Ginji sensed it immediately.  The mood changed suddenly, as though Akabane had come to a decision.  And whatever decision that had been he was now acting upon.  So Ginji steeled himself for whatever the blood-thirsty doctor might have in mind, whilst continuing to act as though nothing had changed.  Akabane was approaching him slowly.  Ginji could have sworn he was doing that just to freak him out more.  There was nothing for it but to face the scalpel-wielding maniac.  Ginji stood up straight and turned towards Akabane, plastering on his most confident smile.

  “I wonder what this place used to sell,” was the only thing he could think to say.  Ginji hoped Ban-chan would arrive soon.  Very soon.  But Akabane just kept walking towards him, one slow careful step after another with that sickly sweet smile on his face. 

  “Um, Akabane-san…” Ginji looked frantically around for a possible means of escape.  Whatever the so-called Doctor had in mind, Ginji didn’t really want to know.  Akabane did that creepy chuckling thing then reached up and gracefully removed his hat. 

“It used to be a cake shop, Ginji-kun,” Akabane said quietly.  Ginji opened his mouth to make reply but found he couldn’t speak.  “Oh yes. They used to make delicious, sweet things here.”  Akabane had a decidedly predatory look in his eyes now.  It was a look that made Ginji not want to be within a mile of Akabane.  “What’s wrong, Ginji-kun? You look a little pale.”  Ginji thought Akabane sounded like he was purring.

“I’m f..fine. Just worried about Ban-chan…” Ginji managed to stutter.  Akabane stopped then and looked down at the floor.  He sighed. 

“Why you worry about Midou-kun I will never understand. He is certainly strong enough to look after himself,” Akabane looked up and met Ginji’s wide brown eyes.  “Like me.”  Akabane’s lips twisted into a thin smile.  “Yes, he’s like me.  He loves to fight. He loves to kill. And he wants you.”  Ginji frowned and clenched his fists angrily.  He hated it when people thought of Ban like that.  They just didn’t know him.  They just assumed he was cold-hearted.  But none of them knew him.  Not like Ginji did.

“Ban-chan is not like that!” he blurted out.  “He’s kind and he doesn’t like killing and he doesn’t…” Ginji paused, only now understanding Akabane’s last statement.

“But he does want you.” Akabane stated plainly.  Ginji shook his head.  He didn’t know what to say or what to think.  Ban-chan had never said anything, though sometimes Ginji would notice Ban looking at him with such gentle eyes.  He didn’t look at anyone else like that.  Now was not the time to be thinking of that, Ginji told himself.  Akabane was up to something and he had no idea what.  Ginji thought that Ban would know.                

“I don’t know about that but…”  Ginji tried to ignore the way Akabane’s eyes seemed to be boring through the back of his head.

“It’s quite obvious to everyone else, Ginji-kun.”

“But I…”

“And what about you, Ginji-kun? All you ever talk about is him. I should kill him just for that.”  Akabane was smiling broadly now.  “Yes, that would be fun.”

“Wha…No! Leave Ban-chan alone! And why isn’t Ban-chan here yet?” Ginji felt his anger rising.  Akabane was chuckling to himself again, which only served to make him angrier.

“You really are oblivious, Ginji-kun. It’s very appealing.”  Akabane began walking towards Ginji again.  “Your Ban-chan isn’t coming.”  Akabane stated happily.  “And you really should worry about yourself more.”