The curtains in the room were drawn tight, keeping the moonlight from peaking through. Amidst the darkness, one lone figure walked towards the door and gently turned the lock with a soft, almost imperceptible click. The figure stepped into the connected bathroom and locked that door as well, only sparing a quick but cautionary glance back.

With only the moonlight to light the way, the person navigated their way through the room, bare feet padding across the tiled floor. Upon finally reaching their destination, the person sat on top of the closed toilet and fished out a cell phone from their pocket.

After a few taps, a familiar ring hummed in their ear. Barely a second later, the receiver picked up the call and promptly responded with a suave voice, "Missed me?"

"I did indeed." A small smile graced his lips. There was no need to claim otherwise as his lover practically knew everything about him. He leaned back and tilted his head in an attempt to hear the other person better - though he didn't dare raise the volume of the phone.

"Well then, why didn't you contact me sooner?" The person inquired teasingly, and a light chuckle soothed his soul. He smiled.

"You know why." He closed his eyes, once again familiarizing himself with that soft yet authoritative voice. It really had been too long since he had last heard his lover's voice, and now, he was suddenly reminded of just how much he longed for his other half. But nevertheless, there wasn't much he can do. Not until this whole game was over. "But I really do miss you... Things have been progressing rather boringly without you."

"Understandable. It's been rather frustrating on my end as well."

He raised his brow. "Oh? Are they annoying you again?"

"Wouldn't you know it. The second I take my eyes off them, these idiots start up another commotion."

"Aww, my poor baby," he cooed as he brought his legs up to the toilet lid.

"Yes indeed." He then continued in an almost coy fashion, "That's why I need daddy to come home and treat me the right way."

He choked and had to cover his mouth to contain his laughter. "W-What?"

"I've been reading a lot of kinky lines lately. How was it? Did it sound endearing?"

He gave a sound of affirmation. "So this is what happens when I leave you alone for too long... But I love it, nonetheless." Really, his lover was an endless box of surprises, but that made their relationship all the more fun.

"Of course you do." His lover's voice was full of confidence and pride, but that was softened by his next words, "And I love you too."

He rested his chin on top of his knees. "I wish you are here with me now."

"Don't worry we'll see each other again in due time."

He hmm-ed and nodded. That was true. No matter how far apart they were, they would always manage to return to each other's side, and this time was no different. Besides, "Yeah... the game might be ending soon."

"Then we might be looking for a new game to entertain us soon."

"Of course. Now, I'll talk to you later... love?" He added that last word after a moment of thought, fully aware of the effect it would have on the other person.

On the other end, the other person shook his head. "Take care, my sweet."

The call disconnected, and he tapped his fingers against his thigh as he pondered his next move. It was far past midnight, so everyone should be asleep, right?

With that in mind, he left the room and faded away into the darkness of the hallway, unseen and unheard.

Silent and gone.

/

With the light of the laptop screen reflecting in his lenses, Imayoshi's fingers danced across the keyboard at a breakneck pace. He skimmed the pages of information and dragged file after file into the window with a little chibi caricature that he animated as a signature (and just for kicks). His self-made program was quietly transferring the downloaded information to the other PCs connected to his. Thanks to his ploy, those Seirin fools had no way of knowing what had happened right under their noses.

Besides, Imayoshi had a certain someone on his side... And there was no way they would be losing in this battle of wits.

Imayoshi yawned and reached over to his bag of marshmallows, popping one of the small, delightful treats into his mouth. If it weren't for these fluffy desserts, without question, he wouldn't have lasted for this long. Of course, since he was assigned with two roles within Seirin's base - one being the prisoner, the other being a secret agent - he needed to play both roles at different times. Therefore, it was only at the crack of the dawn that he could fulfill the duties of his second role.

It wasn't easy to say the least, and thankfully, he had gotten several marshmallow snacks sneaked in to help him keep up.

Suddenly, a message in a green box flashed across the screen: "Transfer progress: 100%. Mission success."

Imayoshi smirked and replied, "Well done. Our job is over." Devilishly, he opened his browser and relayed this information to his higher ups, attaching a peace sign with his self-designed emoji that displayed his trademark grin.

Afterwards, he leaned back and stretched his limbs, cracking his neck from side to side and massaging his stiff muscles. He then shut his laptop and hid it in a secret compartment that he had stumbled upon while exploring his prison cell.

He was about to drift off to sleep when a sudden chill crept up his spine. Imayoshi froze. Someone was watching him. Imayoshi glanced through his peripheral vision and quipped, "Oya, oya, it's rude to approach someone without saying anything, Stalker-san."

"How cruel. Since when am I a stalker?"

Imayoshi cocked his head. "So? Did ya come up to check on me? Or..." Imayoshi waggled his eyebrows suggestively, "Did ya came for a nighttime rendezvous? I would gladly welcome you if that was the case."

"Sure, I can take you to my bedroom," the new person answered, stepping closer to Imayoshi, fingers circling around the prison bars. "As long as you don't mind being six feet under by tomorrow morning."

"Now, now, spare me that fate, would ya?" Imayoshi laughed nervously. He might be a bit of a playboy, but even he didn't have a death wish.

There was a pause, and Imayoshi swore the temperature dropped a few degrees. "Did you accomplish your mission?" The person demanded, dropping any kind of playful pretense.

Imayoshi nodded. "Of course. All information regarding Seirin had been sent."

"And...?" He prompted.

Imayoshi smirked, baring his teeth. "And they can come for a visit anytime."

/

The following night, Furihata was humming along to a beat in his bedroom, swaying his hips to match the rhythm as he tidied his room.

After his temporary absence from the base, his room looked like a hurricane had run through it. Of course, Furihata knew exactly who the culprit was, but he decided to not push the issue… yet.

But back to the present, the reason why Furihata was in such a good mood was all because of a certain purple haired man. He just couldn't stop thinking about Masato, and the two had made an agreement to meet again soon. Just imaging Masato's face made Furihata feel all giddy, and a healthy red blush darkened his cheeks. Was this what love felt like?

He sighed contentedly as a huge smiled adorned his countenance. Coincidentally, at that moment, his phone vibrated from his back pocket, and the screen flashed the name he most wanted to see.

Furihata immediately swiped the screen and accepted the call in a heartbeat. "Hello?"

"Kouki? How are you?"

"... I'm..." Furihata fiddled with the hem of his T-shirt. For some reason, his stomach felt all fluttery as if a kaleidoscope had been rampaging around. "I'm great. You?"

"Lonely." Furihata blinked at the screen in confusion. Masato's voice sounded off for some reason. Nevertheless, he brushed off his suspicion.

"Me too," he admitted softly.

"Well," Masato paused for a brief second, "If you want, I can see you right now."

Furihata's eyes widened, and he almost jumped with joy. "Really? How?"

"You'll have to come outside to find out."

Turning, Furihata headed to his bedroom door, but then he stopped in his tracks. Did Masato know where he was? Surely Furihata hadn't disclosed this important information so carelessly.

As if sensing what had transpired through the brunette's mind, Masato added, "I want to see you, Kouki. Don't you want the same?"

"Of course!" He reassured hastily, abandoning the internal conflict racing through his mind. Perhaps he'd told Masato where he lived by accident or while he was tired. But none of that mattered when he could see Masato in person this very instant.

He flung the door open and dashed upstairs to the first floor, where the entrance of the base was located. Pressing the green button on the keypad to unlock the door, Furihata waited impatiently for the fingerprint scan to reveal itself. Surprisingly, the word "open" flashed in green light instead.

Furihata furrowed his brows. Had the security system been altered without his knowledge? Last time he checked, anyone who wanted to leave the base had to pass the fingerprint test first.

"Kouki?" Masato called again, pulling him away from his train of thought.

"Almost there!" Furihata pulled the door open without hesitation.

However, the large smile that previously graced his lips instantly dropped when an unfamiliar redhead in a black formal suit appeared on the other side.

The brunette's initial reaction was to shut the door and lock it, but it was too late. The redhead barged into Seirin's base as if he owned the place with two men trailing behind him.

"That was very rude, Kouki." Furihata froze as his mind registered the all too familiar voice. It couldn't be... "Is this how you greet your lover?"

His eyes widened. Almost not wanting to confirm what he was beginning to suspect, Furihata took a careful look at the man. He and Masato had the same voice, the same jawline, the same cheekbones, the same stature... As the evidence accumulated, Furihata became more terrified of the conclusion he arrived at.

Furihata took a step back, increasing the distance between them."Who are you?"

"Surely your intelligence isn't that low?" He looked down upon the brunette mockingly.

Furihata took a step back again as his eyes took in what he should have noticed before. Specifically, the telltale fiery red hair and distinctive ring that meant he could have only been one person...

"You're Akashi Seijuro, leader of the Generation of Miracles."

"And he finally gets it." Akashi glanced at his men. "What do you say, should we reward him?"

His condescending tone flipped a switch in Furihata as he swiped his gun from the holster he kept it in and pointed the weapon at Akashi. "What are you doing here?" The hurt he felt due to the other man's betrayal was nothing compared to the stormy rage brewing inside of him. No matter what, he wouldn't let the other man bring harm to his family.

"Drop. The. Gun."

Furihata's eyes suddenly blanked involuntarily, and the gun fell out of his grasp with a clang. His body felt like lead as he tried to override the harsh waves in vain.

'What? Why can't I move?'

It was as if his body was moving according to Akashi's commands like a mindless, subservient puppet. Akashi smirked, "Looks like that special, medicinal soup is doing its job. How does it feel, Kouki, to not be in control of your body?"

'No, this can't be happening! No!'

Although his heart was palpitating with panic, nothing was visible on the outside.

"Boss, we should test the extent of the effect," one man suggested with a predatory grin.

"Indeed," Akashi nodded in agreement. "Kouki, kill the patrol guards around here and don't make a sound. We wouldn't want to raise a commotion, now would we?"

'No, stop! No! I can't! Please, don't-'

Once again, his body failed to listen to him and he accepted the dagger handed to him by Akashi's men. Grudgingly, Furihata turned the corner toward an unsuspecting guard. In less than a minute, Furihata had muffled the sentinel's mouth and slashed the dagger across his throat, leaving a deep gash in its wake. Blood gurgled from his mouth as the man extended his trembling arm, wordlessly calling for help; but not a second later, he ceased all struggles.

He was dead.

Just like that, Furihata killed three sentinels in succession, utilizing the same procedure. As his body went through the motions, Furihata could only watch helplessly as he brutally slaughtered his comrades one by one.

Akashi, on the other hand, was quite pleased with the results. "As fun as that was, we mustn't waste time. Now Kouki, lead my men to Aida Riko's room and capture her without any unnecessary ruckus."

"Boss?"

Akashi waved a hand. "Go. I have to pay Tetsuya a visit."

'Kuroko?'

Furihata's body jerked forward with Akashi's men beside him. Somehow, he got the feeling that he was jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire; it was unnerving.

With Akashi now far away from the trio, one of the men whispered, "Why do boss need to see this 'Tetsuya' guy?"

"You're new here, so I guess you wouldn't know, but the boss is obsessed with him," his subordinate supplied.

"Obsessed?"

"You'd be surprised." He leered.

/

Riko let out a deep sigh. The longer Hyuga and her family were absent, the more distressed she became. She knew that living in the mafia world was hardly filled with rainbows and sunshine, and she accepted the fact that danger was the norm, but that didn't stop her from worrying about their safety.

Although her boyfriend had contacted her a while ago to inform her of their situation, his words of reassurance did not completely erase her fear. Riko stood up and began to pace around her bedroom in an effort to calm her nerves.

'Please be safe, please be safe,' she prayed with all her being.

Her stomach began to ache slightly, and Riko rubbed her belly. It wasn't quite showing- yet. Hopefully Riko could announce the news to her family soon as these past few days had hardly been a time for celebration.

At that moment however, someone knocked on her door. "Y-Yes?" She croaked out, but received no answer. Suspecting that something was off, she crossed the room to her drawer and grabbed a pistol, holding the weapon close.

Walking cautiously, she slowly opened the door. Immediately, someone grabbed her wrist, and another pair of hands loomed over, covering her mouth.

She fired before she could let out a scream.

/

"And so the fun begins," Imayoshi remarked as he collected his belongings. He brushed off the dust particles on his garbs and tossed the key chain up and down. "It's almost a pity that I have to leave." With that, he pushed past the metal bars and left the cell.

He was a free man once more.

/

The unconscious Riko was tossed over the shoulder of one of Akashi's men's like a sack of potatoes. Although she groaned in discomfort, she didn't appear to be gaining consciousness any time soon. Seeing that their mission was accomplished, the two men nodded at each other.

As for Furihata, they knocked him out with the butt of a pistol and, as per Akashi's instructions, one of them tucked Akashi's letter in Furihata's hands.

With their work now complete, Akashi's men left the base and disappeared into the night.

/

What happened afterwards was pure chaos. All of Seirin's remaining members were running amok while the children were commanded to stay inside their rooms.

Needless to say, Kuroko felt that it was his responsibility to shoulder a part of this burden as well. After all, this generous family had welcomed him with open arms, and he wanted to have a hand in protecting Seirin as well.

And so he trailed behind Tsuchida, Kawahara and Fukuda as they all hustled towards the source of the gunshot: Riko and Hyuga's room. As they approached closer, the unconscious silhouette of Furihata became more clear, and they all surrounded the brunette.

"Furihata? Furihata!" Fukuda shook his shoulders roughly, and it took a moment before Furihata finally stirred awake.

Furihata winced and rubbed at the bruise forming on his head. He looked around, trying to remember what had transpired, and suddenly, all the memories came flooding back, and his heart squeezed painfully within his rib cage.

He had killed his friends. He had harmed Riko. He let an enemy trespass their base.

Him.

Although the Generation of Miracles was responsible, Furihata was hardly blameless; he was just as guilty.

How could he have been so damn stupid? Why had he fallen so easily to Akashi's lies? Did he crave affection so badly that he would gladly discard everything that Kiyoshi had taught him as a member of their clan?

Furihata was ashamed of himself. He didn't deserve to be a part of this family.

"Furihata? What happened?" Tsuchida asked, his words laced with worry. Furihata shook his head. He didn't deserve those kind words. He didn't deserve Tsuchida's concern, or anyone's for that matter.

"I'm..." he choked, struggling to swallow the lump of guilt in his throat. It hurt so badly to know that he had a hand in what might mean the destruction of his clan. "I'm so sorry..." He bowed his head as his eyes became watery.

"Furihata-san, please don't cry. And please don't blame yourself. I'm sure it's not your fault. Can you explain what happened?" Kuroko rubbed Furihata's back reassuringly.

"It is my fault!" Furihata hollered, looking up at Kuroko with wet eyes. "I'm so stupid! How could I- How could I have trusted him? Him, a complete stranger! And because of me..." Furihata gripped Kuroko's shoulder, shaking him. "Because I was so goddamn blind, I let him stroll into our base, and I- I don't know what the hell that bastard did to me, but because of me..." Furihata sank to Kuroko's lap, and his volume lowered to an almost inaudible level. "I killed the guards. I let… I let Riko be captured..."

Kawahara gasped, color draining from his face. "What did you say?" He didn't meant to sound so harsh, but Furihata flinched nonetheless.

Mustering his courage, Furihata looked up. "His underlings kidnapped Riko... And everything was my fault."

For a while, no one knew what to say or how to comfort Furihata. Eventually, it was Kuroko who spoke up. "Furihata-san, what do you mean by 'what that person did to you'? What did he do?"

Furihata shook his head and rubbed away the tears. "I don't know… He just told me to do stuff, and it was like I was a robot following whatever commands that bastard gave. It was so..." Humiliating. The word hung in the air unsaid but acknowledged.

Tsuchida pursed his lips, jaws tensed. "And who's this bastard you're referring to?"

"Akashi Seijuro." Furihata practically snarled the redhead's name. If he ever got his hands on that condescending bastard, he'd pay for this.

"Akashi Seijuro? You don't mean...?"

Furihata nodded his head in confirmation. "And, I don't know why, but..." Furihata looked over at Kuroko. "Akashi was looking for you, Kuroko." Furihata took a breath. "They said that he's obsessed with you... What's your relationship with him?"

Suddenly, all the attention was drawn to Kuroko, who shake his head in confusion. "Akashi Seijuro…? I don't think I know anyone with that name. Who is he?"

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised," Furihata uttered as he leaned on the wall for support. "Actually," he paused, taking in a deep breath to stabilize his emotions. "Can you explain for me, Tsuchida? I don't even want to talk about that bastard right now."

Tsuchida nodded grimly. "Akashi Seijuro is part of the mafia, like us, but he's the leader of the largest clan in Japan, the Generation of Miracles. They possess a lot of influence with hundreds of other clans working for them. And for some reason, it appears that Akashi had set his sights on you. Maybe..." Tsuchida looked down and noticed the letter on the floor. "Maybe the letter will supply us with the answer."

He opened the envelope and read its contents out loud:

"'Greetings, members of Seirin. I hope my sudden visit wasn't too much of an inconvenience. Mind you, I didn't come here with the intention of having unnecessary bloodshed, but if blood was somehow shed, then the fault resides with whomever incurred my wrath...'"

Furihata saw red.

"'You may all be wondering why I decided to pay a visit to such a small clan. Well, first allow me to direct your attention to the check enclosed with this letter. A large sum of cash, isn't it? I am an understanding person, so I will offer an alternative: give me Tetsuya, and the debt will be eliminated. Of course, Aida Riko will be returned to Seirin for, let's say, compensation. Contemplate all you want, but remember, today was merely a greeting. You can expect another response from me at a later date. Until then, A.S.'"

"That conceited son of a bitch," Furihata spat out and punched the wall in frustration.

"A check?" Kuroko inquired, and Tsuchida grimaced.

"Yeah, and it's addressed to you." He handed the slip to Kuroko. As Kuroko scanned the check, numbers had never been more horrifying.

"3 million yen..." Kuroko whispered. "To pay off my father's debt... Is he the businessman my step-dad offended?" His hands clenched and rumpled the check.

"What should we do now?" Fukuda questioned, looking to his family for guidance.

"I'll contact Hyuga-san, and report this to him. In the meantime, check the surrounding area for any evidence against Akashi. We probably can't take it to court, but we should gather it just in case," Tsuchida instructed. He patted each of them on the back before departing, leaving the four of them behind.

"Furihata-san, can you stand?" Kuroko asked gently. Furihata waved off his concern.

"I'm fine."

Kuroko wasn't convinced, but nevertheless, he directed himself to the left side of the corridor when Furihata suddenly grabbed his sleeve. Kuroko spun around and tilted his head.

"Kuroko, I'm probably the last person you would trust now," he smiled sadly. "But listen to me when I say this. Leave the mafia world. Leave Seirin."

"I-"

"And I'm not saying that you're a burden to our clan! But God knows what Akashi's thinking. And Kuroko, he's dangerous. If possible, I'd advise you stay as far away from him as possible. Maybe you can leave town for a while."

"But if I leave, what will happen to you all?"

"We can handle it. We've weathered worse storms, after all." Furihata grinned weakly, hoping to break the serious tension with his poor attempt at humor.

Kuroko paused as a mental debate ran through his head. After a moment, Kuroko looked back up determinedly. "No. Please let me fight with everyone here. I can't just leave knowing that everyone's life would be endangered because of me."

"But-"

"And if Akashi-san is willing to have me in lieu for Riko-san, then I will gladly give myself over." Kuroko smiled softly. "Besides, it seems that I've dragged everyone else into my family problems, and for that, I deeply apologize."

"Kuroko..."

"Please let me fight for my family," Kuroko pleaded with candor.

"No regrets?" Furihata looked into his eyes for any hint of uncertainty.

He shook his head firmly. "None at all."

From here on, a lot of fun stuff will be coming; that means drama XD

Please do let me know what you thought of this chapter!