ODE TO THE MURDERED, bonten

25

PART TWENTY-FIVE !
burgeoning nonbelievers.

YOU NEVER BARGAINED WITH RULES, even more if the stifling world splits your morality in half and tests your loyalty, then you'd like to call yourself a renaissance troublemaker.

    "our warehouse in Yokohama had been plundered." Mikey drops the paper reports on his table, onyx eyes set on a hardened stare. "Kakucho and Mocchi had dealt with their meddling swiftly. manage the mess, i want it to be squeaky clean, don't want the police to catch a whiff of our upcoming shipment." a pause. "and Takeomi, tell Kokonoi to map out the patterns they left behind, maybe send a few men to the bay and sniff them out. i'll also leave the finalization for the new security with you. i want it done by the end of tomorrow is that understood?"

"yes, boss." you've broken a rule and now here you are, eyes fluttering at the golden plaque of Sano Manjiro's name, your feet coming into a halt at the other side of the door. the pin drop silence of the floor makes it easy as leaks of conversations could be heard from inside Mikey's office. you can vaguely sew together Mikey's and Takeomi's voices, you swallowed hard.

    if you were to tell someone that you are currently under the jurisdiction of Bonten, protected from an enemy that wanted you dead, they would've thought you were spinning up a fairytale, a very sick and crooked one at that. your conversations with the Haitani brothers lingered within your head, and after much contemplation you decided to do something about your situation, after all you cannot prolong your stay under Bonten's care. there's only so much that your self-indulgence could thrive in this dog-eat-dog world.

"what are you doing outside of the resting quarters?"

a voice, all vile and full of untamed edges reaches your ears. you spin, graced with a man with pink hair and narrowed eyes. "Sanzu—"

"do you wanna fucking die that badly? it's not a hundred percent safe for you to be outside right now. go back." he hisses at you. you stood your ground, narrowing your eyes and inhaling slowly.

"don't make me repeat myself, i said go back—"

"i'm ready."

Sanzu shoots you a look of confusion. "ha?"

"have you forgotten? i gave my life to Sano Manjiro, meaning i have a duty to serve him like you and the rest do. i believe we've delayed my value to Bonten for quite awhile, i want to be involved."

the strawberry-head lets out a bitter cackle, you flinch when he reaches out and grabs your chin, hoisting you closer to his own face. suddenly you are reminded of the time where you first met him back in the club a few months ago, how he dug his nails into your cheek and looked at you with such vehemence.

"pretty girl's impatient." Sanzu sneers at you, rubbing his thumb across your cheek but the gesture didn't look endearing as his harsh glare. "the fuck happened to you after almost getting strangled? aside from that, now's not the time to discuss this. can't you see that Mikey's too busy—"

"let her in, Sanzu."

you both freeze, the door twists open and Sanzu jumps away from you. Takeomi idled by the threshold, holding the knob and shooting you an amused look. you swallow, allowing your eyes to be dragged to the figure perched on the same desk,