The streets of Mandaue, Cebu are noisy as sirens gather near a burning warehouse. Passers-by gathered around an ambulance as men dressed in blue and white walk all over the area while men in red are busy extinguishing the fires that burned near the area.
Just a few meters near the ambulance, a woman with red bob-cut hair looked at the burning building with a serious expression. She wore the standard city custodian officer uniform; a blue business suit, black necktie, and a blue miniskirt to boot. Her violet eyes darted to a couple of emergency crew works handling a stretcher with a dead body on top of it.
"Wait," she spoke while holding out a hand towards the crew. "Lemme look at the body."
"Sure Captain Lihn." one of the crew members responded.
Captain Jackie Lihn grabbed the white sheet and nonchalantly took it aside. She looked at the dead body, more specifically, on its head wound.
"This looked like a gunshot wound," she thought. "More like a precise shot."
"Excuse me, Captain!" another custodian officer suddenly appeared behind her.
"We tried to pry information from the surviving member of the 34k Street Gang but, er-"
"Someone took custody of him?" Jackie cut the custodian officer off with a glare on her face.
"Y-Yes! We apologize Captain, but it was....it was the legal counsel of the Brotherhood of Guan."
Captain Jackie Lihn sighed. "Figures," she said while putting back the cover on top of the dead body.
"Captain? What should we do?" the custodian officer asked again.
The woman looked at the officer with a tired look.
"What else? Clean up the place, burn the bodies, and move along. I'm gonna go get myself a drink."
Himeko Kobayashi slowly opened her eyes. The bright white light shone and irritated her eyes as she tried to blink it off.
When her sight improved, she suddenly felt the soft bed and the warm pillow; she quickly looked and scanned to see where she was.
"Ease up princess. You're in Lapu-Lapu City Hospital." a familiar voice said beside her.
Himeko looked to where the voice originated.
She saw one bald man casually sitting on an empty sofa chair on the far right side of her bed.
"Y-You!" Himeko stammered.
"Yeah. Me." Hal grinned. "The guy who saved your virginity."
Himeko blushed.
"W...What?"
"What?" Hal cocked an eyebrow.
Himeko rapidly gained her composure as she looked at the man angrily.
"Are you always this rude to everyone? Even towards the people you saved?" she complained.
"Why not?" Hal quipped. "I did save you so I can pretty much do whatever the fuck I want."
"W-What's that supposed to mean?" Himeko yelled. Suddenly, the door swung open and Shujin ran inside together with Kobayashi, the old limousine driver.
"Himeko!" Shujin yelled.
"Father! Shujin-san!" Himeko screamed happily. Old man Kobayashi immediately ran towards her daughter and hugged her while Shujin walked to her side. Hal stood up and looked at Boss Amaki, who is escorted by his bodyguards.
"Once again, you've done me a service, Mr. Harkov. I thank you." Boss Amaki said with a small bow.
"Yeah, well, thanks for 1.2 billion yen as well, Boss Amaki. Good luck trying to get that all back." Hal smiled as he started to casually walk out of the door.
"Wait, what? 1.2 billion?" Himeko gasped.
"Hi..Himeko, please-" her father pleaded but the long-haired brunette stood up from her bed.
"Boss Amaki! Please tell me you didn't pay this mercenary 1.2 billion yen just to save me!" Himeko screamed.
The old boss looked down with a sad sigh while Shujin also did the same.
Himeko looked at all of them with a shocked expression.
"H...How! How could you all do such a thing? That money was the last hope to rebuild the Amaki clan! Now you guys have nothing! Nothing!" Himeko cried as tears rolled down from her cheeks.
"Mmmmkay! Well, I'll be off now." Hal said as he waved them goodbye.
"Wait! You! Is there any way you could let us off the hook this time?" Himeko yelled at Hal.
The bald man turned towards the woman with a confused expression.
"Er, what?"
"C-Could you, perhaps, um, just let us off the hook this time? We promise to pay you when the time comes!"
Hal let out a chuckle and then a big laugh a few seconds later.
"You're kidding me. I did the job perfectly and now you're asking me for a fucking freebie? Is that what you're saying?" he asked while walking back towards Himeko and her family.
"No, what I'm asking for is a favor. You give us this and someday, we'll repay it. Won't we, big brother Shujin?" Himeko pleaded as she looked at Shujin with pleading eyes.
"H-Himeko..." Shujin stammered. "It's not that simple."
Hal grinned.
"The world doesn't work that way anymore Princess. You Amakis can keep your honor. I had a contract to fulfill. I did my job and you all paid me. That's how it all works, your highness."
Himeko gritted her teeth. She then looked at Hal for a few seconds and then quickly, looked away with a furious expression on her face.
"W-What if...if I offer something else?" the woman stammered.
"Huh? Like what?" Hal asked.
Himeko blushed furiously while staring at Hal with an angry expression.
"Y-You can have me..." the woman stuttered.
"Himeko!" Kobayashi yelled.
"What are you doing?" Shujin roared in anger.
Hal just blinked at Himeko. "Er, what did you say?" he asked, puzzled.
"Y-You can have me instead! Just give the money back to Boss Amaki! This...it's all my fault why those 34k street thugs kidnapped me. I wasn't careful. So there! I am going to do whatever it takes, just...please....please..." Himeko paused as she started to cry.
"Himeko..." Boss Amaki sighed as old man Kobayashi hugged the poor crying woman.
Hal Arkov just looked at them all. With a sigh, he rubbed the back of his head. He then turned his back and walked out of the room. Shujin, however, chased after him.
"Mr. Arkov, wait!"
Hal paused when he heard Shujin call him. He turned around and gave him a blank stare.
"Please, whatever my sister said, forget it. Keep the money and leave. Now." Shujin explained.
"Why?" Hal asked.
"Huh? What do you mean why?" Shujin retorted. "I mean, you already did your job. And we paid you. That should even things now right?"
"No Shujin Amaki. Your 1.2 billion doesn't make things right." Hal replied. "Not with the secrets you've been keeping from me regarding that little sister of yours."
"I-I have no idea what you're talking about!" Shujin replied back nervously.
"Your curvaceous little sister has a small tattoo on the right side of her chest. It bears the mark of the Sia Jin Long family. The long-lost clan that once held complete power over the Brotherhood of Guan." Hal explained with a grim expression.
"Wait, what? Did you...did you undress my sister while she was sleeping?" Shujin yelled in anger.
"Her clothes were torn to pieces when I brought her here, you idiot. Also, the daughter of the Amaki clan family driver held hostage by one of the Brotherhood's most trusted goons? It just doesn't add up."
Shujin gulped as small beads of sweat dropped from his forehad.
"Now answer me before I break your pretty boy face. Who the hell is she?" Hal asked, his tone growing heavy with anger.