Chapter 02
Entrapping The Scarlet Butterfly

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"That damn Nijimura sure is lucky," Aomine Daiki commented gruffly, clicking his tongue as he deeply stared at the girl's face. "A hot ninteen-year-old wife, huh? What a turn on."

Kise Ryouta, from the other side of the room, lit up a cigarette, sending a curl of smoke in the air. He gave the girl a quick glance before chuckling in amusement. "I know, right?"

"Don't be fooled," Kagami Taiga, who had just arrived with another man, butted in. "She's a lioness in a lamb's clothing. I heard she incapacitated fifteen castle guards when she escaped the palace just a little while ago."

"Akashi Scarlett has been studying martial arts ever since she was six. Offense and defense, one can't go easy on her just because of her face," a man with light blue hair explained, looking at the girl who was lying unconscious on a bed in front of them. "She married Nijimura Shuzo through political marriage to strengthen the ties between their families." He paused for a while, clenching his fists. "Akashi Kentarou knew we will strike soon, so he made sure they wouldn't crumble."

"That old man would even sell his own daughter to gain more power," Kagami added, snorting in disapproval.

Aomine furrowed his brows, as though there was something he couldn't quite understand. "Does this chick even know what her father is doing?"

"Of course," Kise said, taking another puff of his cigarette. "They're family, after all."

"There's a possibility that she doesn't."

"What do you mean, Kurokocchi?"

"Akashi Seijuro," Kuroko Tetsuya uttered the name seriously, his brows creasing as if he had just remembered something very unpleasant. "He's the brain of the monarchy right now. Like his father, he's very good at controlling those around him.. Especially this girl..."

Kagami gave it a thought. "It seems that guy always acts like a bonafide saint in front of his precious sister."

A hint of a smirk flickered across Aomine's face. It was so easy to read sinister implications through his words when he said, "That's why to destroy him, we'll start by hurting his sister. Is that what you were planning all along, Tetsu?"

The Midnight Phantom's expression turned grim as he glared at the tanned male, obviously displeased at what he heard. "Who said I'm going to hurt her?"

The three men were apparently surprised by his unexpected declaration that was laced with threat. The seriousness of his words was startling.

Kuroko Tetsuya turned his back, heading for the door. Before he could totally exit the room, however, he left his friends one last warning:

"Don't you dare lay a finger on her."

***

Murasakibara Atsushi ground his teeth together as he surveyed the trails of blood that were scattered on the snowy ground. His searching eyes seemed to bore through the snow, his fists were shaking from the force they contained.

"Damn," he cussed through his gritted teeth. They were too late.

"Hey, Atsushi!" Haizaki Shogo's loud voice brought him back to his senses with a start. "I found Scarlett's good-for-nothing knight."

Upon hearing that, Murasakibara rushed to the sneering man. It looked like Haizaki found Hayama Kotaro in a side alley. The blonde was on the ground, struggling to breathe while clutching his side. He had been shot.

"Where is Scar-chin?" he asked, almost panicking, checking the poor guy's wound.

Haizaki threw the wounded guy a derisive look. "Really. Just how useless are you, Kotaro?"

"Zaki-chin," Murasakibara warned darkly with a frightening scowl, "I'd rather you keep your mouth shut."

The obnoxious guy raised both his hands in surrender, threatened by his glare. He knew how scary an angry Murasakibara was. The last thing he wanted was a demonstration of his power. "Okay. I'll zip it."

"T-They took her." Hayama forced the words out of his mouth, releasing series of groans after. "The Midnight P-Phantom took her..."

Haizaki and Murasakibara evidently stiffened up at the mention of the infamous thief.

Gaining popularity by calling himself a chivalrous thief, the Midnight Phantom was the one responsible for the discord in the country. By robbing those of higher stature, especially noble households, and giving the money to the poor, he earned the support of the families from the slums. Even if what he was doing was a crime, majority of the people considered him a hero behind the shadows.

"We need to rescue her." Murasakibara nimbly lifted Hayama's body up and began to walk towards the car. Haizaki followed from behind. "I'll call somebody from the palace to take care of this one."

"Rescue her? You must be joking, Atsushi. It seems like you don't know her well yet." Haizaki flashed a smooth smile before adding, "Scarlett can take care of herself. Whether it's the Midnight Phantom or some crazy punks on the street.. They're no match for her."

Letting out a breath irritably, the taller guy turned to face him. "How do you know that?"

Haizaki Shogo began to laugh uproariously, giving his finger a nice lick. "I just know. I've been with her the longest."

***

MEANWHILE.

Akashi Scarlett woke up with a start, immediately eliciting a groan the minute she felt that familiar sting of pain at the back of her head. When she was just about to cup it, she realized her right hand was tied on the bed she was lying.

"How was your sleep, princess?" a somewhat familiar voice resounded through her eardrums.

She turned to her side and immediately saw three tall men. It was the blonde one, who was sitting at the side of the bed, that spoke. She didn't recognize any of their faces, but she was positive they were those masked men who attacked her and Hayama earlier.

As if on cue, memories of a bloody Hayama Kotaro dominated her head. She felt a rush of emotions and her body trembled in fear. "W-What happened to him? What happened to the man I was with?"

"Oh. Him?" A tanned male with deep, rough voice answered her. "We left him there. We have no need of him."

Scarlett's beautiful fiery eyes widened and tears immediately blurred her sight. Without help, Hayama could die out there in the cold.

"You bastards," she seethed. She could feel her anger running hot through her veins.

Seeing her reaction, a man with split eyebrows sighed heavily then spoke next. "You angered her, Aomine."

"Really? This is going to be fun then." The man named Aomine didn't seem to waver under her nasty glare. "I'm looking forward to my punishment, princess. That is, if you can get yourself out of your restraints," he finished, darting his eyesight to the handcuff that was restraining her movements.

"Aominecchi, cut it out," the blonde reprimanded, giving her an apologetic look after. "Please excuse him and his mouth. He's just really like that."

She stayed silent for a while, lost in thoughts. She couldn't afford losing her cool now. She had to get to Hayama as fast as possible. She'd make sure her twin brother would hear about this and these bastards would pay. Thinking this way, she took a deep breath to calm her nerves.

"Are you thirsty?" the blonde asked, his ever-expanding smile evident as he looked at her with those kind eyes.

When she looked at him, she felt as though she might drown in the golden light of his eyes. She composed herself then gave the guy a small nod. "I'd appreciate a glass of water. Please."

After filling up a glass with water, the blonde man handed it to her still with that friendly smile on his face. "Here."

She quietly took the glass of water from his hand, slamming it hard to his head next before the blonde could even distance himself. His yelps and grunts, in both surprise and pain, reverberated through the room as he quickly clutched his bleeding head.

"Kise!" Aomine screamed in terror.

Ignoring the blonde's cry and the wounds on her hand caused by the broken shards of glass, she yanked her cuffed hand free of its restraints. The chain broke with a snap, completely surprising the men who had witnessed what she just did.

"That was easy." Now free, she ran towards the door.

"Aominecchi! Kagamicchi! Don't let her get away!" The blonde managed to yell in between his groans. Fresh blood was trailing down the side of his handsome face, and he cussed furiously, "Damn it!"

The man with split eyebrows had swiftly grabbed Scarlett's arm, attempting to drag her back towards the bed. As fast as he was, however, she raised one knee up to his stomach. He didn't even have the time to register the pain because a kick on his chest sent him flying towards the wall.

"K-Kagamicchi!"

She raced towards the door then quickly reached for the knob to turn it open, but bony fingers covered her hand before she could do so. It was the tanned male that lunged at her next, making sure she couldn't take a step out of that room.

"You're not going anywhere, princess."

She withdrew her hand then turned around to face him. She didn't like the look on his nasty face, it looked like he was really challenging her. "You can stop me?"

Smugly, Aomine smirked. "Try me."

Scarlett responded with a smirk of her own before rolling her fiery eyes. She currently didn't have the time to waste on him so she decided to finish him in one move. She reached for the knob again and the moment his blue eyes darted to her hand, she grabbed his collar using her other hand. With the move she had learned from Murasakibara Atsushi in mind, she literally slammed Aomine's head against the wooden door. The impact robbed him of his consciousness and he fell down to the floor like a lifeless dummy.

Then, as though nothing had ever happened, Akashi Scarlett waltzed out of the room.

Kise Ryouta, who was in a much better shape than the two, took his phone out to make a call. "Kurokocchi, I'm sorry. The princess escaped."

"It's okay. I figured this would happen." The man on the other line let out a small chuckle as if amused by something. "But I didn't think she was this strong to easily get past you three."

"That's not it-ssu," Kise defended, looking at his companions who were still curled up on the ground, "We were trying not to hurt her like what you said."

"Just leave everything to me, Kise-kun. I'll handle her."

***

As Scarlett wandered around, trying to find a way out, she came to realize that the place she was brought into was a run-down mansion.

Everything around her looked so old, from the eerie paintings hanging on the walls to the furnitures displayed all over the place. If this old mansion was the Midnight Phantom's hideout, then she must take note of everything she'd see so she could give an accurate report to her brother later. But before anything else, she needed to get out of there as quickly as possible. She was certain more of them were going to come and get her any minute now.

She was mulling over these things when a man suddenly entered her line of view. He was carrying a tray of food and was heading for the direction of the room she had escaped from.

"Hey," she called out, running closer to him, oblivious of the fact that he was one of those guys she had just beaten up.

The guy evidently jumped from his spot after seeing her. Whether it was because of fright or disbelief, Scarlett really didn't know. "Y-Yes?"

"What's your name?" she asked softly, her tone completely concealing her intention.

"F-Furihata Kouki.. Your Highness..."

"Oh, Kouki." She gave him a sweet smile. "I have a favor to ask."

After about ten minutes, Scarlett was already walking through the corridors in Furihata Kouki's clothes while the poor guy was found lying on the ground, naked and unconscious. She had the hood pulled over to her eyes, but its shadow had failed to hide the smirk on her face.

Without drawing attention to herself, she found the exit in no time at all. She immediately ran outside, embracing the coldness of the snowy weather, and found herself in a very unfamiliar place. She was still in Teiko, she was sure of that, but she had never been there in that place before.

The smell of garbage was in the air and the cries of hungry children became clear as she listened carefully. Her body stiffened up as she took a better look at her surroundings. The place before her was a place she had never known existed in Teiko. As she contemplated everything that was laid out before her eyes, a blanket of fog spread deep inside her chest.

She was in the slums. A place where unfortunate families struggled to survive. A place where some children starved to death among the rubbish, muddy street. A place that was supposed to be nonexistent in a very wealthy country like Teiko.

Why...?

Her brother said they were taking good care of their people. Seijuro would always tell her stories about how they were able to help everybody in the country. But this...

"Why are you crying?"

She reflexively turned to the source of that gentle voice, seeing a young man with dark-rimmed glasses. His light blue hair danced gracefully with the cold wind as he gave her a gentle smile. He was holding a rather small book on one hand, as though he was in the middle of reading it when he had found her by chance.

"Nothing." Rattled, she quickly wiped the tears that somehow escaped from her eyes, ashamed that somebody had seen her in a flustered state. "I'm just lost. Can you please show me the way out of here?"

"Sure." He walked closer to her, and the sweet scent of roses erupted into her nose. Must be his cologne. He then offered his free hand to her, that gentle smile still plastered on his face. "Hold my hand. I'll take you out of here."

She stared at the hand in front of her for a minute before reluctantly taking it. Her eyes widened a fraction as the coldness of it seeped into her skin. "You're freezing."

"Yeah." His smile disappeared, revealing a concerned frown. "I was out here waiting for someone."

She frowned. "Really? Is it okay if you just leave like this?"

"Of course," he told her.

There was something strange and unsettling about the look in his eyes, but she could tell that he was serious about helping her. Giving him a grateful smile, she finally asked, "What's your name?"

Grinning a bit, he gently squeezed her hand that was holding his own. "Just call me Tetsuya. Kuroko Tetsuya."