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“You know, security guards tend to be less uptight, unless they’re on the lookout for someone.” Mizi jumps at the paper-thin voice. To her left stands the woman that was the cover of all the files at Mizi’s office for all the wrong reasons. A woman coined ‘The Dress Up Thief” by Mizi’s boss, Hyuna, for her delicate face and penchant for extravagant costumes. It seems she had broken from her usual standard, as all she was wearing currently was a white mermaid dress with lace gloves. Though her pearl earrings, which Mizi recognized as a pair stolen right from the heart of Papeete, were a bold choice considering their origin. “Wha-why?” Mizi fumbles for her walkie talkie before remembering her orders not to cause a scene in the middle of a room full of high profile individuals who could get Miss Hyuna sued even if they were hunting a thief.
Perhaps that’s why she came up to me at all? Mizi clears her throat. “What can I do for you miss…?” “Tonight you can call me Sua.” A soft smile accompanies the introduction, and Mizi finds her face heating up under the attention. “What can I do for you, Ms.Sua?” It was odd to have a name put onto the criminal’s face, instead of some gaudy title. Sua herself looks oddly pleased at Mizi playing along, it’s an expression that makes Mizi feel like she’s being played for a fool. She probably is, given Sua’s track record. “There is something that you could help me with, actually.” Sua leans against the wall, her skirt fanning out to briefly make her look like some kind of flower. “Me?” Mizi asks, glancing behind her. Surely Sua recognized Mizi as one of the people getting paid to put her behind bars, right? The idea that she didn’t sent an uncomfortable wave through Mizi’s stomach.
“Yes, you, silly.” Sua says it like she’s reprimanding a child, her hand reaches up to fiddle with one of her earrings. Mizi can’t tell if it’s a nervous gesture of part of Sua’s carefully calculated facade in order to make herself the most beautiful woman in the room at all times. Yes, it must be an act, otherwise how else could she be that pretty all the time? “There’s a particularly annoying man backstage, I think he’s an intern, or something, and as a fellow security guard-“ Mizi winces under the words and Sua’s grin, “-surely you could keep him occupied for a few moments?” Mizi blinks. “That’s it?” She immediately covers her mouth at Sua’s befuddled expression. “A-allow me to explain!” Mizi waves her hands around, unsure of where to put them, like an idiot. “I know how talented you are, Ms.Sua, naturally I can’t go into details in public but if you needed something as simple as this I’m sure you could get it without asking someone like myself.” Sua blinks, slowly taking in the statement.
“I didn’t expect you to think of it that way, but yes you’re right. I just need to particularly careful today, I’m not the only thief gunning for a particular item tonight.” Mizi’s eyes widen. What?!! Ms.Hyuna’s going to be livid!!! “You are oddly calm about this Ms.Sua!” Mizi tries to keep her voiced hushed, that’s what someone did when discussing crimes on public, right? She didn’t know, she wasn’t a criminal. “Panicking doesn’t help much in my line of work, but if it helps, they are competent enough to where I felt I needed to ask for help from someone like yourself.” Sua shamelessly throws Mizi’s words back at her. Mizi fiddles with her tie, unsure of what to do. It seems like she’s picking who she wants to steal…whatever it is both thieves wanted. If she helped Sua, then Sua would get it, and if she refused, then this nebulous second thief would likely get it. Oddly enough, the idea that Sua was lying about the whole thing didn’t even cross Mizi’s mind.
Sua watches, patiently, before she decides to intervene to the problem she herself posed. “I don’t mind leaving this particular piece to you and that detective you work for, the cheery one, if it means getting your help.” Mizi again finds herself staring at Sua, something she did embarrassingly often on missions but that is no one’s business. “Excuse me?!” Mizi leans forward, trying to find deceit in Sua’s eyes. She found none, but if Mizi is being honest, she doesn’t know if she could find any part of Sua’s soul if she really wanted to keep it hidden. She doubts anyone could. “Usually I prefer to keep my winnings to myself, but keeping it out of that blonde bastard’s hands if more important than adding to my collection.” At that statement, Sua’s lovely face grimaced and revealed a hint of bitterness. Is she…being petty right now? Mizi hadn’t before seen Sua with anything remotely similar to the expression she was currently wearing, and it made Mizi’s curiosity overflow like a river to know more about her. Why did she hate this blonde thief? Why was one-upping him important enough that she would be willing to hand over one of her targets to the authorities. One question, however, reigned above them all.
“Why me?” Mizi finds herself asking. What makes me worthy to someone as elusive to you? Sua doesn’t look at Mizi as she replies, keeping her eyes off in the distance of the bright lights of the catwalk. “Because you’re honest.” Sua begins, her soft voice coming down to deliver her verdict with all the weight of a sledgehammer. “You won’t lie, not like your higher-ups, not like a thief…like them.” Sua goes quiet. “Not like me.” Oh. Mizi’s head spins. “It’s…ok if you do.” Sua blinks. “It’s ok if I what?” Mizi isn’t sure where she got her sudden confidence from, but a certain conversation with Hyuna makes itself known in her head. You’re a good person, Mizi, better then me, who still can’t get over her biggest weakness or catch some chick playing Pokémon with the world’s most expensive shit, so keep your heart, ok? Give it to someone you trust with that goodness. “It’s ok if you lie.” Mizi says firmly, if she turned her head, she would see Sua, shellshocked.
“It’s ok if you lie to me because I don’t know you, at least, not yet.” Mizi continues, not sure where she’s going with her tirade. “People lie to me all the time, just like you said, my higher-ups lie about when I get my vacation days, my best friend lies about what he feels, and Ms.Hyuna lies about where she lost her leg…but I still care for them all the same. Dishonesty is bad when done maliciously, everyone knows that, but, sometimes people don’t need to know everything about everyone.” Mizi takes a deep breath before whirling around to face Sua. “It’s ok to lie to me right now, if you promise at some point, maybe when we know each other better… you’ll try to be honest about what matters.” Sua opens her mouth agape before bursting out laughing, not maliciously. Mizi can tell by now that Sua is anything but. Her laugh is a wonderful sound of bells and forbidden whispers of happiness.
Sua’s smile could put any star in any galaxy to shame as she looks up at Mizi. “Ok. I promise.” Mizi smiles, and for a moment, time just stays like that. Not in a glamorous Hollywood way where Mizi wishes she could spend all her life in that moment, but like the moment that’s just long enough where Mizi can commit it to memory, so she can see it again and again and again for as long as she wants. Sua finally takes a step off the wall, cleanly ending the moment. “You know, Mizi.” And oh, doesn’t that word sound so wonderful coming from Sua? The smile that graces Sua’s lips as she leans in is cheeky. “One thing I can be honest about is that you look excellent in a black suit.” Sua is giggling as she steps back, likely at Mizi’s beet red face. Mizi can feel her heart pound as Sua twirls around. “Now, come along, you have a security guard to distract and I have a pearl necklace to steal.” Wait. “That’s what you’re stealing?! Not the diamond one?!” Sua merely keeps walking, an odd pep in her step. “Wait up, Sua!”