Late! Late! Late!
The streets of Yokohama were always crowded at this time of day. Everyone rushing to get to their jobs or, like me, to school. Mostly, they were in my way! A lady talking loudly on her cellphone stepped in front of me, almost making me collide with her. Pushing my hand into her side, she toppled over as I raced past her, darting across the street. I'd narrowly avoided a large truck, causing the onlookers to gasp in surprise. The truck blew their horn loudly, yelling obscenities out the window.
Normally, I would have sent the truck spiraling into a void in retaliation, but I don't have time for luxury today. The campus gates were being pulled closed, but the students paused to let me in. This academy is filled with gifted students. While we didn't make up the entire populace, it was where the government sent us kids to keep an eye on us. Smacking a kid with the door as I entered the main building, I ran down the hallway. The elevator doors are still open! And it's empt—
Oh, no.
Satoshi Ozaki leaned into view, that mischievous grin growing on his face. He's Kyoyo Ozaki's son. Like my father, his mother is a Port Mafia Executive. "Good Morning, Rio!" He purposefully reached up and pressed a button on the elevator pad.
"Satoshi! Don't you dare!" I shouted, trying to run faster. The doors slid closed before I could make it. Banging my fist on the metal, I growled. "Asshole! Your pink hair is stupid!" All I could hear was his laughter as the elevator rose to the next floor and up.
Four floors of stairs didn't appeal to me. Ducking out the side door, I adjusted my bag strap to cross my body. I rolled up my sleeves and started to scale the wall. The windows in the classrooms were large, but easy to climb. Like the other times I'd attempted this, students gathered around down below. Some were cheering me on, and others huddled together in fear that I might fall. Not that that would ever happen. I am part of the Port Mafia!
Knocking on the window of my classroom, I grinned at Koji when he slid the pane open. "Thanks! I owe you one!" I said, climbing in. Cheers erupted from below me. Giving a wave and wink, I closed the window back as the bell chimed signaling class. "Whew! I made it!"
Koji Akutagawa not gifted but his cousin, Hinami is. She's younger than us, so she's in a different class. His mother, Gin, was a skilled assassin and he had learned the skills quickly and accurately. A lot of the times, we were sent on missions together. We made a good team most of the time. "You're as reckless as ever," he sighed, slumping back down into his seat.
Before I could retort, the classroom door was slammed open. One of our campus security guards stumbled in, out of breath. "R-Rio Na-Nakahara! S-Stop doing that! It's dangerous to scale the walls!" He bent forward, placing his hands on his knees.
"Oh please. Stop nagging me," I said. What are they going to do?
He glared at me, straightening up as best he could. "Report to the principal's office, young lady!"
With an eye roll just to annoy the man, I strode past him. Who cares if he sends me there? It's not like they're actually going to do anything. Everyone is afraid of the Port Mafia. It's well known which of us kids belong to the Mafia. They wouldn't dare bother anyone with a few behavioral issues. I'm here, aren't I? It's more than I can say for Kasumi Dazai. She's never at school.
"Miss Nakahara, there have been numerous reports made to me about inappropriate actions made here on campus by you," Principal Junchiro said, nervously squeezing his hands together on his desk.
Folding my arms, I leaned back in the chair. "You say that all the time. Get another hobby old man," I scoffed with a laugh. I had this room memorized. That's how many times I'd come and sat in this very chair. There were rumors that no one sat in this one, they always chose the one on the right, because the left seat is reserved for me.
"Yes, well, I called your father," he said.
That got my attention. Springing to my feet, I half yelled, "What? Why would you do that?" I nearly jumped over the desk to attack him. Slamming my hands down on the wooden desktop, I was starting to panic. "You do understand how busy he is? If-If you bother him about this…" Who knows how he'll react!
The principal's lips pulled up in a satisfactory smirk. "I am well aware of how busy Chuuya must be, however, he was grateful that I informed him about your misbehavior." The bastard's smug expression made me take a swing at him.
But my fist never made contact. Something had latched onto my wrist. That's… Rashomon… It jerked me, throwing my whole body against the open door hard enough to crack both the hinges. That meant that Ryunosuke was here. This is not good! Groaning from the pain radiating through my body, I cracked my eyes open to see him. "Where's-"
Using Rashomon to grip my throat, Ryunosuke shot me a death glare. "Not another word, Rio. You've caused quite enough problems for us today." He covered his mouth to cough, his attention returning to the principal. "I'll deal with the issue." Ryunosuke refused to release me as he left, carrying me along with him with Rashomon.
I couldn't breathe! Trying to pry it off my neck was useless. Unless he wanted to release me, I was stuck here! Still, a human's natural instinct to fight off anything gripping their windpipe was kicking in. Kicking my feet and pulling as hard as I could, I choked for air. Gasping loudly when Ryunosuke dropped me as soon as we'd entered the nearest alley, I glared at him. "Are you trying to kill me?" I asked.
His head tilted to the side, threatening me to say another word. "I shouldn't have to remind you how we deal with problems, Rio. But I'd be glad to give you a lesson," he said. Cracking his knuckles, he summoned Rashomon again, this time as demonic armor.
Jumping to my feet, I barely got my arms up to block the attack to my face. I might be young, but my father is the best martial artist in the Port Mafia, so, I had learned from the best. My ability would have to be used smartly to defeat Ryunosuke. Something I'd never done before, and the likelihood of it happening today was slim.
A second attack came for the same spot but a third swiftly followed, swiping me off my feet. The fourth gripped my ankle, hanging me upside down. All of that happened before I could blink. Grabbing my skirt, I tried to hold it down. "H-hey! Put me down!" My cheeks flushed red. Anyone could walk by and see my underwear!
Throwing me to the side, I smashed into the trashcans with a bang. The lid rolled out to the street. Ryunosuke scowled at me. "The enemy isn't going to be worrying about whether or not your underwear has ice cream cones on them, Rio. They'll simply eliminate you and throw you right where you belong." His words pointed to the fact that I was stuck in a garbage can.
Pushing on the edges, I was stuck. It didn't seem like he was going to help me either. All of a sudden, my body felt light and I popped free of the metal deathtrap. That could only mean one thing. At the end of the alleyway, my father, Chuuya Nakahara, stood with a displeased expression on his face. "Go harass someone else's kid, Akutagawa." Strolling past him, he stopped in front of me.
Scuffing my foot on the ground, I dropped my gaze. "H-Hi daddy," I said softly. He'd been out of the city for a while, doing business in another town. This probably isn't the kind of thing he wanted to deal with the moment he returned.
"That's all you have to say?" He asked.
Chewing on my lip, I nodded my head. What else am I supposed to say? The principal had spoke to him. There's nothing I can say to defend myself. One other thing came to mind. "I'm sorry… that principal had to call and bother you."
Silence.
I hesitantly raised my head enough to glance up at him, curious as to why father hadn't said anything. My eyes widened in surprise at the smile on his face.
Father ruffled my hair. "Don't worry about it , Rio. I wouldn't expect my wild daughter to have a clean school record." He laughed and messed with my hair some more. No one would really be able to guess just by looking at him that he was a Port Mafia executive. He's short, but I'm shorter. Mom used to say that I didn't get any of my looks from her.
In an overwhelming vulnerable moment, I rushed forward, throwing my arms around his waist. It had been almost two months since he left, and I'd been lonely. Our family cat hadn't kept me company at all, instead choosing to moan and be depressed in the living room. "I missed you," I said, squeezing him tightly.
"I missed you, too, Rio," Father replied, placing a soft kiss on my head. "But if I ever get a phone call from your school again, I'll be the one kicking your ass, understand?" Hugging me back, we stood in that alley for a long time. Finally, he began to laugh and pried me off him. "You can't latch onto me forever."
I grinned, trying to hide the fact that I had been crying. "Let's go home. I'm hungry!" I turned on my heel to lead the way. If I blinked, the tears would spill over again. Fighting against Ryunosuke has never been easy. He's even holding back. I hadn't even been able to get in one single blow or use my ability.
"Rio, you'll get there," Father said, walking beside me with a smile.
That's all he said on the matter. At least, for now. This weekend, I'm sure he'll make me train extra hard. That should make me groan, knowing how sore I would be for the next week. But, I was excited. Whenever he went away on trips, I trained on my own. This had been the longest trip in a while, and it had showed me how much I missed those intense training days with him to teach me. It brought a smile to my face and suppressed my tears. He's always believed in me. I have to work harder to catch up to the Port Mafia Executive, Chuuya Nakahara. Getting in trouble with the principal isn't so bad after all. So long as I don't do it again. The reason I'd been late and had to scale the wall returned to me.
Satoshi, I'm going to kick your ass tomorrow.