𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐖 𝐌𝐄 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 | 𝗠.𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘂𝘆𝘂

────── eleven

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═══ TOKYO DRIFT ═══

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AN UNEXPECTED PHONE CALL interrupted the cousin bonding time. It was the afternoon, meaning Akiko and Mikey had at least spent the better half of the day touring Tokyo, eating snacks, and being mostly carefree — mostly. Yet the unpleasant expression on Mikey's face after he hung up the phone made Akiko's stomach turn upside down.

"Some business came up," he informed her. "I have to cut our trip short. Do you mind if I drop you off at a friend's house?"

Whereas Akiko would have preferred going back to the Sano house, she didn't want to cause any inconvenience for the boy. She nodded. Ten minutes later, she found herself standing outside of Chifuyu's apartment complex. And waiting for her was a raven-haired boy.

Baji slung an arm around Akiko's shoulders as they watched Mikey zooming down the street. The girl wondered what kind of urgent matter he needed to tend to. Wondered if it had something to do with Pandemonium, or if Moebius was causing trouble again.

"What's with that look?"

Akiko frowned. "What look?"

"That." He pointed at her face. "You're going to get wrinkles if you don't stop frowning so much."

A loud and boisterous laugh emitted from Baji's throat as Akiko's mouth fell open in shock. She hit him in the chest with her fist, only making him laugh louder.

"Shut up!"

Without another word, Baji guided them up the stairs to a floor not too far from Chifuyu's and unlocked the door. Immediately, the scent of freshly cooked lunch hit her nostrils. Akiko remembered that school had just finished for the day and couldn't help feeling like an intruder at someone else's dinner table.

A memory of the Matsunos' front door being kicked in flashed in her mind. Under no circumstances did Akiko want that event to repeat itself, merely because she accepted someone's hospitality.

"Are you sure I should be here?" Akiko questioned, shooting Baji an alarmed look.

"Don't worry 'bout it," he waved her off. "Now come on. The food's going to get cold."

Another surprise awaited Akiko as they entered the kitchen and her eyes fell upon an unknown face. A blush tinted her cheeks as she quickly averted her eyes from the boy's intense stare. He had intriguing sand-colored eyes, black and yellow hair and an earring that chimed like a little bell as he tilted his head to the side.

"Baji," he spoke up, slightly startled. "Who is she?"

"That's Hoshino Akiko, the girl I was just telling you about. Akiko, this is Hanemiya Kazutora."

Both individuals stared each other down with surprise reflecting in their eyes. Kazutora was surprised to meet Akiko after he just heard the story about her, pulling memories of his abusive father to the surface. Akiko was surprised because she remembered Shinichiro mentioning something about Kazutora and Baji breaking into his bike shop. She had imagined him to look a little more menacing, more fierce like Baji, but he looked rather shy now.