Volatile Shadow

12. The Funeral. (Part 3)

"Sorry I was gone for too long..." I attempt an apology to Reese. He already looks irritated.

He's not pissed off at least...

"No problem." He grumbles. "At least announce to us first when you're about to ditch us."

"Again, sorry. It... was just a sudden thing."

"Sudden thing?" He raises an eyebrow, sounding suspicious. "Should I be worried of this 'sudden thing' happening more often?"

"No. No you don't. This was the first and only time." I respond, trying to reassure him.

"I hope so..." I hear him mutter, glancing at my direction as we continue our walk back into the main hall of the mansion.

He must find my interaction with Reina suspicious. It's probably worrying him.

And I wouldn't blame him for feeling that.

I'm supposed to be a bodyguard, especially one for the Vetrova family. Being seen acting all buddy with a rival like Takemura, might have not been the best idea.

At least not many guests had seen us together though...

"You enjoyed your time with Takemura?" Reese suddenly asks me. A hint of distaste comes from his voice as he says that last word.

"Somewhat..." I say. Not wanting to reveal too much.

"Do you why she approached you?" He responds almost immediately to my answer.

Approach me?

I almost freeze; not sure on what to say to that.

Should I tell him?

...No. I'm not sure how well that would turn out.

Mason knows who I am, but Reese, I have no idea if Davian informed him. What would he do if I did tell him?

He is trusted by Davian. But why not tell him just like Mason then? Is there a reason I don't know about?

"We met before, a long time ago." I say, sounding calm about it, or at least trying to.

"You knew Reina Takemura?" Reese almost succeeds in holding back his surprise.

"I did." I answer, "A long time ago though. We were both kids though. Only encountered her a few times." I say, mixing the truth with a lie.

I knew her with definitely more ground than that; A lot more. But he doesn't need to know that.

"Huh." Reese seems to believe it, at least to a certain degree. "So, what small-time friends?" He still sounds slightly skeptical

"Yeah..." I softly chuckle. "Crazy to think that we'd meet again here of all places..."

"Hmn... That is true." Reese mutters to himself, looking less tense than before.

But I'm sure he doesn't exactly believe whatever crap I tried to sell him...

I sense that he's about to add something with that last sentence. Probably another digging question.

Yeah, no. I'm really not interested for an interrogation.

"So who noticed I was missing?" I ask him before he can utter another word.

"Huh?" Reese looks confused for about a second, but quickly responds. "Oh. It was Galan actually."

"Galan?" I thought he would love that I wasn't there to hold him on a leash while in a place like this. Guess not then...