Chapter 50: The Misunderstood Confrontation
"H-Haru… big brother? Kaito… big brother?"
Kaito's hand was still gripping Haruto's collar. Haruto, slightly off balance, stared at Yuki in shock.
Haruto looked like he was about to speak—
but no words came out.
His jaw trembled.
Tears streamed down Yuki's face.
"D-Die…? I… I'm going to die?"
Kaito, startled and alarmed, quickly took a few steps toward him.
"Hey, Yuki— you misunderstood!"
Haruto moved closer too, raising his hands in a calming gesture.
"Hey, Yuki, please listen to us. That's not what we meant."
But Yuki's tears only fell faster, turning into desperate sobs.
"No! Y-You… you tricked me!"
He screamed and ran out into the hallway, wildly clutching the plush teddy bear in his hand.
The assistants in the corridor turned to look at him. One of them, who had been speaking with a Hunter, frowned.
"Isn't that the kid who came with the Western Sakuras? Why is he crying like that?"
Their confusion hadn't even faded when Kaito burst out of the room, with Haruto running after him, shouting:
"Yuki!"
One of the Hunters stared, even more bewildered.
"Yuki? Why are those two men chasing after that kid?"
Another Hunter shrugged.
"The kid ran out crying. Didn't you see that?"
They shook their heads and returned to their duties.
Meanwhile, Yuki kept running, shouting between sobs,
"You lied to me! You— you lied to me! Ughhh—!"
He suddenly darted into a large room at the end of the corridor. Quietly, he peeked through the crack of the door, looking back at Kaito and Haruto.
No… I don't want to die… he thought.
Don't cry… don't cry…
"Hey. Who are you?"
A voice came from the other corner of the room.
Yuki let out a terrified scream.
"AAAAAH!"
Startled, he clutched his chest, trying to steady his breathing, and slowly turned toward the source of the voice.
The tears in his eyes stopped.
And in their place—
was pure shock.