16 CHARM GHOST 2

"It's not like that," said Ginnan. Then grins. "Ah, actually yes.... haha... but first, I want you to accept this."

Ginnan took Renji's hand and put the locket inside. He smiled, and even though Renji's face was still grimacing under the puff of his cigarette... the way he gripped his hand so gently was deliberate. Not wanting to be low-key, but somehow he was flirting at the moment.

"Yuka probably stole and damaged it," Ginnan said. "But this thing still returned to your hands, right?"

Renji looked at those slender fingers than at Ginnan's face. "Take it off."

Ginnan's smile turned sour.

"No."

Renji withdrew his hand and stuffed the locket into his pocket. "Get out."

"No," said Ginnan stubbornly. "I haven't apologized yet."

"..."

"Anyway I apologize on behalf of my naughty friend," he said. "If you want compensation, we'll try. But please don't take us to court. You know, one problem at the prostitute's flat will—"

"That's none of my business," Renji said firmly.

Ginnan scratched his head and didn't know what to do. "You're... scarier than I imagined," he complained openly. "But honestly was very good."

Renji ignored Ginnan and drew closer to the lakeside.

An artificial lake, indeed. But the flow of water is made so neat in the eye.

Ginnan also noticed. Renji who was originally staring at the water, and was angry about the locket, instead threw the thing from his pocket until it sank to the bottom of the pebbles.

"Eh?!"

"..."

Ginnan approached and grabbed his hand anxiously. "Hey, sir? Why are you wasting it?"

Under the tree's shadow, Renji stared at his wrinkled face.

"That is none of your business."

"What?" said Ginnan incredulously. "Geez... okay! That's none of my business! But you're too weird for normal people to ignore, you know?"

"..."

Ginnan stared blankly at the lake. "And again, doesn't it have a picture of your lover in it?" he said slowly. "I know you're angry, but you shouldn't be doing this. She'd be sad to know you—"

"I don't have a lover."

DEG

Ginnan was silent. Instantly his chest sank and he began to feel uneasy.

"O-Oh... I see," he said confusedly. "But I heard—ah no. Forget it. Anyway, I'm sorry about everything, okay?"

"..."

Ginnan immediately let go of Renji's hand which he had been holding for a long time.

"Ah..."

He knew Renji didn't like casual physical touch. The good thing is, this guy isn't as angry as he used to be.

"Just don't do it again," Renji said. He flicked cigarette ash into the air. His fingers looked good at playing with it. "I mean to someone else. It would be fatal if he didn't change his mind like me."

Like riding a roller coaster, Ginnan felt like falling from a height and rising again when facing this man.

"Yes, thank you..." Ginnan said. "But by the way are you okay?"

"Should I answer it?"

Ginnan shook his head. He came closer again and stood right next to Renji. "No," he said. "But isn't shortness of breath keeping all the burdens alone?"

"Who do you mean?"

"Of course you are," said Ginnan. "Who else am I talking to right now?"

"..."

Ginnan is again cakey. Because Renji took a sip of his cigarette without wanting to answer anything.

Ginnan cleared his throat. "Ehem, listen, yes... Sir. No matter how many admirers you have around you, you are still an ordinary person. So if there is a problem, just tell someone. After all, there are trillions of ears in this world."

"What about you?"

"Uh, me?" Ginnan pointed at his face. "Mn... you can. You can tell me and I'll keep it a secret," he said then made no promises with his fingers. "I swear. Think of this as my return for being free from the fatal threat of the flat."

"Stupid..."

Ginnan scowled. "It's up to you if you don't want to," he said. "I'm just trying to care..."

Suddenly Renji threw his cigarette butt in the grass. He even stepped on it and crushed it with the sole before starting to speak.

"You're wasting your time thinking about me."

DEG

"W-What did you say?"

Ginnan blushed. Especially remembering his behavior in the room earlier when he was surfing the internet about Renji. Luckily the man was still staring at his shoes which obscured the thin puff of cigarettes.

"Am I just strange person?"

Renji stared, Ginnan backed away reflexively.

"No, no!" Ginnan denied. "That's not what I meant earlier—ahem. I mean, yes! You're just strange person. But if you look troubled, do I deserve to be ignored?"

Renji approached. Ginnan was getting back and forth.

"So?"

"H-Hey... Sir, you look scary again."

Renji traced the tremors in that body.

"Are you like that to other people too?"

"No!" cried Ginnan. "Eh—I mean, yes! Of course, I do. You think you're the only pathetic human being in the world?"

"Hmph, pathetic?"

Trapped in a tree trunk, Ginnan nearly tripped over a root and clung to his very rough bark.

Renji clung to him with his arms, Ginnan nearly slumped down feeling his leg ache. Yet this man did not touch him. He kept coming closer and looked like he wanted to kiss him, but turned out to be just staring and inhaling the scent of his breath.

Ginnan's fingers squeezed the tree. His hooves dug into the burrows of his skin.

"You're wearing Deby's perfume of choice," Renji said. Ginnan gulped at being caught. "Very well in my opinion."

Realizing his face was starting to heat up, Ginnan looked away immediately. "Not really," he said. "Y-Yesterday I tried my choice, but today I also tried Deby's choice. Mn... s-is that weird, huh?"

Ginnan's fingernails clawed deeper as pulverizer after mash began to touch the skin of his lips. This is really crazy! But no matter how much he wanted to slap this man, strangely he just froze in place and remained there until the end.

Renji stared. His golden eyes briefly glanced at this man's tense expression before descending to the crook of his neck. One sigh aired, Renji descended into the fine lines of the gap with his canines grinding—then sunk into them. "Hey, Sir—"

"Shut up."

One bite.

"Ah!"

Two.

"..."

"Wait a moment-"

Three and immediately moved again. Ginnan's trembling hand pushed Renji's shoulder. Only once to make the distance, he was actually pushed until his back together in line with the tree trunk.

"I'm punishing you."