Han slid open the glass doors, entering the penthouse. There, he tried finding a charger, but remembered he didn't pack shit. "Fuck.. Fuck. Punishment? Which? What's the time?"
[ TING! Warning: Time left until mission failure - 30 minutes. ]
"30?.. Where was the location again?"
He tried remembering, while going for the doors, then it struck him. "Maria-" He didn't even pick up his sister.
It was already long gone when she left school. She was probably home now, wondering where Han is, as by this time he'd already been long ago home. "Ughhh, Han, how could you fall asleep? And without a way to wake up too…"
In a hurry, he picked his car keys from the kitchen table where he earlier left them, then left the penthouse and entered the hall to call for the elevator.
"Maria is old enough.. I'm sure she'll be fine.. But still!" The elevator came. He forgot to even get his shoes, still half asleep. "Thirty minutes, so it's around five thirty…"
He clicked the floor button.
"Quick ride home then back here and the restaurant, I'm sure I can do that?"
He wondered, restless in the elevator. "No.. I'll go on the date first, then pick Maria.. Yes, yes, that's what I'll do." He mumbled to himself, barely being able to speak, still in a daze.
Then Han remembered, "I took the keys with me, the house is locked!" He almost banged his head on the elevator metallic wall in frustration.
"Han.. Han, you stupid.. UGH!"
The elevator opened, and like misfortune in another misfortune, the general elevator also opened. It was Estella, this time with three friends.
Han stepped out barefoot, cursing himself for being so out of it. They both looked at each other.
"Ah-"
Leaving the elevator, he noticed her clothing was different. A beautiful long dress and red heels, which didn't change from today.
"Oh."
There was a boy with her, slightly taller than Han, with white-gray hair and wolf ears.
Then the second was slightly of darker skin, yet leaner body with clear abs.
She had an extremely revealing outfit, more so a bikini than anything else, making Han blush up. He bowed his head, catching the third friend stepping out with a slow, deliberate pace, hands buried in the pockets of her hoodie.
She didn't look at him. That alone made him notice her. Pale, almost drained of color, a lollipop resting between her lips, red shiny lips against white pale face.
Her brown eyes were calm—resting under her long eyelashes—watching nothing and everything at once.
Almost uninterested.
Then he rushed off, already mapping the next hour.
'Alright, Maria is more important..
She was left all alone for the whole day, she doesn't even have friends or money, so I can't count that she's at a friend's house.
Yeah, that's my priority.
Afterwards, the date.'
***
Estella stood watching him, noticing he was barefoot.
The brown-skinned girl, already ahead of everyone else, turned around with a smile, closing her eyes.
"Stella, what's wrong? Friend of yours?"
Estella shook her head.
"No. Not really."
The guy scoffed.
"Hey, Niki," he asked the girl in the jersey,
"That guy, was he barefoot?"
Nikki stayed silent, not even turning her head towards him. Liam turned his head towards her, his face slightly frustrated.
"Oi."
Instead, the brown girl hopped in, not wanting escalation. "Ah!" she laughed softly. "Now that you said it, I also noticed! Is he homeless? The clothes were also dirty… ah, but?"
She looked at the private elevator. "Did he come out of the penthouse elevator? What do you think, Liam?"
"Tch." Liam snickered looking at Niki. "Who knows," he shrugged. "A mover?"
"No," Estella softly said. "He bought it."
All three of them perked up their eyes, turning their look towards her. "Seriously?" Liam asked.
She just nodded."Now, less chatter and more moving, come on, clan master is already waiting."
***
Han was already in his car, the engine humming as he headed for the gates leading downtown. 25 minutes. The timer glowed in his peripheral vision. Too little time. Way too little. He pressed down on the accelerator.
The white metal gates came into view—closed. For a split second, he considered stopping. Then he scoffed.
Beep.
Beep.
Beep.
The Porsche's horn blasted through the quiet hills. The guards jolted, scrambling as the gates slid open. "Rich bastard," one of them muttered.
Han didn't slow down. He shot through the opening, missing the gate by inches. The car didn't even shake.