Chapter 16
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: Perfect Reasoning (7)
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There's an old story like this.
A man realized that his farming tools had gone missing from his house. When he thought about who the culprit might be, he suspected the boy next door. From that moment on, the man began watching the boy. Once he started suspecting and staring, everything the boy did—walking around, playing, even looking around—seemed like the actions of a thief.
Here were Fukuya Yumi and Na Hwayoung.
The two of them realized that Serika was acting strange. When they thought about the odd parts, it looked just like a romantic scene from a drama. Once they started suspecting and watching her, every single one of Serika's actions seemed to hint that she was in love.
"Ehehe...!"
Serika stopped talking mid-sentence, checked her phone for a message, and lifted the corners of her mouth in a satisfied smile. The two girls she was chatting with widened their eyes at her and exchanged glances. They didn't say it out loud, but as they looked at each other, they were both mumbling the same thing inwardly.
Yep.
"Oh, sorry. Did I break the flow?"
Serika casually pocketed her phone again with a smiling expression. Hwayoung and Yumi showed no sign of suspicion and continued the original topic.
"Huh? No. Anyway, Serika. Which outfit in this magazine do you think is prettier? Casual styles feel a bit outdated these days."
"I like this elegant one here. A woman should dress modestly, so these flashy outfits are..."
"But I kinda prefer neat and tidy over hip styles too. Solid colors."
"For real? Wearing something this drab?"
They were talking about fashion just like any other kids their age, but even then, Hwayoung and Yumi exchanged glances and kept surveilling Serika.
"Yeah, no issues here. You're the busy one, but you message a lot."
"Me? Nah, nothing much today. Just hanging with friends, classes—same old elementary school stuff. What about you? Aren't you busy? You call every time like this."
Serika, who had stepped away alone for a moment, picked up the phone the instant it rang. She kept a smile on her face, twirling her hair as she chatted happily. Watching from a distance, Yumi and Hwayoung exchanged looks and nodded.
Yep.
"Okay. Talk to you later then."
After hanging up, Serika approached humming a tune, looking satisfied just from the call. Yumi and Hwayoung pretended not to notice anything as they popped out from the alley to greet her.
"Hey, Serika!"
"Miss Serika."
Even though they hadn't called out too loudly, Serika jumped in place like a startled cat and stared at them with wide eyes.
"Wha—? Huh? What? Why'd you pop out like that?"
Her obvious panic made the two nod at each other again.
Yep.
But they couldn't ask her outright right then. Dating was that secretive and personal. So Yumi smiled and said,
"We're heading to the school store. Wanna come?"
"Huh? Yeah, let's go. Hurry up."
Serika grinned at the suggestion and followed Yumi and Hwayoung.
"It's definitely a boyfriend. She just got one."
"I think so too."
After school ended.
After parting with Serika, the two met at a café, facing each other with serious expressions. Yumi blew into her cup through the straw like a cigarette, making bubbles. Hwayoung furrowed her brow slightly at the sight, straightened up, sipped her juice, and said to Yumi,
"But isn't sneaking around to uncover something she's hiding a bad thing?"
"Yeah, it is."
Yumi nodded coolly. It was such an obvious statement that her response was just as straightforward, and Hwayoung tilted her head, wondering if she'd misjudged that bold, refreshing nod.
"Then shouldn't we wait until she tells us herself...?"
"But aren't you curious?"
Hwayoung blinked at Yumi's words. She stared at the ceiling, lost in thought, took a sip of juice, and nodded.
"...I am."
Of course, prying too much into a friend's love life was rude. But that applied to adults—this was Yumi and Hwayoung, elementary school kids. They knew it was wrong, but at that age, curiosity alone was enough to make them try anything.
Especially uncovering someone else's boyfriend—what could be more thrilling for energetic ten-year-olds? Yumi grinned and spoke up.
"Anyway, from what I overheard, the person she was talking to seems older than us. Maybe an upperclassman? Like a middle school guy?"
"It could even be a high schooler. Serika sometimes acts way more mature than her age. She probably thinks her classmates aren't on her level."
Yumi's eyes widened at Hwayoung's idea.
"That's bold. But a high school guy? That's a huge age gap. Even for Serika, that might be a stretch."
Hwayoung nodded and said,
"True. If it's a high school boy, we have to break them up right away. A high schooler chasing an elementary kid? That's definitely trouble."
Yumi sipped her drink, recalling Serika on the phone. Serika texted and called pretty often, a total contrast to her usual hands-off phone habits. Probably the boyfriend asking for constant contact.
"She talks a lot too. Maybe a super clingy type."
"Could be the obsessive kind."
"Eww."
Yumi grimaced and shook her head. With her disgusted sound, the topic fizzled out. An unnatural silence settled over the café, like someone had deliberately derailed it.
Both Yumi and Hwayoung realized that just talking about it here wasn't fun enough.
They glanced at each other warily, wondering who would step up first, as the ice in their drinks melted away.
After stirring her cup with the straw in contemplation, Yumi spoke.
"...Should we just find out who it is ourselves? Seeing his face would kill our curiosity quick."
Hwayoung tilted her head at Yumi's suggestion.
"How?"
Yumi replied,
"The days she says she'll go ahead alone to avoid us—those are probably boyfriend meetups. We tail her then."
Hwayoung shook her head at the word "tail."
"Tail her? That's not right. Following a friend is wrong."
"You aren't curious?"
When Yumi asked, Hwayoung blinked, looked up at the ceiling again, and sipped her juice.
"...I am."
Hwayoung couldn't beat her curiosity.
A few days passed.
Serika, who had seemed calm, suddenly wore a determined expression and said to the two,
"Oh, sorry guys. I have plans today, so I gotta head out first."
The moment Serika said it, Yumi and Hwayoung looked at each other and nodded in silent agreement.
Today.
"Perfect timing. I have plans with my parents too, so I'll go ahead."
"Huh, Hwayoung? You too? My folks told me to come home early for dinner out today."
They lied in perfect sync, smiling at Serika. Unaware of their ruse, Serika replied,
"Oh? See you tomorrow then."
She waved casually as she left, practically skipping with excitement even on the way home from school. Seeing that, the two exchanged glances again.
Yep.
It seemed like today was the day.
"Mom, I'm hanging out with Yumi today and coming home later! Yeah, my classmate Yumi."
Yumi nodded at the phone call she overheard from afar. Using her name as an excuse confirmed it was a boyfriend meetup. Grimacing predatorily, they stalked her stealthily, drawing glances from passersby.
Serika seemed oblivious, walking briskly with light steps that made her look oddly cheerful.
"Be careful. We can't get caught."
"She looks too excited to notice anything."
"Still, better safe."
As they trailed her, certainty filled their minds. Serika was heading the opposite way from home, with that weird excuse about hanging with Yumi.
"But isn't this a weird spot for a date? This leads to the industrial district."
"Maybe the boyfriend's an adult? Someone who works around here?"
"Nah."
Yumi shook her head. Hwayoung's imagination was running wild. An adult dating an elementary kid?
Even roughly, that sounded problematic.
"No way."
Hwayoung nodded at Yumi's words and said,
"Yeah, that was a bit extreme on my part..."
But Hwayoung froze with her mouth agape mid-sentence. Yumi, peeking from behind a wall, also widened her eyes and stiffened.
A man with star-shaped sunglasses, driving a red sports car, covered in tattoos—a total delinquent—was waving at Serika.
Beyond imagination in looks. Beyond imagination in age gap.
Hwayoung and Yumi felt their minds go blank.
Serika strode right up to him confidently, and the two began chatting with smiles.
They nodded along amiably, then the car door opened, and Serika got in.
Before Hwayoung and Yumi could pull themselves together, the car sped off toward the industrial zone.
"Ah..."
"Um..."
How much time had passed?
Hwayoung finally blinked and asked Yumi,
"...What do we do?"
Yumi, pale-faced and blinking rapidly, caught her breath. She slapped her cheeks to snap out of it, looked at Hwayoung, and yelled,
"It's a crime!"