"The hell you mean, you didn't do it?" The lady in front of the professional killer fumed in front of Umi, her face seeming about to explode with rage, and the remains of her face would threaten to strangle Umi.
The teenage killer stopped herself from sighing as she stood across from the boss.
The "boss".
Everyone who assigned her a murder case was just another boss.
Umi had a lot of bosses.
The place they had chosen to meet each other each time was a spot next to a small creek that at the moment reflected the moons gleam on the outskirts of town, where nobody would see or hear their plans.
After Honoka had left Umi, she hopped straight into her vehicle and headed here to meet the "boss".
"It was too public," she said calmly, not repeating the womans rage and yelling her own response back.
That was her excuse. To herself, to unknowing poor Honoka, and to the boss.
She wouldn't accept that she literally could not bring herself to poison the girl.
So publicity was a good excuse to herself.
If she pushed the fact the theatre was almost empty from her mind.
Then why didn't you take her home?" the girl demanded, leaning in close to Umi's face.
As if she were actually threatening her.
Up close, she was better able to study the woman's features; simple dark hair and dark eyes that bored into you, and she had frown lines from years of frowning as age took it toll aligning her mouth and forehead.
Umi wasn't threatened by the woman at all. If she couldn't beat her with just hands, which she probably could, she could pull out her emergency revolver or pocket knife from her purses depths.
Her profession.
"Because she left in a rush," The girl replied.
"You're supposed to be a professional."Irritation spun in her brain at this girls responses. No one was ever this downright rude when it came to not killing them the first night.
Sometimes the murders took over a week.
"I am," was her solid reply. As it came out, the question came across her thoughts again. Why would anyone want to kill Honoka?
Sure, she was careless, obviously and a bit annoying but Umi found it a bit...
She shook her thoughts away. No. Not right now Umi. Not never. You just met this girl. You are going to murder her.
"That's why she walked home alive," the woman snapped. "I'll call you in three days."
With that, she spun around on her heels and marched up the road to her car, leaving Umi standing alone in the night, not for the first time that evening.
By the time she had reached the coffee shop that morning, she was still groggy as ever after waking up, getting prepared and trudging over to get herself a cup of the caffeinated beverage.
A yawn formed in Umi's throat as she stood in the long line of people waiting for their own cups of coffee, and she had been standing for a while. She really needed to buy her own coffee maker.
She heard a familiar voice yell her name as she checked her small disposable flip phone that she replaced every week so she couldn't be traced.
She went to turn around as a body jumped at her and wrapped their arms around hers.
Instinctively, she kicked the person as they put themselves around her, alarm bells ringing as they shot off her.
She spun around, looking a confused and now on the ground Honoka in the face.
Shit, she thought to herself. Had they already gotten to hugging? They'd just met last night.
Looking hurt, Honoka looked up at Umi and tilted her head. "I'm sorry," Umi apologized, extending her hand out in embarrassment of her own actions.
Honoka took it and smiled at her lightly and she lifted her up off the ground, her hand in Umi's.
"What are you doing here, Umi-chan?"
"What else would I be doing other then getting coffee?"
Honoka pouted at the girls response. "My parents are gone for a month along with my sister for some worldwide sweets thing," she said, ignoring Umi's response. "So I have to take care of the house! Isn't that crazy?"
"Why are they at a sweets thing," she said back, perplexed at why Honoka had even brought it up.
"Oh, we own a sweet shop," she said" still smiling.
"Ah."
The two stood in silence for about 20 minutes after that, waiting for the line to shorten and get to them so they could order their drinks.
Once they had, they sat at a table in the shop, neither of them taking sips of their coffee just yet because it was too hot.
The ruffles on Honoka's white cropped t-shirt bounced as she lept out of her seat. "I'm gonna go buy a muffin," she said to Umi, turning around in her blue denim shorts that marked she was ready for another day in the summer.
Umi looked down at her own outfit as the girl walked off. A black, plain t-shirt and white athletic shorts.
Umi dug up the vial she'd never taken out of her purse once again and took a breath. "Now or never," she mumbled, looking around to make sure nobody in the crowded shop was watching.
She took the lid of Honoka's coffee, and as soon as she did another image of the girl smiling flashed in her head, the same feeling from last night coming back.
Goddammit, get it over with, she thought to herself as she lightly tipped the vial.
Regret instantly swelled in her stomach as she pulled back, looking at the not even half empty vial. She hadn't put enough in to kill her.
Just make her very sick.
Relief came over her, an odd relief. She wouldn't kill her. Which she should have been angry over.
Confused, she stuffed the lid on the small vial and shoved it back in her purse rearranging the lid on Honoka's coffee.
The girl came back a few minutes later, happily making her way through the shop as she approached their table.
Not sitting down, she stood at the side of the table and looked at Umi, picking her coffee up. "Lets go for a walk!" she smiled as she looked at Umi.
The other girl couldn't really say no, nor would she if she could, so without reply she stood up, leaving her own coffee on the table and following the ginger.
"Why didn't you bring your own coffee?" Honoka asked, tilting her head slightly as they walked across the bridge their paths had taken them to. Honoka still hadn't drunk her coffee during the 12 minutes of walking, and Umi prayed she'd spill it rather than consuming the poison.
"I didn't want it." She replied.
Rather than replying, Honoka brought her own coffee cup to her lips.
Fuck. Umi thought to herself. At least I didn't put a lethal dose...just enough to make her sick.
She shook the thoughts from her head.
Shouldn't she be disappointed with herself for not going through?
Honoka had finished her cup about 7 minutes later as they came off the end of the bridge, standing near the edge of traffic.
"What about your parents?" The blue eyed girl asked.
Everyone asked it. Always. Frequently. But Umi still hadn't gotten used to...remembering.
"On vacation," she replied to the girl.
Forever was the part she didn't add.
"So we have something in common!" Honoka said while flashing a smile.
Umi rolled her eyes at how happy she was about a slight coincidence that was a lie in the first place.
"I guess."
Honoka frowned, obviously brought down by Umi's not being so excited.
"My tummy hurts," she complained.
Umi sighed. You could be dead right now if I put the right amount, stop bitching, was what she wanted to snap back, but she didn't.
"Tragic," she replied.
Honoka sighed. "I know right! I should get home now," she said, seeming to be talking to more to herself than Umi. "Will you walk me?" She pleaded, turning her head to Umi.
Well, I was going to follow you anyway.
"Sure."