Twin Souls

Chapter 4: The New Ally

REVISED: 11th Feb 2024

4. The New Ally

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Beep beep beep!

Beep beep beep!

Maria woke up to the sound of her smartphone's alarm which was loud and annoying. It was already past eight in the morning. In a half-conscious state, she immediately pressed the mute button and laid her head back on the pillow.

"I want to sleep longer in this cold weather," she whispered while staring at the boring, flat white-painted ceiling. Six hours of sleep was not enough for her to regain her energy. She had returned to the Astoria Hotel at 1 am after hanging out with an acquaintance she had only met two days ago. It was fast, but for innocent Maria, having a crush wasn't measured by time. She recalled their memories together and giggled. If only they had known each other for a long time, she would not consider it just a hangout, but a date instead.

She can vividly recall every minute she spent with him - from the satisfying Russian meal they had (thanks to the rice!) to the beautiful violin music that played in the restaurant. She remembers the joyful Christmas songs that filled the shops, the many lights that adorned the shopping district, and the moment when they exchanged their contact numbers.

Oh no! Maria frantically grabbed her phone, hoping for a text from him. She opened her inbox only to find it empty.

She sighed, threw her smartphone on the bed, and headed to the shower room. Maria must attend an important meeting today, which was the reason for her sudden visit to Russia.

Maria is excited to finally meet the human form of the Russian Federation, even though they have never interacted before. She remembers seeing him years ago at a previous World Conference when she was seven and Alfred, a nine-year-old boy, brought her along. While navigating through the crowd to the food table, Maria noticed a teenage boy standing alone with a bored expression on his face, watching the people dancing together. Although her memory of the encounter is not entirely clear, Maria still recalls a few details.

"Big brother, who is he?" young Maria asked Alfred, who was busy eating a cheeseburger next to her seat. She pointed her little finger at the teenage boy, and Alfred gave her a displeased look in return.

"That's Russia! You better stay away from him, he's dangerous!" Alfred replied in a hasty voice and kept on consuming his meal.

Maria recalled the time when her brother Alfred had commented that Russia was like a wolf in sheep's clothing. Alfred had tried to establish a good relationship with the Eastern Europeans, but it did not work out. She was aware that her brother did not have a good rapport with that individual, which was why she had never met him.

Maria took a shower and then dressed up in an elegant white blouse and a red skirt that reached below her knees. She applied light makeup on her heart-shaped face and styled her long dark hair. Yao told her that Russia's facial features looked like the prince in those fairytale books. For Maria, looking presentable was one of the most important things on her mind.

While tying up her hair in a bun, she heard her smartphone make a single beep, signifying a text message. Was it Ivan? Her heart finally raced as she quickly grabbed it and tapped the screen open...

Then a sudden wave of disappointment crashed into her.

From: Wang Yao (王耀)

+86-930-8062977

Hey, Maria! Remember to meet me at the main entrance of Winter Palace, at 11 am sharp! Text me as soon as possible when you're already at the front gates, okay?