No flower grows without Rain

They sat on the sofa in the quiet living room, the low hum of a ceiling fan mixing with the muffled sounds from outside. Austin's eyes scanned the room—details whispered subtle inconsistencies. The air held a faint, musky warmth that didn't match the crisp daylight outside.

Beside him, Sellzen pulled out a small notebook, flipping it open with practiced ease.

Austin sighed, not hiding his exasperation.

"How many of those notebooks do you actually have?"

Before Sellzen could answer, a soft clink interrupted them.

Miss Valentine entered the room with a tray of tea. Her movements were graceful, deliberate. She placed the tray gently on the table, pouring three cups without a word. Her smile was warm, practiced.

"I wasn't expecting visitors today," she said softly, settling into a single chair across from them. "I hope you enjoy the tea. I'm Phoebe's mother—though you may call me Miss Sakura. So... what brings you here, boys?"

Sellzen removed his hat respectfully, setting it on his lap, and gave her a polite nod.

"A pleasure, Miss Sakura. Lovely aroma, really. Let's do a quick re-introduction. I'm Johnathan Sellzen, and this—"

Before he could finish, Austin cut in smoothly, lifting his cup and adding a single sugar cube.

"My name's Austin Moon. Apologies for dropping by like this. We're classmates of Phoebe, and we were concerned. She hasn't been at school for some time, so we thought we'd check in."

Miss Sakura's smile flickered for the briefest moment. Her eyes drifted toward the window as she let out a soft sigh.

"Oh... I see. Well, Phoebe is staying with her father for now. She was in a minor accident—not serious, but enough to keep her out of school for a while. I must have forgotten to inform the school staff... things have been hectic."

Austin gave a simple nod, the warmth in his expression matching the tone of his words.

"If that's the case, we won't take any more of your time. Thank you for the tea. We hope she recovers soon."

Sellzen glanced at Austin with a puzzled expression but followed his lead. The two stood, setting their cups down, and moved toward the door.

Miss Sakura walked with them, her smile unfading.

"It's a shame you can't stay longer. Do come again sometime. Walk safe, young gentlemen."

They bowed respectfully and stepped out into the fading light.

---

Beneath the Surface

As they walked down the quiet street, Sellzen turned to Austin with a narrowed gaze.

"Okay... what was that all about? You said 'how Phoebe is doing' like you knew something. Isn't she... missing?"

Austin didn't reply immediately. His face was set, gaze fixed forward. They passed through the edge of a small park as the sun dipped below the skyline, painting the horizon in muted orange.

Finally, Austin spoke, voice calm but weighted.

"She didn't mention her daughter being missing. Not once. Not even a hint of concern. But Miss Ceasar—she didn't tell us just to poke around. She wanted us to find something. Or rather... to uncover what's being hidden."

Sellzen raised a brow, folding his arms.

"Okay, Detective Moon. Lay it on me."

Austin stopped beside a tree and leaned against it, eyes trailing the sky. He let out a long, thoughtful sigh.

"When we got there, that man we passed—delivery uniform, cap pulled low. But he had lipstick on his neck. Then we meet Miss Sakura—smeared lipstick, unsteady breathing, and the room reeked of a faint musk. That wasn't perfume. It was the kind of scent left after... well, something more intimate."

He paused, then continued with sharper focus.

"No mother who's worried sick about her child would be... entertaining guests. Not like that. And she clearly hasn't reported anything. Which means Phoebe isn't just staying with her father. Either Miss Sakura is hiding something... or she's involved in something worse."

Sellzen was quiet now, his playful demeanor sobered.

"So... what's the move?"

Austin pushed off the tree and began walking again.

"You're going to dig. I want Phoebe's most visited locations before she disappeared. Friends, hobbies, anything. Also—pull records on both her parents. Something's not adding up."

Sellzen smirked, adjusting his hat as he unwrapped a lollipop and popped it in his mouth.

"Heh. Got it. Time to cook."

Austin didn't look back.

"I'll be at home. Thinking up our next move."