"I don't belong to anyone. I am not a property!" I yell.
Haru must've seen the irritation in my eyes, which makes his own expression to become softer.
"What I mean is, your Master couldn't protect you from harm." He tries to be calm as he clarifies himself to me. "You're no more under his care, so I don't want you to keep on addressing him as your Master."
That's right. Master Jin couldn't protect us. So many lives were lost in the estate. He has failed his own people. But right now, he's here. And he's currently in danger because of me. Because he came all the way to take me back, which means I have my own share of responsibility for whatever happens.
My sense of justice wouldn't allow me to turn a blind eye. No matter what, Sergio is wrong for using me to get to Master Jin. And someone has to do something to stop him.
"I understand your concern." I make an attempt to move away but Haru's hold on my arm only becomes tightened. "But there's something I need to confirm. So please, take me to see my brother if you truly care about me."
"Hana ya, your nose. . ." His expression turns ghostly pale while pointing to my nose. "I'm so sorry I hurt you." He sounds alarmed, his gaze fixed on my face.
The next thing I do is wipe the trickling sensation I feel running down my nose. I look down at my fingers only to see the blood on them.
Wait, what? I'm really having a nosebleed?
I panic as I press the back of my hand over my nose and without saying a word to Haru, I snap out of his hold. I literally fly upward and quickly motion to the bathroom to check the damage.
After a few minutes of washing and cleaning, I pat my nose gently with a clean towel. Looking at the mirror once again, I can only see how red the skin around my nose has become.
I shouldn't be worried about my looks when someone's life is in danger. I peel my eyes off the mirror and hurry out to the room with the expectation to see Haru waiting for me.
But no. . . Haru is gone. And he's locked me up once again.
~~~
I lie on the floor, thinking of a plan. I feel exhausted. Mentally. Physically. Emotionally. My body feels sore all over as though I'd been battered in my sleep.
After Haru locked me up, I doze off to a long sleep. From the look outside the window, I knew I had slept for several hours. In my sleep, I had a long, terrible dream about blood and dead bodies. I haven't had a nightmare as terrifying as this in a very long time.
Strangely, my dream seemed to be connected to what has been happening in my life at present. Blood and dead bodies.
Why do I strongly feel like I have a dark past which my memory has been trying to recall but is failing all the time? Why do I feel like everything happening to me now is somehow connected to my past?
To my parents, maybe. . . Even though I don't know who they are, I feel like they weren't ordinary people. Maybe that was why Kai never told me a thing about them. He said he didn't know them and they never left a record at the orphanage.
Could it be true that Sergio knows something about my parents?
It's tempting to want to dig into my past. But if I'm going to do that, it will be better to hear it from someone who has no reason to lie to me.
Kai has a reason to lie to me because he's my guardian. Sergio has a reason to lie to me because he needs information. Those two. . . I can't find out about my parents from them.
Then who should I talk to?
Master Jin?
No. He can't do anything while in captivity.
Haru?
Yes. Maybe Haru can find out about my parents. He seems well connected, and everyone in this Alfonso mansion respect him. He's the so called 'Consigliere' in the family after all.
With this determination to find Haru and talk to him about my parents, I try to unlock the door using the pin once again. In TV dramas, even unexperienced people can unlock a door with a pin, so why can't I?
After so many failed attempts, I got tired and I end up tossing the pin away. I feel so frustrated like I'm at the brink of going completely berserk. Just when I want to scream out, I hear the sound of high heels heading my way. I hear the sound of keys before the door clicks open and Paulina peeks in.
She's changed into a different, simple and casual dress.
"I'm not supposed to do this, but I think you have to come with me, Hana." She looks serious. There's no sign of smile on her face. "I have to show you the not so bright side of having a Mafia family. I think your brother needs you."
Before I know it, I'm standing face to face with Paulina. "Please take me to see him."
"I'm about to. Let's go before my brother finds out I have betrayed him."
I can see the reality behind that serious expression on Paulina. She's just a girl sick and tired of everything wrong with her family. She's trying to be decent by helping me out because she considers me as a friend. And I'm grateful for that.
"Thank you so much." I say, and she nods and offers me a sad smile.
"We need to hurry. You should take anything you can carry. If I can find a way, I will help you two escape."
"Three." I say, remembering that Jin is also being held. "we are three. I don't need to carry anything, let's just go."
She nods again. "I'll see what I can do to help you three."
Together, I and Paulina navigate the mansion, using all sort of excuses to gain access to restricted places. Paulina had to use threats on one of the guards before he allowed us into the underground cells where they lock people up.