Strange
1484 Words
Leena removed her cheesy ramen from the microwave.
Even with the steaming hold to her fingertips as she pinched the plastic cup on its lip, it did not budge her, her face remained apathetic and dull.
She sat down at her dining table, gaze seemingly attached to the clock nailed onto the wall no matter what, then once it struck the perfect 7 o’clock, she gobbled into her food.
As if she needed to wait till the full moon to feast on her precious nourishment, like an immortal vampire when the sun had set.
Strange, yet viable, nonetheless.
In the spur of her moment, a sudden interruption crashed when her phone vibrated within her pocket.
It was a call from an unknown number.
She paused her slurping and picked it up. “Hello?” Leena inquired through an oily throat.
“Good evening, this is June Manny from The Sugar Partner Corporation? I would like to speak to Mrs. Leena Choi?” The young woman’s voice was stoic, but she sounded dignified and earnest.
It took her three seconds to unlatch her lips. “Yes, I am.” So was Leena’s, voicing her presence in a very robotic fashion.
“Hello, Mrs. Choi, are you alone at the moment?”
“Yes, I am.” Leena presumably copied and pasted.
“Excellent. I would like to update you on your position here in The Sugar Partner’s Applicant.”
“Is everything alright?”
“Congratulations! Your profile and preferences had been handpicked by two sugar-daddies. Based on your terms and conditions, your preferred fetishes, they took a firm interest in you.”
“Two?” She repeated, somehow, there was not at all a glimpse of fret, everything remained stony in her stance. Not tense nor groovy, it appears as though she was comfortable that way.
“Yes, it seems not only you are picked, other babies as well. We believe your possible sugar-daddies fit your terms and conditions as much as yours fit theirs. I’d say it is match-making in heaven.”
“Where can I meet them?”
“The meeting will be set here in our private lounge, where we’ll serve meals and drinks as you exchange your thoughts and ideas. Of course, your privacy will be given. Still, that way, it will be under our security to be cautious for both roles at all causes.”
“Does that mean they will have many chances to cancel me during said meeting?”
“Unfortunately, the rules are the rules. We can’t have anyone regretting anything under our utmost protection.”
“Hmm~” Leena crooned, almost as if singing in approval with much dubious, “time and date, please?”
“Of course, everyone seems to be available on...” The brief flipping on a sheet of paper was heard, “Saturday afternoon, can you make it, Mrs. Choi?”
“Yes, I can.”
“Goodness, then I shall schedule the appointment and inform the others. A harem fetish seems to be lingering in the air, I see. Are you alright with the sugar-daddy being plural on the same meeting?”
“Yes, I am.”
“I see, then, good evening, Mrs. Choi. I shall contact you if there are any more updates with your profile and preferences. Until then—“ the other line cuts off. Leena could’ve sworn she discern the woman’s delicate smile from miles away throughout their conversation.
Leena strived to sound as poised and professional as June, desiring to impress her future living-expanses acquirer. As to somehow make them fall headfirst for her rather than any other girls in that room on Saturday evening.
Leena coveted to make money faster, exchanging her body was an option, an option she can easily avoid if not for haste. Haste? What haste? She was a college student!
⥎
“I still can’t believe I agreed.” After a while of maintaining his serenity, Hunter eventually broke his persona. Behaving like a perturbed brother rather than a chairman of an underbelly organization. He massaged the bridge of his nose and exhaled rather heavily, “I canceled dinner with Old Jacken for this.”
Injecting such a topic, any underlings of theirs, or any lower-ranks, would tremble beneath the name 'Old Jacken'. The man was loyal and had worked for the Oblonsky ever since Hunter and Hugh were just ghostly figures, yet to exist as their parents hadn’t even met.
“Old Jacken? Pft,” Hugh puffed air out of his cheeks, making a mockery out their patronymic's work. “Just tell ‘em you went out with a girl, he of all people would understand.” Hugh casually situated, smoothening his leather jacket, adjusting his attire through the reflection of the car's window.
Hunter smirked, his prominent jewel eyes flickered under the yellowy ceiling of their Bentley Mulsanne, illuminating more depths and dimensions to its beautiful hue.
“You can’t underestimate Old Jacken, Hugh. That man can read through lies better than Uncle Fizberg.” Perhaps he found confidence in talking about his men. Proud of them and their loyalty to his regime.
Uncle Fizberg was their father’s cousin, although he passed away during a shooting spree in Tokyo 6 years ago, they will not speak of the unspoken.
“What do you have to worry about, Hunt? You own your body, not Old Jacken, he ain’t got nothing on you. People fear you! Heck, when I first met you, I thought you were scarier than Father.”
Hunter chuckled, “flattering. Oh, how I lived to hear the tales of your fear and respect for me, Hugh. So I’ve heard. The more you drone the more I’ll be likely to do it all over again.” He teased.
“Yeah? I don’t know about that, I’ve seen everything I need to see. And I don’t think doing this Sugar Partner thing will scare me even the slightest.” Hugh turned over his shoulder, challenging his brother’s similar eyes.
“Scared is an overstatement for me, Hugh. Even you of all people should know that. I just think it’s rather...nonsensical that we are snubbing work to have our s****l desires be quenched.”
“Boredom be quenched.” Hugh corrected, twisting his torso around to fully confront Hunter.
The two breadth and valiant men who looked identical in the most stunning way possible began forming irate eye contact, on the backseat with their muted chauffeur, unable to eavesdrop due to his commands. Either they were having a staring contest, or were about to brawl. Uncertain. Their brotherly affinity seemed uncertain.
“I apologize, does my point never stood a chance?” Hunter jerked an eyebrow. Hugh never failed to make Hunter react, even if they were barely visible.
“You know you love me,” Hugh reached in to unbutton the collar to Hunter’s silken white dress shirt, the contact seemed calm, none of them took it weirdly at all. “And you wanna give me a chance to prove my point.”
“If this is a reverse psychology method, I would know.” Hunter eyed Hugh’s fingers in silence, until he let go.
Hugh slumped back against the headrest, “there. Now you look professional— and sexy!” He made a triangle shape with his fingers, framing Hunter inside it. “Like you’re in your element, a young, hot and rich daddy. Those sugar-babies won’t be able to resist you, brother!"
“I still don’t understand why I can’t wear three-layered suits. Aren’t sugar-daddies supposed to be unappealing filthy rich old men? It would be plausible if I were to appear like I was in its trite habitant.”
“Mm, f**k no. Just be laid-back, don’t try, don’t even bring a gun if you have to! This is about us, Hunt, not work, not them, not anything.” Us? Them? Could it be...that these were the twins’ way of bonding after so long of being apart?
Hunter snorted in disbelief, “4 years of not seeing your face and this is what you decided to drag me into? How touching. You came back with a scar on your chest, and a craving for catastrophe.”
“There will be no catastrophe~” Hugh wheezed amidst his words, making a laughingstock out of Hunter's statement. Slapping his own thigh scornfully as he writhed everywhere. “There will be fun of so much freedom! So much of ‘em that it’ll be a catastrophe! I don’t know about you, Hunt, but I am so excited!" Hunter was persistent, Hugh scowled. "Come on, I know you are too!”
Hunter can only smirk at this, whether he should nod along or he should neglect his brother’s aerodynamic passion. “I would be a liar if I said ‘I’m not.’”
- Writer
