Chapter 10 – A Night Too Quiet
Mitsuri sat curled up on her bed, phone clutched tightly in her hands. The threatening message replayed in her mind like a broken record. She wanted to believe it was just a prank, but Natsuki's voice on the call—serious, sharp, protective—told her otherwise.
She glanced toward the window. The curtains fluttered softly in the breeze, but the silence outside felt… wrong.
Her heart jumped when she heard a knock at the door.
Mitsuri: "Who's there?"
Natsuki's voice: "It's me."
Relief flooded her. She ran to unlock it, only to find him standing there with his usual laid-back look—but his eyes were different. Focused. Dangerous.
Mitsuri: "Natsuki… you came."
Natsuki: "I told you. As long as I'm around, nobody touches you."
For a moment, neither moved. Then Mitsuri stepped aside, letting him in.
---
In the Living Room
Natsuki dropped onto the couch, scanning the room like a hawk.
Mitsuri: "You don't have to act so tense. It's just us here."
Natsuki: "That's the problem. Just us means we're easy targets."
She frowned, sitting across from him.
Mitsuri: "You keep saying 'we' like it's your fight too. Why?"
His eyes softened for a second. He leaned back, exhaling slowly.
Natsuki: "Because if something happened to you… I couldn't forgive myself."
Mitsuri's chest tightened. She wanted to reply, but the words caught in her throat. Instead, she reached out, her hand brushing his. It was small, tentative—but enough to make his breath hitch.
---
A Small Moment
The air between them grew heavy. Natsuki didn't pull away, but he also didn't move closer. His heart hammered in his chest—he could fight ten men in an alley without flinching, but one girl's touch nearly broke him.
Mitsuri: (softly) "You're always carrying everything alone, aren't you?"
Natsuki: "…Yeah. Guess I'm used to it."
Mitsuri: "Then… let me carry some of it too."
Silence. Then, Natsuki chuckled faintly, though his voice was low.
Natsuki: "Careful, Mitsuri. If you keep saying stuff like that, I might start thinking you actually care about me."
Her cheeks flushed, but she didn't look away.
Mitsuri: "…Maybe I do."
For the first time that night, Natsuki was the one who couldn't find words.
---
Outside the Estate
Unseen by them, a black car sat idling down the street. Inside, two figures watched the house.
Thug 1: "That's him, right? The gangster turned lapdog."
Thug 2: "Yeah. Boss said to wait, not hit yet. Just watch."
Their eyes gleamed in the darkness.
---
Back Inside
Mitsuri yawned quietly, her body finally giving in after a day of worry. She leaned against the armrest, eyes growing heavy. Natsuki stood, pulling a blanket over her shoulders without a word.
As he watched her drift to sleep, a rare, unguarded smile tugged at his lips.
Natsuki (thinking): Damn it… you're making this harder than it should be.
He stepped toward the window, lighting another cigarette, eyes locked on the dark streets outside. The night was too quiet. He knew it wouldn't stay that way.
Natsuki (thinking): Hoshino's coming. And when he does… I'll be ready.
The clock ticked softly in the background, marking the calm before the storm.
Chapter 10 ends.