DANCING WITH THE DEVIL | CHISHIYA X OC |

6. Face from the past

Hatter was still talking. Aguni looked as if he was considering throwing someone out a window. Niragi, lounging in a chair across from her, had his usual predatory glint in his eye, but Seina ignored it.
Let him watch.
Let them all watch.
She liked making people uncomfortable.
It was a little game she played with herself too.

Stretching her arms above her head, she yawned, finally cutting through the droning conversation and sat next to Ann. "So, let me get this straight," she drawled, tipping her head toward Hatter. "The grand plan is... what? More games? More smiling at people before you shove a knife in their ribs?" She waved a hand dismissively, letting her cigarette trail smoke into the air. "Cute. Very Beach."

A few annoyed glances were shot her way, but Hatter only smiled. Seina rolled her eyes. She wasn't stupid. Hatter liked her chaos. As long as it was aimed at everyone but him. Then, his voice cut through the haze. "We have a newcomer."

Seina's brow lifted as she took one last drag from her cigarette before flicking it toward an ashtray—and missing entirely.
She didn't bother correcting it.

"Do you ever do anything productive, Seina?" Ann asked, her tone dry.

Seina turned her head lazily, lips curling into a slow smile. "I am. I'm pissing you off."

Before Ann could reply, the doors creaked open.

A figure stepped inside. His expression was unreadable, eyes sharp and calculating as they swept across the room.

Chishiya.

The sounds in the room dulled into nothing. The voices, the murmurs, even the distant music outside—it all ceased to exist.

For a single moment, all she could see was him.

Memories rushed in like a tide that had been waiting to break:  Fingers lingering on misted glass, tracing promises that vanished as soon as they were whispered. Nails dragging down a mirror, yearning to tear through the past and escape into a different reality. Midnight conversations, stolen and fragile, voices worn from sleepless nights and confessions left unspoken.
The dizzying rush of falling—too fast, too deep, with no one there to catch her.

She blinked.
The time between themm evaporated, and yet, he looked exactly the same.

Chishiya's gaze flickered to her, and for the first time in a long while, his expression shifted—just a fraction, but enough for her to catch it.

Recognition.
Amusement.
Mild surprise.

"You haven't changed at all," she murmured, voice smooth yet edged with something unreadable.

Chishiya's lips twitched at the corners, almost like he was considering a smile. Instead, he simply shrugged. "I thought you'd be dead by now."

Hatter let out a slow whistle, intrigued by their interaction. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Now this is interesting. You two know each other?"

Seina shrugged, finally tearing her eyes away from Chishiya. "Something like that."

Chishiya said nothing, only watching her with that same unreadable gaze.

Hatter grinned but decided not to push further. Instead, he clapped his hands together. "Alright, now that we've had our little reunion moment, let's get back to business."

Seina, however, wasn't listening.

The meeting dragged on—Hatter going on about their strategy, card collection, the state of the Beach. But her focus had already left the room. Her fingers twitched against her knee, her mind still fixated on the fact that Chishiya was there, very much alive, very much himself.

It was irritating.
It was infuriating.
It was hurtful.

With a sudden, sharp movement, she kicked her chair back, the legs scraping against the floor before toppling over.

Everyone turned to look.

"This is bullshit," she declared, tone dripping with boredom. "And boring as hell." Then, without another word, she turned on her heel and strode toward the door.

The silence she left behind was thick.

Then, Niragi let out a sharp laugh. "Crazy bitch."

Hatter hummed in amusement, swirling his whiskey glass. "At least she's a sexy crazy bitch."

Chishiya, still watching the door, exhaled quietly through his nose.

She really hadn't changed at all.

***
The bar at the Beach was alive with laughter, music, and the ever-present haze of cigarette smoke. Seina was draped across one of the stools, half-empty drink in front of her, swirling the liquid absently while she hummed some out-of-tune melody to herself.

Her head was pleasantly fuzzy, and the world had that nice, warm tilt to it that made everything seem less serious. Perfect.

Then, suddenly—

A hand grabbed her wrist.
Firm. Intentional.

Seina barely had time to register it before she was yanked off the stool, spun around, and found herself face to face with Hatter.

His usual playful grin was absent. Instead, his eyes were dark, and—if she had to guess—very unhappy.

"Well, well," Seina mused, blinking up at him like she was seeing him for the first time. "If it isn't our fearless leader. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Hatter's grip on her wrist didn't tighten, but he didn't let go either. "I should be asking you that," he said, voice low. "What was that back there, Seina?"

She blinked innocently. "You're gonna have to be a little more specific. I do a lot of things."

Hatter exhaled sharply through his nose. "Don't play dumb.You and Chishiya." His voice was steady, but there was something under it, something controlled and sharp. "What was that?"

Seina's expression didn't shift. Not immediately.

Then, she gasped dramatically, pressing a hand to her chest. "Oh my god. Are you jealous?"

Hatter's jaw tightened.
Seina's grin only widened.

"Wait, wait, let me guess—" she pressed in closer, lowering her voice to a conspiratorial whisper "—you thought you were the only one here to have my attention?" She sighed, shaking her head. "Hatter, I'm devastated. Really. You should know by now, my affections are as fleeting as my attention span."

His eyes stayed locked onto hers. "That's not an answer."

Seina tilted her head, as if considering. Then, after a long, deliberate pause—

She broke into a slow, wicked grin.

"Oh, you really wanna know?" she purred.

Then, before he could react—
She threw her arms around his neck in a dramatic swoop, nearly knocking him off balance, and whispered in his ear:

"I used to fuck with him."

A pause.
A long pause.
Then—

She pulled back just enough to see his reaction, biting her lip in a mockery of something coy. "Satisfied?"

Hatter stared at her. Expression unreadable.

Then—
He laughed.
Short. Sharp. A little disbelieving.

"You're insane," he murmured, shaking his head.

Seina batted her lashes. "Flattery will get you everywhere."

"I don't believe you." Hatter finally let go of her wrist, stepping back slightly. His smile returned, but there was something unreadable in his eyes, something thoughtful. "I'm keeping my eye on you," he said finally, voice light but laced with something heavier.

Seina smirked. "You're not the first man to say that to me."

She turned on her heel, spinning away from him, already swiping another drink off the counter like nothing had happened.
Hatter stood there for a moment, watching her. Then, with a final, quiet chuckle, he shook his head and disappeared back into the crowd.