That Night

Chapter Twenty-Three

Just a warning that this chapter touches on some topics sensitive to some people and goes into more depth for Gin's insecure reactions back in chapter four. This being said, proceed with caution. More information will be provided at the end of this chapter to explain some things.

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Alarms, shouts, gunshots, chaos.

That's all it took to shatter our peace, the noise happening so fast, the suddenly dormant anxiety I always feel making an appearance.

"Ryu?" I ask, a slight tremor in my voice.

"It's okay." He cups my cheek for a second before standing and somewhat shielding me. I watch his back, his arm moving, slipping into the jacket I am just now realizing is different than the one he was wearing this morning.

He slips something into his ear before the sound of a gun being cocked reaches my ears.

"Ryu?" I whimper.

He turns around, the gun in his hand now fully visible to me. My eyes widen when I see it. He sets it on the desk and takes my hands in his.

"I promise you, I won't use it unless absolutely necessary." He tries reassuring me. His attempts work a bit, but the sight of the gun keeps me on edge and frightened of the possibility that it could be used on someone.

His gaze never once leaves mine, not even when he begins talking to someone who's not me.

"We're fine, Gin. We're in my office. What's going on?" He asks. Whatever she says next gets his eyes wide, and he whips his head around to look at the door. "Don't tell he found us." He mutters, his gaze going from shocked to murderous when someone bangs on the door followed by gunshots.

"Atsushi, hide. Now." He snaps just as the door is slammed open and a man stands in the doorway, an unmistakable smirk playing on his lips, a satisfied fire burning in his eyes.

His dark hair is cut short on the sides, but the top fixed like some sort of nobleman. His eyes are a purple color, a color I had seen before, but I can't quite place where I had seen them.

I shake with fear when Ryu grabs his gun and aims it threateningly at the man. Before I can think, Ryu has me on my feet and behind him.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Ryu snaps, his tone nothing I had ever heard before. Nothing I had ever imagined tainting his soft voice.

"Oh, don't be like that." The man chuckles, the sound somehow sounding intimidating. "We had so much fun when you and your sister were kids. Remember all the games we played? I was hoping to drop in and play some more. That sister of yours has really turned into a young lady. I bet she'd be much better than before. And who's this?" He leans to the side, Ryu following his movements to keep me hidden as much as possible. "If you want, they can join our play date as well." He lights up in a sickening way. "Maybe they could take her roll instead."

"You better not lay a finger on either of them." Ryu growls, shaking with fury. I clutch onto the back of his jacket, his free hand subtly grabbing my thigh in an attempt to soothe me.

It doesn't work.

If anything, I shake even more at the excessive thought of everything going downhill even more than it already has.

"Oh, come on, don't be so stingy." He feigns a whine.

"I'll be as stingy as I want." Ryu snaps, his next words obviously mocking and nothing short of a threat with no decision to be made. "Now I suggest you leave before I put a bullet in your head."