The air on the rooftop was peaceful, the quiet hum of the city far below blending with the faint rustling of leaves in the garden. Akame sat cross-legged by the small herb patch, her hands busy as she carefully tended to the plants, her gaze calm and focused. Beside her, Umemiya leaned against the wall, enjoying the rare quiet moment, the comfortable silence between them.
Suddenly, the rooftop's stillness was shattered by a commotion echoing from the stairwell. Loud footsteps clanged up the steps, accompanied by an unmistakably enthusiastic voice.
"Akame-chan! Where are you?" Choji's voice rang out as he burst onto the rooftop, looking entirely unfazed by the boys glaring after him from below. He glanced around briefly before his eyes zeroed in on Akame, and without a second thought, he bounded toward her.
Before Akame could process what was happening, Choji had crossed the space and enveloped her in a bear hug, nearly lifting her off her feet. Her surprised laugh rang out as she struggled to keep her balance, instinctively returning the hug, her face lighting up with an infectious smile.
Umemiya, who had been standing a few feet away, took an instinctive step forward, his guard up. But the sound of Akame's laughter and the warmth of her smile eased his concerns, and he found himself relaxing, watching Choji's antics with reluctant amusement.
"Choji!" Akame laughed, attempting to gently push him back. "What are you doing here?"
Choji grinned at her, ignoring the confused stares of the Furin boys filtering up the stairwell to see what was happening. "I've come to steal you away, of course!" he announced proudly, his voice carrying a hint of playful mischief. "We're going on a cat whisperer's adventure!"
"A... what?" Akame's brows furrowed, but her smile stayed.
"Cat whisperer's adventure!" he repeated, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Risa-chan needs us. She's a very important client, and I'm the best cat whisperer around. But I need my assistant!" He gave Akame's shoulder a playful nudge, his eyes bright with excitement.
Amused but still mildly bewildered, Akame cast a questioning look at Umemiya, who was watching Choji with an arched eyebrow. "What... exactly does a 'cat whisperer's adventure' involve?" Umemiya asked, crossing his arms but unable to hide the faint smile tugging at his lips.
Choji turned to him with a dramatic flourish. "It involves cats, of course! A special mission in the world of our feline friends!" His eyes sparkled with mischief. "And since you're already here, you can join us. Besides, I could use some backup."
Umemiya smirked, feigning reluctance but finding himself amused by Choji's enthusiasm. "Fine," he relented with a chuckle. "But only because I'm curious to see what this 'mission' actually involves."
Choji clapped his hands together triumphantly. "Perfect! Let's go then!" Without waiting for more protests, he looped his arm through Akame's and tugged her toward the stairs. Umemiya followed closely, shaking his head at Choji's unabashed disregard for Furin's 'territory' and the slightly bewildered faces of the boys watching from the steps.
As they descended into the city streets, Choji led the way, enthusiastically explaining every "cat-related" detail of their upcoming adventure. Akame listened with bright, attentive eyes, her laughter breaking out whenever Choji went off on one of his extravagant tangents.
Trailing just a step behind, Umemiya found himself quietly captivated by the light in Akame's expression. The warmth and joy Choji brought out in her, the way she seemed to feel so alive in his carefree company, was something that filled Umemiya with an odd sense of gratitude. He wasn't usually one to tag along on these types of whimsical escapades, but watching Akame's smile made him glad he'd come.
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SUB ROSA | Wind Breaker
Fanfiction❝ She was like light slipping through the cracks-out of place, yet impossible to ignore.❞ Akame finds herself in a world that was never meant for her, a quiet contrast to Furin's chaos. But in a place that challenges her at every turn, she begins to...
