“Umm-mm.”

“Are you hurt somewhere, ma'am?”

“No... I'm okay. Kindly get off me.”

“Sure— Hiiiiiss...”

“!”

Did my lungs got shot? I can breathe just fine though.

“Mister Reverren! You're back is bleeding. Don't move.”

“I'm okay po.”

“Please hold on... I'm calling an ambulance.”

How incredible... She isn't even panicking. Her expression only shows a mild change.

Aghh. I'm drowsy.

I'm sleeping now...

“Hold on.... mister... Reve.. rre..n..”

And so, I lose my consciousness.

Fufufufufu...

“Hmmmmm.”

I wonder how long I was asleep.

「July 24, 2021 | Sat」

「05:22」

Hmm. Two days huh—

“Aggh.”

....I can't feel my right arm.

I don't think it was my arm that had been shot. And it should hurt instead if it was. I'm pretty sure it was my right backside.

However, it seems that the bullet didn't puncture my lungs. I am not using a respirator so I can assume that my lungs didn't get hurt.

Whatever. It's great that he used a gun that isn't high caliber. I will be able to heal within a month or two, I guess?

I kinda feel fine so I think I will be able to recover very soon.

“Sniff... I'm so sorry... It's my fault...”

Oh. I just noticed.

I cast a sidelong glance to my right side and there is a woman talking in her sleep beside me while using my arm as a pillow.

My arm is wet and her cheeks are tearstained. Her long smooth brown hair are unkempt and strands are sticking onto her cute face.

I lift my left hand to pat her head with it, “It isn't your fault.”

Her hair is so fluffy and I feel so comfortable touching it. Her eyelid twitches then she gradually opens her eyes.

She lifts her head observing me with her bright brown orange eyes but with a straight expressionless face.

I squint my eyes as I withdraw my hand back, “Good morning, Eli-chan.”

“!” she flinches.

Then as if being chased by hundreds of dogs, she stands up immediately to run away.

I grab her left arm, “Where the hell are you going?”

“Let me go. You can't touc—”

“You lost remember?” She lost the bet and so I can touch her for a week. This is the last day  though.

“Grrrrrt,” she's gritting her teeth out of frustration.

“What do you want?”

“Cold. Yet you're actually warm inside aren't you?”

“I am not.”

“Fufufu. Didn't you say you hate me? And wanted to leave me because of it?”

“...............”

“Well, look who's here taking care of me. Did I make you worry?”

“You're mistaken. I hate you. So don't be so full of yourself.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“Don't avoid my gaze then. Look me in the eyes then say it.”

“Grrrrrr.. This is just.. I'm just doing my job,” she is forcing herself to look into my eyes. She's shaking because of it. And with her bloodshot eyes and tearstained face— agh! She looks so pitiful and miserable.

“...............”

“...............”

We stares at each other for a moment.  I'm observing Eli-chan. She looks trepidatious despite acting cold to me.

She looks stiff.

“Eli-chan.”

“What?”

“It's not your fault.”

“!”

“...............”

“That's...” she's averting her gaze while turning away and darting glances at me. “I'm sorry. I failed to protect you...”

She bites her lips while clenching her fist. Because I'm holding her arm, I can see her nails digging into her palm.

I caress Eli-chan's wrist with my right hand.

“It's not your fault. Don't hurt yourself.”

“But I failed...! You almost died. Because I wasn't... I... I-I am sorry...” she's crying again.

I pull her towards me then made her sit on my bedside. Next, I made her face rest on my chest.

“You are underestimating me. Don't blame yourself.”

“But—”

“No.”

“It is.”

“It isn't.”

“...............”

“Alright. How about this then... You owe me a big time so....”

“...............?”

“How about you stop trying to distance yourself from me despite not wanting to?”

“!!”

Eli-chan flinches then pulls herself away from me, “No.”

“Why?”

“I told you I hate you! Don't try to bind me with that. You're asking me for too much.”

Uwaah... She still looks pitiable but this time she's glaring at me so she looks fierce instead.

She flicks my hands away.

Oh hell. It won't work huh.

“Alright. But let me clarify that I'm not blaming you.”

“I don't care. Just tell me what do you want. The only reason I'm here is because it's my duty—”

“You.”

“...............” she's expressionless, speechless, and motionless. She then reddens slightly when she realizes, “Ah! N-No...! I-I am not. Just tell me what do you want or I'll leave!”

Her mood shifts really fast. She immediately became fierce again.

“Do you know who shot me?”

“No....” she lowers her head.

“It's okay. I know who did. I catch a glimpse of him. Although he was wearing a mask and a hood, he feels and I find his silhouette familiar.”

“Alright. I will kill him. Who is it?” she's frowning seemingly angered. But she's speaking calmly with no change in her intonation.

“No. We will kill nobody.”

“Who's that ‘Nobody’? He's not familiar to me. Elaborate.”

“No. I mean, we will harm no one.”

“Two people? I'm off then. I will hunt them,” she turns around to leave so I grab her immediately.

“What is it Mark?”

“Can you please sit down for now?”

“No.”

“Bloody hell! Sit down.”

“...............” she obeys. Nice. Obedient.

“Alright let me be clear... ‘Nobody’ and ‘No one’ are not names of people. I'm using them as pronouns. It means Eli-chan, we will not kill any human being or rather, we won't be killing any living creatures today.”

“Hmmm.”

“Get it?”

“Hm-mm. But why? Someone tried to kill you Mark.”

“You know this isn't the first time this happened. It's okay.”

“No, it's not.”

“Fuuuu~ I get it. However, I have a plan for him so we can't kill him yet.”

“I see.”

“All clear?”

“Hm-mm.”

Oh hell that's great that you understand.

“What do you want me to do?”

“For now, help me stand up.”

“What? No,” she pushes me back onto the bed.

Eli-chan, you're pressing on me too much. My wound will open up. It's bloody fresh!

“What are you doing?”

“I should be asking you that.”

“Well, we need to visit someone in order to begin—”

“No! Stay!”

“Eli—”

“No!”

Agh. My wound.

She seems adamant about this.

“Gah— Alright... Please go to room 303. Your target is in a private room so he's also on this floor. Don't do anything him.”

“Stay here.”

“I will.”

“...............”

Eli-chan left my room.

“Now then...”

While waiting for Eli-chan to reach her destination, I take my phone and start calling my shooter.

『Riiiiiiing! Riiiiiiing! Riiiiiiing! Riiiiiiing! Riiiiiiing! Riiiiiiing!』

Is he busy?

I'll try again.

『Riiiiiiing! Riiiiiiing! Riiiiiiing! Riiiiiiing! Riiiiiiing! Riiiiiiing! Riiiiiiing! Riiiiiiing! Riiiiiiing!』

Why is he not responding?

『Riiiiiiing! Riiiiiiing— Who is this?』

Oh he finally picked it up.

“Hello there sir, I'm calling about your car's warranty—”

『.........I'm hanging up—』

“No no no! Don't hang up on me po sir, or you will hang yourself the next day out of regret.”

『Are you threatening me? Just state your business! I'm busy』

“What's more important for you sir: your work or...”

「I'm here Mark. What should I do next?」

It's Eli-chan. Great timing.

「Please take a picture of that person and send it to me」

「Alright」

『‘Or’ what? Stop bothering me or I'll call the cops』

“Will you dare to call the cops now? I mean...”

「Here. What's next?」

「Stand by」

Eli-chan sent a message with an attached image.

『Just what is it?!』

“Fufufufufu. You're so excited. Or rather, are you anxious? I mean, you just shot someone after all.”

『..............』

There's a long silence.

『....I don't know what you're talking about.... I'm hanging up』

“Alright. But I sent you a picture. Please take a look at it first...”

『Beep! Beep! Beep!』

He hung up.

“Fufufufufufu.”

I make a peace sign then take a selfie.

『zzzzzZZZzzZzztT! zzzzzZZZzzZzztT!』

Should I edit it?

『zzzzzZZZzzZzztT! zzzzzZZZzzZzztT! zzzzzZZZzzZzztT! zzzzzZZZzzZzztT! zzzzzZZZzzZzztT! zzzzzZZZzzZzztT!』

I'll reduce the brightness I guess.

『zzzzzZZZzzZzztT! zzzzzZZZzzZzztT! zzzzzZZZzzZzztT! zzzzzZZZzzZzztT! zzzzzZZZzzZzztT! zzzzzZZZzzZzztT! zzzzzZZZzzZzztT! zzzzzZZZzzZzztT! zzzzzZZZzzZzztT! zzzzzZZZzzZzztT! zzzzzZZZzzZzztT! zzzzzZZZzzZzztT!』

Fufufufufu.

“Hello. I'm am not buying anything—”

『WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU?! If you dare touch my son, I'll hunt you down wherever the fuck you go!』

“I see. Please don't shout. What a bad customer service...”

『You! Just who are you?!』

There was a sudden sound of car door closing.

He's on his way huh.

“I sent you pic.”

『What—?!』

『You... You're...』

“Ah yes. Hello po, sire.”

『You're fine?』

“Unfortunately, you failed to kill me.”

『!!』

“I'm fine. It's because you used such a weak gun. Try again next time.”

『I don't know what you're talking about...』

“Sure. Me aside, how's your son? It looks like I overdid things a bit.”

『Don't you dare do anything to him!』

“How rude... Do I look like someone that will hurt another?”

『..............』

“Fufufufufu. In any case, you tried to kill me, and so I am now hospitalized as a result.”

『..............』

“B-marc also tried to fight me— where he ended up losing something, at the cost of... Fufufufufu, his body.”

『SHUT UP!』

“You sure I should shut up?”

『I.... No. Just hurry up and tell me what you want』

“Once upon a time, there was a couple, a lovey-dovey one. Through thick and thin, they had always been together. Then they had sex and had a child.”

『What...???』

“Unfortunately, good things don't last for weaklings, hence the happy family— pfft, actually not that much anymore. The hubby became different after all... The wifey was unhappy. Perhaps because hubby can't give wifey the love, attention, and money she wants and needs but.... Regardless of why, she ended up leaving her husband and son.”

『..............』

“Hubby didn't even try to search for her. But drowned himself to work instead. He now have better status and financial stability but... at cost of what? Ah. Yes. His son. He neglected his son fufufufufufufu. Poor guy.”

『...Are you done? I'm almost there...』

“This story hasn't ended yet. I mean, we don't even know what happened to wifey yet. And I'm curious what will hubby do once he found out what's the true reason why she left.”

『Screeeech~!』

He suddenly stepped on the break.

“Sire, kindly do be careful. You're endangering others and yourself.”

『Do you know—』

“Yes. I even know where she is and what is about to happen to her.”

『TELL ME!』

“Sure. But first, do tell me the identity of your wife. Do you even know her?”

『Of course. She is an orphan with no relatives and was the one supporting herself all this time』

“Uwaah. Well, she's lying.”

『Stop beating around the bush』

“Fine. You're too excited. Anyway, she's an illegitimate daughter of the CEO of the mall you're working at.”

『..............』

A long silence~

『What?』

“In short, she's a member of the Sebastien Family. Dahlia malls are just one of their businesses, right? Aren't you glad you married a rich lady? What a fiction-like story.”

Well, our stories are actually fictions for those reading this in my mind right now.

『Her surname isn't—』

“I said she lied about it. She was cast off by her father to the Philippines because she will bring him dishonor but now.... Can you guess what happened to her? How cold-blooded her father was...”

『Where is she—』

“Yes that's right. It's very cold. The sacrifice some of us will do just not to bring ourselves and our family a dishonor. That's how important honor for someone is.”

『..............』

“However, your wife sacrificed not just her honor— but freedom, dignity, and the time she can spend with her beloved ones for something more valuable— the lives of you father-son pair. She's been taken away by his daddy and in order to protect you, she left without saying anything. However, just for what purpose though?”

『..............』

“..............”

『Where is sh—』

“I was planning to tell you what is the reason but you're so boring so just see it for yourself. She's in Manila. Go there. She's about to get married so if I'm you, I will hurry up.”

『What?』

“I will text you the exact address and the date of her marriage.”

『Wait what?』

“..............”

I sent a text messages.

『..............』

Another silence. He's most likely reading it right now.

『........I see.... I get it』

“Great.”

『Now, what's the price for this?』

“Your son's life.”

『?!!』

『NO!! I will KILL you!』

“Ufufufufufu. You're so serious. I was just kidding.”

『You better be』

“Anyway, I don't need anything. Just remember that you owe me one— a very big one.”

『..............』

“I will let past grudges go, but make sure to make your son stay away from me, or I will chop him to pieces next time. Fufu, get it sire?”

『..............』

“..............”

『I don't know what you're planning—』

“I have no such thing. I'm just a highschool student.”

『........Anyway, thank you. I and my son will transfer to Manila by tomorrow. You won't see us ever again』

I wonder about that.

“Fufufu. You're very welcome. See you no more.”

『Beep! Beep! Beep!』

I hung up.

「Eli-chan, it's done. Thank you so much. Please return to my room, and flirt with me 💕」

“..............”

Hmm.

No response.

No way she didn't see it yet.

“..............”

Well, I'm being ignored huh.

“Fufufufufufufu,” I lie down on my bed after putting my phone on the desk.

“?”

Someone's coming. A nurse I guess.

*Creak~*

The door slowly opens. And then, there's a... Well, a thick and pretty nurse with green hair coming inside.

“It's you. What a surprise.”