Billy rushed outside when he heard the screech of a truck braking, ready to scold whoever was being so reckless—only to freeze when he saw several familiar faces.
"????"
Piper blinked in surprise. "Ah—Billy? What are you doing here?"
Lucy looked just as stunned. "It really is Billy…"
Reunited with old friends.
Even Caesar cracked a grin. "Hahaha! Didn't expect to see you still breathing. Two years without a word—I thought you'd gotten yourself killed in a Hollow."
Billy covered his face and said nothing for a long moment.
Eventually, he cleared his throat to break the awkward silence. "Uh… Piper, it's been a while. You've really shot up."
As he spoke, Billy instinctively reached out to pat Piper's head.
She shoved him away. "Hands off. It's your fault I'm the same height as Lucy—you always used to flatten my hair."
Billy turned toward Lucy, trying to pat her head instead.
She promptly kicked him. "If you wanna get hit, just ask."
Billy stood there, embarrassed. "..."
Two years apart, but Caesar, Piper, and Lucy hadn't changed a bit.
Well—except now Piper and Lucy had both grown up.
Then Billy gave them a confused look. "Big Sis Caesar, Piper, Lucy—how did you even know I was here?"
Since leaving the Calydon gang and starting fresh in the city, Billy had joined Hare's House by chance. He hadn't been in contact with his old crew, so they shouldn't have known where to find him.
Did they actually investigate because they were worried about him?
Or maybe they saw something about Hare's House on the news?
Beside him, Lucy frowned. "Drop the 'little.'"
Piper yawned. "Well, seeing you alive is a relief. But just to be clear—we're not here for you."
Billy blinked, suddenly understanding. "Oh! You're here for a job! You've come to the right place. Hare's House is top-tier—reliable services, professional agents, friendly staff…"
He launched into a well-rehearsed pitch, parroting all the promo lines Nicole had drilled into him.
"And since it's you guys, I'll throw in a discount—maybe thirty, even twenty percent off. You decide!"
Lucy looked completely unimpressed.
He was still the same over-the-top showman. She sometimes wondered if he had a drama module built into his code.
Piper shook her head. "We're not here for a commission. We're here to visit Sam Li. From what you said, you work at Hare's House now, right? So you know Sam, yeah?"
Billy froze.
They weren't here for him. They weren't even here on business.
Old friends—yet they'd come to see Sam.
Then it hit him. Sam had mentioned running into some Calydon members in the Outer Ring a while back—and helping Piper out.
"Uh… you're just in time. Sam just got back."
Billy stepped aside and welcomed them into Hare's House.
Just as they stepped inside, Nicole's voice rang out.
"Billy! Where'd you hide the remote?!"
Right away, they walked into a scene of total chaos: Nicole rummaging through cushions, Nekomata holding a fish tank, and Anby munching on a burger.
Lucy frowned immediately.
Just like the posts on the forum said—Hare's House was full of weirdos.
At the same time, Nicole, Nekomata, and Anby noticed the group entering.
Their eyes met—confused, curious…
Nicole asked, "Billy, are they clients?"
Before Billy could answer, Lucy shot back, "Nope."
The air got awkward real fast.
Billy covered his face and turned to Caesar. "Big Sis! Uh—let me introduce you. That's Nicole, uh… this is Anby, that's Nekomata, and over there is Sam…"
When he got to Nicole, he caught Caesar's sharp gaze and hesitated—he couldn't bring himself to call Nicole "boss" in front of Caesar.
Nicole frowned when she heard him call Caesar "Big Sis," unsure what was going on.
Anby and Nekomata exchanged thoughtful glances.
After a moment of silence, Billy turned back to Nicole. "Nicole, uh, Boss! Let me introduce you—this is Caesar… and that's Piper, and Lucy. They're from my old crew."
Again, when introducing Caesar, Billy flinched at Nicole's not-so-welcoming stare and hesitated, just like he had with Nicole.
After the awkward introductions, Billy slumped in defeat, face in hands.
Having both his former boss and current boss in the same room? If he could sweat, he'd be drenched by now.
Now that introductions were over, everyone understood who the others were.
Caesar—Billy's former boss.
Nicole—his current one.
The two locked eyes.
Tension instantly filled the air.
Like a scene from an old martial arts film, they seemed locked in a silent battle of wills—whoever flinched first would lose.
Just as the standoff threatened to escalate...
Billy cautiously broke in. "Um… Big Sis Caesar, didn't you come to see Sam? He's right over there—maybe you should, uh, go talk to him?"
Piper jumped in. "Yeah, Caesar—let's go say hi to Sam."
Caesar didn't keep glaring. Instead, she burst out laughing.
"As expected of the boss of Hare's House. I like your style."
Nicole blinked. "????"
What?
She hadn't even wanted a confrontation—but Caesar had shown up like she was owed a million Dennies. That's why Nicole had stood her ground.
Now, just like that, she was all smiles?
What was up with this woman?
Caesar turned toward the living room, and sure enough, there he was—sitting calmly on the sofa, completely unaffected.
Sam Li.
Enjoying a fresh cup of tea as if none of the tension mattered.
Even Caesar could feel it—he had a presence like a mountain. Steady, powerful, and clearly not just anyone.
Piper rushed over. "Mr. Sam Li! Just like we talked about yesterday—I brought Lucy and Caesar to visit you!"