Corpse Bride || Haitani Brothers/OC

33 - kiss, fall in love, die

so far, the old man only ever talked small talk. he asked about Ran, then he asked her about her family which she was sure he already knows isn't remarkable. when they've gone out into the hallway, Hikari noticed how the longer they walked, there were fewer and fewer people until there were none at all.

he cut the small talk. he stopped and turned to look at her.

"Ran Haitani knows a secret of mine."

she raised a brow, confused. she didn't know it but her reactions were getting more and more like Ran's.

"how does it concern me?"

"drop the act, kid," the old man gruffly says, "I know you're just a rat."

"excuse me?"

"I'm with Red Flower too, I got you. you don't need to worry."

Hikari barely managed to downplay her surprise. this man was powerful, so much so that even Mikey gave her specific instructions to avoid him. he was like the father of all criminals.

"I thought you were Bonten's ally."

he scoffed. "I wouldn't raise dogs that bite. the whole lot of 'em, especially that meddling husband of yours, I know they're slowly making a plan to overthrow me."

but didn't Kaku say he favored Ran? not that it mattered anymore. this was bad news—no it put all other bad news to shame. this was a gigantic disaster. Hikari suddenly felt anxious. if someone as powerful as him was aligned with Red Flower...and he owned the hotel...and 80% of the people here were his men—

calm down.

"what is it that you want?" she asks.

"before we kill them, before Red Flower kills them, I need to know where his files are—if there are any copies, if anyone else knows. that son of a bitch said he hasn't told anyone, saying he'll be nice if I'll be nice but damn it what he did to my daughters—"

he rambled on and on. as to what secret he wants to keep secret so badly, Hikari frankly didn't care. they were in danger, and had she not been playing spy at Red Flower Bonten wouldn't have seen the Sato's betrayal coming.

"I have access to everything he owns, his computer, his phone—everything, you wouldn't have to worry. but Mr. Sato, the war between both organizations isn't until the auction, correct?"

"there will be no war," he snorted, "haven't they told you? but that's besides the point, kill each other in my hotel for all I care. I need Ran to grovel, but first—"

"yes, the files he has against you. I'll work on it, but I have to know what exactly it is I'm looking for."

"you'll know when you see it," he gave a creepy smile.

Hikari needed to tell the others as soon as possible. this must be what Miko was trying to tell her earlier. there will be no war? then did that mean Red Flower had means to kill Bonten one-sidedly?

"I understand. I should head back now or Ran will get suspicious."

he grabbed her wrist as she turned to leave. her soul left her. something was just not right.

"what?"

"you're not really working for Red Flower, are you?" she was terrified. was she going to fuck this up for Bonten? would Ran get hurt because she failed to do her job right?

"I am. Ran had killed my brother, I work to avenge his death by playing his wife."

"I see that look in your eye kid, while I was talking about killing him. your eyes don't lie. are you going to rat me out? you're a double agent?"