Mr. No || NCT || Completed

38 - Where Renjun tries on a face mask

The sound of waves hitting the shore before rolling back complimented by occasional screams of seagulls created a foreign yet calming atmosphere. Renjun had never spent much time near the ocean but walking along the coastline while the salty, cool air filled his lungs and played with his hair had a soothing effect on his stressed-out brain.

Chaewon was walking beside him, occasionally crouching down to pick up pretty rocks and shell pieces. She had been abnormally quiet ever since they left the police station.

She picked up yet another rock – even though her hands were almost full – before finally breaking the silence. "Detective Lim said that three people died in the accident. Who do you think was the third person?"

"I don't know." Renjun kicked a bigger rock into the ocean. It plopped loudly against the waves before disappearing underneath the surface. "We aren't even sure how my uncle and your grandmother met and why they were in the same car."

Chaewon looked at her rock collection. "I guess it's a good thing then that we are going to the Geolmae Mental Institute tomorrow. Maybe they know something."
She stopped walking and closed her eyes, focusing on the sound of waves. "I've missed the ocean. Did you know that the human kind has explored only like five percent of the oceans of the Earth?"

"I've heard about it." Renjun halted as well.

They stood side by side, facing the vast, cold body of water. Chaewon opened her eyes and started throwing her treasured rocks and seashell pieces into the water one by one.

"My group – ", she blinked, "Tulle Roulette is having their new comeback soon. I had a video-call with them this morning."

Renjun hummed.

"In the long run it was better for me not to become an idol but it still makes me a bit sad, you know?" She sighed. "And now I'm thinking about my grandmother and all the bad omen stuff and everything. It's... a lot."

Renjun remained quiet. A wave crashed into the sand close to their feet, sending tiny sprinkles of cold water up in the air.

"And my grandmother was the one driving. For all we know, she may have caused the crash." Chaewon threw the next rock with more strength than was necessary, as if it had offended her personally. "I knew that she had issues but killing two people with reckless driving wasn't something I was expecting."

Renjun took one of her rocks. "I think that they might have died no matter who was driving." He threw it. "Maybe I'm wrong but I have a feeling that the crash wasn't an accident."

"How come?"

A seagull flew by right above their heads. Behind them, a little boy was giggling while running away from his parents who were pretending to chase after him.

"Detective Lim himself said that it was odd how little paperwork he could find on the case, and how it was solved so quickly." Chaewon was starting to run out of rocks, so Renjun crouched down to pick a new one for her before continuing to speak. "Also, when my grandmother mentioned uncle Wenyin's death, she made it sound like there was something off about it."

Chaewon looked at the rock he had picked out for her. It wasn't as pretty as the ones she had chosen. "So, you think that someone killed them and staged it as an accident?" She tried to sound calm but he could sense a hint of anxiety in her voice.

"Yes."

Chaewon nodded, not taking her eyes off of the stone. The wind was blowing her hair into her eyes but she didn't seem to mind. "I guess it makes sense."

The sound of the little boy's laughter grew distant as the family moved further away from them.

"You know, that you don't need to do this here with me. It can get dangerous if there is someone who wanted to get rid of uncle Wenyin and your grandmother, and if that someone hears about us", Renjun said after some time. "If you want, you can go home and I can continue on my own."