Healing, yet...

One Saturday afternoon, Markus, Dave, and Cassandra went to the mall to buy some stuff for their summer vacation. They usually spend it together at their secret base they built since they're in 3rd grade.

The SeaMall. It was the biggest supermarket in the city of Aurum. It was home to different stores and boutiques that sell all stuff available in production. It has cafes, spas, gyms, department stores, and every store you can think of. Its land area consists of the whole block in Zone 10 and a floor area of an eighth of the city of Aurum when you combine all 13 floors of the building. It is circular in shape and stores are built like honeycombs with hallways spiraling the center. It is called the SeaMall because the greenish ocean is found behind it and you can see it from anywhere inside the mall.

"Hey, Cass..." Dave grabbed Cassandra's sleeve.

"What?!" She raised an eyebrow.

"Isn't here where he played the ROA game." Dave looked at Markus who's looking at the LCD screen flashing an ascending of a rocket ship to space. "Is he going to be alright?"

"That is why we entered from the south entrance to avoid the atrium. We can find a lot of things in this side as well, right?" Cassandra replied and went to Markus to grab his wrist. "Let's go up there!" she pointed at the 4th floor.

When they approached the escalator, Markus saw a familiar face in the crowd.

"Yo!" the man said waving his hand.

He wore his usual Hawaiian polo top with a white undershirt. This time, he wore shades, a pair of trousers, and Spartan-like sandals. "What are you doing here, Marky?" he asked. "Are they your friends?"

"Oh, Mr. Kou? Long time no see, how have you been?" Markus replied casually.

"Who's that, Marky?" Cassandra whispered as she leans towards his shoulder.

"This is Mr. Kou, the one I mentioned who gave me those boxes of cookies," he replied. "You ate it with me right?"

"Ehhh,,, do you have more, ol' man?" Dave asked with glittering eyes, stepping in front to be noticed.

"Are they your best friends, Marky?" Kou asked.

"Ahh,,, quite so..." he bluntly answered.

"What's the meaning of that "QUITE SO", huh, Marky?" Cassandra eyed him, putting a notorious glare, gesturing a fist.

"Ahh... hehe...it's nothing, I mean, I'm sorry, Cassy. That's not what I meant." He reluctantly answered feigning a smile and looking away.

"Ohh,, that's scary... you made Mom angry there, Marky..." Dave mockingly said and laughed under his breath.

"I didn't mean it, swear..." the two became pale-looking while they stare at Cassandra getting mad.

"Now that you mentioned..." the Man interrupted "I still have cookies on my car, I just bought some yesterday from my trip to Luna and haven't eaten it yet.. would you like to have some? I'll just get them from the parking, it's in my car." He added. "Can you wait for a minute?"

"HAI!" Dave said with a glimmering sparkle on his eyes "Please do."

"You're hopeless, Davey," Markus said while poking his friend and wearing a poker face. "But, is that okay, Mr. Kou?"

"Ahh, don't worry, I don't really have a sweet tooth though I was fun of buying sweets. I'll just go get it from my car at the parking space. You wait here, okay?"

"Hai!" Markus and Dave said in chorus.

Reiko turned his back and went his way to the parking lot to get the cookies as he promised.

"Are you sure it's safe to receive cookies from him, huh, Marky?" Cassandra reluctantly asked when the man got far from them.

"Of course, you don't have to worry about him. He's a good guy. Besides, his cookies are delicious and I have received quite a lot of boxes already. There's nothing that happened to me, right?" he tried to convince Cassandra. "And in fact, we've shared quite a few boxes too back then."

"That's true.. If you say so, then... maybe, we can have some of those cookies again." Cassandra smiled "...let's wait for him on that bench." He pointed on the bench at the center of the mall near a cellphone stall. It was surrounded by other stalls that sell pastries, cakes, tacos, and other street stuff.

"Ahh... I will buy us some drinks." Dave suggested. He went to the farther end of the mall where he usually buys drinks when he gets to the mall. "I'm quite addicted to their apple juice and their mocha iced coffee so imma gonna get some."

"I'm just going to the bathroom," Markus said and turned the other way. "Let's just meet on that bench."

The three exchanged looks and went their way.

He went to the 2nd floor where the toilet is. He used the escalator to the left of the antique store fronting the bench they decided to sit down and wait.

"Okay, then I will wait on that bench," Cassandra said and went to the spot they agreed on.

Markus was stuck for a while in the toiler since it was very crowded. When he finally got out, he bumped into a man wearing a black coat and eyeglasses with a stern look on his face. He looked up and said,

"I'm so sorry...I didn't me..an..to..." then in a sudden, his heartbeat so fast, his sweat forms and drops like marbles all over his body. He turned pale and his body turned cold as he saw the face of the man who almost hit his face while he is hugging his mom at the interrogation room in the Bureau headquarters.

"Ahh..." the man said and turned away from Markus.

Markus was stunned to see the guy. He leaned on the wall near the toilet door and tried to control his breath. He's breathing quite fast and he is getting cold from head to toe. He tried to calm himself but he's not getting any better. He's losing the strength on his knees.

He walked his way back to Cassandra and the others but then, he decided to go straight home. He didn't notice Dave who asked him to bring the other cans of coffee that he bought when they came across each other in the hallway. He walked straight past through him but he didn't say a thing. Dave was so confused about what happened to Markus. He just thought his friend had something else to do before going to their meet-up place. He then, rush to Cassandra to ask if she knows what had happened.

"I don't know... he didn't go this way," Cassandra said. "Where is he going?! Did he look so pale or terrified?!"

"Ahh,, I think so. He was looking down and when I pat his shoulder, he's cold. I guess he's having a panic attack."

"And you let him leave? This is bad Dave, we should get to him now."

"What could have caused it?" Dave put his drinks on the bench and looked around for Markus.

"I don't know either. Maybe he saw that something or what." Cassandra scanned the area thoroughly.

"But, I can't see anyone suspicious."

"Are you nuts? We haven't seen his face, right? I mean, that guy that Aunt Charlie said. "

"We haven't?" Dave looked at Cassy.

"Ahh... Haven't.." Cassandra looked blank.

"Ahh.. so..."

On the other hand, Reiko saw Markus walked past Dave. He saw his face getting all pale and he is trying to get himself out at everyone's eyes at the moment. One thing came to his mind, he's having a panic attack. He had questions in mind, but one thing is for sure, he saw someone that made him remember what happened before.

"But how? He even smiled when he saw me back there...Did he know who I was--" then he saw the man on the escalator who bumped Markus at the toilet door. "Is that him?..." he walked fast to approach the man, leaving his son walking towards the exit.

"Hey..." he called.

He saw that the man was really dressed as if he became Reiko's Doppelganger. He wore the same Tux he wore that night and eyeglasses Reiko was commonly worn in the office.

"Just who are you?" he asked angrily as he gripped the man's shoulder "Who sent you here?" he turned the man to face him and eyed him badly. He pushed him on the edge of the railings while pinning his back on the rail. Reiko glared so badly.

The man was so nervous to see Reiko's angry face that he replied immediately "I was just asked to wear these clothes and bumped into a certain kid."

"Who sent you to do this?" Reiko exclaimed. Everyone near them looked their way.

"It was part of the agreement that I won't tell anyone who asked me to do this." The man replied in a panicked voice. "You're making a scene, sir."

"I don't care. I can make my way through But how about you? You should be prepared to go to jail. I will sue you no matter what and make sure you rot in jail. I can do that, I have connections." He grinned at the man and strengthen his grip on his shoulders "Do you know who I am?"

The man took a good look at Reiko's face and turned pale "Don't tell me... you're the real one? Mr. Ginsei Reiko? The president of ORION." the guy exclaimed.

"Hai... That's me... now... tell me who asked you to do this..." Reiko's stare became daggers.

He said reluctantly with a troubled voice "A woman with red hair wearing a heart pendant..."

"Heart pendant, huh? I guess I know who it was..."

Reiko let the man go, leaving a threat to that man. He already knows who the culprit was so he rushed downstairs to follow his son.

"Where do you think Markus will go?" he asked the kids going their way towards the exit where he found Markus going out.

"He said he will go straight home. When I asked him why he didn't reply and walked faster instead." Dave said, confused. "We should follow him. Anything might happen."

"Ahh... will he be okay walking home alone?" Reiko asked, pretty worried.

"I'm sorry, Mister but we need to go," Dave said and turned his back from the man following Cassandra's pace. "Even if he can control his attacks now, we can't help but worry."

"Ahh... then, just give him these boxes. You can take some of it, too." Reiko left the box to Dave and gave a wary smile. "I hope he'll be fine."

"Thanks, ol' man," Dave responded. "We'll check on him when we get home. Thanks for these."

"Ahh," Reiko replied and see them off.

The two went their way home and Reiko went to his car. Louige was there waiting for his boss, prepared to drive the car.

"So, where are we up to now, Reiko-sama?" Louige asked.

"To ORION, Louige-kun. I need to talk to someone." his voice sounds mad. He's anger overflowing that even Loiige can't look him in the eye.

"Right away, Sir."

Louige drove fast to ORION and Reiko went straight to the vice-president's office.

"What are you trying to accomplish, Ada?" he said exclaimed while entering the office. He banged the door open. His pace is heavy and his anger is filling the air.

"What are you talking about, Dear?" she responded like nothing is happening. She sat on her chair doing things on her computer like usual, ignoring Reiko's loudened voice.

"Stop kidding me, Ada." Reiko hit the table with his palms. "I know you sent that guy to cause Markus' panic attack. You knew that I will be meeting him at the mall, didn't you?" He went forward to meet her eyes closer.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I was just..."

"I saw your car at the parking space.. you can't deny it now."

"So, what if my car was there. Can't I go to the mall anytime I want, huh?!" she stood from her seat and fought her husband's glare with a glare. "How dare you raise your voice like that?! I'm still your wife!"

"I don't care, you must have seen my son." Reiko leaned even more that he almost reached his wife's face. "That's why you sent that man." his voice turned into a shout.

"I haven't sent anyone. Could you please stop accusing me?" Ada's voice turned into a higher pitch.

"Don't make this complicated. He confessed already. He said it was you. A woman with red hair wearing a heart pendant." Reiko said.

"Am I the only one who has red hair and a heart pendant, now? You're stepping too far Reiko! How dare you accuse me of doing something to your son. I mean, that bastard is just a--"

"Stop your bullshit, Ada!" He hit the table again, now with his fist.

"What now?... I mean... you're all around that bastard. You haven't been home during your day-offs and on some other occasions. All you do is see that bastard of yours!"

"Don't call him BASTARD! He is my SON!" he turned around the table and approached his wife with an intent to hit.

The employees outside were hearing the fight happening inside the VP's office. They stopped their work and listened to what was happening. Louige stood outside the office door, gesturing at everyone to mind their own business.

"Your son? Then what about us? I'm your wife. We have a child too." Ada's voice turned a higher pitch.

"Ahh,.. and you killed him. Taking all those meds just to make you slim. Being careless of what you eat and having all your vices while bearing our child. You did overwork yourself, not to mention. I'm tired of this relationship we had already."

"Then what are you planning? Cancel our marriage? Aren't you canceling the merger of the company too, are you?" She glared at him.

"Ahh... if that's what will make my son safe, I will cancel the merger as well."

"Damn it! You can't just do that!" Ada exclaimed and threw the things on her table. Broken glasses chimed inside the office.

"I can, 'cause I'm the President. I just want to have the son I've lost for 12 years now and the son I longed for a lifetime. I just want to be a father. And if sacrificing the company is the price just to have that, I will gamble to make the deal possible. You cannot scare me anymore, Ada. You hold nothing against me. So, just try to hurt my son ever again, I will surely send you to prison and bring you hell." he said without getting his glare off. He pointed his finger to his wife.

"Impossible, you can't do that!" Ada exclaimed. Her face turned red in anger. "You'll regret choosing that bastard over the company. Over me!"

"I can and I will... just remember that." Reiko opened the door of the office "Just lay a finger on him one more time and I will make the end bad for you, Ada Lovelace." He left and went to his own office.

Ada's expression can't be painted as the door of her office slowly closing.