Chapter 5 Strawberry Psycho and the CEO offer

KISSES AND STRAWBERRIES

{When Danger Meets Desire}

By Silva Tim

Chapter 5 : Strawberry Psycho and the CEO offer

"That was a nice show," Kenzo grinned sarcastically.

"Son, son, that was..." Mr. Hernandez stuttered.

"Put your pants on," Kenzo cut in.

"Huh?"

"Wear your pants, or do you want me to help you?" Kenzo snapped.

"Yeah, yeah..." Mr. Hernandez quickly pulled on his trousers.

"And you, get out!" Kenzo barked at the secretary.

"Y-yes sir!" The secretary stuttered, dressed herself, and rushed out of the office.

"So, you're cheating on your wife, huh? She's already too old for you, right? Or is that not it?" Kenzo smiled as he walked fully into the office.

"Son, can you please keep this a secret?" Mr. Hernandez pleaded.

"A secret? Am I a secret agent now, or do I look like someone who keeps secrets? You're out here f***ing your secretary in your office-a sacred office," Kenzo scoffed with a smirk.

"She's going to kill me if she finds out. Please, son, I'm begging you."

"Seriously?" Kenzo said blankly.

"Yes, please, I'll do anything for you. Do you want cars? Another mansion? Anything, I'll give it to you."

"Sure, but I don't need those things. Just sit down," Kenzo said calmly.

"I should? So you won't tell on me?" Mr. Hernandez stuttered.

"Should I?" Kenzo smirked.

"No!!!" Mr. Hernandez shouted, and Kenzo chuckled dryly.

"I'm not telling her. So, why did you call me here?" Kenzo asked.

"Huh? I did?"

"Don't you have memory loss? You told me this morning to come here by 3 p.m., dummy," Kenzo scoffed.

"Dummy?" Mr. Hernandez mumbled.

"Yeah. Cheater," Kenzo said blankly.

Mr. Hernandez sighed. "Actually, I forgot I told you to come."

"Of course. The damn p***y already made you forget," Kenzo replied.

"Son..."

"Just tell me what I came here for," Kenzo said impatiently.

"Actually, I want you to take over this company. I saw all your academic records, and you're more than capable of keeping the company growing. I want you to become the CEO of Hernandez Group," Mr. Hernandez said seriously.

"Huh? CEO? Are you using this to blackmail me?" Kenzo asked blankly.

"No, no, I'm not. That's what I wanted to tell you when I called you."

"Oh, so you really want me to be CEO?"

"Yes. You're a genius. You finished elementary school at six," Mr. Hernandez smiled.

I graduated school by six? Oh, that's why I finished college in Italy by eighteen. Gosh, this is confusing, Kenzo thought.

"So, will you?" Mr. Hernandez asked.

"No. I don't want to become CEO. I just got back home after seventeen years, and you're asking me to become CEO already? Don't you think that's too much? I only want to have fun for now," Kenzo smiled.

"I know it's inappropriate, but it's your right. I won't rush you. When you're ready, you can come take your post," Mr. Hernandez said.

"All right, that's all you wanted to tell me, right?" Kenzo asked.

"Yes."

"I'll get going now," Kenzo said, turning to leave.

"Wait!!!" Mr. Hernandez shouted.

"What?" Kenzo asked blankly.

"Uh... you won't tell your mom about this, right?"

"If you keep pestering me like this, I might change my mind. And don't you dare do it again. But well, it's none of my concern," Kenzo said.

"I won't do it again. I promise."

"I don't care," Kenzo scoffed, walking toward the door.

"Wait!!!" Mr. Hernandez called again.

"What now?" Kenzo said, irritated.

"Let's go home together."

"No."

"Come on, let's go together. We can part ways if you're heading somewhere else," Mr. Hernandez said, grabbing his coat.

"Fine, do whatever you want," Kenzo rolled his eyes as they stepped into the elevator.

When they reached the lobby, guards immediately approached them.

"Good day, President Hernandez."

"Good day, Young Master."

Employees chattered as they watched them like a drama.

> Wow, they look so alike.

Father and son.

The Hernandez!

Mr. Hernandez wrapped his arm around Kenzo's neck.

"You want me to tell your wife?" Kenzo smirked.

"Of course not," Mr. Hernandez laughed awkwardly, quickly dropping his arm.

"Man, this is so good," Kenzo smiled darkly.

"This isn't good at all..." Mr. Hernandez thought inwardly.

---

SPRING VALLEY COLLEGE

Tamara and Juliette walked down the hallway, chatting. Students passed by as the two girls moved side by side, never leaving each other's side.

"Will you stop being addicted to anything strawberry?" Juliette asked as Tamara munched on strawberry chips.

"Huh? I'm addicted already, so I can't stop," Tamara smiled.

"You still haven't found your 'strawberry savior,' have you?"

"I didn't tell you?"

"No, you didn't."

"I found him." Tamara grinned.

"Oh, really?" Juliette's eyes widened.

"Yeah, but..."

"But what?"

"The moment we met again was... very bad," Tamara sighed.

"Bad? Tell me about it." Juliette grinned curiously.

"No, it's too embarrassing to even think about, let alone say out loud," Tamara said, flustered.

"Sheesh. You got addicted to strawberries because of him, and now your big reunion was embarrassing? And how did you even meet him here in Germany?" Juliette asked.

"I don't know, I just met him," Tamara giggled.

"Look at you, smiling like a fool. You're head over heels just because he saved you ten years ago," Juliette teased.

"What? Are you jealous?" Tamara said.

"Of course not."

"He has one of my things, so that's another excuse to meet him," Tamara beamed.

"Seriously? I can't keep listening to your one-sided love story," Juliette scoffed.

"But you asked!"

"No, I didn't!" Juliette grinned sarcastically.

Suddenly, Camile and her crew blocked their path. The one thing Tamara and Juliette hated most in the entire school was Camile and her crew. The feeling was mutual, and everyone knew it.

Camile hated Tamara because she was more beautiful, though she would never admit it, so they always looked for trouble.

> Whoa, it's on.

Another fight.

This is gonna be fun.

"What's wrong, peeps? Lost your way?" Tamara said.

"Who are you calling peeps?!" Ariana yelled.

"Calm down, Riana, she's the peep here," Camile scoffed.

"Will you guys just scram?" Juliette snapped.

"Shut up, b***h!" Wendy yelled, chewing her gum.

Dylan and Damien walked out of their department nearby.

"The party's on," Damien chuckled.

"Gosh, they never get tired of this," Dylan sighed as they approached the crowd.

Damien followed closely, and Camile's eyes lit up when she saw him.

"You're still crushing on him even after getting rejected a million times?" Tamara taunted.

"Hey!" Camile snapped.

"What? Isn't it the truth? Now, get out of my way." Tamara pushed Camile lightly, making her stumble, but someone caught her.

Camile looked up and saw Charlie. She immediately shoved him away.

"Get off me!" she yelled.

"I just made your dreams come true," Tamara smiled and walked away.

"See you later, peeps," Juliette waved as she followed Tamara.

"They're so annoying!" Wendy hissed.

"You're more annoying!" Camile yelled at Charlie before storming off.

"Sorry, Charlie. You can meet with me," Ariana flirted, following Camile.

Charlie scoffed and walked away.

Outside, Tamara popped another strawberry chip into her mouth.

"I need to find him," she smiled.

"Gosh, not again," Juliette rolled her eyes.

---

ITALY – VENETO'S EMPIRE – THE DARK ROOM

In a dark room, Don smoked his tobacco wrap while reading a newspaper. Kevin entered, carrying two briefcases of gold.

"Father."

"You got it?" Don smiled.

"Yes, Father."

"Kayla didn't come back to Italy with you, huh?"

"She insisted on staying in Germany."

"That's not my concern. All that concerns me is my money." Don's eyes locked onto the gold.

"Have you gotten feedback from the guy you sent to Germany?" Kevin asked.

"No. Poison caught him already," Don chuckled.

"You think so?"

"I don't think so. I know so. Take this and get out of here." Don tossed him a gold bar.

"Okay, Father." Kevin left the dark room with a dark smile. "Getting just one gold bar out of all that gold... so great."

Inside, the Consigliere entered and bowed.

"Get up," Don said.

"Thank you, Capo."

"So, when do you think I should tell him about the treasures?" Don asked with a smile.

"You want to extract the treasures?"

"Yeah. He's good for the job. I'm going to get those treasures through him," Don said devilishly.

"I don't think it's the right time, Capo," the Consigliere advised.

"You're the advisor, so we'll do it when you say so."

"Okay, Capo. And the one you sent to trail him?"

"He caught him already," Don laughed.

"He's really well-trained. We'll have to look for more to keep an eye on him," the Consigliere said.

"Yeah, for sure. I still feel uneasy. He's dangerous. I trained him myself."

"That's why he's dangerous."

"Just like me." Don smiled, puffing out thick smoke.

---

GERMANY – 11 PM – DARK CLUB

Tamara stood in front of the club wearing black jeans, a pink crop top, and the black jacket he had given her.

"I'm sure he's in here," she thought, eyeing the sleek black superbike parked outside.

"Ooh, this is so sick," she smiled. "I'd love to steal this too, but I'll let you off tonight." She walked inside.

The club was filled with dirty business, but she didn't care. The moment she entered, men turned their heads.

> Whoa, she's hot.

I'd love to have her.

Hot legs.

She's a baddie.

Tamara scoffed, looking around. "Is he here or not?" she muttered.

She walked to the bar and sat down.

"What can I get you, hot lady?" the waiter smiled.

"Give me a shot," Tamara replied.

"Okay, miss." He served her with a grin.

"Have you seen a tall, very handsome guy around here?" she asked.

"A tall, handsome guy?"

"Yeah, you could say 'beautiful,'" Tamara said.

"Oh, you're here for the beautiful man, too?" the waiter teased.

"He has something of mine."

"Oh, that's bad. He stepped out for a bit, but his bike is still out there, so he'll be back."

"Okay, I'll wait. Give me another shot," she said.

"Sure thing, miss." The waiter smiled again.

Thirty minutes later, Kenzo and Dylan walked into the bar.

"I feel bad coming here with you," Kenzo said.

"What? You think I'm a kid? I'm all grown up," Dylan shot back.

"I know," Kenzo replied blankly.

"Beautiful Man!!" the waiter called loudly as soon as they got close.

"What is it?" Kenzo asked.

"This lady here has been waiting for you," the waiter said, pointing at Tamara, who looked drunk already.

"Her?" Kenzo raised an eyebrow.

"I know her. That's that scary girl," Dylan said, quickly hiding behind Kenzo.

"Scary girl?" Kenzo repeated.

"Yeah, she's really scary," Dylan mumbled, still hiding.

Tamara stood up, swaying as she stared at Kenzo.

"You!!! Strawberry Psycho!!!" she slurred, grabbing onto him.

"Strawberry Psycho? Do you have a death wish?" Kenzo's eyes glinted dangerously.

"Of course, I-" Tamara began but suddenly felt the urge to puke.

"Don't tell me you're going to-" Kenzo started, but Tamara threw up all over him.

She vomited everything on him before collapsing onto his chest, fast asleep.

"F***!!!" Dylan screamed, horrified.

Kenzo stood frozen, drenched, unable to move, looking like a stunned chicken.

T.B.C.

Hermes [Smile]

Silva Tim