𝐍𝐄𝐅𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐁𝐀𝐓𝐀 Manjiro Sano

Chapter 20

Within a room brimming with formidable essence, a man sat in silence. His silvery hair reflected a sliver of glint, as his pair of eyes, midnight in hue, was fixated on the stack of paper settled beneath. His hand was gripping a pen, signing, perhaps even writing, and finishing all the tasks he was expected to finish. The atmosphere that surrounds was a deafening one, in the utter hush, wherein the rhythm of his heart could be learned enough.

"What do you want to discuss?" Manjiro's voice chimed, it was sounding monotonous that you could feel the shiver it could incite.

The individual standing before Manjiro emitted a sigh from his agape lips; his vermillion and silver hues were staring at the sitting form of his commander and was watching as Manjiro remains focused on the responsibility bestowed upon him; his charcoal spheres scan every written word on the piece of document.

"I'm here to discuss the issue regarding Y/n." Kakucho declared. An unwavering determination echoed on his facade despite the nervousness surging through his vessels, and by mentioning the beloved wife, it undoubtedly caught the attention of the notorious presence lurking.

"Y/n?" Manjiro queried. His hand halted from its movements and the sound of pen scratching against the paper withered. His gaze drifted to Kakucho, now his attentiveness was fully set on him. His aura had seemingly swiveled serious as if she, his wife, was the most significant topic that was needed to be discussed immediately. "What about my wife?"

Kakucho stiffens and strains to swallow the lump that has formed in his throat. Within the depths of his being, he was debating whether he should tell Manjiro all about the unfavorable validity— to tell Manjiro the revelation and relinquish the deception that had been obscuring his vision from seeing the existence; the truth that Manjiro couldn't sink or, more precisely, refused to acknowledge.

"I understand it was difficult for you to accept what happened to Y/n, but this insanity...this is absurd," Kakucho responded. "How come you can't realize she's— she is..."

He paused, internally racking his brain for a better phrase to tell.

"She is?" Mikey inquired, his pronounced detest illuminating his demeanor despite the attempts to suppress such. "What are you implying by saying that?"

Silence.

Kakucho clenched his fist so fiercely that it transformed ghostly white.

"What you do to her—"

However, Kakucho's flow of speech was halted as the ringing of Mikey's phone cut through the dense atmosphere encircling them. Severing the gaze that connected them, Manjiro instantly search his phone, wherein by finding it, the pale glare it emitted greeted his susceptible irises.

"What's the problem?" Manjiro spoke, querying the person on the other end of the line with uncommon fervor.

"S-sir," the individual on the other end of the phone stammered. ❝The mansion... the residence... it's on fire!❞