TO KILL IS TO SERVE

Chapter 36: The Search (1)

“I was so certain I would see her here.” I scoffed at myself as I stare at the empty Park Family mausoleum. I thought she would be here, crying in front of Hanie’s grave and acting helpless once again but I guessed wrong this time. I exhaled and glimpsed at Hanie’s cross and smiled, thinking how everything eventually unfolded from here and now here we are, far apart. “Bye, Hanie. Be forgotten.” I muttered and got out of the place. Hanie brought happiness and emptiness to Alora at the same time and for me, that’s just cruel. She’s crueller than a f*****g assassin such as myself.

If Alora brought her phone, I could easily pay Info to track her down. But the heck is with this set up? I’ve been with her for days and I feel like I actually know nothing about Alora but her being an insanely good artist, addicted to kids, accustomed to self-pitying, and deprived of freedom and actual happiness. Where could this lone wolf go? I have no idea. I sighed and lifted my head up, only to find myself standing in front of the art workshop where I first met her and where I completely came across to meet the human side of me. The side where I discovered I can feel, get hurt and lose. f**k, I thought I was doing well the entire time. When I found Alora, I found myself as well, didn’t I?

“What turned me into a romanticist-sounding cringe?” I winced and chuckled.

Who knew we would be this close that I can feel her presence from the stairs? I used to hate her side when she looks at herself as pathetic, but as I think of it, I just got used to it now. I used to think she’s a boring person and she will stay aloof until she dies but guess what, that’s just a phase of her moon. She’s gorgeous—when she reveals all her sides.

“Alora, let’s go ho—”  I blinked as I stare at the empty classroom where I was expecting Alora to be crying at. I am certain I felt her here, though. Or did I mistake familiarity to instinct? “She’s not freaking here?” I mumbled and went to the comfort room to check, but she really is not.

And she’s not kidn*pped or sort of that.

I know because I am currently being poorly tailed by a Schatten since I left home. If she was kidn*pped or taken to be bait for me, I would have gotten a call already or no Schatten would be on their shadow by now. My identity as an assassin in THD is nowhere near to being common, and I am f*****g sure THSD isn’t oblivious of that. I am widely known for my fresh fighting skills—close, fists, knives or guns and this f*****g assassin would be extra careful while handling me that if they get a chance to lure me in, they would take it, instead of facing me head on. And it’s the annoying part. Not until they face me head on will I know everything. It’s f*****g annoying.

I sat down on the hallway as I deduct places where this lady mischief could visit. It’s impossible for her to go out of the city with the small money she has. Of course she f*****g knows how to properly live and straying farther would lead to death. I would stand at the fact that she’s gone to breathe and not to be gone forever. However, where did she disappear to? Where in the world would a simple-minded, innocent-looking lady like Alora would look for happiness and air she was deprived on?

I indeed know almost nothing about her yet.

I headed down and to my f*****g surprise; my eyes caught the least person I could ever imagine to walk down this street.

“In—Inigo?” My mouth uttered the name I dug from the deepest part of my brain for I might utter a name forbidden to public. Why the heck is he here? I furrowed my brows as I stare at Inigo Foresca, the least person in my whole of list people that I imagine I would meet casually on the street, and without holding any phone but plastic bags of grocery-looking things, at that.

He turned to me with a completely exhausted face. He isn’t used to this, I suppose. I pursed my lips to avoid grinning and looking like I’m mocking his pitiable state. “Hey, Rei.” He dully greeted and walked away like there’s nothing up with him.

“Where the hell are you coming from?” I tagged along with him, holding his shoulder and he glared at me in annoyance. “Oh, yes, grocery—” What the f**k? My eyes widened as I look at his plastic bag full of not grocery things but freaking wires and boxes I assume for his computers. “How much this time?” I chuckled and he glared at me again. He can’t buy a car and he didn’t want to because he always says that buying technology items is his priority but this could be too much.

“Not much.” He replied and shrugged. “Compared to my gold coins, this is nothing. I am just so freaking tired of walking.” He added and walked faster.

Come to think of it, why is he here when his hideout is not… even… in this area? I paused as I conclude and then my feet came to freeze at where I’m standing. “You’re not Inigo, aren’t you?” I asked in a low voice and he completely turned to me with a slight grin. This is a f*****g disguise. I glared and tried to analyse the assassin in front of me. I was even planning to tag the f**k along, without knowing that I’ll be tagging along to this Schatten’s trap. I feel f****d up. “That is so f*****g low.” I mumbled and the grin on his lips slowly turned vicious. I have no idea who’s this assassin for he’s been manipulating his voice all too well and his disguise is bothersome. But this makes everything easier. A same grin surfaced my lips as I have finally met the Schatten who’s been pursuing me.

“Not yet, Reisun. Not now, but we’ll meet again.” And he threw everything he’s holding to my direction, serving as a cue and way for him to run away.

What a petty trick. I sighed and turned my back from everything to head back to looking for Alora. He’s just very courageous to face me head on in a street with no people. He could’ve got his neck twisted if I weren’t in a hurry looking for my ex-target. But the fact that I got jested by that petty trick is getting to my nerve. “We’ll meet again, indeed.”