She was about to reply to him when she suddenly felt a menacing presence. Shin quickly pulled out his gun and stood in front of her. "Are you fine?"

He knew what he was asking her. 'Can you fight?' Sumire nodded.

One, two, three, no, there were at least twenty people.

"Yuhi, let some of them go earlier."

"Yuhi, let them go?"

Shin nodded. "He didn't want you to smell the blood."

A knowing ah escaped her lips. Now that made more sense.

One of them stepped forward, but only to speak.

"Look, we know that we can't beat you. So why don't you just let the best man through?"

Sumire rolled her eyes at those words. Do these people think she will allow them to go through?

The man next to him exploded in rage. "This is nonsense, and she is just a little girl. Why do we have to negotiate?"

Sumire clenched her fist. "I won't allow anybody through."

A man at the end of the line stepped forward. "She can't take all of us!"

"Uh, yes, he can," one of them said meekly.

But the others were already charging towards her.

Sumire closed her eyes and extended her hand out. Small droplets of red bubbles slowly turned into large ones, and in the next second, she has created a sword made out of blood.

Her amethyst-colored eyes flashed red. For a moment, they halted in their tracks but charged towards her again. She lunged forward and swept the sword in one blow. A gust of blood scooped all the men and flung them several times before they came crashing back onto the ground.

The fight did not last long and after a few minutes, she and Shin dealt with all the attackers.

Sumire felt her vision grow blurrier as she balanced herself with the strange blood sword. She didn't even know how she managed to form this thing, but she knew she used her blood. 'I feel a bit anemic.'

Shin appeared behind her. "Easy."

"I think I overdid it a bit."

"Can you get rid of that?" Shin pointed to the odd-looking blade.

She somehow managed to do so and slumped in Shin's arms. "I'll get you home."

Sumire shook her head. "Wait, I don't want Yuhi to see me this way."

Shin sighed. "No can do." He picked her up. "You weigh like nothing; what are you a feather?"

"Is that a compliment or an insult?"

"A bit of both."

What a cruel person, but she supposes she is one to talk. Sumire allowed Shin to carry her back. At first, he carried her bridal style but realized it would be easier to carry her on his back.

The journey back was oddly quiet. She knew they didn't have to worry about the bodies.

Shin probably called for backup when she wasn't looking.

"Hey, Shin?"

"Yeah?"

"Is my power weird?"

She made brief eye contact with him earlier and saw his reaction.

"Not that. It just felt familiar."

Familiar huh? She wonders what it is about. What a strange feeling, she feels a bit warm.

..

When she woke up, it was darker than before. She spotted makeshift bandages around her arm.

"Sumire, you are finally awake. I'm glad."

"Atushi? Jae..? "Sumire murmurs as she attempts to get up only to feel a wincing pain spread throughout her body.

Jae carefully helped her. "Don't move. Your neck and wrists are hurt. You should take a good rest."

"Ah okay."

It really is painful. But it was worth it since she won. She glanced back at Atushi and saw him smiling warmly at her, "Sumire, I don't regret believing in you. You did a good job."

This is the first time she can say Atushi is a handsome guy. Usually, he would put people off by his long talks, but now he looks like an actual gentleman.

Atushi took something out of his pocket, and her eyes widened when she saw a familiar fragment. "Ah?"

"This is the result of your fight."

So those people who attacked were involved directly?

The brunette smiled and scratched her cheeks, embarrassed. "I want to drink some water."

"Oh, you're up already?"

They all glanced over and spotted Yuhi leaning on the door frame.

Shit, what comes will come. She can't escape from it. He is very angry at her! Once he made his way across the room, he dismisses the other two, and with one last glance at them, she watched as they left the room.

Yuhi doesn't say anything for a few minutes before he spoke up. "How brave you are."

Sumire averted her gaze and lowered her head. It's only natural that he is angry at her. He kept her beside her to keep her safe from harm's way; because he was there at her last medical check-up.

Her thoughts broke when Yuhi passed her a glass of water. "Eh?"

"Didn't you want to drink water? Take it."

She looked over and saw a warm-hearted expression on his face, causing her cheeks to heat up.

When she tried to reach over for it, she felt a sharp pain in her wrist.

"Stupid." He scolded her.

Her eyes went wide when he supported her by placing his arms around her shoulder. Although Jae just did something similar, she felt her heart beating faster with this one.

"Weren't you greedy? Aren't you regretting it now? Anyway, drink this first."

He really is too kind. Sumire took a drink. "I'm not regretting it. I don't want to become your burden, and I want to be with you and everyone else."

That's right, and she doesn't want to be a burden to him anymore.

__

"If you think that way, then you should get better quickly, Sumire."

He backs away slightly, only to notice her heated face. She is defenseless in this state, isn't she?

Yuhi placed his hand on the girl's brunette locks and bent forward. "Hey, can I?"

"Why-- why- are you asking that?" She stuttered.

"So you're saying it's okay for me to do so without asking?"

"Eep! I didn't mean that."

She said 'eep.' She is very cute, isn't she? Too adorable. But she got hurt again.

He leaned forward, ready to kiss her, but she pulled back slightly. He paused and looked at her face. Terror and desire fought an epic battle in her eyes.

"Sumire…"

Just saying her name like that softly and warmly seemed to relax her. Her fear vanished, and all that remained was desire. He stroked her hair, and she leaned into his palm.

"Yuhi."

She smelled intoxicating. What was it? A mixture of flowers, nature, and femininity.

Yuhi cursed in his head when he heard soft noises escape her lips.

"Making me worry like that!" he scolded between heavy panting and moist kisses. "It's time to punish you."

"W--aa…Yuhi, you are very unpleasant…"

"I am, aren't I? Maybe you still need to learn who is in charge. Brat."

"Wait." Sumire looked away. "What about Sano? Is he still sleeping? Did the noise wake him up?"

Yuhi frowned at those words. Why does she have to consider that man? No, that is not it. He watched her carefully and saw how red her face was. Whenever she is nervous, she ends up rambling a lot.

He ran his hands through his hair and scolded her. "Are you stupid?"

"That's you, Yuhi-san."

He can't get mad at her for long. She thinks of him so dearly too. "Go back to sleep?"

"Mmm, I don't want to now."

He laughed. "More?" He traced her lips with his thumb, and she nodded.

"Mmm, a bit more Yuhi."

A bit, huh? Yuhi's thoughts broke off when he heard approaching footsteps and sighed. Well, even he can be petty. He leaned forward and complied with Sumire's request.

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