Killer Queen: A Clockwork Pink
Chapter 3: Under Pressure
March 1999.
At both ends of the door stood two people, both in their early 30's, but both once again feeling like they were in high school once again, for Shinobu, this felt like a slap in the face to her plan of total independence, the only other guy that gave her the feeling of being cared for without the slightest drop of lust in the mix was standing right in front of her, and he looked a lot better than he did in High School. He got taller, his hair looked incredibly shiny from the lighting and his jaw line looked incredible. Shinobu felt the urge to not only start tearing up, but blushing as well start to come up, but she allowed neither to truly surface.
Kira on the other hand, was not feeling the awkward infatuation. Instead, the events of that one morning in December 1982 was replaying in his head, Mr. Kuimido, Kosaku… Killer Queen. Kira's heart began to beat faster as it sank into a bottomless pit, the demons of his past have come back to haunt him, and they took the form of his old high school crush.
Kira and Shinobu stared at each other for a mere few seconds, but those few seconds felt like hours to the two. Shinobu decided to break the silence first.
"Kira?" she said, in a low voice, wondering if it was actually Kira that was standing right in front of him.
Hearing Shinobu's voice after all these years fried the circuits to Kira's brain, thinking quickly (but not critically,) he thought up the best solution to do in this very awkward situation… And he slammed the door on her face. Kira was now breathing rapidly and began sweating from the shock of the one-sided exchange. He pressed his back onto the door, not knowing what to do, maybe if he waited long enough, she wouldn't think he was home. Knock, knock, knock.
Nobody's home! He wanted to nervously shout out, knowing how "well" that was going to go.
"Kira…" Shinobu began on the other side of the door. "I know that you might not want anything to do with me… But please, I'm in a very dark place right now."
A beat.
"Please, can we at least talk?" She continued even if there was no response.
A dark place? What does that mean? Is this emotional manipulation, you know it's really hard to read emotions when your bitch of a mother kept you from talking to other people for the entirety of your childhood. Kira's head spun at a million lightyears per millisecond. He didn't know what to believe in anymore, should he open the door? Or let Shinobu rot in her "Dark Place?"
"Kira?" Shinobu called one last time, audibly losing hope in trying to reconnect with him.
This pulled particularly on his heartstring, regret is finally setting in once again. What is she truly is in a dark place? I can't leave her out to dry. Fuck… Fuck. Why not… Kira finally decided what he was going to do. Shinobu got the message, she solemnly turned away from the door, tears finally streaming down her face, that is until she heard the clicking of the door handle, turning to watch as it opened. Kira stood there, still trying to maintain his breathing, but presenting himself to Shinobu.
Her mouth was gaped upon laying eyes on his once again. She took a step closer to him, and then another, never taking her eyes off of his face, then suddenly she embraced him in a bear hug, catching him off his guard. Shinobu pressed her face into his chest as she squeezed him hard, beginning to sob.
"KIRA! I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." She began to cry out as she rubbed her face on his chest, still keeping him in a hug.
Kira didn't know what the fuck to do, so he in his confused state just sat there listening to Shinobu as she did this.
"Shinobu…" Kira began. "What the fuck are you talking about?"
Shinobu paused what she was doing, never letting him go, only looking up to stare at his face. Kira looked down at her, she had a shining light in her eyes, like the ones she had all those years ago, under a tree by the lake, and she had a denser blush to her now. Her hair was still a beautiful shade of brown, but he notices that it was put in a messy ponytail, with many noticeable stands poking out of her scalp. Although he was admiring her retained beauty, he was still confused as why she was apologizing for.
"Why are you staying that you're sorry?" Kira asked again.
"Sorry, sorry." Now she was apologizing for forgetting about personal space, as she pulled away. "I'm sorry for how I treated you…"
Kira only blind, trying to jumpstart the rusty engine in his brain, trying to process what she had just said. "What?"
"…" Shinobu said nothing, equally confused after looking at his reaction.
"Why are YOU apologizing… For the small amount of time that I have known you treated me with nothing but kindness. Are you apologizing for that?" Kira spoke to Shinobu, confused, and rather offended on behalf of her. He never understood that she meant by that statement, never understood her true, original intention for that afternoon was. "The person that should be apologizing is Kosaku. Where is he anyways?"
To say that Kira instantly regretted saying that should be awarded the understatement of the year. He put two and two together as those words exited his mouth. He slammed his mouth shit and slowly turned to face Shinobu, just as he feared, her face mae an unexplainable emotion, her pupils shriveled, and her eyes became wide. Oh, that's what she meant by "Dark Times…"
"Oh, I see… Sorry, let's leave it at that…" Kira said, bringing his hand up to signify that he will not be bringing that subject up again.
Kira stood quietly beside Shinobu as she attempted to pull herself together. After a few seconds of heavy breathing, she finally composes herself to a point where she can articulate what she wanted from Kira.
"I moved in next door." She said, gesturing to the door of her new apartment. "And I need help moving in…"
Kira looked at a car, that is jammed pack with plenty of boxes. Kira shifted his jaw, moving his lips in contemplation. He decided to shrug his shoulder slightly. Why not. Shinobu smiled slightly, sort of relieved that she had someone to trust moving her stuff. Kira carried multiple boxes from the car up the stairs, entering her small apartment. He looked around, there's a small coffee table, with a green couch pressed against the wall, with a TV set on a drawer right across from it. Kira set down the boxes right next to the coffee table and was about the step out to get more boxes, but a shiver went down his spine. Something, or rather, someone was staring at him somewhere in the apartment. Those eyes felt familiar. Like the cold black ones from Kosaku.
He decided to shrug off that feeling and went outside to resume helping Shinobu in moving the box inside. Each time he enters and exits the apartment, he feels the sensation, the eyes begin to cut through him, like the venomous tip of a blade.
Kira finally placed the last box into the apartment. He turned to Shinobu who was already opening the boxes, giving her a thumbs up as he sighed, signifying that he was done. She turned to him, greeting him with a smile.
"Thank you very much, Kira!" She said, in a giddy voice.
"Don't mention it…" Kira said, wiping the sweat off of his brow.
"Hm…" Shinobu hummed to herself, tapping her chin with her index finger, getting Kira's attention. "How can I repay you?"
"Uh… You don't… have to!" Kira said, a bit flustered.
"I insist, it will be my treat!" Shinobu responded with a large open tooth smile. "C'mon! How about a dinner, you and me! C'mon it will be fun!"
Kira couldn't do much in this situation but sigh, no matter how much he would argue, he highly doubted that Shinobu will ever change her mind, so he couldn't help but accept. "Fine, fine, fine. How about the coming Saturday?"
"Sounds great!" Shinobu responded, clasping her hands together.
Kira could only smile a bit, seeing how much Shinobu had improved emotionally in such a small span of time. Some minute, destitute, depressed, not knowing where she's going in life; the next, happy, joyful. On top of the world, almost. It was kind of terrifying to him how fast people can change, almost at the drop of the hat. Suddenly, the shiver came back, and this time it was at it's most violent. Someone, somewhere is staring at him with murderous intent, so much so that the eyes of Killer Queen began to resurface in self-defense. It's been many years since Killer Queen reared its stoic, bloodthirsty face.
Kira turned to look at a certain door, cracked open, a being looking at him from the inside. Shinobu realized Kira's curiosity and smacked her fist into the palm of her hand.
"Oh! I almost forgot!" Shinobu exclaimed. "Hayato, can you come out to say hi?"
A moment of silence followed, before the door creaked open, and a small boy, still in elementary, sheepishly stepped out to stare at Kira.
"Hayato, this is Kira. And old… I used to go to high school with him!" She wanted to use the word "friend," but she didn't think that they were back in high school. "Kira, this is my son, Hayato."
"Hello Hayato, nice to meet you." Kira extended his hand for Hayato to shake.
Hayato didn't hesitate to grab his hand, but neither did he hesitate to glare at Kira. And there Kira saw them, the cold, dead eyes of Kosaku, but this time with the added color of Shinobu's Hazel eyes. These were the very same eyes who were staring, glaring at him the entire time he helped Shinobu move.
"Well, I'll be off, if you need anything, I'll be next door." Kira waved them off before walking out the door.
"Thank you, Kira, I won't forget about this Saturday!" Shinobu waved back.
The last thing Kira saw before closing the door was Hayato still glaring daggers at him, holding onto his mom's leg. Kira walked back to his small apartment to ponder the events of the past hour. So Shinobu really did have a kid with Kawajiri huh… That Hayato kid seems a bit protective of his mother. Something bad must have happened to them if the 10-year-old has to be the man of the house.
He closed the door to his apartment, plopping himself on the couch, tired after moving all of those boxes.
Wait I feel like I forgot to do something.
Later that night, Kira was asleep on his bed, dreaming about something, it doesn't matter, he'll forget about it in the morning. That is, when he remembered something. Quickly sitting straight up.
"I forgot my fucking groceries!" He exclaimed out loud.
Since Hayato moved, his mom was trying to figure out the entire school situation. So, there was an entire week since to move where Hayato didn't go to school, giving him a ton of free time to do whatever. For a normal kid, apathetic of school, this would have been paradise. For Hayato, not so much. He recently noticed that his mom didn't look as sad as she did previously follow the divorce, thanks in large part by the presence of Kira.
Although this was more than a welcome change, Hayato couldn't help but feel suspicious of Kira. He felt too normal for is liking, sure he might have blonde hair and blue eyes, unlike a normal Japanese man, but this makes him seem more like and enigma to Hayato. How can a man like that drop into Shinobu's life and seemingly fix al of her problems? That last part was hyperbole but serves to show how Hayato was feeling about the entire situation as it was presented to him.
He woke up to see his mother getting ready to go out and see what type of work she can apply for at approximately 5 AM, with a kiss on the temple goodbye she went out the door, ready to assert herself into the world, just to provide for Hayato. After a few hours he watched as Kira, dressed in a Lavender Suit from GF (Gianfranco) Ferre, walking out with a suitcase at hand. Perfect.
Hayato soon rushed to the bathroom to fish out a bobby pin from the restroom drawer. Hayato learned many unique and frankly questionable skill through bouts of boredom, some of these include: learning how to set up surveillance cameras, the art of silent footsteps, and, most importantly for this situation, lock picking. He stepped out of his apartment and tip toed up to the door to Kira's apartment, carefully but surely, to not draw attention to himself.
He jammed the bobby pin into the keyhole, fidgeting around until he heard an audible click. He slowly opened the door at stepped inside, setting down a yellow backpack on the floor. Quickly he pulled out approximately 4 video cameras. He decided to put them all in several discrete locations around the apartment. One behind a large potted plant in the living room, another in the kitchen, wedged between the refrigerator and the roof, to get somewhat of a bird's eye view of the entire kitchen. Another was placed inside the shoe rack, to the entrance of the restroom, and finally, one place under the drawers inside Kira's bedroom.
He then pulled out a series of wires and box modems, that will transfer all data to a digital video player, connecting each modem to all 4 cameras. After accomplishing that he connected his video player to his small television. Turning it on caused all of the other cameras in Kira's apartment to turn on simultaneously. Now when he wants, he can turn on his TV and spy on Kira, possibly recording his every action.
"And now we play the waiting game…" Hayato whispered to himself.
8 PM, Kira passed through the front window of Shinobu's apartment, signifying that he had arrived from work. Shinobu had yet to arrive herself, which means this is the prime hour to see what makes Kira tick.
Kira flipped through a few envelopes, looking to see which one was important. Opening them up and determining their value. He put the important documents on the counter and the not so important ones in the trash. He went to the kitchen and made himself a dinner from the small amount of ingredients he had in his refrigerator. I really need to get those groceries. After he finished his food, he immediately went to do the dishes, despite only using a plate, a cup, and a fork.
He went to his living room, turning on the television and cracking open a book.
Odd, why did he turn on his television just to read a book. I'll give him the benefit of a doubt for this one, maybe he needed the background noise. Wait, what is he reading? On closer inspection of book cover, he can clearly tell it was a Japanese publication of "Complete Mind Control: MK Ultra." A lump formed in Hayato's throat, what if he's reading how to mind control his mom, is that why he came off as so charismatic to her yesterday? Hayato began to bite his nails, wondering, pondering. Approximately 9 PM, Kira stopped reading and walked off frame, presumably to put the book away, because when he reentered the frame he had a towel at hand, entering the bathroom to shower. 20 minutes later Kira exited with a new change of clothes, a black t shirt and some grey sweats.
He sat and watched TV for the next hour, only getting up and turning it off, and going to the fridge. He opened it up to get a glass of milk, which he placed in the microwave for a minute, before pulling it out and having a nice drink, he rinsed out the glass before heading to his bedroom. Hayato then watched Kira as the older man began doing stretched for the next twenty minutes. When he was done, he went back to his restroom, presumably to brush his teeth, and after that at exactly 11:00 PM he crawled in bed and immediately fell asleep.
Hayato only blinked, looking down at the notes he was writing down, only one thing seemed suspicious was the fact that he was reading a book about MK Ultra, every move that Kira made was one of a normal person, only living a quiet mundane life. Hayato stared at his notes, Kira seemed normal… Too normal.
Hayato squinted in deep thought, until he heard the clicking of the front door. He turned off his TV and ran to see his mother opening up the door, looking exhausted, with a blue apron and cap. With a long sigh she kissed Hayato on the forehead.
"I found a job at a sandwich shop; I'm going to be working late from now on…" Shinobu said before trudging to the shower.
Hayato watched as the door shut. Perfect, now I know I can investigate Kira further without mom walking in on me. Hayato puffed some air out before finally thinking it was also a good time for him to go to bed.
Kira's week went on as normal, clock into work, clock out, go home, light supper, read, watch some TV, drink a nice warm glass of milk, do some stretches, and sleep. It was his daily routine every single day for as long as he could remember, for all that he knew, nothing stopped him from completing his daily routine verbatim. It was a Thursday night, Kira entered his small apartment, mail and suitcase at hand. Making his way to his kitchen countertop, he flipped through each envelope. Junk Mail, Junk Mail. Oh, a new sandwich shop opened, and everything is 50% off on its first week! Junk Mail. So, for everything is going so well.
Somebody is watching you… A voice in Kira's head spoke. Kira tensed up considerably, glancing around to see if anyone was watching him. He dared not to blink, because he knows what he will be met with if he ever did. The pressure of his eyelid began to increase, the need to blink as his eyeballs began to dry out. Don't blink, DON'T BLINK. DON'T FUCKING BLINK YOSHIKAG-
Blink.
As the darkness that enveloped a thin layer of tears, laid the sharp pink eyes that stared back, shrouded in a red aura that obscured it. Killer Queen, the metaphysical embodiment of Kira's bloodlust that he had forgotten about all those years ago, the side of him that he is forced to hide, but cannot get rid of, ingrained into him, unfaltering.
"What is it Killer Queen?" Kira shuttered out, hoping that it was just his imagination messing with him.
Killer Queen hadn't spoken to him in more than a decade… Not since High school… With Mr…
I have been sensing it for day, but you seem so blissfully ignorant of it.
"I... Uh… Don't sense anything…" Kira said, glancing around, starting to get nervous.
Hm… Maybe because its not exactly staring at you with their own eyes… They're doing it by a indirect means. From a distance… Killer Queen continued.
"Hm… What like a Camera?" Kira asked out loud.
Precisely!
"Fuck…"
Kira began glancing around even more, looking at every nook and cranny of his small apartment attentively, until he caught a glimpse of a red flash that was smaller than a common gnat in his peripheral vision, which disappeared in an instant. He saw it, there was no changing it, but he didn't directly address it… Instead keeping his head facing forward, his eyes, his mind disassociating, looking at the terracotta brown wall that made his apartment.
That Hayato kid… Killer Queen said with a sigh, almost like a sigh.
"What about him?"
Don't you think he may be part of this conspiracy?
"He's just a kid… He can't be no more than… fucking… I don't know, 11?" Kira began stumbling on his words, utterly taken aback by the accusation from Killer Queen.
You should kill him Kira, he will get in your way of having a quiet life. Just like your mother wanted-
"FUCK YOU!" Kira spewed out, enraged at him own stand, at himself? "I don't care what that bitch wanted for me, she's dead, she no longer has jurisdiction over me."
But Kira… Killer Queen began once more. You still do the daily routine that your parents so caringly manifested for you. Get Home, have a light supper, read, shower, have your warm glass of milk, stretch for 20 minutes, and then sleep. Just to wake up the next day feeling refreshed just to do it again, day in and day out.
Kira said nothing, he only grimaced, upset that his stand is correct in that regard. It was almost impossible for him to break the cycle that is his quiet life, was it the fear of change that prevented him from changing his habits? Or fear of what he might become if he did break it.
Kill him… Killer Queen hissed, almost as if it were at Kira's ear, begging him to do so, begging to be let out. Kira ignored Killer Queen, ignored his urges for murder. He decided to go about his day like normal, only this time, conscious about the fact that he is being spied on.
Hayato watched the events of Kira's Thursday afternoon intensively. He had added another note to his embarrassing short list, detailing every red flag he could think of about Kira. "Does the same thing, every day." Hayato has caught on to Kira's daily routine, and it was kind of scary to witness knowing the finer detail about what he read. He followed the same routine to a tee, no faults, no mistakes, no lapses in judgement of time Cut like a gem, a perfect procedure. It was almost like something was controlling his mind, his every movement, coded into him.
A shadow of a grown man passed the window of Hayato's apartment, Kira was home. He switched on the TV before sitting down on his bed, notes at hand, to notice any change in his life. Kira had mail in his hand, as per usual he stops by the counter and looked at them, opening them individually, determining it's worth. After throwing away the junk and putting away the important mail, he turned around to do something when he suddenly stopped cold in his tracks, eyes bulged wide, as if there was someone who was standing in his apartment.
Hayato leaned forward, intrigued, readying his notebook and pen.
"What is it Killer Queen?" Kira said, out loud, and strained, like the silver serpent of fear began slithering up his skin.
- Who did he say this to? Why does he seem so scared?
- "I... Uh… Don't sense anything…" Kira said, glancing around, starting to get nervous.
He's getting nervous, is he finally noticing the cameras? And who the hell was he talking to? Hayato frowned. So many new questions popped up in his head about Kira all at once, they each felt like an individual raindrop in a tsunami, drowning him, drowning his mind.
- "Hm… What like a Camera?" Kira asked to no one. "Fuck."
Uh oh, Hayato is in trouble now. Is Kira finally noticing the cameras, is the voice in the blonde-haired man's head snitching him out. How is it that Shinobu and Kosaku had cameras in their room for 8 months, and never noticed but it only took Kira 4 day to do so?
- "What about him?" Kira paused, Hayato can see his blue eyes rolling around in circles, almost as if he were in deep thought. "He's just a kid… He can't be no more than… fucking… I don't know, 11?"
Wait… I- I am 11. Hayato's breath began to hitch, the silent voice in Kira's head might be speaking about Hayato, but he won't know for sure.
- "FUCK YOU!" The sudden change in Kira's tone, in his demeanor caused Hayato to jump a hyperbolic 12 feet in the air, he had never seen someone get so angry so fast, and at what? Absolutely fucking nothing. "I don't care what that bitch wanted for me, she's dead, she no longer has jurisdiction over me."
"Huh?" Hayato's mouth gaped open, he shuttered at the thought of trying to creep into Kira's mind. Even a man can shutter at what inhumane thoughts lie behind that Quiet Façade of his…
Hayato watched him, he was retaining his scowl, his blood boiling anger, and then suddenly like it was a stage play and he was about to get off stage, his face dropped into his resting face. Every drop of anger gone from him, and he continued his day as if nothing happened.
Hayato stared at the screen for a cool minute, watching Kira's idly make is food before looked down at his notebook. He had unconsciously written down one single word onto the paper without thinking about it. "Schizophrenic."
But the more he thought about it, there was one conclusion he couldn't help but make. All the evidence was in front of him, the book, the routine, the sudden change in behavior, the conversation to no one. Hayato scratched out "Schizophrenic" and wrote down a new note before turning off his TV, clocking out early so he can head to the shower, to ponder his discovery.
The note read as follows: "Yoshikage Kira, victim of MK Ultra Brainwashing and Manipulation"
Hayato truly did have a fascination for something he, nor anyone else for that matter, could begin to fathom, let alone understand.
"God damnit…" Kira trudged along the sidewalk; the joy of life drained out of him.
Another grueling, apathetic filled boring day. This was made worse by the fact that he could not make his homemade sandwich due to his accidental famine that he created for himself when he forgot to buy groceries. It was dark out, almost 8 PM, he decided to buy food from the street. He remembers the advertisement he got from the mail, the Sandwich shop that opened 2 blocks away from where his apartment was located. I hope everything is still 50% off.
He opened the door to the Shop, a jingle was hard indicating there was a new customer, him! He walked up to the counter, looking at the way the wood that made the countertop was cut, a dark oak, with the bark consistency. He ordered a simple sandwich to be made for him, comprising of lettuce, mayonnaise, turkey bacon and Swiss cheese. He sat down at a table to wait for his order to be made, the smell of tobacco smoke caked the air, overpowering the smell of toasting bread, repulsive. Kira himself took a vow as a kid to never smoke, not even a drag. He forgets if the oath was forced upon by his overbearing, overprotective mother, but he most likely had chosen to forget.
Kira attributed the smell of smoke to the group of delinquents in the corner, laughing and talking at a rude tone, occasionally looking around to see anyone to pester. Kira counted four of them, the biggest one of them is an ogre with a weirdly shaped nose, with silverish-blonde hair. Kira decided to ultimately ignore them, knowing that the sandwich which he was about to eat was more important than a bunch of idiots being a mild inconvenience to his day.
He sat their a few minutes, twiddling his thumbs, when he heard the morons come to a crescendo of whistling and cat calling, Kira ignored this again until he heard a familiar feminine voice.
"Good fucking grief. You guys again?" A woman said.
Kira turned towards the group of yankees to see a female waiter with a blue apron and cap holding a tray of sandwiches, hesitatingly putting down the tray to serve them.
"What's wrong beautiful? Don't like what you're seeing?" One of the Delinquents said in a snotty tone.
"No, youre a bunch of kids annoying a woman almost twice your age… Is it any wonder why none of you have girlfriends?" She said exasperated.
"We are almost 20, and not yet at least…" Another one with a rediculus looking mohawk and a face mask that didn't even go over his nose said, as he reached to grope the woman's butt.
Kira had seen enough, and without thinking got up to grab the Delinquent's wrist before it can make contact.
"Dude, lay off with the perversion…" Kira said, as he increased the grip.
Everything went dead quiet, as everyone turned in a mixture of shock and astonishment. The silence was so loud that you were able to differentiate each individual breathing style of the people inside the Sandwich Shop. The female server took a step back to process who she was looking at.
"K- Kira?" She almost yelled out.
"Shinobu?" He knew the voice sounded familiar, but he didn't think it was actually Shinobu.
"Who the fuck is this? Your boyfriend? THIS FUCKING DAVID BOWIE WANNABE?" This biggest Delinquent screamed out, puffing his chest out, trying to loo intimidating.
Admittedly, I do kind of look like David Bowie! Kira internally gleamed. "I'll take that as a compliment, and no, I just know her."
The group of Delinquents stood up, hesitantly, but with malicious intent none the less. Shinobu recoiled in fear, tempted to run away but Kira just stood there, more insulted and unimpressed rather than afraid by the sudden movements.
"Oh, I'm sorry did I insult your ego? Do you want me to grovel on the floor to you?" Kira began mocking them with a gallon of venom in each of his words.
"Shut the fuck up old man! Before I fuck you up!" The Biggest one said.
"Old Man?" Now Kira was pissed, as he was only 33. "Try me you fucking weasel…"
The Biggest Delinquent tried to shove Kira, but at that exact moment Killer Queen's hands launched out of his chest, pals colliding with the Delinquent's, causing the idiot to fall backwards into his friend, making it seem like Kira didn't even move at all.
Everyone just stared at him, he didn't move… he didn't even move. The Delinquent could have sworn that he made contact with him, that he pushed him, so way did HE fall backwards.
Kira… Now is your chance. Rid the world of this filth, show who THEY should fear, disintegrate him… Who will miss them? Luckily for you… No one will. Killer Queen once again tried to convince Kira to embrace his murderous fury, to burn the world around him if it meant he could live a quiet life. Unlike all the other times however… Kira wasn't fighting the urge, he can do it, he wants to do it…
Kira smirked and to one step forward before he felt someone pull his arm, by his hand. He turned to see Shinobu's big hazel eyes, her eyebrows ruffled in concern, her mouth cracked opened to show her pearly teeth.
"Kira… It's not worth it… Let's go home." She asked, no, pleaded.
"Home…" Kira muttered back. WHAT AM I DOING? WAS I ABOUT TO KILL A KID? FUCK YOU, KILLER QUEEN. AND FUCK ME TOO FOR EVEN CONSIDERING THIS! Kira exploded in his mind. "Yeah, that sounds good."
He didn't even blush when he notices Shinobu holding his hand as she led him out of the shop. It… just felt right to him.
As Kira and Shinobu walked out of the shop, a man sitting in the Sandwich Shop wearing Aviators and a White Sox hat lowered the Japanese newspaper, to glance at the man and woman as they walked on the sidewalk. No one ever noticed he was there, despite his obvious American appearance and tan skin. He turned to look at the 4 Delinquents who were now eerily silent, after being one upped by an "Old Man," by doing absolutely anything. All dejected.
The Man only smiled.
Kira and Shinobu only rested on the railings in front of their apartments, looking at the sun began to set over the horizon of quiet Morioh. The birds have ceased their chirping and the air grew colder. The beautiful blue sky was now descending into a gradient of all the warm colors, as the darkness begins to rise at the bottom of said gradient. Night was falling at the two were only silent, watching.
"Did they hurt you?" Kira finally asked.
Shinobu glanced at him, flushing a bit before tucking a loose stand of hair behind her ear.
"Uh no…" She said, the words getting caught in her throat. "They were bothering everyone in the shop for the whole week. They did touch me a few times even though I told them not to."
Kira said nothing, only clenching his jaw.
"I'm sure they won't do it again, after being checked by an 'Old Man.'" Kira sarcastically replied.
"You wouldn't actually do anything to them… Right?" Shinobu asked hitching her breath, wait in for an answer.
"I wouldn't…" He lied. "Intimidation is my specialty."
The two glanced at each other at the same time, eyes locking on before they both looked away sheepishly.
"I um… It's getting late." Despite it only being 8 PM. "Goodnight Shinobu." Kira said as he was about to grab the door handle.
"Kira, wait…"
Kira turned around and noticed Shinobu was hugging him, and, after getting up on her toes she gave him a little peck on the cheek, before stepping back to look at him, her face blushed flashing him a genuine smile.
"Thank you… I'm glad I met you again…" She said before entering her apartment.
Kira blinked, his mind stopped, an almost concussive pause to his cognitive functions. On autopilot he entered his apartment where the events that just transpired replayed in his head. He grounds out of something… Maybe embarrassment as he blushes violently.
Hayato witnessed all of this in horror.
End of Chapter 3
Thank you for reading, sorry for any sappiness you have read, but this is the Second to last Chapter of the Love Discovery Arc, so just bear with me.
Next time on A Clockwork Pink: Kira and Shinobu go eat at Trattoria Trussardi, and Kira discovers that he isn't the only Stand User in Morioh, all while there is a spike of horrifically violent murders in the quiet town.