The sky was already painted in hues of orange and blue when Kai stepped out of the house with his backpack on and headphones in his ears.
She followed him from the perfect distance.
Not too close to be seen.
Not too far to lose him.
Hina moved like a shadow.
Silent, precise.
Just like old times , when she had to spy and stalk her targets.
At her side walked Akira, chewing gum like they were heading to a convenience store, with her hands in her pockets, casual as ever.
"Your walk's literally screaming 'I'm a hitman.' If he turns around, he's gonna sprint into the woods."
"He won't turn," Hina replied coldly, eyes fixed on Kai's back. "To be specific, he'." Hina said while still walking.
"I know his rhythm. I know how he walks when he feels safe." Hina added.
Akira smirked.
"This sure feels nostalgic, doesn't it?" She teased.
Hina looked at her and sighed.
"Not at all." She replied coldly.
"Oh, come on! Don't you miss our missions together ?" Akira said, with a teasing grin on her face.
"You mean… if I miss killing a lot of innocent people?" Hina replied, with a cold voice.
"Oh no. Not that. I mean… our time together, when you used to call me Big-Sis. You always said that you wanted to be like me one day…" Akira said, with an almost nostalgic voice.
She was recalling her first times together with Hina, where they used to do a lot of missions together.
"We don't have time for that. Kai's life is way more important." Hina replied.
"So annoying…" Akira sighed.
Then, they kept walking behind Kai, like two shadows.
Her figures were almost invisible.
Every so often, Kai did glance over his shoulder—searching.
But he never saw them.
They slipped through alleys, behind parked cars, across street corners without missing a beat.
Predators in the dusk.
"It's cute how he thinks he's alone," Akira smirked.
Hina didn't respond. Her gaze was laser-focused.
Kai was on a mission.
And they were his silent guardians in the dark.
But when they turned the last corner toward the shopping district…
Hina felt it.
A tremor in her chest.
A subtle shift in the wind.
Kai had picked up his pace.
He was getting close to the Neko Café.
"He's going to her."
"To Emi-chaaaan~," Akira teased with a sing-song tone.
"Don't say her name," Hina hissed.
"You're jealous. Just admit it." Akira said.
"I'm not jealous, he knows he's mine. I just hate every kind of female that gets close to him" Hina replied, with a sharp voice.
"Hahaha! You can be adorable sometimes!" Akira chuckled.
Once they reached the café, they climbed to the rooftop like two phantoms.
A perfect vantage point.
Invisible.
Deadly.
That would've been a perfect spot for Akira if she had her sniper rifle with her.
They kept watching Kai until he arrived at destination.
Akira and Hina both used their binoculars to see their target.
And the first scene that they saw was not a pleasant one.
They saw Emi literally throwing herself on Kai , hugging him like he was her boyfriend.
Hina's eyes widened a lot and the grip on her binocular tightened a lot, and a feeling of anger rushed all over hear heart.
She was shaking a little.
"Oh no no no… no no… that fucking bitch… I'm gonna fucking kill her…" Hina said out loud with a deadly whisper.
"Here she goes…" Akira thought.
She knew that Hina could be dangerous, especially when it came to Kai.
"That boy surely is popular among girls, isn't he?" Akira said to herself.
Hina kept staring at the scene until they walked inside and his figure disappeared.
From their spot, they could even see inside the cafeteria.
Their gazes searched for Kai until they found him.
There he was.
Kai.
Sitting with Emi.
Too close.
Way too close.
Hina didn't blink.
She didn't dare miss a second.
He was smiling.
Lowering his gaze.
Confiding.
And Emi?
Those doe eyes of hers, full of false compassion…
"If I rip out her hair and use it to strangle her… would that be a murder or a performance art?" Hina whispered.
Akira laughed beside her.
"You're really spiraling, huh?" She teased.
"She's trying to take him from me. Bitches like her always do that." Hina said, with an angry voice.
"And you picked a normal guy. Didn't you expect girls to look at him?" Akira said , with a "normal" tone of voice.
"He's mine." Hina said with a firm voiced
"You haven't branded him yet." Akira teased.
Hina slowly turned to her with the deadliest stare in existence.
"I will." Hina said.
Akira snorted.
"And here I thought I was the psycho." She sighed.
"You're just a criminal. I'm in love." Hina replied.
"Oh, sweetheart. Love is the most criminal thing of all." Akira replied.
But suddenly, another unpleasant scene happened.
Emi's fingers were gently brushing against Kai's.
Hina was literally shaking from anger.
"I'm gonna skin her alive." She said to herself.
Then… she tried to lean in.
"DON'T YOU FUCKING DARE!" She screamed inside her heart.
Akira was silently enjoying everything.
That little scene got interrupted by the arrival of an unexpected guest: Lala.
Hina let out a sigh of relief and she slowly calmed down.
"Oh? What is Lala doing here?" Akira said, with a surprised tone of voice.
"Another whore… another fucking whore… she was probably stalking Emi." Hina said, with still an angry voice.
After that, Kai and Emi walked out of the cafe.
Hina noticed Kai's clumsiness.
He had a sad look on his face.
She knew that it was fake, but still…
But suddenly , another thing happened.
Emi grabbed his collar and looked at him with a "sad" face.
"Leave him… leave him…" she was screaming inside.
She couldn't stand anymore, that's why she then decided to call him.
She immediately dialed his number and called him.
She screamed , like a crazy psychopath, using the excuse of the lewd browser history that she found on his pc.
She only did that to separate Kai from Emi.
But that wasn't enough.
Emi looked on the ground and then she leaned in again.
The posture. The eyes. The energy.
Hina's instincts screamed.
"If she touches him, I swear I'm jumping through that window and cut her fucking throat."
"Armed with a katana, no doubt?"
Hina's hand was already on her concealed blade.
The handle was warm in her fingers.
Ready.
And then—
The hug.
Another disgusting exchange of physical touch.
In that moment—time stopped for Hina.
The lights of the café dimmed.
The heartbeat paused.
Her vision went red.
Akira saw the change immediately.
"Oh no… she's about to snap."
Hina stood slowly, soundless.
Her body was rigid, sharp.
Like a blade being drawn.
"You want me to follow her? Maybe leave a sweet little message?"
"No."
Voice like ice.
"I'll talk to her myself. Directly. When I'll have the perfect chance. And when the time comes, I'll kill her." Hina said, with a sharp voice.
She couldn't stand the sight of seeing someone touching her boyfriend.
Akira laughed low.
"I thought you were the rational one." She said.
"I am." Hina replied coldly. "And rationally… it's time to start clearing the board." She added.
Then, after that scene, Hina saw Kai's figure walking inside the store again.
"Oh oh, I don't think we should leave him alone now, not with that prostitute." Akira said, while putting her binoculars in her pocket.
Hina nodded and put her binocular away.
It was time to act now.
Rapidly, they walked down, ready to give a nice meeting to Lala…