CHAPTER 5
"Inupi."
"Hm?"
"(Name) didn't come to school today and guess what?" Kokonoi grinned at his friend while sticking his tongue out.
"What?"
"I got scolded because I didn't do the old hag's homework. (Name) wasn't there to let me copy like yesterday." he sighed.
"You copy?" Inui faintly chuckled.
"What else am I going to do? Plus, she's smart so, it's worth it."
The two childhood friends calmly walked their way down the street and walked passed plenty of shops. Their lunch break was about to be finished, but as usual, they'll skip afternoon classes as they always do.
Since Kokonoi had always observed you, you being absent today was somewhat new for him. New indeed but he chose not to pay any heed.
You were mysterious and weird to him. You always were. No one can change his mind.
After walking a few more steps, Kokonoi abruptly stooped his tracks right in front of a bakery. Elegant-looking cakes were displayed right in front of the glass pane, and flowers were displayed neatly.
"Don't tell me you're planning to buy one," Inui also stopped his tracks as he approached his friends who seemed confused while staring through the window. But Kokonoi wasn't looking at the cakes.
"Ain't that (name)?" The black haired pointed at a familiar feminine figure that was standing beside two guys. And those guys were beyond familiar with Kokonoi's eyes,
"She skips?"
"No, no, no, no. Look Inupi"
he's sure Inui knows those guys too.
It was indeed you,
But with your stepbrothers. They have no clue you're stepsiblings.
It shocked them to the core.
"The Haitani... Brothers." Inui muttered, covering half of his face with his hands as his eyes examined the three of you. Your voices were muffled due to the distance, but they could hear laughs from the two.
After minutes of observation, Ran and Rindou went to look for other cakes while you stood near the counter with your arms crossed as you wait. Kokonoi and Inui took this chance to enter and approach you.
"(Name)?" Koko whispered shouted.
Their sudden appearance startled you, making you jump from your place and make a loud shuffling sound.
"Kokonoi, Inui- what are you two-..." Before you could finish your words, you pushed the two away and exited the bakery.
"Aren't you supposed to be at school?" You asked, consciously glancing back and forth at the older and younger Haitani, and the two in front of you.
"Aren't you supposed to be as well?" Kokonoi rolled his eyes at you, "The teacher scolded me because I didn't do my homework. You were the only one who would let me a copy."
"You could've asked me before skipping school yesterday."
"Calm down you two." Inui then shushed the both of you. He then faced you, "Are you with them? Those two?" He used his head and tilted it to gesture at your stepbrothers.
"We're siblings. ーstepsiblings. We went to buy a cake."
It was supposed to be a secret. No one from any gang should know. Tenjiku was an exception.
"YOU'RE WHAT NOW?" ー Kokonoi felt like collapsing on the floor. He then added, "Is this why you're not a part of Toman, you're secretly a part of Tenjiku aren't you? Holy shit Inupi, are you believing this?"
"No, no, no ー believe me. I'm not. As much as I want to explain it right now I truly can't."
Ran and Rindou can't see them.
They just can't.
"And who are these?" You then heard Ran's cooing voice from behind. You were doomed, you thought, and refused to look back.
"Holy shi-"
"Koko, stay behind." Inui guarded.
The two looked alarmed by the presence of the brothers, you stood between them, panicking for your life. Why did it end like this? What did you do to deserve this? You asked yourself more than 10 times as you prayed to God that nothing bad will be happening.
"Didn't know your toman friends were up for a visit. Are we bothering?" Ran tilted his head as he looked down and Inui.
"Us? Bothering? We were first, to begin with." Rindou rolled his eyes and crossed his arms as he stood behind his older brother.
Inui looked stoic and kept giving you glances that you didn't like. You were suspicious, he can't trust you from now on, that's what he told himself. Not when you're affiliated with the Haitanis, the duo who controls Roppongi.
Ran could only chuckle, he then turned to you.
"Why not introduce them to us and introduce us to them? That's friendly enough, is it not?"
It gave you more pressure, but you obeyed. Clearing your throat you first gestured at Inui and Kokonoi.
"Ran-chan, Rinrin, uhm. Haha, this, these. This is Inui-kun and Kokonoi-kun, my friends."
"She's seriously putting kun? What the hell." Kokonoi scoffed at your tensing figure as you then turned around and pointed at the brothers this time.
"Inui, Koko. This is Ran and this is Rindou, my stepbrothers."
Please don't kill each other.
"Hey (name), is this your boyfriend?" Ran then pointed at Inui, Inui's head to be exact, and gleamed at you. "You look like you're something."
"Pfft-" Kokonoi (and Rindou) was about to burst out laughing but maintained with a snort.
"What- Ran, Ran please don't say those ridiculous ideas. There's no such thing--" you felt your cheeks heating up, you hit Rindou's arm from behind.
"Why are you hitting me?!"
"Are you dating?" Ran then turned to Inui and leaned closer.
"We aren't, sir." He answered right away. Not daring to look away from the older Haitani's purple hues, Ran only hummed "awh." in response and backed away.
"Surely you're not dating that one, huh?" Ran then pointed at Kokonoi.
"What the hell-"
"No, no. I told you we're friends. And don't call him that. He's a person. Use correct personifications."
"We're friends. ー that's what she said. Friends."
"RINDOU. SHUT IT."
Ran laughed at how you were the one being childish now, as well as Rindou who was sticking his tongue at you. He patted the younger brother's shoulder and signified that they'll be going.
"You can hang out with your friends now. We got the cake anyway, crash at our place if you want some later. See ya ~"
"Don't do anything stupid. We don't trust you." Rindou spat right in front of Inui and Kokonoi, with a stern tone before turning his back and waving goodbye at you. You watched their backs fully disappear.
"We don't trust you either." Kokonoi mimicked while he scrunched his nose in displease.
The two then turned to you with a questioning look plastered on both of their faces, Inui crossed his arms meanwhile Kokonoi placed both of his hands on his hips.
"I'm very sorry about them, are you two okay?" You asked in concern. ー worried that they might misunderstand the situation.
"Ms. Vice President, this is why you're absent?" He dramatically gasped. You could only groan in frustration.
You were more concerned about Inui who kept scoffing quietly at your interactions with his best friends. You could feel his distrust towards you though you can't blame him for that.
But you really hope it won't turn the wrong way.
"Does Mikey and Draken know?" Koko asked and you kept quiet. They knew you have stepbrothers, but they aren't aware of who they were as you didn't not even once had mentioned their names and information.
"Oh do they? ー Mikey would've told us when we first met her. What are you? Are you secretly a spy from Tenjiku? Are you betraying toman?"
"Inupi- calm down,"
And this was why you never wanted to speak of Ran and Rindou. Things will go wrong and complicated.
I think I'll be busy soon....