The Lead

Zeke stood his ground, trying his best not to cry. It was already embarrassing enough that he still hadn't been able to get a sharp shot even though he trained for hours on day ends, and that too under the skilled assassin Ryu Sheng's supervision. 

"How can you keep messing things up! Zeke! You always disappoint me! It's like I'm repeating the cycle every day! " 

"I-I'm sorry S-Sir! "

"Look me in the eye! " Ryu roared, hitting his fists on the table. His mask trembled a bit from the bridge of his nose but he cautiously put it back up, enough for Zeke to catch a glimpse of the little scar below his eye. 

"This is not a matter of apology that I can let slip so easily. You almost killed that woman. I won't say any more Zeke. Because I know it would change nothing about you-"

"Ryu! " Lyra called out in anger, coming down the stairs. She had worn a purple silken robe hanging down her shoulders gently, it's ends sweeping over the floor. It seemed like she had just gotten out of a bath. 

"Don't use words so carelessly. Zeke too can make mistakes. He's new here." Lyra sipped and put the half empty glass of wine over the table before Ryu, looking almost tired. 

"Easier said than done. And you still haven't  told me the reason why I had to chase him. Will you? " Ryu waited approximately 5 seconds, observing how Lyra was hesitating more than usual. She wasn't ready to give an answer. 

"Lyra." He asked again in a demanding voice, out of duty. 

"I am not obliged to let you know the reason, Ryu. Now let Zeke have some peace. We'll get that guy someday. " She said firmly, taking the glass of wine and leaving in an irritated state of mind. She had noticed from the corner of her eyes how Ryu's gaze suddenly lost it's strength as she said that. Something weighed down in her mind too but she didn't want to look weak. Instead she looked over at the television screen which was playing a romantic movie.

Lyra had always had eyes filled with stars every time she looked at well off actors on screen. It was a dream too good to come true for her and it almost did. But now it seemed like it was foolish of her to even think about it. A storm was about to take her by force. 

_________

"What happened a week ago was just an accident. It wasn't meant to be." Darah spoke to herself, looking in the mirror with determined eyes. 

"It was not an ill fate. Not a curse. It was just an accident." Darah nodded, closing her eyes. Where was the strong girl inside her now? She brushed back her unwashed hair and pulled it behind her ears. Last week was a mess. She thought being with her mom and dad could maybe fix things a bit but their constant nagging finally got to her and she had no choice but to return back to the rented house. To them, Darah was just another spoiled brat who had no aim in life whereas her sister was well off and rich. They never tried to understand what was haunting her.

"Oh god, May…" Darah whispered as the phone vibrated second after second with the incoming messages. And finally May gave her a video call. 

"Are you feeling better now?" May sounded concerned but at the same time excited. 

"Yeah. I think so. I didn't get the time to check the screenshots you sent me. Fought with your boyfriend again?" Darah smiled. May was so dramatic when it came to her boyfriend. She would fight with him consistently every month and swore to block him but would get back together anyway. It had been going for about a year. 

"Darah no! It's for you!!" May squealed through the phone. Then the doorbell rang. Darah rushed to the front door, opening it to be hugged tight by an extremely excited May. It seemed like she was levitating from the floor in happiness. 

"May!! What's going on!?" Darah chuckled, but then frowned seeing the screenshot.

"See this hottie right here? He's going to be your date for tomorrow!" 

"Tomorrow!? " Darah gasped, keeping a hand to her chest. She was puzzled but then it clicked her when she went through the screenshots. She had registered Darah's profile on a dating site.

"May! You made an account in my name!? Why!!!! " Darah was practically flailing her arms around like a mad woman, putting her fingers into  her short puffy hair. 

"Because! You need it! "

"I need therapy, May! Not a guy to make it worse! " 

"Therapy with this guy? Sounds fun to me! Darah trust me on this one. I think he's perfect for you in every aspect. He's warm, caring, looks beautiful, hot, looks gorgeous-"

"You just like the way he looks don't you?" Darah sighed, leaning against the wall, slowly but steadily dropping herself to the ground. 

"I can't do this, May. I'm not in my right mind." 

"Darah…  please. I tried so hard to get you this gem of a man. I'll tell you everything you need to know about him in detail. The rest is up to you to decide." May saw how Darah was showing not even the slightest interest, her eyes full of sadness.

"Darah…  I might look inconsiderate to you right now. But when i'm busy with my job and my idiot of a boyfriend, I wish there would be someone who can take the time out their day to look after you. Not that I wont or can't. But I feel like what I do isn't enough. Maybe, just maybe…  what if he turns out to be your soulmate. Or what if…" May stopped to take a deep breath and held both her shoulders tight.

"What if he leads you to true love?" May smiled wide, her eyes twinkling as if she was in some dreamland. Darah thought to herself for a moment and then nodded weakly.

"Really? You're fine with this right? He said he couldn't wait to see you! At Runic Cafe sharp at 10 am!" Darah nodded again at May's words as if she was out of energy.

"Ok but what is his name first of all?" Darah asked curiously, looking through his pictures among the screenshots. He was quite a good looking man with messy brown hair. Pretty, to be honest. 

"David. David Zhao!"