Corpse Bride || Haitani Brothers/OC

17 - beginning to an end

Ran was smoking in his balcony when Hikari came in his room. his back was to her, Ran ever tall that she couldn't help but admire him for a while, almost forgetting about why her heart was beating so fast.

well it always beats fast with him around, but this time she had a particular reason. he was mad, and she knew she's done something wrong, but logically speaking, she hadn't done anything quite wrong.

"Ran—"

"I'm smoking, go back inside," he cuts her off, not turning to face her.

she lets out a nervous chuckle as she walks to his side anyway, the man still refusing to acknowledge her.

"it's fine," she says.

"it's bad for your lungs, Hikari. go back inside."

"is this your way of telling me to fuck off?"

Ran rolled his eyes, but instead of telling her to indeed fuck off, he kills his cigarette in his ashtray before he crosses his arms over the ledge.

"mind telling me what happened, Hikari?"

the girl scans his face, and Ran looked back at her intently. she couldn't tell if it'd be wise to tell him now, what when he still reeked of bloodlust for his own younger brother.

"only if you promise me you're not going to start another fight with Rin."

his face soured instantly.

"Rin this, Rin that, why don't you just marry him?" he scowls.

"I'm already married. to you."

Ran almost smiled. almost. he only looks away from her. "I won't do anything rash, so please tell me what happened."

they stood beside each other, not touching, as Hikari told him about everything except the kiss. Ran's mood still didn't get any better even when she finished speaking, so they both looked at the skies quietly. the clouds were thick and gloomy. Hikari felt as depressed.

"are you still mad?"

"I think I'm more mad now than earlier, Hikari. but I can't do anything about it, you won't let me kill my brother."

"nothing much happened, Ran."

but that was exactly it, Ran thought. nothing happened. Hikari didn't do anything. she could've pushed him away, could've went back in his room, could've stayed with him the whole morning instead of cooking breakfast for his brother.

but that's not what happened. today, he wasn't so confident he could control his feelings. he was mad—at Rin, at Hikari, and especially at himself. this was however, the price he had to pay for leaving Hikari in the first place.

"Rin's never liked anyone before," Ran says quietly, "it's a shame that he just had to like the love of my life out of all people."

Hikari couldn't deny that his words were true. she knew how Rin must feel, the problem was that she didn't know what she felt herself.

"and it's an even bigger shame that the love of my life likes him back."

"Ran," she scolds, pulling his arm to have him face her.

he smiled, eyes challenging her. "am I wrong? I'd love to be wrong, so answer me. am I wrong?"

"I don't feel that way for Rin."

he hums in response as he steps closer to her. from the look on his face, she knew he didn't believe her, but indulgently, Ran tilts his head to kiss her. she let out a gasp as he pushes her to the ledge, pressing his body against her own.