Deranged Love - Hanma Shuji

Chapter 24

Rai opened her mouth to speak, but I was the first one to do so as I placed my hand on Hanma's chest and slightly pushed him behind me "Rai, how did you find this place?" Hanma laughed in the back.

A laugh escaped her lips. She was not having fun, not one bit. Her eyes were filled with tears threatening to fall, "I followed you here a few days ago—I saw how you killed your own doorman!" She pointed at Hanma while walking up to us. I stopped her from approaching any further by placing a hand on her chest, one that she slapped away angrily. "Don't fucking touch me!" She articulated each word clearly, determined.

"Leave, Rai. Leave now." I started.

"You killed Kei," She pointed at me this time, "You—you cut—he...'' She took a sharp breath, trying to calm herself down, but she wasn't making sense. Seeing how she was all over the place, I stepped forward. I felt Hanma's hand reach for my thigh and ignored it until I felt the weight of the gun leaving my leg. For a second, I froze but then reached for Rai to try to appease her. I couldn't let her lose her calm like this. I should lie, I should cover for Hanma. Or I could at least cover for myself, "I didn't do anything, take a deep breath." I said in a lower tone, hoping that would hint for her to stop yelling.

It did not.

"I don't care who did it! You or—or the mafia." She started, only for Hanma to huff but he did not comment. She looked at him with pure hatred as she pushed past me, her hand finally leaving her bag as she pulled out a small revolver, "What's funny?" Her voice seeping with ire She then raised her tone, "It's not funny, nothing's funny here!" her anger increased as her voice did, "You murdered a man!"

Hanma walked past me and helped her press the gun to his chest, slowly moving it to his heart. It felt like a déjà vu, "Make everything right then, kill me." He dared her, his tone convinced she wouldn't do it. Her hands, which were both gripping the weapon, were shaking as she glanced at me then back at Hanma who pressed the gun even harder into his chest, "Do it, shoot me. I killed a man, right? Be the hero you've been so desperately trying to become." His hand moved to keep her hold on the gun, his smile widening. Rai's sobs hadn't stopped, her sniffling hadn't either.

"It's only... it's... the police will know I'm missing!" She managed to utter through her hectic breathing. She looked miserable, like a deer caught in headlights or perhaps more like a rat trying to escape the trap it just stepped in. Those desperate sounds escaping it, squeaks almost. Even if you tried to help, it wouldn't do much good. The best way out would be a merciful kill.

Hanma laughed, "How cute, did you hear that babe?" He looked at me and snatched the gun from her hands while talking before shoving it in his pocket, "She trusts the cops." He barked another laugh. Rai was defenseless, her gun now out of her reach. And yet, she did not back down, she tried to get it back from Hanma but he was fast to force her to her knees, "We're talking here, rat." He gritted through his teeth, pulling a gun from the front of his pants—my gun—and pressed it to her forehead, his index finger to his lips for her to stay silent.

When she let out another sob, he nudged her knees and spat, "Stop sobbing, it's disgusting."

"Shu—I think that's enough." I tried to stop him but he turned and looked at me with wide, threatening eyes, "You're tryna act proper now? Acting proper's not gonna hide the crimes you've committed, doll." He reached for me and pulled me to his side, his grip stronger than usual as he helped me in front of him and placed the gun in my hand. I avoided looking at Rai's gaze and held my breath but did not move the gun. "So be good, get rid of the hindrance, yeah?" He pressed a soft kiss to my cheek.

When he let go of my arm, I moved the gun away from Rai and looked at Hanma with pleading eyes, "We could—we could assess what she knows, see if she's really a threat."