CHAPTER 13:

"Amu-chan, did you hear what I said?" Nadeshiko pulled me out of my internal reverie, "Amu-chan?"

I snapped my head her way and gave the pretty girl a - hopefully - reassuring smile. "I'm sorry, what was that?"

She put a turquoise dress back to its rack and faced me. Her topaz eyes gazed at me with full-on concern. It still struck me how great her resemblance to Nagihiko was.

Nadeshiko asked me to go out shopping with her and I willfully complied just to escape the crazy quads who spoiled Ami non-stop ever since they found out she was going to live with us. And I told Ikuto to keep an eye on my sister while I was gone. So, yeah. I guess we were having girl time right now.

"You know I like you as a friend," she began.

It struck me, too, as to how this kind, innocent girl thought of me as her friend even though I didn't even think of her like that. Nadeshiko was just too kind.

Her eyes darted away from me, like she didn't know what to say next or how to say it. "But..."

Whatever she was going to say, I knew it would probably hurt my inner weakling. She probably didn't want anything to do with me anymore. Maybe she finally realized that I wasn't worth her time. Even when we only met rarely nowadays.

"But?" I prompted, ignoring the nagging feeling inside me that said I should avoid the course of this conversation.

Nadeshiko's eyes flickered back to mine again, "I don't want to see-"

"Nade-chan?" the heart-felt voice cut through her sentence like a flying arrow.

Both our heads snapped to the door, assessing the person who just came in. I'd have to admit, he looked way better than I last saw him - which was probably a week or so ago. His platinum blonde hair was shinier, shorter. Despite the sunglasses that covered his eyes, I knew that those red wine eyes only gazed at Nadeshiko. He pulled them away and confirmed my assumption.

"Tad...Hotori-kun," the pain in Nadeshiko's voice was still evident to me.

Okay. Talk about awkward.

I scratched the back of my head out of habit and lowered my gaze to my booted feet. Somehow, the gazes this ex-couple was giving to each other felt a little too personal for me to see.

"Nadeshiko, talk to him. I'll wait for you outside," I didn't know what came over me but I had to leave the place. The atmosphere in here didn't feel so good.

I barely saw Nadeshiko nod as I hurriedly bolted out of the store.

My gaze played all over the mall. I recognized a few heads silently keeping watch at me through their disquises. I ignored them and watched other people walking throughout the mall.

There were sisters, families, besties, groups of friends, loners and...couples. My mind suddenly flew to Nagi. The more I spent time with him, the more I felt like we weren't really meant to be together. The butterflies in my stomach were starting to fly away.

Why am I feeling this?

A little blonde kid suddenly tripped in front of me, surprising me in an instant.

"Ow," the boy cried as he sat up, looking down on his scraped knee.

I held his hand and pulled him closer to me. Little blood trickled down the small cut. I looked around for his parents or guardians but saw no one. The kid had tears silently flowing down his young face, his soft, baby blue eyes glistening.

I wiped his face with me handkerchief. "Come with me,"

The poor boy tried to stand up but the pain on his knee probably kept him from doing so. Sighing, I lifted the kid up and carried him with one hand while the other one was texting Nadeshiko what happened.

I bought a gauze from the pharmacy and an anti-bacterial solution and cotton. I made the kid sit on the bench and cleaned up his wound.

The kid winced in pain but said nothing.

"You okay?" I asked.

He put on his brave boy face and nodded. I almost chuckled at his young bravery but refrained from doing so and just continued to clean up his wound.

After I put on the medical gauze on his knee, the kid jumped up and kissed my cheek. "Thanks, big sis," then, he ran away, this time not tripping on himself anymore.

I was left seated on the bench, touching the cheek that kid kissed. I was speechless. That boy was really strange. Weird.

The vibration from my left pocket woke me up from my trance.

Nadeshiko.

I hit the answer button. "Yeah?"

But only heartbroken, painful sobs were audible from the other line. Unwelcome worry flooded my chest. Why is she crying? Then, I remembered leaving her with that Tadase. The bastard must've done something to make her cry again. Damn it!

"Where are you?"

She didn't miss a beat. [Parking lot.]

Right. "Wait for me there,"

Loud horn from a car from the other line temporarily made me deaf. Nadeshiko sobbed again. [Ok-]

Doot...doot...doot...

I stared at my phone incredulously, cold fist suddenly clenching around my heart. The line got cut off.

The loud honking had me worried about Nadeshiko, making me immediately run to the parking lot. My guards suddenly took the signal and followed me.

What I saw made me sigh with relief. Nadeshiko wasn't harmed. She was leaning on the pillar, near my car.

She glanced my way and I smiled at her and waved, stupidly glad that she was fine, but she didn't smile back. Instead, her eyes were filled with worry and fear. Something was telling me there was nothing good going on.

Silently, I walked towards her. I was about a meter or so away from her when I saw a tall man behind the pillar holding a gun against Nadeshiko's neck.

He didn't notice me yet. I instinctively reached for my gun behind me only to remember that I left it inside my car.

I held my pointer finger against my lips signaling her the hush. Then, I looked back to find my guards. My breath got caught in my throat as I looked back.

Men and women lay lifeless on the parking lot cement, their throats mercilessly slit. Their blood flooded, making a big red painting of lifeless bodies on the flood. I slightly heard Nadeshiko gasp. She probably saw all the gore. I silently hoped she didn't.

But that probably was just wishful thinking.

I can't believe this is happening. My father hired useless guards to protect me and Ami.

I mentally noted to grill Dad about that if we survived this.

Adrenaline suddenly rushed through my veins, enhancing my senses by seventy-five percent. I heard someone walk to my left who may or may not be carrying something to kill me with. I lifted my right foot and swung it hard, catching the guy with a switchblade on his chin, effectively breaking his neck.

Another guy grabbed me by the arm but I recovered fast enough to kick him hard on his nuts. The man dropped down the floor, howling in pain.

I glanced around me. All of a sudden I was surrounded by eight men, two of them carrying baseball bats, another two were carrying grease guns the rest had switchblades and whatnot.

I took in deep breath and waited for the attack.

One of the men with baseball bats swung at me. Thankfully, I was able to dodge at the right time. I kicked the heel of my boot against the floor three times. The hidden blade underneath it slid down and held at the tip of my shoe. I did the same to my other boot.

Now I had weapons.

I kicked the batguy on his chest and dragged the blade across his ribcage. He coughed up blood and fell down the floor.

The other guys stared in disbelief. Huh. I knew it. They were just lowlife hitmen. They didn't even know who exactly they were up against.

I cracked my hands and threw my head side to side. "Alright, who's next?"

Then, all hell broke loose.

A grease gun guy fired at me and grazed my shoulder.

Damn it.

I grabbed him by the hair and twisted his hand that was holding the gun. He struggled so I kicked his leg, forgetting momentarily that the blade was still out so I cut his leg deeply. As the man grunted with pain, he dropped his gun. I dug my shoe blade deep in his chest and twisted.

I really hope Nadeshiko isn't watching this.

Suddenly, I felt my back get hit with a bat. I was sure I coughed up blood but I ignored the pain. A blade swiped my leg, making me almost crash down the floor. I distantly heard Nadeshiko scream my name.

So much for hoping she didn't watch.

I grabbed the gun and fired thrice.

The second bat guy and two blade guys fell down the floor, lifeless. The pain on my shoulder was almost getting to me, I needed to finish this fast. The other man was still holding Nadeshiko hostage.

"Who sent you?" I growled at one of the remaining blade guys.

His flicked his head to the side. "You really think you can act all tough at us, missy?"

Okay, fine. If he wouldn't talk, then death it should be. I stepped next to him and punched his ugly, old face. His nostrils flared and he tried to slash at me. I caught his hand and drove his own blade through his throat, not caring anymore if Nadeshiko saw or not.

I faced the second gunman. "I'm not gonna ask again, who the hell sent you?"

The last remaining two lowlife hitmen glanced at each other, immediately exchanging a knowing look. They both charged at me at the same time but I dodged them anyhow.

"Oh, come on!" I gave him a mocked laugh, "Either you tell me or not, you're still gonna die anyway. You just have to choose: death through me or death through your master who probably knew where your family lived. Take your pick,"

The gunman spat at me, though it didn't have the opportunity to grace me with its gross presence. "You little bitch!" he snarled and fired at me.

At the back of my head, I suddenly thought why no one ever heard the commotion down here. And didn't anyone take as much as a glance at the CCTVs? Great security they got here.

I ran behind the last blade guy and just as I thought, the gunman was too enraged to realize that he'd hit his comrade if he fired his way. Idiot.

My line of sight caught a white CCTV camera. The red light that indicated it was on wasn't flickering and its head was pointed down the floor. Of course, they had the security system disabled.

The blade guy fell on the floor, blood oozing from his lifeless body, his sightless eyes eerily staring back at his comrade.

"If you're not going to talk, I don't have any choice but to end your life. Think about your family, doofus. Where would they be if you died?"

His eyes wavered for a second and I knew I hit a tender spot. The gun caught a little loose in his hand and I saw this as an opportunity to kick it away from him. Too bad, I forgot again that the blade was still out of my shoe. The thin but sharp blade sliced though his hand and cut it off. Blood squirted from his disembodied wrist. I shut my eyes, blood sprayed at my face as he howled.

I gingerly took the gun from his cut hand and walked towards the guy. "I'm sorry. This is nothing personal. Now, tell me who sent you and I'll let you live. If you don't, then you know what happens next,"

"The Master wanted you killed. H-He said you were a threat to the b-business," the man fearfully answered.

"And who is this Master?" I asked.

He stared at me with bloodshot eyes. "He calls himself Goz-"

A bullet in the middle of his eyes shut him off. I blindly stared at the dead man in front of me. My eyes shifted to the gun I held. It wasn't me who took his life. I whipped my head to the gunned man and Nadeshiko. The man was holding his gun upright and was pointing at my general direction.

Anger flared inside me. "Well, that was inconvenient," I spat.

"Oh, you don't need that information, sweetheart," the man reassured as I took steps toward them.

Nadeshiko held the arm around her neck like it was choking her. She was quivering, her lemon eyes glistening with fear.

"Maybe I do," I answered.

The man was pointing his gun at me. I swiped my blood drenched hand across my face, probably smearing whoever's blood it was all over the pale surface. I unconsciously felt like Gasai Yuno - pink hair and smeared blood and all.

Then, Nadeshiko suddenly did something unexpected. She cursed the man and bit his arm so hard I think she actually managed to draw blood. She as ran fast as she could towards me. The man screamed in pain and fell on the ground clutching his arm but not before he managed to fire one last shot at us.

I ignored the gunfire and swung my foot to his throat, cutting off the jugular vein. The man's horrified eyes stared at me with shock as his blood drained away his life.

A notorious smile slowly crept to my face. We did it.

I glanced back at Nadeshiko just in time to see her fall on the ground. A chill ran up my spine as I heard her head hit the cement floor, HARD. A red spot started crawling on the right side of her shoulder. I rushed to her side, equally shocked as her.

Blood pooled around her body as she lay face front on the cold cement.

Damn it!

I carried her to my Lambo and sped away to the nearest, safest hospital for both her and me.

Don't you dare die on me Nadeshiko...

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Whoo! (sweatdrop) Intense chappie there, huh? I was pretty much holding my breath, too. Anyhow, happy new year, dear friends :) Be good, 'kay? Please review loves. And sorry if it came out too gory XD

Arigatou gozaimasu!

With all the love for writing,

Lace Ashdown