14 Chapter 13
'Noelle Ching. Please help us solve the murder of Jessalyn Li and the kidnap of Luna Wang. Thanks a lot.' Officer Wong summoned Noelle to her office and the two have talked about the case for 2 hours already.
'Finally, onee-chan! What took you so long?!' Natalie asked. 'Ugh... Geez... Officer Wong talked a lot during today's meeting.' Noelle answered. 'So, did you say yes?' Emily asked, back to business.
'Ummmmm... I said yes. It's fine. Reading murder mystery novels is my favourite thing to do!! My favourite book author is Agatha Christie—' 'Eh? My personal favourite is Robin Stevens who made up the—' 'Murder Most Unladylike? I love this series—' 'EXCUSE ME!!! We are talking about a murder and a kidnap, not a book series discussion. Back to business, will you please?' Natalie interrupted, annoyed.
'Anyways, all I have to do is make sure Brooklyn will be 繩之於法. (Brought to justice) But, Anyways. You two have been contacting with the police since when?' Noelle asked, while reading a book. 'Since when the police found out my uncle is a Coroner whom they almost worship. To be honest, I probably inherited my hobby of solving crimes from him.' Emily smiled and told her senior. 'Wow! That's a scary job to do!' The siblings chorused as Emily chuckled.
'Just stay safe, onee-chan. Brooklyn, if she is the murd, has already killed one and kidnapped another, aka your best friend Luna. Be careful and arrest her.' Natalie reminded her sister while they were boarding the Hong Kong Airport Express. 'Well, I'll be safe, obviously. But, can I practice my dance and acro in New York. The duo group will expand into a trio and we'll have a goodbye live as soon as I get back.' Noelle asked. 'Well, onee-chan. Focus on your studies. The interview and the bridging course. Then, focus on SETS. Phone us every day to check out your progress in both SETS, Brooklyn and the bridging course.' Natalie smiled and replied. 'Ka Jie, what are you guys talking about?' Interrogated 6 year old Nicole Ching, the youngest member of the Ching family. 'Nothing.' Natalie replied her younger sister.
'Bye bye, Noelle! We'll miss you!!' Natalie and Nicole bid their sister goodbye. The siblings hugged. 'FAREWELL!!!!!' The siblings sobbed and waved while their older sister entered the Departures gate.
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Noelle Ching sat in the airplane. It was her first trip alone. Originally heading for a school interview and a bridging course in Manhattan Country School, one of the best middle schools in New York City. But, she had another job. To catch the murderer of Jessalyn Li. Even though she hated that bully, Noelle Ching had to bring her back to Hong Kong by HERSELF.
'Going to Manhattan Country, aren't ya?' A voice broke out next to her. A young girl about her age was talking to her. Gosh! She's been listening to 'Parallel World' so intently that she didn't even notice the person sitting next to her was a young American girl. 'Um. Ya? Hi?' Noelle's good in front of friends and family, but shy in front of strangers.
'Hi. You come from Hong Kong? It's a great place.' The girl said. 'Ya! I live there.' Noelle felt comfortable with the girl. 'You've been studying in this school?' Noelle asked, trying to get information about Brooklyn. 'Of course! I've been studying there since kindergarten.' The girl replied. 'Good. Do you know a girl named Brooklyn Chan—' 'Ah! Brooklyn Chang! I know her. She comes from Hong Kong too, is she not? She's just my roommate. Right, we've been talking for that long and I still don't know your name. What's your name? I'm Olivia Isabella Davis. But, just call me Olivia.' 'Um. My name's Noelle Ching. Nice to meet you, Olivia.' The girls shook hands.
'Can you tell me more about the school?'
~0~
Noelle went back in her dorm. It was 11:20 pm in the US, but in Hong Kong, it was already 11:20 in the morning. 'Okay, since the rest are sleeping, I'll guess practice practice and practice. Because according to my favourite YouTuber TwoSet Violin, practice makes perfect and I need to practice forty hours a day,.' She muttered to herself.
Her room was already decorated like hers in Hong Kong, but she squeezed everything in the cupboard and moved the desks and chairs so that she can have dance practice.
'Sunday hirusagari bus wa itsumo no cafe ni yuku.
Music kimaranai atashi no playlist ja tarinai.
Fuwafuwa na oto kimi to mazari.
monokuro ni mieteta sekai ga kirameki dasu—'
The music of 'Parallel World' played and Noelle was about to get into the chorus when the phone rang. 'Gosh. I can't even practice.' She whispered to herself. 'What?' She asked. 'Have you found Brooklyn yet?' Natalie asked, worried. 'Not yet, but I made a new friend whose a roommate of hers.' Noelle answered, thoughtfully. 'Then, what? Find her and arrest her!!! Look what she did to Luna Wang!!!' 'Okay, geez. You seem to be more worried about Luna than me even though she is my friend.' Noelle told her sister.
'Okay finally. Here's the time for practice.'
THE NEXT DAY...
'So, where's Brooklyn Chang?' Noelle met up with Olivia for breakfast the next day. 'She? She's a bit strange these days. She just got back from Hong Kong and told me her sister's dead. But, she clapped and cheered when she told me the news. That's strange, isn't it?' Olivia asked. 'Thanks Olivia. If you excuse me, I think I'll get back to my room.
'Nat Nat!!!' 'What?? It's nighttime already here.' 'My friend Olivia just told me that Brooklyn really came back to Hong Kong and she knew her sister is dead. But that's not long ago when you guys found about her family background. Besides the murd, who else will know?' Noelle told her sister on the phone. 'That's ..... is BLOODY EXCELLENT, Noelle!!!!! Wait... I'll call the police. Bye bye!'
'Thanks Nat. Now... where was I... Parallel World. Yes. Umm... Let me get going.'
'Fuwafuwa na oto kimi to mazari, monokuro ni mieteta sekai ga kirameki dasu—'
Music began. Noelle started warming up and did some dance steps.
But meanwhile, Olivia, Noelle's new friend, was watching her from outside the door to Noelle's room.
'Hmmmmmmm. This girl is so strange. Does she have a secret talent or something? She doesn't let me see her dance and acro talent. Gosh, she's so talented. She should be on Dance Moms. But... She gets nervous when I mention Brooklyn and asks a lot of questions about Brooklyn.
What's wrong with her???'
To be continued...
