Ambrose's POV
"So what else, Ambrose?" Charlotte asks as she looks through the list of items that we need to buy
"Um… we are done with groceries, so we just need to get stuff for your place", I replied, Layla walking beside me.
Since Charlotte started working with me, she moved to the apartment next to mine, saying that it's easier to work.
Well, she isn't wrong…
"You know", she looked at me, "this is better than what you were doing, watching movies and eating ice cream, like some depressed person".
I looked at her like she was joking, and she just sighed and went back to shopping… Well, I was kind of depressed that Alaric found out that I was the number one. Let's hope that he doesn't tell the assistant director.
Wait… isn't Alaric late for our meeting… like it was supposed to be 3 days ago…
I sighed and shook my head lightly.
After shopping, we both walked Layla on Charlotte's shoulder.
"It seems she likes you", I smiled, and Charlotte petted Layla.
"Oh look, who is it…" a deep voice speaks behind me, and I turn to see Alaric.
"Oh… you're finally here", I said, eyeing him.
Charlotte then said, "I'll take the groceries up; you should go and talk," and with that, she took the bags.
I thanked her and gave her my house keys, then walked up to Alaric and opened the door to my boutique, and we both sat across from each other.
"You were supposed to come 3 days ago… why didn't you come?" I asked
"Well… you were puking blood the last time I saw you, so I thought to postpone the meeting day", he shrugged.
"Without me knowing?"
"I apologise for that"
I sighed, and he continued, "So about our deal"
"I'll help you", I answered
"Oh? I thought you'd decline," he smirked.
Like I can refuse you…
"It's nice to have the help of the previous number 1", he joked.
"So the contract-"
"We'll make a pact", he cuts me off
⌈Awakener Alaric wants to make a pact with you⌋
A purple box floated in front of me, and I clicked on the box.
⌈Awakener: Ambrose and Awakener Alaric will now place the terms of their pact⌋
"You will not leak any information on this investigation, except for the WGMC branches around the world", Alaric puts his first term.
There was a maximum total of 3 terms, each person could put in the pact.
"If we are doing dungeons, then don't let me or make me finish it, you or someone else should finish it", I put my first term.
"Don't ever betray me", his second term
"Don't tell anything to the branch about me," my second term
"Tell me everything you find", his third term.
⌈Awakener Alaric has used the number of terms he can use⌋
"Cover for me and help me with anything," my third term
⌈Awakener Ambrose has used the number of terms he can use⌋
A golden light surrounded both our wrists, and a gold line was wrapped around our wrists, which looked like a tattoo.
"If you break any term, then your wrist gets cut off", he explained.
"I know", I replied, and he nodded with a pleased expression.
"Um… Do you want to come and eat dinner at my place?" I asked
He'll probably refuse… but I wanted to spend a little more time with him.
Maybe I'm being selfish… I should apologise and leave-
"Alright… lead the way", he agreed as he stood up.
I stood up as well "Oh… ok"
"You seem surprised," he smirked, "Did you think I'd refuse?"
"Yes…" I replied
"Well, I'm free for the evening", he explained.
"Alright…" I started walking out the door, and he followed right beside me
We walked in silence towards my apartment, I didn't know what to ask or tell him…
I looked at him, I missed him so much in these years, I thought I'd never see him again…
But I can't let him know me…
He'll probably try to kill me and hate me for making him like me…
"245", a researcher called out,
I looked back and saw him…
He is the one who leads my experiments.
He has blond hair and blue eyes, with freckles on his face. He always had this smiley expression, which was unnerving…
"You'll be experimenting with 865", he continued, walking beside me, as the other researchers took me to Alaric's room.
We waited at the door, and he looked at me and explained, "You see… 865's lead researcher and I have decided to collaborate… we will see how much poison Alaric can produce and how much you can endure"
I looked at him blankly… Alaric will probably do as little as possible, since I'm his friend…
I went inside and saw Alaric on a chair, strapped and asleep.
"245, open the straps", an order came from the other side of the glass window.
I did as they said, and after I unstrapped him, he woke up.
"Alaric? How are you?" I was cut off with Alaric slamming me against the floor and choking me.
"ack! Ala-ric?" I choked out, but he squeezed my neck harder.
I could feel my head going foggy and my neck starting to melt… and then he spoke in a slurry voice, eyes dazed.
"I hate you, why did you make me like this… I hate you so much! I wish I didn't come here!"
My eyes started to water, for the first time in these years, I thought I was going to die.
Just then, I heard the door open and everything went black.
"You, okay?" Alaric asked.
"Huh?" I looked at him… my neck started to hurt.
"You zoned out, also, I think we reached", he pointed out.
I looked, and we were outside my building.
"Mhm… my Apartment is on the 4th floor", I explained, and he nodded, and we started walking up the stairs.
That memory… After I passed out, I woke up in my room, and Alaric seemed to turn back to his usual self…
I still don't know if those words were directed to me or not… especially because I didn't tell him my escape plan by then…
But they probably were...
We reached my apartment, and I knocked on my door to find Charlotte opening the door.
"Oh, I put the groceries next to the fridge", she pointed out "I'll be going then… I have some stuff to do"
I nodded, "Thanks for your help"
"No problem", she smiled and left, closing the door behind her.
Alaric then turned to me, "What's for dinner?"
"If it's not a problem… Can you wait for a while?" I explained.
He nodded and sat on the couch in the living room, and Layla went and sat next to him. His eyes lit up, and he had a small smile on his face.
I turned and couldn't help but smile a little as I walked towards the kitchen.
I missed him so much… I'll help him with anything, no matter what… I'll pay him back somehow.
I have to pay him back for everything; if not, then I'm pretty much useless.
After a while, I finished cooking and set up the dining table.
"Want any help?" Alaric asks, walking up to the table.
I look at him, "Oh.. no, you're my guest, just sit"
He sits, and I finish setting and sit across from him, and we start to eat.
"Next week we will infiltrate a potential base of Talos", he explains between bites, and I nod along. "I'll tell you when… but we will most likely go at midnight", he continued.
I swallowed the food in my mouth "What's our objective?"
"To get some files"
"Ok"
After dinner, which was filled with random chatter, I noticed that he did not eat the peas from the dishes and threw them in the garbage and then put the dishes in the sink.
I found that cute, but I showed that I didn't notice.
As he was about to leave, we heard a knock on my door. I opened the door to see two kids, a girl with blonde hair and green eyes and a boy with red hair and black eyes.
Alaric stood behind me, "Whose kids are these?"
I greeted them, "Hello, Anneliese and Park Jae-won"
These kids were neighbours and friends, I sometimes babysat them together.
Both kids smiled and greeted back.
"Ambrose! Can we come in?" Anneliese asked.
I smiled and let them in, and they immediately put their bags near the sofa and went to play with Layla.
Alaric looked at me and asked, "You know them?"
I turn to him and reply, "Mh?… Oh yes, I do, I babysit them sometimes, they live on the floor below"
"How old are they?" He asked, eyeing the kids and then looking back at me
"Both of them are 12 years" I replied
He hummed in understanding, "Well then, I'll be going then, thanks for dinner"
"No problem, take care"
"Thanks… also about the infiltration-"
"I know, I'll remember"
He nodded and he left, the kids then rushed and hugged my waist.
"We got our report cards today, hyung…" Jae-won said.
"Yeah! I got more than him," Anneliese teased, smirking.
"Did not! I'm smarter than you!" Jae-won argued back.
Then they started arguing back and forth about their marks. I then patted their heads, and they stopped.
"Did you show it to each of your parents?" I asked
"Mom and Dad are busy", Anneliese replied
"Yeah, same here", Jae-won agreed with Anneliese
Ah… their parents were busy again…
I smiled and looked at them "Will you show me then?"
They both lit up and rushed to get the report cards out of their bags, and I sat on the couch.
They both stood in front of me, giving me their report cards. I took the cards and looked at both of them; they both did an amazing job in class.
I smiled, "Wow, this is amazing, you both did so well"
They both smiled brightly and hugged me.
"Thank you, Hyung/Ambrose!" They both said simultaneously and chuckled.
After that, we watched a movie, ate some snacks and talked about random stuff.
"Hey, Hyung…" Jae-won called
"Yeah?" I looked at him, but he was looking at the floor
"Can I sleep with you?" He asked in a shaky voice
"Sur-"
"Well, if he is sleeping here, then I want to sleep here as well!" Anneliese cut me off
I was about to answer, but just then I got a message from Kim Harin, via system chats, I clicked the box.
⌈Geulimja: Can you help with a dungeon
Geulimja: I remember what you said in the hospital
Geulimja: but Assistant Director forced me to call you, sorry⌋
I sighed and wrote a quick text that I'm coming.
"What happened, Hyung?" Jae-won asked, with a worried expression
"Mh? Oh, nothing, Jae-won, and of course, you both can sleep here, I have a spare bedroom," I assured. "But the thing is that I have work right now"
"Huh? Right now? It's 10 pm!" Anneliese exclaimed
"Yeah, but duty calls… how about you stay for a sleepover tomorrow night?"
They both look at me blankly and then at each other, back at me and smile.
"Alright!" They spoke simultaneously.
Then they pack up and leave. Before leaving, I gave them both a piece of chocolate.
Then I got ready, in a peacock green coat with gold embroidery and a hood and a black shirt with black pants.
I took my Hunter ID, which the Director made permanent, so when I decide to join back, I don't have to renew it.
I put my hood on and a mask, then I took a magic stone and bit down on it, teleporting me next to Kim Harin.
"Woah! What the fuck man!" Kim Harin exclaimed
"Geez, it's just me…" I replied, rolling my eyes
I looked around and saw that we were in the alleyway next to the dungeon entrance.
"So… the assistant director asked you to call me?" I asked
"More like ordered and threatened", she scoffs.
"How so?" I asked
"Well, he threatened to disable my Hunter ID… and indirectly, cut my salary", she explained.
"That's too much for desperation…" I pointed out
"Tell me about it," she scowled.
Then she looked at me, "You know… I don't get why you always wear gold embroidered stuff, it's kinda cringe"
I scoffed, "cringe? Like hell, gold embroidery looks good on any colour and it's cool!"
"Whatever you say," she shrugged "Anyway, we should be going"
We both left the alleyway and went to the dungeon entrance, showing our Hunter ID.
"Does this mean that the previous number 1 is making a comeback on the ranking board?" the guard asked, checking our IDs.
"I'll only be assisting in dungeons when necessary, I have no wish to make a comeback", I explained, taking my ID back.
"Shame… I would've loved to see your name on the board again"
I sighed and went inside with Kim Harin.
"So what-"
"Ah… if it isn't the previous number 1, AD…" A voice that I found annoying spoke behind me
I turned around to see an old man with green and white hair and facial hair. He had a friendly smile, which I found annoying.
He took out his hand for me to shake.
"Thank you for joining back"
This motherfucker…
I suddenly felt like punching him…