Corpse Bride || Haitani Brothers/OC

07 - lies and kisses

purple eyes find hers instantly, the man marching into the room as he shuts the door in haste. he then leans against the wood, staring her down as if waiting for her to say something first. she looks away guiltily.

"I'm sorry."

"you're sorry?" Rindou repeats mockingly.

"I really am," she scowls.

"for what, Hikari? for going elsewhere when I said you should stay put? for tricking yet another one of my men? you know they get heavily punished for what you do, not that you'd care. or maybe you're sorry for putting us in danger? or, better yet, you're sorry for giving me the biggest migraine of my entire life?"

neither of them realize that he's walked up in front of her. he was mad, but he wasn't shouting this time. Rin was simply so used to her breaking the rules that he can't be his usual shouting self anymore.

"all of it, I'm sorry for all of it," she mutters. "but wait a minute, let's get one thing straight. I am being held hostage, have you ever found a hostage who'd say sorry for trying to escape?!"

"shut up," he scowls, stepping closer to her. Hikari shifts back and she hits the edge of the table. her breath left her entirely when he encloses his arms on either sides of her.

"Rin, too close."

"why do you keep running away? do you hate me that much?" he asks, a mild frustration in his voice.

if their bodies weren't so close, maybe Hikari could easily dodge such a question. maybe she could even say yes, I do hate you that much. but she can't.

"it's not that I hate you, Rin."

he sighs. Hikari never tried so hard to run away when Ran was there...how could you treat us so differently?

"I'm grateful for you even, I really am. I know you're taking care of me in Ran's stead—"

"I'm not," he cuts her off, his voice almost pleading. "I'm not. I have a mind of my own, Hikari. I don't bend to every one of Ran's will. he didn't tell me to kiss you, or to bring you to my bed that night."

Hikari looks up at him, not even able to stutter a word. Rin was right, she had been thinking too much of him as an extension of Ran's will. but Rin was indeed his own person—he wasn't just Ran's brother.

and maybe Hikari knew that all along. and it's why she always found herself kissing back for all the times he's kissed her. Rin was Rin. and she liked Rin. to an extent at least. maybe if she wasn't so damaged she could think about it some more.

unable to say a word, she just looks back at his purple eyes. the same ones glowed beautifully that one sunset when they had a picnic at the backyard of his home. she remembered feeding him something which he protested to eat.

"do you think I'm some dog?" he had scowled.

"yes, a rowdy dog—cute nonetheless, no?" and she had laughed.

Rin was the only reason she was able to go on. she didn't like it so much—thinking of Rin as himself. it allowed much room for feelings that conflicted with that of the past. if only she could keep on thinking about him as the temperamental man who had almost stabbed her at Ran's kitchen floor.

she chuckled a bit at the memory, looking away from Rin.

"was I too pathetic?" he sighs, leaning his forehead on her shoulder. "but I meant what I said."

he must be insane, he thought. when Koko had texted him that Hikari wound up here, he was just so afraid that something would happen to her. but more than that, he was afraid to think that even when they humored and coexisted happily with each other almost everyday, Hikari still went so far to find Ran.