Chapter. 6: From a Far
1064 Words
"How's the company? Why is my assistant not sending me any reports?" Kirko decided to call his grandmother to ask for any updates about their company.
"It's because I told your assistant not to bother you for now. You have to recover first, Kirko. And also, our enemies might trace your location through any phone calls. We have to be extra careful. Until we find out who among our competitors sent the assassin to kill you," Kirko's grandmother explained to him.
"Patience, Kirko. They are doing their job. It's just that those assassins are very clever." Gwenette Hanasawa is trying to calm her grandson. She knows that Kirko is already impatient and wants to go back to Japan and to his normal life.
"How about the assassin who tried to attack me in this hotel? They are not updating me about it," Kirko inquired.
"We are not able to get any information from him. Because he was found dead in his cell this morning," Kirko's grandmother replied, making him gasp.
"What?! How can that possibly happen? Does it mean our enemies already know that I'm here in the Philippines?"Kirko exasperatedly asked.
"We are not sure about it yet. Our agents are currently investigating it. I will let you know if there are any developments. For now, stay there. We have already tightened your security." Gwenette Hanasawa informs Kirko.
"If they already know that I'm here, what's the use of staying here? Let me go back to Japan, grandma," Kirko insists.
"Patience, grandson. We still have something to do here before you go back. I'll hang up now. Bye!" Gwenette Hanasawa ended the call.
Kirko looks at his phone and just sighs.
"It's time for your medicine."
Kirko was startled when he suddenly heard Chleo's voice behind him.
"H-hey! Don't you know how to knock? How long have you been there?" Kirko asked Chleo while caressing his chest. "You startled me."
"Scared cat?" Chleo asked sarcastically.
"Psh! Of course not. Wait! Do you know that the assassin you injected with the syringe is already dead?" he asked Chleo.
"I just found out about that. The police said it was suicide. But I don't believe them. Whoever sent him made sure that no information would leak from him." Kirko was about to say something when Chleo added. "If I just knew that they were going to kill him, I should be the one to ask him myself. Before injecting that syringe into his neck."
Kirko was speechless and amused at the same time.
"You are really something," Kirko remarked, shaking his head. "Just leave my medicine there."
"I want to see you take it. Drink your medicine while I'm here, sir."
"Fine." Kirko drinks the medicine in front of Chleo. "Happy now?"
"Alright. I'll leave you for now. If you need me, just send me a message. I'm just around," Chleo informs Kirko, then leaves.
"She is really weird. She's the first woman who didn't show any interest in me." He couldn't help but shake his head in disbelief.
*****
Meanwhile, Chleo is in the Love Cafe, her favorite spot there in the Santillan Hotel.
She was reading a book when Dred joined her at her table.
"Can I share a table with you, Miss?" Dred jokingly said as he took the vacant seat.
"Whatever, Dred. Are you lost? This is not your office, Mr. Workaholic," Chleo responded to him. Emotionless, as always.
"Whatever, Chleo. What is your opinion about what happened to the assassin?" Dred inquired.
"One thing I am sure of is that he didn't kill himself. They killed him to protect their identity. What I'm not sure is if the assassin was sent for me or for Mr. Hanasawa," Chleo concluded.
"Do you think it's your stepmother?" Dred asked.
"Maybe. We are not sure yet if Mr. Hanasawa's enemies have already found him here. But it's impossible, since no one knows his location except his family." Chleo is talking to Dred while playing a game on her phone.
"Well, you have a point." Dred shrugged his shoulders. "What were you doing on your phone?" He got curious because his friend seemed busy on her phone while they were talking.
"Just a killing game?"
"A killing what?" Dred exclaimed.
"Are you deaf? Do you want me to send you to the hospital to get your ears checked?" Chleo sarcastically asked Dred.
"No need for that. My ears are perfectly fine. But thanks for the concern, by the way. You really do care for me," Dred smiled, but Chleo just gave him a bored look.
"It's a miracle, Mr. A workaholic is not busy and has a lot of time to chitchat with me," Chleo quipped.
Dred heaved a heavy breath before speaking up. "I'm worried about you, Chleo." He looked at Chleo with so much concern in his eyes.
"No need to worry about me, Dred. I am fine, and you know that I can handle this myself," Chleo responds to Dred, still not showing any emotion on her face.
"I can't help it. I know you are strong and independent. But you can always rely on me, Chleo," Dred remarked.
"Thanks for always being there for me, Dred. But I don't want something bad to happen to you. Don't involve yourself with me that much. I can handle this on my own." And when Chleo gave Dred a quick smile, not only was he able to see that very rare moment.
Because, from afar, Kirko is watching her.
"So, she's still capable of smiling, huh? Who is that guy to her? Why does she only smile at him, not at other people?" Kirko asked himself. He couldn't believe what he had just witnessed.
He decided to go outside his hotel room and look for his nurse. And he found her talking to a man at the cafe.
Kirko dialed someone's number on his phone. "Hello?... I want you to investigate some people for me," he said to the other line. "I will just send you the photos of them. And I want the result as soon as possible."
When he was done talking to the person on the other side, Kirko made his way to where Chleo was. Good thing he has an automatic and high-tech wheelchair.
He was not aware that there was someone from afar who was also looking at him.
- Writer
