Ken panted as he reached the 8th floor where Alastor’s room could be found. “Damn, why the hell are the elevators not working?” he grunted, catching his breath. “Oh well, this is also good exercise for me.”
Ken searched the area where Alastor directed him, but he couldn’t spot the woman. He walked toward the window, then turned right and glimpsed Sherry walking. He shouted, “Sherry!” She turned back with a blank expression, but Ken still greeted her with a smile as he ran towards her. “Where are you going?”
“Just walking, catching some fresh air,” Sherry replied.
“Well, it’s good to get some air, but it is eight o’clock in the morning, and our patient needs to eat,” Ken said.
“I’m fine,” Sherry said, but her tummy growled before she could finish her sentence.
“Well, your tummy doesn’t look fine. Come on,” Ken said as he grabbed her hands.
Sherry paused, and Ken asked, “Is it about Al? Did he say something stupid to you?”
“No,” Sherry replied.
“Don’t take what Al said seriously. I mean, the guy eats pizza and burgers for dinner. Weird, isn’t it? Now, let’s go. It’s not good to eat cold food.”
“Alright,” Sherry agreed.
They sat down at the wooden table, which was full of food of varying standards. Ken sat beside Sherry, and Tin sat on her left, still eating dessert. Linda grunted at Tin and said, “Tin, did you know that eating too many sweets can lead to obesity, heart failure, early high blood pressure, and tonsillitis?”
“Yeah, yeah. Alright, I’ll eat something different. I just want to enjoy this while we’re still here because I don’t know if I’ll be sent to some random place or forest by the directors.” Tin replied.
Tin stopped eating dessert and grabbed a bowl of salad, gesturing to Sherry if she wanted to try it. Sherry shook her head. Ken was enjoying the pasta, while Alastor was eating a piece of bread.
“Hey, try this,” Ken said as he took a portion of pasta and fried meat and served it to Sherry’s plate.
Alastor looked at them and asked Linda, “Is it alright if Sherry eats this type of food?”
“Don’t worry, her digestive system is still intact, which means she can still eat as long as she doesn’t inhale nitrous sulphur. If that happens, she’ll explode,” Linda joked.
Everyone stared at Linda with an unexplainable reaction.
“Relax, I’m just kidding,” Linda said as she sipped her coffee and read a magazine.
Ken bit into the chicken wings and then the pasta, saying, “Mmm, this is good. Who cooked this?”
“That would be me.” Tin claimed proudly.
“You?!” Ken exclaimed in surprise. “The woman I know who loves to carry guns when going on missions and thinks about nothing but shooting range or cleansing guns?”
“Hey!” Tin yelled. “I know how to cook, dumbass. Before I got out of the Haven, I was taught different things.”
“This can’t be happening. You of all people?” Ken said and then stopped to act. “Ugh, guys, don’t eat it. There’s poison. Ow! Cut it off, cut it off!” he shouted as Tin punched him and pinched his ears. “I’m just being silly,” he added.
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
“At least you could have appreciated my work before tripping me. And if I did poison you, I would make sure that you would die instantly,” Tin said.
Alastor and Linda didn’t mind the commotion and continued eating quietly.
Ken fought back by pinching Tin’s cheek, but she countered it by slapping him. In the heat of the moment, they weren’t cautious enough and accidentally hit the bowl of pasta, sending it flying towards the man they both agreed not to mess with. As they continued with their fight, they felt a heavy ambiance. His cold glances crept them out, and they felt a chilly sensation all through their bodies.
Alastor was glaring at them with utter annoyance as they disturbed his gracious breakfast. “Heh-heh, I kinda slipped out - Eeeh,” Ken stuttered, but their squeals were cut short by Alastor’s cold glance creeping down their spines.
“Sorry,” Tin uttered, avoiding his gaze. “Linda,” Ken mumbled, but she pretended not to hear, avoiding their eyes.
A few minutes later, Alastor was smiling, his clothes cleaned up, and now eating.
“We’re so sorry,” Ken and Tin said in unison.
“Nah, don’t worry about it anymore. It’s in the past; let’s forget about it. After all, you’re gonna take my duties, right?” They sighed; the chores that Alastor was supposed to do were now passed onto them, a burden they had to carry because of the mistake they had made.
Tin had tried to raise her voice, but she had stopped when she looked at Alastor’s eyes and then at his grin stretching ear to ear. “Oh, shit,” she spat.
“Any problems?” Alastor asked.
Ken thought to himself, “How can we say that there’s a problem when you’re grinning at us like that?”
Their thoughts floated out of the environment, but Alastor snapped them out of it.
“Hey, you alright?” Alastor asked.
“Huh? Yeah-yeah, we’re cool.” Ken looked at her. “We’re cool, right, Tin?”
“Ah, yes-yes, I’m cool with it,” Tin responded. “Good.”
They continued eating in silence until they were finished. Ken then asked Sherry, “So, Sherry, how do you feel? Does your head still hurt?”
“No, I feel light these days, though my memory…”
“Alright, who agrees that we should go out and help her bring her memories back?”
Everyone stared at him.
“Seriously?” Tin said. Her eyes are full of judgement.
“That’s not a good idea,” Alastor added.
“Why not?” Ken asked.
“Dude, half-human, remember?” Tin had frankly. “No offense.”
“We’re the Glade; surely no one would suspect if we chose clothes for her undercover, right?”
“It’s too risky,” Alastor retorted. “You’re just compromising our security.”
“Hm, maybe if you shut your mouth and calm down. We’ll go undercover,” Ken replied.
Alastor sighed in disappointment, as had Linda.
“Look, I know you just want to help, but it’s too risky,” Linda said. ”Let’s not forget they might recognize her.”
“Fine,” Ken grunted as they continued eating.
Sherry noticed a change in his demeanor and contemplated the situation. “I understand. Don’t worry, there are many ways to regain my lost memories.”
After they finished their meal, they all went their separate ways. Ken was left to do the dishes, Tin went to the underground basement in the practice shooting area, Alastor watched TV in his room, and Linda was in the lounge reading a book. Sherry attempted to help Ken, but he stopped her.
“Sherry, you don’t have to help me. Besides, it’s my turn to wash the dishes.”
“I want to help. After all, you saved me.”
“You don’t have to thank me. To be honest, there were others like you, but I couldn’t save them. I feel responsible for their deaths. It’s my decision, but still…”
Ken looked down at the plate he was holding, and Sherry sympathized.
“You don’t have to feel bad about it.”
“But it’s still wrong.”
“I don’t think you made the wrong decision. If you could save them, how do you think they would react seeing themselves, like me?”
“But you didn’t break down. I guess you were a tough cookie before you lost your memories.”
Sherry chuckled. “I didn’t break down because I don’t have any memories. Without them, my emotions wouldn’t matter.”
Ken thought deeply and continued washing the dishes. “You seem calm about it. Aren’t you worried if someone is looking for you?”
“I’m not worried because I don’t think things would go back to normal if they saw me like this.”
“Family, eh? Maybe they would still accept you even though you’re like that.”
“It’s not that simple. I can’t show myself to them if those people who kidnapped me are still looking for me.”
He glanced at her, then returned his attention to the dishwashing. “Even though your memory is gone, your attitude may be the same as before.”
“Do you think so?” Sherry asked.
“Yeah.”
After he washed the dishes, Ken grabbed two cans of orange juice and threw one to Sherry. “You work for someone, right? This organization you called Glade? What do you think will happen to me after this is all over?”
Ken looked down. “I don’t know, but I’ll try my best to help you.”
“You promise?”
“I promise.”
