Thugs On The Loose!

Several colleagues of Sakura had already said their goodbyes and left early to go to their night classes or part-time jobs when Sakura realized that she was the last person left to finish cleaning the cafe. Knowing that her co-workers have more important tasks to attend to, she has always agreed to be the one to clean the tables and sweep the floor before going back home.

"Thank goodness you're still here!" Ms. Cookie suddenly burst out after going out of her small office.

Sensing that her boss was in a hurry, Sakura put the broom aside for a while and turned to face her boss.

"What's the matter Ms. Cookie?"

"Well…" Ms. Cookie's cheeks turned red as she fidgeted in front of Sakura. "I've just received a text message from my cousin saying that my daughter was brought to the hospital just now for a knee injury. She was practicing really hard for their upcoming volleyball championship, and then suddenly--"

"Leave everything to me, Ms. Cookie," With a reassuring smile, Sakura cuts her boss off, making the latter smile widely at her.

"Really? Thank you so much!"

Before Ms. Cookie left, she gave the keys to Sakura in which the girl willingly accepted, and left her with instructions to close both the main entrance and the back door for the cafe and her safety as well before going home. Sakura, on the other hand, carefully noted all of her boss' instructions inside her head

As her boss had finally left the establishment, Sakura finished her cleaning for a while before going for the main entrance and locked it. Once she made sure that the door was carefully locked, Sakura moved on to their backdoor with the broom and the dustpan in hand to return to the utility room.

Since Sakura will be literally walking past the mentioned room on her way to the utility room, she decided to drop the cleaning materials first before proceeding to the backdoor. A few seconds after that, Sakura immediately left the room to walk towards the backdoor as fast she can so that she can finally change into her regular clothes. Wearing the maid's uniform and the mask on her face for more than what is necessary are somehow tiring and a bit uncomfortable for her.

As she was about to go towards the cafe's backdoor, Sakura was frozen in her place when she suddenly heard several footsteps inside the store aside from her own.

"Hello?" Sakura called out, darting a look at her surroundings. "Is anyone out there?"

Sakura thought at first that it was only Ms. Cookie who returned shortly after leaving to probably get something that she forgot to bring on her way to the hospital. However, she immediately realized that the main entrance had been closed. The only way her boss would be able to return was by knocking at the main entrance or by going through the back door while she was still in the utility room.

"M-Ms. Cookie?" Sakura could still hear those footsteps that were somehow getting nearer and nearer to her. Cold sweat starts to run down her forehead as the tension inside her starts to build up. "I-Is that you?"

When she hears nothing but silence, Sakura's heart starts pounding heavily inside her chest. But she still tried to convince herself that it must have been her imagination and that she needs to close the backdoor as quickly as possible. At this point, she began to walk toward the back door, only to be paralyzed by the sight of it swinging open in front of her very eyes.

"What the---"

Before she could even react to it, the lights inside the cafe were purposely turned off while someone grabbed Sakura from behind that caught her off guard. She tried wriggling her way out of this person's grasp, but this man is strong enough to pin the little girl to the ground along with his accomplice by tying his hands behind her with a rope.

"Help! Help me!"

Sakura is fully aware that there is no other person present in this cafe beside her and her kidnappers, but she couldn't think of any possible way to escape these guys but to shout for help. As they say, desperate times call for desperate measures.

Sakura hears one of her kidnappers laughing like a mad man and says, "There's no use screaming for help, Patty-san. We're the only ones left in here, right?"

Wait… that voice!

{"Patty-san. It's good to see you again!"}

Sakura's eyes instantly went wide as she recognized the person speaking! It must be one of their new regular customers here who is visiting their cafe for four days straight now! The other one that tied her hands on her back must be his buddy who's always with him whenever they make a visit here.

"You…." Sakura feels her blood boiling when she finally recognizes both of them. "Why don't you untie me here and have a one-on-one fight with me, cowards!"

Luckily for Sakura, she was taught how to defend herself with the help of her former childhood friend, Mori Ken, through their taekwondo classes. Once, they already got bored with repeatedly playing video games that Ken suddenly suggested another way for them to enjoy their afternoon.

{"It is important for a girl to learn the art of self-defense in case you'll find yourself in trouble one day."

Sakura remembers Ken saying this to her one day when they were hanging out at their house. As far as she knows, Sakura is often being bullied because of her bi-racial features and Ken doesn't want to see his friend being helpless in front of her bullies.

Since Sakura's family can't really afford a taekwondo teacher to teach her anything about self-defense, Ken willingly offered to share his knowledge about it after being taught himself at the age of five.}

"Oh no, that won't be necessary…" The one with the deep, muscular tone said teasingly as a smirk escapes his lips. "We could still play with you even with your hands tied. Isn't that right, Minato?"

"Yes, it certainly is, Isuki." That guy called Minato replied, his tone emanating malice in it. With his strong hands, he grabs hold of Sakura's chin and raises it up with so much force that it's now starting to hurt her.

Minato continued with a mischievous smile, "How about we begin with taking your mask off first? Should we?"