Chapter 13 - Trust In Her

"No, I'll wait for her."

Hearing Teren's calm reply, Iesa slightly gritted his teeth.

'He's pressuring me...'

"Sure, you're free to stay." the old detective surprisingly allowed him.

'Let me see the girl's behavior with and without you.'

'I see!' Iesa realized what the old man was up to, 'If I stayed silent while Teren is here then became talkative when he is not, that would give the old man some hints that I'm under a threat!'

"Now, let's start with the question; Iesa Hun, did you witness the scene where your classmate, Nick Mauren was attacked?"

"..."

Iesa just lowered her head and didn't say anything.

"Iesa?" Teren tilted his head and stared at her.

'Don't pressure me! I will not waver! And it's not like I'm acting anyway.'

The old detective frowned and continued, "I'm informed that you are present in the scene when Nick was attacked. Is that true?"

"..."

The old detective waited for her response but after a while, there was not a single sound that came from her.

Sighing, he then looked at Teren and said, "I'm sorry, Teren boy, can you give her some privacy? She may not be comfortable letting someone else hear this.

"O-... okay..." Teren got out without any resistance.

Iesa glanced at Teren and just saw his back. Even when he closed the door, he didn't look at her.

'He... he's okay with that?'

She then looked at the old detective who is obviously observing their every movement.

The old detective: 'The suspect didn't have a problem with this?'

After knowing that Teren had already left, the old detective repeated his question.

"Iesa Hun, did you witness what happened to Nick Mauren on Monday?"

The old detective waited for the girl's answer. However, even though a moment had already passed, he didn't get anything.

'Strange...'

Meanwhile, Iesa froze.

'Should I say it now? Should I confess to everything? After this, Teren would go to prison and he wouldn't be able to do anything to me!'

As she thought of that, she opened her mouth.

The old detective was about to expect something.

Yet,

[Umm... I thought, instead of threatening you, how about I bribe you?]

Those words were flashed within Iesa's head.

'He didn't threaten me nor he glared at me. Does that mean... Teren is trusting me not to go against him?'

The old detective: 'I thought she's about to say something there. Once we get a second testimony, we will have more area to move. I didn't get a strong motivation from Teren so we have to rely on a psychologist. However, if this girl can testify...'

"... I..."

"Hm?"

"I'm sorry but I don't know what you're talking about."

"Hm?" the old detective raised an eyebrow.

"S-sorry... I was just pressured. I thought I forgot something that I saw but I think you got the wrong person." Iesa awkwardly smiled.

"Is.. that so..."

After that, the old detective came out of the room before Iesa came out as well.

"Thank you for your cooperation. Next time, if we ever need you again, we'll just call you like what we did today."

"T-thank you too." Iesa lowered her head.

When the old detective left, Iesa turned around to see Teren leaning against a wall.

"Umm..." Iesa didn't expect Teren to be there, 'Is he trying to eavesdrop?'

"You're finished? Let's go back to the classroom."

"..." Iesa followed him while fidgeting.

'Why isn't he saying anything?'

Unable to take the anxiety anymore, Iesa asked.

"Um, Teren, did you... hear what we talked about?"

Teren looked at her and shook his head.

"Nope. I hear mumblings but I couldn't understand it. Did you tell the truth?"

'Why... why is he so calm about it?'

Iesa revealed a troubled expression.

"No. I told him that I don't know anything." she then glanced at Teren and saw an embarrassed face.

'Eh?'

"Really?" Teren turned his head around, "I thought you had already told on me."

"N-no..."

"I see... that's a relief I guess."

"You're anxious?" Iesa couldn't help but be curious.

"Yeah, super anxious. If they learned the truth, I would be in jail."

"You.. don't look like it though."

Teren was smiling without restraint, "Really? My heartbeat is so loud I thought the old detective heard it."

"Detective?.. So he's a detective, huh..."

"Didn't he say earlier?"

"Nope? Did he?"

"I don't know too."

"Then how do you know that he's a detective?"

Teren's smile then faded.

"Well, because he is always the one pursuing my cases."

Iesa stopped, "Your... cases?"

Teren stopped too and turned to her, "You don't know?"

"W-what...?"

"I thought you already realized. Also, I didn't tell you?"

Iesa gulped, "No, what is it that you didn't tell me?"

Before answering, Teren looked around first and went close to Iesa.

Since Mershen High School is a private school, it has air conditioners compared to public schools. And since has air conditioners, they don't open the window and have curtains down.

In the time of classes, the hallway was practically empty and has a bit of privacy.

When Teren got close to her, Iesa had to roll her eyes up. He leaned forward and whispered.

"There's no such thing as gang wars in this city."

"Huh...?" Iesa stared into Teren's eyes as he whispers to her.

Meanwhile, at the hospital where Nick was confined, his brother visited him.

"Nick, what the fuck happened to you?"

"Big Bro..." Nick looked at a masculine and tanned guy who entered his room.

"Sorry for yesterday, I got bored waiting at the lobby that l left." Nick's brother, Nathan observed him and casually apologized.

"So... what happened to you? How can you be in that state when I taught you how to box and protect yourselves against knives?"

"S-sorry, Big Bro. I guess I was just surprised."

"By who? Let me hear this man's name? Even if you're not part of the gang, let me handle him." Nathan menacingly smiled.

"He's... he's my classmate."

"What? You dumbass! You got beaten up by someone at your own age!? Is all my effort in training you all wasted?!"

Nick flinched when his big brother shouted at him.

Nathan laughed at this, "What are you scared of? I only hit you when training. I'm not going to hit you in that state. So tell me, what's that guy's name?"

"O-okay... that guy's name is Teren Hark." Nick replied, ashamed.

"Teren Hark?"

"Yeah, Teren Hark." Nick then saw Nathan's surprised expression, "Big bro?"

"You.... you tried to pick a fight with our former boss?"