❝RED❞

TWELVE

TWELVE

THIN MIST VEILED the crescent moon at night, curtaining the stars from view. Nocturnal crickets buzzed faintly against the backdrop of the Tokyo night scene, their cries almost unheard amidst the roar of the modern city.

But Akabane Katsuki was the type of person who could still listen to the song of the crickets despite all that she was surrounded with. Not because she particularly adored them or anything. In fact, Katsuki was unsure why she was born this way.

In her high school years, she told herself it was because her body and mind were stagnant against the rippling world, constantly changing and distorting. But perhaps it was better this way, to have something consistent to anchor to.

In the large, quiet space that was her bedroom, Katsuki looked up at the taciturn satellite that hung in the night sky. When her insomnia kept her up, she always found herself looking at the lonely little moon that seemed to be just as empty as she was inside.

Hollow brown irises would mindlessly follow the humble path of the moon as she deserted the queen-sized bed with only one warm side.

Alone in a room that was all too big for her, the young woman could barely hold back the urge to throw something at the wall, to tear down this mansion that never seemed to house her as it should've, to burn down this birdcage that trapped her within.

Tired and desolate, Katsuki returned to her bed. But as she did, the faint clack of clicking keys reached her ears. Puzzled, she turned to the clock. 2:18 AM. What could her husband possibly be doing at this hour?

Silently, she stepped toward her door and gently pushed it open. She winced as the hinges creaked faintly, pausing, and breathed a sigh of relief when she heard no pause in the consistently typing keys.

As quietly as possible, Akabane tiptoed to the threshold of her husband's room, surprised to see it not fully closed as it usually was, but was unlocked and had the smallest crack. Curious as to what Kohaku was up to, she cautiously peaked in.

Even if her marriage with her husband was loveless and nothing she ever desired, Katsuki had never been afraid of her partner before.

But tonight, gazing upon the look Kohaku had twisted on his face, the young woman had only the desire to run out of the house for fear of that expression directed upon her.

—❝RED❞—

Akabane-san seems off today.

This was what Miss Red was thinking as she secretly surveyed the awkward, jerky motions of her secretary through her tinted sunglasses as she moved around, handling papers and such.

With a tired sigh, she turned her gaze to her papers and closed her eyes. Decidedly, she opened her mouth. "Akabane," she called for her employee. The said woman turned and walked briskly toward her employer.

"Yes?" she asked, briefly sweeping back her short hair from her eyes. Red leaned back into the chair she sat in. "Is there something wrong?" Long, slender fingers firmly gripping her black, ink pen tapped its cap rhythmically against the glass desk.

Katsuki noticeably, audibly gasped. Her black eyes shot wide, shocked at the question. A little too shocked, if you asked Akiko.

There must be something going on at home, the CEO deduced with utterly charming, narrowed eyes.

She tipped her head to the side. "Could I help with anything?"

It took Akabane a moment to reply. "N-no, I'm alright," she sheepishly smiled. "Thank you for the offer, though."

Silently, Kogawa watched as the older woman walked away, heading back to her work.

On her face, her lips twitched into the faintest smile.

TWELVE