All That Glitters (WayV) - Volume II

Who Was He?

"As soon as everyone recovers, we're leaving this place." 

Tungmei's eyes shot up. "What?"

Jintao sat next to Tungmei's bed and looked down at her feet. "We have to. I already told your peers. It's not safe here."

"Do you think they'll be back?" Tungmei asked. Her voice was weak. 

Jintao shrugged. "I don't know, dear. There's no guarantee, but this is their second attack." 

Tungmei sighed, turning away. She kept her eyes on the ceiling. She felt like the weight on her shoulders had gotten ten times heavier. 

"Tungmei?" Jintao's voice had an edge to it, making Tungmei nervous. 

"Yes, Mrs. Yang?"

Jintao looked Tungmei dead in the eyes, her eyes cold. Tungmei had never seen Jintao so serious. It made her shift uncomfortably in her bed. 

"Who was the man in the alley?" 

Tungmei's eyes went wide. She slowly averted her eyes to Jintao, who was drumming her fingers against the mattress. Tungmei knew she would wait for an answer as long as it took. 

"I . . ." She trailed off, organizing her thoughts. "I don't know, Mrs. Yang. But I've seen that guy before. When the fire . . . It happened when Eximia caught on fire. He was in the alley. This time, I saw a bit of his face." 

Jintao hummed, nodding. "Wait here, Tung." 

"Mrs. Yang, I can't go anywhere," Tungmei laughed, pointing to her bandages and the hospital bed. Jintao cracked a smile but it disappeared in an instant. 

Tungmei waited patiently, trying her best to remember the alleyway. She remembered the burly man, but she had no recollection of speaking to him or finding out who he was. Her thoughts, though, were interrupted when Jintao barged in, Meixing and Fangsu following behind. 

"Sit down," she said to them, paying no mind to their puzzled faces. Once Fangsu and Meixing sat down, they shifted in their seats when Jintao shot them with a cold stare. 

"Who was he?" 

"Who?" Meixing asked. 

"The man in the alleyway." 

Meixing and Fangsu shared a glance, but Tungmei was shocked. Did they really see him? she wondered. She stared at Fangsu and Meixing, whose heads were hung low. 

"Mrs. Yang, we don't know who he is. But . . ."

"But?" Jintao asked, prying for information. Fangsu glanced at Meixing, who gave her a nod. Fangsu took a deep breath and looked up at Jintao in fear. 

"He'll be back."