Chapter 152: Chapter 152: Different Kind
Fajar did the most normal and common thing one would do upon receiving a piece of tooth; not throw it away, but violently let go of it. The only difference was that this piece of tooth was inside a metal box, and also, therefore, protected by it.
The tooth didn’t even fly away from the box at all as it hit the ground, almost like it was soldered to it. Fajar wanted to kick it away, but something inside him made him stop. The only thing he could really do was stare at it, squinting more and more by the second.
And when his brain was finally able to process what had actually happened, and what was happening, a loud, almost screaming gasp escaped from his throat.
He quickly turned around, not even closing the door behind him, as he decided to run back to his room, practically pushing away every furniture in his path and even those that were just a tiny bit out of reach just to reach his room faster.
He rushed to turn on his monitor, almost tilting it to fall, before he grabbed the sides with both hands and planted his eyes on what was being shown on the screen.
<Your target has been eliminated. Your order has arrived! Thank you for your patience, and we hope to see you again soon!>
Fajar backed away, almost falling to the floor if it wasn’t for the bed behind him catching his butt. And even after he had already tripped, he still crawled back until his back hit the wall. He stared at the screen, his eyes trembling and his breath stuck inside his throat.
His gaze dropped to his palms, not realizing how sweaty they were now. He glanced at the monitor again and at the outside of his room.
He also looked out the window to see if there was anyone fully dressed in black floating outside the apartment building. Fajar remained inside his room for a full minute without moving at all, and it wasn’t until a loud ring jolted him awake from his stupor that he finally jumped from his bed.
He quickly pulled out his phone, only to see the friend he was supposed to meet calling him. He didn’t answer, and instead chose to rush outside, almost diving for the metal box before slamming the door and returning to his room again.
His hands trembled upon looking at the back of the box, and then he slowly turned it around.
And there it was, the tooth. He quickly looked around before grabbing a few sheets of tissue paper from his desk.
He carefully wrapped the tooth with the tissue, plucking it from the box since it seemed to be attached inside—but no.
No, it wasn’t.
It was slipped into it, and when he finally pulled it out, it revealed the rest.
It wasn’t just a piece of tooth, no. It was a ring. It was a ring with a tooth attached to it.
A ring with a tag on it.
And a tag with a name on it.
The very same name that Fajar put on the website.
Was it... real?
Fajar held his breath, and he slowly turned his eyes toward his PC. His hand trembled as he covered his mouth, but he also quickly removed it since he realized he had just touched the tooth with that very same hand.
And then, once again, his phone rang.
It was his friend again. But this time, he realized that he had also sent him a ton of messages that were even popping up now as he looked at his phone.
"H...Halo? Selama—"
Fajar couldn’t even finish his words as his friend’s voice exploded from the speaker. He barely made out what his friend was trying to say, but he understood enough.
He understood...
...that he just had someone killed.
And now her body was displayed right in front of the mayor’s office.
And while all of this was happening, and chaos was about to unfold in Indonesia, the culprits of the website actually just happened to be in the neighboring country.
"Oh. My. God. Am I... Am I in heaven?!"
"Girls, unpack your things first. Please!"
Try as hard as the parents might, the members of the Baby Crew did not listen at all.
But none of the parents could really blame them, as they, too, were completely in awe of the view. But not only that, it was Prophet’s house that caused their mouths to gape.
It wasn’t overly large, but it screamed luxury—but it was perfect for where it was. It was stone and wood, almost as if a large boulder was brought and carved here to turn into a house.
The kitchen was the largest part of the house, and it extended to the outside, straight into the endless horizon of the light blue, adorned by a white and extremely immaculate beach that glistened and sparkled under the sun.
That view alone washed out all the jetlag they were feeling just earlier on. But unlike the children who rushed to the beach, they all rushed to the patio to sit down, relax... and partake in the light beer that was already chilling inside a cooler right in the middle of the patio.
"Where is... the owner of the house?" Tanisha asked as Diana handed her a bottle of the country’s local.
"Oh, he’ll be here a little later. It’s okay," Diana said, chuckling as she handed a bottle to Pauline’s parents. "John and Bernard practically grew up together, and since you’re our friends now, please, you’re free to help yourselves with everything. Oh, except for the sand and the shells, they’re protected."
"Bernard, your... husband," Tanisha leaned her head to the side, looking at Bernard, who was inside the kitchen with Pauline’s father, getting ready for the barbecue. "I hope this doesn’t offend you, but he’s so different from how I imagined him to be."
"Oh..." Diana also glanced back at her husband.
"I thought he would appear more uptight and busy, since the newsladies have portrayed him as this—"
"Big bad man?" Lorraine joined in on the conversation.
"...Yes."
"Oh." Diana blinked.
"Please, don’t be offended!" Tanisha grabbed Diana’s hand tightly, smiling at her while shaking her head. "Even though I haven’t had the chance to talk with him, I know he is different from the rumors."
"Well..." Diana tilted her head, glancing back at her husband as she sighed. "We’re... just like everyone else. Bernard has his moments of... as you said, being bad—but most of us do, no? I do, too."
"Uh..." Pauline’s mother raised the bottle she was holding, extending it toward the other mothers with an awkward smile on her face. "I feel like this is a conversation reserved for later? When we’re pissed drunk and the sun’s down? Also... cheers?"
Diana, Tanisha, and Lorraine blinked a couple of times before smiles crept onto their faces at the same time. And then, they all raised their bottles and started chugging it.
"Oh..." Pauline’s mother raised an eyebrow, puckering her lips and clicking her tongue as she tasted the cold beer. "This... tastes like metal. But... in a good way? Honestly..."
Pauline’s mother took another chug of the beer, this time completely finishing it.
"This... this is kinda good."
"I... suggest taking it slow," Lorraine said, her eyes widening as she watched Pauline’s mother grab another bottle from the cooler. "That thing might seem light, but it’ll kick you."
"Ha!" Tanisha’s mother cackled, pointing at Lorraine with a wide smile on her face. "Is that why it’s called a Red Horse?"
"Now that you mention it..."
And while the women were starting their day early, the children they completely let loose in a foreign country were... well, on the loose.
Tomoe was under a large parasol, standing in the shade as she and Hannah watched Bella and Gracey test who would make it the farthest running on top of the water.
As for V, she was watching Riley dig up the sand.
"What... are you doing?" she asked.
"I am making a place to gather for tonight, V," Riley answered, only glancing at V’s shoulder before he continued shoveling and pushing away the sand. "Father and Uncle are usually the ones to do this, but Father asked me to do it."
"Oh... like a bonfire?"
"A tiny bonfire, yes." Riley nodded. "A large one would make it too hot for you and the others to enjoy the night, V. Mother also said she brought milk and marshmallows."
"W... wow. Can I help you with digging?"
"There is only one shovel, V."
Wh—"
"V, just let my brother be and let’s go!"
V wasn’t able to finish her words before Hannah suddenly grabbed her hand, dragging her away into the water. She didn’t really struggle, however, and even laughed as she ran with Hannah. Tomoe, meanwhile, stood behind Riley.
"Are you not going to join them?" she asked.
"No, Tomoe." Riley stopped digging, shaking his head as he looked Tomoe in the eyes. "Maybe later. You can go ahead."
"I..." Tomoe hesitated. "...I don’t think I deserve to have fun."
"You do not, Tomoe. But still, you should and will. You are still a child, after all."
"...You are too."
"No..." Riley blinked before looking at the shovel in his hand.
"...I am afraid I am something different now, Tomoe."