Running up the stairs to the fourth floor would have been a tough task if you hadn't been as well trained as both Rin and Sousuke were. In their case, they made it in less than one and half a minute. The door was also easy to find. It was the one on the right once they reached the floor. Although the sign on the door said Yamamoto Shino, Rin knew it was the right door.
"This is it," Rin said, only half out of breath as he rose his hand and prepared to knock on the door.
"Hold on, Rin," Sousuke grabbed his wrist before he could perform his action.
"What for?" Rin almost snapped at Sousuke while trying to free his wrist from the taller male's grasp.
"First off, we need to catch our breaths completely. Second, do you even have a plan of what to do once we're in?" he asked seriously.
Rin shook his head with an understanding look on his face. Both were probably smart things to do before entering the place. "Do you have a plan?" he asked.
"Since I'm the stronger, perhaps I should go hold him back while you find Nanase and free him," Sousuke answered. He was well aware it wasn't a very detailed plan, but it was better than just charging in without anything remotely close to a plan.
"Then let's-" Rin was cut off as the door in front of them was unlocked and opened slightly, not enough that the two in front of it could look inside, but enough that they could tell it wasn't just an illusion.
Rin and Sousuke exchanged looks, deciding that they had been standing around long enough. Rin pushed the door open and both he and Sousuke ran inside.
"Oh, you did come," a man with dark hair was standing by the window, a smirk in place on his face. Rin found that smirk incredibly misplaced, seeing as the face it was placed on, looked almost like Haruka's.
"Who are you?" Rin asked.
"You can't tell? I'm disappointed Rin," the man said, revealing the disappointment in his voice.
Rin glared. "I thought you were gone," he said.
"Not without my own children," the man answered. Then he looked to Sousuke. "Thanks for walking him over here, you can leave now,"
Sousuke was about to charge forward and attack, but Rin reached out a hand, blocking his path. He looked to Sousuke as he spoke, but still hat his front towards the guy. "Not yet, Sousuke," he said. "I want to ask him some more questions,"
"Uh?" The man tilted his head, still with a smirk in place on his face. "What do you want to ask, Rin?" he asked.
"Where's Haru?" Rin asked.
"Haruka?" The man smiled. "I won't tell you unless you surrender,"
Rin smiled. "That's never gonna happen," he then stepped back and let his arm fall as it was no longer blocking Sousuke's path. "You know what to do," Rin said before turning and heading to the nearest door to attempt to open it and see what was on the other side.
Sousuke charged forward and attempted to land a punch at the other's stomach. Rin could soon hear them fighting more violently as he tried searching the apartment for Haruka. However, he had no luck. The first room he found was locked and the other two rooms held no sign of a person being in there.
"Sousuke!" Rin called. "I need a key!"
"I'm a little busy!" Sousuke yelled back while avoiding an incoming punch. "Do something on your own!" he called while attempting to land a punch on the other's cheek.
"Easy for you to say," Rin mumbled. He had no clue of how to open a locked door whatsoever. He couldn't run down to Aki and ask for a hairpin for two reasons, the situation didn't call for something like that, and he didn't think she would just carry one around like that. She didn't use them normally, so why would she?
Rin tried to throw his own body against the door, but it seemed stronger than he thought it was. He ended up hurting his own shoulder.
"Damn it," Rin cursed. He then looked over to see if he could locate the key somewhere.
It wasn't on the table, it wasn't by the window, and there were no other furniture but a chair, which had no key on it either. Rin then scanned the two fighting in front of him to see if the man had dropped the key. His gaze was then caught by something on the floor, between Sousuke and the man.
Rin smirked and ran forward, waiting for the right moment to reach for the object. It was shining with a metal-like color. It could be exactly what Rin was looking for.
The time came. The two fighting men moved a step away from Rin, and he took just that opportunity to grab the key and run back to the locked door.
"Please work," Rin said as he pushed the key into the lock and turned it, unlocking the door. He made sure to pull it back out and put it in his pocket before entering the room.
Inside, Haruka was lying down beside a chair. His hands were on his back and his eyes were closed, however, he opened one eye as soon as Rin entered and slowly prepared to sit up.
"Are you okay?" Rin asked as he headed over to Haruka and helped him up, as it went a bit quicker.
Haruka only nodded in response.
Rin knelt down in front of Haruka and reached behind him, studying the way he was tied with just one hand. He smiled while doing so, happy and relieved to see Haruka again.
"These are tight," he commented as the other hand went to Haruka's back as well and he started untying him. It went a bit slower than he had hoped. Haruka didn't react to this though. "Does it hurt anywhere?" Rin asked.
"Not really," Haruka answered.
"You looked in pain," Rin said in a tone that made it clear that he refused to believe Haruka's words.
"My stomach is sore," Haruka explained calmly. "And I accidentally bit my cheek,"
Rin sighed and nodded. He then made the last move and Haruka's hands were free. "Anything else I need to know?" he asked, a little strictly.
"Not really," Haruka answered again. However, this time Rin had a feeling that he was just saying that to make Rin worry less about him. He wouldn't ask further, though. If it were important, he would be informed later on anyway.
"Sousuke is holding him off right now," Rin said. "The most important thing is to get out of here," he said as he stood up. He reached down a hand to support Haruka.
Haruka accepted the outstretched hand and allowed Rin to pull him on his feet. He was surprised at how weak he had become from three days without food. Fortunately he managed not to let it show, or at least Rin didn't notice as they slowly headed out of the room.
"About time!" Sousuke yelled as he saw the two coming out of the room. He had been cornered by the other man and was now receiving punch after punch, unable to dodge most of them.
"Hey, asshole!" Rin yelled. "Do you mind terribly if I just take Haru home and then come back to kick your ass?" he smirked provokingly.
"You're delusionary," the man said. "You're not going anywhere, neither of you are," he ran towards Rin and Haruka, having forgotten everything about Sousuke.
Rin moved as he stood a little in front of Haruka while eying him. "Stay back Haru," he said. "You're in no condition to fight,"
Haruka nodded, although it bothered him, he knew Rin was right. If he got too involved in the fight, he could cause them to lose in his physical state. But it didn't suit him to stay back like this, so he would only stay back until he found something better to do.
The man attempted to land a punch in Rin's gut, but Rin moved and dodged the attack before landing a punch of his own on the man's arm.
An idea hit Haruka, like lightning from a clear blue sky and he made his way to Sousuke without getting any attention. They spoke in secret for a short while, discussing Haruka's plan, before Haruka moved again.
Sousuke now ran to help Rin fight off the man while, keeping him well distracted while Haruka did what he had to do to prepare. It didn't take long before he called out.
"Oi, Taichi!" Haruka called with a phone in his hand. "I'm calling the police now,"
I know. Going back in the history of stupid endings the ending of this chapter probably takes the cake. I'm sorry about that, and the worst part is that I really can't do anything about it. But if I had to point out one thing that I regret from this story, it would be that stupid ending line.
Please tell me it isn't as bad as I think it is, and if you do agree with me... please don't say anything.
See you next time
Jackie