The Bloodless Rose (Heikazuscara)

Chapter Eight: Vanish Like A Mist

Scaramouche

My courage almost completely goes away the moment the door in front of me opens, but I hold on to it nonetheless.

A look of surprise then...not quite anger...maybe suspicion crosses the white haired boy's face.

"H-Hi, I know you're probably very very mad at me, which I get, but uh-" I stammer, an ice cube of nervousness forming in my throat. "I'd like to speak to Heizou. Please."

Kazuha's expression turns stony.

Not in a cold way, but in a way that shows literally no emotion.

"I'll see if he wants to talk to you." Kazuha says, his voice completely devoid of all emotion.

He slams the door in my face.

You know, that's fair.

I wait on the porch for a good five minutes.

What the heck am I doing?

I should just run away and-

The door opens again.

"I'm not to be held responsible for anything that happens to you while inside these walls. And that includes getting a vase thrown at your head." Kazuha says, opening the door wider.

I awkwardly enter and find a little girl with brown hair sitting at a table.

Who is she?

The girl tilts her head at me.

"Is this the boy who both you and Heizou li-" She starts.

Kazuha quickly steps forward and gently puts a hand over her mouth.

"Shshshsh not now. Anyways, Yaoyao, this is Scaramouche Shogun." He says.

Yaoyao looks up at Kazuha, an innocent expression that kind of reminds me of Nahida whenever she's trying to gaslight me into believing she doesn't constantly read my mind.

"So he is the boy both you and Heizou li-"

"Ahaha, Yaoyao, I said not now." Kazuha says, cutting her off again.

"The boy you what?" I ask.

I think I know what she was trying to say.

"Nothing. Anyways, Heizou's room is up the stairs and the first room on the right." Kazuha says. "If you don't come back alive I'll see if mother can get Ganyu to hide your body."

Wasn't their whole thing that they wouldn't kill me?

Whatever.

I awkwardly ascend the stairs, feeling Kazuha's red gaze burning into my back.

I find the door to the first room to the right slightly cracked.

Not knowing what exactly to do, I stand in front of the door.

"Well? Get your ass in here, do you want an engraved invitation?" Heizou asks from his sitting position on his head.

"So you remembered, huh?" I say quietly, entering the room and gently closing the door behind me.

That's what I said to him the first time he came to my house for our history project.