"Fariz, are you seriously joking at a time like this?!" Nara's hoarse voice was quickly replaced by Reena's sharp tone.
"I never joke, Reena," I stated firmly.
"Fine, do whatever you want… just hurry up and do the CPR!" Reena urged.
I smirked cynically. When the time comes, I'll make sure you fulfill your promise.
"Haih, fine!" My hands trembled as I leaned closer to Amir, who was still unconscious.
I slightly parted his lips, took a deep breath, and pressed my lips against his pale ones.
"Huh…" I exhaled air into his mouth, repeating the process a few times, but there was still no response.
"Huh, maybe this guy's already dead!" I muttered before pressing on his chest multiple times.
"Okay, this is the last try. If you don't wake up… then you're dying right here." I inhaled deeply and performed CPR again.
I applied more force to his chest compressions before noticing his face slowly turning red.
His tightly shut eyes began to open wider, but his breathing remained uneven.
"Erghh!!" Amir gasped as he clutched his chest repeatedly.
"Here, take your inhaler. You're feeling a bit better, right? Use it yourself—I can't be bothered to help." He nodded weakly before taking a few puffs from the inhaler.
"Huh, thanks, Fariz. You saved me again," he said with a warm smile.
I scoffed in disgust.
"If it were up to me, I would've left you to die here… such a hassle!" I wiped my still-damp lips repeatedly with my sleeve, feeling utterly disgusted by what I had just done.
"Fariz, can I hold your hand? I don't have the strength to stand." He slowly got up and immediately grabbed my shoulder.
"No way!" I quickly strode away, leaving him behind. He had legs—he could walk on his own! No way was I letting him touch me again.
"Wait for me! " I saw him picking up his pace, rushing toward me.
"Nara and Reena are already waiting in the car."
Amir nodded weakly.
I continued walking briskly.
---
I spotted Reena and Nara waving at us from inside the car.
I approached them, got into the car, and locked it before Amir could get in.
"Eh, where's Amir?" Nara craned her neck out, looking for Amir, who was still walking toward us.
"He'll be here soon," I said dryly.
"Why did you leave him behind like that? What if something happens to him again? Would you be willing to do CPR on him a second time?" Reena's words irritated me even more.
"Can you stop bringing that up? If it weren't for you guys, I would never have done such a stupid thing!" My frustration grew when I noticed Amir standing by the door, staring at me sharply.
"Well, what are you waiting for? Get in!" Nara had already opened the back passenger door before Amir could reach for the driver's seat beside me.
"Aren't I supposed to be driving?" Amir frowned, clearly annoyed that he was being forced to sit in the back with Nara.
"No need. Let Reena drive. You sit back here with me," Nara said, patting the seat beside her.
"I can drive!" Amir protested, reaching for the driver's door, but he froze upon seeing Reena already seated in the driver's seat, adjusting her hair.
"Ish, such a third wheel!" I heard him grumble before he got into the passenger seat and slammed the door shut.
"What did you just say?" Nara asked.
"I said… I'm such a burden. You guys had to go through all that trouble because of me," Amir explained while staring out the window.
Reena drove the car smoothly onto the road.
"You know how to drive?" I asked. Reena nodded before suddenly gripping my hand tightly.
"Enough, don't hold onto me… you'll get distracted and cause an accident." I pulled my hand away and placed it aside.
"Can't even be affectionate a little?" Reena pouted. Nara's laughter echoed from the back seat.
"Of course not!"
Suddenly, the car accelerated sharply. Was she really so mad that she was showing her frustration through reckless driving? So immature!
"Reena, you're being ridiculous!" Amir's voice suddenly chimed in from the back.
"I can do whatever I want! He is my boyfriend, after all," Reena retorted, unwilling to back down.
"Ugh, stop fighting. I don't want to go to school tomorrow and see all of you sulking!" Nara whined casually.
I nodded in agreement, glancing at Reena.
"Are you two having an affair or something? Why do you keep siding with Nara?" Amir shot me a sharp look.
"Yeah, she's my secret fling!" I answered quickly.
Nara burst into laughter and playfully wrapped an arm around Amir's shoulder.
"Don't ruin everyone's mood with your ridiculous assumptions!" Nara scolded while patting Amir's shoulder.
"You should be thanking Fariz. If it weren't for him… you'd be dead by now," Reena suddenly interjected.
"What do you mean?" Amir asked, confused.
"He did—" Before Reena could finish her sentence, I covered her mouth. She yanked my hand away and continued speaking.
Cup!
I had no other choice. I kissed her cheek for a few seconds.
She froze, her face turning red.
"That shut you up." I ruffled her already messy hair.
"Ugh, Fariz! That was such a mood killer!" Nara scrunched her nose in distaste.
"He did CPR on you earlier…"
I wanted to punch Nara for blurting that out so carelessly.
"Ohh, that explains it…"
Nara looked surprised at Amir's calm reaction.
"You're so relaxed about this. Why?" Reena, who had been silent for a while, finally spoke up.
"I remember feeling something soft on my lips earlier…"
Now, I was really about to lose it.
"What the—how did you even feel that? Weren't you unconscious?" Nara shot Amir a sharp look.
"I woke up when I felt my chest being pressed repeatedly, but I was too weak to open my eyes. Then suddenly… I felt something soft on my lips."
I clenched my fists in frustration. Why were they discussing something so perverted?!
Prakk!!
I finally snapped.
I punched the car window, cracking it into a spiderweb of shattered glass.
Everyone froze in shock, falling silent.
"Can you all stop talking about this?" I growled, my breathing uneven.
"Chill, Fariz. If Reena and I were in your place, Amir would definitely be dead by now," Nara said, trying to calm me down.
Reena raised an eyebrow, confused.
"What does that have to do with anything?" Reena asked.
"Well, guys and girls can't do CPR on each other," Nara replied seriously. Reena shook her head in disbelief.
"Are you crazy? So even if Amir was on the brink of death, you still wouldn't do CPR?" Reena asked as she stopped the car at a red light.
"Hmm, I don't know… I guess it depends on the situation," Nara mumbled, examining her swollen ankle from earlier.
"Huh, remember this, Nara. You and Amir owe me a debt. I'll make sure both of you pay it back," I said coldly, staring out the window.
"Wait, you're serious? I thought you were joking earlier." Reena gave me a long look.
"I never joke about what I say," I replied in a quiet but heavy tone.
Because a ruthless person like me… never does anything good without a reason.
•••
"I want us to break up…"
Adi, who had just taken a sip of coffee, choked and coughed uncontrollably.
"A-Are you joking, Sara?" He placed the glass harshly on the table, his sharp gaze locking onto her.
"I'm not joking, Adi." Sara's expression remained serious.
"Why, Sara? Haven't I given you enough money? Haven't I done everything for you? I've been your servant, all for your sake!" Adi gripped her arm tightly.
"I'm bored of you. I like someone else now. So, I hope you'll stop interfering in my life. Oh, and about your money—here!" She threw a wad of cash at Adi's reddening face.
"The money I'm giving you is more than enough, just so you know. So, bye-bye!" Sara got up nonchalantly, ready to walk away.
"Sara, you can't run from me!" Adi suddenly stood up and yanked her roughly toward him.
"Let me go!" Sara struggled, trying to free her wrist from his grip.
"I'll never let you go, sweetheart. We're not breaking up, okay?"
"I don't want you, idiot! Let go of me before you regret it!" Sara's sharp scream drew the attention of several onlookers.
Splash!
Sara grabbed a glass of steaming coffee and threw it at Adi's face.
"You… you've gone too far, Sara!" Adi wiped his burning face, his voice shaking with anger.
"I'm done with you. So, wake up and realize that. Honestly, the only reason I dated you was because you were willing to be my servant. But yeah… now, I'm really bored of you, boy!" Sara yawned dramatically before finally breaking free from his grip.
"You're worthless, Sara!" Adi suddenly slammed the glass against the table, shattering it.
Crash!
He picked up a shard of glass and held it close to her face.
"Now, choose. Come with me, or become a corpse right here?" he whispered into her ear.
Sara swallowed hard.
"If you scream, I'll stab this sharp glass straight into your throat…" His threat made her tremble.
But she had no choice.
"I'll go with you…"
A sinister smile spread across Adi's face as he pulled her toward his car.
Fifteen minutes later, they arrived at an old, abandoned house.
"You embarrassed me earlier, so now you'll pay the price, Sara!" Adi suddenly dragged her inside and held her in a tight embrace.
"Arghh!" Sara tried to scream, but her mouth was quickly gagged with a cloth.
She saw several men in black masks surrounding her.
"I want you to satisfy all of them. Think of it as your final sacrifice before we break up… enjoy your night, sweetheart!" Adi laughed cruelly and waved before walking out.
"Adi! Help me!!" Sara struggled, but she was too weak to fight off the three men who began grabbing at her body.
"Arghh!!"
Her screams of agony echoed through the empty house.
---
"What are you doing?"
Reena suddenly appeared, wrapping her arms around my shoulders.
"Chopping up your corpse," I replied flatly, my hands busy ironing my school uniform for tomorrow.
"What the hell? If you want to tease me, don't involve me in something so creepy!" She playfully smacked my shoulder.
"Well, you ask too many questions. You can see what I'm doing, so why even ask?" I couldn't be bothered to entertain her. I continued ironing my clothes carefully.
"I just wanted to cuddle with you… is that so wrong?" Reena pouted, looking like she was about to cry.
"Yes, it is! Guys and girls shouldn't be touching each other like this!" I snapped, pinching her cheek.
"Pfft, then what about that kiss you gave me in the car earlier?"
I froze.
"That was different. I had no choice. Now shut up, I'm not in the mood to deal with your nonsense!"
I hung up my freshly ironed uniform and walked toward the kitchen.
After drinking a glass of cold water, I pulled on a hoodie and cap. Then, without Reena noticing, I quietly grabbed a machete from the kitchen.
"Where do you think you're going?"
Reena stood at the door, arms crossed.
"Just taking a walk."
"I'm coming with you!" She rushed toward me, tugging at my shirt.
"You can't!" I immediately walked toward the door.
"If you don't let me, I'll follow you anyway!" She trailed behind me.
"Ugh, stop being so nosy! What do you think I am? A babysitter who's supposed to entertain your clingy antics 24/7?!" My voice rose in frustration.
"I'm scared to be alone, okay? What if a robber breaks in or something?"
Strangely, she wasn't intimidated by my anger.
"Stubborn as a rock!" I heard her mumble under her breath.
"Fine, do whatever you want. But don't regret coming with me. I'm warning you now…"
Reena eagerly nodded and clung to my arm.
"As long as I'm with you, I won't regret anything," she chirped happily.
I let out a cold chuckle, adjusting the small machete hidden inside my hoodie pocket.
We walked through an overgrown area covered in thick grass and bushes.
I could feel Reena tightening her grip on my arm.
"Stop clinging to me. I swear, I'll throw you into this drain!" I snapped, feeling irritated.
Reena let go of my hand, but instead, she grabbed the sleeve of my shirt.
"Ugh, do you not understand what I'm saying? I told you not to touch me! Don't make me—"
My words trailed off as I noticed a man trying to hide behind a tree.
Ignoring Reena, I became more interested in him. She quickly followed behind me.
"Looks like you've made a mistake," I muttered, laughing darkly as I slowly approached him.
Reena widened her eyes at me, confused, but she kept following my steps.
"Hmm, your eyes are filled with deep fear. Your heart is full of deception… and in the end, it will consume you." I rushed toward him.
The man looked startled, but suddenly, he punched me, landing a blow right on my lip.
"Wow, my new prey this time… is like a wasp—always on guard against threats!" I chuckled sarcastically before spitting out the blood pooling in my mouth.
"Fariz, what are you doing?" Reena asked fearfully.
I walked up to her, smiling faintly.
I gently ran my fingers through her hair.
"You promised not to regret this. So, do you regret it now, Reena?" I asked mockingly, raising an eyebrow as I flashed a chilling grin.
She quickly shook her head.
"Good, because I was just considering making you my next victim tonight…" I rubbed my temples, deep in thought.
"F-Fariz, please don't!"
For the first time, I saw genuine fear on Reena's face—so different from her usual calm expression.
"Hahaha, don't worry. I'm not the kind of person who forgets a favor. You once saved me… so why shouldn't I return the favor now?" I said, still toying with her hair.
"Right?" I asked when she didn't respond.
Slowly, she nodded.
I laughed excitedly.
Zapp!
I pulled out the machete I had hidden earlier and threw it, hitting the man's leg perfectly.
"Arghh!!" He collapsed to the ground, blood gushing from the deep wound.
"Wow, turns out using a machete is way more fun than knives or karambits!" I approached the man, who was already trembling in fear.
"You've committed sins. So why not let me free you from being trapped in them?"
I pushed the machete deeper, piercing his flesh all the way through his thigh.
"Arghh! Let me go! I'm begging you!" The man cried out, desperate for mercy.
But unfortunately for him, a wretched soul like mine has never felt sympathy for anyone.
"Yes, I'll release you… from the cruelty of this world!"
I pulled the machete out from his leg.
Zapp!!
"Arghh!!" He writhed in unbearable pain.
Zapp!!
With my blood-soaked machete, I struck his body repeatedly, unleashing everything inside me.
Tap! Tap! Tap! Tap! Tap!
The man lay lifeless, his body nearly severed, blood pooling around him.
I burst into laughter, thrilled by the sight.
"What a special dish!"
Without hesitation, I indulged in my growing hunger, savoring his blood to my heart's content.
"Hmm… filthy blood like this… tastes even better when cut with a machete!"
My crimson eyes darted toward Reena, who stood frozen in place, unable to move.
"Y-you…"