City of Crimson Desires

Part 27 The Ball Part -I

Thanking Kuroshirotaku for doing this amazing mash up of my story with "My brother's lover is psycho". I literally enjoyed writing this chapter. To know about new amazing characters, check Kuroshi's story.

Anne cleaned up the table after the breakfast. She wiped off the shelf and put pots and dishes in the sink. She started washing the dishes and put them aside later drying them with towel and stacked them. She wiped her forehead with the back of her wrist and huffed in annoyance when she saw garbage bin to its fullest that needed disposing right away. She tied the black bags and picked them walking outside of the house. Anne put the bags in the trash cans and saw two men when she turned back. One was in baggy white shirt and was carrying the second one on a wheel chair. The latter one looked sick, he was in dirty grey upper shirt with hood covering his eyes to nose. And the first one was talking to him and she swore that he had snickered on his own comment. Anne never had seen them in the neighbourhood before. They must have been new here or just taking a morning walk here. She wiped her hands on her skirt and resolved to ask by walking up to them.

"Good morning, sir". She greeted them with a smile and the man in white snapped his head towards her and smiled back.
"Good morning, Miss...".
"Anne". She told him.
"Pleased to meet you, Miss Anne. I'm Aki and he is Ren". Aki spoke, slightly bending over the wheel chair to the latter one's ear level and whispered to him.
"Say Hello to her"!

"Hello"!  Ren's greeting seemed rather forced than she had thought it would have been.

"Are you two new here? I mean never saw you here before".
"We moved here two weeks ago". Aki told  her in his smooth velvety voice. Aki seemed more warm and welcoming than Ren whose gaze was fixed in his lap and was quiet during their small conversation.
"Is he alright"? She asked Aki, her eyes roaming over the frail frame of Ren who bowed his head lower tucking his chin lower against his neck.
"Ren, are you ok"? Akin asked him more like told him placing hands on his shoulders. Ren's fingers curled inwards against his thighs letting his cuffs of hood jacket slipped back.  Anne froze when her eyes fell upon the bruises on his arms. She quickly tore her gaze off him and looked up at Aki.
"I'm okay". Ren's voice was barely audible and was hoarse as he coughed.
"By the way I live here". She pointed at her house. Aki's brows touched his forehead then he smiled at her softening his eyes at her. 
"We two live nearby". Aki's smile and tone, Anne noticed, seemed pretentious. Neither did Aki told her the exact location of where they live, nor did she ask. Her mind was still fixed over Ren's purplish bruises that were crawling underneath his sleeves. Even knuckles of his hands were yellowish blue and scrapped.
"...Miss Katherine." Aki broke her out of her little thoughts and she just nodded even though she didn't get a thing he said. "Anne"! Regina called her from behind with envelope and tickets in her hand and walked to her eyeing both males.

"Hello, Miss Katherine"! Aki greeted her with his patent smile on lips. "Nice to meet you too, Aki". Anne noticed Regina's tone was curt towards them. "Well if you excuse us, we have some matter to attend to". Regina told him steering Anne away.
"See you around Miss. Anne". Aki's view was cut out when Regina closed the door and turned to scold Anne.
"What were you even thinking"? Regina snarled slapping her chest with tickets.
"What happened"?
"That Aki guy is way too suspicious. Something is odd about them both".

"What are you talking about"? Anne inquired her as Regina brushed past her.

"The other day, I passed thier house and I overheard whimpers".Regina told her as she stalked inside the kitchen and filled herself a glass of water from tap.
"It sounded like someone was crying in pain then I heard maniac laughter". Regina gulped down the water and looked  up to meet Anne's pale face in disbelief.
"The other one...er..Ren? He had bruises on his...".
"Don't run into them next time". Regina warned her resting her back against the sink.
"Did you get the tickets"? Anne asked opening the envelope to have a peak inside of it.
"Yes, you have packed"? Regina questioned back. "Yes, I've packed two bags".
"Good. We'll be leaving for Japan in an hour hour".