I N N O C E N C E (Shu Sakamaki)

Chapter 40

The last of the cold breeze fanned Manami's face as Shu closed the dark mahogany doors, locking it with a twist of the knob.

"It has been a while." Manami wrapped her hands around herself, her eyes tracing the familiar stony columns. "It hasn't changed a bit."

"Did you think we were going to renovate now that you traded us in?" Shu replied, his face lacking passion.

Her eyes stared at him with faint disdain.

"And for a moment, I forgot you were a natural jackass." Her sigh was yearning, but that was quickly gone as she heard a pair of footsteps ascending the stairs.

Manami watched as a blonde girl came into view, one of her hands clutched in the other, as her legs frantically ran down the stairs. 

"Shu, is that you? Did you find her?" The girl stopped when she reached close to the bottom. 

Her eyes wondered to the girl beside the tall vampire, as she gripped the ledge of the stairs. The blonde girl felt her eyes itch, as water began to blur her vision. She squatted down, burying her face into her knees, feeling whiny whimper escape her mouth.

Manami furrowed her eyebrows, looking up at Shu, whose hands were in his pockets, and eyes staring at some figurine on the side.

"Is she okay?" Manami whispered, nudging the vampire, but he only shrugged.

"Manami!" The blonde girl suddenly sprung up and ran towards Manami.

The blonder girl opened her arms, jumping on top of the confused and petrified returnee, embracing her neck.

"I am s- sorry!" She cried through her whimpers. "I- It was my f- fault! If o- only I was s- stronger..."

"What are you talking about?" It took a fair share of power for Manami to push the blonde girl off.

"They kidnapped y- you because of m- me..." She continued to cry, gripping the corners of her pink sweater. "I- I couldn't do anything t- to protect y-you... W- while you..."

Manami sneered, as the blonde girl looked up in shock.

A hand landed on the blonde girl's cheek, wiping away the tears which had dripped down her soft and now red face. A soft yet motherly smile was plastered on Manami's face as she knocked her forehead against the girl's.

"Stupid." Manami shook her head. "You couldn't have done anything against them. Even for me, they were too strong. Don't think so badly of yourself, because I don't blame you at all, Yui."

Yui felt her bottom lip quiver, more tears beginning to stream down her face, as she threw herself into Manami's chest.

"Well, that did the opposite." Manami mumbled, patting the crying girl on the back. 

"All humans are good for is bring destruction wherever it is that they go." Manami heard the calming yet elegant voice coming from behind the brothers. "And with your coming back, the chaos has too, returned."

She watched as the dark haired Sakamaki appeared in front of them, fixing his collar and squintingly looking down at the girl.

Manami's eyes widened.

Something is wrong here... She thought, taking a step back along with Yui, who was still distracted by her sobs. 

Shu noticed her change in demeanor, causing for him to look at Reiji with a threatening gaze. The younger brother looked back, his gaze bearing an unreadable emotion, but Shu understood.

"I have called a meeting." Reiji spoke, addressing Shu calmly, however, his voice was anything but that. "We cannot continue to ignore this."

"I know." Shu responded, his hand making its way to Manami's back, pushing her lightly forward. "Go."