1.1 | The Yakuza Bride

Chapter 68

Hana never left home without a knife strapped to her thigh.

"Can I ask you something?" her older brother murmured.

He was never one to be polite when it came to conversations with her and so she looked up at him, astonishment and concern in her gaze.

"Have you told our parents?"

"About what?"

He nodded at her stomach.

Her mouth pursed. It wasn't a topic she wanted to discuss, especially not with her older brother, and especially not in an ice cream shop.

"No," she muttered. "I haven't told them."

She cast her gaze to him again.

"I don't think I will," she added in a softer tone.

Kai nodded slowly.

"Hmm."

"Hmm?" she echoed sharply. "What does hmm mean?"

"I'm not telling them anything," he grumbled. "Don't worry. I just wanted to make sure you know what you're doing."

"The contract has run its course," she said under her breath. "I miss home so, so badly. I just want to go back."

"You know I'll always support you," her brother returned.

"Oh, stop worrying about me!" she said with some cheer in her tone. "Go get yourself a girlfriend or something. You can worry about her."

"As if that helps anything!" he retorted.

~

Two empty boxes that previously contained a lobster roll each lay on the carpet by the television accompanied by a half loaf of garlic bread wrapped in foil. The heater was turned up and they were both snuggling under the quilt, toasty warm and sipping hot chocolate. Hana had watched this movie a few times but Leon hadn't, and it was high time he was introduced to one of society's form of entertainment.

She stole a glance at him and saw that his rapt attention was on the show. He was focusing so intently that Hana wondered if he was breaking down every single word each character said to analyse them.

"I can't believe you haven't watched it before," she muttered halfway through. "You even have the disc!"

He merely grunted.

"They're doing crack in the school library? And soon, everyone will come together...and it'll be a big party."

"That song sounds familiar," he said a little later.

Don't you...forget about me...don't, don't, don't, don't...

"Don't you...forget about me..." she sung softly. "As you walk on by..."

And finally, as the credits rolled, he said, "Nice movie. But you know, if they bumped into each other on the street without their cliques, I'm pretty sure they'd at least greet each other."

"Yeah?" She crawled out of the quilt, one leg after the other, then leant over him to brush her lips against his forehead. "I think so too. Hey, you won't forget me, will you?"

"Are you kidding me?" Leon grabbed her by the back of her neck then pulled her down for a kiss on her lips. "I think you'd forget about me."

~

"Hands off!" she exclaimed when a hand sneaked out to grab a mini lemon pie off the cooling tray.

She didn't have to bother though, because a split second later he dropped the pastry with a pained hiss and closed his lips around his burnt thumb.