She ignores it. Brotherly bonding is important, after all. Hwanin needs to have a secure attachment to somebody, and since she’ll be reincarnated soon (if this all goes well, mystery and squashing both), it’s best to leave Hwanin where he is in Seokga’s arm. Something in Kisa’s chest twists, and she winces as light blue streaks from her side of the thread to Seokga’s. The god falters, staring back at her. His thoughts are a jumbled mess.

—why—sad—Kisa—Hani—want—wish—hope—

Clearing her throat, Kisa turns back to Hajun, who’s watching her in worry—close enough to understand her tells. “So?” she asks before her friend can say anything. “Where were they around eight-thirty last night?”

Hajun hesitates, setting down his boba and glancing at Somi.

“Chaeyeon left the greenhouse at the same time as Hwanin,” the gumiho says, lacing her hands together and meeting Kisa’s eye, as if delivering a formal report. “Hwanin made his way to the I-95, and for a short while, Chaeyeon wasn’t too far behind him.”

Kisa holds her breath. “She was following him?”

Hajun shakes his head ever so slightly and gestures for Kisa to keep listening.

“But while Hwanin continued on to Deck 0, Chaeyeon stopped on Deck 2, where she disposed of the broken glass in the garbage compactor. Afterward, she continued on to Deck 1, where she entered a cabin and stayed for the duration of the night. Meanwhile, Korain left the greenhouse around eight-fifteen p.m….”

“With Lee Soo-min,” adds Hajun, and Kisa chews on her bottom lip.

“And where did he go?”

“The cameras track Korain heading up to Deck 8, to the bridge for the night watch.”

Her heart is sinking in her chest. “And he stays there?”

“Until midnight, when he swaps out with another man,” Somi confirms.

“But that’s well past the time of the murder…” Exhaling in disappointment and growing confusion, Kisa draws out her notebook and flips through the pages. “Are we sure—are we certain that’s the correct footage? Why was Chaeyeon going through Hwanin’s room? Who’s their ‘Boss’ if not Hwanung?” She hands the transcript from Seokga’s phone call to Hajun and watches anxiously as he reads, Somi looking over his shoulder.

The gumiho’s brows rise. “I would say that’s some solid evidence,” she says. “But as to your question about why the two were rummaging around in Hwanin’s room…” Kisa watches as Somi glances to Seokga warily. “He’s not going to like this. At all.”

“Try me,” the trickster grits out, snatching Hwanin back down from the air like the child is an errant balloon.