The Fourth Act

After getting permission from Fuyumi, I headed outside to follow Chesca and Joey. Apparently, they'd already left the school grounds and they weren't at the gate when I came outside.

I could see the faint glare of the sunset descending as I stroll over the buildings. The sky began to turn dark and the lampposts fixed in an array near the side of the road automatically turned on, illuminating the paved ground near the school.

Although I couldn't find Chesca and Joey, I already had an idea of where would they go while following Angelica. The Pink Rose nightclub is about to open in about an hour, meaning that all staff should be preparing now and it will be easier to confront her if Joey could get inside.

The only problem is the bouncer getting in the way. I need to catch up quickly so that I could help him.

While running, my phone buzzed again. I checked the notification and saw that Haru sent more details and links about the things that I wanted to investigate for quite some time.

"I'll check it out later..."

As I got over the intersection, I went up toward the overpass bridge and turned left to reach the street where I usually wander. The town was busy and there are several cars passing right now on the main road.

"T-Those guys are quick on their feet..." I heaved a sigh as I rest my body on the fence. Running around the road is not really good but I had to rush it.

After recharging myself, I ran again until I saw the alleyway. It was already dark and the dusk that was enveloping the sky a while ago dissipated slowly.

From there, I saw a lone student standing near the corner with her bag slinging from the side. It looked like she was waiting for someone—no, I guess she wanted to go in but she couldn't muster the courage.

The pink neon lights radiating around the establishment painted the scenery with a sophisticated outlook, refining it with a grandiose appearance. Sure enough, teenagers and kids wouldn't dare go inside if they knew that the establishment is not suitable for underage people.

That's why this girl didn't go in, except for single someone...

"Chesca..." I called out to her and she turned her head.

"N-Nathan... I need help..." she approached me with a sad expression. I could see it very clearly—the face of someone on the verge of collapsing.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Joey went inside that club and the guards are chasing him. We followed Angelica here and then we saw her going inside..." Chesca told me everything.

I see, so I was right all along. It wasn't all that surprising, given all of the factors that made me consider that it was her.

Still, this confrontation will break the icy wall between them. Our primary goal was to know what Angelica is hiding and that's going to happen tonight. However, any circumstances they placed themselves after this revelation are not under the scope of the council's work anymore.

I hid a lot of information from Fuyumi and Kylee to set up this eventuality. If I told them what I know, this confrontation wouldn't happen. I know that the President would improvise a much better solution to fix all of this...

But no, I have to make sure that it all works according to my plan. In order to confirm my speculation, I have to break Angelica first and draw out answers that will support what I have in mind.

"Chesca, don't leave this corner and wait for Joey..." I said.

"What? Where are you going?"

"I'll try to bring those two out together. If you see one of them leave, be on their side." I answered.

Chesca nodded. "I understand..."

Now then... I guess I should end these theatrics...

***

"Alright, that's good..."

Standing in front of the mirror was Angelica preparing her dress for tonight's entertainment.

Although she's a Hostess, the dress that was lined up in her locker wasn't all that similar to the other ladies inside the establishment. That's because her role doesn't really follow the standard procedure of what a Hostess normally does inside a nightclub.

"Angelica, there will be two more artists performing alongside you, make sure to greet them afterward..." a colleague placed a reminder.

"I understand, I'll be there in a second..." as Angelica nodded, a noise broke down outside the dressing room.

"Hah, another annoying brat..." the colleague huffed.

Realizing what happened last time, Angelica stood up from the mirror and rushed outside.

Is he wandering around again?!

She knows too well that there's a possibility that the boy he met last time was trying to break in again. She didn't know his name nor his reason for always strolling around the nightclub. But Angelica felt like she could trust him.

"Angelica? Where are you going?"

"A-Ah! I need to check something!" she responded.

As she left the dressing room, Angelica goes through the stairs to see the commotion from above. Fortunately, the room wasn't full of guests considering the time and the room has its light turned on.

When she leaned on the glass railing, Angelica twitched in fear.

"L-Let me go!!! I need to see my sister!"

"Stop moving you brat!!! You're not allowed inside here!"

There was a boy trying to resist the bouncer's grasp as he wriggled. The bouncer tried hard to grab him but the boy was agile.

J-Joey... Why are you here?! How?!

Angelica rushed downstairs. She carefully pulled her purple dress as she took every step. Panic has already dawned upon her and she couldn't think of a reason why would Joey be in a place like this.

"Joey!!!" she screamed his name. Joey turned around and when he saw her, he immediately pushed forward, aggravating the other guest inside.

"Sister!"

Everyone made way for the two to confront each other. Angelica's hair which was ponytailed elegantly a while ago was now disheveled as she run quickly to rescue her brother.

No one interfered in their issue. She was aware that what was going on right now is mortifying but Angelica didn't pay any heed to those around her. All that she knows right now is that her brother finally discovered what she's hiding for so long.

"Joey..." Angelica embraced him. She purposely hide his face from the other guest and moved away from them.

"S-Sister... why?"

Angelica saw some of her colleagues looking at her. She gritted her teeth, thinking that this commotion would probably affect her job later.

"Let's go..."

After that, Angelica apologized to everyone in the nightclub and they resumed their operation at the overseer's discretion. She was saved by some of her workmates and the other guests didn't make any racket involving what happened earlier.

She thanked everyone who helped her fix her mess. But that doesn't mean that her problems are fixed.

Angelica brought Joey to a nearby bench outside the establishment. They used the backdoor that is familiar to Nathan when he came over that night.

Fortunately, the bouncer let her out and she also apologized to them for the disturbance of her brother.

"Joey..." Angelica called him. "Joey, what are you doing—"

"That would be my question, Sister!" he broke into tears. "Every single day I was pondering about what you were doing out there! Big sis Chesca and I have been looking for you and where do I find you?! You're out here doing dirty work without telling me!"

"N-No! It's not like that, Joey! I'm not doing anything dirty—"

"We're so worried that we even asked the council for help and yet...! Damn it! Why? Sister..."

Is it over for both of them? Angelica had that thought for a moment. She knew that it was her fault for being so inconsiderate of Joey's feelings. Both of them have reached an impasse. Joey found out that Angelica's working as a Hostess and Angelica's mask finally broke.

Her image as an older sister has been tarnished by some misunderstanding. All because of one issue surrounding their family.

"I... I don't have any choice... I really need the money so that I can pay both of our tuition... I want you to focus on your dreams, Joey..." Angelica averted her eyes, her lips pursing as if she was trying hard not to cry.

"I know that... I know that from the start! But still... there are other ways, Sister... You didn't have to make us worry. You could've just looked for a normal job out there. Besides..." Joey paused for a moment.

He opened his bag and brought out a small kind of bucket that has a cap. He opened it and showed Angelica what was inside. "...All this time I've been trying to save money for both of us. I don't care if I starve, I know too well that we're short! I want you to focus on your dreams as well, Sister!" he shouted.

"—!"

The bucket was full of cash that Joey saved from their father's monthly incomes. It was enough to pay for both of their tuition and yet Angelica didn't realize this. She didn't know that her brother was trying his best as well and had been sacrificing himself for their sake.

"J-Joey I..." Angelica shed tears as she tried to grab Joey's hand.

However...

"Don't touch me...!" Joey swatted it away. "We're done here, Sister... I don't want to see you anymore..."

Angelica dropped to her knees. Her vision was starting to get blurry as it was marred with her tears. Her own world turned slow as she watched Joey run away while crying.

All of this happened because of her trying to be secretive and prolonging a risky state that will soil her relationship with her brother. Joey admired Angelica and he was proud of her big sister for being so reliable. But all of that has been thrown in the window the moment Joey found out what Angelica was doing all this time.

She knows that she couldn't reverse the time. She feared that this day will eventually come and now she regrets it.

"Sorry... I'm so sorry, Joey..."

Of course, no one was there to comfort her. Angelica broke her own self because of one mistake.

***

I guess it happened.

I could hear a lot of people murmuring inside as they watched the racket caused by those two. Joey caused some trouble but it was fixed by Angelica's senior.

Heaving a sigh of relief, I turned around and went through the back of the Pink Rose establishment. If I remember correctly, the backdoor was installed just a few meters away from the building.

When I reached the fenced area, a boy passed through me.

His face was full of anguish as if his whole world has turned upside down. Tears soaked his beautiful face and the straight-laced attitude that he had was nowhere to be found.

Does it hurt, Joey?

I wish I could be there for him but I already left the job to Chesca who was waiting back in the alleyway. I have told her to wait there because I know this moment will come.

All that's left to do is to confront the main character of today's theater act.

I walked forward until I saw her. She was down on her knees and her back was leaning on the crumbled wall near the establishment's backdoor.

Now that I have a closer look, the reason why I mistook her for someone else is that Angelica wore thick make-up that enhances her beauty. Her natural outlook was covered by beauty products that changes her face in some other ways but it seems like it was shredded by tears.

I approached her slowly while monitoring the place. It didn't seem like there was someone out there listening so I moved out.

Angelica was sobbing silently but I could feel her pain piercing me. It just shows that her problem was never fixed. And they're now stuck in a deadlock.

I crouched and placed my hand on her shoulder. When Angelica looked up, she got surprised. "Y-You..."

"I guess we haven't introduced ourselves yet..." I said with a smile.

I immediately fixed Angelica's disheveled hair by tucking it slowly behind her ears. I then moved my hand on her cheeks and used my thumb to wipe off her tears.

"It's weird... why do I feel like this?" said Angelica.

I stood up and offered my hand. She took it and dragged herself up slowly while looking at me.

After that, I told her to accompany me and we moved out of the establishment.

In order to solve this problem, I need to figure out the reason behind it...