LOVER MONSTER!
13. Poison.

Demian Bellamy standing under the streetlight. A cigarette stuck in his mouth, embers burning red. The smoke wrestled thinly around his face and slowly faded under the light.

While Demian was there, pondering silently, a huge red motor emerged from the crossroads and stopped right in front of him.

"I heard you're coming back tomorrow, what's with the sudden change?" a man-Adam-dropped off the bike. He took off the helmet he was wearing and handed it to Demian.

"I don't think I need to explain anything to you" Demian said, making Adam wince unhappily.

"All right, whatever." Adam pocketed his hand in the pocket of the leather jacket he was wearing. His eyes noticed Demian's movements now climbing onto the red motor he had previously driven.

The engine is a Demian motor. Earlier, while Adam was enjoying a can of beer on the road, someone called him and asked him to deliver Demian's bike here. Adam, without being able to argue with the man, immediately complied and here he is now.

"Oscar is waiting for you in Bronze" said Adam.

"I know."

After chiming in on Adam, Demian turned on his motorbike. A black helmet now framed his face. The roar from the motorbike engine greeted Adam's ears and within a split second after the roar was heard, Demian had already darted his way through. His flickering black flannel was the last thing Adam saw before Demian disappeared in the distance.

*

A leather bag with an expensive brand attached to the cover was still on Jessica's bedroom floor. He did not touch the bag at all, nor was he curious about its contents. In Jessica's mind, the contents of the bag were definitely money. Demian gave him money for his services all along.

How arrogant!

Did he think he could repay the kindness of others with money? Just because he has money!

"If you have money, you shouldn't stay here." Jessica murmured angrily at the black bag. It was as if the bag was Demian's replacement.

"I understand because you're safe from your family's goals or who it is, your life has returned to normal and now you're even making up for your one-handed love. Uh, it's romantic."

"..."

"But damn it, just because you've found your world turning around normally, you're dumping people who've helped you in hard times? Throwing money on the floor, is she the evil mother-in-law in the dramas? You're supposed to learn to be sincerely grateful, motherfucker!"

Jessica stood up from the bed. His feet were wrapped in panda-patterned socks, nudging the black bag. By the way, the bag is quite heavy. Is it because of the skin or because of the contents?

Jessica dragged the bag with her feet before kicking the bag under her bed.

As a girl with ego and morals as high as burj khalifa, Jessica refused to use, touch or just look at the money Demian gave her. If he ever met the man, Jessica swore she would throw the bag back at Demian's feet.

'The man doesn't know himself, I hope he chokes his own saliva!'

Jessica is frustrated.

Now the situation has returned as it was. However, unlike Jessica would celebrate her freedom by zumba dancing or anything else, she instead felt annoyed. Very upset and sorry. Anger piled up on his chest like dirty clothes.

It felt like the kindness he had given Demian all along was that the man was spit on. It's not appreciated at all.

"Fuck up! Agh!" Jessica ruffled her hair. Why does being nice often lead to bad luck?

If only he had been educated in evil from childhood, he probably would not have had to feel the strong and painful squeeze in his heart when he was cruel.

If only he could become a powerful figure who grew up without empathy, he would not need to whine over this unfair treatment. He doesn't have to be sad just because he doesn't appreciate.

So childish.

*

Bronze-one of the largest casinos in Vegas is still blazing, no matter if it is now two in the morning. R&B music roared in the golden room. The gambling tables lay wide on the left and right of the room, the waiter passed by.

The dealer spreads at each table, accompanying the guests to play until morning comes.

At that time, Demian who had just arrived there immediately headed for a table that was quite tenuous in the number of players.

The dealer was shuffling the cards when Demian came to greet him. The table dwellers instantly dispersed themselves when they realized who was joining them.

Demian-of everyone, was the one who did not want them to fight. Gambling becomes unpleasant when the man shows up and wins all bets.

"Someone seemed to be able to breathe with relief," the Oscar Brown dealer spoke as he unscrewed the cards on the table. "Are you going to play?" ask Oscar back.

"Let's play blackjack." Demian chimed in without any meaningful interest.

While the card game was running, Demian and Oscar occasionally exchanged chats. No meaningful conversation. Most of their chat topics were about the situation that had happened in Bronze when Demian was hiding. The conditions on the streets, in Bellamy and yes, the only thing that did not please Demian was when Oscar asked her where she was hiding.

"Jessica Cerise, isn't she?" Oscar asked calmly.

Demian spontaneously raised his face towards Oscar. "I don't remember asking you to dig up information about Jessica."

"I'm just doing my preparation" Oscar said. "Before you ask, I'd better prepare the information. Am I not very understanding?"

"Don't cross the line, Oscar." Demian closed the game by handing two cards totaling 20. He didn't get a blackjack (a card totaling 21), but he was closer than the Oscar holding a card totaling 23.

"You don't have to be so overprotective" Oscar said. He called out to the servant who was standing near them. "Call someone to replace me, and prepare a room for my guest."

Oscar Brown, despite looking like a dealer who works in Bronze, is the owner of Bronze itself. Oscar has no intention of mingling as a dealer in his casino, to be honest. He just enjoys gambling. Oscar loved risking his life on the table, testing his luck.

Demian did not like Oscar, but he was already the man's partner in managing Bronze. As Demian was Oscar's right-hand man, Oscar was in the same position as Demian. Symbiosis mutualism.

"It's been a long time since I've seen your face clean like this." Oscar spoke while alluding to Demian's performance which is now better than ever before.

Usually, Demian always appeared before Oscar with a battered face. Plaster here and there, the aroma of alcohol and tobacco, dry and chaotic hair.

"Because I have to hide, I can't wander around and make a fuss, right?" Demian defended himself. He, despite feeling uneasy about his current appearance, felt quite impressed as well.

Demian means, hey, it turns out he can survive without hitting people and struggling in the streets.

"You're well taken care of" Oscar added. He and Demian sauntered towards the sofa in the VVIP area. They sat side by side, three bottles of wine lying on a glass table, accompanying their conversation.

"Regarding your family," Oscar brought back the topic they were unable to talk about in a big, relaxed voice. "I feel like something big is coming for you."

Demian also felt the same way, but he did not expect that Oscar also felt the same way. Is that the instinct of the judge who is always vigilant?

"Why do you think that?" ask Demian, fishing explanation.

"A toxic substance was found in Erthian's blood test."

"..." - ".That's new information.

"Since Erthian consumed it in small quantities. If he consumes it routinely, the substance is able to damage his organs." In other words, Erthian could have died.

Oscar sipped the wine the waiter poured for him. He glanced at the change in Demian's expression that turned dark. "You're the number one suspect in this case, Demian."

"..."

"Even if you don't do anything, you're the one who has the most reasonable reason to hurt Erthian."

Because Demian hates Erthian.

Since Demian would not return to his house, not if Erthian was still breathing there.

Demian took a long breath. Tonight is getting more annoying.

*