The first cut is the deepest~ Matchablossom

Chapter 8; Illusion

"Should you be up already?" Hiromi asked as he walked into the kitchen. Kaoru jumped and almost dropped his cup of tea, "Why do y'all keep marching in into the house. I thought it was supposed to be very safe and locked?" Kaoru pressed a hand against his side softly and tried to control his heartbeat.

He hadn't heard Hiromi walk into the house and he didn't know when he had led his defenses down, he scolded himself. "I have a key." Hiromi held up the key. "Oka asked me to check up on you, for Pantu."
At that name Kaoru's head snapped back towards Hiromi.

"You've heard from Pantu?"
"Oka has."
"Is he okay?" Kaoru asked anyway.
"He's lying low but yes. Adam's guys are actually after him too."
"Fuck."
"Yeah," Hiromi nodded before continuing. "Pantu wanted to visit you yourself but he can't."

Kaoru understood that perfectly, he could bring them all in more danger if he came here. Oka might be powerful but Adam is more and they'd all end up dead if Pantu went to stay here.

"I know what happened. With you and Adam i mean." Hiromi then said. Kaoru flinched slightly, but tried to hide it.
"I asked Oka and I didn't want to keep that from you." Kaoru nodded, "Thanks for not asking me."

"If you ever need anyone, to you know, talk about. I'm here, no we're all here to listen."
Kaoru didn't know what to respond, he knew they were there for him bit it wasn't really like Kaoru to talk about his problems or feelings everytime he felt like it. Luckily he didn't have to answer as Kojiro padded into the kitchen barefoot.

He slept longer than Kaoru had, who'd woken early in the morning. It was nearing noon. "Hiromi." he said as a greeting.
"Hey,"
Kojiro sat down at the table and looked at Kaoru for a second.

Kaoru remembered what he had said last night, he'd tell Kojiro everything.
"I'll report back to Oka, I'll see you later." and with that he was gone.
Kaoru didn't know why everyone dropped by for 2 seconds and then left that seemed like something that wouldn't happen much, like they have phones and could call.

Kaoru shook it off and looked at Kojiro. He seemed well rested, this might have been the most sleep he'd got in over a week. Kaoru crossed his arms and waited for Kojiro to say something, when that didn't happen he went over to small talk.

"Want some coffee?" He asked. Kojiro nodded eagerly and slowly Kaoru started to move. He was happy to say that his leg didn't hurt as much as it did before, it was now just a troubled throbbing instead of what felt like knifes piercing his skin. He's still limping but not as bad as before.

He poured Kojiro a mug of coffee that had just finished brewing.
"Sugar?"
"No thanks."

Kaoru put the mug down on the table. Kojiro frowned at him. Kaoru didn't know why but he could guess. Either he was moving to much to Kojiro's liking or he wanted Kaoru to just start saying something.

Eventually Kojiro gave up waiting and motioned Kaoru to sit next to him. "Shall we sit in the livingroom?" Kaoru asked instead, it gave him a little more time to prepare for it all.
Together they walked to the livingroom, Kojiro clutching his mug in his hands.

This was the first time Kaoru sat down on the couch in his stay here. The living room itself was huge. The TV was hung on the wall. There was a glass coffee table and the remote and several wooden coasters were on spread on the table. The other wall was more a window than a wall, it was entirely glass that looked out into the city. The apartment itself was on one of the highest floors Kaoru guessed, he didn't know which floor,

Outside the sky was dark even though it was noon. It had been raining since the early morning and the taps of rain against glass was kind of comforting.