PASSION Chapter 4 Part 8

Chapter 4 Part 8

Ruined. The signs were getting progressively worse. Though it was natural for a newly met person to ask for a name, coming from this man's mouth it didn't sound casual.

"Hmm― can I ask you something?"

Instead of answering his question, Tae-ui pretended to be calm while moistening his lips with water and asked back. At that, he slightly raised his eyebrows as if saying go ahead.

"Do you usually ask for other people's names?"

He had thought this was someone uninterested in others. But thinking about it, even Jack the Ripper might have asked "What's your name?" when first meeting a prostitute.

Hearing those words, Rigrow smiled faintly as if amused.

"I do. Isn't it inconvenient not knowing someone's name when calling them? Aren't you the same?"

"I only ask people I'll meet often enough for not knowing their name to be inconvenient."

Whether understanding or not the meaning of Tae-ui's roundabout words, Rigrow went "Ah" and nodded. Tae-ui stared at him blankly while chewing rice without tasting it.

If seen outside, he would have thought what a proper-looking young man. Even mixed in city crowds he would catch eyes with his clean and likeable appearance. Depending how you looked, he could even be called beautiful.

Even carelessly eating toast while dropping crumbs, this handsome young man who made everything look good appeared somewhat youthful seeing him in person, though he hadn't felt it watching the video. He might even be a year or two younger than Tae-ui. ...Or given the theory that bathing in blood makes one younger, he could be quite elderly despite appearances.

"How old are you?"

Against etiquette, Tae-ui who had been staring at him with elbows propped on the table casually blurted out another impolite question.

Though Rigrow seemed a bit taken aback by the unexpected question, he answered amusedly:

"Do you usually ask other people's ages? Or am I someone you'll meet often enough that not knowing my age would be inconvenient?"

Tae-ui didn't ask further as Rigrow responded with an amused look. He just felt increasingly gloomy. Maybe even if they met in training he might go easy on him since they were acquainted.

But his uncle had said. Just absolutely don't catch attention.

It's already too late, Uncle. What should I do? If I die, don't forget to burn the book with me too.

While grumbling his last will along with his rice, Tae-ui suddenly saw Rigrow's hand picking up a coffee cup. The neat dark gloves inevitably wrapped those hands.

"You must really like gloves. Seeing how you always wear them."

"Hm?"

Rigrow looked at his own hands as if newly aware. Going "Ah" he opened and closed his fists a few times while shaking his head.

"Not really. They're more troublesome than bare hands."

"Then why do you always wear gloves?"

"I hate getting blood on my hands - it's sticky and hard to wash off once it dries."

"But why would you get blood on your hands coming to eat in the cafete--"

Tae-ui couldn't finish his incredulous words.

Suddenly a man violently threw open the cafeteria door and rushed toward them.

That man from a different team whom Tae-ui had never spoken with charged straight at them with a terrifying rigid face and bloodshot eyes glaring at Rigrow.

"Rigrow! This is Croix's gun that you killed him with!"

What he held in both hands while shouting in rage was a .50 caliber revolver.

The blood drained instantly from Tae-ui's face. This madman! Who bursts in first thing in the morning carrying such a dangerous weapon that could easily wreck the whole cafeteria!

"If you want to die do it alone, you bastard...!"

Tae-ui, who had not the slightest loyalty to shield Rigrow, muttered curses under his breath while quickly stepping aside. As the man tried to shoot such a high-recoil weapon bare-handed, likely to hit his own forehead if lucky without knowing who he might hit, the cafeteria descended into chaos.

Tae-ui quickly ducked behind a thick pillar nearby and anxiously examined it.

A pillar this size would probably crumble after three or four shots. No, but being a six-shooter he probably wouldn't waste multiple shots on the pillar. He has no reason to target me before that.

Though not perfectly safe, after hiding himself Tae-ui reflexively felt his pockets. But only dust flew from them.

Damn, he clicked his tongue and turned his head when suddenly he saw Moller crawling under a table a few meters away.

"Moller!"

Tae-ui immediately dashed that way. Following came a BANG!! like an explosion shaking the air. Stone fragments from something breaking behind him hit Tae-ui as they flew past. The gunshot was loud enough to hurt his ears. [Damn it, you madman! Know that if you survive you'll get hit by my hands later!]

Tae-ui crawled next to the panicked looking Moller and grabbed his collar. Then regardless of his shouts, he forcibly pressed down the struggling man and reached inside his clothes. Sure enough, as if he always carried it, a cold piece of metal came into his hand.

Turning his head, Tae-ui saw Rigrow standing casually alone in the chaotic cafeteria. And the man aiming a gun at him from several meters away.

An unbelievable scene unfolded before his eyes.

The six-person table made from a whole cedar tree, which would take three or four strong men to move - Rigrow casually knocked it over to stand upright. Then he kicked it hard without much effort like a shield blocking his front.

BANG!!!

Again an eardrum-splitting gunshot rang out. The thick table flying toward the man shattered into pieces when hit by the bullet, and wood fragments that bounced off Rigrow's slightly dodging body fell in a shower.

"Four shots left, right?"

Muttering calmly, Rigrow hid his body behind a nearby pillar while knocking over the table beside it. Then he grabbed that table's leg and threw it straight at the man. Again with an ear-piercing sound, the table shattered to pieces. This time even the fragments were blocked by the pillar without reaching Rigrow.

"Three shots left, if you can't hit with those you die."

Rigrow seemed to be enjoying himself. A pleasant smile played on his lips. Tae-ui roughly shook off Moller who was clinging to his arm saying give me back my gun, quickly give back my baby, and ran while keeping low. Two more explosive sounds rang out in succession as he ran around behind the man.

"You madman, why start a fight you can't win, betting your life."

Tae-ui ground his teeth while muttering.

One shot left, the surroundings had already become miserable ruins.

The distance between the man and Rigrow was barely 4-5 meters.

The man's nape was drenched in sweat. And before him, Rigrow was faintly smiling with a calm face. He lightly caught a forearm-thick piece of wood that had bounced toward him, tossed and caught it a couple times, then threw it at the man as if playing. But it was no game - the wood piece that brushed right above the man's reflexively ducking head made a whistling sound. If it had hit, he would have been knocked out at minimum.

That was the moment.

Tae-ui instinctively knew that was the moment.

When one person's life hung by a thread, it was right then. The moment Tae-ui felt that, he moved.

When the man ducked his head Rigrow charged forward. Almost simultaneously with throwing the wood piece.

The man must have seen the demon rushing toward him like an arrow while wearing a pleasant smile.

BANG!!!

It felt like the ground shook. Tae-ui, being close by, flinched and closed his eyes at the deafening sound. A short groan escaped his lips.

And the moment he opened his eyes, he saw.

Rigrow had ducked under the man and grabbed his wrist, twisting it sideways and breaking it, while stone fragments and powder fell from the ceiling where the bullet had hit. And Rigrow was leisurely choking the man with his other hand, pressing firmly on his carotid artery.

"Oh my... missed."

Rigrow's murmured words with a smile echoed in the space that had become deafeningly quiet.

When those words spread, everyone present could understand.

Rigrow had planned to grab the man's gun arm and twist the muzzle toward the man's head. He had been casually deciding the man's death.

The man stared at Rigrow with widely dilated eyes. The hand on his neck gently stroked it.

"Let's meet again in the next life."

Rigrow's eyes curved gently. His low voice whispered like singing. Strength entered that huge, chilling grip that seemed capable of easily snapping a human neck with bare hands.

That's when.