Jasper was stunned by the profound beauty he is seeing right now. The two handsome men with dark purple hair and eyes with a hue of amber while looking at them blankly could really make anyone flabbergasted by it. However, that doesn't seem to be the case for Hazel and Head Melissa, their faces showed how horrified they were by the sight of the two men. Ashley's eyes glowed to purple instantly when she used her ability to find what their abilities were. But to her dismay, she didn't find anything that revealed their ability.
Everything is shown blank that she concluded they're humans and that only made her even more confused than she already was. It made her think, 'How could a human pass through the tunnel and make it here without getting injured? Wait… Did they even pass there from the beginning?' Jasper and Ashley's attention went to Hazel and Head Melissa the moment they spoke with disbelief.
"I-impossible."- Head Melissa
"W-why?"- Hazel
"Why are you here?"- Head Melissa and Hazel
"Callide."- Head Melissa
"Chide."- Hazel
The two men stared at them blankly like they knew nothing about them. Ashley wondered how Head Melissa knew the name of the person in front of him and the same goes to Jasper. They decided to ask them and their faces turned dry as if they were thinking of something uneventful.
"Callide is…"- Head Melissa
"Chide is my childhood friend."- Hazel
"Deceased ex-husband."- Head Melissa
"And Callide is his twin brother. But they both died from a plane crash so…"- Hazel
"So how are they here and alive?"- Head Melissa
Jasper and Ashley seem to understand now as to why they had those expressions on their faces. However, they still don't understand how someone who is dead is standing right in front of them. And their faces show no scars nor wounds which doesn't even make sense at all. The hunters' attention all went to Hazel when she yelled in desperation.
"Chide! Why? Why are you here?!"
However, no words came out from the Chide. It's as if he sees her as a total stranger. Hazel couldn't believe the indifferent eyes from the man in front of her that she slowly began to walk closer to him.
"L-look, it's me! Hazel! D-don't you remember me?!"
"Hazel!"
"H-head Melissa?"
"Those men in front of us are neither Callide nor Chide. They're dead. These people are not them."-Head Melissa
"B-but-"
"Look at them! Look at their eyes! Those eyes are far from those Callide and Chide we once knew."- Head Melissa reminisced.
"So, who are you?! How dare you use and desecrate their body just like that?!"- she added
While asking those words, she slowly took out her weapons showing off her Tranquil Predatress side however, they showed no fear at all. All the hunters ready themselves for combat but Jasper stopped them and went instead while taking out his weapon.
When Head Melissa and Jasper were only a few meters away from them, they ran and lunged towards them. But instead of cornering them, the two hunters bumped their heads together. They both caressed their heads which were in pain after the impact. They quickly noticed that the men disappeared in front of them so they searched around. Only to see the men standing farther away from them to their right looking unfazed.
Before the two hunters could even say a word, they turned away from them. Ashley couldn't believe her eyes. How could a human do such an unrealistic thing? No human could just disappear then reappear just like that. Head Melissa was dumbfounded and felt defeated, she reached out to stop them.
"W-wait!"
However, she was too late when one of them pressed a wooden block at a corner of the statue. Some of the hunters were about to follow them but Head Melissa forbade them. Jasper watched them fade in his naked-eyes. He turned to face Head Melissa but he didn't expect to see her so frustrated and full of anger.
Still, the Head gathered her thoughts and gave a huge sigh, then she instructed them all to find any dead bodies and Forbidden Venom. They all began to do their real mission as if nothing happened but four hunters couldn't get rid of their thoughts of the two men that they encountered back then. The day ended with them completing their mission without any more problem.
The next morning, Ashley was walking along the corridors to visit the training ground while humming her favorite song. The next thing she knew was Head Melissa yelling at her agents that she jolted because she was surprised by the sudden noise. She went to take a peek and saw her reprimanding some of her agents including Hazel.
She wanted to know what happened but Dir. Melvis stopped her from meddling in the situation whereas smiling at her then gestured to stay quiet. Instead, he went and greeted them and the hunters on the training ground were surprised including Head Melissa.
"Yahooo! I see, it's a sour morning today."
"Dir. Harlow, may I ask what are you doing here?"- Head Melissa
"Hmm? Ah! Just taking a patrol since I had nothing to do." (Laughs)- Dir. Melvis
The hunters were so stunned yet disappointed seeing their director being so nonchalant and jovial about everything. Ashley, on the other hand, while hiding at the alley, gloomed and was literally pissed by the director's behavior. Hans saw Ashley sneaking so he went near her and asked.
"What are you doing?"
"Ekkk! H-hans?! Shh…"
Ashley yelled in whispers then pulled him closer to her without batting an eye on him. Hans was quite surprised by her bold action yet decided to peek as well. Seeing his master fooling around his eyebrow twitched with annoyance so he stood up and went inside to get his master.
"Master, why are you here?"
"Ha-Hans?! Why are YOU here?!"- Dir. Melvis
"I'M HERE to take you back to your office since you've got piles of work to do."- Hans
"Oh? I see, hahaha… By the way, Head Melissa, come with me."
"We've got a lot to talk about."- he added.
Head Melissa followed him but before she completely left, she instructed them to continue their training until she's back. Ashley was curled up in the corner watching as the three left the training ground completely. After she reassured that it was safe, she went inside and called Hazel while waving at her with glee.
"What happened back there?"- Ashley
"Oh, that… Head Melissa is just in a bad mood."
"I think she and her husband fought last night."- Ashley
"How did you know?"- Hazel
"Well, I wouldn't be a spy if I ain't a gossip queen, right?"
"So? Care to tell me the full detail about yesterday."- she added
On the other side, Hans and the two high ranking Heads went inside Dir. Melvis office. The moment Head Melissa saw her husband, an irk of irritation suddenly built up her insides. Her husband, Jackson Adlers, ignored the presence of his wife and went to greet the director. Hans could feel the tension between the couple so he excused himself to avoid getting caught on with the so-called marriage quarrel.
"What is he doing here, Director?"- Head Melissa
"That's not of your business."- Jackson
"What did you say?"- Head Melissa
"Isn't that what you told me yesterday? It's none of my business whether it your personal affair or not?"- Jackson
'Heh~ Am I really seeing this, right now? Jackson, who rarely gets mad, is now having an argument with his beautiful wife. How cute.'- Dir. Melvis thought.
"T-that—"
"Okay… Enough with the love quarrel. I summoned you here, Head Melissa, to ask for permission."- Dir. Melvis
"What permission?"- Head Melissa
"Director, I can do it so—"- Jackson
"A permission to let your husband find out about the people you saw yesterday… and to infiltrate the enemies' headquarters."- Dir. Melvis
"What?!"- Head Melissa
Hazel was hesitant to tell Ashley about her life back then and Ashley seemed to understand the situation. She told her if she shouldn't force herself if she didn't want to and to take her time. However, before she could finally leave, she was held back by Hazel. They went into a corner of the training ground far away from the agents that were training. When they finally reached their destination, Hazel took the opportunity to explain.
"Chide is my and Sheryl's childhood friend. When my family died, Sheryl's parents took me in and I was grateful for that. Sheryl knew Chide way before me and she knew about Callide as well. Chide's and Callide's parents got divorced so the twins decided to go each other's ways too. Callide together with their father went to another country. Years later, I got to meet Callide. Sheryl, the twins, and I got a happy childhood. Callide would often visit us during summer. Then one day, we found out that he was getting married to his long-time crush and girlfriend."
"We never had a chance to go to his wedding because it was around the time Sheryl went missing and we thought she died. Chide grieved by her sudden death and so was I. We didn't let Callide know until he eventually found out about it, and of course, he got mad at us but he forgave us soon after. Chide then went to visit Callide to meet his wife first then they decided to let me meet her so they booked a flight. However, what left me was despair not just for losing Sheryl but for losing both my childhood friends, as well. I was the cause of their death. If only I had the guts to ride a plane. If only I didn't have this trauma after my parents died, then this would never have happened. And now, seeing them like that is so…" she added with grief.
"Does Sheryl know about this?"- Ashley
"No."- Hazel
"Wouldn't it be better to tell her?"
"I can't. Not when she's well and happy now after so long. I can't just tell her, "Yow, I saw our dead childhood friend come back to life just yesterday but it's not literally them. Someone just took over their dead bodies and took off just like that." As if it's easy to say."
"What?"- Sheryl
They both turned their heads when they heard a clacked sound of weapons. Their eyes widened when they saw Sheryl froze and was shocked by what she just heard. She left without a word and Hazel didn't hesitate to follow her leaving Ashley stunned with the timing of the situation. When she finally caught up to her, she held her wrist and said.
"Sheryl, please. I didn't mean it to hide it like this."- Hazel
"But you never intend to tell me!"- Sheryl
"How can I tell you when all I want for you is to be happy just like how you did for me?"
"Just tell me what's going on?!"- Sheryl
Hazel clenched her fist and bit her lips while battling whether to tell her or not. But seeing Sheryl begging her left her no choice but to tell her the whole truth. After a while of explaining the whole situation, Sheryl couldn't fathom what happened that her knees collapsed as she sat in the ground with grief. Her crying face slowly turned to anger and spoke.
"Who— Whoever did this shall pay for what they did to them!"
On the other hand, Head Melissa couldn't believe what she just heard from Dir. Melvis for sending his husband to a dangerous and life-threatening mission. She was unable to hide her anger and burst out her feeling that surprised the two hunters.
"What are you thinking?! Sending my husband to a life-threatening mission just like that?! Is this what you intend to do from the beginning, Dir. Harlow?!"- Head Melissa
"Then what do you expect me to do? He's the most suitable one for this mission."- Dir. Melvis
"I should have known—"
"You should have known what? What are you gonna do? Also, I wouldn't assign him to this mission without securing 70% of his life."- Dir. Melvis
"That won't compensate the fact that it's a dangero—"
"Enough, Melissa!"- Jackson
"This is work. Be professional and don't take your personal feelings above it. I was the one who ask the director to hand me this mission."- he added
"Head Melissa, my father didn't hand you the title as one of the Heads for nothing. So do your job as you are intended to do."- Dir. Melvis
Head Melissa with deep disappointment bowed to the director and left his office. Jackson followed her silently and she seemed to notice him so took a turn at the intersection of the corridor. When her husband noticed, he quickly followed her but was surprised to see her facing him with her arms crossed.
"Did you really asked the director to hand you that mission?"- Head Melissa
"Yes."- Jackson
"Why?"
"Because I want to know who they are and why are you so affected after seeing them yesterday."- Jackson
"I told you it's nothing important."
"But for me it is."- Jackson
"Sigh… One of the twins is my ex-husband who died on the plane with me. He is Callide Emirates. Chide Colan is his twin brother. Chide took his mother's surname while Callide took his father's. I didn't know he had a twin until we got married. Our relationship wasn't always full of flowers and fairy tales. His father hated me for ruining the engagement he intended to set up for his son but Callide insisted. And eventually, because he was fed up with his father's demands, he decided to abandon his rights as the heir of their company. Chide wanted nothing to do with his father and refused as well when he was handed with the offer."- Head Melissa
"Chide and Callide would often talk about their childhood friends and who I didn't expect to be Sheryl and Hazel. In the long run, I got curious about them. The twins' father kept pestering us in spite of our marriage so I persuaded Callide that we should move far away from him. Chide happened to be in perfect timing so we packed up and booked a flight. But we didn't know that the plane we're about to board was going to be the end for us and as a matter of fact I'm the only one who survived. I know I wasn't a normal person. I knew I wasn't a human. No matter how much danger I am put in, I always survive. An old lady falling in love with a young and mere human is just ridiculous. It took him a while to make me fall for him… but I did." She continued
"I was disgraced and disowned by my own parents for not looking appropriate for my age and for being weird. They want nothing to do with me. And I thought all humans think that way, but Callide and Chide proved me wrong. Yet, I lied to them and kept everything to myself. This must be a punishment for lying and surviving without telling them the truth or for falling in love in a forbidden love. So when I saw them yesterday, they were being used by those bastards. I was filled with anger and frustration. But now I have you. You're the one I've been longing for. My greatest happiness and I don't want to lose you too, not anymore. And I would do anything to protect you. I didn't mean to say those words to you yesterday. I'm sorry." She added.
"And you should also know that I'll do anything for you. I love you, Melissa. So I want to give you peace and happiness. To protect you. And by fulfilling that I must take on this mission. Please, understand. I will not die. I will be with you forever. I promise you that."- Jackson
The atmosphere between them became soft and loving. As if a tragic lover's choice is being put on the line. The day ended with them going home and enjoying their company with their kids. But what they didn't know is that the twins were closer than they expected it to be.
Hans visited a café, he searched for the people he was supposed to meet today. When he couldn't find them, he sat on an empty table around the corner and ordered a drink. After a while, his drink was served and he waited for them. A couple of minutes later, the chime of the small bells rang when the door was opened and it revealed a twin with dark purple hair and a hue of amber eyes. When they saw Hans sitting at their usual spot, (with glee) they went to him and greeted him.
"Hey! How have you been, buddy?"
Seeing their faces, Hans couldn't help but smile innocently and genuinely then he replied.
"Maxx, Peter… (Giggles) Never been better."
...