1,2,3, Play

MARGAUX

Instead of showering, I threw myself on the creaking bed and screamed my frustrations out.

"Could this day get any worse?"

Mary stood close to the bedside, folding her arms across her chest. She held my gaze and I began to pout.

"Why? Why of all the days we had to run into the two people I did not want to see?"

Mary raised a skeptical brow towards me.

"Are you sure that you did not want to see Kevin? From what I had gathered, it did not seem like the case. Is it?"

I instantly sat up, looking at Mary incredulously.

"What? What are you saying?" Mary rolled her eyes towards me.

"Please, Margie. Quit that act,"

I was totally confused. I had no idea what she was talking about.

"What act?" she scoffed, shaking her head towards me.

"What act?" I repeated as I watched her disappear inside the bathroom. Instead of giving me a response, I heard her turn the shower on. I threw myself back on the bed, still puzzling over what she meant.

What act? I repeated inside my head. I don't remember pulling an act. Aside from trying to keep Hanabi and Kevin from knowing each other's identities, I don't recall pulling a different act for tonight.

Thinking about Hanbai and Kevin, I gasped.

"Oh no," I muttered, suddenly realizing something. I rushed towards the bathroom and knocked fiercely on the door.

"Mary, hurry," I said, half screaming it to make sure that she would hear me over the sound of the water coming out from the shower.

"What?"

"I said, hurry!"

"Why?"

I let out a frustrated sigh.

"Kevin and Hanabi were left alone, Mary. Should I explain further?"

I felt dumb all of a sudden. I muttered a curse. Why did I not think of it before?

With what happened back at Rhythm there was a high chance that Kevin and Hanabi saw each other. In line with that, they might be remembering it now and who knows what they are doing?

In a matter of minutes, with her hair still dripping wet and a towel wrapped around her body, Mary came out of the shower,

"Dang," she muttered as she got out and shove me inside, her eyes going animatedly wide.

"Hurry," she said, repeating and using the same rushed tone I had earlier.

--

TAKAHASHI

The colourful lights and the sound that was ringing out around the place was not to my liking. However, to show my respect towards the other businessmen surrounding me, I plastered a smile and joined the toast.

"Are you enjoying yourself, Takahashi?" I turned towards Timothy Augustine and nodded politely. Currently, he was the second-biggest shareholder for Golden Island. He was a big asset to both the company and the Mafia.

"I am quite enjoying the company more than the show, Tim," Timothy Augustine chuckled before leaning in to whisper in my ears.

"The women here are beautiful. I could arrange some fresh meat for you,"

It was my turn to chuckle. Along with the bottles of drinks laid on our table and some women dancing seductively on stage, it was what most would call man's haven.

I used to enjoy coming to such places. However, I am but a loyal man and I took the engagement with Mary Serrano seriously. Thus, I found myself a little biased about being here.

"Ah, do not worry yourself about it, Tim. I am an engaged man," Timothy Augustine chuckled once again.

"And I am a married man," I smiled, raising my glass of whisky towards him.

"It is a matter of preference, Tim. And I choose to stay loyal to my soon to be wife,"

--

MARY

"Oh for the love of--" I stopped and threw my hands in the air.

Margaux had tried half of the clothes, the little fancy clothes, that we have and has yet to decide on what to wear. The time was running and every passing minute was becoming like a torture.

"It's just dinner, Margie. And you still had no idea why I told you to cut the act," I made a face towards Margie who only blew out a sigh and shook her head at me.

"Whatever, Mary,"

"Whatever, Psycho. Come on. I thought you said to hurry," I watched her let out a grunt as she put on a black dress. It was similar to the one I was wearing and I smirked as she secured the blade which her father gave her onto her thighs.

"You're never going to let go of the psycho thing, will you?" I looked at her, feeling amused.

"Nope, never,"

Margaux shook her head once more. She finished her get up by putting on the leather boots that she loved so much.

Margaux was many things. She loved many things too. But she would choose boots over flats or any fancy stilettos. Even when she was wearing jeans, she would go for boots. In fact, back at their mansion, she had an assortment of several boots that would suit her outfit for the day. It was one of her guilty pleasures.

"Finally, you are done. Come on, or we might be too late. Who knows how the two were faring,"

"I'm hoping they're fine," I shrugged.

"Who knows?"

--

MARGAUX

I was really hoping that they were fine indeed.

Coming back to the place where we said we should be after an hour, I dialled Kevin's number.

Mary let her gaze wander around. I did so too as I waited for him to pick up the call.

It was partly out of habit and also of precaution that we both scanned our surroundings. It was never a crime to be sure that we were safe. Who knew what went down while we were gone?

Mary caught my gaze and I looked at her. Kevin was not picking up my call. I re-dialled his number and waited for the second time around.

When I got redirected to leaving a voice message, I locked eyes with Mary and in an instant, we knew that we needed to act.

There were too many possibilities of why he did not pick up. There were many but none of them was favourable.

Theory number one: Kevin and Hanabi figured out each other's identity and were now locked in a combat of some sort. It was not a far-fetched one. It was what I had started to think of a little while ago.

Theory number two: Hanabi lied and had brought Kevin to Takahashi's lair and made him a hostage to make me and Mary come out of hiding. This was not a far-fetched theory either. In my honest opinion, I was yet to trust Hanabi. I still have no idea if I was going to. Trusting her was quite the biggest risk I would have to take.

Theory number three: Kevin had called his crew and now they held Hanabi and were interrogating her for information they wish to know. Now, this was the far-fetched theory. Not that I had developed a sudden trust with regards to Kevin. But, I just don't see the possibility of it ever happening.

However, what if I was wrong? What then?