***
“Rather than the fact that what she’s doing is a crime, it’s Nina’s mental state that worries me the most. It’s come to the point where the act of stealing itself is a drug for her. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a person or an object. I dread the day she’ll get caught and call me from prison, demanding me to break her out.” – Katharina Berg, Nina Freier’s childhood friend
***
Several hours earlier, in a hotel room across town, three men and two women sit around the room arguing.
“All you had to do was transfer the bag from the toilets to the car waiting outside! How was that too difficult for you??” Kenzo Shibata, a broad shouldered man in his early thirties, yells at the woman in her forties, sitting annoyed on the sofa, her foot constantly tapping the floor.
“You can’t just blame me for that! You told me to act like there was nothing important in that bag! I only put it down for two seconds, how was I to know some random girl would snatch it up, the second I pretend to take my eye off it. I couldn’t even tell her she took my bag, because that would attract unnecessary attention. So I was gonna snatch it off her after she left the shops and just as she got far away enough for me to strike, I had to hide because the police appeared and started taking her away! It’s not like I’m gonna run down the police car and demand the diamonds to be returned to me. They’re stolen property, you know.” protested Mitsuki Aoyama, the woman dubbed as the ‘Crazy Chameleon’ for her ordinary plain looks combined with her unbelievable conning skills and outrageous personality.
“You really can’t just blame Mitsuki baa-san¹,” the bespectacled young man named Shou Ichioji, lounging on the arm chair with a laptop on his lap, interjects in a bored tone, as everyone turns to looks at him.
“If it was anyone’s fault it’d be Nina nee-san²’s hair’s, because according to what little information I could procure from the police and stuff, they only arrested the other girl because Nina nee-san and that girl had similar red hair. The guard she got caught by and managed to outrun noticed her red hair under her cap and notified the police of such. So if only either one of them didn’t have ostentatious red hair, the police wouldn’t have arrested anyone and we could have somehow gotten the diamond off the girl.”
“Wha—“ begins Kenzo, but is harshly interrupted.
“So, what, it’s my fault now? Because my hair’s naturally red?? Wait, it’s not even red, it's copper! Shou, for someone usually so logical you’re being stupidly absurd!” exclaims Nina Freier, the German and only Westener in this band of thieves and puts down the remote control she was flicking through TV-channels with, now also including herself in the argument.
“If it was a night time job, like I’m used to, my hair colour would never be a problem, neither could there be interferers to mistake our bag for theirs. So really, Kenzo and Jae Woo, blame your own ‘intelligent’ plan for this. Denken die sind schlau. And Kenzo, Shou, you were supposed to look out for me, that guard shouldn’t have noticed me in the first place if you were doing your jobs properly!” she screams in frustration, while the rest of the crew winces. Nina Feier has always been known for her temper, especially so when others find fault in her actions. Perhaps that is what they call the temper of a redhead.
Their more cool-headed Korean partner, Kim Jae Woo, tries to smooth things over as usual, “Look, you guys, if we have to nitpick at our faults, every single one of us would be guilty of something or the other. Shit happened, the universe was clearly against us stealing this ring, with everything going so wrong..
"Yes, we spent months on casing this joint and we were almost successful, but random variables just popped up one after the other. And we can't even try agan because they've probably doubled the security now. So, just take this as a learning experience and don’t think of it as months of your life wasted.
"But some of us are still in urgent need of big cash as you all know, so just forgive each other for your mistakes, and forgive me, and by tomorrow we’ll all decide on the next job. Is that possible?” he smiles kindly at everyone, giving off a wave of calmness. His team members cannot bring themselves to deny his logic or interrupt him, as annoying as it may be.
“Mmm, your handsome face really does make me feel like things’ll be alright even without ever getting to touch that 54 carat Kristy… actually no it doesn’t. I’m still just as pissed. But Jae Woo-chan if you’re ever interested in a noona romance³, you know where to go and who to ask. Even if that’ll make me feel like a cougar.” Mitsuki winks at the bewildered man ten years her junior.
“But that’s just a little a thought to make you uncomfortable. Wouldn't want to break up this lovely on and off game you're always playing with Nina. Ah my Kristy! I’ll have to mourn your absence at home, 'cause these buddies here will blame me again. Kristy, Kristy, Kristy-chan, my beatiful baby, I was so close. I miss you already. I must complain to my son once I get home. Maybe I can convince him to name his first born Kristy.” She nods her head as she leaves the room, happily slamming the door behind her. Having gotten used to her antics, no strange looks follow her to the door anymore.
“Did she name it Kristy… I swear she called it Misty yesterday. Wait, ‘first born’? Isn’t her son in middle school? What—ahh how do I work with this crazy woman?? Dammit, she actually managed to distract me from my 500 million yen, which she lost during a moment of distraction. Oi, Aoyama! Don't just leave like that! Oh my money, my money. Damn it. Jae Woo, come up with something soon yeah?” Frowning Kenzo also leaves the hotel room. Shou looks around in discomfort.
“Great, now I feel like the third wheel. I’m off too.” Shou shuts his laptop and grabs his jacket.
“Oh, no, it’s not like tha—“ before Nina could finish her sentence however, the door has already slammed behind him.
Jae Woo’s lips curl up in a smile as he walks up behind her, snakes his arms around her waist and rests his chin on her head. “What do you mean it’s not like that? Huh?”
She smiles at the sensation of his presence, as she leans back on his chest, “It isn’t. You’re just a pervy ex-boyfriend who keeps wanting to touch me.”
“Mmm? Really? That can’t do. I should also leave then.” Quite contrary, however, he made no move to loosen his grip on her, or leave.
She turned in his embrace to face him and put her arms around his neck, “It turns out I’m quite the pervy ex-girlfriend too.” She smiles as she kisses his full lips and he responds eagerly.
Jae Woo breaks the kiss after several seconds. Nina remains in his strong embrace as her sea blue eyes questioningly look up into his melted-chocolate brown ones.
“Nina,”
“Huh?”
“The diamond. Are you not really upset about it? 54 carat isn’t a tiny rock. I’m sorry it turned out the way it did.”
“Don’t apologize like it’s your fault. Yes, I am upset about it. Just as much as you are at least.. But you were right before, there’s no point in blaming anyone. Shit just went wrong. And it’s not like I’ve got urgent reasons to need the money like Kenzo or Mitsuki-san. You know it’s all about the ride for me, rather than the destination. Since when were you any different, Jae Woo?”
“But I wanted some extra money to buy us a nice honeymoon condo or house with the money. It really is such a shame.”
“I don’t recall agreeing to a wedding, nor a honeymoon.”
“That’s because I never asked.” With a mischievous smile he cups Nina cheek. He presses his lips to hers and she parts her lips as an invitation. Their troubles momentarily forgotten in their passionate embrace.
***
Footnotes:
1. Baa-san- to refer to an ‘aunt’-like figure
2. Nee-san- Big Sister, not necessarily blood related
3. Noona romance- when a man dates a woman older than him – big sister relationship (a Korean way of putting things)
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