Silent Echoes

.14.

Ran blinked her eyes open, disoriented at first, but quickly remembering where she was. She looked across the room and saw Vegas standing by the window, sipping a cup of coffee, his back turned toward her.

Vegas: Good morning, sleepyhead.

Ran stretched lazily under the blanket.

Vegas: I got you some new clothes!

Ran (still groggy): From where?

Vegas: I always keep some extras in my car for situations like this.

Ran couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

Ran: Always prepared, huh?

Vegas smirked at her over his shoulder.

Ran: Did you call Johnny?

Vegas: Yeah, but no answer.

Ran sat up, feeling the weight of the past few days pressing on her again.

Ran: How long are we stuck here?

Vegas: Until Johnny says it's safe.

With a resigned sigh, Ran grabbed the clothes and headed to the bathroom for a shower. The hot water felt good, helping to wash away the fatigue and some of the mental weight she'd been carrying.Afterward, they both headed to the hotel's dining area. They moved through the buffet line, picking out food, and sat at a quiet table. The atmosphere was peaceful, but Ran's mind was far from settled.

Ran: Do you remember that guy who was following us?

Vegas (without looking up): Yeah.

Ran: He works for my father.

Vegas glanced up then, his expression unchanging.

Vegas: figured!

Ran leaned back in her chair, studying him.

Ran: You seem like you always know everything.

Vegas (with a smirk): I do.

The answer made Ran curious. She realized that despite being around Vegas for a while now, she still knew very little about him-who he was before all of this, why he always seemed to be ten steps ahead of everyone. There was a mystery about him that pulled at her, even if she wouldn't admit it out loud.Back in their room, Vegas's phone rang. He answered it, and Ran could hear Johnny's voice on the other end.

Johnny: Sir, are you okay?

Vegas: I'm fine.

Johnny: Give me two more days, and I'll have everything under control. We've almost got a handle on things.

Vegas: Alright. I'll send you our location just in case.

After hanging up, Vegas turned to Ran.

Ran: What did he say?

Vegas: We'll be able to go back in two days.

Ran exhaled dramatically, clearly relieved.

Ran: Thank god, I can't stand looking at your face for that long.

Vegas took a step closer to her, closing the distance between them. His expression was teasing, but there was something darker behind his eyes.

Vegas: Really? Then why did you kiss me?

Ran stiffened. The memory of their kiss
brief, charged, and unexpectedly rushed back to her.

Ran (quickly, defensive): I was drunk.

Vegas shrugged nonchalantly, but his eyes lingered on her a moment too long.

Vegas: Okay.

Without another word, he turned and left the room, leaving Ran standing there, confused and thrown off balance.As the day passed and night settled in, Vegas still hadn't returned. Ran felt restless, pacing the small hotel room.She glanced at the clock, irritated without understanding why. Needing some air, she grabbed her jacket and stepped outside.She wandered to the back of the hotel, where the night was quiet, except for the soft hum of distant cars. She pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and took a long drag.

Suddenly, she froze.

Not far from where she stood, in the shadowy corner of the building, she saw Vegas. And he wasn't alone. He was leaning against the wall, kissing a girl a random stranger from the bar, no doubt.Their embrace was intimate, and it hit Ran like a punch to the gut.Their eyes met across the distance.Vegas, still pressed up against the girl, smirked. It wasn't a genuine one-it was the kind of smirk that spoke volumes, as if he knew exactly what he was doing and how it would affect her.
Ran's stomach twisted. She hated the small, sharp sting of hurt she felt. But she wasn't about to let him see that. She took another drag from her cigarette, her face cold, indifferent. Without saying a word, she turned on her heel and walked back to the room.

Inside the room, Ran threw off her jacket, her mind spinning. Anger mixed with something she didn't want to name. She had no right to feel anything about Vegas's behavior, but it bothered her nonetheless.She collapsed onto the bed, staring at the ceiling. The events of the past few days, the revelations, and now this everything was too much. It felt like everything was spiraling, and she was caught in the middle of it.
She let out a bitter laugh to herself.

Ran (whispering to herself): I don't know what the hell I'm doing anymore.

As the night dragged on, the door finally creaked open. Vegas walked in, as calm and composed as ever, like nothing had happened. He glanced at Ran, who was still lying on the bed, her eyes half-closed.

Vegas: You still awake?

Ran didn't respond, only grunting in acknowledgment.Vegas paused for a moment, watching her, before sitting down in the chair by the window. There was a silence between them that wasn't uncomfortable, but it wasn't friendly either. Just... unresolved.Ran turned away from him, curling up on her side. She could still smell the faint scent of the girl's perfume on him, and it gnawed at her. But she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of reacting. The tension in the room hung heavy in the air, and neither of them seemed ready to address it. Not yet. But it was only a matter of time.