Dawn informed Aqua about where they were heading after the meal as they ate. After making their late breakfast, he texted Jericho that he would introduce his saviour briefly at the shop. First impressions were important, and Jericho didn’t know how to turn down gossip.
“We will visit my friend at his shop,” he told Aqua. “His name is Jericho, but you can call him Jerry for short. Be careful not to bring up your secret, he’s very good at digging for secrets so don’t answer any questions that sound strange.”Blinking as she slurped on soda, Aqua nodded. Then, she burped softly and asked, “What is a friend?”…How to explain it? Dawn, he had more acquaintances, business partners and subordinates than friends. Jericho was possibly the only friend he had but even so, the man was more of his close aide or informant than a friend he hung out with for fun. His definition of a friend was too different. Aqua&rsquThe bar wasn’t quite what Aqua was expecting. It was small on the inside, although it looked big on the outside, was rather quiet and was overall a little scary without Dawn around. The two men in front of the shop wearing black glasses that covered their eyes were big, much bigger than Dawn. They also looked very fierce, reminding Aqua of whales.Thankfully, nothing happened, and the ‘bouncers’ let them pass after they saw Dawn. After entering a new door, Aqua and Dawn were shown inside the bar to a different room. That explained why the bar looked small after they entered. It wasn’t the main room!However, even after following the part-timer to the room they were going to wait in, Aqua still could not understand why this place had so many walls and rooms. It was like a maze. Without the guide, Aqua would have a difficult time finding anything.“Is there anything you’d like to drink while waiting for the master?” the part-tim
Aqua was a strange one. Even after talking to her and dropping fact bombs everywhere, the lady wasn’t fazed. She continued to treat him no differently than when she first met him. Her sincerity made Jericho feel a little bad for testing her so harshly.“So gay means that you love men and will kiss them?” Aqua clarified after a very confusing explanation about the new term.Jericho nodded with a smile, wondering how she would react to it. There were many people who were accepting, but not everyone was nice about it. Many were still prejudiced in the underworld, even if Jericho was the best in what he did. The informant had been on the receiving end of many mocking statements warped into praise for his work. Not everyone treated gay people with respect after they found out, not that Jericho was hiding it in the first place. However, it was still annoying.Thinking about it, Aqua looked at the strange colourful human. Was there anything wrong with a mal
Living a life full of tension, Dawn never had the luxury to do nothing and unwind. He was taught that there was no safe place with the life he led. However, ever since meeting Aqua, the number of peaceful days increased. Each day that passed uneventfully became a new treasure that Dawn would always remember.They showered separately and decided to pull the bed near Dawn’s large balcony so they could comfortably lie in it while watching the stars. The night air was slightly chilly, so Dawn brought extra blankets. Aqua did not seem bothered by the temperature. If anything, she was slightly disappointed by the lack of stars in the sky.“When will the stars appear?” Aqua wondered aloud as it closed in on midnight.The city was still as bustling as always, and the frustrated mermaid decided to count the number of traffic lights instead of stars.Dawn checked his watch. Although it wasn’t wise, he contemplated leaving the safety of his pen
Waking up with a terrible crick in his neck, Dawn wondered why it was so bright. Then, he felt a tingling numbness in his right arm and a warm weight against his shoulder.The fog of sleep cleared immediately as the former mafia boss snapped into full alertness. The morning sun shone and illuminated Aqua’s golden locks, temporarily blinding him. Memories of the previous night returned.That’s right! They were star-gazing and fell asleep with the cosy music playing on the radio. Thankfully, the sun woke him early. Aqua’s tail had turned into legs, so he fastened her seat belt and drove them back to his penthouse.The guard questioned nothing when he let Dawn drive into the compound. It was a little awkward because Aqua looked genuinely exhausted, even if it wasn’t the morning after. There was no drive or walk of shame involved. Dawn shouldn’t be the one feeling embarrassed. They were only spending a night sleeping together in a wholesome m
When Jericho first read it, he thought he was finally losing his marbles. However, after rereading the text and confirming that nobody had hijacked his best friend’s phone, he was convinced that it was Dawn who had lost his marbles.Of all the things that he thought Dawn would do, home tutoring wasn’t one of them. It was more understandable if his best friend asked him to be a stand-in babysitter and watchdog. He knew Aqua wasn’t from this country because she spoke and behaved weirdly. It was Jericho’s opportunity to know her better without Dawn’s overprotectiveness getting in the way. However, he wasn’t very highly educated. Unlike Dawn, he dropped out of high school and did not accept the Daniels family’s offer for home tutoring or sponsorship to attend a private boarding school.After mulling over what his best friend was thinking, Jericho decided to call Dawn instead of texting. Clarifying things over the phone was faster. This
Exhausted from walking practice, Aqua slept soundly that night. Dawn was exhausted, but he sneaked out to meet Jericho at the bar as agreed. The informant had the list of potential clients and offices prepared. More importantly, they wanted to meet and finalise Aqua’s home tutoring arrangements.“You’re finally here,” Jericho refilled the champagne glass. “I was about to prepare a bottle of your regular whisky if you didn’t show up in the next fifteen minutes.”Grunting, Dawn shrugged out of the outer coat and closed the door behind him. Dawn looked surprisingly drool-worthy for someone who did not visit the gym in a while. Jericho wondered if his best friend had a secret workout regime in that empty penthouse of his.“Busy day?” the bar owner offered Dawn a glass of champagne, but Dawn declined.He drove over tonight. Drinking wasn’t advisable, especially with Jericho’s horrible drinking hab
While waiting to sober, Dawn walked around the block. With his car parked near Jericho’s bar, he knew that nobody would be dumb enough to try to steal it. Even if they did, the car was equipped with anti-theft technology.The triads controlling the area weren’t far from Jericho’s bar, so Dawn decided to walk over. According to the informant, they had a Chinese restaurant that disguised their operations. It was the perfect time to order Chinese takeout.It wasn’t difficult to spot the local Chinatown in this city. If there were one place that remained consistent regardless of its location or settlement, it would be Chinatown. Dawn immediately felt at home with the red lighting and delicious smells as he walked.From human trafficking to opium dens, this place had it all. Yet, Dawn wasn’t interested in those. He was only here for one thing.Weaving his way through the busy street, Dawn kept his eyes peeled for shops with a particular s
Needless to say, Aqua was thrilled to learn that Jericho was going to become her home tutor. When Dawn told her that the bar owner was also a decent cook, Aqua wanted to know if he was good at making pizza.“You’ll have to ask him,” Dawn chuckled as Aqua gushed excitedly about all the recipes she had read up on.Patting her gently on the head and pinching a cheek lightly, Dawn smirked. Jericho and Aqua would hit off very well. Given Aqua’s puppy-like enthusiasm and Jericho’s love for amusement, Dawn had nothing to worry about. Although he was concerned about Aqua's overly trusting nature, he knew that Aqua’s forgiving nature and Jericho’s teasing wouldn’t start any conflicts. If anything, they would get along swimmingly.More importantly, Dawn wondered how he would bring up getting an office. Aqua spoke about her plans that included Dawn, but the former mafia boss wondered how he should tell her that he couldn’t be