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"AAAAAAGGGHHH!" Namilipit sa sakit ng ulo ang manager ilang segundo matapos nitong matigilan.
Pit. Pit. Pit.
Cya heard a device-like prompts. Pagkatapos niyon, sumabog ang ulo ng kanyang manager. Naligo tuloy siya sa dugo, at ilan pang matters na mula sa ulo nito, kasama roon marahil ang nagpira-piraso nitong utak. Someone kicked aside the remaining lower body and it hit the sofa.
"I-Ikaw..." Cya mumbled. Hindi siya maaaring magkamali sa pagkilala sa taong pumatay sa kanyang manager. It's Rise.
Rise is sporting a hooded jacket of a cartoon character. He looked frivolous just like the other teen idols Cya saw on the lobby. May hawak siyang isang klase ng compact bow. His blue eye accents his viciousness.
Hinila niya si Cya patungo sa isang tabi. Then he took care of the corpse like a pro, suggesting he definitely belonged to the Assassin's group. He sprayed a special breakdown agent na na-a-acquire lang ng mga assassin talaga. Fast-reacting ang chemical agent na iyon na para bang tinutupok ng hindi nakikitang apoy ang bangkay hanggang sa mag-abo iyon. The only sign that there's a murder was the blood spattered on the floor.
Lumapit si Rise sa kinaroroonan ni Cya. May kinuha siya mula sa bulsa at isinubo iyon sa binata. Cya almost choked. Kulang na lang ay ipalunok sa kanya ni Rise ang hintuturo nito. Pagkatapos nu'n ay binayo pa nito nang napakalakas ang dibdib niya.
"You should carry some nerve agent blocker with you. Ang akala ko ay sigurista ka? I never expect you'd fall for this common idol problem," Rise chided him.
"Ano'ng ginagawa mo rito? Paano ka nakapasok?" To Cya's surprise, he recovered so fast. He even managed to stir.
Rise crossed his arms. "Pansamantala akong nandito para matulog sa mga bakanteng silid. I used to be friends with a hacker so I know how to decrypt some codes. Nagkataong ang tinuluyan kong silid ay ang magiging kuwarto mo pala. So, dito ka pala magdodorm..."
"I think I'm going to quit," Cya said.
"Hooh? Kung kailan puwede na akong makitulog dito nang may consent, saka ka pa aalis. Mahina pala talaga ang loob mo."
Kinuwelyuhan ni Cya si Rise. "Ano'ng sabi mo?!"
Rise freed himself from Cya's clutch. "Forget it. I'm going."
Nakakaisang hakbang pa lamang si Rise nang maulinigan niyang nagsalita si Cya. "You killed my manager without any hesitations... pero sinabi mo sa akin nu'ng nakaraan na hindi mo kailangan ng license. How come-?"
Rise faced him confidently. "I'll tell you... I don't need any license to kill because I am a criminal serial killer."
Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Cya. Hindi siya makapaniwala. "I-If so, bakit hindi ka pinaghahahanap ng mga pulis?"
"Hmm? The Assassin's Guild sheltered madmen like me... madmen who were not recognized by the Bureau of Census... to simply put it, I don't exist. Nagagawa ko ang lahat ng gusto ko."
Napatingin si Cya sa orb na nasa pulsuhan niya. Puwedeng mag-acquire ng orb si Rise pero hindi nito iyon maaaring magamit. "Pero hindi ba may special squad na tumutugis at pumapatay sa mga taong lagpas sa edad sampung taon na hindi pa rehistrado?"
"I'm still alive... that's not my problem anymore," Rise simply answered. He opted for the window. Nang makasampa siya sa sill, inihanda niya ang grapple gun.
"Why are you being honest with me?" Pahabol na tanong ni Cya kay Rise.
"Are you sure I'm telling you the truth?" Balik-tanong naman ni Rise.
Cya was taken aback. He can't predict this guy... ngunit sa pagitan nilang dalawa, what is trust? It seems to have no value.
"Nakalimutan mo na ba 'yung sinabi ko? Sinusubukan kong alamin kung mapagkakatiwalaan ka dahil wala kang tiwala sa mga tao. I think I already knew the answer so expect me to be dishonest from now on."
"I get it..." Bulong ni Cya sa sarili. He smiled slyly as he stood up from the flooring smeared with filthy blood. "Wala akong manager at requirement iyon ng agency. I can't think of anyone else fitting for the vacated job though."
"I get it..." Ani Rise habang inaasinta kung saan niya ititira ang grapple gun. "I can be your pseudo manager if you succeed to file fake documentations. Tapos ikaw na ang bahalang magmanage ng sarili mo. But of course, you'll have to pay me. I don't need money. I want information. You may also let me sleep here during daytime. I am a nocturnal person so magkaiba ang oras natin."
"Fair enough..." Cya nodded.
Rise left. Cya went back to his bathroom.
