Fists and Lipsticks 2: The Silver Crescent

CHAPTER 52: Shooting Stars

CHAPTER 52: SHOOTING STARS

To make a single star fall, you are willing to pull down the entire sky from the heavens.

My CROSS†, is this the way you love?

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"Crosse! Ugh! You're… ugh… You're hurting me!"

 But Crosse Williams acted as though he did not perceive Kaoru Saori's wails. His grip on her wrist was so tight that he could crush her bones at ease if he wanted to. Saori protested and protested more, pulling herself away from Crosse's clutch but to no avail. All she could do was listen despairingly to his heavy footsteps as he dragged her down a lengthy descending ramp leading to the basement parking lot of the Burgundy Grand Hotel.

To Saori's surprise, Crosse vigorously flung her forward and glared straight to her eyes in an ominous manner. His gaze was unforgiving and blazing with anger. His grip on her wrist grew even tighter.

"What are you doing?" Crosse asked her in the 'calmest' way he could, but his lips were obviously trembling, his eyebrows wrinkled from scowling, and his breathing becoming more and more laborious.

"I… I…"

"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?"

"C… Crosse, p-p-p-pplease… l-listen to m-m-m-me f-first… I just… I… I…"

"SHUT THE FUCK UP! I DON'T NEED YOUR GODDAMN EXPLANATION!"

"C-C... Crosse!" Saori stuttered in fright, her eyes beginning to swell from tears.

"DAMN IT!"

Crosse shoved her powerfully towards the wall that rammed against Saori's spine first. The impact was so strong that she collapsed to the floor in an instant. She fell on her knees, her flesh scrapping against the sandy floor. Saori tried to push herself up, but even her hands and legs were shuddering tremendously that it was impossible to get into her feet without assistance. Her face turned white from too much anxiety and fright.

"Kaoru Saori, my instructions are very simple! You keep Yamazaki – I keep Ayane-chan!" Crosse burst out. "Is it that hard to understand?"

"I j-just… thought that…maybe… t-they…"

"They could what? Be together? Why? Because they belong together? Do you really have no idea what's going on?" Crosse shouted. "The Spectra wants Ayane killed. The Silver Crescent also wants her killed! This is a matter of life and death! You know how extensively and carefully I planned everything from the very beginning and just because of this clumsy action and your goddamn belief in love, do you realize that you may have ruined everything I've set for eight years? FOR EIGHT FUCKING YEARS, KAORU SAORI?"

"N-No… I don't mean that… It's just that…"

"If something happens to Ayane, I will NEVER forgive you!"

"You,” Saori’s eyes were downcast, “still love her so much…"

"It has nothing to do with that!"

Saori shook her head, a sad smile forming on her lips. "You are doing all these for her. Everything has got to do with her. Is that why you're upset? Because I brought Yamazaki here so that he can be with her? You're jealous?"

Crosse clenched his fists, "I didn't recruit you into the gang so that you can start interrogating me of things that do not concern you."

"I asked you a simple question. Why can't you answer?"