ODE TO THE MURDERED, bonten

30

    Mikey takes his time, sipping the bitter coffee with languid intervals. "thank you, y/n."

"yeah." you say, studying him a bit.

    without the fabrics of rigidness on him, he looks much younger, if only he sleeps like this more often, you shake your head at the thought. you see Sanzu from the corner of your eye, holding up what appears to be Mikey's attire for today. you straighten, about to excuse yourself but Mikey's voice stops you.

"Kokonoi will be with you when your presence is not needed with me." his onyx is firm on you, you blink at him.

"pardon?"

"you don't have any wear for the party in ten days right?" that made you still. "Kokonoi will accompany you to find one when there's time." Mikey shifts on his mattress, beckoning for Sanzu to come closer as he slowly unwraps his bathrobe showing pale, toned abs amidst the exposed air—you quickly avert your gaze out of respect.

he continues speaking, eyes flickering to you for a bit. "worry not about the prices, that'll be under Bonten's finances, just think about looking pretty for the party."

you shoot a quick 'yessir' turning almost immediately and slipping out the door as Mikey pours and pulls the fabrics onto his lean body, and building up the walls to hide the vulnerable young boy within his layer of coldness once again.

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            the small reserved walls within Bonten falls into a paradigm.

    you briskly followed Mikey and Sanzu through the morning until Kokonoi had picked you up to help you with a few paperworks in his office, the white-haired had also volunteered himself to teach you a few things regarding documents and report handling that Bonten does since Mikey had impulsively threw you into a situation you are not so familiar with.

the morning blurs and suddenly it's 12:07pm when the door to the conference opens and a few unfamiliar men step out from the room.

you can feel some of their eyes dart to you, some giving you a short bow while the rest only takes a curious look at you before turning away, you let out a breath when most of them vanish in the corner of the hall, followed by Takeomi who leaves through the conference door after everyone, flaunted by a simple dress shirt and dark trousers, an almost finished cigarette stick between his lips. his gentle turquoise wander until it steadies on you.

"Mikey's calling." he says.

you straighten yourself from the wall, looking around briefly.

    "but Sanzu's not here yet." Takeomi hums at your statement, tepidly leaning half his side on the entryway. "i mean, he's looking for you specifically, alone."

    "me?" he nods his head. "like...right now?"

    amusement curls on his lips. "yes, like, right now." he refrains himself from chuckling.

    you send him a glare and he responds by ruffling your hair, leaving you to enter the conference door with messy bangs and a half-offensive look plastered on your face. it's your first time stepping inside the room, it's rather spacious and smelled vaguely of cigarette smoke mixed in with the cold air, you slightly crinkle your nose before gazing at the only person within the area, seated at the foot of the long conference table.