Don't Be Cruel (MilkCiize)

DBC - 3 🥛🎀

POV: Panly

"Abort today's agenda," I said coldly, back to my usual ruthless self—Don Panly Vosbein, the notorious mafia leader. Namtan quickly obeyed, fear flashing in her eyes as we headed back.

The next day...

"So, what's the plan now, boss?" Namtan asked bluntly.

"I need you to do me a favor—one so big, I'm sure you'll refuse," I warned her, my voice heavy with seriousness.

"What is it?" she responded cautiously.

"I want you to leave me alone. No bodyguards, no one babysitting or spying on me. I'm going to disguise myself as a local and gather information. I need to blend in with the town, unnoticed." My tone was firm, dripping with authority. As usual, though, Namtan had to be a fool.

"No way, my friend! Not happening. You die, I die. We're a package deal, like a Happy Meal, buddy—that's just the way it is," she said, half-joking.

I shot her a piercing glare. "Deal with Don Vito's wrath if we fail this mission," I snapped, and she visibly tensed, almost shaking at the mention of his name.

"Either listen or you're out," I warned, making sure she knew I wasn't in the mood for games.

"Get me some local clothes—something simple enough to blend in with the town. I'll find a place to stay, live there for a while, and dig into why my mother bought that land. Once I've gathered the information, I'll finish the job as the godfather requested."

I could see the worry in Namtan's eyes. She knew how risky it was for me to go without backup. But we had no choice—failure meant the end of us all.

As we traveled back to MC town, I couldn't shake thoughts of that peculiar woman from my mind. Absentmindedly, I found myself eating the banana cakes, as if tasting them could bring back the strange, special moment we shared. Her voice echoed in my head: "Do you want to buy banana cake?" I replayed it over and over, her sweet, calming tone soothing some of the anxiety that had been building inside me.

"You never eat dessert, especially cakes—banana cakes at that," Namtan quipped, correcting herself with a teasing smile. She clearly remembered how foolish I'd acted in front of that strange woman. My strange woman. Wait—what was I even saying? "Get a grip, Panly," I muttered to myself, internally scolding my thoughts.

Now dressed in a simple black tank top, paired with a gray plaid shirt and plain pants, I turned to Namtan and said, "Now I look ordinary."

She smirked and shot back, "Now you can low-key follow your girl. I mean—the tiny banana cake vendor."

"Of course not!" I snapped, my voice cracking in protest. Namtan burst into laughter, mocking me, her mafia boss. Realizing her mistake, she quickly composed herself, gave me a small nod, and said her goodbyes as I embarked on my mission.

-----

"Look at this fool! Namtan, you've done it again!" I fumed. I had just tried to pay for a room at one of the town's inns—well, more like a bed space in a local's house—but when I reached into my bag for money, all I found was a black card and a fully charged cellphone. A black card, seriously? In a rural town like this, where they seem to be living in the Stone Age, how are these things supposed to help me? With no other choice, I walked away in humiliation.

I tried my best to find that tiny creature—my girl... I mean, that pretty local girl—but she was nowhere to be seen. In defeat, I sat down, parched and nearly fainting under the scorching sun. I desperately needed water, feeling completely drained.

"Here you go," a voice said, and an angel appeared out of nowhere, offering me a full bottle of water. Without a second thought, I drank it all down. To my surprise, the pretty angel who had given it to me was none other than the girl I'd been searching for this whole time—my little princess vendor.

Once again, we were lost in each other's eyes. Her presence froze me in place, my heart beating as fast as lightning. How could an angel like her exist in the presence of a villain like me? A cold-hearted mafia leader, merciless and feared. What had I ever done to deserve this moment, to share every precious second mesmerized by her beauty?

"Another party to attend? You're dressed so fancy!" she inquired, bringing me back to reality. How many attempts would it take to convince her that this was the simplest outfit I could wear?

"No, actually—I need a place to stay, and I'm also looking for someone to help me tour the town," I explained, trying to communicate clearly with all my sanity and might. I continued, "I promise to pay whatever amount; just let me—"

Before I could reach for my phone in my bag, she stopped me by gently touching my hand and said,

'I'm willing to help you.' Then she smiled sweetly again.

Damn, I was completely taken in by her killer smile, even though a mafia boss like me should pride herself on being an expert in that area.