CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR
cold feet
┄﹒ERITY STARED AT HER REFLECTION INTENTLY, HER HANDS GRIPPING AT THE SINK. Her eyes searched in the mirror for something, anything.
"Is something wrong with you?" Zankoku asked her suddenly, his appearance causing her to jump slightly.
"I..." She looked down at the inside of the sink, letting her head hang for a moment as she kept her thoughts from going rampant. "I have a feelings of the future, that... I don't know."
"How don't you know?"
"Would you let something bad happen to me?"
"Not intentionally, no." The devil responded back to the girl. "Why."
She didn't reply back to the devil, instead she only let out long awaited sigh. Her hold on the edges of the sink was no more as she let her arms fall loosely to her sides.
With reluctance, she walked out of the restroom and back to the table where Aki and Kishibe sat, having small talk while she was gone.
Silently she sat back down in her seat at the end of the table and looked at Meowy who sat in the cage at her feet. "Did I miss anything important?" She politely asked as she paid attention to the men now.
Aki shook his head, "Not really. I was just telling how Denji and Power have improved."
"Ah," The noise of acknowledgment left her mouth and her head nodding in agreement. "I can also agree to that, they've gotten better over the last few months!"
"And you're not just saying that due to your clear bias?" Kishibe looked to the younger girl with a knowing look, his tired eyes boring into hers.
"No, sir."
Silence took over the table of three, until Aki straightened his posture though his eyes remained locked on the table top; "Captain Kishibe." He addressed his superior. "The upcoming expedition to eliminate the Gun Devil... Can Division 4 withdraw from it?"
The question came as a surprise to the quiet girl, her eyes looking in the direction of her caretaker. Her eyes had widened by a small amount, her brows raised slightly.
"Aki..." Erity wanted to breathe out, staring at the boy.
Kishibe let out a breath, leaning forward with his hands folding on-top of the table. "Now i'm surprised." He started off, though his expression remained still. "I thought you'd be eager for this operation out of everyone in public safety. The spots that belonged to the agents killed by Santa will be filled by others."
"I'm aware of that, sir." Aki met eyes with the older man.
"Division 4 won't be fighting alone. Public safety's best teams will be coming together for this. We should be able to fight even the Gun Devil on equal footing." Aki looked down, knowing that his eventual request would be denied. "The Gun Devil's location is classified information. Pull out and close yourself off from getting access to it. Even if the Gun Devil gets taken out, that information will be kept under a tight lid. It'll be years before you'll know whether the devil that killed your family is dead."
Kishibe's gaze never left the boy sitting across from him. "Do you still wanna back out?" His tone was almost teasing Aki who sat still as a statue.
"I'm willing to accept that." He said after a few seconds of silence.
"I'll inform the higher-ups of division 4's intention to stay out of it." The older man spoke after taking another swig of his drink. "It's an experimental until, anyway. More of a joke. I doubt they were expecting much. In exchange, you can get our bill."
"I always get the bill."
"Aki." Kishibe called out, "Why the change of heart?"
His question made Erity curious. The blue haired girl looked over intently at Aki— the boy held no type of expression as he avoided any type of eyes that looked his way.
She wasn't sure what had changed within his mind in what seemed like such a short amount of time; he hadn't reminded her of the way he used to be. Uncaring of the three within the division that he cared for, but now it had changed.
Aki Hayakawa had found a type of peace within himself.
"I got cold feet." He blatantly said as a response, his blue colored eyes now looking out the window that was to his right side.
Erity walked alongside Aki in silence as they neared the familiar door of their apartment. The small apartment that contained the four of them, including a cat.
"Hey, Aki," The boy looked over at her. "are we really going to be cut loose from it?"
"..." From the corner of her eye she could see him look away with a look of uncertainty; knowing that it was most likely not the case. But a sliver of hope still remained in his heart. "I think so."
His words proved to be enough for the girl as she didn't bother to ask again, instead she paid attention to the doors that they passed by, counting them until they reached theirs.
Quietly, Aki opened the door for the both of them and allowed her to walk inside first. Turning around once closing the door to face the inside. "We're home..." The announcement he made of their arrival was overtaken by Power's loud voice.
"Meowy!" She yelled, the cat resting in her lap, the feline beginning to lick at her face as she meowed.
"Hey, dude! I cooked some super good grub!" Denji peaked out from around the corner, looking at the pair who had finally arrived.
With her sights set on Denji, Erity kicked off her shoes quickly before running to see the blond boy she so desperately missed.
Aki eventually removed his blazer and tie, leaving him in his white button up and pants. Taking a seat as Denji and Power set Aki's meal up in front of him.
The cup of water was overfilled, spilling over the edges and pooling around the glass. The plate was a disastrous sight as it was mixed with multiple things.
"What is it...?" Aki was cautious to pick up the chopsticks and indulge in the meal.
"That stir-fry thing with bean sprouts and sausage and egg and soy sauce." The blond recited.
"What's this... purple looking thing?"
"No clue!"
"You don't know?" Aki bluntly asked, looking back at the chainsaw boy with furrowed brows.
"Power could've added it." Erity pointed out, gesturing to the blood fiend who held Meowy in her hands. "Consider it a secret ingredient!"
"You didn't get a plate of this?" He instead questioned the girl who stood there with a smile on her face.
"Nope! I'm not even hungry!"
His expression fell as he sighed inwardly, staring back at the plate of the food that just sat there.
"We worked our butts off making that just for you!" Power exclaimed cheerfully as she stood up with her hands on her hips. Denji joining alongside her with a matching grin. "Better clean your plate!"
Blue eyes glanced towards the trio who stood there once more before finally giving into their demands. Aki picked up the chopsticks lightly and hesitantly picked at the food. "All right..." Was the final words he mumbled before taking a bite of their creation.
"How is it?" Denji questioned with a wide grin, leaning closer to the older teenager.
"It's..." Aki trailed off for a moment, taking in the food with a heavy stomach. "ulp-" He cried out as he began to gag and puke out all of the contents of his stomach. His body folding over the table as he retched loudly.
"'Tis a complete catastrophe!" Power said with the same look on her face.
"Now we've all barfed!" The blond stated while still looking down at the boy who sat there in front of his own vomit.
Erity's previous smile fell slightly as she glanced at the three that she held dearly to her heart. The organ in her chest began to ache as she stood there, a single hand of hers now finding its way to hover over the spot unknowingly. Erity wished they could live this happily forever, to be free without the duties of being in the public safety division 4.
This was the happy life that she dreamed of.
Her wishes were coming true.
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1399 WORDS
guys. i have changed my mind. the hayakawa
family is getting their happy ending!
wouldnt u like it so much if i just threw away the original ending and gave denji the happiest birthday ever with his girlfriend thats not his girlfriend erity???!
we're on volume 9 btw.