Metanoia

Chapter Thirty-Six

Part four.

"Oh, c'mon. You seriously can't be that mad," Ran laughed, sitting against his bed with a cigarette to his lips.

I eyed him, then rolled my eyes, "You taunting your brother is not helping."

Ran hummed, tilting his head back and blowing out the smoke into the air. "Do you want him back or not?"

I didn't respond right away. How could I possibly do that? I saw Rindou looking disgusted but also shocked. I couldn't read his emotions, so I didn't know, but I knew he was on to me. In the few months I've known him, he knew his brother and I weren't close, so this made him suspicious. "Honestly," I sighed. I don't know. I wish you would've seen the look on his face."

"Rindou misses you," Ran smirked while looking at me. "He brings home women that have the same hair color as you, big boobs, or a nice ass. He'll never admit it, but I know my little brother. That's why--" Ran cut himself short as he picked up his phone and swiped his finger across the screen. "you're getting him back."

I sighed, not willing to argue with him. From the corner of my eye, I noticed Ran scooting next to me as I flipped through my medical book. "Ran," I said warningly. Anxiety suddenly rushed through me. As it turned out, there was an alternative plan.

Ran chuckled low, squishing the remains of the cigarette into the ashtray beside my book. "I'm not doing anything," he said lowly. What are you doing anyway?" Ran peeked over my shoulder as if curious.

"Measures of medication," I spoke blandly. Undoubtedly, he was trying to implement his mastermind plan, especially when he asked me questions he didn't care about. To avoid any misunderstandings, I cleared my throat. "What were you going to college for before you and Rin dropped out?"

"Business," Ran answered. "Rindou was going for the same thing, but it got boring, and when I dropped out, he followed. I wish he would've stayed, but he was thinking more about the gang."

His tone of voice made it clear that he wanted Rindou to choose his own path rather than follow in his footsteps. "Yeah, well, your brother really looks up to you." I smiled, recalling all the things Rindou told me about him and his brother back in the day. "Do you think you'd ever go back?" I asked, turning my head to him.

Ran gave a half-shrug, "I'm 23, I'm getting old. I don't have time, not with the gang issues going on."

Gang issues? Did I even want to know? Probably not.

"Why Rune?" Ran asked, looking me in the eyes.

The sudden question threw me off. My mouth opened to speak, but I shut it instead. My gaze returned to the book, "Does it matter? It was only for information." I grumbled, uninterested in reliving the experience.

"Was he good?"

I slammed the pen down on the table, "I really don't want to talk about this." I glared at him, "I don't see how any of that has to do with anything."

Ran smirked, bringing his hand to my chin. "Because it should've been me instead," I felt my lungs empty the moment Ran leaned into me. My nostrils were filled with the smell of cigarettes mixed with mint from his breath. I let out a shaky breath while my hand was barely maintaining the gap between us because he was so close. He leaned closer, his lips brushing against my ear to my jaw. Ran softly feathered his lips down to my neck, grinning ever so smugly. "I'm jealous of my brother and Rune," Ran whispered while placing a butterfly kiss on my collarbone.

I swallowed, "R-Ran...We can't do this." He pressed his full weight against me, and I fell onto my back. Ran towered over me. He had a beautiful face, and his eyes were intense. Ran lowered his head as his warm breath touched my face once again. This was the plan, wasn't it? If Rindou walked in and saw us like this, he would think I was easy, and at this point, he would be right. Ran's lips were centimeters from mine, and a chill ran down my spine.