❝RED❞

TEN

TEN

SUPERSTITIONS SUCH AS bad luck, black cats, or broken mirrors never seemed to be able to wound themselves within Red's life.

Of course, that would be understandable, due to her pragmatic style of life. One could even say it was required of a businesswoman like Red to be unwavering in decision and practicality, a gaze cool and calculated.

Yet somehow, at dusk on a day not particularly outstanding in any way at all, Kogawa Akiko felt a sudden chill of fear rattling her body so ferociously she was positive the entirety of her bone structure had been disturbed, shaking so intensely that her skin had vibrated in the strangest, utmost manner.

Kogawa shivered. What was that? A frown creased her perfect brows. It wasn't as if it were specifically cold, or anything. It was... apprehension, she could recognize the vaguely familiar feeling. Apprehensive of something that was to come. Something bad.

Once the feeling passed over, Red shifted her attention on the view outside her window, not particularly focusing on any certain aspect of the scene. It wasn't exactly superstition, she decidedly rectified herself as an afterthought. Something like a sense. Sixth sense, as they say.

It was just a feeling. Not some random, unbased belief that crowds my mind and prevents me from doing the simplest of things, Kogawa found herself thinking. Once she did, she paused. What am I saying? What– no, who was that explanation for? She attempted to analyze her thought process. Minutes passed in vain, and the young woman shook her head, a sign of her giving up.

A defense mechanism of the human brain, perhaps, to rationalize specific thoughts. Either way, it didn't matter. Not in the face of current matters, sighed Red. The workload, just as heavy as ever, seemed to be much more exhausting today.

The young lady languidly looked up at the clock that ticked quietly upon the coral walls. Black pupils followed the movement of the two hands aimlessly, hollowly, thoughts elsewhere.

To an onlooker, it would be unclear what snapped Red back to reality. But when she did, she was a flurry of anxiety. "Shit, shit, shit!" she growled under her breath. She pushed herself away from the glass desk, stood, rapidly walked toward the door while grasping her shoulder purse from the hook on the wall, and exited her room.

Red heels clicked briskly against the concrete ground, pressure sitting on her toes as she walked. The sleek black limousine glinted attractively in the sunset, reflecting the majestic sight within the polish of the car.

Nodding briefly to thank her driver, she hurriedly slipped in and sat down on the white, cushioned seats, straightening the creases in her scarlet pants.

Eyes veiled by darkened sunglasses turned to look out the tinted windows. Tokyo city at sunset was a splendid sight. If her mind weren't as scrambled as it was, she was sure she'd take the time to appreciate the view.

The city passed by in a blur outside as the sleek black car streaked through the streets. Akiko's black eyes mirrored the reflection of the scene vacantly, thoughts elsewhere.

In around ten minutes or so, the limousine came to a skidding stop before an expensive-looking seafood restaurant. Red hurriedly thanked her chaffeur, ducked out of the car, and rapidly entered the building.

Upon stepping across the threshold, a well-dressed waitress was quick to attend to her new client. Giving the young business woman a once-over, the attendant actively gathered as much information as she could about the situation. "Miss Red, yes?" she presumed. "You have a reservation for six o'clock." It was a question in the format of a statement. Kogawa briefly nodded yes.