A/N: Fixed this chapter for the third time and manage to write a second chapter. Let's see if I can keep this up. It has been 8 years already. Sorry for all those who have been waiting for an update ever since. Thanks for everyone who is still following. This story came to me in the middle of the night while I was trying to type up a paper for history class in high school. I finished college already; that is how long it has been. –April 2013
Disclaimer: I am broke and have a bunch of student loans to pay off.
"Which one is your house?" asked by no other than the glacier-white hair Bakura Ryou, the driver of the red Volvo. He had on an inconspicuous blue hoodie imprinted with the phrase "Zokuto" (1) and a pair of dark slacks. These were the first words he spoke the whole evening. Bakura had remained quiet and aloof till now.
Jounouchi Shizuka, the girl in a modest white skirt and a teal blouse with the luscious auburn hair, sat behind the driver. "Umm… there, the white one," She pointed out as the car slowed to a halt in front of a large suburban driveway.
Alongside of her is a Chinese girl named Vivian Wong. The very traditional Vivian commonly wore her dark hair in two round symmetrical buns on the top of her head. She sported a black tank top with a pair of blue denim, carrying a mismatching orange tote-bag on her shoulders.
"Wow, your house is huge, man," Honda Hitoro commented in the passenger seat. He wore the usual, a tatter army jacket on top of a black tee-shirt with a pair of jeans.
Aside from Shizuka, everyone had on a pair of gloves. Was it in this season? Shizuka made a mental note to look it up.
"Not really," Shizuka responded absent-mindedly. She wonders why Vivian-chan was so quiet tonight. Usually she would've been chatting a mile-a-minute but today she seems too silent. She also made notice of how Vivian had not made any direct eye contact with her since they got in the car, managing to only stare down at Shizuka's white suede purse whatever she was asked a question. Her answers were generally short and vague, impossible to carry on any substantial conversation.
"Hey, Shizuka," Honda said, "Since your family had just inherited all that money from your rich dead uncle, mind taking us out to dinner sometime?" That outburst earned him an elbow jab from Bakura.
"No problem," Shizuka replied without hesitation. It was a great surprise for her whole family to learn that she had very wealthy distant great uncle, who has recently passed away childless, therefore had no one to inherited his grand fortune. The Jounouchi household had been going through a lot as of late. This money will help their financial troubles considerably. Out of excitement at the sudden turn of fate, Shizuka unintentionally told her friends about it, right before Bakura willingly offered to drive her home for once.
These friends had become pretty close to her, especially Vivian, considering that they only had met a little over a month from volunteering at an infant welfare clinic and an inner-city soup kitchen. The girls just clicked after their first conversation. Vivian always knew what to say to get the redhead's attention. It was as if Vivian knew everything about her already. The two guys at the front seats were also introduced to Shizuka by her. They came off a bit shady at first, especially Bakura Ryou. There was just something dangerous about him that made her want to run. It was out of the blue when Bakura and Honda stop by to pick Vivian off work. They invited Shizuka to join them for dinner and she reluctantly accepted.
At dinner, they made Shizuka the star of their topic and she adored them ever since. Vivian told everyone how wonderful she was at volunteering while Honda made goofy jokes on the side. The quiet Bakura just smiled and nodded to her stories. If it wasn't for that night, Shizuka would most likely not have become friends with figures like them.
The autumn evening sky darkened by the minute. As Shizuka replied to Honda, she couldn't help but notice Bakura's eyes shifting in the rearview mirror. Had he been watching her during this whole ride?
"In fact, I'm free tonight. Let me go get something from my home first." The nineteen year-old did not suspect anything as she hopped out of the car and walked across the lawn to the entrance. Instead, her conscience caused her to turn around.
"Actually, do you guys want to come in?" she invited.
Surreptitious smiles spread across the passengers in the vehicle. Honda nearly jumped for it. In fact he did, painfully slamming his head on to the roof of the car. Bakura nodded with a cool composure. That was when Shizuka notice that Honda was carrying a giant, deflated backpack over his shoulders. Behind him Vivian slowly followed, sulking with what seems to be guilt.
As they step got to the front door, Bakura asked, "Where do you store the money?"
Without a second thought, Shizuka answered, "In a metal safe set in the storage room. Don't worry; the door to the room is bolted shut," she laughed. "Why do you ask?"
"Just wondering," a hint of a smirk crept onto his lips.
"Hey, is there anyone else home?" Honda questioned as Shizuka fished for her keys.
"Yea, Mom and Dad are home taking care of onii-chan's baby. You guys should meet him; he's adorable."
Her brother three years her senior, Jounouchi Katsuya, and his girlfriend Kajaku Mai had a son together but they are not married yet. Shizuka had only found out about baby a month ago when Mai-san rang her bell, bearing a one year-old baby boy in her arms. How disappointed did her parents look when Jounouchi tried to explain everything that had happened. He was nearly disowned if it wasn't for motherly love.
A middle man with thick bifocals walked out towards them and greeted as they entered the house one by one, "Ah, you all must be my daughter's friends." He studied the group for a moment before frowning.
Shizuka smiled as she gave her father a hug, "Everyone, I want you to meet my father. Dad, this is Bakura," she said indicating the spiky hair twenty-three year old, "that is Honda," she continues, "and over there is Vivian."
"You sit, I'll go make some tea," the older man offered, after all the greetings and handshakes were done. His smile was instantly replaced by a worried expression as he scurried over to the kitchen.
"No need, dude," Honda called out tensely but the elder man was already gone. His uppity mood before had completely vanished when he met the old man. Fat drops of sweat built up and slid from his broad forehead. He tried to fan himself to cool off but it did not help. Bakura gave Honda a warning glance. Shizuka took no note of that as she set her purse down on the coffee table.
Vivian sat down nervously on the sofa as Bakura whisper something covertly into her ear, his hand rested lightly on her waist. Her eyes strained for a moment before she relaxed again and gave a slight, uncertain nod. Shizuka had always assumed that they were an underground couple but never thought to ask.
Awkwardness permeated the atmosphere as the room continues to bathe in silence. That was when Shizuka excused herself to go tend her brother's baby. No one said anything. Her father is still in the kitchen brewing tea.
She walked in to the baby's room just to see her mother playing with the one year old, Taro.
"Shizuka, you're home," the older woman called out happily as she handed her the blond baby. Her tired eyes yawned as she stretched.
"Shouldn't onii-chan be doing this himself?"
"Your brother went out on a date with Mai, he said that they have a lot of catching up to do. So now we are stuck here with this bundle of joy," mother spoke softly as she tickles the child. The infant gurgled and waved his arms and legs in protest. Her mother and the baby appeared to be getting along fine despite being together for only a month.
So much can happen in a month's time.
Mrs. Jounouchi handed a bottle of milk to Shizuka for Taro. The woman brushed her own auburn hair behind her ear. "You know you should really learn these things now that you're coming of age."
"Mom," Shizuka felt her face slowly flush red in having a conversation with her mother on something like this.
"Maybe one of those boys downstairs could be your future husband." Her mother winked. Shizuka's face burned even redder. She turned around, avoiding the twinkle in her mother's eyes. "But keep in mind not to follow your brother's footsteps…"
Shizuka froze before facing her mother again, "But I thought you like Taro."
Her mother did not answer, only looked down to play with the said child. The discussion died from there.
She continuous to rock the baby in her arms for a while, completely forgetting about her guests when she heard a loud bang –followed by a couple other noises— downstairs in the living room where the three of them were. Her mother quickly turned around toward the door to see what the commotion was, but she was not fast enough so she met her fate.
A speeding, near invisible, bullet zoomed through the air, hitting right into her forehead as blood sputtered outwards. Her knees gave away causing her body to collapse, the crimson liquid spread slowly on the beige carpet, oozing quickly out from the bloody opening.
Shizuka had no time to react. She just screamed at her mother's fallen figure as she clench tightly of the crying baby in her arms till the point where she nearly suffocate him. A gun was pointing directly at her as Bakura's face emerged from the shadows.
Cold brown eyes flashed a faint red tint—the color of his victim's blood. He grinned like a madman at the fallen body before stalking away from the crying girl and the shrieking child.
What is going on? How can this be happening?
Shizuka at this point didn't know what to do but to cry like the child in her arms. Her thoughts jumbled up. She tried to calm down and think straight but the scene of her mother getting shot replayed over and over again in her head. Finally snapping out of her haze, she held the baby closer but more gently, desperately trying to figure out a way to escape before Bakura returns or the other two finds them.
At that moment, Honda Hitoro stumbled into the bloody room as Shizuka shrieked once again, fearing for her and her nephew's end. She protectively pulls Taro even closer to her.
"C'mon Shizuka, we have to leave, Bakura would be done soon and if he doesn't see you in the car he might get mad. Trust me. You don't want to get on his nerves." His words caught her off guard.
Just as he was about to successfully calm the tear-struck girl, he added, "Leave the baby here."
Shizuka paused. "No," She answered with all the courage she could muster. Tears swelled up her hazel eyes; it is her job to protect her innocent nephew no matter what.
Honda step closer to her, trying to make a grab at the boy, when she turned around and kicked him aggressively on the groin. She didn't know she had it in her. At once, she leaped towards the wall as she watched the man doubled over in pain. A plan needs to be created now or they are all doom for death.
Just then, the cold-hearted killer stepped in. "What is the goddamn hold up?" He growled before noticing Honda's scrunched up form and then at Shizuka's dark glared at the corner of the room, "You're a piece of shit, Honda," he remarked, giving Honda kick in the gut to add to his other pain.
He walked over and grabbed the teenager by the wrist, "Let's go," he clenched his teeth.
"No! Get away from me, you psycho!" she screamed again.
"You stupid wench. You should know how lucky you are to be alive right now… unlike your hag of a mother over there," he taunted, attempting to pry the toddler from her arms but it was useless. So instead he drew his hand back and slapped her hard across her face, leaving a red hand mark on her cheek. Blood flow from the corners of her lips at the sudden impact but she tried not to let it affect her.
Bakura drew his arm back again, this time Shizuka flinched. He took that as an opportunity to rip the clueless child from her arms. She yelped loudly as he thrust the crying baby hard on to the bed. It bounced a little and continued to whine. Shizuka watched helplessly.
He grabbed her by the wrist again. She wrapped her fingers around the bed post, holding on for her dear life. He gave her another yank. They struggled for a bit. He tried to drag her but she wouldn't budge with her feet digging into the carpet for support. That was when he decided to swing her over his shoulders and carried her like a bag of rice.
The white-hair devil did it so effortlessly that it took the girl a brief second to comprehend what was happening. She kicked and screamed and pounded on his back furiously but it didn't faze him at all. She lowers her head on to his shoulders, biting him with most of her strength but it didn't seem to bother him one bit, his grip only tighten. She did not know how familiar he was with the S&M scene.
They traveled down the stairs as Honda followed sluggishly behind, slightly bending over with his hands on his sensitive area.
The Jounouchi sister screamed and shriek with tears rolling out her eyes. Never in her life has Shizuka felt so scared and feeble. As they make their way to the door, Bakura crushed Jounouchi senior's glasses with his boots. The man's broken body lies close by.
Little Taro whimpered helplessly upstairs on the queen sized bed with his little body tossing and turning, nearly rolling off. He turned over and crawled dangerously towards the deadly edge. He persistently sobbed, calling out "mommy" with every tear.
Meanwhile, Shizuka was violently pitched into the car by Bakura, bumping into Vivian, causing the Chinese girl to drop the heavily stuffed backpack right onto her strappy sandals. She gave a small yelp as the heavy thing landed on her toes, but said nothing as she picked it back up again into the safety boundaries of her arms. The way she held the bag of cash was parallel to the way Shizuka had previously held Taro.
Shizuka swung her legs upwards to kick her capturer. He grabbed them and shoved her into a sitting position.
He watched her red eyes swelling with tear droplets, "Don't worry, I won't kill you just yet." His voice didn't sound too reassuring when he slammed the car door, trapping her in the car. She tugged hard on the handle but the lock was on safety.
The engine roared and the car began to move, quickly gaining acceleration. Shizuka pressed her face against the glass window as they drove farther and farther away from home, desperately trying to escape from her inevitable destiny, whatever it may be.
To be Continue…
(1) It means 'bandit'.
