"Hey."
Shosuko sits down in the seat opposite Yuuji. She hasn't changed since she went to Kiara's office, nor did she bother getting an umbrella on her way back to the cafe so she's still drenched in the rain. The cafe patrons give her sideways glances.
"...you okay?" Shosuko isn't sure whether Yuuji is truly concerned about her or if he's just pretending.
"Yeah. I'm fine." She lies for his sake. "Hey, um, listen… I have something I want to tell you."
"Should I be worried?" Yuuji laughs nervously. "I didn't do anything bad, did I?"
"No, nothing like that, don't worry." Shosuko forces a smile. "I just… I overheard you talking with Daisuko and Oka earlier."
"Oh." The false brightness slips from Yuuji's face. Don't look at me like that. Don't look at me with those terrified eyes, like I'm something to be afraid of. "How much did you hear?"
"Everything." Shosuko struggles to keep her stoic expression on her face. "I know about Usami. I know about your dad. I know how much Oka and Daisuko are paying you."
"I see." Yuuji is silent. "What are you going to do to me?"
"Wish you luck." Shosuko smiles. It's the kind of smile you wear when crying just isn't enough. "You and Usami, huh?"
"Yeah…"
"How long have you known each other?"
"Since we were kids."
"I knew that you two were close, I just didn't realize you were that close. It's only natural that someone like me can't compete with that."
"You're not a bad person, Shosuko. I'm sorry that everything turned out this way. I–"
"You don't have to apologize. I should be the one saying sorry. I should have known that this was too good to be true."
"It's not your fault."
"I suppose." Shosuko looks Yuuji in the eye. She senses a mix of relief and regret. "You can go back to Minaminagi."
"But big sis Oka said–"
"Forget what big sis Oka said. You'll get the money you were promised and no one's going to get hurt."
Yuuji nods. "Thank you."
"Any time." Shosuko nods as well. Something inside of her chest finally settles down. Like a puzzle piece fitting into her jigsaw heart.
Yuuji stands up. "Thank you, Shosuko. For understanding."
"Any time." Shosuko gives him a weak thumbs-up. "And if you need anything, you always have me and the Kuze Clan as a friend."
"Really?"
"Of course." Even if his heart doesn't belong to her, her heart still belongs to him. If not the Kuze Clan, Shosuko herself would still do anything to help the boy she loves.
"Hey, Shosuko?"
"Yeah?"
"Do you want to… I don't know, go for karaoke sometime? As friends?"
Shosuko rests her elbow on her chair's backrest. "Don't you have a girlfriend to take care of?"
"I know. But that doesn't mean I can't spend time with my friends."
"We're friends?"
"Of course we are. You've been nothing but kind to me." Yuuji smiles, his usual brightness returning to him.
"Hmmm. I suppose that sounds nice." It hurts. It hurts like nothing else knowing that he's so close but still so far away. On some level, Shosuko realizes that staying this close to him is only going to bring her more pain. But at the same time, if she managed to get this close to him, why would she ever want to give him up?
"I'll see you around, Shosuko."
"See ya."
Yuuji turns to leave but someone blocks his way. A tall girl with red hair. He freezes. There is a moment of stillness before every hurricane.. It's rare that you ever see the hurricane coming but today, Shosuko's both fortunate and unfortunate enough to. So, she takes a deep, deep breath before she's dragged beneath the surface.
"What are you–" Yuuji starts.
"I'm Kasai Ryusei. Blackadder Gang lieutenant."
「Kasai Ryusei」- Blackadder Gang Lieutenant A tall girl with long, unkempt red hair stands between Yuuji and the exit. She's simply dressed, wearing gray sweatpants and a black shirt. Her expression is distant, as though she isn't even here. She's clutching a sheathed katana in her hands.
"The Blackadder Gang sends their regards."
Time slows down to a halt. Shosuko tries to jump out of her seat but she's completely frozen. Why…? Why now…? Why can't she act? All that she can move is her mouth. "Yuuji–!" She cries out in a desperate bid to warn him but it's too late.
The girl named Kasai draws her sword and plunges it into Yuuji's chest, piercing his heart.
"YUUJI!" Shosuko forgets everything else and catches the boy as he falls. Blood seeps out of his mouth, blood seeps from his front, blood seeps from his back. There's so much blood everywhere. Shosuko tries to staunch the bleeding with her hands but the way Yuuji writhes in pain makes her afraid to even touch the wound. He feels so small, so fragile, so lifeless in her arms.
"Someone call an ambulance!" Shosuko yells out but no one listens. They're all standing still, slack-jawed, dumbfounded, useless. "Hold on, Yuuji, just hold on."
"Sho…suko…" Yuuji can barely talk properly.
"I'm here, Yuuji, I'm here."
"Take care… of Usami."
"Do that yourself, you bastard!"
"..."
"Yuuji?"
"..."
"Yuuji?!"
"..."
"YUUJI!!!" Shosuko's voice breaks as she screams his name. She clutches his body to her own as tightly as she can, as if she could somehow transfer her heartbeat into his chest. But even if there was some way to do that, it's too late. His eyes no longer have any light left in them. Shosuko's hair falls over her face.
"Kasai… Ryusei was it?" Shosuko's voice is a low growl.
The girl does not answer.
"It's funny." Shosuko sets Yuuji's body to the side before standing up. "I promised your sister that I'd help look for you."
"What do you know about Yuki?" That gets her attention. Kasai looks over her shoulder and leers.
"It's too bad." Shosuko takes one step towards Kasai. The sheer barely controlled rage behind the step cracks the floor tiling. "I'll have to bring you back to Yuki in pieces."
"Hmph. That girl… is no longer my sister." Kasai turns away. "My business here is concluded."
"I'm not finished with you!"
"Our paths will cross again. Until then." The girl walks out of the cafe and in one bounding leap, jumps onto a nearby building.
"I said wait!" Shosuko runs out of the cafe but Kasai's already disappeared. "Shit!"
Shosuko looks down at her hands, at Yuuji's blood staining them. She looks at Yuuji's body one last time. His face is peaceful but dark. The brilliant shine that he wore when he was alive has been erased completely. Something that precious was crushed so easily, so senselessly, so cruelly.
"Shit!!!" Shosuko clenches her fist so tightly her fingernails draw blood but she doesn't even feel the pain. She wants to hurt something, anything, herself included. Anger rages wildly inside her chest.
Shosuko gently lifts Yuuji's body in her arms and walks out of the cafe. Her eyes match Yuuji's. Flat and empty.
"Kasai Ryusei…" Next time they meet, she'll kill her for sure.