"It's so cute~!!"

You happily giggled, clutching the keychain close against your chest and squeezing it. You never thought he'd stop to consider giving you something. You were beginning to see Shiro in a new light; a light which made your heart flutter. Could you blame yourself? He was a lot more gentle than you initially thought. Bringing you out on a date, and even bringing you a gift...

How much better could things possibly get for you?

Unfortunately, Shiro didn't dive too much into detail regarding the gift itself. It's like he passed it to you nonchalantly, without any thought whatsoever. Like it was something irrelevant. Of course, you were grateful, but there came some underlying thought that threatened to deter your attitude.

Such as... Why was he looking past you like that?

Shiro made continuous glances past you and towards the distance curiously. He seemed like he wanted to focus on you, but couldn't. Something was distracting him. And per usual-he also didn't dare say a word.

Your shoulders flinched. "Hey, what're you looking at over there?" He made you tempted to turn around, but the moment you tried to do so Shiro interrupted your movements using little words.

"What do you want to eat?" He continued to hold a very placid expression, making you lower your guard to answer his seemingly innocent question.
"Eh, I dunno yet... Maybe have a croissant or something?" You tapped yourself using your index finger, "It's really hard to decide between coffee or food. Maybe even both."

Oh- to hell with it, both it is! Eventually you made up your mind and ordered a bit of a light breakfast consisting of bread and coffee. Sure, it wasn't the perfect way to kickstart your day, but anything would do for now. Shiro still settled on his drink, that being his bitter iced black tea... Crossing both his arms and legs as he sat there watching you chow down.

He was indulging in this moment so it could last forever... And not only that, but seeing you gave him all of the strength he needed in order to bring the future into fruition. He quietly snuck a phone out of his pocket beneath the table, and once he unlocked it he occupied himself with typing something discreetly. Perhaps he was sending a message or inputting a number...

Buzz! Buzz!

Buzz!

You appeared pretty surprised all things considering your phone began to buzz abruptly. You paused and then sat down your drink on which you were bound to take a sip of, taking a peek at your device while Shiro continued to watch you.

"Huh? Oh-- one second, I got a text message."

You stopped for a second to pull out your phone and stared at the ID of the messenger. Unfortunately, you didn't recognize it... Yet, the numbers were vaguely familiar... At least, enough to give you the chills. "What the..?" You mumbled. This person.. they always had some impeccable timing.

(080-7653-XXXX):
> Call me back.

You stared at the first digits onscreen, squinting your eyes skeptically. "Hey, I think I've seen this number before.. This isn't the first time they've contacted me. They must have the wrong number... Because I don't know what they're talking about." You intentionally spoke out loud and caught the interest of Shiro, who nodded affirmatively to acknowledge your worries.

"Hm .. then you shouldn't reply. It could be anyone. A scam caller, a voice phisher..." His somber red eyes drift slightly, "....a stalker." The way his voice dropped an octave led your thumb to hesitate. You reconsidered answering thanks to him, and forced a smile as a bead of sweat rolled down your chin.

He was right. Something about this was very suspicious, so you listened to your gut and sighed, setting your phone against the table. "Yeah, I'll listen to reason. I'd hate for some weirdo to get a hold of sensitive information. These days people are able to hack anything, just by phone numbers alone." You nonchalantly grabbed your coffee and took a gulp. "Oh, anywho! Since you mentioned you wanted help dealing with Seiichiro.. I thought it'd be something a lot more intricate than a little squirrel chain."

You jittered, trying to catch up to your words, "No offense or anything! I'm just... really curious why you handed it to me in the first place.."

Overlapping your voice had been the bells alarming the staff of a new guest who entered the cafe. You didn't exactly pay attention since people come and go as they please. The person who entered was being accompanied by someone else, someone you had a complicated relationship with... And you didn't have any idea what madness was going to commence.

"Stop it .. you're clinging to my arm too tightly, Kiri..."

"But I want to hold onto my precious boyfriend! Where's the harm in that~?"

Those voices near the entrance.. it couldn't have been-- "Uh..?" You batted your eyelashes, pivoting your posture. There, you spotted Kirigiri Yatsouba and her boyfriend, Seiichiro Yuuki. Seiichiro, like always, looked pretty distressed by her clingy antics and appeared uncomfortable in spite of her bothersome self. They walked side by side, complimenting each other's looks in ways that one might call perfect from the outside peeking in. Although, their dynamic was far from that...

Strangely enough however, there was no trace of that long red hair that used to capture the attention of all. In fact, it was kept tucked beneath a bright baby blue bucket had that suited her simple outfit.

Without long, Seiichiro perked up once he spotted his younger twin brother sitting there with you. And Kirigiri, always so nonchalant with others, barely even passed you two a glance. She was so focused on cuddling up to his side that nothing else mattered, even if the world might've been ending.

"Shiro!" He called out, smiling happily as he approached the table with Kirigiri. His golden yellow eyes instinctively lingered onto you when he took notice of your [H/C] locks. And in the meantime, he'd casually pull his arm away from the redhead while he warmed up to you. "Didn't know you were bringing [L/N] here, too!" His eyes twinkled like stars-- you could've sworn you could see his dog-like tail wagging frantically behind him. He was behaving like an overzealous puppy the second he saw you! "We've been meeting up so often now, and I know it's not by chance!"

Kirigiri's face turned sour in a matter of seconds. Discontent was utterly written along her face... She didn't like how Seiichiro looked so pleased to see you .. you weren't anyone who was interesting, nor of importance... You should be the least of his worries....

So why is it... That his expression looked so bright whenever you two conversed? It's almost like he...--

"It's because it wasn't by chance." Shiro admitted, pulling the straw of his black tea to his lips. You noticed he was looking right into Kirigiri's direction.... as if he had some unfinished business with her. "I didn't feel like bringing things to school grounds. Especially since our personal life should be kept separate."

Hearing the youngest speak, every fiber in her body vibrated in anger--it didn't help that his cunning tone poked fun at her; causing a vein of anger to manifest as a large bulge against the corner of her twitching brow.

Memories of being humiliated by the guy came rushing in at full force, doubling her fury. Neither you or Seiichiro were aware of what was happening... but you could definitely sense the tension. "....Don't you have something to say to me?..." Asked Kirigiri, hissing at the end of her sentence. She was definitely bound to explode like the firecracker she is .. any second now.

Impatiently, she slammed her hand down against the table. "HUH??!" The venom visible in her blue eyes, as well as her sudden shout attracted some unwanted attention. You started looking around frantically, standing up from your chair to perhaps dissolve the issue at hand. You didn't know their history together, yet that didn't stop you from intervening.

"..We can talk about this outside, Yatsouba--"

"TO HELL WITH THAT!!" She screamed, "This rotten brother of Seiichiro ruined my perfect hair!!! Do you honestly expect i'd let him get away with this??!!" She snapped her head into your direction. "Now you shut the hell up and wait your turn, you ugly prick!! You shouldn't even be looking at me right now, do you understand?!!!"

Seiichiro froze where he stood. Just like you, he was completely left in the dark.... still goosebumps attacked his skin regardless. The one who was yanking her chain was Shiro, he understood that now -- it wasn't the opposite way around like he initially thought.

Looking at his younger brother's docile behavior... It soon became clear to him that he was the one in control here.

Knowing this, there was something else bothering him... I mean why ask him to come to this place with Kirigiri, of all people? They weren't even on compatible speaking terms. Concerned, Seiichiro wallowed in his clever observations in order to sort the pieces. 'If Kiri is the bomb, and Shiro is the detonator ....' He thought, 'Then naturally, the gunpowder would be..!' A subtle click resounded within his head-- to which he lugged his vision towards you, who stood there idly.

He wanted to say something -- anything to help detain the animosity developing. But it didn't matter. His brother never shyed away from opportunity. They were one in the same.

You all could see the faintest resemblance of annoyance controlling Shiro's face. Rightfully, he appeared iriked by Kirigiri... due to the way she had heartlessly addressed you. He wanted to make her regret ever daring to treat you in such a disrespectful manner. Even if she did scream at you only because she was high on fury... it doesn't amount to the level of impatience riling him up.

He wants to see her crack. And soon.

He'd quietly clench his fist beneath the table, resisting the urge to make her suffer. There were a couple of forks and butter knives next to them. Although they were plastic, he was capable of making do with anything within his vicinity. But no, let's not resort to that. Violence is apparently something he shouldn't execute in front of you. You had a weak stomach.. merely speaking from experience of course; when he pounded his fists against the face of that pervert on Monday-- wracking both his average face and his pearly teeth.

On the other hand, you stood your ground despite the firece redhead shouting at you. You were losing your mind listening to her shout at you like you were her dog. Frankly, it pissed you off more than anyone could possibly imagine. Maybe because you once more experienced a tinge of deja Vu, one that left you feeling mildly bitter.

And only when you argued with Kirigiri, at that. "...God, you're just so infuriating!!" You snapped, taking the twins back. Seiichiro had looked especially surprised. "What's so difficult about shutting up yourself, huh?! I thought we've been over this before, Kirigiri. You act like some kind of brat who thinks they're entitled to everything around them-- even Seiichiro!"

You had no right to drag him into the situation, but it was too late, your face was turning red as you grinded your teeth and selfishly spat out the truth to kick down her high sense of pride. "Come on, do you honestly think this guy likes you? I've seen his face light up mentioning a nap-- faster than he hears your name!"

Kirigiri's pale complexity boiled. She was now just as red as you as she cranes her neck back into your direction. That's when she stepped up to you, those irises of hers turning bloodshot while it took every muscle to keep herself from prancing towards your neck to strangle you. "What'd you just say to me, you bitch?!! You're just a skanky whore out to chase after a prize you can't handle!!" By this point, she was yelling at the top of her lungs, a vein throbbing out beneath her jaw.

Still, she was trying to hold her composure in spite of it already slipping. "Hah!! I mean I can see the way you look at Seii, you are a slobbering piece of shit!!" Kirigiri impulsively shoved you in the midst of her rage. You staggered shortly, and then clenched your teeth to push her back-- only much harder than her initial force.

"What?! Are you mad because you know it's the truth?!!"

"[Y/N], you better shut up before I make you."

Everyone residing withing the cafe was watching all of this commotion unfold. The reasonable parties would rise out of their seats and leave the establishment altogether to avoid all of the trouble they were hearing-- while others would watch with a close and keen eye... Clearly sticking their noses in your business.

Kirigiri pushed you again, yet this time you ended up knocking your chair backwards, letting it screech and hit the floor in a loud thud. You two were engaging in an apparent cat fight, but the twins didn't look disturbed. They looked more entertained than anything else. Especially Shiro... He couldn't hide it... he is very psyched by the chaos ensuing.

That idiot firecracker was starting to see red.
It's exactly what he wanted.

He has to push her further.

You, along with everyone else, became surprised by the silent treatment Kirigiri was having. She fixed her eyes onto the floor for a while, like she spotted something peculiar... More interesting than the argument at hand, at least. It was only until you darted your eyes to poke them towards what she was fixated on did you come to realize what exactly caught her attention so abruptly.

That squirrel charm...

Her jaw went loose. It couldve easily toppled onto the floor-- I mean that's how jaw-dropped she was. Those slim, freshly plucked eyebrows of her contorted, burrowing lowly while her hand reached for your wrist in only a matter of seconds. "You..!"

You wince, feeling her polished nails digging into your skin. For some reason, she was completely set off, and resorted to revealing her trashy ugly side once more. "You bitch! You're stealing my things, aren't you?!!" She screeched, her grip tightening enough to add a horrible strain on your delicate flesh. "How'd you get your hands on that?? It's mine!! Seiichiro gave it to me!!"

Without giving you a moment to protect your slandered name, Kirigiri scoffed. She didn't want to hear a word of what you wanted to say-- even as a stutter escaped your lips. "Wait, Shiro's the one--"

Yet her booming voice overpowered your own, coming out as a mere mutter as she let out a series of incomprehensible insults before bumping her shoulder against your own as she passed. She crouched down, making sure this really was her possession.. and, what do you know; it was. The initials Y.K was embroidered in the steel ring of the charm itself. Knowing this, she was outright furious with you.

You didn't know what to say to defend yourself. So much was happening within under a minute, and as pissed off as you were-- a tingling sensation of unease swept the hairs on the back of your neck right up.

Wait...

Why did Shiro hand that to you in the first place? If he already knew who it belonged to, then... You were just a fool who played right into his meticulous hands.

Was this.. perhaps the thing he needed "help" with, earlier?

[Chapter END]