Criminal || An Alice in Borderland Story

|| Episode 15 ||

A finger in between her eyebrows is what makes her stop. Chishiya smirked at her baffled expression at his slight action. "You're rambling." He ended it with a slight chuckle.

Shion pouted and crossed her arms together. "I'm sorry for being like that." She sounds so ashamed like never before and it pokes Chishiya a bit.

He puts his hand on her head, his arm still wrapped around her shoulders. "You don't have to apologise for being yourself. Just do it when you're pretending." He whispered to her ear and sighed.

And he means it.

The silence was washed away when Ann, held and helped by Kuina, breaks. "It was a reverse grip."

Shion perked up at the two girls, especially Ann's rather later announcement. "I should've helped them.." she pouted. "Brand new information works well for me."

Chishiya slightly chuckled at that part to be true. "But I would've been killed.." he trailed off, teasing her a bit, and earned a slight poke in the stomach afterwards.

"The fingerprints on the handle show a reverse grip," Ann held the knife so high it gained more attention to them. "Momoka killed herself." She concluded.

Shio also concluded that since it's the case, Momoka and Asahi were both game dealers.

Although she never suspected any of the beach members to be game dealers let alone two unsuspecting girls, she did expect one of the executives to be it.

And being reminded of that thought, she bums herself down, not even making a conclusion of that part.

Chishiya could tell her disappointment and so he just stays there in his spot, his hand on her head and his other arm around her shoulders, easing her in his way.

But he only sees another thing in her. It's been there since they've arrived at their spot. He wanted to ask a question but she'll give him a vague answer once again or remind him to read her instead.

"What are you thinking about?" His words betrayed his thoughts and so he slightly braces himself for another comeback.

It didn't happen.

"Where are Mira and Kuzuryuu? I've been trying to find them." She questioned and answered.

She actually said something to him without having to read her or him finding it out from someone else.

It astonishes Chishiya but at the same time, it feels like they're actually getting somewhere.

He looked at her with a smile and it seems the circumstances are forgotten.

Five Minutes Remaining

"We only have a few minutes left. We need to get her body onto the fire!" Kuina shouted, bringing everyone back to reality including Chishiya.

Everyone scrambled to carry Momoka's body but then shots fired as bullets started to pierce through some of them, coming out of nowhere.

She looked up, trying to move her head in any angle to see where it came from. Chishiya however, gulped down as he let out a shaky breath to which she noticed.

She squinted her eyes as to the source of the bullets. Until she gasps at the sight of her brother.. alive and damaged.

He's wrapped his torn shirt around his head and every part of his body was covered with burns. With him was his signature gun, all ready to fire again.

He now looks and acts even more of a monster than before and it terrifies everyone.

"Suguru.." she gasped once more and started to hyperventilate a little. She's then taken away when Niragi unleashes his bloodlust through the spray of bullets firing at the remaining beach members.

With her back still facing Chishiya, she tries to struggle against him holding her tight. "Please, Shuntarou.." she begged and at every move she was able to remove herself from him, his hands came back to hold her more.

Chishiya is struggling to get her in her place and prevent her from going back to Niragi. He dares not to look at her face nor try to make himself deaf from her cries.

All he could do is hold her tight and whisper "Don't.." as he slumps down against the wall, bringing her with him. With them sitting on the floor, it is an advantage for Chishiya to control her.

With his legs trapping hers and his arms holding her chest as his hand covers her mouth, Chishiya just couldn't emotionally handle her like this.

"Shion, please.." he begged as she started to lessen her fights. "He's gone.." Chishiya voiced it out, the very thing he's been thinking about saying to her from the moment he learned of her and Niragi's story.

And with the bullets gone from them to hear, Shion gives up. She panted as she stopped her fighting. It's now clear to her that it's actually over.

She should've never cared anymore even with that last second where they saw each other as siblings once more, it's supposedly and only history between them.

Shion lets her walls down, showing her vulnerability. Her entire body just stops the moment she lays her head on his shoulder, letting her tears out.

Chishiya sneaks his hand on top of hers on the floor and loosens his grip on her shoulders with his arm wrapped around it.

"I understand why you still want to help him but think of what you both have done to each other. It's not good for you. Try to think of yourself, Shion. Please.."

Chishiya didn't expect such emotion coming from his tone of voice that he tried so hard to be cold. He let out a sigh as soon as Shion caressed his arms, trying to comfort herself.

It stung Chishiya. It makes him feel worse to see her still in such pain and attachment to Niragi after everything. He couldn't help but feel resentment that Niragi had the nerve to still be in her heart.

She sighed in relief, looking at Chishiya. "I.." she choked a bit, gulping down any sorrow left from her. "I'm sorry.." Shion looked down, tears still in her eyes. "I never meant to go over like that.."

Not that he's proud of seeing it but it makes it known that she's not perfect. She's flawed in every way she has shown Chishiya and there was a time where he thinks that she's perfect.

He pulled the hair strands that covered her face and tugged them at the back of her ears. He tilted her chin up for her to look at him and to get a closer look on her. "Don't apologise for being yourself. You don't have to pretend around me."

Chishiya kisses her forehead and pats her thigh for her to stand up and pulls him up. The two looked at the lobby, now empty and with Momoka's body dispatched.

"So much for romance in this area." He snorted and walked forward before stopping himself to look over at her, standing still, gazing at the spot where Niragi had appeared.

She gulped down and put her hands in the pockets of his hoodie - Chishiya's hoodie. Shion looked at him, saw a hand holding out to her. "Shall we begin?"

And so Shion took his hand and held it tight for it might be another rare case for it to be true.