BXBX NOVEL Chapter 57: Cigarette On The Roof
Bandages covered Daiki\'s body, barely concealed by the hospital gown, and his face was swollen, his nose visibly broken.
\'Damn, do I look that bad too?\'
Haruto thought, his mind momentarily wandering to the toll the fight had taken on his own appearance.
Without his face intact, how could he ever get close enough to steal what Daiki held most dear?
"What are you zoning out for? Come on, dumbass."
Daiki\'s voice went from calm to irritated in seconds, his mood shifting so quickly that even someone with bipolar would be ashamed of him.
\'Goddamn it. Can he just leave me alone?\'
Haruto bit back the urge to scoff, but Jin\'s advice echoed in his mind: get close, and stab him from behind.
With a reluctant sigh, Haruto pulled himself out of bed, thankful he didn\'t have any IVs to tangle with.
Together, they made their way to the rooftop, where a soft yellowish hue from the setting sun greeted them, a fresh breeze sweeping across the open space.
Daiki dug through his pocket and fished out a box of cigarettes and a lighter.
One of his hands was too injured to move well, so Haruto stepped forward, taking the lighter and flicking it to life.
He held it to Daiki\'s cigarette, resisting the temptation to "accidentally" burn him.
\'I should\'ve just scorched his face.\'
Daiki handed him a cigarette, and without hesitation, Haruto took it, lighting it and inhaling with ease.
"You\'re the first person," Daiki said, exhaling a cloud of smoke.
Haruto raised an eyebrow. "Huh?"
"The first one who didn\'t kneel and beg for mercy when fighting me."
Daiki\'s eyes were sharp, almost contemplative as he watched the city skyline.
Haruto\'s hand tightened, memories flashing through his mind. His pleas to save his sister. Daiki\'s laughter. His own death.
The emotions swelled, bubbling just beneath his calm mask, words lodged in his throat as he stared at the man he hated.
Daiki sauntered over to the roof\'s edge, staring down with a smirk. Haruto\'s fingers itched, the opportunity dancing right before him. He could just shove him over—
"You want to kill me, don\'t you?"
Daiki\'s words cut through the silence, making Haruto freeze, his hand halfway raised.
"Don\'t be shy. I know you do," Daiki continued, turning to face him with a smirk.
If Daiki wanted a fight right here, Haruto was more than ready to give it to him—he\'d gladly leap from the rooftop if it meant taking Daiki with him.
He wasn\'t scared of death.
"Yeah," Haruto admitted, his voice cold and unwavering, his gaze sharp as it locked with Daiki\'s.
Daiki laughed, clapping a hand on Haruto\'s shoulder. "I knew you were interesting," he said with a twisted grin.
"So, why don\'t you join my gang? We could use someone as crazy as you. I could use the amusement."
Haruto narrowed his eyes, disgust flickering beneath his composed expression. \'Does he even see me as a threat?\'
"No," Haruto replied, shaking his head. "I won\'t betray my friends."
Daiki just chuckled. "Then why don\'t you be my friend instead?" He stretched out his hand, his smirk widening as he waited.
Haruto\'s mind raced. \'What kind of lunatic wants to be friends with someone who wants to kill him? Is he really just that twisted?\'
Impatient, Daiki grabbed Haruto\'s hand and shook it firmly. "We\'re friends, then," he declared, his smile sending a chill down Haruto\'s spine.
Daiki finally turned to leave. "See you at school, friend," he called over his shoulder, vanishing through the rooftop door.
Haruto stood alone, still processing what had just happened
. \'What the hell was that?\'
After lingering on the roof, and finishing his cigarette, Haruto returned to his room. His thoughts spun, dissecting Daiki\'s bizarre behavior.
\'What did he mean by \'friend\'? Was it a trap, or some twisted test?\'
As he entered his room, he noticed his sister standing by his bed, her worried expression instantly softening at his appearance. His anxiety was gone and he felt at peace.
"Haruka, what are you doing here? I told you to rest at home," Haruto said, closing the door gently behind him.
At the sound of his voice, Haruka jumped, spinning around to face him, her concern evident. "Brother! Where were you? Why did you leave?"
She hurried over, taking his arm and guiding him back to the bed, fussing over him as if he were still a child.
"I just needed some fresh air," he replied, settling down with a weary smile.
Haruka glanced at the bed, her expression a mix of resolve and shyness. "Move a little. I want to sleep here too."
Haruto lifted an eyebrow. "Here? Why?"
"Ugh, just move! You\'re always telling me to rest, I wanted to rest with you!" Haruka crossed her arms, a slight pout tugging at her lips.
With a sigh, Haruto shifted over, making space for her. Haruka climbed in beside him, wrapping her arms around him in a familiar, comforting embrace.
"When we were little, we\'d sleep like this with Mom," she murmured, her voice soft with nostalgia.
"She always held us close whenever there was a storm."
Haruto\'s chest tightened as he listened. His sister rarely spoke about their mother, who had passed when they were young, and hearing her talk about it felt both comforting and bittersweet.
Haruka continued her voice a whisper. "Now, I get scared sometimes, thinking you might leave too, just like she did."
Haruto\'s heart ached as he turned to face her, seeing the sadness in her eyes. He gently reached up, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face and tucking it behind her ear.
"What do you mean? I\'m fine, Haruka. I\'ll never leave you."
Haruka held his gaze, searching his eyes. "But... you seem different, brother. You come home so late now, your body\'s covered in bruises and scars. Sometimes, I feel like you\'re slipping away."
Haruto paused, the words he wanted to say caught in his throat. \'If only she knew…\'
All his late nights, all his battles—he\'d taken on so much to protect her, to prevent the future he had come back to erase to take revenge on whoever wronged them. But he couldn\'t tell her that. Not yet.
Instead, he pulled her close, hugging her tightly, his voice a soft promise. "Don\'t worry, Haruka. I\'m still me, and I still love you, just like always.
"Just promise me, you will never leave," she said as he nodded.
Haruka relaxed into his embrace, silent as she rested her head against him. In the quiet of the room, they lay together, letting the peace of the moment wash over them.
Finally, the two drifted off to sleep, holding onto each other, grateful for this small comfort amid the chaos.