"Rea, are you ready?" Reo's voice echoed from downstairs while his sister meticulously inspected herself in the mirror, ensuring nothing was amiss. She donned a white dress, just above her knee, a long-sleeved, off-shoulder piece that Nagi had gifted her for her last birthday. It had remained untouched until now, reserved for a party.
"Coming!" She grabbed her mini bag and descended the stairs. Nagi and Reo stood waiting for her. Reo had insisted Nagi accompany them to the Mikage household, knowing he'd never attend the party on his own. Nagi wore a grey outfit, while Reo sported purple, the hue complementing his eyes and hair. The youngest of the trio then joined them.
"Whoa, isn't that what you gifted her last year, Nagi?" Reo glanced at Nagi, who furrowed his brow in confusion.
"Did I?" Nagi scratched his head, not recalling much about it since Kaori and Reo had aided him in selecting the gift.
Shaking his head, Reo led the way out. The trio was dropped off by the substitute driver for Naoto, who had to visit his hometown. They settled in the backseat, and Rea swiftly claimed the corner, leaving Rea and her brother vying for the same spot and Nagi resigned to the middle with a sigh.
Upon arriving at the party, Nagi and Reo set off to find their teammates, while Rea spotted Kaori with Bachira and Kai. Bachira and Kai departed shortly after Rea's arrival, exchanging a brief greeting. Scanning the attendees, Rea noticed a majority of older guests. Given that it was Chigiri's elder sister's birthday celebration, alcohol was on offer. A small bar stood at one end where some boys were already downing shots.
"It's quite crowded, huh?" Kaori's words captured her purple-haired friend's attention. "Older folks, alcohol, and some attractive girls are milling about."
"And are we the only teenagers, aside from my brother and his friends?" Rea inquired as a waiter extended a soft drink to her. Accepting it, she passed one to Kaori.
"There were a few girls from our batch," Kaori mentioned between sips. "Most seem to be unfamiliar faces, probably friends of Chigiri's sister."
"I see," Rea acknowledged, taking a sip. "Shall we try some alcohol?"
Rea's mischievous grin appeared as Kaori's eyes widened in surprise. "I'm not sure that's a good idea, Rea."
"Then just wine, pretty please!" Rea pleaded until her friend relented with a sigh. They made a beeline for the bartender and requested wine. Engaging in a relentless conversation, they covered a myriad of topics. The chatter was spontaneous, often meandering through Kaori's bubbly tales and Rea's willingness to lend an ear, especially to stories revolving around dramas or anime.
"See what we got here?" A voice startled Rea, nearly at her ear. She jerked, twisting her neck to spot two imposing figures whose pink neon eyes pierced through Rea's purple irises. She observed the blond-haired guy with pink strands at the ends and another with blonde hair featuring blue streaks. "You're Mikage's sister, right?"
"What if I am?" Rea arched her brow. "Got a problem, big guy?"
Kaori hissed Rea's name, noticing the tense stare-off between Rea's purple eyes and their neon pink ones.
"She does have a mouth, huh?" The blond with pink strands stuck out his tongue and extended his hand. Rea glimpsed an earring on his tongue. "I'm Ryusei Shidou, and this is Michael Kaiser."
"Okay." Rea pivoted to Kaori, who already wore a panicked expression. She knew these two boys from the other school carried hefty reputations. No one dared to confront them due to the expected consequences—broken bones and limbs. Yet here, Rea Mikage was blatantly ignoring their presence as if they were mere insects.
"I thought she was a boastful kid like Reo," Kaiser remarked, garnering no reaction from Rea. "Hey, Mikage, we're talking to you?"
"Ah, were you?" Rea turned to them, her expression chilly. "Why speak to me? Do I know you... er... Casper?"
"It's Kaiser." Kaiser seemed less intimidated than Shidou but was already annoyed by Rea's demeanor. "Seriously, Shidou, do you still want to converse with this brat?"
"I like the feisty ones," Shidou said, dropping his hand on Rea's bare shoulder. In response, Rea flung her wine at him.
"Do not. touch. me." Rea glared, leaving Kaiser and Kaori gaping at the scene. Kaori scanned the area, grateful that the party's loud ambiance masked the commotion. "Touch me again, and you'll regret it."
Shidou chuckled, and Kaiser joined in. "Did you hear that, Kaiser? She's going to kill me!"
Then, Shidou crossed the line, surpassing Rea's limit of patience. He carelessly spilled his whiskey on her white dress, the drops glimmering on her skin, staining the top of her frock.
"Rea—" Kaori attempted to intervene before her friend did something reckless, but before she knew it, Rea smashed her glass on the bar table, shattering it. Kaori was already alarmed, scanning the room for someone to help, but all she saw were inebriated guests playing various games, oblivious to the situation. No one had noticed, not yet.
Rea quickly grabbed a shard of glass, holding it near Shidou's throat. "Do you know this is my favorite dress? You've ruined it!"
Rea seethed while Shidou smirked, observing the furious Mikage. Kaiser, wide-eyed, looked on. Both he and Shidou had intended to provoke her, aware that she was the Mikage daughter known to be unapproachable due to the protective shield of Reo Mikage.
"If you want, I will buy a new one," Shidou offered, as Rea jumped down from the stool. He was a bit taller than her, but she still held the glass piece effortlessly. "See, Kaiser. Who said the Mikage girl is unapproachable? Here she approached me with a glass piece."
"You know what, what's your name again? Never mind," Rea retorted, causing Kaiser to look at her with wide eyes. It was time for her to act, and Kaori knew this would not end well. She quickly sneaked away from the scene, determined to find Reo or Nagi. She knew only those two could handle Rea in this state. "Do you know the benefit of being a Mikage? If you kill anyone, my father has enough money to bury the case. Well, since this is not my first time..." Her lie was already getting under Kaiser's skin. He wasn't as reckless as Shidou; he knew well who the Mikages were and about their wealth.
"Shidou—"
"Kaiser, let her kill me. Let's see if she really—"
Before Shidou could finish, someone grabbed Rea's hand and pulled her back. Her back was pressed against something strong—a chest.
"Get lost, Shidou," Nagi glared as Shidou's smirk widened.
"Oh my, see who's here now!" Shidou said. "This cat brought him." Shidou raised his eyebrow at Kaori, who was hiding behind Nagi. "I lost the fun of her killing me."
"You—" Nagi covered Rea's mouth and dragged her away, while she struggled in his strong hold. He took her to a corner, with Kaori following.
"Are you crazy? Do you want to end up behind bars, Mikage?" Nagi's eyes were blazing as he looked down at the small girl before him. Rea felt insignificant under his glare; it was the first time he had addressed her by surname, signaling Nagi Seishiro's anger. "Reo is off somewhere drunk, flirting with some woman, and his sister is about to kill someone. What are you two doing?"
"Nagi-senpai," Kaori attempted to calm him down, but it was futile.
"Do you know who you're messing with?" Nagi seethed, his grip tightening on her upper arm. Suddenly, he saw Rea's eyes become glossy, making him regret his harsh words. He had never expected her to cry, given her cold demeanor. Rea held Nagi in high regard, and hearing his harsh words caused tears to well up in her eyes.
"Nagi, is everything alright?" Chigiri intervened. "Kaiser mentioned something went wrong with Mikage's sister, so—"
Nagi let go of her hand and sprinted away without looking back. Chigiri noticed her downcast face and the big whiskey stain on top of her dress.
"Mikage-san," Chigiri quickly draped his coat around her. "Are you okay?"
Rea nodded as Kaori held her friend's hand. "Chigiri-kun, is there anywhere she can stay to get away from this?"
"Well, um... follow me," Chigiri gestured, leading them to a bedroom downstairs, which belonged to his sister. Kaori noticed the room was tidy and filled with various skincare and hair products on the dressing table. "Take a seat, Mikage-san."
Kaori led Rea to the bed while she fidgeted with her fingers, avoiding eye contact.
"I'm sorry, Chigiri-kun. She's not doing well," Kaori apologized, realizing it wasn't right to ignore the person who had helped them.
"No, it's fine," Chigiri reassured her. "I'll check on Reo since I heard he's drunk. I think it's better if Reo and Mikage-san head home. I don't think Shidou will let go of this incident easily."
Chigiri nodded at Kaori and made his way to the door, but his heart stopped when he heard her voice.
"Thank you, Chigiri," Rea's voice floated behind him. She raised her head, meeting Chigiri Hyoma's wide-eyed gaze with her glossy purple eyes. "It means a lot."
She looked adorable, and the thought flushed Chigiri's face. He quickly left the room and tried to find Reo and Nagi. Spotting Kaiser, who was in conversation with someone from their school, Chigiri tapped the German boy's shoulder.
"Hey, Kaiser," Chigiri called out, gaining Kaiser's attention. "I need your help, dude."
"What's up?" Kaiser raised an eyebrow as Chigiri explained he needed someone to give the Mikage siblings a ride.
"Fine with me, but will that girl be okay with it?" Kaiser recalled the fury of the girl he'd encountered. "She was about to kill Shidou, and if she did something to me, no one would even find out what happened."
"No, man, come on," Chigiri chuckled, noticing Kaiser's doubts. "I'll come with you. You're the only one I trust to drive. Can you get Mikage-san from that room?"
"Alright, where are you going?" Kaiser asked, wary of approaching Rea alone.
"I'll find Reo and Nagi," Chigiri replied, walking away. Kaiser had no other option. After hearing that the Mikages could cover up a murder, he didn't want to take any foolish risks like Shidou. However, what surprised Kaiser was that despite her killer-like attitude, Rea's features suggested otherwise. He let out a deep sigh and knocked on the door.
As the door opened, he was greeted by the short-haired girl he had seen with Rea Mikage before. When she saw Kaiser, her expression shifted to one of fear.
"Um, is Mikage's sister here?" Kaiser attempted to be politer. "Chigiri said she and her brother needed a ride, so he asked me to take her."
Kaori hesitated, staring at Kaiser. What if he was lying to take her friend away? What if he sought revenge for the earlier incident? These thoughts swirled in her mind as she gazed at Kaiser.
"Earth to Mikage's friend," Kaiser waved his hand. "Trust me, there are no hidden intentions. I just want to do Chigiri a favor, nothing else."
Kaori left Kaiser at the door and a minute later, she brought her friend out, whose head was still bowed. Kaiser was perplexed; he expected her to shoot him a deadly glare, but as she raised her head, her expression was indifferent. He couldn't fathom what she was thinking.
"I'm fine, Kaori," Rea assured the red-haired girl who held onto Chigiri's coat draped over Rea. "Please make sure you get home safely. Tell Bachira-senpai and Kai that I had to leave."
"Alright, you too. Take care," Kaori bid her friend goodbye with a brief hug before Rea walked away with Kaiser. Throughout the walk, neither Kaiser nor Rea initiated any conversation.
"Sorry for what Shidou did," Kaiser apologized as they reached his SUV in the parking lot. Rea hugged Chigiri's coat closer, attempting to conceal the alcohol patch that ruined her favorite dress.
"Thank you," Rea replied. "Thank you for helping me and my brother, Casper."
"It's Kaiser, actually," Kaiser corrected slowly, trying not to show his annoyance. She seemed to have forgotten his name. After waiting in silence for about ten minutes, engrossed in their phones, Chigiri and Nagi arrived, dragging a wasted Reo Mikage.
He was completely drunk, dozing off as the two boys supported him to stand. Kaiser opened the door, and Nagi and Chigiri settled him into the left corner of the backseat.
"Get in," Nagi instructed Rea, who complied without meeting his gaze. Reo's head leaned against the window, and Rea allowed his head to rest on her shoulder, preventing him from hitting his head in case of any sudden movements while driving. Nagi joined them inside, and Chigiri took the front passenger seat as Kaiser started the engine.
"I didn't expect him to be this drunk," Chigiri remarked, looking at Reo, whose head lay on his sister's shoulder. "Are you alright, Mikage-san?"
Rea nodded and managed a faint smile, causing Chigiri to quickly turn his attention forward, blushing furiously. Meanwhile, Nagi looked away from the window, ignoring everyone in the vehicle.
Sometimes Rea wondered if Nagi truly saw her as a sister. That's why she let something slip from her mouth to test it, but it ended up in an argument. The day when he inquired about Kai and the way he complimented her as a 'good girl' made her heart race, making her wonder if their feelings were mutual. Yet, Nagi Seishiro never made any advances toward her, despite having ample opportunities. Perhaps it was because of Reo, maybe Nagi didn't want to risk losing his only friend if their relationship soured. She was confused, overthinking everything, until a loud honk disrupted her thoughts. All Rea heard was Nagi wrapping his arms around her, calling out her name.