Frozen Rose (Langa x reader)

Chapter 124

(Y/n)'s POV

A leanly muscled boy a few years older than us stepped out from the shadows. His light brow hair was dyed blue at the tips and multiple ear piercings were visible on his left ear. Recognition immediately thrummed like the beat of a drum.

"Hey (Y/n)," he greeted.
"Andre, why are you here? Are you involved with these gangsters?"
"It's a long story. Mind hearing me out?"
"Oi, what's he saying?" asked the eyepatch guy.

A short man wearing glasses answered quietly. I assumed he was their translator.

"Oi you, no funny business."
"You guys can't kill me. I have no other family and I've made sure you can't reach my mum and sister. So you hurt me and you lose your 10 million," Andre spat.
"Fine, whatever. Go have your lovers' talk."

Andre offered a small smile and nodded his head towards a more private area. I flashed a reassuring grin towards my friends before following Andre to an area that seemed fairly quiet.

He ran his fingers through his hair and dropped onto a boulder. I went to sit beside him, not knowing why my brother's former best friend was here in Japan and involved with a gang.

"How's your sister?"
"Luna's doing great. Did you know she's a successful composer now?...she worried about you. After Luke was gone and we had no way of knowing how his troublemaking sister was keeping up..." he replied.
"I'm fine now, I have a lot of friends I can lean on."
"Good, Luna'll be thrilled to hear. I'm also telling her about your boyfriend."

I rolled my eyes as he chuckled though the mood quickly descended again into a thick tension. He swore quietly in Italian, clearly stressed about whatever situation he was in right now.

"What happened?"
"There's so much to explain...my dad passed away last year and that was when we found out that he borrowed money and never paid it back. I decided to take on the job because I didn't want mum or Luna to be involved with those dangerous people," he began.
"And your mum just let you go?"
"Hell no, I lied to her. She thinks the people just came to ask about it. She believes I'm here on an internship and doing an honest job. She doesn't know what I've gotten involved in."

I tugged my legs up to hug my knees as I listened to his story. He had joined this gang though I was surprised that he did not go to Italy, which was his country of birth, to follow up his debt with the mafia and decided to come to Japan to join one of their 'subsidiaries'.

"I was hoping I could find you. It's been a while since I've seen you so I was wondering how you were doing," he exclaimed.
"Is it really so hard for you to say you missed me?"

He let out a laugh before stretching his arms to pull me in for a tight hug. Tears almost escaped my eyes from how similar his warmth was to Luke's. It was the same brotherly warmth and protection that I had missed so much.

"You look exactly the same. I could never misplace this troublemaker's face," he teased.
"And you look like an old man."
"You haven't changed one bit."
"So why does that pirate need me to challenge you?"
"*sigh* You have the support of one of strongest yakuza groups in the area. The deal was to have you convince them to 'do my bidding' if I were to win. I owe that pirate a lot of money. They think having your uncle's gang provide funds and other services will make their money return faster."
"...and if I win?"
"Don't get ahead of yourself, (Y/n). There's no way you can beat me."

I punched his arm, which only made him laugh harder. Though he was most likely right. He was on par with Luke, who I could never win against. There was not a single time I had won; he was too good, his quick wit a dangerous weapon and his skills as sharp as an assassin's blade.

Andre tugged me up before we headed back. However, as soon as we returned, he pushed me back as a bullet shot at the ground where I had just been standing. He shot an angry glare at his 'captor'.

"What the hell was that for?" he growled.
"A warning shot. Next time you take so long, the shot'll go through her head," replied eyepatch man.

I went back to Langa's side, who looked at me with a question in his eyes. I mouthed later, hoping we would get out of this situation unscathed. The eyepatch man was watching me when I looked up to meet his gaze.

"I accept the challenge. I know what you want, but if I win, you'll free Andre and leave both him and his family alone."
"Hmm you're asking for a lot, girl," he spat.
"Like you can say anything. You're asking for the subordination of an entire gang."
"I don't make the big calls so I can't accept that."
"Then call the boss or whoever is in charge. Let me talk to them."
"I'm talking to him."

I shrugged and gestured for him to go ahead. Cherry caught my attention, though before he could ask his question, I answered and let him know that it was perfectly safe.

"It's totally not like people's lives depend on this."
"Rose- no, (Y/n), this isn't the time to be playing around," Cherry exclaimed.
"I know, Andre's life depends on this. I'm planning on winning."
"And who is this Andre?"
"He was my brother's best friend."
"And his skating skills?"
"Incredibly good. You could say he was my brother's rival. I don't believe I've ever beaten him before in the few times we've skated together."
"You're doomed."
"Wow, thanks for your unwavering faith in my abilities."
"...good luck, you're gonna need it."