PART SEVENTEEN !
cracking soon enough.
"THEY WERE TRYING TO KILL THE GIRL?" despite Mikey's poker face, there was a brief flash of shock that crosses his onyx eyes, his full attention pulled away from the supposed food he made the Haitani brothers and Sanzu go and grab for him in the late hours of night.
Bonten's second hums in reply, rubbing his thumb against his cold fingers. "they all aimed their bullets at her the entire time. bastards completely ignored us, but when we posed a sort of obstacle for them—they also tried to come after us, not that they could win anyways."
"where is she, Sanzu?" Kakucho's hardened voice reaches the pink's ears. his minty irises meet brooding red and white. his voice sounded hasty, impatient a little too tight from the usual disinterested number three.
Sanzu brushes him off, bored. "relax, when we arrived at headquarters Ran immediately brought her to a spare room to eat and rest." he stopped for a moment, adding "west wing of the fourth floor by the way."
to this, Kakucho sighs. his mind is a corybantic mess he cannot control and tame, he absolutely didn't want you to interact with his other co-workers for obvious reasons, fearing the worst to befall you if you did. especially if ever his boss decides to take a sudden interest in you, he won't be able to do anything if that were to happen.
situations like this where you are caught under crossfire terrifies him more than he thought it would. you leaving Kakucho like Izana did was the last thing he wanted. but if there was one person Kakucho can trust you with at the moment; it was Ran.
he relaxes back into his chair, letting his ears pick back on the conversation wandering hither thither.
"if they are actually trying to kill her then our deduction that she might be Quoia's missing daughter might be false." Kokonoi mutters, running a fingertip across the surface of the table.
Bonten's annual conference room is bustling yet again in the middle of night, not only were the executives busy but other hired secretaries were still wandering within headquarters. the ones present within the meeting room were all executives but Ran (who was accompanying you.) and Takeomi (who left this morning to Guangzhou, China for business matters.)
Mocchi pipes up, "then what other reason would there be for that girl to be involved with a dangerous and meticulous drug syndicate such as Quoia?" for a split moment, even the battle starving Mochizuki Kanji who only cares about the adrenaline of fighting relives a wraith of the past. the silly and bubbly little girl that he'd look over his shoulder, the girl that would steal his lollipops or try to reprimand her from her antics by hoisting her by the back of her collar like a rag doll cat.
he sees her girlish grin at the back of his head, letting his thumb run through his honey beard as he ponders. "she's a troublemaker but she was never the foolish type to egg on them."
"when she was with us she dismissed all claims of knowing about Quoia." Rindou responds. "she might be bluffing, but even acting dumb and denying so much. it's crystal clear right in front of us that they have some sort of bad blood."
"i mean, didn't Quoia kill her uncle?" Sanzu speaks up amidst the discussion, all eyes land on him as he leans lazily against his chair and continues. "they might be behind the murder of missy's brother fourteen years ago and her friend recently too."
"purging all her loved ones, huh?" Rindou wonders aloud, then shakes his head.
Mikey hums, finishing his food as his executives continue to talk. he was listening to each claim carefully then swallows the burnt tofu conquering his taste buds, the clack of his chopsticks against the table raising the attention of the men with ease. "atleast now, we have y/n l/n. whatever Quoia wanted from her, it would be difficult for them to retrieve and at the same time—it would be easier for us to get any information that she might be hiding. both parties are cornered under us."
"what are we even trying to search for?"
"anything and everything you can get your hands on." Mikey says firmly.
"so your new orders, don't under any circumstance lay a hand on the girl." the tension is back, oozing from the platinum haired man. Mikey sets his heavy onyx gaze at each of the men within the room, fingers intertwined and pressed against his pink lips.
"one of us will crack soon enough."
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you find yourself wandering down corridors that look like it was worth an entire man's life salary. but what irked you was how each visible work room, authentic decors and furniture as you turned felt like it was beyond even the richness that you were used to.
heck, even the hired workers that scuttle around you looked like they were richer than you; with their well-trimmed work attires, focused eyes and files on their hands, they also seem to bend into a low bow when the tall man in front of you walks passed them, giving him their passionate greeting of reverence. it's the pristine vibe, you tell yourself.
you trail not too far from the debonair gentleman of short, neat mauve hair. after a few more quiet steps and turns, Ran looks at you over his shoulder when he stops at a door, "you will be resting here for the meantime since it's dangerous to go back to your apartment." he spoke slowly.
"uh, braids what about my things?" you hesitated to ask.
upon hearing the soft crooks of your voice, a deep chuckle exudes from Ran. you looked up at him confusingly, one eyebrow raised at the way his face crinkles with mirth. "you're still calling me that?"
you tilt your head back when he approaches you and bends to your level, his tantalizing purple hues eyeing you in amusement—too, too close. you return his look with a taut smile, "just a force of habit, isn't that what i always call you though?"
"hm, you're right i don't think i ever heard you say my name yet." his ponder makes you stiffen, a playful smile on his lips as he takes a piece of your hair and tucks it behind your ear.
"pretty girl." he starts, his voice melting down like sweet syrup making your heart stutter a bit. "go on and say Ran."
"what?"
he prods a bit more, finding your expressions and little reactions to his words rather to his entertainment. "say my name, i want to hear you say it."
"why are you making this such a big deal." you sigh as you brushed him off, walking past him and placing your hand on the doorknob instead. "alright then, Ran. please answer my question."
he found himself liking it. the way your lips wrap around the pronunciation of his name, and hearing it spill down your tongue made him feel giddy for a fleeting moment, almost forgetting that he is an executive to a dangerous criminal organization. he coughs after the thought crosses his mind, picking up his composure once again.
"unfortunately we cannot go back to retrieve it, atleast not just yet. we don't know if it's safe, they might've planted a bomb by the door or have some sort of surveillance bug somewhere the moment someone enters through your apartment." he starts. "and it seems as if our little tussle a while ago made them on high alert, now that they know you are under us. the feud between us Bonten and our rival Quoia will be a little heated."
hearing those words made you frown. "right." you unshackle your gaze from him, proceeding to open the door as it cracks open revealing you to a rather splendid room. not too extravagant but it was enough to know that the interior was decorated with careful consideration. a minimalistic themed bedroom of greys and whites and grey browns accentuates with rich red not too gaudy in the eyes.
the older Haitani peeks in the room with you when he sees you still by the door frame, he lays a hand on your hair, leaning down again albeit slightly to whisper in your ear. "the room and the connected bathroom already has all the complete necessities needed along with some female products. though some of our secretaries will come along with some clothes for you to wear later on." then he ruffles your head, lithe fingers lingering through your tendrils.
"i'll leave your food on that table over there. eat up, take a long bath and then take a rest. i'm already half late with the meeting so i need to go." when he lifts his hand from your hair, you click your tongue softly, flattening the messy bird nest Ran made and only humming as a response to his statement.
"oh, i almost forgot." you turn your head when his voice lingers a bit. "what is it?"
"you'll be meeting the boss tomorrow morning. so get up early, he dislikes late people."