"A.A, Did you hear that?"

"What?" he answered. "there's a new slayer nominee on the 20th floor."

"a new slayer nominee? the first slayer since Karaka?" I butted in. "yes. I heard he beat a ranker in a one on one fight."

"Which family is the ranker from?" Khun sets down his tea on the table. "um... Mule, I guess?"

"Mule family? I don't know that kind of lame family." he shut the call off. "don't be mean." I elbowed his arm. he rubbed it with a hint of annoyance. "anyways, my tea is empty. where's that scout guy?" I looked around. "he's late. ironic."

"by the way," I eyed him up and down. "what are you trying to cosplay as? a girl scout?" I snarled jokingly. "it's a fashion choice." He tapped his finger on the armrest. "yeah, yeah. You're the only person who can wear such a thing and look good in it." I rolled my eyes. I eyed the floating pocket beside Khun. it's 14:01...

the chair across us made a scratching noise, we both looked up. "sorry to keep you waiting. I'm the scout, Edin Dann."

A sigh passed my lips. "can I get more tea?" the waitress nods and comes back a little while later with a teapot. she poured more tea into mine and Khun's cups.

"so, is it the silver fish you're looking for? silver fish can be quite difficult. It doesn't come out during the spawning season. and that's almost half of the year! It's even more harder to catch a mated pair." Khun's eyes settled itself on the cup, seemingly not interested in the conversation. "I'm the only regular in the area who knows how to catch one. you found the right person. But I'm just a bit expensive."

Khun twirled his spoon around his cup. "you look like you're in a rush. How about 2000 points?" He bargained. I met his gaze, "2000 points? not that bad of a bargain." my lips settled itself on the cup and I sipped on the tea. "then, how much would you need to have you join my team?"Khun continued for me.

"well, I thought this would be a good business deal... but you came to hire me..." He sighed and stood up. "If you're not here for a request, I shall get going. I'm not planning to go up the tower yet."

"I'm Khun Aguero Agnes. Just call me Khun." Khun's face started to form an expression of amusement. "Don't try to act friendly!!"

"Edin Dann, the speedster who has never been caught on an enemy's lighthouse all the way to the 25th floor. Because of his talent, many regulars have requested to go up the tower with him, but he refused them all and lives his life as a hunter." Khun had to memorize all that yesterday. It was funny. I watched it happen. He threw a tantrum because he kept mistaking his name as Eddie. "Why aren't you going up?" I said, to conceal my smiling face, trying my best to not laugh at the memory. "It's none of your business," he replied, pressing his ass back on the chair. "It is. I want to put you on my team. Join my team and go up the tower with us." Khun forced.

"No way. I'm sick of watching regulars get killed." Edin Declined. "So, you're suffering from the 20th-floor disorder. that's lame." Edin snapped at Khun's comment, "what?"

"well, let's make a wager to decide. yeah, that sounds fair." I decided myself. Let's pause here. A lesson for you, readers. a basic lesson about being manipulative, decide things yourself. for example here, instead of asking 'would you like to make a wager?' I decided to myself that we'll have a wager. now back to the story.

"Why do you get to decide all by yourself!! what's so fair about it!?" He complained. "If you can get out of the cafe without getting caught, you win. If we catch you, we win. If we win, you join us." Khun rummaged his pockets. "why would I play along!?"

he placed the blue gleaming stone on the table. "if you win, I'll give you this." his eyes stared at the blue floating stone. "so, you're in right?"

"of course I am!" He eagerly said, slamming his hands on the table. "alright, now, try to get out of here avoiding all these people." Khun calmly took another sip from his cup. "what?"

"I actually played a little trick on you before you arrived. I hired all the regulars in this cafe. even if your fast, do you think you'll escape from all these people?"

"d-don't bluff, how could you have hired all of them?"

our eyes connected. He's trying to figure out if Khun is lying or not through me. sorry to tell you this, but- "why don't you just try to get out if you don't believe us?"

I'm also a manipulative person.

He looked at the exit door behind us. Khun took a sip at his tea and I stared at my empty cup. "you missed something huge, you son of a Khun!" He pulled the tables cloth and grabbed the floating stone. Khun stared at the scene with wide eyes.

he ran in lightning speed towards the 'exit'.

Khun slowly stood up and pulled a hand towards me, "let's catch our prey." I smiled alongside him. "sure." I grabbed his hand and he pulled me up graciously.

I can still feel the warmth and softness of his hands even if it's no longer there. I touched my palm again, blushing. what's wrong with me?

"you're trapped, Dann." Khun taunted behind him. "you! is it-"

"Why didn't you think that we planned to bring you here? moron." he grinned. He had to add that, didn't he?

"I didn't hire anyone in the cafe." Khun stayed rooted to his place, "I lied to bring you here."

"you lied to me..?"

"you trusted me?"

Dann scoffed, "did you really think you can get me even if you guys put me in this situation?"

"It hurts to hear that. I'm not that slow, Dann." Khun gave him a grin. "I'm sorry, but I am faster than you think," Dann mumbled. He ran towards the door again. leaving a strong gust of wind to blow past us. and also ruining our hair.

"damn it! I wasted an hour styling your hair and it's ruined!" I combed Khun's bangs, feeling its softness under my touch.

after fixing his hair, we made our way towards the counter. I fixed my hair on the way there. "It's an anesthetic strong enough to make eels sleep. looks like it hit your vein so you'll fall asleep soon,"

the speedster glared daggers at Khun and I. "you... son of! you said you didn't hire anybody here!" his voice trembled. Khun grabbed the floating stone beside him. he scoffed, "you believed me?"

~

we rode a seal back to the cottage Khun rented out on the floor.

"thanks~" I waved back to the driver as he happily rode off.

the door opened with a creaking sound. we were greeted by the tall, black-haired man. "you're back Khun, (y/n)." He greeted. "yes. nothing new?"

"I hoped there'd be something," he answered. Khun's lighthouse appeared, dropping the speedster on the ground harshly. "and he is?"

"he was being sneaky so we got rough. He'll wake up soon so teach him a lesson." Khun walked upstairs. to Rachel's room.

"I'll go greet our new teammate. better than going into the same room as that bitch." I followed Nobic as he carried the unconscious man to an empty room.

~

It's not illegal to teach people how to be manipulative through fanfictions right? ;;

by the way, that's just what works for me. I'll give tips and tricks throughout the book about manipulating someone here through personal experiences so don't get mad at me if these don't work because these worked for me.