AS SOON as the sliding door of the Minase Funeral Services closed, Weeden blew his breath. Sweats trickled down his temple as his chest hammered due to running. He didn’t expect that a lot of people here knew his brother. He thought that Walter must be wasn’t that famous because the woman who ruined her painting doesn’t mistake him as his brother. But, hell, he was completely wrong.

“Did we just run for our lives?” the woman asked him. And just like him, she was also catching her breath. “But why did we do that?”

Weeden looked at her in a knotted forehead. “Didn’t you know Walter Chandonne?”

She shook her head. “Is she a senator?” she asked, then lowered her gaze. “Will you let go of my hand now?”

When he looked down on what she’s staring at, he saw that their hands were still intertwined. But instead of letting her hand go, he held on to it tightly. “You won’t get away from me now.”

The woman’s face reddened. Her big doe eyes grew bigger as she looked at him in a kind of way as if he confessed his love to her. “Are you stupid?”

His jaw dropped with what she said. “Did you just say I’m stupid?”

The man beside them snorted. When he looked at him, he returned his gaze at his phone. While the woman, who said he’s stupid, just looked at her in a knotted forehead.

“I asked you if you’re stupid. I didn’t say you’re stupid. That’s different,” she said sarcastically. “Anyway, you can let me go because we’re inside my funeral building, and there’s no chance that I could run away again. You see, a lot of people were outside.”

He studied her face if she’s fooling him again. The woman exchanged a measuring gaze at him too. Her big eyes didn’t bat an eyelash. “Okay—”

“Oh, my gosh, Ma’am Ruru! You’re having an affair with Walter Chandonne?” A woman suddenly appeared from the lobby. She was holding a broomstick and a garbage bag.

“Affair?” The woman on his side, whom she called Ruru, snatched her hand free from him. “I don’t know him—”

“Of course, you knew who I am,” he said and grabbed her arm.

The woman glared at her. “Yes, I remember that you are the guy at the airport, but I don’t know you personally.”

Weeden pressed his lips. She has a point. She maybe looked like a woman who just knows how to argue with somebody, but everything replied to her was on point. And sarcastic.

“Then, why are you holding hands with Walter?” the woman with the broom asked.

“There are a lot of people chasing them outside,” the man on the reception desk butt in. And, just like the security guard, he was also occupied by his phone. “They’re calling him with the name that you just called him.”

The woman gasped. “Does it mean that he was really Walter?” she asked, then knotted her forehead. “But, his hair is a bit longer?”

“Because I’m not Walter Chandonne,” he said and smirked. “You must be really a die-hard fan of my brother.”

“Brother?” the woman with the broomstick ran towards him. “You are Walter Chandonne’s brother? Why do you look so much like him? It was as if you’re an—”

“We’re identical twins,” he finished. “But, I’m not here because I have an affair with this woman, and that will never happen. I’m here because she owes me big time.”

“Ma’am Ruru, did you borrow money from him?” the woman asked.

“No, of course not,” the woman beside him said. “And, wait for a second, can you please enlighten me? Who’s Walter Chandonne? And, why you talked about him as if he’s a super famous celebrity?”

“Because he really is, Ma’am Ruru!” the woman answered with a broad smile on her face. “Walter Chandonne is one of the country’s famous actors in this generation. Not only he has dashing good looks, but he’s also a great actor. He even won multiple awards in FAMAS.”

“Really? Why I feel as if I don’t care?” the woman she called Ruru rolled her eyes. “Anyway, Walter look-alike, how will you go out now?” she peered behind the curtains. “It looks like that all your plans doesn’t have plans on leaving you alone.”

Weeden caught his head. “I need to get out of here.” He thought of calling his brother, but he left his phone inside the car. “Fuck,” he groaned and raked his finger through his hair.

“Wow, you moved as if you’re a commercial shampoo model,” the woman walked towards the reception. “If you’re not the Walter Chandonne that they thought you are, then who are you?”

“My name’s Weeden,” he said in a knotted forehead. “Why do you ask? I thought you don’t care?”

“I don’t,” she said, then smiled at him wickedly. “My name’s Ruru Minase. And, I think I can help you get out of here peacefully.”

“Ruru Minase?” Weeden asked. “You’re the owner of this funeral parlor?”

Ruru nodded. “Yes, I’m the only Ruru Minase that owns a century-old funeral parlor in Manila.”

“I don’t have questions regarding the age of this building. But, I have concerns about your name,” Weeden said in a knotted forehead. “I thought Ruru Minase is a Japanese woman. I didn’t expect that Ruru Minase looks like—”

“Looks like what?” The woman glared at him, making her eyes grew bigger. “Don’t you dare to insult my beauty, you racist!”

All the people around them laughed, except Ruru. She looked at him as if she’s going to blow fire at him.

“That is not what I wanted to say,” he said and tried not to laugh.

“Weeden, just like your brother, you’re good at speaking our language, too,” the woman with the broom told him. “I wonder how did you learn our language. You and Walter were born and raised in France, right?”

Weeden started to feel uncomfortable. He doesn’t like it when asked about their skill in speaking other languages. “Well, I didn’t go here to answer an interview. I went here to ask this woman to pay me for the painting—”

“Walter! Walter Chandonne!” the people from the outside shouted. “We will not leave until we see you again! Please, come out!”

“They will do what they say, I’m sure,” the security guard said. “Ma’am Ruru, we’ll lose clients if they stayed there for long.”

“And, the other people might think that Minase did something bad against the people gathering outside,” the one in the reception added. “They might think that you scammed them.”

“No way! We will lose our income for today!” Ruru said, then looked at him. “Can you please, give me more time?”

Weeden furrowed his brows. “Okay, I’ll give you one week,” he said and turned to the door to leave. But he was welcomed by shouts from the people blocking the exit. When he turned around again, Ruru’s wicked smile welcomed him. “You say that you can help me get out of here, right?”

***