𝐀𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭

Part 48: Regrets

| Source: zerochan
© [Please tell me if you know the artist's name, this art deserves millions of praise :')] |

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______________________________

UNKNOWN LOCATION

"You do realize you were taking this too far, don't you?"

Harshly pulling the cloak to wrap around her trembling shoulders, Akari frowns at the demon girl dressed in a floral yukata who chose to face the window instead of her.

Kei was starting to get anxious. Both of them have shown indirect signs of announcing a cold war to happen since last night. He brushed his orange hair using his own fingers and they came out to a big mess- just like his mind.

Tsuyuri Kanao refused to answer any of Akari's question.

And Akari should've known the reason but her ego just rose from the silent treatment Kanao gave her.

"Aneue, why don't you give Kanao-oneechan a bit more time?" Kei finally broke the heated silence between them and Akari snapped her neck at him.

"Shut up and eat your food, Kei." Akari warned, breaking the edge of the wooden table with a press of her palm.

Without sparing a second to see Kei's horrified face, she turns to Kanao once again. "This is a serious matter we're talking, Tsuyuri Kanao."

"I know."

Kanao was probably selfish to keep her mouth shut and caused Kei to bare with Akari's wrath. After glancing at the poor young boy who was at the verge of tears, Kanao decided to speak at last.

"And you don't have to respond so rudely to Kei, he did his job to keep an eye on me like you asked him. Are you even care of your brother's feeling in the first place?" She added with a scowl, clearly unpleased.

"Don't even try to test my patience here," Akari pressed, stomping to stand beside Kanao at the moment. "Why did you meet that Sun Hashira last night? You know the risk, Yushiro would've killed me if he finds out-"

"Yushiro wouldn't know if you seal your mouth shut," Kanao retorted, her dull gaze fixed upon Akari's piercing red eyes. "And Akari, I have my own reason to meet him. It's for everyone's sake too."

That made Akari scoff, gritting her teeth in advance, "Everyone's sake, my foot. You took a risk that could fully expose yourself to the enemy. For the love of God, stop being so selfish. Why did you think Yushiro order me to 'kidnap' you in the first place? It's because I have the power to protect you for the time being. Until the situation is all cleared up, you can return to the corps again—"

"Who said anything about me returning to that damned corps?" This time, Kanao seemed to snap. In such a way that sent unwanted chills to Kei even Akari's spines.

"... Just answer me, Kanao." Akari clenched at her cloak before saying, "Why did you go to see him? He's hurt enough to know that you're gone from his own sister. For you to meet him in person, and told him that you're going to leave him forever right to his face, doesn't that sound cruel to you?"