𝐒𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐗

𝟐𝟖 | 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐑

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    "Hey... do you want to go see this movie with me today?" Kai unexpectedly asked the next day after Eun-ji had visited (Y/N), said girl looking up from her phone in surprise. "It's a horror movie, and I like that genre... but if you don't, we can always go see a different one. As long as we go, I'd be happy with anything."

    His free hand curled into a fist.

    He wanted her to say 'yes.'

    Honestly, he didn't know how he would feel if she rejected him, his mind constantly throwing him back to how she had chosen Mikael over him.

    It continued to eat away at him.

    "Yeah, why not?" She shrugged with a small smile. "What times were you looking at?

    "Maybe this three o' clock one?"

    "Sure, we should also make sure to buy—"

    "Oh?" Ashton interrupted (Y/N) as he suddenly shoved his way in between the two, obviously creating space in between them—something Kai picked up on and gritted his teeth to while (Y/N) just thought it was him being an asshole as usual. "Planning to see a movie, hm? I haven't gone to one in a while, so would you mind if I joined you?"

   "Yes," Kai bristled in agitation.

    "I don't care," she shrugged. "If you want to."

    "Then it's decided," Ashton shot Kai a rather smug look that the other wasn't too fond of. "And if you were thinking three, then we should probably get going now, shouldn't we?"

    "Right," (Y/N) pulled her coat on.

    "What kind of food did you want when you get there?" Ashton questioned as he grabbed his wallet and car keys, holding up the item as his lips curled. "I'm buying. It feels only natural to treat my one and only younger sister. So, how about it? Do you want candy? Soda? Popcorn?"

    "Obviously," she rolled her eyes. "Even if you being nice is weird, if I get free stuff out of it, then who cares?"

    "Exactly."

    Kai, watching the two interact as if it were the most natural thing in the world, could feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end from the jolt that suddenly coursed through his body. It was unnerving to the point he wanted to break something, but he refrained and reigned in his emotions. He knew he shouldn't have been so worked up over something this minuscule, but he couldn't help it.

    Not when it concerned (Y/N).

    He vowed to himself that he would always be there to protect her, yet he was failing.

    But what could he do?

    They all lived under the same damn roof.

    Forcing himself to go along with Ashton to buy snacks since he didn't want them to spend any time alone longer than they needed to, Kai was distracted enough to the point where he didn't even notice the two guys suddenly approach (Y/N).

    "Hey," the one on the right greeted, his hair dark and matted while his chin sported slight stubble. "You alone?"

    "If you are, want to catch a movie with us?" The one on the left questioned with a leering grin, his blonde hair falling over his eyes and giving him a rather rough look. "Actually, why don't we just go back to my place where we can have some real fun. What do you say?"

    (Y/N) shook her head in exasperation.

    Just what I needed.

    These fucking idiots.

    Before she could tell the two guys off like she wanted to, Ashton once again interrupted her by barging in and pulling her into his chest, suddenly declaring her as his sister.

    She blinked.

    Okay, now I'm gonna punch him.

    Like, first he interrupts me twice and now he's okay with me being his sister?

    Is he delusional?

    "Whatever, man," the dark-haired one scoffed as he flipped Ashton off, walking away with his friend not too far behind him.

    Ashton's grip on (Y/N) tightened.

    His lips thinned.

    "I'm fine now," (Y/N) sighed as she moved him away from her, dusting her clothes off as if she were brushing away his touch, something that made his chest cinch ever so slightly. "Besides, I was just about to tell them to fuck off before you interrupted me. Again. Is that your hobby or something?"

    "What? Saving you?" He smirked.

    "Yeah... you're obviously delusional," she answered her own question.

    Before he could retort, Kai stepped in with treats in hand, worry creasing his dark eyes as he asked (Y/N), "Are you alright? I saw what happened, but Ashton got here first."

    "Yeah, I'm fine, let's just go in."

    "I'll be there in a moment," Ashton waved them off with a smile whilst completely ignoring the venomous glare that Kai shot him—an emotion obviously stemming from jealousy—before leaving when they were out of sight.

    And in an instant, his expression shifted.

    Rounding the back of the theater where dumpsters could be seen, the chain link fence separating the lot from others, it wasn't long before he heard two pairs of footsteps behind him. Turning swiftly to be met face to face with the two who had been flirting with (Y/N), their lips twisted into sneers while in their hands they gripped gleaming knives, Ashton merely drew a pair of gloves from his pocket to pull on as they approached.

    And as he left, he smoothened his clothes of the rumples that had appeared before wrapping his now blood soaked gloves into a handkerchief and sliding it back into his pocket.

    He closed his eyes.

    Because for some reason, he felt as if all his stress had suddenly been relieved.

    Ashton rounded the theater once more.

    The two men didn't.

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