/Akari POV/
As I was chosen to join B-Komachi as their newest member. Miyako enrolled me in the same school as Aqua and Ruby. Though it's because I'll be an idol soon, I'm also planning to keep an eye out for Hikaru and gather information. I'll be heading to school first thing tomorrow, but first I need to keep my baby, Ai, safe and hidden.
"Wahhh! Wahhhh!"
"Akari! Ai's crying again," Ruby's voice rings with concern.
After the meeting, Ruby and Mem-Cho have been coming to my house almost every day. They would both typically gaze at Ai for hours while we talked and exchanged ideas.
I approached Ruby and suggested, "Why not hold her? I bet she'll love that."
Ruby's eyes sparkled with delight. "Yay!" she exclaimed as she cradled Ai in her arms. Gradually, Ai began to quiet down.
I smiled reassuringly. "See? She loves it," I affirmed.
Even though they come to visit me often, I have no problem with it. It seemed as though they were using my place as a hangout.
Ruby's smile widened, her gaze filled with love as she looked down at Ai.
After all, they look happy.
Mem-Cho suddenly turned to me, her expression serious. "Are you ready for tomorrow?" she asked.
I smiled back confidently. "Yep!"
"But..." Mem-Cho glanced at Ai. "What about her?"
I replied sheepishly, "Actually, I don't have anyone here in Japan I can trust to take care of her right now, so I'm in a bit of a problem here, hehe."
Ruby's face lit up with an idea, and she looked at me eagerly. "I think I know the perfect person for the job," she exclaimed.
Mem-Cho and I exchanged curious glances, both eager to know who Ruby had in mind.
Ruby suddenly remembered something and hesitated, "Um, sorry for bringing this up late, Akari, but we actually have a major test tomorrow."
"What?"
WHAAAAAAAATTTT?!
The Next Day...
Inside a car on the way to school.
As Miyako drove, a troubled expression crossed her face. "Can't believe I'll be babysitting again," she muttered with a hint of exasperation.
Ruby laughed nervously and glanced at my baby, seated between us in the car. "Hehe, sorry Miyako, but you're the most reliable person we have! I mean, you're the only one in the company who knows Akari's secret," she explained, trying to lighten the mood.
Miyako sighed deeply, but when she caught sight of baby Ai laughing in the rearview mirror, she couldn't help but smile.
Aqua, seated in the front, noticed Miyako's softened expression and seized the opportunity to tease her. "Why not just ask the boss to have a kid?" he quipped with a mischievous grin.
Miyako immediately shook her head. "No way!" she exclaimed, firmly rejecting the idea.
Aqua chuckled softly, finding amusement in Miyako's response.
Miyako pov, "(Hm? He's laughing. He also feels a bit different than before.)"
Miyako glanced at the car mirror, her gaze lingering on me for a moment. "(I guess it's because of her,)" she mused silently to herself.
After Miyako and Aqua fell silent, I turned to Miyako with gratitude. "Thank you for helping me watch over Ai. Actually, I was really worried because I don't have many trustworthy people to take care of her, and I'm afraid she'll get hurt, you know?" My eyes revealed the genuine concern I felt for my child.
As Miyako noticed my worry, she offered reassurance. "I promise you this, I won't let anyone hurt your child," she said with sincerity, her words carrying a comforting weight.
I smiled in relief, sensing the sincerity in Miyako's promise. "Thank you. Please watch over my little Ai for me," I said, feeling a weight lift off my shoulders as I entrusted my child to her care.
Miyako replied with a warm smile, her assurance bringing a sense of comfort. "I will," she affirmed, her commitment evident in her words.
After awhile, we finally arrived at the school.
As I held Ai in my arms, tears welled up in my eyes. Gazing into my baby's eyes with all the love in my heart, I whispered, "Please be safe, my little star, okay? Mommy will be back as soon as possible."
As I spoke these words, Ruby, Aqua, and Miyako's expressions shifted to one of concern and sadness, their worry evident on their faces.
As I gently placed Ai back into her carrier, she began to cry. To soothe her, I started singing a soft lullaby. After a while, her cries faded, and she drifted off to sleep in peaceful slumber.
After Ai fell asleep, Aqua, Ruby, and I bid our farewells and stepped out of the car. Watching it drive away, a wave of worry washed over me, my thoughts consumed by concerns for my baby's well-being.
Ruby touched my shoulder and said, "Hey, don't worry about it. Miyako is very good in taking care of kids. I remember that time when I was a baby, she made sure to put away harmless items for babies. Ahh... I still remember when I got near the scissors, she immediately took it awa-"
Aqua's sudden throat-clearing caught my attention, and I turned to see him staring at me with a serious expression. Without saying a word, he headed off to his class, leaving a sense of solemnity in his wake.
I turned to Ruby, puzzled by her earlier comment. "How can you remember things from when you were a baby?" I asked, genuinely curious.
Ruby grew visibly nervous, stuttering as she tried to come up with an explanation. "W-Well! U-Umm... You know, really memorable moments can stick with you, even from childhood! Hehe, hehe," she stammered, her attempt at an excuse falling short.
"Well that's true..."
"Anyways! Let's go to our classroom now! Since were in the same classroom, I'll introduce you to everyone!"
Excitedly, Ruby grabbed my hand and led me to her classroom.
"Shall we?"
I nodded.
As I stepped into the classroom, I felt the weight of everyone's gaze upon me. Unsure if there was something on my face or if it was just the unexpectedness of my presence, I couldn't help but feel a sense of surprise at the attention directed my way.
Ruby's voice rang out excitedly as she raised it to introduce me. "Hello everyone! This is Akari Hayaki, the new classmate you've all been curious about!" she announced enthusiastically, breaking the tension in the room with her cheerful introduction.
As everyone greeted me excitedly, I found myself a bit taken aback. They crowded around, bombarding me with questions, and although I tried to answer kindly and return their greetings, I couldn't help but feel a bit overwhelmed. Ruby quickly picked up on my nervousness and stepped in, politely asking them to give me some space.
Ruby warmly introduced me to her two closest friends. "Akari, please meet my two closest friends in the class! This lovely girl with pink hair is Minami Kotobuki, and the one with sparkling emerald eyes is Frill Shiranui!" she said, gesturing towards them with a smile.
I bowed politely and greeted them.
Minami's eyes widened in awe as she approached me. "Wow! You're stunning! I absolutely adore your honey golden hair. And your face, it's so beautiful! Are you perhaps a model?" she exclaimed, her admiration evident in her voice.
I smiled nervously, feeling slightly bashful. "Oh, I'm not that pretty, hehe, but thank you for the compliment. And no, I'm not a model," I replied modestly.
Minami's expression shifted to surprise at my response, while Frill looked at me with intrigue. "Are you perhaps an actress? Or maybe an idol?" she inquired, her curiosity piqued.
I hesitated for a moment, unable to respond immediately due to the secrecy surrounding my involvement with B-Komachi. However, Ruby stepped in to clarify, "She's an idol, our new member to replace Kana! But please, keep it a secret since it hasn't been officially announced yet."
Though I was initially taken aback, I quickly realized that it was okay and that they trusted one another after observing how close those three are.
"Wait, so you're a singer too? That's amazing! Here I am, just relying on my looks. Wish I had your talent," Minami admitted with a slight pout.
Drawing nearer, I gently patted Minami's back, reassuring her, "We all have unique talents. Don't compare yourself to others. You shine in your own special way."
Minami couldn't help but stare at me.
Minami pov, "(I feel like... this is the most beautiful person I have ever met in the world.)"
As the class bell rang, we went back to our seats for our class.
As soon as the teacher entered, she requested introductions. Once I spoke, a classmate bluntly asked, "Where are your parents?"
There was a brief pause before I replied, my expression carrying a hint of sadness. "My mom... she's passed."
My classmates felt terrible, and I saw that Ruby was also feeling concerned and taken aback by what I had said.
"As for my dad, he just works somewhere abroad, so it's just me here to pursue my career."
Applause filled the room as I resumed my seat, attentively listening to the teacher's discussion.
As time went by, it finally came...
The Long Test!
The fact Ruby just told me yesterday made me really nervous. Not only that, it's my first day! But I'm still glad she told me some of the lessons they learned for that test. But not gonna lie, those lessons...
"Alright, class, only pencils, erasers, and one clean sheet of paper on your desks, nothing more," our teacher instructed before distributing the lengthy test papers.
As we were only giving one hour to answer this test, I made sure to carefully read and quickly answer.
1 hour later...
"Okay! Pass your papers to the front now."
As the tests concluded, Ruby approached me with a weary sigh. "That was exhausting! I barely had time to study because of idol work. How about you, Akari? How did it go?"
"Um, I suppose it went okay," I replied, unsure of my own performance.
Ruby said, "Sorry I only told you yesterday, now you will have a low score because of mew. Sorry..."
I reassured her right away and gave her assurances that I was okay. As the last school bell rang, Ruby and I gathered our things and headed downstairs, where we spotted Aqua in the hallway.
I greeted him with a wave and a smile, saying, "Hey Aqua, how's class?"
Drawing nearer, he responded, "It went well. How did the long test treat you both?"
"Ugh, it sucked," Ruby complained.
Aqua scolded her, "Well, that's what happens when you don't study."
As Ruby and Aqua began to argue, I focused on my notes, occasionally glancing over to reply to Miyako whenever I could.
Kana greeted us, saying, "Hey guys! Oh, and hi Akari, how's the first day of school treating you?"
I replied, "It was great, Ruby introduced me to many people."
Ruby chimed in, saying, "You know what? So many boys kept asking her for her number, and she graciously turned them all down! HAHAHA! It was hilarious!"
I stood there quietly, feeling a bit embarrassed.
"Eh? Akari's becoming quite the popular girl on her first day, huh?" Kana teased, adding to the playful banter.
I quickly denied, saying, "No, no, of course not! All of our male classmates are great, but I already have a man I love."
Ruby and Kana stared at me, their cheeks flushing with embarrassment.
"The way she referred to our classmates as boys, but her lover as a man, that's so romantic!" Ruby squealed, caught up in the moment.
I blushed, embarrassed. "Ah! I didn't mean it like that!"
"What did you mean then? Hm?" Kana teased, adding to the playful banter.
Blushing and feeling increasingly embarrassed, I fumbled for an explanation.
Aqua intervened, saying, "Stop it, both of you. We're still at school, and people can hear you. Plus, our ride is here."
"Oops! Guess we better be careful!"
Kana then asked, "Can I tag along? I've got nothing to do at home anyway."
I replied, "Sure, we're heading to my house anyway."
As we headed to the parking lot, we spotted Miyako waving at us. As soon as I saw her, I quickened my pace, outpacing the rest. Meeting up with Miyako, she smiled and gestured inside. Returning the smile eagerly, I scanned our surroundings, ensuring no one was watching. I glanced at the CCTV cameras, then discreetly opened the door, shielding the interior from prying eyes.
As I opened the door slowly, there she was—my sweet, beautiful baby Ai. Overcome with joy, tears streamed down my face. As our eyes met, her smile mirrored my own happiness. Gently, I lifted her into my arms, planting a kiss on her rosy cheek. More tears fell as I held her close, overwhelmed with love and gratitude at the sight of my precious Ai.
The others joined us, sharing in the happiness of our reunion. Their smiles reflected the joy of seeing me reunited with my child.
With my heart overflowing with joy, I whispered to my baby, "I love you, Ai. I've missed you so much."
As Baby Ai started crying, I cradled her gently and began to sing a soft lullaby, my voice soothing and tender, aiming to calm her down and bring her comfort.
I turned towards Miyako, gratitude flooding my words as I said, "Thank you for taking care of Ai for me."
Miyako smiled warmly and replied, "I'm happy to be of help."
With Ai gradually calming down, Miyako started the car, and we began our journey to my house.
I gazed lovingly at my baby and whispered, "I have so many exciting stories to tell you, my dear."
___________
/Narrator POV/
Glass shatters. Furniture crashes against the walls.
A piercing scream tears through the air.
"AGHK!"
Hikaru staggers, breathing heavily, fury radiating from his frame. Meanwhile, the masked man leisurely sweeps broken shards off the floor, unfazed by the chaos.
"Oh, poor, poor expensive furniture," he laments, his tone dripping with mock sympathy. "Not only are you a high-ranking killer, but you're also a rich actor. How unfair! Oh, how tragic for this luxurious decor."
Hikaru scoffs. "I may be red-ranked, but you're orange. Your pay isn't exactly pocket change. If you're that envious, go buy some furniture yourself."
The masked man shrugs. "Unlike you, I don't kill—I hack. Not as lucrative. And I prefer investing in gadgets; they're worth every yen."
Hikaru's gaze turns cold. "Listen well." His voice drops, lethal. "I don't take money from the higher-ups for my kills. I despise that bloodstained cash. I despise them. How dare they betray me?"
"Betray?" The masked man snorts. "Come on, man, they didn't turn on you. They still want you in the fold. And let's be real—you should've known they'd go after your wife eventually. Word is, the guy who paid for it was loaded."
Bang!
Hikaru's fist slams into the wall. His voice rises, shaking with rage. "She was mine! My target! I told them to wait, but no, they just had to act behind my back! I had the perfect plan to take out Ai, and they ruined it!"
The masked man lets out a low whistle as he keeps sweeping. "Damn. That's rough, buddy. But it's been years, and you're still not over it? Besides, after Ai, you didn't exactly stop. You took out plenty of others. Maybe that's what HQ wanted, you know?"
Hikaru's eyes narrow. Then, slowly, his lips curl into a smirk. He's right... Hmm...
He turns to the masked man, his voice dripping with amusement. "It's time we turn the tables on HQ."
"Yeah, yeah, sure—" The masked man pauses, blinking. "Wait. What?! Betray HQ? Are you insane?! There are hundreds of them and just the two of us!"
Hikaru chuckles. "Oh? But I have you, don't I?"
The masked man mockingly blushes. "Aw, how sweet. HEHE—NO. Absolutely not! That's suicide! We don't even know how many black ranks exist! We only know of two in Japan, and even that's a mystery! Plus, there are over ten red ranks—they'd destroy us! Why now? Why not years ago?"
Hikaru suddenly bursts into laughter. It starts soft, then swells into a manic, bone-chilling cackle that fills the room.
Then, silence.
His smile fades into a deadpan stare. "Because they ruin the fun."
"What?"
"I only joined to settle a debt. But now? They're interfering with my pleasure." His tone darkens. "I could've taken out so many more if they hadn't meddled. They took Ai from me. And during my fight with Aqua, I saw one of HQ's snipers, ready to steal my delicious kill. Hah… HAHAHAHA!"
His laughter erupts again, wilder this time.
"Can you believe it?!" he howls. "They're getting in my way! If this keeps up, they'll target my daughter, Ruby, since she's rising in fame. She's mine to kill. But there's an even better prize on my list—Akane."
The masked man deadpans. "You're a freaking psycho."
Hikaru grins. "Why, thank you. Anyway, time to get serious." He rolls his shoulders. "HQ is our priority. Taking out one black rank will take at least a year, but once we do, I can deal with Akane, Ruby, and have a rematch with Aqua."
He turns to the masked man. "When is the other black rank scheduled to leave Japan?"
"Around three years from now, give or take."
"Good. We can't underestimate them. We'll take two years to eliminate our first target. While we're at it, find out who the second black rank is. We must know, or we'll lose our chance. Once the first is dead, we'll finish Akane, Ruby, and Aqua within the year. Then, we hunt the second black rank."
The masked man groans. "Ugh… That sounds like a lot of work."
Hikaru smirks, stretching his fingers. "Don't complain. My hands are itching to kill."
The masked man sighs, dragging a hand down his mask. "All I want to do is sleep, man."