an eye peeked through the bangs as Nishioka push himself.
"I NEED BACKUP!" he screams to the device in his ears, but the only response is a static noise.
the place suddenly stops moving, Nishioka feels his breath stop abruptly and his heart beating ever so slightly.
in the corner of his eye, he can see Kolzak's menacing gaze. his mesmerizing red eye bore into Nishioka's body, he feels like a god is looking at him because of how suffocating being in his gaze.
'one' Kolzak thinks, he takes a step closer to Nishioka
he counted his steps as he set a foot closer to Nishioka, he feels like the atshpmophere stop moving just to stare into the peeking eye of Kolzak.
on the fifth step, Kolzak dashes his body, he reaches for his hat, and reveals a rope.
as Nishioka regain his movement, he dodge the running Kolzak.
he uses the momentum to grab Kolzak's shirt from the back and grab the hidden dagger.
he quickly moves it near Kolzak's neck while trying to brainwash him again.
but Kolzak already broke his brainwash once; he can break it again.
he grabs Nishioka's wrist while turning his head to meet his chest, the rope already in the air ready to slip itself into Nishioka's neck.
Nishioka looks up. Kolzak take the opportunity to grab the dagger that was in Nishioka's hands and release himself from his grasp.
The rope drapes itself on Nishioka's neck perfectly, Kolzak wastes no time and pulls it to choke him.
Nishioka slips two fingers near his neck. As he was choking and trying to release from the rope; Kolzak was pulling an old flip phone from his pocket.
Nishioka feels panic wash over him as he kicks Kolzak Cheeks.
Kolzak stumbles, unconsciously tugging the rope for support making the hold tighter.
when Kolzak regain his balance, he look at the still choking Nishioka "Who are you working for?"
***
YOU LOSE!
"Fu–ISH!" itoshi curses, I glance at him with a crooked smile
'just curse...I don't mind' I thought, his hand was constantly moving and clicking and his gazes seem unblinking.
we were in the arcade, itoshi insisted we go there after I tutor him.
".... it's ok if you didn't win, the boss is hard to defeat anyway," I say, but it seems to be a passing word to itoshi as he doesn't reply.
I sigh as I check my wallet.
'I only have a little bit left...the organization didn't give me money as a payment but a house and food.' I want to tear up as I saw how empty my wallet are
'I can't do piano lessons anymore...nor can I sign up for a music lesson, there is a chance that I will get attacked by some other organization, and because I do not have the money...' I shiver as I remember what Daisuke says to me
' "People see all seeing as a dangerous and brutal organization, and we made many enemies along the way. so avoid applying to any jobs or lessons' " Daisuke told me the other day in the middle of our training session.
the familiar ring of 'YOU LOSE' enter my ears followed by Itoshi's frustrated groans.
I look at him and sigh again.
"I think that's enough arcade, don't you have to study for tomorrow's science exam?" I remind him as I pick up the guitar from the ground and rest it on my shoulder
"I don't need to, I'm the best at science. And the sun is still shining! How about we go somewhere and bought a drink? Kinda thirsty from all of the screaming hehe" he let out a cheeky grin.
"you mean from all the curses you push back?" I joke as we both started to walk.
"erm...maybe?" he says, I let out a small laugh.
"haaa I'm exhausted!" he breathe out
"last time I go to the arcade was with Nishioka!" I perk up hearing his name
'itoshi and Nishioka is in first name basis? I never knew they were that close' I think
"you know Nishioka right?" Itoshi ask me
"Ah, Maasaki–kun?"
"mhm!" he hums
"...I guess so, I don't remember the names of my student that much.." I answer him, my tone tilted to a cold one.
"eh? Does that mean you forgot my name at some point?!" Itoshi says whipping his head to look at me
'you have the same name as my aunt so I never really forget' That's what I want to say but I just answer with a half-crooked awkward smile.
"you're so forgetful! Is it because you're old?" Itoshi question, I feel hurt when he says that.
'I'm only 19 for god sake!' I curse in my head
"Haha..." I look in front, we are already close to the small boba shop.
"well, Nishioka is forgetful too. One time he forget that we were friends, my pride was hurt! Do I not have any noticeable or interesting aspect?" Itoshi rambles, I usually never pay attention to his rambles. But now I seem to focus, is it because is about Nishioka?
'That gut feeling again...' I think as my stomach started to flip around and my mind was racing.
'it's probably nothing' I shake my head
"And another time he insulted my interest in brutal cases! Oh, how cruel can he be! I mean, I know true crime is not everyone's cup of tea, but hey! It's MY cup of tea so what's your problem am I right?"
'is this his way of gaining trust? How sad.' we sat down and order a drink, and as we wait he continue to ramble
"Have you heard about the lost suicide case? They're this case 21 years ago I THINK. is about this Ikeda guy who attempts suicide by falling off a building at night but his body was never found, at the time many witnesses say that they saw a person crouching near the body but after that, they don't remember anything.
The police only found a cervical spine bone piece, which is a fancy way of saying neck bone, and shattered glass-covered blood on the ground which is suspected where the guy fell" I nod as he explains
"just imagining the way that guy fell made my stomach flip, I bet when he jump someone open a window and the guy fell head first to it slicing his head off!" Itoshi explains that as he shudders
"it's still confusing how tho, the police gave up the case a very long time ago and it's not very famous, I found the case while browsing on the internet. It was posted by some anonymous account and only a few saw the post, but man my imagination went wild hearing that! Like could you imagine? How can that guy's body just suddenly disappear? It's too mysterious"
"It's very...ominous like he disappears into thin air" I point out
"Very ominous indeed, but what got me raging was that the police just drop the case! How could they?! Imagine how that guy's family feels, they can't have a proper funeral with the body in the coffin only some pictures and flowers with a carved stone" he huffed.
We receive our boba, he continues to speak.
But for some reason, that gut feeling didn't go away.
But when I see itoshi just happily talking and letting his mouth run I completely ignore it. 'it's to earn his trust' I excuse myself.
But really, the truth is that I want to enjoy the moment.
He is too similar to Auntie in some way that I decided to ignore that thing that I felt