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She closed the door behind her and stood on the sidewalk, like she was waiting for Jun to leave first. He turned on the car and drove out of the street. He didn’t look back at Yoona once and didn’t want to. A twinge of regret pulled at his heart for coming down this street, but at least he was able to see Ruki’s mother.

If he stayed longer, he didn’t know how much of those bottled emotions would erupt. To distract himself, he drove back to the gas station as he thought of how to tell Hal his answer.

4

Kana

Augs: so am I supposed to be looking for you or something?

Robin: no not me. The person that requested the job. The benefactor.

Augs: and who’s that?

Robin: her name is Kana

“So we aren’t meeting Robin?” asked Hal, side-eyeing at Alex from behind the passenger seat.

“Afraid not,” said Alex, still looking through Robin’s messages.

Hal scoffed. “They a pussy or something?”

Alex smirked back. “Fuck would I know, man. Maybe they think they’re ugly or some shit.” He set the phone down and cast his gaze at Hal’s dark face, washed from the streetlights. “Says we looking for a girl. Kana.”

Hal pointed to the driver’s seat with a mischievous grin. “Connor?”

“Ka—na. You dumbass.” Alex enunciated her name, making sure it sounded nothing like Connor.

“They don’t even sound alike,” Jun nonchalantly chimed in as Hal snickered. Jun turned the car around the corner. Bright, quirky bar signs lit up the sidewalk, the only color in the dead of night.

Because that’s not your fucking name, is what Alex wanted to say. He hadn’t had the chance to talk to Hal about Jun. But Alex didn’t want to deal with that shit right now. Tonight’s job took priority, especially if he could get intel on Ayase. That was probably why Jun agreed to be their driver, not that Alex could argue against it.

“There it is,” said Hal, pointing ahead. Through the dark misty fog, gaudy orange pinwheel flags spelled out “Norms.”

Once Jun pulled the Civic in front of the restaurant. Alex quickly got out and started walking.

Hal followed suit but tapped the roof of the car. Jun rolled down the window. “We won’t be long, but if things go south, we’ll give you the signal.”

“What’s the signal?” Jun asked dryly.

Hal laughed. “Trust me, you’ll know.” He pointed his thumb at the restaurant. “Want anything?”

Jun shook his head.

Hal saluted with two fingers, giving his regards. “Aight. Just hang tight.” He caught up with Alex by the entrance. “You got anything to say to him?”

Alex shook his head.

Hal raised his eyebrows. “Damn, y’all one and the same,” he muttered. He went into the restaurant first with Alex trailing behind.

Norms was on the better end of chain diners in Los Angeles for the food quality and low prices. It was always crowded no matter what time of the day it was. Various patrons filled the tables as they enjoyed their meals, but it didn’t compare with the crowded rush during the day. And because it was October, fake cotton cobwebs, hanging spiders and pumpkins, and balloons of cartoon Halloween monsters decorated every side of the booths.

Alex raised himself on his tiptoes, scanning the room for a girl sitting alone. Waitresses blocked his view, hustling down the aisle towards the bar, calling out orders for the cooks. If he sidestepped, a large half-deflated ghost balloon blocked his view.

Hal looked around effortlessly due to his height advantage. “So, she here already?”

“Dunno,” Alex muttered, trying to suppress the urge to fight a cartoon ghost as he got out his phone.

Augs: yo robin