"Are you still alive?"

"Don't curse me, you witch." The bloodied man grunted weakly. As they're on their way to the hospital, his consciousness and strength slowly came back, so he's able to speak more coherent now.

​​

He's slightly thankful of Lillie that she was driving smoothly despite the speed. Now he's reconsidering if he'll spare her once he's back on his feet, or persist to execute vengeance for hitting him.

"Who was chasing you?" Lillie probed curiously.

"Eh, some idiots—" He unexpectedly gave a curt reply. "—thinking they could beat me. Hah—ugh."

The man snorted, and consequently aggravated his wounds.

His arrogant attitude was seriously astonishing. Normal people would be moaning in pain right now and would try to conserve as much energy as possible.

They wouldn't also use such brash attitude towards the person who hit them with their car. Isn't he afraid that she'll really throw him out?

Lillie went for the nearest hospital. Glancing down on the map displayed on the infotainment, she saw that she's nearly there.

"Since you brought me to the hospital, you need to pretend you're my wife or someone family related. I can't have those people poking their noses in my business." The man negotiated. "In exchange, I won't tell anyone that it was you who hit me."

"That's what I'm initially planning to do." Lillie honestly replied.

"Really?" The man's eyes shot open in surprised, then narrowed them to focus his blurry vision towards the driver's seat to look at Lillie's frame.

But to no avail. His occipital lobe must've been hit too hard for his eyesight to be affected. Hope it's not permanent.

"Why?"

"I don't plan on being held up for too long, nor would I want the police on my case," Lillie's presumption about this man was right. "I'm assuming you would like the same."

The man blinked, nodding slowly, before lying back on the comfortable backseat. Dang, this car must be hella pricy to have such soft seats.

"So," He started. "You a Demon?"

"A what?" Lillie asked, feigning curiosity.

"A Demon," He repeated. "You know, criminals like the mafia."

Is this man seriously questioning that to her? Wouldn't that be, like, admitting he's one too? Must be because he hit his head too hard.

"Why do you think so?" Lillie replied with a question instead.

"Eh, you don't like the police on your a*s." He said in a laid-back tone, shrugging.

"You didn't consider that I may be a celebrity or someone notable?"

"Oh yeah, my bad," He mumbled, a bit embarrassed. "Forget I said anything. But in my defense, you don't seem like a celebrity."

"Why is that?"

"You just don't sound like the type. If a celebrity accidentally hit someone, they would go hysterical, flail, and immediately call for someone; their manager, most likely." He analyzed.

Lillie hummed, prodding him to continue. She also noted his choice of word. He said "sound" instead of "look". She guessed that his sight isn't currently working well.

"And the first thing you said to me was ask if I was 'still' alive. You were planning on leaving me alone if I was dead, isn't that right?"

"Hm, you're quite perceptive despite the state you're in." Lillie calmly remarked, impressed by his feat. "But I assure you that I'm just a civilian who was on her way home after a long day at work."

She neither admit nor deny his question, the man noted.

Silence followed after Lillie's statement. The man didn't budge, he can't sense any lies in her words.

She's either telling the truth, or she's a really fluent liar that even he couldn't tell the difference.

He hopes it was the former. This woman might be someone dangerous if it was the latter.

"I've answered your questions. Now it's your turn to humor mine."

"Eh, what the heck. Shoot."

"Are you a criminal?" Lillie choose her wording carefully.

"I'm pretty sure you're smart enough to answer that on your own, sweetheart."

"Those bloodstains on your clothes, they belonged to someone else. And the people who were chasing you were their comrades, seeking revenge?" Lillie stated an intellectual guess.

"Ding, ding, ding! Can someone give this lady a cookie please?" The man said to no one in particular. "I'm surprised that you're not afraid of me after knowing my nefarious occupation."

It would take a no-brainer to put the puzzle pieces together.

The man saw that there's no use in lying to her when the evidences of him being a Demon is pretty much obvious.

"Well, you're currently at my mercy."

"I will hunt you down once I'm healed."

Now that confirmed Lillie's assumption. He can't see properly due to the hit, so he must've not properly seen what she looks like.

"Is that how you speak to someone who's bringing you to the hospital?"

"You crashed me with your car—ack." The man groaned when pain crept in his head.

"Yeah, and I have the choice to either bring you there, throw you off the car, or bring you back to your pursuers."

"F*ck you, lady. F*ck you..."

Seeing the large, glowing building ahead, Lillie slowed down and drove her car at the entrance driveway.

She had already changed into quick and simple disguise. The secret compartment under the passenger seat contained a wig and a change of clothes.

Lillie wasn't worried about the man peeping while she changed her formal attire with a t-shirt and sweatpants since he's technically blind as of this moment.

"Can you stand or do you want me to ask for a stretcher?" Lillie observed the man from the rear-view mirror struggle to sit up.

He grunted as he forced himself up before collapsing back on the seat. Huffing, he demands, "Help me up, will you?"

Lillie wordlessly hopped out of the car and went to open the backseat door to pull him out. She was gentle this time.

"What name would you assume, by the way? I'm thinking we should be siblings." Lillie slung his arm around her shoulders.

Her other arm clung onto his waist to support him from walking.

"Ehhh, but wife is more suitable."

"No."

"You wouldn't want a husband as handsome as me?"

"My husband is ten times more handsome than you."

"D*mn, girl, you're married already? And I was just thinking that I'm starting to you. And also, way to crush my ego." The man clenched his hand over his chest in mock offended.

"Well? I'm giving you the honor of choosing the names we'll go with." Carefully, she guided him inside the hospital's reception area.

"Hmm...your name will be Amai Anmitsu [1]." He said with a straight face and all seriousness.

"There's no time for desserts." Lillie sighed. The hit must've been too much for his brain activity. Why did she asked him? She should've just made the decision.

"Nah, it's the perfect name. Because then I'll be called Amai Mochi."