Coldest Smile

Zeke was almost at the verge of breaking down. He tried his best but nothing scared him more than when Ryu took out his anger on him. His boss was sitting there like royalty, his legs relaxed comfortably on the table after all the bashing. It looked like he needed a break more than his gangmate did. 

"I pity you Zeke. You cannot deny your job even if you wanted to because of the contract. " The young man felt trapped. The contract had stated that if he were to ever leave the job, then he'd have to pay twice the money that he gets as salary. His mother was sick too to begin with. Ryu rolled his tongue to one side of his cheek to taste the candy Lyra had bought him in order to give up on smoking. It's been a few years and It didn't taste disgusting but the things he did for her… He sighed. 

"Why are you silent now. Zeke? " Ryu called out in a serious tone but he got no reply. He saw how the tip of Zeke's collar got wet with tear drops, one by one. Now it was Zeke's boss  who was silent. Sometimes, Ryu forgot how Zeke was 3 years younger than him, 21 and as a result, very much sensitive to his words. Lyra was walking down the steps when she witnessed the commotion. The space between her eyebrows creased in anger at what she was seeing. 

"Ryu Sheng! How many times have I warned you not to take out your frustrations on Zeke!? " 

Lyra walked down the stairs as she clutched onto her shimmering golden bag and stood right in front of the tall Master Ryu. Why was he here at his guesthouse this early? His face was indifferent to her arrival. 

"Listen to me young man. You might be the boss here but I'm older than you and have watched over you better than a mother. So if I tell you to leave Zeke alone, then you simply listen. Is that clear? " 

Ryu didn't utter anything and stood there, basically staring at her as he played with the candy in his mouth. No wonder why Eliza hated him, Lyra thought. He was stone cold! She shook her head and walked towards Zeke. 

"Here…" She handed over a hankie to him. Zeke was surprised and blushing at the same time. 

"I'm the reason you're being forced to listen to all his insensitive words. Don't take it to heart…  It's just that he cares a lot for me. Just like he cares for you. " Lyra smiled softly and then turned to leave. Cared? For me? What a joke! Zeke passed a look at Ryu and it seemed he was looking elsewhere, pretending not to hear all that. 

As soon as the door closed, Zeke was left in an awkward silence with his boss. He heard footsteps approach him so he closed his eyes and prepared for the worst. But it came as a big blow to him when he felt his hair being softly ruffled by a big hand. He blinked his eyes open and was numb to what he was witnessing. Ryu Sheng patting his head!? What!! 

Ryu himself didn't know what he was doing but if that could help the youngest member compose himself then be it. He felt absolutely nothing doing that minor action but somehow, Zeke felt like a child being coddled. 

"Now stop crying.  You can take a day off… " 

Zeke was heartfelt at his sudden display of kindness even though his face showed no remorse. He bowed down in relief. 

"Y-Yes Sir! " 

___

Inside the room, Darah was numb. "David?" She whisper- shouted as if she was in complete shock. What was he doing here?

"I knew you would eventually find out I'm here even if I tried to hide.  I'm tired of hiding anyways. So I thought, why not reintroduce myself." He spoke, completely disinterested as he pulled a chair near to her side of the bed. He looked the same as that day except that his aura wasn't bright anymore. 

"David? What do you mean reintroduce? And where am I? " Darah was awfully confused. And it dawned upon her that he could have been involved with the gang that killed those disgusting men last night. 

"First of all…  It's not David. It's Devin. We all live double lives here, probably." His gaze was sharp and steady, Darah felt like she was seeing a new man altogether. Where had his gentle smile disappeared? 

"I feel guilty that we have to meet like this. But I assure you it's not a big deal. You'll get used to it. " Used to what? What was he saying? He had that flirtatious smile once again as he said that. Darah wasn't feeling good about this. 

"You're going to see me more often these days, Miss Darah Chen. So I have a request. " Another threat wasn't it? Darah mentally laughed looking at her condition. 

"The date with you was great. But I'd like it to remain a secret between us. No one should know we ever met. Is that clear? " She blinked not knowing what to say. She was basically trapped somewhere without her phone and now her date is demanding her not to be her date? Which was a bigger problem? 

"Is that clear, Darah… ? " Devin asked again, this time his cold eyes staring at her. He felt bad about her current state and genuinely wanted to help her but he had to act cold if no one had to find out about their relationship. As soon as Darah was about to speak, another sound entered the spacious room. 

"Is what clear, Devin? " 

In walked a tall figure, his long locks of hair swaying side by side right above his brows. He wore black baggy pants accompanied by a grey full sleeved T-shirt that was tucked in at his small waist. The thick silver chain over his neck glimmered at the sunlight that entered the room from the window side as he stood above Darah, gazing into her round, petrified eyes. Something struck her. It was the same man who killed that goon right in front of her… 

"Nothing, Ryu. I was just making myself familiar with her. " Devin smiled as he got up, not breaking his eye contact with Darah. Ryu noticed the tension but decided to leave it. As Devin left, shutting the door close, he looked at Darah who resembled a scared puppy. She wasn't even looking at him. He walked all the way round the King sized bed and sat at the opposite end of Darah. When she turned slightly, she saw him pouring a glass of wine and moving it to her side on a silver tray. She was astonished, why was everything in the room shiny? 

"You can look at me now. " 

Even though hesitant, she lifted her head to see his face, her heart thudding for some reason… Darah was on cloud nine. This couldn't be the same man… He looked like a monster last night but now he was an angel. Ryu wasn't sure what he was seeing but he saw tears form in her eyes after a few seconds of just meeting gazes with her. He was unable to say anything but felt like he was responsible for her tears. 

"Miss, Darah-"

"I-I need my phone! " She said out of the blue. 

Ryu went silent. That? That was why she was crying!? She was a weird one for sure.