Visible Madness

Ryu schemed through his laptop, not paying attention to his secretary who had walked into his cabin to hand over a set of files. For the first time, Guen was glad to see the young man immersed in his work but it still shocked him how he looked nowhere close to his father, doing that. In fact he looked much wiser and calmer than Aldric. Maybe it was because he hadn't known Ryu for long, he thought.

"Sir, these are the files Mr. Gerald wants you to sign regarding the new resort. Please read through them carefully." Guen bowed and stood to a side after placing the sheets over his table.

"Have you looked through them?"

"Yes. All it requires are your signatures. I will handle the rest. But I still request you to look through them."

"Very well then." Ryu muttered, taking the files into his hand and examining them one by one.

"You look nothing like your father." Guen smiled, but Ryu stopped abruptly, his eyes freezing on the papers. Guen didn't know why but it felt like he blurted out an insult even though he only meant it as a compliment. Regardless, Ryu kept signing the papers, the glint of anger not leaving his eyes.

"Uhm- I-I mean you look even better than him!" Guen bowed furiously, his legs shaking. He saw how Ryu's hands crumbled into fists in some sort of silent rage, his pupils shaking in anger. The older man couldn't tell clearly what he was seeing since the younger's eyes were partly hidden by his bangs. However he could sense a deadly aura from him.

"Can you please step outside, Guen."

His voice was as cold as ice, piercing deep into his eardrums even though Ryu muttered it so calmly. It felt like he was holding tight the shutters to a dam within his chest. Guen knew all hell would break loose if he stayed there any longer. Just as he thought, he just saw a side of the young man he shouldn't have seen.

Stepping outside, Guen couldn't tell why his chest felt so heavy. Did I say something wrong!? He dreaded if that was the reason for his anger. Inside, Ryu stood up from his seat and approached the naked view of the city outside. He kept a hand over the glass looking at the little world beneath him, his lips leaving a deep breath. His eyelids weighed over his gaze as he saw the almost orange sky beyond the window slowly fade in with the blue clouds. His hand left the glass and his fingers laid their touch over the tattoo which covered a scar that ran down his eye, quite small but deep enough to leave a gut wrenching memory in his mind. Realising the blankness in his eyes, his lips quickly changed it's shape, acquiring a smirk which slowly turned into a chuckle at each passing second…

When Guen peeked through the small gap of the open door, he was dumbstruck. Am I dealing with a crazy man!? Ryu however stopped his fit of madness gradually and stared seriously at the glass.

"Guen. Come in." Ryu spoke suddenly making the old man thrust inside through the door in shock. He stood straight, looking at the young man's built back which was facing him.

"Yes Sir!"

"Take the files away. I've signed them." His voice was calm again. Guen nodded in confusion, tiptoeing to the table and quickly scurrying away with the files.

Ryu looked over at the time on his watch… It was time for Darah to get back home. He pulled out his phone, giving her a call.

"Wait a second." Darah kept her smile at Jake as she pulled out her phone from her jeans. The latter nodded, watching her smile fade slowly into wonder as she stared at her phone.

"Are your classes done?" He spoke before she could even say hello. His voice was cold and laced with disinterest, making Darah feel irritated again. Fine then, I'll play just as hard as you, she thought.

"Yes." She replied, equally cold.

"Wait outside. I'll be on my way."

Darah felt butterflies inside her tummy, her cheeks turning red. Ugh you're making me melt!!! But she quickly regained her attitude.

"No thank you." Darah's voice sounded grumpily. She heard nothing in reply from the other side… Just his faint breathing, making her heart stop. Did I make him angry? Just the thought of it made her sad...

"I'll be working part time from now on so I'll be reaching home late. I've already told Luca. He'll come pick me up so don't worry." She went on to say in order to fill in the silence. Ryu's free hand gripped tightly over the nearby potted plant's leaf, plucking it out of it's stem and crumbling it in his hands.

"And he didn't feel the need to let me know?" Ryu was speaking more to himself than he was to Darah. She suddenly felt it was stupid of her to even include Luca in the conversation.

"It's completely fine! I told him I'd let you know later! So… Bye… " He was silent again. Darah felt bad for giving him the attitude. At least that'll save Luca out of trouble. But I was being too much, she thought to herself sadly and went on to cut the call when she was interrupted by Jake behind her.

"Who was that?" Jake asked with a smile watching her cut the call.

"A close friend." She smiled back , sighing in relief.

On the other side, Ryu was still holding tight to his phone, hands shaking in anger. A range of questions sullied his otherwise calm mind. The main question among all was who that voice belonged to…

His phone buzzed at a set of notifications. It was from Leo…

He opened the chat to see a bunch of pictures and he immediately recognised the girl in the lace top and jeans to be Darah from behind. But he felt a sudden adrenaline rush in his blood, his eyes staring dead at the person who was walking beside her. He was close. Standing too close to her. Her smile with him was so wide and contagious, it made him lose his sense of mind. His heart paced in anger and it wasn't until he passed his own reflection at the glass wall that he realised how turbulent his expression looked. For a second he wondered if it really was him, eyebrows knit against each other in agitation. He'd never recalled himself getting so maddened over such trivial things. How did it even get here?

_____

"Bye Judy! See you tomorrow!!!" Darah exclaimed with her hands in the air. Judy winked her goodbye as she walked in the opposite direction to her bus stop. While Darah walked to her work place, she noticed someone honk next to her in a bike. She stopped, looking awkwardly at the man with a helmet over his head however his attire resembled Jake's.

"Jake?"

"Hop on! I'll drop you off!" He yelled through the bustling sounds on the road. Darah honestly didn't know what to do. She had a smile on her face but she hesitated to approach him.

"But It's not that far."

"I work there too. Come on!"

Darah's eyebrows knit together in doubt. That was weird. He never told her about it. As far as she knew, she never recalled him doing part times at all… Shrugging, she got into the back seat failing to notice how Leo had taken note of everything. He felt stupid how he was assigned to do dangerous jobs from killing people to now spying on a frail young woman. However, this job was less frightening and more fun.