Crimson Storms // A Hiroto Amamiya Fiction

Chapter Twelve: Beauty of Sannoh Region

• Suki Nakamura •

   Talking to Naomi was surprisingly easy; she was understanding yet quite curious. Her main concern revolved around my relationship with Hiroto Amamiya and why he drove me to Itokan and waited for me outside.

"Is he your boyfriend?" she whispered, leaning closer.

"I'd rather get hit by a bus," I responded sarcastically, flashing her a wry smile, "I used to be close friends with his brother."

"Masaki?" I lowered my gaze, feeling a tinge of sadness.

"No, Takeru," her expression changed as the realization hit her. Everyone knew what had happened to Takeru.

"I'm sorry," she murmured, immediately sensing the sensitive topic, "Anyways, what did your doctor say?"

I may have omitted the part about being kidnapped and instead told her that I suffered from extremely painful cramps, which required a visit to the clinic. In short, I lied. Perhaps it was a red flag, but I couldn't have everyone prying into my personal life.

"It's all good; they prescribed some medicine for it," I replied, trying to sound nonchalant.

"Well, I'm glad you're okay," she said, reaching out to hold my hand. Physical touch was never my favorite, but somehow, Naomi felt comforting, and I almost felt guilty about deceiving her.

After our talk, we closed the diner for the day since we had an early start tomorrow. As we walked out, we noticed Hiroto sitting on his bike, with Cobra and Yamato on their bikes across from him.

"See you tomorrow, Suki," Naomi said, grabbing the helmet Yamato offered her and sitting on the seat behind him.

"See you!" I smiled and waved as they rode away, though not before catching Cobra's intense glare directed at Hiroto.

"What's with all the tension?" I rolled my eyes and put on the helmet Hiroto had given me.

"Well, we kicked their asses while they were in Mugen. Just two brothers going against a whole gang; that must've dented his pride," Hiroto commented smugly.

I gave him a disgusted look, "Why not just get it over with? Give each other a punch in the gut and call it a day."

"Men and their pride," he shrugged, revving up his motorcycle, "It's a whole different story."

As I swung my leg to sit behind Hiroto, my eyes remained fixed on the odd man dressed in all black, his head hidden under a helmet, sitting on his motorcycle. Leaning closer to Hiroto, I gripped his shoulders firmly.

"What are you doing?" he asked, clearly perplexed by my sudden action.

"Don't look right away, but there's a man on a motorcycle right in that alley, and he's staring at us," I whispered, making sure to keep my lips hidden from anyone's view.

Hiroto's grip on the handlebars tightened, and the engine roared louder as he accelerated, forcing my body to be pressed closer to his back. Instinctively, my hands hugged his stomach, holding on tightly as we sped away. I could feel the curves of his well-sculpted torso beneath the thin material of his shirt. I prayed that he wouldn't point it out later; I'd die of embarrassment.

The man on the motorcycle seemed to follow us for a while, but Hiroto skillfully navigated through the streets, making turns and doubling back until we eventually lost him. Only then did Hiroto slow down, allowing my heart rate to gradually return to normal.

As the adrenaline began to subside, I realized how intimately close we had been during the short escape. The heat from his body lingered on my skin, and my heart still pounded from the thrilling experience.

   After stopping at a gas station, I bought some food while Hiroto pumped gas for the motorcycle. As I walked out, I handed him the hotdog I got for him.

"Here," I said, trying not to sound too caring.

He looked at it, then back at me with a raised eyebrow. "I didn't poison it," I retorted, rolling my eyes and shoving the food into his hands.

We parked the motorcycle aside and leaned against it, gazing at the sunset. The gas station provided a beautiful view of the entire Sannoh Region. Despite its chaotic and dangerous nature, the town remained breathtaking to look at.

"Why did you come back?" Hiroto suddenly asked, surprising me with his initiation of conversation. I tried not to show my shock and shrugged it off.

"Takeru-senpai," I replied, the air around us feeling heavy. I knew he hadn't moved on from his loss, and I hadn't either. If it weren't for Takeru, I wouldn't have had the courage to return here. Maybe I should've left, but I made the decision to stay.

"Were you guys really close?" he inquired.

"He was the only family I had," I said, setting down the hotdog I was eating. "Since I never had any proper guardians and most teachers neglected me, I never really had someone looking out for me. Until Takeru-senpai came along. He was like the brother I never asked for but desperately needed."

Hiroto let out a sigh, seemingly understanding the significance of Takeru's role in my life. "That sounds like Takeru."

We both sat in silence as the sun dipped below the horizon, allowing the cool evening breeze to whisk away any lingering thoughts and emotions. Despite our differences, we found a moment of understanding, even if it was just about the person we both cared for deeply.

As the sky darkened, we finally decided to head back to the unit. The ride was quiet, but there was a sense of companionship that hadn't been there before. I knew that despite our clashes and disagreements, Hiroto was a complex person with his own struggles, just like me.

As we arrived back at the unit, I thanked him for the ride, and he grunted in acknowledgment. We went our separate ways, but there was an unspoken understanding that we would be seeing more of each other. Whether that thought excited or terrified me, I couldn't tell just yet.