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Hyde finally came out of his room with baggy eyes. Arnest was dumbfounded by his messy hair and unkempt appearance.

"Wow, did you get hit by Arturo's truck?" Arnest joked.

Hyde didn't answer and walked past him. He looked at Harper, who looked away as soon as their eyes met. They didn't say anything to each other.

"Before you start your morning routine," Arnest stopped him. "There's something we have to discuss."

Arnest's odd gesturing made Harper realize that it was something she wasn't supposed to hear.

"Let me brush my teeth first," Hyde grumbled. "I have to go to the market anyway. We'll discuss it on the way there." He shrugged Arnest away and strolled into the bathroom. 15 minutes later, he walked out in new clothes, wet hair in a messy bun, and a clean face. "Let's go." He mumbled to Arnest.

"We'll be back," Arnest voiced to Harper, "Don't try anything."

"I won't." Harper rolled her eyes. It's been several months, and Arnest still didn't realize she had no plans to escape. Not without Yanpu, anyway.

Harper waited for the doors to close completely before she hopped up and started rummaging through the drawers. She remembered that Arnest kept notes about the antidote in the dojo somewhere.

There was no key that she knew of for upstairs, so she hoped that she would find it lying around on the bottom floor.

She searched under the coffee table, around the kitchen, even in the pages of books. But there wasn't anything.

After 30 minutes of searching, someone knocked on the door. Harper thought it was Andreis, but when she rushed to open it, she was shocked to see Arturo on the other side.

"Isseh Hyde home?"

"Oh, no, he left a while ago."

"Oh," Arturo scratched his head. "I need his help with the restaurant. I guess I'll ask him later to help me with tomorrow's work."

"What do you need?"

"Ah, one of my cleaners' quit. We are a bit understaffed. But I'm in the process of hiring new workers. It just takes me a few days to process all the paperwork and set aside for taxes."

"Oh, a cleaner? So, wiping tables? Sweeping the floors?"

"Si,"

"I can help if you need it,"

"Ah... I don't know... the work is quite hard."

"I'm a hard worker."

"But Hyde, won't he be upset?"

"Over what? I'm not a Housewife."

"Aiy? Non?" Arturo's face changed as if he seriously doubted it. It was Piccposto culture for women to become housewives.

It was the norm for men to go out and work to earn to treat their wives, in exchange for all the work the wife does at home to make her husband happy.

"It is too much of me to ask you,"

"Arturo, I can help,"

"But your hands... they're quite delicate and beautiful. I don't want to ruin them. Hyde is a scary angry man."

"Hyde won't care,"

"Quello?"

"It'll be fine, lead the way."

"... Alright." He huffed and walked ahead. Harper followed him after closing the dojo's doors behind her.

Arturo was having a lot of trouble making up his mind. While it was obvious that Harper wasn't from Piccposto, why would Hyde bring her here if she wasn't going to be a housewife?

He didn't have an issue with Hyde's decision, but it was still strange. Everyone in the village knew that Hyde was a flirt. So if a woman's homemade cooking didn't tie him down, then what did Harper have to offer that did?

"For now, just gather the plates, and put them here. Someone will wash them. And wipe the tables down."

"Is that it?" Harper frowned. When they arrived at the restaurant, she noticed that it wasn't that busy. There were a few couples and families, but there were more empty tables.

"Si,"

"Arturo, there's no one here, I don't think you need the help."

"Not yet, Si." Arnest smiled. "We offer a special dish for the lunch menu. Very popular. It will fill soon. Just watch."

"If you say so," Harper shrugged.

"Apron," Arturo handed her a long blue wraparound skirt that would cover her front.

Harper fixed her tank top and tied the apron around her waist. "It's a pretty pattern," Her fingers traced the embroidered flowers on it.

"Rag," Arnest extended his hand again. "The bucket of soap water is here. So after wiping, rinse it before putting it back in the bin."

"Gotcha!" Harper took the rag with a smile.

A horde of customers rushed in. When Harper turned around, her jaw dropped. Where did all of these people come from?

When Arturo said that the restaurant would get busy, she wasn't expecting them to just appear from the shadows. Why were there so many families?

It seemed like there were many couples with their in-laws.

The servers all scattered to different tables. The ones that were emptied were now filled. Harper was grateful she didn't volunteer to be a waitress.

That type of job barely made you enough to afford even the tiniest of rooms back in the capital.

"Okay, Harper, you've got this. This is no different from an abrupt deadline for turning in experimental research." She cracked her knuckles.

Determined, she rushed over to the first table that finished their food. An elderly couple, a sweet husband, and a feisty wife. They were cute and even offered Harper a piece of candy as they left.

Harper sloshed the rag around in circles, quickly wiping away the crumbs so the next set of customers could sit.

She heard the chairs skidding across the tile at another table, indicating that another couple was ready to go. She raced over and stacked the plates and cups.

"Dishes ready!" She placed them on the counter that Arturo told her to.

"Oh!" A voice yelled and Harper turned to see where the sound was coming from. There was a spill at one of the bigger tables. A toddler, adorable as a button, had spilled his father's wine on the table.

Harper darted to the rescue.

For about 6 hours, she did that until the lunch special ended at around 3 PM. The customers started leaving, and Harper sighed in relief.

She was surprised at her stamina and ability to keep up with the rush. It was exciting. Compared to the Facility, this place was lively. She outdid herself and was impressed because of it.

"Aiy, Harper, please rest." Arturo tapped on an empty table near the food window.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine! That was a lot of fun!" Harper laughed. Arturo was perplexed, stunned that someone would call a rush that bad 'fun'. "The people here are so nice. It was a bit refreshing."

"Si." Arnest smiled softly at her. "Graci for your help, Harper. That will be all for today."

"You don't need any more help?"

"Not until dinner, but that is in 2 hours."

"I'll help then too—"

"Non," Arnest cut her off. "Don't you have to go back to Hyde?"

"Do I? He's probably out shopping right now."

"And the boy?"

"Yanpu is with Giada." Harper leaned back in her chair. "I don't have much to do. It gets boring. An outing like this is better than staying home."

"Even so," Arturo frowned, "I won't keep you long. Wait here, I'll fix you something to eat,"

"Wait, Arturo," Harper grabbed onto his hairy arm. She knew that Arturo would feed her and get right back to work.

It would be difficult to ask Andreis about Hyde's sickness. He was most likely busy with the baby and helping Anna Bella.

This was a great opportunity. Arturo probably understood more anyway, as Andreis was gone for a while and just came back.

"About Hyde..."

Arturo raised his eyebrows, concerned about her next words.

"I'm a bit worried about him."

"Si?"

"Do you know about... his condition...?"

"Aiy, Si, of course." He nodded.

"Can you tell me a little more about it?"

"Didn't he tell you? Aren't you his Amora?"

"I think... he doesn't tell me everything because he doesn't want me to worry much." Harper lied.

Her fib must've worked a charm because Arturo took a seat in front of her with a sad gaze. "That... sounds like Hyde," He sighed, admitting that was usual behavior. "I don't know the specifics, but 10 years ago, he arrived at the Piccposto docks in that condition, and worse."

"What happened?"

"Hyde washed up with a small metallic ship. He was covered in blood, and mud. He was bruised very badly." Arturo leaned forward. "We saw the flag on his ripped uniform. He is a Westonian."

"Oh?" Harper faked her surprise, trying not to expose that she was also from Westona.

"My grandfather, Pa Arnesto spotted him first and felt a need to care for him. So he told Arno and I to carry him home. We did, but when we got home, Mama panicked. She thought Hyde was dead, and I did too."

Arturo shook his head. "Pa Arnesto ignored our concerns, and so we cleaned him up and patched all his wounds. But it confused me to see that minutes after cleaning the blood, all of his wounds healed properly except one."

Arturo glanced directly at Harper, "Why one?"

Harper listened intently. She wondered about that too.

"Hyde woke up the next morning in disarray. He scared me and Mama half to death when he barged into the kitchen with his swords. But Arno calmed him, and told him he was safe, so Hyde let his guard down. And Pa Arnesto asked about his past."

"Do you know about that?"

"You should too."

"My memory is foggy." Harper chuckled nervously. She needed to understand what happened the moment he left Westona. That was crucial information.

She knew what caused his scar, but what happened? Why did he leave? What made him go crazy?

"He told us that his employer chased him out," Arturo murmured.

"His employer?" Harper raised a brow. Dr. Bomb was the head of the Facility. Bomb warned her about Hyde, and how dastardly his tendencies were. Information was missing.

How could Dr. Bomb chase Hyde out? Was it because Hyde killed all of the workers? That was a good reason to chase him out!

"Si, that is what he said. The West was after him, they wanted to kill him."

"No way," Harper spouted. "That doesn't..." Why would Bomb send out an army to kill Hyde? There was probably a good reason. But even so, Hyde was more powerful than them. Hyde was a legend.

He could've easily fought back. Why did he run? Was it because of the wound?

"It's true," Arturo pressed his lips thin. "The West... eh... is a taboo topic. I encourage you to read their history yourself. But in regards to Hyde, that is the answer he gave us. So Pa Arnesto decided that Hyde would live there with us. But Hyde didn't want to at first. He wanted to leave."

"Why didn't he?"

"Pa Arnesto was a loving man, perhaps a great father figure for Hyde. We all admired him. But Pa Arnesto's love for Hyde was something special. Within a year, I suppose Hyde felt the weight of Pa's love, and he became family. And Hyde promised to stay and protect us."

Arturo hummed. "Even to this day, Hyde keeps his promise. He is the hero of Piccposto. Everyone knows it, and they admire him."

That explained why the people in the streets always looked at Hyde with respect or with a smile. But that didn't explain much about Hyde's condition.

Arturo's descriptions of Hyde and Bomb's were conflicting with each other. It didn't make sense for someone who was insane to vow to protect a village from harm. And she'd seen Hyde's softer side when dealing with Anna Bella.

It was almost like he took the role of her older brother when the tax collectors came. He was annoyed that she tried to get involved when he had everything under control.

But she also saw the scary part of him. The wicked grinning devil who was proud, unashamed to cause bloodshed. She saw a man who had no fear. A man who would plunge a sword through a heart without a second thought.

"I will go and fix your meal," Arturo tapped her hand gently. "Wait here,"

When Arturo left her at the table, Harper was trying her best to process it all. She never had access to the top confidential files at the facility. Talking about Hyde within the Facility was extremely taboo.

Could there have been a reason why Bomb brought those files up to her? And Hyde showed up on that same day. Was it a coincidence?

Harper let her thoughts run wild. She didn't notice that Arturo already placed a large bowl of creamy tomato soup in front of her, served with garlic bread.

"Harper,"

"Oh! Sorry! Graci! Thank you!" Harper smiled and dug into her meal. She tasted the bread and smiled wide when the flavors hit the spot. "Mmm! So good!" She cheered and continued to eat.

Arturo's hand-prepped meal after hours of work was definitely worth it. She continued eating happily until she saw someone sitting at her table.

The cloaked man and she just eyed each other before he finally let the hoodie down. When his face was exposed, it took a moment for Harper to recognize him.

A man in red with shades. A westonian. The motorcyclist who almost kidnapped Yanpu.

Harper looked down and saw a rectangular shape poking from the cloak. It was definitely his pistol.

But the man's skin was covered in red veins unlike before. Perhaps because she could see him more clearly in bright sunlight. Her heart nearly stopped for a moment. Quickly, she tried to stand, but the man dragged her back to sit.

"Relax," He smirked at her.

Was he after Yanpu? Or Hyde?

"I'm on your side. Take a breath, pretty thing."

He laughed at her. His laugh was deathlike.

"Your face is funny. You look terrified."

"How did a low-down thief like you get here?"

"With a little help from a mutual friend."

"A mutual friend?" Harper raised a brow.

The man pulled out a small cell phone from his pocket and tapped on the screen. It buzzed softly, and he handed it over. "For you,"

Harper took it with shaky fingers. When she brought it to her ear, a familiar voice she had been waiting for brought tears to her eyes.

"Harper, it's been a while." Dr. Lee Bomb's voice sang.

Harper covered her mouth in shock and took a deep breath.

"Good to know that you're alive."

"Overseers," She shuddered, "Bomb... Bomb how did you—"

"Is Yanpu with you?"

Harper wiped her face and sniffled. "No, no, he's not. I think he's probably getting back from school."

"School?" Bomb scoffed. "What do you mean school? That is Phase 4. We never gave you permission to start on Phase 4!"

"I know, I know, but Hyde... I couldn't fight him on that."

"Do you understand how delicate that child is? Do you know what he means to Westona? What he can do for all of us?"

"I haven't forgotten. I've been trying my best to protect him."

"You could cost us our lives with that mistake. We have to limit the exposure Yanpu receives so he can let it sink in. It's a process. You know this! He's a special kid!"

"I understand." Harper nodded. "I'm still in shock. You found me. I was worried—"

"You don't have to worry anymore. Where is the boy? Does Hyde have him in custody?"

"No, he's not. But I know where he is. I can't tell you right now, because of the current situation." Harper looked over her shoulder and saw Arturo walking by. "We should make a plan to meet up. It'll take a while because I have to stay out of Hyde's sight."

"There's no need for that. My associate will assist you. He will be in charge of helping you get Yanpu secure and protecting him."

"That's great." Harper sighed in relief. "Bomb, thank you so much!"

"You're Welcome," Bomb cut the call abruptly, and Harper wanted to jump for joy. Bomb found her. Her prayers had been answered.

"You were difficult to track down," The man teased. "You cut your hair and changed your look. You ain't look anything like your photos. It's nice. Baggy clothes don't suit you."

"Thank you?" Harper voiced awkwardly.

"The name's Vesper." He extended his leather-gloved hand. Harper shook it. "So? Shall we go?"

"Oh, no," Harper stood up. "You can't come right now."

"Why is that?"

"Hyde will kill you. And then he will kill me if he finds out I've spoken to Bomb."

"I ain't afraid of his punk arse," Vesper snickered. "He's a weaklin', no match for my beautiful Lucille." He pulled out his pistol and spun it in his fingers before tucking it away.

"You aren't. But I am. Just let me find an opportunity to get Yanpu, and I'll meet you here to let you in on a strategic plan."

"The women from the capital sure are bossy," Vesper sighed. "Whatever. Do what you gotta do."

"Thank you," Harper smiled. "I have to go. Pretend you don't know me, okay? This is a really bad area for you to be seen in."

"Ain't no one gonna recognize a Westie like me."

"With that cloak, they might. Try to blend in. They will give you odd looks."

"Uh huh." Vesper rolled his eyes.

Harper took off in the direction of the dojo. She needed to form a plan the moment she got home. She was so ecstatic she couldn't think straight. For the first time in weeks, she heard the sound of the one she had been praying for.

"Thank you, overseers! Thank you!" She clasped her hands together happily.

She had to sort out what to say to Hyde, and how to sneak Yanpu out of school. Leaving at night wasn't an option. Hyde would definitely notice that she was gone.

She had to come up with an excuse to leave for the day. Arturo had just opened up opportunities for her!

She could tell him that she needed to help Arturo out at the restaurant. From there, she could go to pick up Yanpu, and hopefully, without being seen by Arnest's family, she'd be scott-free.

~~