An honest lie | Kim Taehyung (editing*)

- No choise -

XXVII

"How do you know this?" She gritted through her teeth, eyebrows crushed together as an uncomfortable feeling rushed through her veins.

Taehyung licked his dry lips and breathed in before speaking up. "There's not exactly evidence of it, but-"

"Then how can you be sure?" Eda cut him off with a slightly more aggressive tone that had Taehyung frown.

"Someone saw her... anyway we can't be sure." He winced his eyes at her.

Her gaze dropped for the first time and remained looking down in skepticism.

"This is a very sensitive subject, so it would be best if you kept it to yourself." He added.

Eda stared back at him, her eyes formed in a suspicious thin line as she kept observing and studying him closely, such which expression brought chills to the young man. After moments of unbearable silence, she parted her lips and spoke as her shoulders loosened up from their tensed muscles. "You haven't told him."

Taehyung frowned at her statement that seemed so certain that left him almost speechless. "Haven't told who?.." He did know who, but wasn't sure whether to act as he did or simply pretend not to understand her so that she would talk more. Either way, he found himself feeling anxious since Eda didn't seem to buy his act at all. So he watched her keeping quiet until he would apparently figure out the obvious anonymous person who is yet to know the melodramatic news.

He suddenly felt challenged by her, not that it was the first time, but certainly made him react more coldly, thus he lowered his voice as well and adapted to a harsher version of himself. "You mean Mr. Palazzi? No. Not yet."

He swore he could almost see her gaze hardened once he mentioned the 'not yet' part.

"Why?"

"We need to be sure about this. Until then, it's best if this information is kept in the dark for now."

Her expression suddenly changed and she lifted her head and slightly tilted it, all this while still gawking at him. "I see. Then why did you tell me?" Her voice went back to its ironic and sarcastic tone.

Again he was left speechless. He had no reason to tell her, he himself wanted to test her but ended up spilling the beans without thinking much. Why? He had no idea he started internally cursing at himself for being so irresponsible. Her question left him unexpected to the point he even forgot to ask her something he's been meaning to for some time now.

"It's alright detective. I won't say anything." She reassured him with a nod. An emotional one but still comforting enough for him.

His self-judgment was interrupted by her calm voice as he looked back at her while biting his lower lip. His nervousness suddenly withered after her simple words, helping him gather his thoughts.

"I do have a reason for telling you."

She raised her eyebrows at that and waited for him to continue.

"One because I wanted to see your reaction. And two... because I trust you."

~

"No sign of him." Jungkook responded to Taehyung after he asked for the suspicious man's whereabouts for the nineteenth time.

He shut his eyes and sighed heavily. "Seems we're going through a block."

The inspector nodded and dropped himself on his chair. "At this pace, we could never find out who did it."

Taehyung shook his head and quietly growled after heading for his office and slamming the door shut. He walked to his desk and sat down while resting his head on the back of the chair and closing his eyes to let his mind clear for a moment.