Chapter 6

"I...what...why," Akemi asked, looking up with her brows furrowed in anger towards the men standing in front of her. She shook her tied up hands behind her to hopefully set her free but she was left to no avail. Inside she prayed again and again that someone would save her. "Smooth talker, explain this!" Akemi screamed at Hans. Hans stood there, his hands folded against his chest. He was looking at her like the treasure she is. Hans didn't want to do this to her, she didn't deserve this. She only just stepped out, she shouldn't be aimed. Yes, Hans had a soft spot for her. It was not because he saw her and found her attractive but because he got to talk to her and instantly clicked.

He was reconsidering about giving Akemi in when something flashed by him. Hayami stood behind Akemi's chair her right sword in her right hand and her hood on. In one swift turn of her wrist, Hayami's sword cut through the rope and Akemi was untied. Akemi freed her hands immediately and rubbed her wrists. She immediately whipped her head back. Hayami removed the hood of her overcoat and looked at Akemi. "We meet again, Princess," Hayami said, smiling a little. Akemi just looked at her in shock while Hayami turned her towards Hans. She lifted her right hand to point her sword at Hans. "Should I settle this?" She asked. Everyone under commander Hans knew they wouldn't be able to defeat her, even though it's 1 on like 10 strong guys.

Hans lifted both his hands in the air and dropped his head a little. "You know we can't fight you," He said. Hayami dropped her sword. Akemi stood up and stood right behind Hayami. "I'm sorry for what I said earlier" Akemi whispered in Hayami's ear. Hayami turned her head a little and nodded, accepting her apology. Before Hayami could turn her head, someone threw a rock at her. She immediately lifted her right hand and deflected it. She spotted the boy who threw it and ran towards him. She went behind him, held his hands with her left hand, and placed her sword at his throat. "I'm good at finishing something someone else started. Want me to end you right here?" Hayami asked, pulling him closer and pulling the sword closer to his throat.

Everyone in the room was panicking. Being the leader, Hans spoke. "Hayami, forgive him. He's new. He doesn't know what he's doing" Hans defended him. Hayami gave him a dead expression and decided to let him go. The young boy gasps for air with his right hand rubbing on his throat and his left hand on his knee, slightly crouching. She looked at the boy and she seemed to slightly recognise him. "Akio?" Hayami called out to him. The boy coughed and Hayami felt her heart drop. Her stern gaze immediately fell upon the group and she stood there looking at the rest of them. Her eyes went soft at the view of Hans. She used to have something for him but she had to get over it because he was a self-involved bitch. She shook her sword and started walking towards Akemi. "You are going to stay behind me and you! deal with this and get it over with" Hayami said getting in her position.

Hans still had his hands in the air. He slowly started walking towards her. Akemi was starting to panic and she held onto Hayami's shoulders. "He's walking towards us!" Akemi said, shaking her shoulders. Hayami wasn't feeling anything of that. She was trying to hold her tears in at the sight of Hans. "I'm not the person I used to be. I'm different. I changed" Hans defended himself. Hayami stood there listening to him, defending himself. "I don't do the things I used to do. I realised I was being a jerk and I shouldn't have done that to you" He went on. "Why did you capture Akemi?" Hayami asked him, irrelevant of his words. Hans looked at her and he knew that if he lied then he'd be in trouble. "Mazi asked for her" Hans said stopping a little away from Hayami.

Hayami clicked her tongue and turned her head away from him. She scrunched her nose at the thought of what she went through and some other kids might be going through the same thing. "Please believe me-" Hans was cut off when Hayami started speaking. "Mazi's hiring kids and turning them into assassinators. I knew Akio since he was a kid. He was a sweet boy who loved to play with toy cars. Now, he was trained and he's out here trying to kill me with a rock and capturing Akemi. I can't believe this" Hayami said clicking her tongue. Akemi knew something was up because she sensed some history when she wasn't there. "Koto, I swear. I've been thinking about leaving this organization. All there is bloodshed. I hate it here. Even I knew Akio since he was a kid and seeing him turn like this makes me want to scream in agony. And the fact that I didn't do anything to stop him turning like this is my biggest regret" Hans said, his hands falling on his sides and head dropping.

Hayami relaxed her posture and everyone in the room was silent. Hayami pulled on the hood and let it fall on her head, making it hard to see her face. "Everyone who works for Mazi is doing it out of fear. Talk to him and deprive him of that fear, he will change on his own. If you leave then you'll be killed, don't say I didn't warn you" Hayami said. Hans nodded. Of course, he knew that because he worked for Mazi. He'd be decapitated. Hayami's expression suddenly changed from 'fighting' to 'Want to protect'. "If you need help, then I'm always within easy reach," Hayami said giving a small smile. A dark aura surrounded Hayami and Akemi, engulfing them in a whirlpool. In a blink of an eye, they seemed to disappear.

Hans smiled to himself, knowing he might have got his best friend back. He couldn't help but think about it.

She was always going to be within easy reach and he was always going to be at her disposal.