It's finally Friday.
"Ran! Are you excited to meet the Missipi twins? Because I am!" I saw Stella bouncing with excitement as I nodded calmly, smiling softly.
"Absolutely, I can't wait to see their expressions," I replied.
Anticipating the fear in their eyes as I unravel their lives sends chills down my spine.
"They'll be here tonight; we just need to wait while you take care of your task."
I agreed with her. We stood at the counter, serving drinks to the VIP guests. I had to maintain a casual demeanor, hiding my excitement to avoid raising any suspicions among the unknown individuals associated with the Missipi twins.
And regarding last night... I couldn't shake the image of Little Flower in the bathroom, but I forced myself to push those thoughts aside. The mission takes priority.
"Hmm. We'll have to wait, Stella." I glanced at her, seated in a red bodycon dress with her hair pulled back in a ponytail. Her natural makeup suited her well.
She's undeniably beautiful.
I winked at her before turning back to my duties, but I caught a glimpse of her surprised and flushed expression in my peripheral vision.
She didn't see that coming.
Adorable.
Time flew by quickly, and before I knew it, the sun was setting. I continued my role as a butler while Stella chatted with the men seeking her autograph.
Then suddenly...
Ding!
The door swung open, revealing two individuals dressed in black tuxedos, flanked by four bodyguards. Their commanding presence made it clear they were not to be trifled with, despite their angelic appearances.
I raised an intrigued eyebrow.
"Oh! It's the Missipi twins!" Stella interrupted my thoughts.
I blinked and turned to her.
Ah, it's them.
A smirk crept onto my lips.
At last, I've met you both...
Regaining my professional demeanor, I glanced at the twins as they moved to the left side of the room where only a few people gathered, in a section often reserved for the wealthiest and most questionable characters. They were clearly part of that elite group.
The twins took a seat. I noticed one of them had a scar at the end of his left cheek. Both had blonde hair, innocent blue eyes, and smooth, fair skin. Though they weren't particularly muscular, they had a fine, average build, standing tall.
Perhaps they were nearly my height.
Their serene expressions gave off an air of innocence that made it hard to believe they had committed any crimes or faced any real hardships. Yet, I knew that beneath that veneer, they were dangerous.
Fortunately, the leader had provided me with valuable intel on these twins.
As I pondered this, I felt a gentle touch on my arm. Looking down, I saw Stella gazing up at me with a sweet smile.
"Yes?" I asked, but she only took my hand and began leading me toward the Missipi twins.
As we walked, I sensed something was off.
The twins were watching me intently, briefly acknowledging Stella with a nod before turning their focus back on me. They smiled, and I couldn't shake the feeling that they knew exactly who I was.
It felt as though, with each step I took towards them, they had already scrutinized my entire background—my current work, my past transgressions, and my infatuation with my Little Flower.
"So… you're the Ran that Stella mentioned," the twin on the right side of the couch was the first to speak. His voice was slightly higher-pitched but gravelly, which contrasted with his seemingly innocent angelic features.
"Yes, we met here when I began working as a bartender." I steadied myself and projected the persona of just being a bartender in this nightclub.
I noticed him gaze at me for a moment before he nodded and smiled, then turned to the other twin with a scar.
"He's quite handsome, isn't he? Stella knows what she's talking about," he remarked, and I could hear Stella gasp before she chuckled and pulled me to sit beside her on the other side of the couch.
"Oh, come on, you two! Ran and I are just friends!" she exclaimed, raising her hands in surrender as she released my arm.
"Yeah, yeah," the playful twin teased, while the scarred one remained more composed but still smiled.
I decided to join in with a hearty laugh.
"So, what are your names?" I inquired, causing them to pause their banter and focus on me.
I noticed the scarred twin staring at me intently, as if everything around us had faded away and all I could see were his bright eyes, conveying an unspoken message that I had said something wrong. Instead of feeling fear, though, I felt a thrill. It seemed these twins were easily irritated, as they clearly valued their boundaries and respect when engaging with new acquaintances like myself.
"Oh! I'm the eldest, Ed! And this is my younger brother, Edi," Ed announced, pointing to Edi, who continued to scrutinize me.
Noticing the tension created by Edi, Ed promptly playfully slapped his younger brother, who pouted in response.
So, the older twin appeared to be an endearing puppy, while the younger one was serious, skeptical, and a bit harsh.
"Tsk," Edi muttered in annoyance, rubbing the spot where Ed had slapped him.
"I'm Edi. Well, Ed already introduced me, but I felt it needed reiterating for your ears to register it. Hopefully, you're not deaf," he added with an edge.
I widened my eyes a bit as he finally spoke.
His voice was deep and calming, reminiscent of flowing rivers and nature. It felt so familiar that I almost dropped my act and revealed my confusion about the twins.
"Oh… well, I'm glad I'm not deaf. So you won't need to repeat that. But I must say, you're quite the savage, Edi," I laughed, attempting to dismiss the nagging sense of familiarity I felt.
Ridiculous.
I tapped my finger on the side of the couch, maintaining a laid-back demeanor while I could still see Edi staring at me. He let out a frustrated huff and looked away, clearly displeased with my response. Of course, I could be savage too—just as much as he could.
"Aha... I'm really sorry, Ran... Edi tends to act this way around new people." Ed chimed in with a shy smile, his hand rubbing the back of his neck.
"But once you get to know him, he'll definitely warm up to you. He's a really nice guy," Ed added with an encouraging grin.
That wasn't helping. I know both of those individuals are part of some kind of cult. Do they think they can influence me? Not today, and certainly not tomorrow.
"Oh! Hey, Ran?" Stella said, clasping her hands together and beaming at me.
I raised an eyebrow and humored her with a slight 'yes?'
"What if you made drinks for us so we can keep chatting while we sip on something?" She proposed, and I couldn't help but smile wider.
It was a good idea. I might just slip something into the twins' drinks.
"Sure, that sounds great, Stella. I like that," I said, gently brushing my thumb against her cheek before standing up and heading to the counter to prepare the drinks.
I could tell that Stella was blushing. I heard her squealing while playfully hitting Ed, who groaned and chastised her to stop.
Yet, that feeling never faded.
Tell me... Why does that voice remind me so much of the leader I used to work with?