Pitbabe S2, Chapter 23 pg 6

 Pitbabe S2, Chapter 23 pg 6

   “Mmm…”

   When Babe started making soft humming sounds in his throat, it meant he was satisfied. As someone who’s kissed him no less than ten thousand times, I can confirm that this sound doesn’t come easily. Early on, when we first started sleeping together, I never heard it. But as time passed and my skills improved to his liking, I’d earn this faint, intoxicating hum as praise. If I were to brag about stats, in the last two years of our relationship, I nailed it one hundred percent—never missing once.

   “Mmm…” The sound came again as I pulled back from the kiss. From the look in his eyes, Babe probably wanted to extend the moment a bit longer, and to be honest, I felt the same. But if we indulged ourselves any further, I was afraid things might spiral beyond what I’d planned. “So?”

   “Hm?”

   “Have you changed your mind?”

   Babe looked at me with eyes full of expectation.

   “No.”

   And I had to let him down.

   “Hey!” Babe shouted, his beautiful face scrunching up as he pointed accusingly at me. “You tricked me into that kiss!”

   “I didn’t trick you,” I said. “I said ‘maybe.’ I never promised I’d definitely change.”

   “That’s not true! You planned to not change from the start. You just wanted to kiss me!”

   “Why do you always see me in such a bad light?”

   “Because you’re a little devil, that’s why!”

   “Ouch.”

   There wasn’t much room for me to defend myself in this situation. The moment Babe realized he’d been played, he started the car. The engine roared, and his palm shoved me so hard I stumbled back, crashing into the car next to his (which, of course, was mine). Before I could say anything, his sleek sports car sped out of the hospital parking lot without so much as a goodbye, leaving me in the eerie darkness. I watched the taillights of Babe’s car disappear, a faint smile tugging at my lips despite myself.

   I hope this isn’t too much for a sinner like me. I know I’m not allowed much happiness since parting ways with Babe, but please, just a little. To the God I’m not particularly close with, or whichever deity oversees my insignificant life from above, I’m only asking for a few minutes each day. Just to see his face, bicker with him, and smile—just a little, just the corner of my mouth. That’s all I need to keep going each day. I won’t be greedy beyond that.

   

   KENTA:

   “What’s up?”

   The head of the Chen family greeted me as I opened the door to his office.

   “I heard from the kid that you had something to discuss?” he said in a casual tone, his demeanor relaxed as he leaned back in a high-backed leather chair that towered over him. Tony acted like he wasn’t on guard around me, but I no longer had the freedom to come and go from this room as I pleased like before. I don’t know why he thought sending these mixed signals would make me feel more trusted. “What’s the matter, Ken?”

   “Someone from the ministry contacted me. They said they want to put the One Project on hold for now.”

   “Did they say why?” The boss remained calm, not as shocked as one might expect, probably because he’d anticipated this from the start.

   “They said internal audits are getting stricter. The media and oversight agencies are paying much closer attention to any projects involving sensers than before.”

   “Because of my son?”

   I paused for a moment before answering honestly.

   “Yes.”

   Of course, this wasn’t surprising, but it was quite troubling. Lately, no matter which way you turned, it was all about Charlie. That kid was like the new cult leader, taking over people’s minds. He took things that were once overlooked, broke them down into bite-sized pieces, and communicated them in a captivating way. He set himself up as a mascot, acting like an idol but in a more approachable form. He must have a solid team behind him. Their methods were simple but incredibly effective. Charlie’s popularity skyrocketed in just a few months, so it’s no wonder that now, whatever he says, people listen. A slight move from him creates ripples effortlessly, and the social influence he’s built is hitting us directly.

   “So, what did the guys we sent out say?” Tony asked in a measured tone. He still kept his composure well, no matter how unsettling the news I brought was. “Got anything back?”

   “Just what I sent you last, sir. Nothing new yet.”

   “And no sign of stopping him at all?”

   “They say it’s tough, sir.”

   “Hmm… Charlie’s a stubborn one, alright,” the boss nodded slowly, tapping his fingers rhythmically on the teak table as if deep in thought. “If that’s the case, set a deadline. If soft tactics don’t work by then, we’ll have to go hard.”

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