Horrors
Horrors
"Didn't you hear?"
"About?" Toh said impatiently.
"One of her friends got kidnapped. So she went over to save them."
Toh had to stop himself from cursing when he heard those words.
"I see so she won't be coming." Toh mumbled.
Sumire is the loyal type and from what he has learned about her. Since she doesn't have many friends, with the ones she does have. She treasures them more than anything.
"I'm sorry, did you have plans? I promised to come get her afterwards. I'll take her to you."
"No, its--" Toh paused. He was trying to hide his bitterness but it seems Tsueno noticed.
"I really am sorry, I'm sure she didn't deliberately forget it. In fact in class today she seemed distracted and kept staring at the time. She told me she couldn't walk with me today, since she wanted to rush home, get something and then leave again."
Tsueno's words were clearly meant to comfort him and his heart did feel lighter knowing she was excited for their date. But, it only lifted the weight a little.
"Just take her to my house."
.......
Toh waited for her, for a long time.
But just when he was about to give up and fall asleep, later at night he hears shuffling.
Toh opened his eyes and found Sumire curled in his arms. For a moment, he wanted nothing more than to get lost in her scent and kiss her. But, he couldn't do that now. Not now, not when she obviously reeked of blood and death.
Blood was spilled that time Sumire went to the mixer with Momoi Futaba. He saw with his own eyes and there was that accident during their first meeting. Koichi showed him what happened to Sumire's victim that night and the details were gruesome.
'I knew what she was capable of. But, recently we have been spending some peaceful days together.'
"Are you mad at me?" Sumire asked.
"No."
He was, and it was stupid.
She went over to rescue her friend, as she ought to.
'I should be the last one to be angry at her about this knowing how protective she is of her friends, knowing how important they are.' But, even having this knowledge doesn't erase the bitterness learning that she picked them over him.
"Liar." Sumire mumbled. "Toh, you..have to understand something. My missions, may get in the way of us two spending time together."
"It hasn't until now?"
"That's because I was on a two month probation. But it's different now, I'll be busy." Sumire bit her lip. "It's different now. I have done my best to pretend everything is normal. However, recently Aki has noticed how attached I have become to you. 'While I approve of you two dating, you cannot get distracted. Probation is up. Times are dangerous now, you are needed.'" Sumire sighed.
Toh could tell how troubled she was by this. From what she said there, it seems like she has been doing her best not to arose his suspicion regarding the sudden change in her life.
"I may not be presentable and come to you covered in blood. There may be times where you call out to me, and I don't answer because I have just been in a fight and the bloodlust hasn't disappeared. I will certainly cause you problems because of this." Sumire paused. "Do you still want to do this?"
"Yes." Toh immediately replied.
Sumire's gaze softened and in the next second the girl is kissing him. If that's all she was doing, he would have enjoyed it more. But when her hands trailed down to his pants. Toh frowned and pulled her hand back.
"What are you doing?"
"Taking the lessons a bit further."
"No."
Sumire sighed. "I didnt think youd refuse."
"Not tonight not when your--" Toh didn't know how to phrase this.
"When I reek of death?"
"Did you kill them?" Toh decided to directly ask.
"I had to. They," Sumire's face turned sour.
she looked disgusted. "-tried to rape her. They would have gotten close had I not arrived on time."
"..."
Toh didn't know what to say to that. It's not like this is his first time hearing a story like this. The underworld is a cruel and vicious place, especially for women. Only the most vicious and cruel survive in the underworld.
"I strangled the first one, and broke his neck before his head fell to the ground. Even when he pleaded that he had a wife and kids. That he had no choice to do this, I didn't listen. The next one, I savoured his death more slowly."
Toh stops her sentence by kissing her deeply.
Her gaze was dim.
Dimmer than he had ever seen it. What horrors did she see on the way there?
His gaze briefly fell on the girls clothes only to see blood patches. That's not her blood, it must be the blood from her enemies. There wasn't a lot, so maybe it's not as bad as what she is saying- those thoughts vanished when he saw something from the corner of his eye. On the couch by the door, there was a jacket. A jacket covered in red.
Toh was very familiar with the clothes Sumire had, so he knew. She doesn't have a bright red jacket. But this morning she did go out wearing a white leather jacket.
'I can see why Koichi feels disturbed whenever Sumire is mentioned.' While the sight is disturbing, Toh knew he wasn't afraid of Sumire. What he is afraid of is the horrors she had to go through, the damage this has caused her.
He kisses her until the light returns to her eyes. Even then he didn't pull away immediately, and licked her bottom lip.
Sumire sat up with flushed cheeks. "Ah."
His lips curved amused seeing her sudden shy demeanour. She truly is fascinating.
"S--sorry, sometimes when I return from work my head is all muddled. Uh, I do remember Ru fetching me..and then....I came here. I got out of his bike, and walked here."
"You walked?"
"Mm."
How far did she walk? Toh glanced down at her feet and saw the red blisters. Did she not wear shoes-? The remaining weight in his heart vanished. She came, even though she was late. She ran to see him.
*Unedited*