1 Prologue - Meeting The Villainess

*ring!*

A phone rang out throughout a bedroom. A man could be seen working on his laptop. Typing away about his stories while being rather too focused and diligent with his work that he did not notice the loud ringing of his home phone. As if his ears were blocked by imaginary earplugs. 

His fingers were tapping on the keyboard without a stop because Ideas were already lined up nicely in his head from A to Z. There are no corrections in the words he typed as if he is the autocorrect system itself, heck, he was even using the normal word pad app. 

Alas, his trains of thoughts got stuck midway after finishing the 30th paragraph of his current story chapter. It was not because of writer's block but it is merely due to mental fatigue and his fried brain was mentally screaming to get some sleep. Usually, he took 6 hours to plan, write, rewrite and finalise his chapter but today he took a bit more time due to feeling dissatisfaction. 

Only after he zoned out of his typing, he noticed his home phone ringing and blinked his eyes. He rubbed the bottom of his eyes before picking up the phone. Even though it is weekends, he would still accept freelance work from others. He is kind of like a mercenary in a sense. 

"Good evening, this is Styril speaking, " He said solemnly, swift and leans his back on his plastic chair. 

There was a few seconds of pause until it turns to minutes. Styril was about to put the phone back down and though it was a prank from the neighbourhood kids-

"U-uh, hello?" A deep female voice came from the other side, as Styril put back the phone beside his ear. 

Due to Styril's calculative nature, he finds the caller's tone quite odd. It is not because of the caller's unique voice, but the emotions behind it. The voice seems to be shaky, maybe due to anxiety or fear. Alas, he could not pinpoint the exact emotions, but he knows the caller is feeling troubled. 

"Is this the suicide hotline?" The woman asked with a low voice and her fragile tone confirms Styril's assumptions to be correct. 

Styril was a bit amazed that his home phone number could be mistaken for that hotline, and decided to go along with it. Alongside for a reason that this woman decided to seek help, and help will she receive. In addition, this experience might be useful to his writing. 

"No and sorry, you got the wrong number, " He answered and immediately, discomfort surges up. What if she misunderstood his words? Such thought crossed his mind and troubled his heart. 

"O-oh... I will just dial again-, " Her words trail off and became quieter until Styril decided to butt in right after she finishes. Another reason is, he felt that those words she uttered are just a cover-up for what she is going to do next. 

"I can chat with you instead though, " He stood up and exit his room. Walking his way towards the balcony. 

Moments if silence comes after. Seconds has passed ever since he has an offer to her for a talk. Which might help the woman to organise her thoughts and provide her with some comfort from his company.

Besides that, he was not aware of beads of sweat have formed and rolled down on his cheek. He has experience in having others lives depends on him but mostly because of benefits. Something like helping others without rewards is not his expertise, but he wants to help because...

She reminds him of his past self. 

The call did not end and Styril was still holding on to it. He could hear subtle breathing from the other side and he assumes that she is taking her time to think about his offer. 

"...yes, I would like to, " The woman agreed right after Styril got out into the balcony, with her tone slightly more relaxed than the previous. A part of her feeling joy that someone is willing to spend their time with her. 

He leans his body forward against the metal fence and looks over the lower ground of the neighbourhood. His calculating eyes relax upon seeing the young scenery of the night. Beauty in darkness, with the lights sources providing the necessary contrast of the elegant shine under the night sky. 

"Grab yourself some tea first, especially chamomile. I recommend that one, " He suggested, in hope that his words could lift up the tense mood and divert her attention away from the heavy stuff before asking the reasons why she tried to dial the hotline.  

"But I like Earl Grey tea more than chamomile. The aroma and taste are deeper... Is thereby any chances that you're a 'tea over coffee' kind of guy?" She said and asked a question. Even though she knows the obvious answer. 

"What could I say... tea is superior compared to that bean crushing drink, " He chuckles, earning a sweet giggle from the woman. Which he finds quite pleasant to hear. 

Like two flies attracted to one light, they both found a topic they can share. Tea, such memories may be recalled back after years or even decades as nostalgia. After they get to know each other, and may the controller of fate bestow them fondness of the past. 

Besides that, Styril slightly wondered the reason behind her decision of wanting to do the 'forbidden act of committing no oxygen'. Presuming the causes might seem to be hypocrisy so, he decided to give her time before telling the reasons. Maybe he might find out later or sooner. 

"Aaa... the thing is..., " The woman sounded a bit silly with her current tone, despite the early depressive situation. So, Styril suspects that she has a quick mood swing. 

"Yes? Oh wait, you probably don't have any tea nearby, do you?" Styril guessed based on his experience of chatting with his few friends. Not all people have tea nearby all the time. Including tea lovers as well when they forgot to buy tea. 

"Spot on, but we can continue to chat without it, " The woman said with slight disappointment hinted at the end of her sentence. 

Styril was about to reply before something particular caught his attention. It was the road crossing bridge, a small version for the neighbourhood. His gaze settled on a red-haired woman sitting on the high edge of the bridge facing around 90° from his direction.  She seems to be holding onto a phone near the side of her head. 

He gulps upon thinking that, that woman might be the caller. It is quite surprising that she was not that far away which is only around 2 blocks away from his home. 

"Styril? You're still there?" The woman asked worriedly after a minute has passed ever since Styril replied back. 

Her voice snapped him out of his thoughts before quickly answer back, "Ah? Sorry, I'm still here. I just thought of something... Could you do a small favour for me?"

"A small favour?" She questioned curiously to his words. 

"Turn your head to the left..., " Styril said and saw the woman on the edge of the crossing bridge turning her head. 

After a few seconds, both of their gaze met. Locked and immersed for a moment as Styril waves his right hand in the air to her. The woman was slightly reluctant but mustered the courage to lift her hand and waves back. 

Styril was not a man of fate, and so does the woman. Both of them who does not believe in fate began to wonder if fate really does exists. This meeting between them, as if someone has arranged it but that would be ridiculous. 

"So, we're not that far from each other after all, " She mutters through the phone and audible enough for Styril to hear. 

"Hey, I could make both of our tea. Your earl grey and my chamomile, " He offered to his fellow tea sipper. 

There is a hidden message in his words, and offering tea means that he would be coming down and meet her personally to deliver the beverage. Another part of Styril hopes that she catches understood behind his words. 

"Ember, " She replied swiftly. 

"Ember?" He asked.

"That's my name, and I would love to have tea with you on this bridge, " Ember answered while holding back her small sniffle which Styril could still hear, but he did not mention about it. 

Styril could not help it and thought, 'Maybe... she is feeling lonely too'. 

He thought based on his experience. A few friends he has but they call a few times... when they find he skills are useful. 

"I'll be there, " He quickly entered back into his house while grabbing the phone quite tightly. 

'This might be the only chance I get to make a real friend' he said to himself as motivation. 

After 8 minutes has passed...

Ember looked gaze up to the sky thinking when did her life has gone wrong, and so she said to herself, 'everything'. As she was on the verge dwelling deeper into her memories, the sound of a car brake caught her attention. 

A man walked out of an AE86 car with two sealed drinking container in both of his hands. Rushing up the crossing bridge staircase towards Ember. 

'Until... this man appeared' She thought and gaze at Styril who sat on the staircase. 

"Come here, the stair is comfier to sit on than sitting at the edge behind those fences, " He suggested while feeling rather uncomfortable seeing Ember sitting at the edge, outside of the fence. 

Ember gulped at the sight of the earl grey tea at Styril's right.  

Styril patted the empty space beside him, indicating a sit for her. He looks at her and settles his gaze on her long messy red hair. The tattered pyjama she wore give hints that Ember has gone through some stuff back at home, but Styril does not want to assume much and prefer truth more than guesses. 

Ember stood up and grip on the fence before climbing over it. Even though Styril has provided some comfort to her in a form of conversation, she has some trust issues when talking with a stranger directly. She is kind of like the person who is 'okay through the phone but a mess when face to face'.

Styril gave her a small smile to reassure her that he is not some despicable man, "Are you the 'brave online but small offline' type? Believe me, I've been like you before, until I was given a little 'push'. "

"I think, maybe, " She replied and slowly sat down beside him while taking a few glances to Styril. Seeming quite accepting of his words. 

He handed over the earl grey tea to her without saying anything else. It took a few seconds before Ember quickly took it. She opens the seal and tilts the drinking container to her mouth greedily with her face pointing upwards. 

"Oh my, you're fast at drinking, " Styril commented after taking a few sips of his chamomile tea while witnessing Ember finishing hers at high speed. 

"Thank you, " Ember expressed her gratitude while catching her breath after drinking the tea in one go. She wiped the droplets near her mouth, feeling more than alive upon finishing her favourite beverage. 

"You're welcome-. " 

"What will you do when almost everything in your life is an obstacle?" She asked right after Styril replied. 

The question caught him slightly off guard as he was not expecting her to shot a question first. In addition, she was focussing on him from the corner of her eyes under her messy red hair bangs. Even though she seems to be quite shy a few moments ago. As if she has an alter ego for herself to adapt to situations. 

Other than that, Styril thought a little deeper into her question. It is not hard, it is not simple either. More like, complicated. His life is not normal, so it should not be that difficult for him to answer. He does not want to turn philosophical about it, taking this question like a philosopher might make him seem like a copycat. 

"When almost everything in my life is an obstacle, huh?" A few chuckles slipped from his mouth as he seems to be joking with himself. Yet, in actuality, he is taking this question seriously. 

Ember did not move an inch from seeing his reaction. As if she was a statue herself, waiting for an answer while seeming to be rather faithful. 

"To be honest, it's either you clear it-, " He opens his palm up high pointing towards the dark sky. 

"Or crush it like you own the world itself, " He closes his palm, making a crushing motion with his hand against the empty air. 

Ember eyes widen a bit from hearing his words, especially the latter part. Crushing and owning the world sounds like sweet words to her ears. She was not a violent woman, so these words are rare to be heard by her... and rather refreshing to her mind. 

A smile slowly crept into her face after she received enlightenment-like words from Styril. The man beside her was not aware of the change in her expression so, she was smiling from ear to ear without a stop. 

"-so, it would be a waste to throw everything away, " Styril said while Ember was too immersed into her new thoughts and only heard the end part of his sentence. 

He picked up his tea and found out that his sealed container had a hole on the side. Trouble expressed from his face as he uses his index finger to block the hole. 

"Give me your tea..., " Ember suggested, causing Styril to feel confused. Her gaze seems to be more solid than before. 

"Trust me, " This time, she is the one ensuring Styril. Such a role seems to be reversed at the moment. 

Styril decided to not stress himself too much and mouthed 'here' while giving her the drinking container. She blocked the hole with her own finger and brought it closer to his face. 

"Open your mouth, " She said with tints of red on her cheeks and a confident face which Styril finds cute. 

It took no more than a second for him to realise what she is going to do. Ember wants to help him drink the tea from her hands. 

Styril was not the type of person who is popular with the opposite gender. He does not have any experience in having a girlfriend, so this kind of situation seems to be too lovey-dovey to him. 

"This is a sign of gratitude from me. For now, I don't have anything to give except doing this, " She explained with a soft tone, giving a sense of genuine behind her words. 

"Ah, that's the reason..., " Styril thought that he was exaggerating too much. 

He did not think much any further and opened his mouth slowly. Ember brings the container nearer and opened the hole of the container.

Styril has not experienced something like this before, so as time passes, this seems to be like a dream to him, in terms of bliss in the form of gratitude. 

*ring!*

The phone in Styril's pocket rang after the tea was finished. He quickly picks up the call and replies.

"New work? Right now? I'll be there, " He closed the call and stood up. 

Ember felt glum hearing his replies to someone, knowing that Styril could not stay longer on her side for tonight. Even though she does not show it on her face, she truly wants him to accompany her a little longer. 

"Late night work, quite a bother even for a modern mercenary like me you know?" He joked and chuckles, while Ember did not get the humour. 

"I'm not the only one who needs help, " She replied while mentally hiding her distaste towards Styril's employer. 

"It's more like I was the one being helped by given work and-, " He paused his words. 

"-even though our time together is short, it was nice to have someone chat a little once in a while. "

"Same for me too... don't you have some work to rush to?" Ember said from the bottom of her heart. Cherishing the last moments of this scene between him and her. 

"It would be nice if we meet again... I would like us to know each more and farewell, " He said while turning around and dashes into his car. Kicking in his accelerator before disappearing into the empty roads of the night. 

Ember could only stand up and witness his car going somewhere. Maybe towards somewhere that he finds worth in? 

'What do I find worth in?' She asked herself as some flashes of Styril's words crosses through her mind like lightning. 

"World domination... doesn't sound too bad, " She said to herself. 

Another flash comes by but this time with Styril's appearance. Tints of red reappear on her cheeks as she cups the centre of her own torso. 

"Mystifying... and this feeling, " She muttered while combing her messy hair with her fingers involuntarily. In addition, the red tints evolved and became blushes. As if she was a maiden struck with warm emotions... well, she is.

Her blood-red coloured eyes narrow as she sets her resolve and resolution. Gazing high above with a beautiful wide smile as she mentally laughs. Ones which fits the quality of a villainess.