Metanoia

Chapter Twenty-Five

My eyes shifted to Ran, who leaned back against the sofa with a bruised lip. The room was filled with an uncomfortable silence as we all tried to process what had just happened. Ran's expression was a mixture of pain and defiance as if he was determined not to let his injury show weakness. We had all been caught off guard by the sudden altercation, and it was clear that tensions were running high.

The room itself was dimly lit, with the only light source coming from a single chandelier on the ceiling. The soft glow created an eerie atmosphere, making the scene even more intense. The red, cushiony sofa, which Ran was leaning against, stood out in stark contrast to the muted colors of the room, adding an element of visual tension.

As I continued to observe Ran, I couldn't help but wonder what had caused the altercation and why he had ended up with a bruised lip. His eyes darted around the room, avoiding any direct eye contact as if he was reluctant to reveal the details of what had transpired.

Though I couldn't say for sure if Daichi had participated or not, I was confident he'd tell me if he had. I couldn't wrap my head around the fact that Lolo's friends pulled such a bitch move.

If you weren't prepared to fight, why start a war?

Kantou had discovered the location of their hideout, but the spies they had dispatched reported finding nothing there. In other words, there wasn't any furniture present.

"What're we going to do? We can't just let this go." Rindou lit a cigarette and lighter from the table before him. Rindou was never a smoker, at least not in my presence. This had to be a stress response since he merely vaped.

"Rin, relax–and put that fucking thing down," Growling, Ran leaned toward his younger brother and tried to grab it from Rindous's grasp, but he failed. "I'm fine."

"Fine?!" Rindou shouted, standing up. "Those assholes hurt you–"

"Haitani, calm down. You're doing too much."

Sanzu rested the blade of his Katana on his shoulder as he leaned against the wall. When this was happening, I had no idea what to say or do.

Rindou's constant sniping at Sanzu exacerbated the tense atmosphere. Ran's face was dead serious, and Mikey couldn't take his eyes off Rindou. Unfortunately, at this moment, I had to step in.

"Fuck you, Sanzu. Don't tell me I'm doing too much. You're only here because you're Mikey's fucking pet." With a sneer tugging his lips, Rindou said, "I'm surprised you don't wipe his ass for him."

"Rindou." Kakucho seethed.

"What? You expect us to do nothing!? We're letting them get away with this shit!" Rindou yelled at the top of his lungs.

I was not going to lie. Seeing Rindou so worked up was unsettling. I understood his frustration, but his outbursts weren't helping anything. As I made my way among some of the Kantou members after leaving the bar counter, I extended my hand to Rindou. "Hey—"

"Don't fucking touch me!"

The sudden outburst caught me off guard, and I could feel my heart racing. Rindou's voice thundered in my ears, overwhelming any other sounds. The moment's intensity made me momentarily forget where I was, as if time had stood still.

The force of Rindou's shout made my body react on instinct. My hand, almost as if it had a mind of its own, jerked back to protect itself from the onslaught. It was a reflex, an immediate response to the threat I perceived. My mind scrambled to make sense of the situation, trying to process the words hurled at me with such force.

"Rindou, don't yell at her." Shion stepped in after noticing my reaction. Rindou balled his fists and scowled at me.

Why was I being yelled at when I had nothing to do with what was happening?