"So, I was thinking we could go to a street fair! There's one happening downtown. They've got all kinds of sweets there." The killer's voice was almost bubbling with excitement. "But I know you're not a fan of sweets, so maybe we could just hit a chicken shop instead."
Rihan stared at him with one eyebrow raised, leaning back in the driver's seat of his car while the killer smiled at him almost shyly, like a kid planning a first date rather than a wanted assassin.
"What's your real name?" Rihan asked flatly.
The killer bit down on his lower lip, his face turning faintly red. "Kang Taeryn."
Rihan let out a short huff. "You're telling me your real name? Aren't you afraid I'll arrest you?"
Taeryn chuckled softly. "If you really wanted to arrest me, you would've done it already rather than coming to meet me alone. I wasn't serious about blowing up the station."
Rihan sighed, idly turning the gun in his hand. "I just wanted to see the face of the man behind all those deaths."
Taeryn tilted his head, studying him closely, his grey eyes flickering with something sharp beneath their warmth. "I didn't kill those people," he said calmly. "Those six, I mean. But yes—" a faint smile curved his lips— "I killed that bastard in his apartment."
Rihan swallowed hard, finally lowering his gun and gripping the steering wheel. He had driven them far from the station and parked along a deserted stretch of road away from prying eyes, not that there were any at this hour.
Kang Taeryn didn't look like a killer. If anything, he seemed…normal. Energetic. Blushing brighter than any Alpha Rihan had ever met.
Still, his pheromones filled the confined space of the car, sharp and restless, betraying just how thrilled he was to be sitting so close.
Rihan frowned, rolled down both windows to let the air clear, and shot the Alpha beside him a hard glare. "Keep your pheromones to yourself."
Taeryn blinked, caught off guard. "Oh… I—"
"Explain everything," Rihan cut in, his tone slicing through the moment. He wasn't here for games.
Taeryn smiled lazily. "So you can arrest me right after?"
"Understandable," Rihan said with a small nod. "But if you didn't kill those six people, then why did you message me?"
"I messaged you because I wanted a date," Taeryn said simply. "And the timing just felt right with all the murders going on."
Rihan blinked, staring at him in disbelief. Was he seriously talking about a date right now?
Rihan thought back to the bartender's death. The rain had washed away any trace of the killer... no prints, no fibers, nothing.
The only decisive evidence was in the apartment murder Taeryn had admitted to. One murder out of the seven.
Which is why the Grim Reaper's file appeared the way it did....
"You've never been caught since you started killing." Rihan said. "So why make that one sloppy?"
Taeryn's smile faded. The light in his eyes went cold. "I didn't come here to talk about my murders."
"You wanted me to find you."
"And you did. So let's not talk about that. Let's focus on our date."
Rihan met his smile with a colder one. "No."
Taeryn sighed. "Please?"
"No." Rihan raised his gun and pointed it at him. "Get out of my car."
Taeryn tipped his head, expression suddenly almost wistful. "Fine. I'll tell you. But on one condition! we go on that chicken date."
"Fine." Rihan rolled his eyes and lowered the gun into his lap. Taeryn's grin returned immediately.
"His name was Jiwon," he said, casually as if discussing the weather. "You probably know that. He ran a small drug den that used to steal products from bigger outfits and sell to minors. One kid overdosed himself... said it was suicide. I was hired to wipe out the den."
Rihan bit his lower lip as he listened. "So the other bodies—?"
Taeryn nodded. "Taken care of. Jiwon was sloppy. I was distracted by the kid. I didn't want him to see."
Rihan nodded slowly. "So, you're a hired assassin. Since you were eight. You kill because you're paid to."
Taeryn's eyes lit up like stars as he leaned closer, his smile boyish and unguarded. "Are you amused?"
Rihan arched his brow, unfazed. "What?"
Taeryn blinked, leaning back slightly. "I mean, you found out why I kill! Or… were you expecting me to be the other one? The one who killed that bartender?" There was a flicker of jealousy in his tone that made Rihan surprised.
He didn't want to get tangled up with a killer. He just wanted to do his job and, like always, 'quietly' admire death from a distance.
"You're not someone worth my time," Rihan said flatly, echoing his words from the other night. But... adding 'not'
Taeryn's smile faded. He leaned away, chewing on the inside of his cheek as he turned to stare out the window.
Rihan studied him, irritation mixing with reluctant curiosity. What the hell was wrong with this guy? He had just confessed to murder. To a detective he supposedly wanted to date. How did that make any sense?
"My name is Kang Taeryn, I'm twenty-three years old, I come from—"
Rihan cut him off sharply, leaning in and clamping a hand over his mouth. "Shut your mouth. Are you insane?" he hissed.
Taeryn's eyes widened in surprise.
Rihan pulled his hand back and leaned against his seat again. "You said you don't want me to arrest you, but you're here talking too much."
Taeryn eyed him shyly, his face and ears flushed red. "I just want to be clean with you like a clean slate so we can go on our date and many more without worries."
"I do not want to date you," Rihan snapped.
"Because I'm a killer?"
"I'm not interested. Get out of my car." Rihan's voice dropped to a low growl.
The Alpha winced. "Please?"
Rihan inhaled sharply to calm himself, gripping the steering wheel. "Go away."
Taeryn rubbed his chest, meeting Rihan's cold gaze. "I can find the other assassin for you. The one who killed the bartender."
"No need. You do your job, and I'll do mine," Rihan replied flatly.
"So, you're going to ignore my case? You don't have to, you know. Even if you arrest me, nothing will happen. I'll just be released anyway."
"I know. It's obvious from how well you're hidden from the world. No one would've even known your face if that child hadn't seen you."
Taeryn smiled faintly. "He was cute."
Rihan rolled his eyes. "Are you—"
"Starting tomorrow," Taeryn interrupted, his tone turning calm, "the case at that apartment will disappear. The sketch of me, the reports, everything. Even if you remember, everyone else will forget. The system is corrupt, Detective, but I can help you find the other assassin." He looked at Rihan with hopeful eyes.
"No."
Taeryn sighed but quickly grinned. "Fine. Then let's go on that chicken date."
Rihan exhaled deeply, frustration etched on his face as he started the engine. "Just this once."
Taeryn's grin widened, a mischievous glint in his grey eyes. "I make no such promises, Detective."