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Jun bit his lip, trying to stop his heart from leaping out of his chest. This person knew him in a working manner. Perhaps even closer? The thought haunted him, but he was so close to his answers. “Was he alright?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean,” Jun hesitated. The road was getting steeper and windier, tree canopies closing off the overcast morning sky. He was getting closer to Covey’s house. “You must have heard from the news about what happened to him. And I only ask because”—Jun took a deep breath—“I used to be close to him.”

“Really?” Robin’s voice came so quiet, the car speakers barely caught it. “How close?”

As much as he hated that question, Jun took in deep, calming breaths. He never thought about how close he actually was with Ruki. He never questioned it, but he was afraid of knowing.

“We hung out every day in high school,” said Jun, laughing softly. Strange he was opening up when he asked them first. But every part of his body ached for Ruki. He could have stopped talking, but dormant emotions spilled over like a rapid waterfall. “When we graduated, we went our separate ways. He went to college and did amazing things, like becoming the head of this drug project. I don’t blame him for not talking to me after that, because he was probably busy. I didn’t want to bother him. I didn’t want to be in the way of his career.”

“You wouldn’t be,” said Robin sternly.

Jun knew this must have made Robin uncomfortable, but he somehow couldn’t stop. He shuddered out a sigh, tears building behind his eyes. “But I did run into him at the mall. I mean, we caught up. It had been so long since we’ve seen each other. But… I should’ve said something before he left. But I didn’t. It was too late. As you know what happened.”

“I’m so sorry,” said Robin, their static voice crackling into the car’s speakers.

“It’s okay!” Jun tried to laugh off the tears threatening to spill. It had been a while since he’d cried. Even if they were faceless behind a phone, he didn’t want to let the tears run. “I knew he was going through so much. It’s all because I didn’t make more effort to help him. I wasn’t a very good friend.”

“Don’t say that,” said Robin, their voice cracking. “You did everything you could. I was just—”

“I just made it to the house.” Jun reached out of the car window to punch in the gate code. The large stone doors creaked inwards towards the mansion’s slick concrete driveway. “I didn’t mean to go off topic, but if it’s okay, can you tell me what you know about him when this job is over?” he asked as he pulled the Vanquish into the front driveway.

“Of course. Anything.”

“Thanks,” said Jun, quickly wiping away the tears. He parked the Vanquish next to an electric-blue Toyota Prius, close to the marble steps of the front door. “I’ll talk to you later.”

He ended the call, not giving Robin a chance to respond.

Jun got to the steps and rang the doorbell. He glanced behind him. Seeing the Vanquish parked on the clean driveway felt lonely and almost eerie. The LA skyline peeked above the treetops under a layer of mixed overcast clouds and smog.

The door opened.

Covey, dressed in a soft gray T-shirt and boat shorts, leaned against the door frame, grinning. This was the most relaxed and casual Jun had ever seen him.

“Hey,” said Covey. “Glad you could make it. I just got breakfast ready.”

“Yeah, of course.” Jun glanced back at the two cars below the steps. “Thanks for letting me use your Vanquish, by the way. When I’m done here, I can just give it back to you.”

Covey shook his head, scrunching his lips into a “no problem” gesture. “How did you like it?”

As much as Jun loved driving a nice car, like the Vanquish, he didn’t earn it. He didn’t want to continue to lead Covey on with it. “It’s great. But I really should give it back to you. It’s not mine.”

Covey shrugged. “Well, earlier you kind of seemed like you used it like it was your own.”

Jun furrowed his eyebrows. “What do you mean?”

Covey chuckled. He eased the door closer, wedging himself into the gap as he leaned towards Jun. Covey raised his eyebrows with a cold smile. “Well, when you take a guest on a scheduled taping, I’d say that’s like you calling the shots, hm?”

Before Jun could respond, something heavy cracked against the back of his skull.

The world lurched.

His knees buckled, his forehead struck something hard—the doorframe, the marble, he couldn’t tell—and everything went black.

24

Glass