Man cloaked in black

"I wouldn't kill her." Lucien uncomfortably shifted his gaze. "A haughty woman like her needs to be taught a lesson. So, a few of us were planning on drugging her and voluntarily spreading her legs for us."

At those words, her gaze dimmed, but Mamoru kicked Lucien in the stomach hard before she could react.

Lucien coughed and winced in pain.

"Y-you can't protect her forever, Tsueno. Many people dislike her because of her haughty behavior. How dare a woman stand at the top of the underworld? Does she not know her place?"

"Shut up," Mamoru yelled. His gaze looked deadly, and his entire body trembled due to anger. "How dare the likes of you even think of touching Ki? The reason she is at the top is because she is strong; that is how this society works. If you want to blame someone, blame your incompetence."

Mamoru continued to kick Lucien, and she silently stood on the sidelines.

It's too bad she didn't bring any popcorn with her. This is a very good show.

Although she disliked seeing Ru doing anything bad for her sake, right now, she felt relieved. After seeing such terrible events happen in her nightmare, she was not in the best state. She felt anxious and slightly nauseous.

"Ru-" Her sentence fell short when they heard the sound of a gunshot. Mamoru immediately wrapped his arms around her and blocked her.

The bullet, however, went past them - it went past? Sumire turned to Lucien, who had been tied up on the pillar. There was now a large hole in his head. Her eyes widened, startled, and she watched as a stream of blood splattered across and a familiar piece of flesh landed on the ground.

This- could it be?

In the next second, a man covered in a black cloak appeared before them. Due to the cloak, she could not see his face but this dark and ominous presence. It feels like she has seen this person before, but where?

"Tsueno Mamoru." The cloaked man mumbled. "I suppose you will not stop me today?"

Sumire felt a wincing pain appear in her head and a throbbing sensation in her heart. Where? Where has she heard this voice before?

"Ki? What's wrong-"

Suddenly, she feels so dizzy, and she can't breathe properly.

"Damn it." Mamoru scooped her up in his arms. "You win today, take it. But mark my words, I won't let you get away with this."

No, Ru, don't. They need to capture this guy. But right now, she is struggling to breathe, and she is in so much pain.

..

At Mamoru's house

Sumire tossed and turned on the bed, but she felt restless. She woke up only a few seconds ago and realized that she was in the guest room in Mamoru's home. There was a thick white colored envelope with a red seal on the center of the bedside table.

I'm not dead, but you owe me for this - Jack.

Ru must have taken her to them, got the stuff from Jack before dashing her back here. At least he did not forget why they went there. She would have scolded him if he immediately took her back.

Her gaze fell on the bright red blood stains on the envelope and frowned. After they finish the university visit tomorrow, she ought to pay a visit. She does not like owing people.

Tomorrow means today; it was already five am. In an hour, the sun will be up. She ought to get as much rest as she could since they had already booked an appointment to visit the university. But how could she return to sleep after that?

Despite only being half-conscious, she imprinted the image of the cloaked man in her mind and his voice. She has definitely met him before. That guy shot Lucien in the head, causing his brain to fall out. Brain- he is clearly one of the serial killers.

She already concluded that these cases were not committed by one person but by a group. Based on Ru's reaction, it seems like he has encountered that person before.

That guy has met Ru, and yet Ru has not done anything about him yet. There must be something she is missing.

Sumire shook her head and closed her eyes. She can worry about this after getting some actual sleep.

But her efforts were futile; after half an hour, she realized that she would not be able to sleep.

Sumire exited the room and made her way down the steps to the living room. The moment she arrived, she immediately sensed somebody's presence.

For a moment, she felt her heartbeat increase. Ru said those people wouldn't give up and come after her. Could it be that they came here? That cloaked man from before was addressing Ru, but she felt his piercing gaze on her.

She felt tense until she got a clear view of the person.

"Oh, Ru."

"I can't sleep."

"Neither can I." Sumire makes her way over and sits beside him on the couch.

Sumire glanced around the interior of the room. It really is well decorated, as expected of Ru.

"Don't you feel sleepy at all, Ru?"

"Nope."

"It's the same as me. I wonder why. I mean, I took a nap earlier, so. .it makes sense that I can't sleep." Her own sentence fell short when she heard a large rumbling sound come from her stomach. How embarrassing.

"I'm hungry. Do you want to eat something? "

But this person will not laugh at her during her weakest moments. That much she knows about him. Even if it feels like he knows more about her sometimes, she is not completely clueless about his matters.

"En."

"We never have anything good in this house. What do you want?" Mamoru asked, standing up.

They did go shopping earlier, but she doubts Ru would want to cook anything now. They had already finished the meal they had made earlier.

"Hmm, let's see."

"As for me, Ramen!" The two of them said at the same time.

Eh? They agreed? Normally they would clash when it comes to their favorite foods.

"Ramen it is, then. " Mamoru agreed with a bright smile. He walked over to the kitchen and pulled out two large packets of ramen, and boiled the ketal.

After five minutes, Mamoru walked back over with a tray and placed it on the table.

Her gaze fell on Ru as she watched him eat. 'How strange, how many years have passed since I got to know this person? It feels like it has been a long time.'

The reason why he stays by her side. It was not until recently where she started to question it. But now that she has, she can't help but suspect his feelings for her. Even if she will never ask him out loud, she wants to clarify the doubt in her heart.

She does not have time to waste her thoughts on this. But, Ru has always been different from all the others. No matter how close she became with anybody else, Ru remained special.