๋࣭ ⭑⚝
Somewhere Else in the City - Rooftop
Fred stood tall, his posture imposing as he surveyed the city below. The rain fell steadily, but he didn't seem to notice it. His gaze was cold, focused, calculating.
One of his men approached, speaking with a mix of caution and urgency. "Boss, everything's in motion. We're almost ready."
Fred didn't turn his head. His eyes remained locked on the dark horizon. "Make sure nothing goes wrong. The moment we act, it has to be perfect."
The man nodded and stepped back, leaving Fred alone with his thoughts. Fred reached into his coat, his hand brushing against a set of papers. He paused for a moment, his fingers lingering on them, but he didn't take them out. Instead, he turned his attention back to the city below.
The rain began to intensify, but Fred stood firm. There was a sense of something larger looming, something far beyond the present moment, and it consumed his thoughts.
"If it's time to act, we will," he muttered, his voice low and determined. "But for now, everything stays in place."
---
At Beta's Café
The warmth of Beta's Café wrapped around Harriet as she stepped inside, momentarily escaping the cold of the outside world. She sank into a chair, her sketchbook tucked under her arm, and let out a long, tired sigh.
Beta glanced up from behind the counter. "You look like your brain just fought a thunderstorm."
Harriet leaned back, her shoulders heavy with the weight of her thoughts. "I think my heart's losing to my head."
Beta slid a caramel latte toward her. "Still thinking about Rufei?"
Harriet nodded, her fingers absently tapping on the edge of her sketchbook. "He keeps texting me, but I don't know what to say. I don't know what I'm supposed to feel anymore."
Beta raised an eyebrow, a knowing smirk on her face. "Say what's in your heart. You know, the messy truth is the best kind."
Harriet smiled faintly, her thoughts drifting back to Rufei. "Messy's right."
---
Outside - That Evening
Harriet stepped outside, the drizzle of rain light but persistent as she opened her umbrella. She glanced at her phone, Rufei's name lighting up the screen.
Another message.
> Rufei: "I miss your voice."
Her fingers hovered over the screen, unsure of how to respond.
Then, she typed:
> Harriet: "Do you still carry the green umbrella?"
A pause. The familiar three dots blinked before the reply appeared:
> Rufei: "Always."
Harriet smiled softly, a small warmth filling her chest before the chill of the evening rain reminded her of the distance between them.
---
Street Crossing - Fred's Car
As Harriet crossed the street, deep in her own thoughts, a sleek black car whizzed by. Fred sat inside, his gaze cold and focused on the road ahead. The car sped past her without either of them noticing the other.
Inside the car, Fred's mind was on the bigger picture, thinking of the steps ahead. His sharp, calculating nature saw only what was necessary, and the world outside the window blurred.
---
Briston Road - Art Supply Shop
Harriet continued walking down Briston Road, making her way toward the art supply shop. As she passed a tall building, Fred's figure was visible on the balcony across the street. He wasn't looking at her, though. Instead, he was observing something else-his eyes sharp, as if scanning the surroundings with quiet intensity.
Unaware of Fred's presence, Harriet stopped briefly to speak with an elderly man outside the shop. She smiled brightly, her voice warm as they exchanged a few words. Fred's gaze shifted to her for just a moment, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly as he watched her. It was brief, but there was something unreadable in his look before his attention shifted again, his expression neutral and distant.
---
On the Balcony - Fred's Eyes Narrow
Fred's eyes remained fixed on the scene below, though his thoughts were distant. He stood tall, unwavering, his sharp gaze taking in every movement with a cold intensity. One of his men, standing behind him in the shadows of the balcony, spoke up.
"That old man, boss. We should take him out. He's seen too much," the man said, nodding toward the elderly figure speaking with Harriet.
Fred didn't shift his posture. His voice was like ice, calm but dangerous. "You can finish him," he said, his words cutting through the night air. "But not her. Don't ever touch her ."
The man frowned, unsure. "She's just a girl, boss. What's so special about her?"
Fred's gaze flicked briefly back to Harriet, watching as she laughed with the old man, her expression bright and unguarded. His eyes narrowed even further, a flicker of something unreadable in them.
Without taking his eyes off her, Fred spoke again, his voice low, almost a whisper. " it's hard to explain"
---
Flashback - 6 Months Ago
The airport felt like a blur.
Harriet had just returned, her heart heavy after watching Rufei disappear through departure gates. The ache in her chest matched the gray sky above. By the time her car reached the outskirts of the city, the rain began to fall-soft at first, then torrential, as thunder cracked through the clouds.
She cursed under her breath when the car sputtered and stopped completely.
"Not now..."
Grabbing her umbrella, she stepped out into the downpour, the rain pelting her clothes as she waved in vain for a taxi.
Then-she froze.
A faint cry, hoarse and broken, came from the alley nearby.
"Help..."
Drawn by instinct, Harriet clutched her umbrella tighter and slipped into the narrow alley. The shadows were thick, puddles shimmering beneath flickering streetlights.
There-collapsed against the wall-was a man.
His shirt was soaked in blood, hand pressed weakly to his side, breath shallow. Harriet's umbrella slipped from her grip, clattering to the ground as she rushed to him, rain drenching her completely.
"Hey-hey!" she called, kneeling beside him. "Stay with me. Please, wake up!"
His eyes fluttered open for a second-dark, dazed, clouded with pain. For a moment, through the blur, he saw her face. Her voice, trembling yet strong, broke through the haze.
"Don't die..."
She pulled out her phone with trembling fingers and dialed emergency services. As she waited, she pressed his head gently into her lap, shielding him as best she could from the rain.
The sirens came minutes later.
And just like that, he was gone-taken into the flashing red lights and swallowed by the city.
---
Back to Present - Fred's Cold Gaze
Fred's jaw tightened ever so slightly as he watched Harriet below. She was laughing softly at something the old man said, brushing hair from her face, completely unaware of the storm that had once brought them together.
She hadn't seen his face clearly back then. Didn't know who he was.
But he remembered everything.
His hand gripped the edge of the balcony railing as a gust of wind swept through. His voice was low, spoken more to himself than anyone nearby.
"She saved me... once."
And now, the rules of his world wouldn't let him forget her.
---
to be continued...
***