CHAPTER 4: AN ODD START

I held my breath for a brief moment and waited for the crook to drop dead.

T H U D

The man is ultimately down with crimson pool of blood spreading out on the puddle of rainwater. The sight of blood is already gruesome to look at...even his ruined head.

I shivered in place as I feel like throwing up from the stench of blood this rain is trying to wash off.

Not only that, but I still could not bring myself to believe the fact he just killed four people. FOUR. Just by himself. What a monster.

On the other hand, he's completely unfazed by what he just did. It has been his job, after all. Executing them wouldn't be as difficult as his previous kills.

As if he is born to be a killer.

The gas masked man then approached the guy he recently killed as he playfully tosses his dagger up and down. He seems to be scanning his dead body.

"Let's see..."

He tossed his dagger once more and caught it mid-air. I tried to take a peek at what he was trying to do out of curiosity. Then... I saw him drawing an 'X' on the man's forehead with the dagger and hummed a nursery song.

This guy is seriously sick in the head!

"There you go! You've got my signature. Unfortunately this will be our last fan meeting," he stated as he wiped off the blood from the tip of his weapon.

I just got saved by this psycho...Unbelievable! Of all people, why am I even working with him? I seriously regret my choices right now. I might even get myself killed before we even get to our goal. I'm doomed.

Once he was satisfied, he turned to face me before putting his gun back into his belt.

"And as for you... Missy. You must've forgotten why you're here."

"I-I haven't! Don't underestimate me even if I just got my ass saved by your psychotic plays," I spitted out the remaining blood from my mouth before throwing the USB to him. I risked my life to get that thing.

This motherfucker doesn't even care if I were to die. As long as he's the one who'll end me.

As soon as he caught the USB in his hands, he let out a chuckle.

"I didn't save you, young lady. I just spared you."

"What, I just fucked up today—now you're implying to kill me? We have a deal!"

"Oh, my sweet young flower... You don't even take a hint? I was just joking!"

"Fuck. You."

I shot him a glare. I couldn't take all of his jokes while my legs are completely numb from that paralyzer gun. All this shit happened just for that stupid USB.

"My, you bark more than you bite. Pretty wild for a young lady, huh?" He shook his head, seeming more amused than before. He continued to play with his dagger skillfully between his fingers.

For some reason, I could see myself as that sharp dagger. He uses me like a toy, nonetheless, he knows what I can do and use it in his advantage while I get bloodied and slowly lose my sharp edges.

"Well indeed, we have a deal. You and me. Between a client...and a hitman." I saw his eyes through the glass of his gas mask squinting into a smile and cocked his gun at me like a madman he is.

I do not fear someone like him, but when I saw a murder right before my eyes...

I gulped and waited for him to speak once again. The gun is still pointed at my head with his fore finger tapping near the trigger.

He's mocking me.

"Awe, don't worry about the deal for now. You did great despite all this...mess we've caused," he crouched down and pulled my face close to his. His dagger gently traces my jaw down to my throat as if he was guessing where he could end me in the future.

"Just keep yourself clean..." He poked a part of my neck, being careful of not leaving a large wound.

I know what he wants, that's why he kept me alive. He has what I need, which is why I joined him to get it.

"...You'll be the most beauuuutiful flower in my garden. Never ever cease to please me, and I shall keep you alive for much longer," My relationship with him is like having a contract with a devil. If I go astray from this mission, my throat is for him to take.

"Remember that... Green Gladiolus."

- - -

"... Y...na..."

"Yoo....na..."

What is it...?

"Yoona...!"

"Give me 5 more minutes..."

I jolted up when I felt something hit my head as I let out a short cry of pain. I opened my eyes to see a piece of chalk roll down from my desk and a glimpse of the gloomy sky from the window.

That is when I realized that I fell asleep during class.

"If you're just going to sleep throughout the class, get out," Our professor scolded me with a stern gaze. I feel a little dizzy after that chalk land on my head. My seatmate tapped my table with his pen and caught my attention.

"Your uhm... Your drool..." The whole class laughed at how I looked. I felt so embarrassed as I wipe off my drool with the back of my hand and fixed my hair. "Sorry, sir—I was feeling a little dizzy."

"Then go to the nurse's office. Don't waste any more of my time," he took out another chalk from his personal chalk box and resumed to write whatever that is related to our current lesson. I glanced at the window to see droplets of water pouring from the heavens.

It's raining again. It's nothing new, this is how our life goes in the city of Hana-Puellaweo. It seemed so peculiar for me to think that something is about to happen. I don't know why, but I have a feeling it would be something terribly dangerous.

And that dream I had...I was with an eccentric man. Crazy, even. I couldn't remember the whole thing—that's just how our dream usually works. But it left an uneasy feeling within me...

Whatever that is, I must not think about it too deeply. This city is safe, no danger is going to come destroy us here. Because we're handled by powerful agencies.

That's right.

Everything will be just fine.

Hana-Puellaweo is a safe city after all.