Chapter 6: Five Terms

Missy opened the front door in her robe with her wrists still pink.

Chan stood on the porch with a thin black folder in his hand.

His eyes went to her face.

Then they went past her shoulder, to Felix zipping his jeans in the hall.

Nothing moved in Chan's face at all.

"Felix," he said.

"Chan," Felix said. "Hi."

"Not on my porch," Missy said. "Seven o'clock, my café, all four of you."

"The agreement says."

"I read what it says. Seven o'clock. Bring a pen."

Chan looked at her for a long, level moment and nodded once.

At seven the Wick was dark except for the lamps over the counter.

The cats had been fed and were sprawled over every chair.

The old tabby sat on the till.

The four men sat in a row on the long bench along the wall.

Chan sat at the end with the folder on his knees.

Missy stood in front of them with a mug of tea and read clause seven out loud.

"Third-party resident," she said. "Bound to silence. A penalty I could buy a house with."

"It's standard," Chan said.

"It's not standard for me. I didn't agree to be a clause."

"If it leaks, they will come after you. I'm trying to keep you out of it."

"By making me sign something I never saw before yesterday."

His jaw moved.

"I won't sign it," Missy said. "But I'll tell you what I will do."

She put the mug down on the counter.

"One. Nobody lies to anybody else in this room."

"No secrets inside the five of us."

Jisung nodded hard. Hyunjin was looking at his hands.

"Two. I keep my café, my cottage and my nights alone."

"If I say I need my house to myself, you go."

"Of course," Felix said.

"Three. Nobody decides for anybody else."

"Not me for you, not Chan for the group, not the label for any of us."

"If a choice touches someone, they get to make it."

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