Seraphic | Ran Haitani

018

No. This couldn't be happening. Not like this, not right now. The look of pure terror and the stench of fear coming from Nyoko's body was undeniable. She looked as if she'd seen a ghost before her very own eyes. But it was no such thing, it was simple Issei Hirawa in all his terrifying glory.

His face was hot with anger as he spewed words of venom at Nyoko's uncle Ernesto, her mother's oldest brother. Issei hadn't even noticed Nyoko yet, the aforementioned taking slow steps back to reach the back of the store before Issei could notice them but Nyoko was just too slow.
When Issei turned his head, catching the slightest glance of Nyoko, the family members who watched the whole ordeal said it was like a movie they couldn't stop watching but so desperately wanted to turn off.

He strode over to his oldest child, face red and hot, hair more salt and pepper than it was last. Nyoko looked like a poor lamb in a slaughterhouse awaiting its fate.

"Why are you here?"

Her mother's family caught bits and pieces of their heated exchange as no one understood Japanese.

Nyoko was yelling, crying, gasping for air. But not once, to everyone's surprise, did their father hit them. He'd raise his hand then drop it, raise his fist then drop it. Almost as if something in him had changed in the little time he'd been in Brazil this time.

Ran listened to who had witnessed the whole ordeal gossip at the front of the store whilst he stood at the back of the small store, holding his suit jacket while standing over Nyoko.
Nyoko was sitting on a crate with their head in their hands as they wept, shaking ever so slightly.

Ran crouched down in front of her. A mix of emotions were displayed on his face but there was one that was clear to Nyoko, and they hated it; pity. Clear as day written into his features, Nyoko hated how recognizable it was.

"Let's go for a walk, okay? I can't stand to hear your aunts gossips a second longer."

Nyoko hiccuped softly and nodded their head. Ran took a step back and held out his hand which Nyoko took, rising to her feet.
Ran smiled down at them softly, a way to tell them that it was okay as long as he was around.

They headed out the back door of the store, hand in hand. Ran let Nyoko lead the way as she knew the areas much better than him.
After a moment of walking they arrived at a park; it was fairly busy but not so busy to the point Ran feared Nyoko would feel uncomfortable.

They founded themselves sitting at a picnic table under a tree so it was slightly more secluded so that their conversation would be a bit more clandestine and private.

"It has not even been a full eight hours since we have arrived in the country so why? By all that is good and sacred why must I have encountered him today?"

"Breathe for me baby doll, you're not breathing."

Ran's calmness was just making Nyoko more upset. He could never truly comprehend her anguish in this moment and Ran would be the first to admit that. But one of them needed to have their head on straight in the moment.
Nyoko took a deep breath, before breathing out. Ran reached in his coat pocket and pulled out one of those vanilla scented cigarettes and his lighter.

"Now, tell me what happened. If it becomes too much just breathe and then continue."

Ran lit his cigarette and took a drag, nodding as a way to tell Nyoko to proceed.

"I was just stocking stuff on the shelves, having a conversation with my cousin. Then all of a sudden I heard yelling, I didn't even hear the door to the shop open. I walked to the front because the voice sounded just oh so familiar, and before I could walk away my father saw me."