Chapter 102: Another part of past

"Well , me and Kai have a quite complicated story… his normality is what actually fascinates me. He sees me for who I really am… and still loves me dearly." Hina said, with a "dreamy" tone of voice, marking her last words.

If Emi knew who Hina was, she would've also known the meaning of her last phrase.

Emi clenched her fists for a second but she then returned normal.

"Oh… that's so… beautiful to hear… I'd like to know more, one day." Emi said, with a mischievous tone.

She then returned to speak about the festival and her voice returned cheerful.

As the conversation continued, Hina maintained her calm exterior, but her mind was racing.

Emi kept prattling on about the festival and details about decorations, the timing of events, and how excited everyone was.

Her voice was light, carefree, but Hina was no longer paying attention to the surface-level chatter.

Her instincts were screaming at her now.

Something wasn't right, and every word out of Emi's mouth felt like it was leading up to something far more significant.

"So, Hina, have you decided how you'll handle the booths for the different clubs?" Emi asked, sipping her cappuccino. "I heard there are a lot of ideas being thrown around, but knowing you, I bet everything is under control."

Hina nodded, her expression neutral. "I have it covered," she said, her voice devoid of emotion.

She knew Emi wasn't truly interested in the festival.

This was just small talk.

But for what? Why was she still speaking like this? What was her goal?

As if on cue, the conversation took a sudden and unexpected turn.

"You know," Emi said, her tone almost too casual as she traced a finger around the rim of her cup, "this festival reminds me of something I saw a few years ago. There was this group… an interesting bunch of people… kind of like a makeshift family, but not the kind you'd want to run into."

Hina's body tensed, but she didn't let it show.

Her face remained passive, though she sharpened her attention on every word Emi said.

"There was this one girl, red hair, with an eye patch," Emi continued, her voice light, almost as if she were recounting a random memory. "Tough-looking... I wonder what happened to her."

Hina's heart skipped a beat, but she didn't react and her eyes widened for a split second.

She kept her breathing steady, her hands relaxed in her lap.

She knew exactly who Emi was talking about.

But she couldn't afford to give anything away.

"That's…interesting," Hina said, her tone measured. "Sounds like quite the character."

Emi smiled, her eyes gleaming with something Hina couldn't quite place.

"Oh, she was. And then there was this man. Big guy. Scars all over his body. I swear, he looked like he had been through hell and back. They were all connected, you know? Like a big, dysfunctional family."

Hina's fingers twitched slightly in her pocket, brushing against the cool metal of her hidden knife.

She knew exactly who Emi was talking about now.

The red-haired girl with the eye patch was Akira.

The scarred man was Sabushi, the muscle behind their operations.

But Emi shouldn't know about them.

Nobody outside of her old life should know.

And the festival…

She was probably referring at their last operation together, where they slaughtered an entire enemy clan alone.

A festival of blood.

She kept her face impassive, nodding politely as if she were just hearing a random story.

"And then there was this guy," Emi went on, her voice dropping slightly, almost conspiratorial. "Really good-looking, but dangerous. A real murderer type. The kind of guy who'd smile at you one minute and slit your throat the next."

Hina's stomach tightened.

There was no mistaking it now.

Emi was talking about Jin, the assassin she had crossed paths with years ago.

The very man who had once tried to kill her.

He was their ally along with Haruto, Akira and Sabushi.

Hina forced a smile, her voice steady despite the whirlwind of thoughts racing through her mind.

"Sounds like a pretty wild bunch. I'm surprised you remember all those details." Hina said, trying to remain a stranger to that situation.

Emi giggled, taking another sip of her cappuccino.

"Oh, you know, I'm good at remembering things. Faces, names, stories… It's a little hobby of mine." Emi said with a mischievous tone.

The way she was speaking… it seemed like she lived these kind of situations personally.

Hina didn't respond, her eyes narrowing slightly as she studied Emi.

This wasn't a coincidence.

Emi was connected to her past, somehow.

She knew too much, far more than she should.

But why was she bringing this up now? Why mention these specific people?

And more importantly: what was her goal?

The tension in the air was raising, and Hina looked around her in an instant.

The maids' eyes were all locked on her.

Any wrong move would've brought up problems.

Before Hina could push further, her phone buzzed in her pocket.

She glanced down at the screen and saw Kai's name flashing.

Perfect timing.

She swiped to answer, her voice calm as she spoke into the phone. "Hey, Kai."

"Hina!" Kai's voice was cheerful on the other end. "I was just wondering if you could pick up some groceries on your way home. We're out of a few things."

Hina smiled, though the gesture didn't reach her eyes. "Sure. I'll take care of it."

"Thanks! See you soon," Kai said before hanging up.

Hina slid the phone back into her pocket and looked across the table at Emi, who was watching her with that same unsettling smile.

"Well, it's been…interesting," Hina said, standing up from her chair.

Her voice was cold, formal, and devoid of any warmth.

She straightened her jacket, her eyes never leaving Emi's.

Emi stood up as well, tilting her head slightly, her smile never faltering. "It was great catching up, Hina-chan! Let's do this again sometime."

Hina gave a small, tight smile, her eyes hardening.

She leaned in just slightly, her voice dropping to a low, dangerous tone.

"Don't play with fire, Emi. You might get burned." Hina said.

For the briefest moment, Emi's smile flickered, but she quickly recovered, giggling as if Hina had just made a lighthearted joke.

"Oh, Hina-chan, you're so serious! Lighten up a little." She said with a smile.

Hina didn't respond.

She turned on her heel and walked toward the exit launching deadly glares to the maids.

Her posture was rigid and every single step was measured.

As she pushed open the door and stepped out into the fading sunlight, Hina felt her heart pounding in her chest.

She took a deep breath, her hand still gripping the knife in her pocket as she began walking home.

She had gotten what she came for.

Emi was connected to her past.

There was no longer any doubt about that.

But how much did she know? And what did she want?

As Hina walked down the street, her mind was already racing through the possibilities, strategizing her next move.

One thing was certain.

This wasn't over.

Hina perfectly knew that Emi was not a friend.

But she also knew that shouldn't hurt random people.

What if she was innocent?

By the time she reached home, the sun had dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the city.

Hina unlocked the door to her apartment, stepping inside with a sense of relief.

But even as she closed the door behind her, the tension in her body didn't fade.

Emi had made a mistake today.

She had revealed too much, shown her hand too early.

And Hina wasn't going to let it slide.

As she set down her things and began preparing for the evening, her mind was already focused on the next steps.

Another dangerous part of her past had probably returned.