Chương 10: Role Without A Self: Chapter 9

The moment the "young man" stepped out onto the street, he immediately turned his head toward the unfamiliar voice that had called out to him.

"So, you finally decided to show up." Standing a short distance away were two broad-shouldered men dressed in dark clothing, both watching him with expressions that suggested they had already been waiting for quite some time. The "young man" frowned before slowly turning his body toward them, allowing an arrogant smile to spread across his face as though their presence was nothing more than a mild inconvenience.

"And who exactly are you two?" he asked, his voice carrying the confidence of someone accustomed to looking down on others.

"Do you usually scream at this young master from across the street whenever you want something?" The two men exchanged confused glances. One of them quietly leaned toward the other.

"... Is this really him?"

"The boss said it was."

"... He doesn't seem..." The other shrugged.

"Doesn't matter." The first man cleared his throat before stepping forward.

"The boss has been waiting for you." Hearing those words, Nina immediately realized these were the people she had apparently been instructed to meet. So these are the people... She had absolutely no idea who they were. Nor did she know what Elias had gotten himself involved in. Still, exposing herself now would only make things worse. So she continued playing the role. The man looked at her before speaking again.

"You sure took your time. We even saw you walking around with that old man earlier." Nina paused for the briefest moment. Old man...? She had no idea who they were referring to, but since they clearly believed she knew, she simply chose not to correct them. Instead, she gave an impatient wave of her hand.

"Enough talking. Are we leaving or not?" The man blinked.

"... This way." Nina looked toward the brightly lit entrance of the nearby building.

"Isn't the meeting supposed to be inside?"

"No." The man's expression remained perfectly serious.

"You made the boss wait too long." He pointed toward a narrow alleyway instead.

"So this is your punishment." Before Nina could even process what he meant, the second man reached over and smacked him across the back of the head.

"What the hell are you saying that for?" he hissed. The first man rubbed the back of his head.

"... What? It's true." The "young man" looked between the two of them before letting out a small scoff.

"You ignored proper courtesy before I even arrived, and now you're arguing in front of me?" He clicked his tongue.

"You're lucky I'm in a good mood." Neither man dared answer. Instead, they hurriedly gestured for him to follow.

"This way, Young Master." The further they walked, the quieter the surroundings became. The bustling sounds of the city slowly faded behind them until only distant traffic remained, replaced by cracked pavement, rusted fences, and abandoned-looking buildings that seemed forgotten by time itself. Eventually, they stopped in front of what looked less like a meeting place and more like a neglected warehouse that had somehow survived years of decay. People actually use this place?

Nina doubted anyone passing by would ever believe there were people inside. The walls were stained with age, several windows had been boarded shut, and the entrance looked as though it would collapse if someone pushed on it too hard. Yet, despite its appearance, the moment the doors opened, she immediately noticed signs that people were actively living and working there. Furniture. Lights. Voices. Fresh cigarette smoke. This place was very much occupied.

As she entered, a heavily built man sitting behind a worn wooden table immediately looked toward her. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

"The young master is here." The words had barely left one of the escorts' mouths before Nina looked directly at the seated man.

"You're the boss?" The room instantly fell silent. The large man nearly choked on the alcohol he had been drinking.

"Cough... cough...!" He hurriedly waved both hands.

"Don't say something like that!"

"I didn't say anything!"

"I mean, don't call me the boss!" His face visibly paled.

"If someone hears you calling me that, I'm dead!" Nina quietly stared at him.... What? None of this was making any sense. Still, she maintained her expression. Without waiting for permission, she casually pulled out a nearby chair, turned it around, and sat down backwards before resting her arms across the backrest, crossing one leg lazily over the other.

"So." She looked directly at the nervous man.

"What exactly is this about?" The man's expression gradually became serious again.

"Our agreement ends today." He folded his hands together.

"So..." He looked directly into her eyes.

"Where's the money?" Nina blinked.

"... Money?"

"The seven hundred million." Silence.

"..."

"..."

"You didn't forget, did you?" The room became noticeably colder.

"The agreement was simple." The man slowly leaned forward.

"You promised that seven hundred million would be ready today." His voice became heavier.

"Otherwise..." He never finished the sentence. He didn't need to. Nina's thoughts completely froze. Seven hundred... million? What...? What kind of number is that? Her mind raced. Did Elias borrow seven hundred million? Did my brother just throw me into a situation where people are demanding seven hundred million dollars? What kind of life has he been living? She desperately kept her expression calm despite the growing panic. One wrong answer could expose her immediately.

"So..." The man spoke once more.

"You brought it?" Nina slowly opened her mouth before closing it again. She genuinely had no idea what these people were talking about. Every sentence they spoke only created more questions than answers. Eventually, she could no longer maintain the act.

"... I think there's been some kind of misunder..." A deafening gunshot echoed through the building. Bang! For a split second, Nina felt nothing. Then an overwhelming force slammed into her back. Her body lurched forward as the chair beneath her tipped over completely, crashing onto the floor. The world spun violently around her. By the time she hit the ground, the only thing cushioning her fall was the surprisingly soft carpet spread across the floor.

She lay there in stunned silence, unable to comprehend what had just happened. The air had been driven from her lungs, her ears rang from the gunshot, and somewhere behind her, warmth slowly began spreading across her back. Only then did the pain arrive. She lay motionless on the floor, her eyes fixed upon the worn, water-stained ceiling above her. For some reason, she wanted to laugh. Not because anything about this situation was amusing, but because it all felt so absurd. So... this is how I die.

She had imagined her death countless times throughout the years. Sometimes she pictured herself collapsing from exhaustion after pushing herself too far for her family. Sometimes she imagined dying quietly in some hospital after finally allowing herself to become sick. Other times she wondered whether she would simply disappear one day, leaving behind nothing except the roles she had spent her entire life playing.

Never had she imagined that the end of her life would come from a single bullet fired by complete strangers over a debt she knew absolutely nothing about. Around her, the voices gradually became more distant.

"It's time to go."

"Let the others come, deal with the rest."

"We're done here." Footsteps echoed somewhere nearby before slowly fading away. Nina no longer had the strength to turn her head. Her body felt strangely warm. The pain was still there, but it no longer seemed as important as it had been only moments ago. Instead, her thoughts wandered elsewhere. I guess... This really was the last job. She had done it one final time. One last impersonation. One last borrowed identity. One last request for the sake of her family. Everything had ended exactly the way it always had.

She had erased herself for someone else. Only this time, there would not be another role waiting afterward. A weak smile almost appeared across her lips before disappearing just as quickly. How ironic. After spending so many years pretending to be everyone else, the body that would eventually be discovered would not even belong to "Nina." It would be found wearing Elias's face. Elias's clothes. Elias's scent. Perhaps people would even mistake the corpse for him at first glance. Even in death...

She had disappeared beneath someone else's identity. The darkness around the edges of her vision slowly crept inward, swallowing more and more of the room until only a narrow circle remained. Then, as another thought surfaced, her sluggish mind suddenly stirred.... Wait. The necklace. Emma's necklace. The tracking device. Even if she died here... Emma would find her. She would know where she had fallen.

At the very least, she would not remain abandoned in some forgotten building where no one would ever learn her name. Emma would come. She would make sure Nina received a proper burial. The thought brought her an unexpected sense of peace. She no longer had to wonder what came next. She no longer had to struggle with what her parents expected of her. She no longer had to worry about how she would continue living while constantly becoming someone else. Perhaps...

Perhaps this really was the kindest ending she could have hoped for. Emma would grieve. Of that, Nina had no doubt. But Emma would also continue living. She had people who loved her. A family that cared for her. She would not be alone. Knowing that eased the last lingering weight pressing against Nina's heart. A faint smile finally settled upon her lips.

"... Goodbye." Whether she was speaking to Emma... To her family... Or to the life she had never truly lived... Even she no longer knew. Her eyelids slowly drifted shut. The last traces of light disappeared. Then, with one final breath, Nina surrendered herself to the warm, endless darkness that quietly embraced her.