conversation.

Jihye pressed her lips to a thin line.

🇰🇷 Mhm. Sure.

🇲🇩 Is there a problem?

Jihye took a little too long to respond.

🇰🇷 No problem.

🇲🇩 You sure?

🇰🇷 Yeah, sure. Try to get some rest, alright?

🇲🇩 You too.

Katarina stared at the tablet screen for a few moments longer.

Jihye, she's... suspicious. Was I to obvious? Did I revealed to her that my heart slipped?

She closed the chat and set her tablet down.

He's still in a meeting with his deputy. A perfectly reasonable thing. Normal. Professional. Logical.

So why couldn't she sleep?

...~•~...

Minutes passed. Maybe an hour. She rolled onto her back, staring at the ceiling before checking the time again.

The meeting should be over by now...

Her fingers hovered over her phone. She shouldn't. She really shouldn't.

But her hand moved on its own, scrolling through her contacts—until she saw it.

"Unnecessary Distraction." She was the one who named him that.

Before she could change her mind, she pressed call.

Because, just this once... she really wanted to hear his voice.

...~•~...

The dim glow of multiple monitors reflected off the lone figure sitting in front of them. Aegis sat straight-backed, sharp eyes scanning the screens, fingers tapping lightly against the desk. He just ended a Zoom meeting with his deputy, Ivelle. His phone vibrated. The name flashed across the screen:

Vice President Iliescu.

🇷🇺 (low, calm) "Karin?"

Katarina blinked. Just for a fraction of a second, she lost her composure.

Karin.

Not "Vice President." Not "Iliescu" or "Katarina." Not the formal way he'd like to address someone. Just—"Karin." Her well-known nickname, one many used, but never him.

She hadn't expected that.

🇲🇩 (composing herself quickly) "Good evening, Zorin."

Her voice carried its usual refined elegance, but there was an almost imperceptible softness to it.

Aegis leaned back slightly, tilting his head toward the ceiling.

🇷🇺 "It's past midnight where you are."

Katarina's breath caught for a split second. He noticed.

He knew what time it was for her. He remembered her time zone.

(Kyaah~ 😆)

(No, no. Katarina stop! Compose yourself, Karin Vespera!)

🇲🇩 (clearing her throat lightly) "Very observant, as always."

Then, with practiced professionalism.

🇲🇩 "I wanted an update on the infiltration case."

🇷🇺 "Standby for now. We found the cameras. The Data & Intelligence team is checking them as we speak."

A beat of silence. Then, Katarina spoke, her tone carefully neutral.

🇲🇩 "I see. Good work."

Aegis found it slightly odd. A question like this should have gone to his deputy—the head of the girls' security division. Or even the student council president, Katarina's direct partner in authority. Instead, she called him. He knew if she reached out to him first, she has a purpose.

🇷🇺 "Did you asked, Zhen?"

🇲🇩 ". . ." (Oh shoot!)

🇷🇺 "Shouldn't you have asked the president first?"

Katarina was quiet for half a second—

🇲🇩 (lightly) "It's a security matter. Naturally, I contacted the student council's Head of Security."

🇷🇺 "There's Miss Schwarzenberg." — "You should ask her."

🇲🇩 "This concerns the entire school, not just the girls' dorm. I assumed you'd have the full picture."

A perfectly reasonable excuse. A strategic, airtight response. But he knew better. This time... He let it go, turning his attention back to the monitor screens.

🇷🇺 "Fair enough."

A small hum from her end. Then, in a tone that's more thoughtful.

🇲🇩 "...You're always like this, Zorin."

🇷🇺 "Like what?"

🇲🇩 "Distant."

His fingers stilled. There was something in her tone—something that didn't quite fit the sharp, composed elegant image she always presented. He chose not to acknowledge it, for now.

🇷🇺 "It's efficient."

🇲🇩 "I see."

🇲🇩 "Well, I should let you return to your work. Keep me updated if anything changes."

🇷🇺 "Will do."

Then, in a voice quieter than before—one she hoped he wouldn't overanalyze.

🇲🇩 "And... Have some rest." — "Good night, Zorin."

He didn't answer right away.

🇷🇺 (After a pause) "Goodnight."

The call ended. Aegis placed the phone down, his gaze returning to the security feed.

Somewhere in Moldova, Katarina set her phone aside, exhaling softly. Her fingers lightly brushed against the screen—against his contact name. "Unnecessary Distraction."

Her first phone call with her Unnecessary Distraction—Aegis Dmitry Zorin.

She had called for an update. But really... she just wanted to hear his voice.

And now... she might find herself calling again.

Just to hear him saying her name.

Embarrassing. Embarrassing. Embarrassing. (>_<)

She buried her red face in her hands.

...~ 📖 ~...

^^^GPPS, 31 July 2032.^^^

Embun,

It's day 2 of this nightmare and I already want out.

I can't sleep, Embun. And worse—Tomorrow will be the Matriculation Ceremony.

I can't present myself looking like a rat in distressed.

Who knows what kind of lecture babe will give me if I do?

Anyways, an update about those so called "roommates".

First, the British kid, Raffles. He's polite, which—fine, whatever, that's good. But for the love of God, STOP APOLOGIZING. Seriously. Someone bumps into him, and he's the one saying sorry. The wind shifts the wrong way? Apology. He "accidentally" breathes too hard? Probably sorry for that too. Like, man, have a spine! Stand. Your. Ground.

The world isn't going to collapse if you stop acting like a damn doormat!

Then there's him. Yeah, no. Not even wasting words on that one. Something about that bozo is just off. Sus. Don't like him. Don't trust him. End of the story.

The only tolerable person in this room is Macías. He doesn't annoy the hell out of me.

Now, the thing that actually matters: The package. I got it out. Don't ask how I got it delivered out of this island before sunset. Just know that it's on its way to the capital, and S7 will handle the rest. The hair sample—The one I found this afternoon. If I can figure out who it belongs to. It'll bring me a step closer in this case.

And I gotta keep a low profile, it's like they're having an eye on me. Did they found out about mande?

I tried my best to keep it to myself. But of course, I couldn't keep it from her.

Why did I even bother thinking I can hide anything from our mother?

High-class investigator, my ass—she's a full-blown psychic at this point. It's like she breathes down my neck even when she's not here. At least she's not interfering. She's letting me handle this one... for now.

If I screw this up, it'll be my fault. Again. Because that's how it always is.

Argh! Incompetence! 💢

And hey, Embun.

You know, I write these thinking maybe you'd answer me one day.

Stupid, right? But it helps. Not that it matters. You're still gone.

But today... today messed me up.

There was this... girl. Just a random kid. But when she smiled—that smile—my heart nearly stopped. The dimple. The same damn dimple on her right cheek. The one that was on your face when...

Coincidence? Nah.

You and I both know I don't believe in those bullshit. Coincidences are ridiculous and delusional. People just call them that when they're too blind to see the truth staring them in the face.

But what truth am I looking at? 🍃

...~•~...

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