playing cards | ryohei arisu

10

The two girls fell, luckily dodging the bullet. Hana looked up at the man who was about to reload his gun to shoot once more but was struck on the head by Tatta.

"Go get Arisu! I'll hold them back!" Tatta said.

"I'll help too. Go get him!" Usagi helped Hana up once she was up herself.

Hana nodded, climbing carefully out the window. "Don't look down, don't look down."

She looked over to the balcony. Hesitant to jump, she took a deep breath. "It's for Arisu."

Hana, with all of her might, jumped over to the balcony - she made sure she hung on tight.

She climbed over and instantly went for the window, opening it and climbing inside.

"Arisu!" She noticed the man and quickly went over to him.

"H- Hana?" His eyes were still taped shut while his mouth was free - Hana took the tape off carefully so Arisu could see again.

She untied him as well. His body was bloody and bruised, and he also looked tired.

Arisu, without thinking, threw his arms over Hana. "Thank you." He whispered.

Hana hugged him back, finally feeling relieved once she found Arisu. She didn't care if this was the end - at least she was with someone she loved.

"Arisu. I was really worried for you. Like, worried and- " The sudden eye contact made her nervous - there was that same feeling again. "I don't know if we'll ever go through something like that again but,"

Hana took a deep breath. "Karube used to tease me about liking you, and I would always deny it but.. it was true. It still is."

Arisu had his mouth hung open slightly, his eyes softening whenever they made contact with Hana's. Was he hearing this right?

"I know this is so sudden and - you just went through this, but I was so scared I was gonna lose you." Her eyes matched with the glass from the window - glossy and fragile: the tears starting to well up.

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"Do you like Arisu?" The question was sudden, almost making Hana spit out her drink.

She swallowed her drink. "What?"

"I see the way you look at him, Hana." Karube tapped his head as if he solved a question. "You can tell me."

"First of all: why would I tell you my love life - second: why would you ask that?" Hana asked.

"I was just curious." Karube shrugged. "I didn't know it would be too personal of a question."

Hana watched as he scrubbed the bar down, she was lost in a cloud of thoughts. "What if I do?"

He stopped scrubbing, making him look at her. "Huh?"

"I mean, would it change our whole friendship group? Or- he probably doesn't like me back."

"So it is true?" Karube grinned.

Hana rolled her eyes. "Whatever you think I'm saying - sure."

———————————————

The sudden knocking at the door interrupted the whole confession going on - of course, Hana was supposed to let the others in.

Hana stood up and ran over to the door, pulling out the chair from underneath and opening it. "Sorry about that."