STANDARD DISCLAIMER APPLIED

CHAPTER FOUR

THE MAN BEHIND THE MASK

Mikagami was sitting on his couch, with a plate of hot curry in one hand and the TV remote in the other. As he sat silently, while eating his dinner and flipping through various news channels, his phone started to ring. Mikagami kept the remote on the side and picked up his cell phone, "Hello."

"Mikagami, its Amiya."

"Yes, please go on." Mikagami kept his plate aside and bent forward placing both his elbow on his knees.

"It's nothing very important, Tokiya. I just wanted to let you know that I will be going abroad for some time, for an important work. So you can relax and enjoy your schooling."

"Okay, Amiya, I will."

"Also, I have transferred some money in the other account. So, you can use it however you want without any hesitation. Should any emergency arrive, you know where to find the goods, right?"

"Yes, Amiya. I do."

"Be careful not to get into any troubles though. I won't be much help from abroad."

"I understand. Thank you for calling." Tokiya cut the line and then sighed. 'Finally, I can spend a few days, peacefully.'

Even though he didn't look like it, Tokiya always longed for a normal life. His original goal was to study law and become a great lawyer, just like his father. However, ever since he chose his life with Amiya, he used to always get tied up by his job. Even as an assassin, Tokiya had his own code and would agree to do the job only if he felt that the world would be better off without them. No matter how much he didn't wanted to, this had become his life, his only chance of survival. Of course, Amiya never forced him to this path. Yet, he chose it and now it seemed like there was no other way out of it. He had thought several times about giving up and to just perish to meet his sister, yet he couldn't, for he would always be haunted by the thought of never being able to meet his sister in the other world due to the blood that had stained his hands.

So for repentance, he'd keep only the amount he required for his comfortable life and give the rest of his earning to the orphanage. Throughout his life, he was alone and forlorn. The only thing he received from others was pity, which he hated. Nobody ever tried to understand him. Even the law was unable to punish those who had killed his sister. All it could do was pity him. Humans are always deceitful in nature and the only things they can ever truly give others are pity and empty words of optimism.

Fuuko sat on the kitchen platform while swinging her legs to and fro. "Ne, Raiha. Is it done yet?" That was probably the fourth time she asked Raiha. Her brother would simply chuckled at his little sister's childish antics, "Almost, Fuuko; almost," Raiha picked up the steamed rice with gloves, "Why don't you go lay the plates on the table?"

"Ah, okay." Fuuko jumped off the platform and opened the cupboard with the ceramic plates in. She carefully took out two and then picked up two spoons.

"By the way, Fuuko." Raiha asked as he came back into the kitchen after keeping the rice on the dining table. "Why were so angry over the phone and when you came back?"

Fuuko nearly dropped the plate she was rinsing, "What? Angry? Nah, it is just your imagination." Fuuko dismissed it waving her hand.

Raiha raised an eyebrow, "Ah, so then your face was as red as a tomato for what then? A boyfriend, perhaps?"

Fuuko gave a sigh of defeat, "Alright. Alright, I was angry." She then went out of the kitchen and placed the plates and spoons on the table.

"I got you so far." Raiha said patiently as he stirred the curry and took a sip, to taste it. Fuuko sat on the platform again and told him the entire story of the fridgeboy next door.

"Why are you laughing? It's infuriating!" Fuuko pouted. Raiha continued to laugh, "Ah, sorry sorry." Fuuko let out a frustrated yell, "That's it Raiha! I am never telling you anything, ever again." She stuck out a tongue and then stomped out of the kitchen.

Fuuko plopped on the couch and switched on the TV. 'Brother is such an idiot!' As she kept flicking channels, a plate full of coconut rice curry was held in front of her, by her brother. Fuuko turned her head, "I am not hungry." Just then her stomach grumbled, earning a mild chuckle from her brother. 'Can I embarrass myself more than I already have today?' Fuuko sulked while a mild tint of pink crept on her cheeks.

"Now, now, don't take your anger on the food. I worked really hard to make this for you." Raiha said as he placed the plate on the coffee table, in front, and then sat on the couch next to her. "Let's eat!"

Fuuko crossed her hands under her chest and sat with a cross face. Raiha sighed, "Okay, I am sorry for laughing at you. Don't be so angry, alright?" With that he gave his warmest smile. Of course, Fuuko couldn't resist her favourite person's smile, "Okay!" Fuuko chirped and picked up the plate, "Let's eat!"

"By the way, Fuuko, it was wrong of you to unnecessarily ask him about the girl in the photo." Raiha said as he ate.

Fuuko stopped and looked at her brother, "Why? It's not like I asked something inappropriate."

"How long have you known this guy, Fuuko" Raiha answered. Fuuko remained silent. 'He is right. But he shouldn't have snapped like that.'

"I think the girl was someone very close to him. A very precious person; who probably isn't there in his life anymore." Raiha spoke as if he had read her thoughts. Before Fuuko opened her mouth to say something, Raiha continued, "A guy of his age doesn't keep a girl's photo in his wallet unless she is very important. To be exact- the most important. Also, the way he reacted, it is kind of obvious that he has lost her to some unfortunate circumstance."

Fuuko looked down at her plate pondering on what Raiha had just said. "Besides, Fuuko, before you expect a person to give a part of them to you, shouldn't you be willing to give a part of yourself, first?" Raiha ruffled her hair and smiled at her. Fuuko looked at her brother and then nodded with a smile. She understood. She understood every word Raiha said.

'Tomorrow, when I meet him, I will make sure to apologize to him.' Fuuko thought and took another bite of the curry, "Your curry is the best, brother!"

A/N

I hope the chapter was better than the previous version. :P I added extra RaiFuu moments(though not the way RaiFuu fans would have liked it). R&R!