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— Intentions —
24# - Unveiling
"Once you start asking questions, innocence is gone."
―M. Astor
―
— A. Misaki
"...I think they were three..." she hiccupped. "...And followed me after cram school..."
"...Always ambushing me... as if they knew where I was..."
"Looking for something... They went through my bag..." She stopped, a wince painting her face as her recollections flooded back. "...Through my clothes... but I ran away before they could... do... anything..."
"One had bleached hair... black jackets and a silvery necklace... They had... the same outfit..."
And I stood there in the dark, watching over the careless delinquent trio my sister had described earlier.
"Maybe we should leave." A dark haired one ushered.
The blonde one flapped close his phone screen. "Yeah, she probably won't get out anymore, let's get to the boss."
My eyes narrowed at the mention. Did someone set us as targets?
The last rays of sun were coming to an end as I followed them through several back streets. Stealthily, I matched my steps with their own, just like their shadows would. Perhaps was it a needless precaution for they kept talking on their way, paying no mind to their surrounding.
"Wasn't she cute, though?"
They snickered. "Sure was. I'm sort'a happy we still haven't found it, so we can pay 'er another visit later..." The other dark haired one, who had his hair tied up, admitted. I clenched my fists with silent resentment.
The blonde one sighed, his voice quiet in the still air. "Boss is gonna be angry." They took the sharp corner of the passage, and disappeared from my sight.
With a glance, I noted the alleyway's whereabouts they turned at. Their voice was still close, indicating they had stopped walking. I pressed myself against the dirty brick wall, focusing on their conversation.
"...'Told us to wait 'ere."
Furtively leaning into the corner, I surveyed the situation with a brief look, before reclining back. This back street opened on the lit boulevard. But despite this incentive, it didn't give me much hope, as it was deep enough to drown the cry of a person being murdered. I couldn't hold much hope for assistance.
My phone in hand, I dialed the 911 emergency number. The voice of a woman resounded in the dark, making me realize the frenzied pace my heart was beating to.
"911 responding. Please state yo... ―"
A voice triggered my wariness. "―What is this?" I heard one of them say, the sound of his footsteps nearing towards the spot I hid in.
I silently backed from the corner, my heart quivering. My eyes skimmed on the filthy ground, scattered with random junk. I stopped on a large slab of sturdy wood.
Why couldn't I find a freaking iron rod like in the movies?
"Diagon alley, 3rd," I whispered to the speaker. "Delinquents are hitting on a woman.. Help..." I gritted my teeth together, making do with that unwieldy weapon.
"What is it, Shiroyan?" One of them called over. Quickly putting my phone down, face first, I left the call run on record.
An harsh smack rose in the air. "Don't call me by my name, asshole," he spat, before coming closer to me. "I swear I saw light coming from here."
I slowly pressed myself against the wall, bracing myself for the next move.
A shadow on the ground grew in proportion as he stepped in. I rose my arms high, the tension in my limbs strung with sheer violence.
WHACK!
The deaf sound of the hefty wood colliding with bleached blonde hair rang in the dark, as sharp as a bell chiming in the silence. His body followed down, collapsing in the soil under his weight.
"SHIRO!" His mates yelled.
Split between fear and terror, my feet wouldn't move away.
But I had to run...
Why won't my body cooperate?!
All I saw was a flash of fuming dark eyes, before I was crushed against the brick wall, my breath cut short at the impact. My hands shot to his vise-grip on my neck, trying to tear them away.
"Who the hell are yo...―" His eyes scanned over my face, his expression hardening into a menacing scowl.
The other man with short hair came up. "...―She hurt Shiro!" He hissed at his friend.
The hold on my throat tightened, and I savagely dug my nails into his flesh in retaliation. He squeezed, making my vision waver an instant before clearing back. Within leverage, I hurriedly clamped my hands on his forearms. My knee came up, the heel of my shoes strutting out before I madly struck a blow in his crotch.
A furious blow.
"Fucking bitch!" He grunted, throwing me on the ground. The right side of my body crashed on the hard surface. I crawled up as I could with my body going numb, and a sharp pang riddling my left shoulder. Barely up on my knee, I was already yanked away with a jerk, a grip on my hair wrenching me off my feet violently.
"You think you 'smart?" The short-haired one snarled, pulling harder as I winced in pain. My scalp was grimly burning at where he latched onto my hair. Scrambling and kicking, he shut me down with a fisted strike, my teeth tearing my lip open.
Damn, damn, damn. Not my face!
I hazily blinked, my body uncooperative as I was shoved down. I gave up on trying to pull away, his weight upon me too heavy to shrug him off. My hand searched for my taser, already set to the highest tension.
"You finally stop' whining, 'uh bitch?" he laughed derisively.
I electro-shocked the daylights out of him.
"Damn prick," I spat, the taste of blood flooding my mouth.
Shuffling shadow moving in the corner of my eyes, I backed away as fast as I could, hobbling against the wall all the while the delinquent with tied hair recovered from getting hit in his low-part.
He took me by the collar of my clothes, before throwing me hard. I angled my head down, protecting it in my fall. When I thrashed down, acute stings washed over me, all along my spine and left side. I felt like my limbs were blown away with a bright and sour, coppery pain.
When he started to aim a straight shot at me, his fist smashed on the stony brick as I rolled over.
"Fuuuck," he bawled, his upper body sagging down. He held his hand to his heart, bending in pain. I pounced up onto him, bashing his head against the brick with a sinister crack.
With three limp bodies lying on the hard and cold ground, I surveyed them, bracing myself against the wall. My head was spinning and all I wanted to do was close my eyes for two full days.
Ten seconds after, and I was yanking the bleached blonde up against the wall, tying his hands behind his back with a ripped cloth. Constricting his lungs with my forearms, he choked deliriously.
"Who the hell is your boss," I growled. He laughed, before looking at me, his head tilted back.
I fisted my hands and struck him. Blood smeared over his face at the hit. He wasn't smiling anymore.
"Who the hell is your boss," I slowly repeated. He reclined his head back, probably planning to head-butt me. My palm forcefully wrapped over his throat, slamming his head against the bricks. He grunted in pain.
Yanking his hair up, I held his grey gaze. "Who is your damn boss, Shiro-san?" I dangerously demanded.
He kept silent, blood trickling down his nose. A little smile curled his lips, and if I wasn't insane enough, he just pushed me to the very edge of it.
I tasered him out.
When I made sure he was inert, I fished his phone out from his jeans and slipped it into the pocket of my hoodie.
Crawling to my feet, I leaned against the wall as I struggled to stay conscious. Wobbling all along the narrow path, I reached the main streets' pavement, feeling the remaining strength I had wane away.
Dear Suzu, I've finally avenged you.
I faintly smiled at the thought, before collapsing in the middle of the way. Shocked gasp of the passersby echoed in what was left of my senses, ―finally blacking out.
―
— U. Takumi
My eyes blankly stared at the phone screen. It was still vibrating in my palm. The row of numbers I knew by heart showed up, brightly flashing on the device. Those numbers popped up on my screen every so often lately.
Relentlessly.
She had left plentiful missed call in my log. Numerous messages. And several voice-mails.
Voice-mails and messages I never opened or listened to, because I knew I wouldn't be able to resist to her voice. I couldn't trust myself around her, was I to hear her apologies. Her reasons. Her intentions. How would I react? I was afraid to answer to my own questions, let alone her inquisitive ones.
Thus, I ignored the incoming call.
"Usui Takumi, you have to sign the form," my lawyer said, stirring me out of my aching feelings.
We were standing in the middle of the main reception, in the general State's Court House. Without realizing it, the waiting line behind me increased in length with each minutes I had spent in my thoughts.
"Yes, my apologies," I drawled, my business smile back into place. My gaze crossed with the receptionist's one ―a young woman―, and she shyly smiled back, blushing.
I miss her blush.
I endorsed the paper my lawyer pointed me to, before turning around as he took care of the finalities. Looking at anywhere but my phone, my gaze wandered around, until I fell on a pair of amber eyes shining with anger.
Anger directed at me.
Misaki?
Her hand was crushing her phone in her hand.
She saw me ignore her call.
Her head whipped around and she turned her back on me. Just as I had turned mine on her by rejecting her call. My heart painfully squeezed, first in pain, and then, with restrained spite when I saw who she was with.
Gerald.
I wanted to drive her out of here. Far from him. Far from the one who wanted me down.
The one who wanted me out of his way, all for my grandfather's will.
He made up the most ludicrous story. I was honored that he took the matter to such extend, solely for my sake.
Very honored.
My article, motive for a renowned trader's suicide? Truthfully speaking, it might have made him a little less wealthy, but certainly not enough to consider such a silly plot.
And yet, the society believed him. I eyed my lost love's back, her raven hair tied in a low ponytail.
Do you believe him too, Misaki?
They started to move as they finished their business here. Gerald paced ahead, his legal team following him with confident strides. A dauntless show, as if they owned the place and were intent to parade their superiority.
She didn't follow him, though, and stood there, alone. When she started to walk, I knew something was wrong. She slightly wobbled in her two inches heels, the start-off of her strides unconvincing to my sight.
She staggered after a step, bumping into a hurried man who almost sent her tumbling down to the wooden floor. He helped her up a bit, and she excused herself.
What the fuck?
I immediately started to pace to her, but my lawyer stopped me with a hand on my forearm.
"Documents first, and then you will be free."
"I really have to go, Sir..." I urged him, my eyes not leaving her form as she slowly reached the opposite corridor in faltering steps.
The grip on my arm got tighter. "Fine, go. But I'm done with you, if you do so."
I sighed, my heart feeling restless with worry. Settling with dialing her number, I held the device to my ear, convinced that she would answer in a heartbeat. She looked down at her phone's screen.
Turned around.
Found me in the same spot I last was.
Then, she glared at me.
Those were narrowed ambers, vehement with a hint of hurt and heavy reproaches. But above all... There was defiance.
She cancelled my call.
Don't even dare, her eyes said. Don't you dare call me, after what you pulled on me, Takumi.
―
Author's note:
I'm sorry... I promised a chapter for friday night.. And it is already past friday... for sixteen freaking minutes... ;-;
Ahhh, Usui... Aren't you messing up...?
I'm eternally grateful for your reviews people. It makes me happy to know you are still following my story =) ! THANKS !