16 <Different POV: Ryunosuke & Chiaki> The Night Before The Party

<Different POV: Ryunosuke> Go

~Morning, the day before the party~

"What?" Ryunosuke looked at his smartphone, the big, white numbers showcasing just how early it was- 2:05 am.

"Go," Chiaki said, the faint sound of metal creaking coming from the other end.

Ryunosuke sighed, "Where are you going?"

"Bathroom."

"Where do you want me to go?"

More creaking sounds could be heard, and it took a few minutes before Chiaki spoke again. "Fukunaga's."

"No."

There was more silence on the other side of the line before the phone call was cut, and Ryunosuke spent a few seconds looking at his smartphone. What was it that Chiaki wanted to do? The last time she asked him to do something... it hadn't ended well. He had no idea what was going on in his sister's head.

Sometimes he thought that she was more messed up than the rest of them.

Sighing, Ryunosuke looked up at his ceiling and began to count the number of small bumps. Popcorn ceilings weren't a part of his design choices, however his father had decided through his hat, and, unfortunately, the draw of the day was a popcorn ceiling.

Remembering the terribly unofficial way his father handled things, Ryunosuke leaned back onto the headboard of his bed. He placed his hands behind his head and glanced at the one window in the room.

The blinds were partially open, so Ryunosuke could see that it was still dark outside. Of course, that was a matter of fact. It would take a couple more hours until the sun rose.

Still holding his smartphone in his hand, he waited a couple more minutes for Chiaki to call him again, but after the time passed by at a slow pace, Ryunosuke realized that she would probably contact him another time. Placing his smartphone on his nightstand, he connected it to his charger. Seeing his phone light up and signaling that it began charging, Ryunosuke decided to get to sleep. Getting comfortable in his covers, he closed his eyes.

Unfortunately, however, at that moment, a shrill ringing sound came from the speakers of his YPhone 8[1]. With his eyes twitching in annoyance, Ryunosuke answered the phone with a grunt.

"Go," Chiaki sounded even more annoyed compared to Ryunosuke as her voice was in a completely different tone compare to before- a tint of anger and superiority glossed over her words.

Ryunosuke looked at his phone in annoyance. "And why should I listen to you, my dear sister of mine?"

"Accident."

At that, the phone line was cut off once more, and Ryunosuke was left holding his phone. He sighed a little more forcefully, his breath ruffling the many, many pieces of paper taped onto his bedroom walls. Then, he threw his YPhone at the wall, the phone making crunching metal sounds as the screen and phone case broke.

"Fucking shit," Ryunosuke muttered, rubbing his face with his hands. He stood and grabbed the pieces of his phone, placing them gently into his trashcan.

He could not go.

Or he could go.

He turned his head, making eye contact with himself in the mirror. Immediately, his eyes veered to the tip of his ear... which wasn't there anymore. It had been sliced off at an angle, made to be a warning for the other children that the assailant had kidnapped.

One of those children was his younger sister.

And it was his fault that she had a spine injury and had forever lost her ability to walk.

Go.

He'll go.

The Fukunaga's are nothing, and even if they tried something, getting rid of it would be as easy as swatting a fly away.

He had nothing to lose.

He stared into his eyes, the black almost as dark as a deep abyss. Maybe he should kill a Fukunaga just to serve as a warning?

He looked down at the trashcan and sighed.

He needed to get another phone, too.

..............................................

<Different POV: Chiaki>

Chiaki ended the call with a simple closing of her flip phone.

"What did he say?" Hana asked, her eyes gleaming with eagerness. She leaned in towards Chiaki, using the wheelchair's armrest as a fulcrum.

"He refused."

"What?" Hana exclaimed. Soon, however, she looked confused. "But why are you smiling, Chiaki-sama?"

Chiaki turned to look at her cousin, the smile that Hana pointed out playing lightly on her lips. "Because Ryunosuke-neesan will do it."

"But I thought you said he refused?"

"He did."

Hana slowly shook her head, her eyebrows scrunched up as far as they'd go. "I don't understand."

Chiaki leaned in towards Hana and tapped Hana's nose with her index finger. "You don't need to understand."

Hana nodded once and then turned to leave. However, she stopped halfway across the room. She did a one-eighty. "Why do you want Cousin to go to the Fukunaga party?" After she finished her question, Hana closely watched Chiaki.

What happened next caused shivers to go up and down her spine.

Chiaki giggled.

Her girly voice resounded around the room, in complete contrast to the lowering temperature. Hana gulped. She could feel a cold sweat forming in her hands and neck. Her heart began to beat faster. She shifted the weight on her feet and counted to twelve before she managed to scrounge up the courage to open her mouth. "Chiaki-sama."

The giggles stopped short, and all of a sudden, Hana had to dodge as a knife swept past the exact area her head was in.

It was only when she heard the thunk of knife-on-wood that she straightened up, her face the very picture of horror.

"What's wrong, Cousin?" Chiaki smiled, having turned her wheelchair to face Hana head-on.

Hana forcefully shook her head side-to-side, fear causing her heart to beat a mile a minute. "N-n-nothing, Chiaki-sama."

"But~" Chiaki extended her word for a long time, tapping a finger on her mouth in a thoughtful and rhythmic manner. Suddenly, she slammed her hand on her armrests, and Hana jumped. "I thought you questioned what I wanted to do?"

Terror filled Hana's eyes, and she straightened up like a rod. "N-n-never, Chiaki-sama."

Chiaki watched Hana like a hawk, her eyes bearing down on her prey- the small girl before her. Hana visibly wilted until she almost closed in on herself.

"Leave."

That word was like the release of a gun's trigger, and Hana left at the speed of light.

Chiaki watched her leave, her eyes never leaving the girl's legs. "Run, rabbit, run, rabbit. Run, run, run," she slowly sang the nursery rhyme, her finger tapping the beat. "Run, rabbit, run, rabbit. Run, run, run. Bang, bang, bang, bang! Goes the farmer's gun. Run, rabbit, run, rabbit. Run, run, run."