"AAAARGH!!"
I wake up screaming, my head pounding.
The stewardess stands a few feet away, her face etched with concern.
"Are you okay, Sir?" she asks hesitantly.
I just nod, though I can tell she's more worried about my mental state than my physical one.
Can't blame her. The guy who knocked back a whole strip of sleeping pills just woke up screaming like a lunatic.
As I wait for the headache to fade, I replay what just happened.
Yeah, as you might have guessed—
The scorpion dream again.
I've started noticing a pattern. I get that dream every time I'm wounded.
Once the headache dulls, I check my injuries.
The bullet wound? Healed.The bruises from my interrogation? Gone.My foot? Still dislocated.
Guess my brain doesn't have telekinetic abilities after all.
When we land back in my country, the pilot practically drags me to the hospital.
The ER doctor visibly flinches when he sees my foot twisted in the wrong direction. Luckily, it's just a displacement. No broken bones.
Still, he insists I stay overnight.
Not happening.
I call Andy.
"What are you gonna do now?" Andy asks over the phone after I fill him in about my brain situation.
"I don't know. I need to slow it down first." My brain is still running at high speed, even after I slept.
"How?"
"No idea," I admit, frustration creeping in. "Dr. Ramorez mentioned meditation."
"Huh… that actually makes sense." Andy is way more into Eastern philosophy than I am. "I know a priest. Lives in a temple in Little East. Maybe he can teach you how to meditate."
I don't waste any time.
The moment I'm discharged, I head straight for the temple.
-
Finding the temple is easy.
Getting an appointment with the priest? Not so much.
He's not just any priest—he's the head of the temple.
So instead, one of his disciples directs me to someone else.
"Hello, Sir. I'm Han," the man introduces himself.
I go through my story again, explaining why I need meditation.
"I'd be happy to teach you," Han says with a warm smile.
He leads me to a dimly lit room, filled with the heavy scent of incense. The floor is carpeted, soft beneath my feet.
Han sits cross-legged on the floor and gestures for me to sit across from him.
"Close your eyes and focus on your breathing," he instructs.
I do as he says.
"Inhale for five counts. Feel the sensation in your body as you breathe in. Hold for five counts. Then exhale for five."
To be honest?
With my brain running at double speed, every step feels like it's taking forever.
Still, I try to follow along.
"Slower… longer…" Han corrects.
I sigh inwardly but obey.
"Good. Now, speak your anxieties out loud."
"I don't have anxieties," I murmur. "My brain just works too fast."
"Okay. When did it start working faster?"
I suppress a groan. I just told him this.
"I know you told me already," Han says, reading my frustration. "But you need to say it again. Now."
I inhale deeply.
"It started after I woke up from my coma. I was hit by an explosion, drowned in a lake."
"Keep your breathing slow. Good… but you were still okay with it then. Why?"
"It wasn't as fast as now. And… it didn't happen all the time."
"When did it happen, then?"
I hesitate. "When I wasn't with Jen."
"Ahh… and are you with her now?"
"No."
"Did something trigger it to speed up even more?"
"I did it on purpose," I admit. "I needed to dodge bullets to save a kid."
"And how did you trigger it?"
"I'm not sure. I just… decided to be faster than the bullets raining down on me."
"So you ordered your brain to be faster?"
"I guess so. But I can't order it to slow down."
"That's okay, Mr. Bennet. Keep breathing slow."
I realize my breathing has gotten faster. My pitch slightly higher.
"I'm anxious… afraid… that I'll never be able to slow my brain down. I'm afraid my brain might explode."
The words spill out before I can stop them.
And weirdly enough—
I feel better the moment I say them out loud.
"Feel better?" Han asks.
"Yeah," I murmur.
"Good. Keep the slow breathing, Mr. Bennet. Now—describe something that makes you feel relaxed."
"Sex."
The answer comes out immediately.
Han coughs. "Uh… why don't you just have sex, then?"
"I can't enjoy it anymore," I admit. "All I can think about is Jen."
"I see. Okay… let's try another approach. Can you remember a time when you felt happy?"
"Yes."
"When?"
"Sex—"
Even with my eyes closed, I know Han's face just turned red.
"With Jen," I add.
"Besides sex. And besides Jen?"
Silence.
I try to think.
But it's hard.
For the past five years, I haven't felt anything too deeply—no happiness, no sadness, no anger.
Nothing.
Then Jen came into my life.
And suddenly, everything felt different.
"Mr. Bennet?"
"No… I can't recall anything."
Han exhales, as if digesting that information.
"Tell me about Jen."
"She's beautiful. Red hair. Green eyes. Perfect body. Amazing in bed. Very flex—"
"Is that why you love her?" Han interrupts.
"No." I shake my head. "I love her because she's my opposite. She believes in justice, and I… eliminate people. She made me rethink my choices. She was like… a breath of fresh air in my life."
"Was she your first love?"
"As far as I remember… yes."
"When you think of her, do you feel sad or happy?"
"Happy. She always made me happy."
A small smile tugs at my lips.
"Good. Think of those happy moments with her."
"Are the sex scenes allowed?" I tease.
"Yeah… sure… if you feel like it," Han stammers.
I smirk, then close my eyes and focus.
It's funny—
We were together for less than three months.
Yet even the smallest moments with her feel huge.
The way she kissed me before leaving for work.The way she pouted when I teased her.The feel of her hair brushing my face when I held her.The sparkle in her eyes when she got excited.Even the way she smelled.
All those memories rush into my mind—
And for the first time in days, my brain starts to calm.
"Is it working?" Han asks.
I already know he sees the answer on my face.
"Yes," I confirm.
"Good. Keep digging through those memories until your brain returns to normal speed," Han says before leaving me alone.
I have no idea how long I meditated… or how long I slept.
I wake up when someone shakes my arm.
It's Han.
"How are you feeling?" he asks.
"Great!" I answer, surprised to realize—he's speaking at a normal speed.
I can't believe it.
Jen is my savior.
"Here, have some food first," Han says, handing me a tray with a bowl of rice and some vegetables.
"How long have I been here?" I ask, grabbing the food.
"Four days."
No wonder I'm starving.
I eat quickly, using my hands instead of the chopsticks they gave me. I can only use chopsticks for noodles—not rice.
When I'm done, I stand up, stretching for the first time in days.
"Thank you for your guidance," I say, bowing slightly.
"No problem," Han replies, bowing back.
"How much do I owe you?"
"It's free. We're always happy to help those who want to learn meditation. But… you can donate if you'd like." He hands me a small piece of paper with a bank account number written on it.
"Thank you," I say again before leaving.
On my way home, I transfer some money to the temple.
Once I'm back in my apartment, I take a long, hot shower.
Then, I sit at my desk and go online.
Time to get Roberto his motorcycle.
The kid saved my life—multiple times.
So, I don't just buy him a new racing bike.
I also send him enough money to cover his education and secure his family's future.
Of course, transferring that amount isn't as simple as donating to the temple.
I route it through a shell company—making it look like he won a massive lottery jackpot.
After handling that, I settle into my favorite spot—
In front of my massive window, spotting scope in hand.
I miss her.
It's been over a week since I last saw her.
She usually comes home around six.
It's already a little past six.
Any minute now…
I wait.
Seven.
Still nothing.
Eight.
Her room is dark, her curtain still open.
She only closes it when she's asleep.
Something's wrong.
I try to keep myself calm, forcing my breathing into the rhythm I just learned.
But the longer I wait, the worse my thoughts get.
Where is she?Is she okay?Did something happen?
By 10 PM, I'm pacing my living room, my brain racing again.
I grab my phone and call her office.
No answer.
So, she's not working late.
Then where the hell is she?
And then—
Her lights turn on.
I snap the scope up to my eye, heart pounding.
She walks toward the window—
Backstepping?
That's when I see it.
She's not alone.
A man's arms are wrapped around her.
Her hands are around his neck.
They're kissing.
"Hey!!" I yell, pure instinct.
As if my voice can somehow travel 600 meters through a window.
But of course, they don't hear me.
His hands move to her breast.
Her lips part slightly.
My fists clench.
He struggles a bit, but eventually, he manages to slip her dress off.
Then—he pushes her onto the bed.
I tighten my fists.
He drops his boxers.
He climbs on top of her.
CRASH!
I hurl my spotting scope across the room—
It flies through the bedroom door—
And slams into the headboard.