Honey Garden

Chapter | 8

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CHAPTER 

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THERE was a moment of silence—a second of absolute stillness that drummed the tension in the air, singing nerves and shock into Lan's brain while it locks the fear into the woman's bones. Time itself wavered as the scent of the woman sunk deep into her head. Faint yet curling. Shy yet definite.

It was there.

Shock made way to agitation and with her lips suddenly dry, Lan dropped her gaze towards the unconscious body on the ground, prepped against the wall in a seemingly careless demeanor caused by bitter revelation.

She steeled her jaw, sour.

Why must fate be so cruel to her whilst coincidence made her its plaything?

Why.

"Who are you?" Came the question yet again, lower and softer without its previous steel. Ocean eyes lifted and dared to meet the woman's gaze yet again, guarded, but she didn't get the chance to answer.

The sound of frantic footsteps approaching made Lan snap out of her reverie, tearing her heavy gaze away from the frightened one of the woman's and effectively giving her the excuse to pay no heed to whatever it was the latter was going to say. Setting her eyes towards the direction of where the footsteps derived from, Lan took a subtle whiff, discreetly followed by a twitch of her ear just to confirm her suspicions.

The police.

'Good.'

"Listen," straightening to her full height while raising both hands in a feeble attempt to calm the woman, Lan advanced. "Some people are on their way here. You will be safe with them, but I suggest you to secure yourself in a secluded shelter. The outside is not safe for now."

'Not safe' would be an understatement. Hadn't she heard the ferry girl mention how riots were beginning to rise with those human authorities handling it to the best of their abilities? Surely such news would be broadcast everywhere on television.

Doesn't this woman pay any attention? Or was she just unfortunate enough to be elsewhere when the announcement was made?

'That's none of my business.' Inwardly shaking her head, Lan settled back. Whatever the fox' human relative does in her free time was nothing Lan should concern herself about. She was just another human amongst the millions exhaling polluted air into the environment.

It doesn't matter if she saved Shu—Kurama's mother or not. She was still just another face.

Steeling that facade of a resolve, Lan turned to leave.

"W-Wait!"

The woman's hold on her hand came quick, akin to a snapping viper. A speed that surprised Lan in the slightest, coming from a human.

She curbed that surprise however, when she glanced over her shoulder and saw the look in the woman's eyes.

There was fear. A reaction so natural and dominant within human reflexes, but underneath it all were the lingering traces of worry and appreciation—deep and swollen that shadowed those dark gazes anew. And then behind those gentle hues. . .

Behind those, Lan felt the crawl of a spider's leg down her spine at the vulnerable gleam layering the woman's gaze. Like a lamb seeking for shelter, like a child searching for comfort. Lan was struck.