CHAOTIC NIGHT AT SOUTH

'HOW COULD A man be this so perfectly handsome?'

Zoe thought as she watched the figure of her husband nearing them. Her heart never calmed down even a bit.

Hans stopped, leaving a good distance between them.

"Mr. Mayor ordered me to accompany you down the parking lot."

Hans voice felt like a cold breeze that blew through Zoe, she shivered.

"Thank you, Mr. Donovan."

Zoe didn't think before uttering those words. She was used to call Hans in public with formality and it was just yesterday that she became his official wife.

She still doesn't know how to address him as her husband.

"Mr. Donovan, it's so sweet of you to accompany your wife," Fern said with a smile, but with a sarcastic tone.

Fern was still upset of how he left Zoe alone after their wedding.

"Please lead the way," Hans said, ignoring the statement of Fern.

Zoe smiled and nodded, "Thanks."

The three of them reached the parking lot within a few minutes. Hans was quietly following behind Zoe and Fern.

"I'll just get the car."

After saying it, Fern left without letting Zoe say another word. She was alone with Hans, standing on the silent, dimly light parking lot.

Her husband stood just a meter away from her and it made her nervous.

After some time of thinking, Zoe finally took the initiative to break the silence.

With a gentle voice, she asked, "Will you come home later?"

She didn't look at Hans when she spoke, her eyes stared directly in front, looking at particularly nothing.

"I won't."

Hearing those two words from her husband, her heart clenched in pain.

What would she expect though?

Then she remembered Uncle Herman said that Hans only go home during weekends and it was only Friday today.

Zoe took a deep breath and nod, "I see."

Fern's car stopped in front of her and before going inside, she turned to Hans.

"We're taking our leave first.

Zoe saw Hans nodded in response so she finally opened the car's passenger seat door and get inside.

When Fern stepped on the accelerator, Zoe watched the disappearing figure of her husband in the side mirror.

It looks like it will take time for her to get Hans' heart.

As the car disappeared from Hans' sight, he turned and went back to the VIP room of the restaurant.

Their operation last night ended at around 1 am that's why he didn't go back to his home and just stayed at their HQ.

Aunt Dhalia will scold him if he step foot on the house without bringing Zoe so he found an excuse for this day and asked Uncle Herman to fetch her at the hotel.

What Hans didn't expect is that he will meet Zoe today at lunch.

It was him who noticed them first and immediately recognized Zoe with her manager, even if she was in disguise.

He planned to just ignore it but Axel already called her manager that made them joined the South Twilight's lunch.

Today's meal was arranged by their agency as a reward for a successful operation and arresting one of the NightCrawler's capo.

They will also have a one week break from doing missions and Hans thought that he could rest for a while but then he recalled that he is a butler and need to escort the mayor everytime.

So he scratched out his idea of resting.

"Here comes the thoughtful husband!"

Hans shut the door close as soon as he entered the VIP room. Kane just never stop annoying him.

"Shut up." He brushed off Kane that was about to say another word.

"You are just jealous, man."

Hans looked at Yuri who just spoke. His eyes were sharp and could kill any moment, but Yuri was not threatened nor afraid at all.

"Don't say that. I don't care about that woman, no matter what."

"If you say so," Yuri chuckled, not believing at what Hans just said.

They were already on the lounge area. Kane and Yuri were playing billiards. Frail, as usual, sitting on the couch beside Axel and facing his laptop.

"Where is Hiro?" Hans asked when he didn't see the young man.

"He already left. There's an emergency in their house," Axel answered him.

"What emergency?"

"He didn't tell what is it."

"That young man, is he still not comfortable with us?"

"Just give him time. You know the reason why he's still distant towards us."

Hans sighed. He completely know the reason why and he understands Hiro. Besides it was only five months that Hiro is in their team, there is still time for him to trust them.

Just when Hans was about to sit down, he remembered something. He walked towards Kane and opened his hand in front of his friend.

"Your phone," Hans simply commanded.

"What? Why?" Kane was confused as he stopped aiming his cue stick on the ball.

"I just need to look at something."

Kane smirk and shook his head, "Nah, you'll just delete my pictures with Zoe Quinn!"

"Yes, I will," Hans didn't deny it, "so give it to me, now."

"Why would you delete it, huh? It's my souvenir with my crush."

"Crush, your ass. Stop refusing and delete the fucking picture."

"No! It's your compensation for not buying me a pizza last night!"

"Idiot, the stores are already closed that time. I will buy you ten boxes of pizza later. Just give me your phone and let me erase the picture."

Hans' patience was already as thin as a single strand of hair.

"I changed my mind, I don't want a pizza anymore, just this picture and were even," Kane grinned and added, "Why do you want to delete the picture so much? Are you jealous, Donovan?"

Kane continued, "If you have seen your face during lunch earlier, you could say that you were so jealous! And you were acting like a very possessive husband."

"Whatever, just don't disclose the picture on public. And stop being a fool."

Hans surrendered since there is no point in arguing with Kane, it will only drain his energy because he is just talking nonsense.

"Yes, yes, flatty butt," Kane chuckled and continued to play with Yuri.

Hans frowned at the new nickname from Kane. He's always weird at giving names for his friends.

"Hello, I am here. You can always ask help," Frail adjusted his eyeglasses on the bridge of his tall nose.

"No thanks, I know your offer isn't help, and I won't spend millions just for trivial matters."

"So, Miss Zoe is just a trivial thing for you?"

Hans was caught off guard by Frail's question, after a few seconds, he answered coldly.

"Yes."

***

Zoe and Fern spent a lot of time in shopping. Fern was so picky and checked every stuff they bought if it will look good in Zoe. They entered every branded boutique to buy stuffs and they will always carry many bags every time they get out.

After buying everything Zoe needed, they decided to put all their shopping bags in Fern's car and go back to watch some showing movies in the cinema.

When they got out of the cinema, it was already dark outside. They lost track of time and when Zoe looked at her wrist watch, it was six o'clock in the evening.

Before leaving the house earlier, she exchanged contacts with Aunt Dhalia and Uncle Herman, so she was able to inform them earlier that she will be home late and Fern will just drive her back.

"Boo, I will use the comfort room for a while. You go back first," Zoe spoke as they reached the ground floor of the mall.

"Okay. I will wait for you outside in the car."

"Yes. I will be quick."

"You sure you will be okay alone?"

Zoe chuckled, "Of course, I will."

The two of them parted ways. Fern went to take his car while Zoe headed to the comfort room.

While walking, she caught a glimpse of herself in the glass wall of a store and that's when she realized that she still in disguise as a man.

It is not a good idea to use the comfort room. Ladies will only be alarmed seeing a man inside the women's room and Zoe would not probably use the men's room.

She stopped in her tracks and was about to turn back to follow Fern when...

BOOM!

A loud explosion deafened her. She felt the ground quaked slightly and was followed by a blackout.

Everything went pitch black.

Zoe froze in her place. She couldn't see anything. Her sense of hearing became sensitive and all she could hear was the sound of the people panicking in fear.

She was pushed by people running towards the exit. She stumbled backwards and her back hit the hard wall.

Zoe trembled in both pain and terror. With shaking hands, she took out her phone from her belt bag to use as a light but unluckily, it slipped out her hand when someone bumped into her.

Another explosion blasted nearby. It was so near that made Zoe lost her balance and fell on the floor.

Zoe was in so much panic. She was hyperventilating as she stayed crouched down on the floor with her hands protecting her head. She didn't notice that her tears started to stream down her face.

Her head throbbed in pain as blurry images flashed right through her eyes. She closed her eyes but it wouldn't stop. It made her wanted to scream because of pain.

Emergency lights were already on and securities were helping others but it wasn't enough to calm Zoe down.

She was gasping so hard for air and she knew she would lost consciousness anytime because of dizziness due to pain in her head and the noise coming from terrified people around her.

Someone hit their legs into her again and she was about to completely fall into the floor when someone hold her arm and pulled her up.

Zoe's anxiousness increased because she couldn't see who was it since it was still dark around even with emergency lights on.

She struggled weakly and with shaky voice, she whispered, "No."

She fell into someone's warm embrace and she heard a familiar voice.

"It's me. Don't worry, I got you."