“Hey, are you sleeping?” The familiar deep voice awakens me from my nap.
Basking in the sunlight, my golden hair softly dances in the gentle breeze as I slowly open my eyes. I had been reading on a bench close to my university before dozing off.
“You’re going to get sunstroke,” warns the blonde man leaning in front of me.
He is my younger brother, towering at 194 centimetres and weighing 95 kg of pure muscle. Despite his intimidating appearance, he is actually kindhearted and intelligent.
“Is your class over?” I ask him, yawning.
“Yes, it is. I need to head home and work on my assignments. Wanna come?” he replies.
Without answering, I stand up and start walking alongside him.
“What’s the topic?” I inquire.
“Persia,” he responds with a smile.
“Again?” I tease.
“It’s my favourite,” he declares proudly.
“So, you can choose your assignments?” I probe further.
“To some extent,” he confirms.
We engage in casual conversation, reminiscing about the past, as we walk under the setting spring sun for half an hour. But deep down, I know that this might be the last time we share this walk, and I struggle to find the right words to express it.
Sensing my unease, my brother deduces the cause and finally asks me when we reach our house, “So, when are you moving in with your fiancé?”
“Tonight…” I awkwardly announce, feeling my cheeks flush.
“Tonight?!” he exclaims in surprise.
“Sorry I couldn’t tell you earlier, but I won’t be coming home. I was just enjoying this walk with you,” I explain.
“Oh, I see. Is everything settled then? You know, with his father?” he inquires with concern.
“Yeah, he mustered the courage to talk to his father a few days ago,” I confirm.
We fall into a contemplative silence, our eyes locked, until I burst into tears and embrace his towering frame with all my strength.
“Oh, why all the tears? It’s not like we’ll never see each other again,” he reassures me, tenderly cradling my head against his chest.
“Thank you… I’m so relieved… We can live together… If his father had refused us, I would have fought tooth and nail. I’m so happy… But I can’t help but feel a tinge of sadness… I’ll miss you… I love you…” I manage to articulate between sobs.
“There, there,” he murmurs, comforting me. “You truly love him, don’t you?”
“Yes!” I exclaim, my voice filled with conviction.
“In that case, everything will be alright. I’ll come to visit you, and you can visit me too,” he assures.
“I will!” I vow.
“And if that old fart dares to stand in the way of my dearest sister’s happiness, I’ll be the one to deal with him,” he declares protectively.
“Really?” I sniffle.
“Of course! These muscles are good for something after all,” he chuckles.
Still clinging to him, my face stained with tears and snot hanging from my nose to my chin, I manage to form the most ridiculous smile. In that precise moment, I feel like the luckiest and most blessed woman alive.
EPISODE 4: HEADHUNT
I suddenly wake up with a massive headache.
That sounds like something Abhi would say… But this brat was right, we should have set up a bed and blankets down here.
As I silently rise to my feet, I realize I forgot something important…
MY COCOA!
I leap upstairs at the speed of light and dash into the living room, only to find this stupid idiot girl who definitely had a sip of it before dozing off on our sofa.
“What the heck is wrong with her?” I mutter to myself.
Her shirt sleeves are stained with dried blood, and she has small cuts and scars scattered across her arms and hands. They’re so thin that nobody would notice them from afar.
I examine her face more closely to check if she’s just asleep, only to discover that she’s been crying all night. I can’t be mad at her now if she’s in such a state.
I try to retrieve the mug from her hands, which she holds onto tightly even in her sleep, but the moment I do, her eyes snap open. “I… Uh…” she stammers.
“This is my mug,” I inform her.
“T-t-t-this is your mug!” she finally lets go of it.
“Is your brain damaged?” I ask teasingly as I move away to the kitchen and pour the cocoa back into the pot, which I place on the hotplate.
“N-no! I’m sorry for taking it without asking, I…” She quickly wipes her face with her sleeves.
“So, who are you?” I inquire, pouring the warm cocoa back into my mug.
“I’m DIANA. I’m sorry for intruding and causing any trouble. I’m here because I helped bring the old man here safely,” she explains nervously.
“Is he okay? And wait, why do you call him an old man? Isn’t he a prince?” she asks, her curiosity evident.
“Of course not, we live in a republic. There is no king or prince in this country,” I respond, realizing that she might not have received a proper education.
“I knew it … he’s an impostor…” she whispers in a low voice.
“It’s just the name he chose to use when contacting the agency—” I begin to explain.
“Wait, what time is it?” she interrupts, suddenly standing up.
“It’s almost 7 a.m.,” I inform her.
“Oh crap! I’m going to get scolded!” she exclaims in panic.
“By whom?” I inquire, taking a sip of my favourite drink and walking back to the living room.
“My sister… She’s crazy,” she answers nervously.
As I sit back down, I ask, “Is she the reason you were crying?”
“I CRIED?!” she exclaims, frantically wiping her face again.
“Sorry, it was insensitive of me to ask. In the end, you were a big help, and despite being a bit airheaded, you seem pretty skilled for someone your age. If you have nowhere else to go, you’re welcome to stay here—.”
Why am I saying all of this? I thought I didn’t like her. Is it pity? I thought I had lost that feeling. But before I can ponder further, my surge of benevolence is interrupted once again, not by DIANA this time, but by Abhi, who rushes up from the basement.
“Schwa! He woke up! He’s saying something! Come quickly!” he exclaims.
I jump up and prepare to run back to the basement. But before I go, I turn to DIANA and hand her the cocoa.
“Drink this. I don’t want to spill it while running, and reheating it for a third time would be a waste,” I instruct her.
She accepts it with a bow of her head, and I race after Abhi to the basement.
Indeed, the old man is murmuring something, so I position myself beside his head, putting my ear close to his mouth while Abhi checks his heartbeat and blood pressure.
“Kill ESMERALDA,” he utters.
Did I hear that correctly? ESMERALDA? The woman who was our partner just a few hours ago? I thought she was dead! “But she died in the explosion!” I exclaim.
“My phone…” he manages to say.
Scanning the area, I recall where we put his phone. It must be inside his jacket pocket. I retrieve it and show it to him.
“Read the notes … everything is explained there… ESMERALDA is a traitor… She killed my son … kill her… I will pay you … with all my fortune … 500 million … and then you’re free to go,” he says before fainting once more.
500 million… Now that’s some motivation! You know how to get people’s attention, old man!
“His vitals are low, but he’s fine,” Abhi reassures me. “I’m going to get some sleep.”
“500 million…” I repeat, my mind racing with the possibilities.
“Hmm, I heard you. I said I’m going to sleep. We can discuss it tomorrow,” Abhi replies, clearly exhausted.
“ABHI!” I shout. “DID YOU HEAR? 500 MILLION TO KILL THAT BITCH!”
“Yeah, I heard you. I said I’m going to sleep. We can do it tomorrow—” Abhi starts to say.
“ABHI, FIND THAT WOMAN ESMERALDA IMMEDIATELY! I’M GOING TO CHECK THE OLD MAN’S PHONE TO SEE IF I CAN FIND ANYTHING! FIVE HUNDRED FUCKING MILLIONS! DO YOU UNDERSTAND? THINK ABOUT ALL THE THINGS WE CAN BUY WITH THAT MONEY!” I exclaim excitedly.
“Right now, I’d like to buy more coffee,” Abhi remarks, his tired face contrasting with my excitement.
I can’t help but burst into laughter. The truth is, I’m overjoyed because finally, I have a mission that aligns perfectly with my expertise.
Sure, I may not excel at keeping old men safe, but when it comes to delivering a bullet to someone who deserves it, I never miss my mark.
Tonight, as the moon rises, the Queen of the Hunt will once again display her prowess, and two green jewels will be offered as tribute.
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