twisted perfection

chapter one

Bang!

Bang!

Bang!

"Fuck. Why'd you have to be so messy?" The young man growled, wiping the blood from his face. He kicked the hand off of his shoe, before grabbing the tarp and draping it over the lifeless body.

"Ng..."

Ryoma jumped, shooting one last time, through the tarp, between where the eyes would be. He sighed and wrapped it around the body, hoisting it over his shoulder in one swift move.

There was silence for a second until a blaring siren could be heard approaching Ryoma, terrifyingly close. ...Police sirens.

"Shit, shit..." The only thing that could be done was to run straight for the dark mass of trees opposite him, turning his phone on. He scrolled until he found the name he needed, hands shaking while the singular ring continued. "God, pick up."

"H-hello? Ryoma?"

"Asahi, I need you to bring your car to the woods. Hurry," the young assassin panted, almost dropping the body.

"W-What? Why... okay, I'm coming. I'll be there in five minutes," Asahi groaned. Ryoma could tell his best friend had been asleep, considering it was 4:37 in the morning, but he'd stupidly forgotten his own car. He'd recently been sloppier with kills and just generally, and had no clue why.

Ryoma kept walking until he found a section by the road, still hidden well enough, to put the body down, while he attempted to take out the dried blood from his hair. It was now the same colour as his dark-red locks, clumping them together.

"The one thing you can't do... is leave a trace. You got that? One slip up, and you're gone. Nobody's gonna help you."

"Fuck off," he snapped, to the memory of the voice. Ryoma sighed and collapsed onto the leaves, ripping one to shreds until a pair of headlights slowly drove past, and the light illuminated the features of the person driving.

Asahi Izumi.

He didn't even have his beanie on, mouse-brown hair still a mess, head leaning on the wheel when he stopped to let Ryoma into the car. When he saw what was in the latter's arms, he shot straight up, stumbling out of the car.

"Ry... what the fuck?! There's no way in hell that's going in my car. Hey-!"

Ryoma had already opened the trunk and shoved his gear, as well as the body, inside, slamming it shut. He slumped into the passenger seat with a tired expression, taking the water bottle from the holder as Asahi got in too, with a dazed look.

"I know what you're gonna say, Asahi. But I'm not stopping," Ryoma snapped, throwing a glare in Asahi's direction before turning away.

"And what happens when I can't come and get you, Ryoma? What if, one day, I arrive too late? Or worse, you're-"

He stopped talking, facing the front in a state of shock from what he was about to say. He didn't even want to think about the possibility of it being true, and saying it out loud would make it all the more difficult to comprehend.

"I'm what?" Ryoma had an eyebrow raised, letting out a scoff when his best friend turned his head away from him. "Look at me when I talk to you, Asahi. You were going to say, what if I'm dead, weren't you?

He was again met with silence, and reached out. Grabbing Asahi by the chin, Ryoma forced him to face him, eyes burning into his soul. He smirked egotistically as Asahi looked away from his gaze, trying to release the strong grip Ryoma possessed.