Killer Stranger || Haitani Ran/OC

23 - no savior

Hikari was wordless the entire journey from the room to the parking lot. Koko didn't know what to say either, which was a first, since he could feel her distrust towards him. he opens the car door for her and she steps in, gaze blank and unfocused—like she wasn't here.

he wondered what Ran could've said to her as he followed in, shutting the door once he was seated.

"drive us home," Koko shortly tells his driver. the car was about to move forward, only for it to come to an abrupt stop. he curses as he looked in front of him, surprised to find Sanzu standing before the vehicle.

"sir, he's blocki—"

"I can see that," he snaps.

he sends a concerned glance at Hikari as Sanzu approaches her door-side, but she still wasn't in her right space of mind. Sanzu knocks on the window, and she looks up. "stay here," Koko mutters before leaving the car through his side.

"what do you want?"

the car was between Koko and Sanzu, the pink-haired man grinning widely to have gotten their attention.

"Hikari's coming with me," he says, resting his hands on the roof of the car before he settles his chin on top.

"huh?"

"I'm taking Hikari."

"the fuck, you're not," he snorts, about to open the car again and leave him alone if it weren't for his next words.

"Mikey's orders."

"you're lying."

"he finds Hikari suspicious since there are no records of her at all, not even so much as a last name."

"that's impossible though..." then he purses his lips upon realization of just who Hikari had wrapped around her finger. he felt sour about it, a petty irritation for not being the one to come up with protecting her identity first.

"of course, Mikey doesn't know how smitten Ran is with Hikari, so rather than Ran covering up for her, Mikey just thinks Hikari's fishy."

"is that really enough reason to be suspicious?" he's starting to doubt Sanzu's reason and credibility, because if Mikey got suspicious, it surely wasn't without Sanzu's manipulation of details.

"I'm not lying," Sanzu pouts, "to be frank, I'm quite surprised Mikey takes time to care about some girl who could just be a simple hooker y'know?"

he clenches his jaw. if Mikey really wants it then there was nothing he could do. it's not like they'd hurt Hikari, right? or maybe he was anxious because he knew how easily it could be so much worse than just hurting her.

he's left with no choice but to trust that Ran really did a wonderful job of burying Hikari's relationship with Red Flower.

"I'm going with you," Koko says after having thought it through. Sanzu smiles. "Perfect, I'm getting in through here~"

Koko didn't feel the need to intervene as they both enter the car. Hikari moved instantly, eyes wide as Sanzu sits beside her with a shameless smile.

"Ran would have a heart attack if he knew I'm sitting beside you right now," he snickers to himself. Koko clicks his tongue as he wraps an arm around Hikari's shoulders, pulling the girl closer to him. she pushes his arm away, avoiding his questioning eyes.

she couldn't erase the picture of her supposed friend, who she thought truly cared for her, turning his back to what Ran was doing. nor could she erase Ran's assault, which was far more prominent in her mind.

right now she has no clue how she'd ever be able to trust someone; the girl starting to come to terms with the fact that through and through, she really was alone. the ride was silent and she stares at her hands on her lap. she could feel Sanzu's gaze on her the whole time, making her conscious of her breaths.