𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐂𝐈𝐍𝐍𝐈𝐓𝐘

𝐈.

SILENCE WAS THICK; A KNIFE CAN CUT THROUGH IT.

Oh, how did it turn this way? A gun pointed at Shinichiro's head, while her arm was around his neck dragging him to her height as she glared at the men around her.

"Don't! I will shoot!"

Katrina was shaking ever so slightly. Shinichiro can feel her erratic heartbeat from where he was. He can tell. She was hesitating. She was scared and confused but, most of all injured. He felt a need to protect the girl. Looking at his friend, Takeomi, and signaling him to stand down and let him handle it. Hesitantly, Takeomi trusted him and told the other two, Keizo and Wakasa to stand down.

Katrina eyed their movement, her movement staggered for a little before gaining her composure, pressing the gun more on the ravenette's head.

"One move, I WILL shoot hi-"

"No, you won't."

The girl looked down at the man she was restraining in confusion. She was holding him, hostage, a gun pointed to his head, ready to blow his brains out. What was he talking about?

"You don't want to do this."

Her movement freezes altogether, Shinichiro felt that. He took that chance to grab the gun from her hand, carefully as he watches her movements. "You're scared," he implied as he takes slow steps to stand up and took a look at her more carefully.

"You're hurt, let me help."

Katrina took a couple of steps back. Shinichiro saw her tensed up at his words and he watched the two bracelets light up slowly like it was charging up. "Hey, hey..." He cooed. "Calm down."

He saw that her shaking became more violent and her eyes start to show fear and something he couldn't tell what. "No...N-No Hospitals..." She croaked out. Shinichiro looked at his friends with a nod. The three understood and calm down.

Meanwhile, Shinichiro walked towards the girl and placed a hand on her shoulder. Katrina saw the look in his eyes, it held kindness. Something she has never seen on someone. Following him to the counter in the room, Shinichiro pulled out a first-aid kit. He gestured her to sit on the chair placed next to the counter.

Kneeling in front of her, Shinichiro eyed the wounds she has. Most of them were minor scratches, what caught his eyes were multiple deep wounds. Being in a gang, he knew which wound was which, and his guess was most of the wounds were from bullets that graze her skin. There was a stab wound on her thigh and on her arm.

While attending to her wounds, the girl barely flinched when alcohol touched the wound. Wanting to break the silence, Shinichiro asked her, "So...uhhh...where are you from?"

Staring at the cold blue eyes, Katrina raised an eyebrow at him. He sweatdropped feeling the tension. "Well, from your accent...it doesn't sound like you're from around here," Shinichiro pondered out loud.

Hearing the silence as her answer, Shinichiro didn't bother to press for it. 'Sensitive topic, I guess.' He thought as he patched up her wounds. "There...all done." Shinichiro softly smiled at his work before looking at the girl. "Make sure to clean it up every day so it won't get infected," Shinichiro suggested while putting back the first aid kit.

Looking back at the girl, he patted her head. "Make sure to take care of yourself," He smiled. Seeing him smile made Katrina felt something she hasn't felt for years, warmth. She was greedy and wanted more. She was denied this feeling for years and now she got a taste of it. And she loved it.

"...I don't have home..."

Shinichiro stared at the girl but, why wasn't he surprised? A girl was found sleeping inside his shop, heavily injured. Heck, she not even that older than his younger siblings and she manage to get these kinds of wounds. "You don't know where your home is?" Shinichiro spoke in a low and hush tone, afraid that he'll scare her again.