As he was waiting for everyone to leave the conference room, the man in the hood adjusted his clothes, making sure every piece of him was completely covered once again.
He rarely ever went out to the streets without masking his presence, if not never.
He started by rolling down his jacket sleeves, covering his pale skin and the tattos inked in his arms. It was unknown whether his hands were also part of his canvas.
He swiftly picked up the baseball cap he had put down on the table earlier, and pushed his hood back, letting his white hair run free for a second before it was covered with the cap.
He then fished out a black mask from his pocket, and put it over his sharp face that painted a look of resentment at the world. By now, almost no one could even get a decent look at his face.
Not when he also put his hood back on his head, shadowing even more his features.
He was N.
Sighing almost as if she was lamenting, the red haired girl shook her head.
"Such handsome face... I will never get why you are hiding it."
Unlike him, she didn't cover herself. She was the type to show off.
Even to a normal day of work at their organization, she wore her trademark plunging neckline, cinched her waist and wore a skin tight pant that accentuated all of her curves. The most she would use to cover herself was a fur white scarf to embrace her shoulders. It was a wonder how she didn´t turn blue in this weather.
She looked beautiful and enchanting, but behind her pretty facade she was as dangerous as poison ivy.
In response, the man in the hood only gave her a pointed look. Almost as if saying, mind your business.
"Instead of N why don't you look at me instead? I'm also handsome. You know I am good at taking compliments." This time the other guy, TimeCannotBeReturned chimed in.
He had dark brown hair tied in a messy man bun with strands falling over his much more manly face. His build also much taller and bulkier in comparison to the hooded guy. He also looked much more mature despite his bright personality.
Looking at the hand touching his shoulders, N took a deep breath before slamming a deathly elbow at the ribs of the intruder of his personal space.
"Hey! No need to get violent! We are coworkers, by the way, not enemies." The man managed to dogde the blow. "Geez, one day you will kill me."
"I told you to not touch me." N said as he dusted away the feeling of the man's weight on him. He looked spiteful.
The red haired girl only giggled, crossing her legs on the seat. She looked amused.
"Taeil, you did it again."
"No need to get grumpy over things like that." Taeil mumbled as he rubbed his nose.
"Anyways, are you guys going home?" Tael looked meaningfully at the girl.
But the red haired girl ignored him and looked at N instead. Her interest was clear.
"What are you going to do, N?"
N rolled his eyes. He didn't want to be in the middle of a weird love traingle.
"None of your business."
The red haired girl pouted, looking as if she was wronged. As if his words had hurt her fragil heart.
"Aw, don't say that. You never go out with any of us unless the boss is there. Will it kill you to just hang out with us?" She fluttered her eyes. "If Taeil is the problem, don't worry! We can ditch him."
"Leave me alone." N was curt.
He then left towards the exit, not wanting to stay any longer with those two or anyone for that matter.
Before he disappeared, he gave out one last warning.
"If you follow me again, I won't be as merciful."
In other words, I will shred you.
Either way, the red haired girl was unbothered by the meaningful tone of hisvoice. Instead, she feigned innocence and weakness. As if he was the one one sidedly bullying her.
"Ah... pitiful me, what will he do to me?" She tapped on her lips looking fearful before jumping back on her feet and making a move to the exit. Ready to follow his steps.
She didn't care about the consequences.
But Taeil did.
He held her back by the hand. The warmth of his hand familiar to her.
"Maria, are you going to follow him again?" A shade of worry entwined in his seemingly neutral voice.
Looking down at his hand grabbing onto her, Maria lonly smiled.
"Is there a problem?"
"He said-"
"Are you jealous?" She cut him off, her face was clueless despite her eyes looking at him with knowing eyes.
Taeil faltered, looking much smaller.
"You of all people must know..." He said softly. "More than jealous I'm worried about you."
Maria shook her head, pushing his hand away from her.
"Not so easily. You failed me before, now you have to redeem yourself."
"Work harder." She patted him before strutting away.
"Maria, he's just a kid!"
Maria arched her eyebrow in mockery.
"He's just a kid? Don't joke with me Taeil. He's currently more of a man than you are."
"Maria, wait..."
But she already left.
-
As if knowing Maria would be hot on his heels despite the warning he had just given out, N took off into the crowd before she could even get to track him. Nowadays she was an annoying fly stuck on him. He had to shake her off him som way.
He also didn't need eyes following him to where he was going.
After walking for a long while with the crowd, N finally reached the exit of the street plaza.
Not wanting to risk getting found by Maria as he waited for the bus to come, he decided to flag down a taxi.
"To the school district."
"Which school?" The taxi examined the man from the reer mirror as he drove. Judging from the man's build, he thought of him as a student.
N took a little while, but in the end he anwered.
"The boarding school for men."