4 THREE.

No amount of sleep did Amaya obtain last night, the girl was too deep in her thoughts that even sleep couldn't calm her down. Maybe it's the fact that she just found out that her soulmate might be someone bad, or maybe the fact that her own soulmate probably hates her for defending someone he marked as a prey.

"Amaya, you look bad," her co-worker Denise said upon her arrival in the small coffee shop down the street, it is where she works.

"Wow, what a very nice greeting Denise, I've realized years ago," Amaya retorts back jokingly, throwing her backpack down onto the floor and slinging herself right at the chair in front of her, "I didn't catch sleep last night, and sleep didn't catch me either," she sighs, slapping herself mentally for letting something like this ruin her. She didn't even know that guy!

Denise gave a slight chuckle and threw a ivory colored apron to the young female, "Maybe you were running away from sleep," she told one last time before exiting the staff room to assist the customers.

Sure it's a small coffee shop, but young-ins often visit here to work on their project as Amaya might have seen from the past four years of working in the same place. She wouldn't deny the fact that the coffee shop is indeed a relaxing place to do your works here, the comforting smell of coffee brewed coffee beans gently caressing your nostrils the moment you enter the shop, sticking itself on you even just for a moment -

"Amaya! You're daydreaming," Denise slapped the girl on her shoulders, eyeing the line of customers waiting to be served.

"Right, sorry," Amaya finds herself slipping into place, taking orders after orders, every order she takes, her mind slips away more and more. Remembering what had happened yesterday, until the familiar jingle of the bell snaps her out for what seems like the third time - Amaya straightens herself, taking a deep breath, "Welcome to Jericho's, what can I get you-"

Her heart rapidly pounded against her chest when her eyes met the same pale eyes she saw the other night, Daishen Ryker. He didn't expect the girl to be here, first thing in the morning - he met his soulmate who probably hates him after h beats someone in front of her very own eyes, his lips parted in confusion when the girl slammed her hands on the counter like she needed something, something like air.

His forearm where the mark laid began throbbing in pain, a sign that your soulmate is hurting. Unknowingly his hand reached out to the girl, gripping her wrist not so tightly, "What is wrong with you?" His voice came out harsher than he initially intend it to be.

Amaya's hand wriggled under his touch, eyes from every part of the shop eyeing them suspiciously, watching if she needed help. Yes she does, panic bubble up in her stomach as she feels her chest tightens, a panic attack now doesn't seem right, not in front of Daishen.

Daishen's face contorted into one of worry, he wanted to grimace from the pain his tattoo is emitting, is this what Amaya is going through? The pain she's feeling he could feel it too, "Yo, get yourself together," he mutters out.

"Amay- Oh, dear, what's going on?" Denise appeared out of the staff room, dropping the glass she was holding onto the counter right next to her before going to the pained girl, "Calm down Amaya, it's okay," she hushes softly, patting Amaya on her back like a child, "It's okay darling," she coo, smiling as Amaya began calming down.

"I..I'm okay, sorry for that," Amaya stutter her words out, wiping the sweat that formed on her forehead, "Sorry Denise," she breathes out, putting a hand on her chest to cease her breathing back to normal. Taking a mental note to not show any signs of being weak to her soulmate, "I apologize sir, what can I ge-" Amaya blinked owlishly, the place where the male had been standing on was empty.

"Where did he..?"

Denise chuckled, "I think you should get some rest, I don't think anyone was there," she explains, handing the young female a cold glass of water to which she feels thankful for.

-

"Thanks Denise, I'm gonna go now," waved Amaya as she donned a white scarf around her neck, legs moving ever so slowly afraid that she will slip on the thin layer of ice lacing on the street, "See you tomorrow!" she glees out one last time before officially leaving her work place and into the evening streets.

"Ooh," Amaya softly sings whilst moving along the the sidewalk, doing a little dance at every second she gets to do so, "I love pizza," she sings out a random thought, thrusting her arms to the side, pretending she has an air guitar to play with, "Pizza loves me, hey."

"Hm, that's an odd song."

A small shriek passed between Amaya's lips, in reflex the girl had her hands up to hit anyone nearby. Her heart began pounding again when she saw that it was the same person to drive her into a panic state back in the shop, "I...I.."

"You scared of me?" Daishen asks, an innocent smile on his face as he crosses his arms confidently, "Why? Because I beat that bitch up in front of you?" he interrogates.

Amaya gapes like a fish out of water - she honestly couldn't answer him, if she said yes, would he hit her too? if she said no, would he believe her? Clenching her fists ever so tightly, she opened her mouth, "I..Don't know," she mutters out, mentally slapping herself for answering that.

"Hm? Or maybe..?" Daishen starts, "It's the fact that your soulmate is a fucking criminal."

Bullseye.

Daishen could read her like an open book, he's been in this kind of situations more than you expect him to be. The twenty-four years old male has always been good in reading people, in his eyes, they are all open books, "Amaya, was it?" he points out with a goofy smile.

Silently nodding and hoping that Daishen would just go on with his life, she began thinking of all kinds of prayers.

"Tell me, you embarrassed that I'm not like other guys?" He chuckles deeply. His voice sounded so mellow, like a gentle river stream yet it sounds husky, Amaya couldn't describe the feeling she had in the pit of her stomach, it oddly felt rather..satisfying, "You embarrassed that we ain't gonna be like your daddy and mommy?" He mocks.

Furrowing her eyebrows, Amaya huffs in annoyance, instead of feeling scared, anger bubbled in her. She's never liked talking about her dad, "No sir I do not," she told him as calm as possible, "In fact, I'm happy that we're not going to be like my parents. Good evening," with that she turns her heels and walked slowly.

"Even if they were soulmates, at the end my dad left, soulmates are a bunch of bullshit," Amaya said loudly, not sparing another glance at the amused boy.

A smile laced Daishen's features, "What an interesting one."