How to deal with a runaway girl

Chapter 15

The door opened so suddenly that it fell off its hinges as it hit the wall. The noise they made froze the blood in the attackers' veins. Someone's hand tightened on the door frame. Someone's foot crossed the threshold. A hunched figure entered the room.

(Takano...!) thought the girl, but immediately realized it wasn't him. The one that came to the rescue was... Midari...?

The crying girl recognized the figure of the tall Japanese man, but she couldn't recognize his face for anything in the world. Usually looking like a stone mask, it now depicted the incarnation of a demon. Furrowed in an expression of absolute hatred, with bared teeth and murder in his eyes. It was as if Midari was possessed by something.

The shocked men were unable to move. Midari looked at the girl's tearful face, staring at him with fear.

The Japanese, who had just reacted quickly to the girl's scream, this time did not miss the chance and fired at Midari with a knife in his hand.

And in that very second his body crashed into the shelves on the opposite wall. Sheets of paper flew into the air like frightened birds and the man fell to the floor, one side of his face looking like meaty mush.

Midari just stood in the middle of the room with his hand raised. The back of his hand was dripping with blood.

Midari took a step towards Aki and the other three men.

One by one they came out of their shock and tried to attack him, but nothing could stop him.

The next moment the first one was huddled against the wall, holding his stomach and puking up his dinner.

Before the tall Japanese man's leg touched the ground again, his knee was embedded in the middle of the next man's face.

The third one hesitated. However, before he could think through his movements, he was grabbed by the throat and lifted to the ceiling. The man tried to pull away, but the demon that had taken over Midari let him go only when the attacker's eyes flashed white and foam came out of his mouth.

Midari stood over the girl. His face slowly returned to normal. The demon was gone. The tall Japanese man took off his jacket and covered the girl with it. He knelt down next to the terrified Aki, and she wrapped her arms around him, shaking and crying. Not even a trace of her fury and desperate courage remained.

"Midari! Midari... Uuu... It's so good that you're here... I was so afraid...!" She sobbed. The man raised his hands to return the hug, but halfway through he changed his mind and just patted her on the shoulder.

"It's okay. You're in no danger anymore" He said in a gentle voice.

He left the room with her and called out in Japanese to the people running frantically in the hall. He spoke in a very firm voice, and when he gave the instructions, he carried Aki, who was hugging him, to the Boss's room. He wanted to put her on the bed and leave, but she clung to him. Midari, not knowing what to do, wrapped her in a blanket and waited impatiently for the Boss. A few minutes later, Takano walked quickly into the room. Aki immediately let go of Midari, reaching out to him with longing arms for support.

"Takano...." She started crying again. The man hugged her tenderly and looked menacingly at his subordinate.

"Boss, let me finish this matter" He said, bowing to Takano.

"You were supposed to keep an eye on her... I'll deal with you later" The man replied coldly, but was suddenly pushed away by Aki.

"No! Midari saved me!" She cried through tears.

"If he had watched you, nothing would have happened!" He growled, turning red with anger.

"If you were with me, nothing would have happened!" She howled. "If it weren't for him, they would have raped me! And you weren't there! You were not there!"

"I-I had to..." Takano stammered, not knowing how to react.

"You weren't with me!" She repeated tearfully. "You should be with me! And not order others to watch over me! And now you want to punish Midari for fulfilling the task you entrusted to him?! How are you not ashamed!" She screamed, wiping her tears with the heel of her hand.

Takano remained silent, red this time with shame.

"You can not punish him!" She said commandingly. "Or I'll hate you and you'll want me to run away!"

"But it's not the Boss's fault, it's..." Midari started to defend his employer, but Aki immediately interrupted him.

"Sit quietly! This is between him and me!" She scolded him.

"B-but it's also about me..." The tall Japanese added sluggishly, but was completely ignored.

"You must not punish him and you must apologize to him!"

"W-what...?"

"No, really... It's really my fault...!"

The men began to speak at the same time, but the girl clapped her hands and they both fell silent.

"Midari, I told you to keep quiet! Takano, apologize to him and promise me you won't punish him!" She ordered.

Midari pursed his lips and stared at his Boss uncertainly. He, in turn, gave the girl a nervous look and after a while turned to the tall Japanese man.

"Midari, forgive me for wanting to punish you, even though you helped Aki... I'm sorry..." He said and turned to the waiting girl. "And Aki, I promise I won't punish him..."

The girl tensed proudly and nodded graciously.

"Midari, you can talk. Thank your Boss" She said haughtily.

"T-thank you, Boss..."

"Please, go and take care of the rest" Takano said, his voice confident again. "If someone wants to help you with this, let them"

"Yes, sir" Midari nodded and left the room.

Takano looked at Aki, tears still lurking in the corners of her red eyes. He tried to wipe them with uncertain movements. The girl looked at him, took a deep breath and smiled a little sadly.

"I'm so glad you're here... I'm sorry for... For everything...! I just wanted to grab one thing and come back.... I didn't think it would end like this..." She explained, slowly calming down. "And I'm sorry I shouted at you so much.."

"It's okay. I am with you.... And I deserved it... But... If you're that sorry... Come on, let's take a bath and go to bed" He blurted out out of nowhere, trying to drag the girl with him to the bathroom.

"What? But together? Are you crazy?" She blushed.

"Don't worry. We won't see anything" He said, wrapping a towel around himself.

Aki hesitantly took off the blanket and wrapped a towel around herself. When she stood next to him, looking like rosebud-red, the tub was already full of hot water. Takano smiled at her, stepped into the water, and then held out his hand to her in an inviting gesture. After a long while, a little impatient, he sat down, leaning against the bathtub, grabbed the girl by the waist and pulled her to him. Aki squealed in surprise, but she had no intention of resisting, quite the contrary. Already submerged, she leaned against the man's chest, Takano hugged her belly, and she, satisfied, wrapped her arms around his...

As they lay there, the nervousness and fear completely left her body. She felt as if someone had lifted a heavy burden from her shoulders, and the pleasant warmth of the water and Takano's closeness made her fall asleep.

"Aki, don't sleep... We have to get out of the water... Aki..." The man gently stroked her cheek with his hand, trying to keep her conscious. The girl, rubbing her eyes, carefully got up and got out of the bathtub. Half asleep, she paid no attention to her surroundings. She dried herself off with a towel, put on her sleeping clothes, and after leaving the bathroom, she climbed into bed. After a moment, Takano joined her, surprised but pleased. Lying down on the bed, he spread his arms, waiting for Aki. She gave him a gentle smile and snuggled into him trustingly.

"Sleep well, Aki" Takano said, kissing her head.

"You too" She replied, falling asleep.

After a while, they were both asleep, cuddling each other tenderly.