hiatus「 one ante meridiem 」 • TAKA

Chapter 2: They Call Me

A/N: Second chapter! Because I myself don't like cliffhangers. Please enjoy and tell me what you think of my work. Thank you for reading! :-)

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"Saa, omae dare ka?"

Taka asks quietly and she's confused. She doesn't understand him and so, she remains silent. Taka repeats his inquiry but she's unresponsive and still. He somehow senses her confusion and peers down at her. She sees his dark, curious but guarded eyes and feels his prying intentions, prompting her for an answer.

"E-English... I-- I don't..." She says through the hand that's on her mouth and Taka removes it.

"Nanda?" He asks and she shakes her head. (What?)

"I don't-- I'm not Japanese..." She says weakly and Taka is silent for a while, observing her. She takes his silence for dallying and struggles out of his grasp but he crushes her back to him. His arm tightening around her stomach and the other free hand taking hold of both her wrists.

"Don't move." He says and she stiffens against him once more.

"Please don't take me to the police." She says softly, fearfully, that Taka almost didn't hear her.

"I should because you just snuck in private property and stearing our stuff." He says gruffly and this makes her tremble in his hold, truly scared now at the thought of having no chance to escape again. She felt as if he just sentenced her to her death. Glistening tears start pooling in her eyes and a few drops hit the exposed hand that held her.

"Please don't... please... I don't want to--" A sob makes its way past her lips and Taka is bewildered. He watches her for a few moments and sees unadulterated fear in the way her lips tremble and her brows furrow. He shouldn't be fooled by an act like this, but something tells him that the shivering of her body isn't from the cold but from genuine horror.

"O-Okay..." Taka says lamely seeing that she's as harmless as a fly, and takes the petrified girl to the couch. He holds her arms tightly, preparing to hold her down if she tries to bolt again, but she doesn't, she only sits on the couch. Taka monitors her every twitch.

"Please, d-don't--Goshujin-sama is going t-to..." She hiccups as she frowns through a memory that's flashing before her eyes. (Goshujin-sama = Master)

"Okay, I'm not." Taka decides prematurely, surprised with his own muddled decision. "But you gotta tell me," He starts but the driver calls him.

"Taka-san? Nani ka mondai ga arimasu ka?" The driver asks from his seat and Taka sees the girl jump, he shushes her with a finger on her lips and turns to the driver. (Taka? Is there any problems back there?)

"Mondainai, Yamato-san." He replies cheerfully and the driver grunts, satisfied. (No problems here, Yamato.)

The girl eases just a little, sensing that Taka didn't reveal her. She remains quiet as she furiously wipes away the tears and furrows her brows in stubborn surrender.

Taka gazes at her, observing her and only then noticing her state of undress. His eyes widen at the see through white baby doll and frilly panties, but what really caught his attention was the dried blood stains on the cloth, on her hands, and on her lap. She's still trembling and the paleness of her skin suggests that she isn't naturally porcelain skinned, so he turns around and spots one of his sleeveless shirts lying around.

He takes the shirt quickly, careful not to make a sound when his band mates are sleeping. He doesn't want them knowing about this situation until he's got it under control. He strides back to the girl and throws the shirt at her. She squeaks and eyes the shirt shockingly.