Chapter 21: Chapter 21

“No! You did not know. That is not me. You must have the wrong person!”

Jonea was very nervous and panicked. She covered her face with both hands and tried to get up from Elmar's stomach, which she accidentally sat on. Instead, Elmar kept Jonea there. He held the girl's slender waist and pulled her back to sit on his stomach.

"Yes!" said Elmar stubbornly. “I recognize you. It couldn't be anyone's fault."

Jonea was still covering her face with her hands. She closed her eyes and bit her lip so hard it hurt.

"Sir, you have the wrong person. I do not know you. And this is the first time we've met." Jonea was still trying to dodge.

Elmar did not want to give up either. “I'm never wrong. My eyes and body are always sharp, especially in remembering beautiful girls like you. I know who you are!” said Elmar confidently.

'You bastard playboy!' Jonea thought as she pushed Elmar's hand away from her waist.

She immediately rolled onto her side and knelt down quickly. In the next second, Jonea straightened up and fluffed her short skirt.

Still lying on the floor, Elmar was surprised to see Jonea's agility and speed. ‘She doesn’t look like a spoiled girl, even though her appearance says otherwise.’

“Jo—“ Elmar called when Jonea had turned and was about to leave.

The girl stopped. Jonea froze for a moment. ‘There is no way Elmar knows what my name is!’

“Georgia? That's right, that's your name?” Elmar grinned broadly as he spread his arms. He was already standing straight behind Jonea.

Jonea let out an annoyed breath. The girl turned to face Elmar and shook her head. "I told you we don't know each other!"

"Wait!" said Elmar. “This time, I definitely won't go wrong. I've recorded it in my memory, and now I remember it. You must be... Arabella!”

Jonea was still silent.

Elmar started to get nervous. Okay, I mispronounced the name. I mean, not Arabella, but Rose? Clarissa? Valerie?”

Jonea is completely fed up. "Enough, sir. Stop it! I see you are fine. You can even stand up straight and name collections of girls' names in your memory. I assume you weren't hurt by my slam. Again, I am sorry. Excuse me."

“O-ouch!” moaned Elmar. He bent down, holding his waist. Occasionally, he glanced at Jonea to see whether she would stay or go.

Jonea turned and let out a gasp of anger. "Shall we go to the doctor? Let them check on you. While we're in the hospital. Or... should I scream at the girls ahead that you're here?”

"No!" Elmar answered quickly. He moved his body. "I'm better now!"

Jonea took two steps back, then turned and left Elmar.

Elmar was still curious. He tried to follow Jonea, but he had important things to do right now. Elmar glanced at the watch on his wrist. As he watched Jonea leave at the end of the hall, Elmar suddenly smiled knowingly.

"I have a feeling we will definitely meet again."

***

Jonea kept running and didn't stop since leaving Elmar in the hospital hallway. Until she arrived at the bus stop, Jonea was still on guard. She glanced around to make sure no one was following her.

“Phew!”

The girl leaned against the billboard at the stop and breathed heavily.

"Why am I so unlucky? Why is Elmar even here? What business does he have in this isolated hospital?”

Jonea wiped the sweat off her forehead and sat on the bus stop bench.

"Good thing he didn't recognize me. His memory is really bad. He's a... a real playboy!” Jonea grumbled to herself.

The bus that Jonea was waiting for stopped in front of her. Jonea got up at the same time as her cell phone rang.

"Marlyn?" Jonea quickly received the call and failed to get on the bus. "Yes, Marilyn? Have you arrived yet?”

"Sorry, Jofa. Looks like I can't make it to the exhibition. Cough-cough!”

"Oh, Marlyn... you have a cold?" Jonea sounded worried.

"Forgive me. I'm really not feeling well right now. I also don't want to infect you with this virus."

"It's okay," Jonea said, sounding cheerful. “I will visit you tomorrow morning at home. This afternoon I can go to the exhibition alone.”

“Oh, Jofa, I'm really sorry. I'm also in trouble now! Hatchim..!”

"What is it? Do you need to go to the doctor? I'm going there now!”

Jonea had stepped off the curb and was about to hail a taxi when Marley stopped her.

“Can I ask you a little help, Jofa?”

“Tell me, Marley. I will help as long as I can!”

“It's about my part-time job at the cafe. Tonight there will be special guests, and they are short on manpower. I can't come. Do you know-"

"I will replace you!" said Jonea, who really understood the situation of her best friend at the art school. "You can't lose your job. You often help me, and now it's time for me to repay.”

"What about an art exhibition?" Marley's voice was full of regret.

Jonea laughed to reassure Marley. “I can go another time. That's not a big deal. Is it okay if I replace you temporarily? Won't your boss be angry?”

“On the contrary, they will definitely be greatly helped. Due to the weekends, they were always short on manpower. Just tell Johnny you're replacing me," Marley said in a relieved voice.

***

Two hours later, Jonea was standing in the kitchen of Johny's Cafe & Bar. The girl had already changed into Marley's work uniform.

"You replaced Marley?" asked Johnny, the cafe owner.

Jonea nodded because she had a hair elastic in her mouth. She was struggling to tie up her long fake hair. However, Jonea still wants to be recognized as herself outside of Abraham High School.

"Thank you, Jonea. This job will be a little tough. But I expect a lot from you. Tonight we have quite a troublesome guest.”

“Are those troublemakers again?”

Johnny nodded grimly.

A month ago, when Jonea visited Marley at the cafe where she worked, she saw a very unpleasant incident. A group of men book the cafe for their private party every full moon night. Unfortunately, these men are insolent and rude to the human female workers at the cafe. They always treat humans as slaves who deserve to be despised.

"I've always hated wolfmen," Jonea grumbled.

"Hopefully, that doesn't include me," said Johnny with a faint smile. "And please be patient. If they go too far, just call me. Okay?"

Jonea nodded. She was ready to work that night to serve the guests of the werewolf race. They will party on the full moon night until dawn.

"They're coming!" exclaimed one of the staff.

Jonea glanced at the guests from behind the kitchen door. They were men and women in their mid-twenties. Their faces and appearances are like rich youths who can do anything if they have money.

"Jonea, bring some wine to table five!"

The girl took a bottle of wine and walked quietly towards the table. As Jonea got close, her feet suddenly glued to the floor.

"What fate is this?" she muttered. “Why is B4 here? Shit!”

Four members of the Beasts Four sat at table five with laughter and jokes accompanying them. One of them turned to Jonea and stared at the girl without blinking.

Jonea should have gone to table five. She backed up and made a turn before they all realized Jonea had a similar face to Miller's. She didn't want to meet and confront B4. Not out here.

However, another diner from table three grabbed Jonea's hand and squeezed her bottom. Jonea stood up, holding back her anger. Her hand gripped the wine bottle tightly.

“Waiter, sit here and accompany us for a drink!” said the man, who was already half drunk.

The man from table three stood up and opened his mouth wide. He bared a pair of sharp wolf fangs. The man teased and frightened Jonea, sinking his fangs into the girl's exposed neck.

“You… human,” the man whispered. “Your flesh and blood must be very sweet. Don't you want to give your body to me? I can turn you into a werewolf, and you will be my slave!”

When the man was about to sink his fangs into Jonea's neck, Jonea was about to punch the man in the jaw. But someone pulled Jonea into his arms very possessively.

"She's my girl!"