07

"Wait, you're saying the glasses you broke in your life are the most important requirement?" Incredulous, Haxilla inquired.

In the interview, I told them everything that had happened the day before.

"Yes, when I was aware of it. My heart was racing so fast, "I said this as I was cutting paper for a flower origami. We're assisting Britanny with her client's debut design.

"That's strange. By the way, you're friends now with Haru?" Britanny inquired as she glittered the flowers.

"No, I'm not sure. Perhaps just a casual get-to-know-each-other?"

"Do you have a photo of him?"

In response to Haxilla's question, I shook my head.

My phone rang as we were putting the finishing touches on the flowers and other props.

"Yes?" I put my phone on speaker so that I can continue to work while speaking with whoever it is.

[Hey, Selena!] my brow furrowed as a familiar voice replied.

"Haru? How did you get my phone number?" I inquired. When I mentioned his name, Haxilla and Britanny both came to a halt for a brief moment.

[Hmm, in relation to the documents you've submitted.]

"Yes, I see. So, what made you call?"

[Didn't you say you wanted to roam the company? I'll help you with it.]

When Britanny and Haxilla exchange meaningful glances, I throw the glue at them.

"You don't really need to do–"

[Nah, just go back to the cafe where we were yesterday. I'll meet you there, bye.]

He hung up the phone, and Haxilla sat down beside me.

"Is this a date or–"

"No. He's just assisting me in becoming acquainted with the company, okay?" I said this as I stood up to get ready.

"Then why do you seem so eager to go there right now?" When I raised my middle finger to them, Britanny asked in a teasing tone, and they both laughed.

"Ohh, our Selena is already in love," Haxilla exclaimed loudly enough for me to hear.

"Shut up, Haxilla," I said as I gathered my belongings.

I stood in front of a full-length mirror, deciding on the best outfit.

Wait, if I'm just going to roam the company, why should I care about my appearance?

Selena, please calm down.

I simply tucked my plain white v-neck shirt into my denim pants, which I wore with black sneakers. I pulled my hair back into a messy bun, grabbed my sling bag, and donned my harry potter glasses.

Okay, the less complicated the better.

Britanny throws a stack of papers at me when I exit my room.

"You look like you're going on a date," she said as she continued to clean her workspace.

"I look like I'm going to school," I said as I adjusted my shoelace.

"Excuse me, did you wait so long?" Haru inquired as he approached me. I smiled at him and put my phone to my pocket.

"No, I've only been here a few minutes," I explained. He takes my wrist in his and pulls me to walk.

"Did you know that building used to be our playground?" he asked, pointing to the company's massive structure.

He smiled at me, and I gave him an awkward smile and moved my gaze to his hands.

He may have noticed it and immediately removed his hands.

"I'm sorry," he said softly.

I laughed a little and walked alongside him to make sure he didn't feel anything that would ruin his day.

"How do you explain that this is simply your playground?" I enquired.

He smiled as if he remembered everything from his childhood.

"Our fathers have been best friends since high school, and our dads have always brought us here, which is why we're so close," he explained, but he didn't answer my question–or I just don't understand the connection.

"Is this where the three of you are always playing?"

He gave me a friendly nod and pushed open the large door for me.

"Obviously, this is the company's reception area," he said, pointing to the counter-like area. I gave a friendly smile and bowed to the workers.

They were also whispering something to each other while looking at Haru and me. Did they spread rumors about us?

We continued until we arrived at an office, where he swung the door open to reveal a caramel-themed interior design.

"This is Wade's office as vice president of this company, and as you can see, he liked things that were caramel colored."

I walk around Wade's office, double-checking every detail. It's lovely and simple, but still has an elegant appearance.

I noticed a frame on his desk, and there's a girl–

" Britanny?!" When I saw Britanny's high school photo, I exclaimed.

"Wah, woah, Wade never wants anyone to touch his things, so let's put this down here," he said as he returned the frame to its original position.

"Do you know who Britanny is?" I inquired.

He shook his head and furrowed his brows.

His brows furrowed and shook his head.

"No, it's my first time hearing that name, why?"

I placed the photo on Wade's desk.

"Then who is that girl?"

"Her name is Angela, and she is Wade's–"

"And who gave you permission to bring up her name?"

When a baritone voice suddenly spoke up from behind us, we both flinched.

"Wade," Haru said, his voice tense, but he managed to smile. He stood beside Wade and wrapped his arms around him.

"Haru was just assisting me in roaming the entire company, I'm sorry," I apologized sincerely, but Wade just stared at me and looked away.

"How about we go, Selena?"

Haru drags me out of the office and wipes his brow.

"Wait, you're scared of Wade?" I inquired, but he drew me somewhere else instead.

We took a left, then a right, and our feet led us to the cafeteria.

"So, what do you crave? My pleasure, "He smiled as he said this.

I point out the foods that I want.

"Don't tell anyone, but Wade is such a dangerous man," he started the conversation.

"And we're even close to saying that this is confidential information to me?" I sarcastically asked.

He closed his mouth and looked at his food when he realized his mistake.

"Look, I can shut my mouth in secret, but is it not too sensitive to tell others? I mean, the person you've talked to can think that it's a threat, "I explained and continued eating.

He sighed as he sliced his steak and ate it.

"Yeah, I know sometimes my being talkative is not in the right place anymore. That's why Wade has trust issues with me," he said with a sad tone and shrugged his shoulders.

I leaned back in my chair and looked at him while chewing my food. It's not my intention to make him sad.

"I'm sorry," I said while looking at him. He confusingly looked at me.

"For what?" 

"I didn't mean to make you feel bad." 

He laughed a little and smiled widely at me, and a dimple showed up on his face. 

How cute.

"What? No, you didn't. I know my mistakes, but still, you can't tell anyone, okay?"

I nod at him and lean closer to tell him something.

"What's the reason why you called him dangerous?" out of curiosity, I asked.

"Why are you suddenly intrigued?" he asked in a teasing tone and also leaned closer to me so that I could already feel his breath. 

I sat properly in my chair and cleared my throat to remove the awkwardness.

"Well, I'm a curious person, so that's why." 

I tucked my hair in the back of my ears and started eating again. I could feel so many eyes staring at us. 

"Well, he almost killed a man when he got jealous before," he casually said, but it made me choke.

"Hey, are you okay?" he asked and I raised my hand to give him a 'wait' sign.

I drank water to push my food inside. 

"How can you say that so casually?"

He shrugged his shoulders.

"Well, I saw how his madness worked so many times that it became normal to me."

What the fudge? How many people have already been killed?

Like, I can't believe that the man who is silent was 'that' dangerous. Grr.

"Is he a se–"

"He's not a serial killer nor a psychopath. It's different when you kill someone because of madness." He cut off my words like he had already read what was on my mind.

I closed my mouth and silently continued eating. 

"This is Jaxon's office," he said while walking in the center of the huge office.

"'Office?' It's more like a whole house to me," I exclaimed as I cleared every corner of the office.

He sat on the huge sofa like he was the one who bought it. I walked under the photo frames one by one. They're all oil paintings.

"Jaxon is the one who painted it," Haru suddenly said that made me more amazed.

"He's a son of art."

I continued walking until my feet got the last painting. It's a snow scene painting.

The two people in the painting were familiar to me.

"Jax said to us that the painting was based on his dream. He couldn't forget that dream because he was killed there." Haru suddenly spoke up at my back.

"He didn't mention how he died in his dream?" I asked, never take away my eyes from the painting.

I was the one who was killed by someone in my dream. Is this just a coincidence?

"Hmm he mentioned, he said, he was killed because the woman in his dream stabbed him twice in the back and in his heart. Grr, so scary," he said while walking away.

I clenched my hand over my heart.

Why did we see a different story?

"Is Jax telling you anything more about his dream?" I sat down beside him.

"Wait, why are you so curious about his dream?"

"Just answer me, Haru."

He sighed and tapped his fingers on the glass of beer he held.

"He and the woman were both so in love with each other that he even kissed the woman passionately. But the woman suddenly stabbed him in the back and that's how his dream ended."

 

"Hey, are you listening to me?" Haru shook me slightly to get back to myself.

"Ah yeah, I'm sorry," I said and fixed my hair.

We entered a huge room that was full of photos and paintings. It felt like you were in an art museum, but the frames made me feel dizzy.

"There, this is the family tree of our family," Haru said while walking around the room.

I looked up to see the photos one by one.

They're obviously raised by wealth. They can't stay here in NYC, maybe for one year based on the photos.

I turned around more and stopped when a family portrait caught my attention.

"That's the family portrait of Jax."

"Who is the lady sitting on the left?" I asked.

"That's Aunt Seriana, Jax's mother. Why? Are you familiar with her?"

"Yeah, Kinda."

Seriana...where did I hear that name?

I held my head when it suddenly felt like it was going to burst.

"Selena, go hide yourself," Nanny said, but I didn't move an inch because I was too scared.

"No, Nanny, don't leave me please?" I begged her, she pushed me to a door and locked it.

I heard some footsteps from outside and some things that have fallen.

"Where's Selena?!" a girl angrily asked Nanny and pushed whatever the things she touched.

"Selena has already ran away," Nanny said. I hugged my knees and stuffed toy, and cover my mouth to don't make any noise.

I heard a loud slap and some noises from the floor.

"Why did you let her?! Moron!"

"Let the kid be alive, please."

"Who are you to ask me that huh?! Come here and pay your mistake!"

Nanny's shout is the last thing I heard before my eyes suddenly closed.