The Promised Revenge [Manjiro Sano]

8

Your smile began to fade, your eyes following him with a cold gaze as he slowly approached the blond.

You were well aware of his plans to create chaos in this room, to shift all the madness towards you. Yet, you felt an undercurrent of excitement at the prospect of seeing what he would try to pull on you, eager to see him try.

"Red!", his friends called, grabbing his arm to prevent him from taking another step. "Don't!" they urged. "You don't know what she could do to you!"

"Ha", you sounded, your position and stance remaining, somehow, more intimidating but only for a split second before returning to its previous wit and covering your mouth with your hand. "Sorry about that."

Red mumbled under his breath, comprehending the game you were currently playing, and all it did was further fuel his fury.

He hissed, "Let go of me!", forcefully removing his arm from their grasp and stepping forward with renewed determination, his head dizzying, his veins bulging, and his breath heavy.

Standing in front of the short man, his attention now on him, ignoring the warnings of the others, he turned his gaze towards your direction, feigning innocence and confusion.

"Mikey-Kun," he stated. "I don't know why this woman is here or what you think of her, But she's not what you think she is!"

Manjiro let out a perplexed response, while Emma and Draken observed with puzzled eyes.

You could feel the two other guys' scared eyes on you, and it made you wish to mock them as you usually do, but you were constrained to play this blameless friend role in front of the others.

"I'm not what he thinks I am?" you echoed, rising to your feet and moving closer towards them.

The two others flinched as you moved, but you kept your gaze squarely on the sore one. "What do you mean by that?"

Heat and rage simmered within him, like a scorching flame that attempted to consume him from within. He almost felt his blood boiling through his veins, but he was forced to maintain his composure, no matter how difficult it appeared, even if it meant ignoring your existence,

"That night..." he spoke again, seizing the attention of everyone in the vicinity, his voice unsteady.

He felt uncertain about the whole situation, yet he proceeded, driven by the rush of adrenaline. "The night when Draken-Kun was stabbed and this girl jumped to help him," he continued. "She did something... strange."

"She sure did beat you up as she should." Emma interrupted his tenseness with her sassy voice, Draken next to her whispering for her not to get involved.

A chuckle escaped your lips, making Red's mouth go hard. You ignored his heated stares, turning to your friend, and winking at her. "Nice one, Emma", you said, as she, too, gave you a wink and a giggle.

Looking back at the angry guy, your smile stayed the same even when your gray sharp eyes met his glary ones. "What strange thing?", you asked. "I left the second I heard the police sirens and came to the hospital. Is that what you mean?"

"No!", he yelled, shifting his stares back to the guy. "Mikey-Kun, after the ambulance left, she asked me about you!"

Manjiro arched an eyebrow, his position unchanged, taking a quick look at your bewildered face. "She did?"

"I did?"

"Stop this bullshit!", he yelled all of a sudden, turning to you with seething eyes, grabbing your wrist, and pulling you backward till your body slammed hard into the wall that you let out a quiet yelp, then grabbed your throat with his other hand, crushing your air passage with his strength.