The Truth Hurts

  //Aiya has returned to the office where Hana and Mika are waiting.

//Aiya walks directly to Hana who is lying on the couch half asleep. She pulls up a chair.

Aiya: I have something to tell you. I totally lost control of the interrogation…

Hana: Yeah, Mika and I got a glimpse.

Aiya: Yes, well I was okay until the sister started to brag… about a certain Military Officer she killed…

Hana: Ah, Aiya, I’m not sure I like where this is heading…

Aiya clinches her fist and continues: I’m sorry, it was Dad.

//Hana jumps off the couch in anger.

Hana: Why those dirty sons of a…

//Aiya immediately grabs Hana and give her a big hug. The two start to cry.

Aiya wiping away her tears: That’s when I totally lost it and went all out on them.

Hana wiping her tears away: Tsk, I can’t blame you for losing control, I’d probably would have done the same given the circumstances.

Aiya: But it gets worse, (Aiya takes a deep breath), the brother admitted to me that Mom’s death was no suicide…

Hana: What? No way!

Aiya (takes Hana hands): He told me it was only made to look like one, but it was to cover a secret Mom had discovered. He passed out before I could get the secret, but he did divulge who was responsible. …It was the King’s brother, Garo.

Hana: tsk, (grits her teeth), it figures it was a Royal. Only they could get away with that.

Aiya: Yeah, he was thought to have been executed after his assassination plot against the king, but brother, the King, had a change of heart at the last moment. From that moment on Garo became the unofficial assassin, doing the Royal’s dirty work. He was the one pulling the strings of the duo. They had their own secret assassination squad.

Hana: Those demons, they are going to pay for everything they have done… dammit, It really burns me up when the innocent are preyed upon.

Aiya: The sister also told me they have the Baroness’ child and are preparing him for his transformation… whatever that means?

Aiya continues: I’m sure by now Garo knows what happened and will be looking for us. We need to find a safe place to stay while we plan our next step.

//Just then Mika enters the room.

Mika: I know where we can go. It totally off the grid, but we will be safe there.

Aiya: Thank you Mika, we should head out right away.

//Aiya walks up to Mika and give him a kiss on the check and a long hug.

Aiya whisper: Thank you for always looking after me.

//The gang heads out for Mika’s safe house in his father’s old truck.

//The safe house is about a 2-hour drive outside the city into the mountains.

//Aiya is asleep with her head leaning against Mika. He softly strokes her hair with one hand while steering with the other. Hana is in the back seat of the cab and leans forward.

Hana: So how long have you been in love with my sister?

Mika: Huh? Ah… it’s not like that….

//Hana grabs Mika’s ear and twists it.

Hana: Don’t lie to me!

Mika: owie, kay, kay I do, so please just let go!

Hana: Humph, I knew it! …So have you ever told her how you feel.

Mika feeling embarrassed: I actually did once. It was during a long night of drinking and I finally got up enough courage to tell her how I feel.

Hana: ohh, go on!

Mika: Well, neither of us could drive home, so we decided to walk, or I should say stumble our way back to her home. Along the way I decided tonight was the night, so just as we came to her home, I grabbed her hand and gazed deeply into her eyes and told her “Aiya, I love you”. She was taken a little back, but slurred “and I love you too, Mika”. She smiled and started working toward the house, but I didn’t let go and pulled her toward me and gave her a long kiss.

Hana: Sooo what happened next? … wait, you two didn’t?

Mika: No, No… Your Dad was watching this whole time from the porch and came over to take Aiya inside. He said “It’s time to go inside now sweetheart”. Aiya said “Oh, Hi Daddy” and passed out. Your Dad swooped her up and started to walk inside. I starred at them for a moment and said to myself, “one day I will be her hero” I started to walk away, when all of a sudden, I heard you dad turn and say “one day this will be you taking her inside…but for now Thank you Mika for watching over her”.

Hana: No way! That’s so unlike him, he must really like you! Does Aiya know this. Does she remember anything?

//Aiya suddenly opens one eye, she has just been pretending to be asleep.

Aiya: I do now (she smiles coyly). And yes, I do remember everything… well up until I passed out.

//Hana and Mika look at each other in shock. Mika is now bright red from embarrassment.

//Mika quickly puts both hand on the steering wheel and looks straight ahead.

//Hana punches Aiya in the arm.

Hana: you little poop head! (then laughs)

Aiya thinking to herself: But I had to turn it all off… in my line of business I couldn’t afford distractions… but was the sacrifice asking too much….

Mika thinks to himself: But she had to turn it all off… in her line of business she couldn’t afford distractions… but I will always be waiting for the day when that changes….

//The gang pulls up to the safe house. It’s actually a houseboat docked by a small, secluded lake. Mika’s dad had won it in a card game one night, so everything has been kept off the record. The title and registration are still in the original owner’s name who actually passed away several years ago.