When the group of people had reached Homura's base and stood outside the bar's entrance steps, Kaiyo couldn't help the anxiety building in her. The cold chilly air made it worse, growing goosebumps on her arms.
Genji's grip on her right wrist was still there, although it wasn't as tight as before. It was lightly wrapped around her wrist. She gave up on pulling her hand away. Every time she did so, he would grab and tug on her hand the split second she pulls her hand back; as if his hand has its own awareness.
"Nervous?"
Genji had leaned down towards her and whispered by her ear, which caused her to jerk her head away from the sudden interference of space. She didn't reply back; only shooting a dark glare towards him as her answer.
Genji oddly find it humorous and light-heartedly grinned. Kaiyo could only glance up at him in utter confusion that he was grinning as he straightened himself when Kusanagi rang the doorbell and knocked on the doors.
The doors opened and Genji greeted the person with a cheerful tone.
When Kusanagi and Yata stepped aside and ultimately showing Genji and her who stood by her side, Kaiyo, who was still looking upwards, immediately made eye contact with the eyes that were looking down at them from above due to the height difference caused by the stairs.
The person who answered the door was—horrifyingly to Kaiyo—Mikoto.
Her eyes trembled from apprehension of the coming future. She repeatedly clenched and unclenched her left hand to ease her trembling wits.
She could see a turmoil of emotions running in his eyes.
--Shock, unrest, doubt, anxiety and most of all suspicion.
The last visible reaction made her tense her shoulders as fear crept into her chest. She couldn't explain it, but she didn't want him, him out of the people around her now, to feel that way towards her.
--It's unsettling.
Kusanagi fretted internally for a while before he stepped forward and pressed a hand to Mikoto's shoulder, whispering to him what had transpired when they met to bring them over to the bar, summarising them as exactly: 'Kaiyo-chan was forcibly brought over by Genji.'
Mikoto's eyes widened from surprise before he shot a glare towards Genji, who received his glare with a smile on his face. "I thought she was a friend of yours? So I brought your friend over to this celebration."
'It's his whims.' Kaiyo wanted to say that. But that would explicitly tell them that she knew Genji. She could only inwardly curse in her mind.
Mikoto's glare hardened. "It isn't something to involve outsiders."
"Outsiders? But she wouldn't be considered one if she knew who you guys are—"
"Please don't fight..." Kaiyo interrupted Genji through his speech. Without needing to see the particle-like beings, Kaiyo could feel the slight increase in pressure around Mikoto. She cut in so as to dissolve the tense atmosphere between the two groups. She could also feel the people under Genji who stood behind them were slowly getting riled up. Looking up at Mikoto, Kaiyo repeated her words, "This meeting is important right? So please don't fight outside here... Let's head in and start. I won't ever reveal what is being talked inside, outside of the bar."
Kaiyo looked up at Mikoto. The latter could see the fear swimming in her eyes despite the situation she was in. But unfortunately, he misunderstood the fear, thinking that it was because she was afraid of Genji. But in reality, Kaiyo was actually afraid of a fight brewing between the two groups right then.
Mikoto glanced at Kusanagi for a moment before glancing back at Kaiyo who was looking at the ground now. When he felt the squeeze on his shoulder again, Mikoto nodded his head.
Stepping to the side, he had asked for Genji and his members to step in. It was then he noticed that Genji had his hand wrapped around Kaiyo's wrist when Genji walked in; he was pulling Kaiyo along with him by his side.
An indescribable sour feeling rose from his chest and his hand subconsciously moved and took hold of Genji's wrist—the hand that was holding onto Kaiyo.
"I do hope you keep your hands to yourself, Genji." Glowering eyes shot towards Genji, he tugged Genji's hand off.
Genji, taken aback from the Red King's sudden actions, stared at the hand that was gripping onto his wrist tightly before moving to set his gaze on the stunned Kaiyo. With a low, short chuckle and eyes half-lidded, Genji muttered out, "You're quite loved aren't you."
Kaiyo felt his sharp gaze on herself and her shoulder tensed; her left hand subconsciously went to grab onto her scarf wrapped around her coat's collar and neck. She internally hoped that he wouldn't say anything that would involve her anymore. Just him bringing her here was almost crossing the line. "I'm sorry... I caused more inconveniences." She apologised, speaking to Mikoto. Her voice was soft and trembled in the ever slightest.
Some people frowned and looked towards the other group. Unknowingly for Kaiyo, her meek voice made people misunderstood her situation. She may sound meek because of fear, but her fear wasn't because of Genji, but it was a fear for her secrets getting known.
She wants to keep her connections a secret. And she will keep them.
Mikoto glanced back at her and saw the hand clasped on the scarf, and couldn't help but think back to the day they had visited Genji's company.
At that time, there was a mysterious person in the room attending to the meeting as Genji's friend. He not only had taken note of the gauze patch on the person's face when they turned their heads, but also the fingerless gloves that person was wearing when they had lashed out on Genji.
--It's similar... Is there such a coincidence?
There was a nagging feeling gnawing in his mind, so much that it felt quite irritating to him.
Someone coughed loudly in the bar, attempting to take the attention of the two bosses staring at each other in a showdown. "It's getting quite late. It's a good idea to start on the meeting now, lest it gets dragged into the night." It was Kusanagi who had initiated it.
Mikoto glared at Genji for a few more seconds before letting go of his wrist and trudged to the centre of the bar. They had changed the layout of the bar for the day, moving and placing the couches and the low-rising table in the middle of the bar.
As he stood at the couch facing towards the entrance doors, Mikoto glanced at Anna before looking back at Kaiyo and nudging his chin towards the flight of stairs leading upwards. Anna seemed to have understood what he had meant and nodded her head.
As Kusanagi led Genji and Goto over to their seats opposite of Mikoto, Anna approached Kaiyo amidst the shuffling of people around the bar—to stand behind their own group's leader—and tugged on her coat's sleeve.
Mouthing 'let's go', Anna grabbed onto her wrist and lightly pulled her towards the flight of stairs.
Genji, who had seen Anna pulling Kaiyo along with her, quickly spoke, "Where are you bringing your friend? Not participating in the meeting?"
Mikoto eyed Genji with a sharp gaze. In a low voice, he said, "I would rather you put your attention here than there, Genji."
Genji held the gaze the redhead was giving him with an unreadable look Mikoto was unable to understand. He knew he had gone over the limit and cut off the eye contact first. He shrugged his shoulders and sat down on the couch. He gave a last side-eyed glance towards Kaiyo, who did the same before she was pulled up the stairs and the two of them couldn't see each other anymore.
Some people saw the actions between the two but didn't voice their thoughts out.
A member came to the discussion table and placed down a few cups of warm water. As Mikoto took his seat on the couch.
Leaning forward with his elbows resting on his knees, Mikoto spoke first, "Shall we start?"
Genji smiled a business smile and leaned off the couch's backrest. "Sure."
Kaiyo was brought over to Anna's room and made to sit on her bed. Hesitantly sitting on the side of her bed after taking off her shoes and socks and placing them neatly near the closed door, the soles of her feet touched the somewhat cool wooden floor.
Anna had called for a member to help prepare snacks and brought the tray holding two cups of steaming drinks and a plate of biscuits and marshmallows onto the small low rising table in the middle of the room. Anna then gestured for Kaiyo to sit by the table and she willingly complied. Below the table was carpeted, thus it wasn't cold sitting there.
As the drink will cause her glasses to fog, she pulled the accessory and laid it on the table hesitantly. The moment she so much as glance towards Anna, she could see the faint red aura emitted from the little beings in the air, depicting which Clan Anna was in.
Kaiyo averted her gaze and picked up the steaming cup in front of her, only to notice that it was a hot cocoa drink. A face resurfaced into her mind in which she unconsciously looked towards the closed doors, imaging the person sitting at the couches and holding the meeting with Genji sitting opposite him on the other couch.
She snapped herself out of her mind when she found herself thinking too much—especially when it involved that person.
Kaiyo thanked Anna for the generosity of letting her into her room and giving her a drink. Anna shook her head and smiled, saying that it was alright. Her eyes gazed at Kaiyo taking sips of the drink.
Anna placed her cup of drink with her hands wrapped around it on the table. "Ne, Kaiyo?"
"Hmn?"
Her curiosity probed at her and she asked one of the questions she had in mind. When Kaiyo had walked in together with the other gang's leader, Genji, she had looked past her marble at that moment. She remembered the colours of her aura wrapping around her faintly.
"... Did something happen? Are you okay?"
That question was so sudden that Kaiyo's expression had wavered for a second, turning tense. That split second was caught by the white-haired girl.
"What do you mean?" Placing the cup down, Kaiyo reached out for one of the marshmallows. "Do you mean how I was dragged over here by that bunch of scary people? It's okay, thank you for worrying about me," she pulled up a smile on her lips, "I'm good. Luckily, they didn't mean any harm, and only forced me to come over here." Heaving a sigh, she continued speaking, "It's a good thing that nothing else had happened. Who knows what they will do."
Anna listened to Kaiyo's ramble, knowing that she was speaking to divert her attention elsewhere.
--Black.
That was the colour Anna didn't like seeing with Kaiyo. Thinking back, Anna couldn't help furrowing her brows.
"I'm fine Anna-chan. Really." Kaiyo smiled widely, appreciating that she was worried for her.
Anna stared at her, getting the feeling that she didn't want to share her hidden worries with her. She respects that and being thoughtful about her feelings, she took a step back. But she was determined to know, one day, what was causing her to have that colour around her in her life.
With a soft smile, Anna nodded her head. "Okay."
Kaiyo internally sighed out in relief. But she knew that it wouldn't be the last of it. What should she do in the future? The more she thought about the past few months, the more she felt that she had been around the Reds more than before, even if it was directly or indirectly.
As the two girls were drinking upstairs, the two big bosses were downstairs conversing with each other.
Black eyes met amber; smiling met unfriendly. Anyone on the lower floor could feel the tension in the air. The two big people were just watching each other, not having said a word since they sat down at their respective places.
The more Genji looked at the Red King opposite him, he felt like throwing out a punch and bruising his face with a fist-print. This thinking only made his aura around him turn more unapproachable. If he had the aura, his aura colour would be an icy blue colour. Despite being like this, he kept a respectful smile on his face. They _are_ on the Red Clan's territory anyway and are here for a peace meeting. He should keep up the etiquette.
Kusanagi, who had moved to sit beside Mikoto to help with the meeting, eventually let out a cough, breaking the tense atmosphere. "Shall we start?" He said, waving his hand in the air as a gesture to seriously start now.
Mikoto nodded his head, a gruff 'hm' left his throat. Genji smiled and gestured to Genji who sat beside him. His right-hand man handed him a few pieces of paper. Flipping through the papers, Genji spoke, "I agree with this partnership, and have no qualms about the conditions you are giving us," he said before placing the papers in his hands on the table, allowing Mikoto and Kusanagi to take a look at them, "but I would like to add on a few other conditions." Leaning back onto the backrest, he smiled widely. "I am a businessman after all."
Kusanagi, "This..."
Mikoto's brows frowned when he read through the contents of the paper. He picked one paper up, read it for the second time, before knocking on the paper with his kunckles. "Don't you think this condition is too much in your favour?"
"Hmn? Whatever do you mean?"
Mikoto wanted to throw a fireball at Genji when he saw the carefree smiling look on his face. His smile irked him. It was the same smile he gave Kaiyo before they separated. Why would he bring her here? Was it a coincidence? Or does he have an ulterior motive by using her?
"This condition makes it easier for you guys to go completely law-free from our grasp," Kusanagi explained why Mikoto was not happy with the given condition.
Genji sighed. With a sharp gaze, he glanced between the two Reds in front of him. "I'm sure you have investigated us enough to know we don't do any illegal things. We only work with the self-made alcohol we process. My company might not be the best because it's run by us, which is why you guys titled us as a black company, but it is still a trading company and I do take care of both my gang members and the normal people I hired to help with the company. The only conditions I would like to add to this partnership is to use your reputation and lift the intense inspection on the goods we bring in and sell in both the bar we have and the company."
Sharp eyes stared back at him. Genji didn't feel intimidated and continued, "You might be younger than me, but that doesn't mean I won't give you the respect."
Mikoto frowned even further.
"I don't need you to lift the whole inspection off of us. Reduce the intensity by half is enough for us." Genji then smiled brightly. "But of course, if you could lift the whole thing off of our shoulders, we would be very grateful for it."
--Should I throw out a punch with the fireball.
"However, this would really be letting you off the hook. We are already giving you the hand when you have the advantage of avoiding the Blue Clan just by partnering with us."
Hearing those words from Kusanagi, Genji tilted his head slightly to the side as if questioning Kusanagi's remark. His smile fell from his lips. Black eyes that looked dark and heavy, he said, "Everyone knows that the Red and Blue do not work well with each other. They despise each other to the point where just seeing another member of the other team opposite the road would cause a fight to break out on that same street." Elbows resting on his knees, he leaned forward. "So, on what declaration or assurance can you guarantee to us that the Blue Clan won't come after us and give us more trouble than we already have on our hands?"
His words were straight to the point and sharp. He wasn't wrong. But hearing it from him made the other Reds sitting in this meeting feel insulted and angry.
"Other than these two extra conditions, you will have a team." Genji blinked his eyes once and raised his brows. "Isn't this a fair enough of a trade?"
When he still didn't get an answer from them, Genji sighed out loud. "I came here with the intention to build the friendship and close the ties, not to make an enemy when I leave here." He smiled a bright smile that didn't reach his eyes. "If you want to cancel this partnership, I'm all on board for it. Just remember that the next time we meet, I won't guarantee my men won't shoot any of you if you step on our turf."
Mikoto pursed his lips and sent a glare towards him. "... I forgot you're this kind of person."
Genji shrugged his shoulders. "It's nice being in this partnership, fellow friend." He stood up and held out his hand. This time, the friendly smile he had on his face was real.
Mikoto and Kusanagi stood up as well; the former reaching his hand out and accepting Genji's hand for a handshake to formerly make up the partnership.
With the meeting ending, Genji and his members started making their way out after the big bosses and their right-hand man exchanged contacts with each other. Genji's eyes moved to the flight of stairs at the back of the bar, thinking of the silhouette of Kaiyo.
He snapped his eyes away when he felt a pricking sensation of someone staring at him. Black eyes met amber ones again and the former waved his hand towards the looker with a half-hearted smile.
Mikoto gestured for him to leave, wanting him to leave the bar as soon as possible. Kusanagi took the lead to lead them out through the doors.
Watching Genji's back, Mikoto remembered the way he was looking towards the flight of stairs. The only ones who went up were Anna and Kaiyo. Seeing the look on his face just now, he felt irked without reason. With a final glance towards Genji and his members leaving out through the doors, Mikoto turned around to face the members. He wanted to have a quick discussion with the rest of his members about the conditions stated on the papers.
When Kusanagi bid them goodbye, Genji and his group trudged down the street. Once rounding the corner, Genji gestured for the members to leave for the day. "It's been a good day. Good job guys for not lashing out with the Reds when the tension was so thick."
"Boss didn't move to do anything, so we wouldn't do anything." A member commented.
"We knew you have something up your sleeves. But damn, their eyes were literally glaring fire at us!" Another member snickered.
Genji laughed shortly. "It all went well, so I have no more complaints. Anyways, we will speak more during tomorrow's monthly evening. If there's anything urgent, I'll call."
With the members scattered out to their destinations, Genji pulled out his phone from his pocket as he continued on the path. Another set of footsteps followed half a step beside him. "What about the items?" Someone asked by his side.
"Goto? Hmn, I had the member I sent back to grab them stay in the bar first," Genji answered as he scrolled through his contact list. Reaching a name, he tapped on it and started typing out a quick message. With a smile on his face, he hummed a soft tune as he walked.
"Where are you going now Boss?"
"To the bar. There's someone we have to wait for."
Kaiyo's phone vibrated in her pocket, signalling an incoming message notification. Digging into her pocket, she tried not to wake Anna, who was lying beside her with her head on her thigh as she sat on the bed, up. It was quite late into the night and the hot drink had made her drowsier. Seeing her forcing herself to stay awake, Kaiyo couldn't help but pull her onto the bed in the room and had her sleep. Anna didn't want Kaiyo to leave and pulled her along, resting her head on her lap. Kaiyo could only comply and let her rest her head on her lap, not moving to wake the little one up.
With her phone unlocked, Kaiyo saw who was the one who messaged her, and her brows furrowed slightly. Just as she was reading the message content, the door opened and someone entered the room.
Kaiyo reflexively pressed on her phone's 'power off' button. Grey eyes met amber eyes midway. The first to cut off contact was the owner of the amber eyes. "Asleep?" His deep voice asked as he stepped in and closed the door behind him.
Kaiyo realised who he was speaking of and looked down before nodding her head. "Yes," she said lightly. "Has the... meeting ended?"
"Hm," Mikoto grunted an acknowledgement and took a step forward and sat down on the low rising table. Silence ensued in the room and Kaiyo felt a little uncomfortable with him in the room. Her eyes kept glancing at him who had taken out his phone and started scrolling through the interface. Kaiyo wanted to ask how the meeting had gone but knew it was not her business to ask about it. She noticed how his face looked tired than when she first saw him in the bar downstairs.
Her mouth fell open to ask, only to stop herself when her phone vibrated once again to signal an incoming message. She tapped on her phone to see who the sender was before unlocking her phone and reading the content. When she looked up, she saw Mikoto looking at her with a raised brow.
"That was from my brother. I'll need to head back soon." Kaiyo said.
--From a third person's perspective... If one were to look at her screen, one would see that the message wasn't truthfully from who she said was it was from.
"Since they aren't here anymore, I'll take my leave." She held onto Anna's head, pulling a pillow from the bed and setting it below her head before she slowly removed herself from the bed. Pulling the blanket gently over the sleeping Anna, Kaiyo kept her phone in her pocket.
With a bow, Kaiyo thanked Mikoto who stood up from his seat. "Thank you for having me here. It was troubling, was it not."
Mikoto lazily shrugged his shoulders. "It's not troubling." He turned around on his heels, walking towards the door. "You're always welcomed here. Don't worry what others say, I'm the rules."
Taken aback, Kaiyo lifted her head, watching his back as he walked out of the room. Her hand unconsciously touched the back of her left hand as if there is a burning ghost feeling on her hand. She couldn't help the thought passing through her mind as her chest felt tight. 'Are you saying that because you gave me the mark or because you really don't mind me here...?'
--Which is it?
Kaiyo gathered herself and walked out of the room, closing the door behind her. Climbing down the stairs, she was met with Mikoto, Kusanagi and Totsuka. The rest of the members who had attended the meeting had gone home after the short debrief from Mikoto after Genji and his group had left.
Kusanagi saw Kaiyo appearing from the stairs and his face fell into an apologetic expression. "I'm sorry that you were pulled into this. It must have been frightening." He said. Kaiyo saw the look on his face and noticed his exhausted look like Mikoto. It was reflected on the other members' faces as well. "It must be quite a day for you guys to look like that."
Kusanagi let out a dry laugh. "Things happened." His eyes glanced towards the clock on the wall. Noticing that it was late, he offered to drive her back. Kaiyo kindly rejected his offer. "I still need to get those groceries I planned to get before I came across those people. I would like to take a walk to clear my mind too, so there's no need to drive me there. Thank you for the offer." She walked towards the exit of the doors.
When she felt a pair of eyes was set on her from the back, she felt her scalp tingle a little. Before she fully stepped past the doors, she turned around, gave a short bow with a quick thank you and wishing them a good night, and left the place with the door closing behind her.
Stepping down the stairs, she walked down the quiet street towards the store she said she had planned to go before. When she made sure that there was no one following her, she took a turn and started walking in another direction, away from her first destination.
Pulling her phone from her pocket, she opened a message box and replied to the person on the other side. Her thumbs pressed against the screen with precision.
When the send button was pressed, the message travelled through the line as radio waves and reached the receiver on the other end. The receiver's phone received the message and made a ding sound, indicating that someone had sent a message.
With a glance towards the phone on the table that lit up from the notification, a smile stretched on the person's face.
Slipping her phone back into her pocket, Kaiyo checked her surroundings again before quickening her pace. She wants to get home quicker. Leaving Rimu at home alone at this time made her worry. The last time she did so, he came home earlier and things almost went downhill; blood almost shed.
Within a few minutes, she saw the familiar brownish-red painted building within her sight. Dim lights lit up the door as the sign above it was off-ed, telling everyone that it was closed for the day. A wooden sign hanging on the door was carved with the words 'closed'.
Ignoring the sign, Kaiyo pushed the handle of the door down and open the door with a push. Stepping inside, warm air kissed against her exposed skin and cheeks; her breathes not turning misty anymore. Soft jazz music flowed to her ears, giving a sense of comfort and peace as she closed the door behind her and the bells jingled when it closed.
The peace she felt only lasted for a split second when she remembered what she was there for. She saw the bartender at the counter and greeted him back when he remembered her and greeted her. He gestured to the corner of the bar and Kaiyo's eyes moved along and settled on someone sitting with his back to her.
Walking towards the table, she spoke first to indicate her appearance despite knowing that they knew of her arrival, out of courtesy to the person's status. "Why did you ask to meet me here, Genji-san?" She asked after greeting him. She stood behind the person who sat on the couch.
With a smile plastered on the face, Genji looked over his shoulder whilst tilting his head up. He had changed his hairstyle since the meeting was over, letting his hair naturally fall downwards instead of having it kept neatly brushed back and only leaving a part of his fringes framing half of his face. "Heyo, you're here!" With a wave of his hand, he indicated to the other seat. "Take a seat."
"I don't have the time. Just pass me the package and I'll be on my merry way." Expressionless, Kaiyo shot him down.
If Genji had pointy dog ears on his head, they would have flattened against his hair. "C'mon, just join me for one drink?"
Kaiyo showed no act to move to his request.
"I have something I want to tell you."
Kaiyo was still angry at him for pulling her into the meeting with the Reds and didn't want to speak with him, but seeing his serious expression and tone, she complied with a glare and a click of her tongue. She sat down on the couch opposite him.
Genji stretched out a hand and the bartender brought over a medium-sized wine bottle and two glass cups, placing it on the wooden table. "What's with the attitude?" Genji started pouring the wine into the two glasses.
Another glare came his way.
"Frowning doesn't suit you." Genji grinned and placed his chin on his palm, hand supporting his head. "Enlighten me."
If this was a comic, an irk mark can be drawn on Kaiyo's head at this moment. "You know what I'm angry about. How could you do that?"
"Do what?"
Having enough of him, Kaiyo slammed her palm on the table. "Pull me into that! What was the point of it?!" When Genji didn't answer and only gave an unreadable face, Kaiyo continued. "You always do things on your own whims. Although they may work out well in the end, but there are times when it's not going to end well, you know that! The meeting was between the two groups, there is no need to force me into it, or bringing me along! It's a good thing that you played with the act and didn't expose our relationship, but there wasn't a need to pull me along! Did you know how dangerous that is for both me and you!? What if they found out? What will you or I do? Things will be misunderstood and left unexplainable because they wouldn't accept the explanations and take them as excuses! They would have fought and things wouldn't go well safely! If they found out, then—"
"What if I wanted them to find out, so you wouldn't associate yourself with them any longer?"
Kaiyo tensed visibly, feeling a sense of chilling dread spreading in her body. Genji's teasing expression had long since been wiped from his face the more Kaiyo threw her words at him. His voice held no more of the usual jolly joking and his eyes were dark, set sternly on Kaiyo; watching her every expression on her face with a deep, sharp gaze. Both of his hands were resting on the table in front of him, fingers intertwined with each other.
"Speaking about relationship, and them knowing about it... Would it actually cause you any trouble if they knew? Wouldn't it be better if they know it earlier than later?"
"! I—"
"Being with them is more dangerous. They have enemies after their group. Wasn't the previous event enough for you to understand? What about Rimu-kun? Wouldn't being with them more often bring more trouble?" His hand then pointed towards his neck. "... I can guess what you're hiding underneath. Your hands are already full... Why are you putting more on your plate?"
Kaiyo's eyes widened and a hand subconsciously gripped at her scarf around her neck.
"It's your safety, or not."
She felt her mind's conscience and her heart's feelings fighting against each other but couldn't acknowledge it within herself.
Noticing that she was internally fighting, he leaned forward by a little. Enough that Kaiyo could smell the light cologne from him. "Why did you stop? I thought you were good at snapping back at my remarks?" Genji's heated gaze didn't leave her, nor did it waver. "You know my words aren't wrong."
Her brows furrowed towards each other. She felt her breath got stuck in her throat, unable to form words despite her mouth parting open and close. She settled to keep her mouth shut when she realised she couldn't say anything anymore and kept her eyes on the table, not feeling comfortable to look at him. She pulled her gloved hands off from the table, resting both her hands on her lap, hiding her slightly trembling hands under the table from his sight. His words just brought back the dilemma she had been going through before. Before she knew it, the Reds had made a hole in her wall. Her lungs burning from intensity of her emotions wanting to break out.
--It had always been bottled. But now, since then, there are times it wants to crack out.
Eyes falling shut, Genji leaned his back against the couch's backrest. He expected Kaiyo would act like this after his own outlash. For this once, he wanted to be selfish. Selfish towards her; selfish for himself.
Lips pulled down and eyes softening at the ravenette in front of him without her knowing, he silently sighed once more before turning his head to the right to gaze at the assortment of wine bottles seeming to reflect and shimmer under the bar's lights. His chest felt constricted, his emotions moving like tidal waves. He wanted to look away, at any place that wasn't Kaiyo.
The jazz music playing in the bar sounded melancholy to his ears, matching his current mood.
--She's getting further away...