SUB ROSA | Wind Breaker

Arc 4 || 5. Orange

The night air was crisp and quiet, the streets bathed in the dim glow of streetlamps. Shops were closed, their metal shutters pulled down, and the world felt muted, too late for activity but too early for complete stillness.

Hiragi walked ahead of Akame and Kaji, his phone lighting up periodically as he texted Umemiya to let him know they were on their way to Yuta's. He glanced back now and then, grumbling under his breath, his expression a mix of boredom and mild annoyance. "What a pain," he muttered, shoving his phone back into his pocket.

Behind him, Akame and Kaji hadn't looked at each other once.

They walked in silence, side by side but with an invisible wall between them. The weight of everything unspoken pressed on their chests, tightening the air around them. Neither knew what to say—or if there was anything to say at all.

Kaji kept his eyes forward, his expression unreadable. His thoughts churned, his jaw tightening with frustration. Every step reminded him of how fleeting that moment in his room had been—how close they had come to something real, only to have it slip through their fingers.

When their eyes met by accident, Akame quickly glanced away, her heart lurching in her chest. Kaji caught her reaction and glared at her retreat, his frustration bubbling just beneath the surface.

He wanted to grab her wrist, pull her back to his room, and wrap them both in that bubble again—a place where everything outside didn't matter, where they could exist without the weight of the world pressing on them. But that wasn't possible. That wasn't their reality.

Instead, he stuffed his hand into his pocket and pulled out a lollipop, unwrapping it with deliberate care before popping it into his mouth, hoping the familiar sweetness would settle the restlessness in his chest. He kept his eyes fixed on Hiragi's back, refusing to glance at Akame again.

The soft sound of their footsteps filled the space between them, and as they drew closer to her house, he noticed her steps slow.

Kaji's eyes flicked to her, watching as she fell slightly behind. His breath caught, and in that instant, he remembered that this wasn't about him—it was about Akame.

This was the moment she had been avoiding all day. The one thing she didn't want to face.

He stopped, his footsteps halting softly against the pavement. The cool night air settled around them as he reached out, his fingers curling around her wrist once again.

Akame froze, her eyes dropping to his hand. His hold wasn't tight, but it was grounding, keeping her tethered to something tangible.

Kaji patted down his pockets with his free hand, searching for another lollipop, but found nothing. He clicked his tongue in frustration, and Akame couldn't help the small, fleeting smile that pulled at her lips.

"You're out," she said quietly, her eyes flickering with amusement as she noticed his motion.

Before he could respond, she surprised him by reaching out, her fingers wrapping around the lollipop stick still in his mouth.

Kaji's eyes widened, his breath hitching as he stared at her.

Akame slowly pulled the lollipop from his lips, scrunching her nose at the flavour. Orange. The distaste evident in her expression. She stuck out her tongue briefly, then licked the lollipop again despite herself, giving it another try.

Kaji's face flushed a deep red, his lips parting in shock. "Insufferable," he muttered, grumbling something incoherent under his breath as he looked away, trying to hide his growing embarrassment.

Akame smiled slyly, popping the lollipop into her mouth. The sweetness lingered, clashing with the tension that hung between them, softening the edges of everything unsaid.