The cafe's gentle hum of conversation and the clink of cups filled the air, but for Ari, it was a background blur. Her gaze flickered to Min-ji, who was expertly steaming milk for a cappuccino, her movement fluid and practiced. Min-jihad to attend to customers. It seemed like a lot of people were trying to get their morning fix, and her coworkers were getting overwhelmed.
Min-ji was like a burst of sunshine in a storm—a constant, radiant presence in her life. They have been friends for as long as Ari could remember, their bond forged on the playground of a small Neighbourhood school.
It was a rainy afternoon in Seoul, the kind that turned the schoolyard into a muddy mess. Eight-year-old Ari sat on the sidelines, small hands clutching the tattered book she borrowed from the library.
She had always preferred the company of stories to people, but that day, a loud, cheerful voice interrupted her reading.
"Hey! Why are you sitting here alone?"
Ari looked up to see a girl with braided pigtails and a gap-toothed grin. Her uniform was splattered with mud, but she had no care in the world.
"I'm reading," Ari said, holding up her book as if that explained everything. Her expression twists into a face that says 'Can't you tell'?
The girl ignoring her expression replied.
"Reading's boring. Let's play!" The girl said, popping down beside her without invitation.
"It's not boring," Ari replied, a little defensive. "It's a detective story. Filled with mystery and suspense"
"Filled with mystery?" the girl's eyes lit up. "Like who ate all the cookies in the cafeteria? Because I think it was a janitor. "
Ari blinked at her, unsure if she was serious. "No, like solving crimes. Real ones."
"Sounds cool. I'm Min-ji, by the way. She held out her hand her grin widening.
Ari hesitated, then shook it. " Ari."
From that day on, Min-ji had attached herself to Ari, her boundless energy and infectious laughter impossible to resist. Over the years, they had become inseparable, their friendship surviving school, family drama, and even Ari's relentless pursuit of her career.
Now, decades later, Min-ji was still the one person who could make Ari feel human amidst the chaos of her life.
"Alright, spill," Min-ji said, sliding into the seat across from Ari. "What's going on? And don't give me that 'everything's fine' nonsense."
Ari sighed, leaning back in her chair. "It's the Zodiac shadow. They're…different from anyone I've dealt with before. They are methodical, almost obsessive. And they are targeting me now."
Min-ji expression darkened, her playful demeanor replaced by genuine concern. "Targeting you how?"
"They left a photo of me at the scene," Ari admitted. "a recent one. They've been watching."
Min-ji frowned, her fingers drumming against the table. "That's not just creepy— that's dangerous. Are you sure you're safe?"
"I'm careful," Ari said. "But they're in my head, Min-ji. Every move I make, they are already three steps ahead."
Min-ji studied her for a moment, then reached into her back. Pulled out a worn paperback, its cover depicting a shadowy figure in an old-fashioned coat.
"Maybe you need to reset," Min-ji said, sliding the book across the table. "Take a break, read something that gets your detective's brain fired up again. "
Ari raised an eye eyebrow. A detective novel? Really?"
"Trust me," Min-ji said."It's good. It's about a noblewoman who solves crimes in this weird old-timey world. I thought of you when I read it. Besides, you could use a little fiction to remind you why you love doing this in the first place."
Ari stared at the book for a long moment, then Side. "Fine. But if it's terrible, I'm holding it against you forever."
Min-ji grinned. "Deal."
A week had passed since Ari met with Min-ji, and in that time the zodiac shadow had gone eerily silent. The city was calm, deceptively so, but Ari felt no relief.
She had chased lead after lead, every breadcrumb turning into dust in her hands. The cipher sat unsolved in her desk at the precinct, mocking her with its complexity. Crime scenes had yielded no fresh clues, and the trail of the zodiac shadow was as cold as the January wind whipping through Seoul Streets.
Ari spent her days buried in reports, her nights, staring at maps and timelines, hoping for a big breakthrough. But all she had gained for her trouble were dark circles, and a dull ache in her chest.
It was evening, the precinct was quiet, and most of the desks were empty as our colleagues wrapped up for the night. Han leaned against the edge of her desk, his arms crossed as he stared at her.
"You know you look like a zombie, right?" He said he was straight but laced with concern.
Ari didn't look up from her notes. "I'm fine."
Han raised an eyebrow. "You are not fine. You are running on fumes and you are no good to anyone burnt out."
"I can't stop now, Han," Ari said, flipping through a folder. "What if the zodiac shadow strikes again? What if I miss something because I decided to take a nap?"
"you are not missing anything, "Han said firmly. "The trails have gone cold. It happens. But you can't push yourself like this. Go home, get some rest, it's something that is coffee and instant noodles. You'll think clearly tomorrow."
Ari sighed, leaning back in her chair. She hated to admit it, but he was right. Her reflection in the window confirmed as much—her hair was disheveled, her eyes sunken, skin pale. She looked as exhausted as she felt.
"Fine," she muttered, grabbing her coat." But if I come back tomorrow and you've touched my notes, I'm breaking your hand."
He chuckled. "Fair enough. Now go."
The drive home was a blur, the sitting light streaking past her windshield like fallen stars. By the time she reached the apartment, the weight of the day had settled heavily on her shoulders.
She locked the door behind her, the silence of her home both comforting and oppressive. She removed her coat tossed it on the couch, kicked off her boots placed them neatly on her rack.
Her stomach growled a reminder that she hadn't eaten since the granola bar she'd scarfed down this morning at the precinct. She walked towards her fridge and opened it, pulling out the ingredients for a simple stir-fry. Cooking had always been a small solace for her—a way to focus on mine on something tangible.
The rhythmic chop of the knife against the cutting board was almost meditative, a sizzle of vegetables hitting the hot and shooting background noise. The scent of garlic and soy sauce filled the air stirred, her mind drifting.
What if Hans right? What if I'm pushing too hard?
But the thought of stopping, even for a moment, filled her with restless energy she couldn't shake.
As she sat down to eat, her eyes caught on the corner of her coffee table, where is small stack of books sat neglected. Among them was the paperback Min-ji had given her, its worn cover now illuminated by the warm glow of the lamp.
She pushed her plate aside, leaning forward to pick up the book.
It felt heavier in her hands than she expected, the weight of her friend's words lingering in her mind: "Take a break. Reset. Let it remind you why you love doing this."
Ari opened the book, fingers brushing the brittle edges of the pages. The opening line got her attention immediately, pulling her into a world unlike her own.
"The air smelled of roses and gunpowder."
The story unfolded in her mind, vivid and captivating. A noblewoman, sharp and clever, navigating the intrigues of a grand empire while solving mysteries that would have confounded lesser minds.
Ari, exhaustion faded as she read, her tea growing cold on the table. The world of the book was rich with detail— ornate carriages, sprawling estates, whispered conspiracies in gilded halls.
For the first time in days, Ari felt something other than frustration. She felt a spark of curiosity, a flicker of passion that had driven her to become a detective in the first place.
When she finally looked up, the clock on the wall read 2:00 AM. Her eyes were heavy, mind buzzed with a strange sense of anticipation.
She closed the book, her fingers lingering on the cover. Maybe Min-ji's right. Maybe I do need this.
With a sigh, Ari rested the book on the stand and headed to bed, unaware that her world was about to change in ways she couldn't imagine.