Worth the risk

SUMIRE

Lucifer chuckled. "I do like punishing my subordinates on a grand scale. I'm sure your leader does the same."

"Yes he does. Aki-san has made a grand show of punishing, however the difference with Aki-san is he does it in front of other subordinates. He doesn't drag innocent lives into this."

Moreover he only puts on those shows if they cross the line. Aki is a patient person, and he seldom gets angry. He can be fairly laid back. Most of the times she has seen Aki punish people in the open is well if it's something to do with her. 

"I do find it adorable how you're still trying to act innocent, even using rubber bullets against some of my men. But, I think you should know by now. Everybody in my organisation is corrupt and you shouldn't be showing them any mercy."

"Everybody deserves a second chance."

Lucifer only laughed at those words. "It seems that Aki hasn't trained you well enough yet. Make no mistake my wife, you see me as a monster but that man your following is far worse than I."

"If your trying to turn me against him, it's futile."

So many people have tried to turn her against Aki. No matter how irritated she gets with him, she owes him a debt she can never repay in this life time.

"Then what about if I tell you that he knew about Nagawa's situation? What if I tell you, he was the one who caused problems for his family that lead to the opening for me to manipulate Nagawa?"

At those words Sumire froze. "You lie. He would never-"

"But wouldn't he? He saw that Nagawa wasn't treating you well."

Sumire bit her lip. Indeed, Aki-san saw on more than one occasion her fights with Sano. They never met officially. But Aki-san just happened to be nearby whenever they fought. Moreover, how many times did she rant to him about Sano? 

'I will do anything for you riri, even if I burned the entire world down.' 

Those aren't just empty words. How many times has she seen him get mad whenever she gets hurt? 

Lucifer chuckled. "If your willing to follow that monster. I don't see why you won't join me."

Sumire frowned. "This is the first time I'm hearing that offer."

"I thought I made it clear when I left little clues for you after each incident."

"The black roses and single letter notes are creepy. Most people trying to recruit me would have asked me directly or just fought me."

"There is no need for me to harm you my wife."

"I'm not your wife." Sumire snapped.

"That mark on your shoulder says so otherwise."

Sumire placed her hand on her right shoulder. How does he know about that? That mark isn't visible to normal people, and even amongst evolved humans and hanyous. Only a few people can see it. Not even Aki-san can see the mark. How does he know about it?

"Still, now isn't the time for you to join. Your still not ready. Today didn't end up as I thought it would. I expected to drag Nagawa back half dead, so I could torture him personally."

At the mention of Sano, images of his lifeless body and the blood flashed through her mind. That's right because of this man, San is-

"But, since he is already dying. I suppose I can summon ravens to eat his body instead."

Whatever self control she had vanished, and Sumire lunged at Lucifer. Lucifer laughed and simply dodged her attack. He grabbed hold of her wrist. 

"You're not ready to face me yet." Lucifer repeated.

Sumire hissed and Lucifer's gaze darkened. "Your too smitten with a man who has hurt you. But, I will give you a chance. If you can stay away from Nagawa Sano for a year. If you do, then I'll leave him alone forever. I won't harm him again."

Why does she have to do that? Now that she knows the truth, there is no need for her to be at odds with Sano. No need for them to avoid each other. 

"-and if I don't?"

"I'll make him suffer a fate worse than death." Lucifer's lips curved to a cruel and sinister smile. "I can think of many ways to cut up a person's body, and still keep them alive. What do you think?"

The darkness wrapped around her body and she felt something in her mind shatter. Before she could summon that power have, someone to stop her.

A pair of strong arms wrapped around her from the back, pulling her away from Lucifer.

"Ki. Stop." Mamoru said frantically. 

"Let me go Ru! I have to because of him San got hurt! This bastard keeps makng him suffer and as long as he is alive San won't be at peace."

"He's going to be okay. I came with Atsuro. Nagawa will be fine."

During the duration of that conversation Lucifer had disappeared. Not before leaving a note on the ground.

'Death follows both of you. The smell of death is stronger with you Tsueno Mamoru.'

At those words Sumire felt her heart beat increase. She didn't care about death following her. She has been risking her life and living a dangerous life style for a long time now. 

She turned to Ru worriedly. But he only laughed. "He's just doing that to scare you. Let's go Ki."

'Ru is lying. I have been distracted recently but I should contact that doctor, he looks really pale.'

On the way out, Ru explains what happened at the concur. "It seems they did give you extra time and waited until the very last minute. Oh and Hamano dropped out too."

At those words she exclaimed. "Is he crazy? The other students must have seen him already and yet he quit. They are going to be talking badly about him-"

"He said that you were worth the risk."

Sumire shakes her head in disbelief. "I'm not worth anything." She sighed deeply. "Maybe I should have added not being an idiot when I was restoring our friendship."

Mamoru laughed. "It just shows that he really cares about you."

"Futaba is here too right?"

"Yes, she was with Hamano. They managed to round up the rest of the survivors, the ones you sent away."

"Just barely. We suddenly ended up attacked by strange shadow beings."

"Those familiars answer to Lucifer."

Sumire frowned. So it really was him. All to punish Sano for seeing her? After this incident she intended to meet up with Sano to sort things out and have a civil conversation. However, what if he retaliate again? She needs to think this through.