CHAPTER 9
2154 Words
(Running Away)
THE LOUD UPBEAT MUSIC the dj was playing blasted on his ears upon entering Tipsy, a bar where he could find the asshole who messed up his first mission upon arriving the Philippines.
Just after he receives information on the whereabouts of the traitor, he immediately moved. Apart from his personal problems, he also has concerns about their business.
It was dark inside, dim to be exact, but the different colored lights were enough for him to see around and find the person he was looking for.
Tipsy has two floors. It has a wide open staircase all the way to the second floor, which can be seen from the first floor. The upper floor were where the rich and influential people usually hang out. Moreover, the building also has a rooftop with a swimming pool that only opens exclusively for the VVIP on special events.
Four corners has its very own pole dancers that no one can ever touch, because of its glass barrier. They wore different costumes based on the usual types of men, such as the pink bunny, gothic sadist, submissive maid, and so on, depending on the scheduled duty of the dancers. Every night were different. Each dancer is wearing masks to hide their identity. After all, they just serve as decorations.
The place is in black, red, and gold colors. It maintains the elegance of the bar despite the business' nature.
The tables are on the side, and in the middle is the wide dancefloor. In front of it was a mini stage where a famous dj was playing. On the right side of the stairs, is the bar counter where drinks were mixed and served.
No cigarette smokes lingers around because there is an area separated intended only for those who smokes. Only the smell of alcohol drinks filled the inside of the building. The people were talking as if the other one was half a kilometer away.
"Hey, Kai. I'll take a look around," Jinro said as he took his way to the women dancing at the center dancefloor while stepping with the beat of the music. He didn't even wait for him to answer.
Shaking his head, he went to the bar counter for a cold drink.
There he found a woman sitting while her chin was placed on her bent elbows. Her eyes were boredly sleepy. She looks like she's in her late twenties. Her petite body were printed with quite a few amount of tattoos, making her epidermis a canvas, from her neck to her fingers like a turtle neck longsleeves. Her piercings were at the same amount, from the eyesbrows, cheeks, nose, lips, ears, and even in the navel part, that was exposed because of her hanging top tank. This girl is definitely a badass. How could such small body takes lots of needles?
Her violet eyebrows rose. Even her lips are the same in color as those. Her hair were in ombre from dark purple to pastel tips.
Is this girl the bartender?
"An Old Fashioned, please."
"Here you go." A guy's hand brought a glass of an amber colored liquid with a slice of orange twist.
His gaze looked up at the tall man with super squinted eyes that he wasn't sure if it can still see.
With his clothes, he can say that this really is the bartender. But he didn't saw it when he sat down at the counter. He didn't even know where he came from. He just popped from somewhere.
He assumes that the woman at the counter is the boss.
He took the opportunity to ask while no one's coming to sit with him.
"I'm looking for a friend. You know him, perhaps. He always hangs out here every Thursday and Friday night. He goes by the name, Shade. Does he sounds familiar to you?" he asked at the woman with tattoos.
"Hmm. I can't answer that," the woman's language seemed sleepy as her eyes.
He can't tell if she was just drunk or taken any drugs.
He took a drink on his glass before asking again.
"How much?"
The woman answered him with the price of the glass he ordered.
He smiled in a charming way. "I'm asking the price of information, honey."
The barterder clanked the glass so hard on the table, making him to move his gaze. He could barely see the anger on his eyes, wider than his usual narrow eyes. His pupils were dilated so deep, staring him like daggers.
"I think, info is not a drink, Sir. We don't serve it here," said the man, hiding the anger that was about to burst. "And she is not a honey," he declared, stressing every words.
"Two Martini, please. Olives, not Lemon."
He looked at the woman who had dropped the money on the counter. She's wearing a loose printed white tee and skinny black ripped jeans on top of ankled boots.
Bryan?!
Bothe their eyes display a surprised emotion with the unexpected encounter. She immediately took the two glasses of the cocktails she ordered, rushing to get away like she did not see him. She's definitely avoiding him.
He also stood up immediately after paying and straightly drank his glass, chasing after the girl. Because he was taller and limbs are longer, making to catch after her, blocking her path. She couldn't push him away because of the drinks in her hand, that she was very careful not to spill.
"Wh--what are you doing here? Are you following me?" she asked as she stepped back when he started to move his body towards her.
"I think I should be the one asking you. What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at the dorm and studying by this time?"
He leaned his upper body forward, sniffing her lips, making her to show disgust on her face.
Hmm. She doesn't smell alcohol.
"What do you think you're doing?" she hissed.
"Don't worry. I'm not trying to kiss you or anything. And I'll never kiss you." He even emphasized the word ‘never’.
Swiftly, he snatched the glasses she was holding.
"He--hey! What do you think you're doing? Give me that!"
She couldn't do anything when he got hold of them, pouring it straight on his throat, consecutively. He released an air after, to catch his breath, wiping the wetness on his lips with the back of his palm.
"What the hell?! This isn't a drink if you only left olives," she complained when he returned the glass to her hands.
"Go home." He grabbed her wrist and pulled. "I'll take you home."
"Wait!" she ordered him. "Give back what you drank. That's for my friend."
"A friend? Dare? Kanojo? Kareshi? [Who? A girlfriend? Boyfriend?]" he asked one after the other.
"I told you to stop talking in Chinese!"
"Japanese. Baka [i***t]." How many times does he have to say to this girl that he is Japanese and not Chinese.
"What's the difference of two? Look. You're not my babysitter. I can take care of myself."
He stared at her firmly. His vision is starting to get a bit blurred. It was a wrong move to drink the two glasses straight. In fact, that was a total of three servings in just a few minutes.
"Sure you can," giving up on their debate.
She rolled her eyes before leaving. He couldn't do anything if she was really that stubborn. Besides, she's already old enough. They're not even officially dating for him to mind her every move.
He put his hand on his pocket and started looking at the crowd for Jinro, particularly on the dancefloor, where he last saw him disappeared from his sight. Unexpectedly, his eyes settled on a ruckus in the middle, only to see that Jinro punched a man.
They are here to find that traitor, Shade. Not to find some troubles.
He was about to stepped in when he saw Brianna approaching the young woman behind Jinro.
"She's a b***h!" The man who received the blow from Jinro spoke again.
His friend was about to punch the man again but a glass of liquid splashes the enemy's face first. His eyes, unbelievingly sat at the angry Imperial girl who was holding an empty glass of wine.
The man glared Brianna and gave her what she was looking for. But the girl swiflty, dodge the man's fist.
The furious man was not alone. He got company. Another man was holding an empty red bottle and was about to attack behind Brianna on the head.
Without hesitation, he rushed to her like a flash of lightning.
"Kai!" Even Jinro was surprised at what he did.
The bottle did not break on her head but it hit his hand really hard. He lowered his arm that he used as shield and glared at the man.
"Let's finish this outside. Our game can't be settled here."
One of the men grinned. He saw another group of men approaching where they are.
They did went outside the bar, while their enemies follow.
"Stay behind me. We'll take care of this," Jinro said softly to Brianna's female friend.
This is the girl that he saw when she went to Brianna's dormitory this week.
The woman was apparently drunk so she just nodded and sat down like a child, while Jinro holds her arms for support.
"Hey!" Brianna abruptly grabbed his shoulder for support and gave a flying kick to the man behind, attacking him.
It was the first time he had seen her fighting.
So, she can really fight.
She's an expert in judo, perfect for a girl who don't have enough strength to punch a strong man.
Minutes passed and thought that they defeated all of them. But that's what they thought. Suddenly, someone grabbed Brianna on her back, aiming a pointed knife on the side of the neck. The man pulled her near the dark alley.
"Karen!" she cries for help as she reaches out her hand to him.
He just stared at how the man pulled the girl into the alley. Until he could no longer see the two.
"Kai! Why are you just standing there? Save your fianceé!" commanded Jinro.
But he just stood there and stared at the dark way.
"She can handle herself. That's what she told me a while ago. I don't think she needs to be save."
"I agree. She doesn't need that," said the woman rescued by Jinro. Her eyes widened as she also set her eyes to that alley.
"Nani?! [What?!]" Jinro incredulously said.
They heard clatters of whatever piles of things from that place. Soon, the hushed darkness spilled out Brianna, growling.
"Why didn't you even help me?"
"Why should I? My name's not Karen," he replied.
She just rolled her eyes, turning to her friend.
"Chang! the money," she announced as if it's a request code.
"Roger!" Her friend saluted, with sleepy eyes and smily lips. She walk in an incredible swirving way and began searching the pockets of the men they had knocked down. They are not dead yet. Just unconscious.
The girls took the wallets, while absurdly humming in jolly.
"What are you two doing?" Jinro asked, obviously confused.
"Obviously, we're taking their money," Chang replied, singing.
"Why are you taking their money? You don't need those, Bryan," he stepped making a way for the Imperial girl.
"We need money. I need money, okay?" she replied, without even glancing at him.
"Because, money can buy us happiness," Chang whispered in a drunken voice.
"Take it all! Not a single coin to be left," Brianna proclaimed again.
Seriously?
"Hey, Karen. Hold these," Brianna said as she handed him the wallets that she got from the men.
He was dumbfounded by what she just did.
"What the hell?"
They only stopped when a police siren reverberate around the area. He, on the other hand, let go of the wallets he was holding.
"That's it! Let's go. Enough of this childishness," he said stiffly. "I'll take the car."
He moved fast to get his car and immediately stopped the vehicle in front of the three.
It would be a catastrophe if the police could catch up with them. Surely, their families will not stay in silence if the news spreads out.
"Hurry up!"
Jinro pulled Chang into the backseat of the car.
"Bryan! Hurry up!" he shouted at the girl who was still picking up the wallets he had left earlier.
Picking the last one, she hurriedly ran and jumped in front of his car, right on top of the bumper.
Briskly, she moved to the seat beside him without hesitation, tapping his arm for nimerous times. Now, they look like bank robbers escaping from the law enforcers.
"Okay, Hurry up! Hurry! Hurry! Drive! Now!" she commands him, pointing her index finger to the direction in front.
This is unbelievable!
- Writer
