Corpse Bride || Haitani Brothers/OC

23 - is it not love

"you popped out of nowhere! what was I supposed to say?!"

"out of all things you could've said, you said that?" Rin asks, a hint of annoyance in his voice as the girl fans at her eyes. both were walking over to the VIP room Mikey and the others were in.

don't cry, Hikari, she reminds herself. she still had a mic on her for Mikey and the rest to hear. to hear the meetup, not her fucking pathetic breakdown.

Rin scowls as he pulls at her elbow.

"what's wrong with you? the least you can do after declaring you want me is look me in the face."

she looks back at him with teary eyes, the man taken aback.

"nothing," she chuckles, "oh my god, I can't breathe."

she turns away from him, wiping her eyes as she took in a deep breath.

"Hikari, you okay?"

"fine."

Rin wasn't so pushy or talkative anymore until they entered the VIP room. all of them looked up at her upon their entry. she prayed there wasn't a hint of weakness on her face. then Takeomi suddenly cheered, raising a glass of whiskey.

Koko gave her a small smile, and the rest were indifferent.

"you did well, Hikari!" Takeomi grinningly says, walking up to her before he guides her to sit over with the rest.

she sat between Kaku and Rin, a little bit confused by the atmosphere. the old man calls for a clinking of glasses and all of them reach to do so except Mikey. Hikari just looked at each of them alternately in nervousness.

"lighten up, Hikari—we came here to celebrate your first real day after all!"

"you did a good job," Koko smiles.

she only chuckles nervously as she downs her drink, the overwhelming feeling of earlier getting washed away with liquor.

it seemed her glass was never empty. Rin and Takeomi took turns filling it up, and she drank without hesitation, desperate for numbness. plus, it was fun. Takeomi, albeit being the geezer he was, was actually the life of the party.

he sang karaoke single-handedly, and Hikari was laughing, leaning in to Rin who's had his arm wrapped around her waist. when he, however, brushes his lips against her face, she pulls away immediately, giving him a pointed look.

"oh, you're overdramatic. Ran's not even here."

"I hope you're just drunk, Rin."

"so what?" he smirks, pulling her by her waist once more, "you're also drunk. you could use it as an excuse to do what you want."

"what I want has nothing to do with you, Rin. when will you get that in your fucking head? I'm tired of this."

"woah- woah, stop there. aren't you Ran's wife?" Takeomi says, announcing it loud and clear on the microphone.

Hikari instantly pushed away, scowling as her cheeks burned in embarrassment from all their gazes. even Mikey who had so little to say and had been forgotten looked at them in interest.

"it's not what you think," she smiles slightly, "Rin just loves to play around."

Rin was completely fine, ignoring all the awkwardness as he kept on drinking. she could feel their judgment the whole time, and unable to take it all, she stood up and excused herself for the comfort room.

now that she left the room, the air of fantasy vanished so quickly. she felt heavy again. Rin had followed her, holding her by her hand, but there was that familiar ringing in her ears.