TO KILL IS TO SERVE

Chapter 37: The Search (2)

So f*****g annoying. I groaned as I watch the lady I’ve been looking for three hours inserting another coin in the claw machine, all desperate. Who in the f*****g world would know you’re here? I raised my brow and crossed my arms while still watching her getting extremely focused on getting the fox-looking stuff toy. The heck, that looks hideous. I clicked my tongue and waited patiently.

I have decided to drop by this mall since I’m passing by it. Who knows I will meet the one I’m looking for in this place? I forgot to consider this arcade zone she once asked me to accompany her to since I was too focused on thinking that she’ll be in a more secluded or quiet place.

I exhaled in annoyance with a bit of relief and walked near her to stand behind her. She brought a little money to spend in this arcade.  She plans on returning, indeed. I smiled and stood silently as I watch.

“Aw, that’s my fourth attempt.” She softly whimpered when the claw dropped the toy she was aiming for, completely defenseless. I could cut her neck right here, right now, but I won't. She clasped her hands together, acting as if she’s praying, and heaved a long exhale. “Last one.” She mumbled to herself and inserted her f*****g fifth coin.

So helpless. I furrowed my brows and leaned a bit. “Try to move the joystick violently. I do that all the time; it’s a life hack.” I whispered and waited for her to respond but she did not do as I suggested. The timer dropped to zero and the claw grasped nothing, for she did not move the joystick. “That’s—”

“Why are you here?” Alora asked in a low voice, not facing me. 

Was she too shocked to move when she heard me? My brows arched and I pursed my lips. “Mister Weller’s looking for you. Why didn’t you bring your phone?” I replied and asked, partly answering her question.

Alora moved her head a bit to look at me but she stopped half way, and faced the claw machine again. “I was going to go home after I get this fox.” She answered and we fell silent for a while, until I hear another coin clacking as she inserts another one to try once more.

“Want me to do it for you?”

“No thanks.”

I sighed through my nose and stayed silent, watching her fail her sixth try.

“Want me to—”

“No.”

She inserted another coin and started moving the joystick for her seventh damn try. Alora whimpered when she failed again. I saw her clenching her fists and turning to the exit, probably planning to forfeit the goal of getting that ugly-looking fox. Why the hell is with this fox?

“You were doing it wro—”

“No, I wasn’t. It’s just… it’s hard, okay?” She cut me off and suddenly faced me, flustered. “Why do they put it there, without planning to make anyone win... get it?” She irritably ranted and showed me a face I’ve never seen before. Alora, you are this desperate?

She looks like a burning tomato, blushing but obviously annoyed with brows almost uniting with each other.

“Give me a coin. I will try getting the damn fox.” I uttered and showed my palm, asking for a coin and she pursed her lips and awkwardly looked at me. She doesn’t have money anymore. I concluded and sighed, and I tried to reach for my wallet in my pocket, but I seemed to feel something different. “f**k it.” I cursed and Alora flinched, and then chuckled.

“You forgot your wallet, didn’t you?” She smirked and headed out, without letting me answer.

I did not. I replied in my thoughts as I follow her heavy, defeated steps. I just brought the wallet that has my f*****g fake IDs in them.

“So, how did you find me here?” Alora sat down on the bench beside the stairs and asked. She’s most probably hungry now, but bad for us, we’ve got no money to spend. I can’t take out a cheque here, can I? I averted my gaze from her to some people passing to avoid grinning. “Grei?”

“Who knows? Maybe we’ve got invisible connection now.” I answered and faced her again, and then sat beside her. I gathered my long curly hair and tied a man bun with a hair tie I subconsciously brought with me. Alora yawned and rolled her eyes at my answer.

It might be uncomfortably loud in here, but the silence between Alora and I made me to being grateful of all the noise. I know I need to apologize right here to be able to move forward in this contract, find who my Schatten is, dig out information from him, and finally, assassinate my new target—Mister Park. I should f*****g start clearing my name now but my mouth is strangely muted.

Fuck. f**k. f**k.

“Just so you’re aware, I wasn’t mad at you. I was just…” I faced Alora who decided to speak first. It was so f*****g unprofessional of me but I was indeed, waiting for her to speak first. She’s not looking at my direction, but her eyes seemed to have overtones of wanting to look at me. It was faint, but she does look as so I described.

I bit my tongue for a moment and realized myself that she won’t add anything to her line for a second or so. “Still, I am sorry.” I finally said it.

Alora turned to me and smiled with her lips, but not with her eyes. “Well, you weren’t the first person to say that, so maybe that’s the reason why?” She said and chuckled, and then looked at me again. She tends to shift her glances away whenever she laughs. But that chuckle was so dry it’s not genuine at all. I stayed silent and listened instead of speaking about it. “Manasseh first said that to me a year ago, you see.”

Ah, f**k. The first love had the same script as me.