2012
Upstate New York
Niagara Falls
Around one month later
2:53 PM
*POOOOOOOSSSSHHHHH*
"Wow!" Ai leaned on the steel guard rails to get a better look at the most famous waterfall in the world. "Niagara falls is so pretty!"
"Yeah." Yoru nodded, speaking louder than usual to overpower the tens of thousands of gallons of water crashing into the lake below. "It is."
The twins had spent two weeks or so after Yoru meeting with Akira travelling domestically, bouncing across different prefectures. From Kyoto to Fukuoka and Hokkaido, the two left no part of Japan unturned.
They avoided Tokyo like the plague, though. The chance of Ai getting recognized was way too high. Besides – with how often Ichigo had treated B-Komachi – finding a place in Tokyo the idol hadn't been to wasn't worth the effort.
When Ai had finally gotten her passport sorted out – read: Yoru calling in a couple of favors to make the passport conveniently appear – the two started making plans to travel internationally. President Saitou insisted he come along and seeing as he is the entertainer's legal guardian, the hitwoman agreed.
"It's so much better in person." The expecting mother crooned while speckles of cool water splashed onto her face.
"The video they showed us was nice." The older twin made her way beside her younger sibling. "But it doesn't quite capture the falls in its entirety."
"Hehe, you're talking about it like it's a painting, Yoru-chan." Ai giggled. "The video has its own pluses. I was really shocked that someone actually rode the waterfall with a barrel! Americans are really bold. I can't ever imagine someone actually doing something like that in Japan."
"The black cat turning white was a nice visual gag." Yoru turned to face her sibling. "Do you want to walk down there to get a picture? I think having the rainbow shine behind us will make a nice photo."
"Ooh!" The teen beamed. "That sounds great! President!"
"I heard you two, I'm coming!" Ichigo began jogging as the twins began walking toward a more photogenic spot, weaving in between the crowd of tourists to catch up.
The violet-haired sisters only ran faster in response, side stepping the mass of vacationers faster than the blonde ever could with their smaller size.
"He really cares for you, doesn't he?" The assassin commented as they slowed down.
"Hmm?" Ai threw a questioning glance at the taller twin. "I mean, I guess he does. What brought this up?"
"No reason." Yoru shook her head. "It just makes me happy that my little sister is being taken care of."
The idol stared at her twin for a brief moment before moving to reply.
"Hah, hah… Finally, I caught up to you two." But whatever she's about to say was interrupted by Ichigo. "Did you two, hah… really have to run that fast?"
"Looks like someone hasn't been doing cardio." The hitwoman commented.
"Can't keep up with our youthful energy, President Sato?" Ai added on.
"I thought dealing with one of you was bad." The man shook his head. "But I was too naive. The two of you together are ten times worse than anything I could have imagined."
"Heads up." Ichigo looked up only to see a phone come barreling in his direction.
"Woah!" His hands shot into the air, juggling the device like a hot potato before firmly securing his hold on it.
"Why'd you do that?!" The blonde demanded. "Phones like these are fragile! You could've broken it!"
"I have a backup." Yoru reached into her other pocket and took out another iPhone. "Everything that's on that is also saved onto this."
"Why do- " The manager stopped himself halfway, deciding that this was a battle he shouldn't fight. "You know what, nevermind. Alright, let's see, how do I…"
"Ah, I got it." After a couple seconds staring at the assassin's homescreen, Ichigo finally found the camera app and pointed the smartphone at the two sisters. "Alright, get closer you two. Move to the left, a bit more- stop."
The two posed together – with Ai adopting a wide double peace sign pose while Yoru elected to put her hands together behind herself – before the agency owner snapped a picture. After the man lowered the device, the twins moved closer to see the picture.
"Wow, the rainbow in the background looked so pretty!" Ai said in awe. "It's an awesome picture!"
"Yeah, it is a really nice photo." Yoru nodded as she examined the photo. "Thank you, Saitou-san."
The hitwoman then turned toward her sister.
"Do you want to take another?" She asked.
"Hmm, yeah!" The idol nodded. "Come on Yoru-chan, I think I see another good spot."
"Oh, I'm going to be the one taking the photo this time." The Wick replied.
"Eh?" Yoru took her phone from Ichigo's grasp before pocketing it.
"Why don't you take one with Mister Saitou?" The assassin suggested. "We've kind of left him out of, well, everything so I feel bad."
"Hmm." Ai put her finger on her chin, humming contemplatively. "I guess you're right."
The pregnant teen looked over to her manager, who had both of his eyebrows raised.
"Are you two trying to kill me?" The blonde incredulously questioned. "Because this is the type of thing that will get me killed."
"So you don't want to take a picture with a cute idol?" The entertainer tilted her head and put on her best puppy eyes.
"No, I don't!" Ichigo steadfastly denied. "Do you know what kind of scandal can come out of this if the picture leaks? The only reason I agreed was because you two promised that we'll keep this private!"
"I believe he's scared of his wife Ai." Yoru nudged her sister. "I think he might have neglected to tell her he's out vacationing with two sixteen-year-old girls."
"Hmm, I don't believe I've seen Miyuki-san angry before…" Ai mused. "But I think she's the type to be really scary when she's mad!"
"My wife's name is Miyako you shitty idol." The president rebuked. "And, in fact, I did tell her."
"Was she happy about it?" There was a pause after the assassin's question. "The fact that you're not answering tells me alot."
"Okay, she wasn't very happy." Ichigo admitted. "But after I explained things to her, she did let me go."
That response only made Yoru give the man an even more incredulous look.
"I don't know what I should be more worried about." The teenager began. "The fact that she most certainly believes you're having an affair with us, or the fact that she allows it."
"Huh?!" The manager howled. "I… I would never cheat on my wife. Why on earth would you even suggest something like that?!"
Luckily, given the volume of Niagara Falls and the fact they're speaking Japanese, very few people paid any mind to Ichigo's outburst.
"I'm not insinuating you're the type of man that would do that." The hitwoman responded. "But you can't deny how suspect this looks. First, my sister gets a checkup and turns out to be pregnant. Next, you met me and gave very sparse details about who I am. Then, the three of us took a trip across Japan and into foreign countries."
"I don't believe I need to lay out how this looks terrible for you." Yoru continued to the absolute mortification of Ai and Ichigo. "Mister Saitou, when we get back to Japan next month, bring your wife gifts – chocolates, clothing, whatever she likes – go on your knees and apologize. Explain everything. You have my permission to tell her what I was and give her proof. I won't be needing the secrecy anymore."
"You have a month to think about what to say." The assassin put her hand on the blonde's shoulder. "Please use that time wisely."
"Now with that out of the way," The older twin lifted her hand off of the agency owner's shoulder and brought out a phone, Ai's phone. "Stand over there and take a picture with my sister."
The idol patted down her pockets only to find them empty. She looked up at her sister, giving her an unamused look.
"Assassin things?" She asked, because why else would Yoru know how to pickpocket.
"Assassin things." Yoru confirmed as she unlocked her device. Of course she would somehow know the password even though the idol never told her.
"Now, say [cheese]!" The Wick lifted the iPhone and the entertainer struck a pose.
"[Cheese]." Ai and her manager both unenthusiastically said the english word while the hitwoman performed a couple of microadjustments on the camera.
*Snap*
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Later on
Niagara falls food court
5:34 PM
*Slurrrp*
Yoru slurped down the noodles of the beef bowl she ordered.
After taking a couple more hours to peruse the various attractions in State Park, the three of them had gotten hungry and made their way to the food court.
They chose to order some Japanese food to get a taste of home, but when their order finally came…
"This isn't very good." The hitwoman frankly remarked after swallowing.
"I mean, I think it's fine." Ai tried to reassure her sister, but Ichigo shook his head.
"No, your sister is right." The blonde said. "The broth is way too oily and the noodles aren't good quality."
"I would've excused it if it's only five or six dollars." Yoru added. "Because then I would've gotten what I paid for. But the noodles were twenty-five dollars. Twenty-five dollars for something barely better than instant ramen."
"Well… no use crying about it now." The idol sighed. "We already paid for it."
Her sister and manager both nodded in agreement and the three of them promptly dug into their orders. After a while, they all set down their mostly empty bowls.
"Ahh, food after walking so much feels so good." Ai let out a satisfied sigh despite the subpar quality of the food.
"Here." The older twin held out a bag of strawberries and a bottle of milk for her sibling. "Eat this, it should help balance out the oiliness of the broth."
According to advice Yoru had gotten from Gorou, the idol would need extra clean calories and vitamins due to her pregnancy. Strawberries contain vitamin B9 and milk is very nutritionally dense and carries calcium, vitamin D and vitamin B12, all contribute greatly to growth and development.
"Thanks, Yoru-chan." The expecting mother accepted her sister's offerings. "Mmm, these are so good!"
Yoru set her elbows on the food court's plastic tabletop and watched her sister eat. Although the hitwoman's hands were idle, her mind wasn't. There was something bothering Ai. She can see it whenever her sister uses her phone.
The Wick had taken a quick look through her twin's messages right after she plucked it from her pocket to figure out what it could have been. There was a group chat with what Yoru assumed were her fellow idols and strangely, Ai isn't really active in it outside of some vague comments here and there. Did she have a problem connecting with her teammates?
"Ai." The teen called out to her sister. "Is there something bothering you?"
"Hmm?" Ai hummed mid-bite. "I mean, no… not really. Why do you ask?"
Yoru silently tilted her head at that response. The idol shrunk a bit.
"I can't hide anything from you, can I?" She murmured. The assassin didn't need to say a single word to convince the pregnant teen that she'd seen through her. After all, while lies need to be propped up, truth can stand on its own.
"Have you seen my interviews, Yoru-chan?" Ai asked after sucking in a breath.
"No." Yoru shook her head. "I avoided them because I was scared I might start wanting something I shouldn't have."
"Okay, so." Ai straightened up. "The reason I became an idol was so I can become popular enough for you to reach out."
"I never believed that you were dead." The expecting mother continued. "Even when everyone else said my hopes are just childish fantasies I should let go of, I never stopped thinking that you were somewhere out there."
"I'm assuming that 'everyone' includes your groupmates?" Yoru hypothesized.
"Yeah." The Wick's lips thinned at her twin's confirmation. "Now that you're back and we're together again, I don't know how to tell them."
"Hmm." The assassin hummed, thinking for a couple of seconds before an idea hit her. "Can I borrow your phone for a second?"
"Oh?" Ai paused for a moment. "I mean, sure."
The idol handed over her flip phone and Yoru pushed her chair back, rotating it so that the younger twin was at her side instead of being directly in front of her. The hitwoman flipped open the device, unlocked it and opened the LINE app.
*Dooooooohhhhh*
Ai's eyes widened slightly when she heard the video call tone for LINE, realizing exactly what the eldest sister was going to do. She was in Zugzwang. The entertainer couldn't stop Yoru without causing a scene, but she didn't want the Wick's plan to play out either.
*Dong* *Dong* *DongDongDongDong*
In the end, Ai did nothing, leaving the sound of participants entering the call rang out like a clock tower at noon.
Every girl in B-Komachi's line group chat had joined. Some looked like they'd just gotten out of bed while others were in the bathroom freshening up.
"Ai?" A brunette with lime-green eyes – Watanabe, if Yoru remembered correctly –was the first to say anything. "Why did you call us?"
"It's seven-thirty in the morning." Another – Nino, this time the assassin was sure – added. "What can be so important that Miss princess needs to call us?"
"Wait," Takahime – the member with violet-eyes a shade darker than the twins' – interjected. "Ai, you look a bit skinny. Did you lose weight?"
Yoru just rotated in her chair in response, swiveling around until Ai was behind her.
"Ai is right over there." The Wick pointed behind her. "I'm Yoru. It's nice to meet you all."
*Tok tok tok*
The one of the members who's in the bathroom – Ari, judging from the dark cyan hair – dropped her toothbrush into the sink. The others had similar reactions, stopping whatever they had been doing to stare at her in shock. Considering they all thought she was dead, this was to be expected.
"Oh, that's a pretty thick Kansai dialect." The girl with a bob-cut – Meimei – finally broke the silence. "I haven't heard something like that in a while."
"I'm from Osaka," Yoru frankly replied. "It would be weirder if I didn't speak like this. Ai just had her accent sucked out by Tokyo."
"Hey!" Ai finally spoke up. "Give me back my phone Yoru-chan!"
"Alright. Catch." The assassin tossed the flip phone straight at her sister.
The idol snatched it out of the air and a flurry of overlapping voices exploded out of the device. The Wick looked over to Ichigo as the entertainer tried her best to answer the deluge of questions and shrugged. Problem solved, what's the issue?
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Niagara Falls Gift Shop
Approximately ten minutes later
5:48 PM
"Hey, Ai, do you want a mug to bring back?" Yoru turned to look at Ai. "The other accessories the store stocks are fairly tacky, but the mugs are really nice."
"Hmmph!" The idol turned away as her sister's gaze fell upon her.
"Okay, maybe not the mugs." The hitwoman sheepishly pivoted. "What about the keychains? It's a nice piece to commemorate our time here."
"Hmmph!!" The teenager let out another unpleased noise.
"Do you want a fridge magnet?" The assassin pointed to a rack of the aforementioned decor.
"Hmmmmph!" Again, Ai refused to talk to her.
"Do you want me to apologize instead?" Yoru sighed. "I can do that again."
"Hmmm." That sounded like a yes.
"Okay," The teen nodded. "Ai, I am so sorry for calling your groupmates and putting you on the spot like that. You trusted me with your phone, and even though I believed it would be in your best interest, I violated that trust. Can you forgive me?"
The expecting mother let out a breath and uncrossed her arms.
"That was very mean of you Yoru-chan." Ai said in a low voice. "I didn't think you would open my phone and do all of that when I handed it over."
"But it worked." she continued. " So I guess I can forgive you, Yoru-chan. Don't do that again. I don't like surprises like that."
"I won't." The elder twin assured. "Mug?"
"Yeah, that mug looks cute." Ai commented as she looked over the glass container. "Let's buy two so we can match!"
Then as Yoru started to stand up, the door to the gift shop opened with an accompanying sound of chimes. The assassin froze- no, that's not the right word. She's analyzing. Her left hand shifted toward her hip and her gaze snapped toward the entrance, tracing possible pathways from the door to where they were.
But then Yoru relaxed. Her frame loosened as a more rational part of her mind took the wheel from her lizard brain. It all happened in a split second: a blink and you'll miss it moment.
"You did it again Yoru-chan." The idol remarked.
"Hmm?" Her sister turned to look at her. "Do what?"
"Your hand moved when the doors opened." The pregnant teenager replied. "It's like you were trying to grab something."
"Oh." Yoru intoned. "Old habits die hard, I guess."
Ai tilted her head. The hitwoman took that as her cue to continue.
"I got used to operating on a hair trigger." The Wick admitted. "Counting exits, scanning for threats, and going for my weapons the instant I sense trouble are what kept me alive for the past two years."
"I can't afford to let those instincts go." She looked toward her twin. "At least, not now. I have my retirement mission a month after we return. It will likely be the most difficult thing I'll ever do."
"This is not my normal." Yoru stood up and grabbed another glass mug. "Spending all day meandering about, having fun, chitchating about anything and everything, it's still so… bizarre to me."
"But this isn't your normal either, right?" The assassin turned the container around, scanning its surface for tiny defects. "Your face periodically freezes for a brief moment when you talk. Got used to putting on a mask for work?"
"Yeah." Ai nodded. "I guess we both needed this getaway."
"Mhm." The older twin agreed. "Come on, let's go pay at the register."
The pair of purple-haired siblings then made their way to the store's checkout. The cashier looked up from his phone, raising his eyebrow when he saw Ai's pregnant belly.
"[How much for these two?]" Yoru set both mugs down onto the counter, shooting him a look that firmly told him to 'mind your own business'.
*Beep* *Beep*
"[N-nineteen twenty-seven.]" The employee quickly rattled off after scanning the two containers. "[Would you like a bag?]"
"[Please.]" The Wick nodded, not letting up the pressure as the worker bagged her purchase. "[Thank you.]"
"Did you have to do that?" Ai inquired after her twin paid for the souvenirs.
"He was judging you." Yoru answered as the two walked. "I simply reminded him to not concern himself with other people's business."
"I think it was kind of harsh." The idol replied. "I'm used to that sort of thing."
"That doesn't mean it's a good thing to do." The hitwoman retorted. "Come on. Mr. Saitou has been waiting outside long enough."
The assassin reached for the shop's door. But before Yoru's fingers could touch the handle, a voice called out to her.
"[Yoru?]" The girl paused. "[Yoru, is that you?]"
The Wick lowered her hand and turned around. Right behind her at the gift store's checkout counter was someone she hadn't seen in a long time.
"[Sierra?]" Yoru breathed out.
"[Oh my god!]" Sierra's face lit up as she walked toward her. "[It really is you! How have you been?]"
"[I've been well.]" The hitwoman replied. "[It's been a while.]"
"[Yeah, it's been two years.]" The brunette's gaze pivoted over to Ai. "[Oh? Did you somehow clone yourself?]"
"[This is my twin sister, Ai.]" The teenager introduced her sibling. "Ai, this is [Sierra], one of my friends from school."
"[H-hello!]" The idol waved as she greeted the pianist with heavily accented English. "[It good meet you!]"
"[It's good to meet you as well.]" The American glanced down at the younger twin's pregnant belly and looked over to Yoru. The Wick shook her head.
"[So, what have you been up to in the past two years?]" Sierra instantly understood the assassin's message and moved on. "[You kind of dropped off the face of the earth after your house burned down.]"
"[A lot of things happened.]" The hitwoman responded. "[Going to school was the last thing on my mind for a hot minute.]"
"[Jason mentioned that he saw your dad's grave when he cleaned his great-uncle's headstone.]" The older twin's expression became more downcast at the mention of her father. "[I'm sorry for your loss.]"
"[Thanks.]" Yoru's tone was chipped.
A silence fell between them but before long, the gift shop's door opened. The three all stepped aside as a tour group entered the shop two at a time.
"[Maybe we should talk somewhere else.]" The assassin suggested. "[Did you manage to buy everything you wanted, Sierra?]"
"[Yeah, pretty much.]" The brunette replied. "[My family is waiting at the tables outside. Wanna go say hi?]"
"[Sure, why not.]" Yoru nodded. "[I'll need to tell my sister's guardian though.]"
"[Oh, that's fine.]" Sierra nodded. "[The more the merrier.]"
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Outside of the Niagara Wax Museum of History
"[I still can't believe that we would bump into you on vacation!]" Olivia Walker – Sierra's mother – said as Yoru sat down. "[It's been so long, Yoru!]"
"[Yeah, I almost can't believe it either, Mrs. Walker.]" The hitwoman replied. "[Meeting you all here is one heck of a coincidence.]"
The assassin hadn't expected to be received so warmly by the brunette's family. Even though it's been years since she had any contact with them, the Walkers had greeted her like nothing had ever happened. Mark – Sierra's younger brother – had even ran up and hugged her just like how he always did.
"[Do you, your sister, or her manager want anything?]" Charles – the Walker family patriarch – asked. "[I can always order some extra if any of you are hungry.]"
"[One moment.]" Yoru turned to where Ai and Ichigo were seated. "Ai, Mr. Saitou, do any of you want anything?"
"No." The blonde shook his head.
"Umm…" The younger twin – on the other hand – didn't answer as quickly. "I kinda want something garlicy."
"[A coke, a glass of water, and some garlic bread would be good, if you don't mind.]" The Wick turned toward the bald man.
"[Oh, it's no problem.]" The American laughed. "[It's your sister's first time in the country, so we must show her some good ol' fashioned American hospitality!]"
"[Come on Mark.]" Charles stood up and called over his son. "[Let's get some pizza!]"
"[Yay!!!]" The child almost jumped out of his seat. "[Pizza! Pizza! Can we get some pepperoni?]"
The father-son duo walked to the pizzeria next door with the boy skipping all the way there.
"[Yoru.]" Olivia called out once her husband and child were outside of earshot. "[How have you been?]"
"[I've been… well.]" The hitwoman answered. "[Been eating three square meals a day.]"
"[Did you have a place to stay after…]" The woman trailed off, but Yoru knew what she meant.
"[I stayed with my aunt for the better part of a year.]" The teenager explained. "[But, I live on my own now. She got me a house and I have a job that pays enough for me to live on.]"
"[I see.]" The mother intoned. "[I'm glad that you're safe. We were all so scared after your home burned down and didn't hear from you two for so long. When David saw John's grave during a visit, we feared the worst.]"
"[I'm sorry for worrying you all.]" The Wick apologized. "[There were… many things happening at the time, but that doesn't excuse it.]"
"[No, I understand.]" Yoru looked into Olivia's caring eyes. "[Sometimes things happen, and we can't do anything but go with them.]"
"[Are you going back to school next week?]" There it is, the killshot question.
"[No.]" Yoru shook her head. "[I won't be.]"
The brunette blinked.
"[Is it, because of…]" Her hand waved in the general direction of Ai.
"[She's the last family I have left.]" The assassin confirmed the woman's unanswered question. "[Mr. Saitou is a good man, but I'd rather not take any chances.]"
"[Was he…]" Olivia began.
"[No.]" The Wick shook her head. "[She was careless when doing it with a boyfriend around her age. She didn't tell me anything more than that, but he's not the father.]"
"[And besides, he isn't the type to touch the people he manages.]" Yoru continued. "[He sees Ai as his own daughter. I'm glad that she has someone like that.]"
"[John was a good man.]" The Walker family matriarch remarked after a slight pause.
"[Yeah]." The teenager added. "[I miss him.]"
A sombre air gathered around the plastic table. The assassin's gaze was downcast, and Ai looked over at Yoru in concern. The idol wanted to say something, but she didn't know how to comfort her twin.
"[We're back!]" That melancholic ambience was shattered when Charles and Mark returned with food.
"[Here you go Yoru!]" The child held out her coke.
"[Thank you Mark.]" Yoru accepted the drink with a smile.
The green-eyed boy then trotted over to the box of garlic bread.
"[Here you go other Yoru!]" He presented Ai with her order.
"[Thank you!]" The idol accepted the container with an even brighter smile.
"[Her name is] Ai, [Mark.]" The hitwoman gently corrected.
"[Oh,]" Mark looked down. "[I'm sorry Miss Ai.]"
"Oh, umm." Ai turned to her twin. "How do you say 'it's okay' in English, Yoru-chan?"
The hitwoman whispered the translation and the idol repeated it to the eight-year-old. The child beamed at her sister before quickly running over to his parents' side to dig into some pepperoni pizza.
Yoru's shoulders relaxed as the Walkers initiated small talk instead of continuing the more heavy conversation between her and the family's matriarch. It wasn't the most streamlined process – given the language barrier – but with some google translate and interpretive help from the assassin, it worked.
"[So, your sister is a part of an 'idol' group?]" Olivia remarked. "[But she's so young!]"
"[It is the same legal tango as child actors according to Mr. Saitou.]" Yoru explained after asking Ichigo for some clarification on the subject. "[They have many restrictions on what they can and cannot do.]"
"[Hmm.]" Charles hummed. "[That sounds very interesting and all, but what exactly is an 'idol'? You said your sister and a bunch of other girls sing and dance, but I'm having trouble imagining how it would look like.]"
The Wick sipped her drink and paused for a little bit. She was aware of the idolsphere because she was from Japan, but how would she explain it to someone who's never interacted with that specific niche before?
"[Do you know the Backstreet Boys?]" A memory of the boy band struck her like lightning. "[My sister and her groupmates are kind of like that, but targeted at a mostly male audience instead.]"
"[Ooohh.]" A look of understanding dawned on the Walkers' faces.
"Speaking of groups…" The robotic voice of Google Translate emanated from Sierra's phone. "Did you know that Yoru was involved in this production?"
"Eh?" Ai tilted her head and looked over to her twin for clarification.
"[I'm not going to interpret that.]" Yoru frankly told her friend.
"[Aww, are you embarrassed?]" The pianist let a teasing grin split across her face. "[Didn't want to show sissy how you sang your heart out in middle school?]"
"[Sierra…]" The American simply fiddled with her phone for a couple of seconds before music started playing from the device.
When familiar vocals began resonating, the hitwoman dove to snatch the device out of Sierra's hand, but the taller teenager simply held it out of her reach.
"[I'm an Angel with a shotgun, shotgun, shotgun…]" Ichigo raised his eyebrows at Yoru's English vocals. "[Angel with a shotgun, shotgun, shotgun…]"
"Oh wow," Ai murmured in amazement as the song continued to play. "You have a great singing voice Yoru-chan!"
"[You got a great singing voice.]" Sierra unknowingly mirrored the idol's words as she maneuvered her phone outside of Yoru's grasp. "[Dunno why you don't want to show it off more!]"
"[There's this and that's that!]" The older twin replied. "[Turn it off Sierra!]"
The pianist simply laughed. Ai followed suit. A flustered Yoru is a very rare thing, and the two are savoring this as much as humanly possible.
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Hours later
Tokyo, Japan
Outside of a police station
6:13 PM
"I'm ending my shift here." A police officer informed his colleague as he unbuckled his seatbelt. "Will you be alright, Suzuko-san?"
A blonde-haired, brown-eyed man sitting in the cruiser's passenger seat nodded.
"I'll be alright Itou-spenpai." Hikaru Suzuko, rookie cop and former assassin nodded. "Thank you for your concern."
"I thought that our SCO department would cease to exist after Aki-san left." The older man said as he gathered his things. "Thank goodness you came along."
"That explains why I got accepted so quickly." The blonde mused.
"Yeah." The more senior officer confirmed. "It's hard to find someone that… came from the same line of work you did. Especially one that's as young as you are."
"You don't approve?" Hikaru took note of the pause in his coworker's voice.
"I've been told to look away from things I really didn't want to look away from." Itou replied. "But I don't think you're like that, Suzuko-san. You wouldn't have applied to serve otherwise."
"I see." The former hitman murmured while the older man got out of the car. "Take care, Senpai."
The policeman waved his junior goodbye as he walked toward the station to clock out. Hikaru unbuckled his own seatbelt before making his way around the vehicle and into the driver's seat. The ex-assassin pulled out of the headquarter's driveway, steering the cruiser into Tokyo's evening traffic.
The Continental and law enforcement have an understanding of sorts. Officers and investigators will turn a blind eye to the underworld's dealings and 'business' so long as those participating keep them quiet. Damaged property is fixed or replaced before morning comes and noise complaints are swept under the rug.
However, there is an upper limit to what can be tolerated. Civilian casualties are where the line was drawn. Those that cause too much collateral are problems both the underworld and law enforcement want to get rid of.
This is where the police's SCO branch comes in. The ranks are filled with former assassins who work to subdue or eliminate those that had crossed one too many lines.
Hikaru was given the locations and files of several of those 'troublemakers'. The man shook his head at the term. 'Troublemaker' is too light of a word to describe what they really are. Psychopaths and murderers are more apt designations, but that would ruin the clean and proper image the Continental presents itself as.
The cop made a left turn and before long, pulled up to a nightclub. Due to the fact that those establishments often have ties to organised crime, they attract conflict like flies to sugar water.
Hikaru unbuckled his seatbelt and stepped out of the car. According to the intel provided to him, an assassin that was dangerously close to the monthly limit of civilian casualties took a contract to eliminate a Yakuza lieutenant. Based on the complete disarray of the sidewalk in front of the business, it wasn't a quiet affair.
Glass shards littered the concrete walkway, making distinctive crunching sounds as the officer walked toward the entrance. He pushed open the destroyed entryway and stepped inside. High heels littered the floor alongside confetti, spilled drinks, and corpses.
*Bang* *Bang*
*Bang* *Bang* *Bang*
Gunfire echoed throughout the halls. It seems like the hitman wasn't quite done with his contract just yet.
Hikaru sighed before pulling out his phone to take pictures of the dead bodies. The blonde fed the photos to the Continental's facial recognition software to check whether or not they're registered assassins. The algorithm took a couple of seconds to process each image but by the time the gunshots subsided, the assassin was firmly over the monthly limit.
"Oh?" Hikaru turned his head. "Good evening officer."
"Evening." The assassin was covered head to toe in blood splatters. How much of that was his or his victims', the cop couldn't tell. He clutched a pistol – a Beretta 92, the policeman noted – in his right hand and an OTF knife in his left.
"Sorry for making a mess." It was just pleasantries, the hitman wasn't remorseful at all. "It's just business."
"Akagi Iwao?" Hikaru stood up.
"That is my name." The hitman tilted his head. "Are you new? I haven't seen you around before."
The officer reached into his back pocket and Akagi's gun hand tensed. The blonde took note, raising his left hand as a sign of peace. Once the assassin's hand loosened, the blonde pulled out his badge.
"Hikaru Suzuko." He flipped the identification booklet. "SCO."
"SCO?" The man began walking toward Hikaru. "So you decided to shack up with the blue boys. What? Are you too good to keep killing people for cash?"
"Rules exist for a reason." The policeman didn't rise to the barb as the hitman stopped two steps away from him. "That's what separates us from the animals."
"Unfortunately," Akagi's pointer finger moved inside his handgun's triggerguard. "You have broken one of those rules. I'm afraid that I'll have to take you in."
The assassin raised his pistol. But before he could lift the gun in line with Hikaru's body, the cop's free hand shot out and his fingers wrapped around the firearm's slide.
The blonde's pointer finger pressed on the Beretta's latch release button while his thumb pressed down on the handgun's disassembly lever. Hikaru pulled the slide off of the weapon's frame before Akagi could pull the trigger.
*Ca-click*
When the hitman eventually did pull the trigger, the pistol's hammer hit nothing but air.
The man's eyes widened in surprise moments before the officer slammed his fist into Akagi's face with the metal slide still in hand.
"There is still a chance to come quietly." Hikaru dropped the weapon part beside himself while his opponent stumbled from the force of his punch. "Don't make this harder for the both of us."
The assassin gritted his teeth, raising his knife in response to the cop's words. The policeman let out a small sigh when he saw the rabid anger in Akagi's eyes.
Hikaru stowed away his badge before putting his hands up in a wing chun stance. The man charged with a roar and the blonde narrowed his eyes as the bloody hitman closed the distance.
The knife barreled toward the cop's ribcage. Hikaru batted the knife away with his right forearm, clamping his hand around Akagi's arm joint.
The officer twisted the limb forcing the blade to point away from him. Then, he pulled the man in and with a twist of his hips, slammed his left elbow into his opponent's jaw.
*Crack*
The blonde felt Akagi's lower jaw shattered from the impact, but he wasn't done yet. He rammed his boney joint into hitman's solar plexus.
"Drop the knife." Hikaru ordered, latching his other hand onto the man's neck and pulling him into a knee. "You can still get out of this with both of your arms intact."
However, Akagi didn't comply. Instead, he stabbed his Beretta's frame into the cop's kidneys.
The policeman gritted his teeth as sharp metal dug into his organ. He let his grip on the man's neck slacken – sharply leaning to the right to dodge an incoming headbutt – before slamming his left palm into the man's ear.
*Pa*
"AGGHH!!!" Akagi screamed out – now deaf in one ear – as Hikaru shoved him back. The cop opened his right hand just enough for the limb to move back with the person it's attached to, but closed enough so his palm would catch on the hitman's wrist.
Then, as the assassin instinctively moved his hand toward his injured ear, Hikaru pulled the knife-toting arm taut and slammed his palm into the elbow's underside.
*CRUNCH*
Bones fractured with a crunch and ligaments snapped like overtensioned steel chords. Akagi's left palm opened like a clam from the shock of his arm snapping like an old tree branch. The knife dropped to the ground with an unceremonious clatter before Hikaru kicked it away.
"AGGGG-!" The man opened his mouth to scream, but the cop didn't even give him the opportunity to finish.
The officer stepped forward and swept the hitman's legs, sending him to the ground with a thud.
*Thump*
Before Akagi could even let out a choked breath, Hikaru was on him. The blonde unleashed a hurricane of punches, each blow coming down like a shot put ball. The assassin tried blocking with his only functional hand, but the policeman switched targets before the man's mind could even register.
With one last blow to the face, Akagi was out like a light. Hikaru let out a breath and pulled out a pair of handcuffs. He cuffed the unconscious hitman's wrists together before hauling the man on his back.
"One down, two more to go tonight." The cop said to himself as he carried the assassin out like a sack of potatoes. "Hopefully the other two won't be as bad as this one."
[... .... .- -.. --- .-- / --- ..-. / .- -. / .. -.. --- .-.. ---... / .-.. . .- ...- .. -. --. / - .... . / .-.. .. ..-. . / -.-- --- ..- / -.- -. . .--]
An hour later
Police station Armory
7:24 PM
"Oh, you're back." A forest-haired woman turned around as Hikaru stepped into the armory. "Dang, they roughed you up good, rookie."
"Hi, Himari-senpai." The blonde greeted as he wrote down his name and the current time on a clipboard. "Preparing for the night shift?"
"Yeah." The policewoman nodded. "Are you getting ready to leave?"
"Not yet." The ex-hitman took out a pistol cleaning kit from a cabinet. "Just needed to clean my gun."
Hikaru pulled out a stool and put the maintenance pack onto the table.
"Whew." Himari whistled when the man pulled out his Waltz 9. "That is one pretty little pistol. I don't even think the SAT guys have anything this nice."
"A friend got it for me." The former assassin said as he unloaded the handgun. "She said that it takes glock mags, so it would be useful for me after I get out."
"Your friend must really like you then." Hikaru pulled the slide back, catching the extracted round midair. "Cuz I saw a whole bunch of zeros with a one at the end. She got you the first of its kind."
"She did tell me it was a part of the first market-bound batch." The cop remarked as he pulled off the slide. "But it really is just a fancy tuned glock."
"I'll eat my vest if it's 'just a fancy glock.'" The more senior officer asserted. "That thing had custom written all over it. I would be surprised if it didn't cost over a hundred sixty thousand yen."
"It would cost six hundred forty thousand actually." Hikaru offhandedly stated as he brushed off gunpowder off of the handgun's internals. "The company who made it doesn't sell it for cheap."
"It's over six hundred thousand??!" Himari's eyes bulged in shock. "You mean you're carrying around something that's worth three months' salary?"
"Well, it's not the most expensive gun she's gotten me." The blonde shrugged as he applied lube to the firearm. "She got me a HK53 that uses AR-15 mags."
"How does that work?" The policewoman tilted her head.
"She got someone to kitbash two rifles the company also made." Hikaru answered as he put the slide back on his pistol. "But the thing is, the one that had the AR mag well is really rare. And with all the custom things she's added onto it, I would be surprised if the entire thing costs less than three million yen."
"Damn." The female cop swore. "Must be nice being able to get guns like that."
"I'll let you shoot it when we have our next range day." Himari perked up at Hikaru's offer.
"And that's why you're the best Kouhai!" Her attitude turned a complete 180. "I didn't even have to use my senpai tax on that one!"
"Please go easy on me." The policewoman let out a laugh and slapped her junior's shoulder.
"Oh, relax." She said as the blonde cycled his pistol's slide. "It won't be that bad."
"Anyways, I'm heading out." The woman turned to leave the armory. "See you around Suzuko-san. Get home safe."
"Have a good shift Senpai." Hikaru disengaged his pistol's slide lock before setting it on the table
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Half an hour later
7:58 PM
*Click*
"Mama!!!" Yumemu – his niece – shouted to her mother as the blonde unlocked the front door. "Jii-chan is back!!!"
"Oh!" Kohaku Daichou, Hikaru's sister and mother of three – called out from the kitchen. "Dinner's ready Hikk-chan!"
"Smells good nee-san!" The officer hung up his jacket on a nearby coat rack. "What did you make?"
"Some shogayaki, sauteed vegetables, and miso soup!" The brunette turned around when the cop entered the dining area. "Oh, what happened to you?"
"Don't worry, it looks worse than it actually is." Hikaru answered as he sat down. "I'll put some ice on it after dinner."
"Of course I'd worry." The woman set down bowls of steaming rice. "You're my little brother. It doesn't make me feel good to see you come home with bruises on your face."
The blonde grimly nodded. After all, he knew the real reason why his older sister fretted over him so much. It hasn't been that long since he was just in a coma because his retirement mission went pear shaped.
"I'll be more careful next time." The off-duty policeman promised.
"Hmm." Kohaku wordlessly responded as she placed the final two dishes at the table.
"Come in kids!" The widow called out to her children. "Dinner is ready!"
A thrum of footsteps followed the announcement as Yumemu and her two brothers rushed into the kitchen. They all clambered into their respective seats and patiently waited for their mother to sit down.
"Itadakimasu!" The Daichou-Suzuko family collectively said after everyone had sat down at the table.
The kids dug into their meals with gusto while the adults ate more reservedly.
"Hey, Ji-chan." Nao– the older brother – called out to Hikaru. "Who did you arrest today?"
"Nao-kun…" His sister said in a warning tone.
"It's okay Memu-chan." The blonde assured his niece. "I was called to deal with a drunk at a nightclub. He didn't like getting cuffed, so there was a scuffle."
"Did you win?" The boy leaned in.
"Well, the guy is sitting in jail right now." The cop answered. "What do you think?"
"Ji-chan is the strongest!" Nao boisterously declared.
"And you, should keep eating." Hikaru put some slices of pork shoulder into his nephew's rice bowl. "You need to eat to have a strong body."
"Okay Ji-chan!" The child vigorously nodded before shoveling rice and meat into his mouth.
The officer smiled before picking some sliced meat for himself. Umami and richness exploded on his tongue as he put it in his mouth, the piece almost disintegrating as he chewed.
'It's fattier than what nee-san usually buys at the butcher's.' The officer internally remarked as he picked up some sauteed vegetables. 'I'm glad that we have enough money now to buy better meat.'
Money had been tight since Hitoshi – Kohaku's husband – had passed almost four years ago. Raising three kids is expensive, and the widow couldn't make enough to support her younger brother and three children even with a second job. Hikaru had to drop out of high school to work just so Kohaku could make the monthly payments on the loans she took out.
But all of that is behind them now. The debt had been gone for a year and with his job as a police officer, his older sibling no longer has to work two jobs to afford to raise her children.
Life is good, and Hikaru won't have it any other way.
[... .... .- -.. --- .-- / --- ..-. / .- -. / .. -.. --- .-.. ---... / .-.. . .- ...- .. -. --. / - .... . / .-.. .. ..-. . / -.-- --- ..- / -.- -. . .--]
Twenty minutes later
8:33 PM
"Really, it's okay nee-san!" the ex-assassin set down a stack of dirty dishes in the sink. "I can do the dishes tonight!"
"You're hurt!" The woman harshly rebuked her younger brother. "You needed to get ice on your face hours ago! I'll clean up while you take care of the bruises."
"But you cooked dinner already!" Hikaru responded. "I can't let you cook and wash all the dishes. 'The one who cooks dinner doesn't have to wash the dishes.' You're the one who created that rule!"
"Using my own words against me?" Kohaku proceeded to puff out her cheek like a blowfish. "Hmmphhh!!!"
"Nee-san." The cop just blankly stared at her. "That doesn't work on me."
"Oh, where did my cute little brother go?" The widow visibility deflated. "You used to agree with everything I say! 'Yes, nee-san!', 'Of course nee-san!', 'You're the best nee-san!'"
"That cute little brother grew up." The blonde rolled his eyes at his sister's imitation of his younger self. "I couldn't stay like that forever."
"You became all responsible after you went off and had fun with a pretty girl for a year." The brunette leaned her arm on her taller brother's shoulder. "I could hardly believe it when she invited us to dinner. My innocent younger brother, running around with someone four years his junior!"
"You ought to feel ashamed of yourself." Kohaku poked Hikaru's cheek. "Leading a girl on like that."
"Don't say it like that nee-san." The officer shook his head as he set a soapy bowl aside. "Yoru and I weren't like that."
"You two aren't like that yet." His sister smirked. "A woman's intuition is never wrong!"
"Like that time we spent three hours in a supermarket because you swore there was a sale there?" The mother of three stiffened.
"Well… a woman's intuition is never wrong about romance!" Kohaku quickly amended.
"Nee-san, you thought that Miyagawa and I were dating." The policeman turned on the faucet to rinse foam off the dishes. "We hated each other and I haven't said a word to her since I dropped out."
"Ehehe…" The widow nervously laughed, sheepishly scratching the back of her head. "Well, people make mistakes."
"We live in different worlds now, nee-san." Hikaru sighed. "Our paths can't cross anymore. That dinner was her saying goodbye."
"I think she's much closer than you realize Hikk-chan." The woman advised. "Don't count her out just yet."
"Remember to put ice on that bruise!" Kohaku added after she turned to leave the kitchen. "There's some cream in the second drawer!"
The ex-assassin didn't respond to his sister's words. The blonde washed the soap off of the last few chopsticks and stuck them in the drying rack.
*BzzBzzzBzzzzt*
Hikaru blinked. That wasn't a normal notification from his cell phone. He dried his hands on some hanging towels and pulled out his device. The former hitman's eyes widened when he saw the notification.
New Alert from Continental Online:
**Angel of Death spotted in Niagara Falls**
The cop quickly looked around, scanning for any traces of his sister's children before sitting down at the kitchen table. He logged into his account as fast as he could, frantically typing in his username and password so he could read the post.
The website's black banner greeted him once he tapped the log in button. The words 'Continental Online' was flanked with two faces of a gold coin sat at the top of the webpage.
Forums | Ask Staff | Rules | Tickets | Font size | Yellow_Dragon_of_Chubu | Private Messages | Notifications | 🔍︎ Search
Hikaru tapped on the notifications tab to see the post his phone altered him to.
Sugi-goke_7 has quoted the thread **Angel of Death spotted in Niagara Falls** From: Niagara
In: News -> North America -> United States -> Northeast -> New York -> Western New York
Sugi-goke_7 (Original Poster) (Certified Information Broker)
Posted August 29 2012:
I saw this post while killing time by scrolling in the NA News forums. Didn't see anyone else post anything about this, so I figured that I'll be the one to break the news.
TLDR: The Angel of Death (Real name: Yoru Wick) has been spotted in Niagara falls with her twin sister Ai Hoshino (member of underground idol group B-Komachi), and Ichigo Saitou (the current president of the talent agency Strawberry productions). The post had linked photographic proof and to save you the effort, they're linked *here**here* and *here*
This lines up with her past appearances in *Hong Kong* and *France* with those two also appearing to be with her as well. This marks the 34th day since she had taken on her last contract, which is the longest period she's gone without taking a job. The previous record was 12 days.
There're some betting pools running around, I'll like them here: *Is the Angel of Death retiring?**Will the Angel of Death retire by October?**Will Hoshino Ai be targeted?*
That is all for now. This post will be edited if anything new comes up.
Hikaru dryly swallowed as he read the post over and over again. Yoru vacationing with Ai and the president of her sister's idol group? This went against everything she said in their conversation after their goodbye dinner.
The hitwoman is retiring, the blonde is sure of it. He tapped on the first betting link out of sheer curiosity and it seemed that the vast majority of people thought the same.
The teenager would never knowingly put her in danger. Even though her reputation is often more than enough as a warning, there are still people out there who are willing to do anything to get ahead.
'But, just in case…' Hikaru copied the post's link and navigated to LINE.
Hikaru: [https://continental.online/News/North-America/United-States/NE/NY/Western-NY/102201]
Hikaru: R U planning on retiring?
Yoru: Yeah. I got a retirement mission lined up before I started travelling.
The teenage assassin responded almost instantly. She had always been an early bird, so her being awake at a really early hour isn't out of the ordinary.
Yoru: I'm surprised it took you this long to ask.
Hikaru leaned on the wall and began typing.
Hikaru: I only saw the post bc the info broker I follow RPed it
Hikaru: I dont really go on CO after I joined SCO
Hikaru: Mods asked me to stop commenting on posts outside of SCO threads
Hikaru: Too many people dogpile users with SCO tags otherwise
Yoru: Hmm.
Yoru: I see.
Despite the hitwoman responding with only a few words, the officer knew she understood. The teen told him that forum mods asked her to not comment on threads because her presence almost always derails any and all conversation there.
'The pains of being the world's most notorious assassin.' The blonde supposed.
Hikaru: Do U need help?
Yoru: Yeah.
The reply came a bit slower than the others.
Yoru: I'll need transport to the Kumamoto airport.
Yoru: Do you think you can spare a day to come to Miyazaki on November first??
Hikaru: I need to talk with my boss
Hikaru: But I think hell say yes
Agreeing to her request was a no brainer. After all she's done for him? He'd have to be the most ungrateful man in the world to say no.
Yoru: Thanks, that alleviates some of my logistical constraints.
Yoru: My sister is almost waking up, so I have to go.
Yoru: It was good talking to you again, Hikaru.
Yoru: We should have a chat in-person sometime after I retire.
Hikaru: Anytime Yoru
"Retirement huh." The man wistfully remarked. "I never thought I'd see the day you'd actually commit."
Yoru had pulled him out of hell once, and Hikaru would be damned if he didn't try to return the favor. No matter how small of a difference he can make, it would all be worth it if it makes the Wick's retirement mission just the tiniest bit smoother.