Message From An Ally

As always the cafe had not even ghosts as customers with exception of Bao, who sat on the exact same table as always while taking a sip of his coffee.

His best and only friend Ning, who normally would disrupt the peaceful environment by filling it with his loud voice, was missing.

The black liquid in his cup released good-smelling steam that pierced right through his nose. Attracted by it, Bao couldn't help himself and took another sip right after having put down the cup.

"Ouch, dammit!" Obviously, he had forgotten to let it cool down for a while, burning his mouth and tongue. "What a shitty day," Bao mumbled.

First Nathan's death, then a piece of paper that in a mysterious way appeared into his pocket followed by a fight with those damn thugs and at the end he even burned his mouth with a fucking coffee.

Just the thought of it all gave him throbbing headaches.

A long-lasting sigh left his mouth.

He had yet to take a peek into that piece of paper, but the unsettling feeling in his grumbling stomach suggested that he for sure shouldn't expect anything good from it.

Both of his hands held it in front of him, his eyes staring at the small irregular folded square.

Just who in the world would put this piece of paper inside his pocket, and when would that person have done it in the first place? Maybe during his dive?

"But that would mean someone broke into my cabin while... while I was diving..." Bao's thoughts slipped out of his mouth.

He quickly checked the left and right of the small corridor that led to every table in the cafe.

Still no one there.

Another sigh, this time of relief, left his mouth.

Steps came closer to his place, it must have been the cafe owner since Bao didn't hear the usual bell ringing at the entrance.

"Everything okay with you?" The owner asked with his eyebrow raised.

In his hand was a small plate on which stood a multi-layered piece of cake with an entire strawberry placed on the top of it.

"Yes..., ju... just the normal troubles of daily life, I would say." Bao diverted his eyes, despite being a friendly person he had always feared the stern look of the owner.

With the utmost care, the tall man placed the plate in front of Bao, right next to the coffee.

"It's on the house, so don't make a scary face like that or you'll daunt potential customers." The owner cleared his throat. "Aaaa... and maybe it'll help you to cheer up a little."

"Th... tha... nk... u," the words remained stuck in Bao's neck, this kind of thing never happened to him before. "Really thank you."

"No problem," As the owner walked away, Bao meant to have seen him blush a little.

The sweet taste of the cake made a great contrast to the bitterness of the coffee, leaving a small grin on his face after every bite he took.

With a more lightened mood and something in his stomach, he turned his attention back to the piece of paper in his hands.

Bao took a deep breath before unfolding it with two quick movements and read the black curly writing on it.

his hands started to tremble so that even the calm brown surface of the coffee began to form circles of unrest.

What is meant with HIS maid?!

His headache intensified.

Does the writing mean Aika? Isn't that Boss Bing's maid?

If what was written there was the truth, it would mean that Ning had betrayed his trust and used him for whatever purpose.

He checked again the left and right of the corridor.

Still, no one there.

Should he believe in what is written on the paper?

Bao started chewing on his nails while his leg moved up and down, shaking the table like an earthquake.

For the first time in his life, Bao used the cigarette lighter integrated into the table to light up the note and put it in the unused ashtray.

Not one second too early as Aika appeared around the seat corner in her free time outfit, startling him.

"You again here Bao? This REALLY is your favourite..." She stared into his face and given her expression it must have been a gruesome one. "What is it, are you not feeling well? Why are you so pale."

"No... nothing, I'll be going then, I... I don't want to... to disturb your free time any fu... further." He stuttered.

"Hey wait a minute!" She grabbed his arm as Bao tried to walk away. "Are you running away from me? Perhaps scared after what you saw I did to those three thugs. You don't have to..."

"N... no I...," - he directed his eyes to the ground- "I... have something urgent to do!" Bao stripped his arm from her grip and ran out of the cafe.

"For real now?" Surprised by his reaction she stood on the spot without moving.

"Hello, Master?" Aika had picked up her phone as she sniffed around in the air, a strange smell of something burnt pierced through her nose.

"Aika? How many time, should I say it dammit, if it's only the two of us just call me Ning!"

"Ning."

"Yes?"

"I think that your plan might fail."