She feels the weight of his worried stare and attempts to collect herself. A mystery like this one does not take only a day and a half to solve, she reminds herself. And just because Chaeyeon and Korain weren’t involved in the murder doesn’t mean that Hwanung hasn’t sent a different assassin. The only question is who?

The god’s thoughts are irate.

—meddling—Godly Gossip—fucking—underwear—my—boxers—next—fucking—hells—

“Hold the baby,” Seokga tells Kisa, practically thrusting Hwanin upon her, before turning on his heel and storming out of the sick bay. The doors anxiously swing back and forth for a good few moments after his violent departure.

Kisa nervously glances down at Hwanin’s head. If Godly Gossip has informants here, the risks of Hwanin’s murder being outed have soared astronomically. “Well…At least we now know that we’ll need to keep well away from Korain and Chaeyeon.”

Somi grimaces. “It’s a little too late for that,” she says, a bit wryly. “Where do you think Seokga has gone? He’s on the hunt for a certain haetae and inmyunjo. I almost feel bad for them.”

A very uncharacteristic curse word slips from Kisa’s mouth and she shoves Hwanin into Hajun’s arms as if they’re playing a game of hot potato. “Hold him!” she cries before racing after Seokga, following the red thread with a pounding heart.

“Seokga!” Kisa half-shouts, finally on Seokga’s fast-moving heels. Her chase has brought her to Deck 4, a bustling level brimming with restaurants and shops. It’s the deck that most resembles a shopping mall, down to the throngs of people. She accidentally steps on dozens of toes as she fights to reach the god, and when she does—desperate not to lose sight of him again—grabs his free hand in hers. Her heart stumbles (in surprise, she tells herself, pure surprise) as he whirls on her. The red thread swirls through the air at the motion, and so focused is Kisa on the way Seokga’s thumb brushes over her skin that she forgets, completely and absolutely, to squash.

Or perhaps she decides not to.

As his flashing eyes scan her face, Seokga seems to relax…and he doesn’t let go of her hand. His fingers, despite their delicate appearance, have calluses. Years spent hunting down Unrulies, Kisa supposes, will do that.

“Kisa,” he says, and his voice is hoarser than usual. “Don’t try to stop me.”