Chapter 32 - Full of Bravado (2/2)

An hour earlier, just after Olivia hung up on her phone call with Maxen, she motioned for Shadow to bring MIB1 to the gym room. She was about to follow the two when she heard a beep coming from the main door, and when she turned around she saw Yana carrying all of her personal belongings in two big luggages.

”You can use the room upstairs. I'll be needing you more upstairs than here,” Olivia offered to which Yana immediately nodded. Seeing two frames enter a room just as she was about to close the main door, Yana noted to come back to the decoy apartment after dropping off her belongings upstairs just in case Olivia would be needing her service.

Inside Olivia's home gym, MIB1 stood in awe as he entered the room. It was set up as a karate dojo, lined up with black cushion mats and the walls were covered with floor to ceiling mirrors. He never thought that a lady like Olivia would spare a room for a dojo. He looked around for a bathroom to change into a stretchier clothing than his suit but Shadow sniggered at him.

”What's so funny?” he asked. He was full of bravado and ready to sweat a fight when Shadow tug her cap away, revealing a hidden ponytail. What. The. Actual. F*ck.

”Do you change before you get into a fight, pansy?” Shadow taunted. Olivia smiled seeing her best girl shook the soul out of a royal security detail.

”What? Of course not,” MIB1 replied in his most stoney face to date. He cracked his knuckles left and right and listened as Shadow spat another remark as if it would rattle him.

”Then why are you looking around? Do you want to… change?”

By that time, the two were dancing in circles away from each other, waiting for the other to make the first move. Olivia found a safe corner for her to sit in seiza position or the traditional way of sitting in Japan like a diligent gakusei or student.

She watched as the two fight, drinking in every technique that the two fighters would use. She was so engrossed watching the fight that she did not notice Yana entering the gym room with a glass of water in hand but the latter quickly ran out.

Yana ran back to the kitchen, petrified at what she saw. She grabbed a box of napkins and sprinted back to the gym room.

”Miss Olivia,” Yana cried out as she dived on the floor and pulled out as many napkins as she could. Her hands were shaking while she covered Olivia's nose that was oozing out blood. The pair in combat that was grappling with each other on the floor mat with Shadow straddling MIB1 on top, got distracted by Yana's wails.

”Oh sh*t,” MIB1 said, and as if on instinct, he touched a hidden button on his suit and pulled the lapel closer to his mouth, calling out for an emergency medical team.

Olivia snapped out of her trance when she realized that people were hovering over her and felt Yana's gentle hands that was holding the napkin on her nose.

”Let's bring Miss Olivia to the living room. Medic's on their way,” MIB1 instructed. He stood behind the two ladies afraid to even go a meter near Olivia. He shuddered in his spot when he could see it in his mind how Maxen would blow up and punish him just for touching a strand of Olivia's hair.

”What? No! Send them back. Now!” Olivia snapped. The last thing she wanted was to be surrounded by a group of doctors especially now that her birthday was nearing. ”This is normal. You don't have to worry,” she murmured her assurance under the thick napkin that was stuck in her nose.

Hearing Olivia's command, MIB1 stood frozen thinking of how to deal with the current situation. He didn't want to bear the brunt of Maxen's anger once he finds out that Olivia wasn't seen by a doctor for her epistaxis. However, Shadow beat him to making a decision and did the honor of pressing the button of his mic, tipping her head towards him so he could bark out the order which he hesitantly did. He helplessly combed his fingers on his drenched in sweat hair upon seeing Olivia give him a slight smile.

The three watched as Olivia stood up and dusted her hands, seemingly delighted over something that they could not pin out. The truth was, her brain was on fire, storing all the techniques that MIB1 used in combat. If her guess was right, some of those moves were ancient hand-to-hand combat that was native to the country Nisia.

”Anybody up for a midnight snack?” Olivia gleefully asked as they made their way to the kitchen. She went on about in the fridge to scavenge for something nice to cook.

Across the marble countertop, MIB1 had a lightbulb moment as he watched Olivia tie her hair in a bun.

Edited By Swaning