Tuesday1: Unbalanced

[genuinelie.livejournal.com]

Ran kept himself from slamming the door to his room, aware of his sister asleep in the apartments, but once inside he threw the book at the wall. It fell to the floor, a couple pages drifting to the floor. He followed it up with a punch to the wall on the right of the doorframe, hard enough to draw blood on his knuckles and crack the plaster, leaving the shape of his fist.

He stood facing the door, shaking with his constrained anger.

What right had any of them to imply they knew him.

He finally turned and grabbed a tissue from his nightstand, pressing it to his hand before he bled on the floor. His alarm clock read 4:32 a.m.

What the hell had Hidaka been talking about? The other three might pretend this was some sort of family, but Ran wasn't so deluded. They were assassins. Killers. Caring in this business got people killed. It was a distraction.

He was never going to allow Aya-chan to happen again.

He needed to leave this place. He'd thought it was a good idea, staying here with three trained Kritiker employees to help him protect his sister. But he didn't need help. He didn't need help. He didn't need them. He would take care of Aya-chan on his own. He would begin solo missions, and it would be easier to keep his life from her, rather than the secret life of all four of them.

The words his mind was supplying resonated with a desire he'd long kept pent up.

What Ken had said about Yohji, however -

They were both playing with him. That was all. Yohji actually liking anyone, let alone Ran, for more than whatever games he usually played...

The idea made him feel physically sick.

But not because the idea disgusted him.

It was just fucking ridiculous.

Ran took his cell phone from his pocket and flipped it open. He would not tolerate head games. He needed the money from missions they were no longer getting. It was clear that keeping Aya-chan here was keeping her at risk. He would do better on his own.

They didn't need him. They didn't want him, Ken had made that abundantly clear.

Yes?

Abyssinian requesting meeting with contact.

Silence on the other end. Then,

Bridge by south side. 6 a.m.

Click.