The man in the black hat directly removed the hand from the sharp object he used to break into the key to the house. He moved slowly to turn his head and looked at Albert who was ready to make his head hollow.
"Hi, Al? How are you doing?"
Albert glared and hurriedly put the gun in the inner pocket of the jacket. "You crazy! Are you doing at my house these nights?"
George just showed off his row of teeth. "I just finished the task with Louis. It just so happens that the location is not far from here."
"And then? Do you feel that it is enough to serve as an excuse to come here?" sprayed Albert, completely exasperated, but his instincts were still not wrong because George was indeed a robber.
George chuckled. "No. I just wanted to stop by. I'm curious what else is in your house."
Albert snorted. "Then why don't you wait for me outside? You know Anas is inside. How about he thinks anyone is willing to rob?"
"Indeed I am a robber," George said, casually.
"I know."
"I'm cold and don't want to freeze to death from waiting for you. After all, before acting, I have confirmed that Anas is still asleep. I saw from the window of his room to the west," George explained, ending Albert's curiosity.
"Still you're wrong. Many people can accuse you of wanting to rob. There was a similar incident yesterday and the culprit may still be a fugitive," Albert said, he opened the door with a real key.
"Do you have any hot water?" asked George, tailing it out.
"It's in the bathroom," Albert said.
"Damn!" hissed George. Just now he wanted to follow Albert into the kitchen, the oriental-faced man directly held George and smothered his mouth. George glared immediately and Albert responded by putting an index finger on his lips. Albert's narrow eyes glanced at the left-hand room.
"Anas woke up. You may not know, but I can hear. Although she didn't come out of the room, but she could hear your voice," Albert and George whispered instantly.
The man stayed in place, not daring to move. She saw Albert who took the quilt from the sofa and then gave it to her. Albert motioned George to wait outside, but the man instead pointed to the white teapot that was in the kitchen.
"Coffee," George said, silently.
Albert clucked. He was forced to obey the man's will. Albert shook off his hand to drive George away. After being made an errand boy by his captives, now his companion acted similarly. He also brewed a perfunctory coffee and then followed George to the terrace.
"Here." Albert handed the cup containing coffee to George.
"Thank you." George slurped the warm drink and sprayed it out within two seconds. "What is this!? Aren't you Japanese, Al? Why does the taste of your homemade coffee taste strange like this?"
"What does it have to do with me being Japanese?" asked Albert.
"They're good at making drinks, aren't they?" George put the coffee cup beside where he was sitting.
"Ocha you mean?"
George nodded. "Isn't it the same as coffee?"
"Ocha is tea and I still can't make good tea even though I'm Japanese," Albert said.
"Ah, I see." George pressed the blanket that wrapped his body and then he took out the cigarette case from the jacket pocket and offered it to Albert. "Want to? I'm cold."
"Thank you." Albert received a cigarette from George.
"By the way, how is the girl? It still hurts?" George gave the lighter to his partner.
Albert shook his head. "It's healed and it's annoying again."
The man beside him laughed. "But I admit you're pretty great. Two weeks of stay with strangers. It's worth appreciating."
Albert exhaled a nicotine-scented breath. "You don't want to swap roles with me?"
George chuckled. "What Mr. Josh wants is you."
"But you're more dexterous in taking care of others," Albert said.
"Yes, I know. I probably wouldn't have the heart to scold that girl like you," George said.
Albert turned his head briefly. "She sucks. Truly! You should know this. Her face did not reflect her attitude. She's already turned 20, but her behavior is like a child."
George chuckled lightly when he heard Albert's remarks. He sucked deeply in his nicotine intake and exhaled slowly.
"Imagine that you lived in a social care institution for 14 years in a blind state. It's the same as living in a dungeon. She didn't get the affection and nurturing that other children felt. She grew up in confusion, Al. So, just understand that Anas sometimes looks like a 15-year-old boy. Then suddenly Peter came and introduced the world to Anas, so sincerely and selflessly. No wonder Anas looks labile and super spoiled at her current age. Peter gave everything to her. You know, the main reason Mr. Josh kept you here longer is because of what?" George turned his head and as he expected, he successfully provoked Albert's curious face.
"Anything I don't know?"
"Of course." George sucked the cigarette back. "You're Josh's best accomplice, but he has the right to sort out what he wants to share with you and which doesn't."
Albert looked at George incomprehensibly. "So, what exactly is the reason for Josh keeping me here? "
George pointed at Albert's house with his finger tucked into the cigarette stick. "Because of Anastasia."
"To keep Anas until someone wants to buy it, isn't it?"
The man of Native American descent shook his head. "Because Anastasia is being sought after by Peter William's lawyer. Don't you know, Peter gave all the inheritance rights of all his assets to Anastasia and Mr. Josh might have been thinking about how to keep the girl hidden or how to take all the assets belonging to Peter through Anas. "
Albert was so surprised by this fact. It's not about inheritance, but more about Anas that someone is looking for. No wonder Josh insisted on asking him not to show Anas to the neighborhood.
"Why do you think Josh is hiding this from me?" asked Albert.
"I don't know. That man we can never understand," George said, lazily thinking further.
"So Anas's status now is gone?" Albert turned his head.
George nodded. "And it does not rule out that one day Peter's lawyer will report this to the police to find Anas's whereabouts."
"Means Josh is looking for death," Albert muttered.
Now he understands why Josh said that Anas is special. However, he still doesn't know what steps Josh will take if his goal is to take Peter William's legacy through Anas.
"That's why I said, no one can save the girl except you, Al. Don't expect Josh to glance at Anas with a soft heart. He's the real criminal, the coldest murderer, the most skilled robber," George said.
Albert was still speechless. The destruction of an innocent girl's life is now before her eyes.
"I... still had no reason to save the girl. For what? If so, what should I do? I don't understand," Albert said. Even thwarting Josh's plan will not return Peter. Anas's life will remain ruined.
"Our way of thinking is different. You have to find an excuse to dive into Anas yourself, Al. Only yourself can do that," George concluded.
They both fell silent staring at the deepening darkness. Albert didn't want to get deeply involved in Josh's plan. Let it be if indeed the man does not want himself to know, but to let Anas be Josh's pawn, is tantamount to seeing Anas being killed slowly.
Albert didn't want that to happen. Maybe George was right, he really couldn't thwart Josh's entire plan, but he could hold back the man. However, in what way? Albert still didn't know.
"Al! Al!"
The two men turned their heads when they heard a girl's loud voice and the approaching knock. The door of the house opened and brought up Anas with the wand that Albert gave him two weeks ago.
"Al?"
"Why do you know I'm outside?"
"I smelled cigarettes from behind the door," Anas said.
"What's the matter?" Albert threw the cigarette in the trash can, while George instantly fell silent. He hoped Anas hadn't heard anything about what they were talking about.
"The hot water in the bathroom didn't come out. I've tried and waited a little bit longer, but it's still cold," Anas said, he retreated to the doorway because of the cold.
"Yes, I have—no need to take a shower. You just live in a room anyway," Albert said, lightly.
Anas was immediately offended. "Hey! I'm not as dirty as you are. Although it's just living in the room, but I still have to take a shower to be clean."
"Did you say?" Albert looked at Anas earnestly. "I'm sordid?"
"Yes! I often smell cigarette smoke and rotten cheese in the kitchen. It must be because of your actions that are used to being dirty! You're too lazy to clean the kitchen and take a shower after smoking. Don't you know how sordid you are, Al?" Anas said as if she could see all of Albert's behavior at home.
"Who in this world took a bath after smoking anyway? It's a waste of time. You're the weird one!" retorted Albert, not accepting.
"You're the one who is sordid!"
"You're weird and annoying!"
"You are the one who is so dirty and so fierce like the principal!"
"You—"
George's laughter spurted over the ridiculous argument of the two people before him. The man's cheeks were even to the point of flushing. Never before had he seen Albert as cool and ridiculous as a girl like Anas.
"Sorry, sorry. You guys are so funny. It's like a cartoon of cats and mice," George said, hurriedly when he saw Anas's surprised expression.
"Al, who is that?" asked Anas.
Albert glanced at George irritably. "Just a janitor."
"Hey! After being sordid and fierce, it turns out that you are also bad, huh, Mr. Aoyama." George's gaze turned to Anas even though he knew the girl would not reply to him. "He's a lie. My name is George. We're in the same workplace and have been friends since a few years ago."
Albert just clucked. George with all his hi-perverse nature was the thing he disliked the most.
"You must be Anastasia, huh?"
Anas nodded. "You know where my name is from?"
"Al often tells me stories."
"Huh?"
"George!" Albert's jerk.
"In case you forgot, a few minutes ago we were just talking about her," George said.
Albert glared. It's possible that the man said plainly about their chatter. To him, Anas was like a child. The girl is curious.
"He must have just talked about all my vilification," Anas said.
George chuckled. "Exactly, Anas. I'm also getting tired of being friendly with him."
"Who is also your best friend?" retorted Albert.
George moved up the stairs of the porch and shook Anas's hand without permission. "Nice to meet you, Anastasia."
The girl was confused and surprised for a while. "Nice to meet you too, George."
"It turns out that you are sweeter than Albert told me," George said, becoming more and more so.
Anas smiled clumsily. "It's impossible for Albert to be willing to praise me. He just scolds me every time."
"You—"
"You can't be like that, Albert," George interrupted. He then put his arms around Anas and brought her back into the house. "I'm getting sick of being friends with that arrogant guy. You are my friend, Anas."
"Gladly," Anas said.
"I'll fix the shower in the bathroom so you can clean up comfortably," George said.
"Really?" Anas's eyes lit up.
"Sure. You just wait here." George helped Anas to sit down on the sofa.
'Albert is fucking,' George thought the first time he interacted with Anas. The man's heart was scolding a girl as cute as Anas. If only he knew how the girl was from the beginning, George would offer to take care of Anas.
"Thank you, George!"
"You're welcome. Let Albert take a shower in the sink," George said.
Anas chuckled and nodded. "That's even if he remembers to take a shower."
"HEY! Stop talking about myself!" squirted Albert off the porch of the house.
"He's always been like that," Anas whispered.
George didn't care. He just focused on Anas's crisp laughter. If she hadn't been careless in the past, her sister would grow up to be a beautiful girl like Anas. If only Camilla were still alive, she would not end up being a robber.