[Normal POV]
"Coming!" The underground doctor shouted as he rushed to the main door of his unit. When he opened the door, he was surprised to see his friend. "Shizuo?" he nearly exclaimed, then he looked at (F/n) confused.
"Um... sorry for intruding," she said awkwardly as she wore one of her most awkward smiles.
"Yeah! Few seconds," the doctor said, then he went inside to get some towel and give it to the two visitors. "Please get inside." The two went in and sat on the sofa. The doctor started to brew the tea.
"Thanks, Shinra! You're always helpful," the bartender suddenly said, not breaking a smile.
"No big deal," Shinra replied as he poured the tea in 2 cups and served it to the visitors, before making one on his own and sitting in a couch across them.
"The storm is a nuisance! I didn't know it would be this strong!" The blonde exclaimed, really annoyed.
"I didn't know, too ..." (F/n) said as she looked down into her tea, "Sorry..."
When (F/n) looked back straight, she was taken aback when she saw the underground doctor staring at her. "W-what is it...?" she accidentally stammered.
Shinra raised his hand on his chin and started rubbing it. "It's the first time I saw you..." he said, "Could you be... Shizuo's girlfrie-"
"N-no!" (F/n) cut him before Shizuo does. It would be more troublesome if that happened. But because she cut him, she choked.
"Ah! Are you okay?" he doctor inquired, panicking a little.
"Yeah," (F/n) retorted when the coughing sensation died. She looked at the blonde through the corner of her eye and was a little disappointed that he didn't care.
"She and I just met up in the outside, right before the wind started to blow," Shizuo explained, putting down his empty cup of tea.
"That's right!" I agreed panickingly. "We don't really know each other."
"But that's strange," the doctor muttered loudly, "This is the first time Shizuo brought a girl here. And on top of that, someone he didn't really know."
"It is, I guess..." (F/n) tried to laugh a bit, just to enlighten the mood, and to stop this underground doctor from building up suspicion on her.
"Thank you for letting us in, Dr. Kishitani," (F/n) said to him, showing him her genuine smile. She knew about him from the list of residents in the apartment she glimpsed on when they entered. (F/n) has fast eyes, but she only saw his name and unit number. She reached her hand to him. "Pleased to meet you. I'm (F/n) (L/n)."
"Pleased to meet you, too! Ms. (F/n)," He exclaimed as he enthusiastically took her hand and shook it. "It's a pleasure!" He grinned at her. Although surprised (F/n) knew him, he shrugged it off thinking that some of his clients might've told the girl about him. Shizuo was looking at them through the corner of his eyes.
"I heard that you are very talented, although... why did you choose to be an underground doctor?" She asked him out of the blue.
"I –uh..." He uttered, awkwardly scratching the back of his head. Then, a woman wearing pure black, covering her head with a catlike yellow helmet, came in.
"Ah! Celty!" Shinra exclaimed, running to her and giving her a tight hug, forgetting to reply to my question. "You're finally home! I was so worried!"
Celty pushed him a little and started typing on her PDA her reply. She showed it to him. (F/n) probably wondered: can't she talk? (F/n) was observing her and the way she looks. Celty seems really awesome...
(F/n) stood up unconsciously. She stared at the two, not knowing what to do nor what to say. Sooner, her legs began moving on their own accord as she subconsciously sauntered towards the new comer. Shizuo gazed at them.
"Um... uh..." (F/n) said, fidgeting upon getting near them. It caught the attention of the two.
"Ah, (F/n)!" Shinra exclaimed, turning towards her, grinning like a child. "This is Celty," he introduced the other, gesturing towards her, and bluntly said, "She is my fiancé."
Both ladies we're taken aback by his confession. Not that it is new to Celty or she's embarrassed by it, but she didn't expect the underground doctor to be so open about it to a new comer.
"P-Pleased to meet you, Celty-san," (F/n) bowed as she greeted. "I am (F/n) (L/n). I'm very sorry to intrude."
The young lady raised her head a while after not hearing a response. She was confused and a little bit surprised when she saw the PDA held in front of her face. The woman showed her the response through typing on that small device, "Pleased to meet you (F/n) (L/n). And don't worry, we're glad to have you around."
"Yes!" (F/n) exclaimed happily at her, saluting.
"She is also the rumored 'Headless Rider'," Shinra added.
(F/n)'s eyes widened upon hearing those words. "'Headless Rider', you say?" She blinked a few times, disbelieving it. "That can't be right..."
Shizuo walked up to them and stood beside (F/n). "Glad you made it here," he welcomed Celty, not changing his expression. Celty nodded.
Excitement started filling up (F/n)'s body. "If that's the case, will you show me what's inside the helmet?" she asked Celty, peering at her like a child.
Celty turned back to her, typed on her PDA, and showed her the retort. "Promise not to freak out."
(F/n) nodded vigorously, concentrated and began staring at her without blinking. Celty kept her PDA again and slowly took off her helmet. Few amount of black smoke escaped from it.
(F/n)'s mouth went wide agape when she saw that the helmet was completely empty. She was frozen.
"Eh...? (F/n)...?" Shinra shook her a bit and she was still frozen. But then, when Celty returned her helmet, (F/n) snapped and hugged Celty all of a sudden, rubbing her cheek on her helmet until it went off.
"It's really you! I've always been a fan of you!" (F/n) exclaimed with pure joy. She didn't let go of her grasp, Celty began to struggle out of her hug. "You're the coolest! You're really headless?!"
"Hey. Stop it, (F/n)." Shizuo pulled her away from Celty.
"Hey?" (F/n) jumped off from between them, then smiled at the black rider. "I'm sorry I acted that way. I just couldn't help it."
The rider typed on her PDA and showed it to her. "It's fine."
"Anyway, Celty, the storm is terrible outside, you sure had a hard time," Shinra attempted to drive the topic of conversation to where it is supposed to head. "Would you like to take a short nap?"
Celty nodded wearily and went to her room. Before she closed the door, she held out her PDA. "Be sure not to make any loud noises."
"Okay, Celty!" Shinra replied cheerfully. Then, Celty closed the door.
Shinra faced the two visitors back. "Thank God, Celty is home." It was followed by a fairly loud growl from his stomach. A red shade drew in his face from embarrassment. He rubbed the back of his head to ease the feels. "Why don't we eat early dinner today?" he offered.
"Yeah!" (F/n) enthusiastically responded.
Shizuo didn't say a word.
Shinra rubbed the back of his head again. "I'm worried, though. I'm quite a bad cook..." He looked down a bit. "If Celty isn't sleepy, she could cook a good meal."
(F/n) grabbed his shoulders. "Aw, come on!" she tried to encourage him. "If you're thinking that low of your culinary abilities, count on me! I'll help you cook!" She snapped her finger, adding an awesome effect to her line.
"Culinary... abilities...?" the underground doctor muttered, sweat dropping. "What does that supposed to mean...?"
"Snap out of it," she said as she grabbed his wrist. "Show me where the kitchen is."
"O-Okay..."
-
[Reader's POV]
This could be my chance to kill him. I will mesmerize them with my cooking and make them trust me more. Then, if they did, they won't suspect me... especially Mr. Hardass.
I eyed at him and he didn't care. The dude who I was holding seems to try and deny me, but ended up giving in as he brought me to his kitchen.
"Celty is our cook. She's always the one doing the cooking when I don't buy from fast food chains," he told me as he put on his apron. "Here," he said as he handed me mine.
"Yes." I took it from him and wore it.
He went to the refrigerator and took up some stack ingredients. "We have here some meat, soup, noodles, and some vegetables. They're leftovers though."
I broke an awkward laugh. He laughed as well.
"I'll handle the cutting, then I'll leave the rest to you."
"Sweet!"
In almost an hour, we have finished cooking. Since I am the one who cooked this, I can't let this be presented without a good appearance. But of course, the taste matters the most.
I set three dishes for us and took care of the arrangement.
"You seem to be pretty good at it, (F/n)," the doctor complimented me while drooling. Disgusting...
"I-Is that so?" I broke one of my most awkward smile. "T-Thank you..."
He quickly took his bowl of rice and split his chop sticks. "I'm digging in," he told himself loud, ready to eat.
"Wait!" I nearly shouted. He was shocked, he almost dropped the bowl. "The preparations aren't done yet!"
"Whoa! You don't have to give it your all, (F/n). It's just us. We aren't your juries." He retorted, confused towards my attitude.
"Yeah. I know that," I responded with a little bit of defensiveness. "I just wanted to present you something nice, and it would really be great if we eat them together."
"Ah! I get it!" he smiled at me. "We're gonna eat them together!"
He didn't take his eyes off me and stared at what I was doing the entire time. Dammit! Here comes another annoying person!
"You sure take a lot of time, don't you?" He commented out of the blue.
"Oh." I blinked. "Do you mean to say that I'm a slowpoke?"
"No-No!" He backed off a little. "Don't take things that way, (F/n)! I'm just saying that you're doing your job neatly without competing against time."
I smiled as I tucked my hair behind my ear. "If that's what you meant, then thank you."
He sighed. I guess the way I responded was nerve wracking to him. Meh. I should try to act a little more chill and not show him that I wanted him to get lost!
The poison on my pocket... I can't put it out or let go of it unless Shinra goes off.
I stared at the meal, then to him, then back to the meal. "Just wait a few more minutes. It's gonna be over." I tried flashing him a seemingly genuine smile to cool him off and it looks like it worked.
"Well." He took the two dishes I finished making. "I'm setting this two on the table."
"Okay."
Then, he went off.
Perfect! ... This is my real chance!
I quickly finished the dressing, then pulled out the small bottle of poison from my pocket. I opened it when I heard disappearing footsteps. When I looked at my back I saw the two of them together, the underground doctor and the blonde bartender.
Tch!
I was only able to put a drop of poison. I rushed and didn't look at it because they'll notice me. Anyway, my poison is one of the strongest type and it doesn't have an existing antidote. It would be sure kill.
I carefully slipped it back to my front pocket. I was lucky they couldn't see it well from their view angle.
"You're taking too much time. I thought I'd would be good if I offer my help," the blonde spoke those words monotonously.
I shook my head. "It's okay. I'm finished." I took the last set of serving and followed the two as they head out of the kitchen.
When I looked back, I saw a drop on the counter... the drop of poison was wasted. I'm sure that the expression on my face at that moment cannot be painted.
... Dang it! I missed again!