𝐈𝐊𝐈𝐆𝐀𝐈 | 𝐀𝐊𝐈 𝐇𝐀𝐘𝐀𝐊𝐀𝐖𝐀

𝟎𝟎𝟖.

KNOCK KNOCK.

The luxurious pair of doors pushed open from the outside. The visitor entered the gigantic office, footsteps muffled by the thick black carpet placed on the floor. He stopped in the middle, placing one hand on his chest, and bowed ninety degrees. Even if his boss could not be bothered turning to face him, he knew the other will still listen to what he had to say.

"Sir, we've managed to deal a serious blow to Squad Division 4, as you requested. Most are on the verge of death and it's highly possible their careers as devil hunters will come to an end," he reported.

The boss continued looking out of the window. From where he sat, it granted him a breathtaking view of the city. The man hummed, clearing his throat and slowly spinning his chair around. The gold watch adorned on his left wrist glimmered under the sunlight shining in from the window behind him. He smirked, pleased to hear such positive results and he knew his plan would succeed.

All he needs is to be patient.

"Good  job."

༻♡༺

Aki's eyelids fluttered open. The plain ceiling and four white walls greeted him, welcoming him back to the land of the living. He looked to his left, unfazed by the sight of Denji and Power arguing amongst themselves while they wolfed down the apples. Denji raised his head, startled to see the devil hunter staring at them wordlessly.

"Jeez, if you're awake at least say something," he sighed, getting out of the chair to help Aki sit up when he was having difficulty doing so.

The man ran a hand through his fallen black hair, rubbing his temple slowly. He tried to remember what happened beforehand but it was all blurry. Thinking about it makes his mind hurt.

"... What happened to the others?" He asked, clearing his throat.

The pair shared a glance, growing unusually silent. Aki narrowed his eyes. "Well?" He pressed them.

"... Himeno's in a coma, and the doctor is unsure when she will wake up. Kanako's  doing fine. However, the doctor mentioned Kanako showed signs of stress, malnutrition, and lack of sleep, " the devil answered in a remorseful tone.

Aki's heart sank to the depths of his stomach. He couldn't believe what he was hearing and he hoped his ears were playing tricks on him. His fingers gripped the blanket underneath his palm and he removed it, sliding his feet into the slippers provided.

"Wait, where are you going?" Denji asked, stunned.

"Take me to her," he demanded.

Power volunteered to remain behind. A wise choice, Aki mused and followed Denji out of his room. Kanako's room wasn't located far from his, for it was only five rooms apart. They stopped by the door and Denji turned to face him.

"She's inside. Power and I have to head somewhere," he mumbled, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder and leaving Aki alone.

The man opened the door, entered, and gently closed it behind him. He approached the bedside, finding this scene familiar to when he visited her when she was ambushed by a devil. Although this time, her injuries were more severe. Aki remained standing and took in her condition. Bandages covered both her arms and thighs. Two bandaids covered her cheeks. When he leaned in, he could see the burnt areas of her skin. Aki was intrigued, wondering how she received such serious burns. From the looks of it, there was a high chance it will take a long time for her to recover. Denji's words flashed in his mind and he sighed, wondering if he should have been persistent.