• Hiroto Amamiya •
8.02 Seconds
It only took me 8.02 seconds to cross the damn bridge. There was a brief yet pregnant pause before the crowd erupted into a loud cheer. They surged forward, but amidst the chaos, all I could do was watch as she sped away.
Seeing her on that motorcycle earlier got under my skin. I can't explain why I had to scare off some kid just to ride next to her. It drove me crazy, like some invisible force was pushing me to be there with her.
As I revved my engine and followed where Suki went off to, I found her surrounded by Cobra and three other lingering guys, their eyes glued to her. I could just knock those eyes out of their skulls.
The cheers for her echoed, but Cobra's stare burned into me as I approached. Not that I gave a fuck.
"Suki," I grabbed her wrist, but she swiftly pulled away.
"Hiroto, what brings you here?" she asked innocently, feigning ignorance.
"Can I talk to you?" I asked, maintaining my posture.
"Oh?" she tilted her head, her tone playful. "What for?"
"Suki..."The playful smirk transformed into a serious expression. She stepped forward, creating a bit of distance from the others, including Cobra. "What do you want, Hiroto? I thought you made it perfectly clear."
"What? What did I make perfectly clear?" I stressed. "You have to understand that... I didn't want to take advantage of you."
"Bullshit." she spat.
It frustrated me immensely that I couldn't straightforwardly explain why I had to do what I did. Of course, Suki is an attractive woman, arguably the most beautiful woman I've ever encountered. However, a strand of restraint kept me from being selfish, from tainting her with hands stained by blood.
Suki is something my brother cherished, why did it have to be her?
"Is there a problem?" Cobra approached us, and if Suki weren't standing between us, I might've smacked his face. Masaki might have made amends with him, but not me. I had no intention of making peace with someone who could snap at any moment and attack me or my brother. Trust was a rare word.
"We're leaving," I told Suki. It was clear we couldn't have a proper conversation with this guy buzzing around her like an annoying fly.
"No, you're not," he said, it was his first mistake—stepping in front of Suki and getting in my face. I didn't care if I was treading on Sannoh Rengokai territory.
"Looks like you haven't learned your lesson, kid," I said. "Want me to give you another beating, like back in Mugen?"
I saw the memory flash in his eyes, and anger ignited within him. Suki stepped in between us, trying to push us apart, but her words were lost in the heated moment.
"I'm not leaving without you," I said, looking at Suki. She glared at me before turning back to Cobra.
"Thanks, but I can handle myself," she said, and a sense of relief washed over me. I handed her the helmet, but before she could mount my motorcycle, I snatched the familiar jacket covering her legs and threw it on the ground.
Cheap shit.