The teeth's DNA report printed as Billy waited in front of the printer. "Chan, you're absolutely right. The teeth and blood do belong to Dylan."

"That makes things complicated..." The police madam read the report herself before returning to Alice and Shun at the public interview table. "I've recorded both of your statements, and Clara said that she'll give hers after work. Anything else I can help you with?"

"It can't be a coincidence that all three pieces of mail have no return address and contained unpleasant things," the redhead noted.

"Honestly, the cockroaches and blades seemed kind of harmless, but removing teeth takes a lot more effort. I need to discuss this with my team first."

"Thanks, Chan. We'll get going." Alice exited the building before Shun and signed. "It's happening all over again."

"Alice, you should go home and rest. It's not the first time that you've been here—with or without me—but it's also not something you'll get used to easily."

"You're right—it's not. Especially since some rival back in college purposely tripped Chris so that she would break her jaw and can't play her flute."

Shun stopped walking and turned around immediately, only to see the redhead staring blankly into nowhere ahead of her. "I want to help you move on, but it's not working when you keep thinking about other events in the past that relate to your—"

This time, Alice rushed forward and hugged the raven-haired student tonight. "Please don't leave me."

"What...why would I?"

"There's no one else that truly understands what I've been through."

Unsure of what to do, he returned the hug and pulled her in closer. Alice is in a very vulnerable state. Anything I say could trigger her. Both past and present aren't giving her an easy time, but I need more information to move on. Suddenly, his phone rang, which he answered. "Hello?"

"It's Joe. I'm calling because Lync told the prison staff who told my mom that he wanted to see you. The request was made a few days ago. Sorry that it took this long for the message to relay to you."

"Don't worry about it. I'll let your mom know when I'm free."

After Shun hung up, Alice let go and asked, "Who was that?"

"I was just told that Lync wants to see me, so I need to find a date that works out."

"Lync again?" The redhead patted her forehead as usual and looked away. "I really need to go home—"

"But you haven't eaten anything all day except your iced caramel macchiato."

"It's okay, Shun. I'm not hungry."

Alice continued walking, but the raven-haired student stood in place and raised his voice. "You know I'm doing this for you, right?"

"Don't you mean your mother?" The redhead stopped walking and kept her back faced toward him. "Like I said when I gave you the egg tarts, I really do feel less nervous around you now compared to when we first met. I know you really care about and want to help me, but that's not the issue. What Lync did to the five of us back then still lingers with scars in me. I can't control the way I react—"

Suddenly, Shun surprised her with a back hug and he lowered his voice. "I know exactly what I'm doing."

The radio host held up one hand to her face to cover up the heat. What are you doing?!

"Leave everything about Lync and that locker room case to me. Promise me that you'll recover this mail incident first?"

"I will." Alice nodded before Shun let go and held her by bracelet hand while leading her back to his car. Am I really that important to you?

-x-x-x-x-x-

"Sorry that I took so long to schedule."

Shun took his seat across Lync as the latter shook his head. "It's not your fault. People just don't care about me."

"Don't say that. Your message eventually got through. Is there something specific you wanted to talk about?"

"Um...I kind of forgot. It's been so long since I put in my initial request..."

Since I learned more about Alice's past since the last time I visited, maybe I can ask Lync about this too. "Maybe you'll remember as we talk. Are you aware that three girls died while the other two survived?"

Lync clasped his hands together like last time again and kept his head down. "It really wasn't supposed to be like this."

He said that last time, but I still don't understand. After the pink-haired prisoner refused to look up, Shun leaned forward and rested his chin on his hands. "What ending did you want, then? Would you rather have them all alive but incapacitated, or—"

"Dead...I wanted them all dead."

"I thought—"

The pink-haired prisoner looked up immediately, prompting Shun to back up into his seat again. "They're just a bunch of brutally honest attention seekers and careless bystanders who jumped to conclusions about everything and only cared about themselves!" Lync finally calmed down but stood up and pushed his chair in. "I still can't quite remember what I wanted to talk to you about, but I'm tried. See you another time."

He's too agitated from what just happened to focus or answer my questions. After Shun checked out of the facility, he repeated Lync's in his head until he had it all memorized. Why would he say something so strange yet detailed like that? It's definitely not in Mom's notes. Was it a good thing or bad thing for me to provoke him? Why would he call the girls that?

Suddenly, an incoming call displayed Alice's name under caller ID, which sent a chill throughout his body. Did Lync really try to kill them out of hate? Revenge? Envy? Or something deeper? Shun let the call ring until it automatically hung up and returned to his vehicle. Not that I don't want to talk to you, but there are so many things that I need to straighten out right now.

-x-x-x-x-x-

While typing a work email, Alice answered an incoming call. "Hi Runo, you're on speakerphone. What's up?"

"Just calling to see how you're doing with work, especially since you're alone up there again. Nobody wants another dispute to happen downstairs when getting off work."

"Dylan's in the hospital, so he won't bother me for a while."

"That's true, but you've been working so many extra hours lately to make up for unexpected absences. Can you handle all that?"

"Of course I can! I explained to Anubias already, and he was very lenient about it as long as I record my hours responsibly. Also, it's almost eleven. I have work to finish, and you need to go to sleep. I'll be fine. Good night." After hanging up, she was about to lock the screen when Shun's caller ID showed up, and she put him on speakerphone as well. "You're calling me back."

"Sorry, I was busy. There are some major projects due soon, and groupwork takes more time than expected."

"Oh...sorry to hear that. So how did your meeting with Lync go?"

"Nothing really. He actually forgot what he wanted to ask me about because it took so long for his request to finally reach me. I just asked whatever I could remember from Mom's notes."

"Best not get too close to him."

Shun took a pause and listened to Alice type on her keyboard before answering. "Thanks for the advice. I'm calling because Runo and Julie told me to tell you to stop working. It's really late, Alice. Might not be so easy going home at this hour."

"If Aunt Clara can't pick me up, then what about you?"

Shun took another long pause, but Alice also stopped typing, and the silence droned on. "I—"

"Ignore me. I can't believe I already forgot about the groupwork that you just mentioned earlier."

"You're tired and fatigued, Alice. Go home and sleep." After listening to a few more keyboard taps, Shun added, "Call back another time?"

"That works." After the redhead sent her email, she shut down all active electronics in the office. "You can tell Runo and Julie that I'm going home because I finally finished writing an email. See you tomorrow."

"Good night."

As Alice pressed the elevator buttons and waited, she clasped her hands together held them to her face. Please don't introduce another annoying person downstairs like last—

Suddenly, all the hallway lights shut off, and the elevator engines went silent. I did not ask for a power outage! She pulled out her phone and turned the flashlight on. Time to take the stairs.

Alice descended carefully while gripping the railing tightly. About halfway through her descent, she stopped walking after hearing speedy footsteps from above. I thought I was the only person here this late. She continued downstairs, but turned around again after hearing metallic sounds echo from above. That does not sound human. The metallic sounds resonated louder, and the radio host ran downstairs without regard to safety. Please don't be another locker room murder— "Aaahhh!"

The redhead tripped at the bottom of a set of stairs and landed forward onto the wall. If I were a few steps behind, I would've tumbled down the stairs instead of on this flat surface.

A large flashlight beam circled around the wall before an elderly man in a security uniform saw the radio host in distress. "Miss Alice, what are you doing here?!"

"Kato, help me!" She approached the security guard while limping and explained. "I got off work and was going to take the elevator when the power went out. Then I heard footsteps and some metallic sounds from upstairs."

"Let me check." Kato went up two sets of stairs and shined his flashlight around. "I don't hear or see anything, Miss Alice."

"Are you sure?" Alice shook her head and rubbed her eyes. "Maybe the blackout is giving me anxiety. Sorry about that."

"No worries. Would you like me to bring you home? My shift just ended as well."

"Thank you. I appreciate it." The redhead looked up the stairs one last time before leaving. Forgetting what Shun said within a minute of mentioning is one thing, but am I that tired to the point of hallucinating things?

-x-x-x-x-x-

The next day, Alice visited the hospital's non-emergency department to exam both her feet. She sat on a patient bed and watched Hydron interpret the x-ray results. "I see nothing with the bones in your feet. Most likely a muscle or tendon issue. What else did you do relieve the pain before you came here today?"

"Mainly just ice packs and painkillers. You have no idea how scared I was last night. The power died when I least expected, and I had to get leave as quickly as possible."

"You're thinking about the locker incident, aren't you?"

"I am... I shouldn't have stayed overtime, but so many weird things happened during the day that hinder me from fully working."

The attending physician returned and spoke with Hydron before handing the PA student a piece of paper and then leaving. "You're good to go. The physician that checked you in prescribed you a topical cream to apply to affected areas. Should I get a wheelchair?"

"Yes, please." The radio host's phone vibrated as she flexed her feet. "Runo, what's—"

"Do you how worried I am?! Why didn't you tell me that you got hurt last night on the way downstairs?!"

"Runo, calm down. I'm already at the hospital and waiting to pick up a prescription. Wait—who told you I got hurt?"

"Gunz was telling the entire building after he claimed to have heard it from the security staff. Anyway, Julie just went out to do something, so she and Shun might pick you up later. Not my business. Goodbye."

I honestly think they worry too much about me, but I've been in and out of the hospital so many times that I've lost count. Alice opened an incoming text notification. "Can you meet us at the back entrance?" asked Julie. "It's more convenient that way."

"I'll try." Hydron later returned with a paper bag and a wheelchair. "Can we go to the back entrance? There's a ride waiting for me."

"No problem. And here's your medication." As the PA student pushed the patient down the halls, he said, "I know this doesn't pertain to you or me, but the school's changing some of the prerequisites and policies for new students currently entering or still applying to the accelerated programs."

"I almost forgot that prerequisites existed..."

"Now, they're stingier than ever. Once you're in the graduate or professional side of the program, you sometimes forget where you started from."

My wish is to forget everything and move on. Before they crossed the automatic sliding doors, a tall girl with creamy-blonde hair blocked the exit. "What the—"

"Hydron, how could you ditch me and an important interprofessional meeting for her?!"

Alice glanced at Hydron, who faced the blonde guest and explained. "Katie, I didn't ditch any meeting. It's optional for non-pharmacy staff and students, so I came to the non-emergency department to complete my hours instead of—"

Katie stepped closer and placed a hand on the wheelchair's righthand armrest. "What exactly does he see in you?! Why can't I—"

"I wonder where Alice—" Shun entered with Julie and saw the altercation. "Hey! Get your hand off the wheelchair!" Meanwhile, Julie removed Katie's hand and successfully pushed the wheelchair outside.

"Leave Hydron and me alone!" Katie screamed.

Hydron glared at his colleague before running forward. "Alice, please don't listen to—"

"Stop it," Shun interrupted. "I know it's not your fault, but you're not making things better either." He then glanced at the blonde pharmacy intern, who sniffled repeatedly before leaving with teary eyes. "Keep your eyes on her."

By the time the raven-haired student returned to his car, Julie already situated Alice into the passenger seat and returned the wheelchair. "This hospital gives me bad vibes."

The redhead sighed and buried her face into her hands. "Why did I come to the hospital when I could've gone to a walk-in clinic?"

"Because you wanted to see Hydron."

Alice lifted her head immediately and looked into the side mirror to see Julie already wearing earphones to watch something on her phone. "What makes you say that?"

"Do you like him, though?"

"Of course not! He was Taylor's boyfriend. I'd never cross that line, even if she's gone. We're just friends."

With a subtle smirk, he answered, "That's good."

"Why?"

"You have nothing to be afraid of."

That's exactly what Runo and Julie implied when they compared me to Dylan. "You think so? I know I'm definitely afraid of that girl I see with Hydron every time I'm at the hospital."

"You mean Katie? She wasn't so problematic last time. So...did you ever date anyone in college? Or high school?"

Alice blinked as the car slowed at a red light. "Why do you ask?"

"I'm trying to understand everyone's perspective, starting with Hydron. Seem like he still can't let go of Taylor. I think Katie's trying to get his attention, but he's always assisting you when she wants to see him the most."

"Or maybe I'm always at the wrong place at the wrong time. Besides, many of people in my degree program knew about Taylor and Hydron's relationship. Something about 'best couple ever'. Some couples envied them, while others even broke up because they couldn't be as great as Taylor and Hydron were. Doesn't matter now."

Shun pressed the gas pedal after the light turned green and pondered. I can't imagine how much Taylor and Hydron handled all the attention. Or maybe Taylor was the type to show off? Combine that with what Lync said...

The trio arrived at their destination, and Alice knocked on Julie's window after getting off. "Julie, time for work. Shun, I'll see you another time."

Shun waved his passengers goodbye and answered his ringing phone afterwards. "Dan, what now?"

"Uh...I locked myself out, and my parents aren't home either. Can you—"

"Five minutes." Shun hung up and later arrived at the Kuso residence to see Dan pacing around the front door. "You're lucky I don't have class right now. Why did you come back so early?"

"I forgot something that I need for an important meeting later."

While Dan searched his bedroom, Shun stood in front of the door and asked, "Any leads on Dylan's assault or the suspicious packages?"

"Nothing solid, sorry. Can you believe that I saved him from a hot grease attack, but he ended up assaulted with missing teeth? Anyway, Chan thinks that the threatening mail is aimed toward the show's host and ex-host."

"I'm not concerned about the cockroaches and blades, but if the perpetrator almost beat Dylan to death, can you imagine what they might do to Alice?"

"Found it!" The brunet exited with a folder in his hand and then elbowed his best friend's arm. "Sounds like you're worrying more about her, just like last—"

"Dan, where are your keys?"

The police trainee's face turned pale before he ran back without a word to search his room again. Shun left the house and immediately drove back to campus. Why do more problems keep arising before the main problem is even close to being solved?