She stood on the opposite side of the balcony, her cigarette glowing faintly in the dim light.
Dressed in only a bra and loose pants, she leaned lazily against the railing. He paused mid-buttoning his shirt, his eyes meeting hers across the narrow gap.
Wasn't she the one her brother had taken a loan for just the day before?
"I know it's not my business," he said carefully, "but… when are you starting medical school?"
She exhaled a cloud of smoke, her lips curling into a smirk as though he'd just said the dumbest thing in the world. "Medical school?" she echoed, laughing darkly. She clutched her stomach in mock amusement, wiping away a tear as she turned back into her room.
"Where did you hear that nonsense?"
"But your brother—"
"Brother?" she interrupted, venom dripping from her voice. "What did that idiot do in my name this time?"
She pulled out a rifle from behind her doorframe, the metallic glint catching the dim light. His blood turned cold.
"Relax," she said, smirking at his reaction. "I'm a cop."
He watched her warily as she casually inspected the weapon. "Did my brother take a loan from your bank?"
He nodded stiffly.
She let out another laugh, harsher this time. "Figures. The bastard's been on the run for scamming banks for years now. Guess your firm just joined the club of suckers."
Her tone turned colder as she gave him a long, unblinking stare. "By the way," she began, her voice low and deliberate, "I've heard rumors about your bank. Something… interesting."
The air between them felt heavy as her eyes bored into his. "Ever heard of limb play?"
His breath hitched. "What?" he whispered, his voice barely audible.
She laughed again, the sound echoing off the walls. "Relax, soldier. It's just a joke," she said, her grin widening. "After all, Happy Bank partners with some of the biggest scumbags in the game."
She flicked her cigarette butt toward an old campaign poster of the current president, the ember hissing as it bounced off the faded paper. "The secrets that bank holds…" she mused, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial tone. "They're probably worth more than the money they lend."
With that, she sauntered into her room, her laughter trailing behind her. "See you around, soldier."
He stood frozen on the balcony, the weight of her words sinking in.
Limb play?
That was a joke… right?
The question of what happens to people who don't pay their debts pounded in his ears, growing louder with each passing second, his blood running ice-cold.