"Who the hell....."
223Please respect copyright.PENANAh1ZsPo8Bxw
223Please respect copyright.PENANApnIVo6qP0x
P looked at Yuki standing with her left hand on her waist on the left side of the bed, facing Hanabi, who was sitting on a chair on the right side of the bed four steps away.
223Please respect copyright.PENANA5OyYSlokKZ
223Please respect copyright.PENANAHwXyLKrOgM
"What the hell is this..," P said subconsciously, utterly dazed and confused in curiosity.
223Please respect copyright.PENANA79x2vRuhj5
223Please respect copyright.PENANAxyWBtaTin2
The room was completely packed. Mio was standing on his right side, just gazing down at him. Min-seo was at his left, examining his bare torso in absolute awe since his shirt was off. Meanwhile, Yu-na was just chilling on his left side, snapping endless pictures of him with her phone.
223Please respect copyright.PENANAVF6npOVhsE
223Please respect copyright.PENANAQAWIanPNZT
"Instead of you calling him a mutt, at least try to say thank you! If it wasn't for him, I would have been dead twice," Hanabi said, defending him.
Yuki turned her head away from Hanabi, glancing down at P. P ignored Yuki's glare and turned his head to face Hanabi on his right.
223Please respect copyright.PENANAtfkZwtkjv3
223Please respect copyright.PENANAAwAFGcv4oX
"There's no need for a thank you. I just want to go home," P said simply.
223Please respect copyright.PENANAtHipIaASfL
223Please respect copyright.PENANAbm0j4hhCYV
"You can't do that, you've severely been injured on your back," Hanabi protested, looking at him with worried eyes. "At least let your wound heal first!"
223Please respect copyright.PENANAae2n8sWbqO
223Please respect copyright.PENANA4olJvSFt4Q
"She's right. You are in no condition for body movement," Mio added, crossing her arms as she glanced down at P. "If you even start walking in this condition, you might start bleeding severely, and that could lead to you dying. You lost a total nightmare amount of blood last night."
223Please respect copyright.PENANAYKTwQ1uxbo
223Please respect copyright.PENANAKGDw7n7WkI
"Thanks for your advices, but my injury is neither of your concern," P replied, his voice calm, serious, and completely composed. "I've got to move. I can't remain here like this."
223Please respect copyright.PENANAsTnN6D5WEt
223Please respect copyright.PENANAyXi1w0PBS7
"Listen here, mister. You're free to do whatever the hell you want. It doesn't concern us one bit, even though you are the one who saved Hanabi," Yuki said in a dramatically annoyed tone, glaring down at him.
Hanabi’s eyes shot up to Yuki. *Yuki...!* she screamed in her subconscious, her facial expression practically screaming: *what-are-you-doing?!*
223Please respect copyright.PENANAaO8AfBieK3
223Please respect copyright.PENANAXA8MBVMLQx
"You were badly injured, and my friend brought you to her house and even called a doctor to treat your wound," Yuki continued, completely ignoring Hanabi. "She only wants you to stay at her house so that you can get better. That's the least she can do to repay you! All you ever do is just appear and disappear... do you know how hard it was for her to cope in the last two months? She almost went completely nuts because of you!"
223Please respect copyright.PENANAo1TZ1G57JS
223Please respect copyright.PENANA4PflGVOZZp
"Yuki, that's enough...!" Hanabi shouted, her face flushing.
223Please respect copyright.PENANAEjy9qLU7hc
223Please respect copyright.PENANAYGRiFmfpXU
"Hey.. listen, I think you are severely overreacting," P said, locking eyes with Yuki with a deadly serious look and voice. "I said I can't stay here for long... I have to get moving. Is it really that much of a big deal? And this matter is also none of your concern. We all have our own lives. Mind your business!"
Min-seo nervously stepped in, gesturing her hands down to calm them both. "I think you guys shoul—"
223Please respect copyright.PENANAqIWXN0lpEg
223Please respect copyright.PENANAn9uzaxts0A
"Tsk! Who the hell do you think you are? Hanabi is my friend," Yuki snapped angrily, cutting Min-seo off entirely.
223Please respect copyright.PENANAAPHluTPKvJ
223Please respect copyright.PENANA9Cen2pu2Lz
"Even though she's your friend, you shouldn't go ahead and talk like that to someone you just met and don't even know," P said seriously, his voice dripping with annoyance. "I don't even know anything much about your friend Hanabi, neither does she about me. You can't just expect me to suddenly start listening to your opinions because she saved me last night. Let her do the talking, not you."
223Please respect copyright.PENANAGgDn4yF8c3
223Please respect copyright.PENANANn8QSo1IUA
"Okay, that's enough, guys!" Hanabi finally yelled, shutting the argument down.
Yuki clamped her mouth shut, remaining silent after his words.
A few steps away from the left side of the bed, Yu-na was sitting on Hanabi's makeup desk. She was casually chewing and blowing a massive bubble with her gum, holding her phone with both hands as she watched the entire scene unfold in pure excitement.
The room fell into a heavy silence for a moment.
223Please respect copyright.PENANAbZX4Dp2gHt
223Please respect copyright.PENANAJQWEWfSjjQ
"Huh... What happened? Why aren't you guys arguing anymore?" Yu-na asked, looking genuinely disappointed that the drama had ended.
223Please respect copyright.PENANAnnEnb16tz9
223Please respect copyright.PENANAsysig78Jrz
"SHUT UP!" P and Yuki yelled in unison, turning their shared wrath on the girl sitting at the desk.
223Please respect copyright.PENANAeXEqs2Er1B
223Please respect copyright.PENANAkP6vbH3qgt
"Did I say anything wrong?" Yu-na muttered nonchalantly, blowing another bubble.
223Please respect copyright.PENANAbPh5x8q96e
223Please respect copyright.PENANAKRDsHL4FCT
*Tsk.. This is all TEMU's fault,* P muttered subconsciously in deep regret.
223Please respect copyright.PENANAZS8tLqZgNX
223Please respect copyright.PENANACBA9ZdCKLd
"That's enough. Everyone remember you are in my room. I don't want any ruckus happening here," Hanabi stated seriously, taking control of the room.
223Please respect copyright.PENANAuK20h3HSes
223Please respect copyright.PENANAOYq0dzJqvR
*Heh...* P and Yuki both scoffed in their minds.
223Please respect copyright.PENANADAHp8YDrAS
223Please respect copyright.PENANA71sbuq0TGr
*Look who's talking,* Yuki thought.
*Pfft, look at her acting bossy,* P noted, a faint, amused smile tugging at his lips.
223Please respect copyright.PENANAsLBZH1zCV3
223Please respect copyright.PENANArIJEY3RKSo
"P, I know how you feel. It seems like you are a very busy man and you have places to be," Hanabi said, softening her tone.
223Please respect copyright.PENANAXVSUWqFTrM
223Please respect copyright.PENANAGArIT9iPGn
*Yeah...* P agreed in his mind.
223Please respect copyright.PENANAO8X3JX8TaV
223Please respect copyright.PENANAOpiNhPEPb7
"But you are seriously wounded, and you need time to heal. Have you actually thought about it?" Hanabi asked, her voice sweet and entirely calm.
223Please respect copyright.PENANAlDBz04o8jg
223Please respect copyright.PENANAobup1RvyX8
"Hmph," Yuki muttered, crossing her arms and closing her eyes as she turned her head away, silently agreeing with Hanabi.
223Please respect copyright.PENANALIyYF0L69H
223Please respect copyright.PENANAkizYlxcPS7
"Can't you just stay for some time so that you can get better?" Hanabi asked.
223Please respect copyright.PENANAUzEg2WJKag
223Please respect copyright.PENANAmuUwMYbADl
Suddenly, her voice became calm, cold, and chillingly quiet. The entire room went dead silent. Yuki opened her left eye, glancing back at Hanabi in surprise.
223Please respect copyright.PENANA34NeAMEPpv
223Please respect copyright.PENANAulSQjEsqx0
"Please... I know we just got to know each other. But could you please, for my sake... stay?"
Hanabi brought her hands down, her shoulders dropping as her face completely softened into a look of pure, heartbreaking sadness. It made her look incredibly, impossibly cute. She looked directly into P's face.
223Please respect copyright.PENANA2P5ai20vUZ
223Please respect copyright.PENANAPfiRqLXEQf
P glanced back at her, and his chest suddenly tightened. He was completely flustered. To P, she honestly looked like a cute, helpless cat sitting on a giant strawberry cake with a cherry right on top of its head.
223Please respect copyright.PENANAbjdZqoNGg2
223Please respect copyright.PENANA990xGO71NZ
Yu-na’s eyes widened to the size of saucers.
223Please respect copyright.PENANAX0DpGZ0ipR
223Please respect copyright.PENANAcDSBoFy3Wg
*This is it... The husband and wife moment...! How is he gonna react?!* Yu-na gasped excitedly in her subconscious.
223Please respect copyright.PENANAKEblsiQiSl
223Please respect copyright.PENANA8XMvyfsvKn
P stared at Hanabi, his eyes wide. *What... is this...? I... can't... why does it feel like I must obey?!* his mind panicked.
223Please respect copyright.PENANAGO3K9dQ0Id
223Please respect copyright.PENANADIr25VuwLT
P stared at her intensely cute face, struggling and failing to look away multiple times. Finally, with a massive burst of willpower, he successfully snapped his gaze up to the ceiling, his face burning. He remained quiet for a long moment, trying to force the words out of his mouth.
223Please respect copyright.PENANAfmKNhhd3dq
223Please respect copyright.PENANA2ahmXaKQxe
"...Okay, fine.... I will sss..st..stay.." P muttered, completely unable to resist the cuteness.
"Hehh.....?!" the rest of the girls exclaimed in unison.
223Please respect copyright.PENANA7G76aglzz2
223Please respect copyright.PENANA0bkqC0UXT3
Yu-na let out an excited, muffled scream. *This is it!! Look how cute he looks! This is what I've been waiting for my entire life! It's so amazing I can't help it.... keep going, don't stop!* she squealed in her mind, slamming her phone over her face to hide her wild, thrilling expression while aggressively biting her fingernails. *I want more!!!*
223Please respect copyright.PENANAdBkI8i1yvC
223Please respect copyright.PENANA8Dsyvb4xB9
"Why the hell did you suddenly agree to stay now?!" Yuki banded, completely baffled by his sudden flip.
223Please respect copyright.PENANAov8cYD8kwF
223Please respect copyright.PENANAe85EEMHmul
"I think it's because she asked nicely," Min-seo smiled.
223Please respect copyright.PENANAuZ9esBlZNJ
223Please respect copyright.PENANAZKjsIF3Ri4
"I'm actually shocked myself, but honestly, it doesn't concern us that much," Mio said, checking her watch. "I've got to go to work. What matters to me right now is getting my pay for saving your life."
223Please respect copyright.PENANAy21JlWwRmO
223Please respect copyright.PENANAvtqIqjk4Wo
"Life? What life..?" P asked, genuinely confused.
223Please respect copyright.PENANADZFEGjUZtK
223Please respect copyright.PENANAp3oOmgDb7M
"Your life... or have you completely forgotten your fatal wound and how you got treated?" Mio stated bluntly.
223Please respect copyright.PENANA7f45u2TlkH
223Please respect copyright.PENANAI3i5jEWb3A
"You expect me... to pay a single dime after I survived this fatal wound all by myself, and all you did was patch me up?" P scoffed, looking highly annoyed. "Do you think I'm a fool and I would suddenly pay you...? Over my dead body. I know myself because I am simply built different... you can't fool me."
223Please respect copyright.PENANApiGo8ECyk3
223Please respect copyright.PENANAmK7ye0jBT6
The entire room instantly went completely blank. A stark, white, lifeless void swallowed the background.
Mio stood there, completely blank, her mouth wide open in disbelief.
223Please respect copyright.PENANAqoZVGflba0
223Please respect copyright.PENANASxBYXfc4GE
"Hanabi.... where is the axe I pulled out of his back? I want to fix it right back in," Mio said, her eyes locked onto P with a terrifying, wide-open death stare.
223Please respect copyright.PENANA9VaNIrzW1s
223Please respect copyright.PENANAuHCEXVK5Qe
"Okay, wait...! I don't know how you did it, or how you've managed to completely fool me," P quickly stammered. His expression turned deadly serious as he raised his left hand, holding up a single index finger. "I promise, Madam..., I will pay you down to the very last dime."
223Please respect copyright.PENANAQGU8I0W6QI
223Please respect copyright.PENANA0XeVtGWUtc
Mio was suddenly holding a heavy survival axe in her left hand out of nowhere, casually cleaning the sharp, gleaming blade with a handkerchief as she stared him down. The moment P uttered those words, the room instantly regained its full color, and Mio's terrifying expression melted into a bright, angelic smile.
223Please respect copyright.PENANAcIRMJ6e8qQ
223Please respect copyright.PENANA8Fjsfqkt6d
"It actually costs exactly $7,000 dollars," Mio said cheerfully, tilting her head.
223Please respect copyright.PENANAwnjHNvmm61
223Please respect copyright.PENANA2WBVTiTmWJ
"Isn't that too harsh?" exclaimed Hanabi.
223Please respect copyright.PENANATkbzJc9JdP
223Please respect copyright.PENANATh9UVGfWsY
*He's a foreigner, he must have a lot in the bag. He doesn't know our ways,* Mio thought subconsciously as she grinned with an evil smile.
223Please respect copyright.PENANATHALKrSAqX
223Please respect copyright.PENANAFIiOZHE803
> **[ LOADING... ]**
> *Two pixelated hands shaking digitally on a screen.*
> *The iconic, classic Nokia theme song begins to loudly blare through P's mind.*
>
P's brain had completely rebooted.
223Please respect copyright.PENANAkteI9UP0YT
223Please respect copyright.PENANAPNvg3OAPxL
*I... wha... what is money...?* P questioned himself subconsciously, staring into the abyss.
223Please respect copyright.PENANA5f5cfBX0lA
223Please respect copyright.PENANA2N0bfXGVvD
"So, I'm going to take my leave now... I'm late for work, which also includes you, Min-seo," Mio said, breaking P's trance as she turned to walk out.
223Please respect copyright.PENANAjMzXJI50Ae
223Please respect copyright.PENANAvBsIkO4PqM
"Oh right! Bye-bye!" Min-seo smiled, waving cheerfully at P while he continued to stare blankly at the ceiling like a statue.
223Please respect copyright.PENANAkmv2Vh2DS4
223Please respect copyright.PENANA6uShPu1vvz
Yuki was the first one to aggressively barge out of the room. "I have much more important places to be," she huffed, walking out through the door, closely followed by Mio and Min-seo.
223Please respect copyright.PENANAycWbIh2ui2
223Please respect copyright.PENANA6VYaofkQZI
Hanabi watched them all filter out. "Okay, bye...!" she called out cheerfully.
Yu-na was the last one to walk out. As she reached the doorway, she stopped, turning around to give Hanabi a massive, toothy grin and a giant thumbs-up with her right hand, her face practically saying: *you-have-got-this!*
223Please respect copyright.PENANAkUJdjrbNZy
223Please respect copyright.PENANAFTExtu5mYC
Hanabi stared at Yu-na in utter confusion as the door finally clicked shut.
223Please respect copyright.PENANA6oO7LVJOsh
223Please respect copyright.PENANA8CCnDqskA1
Now, it was just P and Hanabi left alone in the quiet room.
223Please respect copyright.PENANASNv6T9HT1G
223Please respect copyright.PENANAbVKBb2drFq
The silence stretched on. Hanabi slowly started getting incredibly nervous, her fidgeting hands giving her away, while P remained flat on his back, staring intently up at the ceiling—frantically strategizing a high-stakes escape plan because he didn't have a single dime to his name.
Hanabi looked over at P, but the very second they both caught each other's eyes, they quickly turned away. Hanabi began coiling her hair around her finger, incredibly nervous as her heart beat faster. She started vividly remembering all her past intense experiences with P before she finally stopped, dropping her hands to her lap.
223Please respect copyright.PENANAexpOBb1y1n
223Please respect copyright.PENANAP31888N8pe
"So... P, the last time I saw you, you were shot multiple times and badly injured. I remember right before I passed out, you took a bullet for me," Hanabi said, her voice dropping.
P turned his head to her, looking at her with a serious expression.
223Please respect copyright.PENANAmEHt94Cr5D
223Please respect copyright.PENANABvpVQghOwy
"When I woke up in the hospital, I was able to discover that all the guards surrounding us at that time had been completely massacred, and the boss was nowhere to be found. I later saw in the news that he had hanged himself. He seemed to be the one behind everything," Hanabi said, looking directly at P.
P gave absolutely no reaction, just coldly glaring up at the ceiling.
223Please respect copyright.PENANAwcpOgAEGrb
223Please respect copyright.PENANA5v8P4GhKpb
"I was just so curious then. When I asked the police about you, the police explicitly stated that you actually never existed. I was left completely dumbfounded," Hanabi said, coiling her hair around her finger again in curiosity. "I struggled a lot to process everything that happened, wondering if it was all real or not. But now I'm seeing you here again. It gives me a somewhat feeling of relief that my experiences with you weren't me hallucinating, but real. And I am so happy to see you safe."
223Please respect copyright.PENANAyy4BLxAKon
223Please respect copyright.PENANAVPnFHJe3rz
"So... what exactly happened to you after I passed out?" Hanabi asked.
223Please respect copyright.PENANAwPXQZQgZRx
223Please respect copyright.PENANA6v7sSpX6MY
P glanced at Hanabi quietly for a long moment, his eyes looking entirely like he wouldn't give her a single answer. Then, he finally spoke.
223Please respect copyright.PENANA4OH9bW4u2O
223Please respect copyright.PENANAe1PaIijfaF
"I survived because the guards suddenly started fighting among themselves. I don't know how, but I didn't care. I dragged myself to escape into the heavy snow and fell down a hillside in a completely snowy area. When the boss finally regained control of the situation, he started aggressively looking for me but couldn't find me. He thought you were dead and that he had completely lost me," P said coldly.
223Please respect copyright.PENANAmyYXzZICfc
223Please respect copyright.PENANAEBYZWn1Tno
Hanabi looked at him in deep curiosity.
223Please respect copyright.PENANAfRUqec3CcP
223Please respect copyright.PENANAYjbdEYHZmL
"He almost found me, but I was incredibly lucky that the hill completely covered his view from above. But right before I passed out, I heard him ordering the remaining guards to quickly cover up all evidence regarding me. It seemed like he had powerful higher-ups, and if they found out that a hostage had successfully escaped, he would be dead meat. I could literally hear him breaking down slowly before I passed out," P said calmly.
223Please respect copyright.PENANAlRLYl8R2cO
223Please respect copyright.PENANAsZjC8D0gCh
Hanabi blinked her eyes, taking it all in.
223Please respect copyright.PENANAc5EjvH1uWq
223Please respect copyright.PENANAgwpegnK2WG
"I later then woke up. I had been saved by an old lady who lives deep in the snowy forest, and I stayed with her for weeks healing my wounds. That's it," P stated.
223Please respect copyright.PENANAHaNaGx5hjU
223Please respect copyright.PENANALWGao52MmZ
"Oh... so that's how you survived. That explains a lot," Hanabi said with a massive sigh of relief. Then she paused, remembering the wreckage. "So... what about the plane?"
223Please respect copyright.PENANAzCzVgs8Iol
223Please respect copyright.PENANAWr3kAvzYvi
"Tsk... TEMU. I bought the plane from TEMU. It is literally the best online shop if you want to buy something—a place truly meant for billionaires. But for some strange reason, this plane product failed. This is the first time I am ever having a bad product from Temu," P said jovially.
223Please respect copyright.PENANAfUjiI9dhtP
223Please respect copyright.PENANAJ5a7PkbTw5
"You can't buy literal planes from Temu, that's completely impossible!" Hanabi said, utterly surprised.
223Please respect copyright.PENANAQ76ZxJ5hm3
223Please respect copyright.PENANAVnjFPdPh10
"Oh really? But the plane is from Temu. I bought it for exactly $5k dollars. It was very cheap, that's why I love Temu. You can buy literally anything on there," P argued confidently.
223Please respect copyright.PENANAgzIASpLKWz
223Please respect copyright.PENANAEEtLzMYJJE
*Who in the world would sell a functional plane for only $5k...* Hanabi wondered subconsciously, entirely baffled.
223Please respect copyright.PENANAbFJAzkIDmJ
223Please respect copyright.PENANAcsSUDqN9HQ
*GROWL!!!*
223Please respect copyright.PENANAXvm5IHdhy4
223Please respect copyright.PENANA954YmwNCqh
A loud rumble echoed through the room. P was incredibly hungry.
223Please respect copyright.PENANAHJml6XoHV2
223Please respect copyright.PENANAiGT2h9CV1A
"Are you perhaps hungry?" Hanabi asked, instantly concerned.
223Please respect copyright.PENANA1IJLXVWGnO
223Please respect copyright.PENANAxIJTl2YQYJ
"Yes. Do you have food that I can eat, if you don't mind?" P asked calmly.
223Please respect copyright.PENANAg5zrJ7RxAb
223Please respect copyright.PENANAGVrk64HBUk
"Sure! There's plenty of food in the kitchen, I will go get you some," Hanabi said in total delight, happy to entertain her heroic guest.
223Please respect copyright.PENANAEmmRX9qtuV
223Please respect copyright.PENANAZ5qQiH3UBT
She got up from her chair, wasting no time to walk toward the bedroom door while P offered her a warm, beautiful smile from the bed.
223Please respect copyright.PENANAqCDQ5m6hs1
223Please respect copyright.PENANARDu1cDzJbY
"I actually eat a lot," P noted warmly.
223Please respect copyright.PENANAMvsjJ2i6eI
223Please respect copyright.PENANAkmkKPw7Njv
Hanabi stopped right at the bedroom door, holding onto the handle as she turned back to face him. "Oh? Then I guess I will just have to make even more," Hanabi said with a matching warm smile. "Just have some patience, okay...?"
223Please respect copyright.PENANAQcq3ntbP6J
223Please respect copyright.PENANAK34tms2Bq0
P nodded with a gentle smile. Hanabi twisted the handle and opened the door.
223Please respect copyright.PENANAR4XlaqW7cg
223Please respect copyright.PENANAWQkyo1UR31
"Take your time..!" P yelled out with a cheerful smile.
223Please respect copyright.PENANANn2syUq9Ux
223Please respect copyright.PENANA1n3igt8rQ4
*SLAM!*
223Please respect copyright.PENANAeKZIrXjHoD
223Please respect copyright.PENANAZI42n1Eagy
The bedroom door shut.
223Please respect copyright.PENANA58HjSyCFU3
223Please respect copyright.PENANAanGAy46bG8
The exact millisecond the door clicked closed, the cheerful smile vanished from P's face. His gaze immediately locked in deadly serious.
...
Moments later, Hanabi carefully opened the bedroom door using her right arm while balancing a massive, heavy tray of fresh food with a glass of juice resting on it.
223Please respect copyright.PENANAtCo80T5gFw
223Please respect copyright.PENANAD4Umu2dFxf
"Okay.... I'm ba—"
223Please respect copyright.PENANA2JvU1N3VhD
223Please respect copyright.PENANABjxBh4MbLi
Hanabi stopped
223Please respect copyright.PENANAEVKqhEbIjB
mid-sentence. Her eyes violently widened, and she froze in a shocking, absolute silence while staring directly at the mattress.
223Please respect copyright.PENANAvhrPXXkP9r
223Please respect copyright.PENANAwqiTJQtPNP
The bed was completely empty. P was gone.
223Please respect copyright.PENANA8kuMKBqHgH
223Please respect copyright.PENANAFGmFaTGHe0
"P......" Hanabi said faintly, her shoulders dropping as she looked sad and down at the steaming tray of food.
223Please respect copyright.PENANAtBJHggkent
223Please respect copyright.PENANAimDnWfEEDP


