Finally finished the next chapter! I wasn't so sure if I was able to finish it. Thank you for the many encouragements I received from the people who reviewed. You guys had no idea how much they meant to me. It's one of the issues I still have to overcome, and I appreciate you guys being so understanding. Not to delay you guys any further, here's the next chapter!

Quick shout out to starrat, shahmeeralikhokhar, Ariel-Sarina-Jen (Jen), loveanime1999, Devlin Dracul, Wavywavy, Emilyamazing, WickedBeet, aoutre, suntan140 and all the Guests! Thank you for taking time out for those sweet words.

Aki walked through the doorway and started to take off her shoes. She was still slightly in a daze after meeting up with Kanzaki. It was one thing knowing the consequences of rebelling against her father, and another when she was really experiencing it. It seemed… surreal.

"Ah, welcome home, Aki! Tatsumi is in the living room, he'd finally finished moving all your stuff, that weakling."

Aki snapped her head up and stared at Tatsumi's sister, who had a popsicle in one hand, and her signature cheeky grin on her face. 'Welcome home'. Aki thought to herself, feeling strangely embarrassed. Sure, Misaki and the rest of the family would welcome her back warmly in the past week when she had stayed in Tatsumi's room due to her bad health, but she would have never thought that this simple gesture would be so permanent now.

Flashback

"Now. Explain." Tatsumi growled after he'd got over the shock over the fact that it was Furuichithat saved the day.

Nope, not him. Furuichi.

Tatsumi, Furuichi, Alaindelon and Aki sat in a circle, with Oga facing the poor girl who was now under interrogation. Baby Beel was sleeping soundly on Tatsumi's lap, probably tired from all the excitement before. Hilda was still nowhere being found, probably still trying to hunt down her sensei.

Brrrrr, Aki shivered, feeling bad for that man- or should she say, demon. Sure, he may be a demon, but hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, and this was Hilda they were talking about.

Good luck sensei, Aki mourned, may the odds be ever in your favour.

"Erm," Aki stammered, breaking the tensed silence. She was still fidgeting in her seat opposite of Tatsumi, like a guilty child, "What you do want to know? You guys are pretty much in the loop now. You know, yakuza parents and what not. To be fair, I had absolutely no idea my sensei was a demon! It was as much of a surprise to me-"

"Not that!" He snapped, "Since when do you fight?!"

"Wellllll," Aki drawled out, looking away, "I don't really fight-"

"You fought off at least 20 guys on your own!"

"Well, yeah! They were coming at me! I had to defend myself!"

"I thought you said you don't know how to fight!"

"I never said that!"

"Then why do you always run away?"

"Erm, cause I don't want to fight?" Aki raised an eyebrow, looking at Tatsumi as if he was an idiot. There it was, that telltale sign that he was getting pissed off. First the tick on his forehead, then the red flush on his face, and that constipated look.

"YOU BAKA!" Tatsumi burst out. He had enough. So much mystery he never knew Aki was capable of. Just a few days ago, he thought he knew this person in front of him, and now…

"HEY! YOU'RE THE BAKA, BA… ka?" Aki had retaliated, but was utterly surprised by the flash of uncertainty and disappointment in his eyes before he'd steeled his expression. He had seemed… lost. No. Tatsumi Oga never felt lost. He was full of himself. He was always absolutely sure of himself. At that very moment, Aki felt weirdly guilty, because she knew, all these secrets seemed like a betrayal to the friendship they shared.

In the beginning, that had seemed like the best arrangement. Tatsumi doing whatever he wanted to do, and Aki just tagged along, with no one overstepping each other's boundaries. Yet, slowly by slowly, Aki realized that had changed. Change to something more. Something that neither had put words to it. She owed him the truth.

Aki sighed, hating that vulnerable part of Tatsumi, and that vulnerable part of herself that she was going to divulge.

"I don't like pain," Aki said plainly, catching everyone's attention. She was suddenly void of emotion, as if trying to dissociate herself from whatever memories that were now going through her mind.

"Because of my father's… line of work, I had to learn how to defend myself even before I knew how to walk, which was ridiculous," she laughed bitterly. "I don't really remember much really. All I remembered was a lot of fighting with Gon sensei and a lot of pain. Everywhere just… hurts. Before I knew it, I'm already in middle school, and I'd graduated from Gon sensei's teaching."

"How is that possib-"

"PTSD." Furuichi cut in at Tatsumi's scepticism, a serious expression on his face as well, "Some people, when experienced significant trauma, would forget parts of their unwanted memories to protect themselves. It's a coping mechanism."

"Maybe," Aki nodded slowly. She had not been aware that her lack of memories had been… well, scientific. She had always thought she was just… you know, stupid. Thus Ishiyama, really.

"So, long story short," Aki continued, "Once I have the freedom, I just… don't fight anymore. Besides, it is way funnier to see people's pissed off face trying to catch me anyway. Ha ha ha," She laughed, trying to diffuse the tension in the room. She hated this. It wasn't supposed to be a sob story that made her out to be a victim. She had been a winner. She was not under her father's reign for quite a while. She can choose not to fight, not to be in pain. She can have fun now. She was free.

Tatsumi had been uncharacteristically silent, his brows locked and a deep frown on his face.

"Tatsumi?" Aki ventured timidly, just as uncharacteristic. She was just… scared. In the past year messing with Tatsumi and Furuichi had just been fun. Really, really fun. She would hate to just lose it. Heck! Even having Baby Beel seemed like a blessing now-

"Ahhhhhh, I get it now," Tatsumi suddenly said, a smug expression on his face, cutting off Aki's thoughts, "So all these was just about you being a weak, lazy brat, is that it?"

"What?" Aki exclaimed, feeling slightly offended.

"I mean, you're so weak you can't even stand the essence of fighting. Pain is what makes you a real man!" He mocked, starting to laugh like an idiot like he usually would, "That's why after I fought off those nobodies back in Tokyo a year ago, you came to Ishiyama because you were just so awed by my prowess, right? HAHAHAHA, it can't be helped, after all, I am the best."

While Tatsumi was laughing to himself, Aki, Furuichi and Alaindelon sweatdropped, none of them impressed. Tatsumi's inflated ego knew no bounds.

"If you want to see it that way, sure, oh mighty one" Aki said dryly, resisting the urge not to roundhouse kick him. After all, the secret was out. Tatsumi was now on his feet, still laughing and babbling about how great he was, not even noticing the sarcasm in Aki's words.

"So… what now?" Furuichi asked, decided to ignore Tatsumi while he was on a roll.

"A lot of things," Aki sighed, "Knowing my father, I undoubtedly will be cut off, so no more fancy pancy privileges. So I probably will need to find a new plac- OUCH! WHAT THE FUCK, TATSUMI!"

Aki glared up at Tatsumi, who was now standing right in front of her, that sense of superiority evident in his stance. He had just flicked her forehead, and not too lightly, Aki must add.

"Baaaaaaaaaaaka," Tatsumi scoffed, "Haven't you been staying at my house?"

"Yes… anddddd…" Aki asked with narrowed eyes, slightly apprehensive.

"Stay."

End of Flashback

Aki blushed. She had been distracted by the pain on her forehead then and did not realize what Tatsumi had said. She had been in a mess when she recalled all the things he said that day, especially when he admitted that he remembered the first time he met her. She had wanted to question him, she did, but with the eviction notice that came all too soon, the past few days had been about moving all her stuff to the Oga household.

"Oh, Aki, you're finally back. Welcome home," Aki flicked her eyes towards Tatsumi who just entered the hallway, joining Misaki.

"Oh? Finally got your lazy ass off the couch just to greet your girlfriend? Whipped!" Misaki teased, wriggling her eyebrows. Tatsumi's face instantly flushed, getting defensive.

"I'm just on my way to the kitchen! Stop sprouting rubbish, you old hag-"

Before Tatsumi can finish, Misaki had landed a punch on his head, effectively sent him to the ground. Misaki, not known for mercy, even stepped on his face.

"Loser," she scoffed.

Aki couldn't help but let out a laugh. Despite her best effort, a huge smile entrenched on her face as she selfishly indulged the warm feeling erupted inside of her.

"I'm home."

Apologies for any out of character behaviour. I simply reckon that's how these characters would react to such news. They may be funny, but they do have their serious side. Anyway, cheers!