Ruby Red

4

Shinoda and I stepped out of our booths panting from exhaustion. Our match was more than exciting but made my fake trion muscles ache. We made our way over to each other as did Jin, Kei, and the unknown boy.

    "I... told you... I was... stronger," I said in between heavy breaths. I leaned over with my hands on my knees as I tried to catch my breath. "Trigger... Off." My coat disappeared and I was in my hoodie and jeans once again. Shinoda rested his hand on my shoulder, leaning on me for support.

    "I... told you... I'd beat...you." He pointed up at the board revealing the score of six to four, Shinoda taking the lead. I huffed like a kid and pouted.

    "At least I won a few rounds, no one else can," I countered.

    "True..." I turned my attention back to Jin and Kei to see them extremely impressed. Jin still couldn't believe it even though he knew the outcome beforehand.

    "Scared?" A cocky smirk appeared on my lips as I glanced at the boy my age.

    "Sort of, yeah," Kei admitted. "But I'm amazed that we have two people that are this powerful on our side. And they're related." I smiled up at Shinoda.

    "Oh, I forgot to mention this morning," Shinoda cut in. "A friend of yours is working here as an Operator. Your old neighbor, uh, Usagi I think was her name."

    "You mean Usami?!" With a simple nod of his head, I bolted further into the base to find my old friend Shiori. After a few minutes, I found myself walking back to where Shinoda was. "Where is she?"

    "Probably on her lunch break in the lounge." I nodded and ran off again, this time locking eyes with the black haired boy with an unknown name from before.

    'I'm gonna have to ask someone who he is.'

    The elevator doors shut behind me leaving me by myself and the hundreds of floor options each printed on a circular button.

    'No one ever told me what floor...'

    "Fuck," I yelled at myself whilst pressing a random button. I rode downward for a few moments before the doors slid open. I found myself back in the room I had originally walked through but this time people were staring at me in awe instead of confusion. I saw several screens that held the scores from my two previous matches and moved forth. I made eye contact with a boy that was slightly taller than me with reddish-brown hair and brown eyes. I walked up to him, awkwardly scratching my cheek. He tensed up when he realized I was approaching him, probably thinking I wanted to the throw him into a booth like the others.

    "U-Um... I kinda ditched Jin and I have no idea where I'm going," I said timidly. His expression softened at the reveal of my innocent persona. "Could you help me find the lounge?"

    "Yeah, sure," he replied with a soft smile. He wore a school uniform that indicated that he was reporting for work after a bustling day in a Japanese classroom. I followed him back to the elevator and stepped inside with him beside me. He hit a button just a few below the one I had chosen and we began to move.

    "I'm Hanako," I held my hand out for him to shake, "Kaori Hanako." He placed his larger hand in mine and shook lightly.

    "Ryo Utagawa, nice to meet you."

    "Did everyone see my matches?" I blurted out. "Is that why they looked at me differently?" He gave a small nod and I scoffed. "Leave it to Shinoda to broadcast battles for everyone to see. How childish," I shook my head then covered my face with my hands, "and embarrassing." Utagawa released a low chuckle, the tone causing my cheeks to heat up.