People kept their distance from Rio now that she was Tsutsumi's right hand lady. Whereas before there had been some level of familiarity and comradery between her and the other men in the organization, now people avoided eye contact, keeping their heads down as she passed, obviously trying to avoid attracting attention. Rio wasn't sure how to feel about it. On the one hand, the respect did feel kind of good, but on the other, she already felt lonely in this damn warehouse. Just how did this even happen, anyway? I've only been in this position for a few days.
It probably had something to do with her attire, she admitted. Tsutsumi had claimed that appearance made all the difference, and had forced Rio to completely switch out her clothes. Gone were her casual hoodies and pants—now Rio wore a tight business suit, a grey coat and grey suit pants with a white undershirt. It felt horribly uncomfortable, but Rio did admit it looked surprisingly professional when she looked in a mirror. It made sense that the lower members of the organization would now suddenly be so unfriendly with her—but that didn't stop it from hurting. Not even Igarashi had spoken with her after his prediction had come true.
Of course, it doesn't help that I'm busy all day. Tsutsumi hadn't been kidding. Almost every minute of Rio's day was spent doing work of some kind or another. It was mostly administrative, to her disappointment, with ledgers, logs and other papers taking up the majority of her tasks. It already boggled her brain, but luckily what little time at Harvard she'd gone through had given her enough knowledge about this sort of stuff to take care of it. Still, she felt like she was drowning, with barely a half an hour of rest each day and more work just piling on top of everything she already had to do. Already, Rio didn't feel cut out for the position Tsutsumi seemed convinced she was perfect for. I can understand why Daisuke slacked on these duties all the time, Rio thought in frustration, considering how much there is to do.
And yet, she did do it all, somehow. Tsutsumi had congratulated her several times already, remarking on how much better a job she was doing compared to Daisuke. Rio wasn't sure whether that was a good thing or not. After all, I still mean to get out of here. If she really thinks I'm doing well, would that make escaping harder or easier? Regardless, she didn't have the answers, and she wasn't about to disappoint Tsutsumi and suffer a repeat of that fiasco in her office. So for now, Rio suffered.
Even now, as she strode down one of the dimly lit halls, she was working. An order had come in for some special item, likely from the black market, and it was important enough that Tsutsumi wanted Rio to oversee its arrival directly. Already, Rio was on her way to the loading bay, somewhat relieved that she didn't have to stare at papers for a bit.
The sounds of clacking high heels intermingled with Rio's own, and she frowned, turning in the direction of the new set of feet coming this way. Surprisingly, it was Tsutsumi. There was a look of…anticipation, mixed with pleasure, on the woman's face, and she strode directly up to Rio, sliding her arm into the blonde's.
"Uh…Miss Tsutsumi?" Rio asked, frowning at the intimate gesture.
"Yes?" The woman said, smiling as she pulled the two along down the hall.
"What's…with the smile?" Hopefully that doesn't make her angry, for some reason. Ever since Daisuke had left, Rio had been on edge, just waiting for every tiny thing to set her boss off.
Luckily, it seemed Tsutsumi really was in too good of a mood to care about the forwardness of the question. "Good news, Miss Nakamura. I just got off the phone with someone…very important. You see, my organization has managed to gets its fingers in every area of the underground, effectively dominating it. However, just because we're so prolific, doesn't mean we're all-powerful. Unfortunately, some crime bosses still reign in some areas. Many of them have buckets of cash that they're just sitting on. Our funding has been lackluster as of late—indeed, some time ago I tried to interview a business tycoon, hoping he might be willing to support me, but things went south there. Our progress has been slowed to a crawl as a result, but somehow, I caught the interest of a potential beneficiary. Her name is The Mask, and she's probably the richest crime magnate in the whole country. She's expressed an interest in funding our operation, and has agreed to a meeting within the near future." There was a glint in the woman's eyes. "This is good. This is very good. With this money backing me up, the project will be complete in no time."
Rio swallowed, her mouth dry. How to react to that? This was perhaps the first real glimpse she was getting into Tsutsumi's true goals, and already they didn't bode well. And meeting with the richest crime magnate in the country? If Rio wasn't already in over her head, this development was definitely a push over the edge.
Tsutsumi wasn't done talking. "The meeting will be important. I cannot have anything go wrong. As well, I must exude confidence and control. This means I will need you. You are my second, my right hand woman. Showing that I have power over my underlings, and that they possess the same level of dignity that I do, will go a long ways for my credibility. The Mask will be that much more willing to work with me. This means that you do what I do. I want the men in this warehouse to fear you as they fear me. Make them respect you. You are the new—and improved—Daisuke. Do not forget that."
Rio felt her heart drop into her stomach. She expects me to be her?! She was insane! Rio's nerves would be shot in the presence of an actual crime boss. More and more she was coming to regret ever having joined this organization.
But there was no backing out, at least not right now. In order to lower Tsutsumi's guard, Rio would have to be on her absolute best behavior. Even if that meant presenting a confident persona in front of a crime lord.
They continued to walk down the hall, Tsutsumi obviously lost in her own thoughts. It was early evening right now; the sun hadn't even gone down yet. Plenty more work would be left in store today. Rio wondered if she'd ever laugh and chat with the men below her again—hell, if she'd even go back to the days of an ordinary citizen living an ordinary life. Thoughts of E Class drifted into her head, of lunch breaks spent talking with friends, afternoons having fun with her classmates. She remembered Karma, and Kayano, and Sugino and Isogai and Mr. Karasuma and Ms. Jelavić. And Nagisa, too. She hadn't talked with any of them in so long. Were her chances of doing that ever again now dashed? Was all that awaited her a cold, criminal lifestyle?
It can't be, she told herself. I won't let it be. She would escape from this place, no matter what. It was possible. Igarashi thought so, and apparently he and Yuki had some plan in mind to help her out. She just had to wait it out. And not give up hope.
As they were walking, suddenly a grunt ran up them. Out of breath and looking distressed, he pointed vaguely behind him. "Miss Tsutsumi! Miss Nakamura! Intruder in the base! He's got pictures and he's raided our servers for discrete files!"
"What?" Tsutsumi's pleasant smile was instantly replaced with fury. "Who? How?"
"Not sure, ma'am," the grunt said, giving a belated bow and salute. "He clearly managed to sneak his way in here some time ago. We only just noticed him a few minutes ago. Shinichi is leading a few men in a gunfight against him."
Tsutsumi cursed under her breath. "This must be Lovro. He's damn committed to taking me down. Still, only one man? And taking pictures? This is no full-on raid. This is intel. We can take down one person, and we damn better if he's got our files. Normally I'd send Daisuke to do this, but in light of recent changes…" She trailed off, before meeting Rio's eyes. "Congratulations, Miss Nakamura. Time to put that training of yours to good use."
Rio was about to protest, but a sharp look from Tsutsumi cut her off. Right. Professionalism when in front of the men. Nodding, she looked to the grunt. "Lead me to the intruder. I'll stop him."
The grunt nodded, giving her a small bow of respect before turning on his heel and hurrying off. Rio followed, glad to be leaving Tsutsumi but now newly anxious at this sudden development. An intruder? Sure, Rio had infiltrated a government facility before, but she'd been accustomed to that, thanks to E Class. But defending? Against a skilled assassin, one probably trained by Lovro himself? She'd already gone up against Daisuke in a fair fight, no sneaking, no tricks—and had gotten her ass handed to her. Could she handle this?
I have no choice but to, she thought. Tsutsumi would have her head if she couldn't take care of one intruder. Besides, they had plenty of men on hand, several of them already keeping the intruder busy. With the right tactics, this would go easily. At least, that's what Rio kept telling herself as she made her way through the halls.
The grunt guiding her eventually lead her to the main warehouse chamber, the empty area no one used that acted as a front for the organization. They burst through a door on the third story, coming out onto a walkway that stretched around the perimeter of the warehouse's interior. Down below, men were firing at a figure dashing across the second-floor walkway. Rio could only make out a dashing figure. He's damn quick, she thought, watching as the intruder expertly avoided every bullet fired. No wonder they need my help.
"How long have the men been keeping him occupied?" Rio asked in what she hoped was her most authoritative voice.
"Gotta be no more than five minutes now, ma'am," the grunt replied. "We just found out about him, as I said. You…can take him out, right?"
"Of course," Rio answered. Probably. If this was some cheap mercenary, she'd have no problems—but Lovro wouldn't bother sending in someone weak like that, surely. Well, no sense in standing here thinking about it. Tsutsumi will want results. So, not letting herself think on it further, Rio vaulted over the side of the third-floor catwalk. With dexterity and strength, she caught the walkway directly below—the one the intruder was running down. Rio pulled herself up over the railway and steadied herself, glancing around. The intruder was on the other side of the warehouse still, running away from more bullets, and if he continued on his path he'd eventually run straight into her.
Rio got into an offensive position, ready to tackle or chase the intruder. She recalled her fight with Daisuke. Would this be easier? She prayed it wouldn't be harder. But Daisuke was a strange case, she reminded herself. He had skill like no one I've ever seen. This won't be nearly as difficult, surely. Rio readied herself as the intruder rounded the perimeter of the catwalk, approaching at a rapid pace, gunfire beginning to taper off as her men undoubtedly noticed her.
The man stopped suddenly before her. It was Nagisa.
Rio felt her heart disappear, replaced by a black hole. She stared, emotions dead, shock ringing through her system. Nagisa. Nagisa was here. Nagisa. How. Why. She tried to get her body to move, her lips to form words, but she could do nothing. Why is Nagisa here?
"N-Nakamura?" Nagisa's voice was soft, an echo of the confusion and shock rocking through Rio. He was taller than she recalled, though still remarkably short. His hair was also shorter, and he looked strange in that all-black outfit. But those eyes, that face…that was Nagisa, for sure. His expression was soft, kind, just as she remembered it being all those years ago. For one moment, time froze around them, and Rio could pretend she was back in that classroom on the mountain, that today was just another day of classes and that Nagisa was her friend, someone to talk to, to laugh with.
And then that moment was gone. Suddenly, she found herself in control of her body, her mouth no longer numb. "What are you doing here?" She hissed incredulously.
He frowned. "I could ask you that."
Rio glanced down below. The men were standing there, guns half-raised, postures confused. They no doubt were wondering why the two weren't fighting, simply standing there. I can't talk to him, she realized, though it broke her heart to think that after all these years of having not seen Nagisa she was just going to end up attacking him.
So, she just whispered to him. "I'm sorry."
And she jumped at him, sending a flying kick straight at his chest. He reacted instantly, twisting his body out of the way and grabbing for Rio's leg. She swung her arm around, however, catching him in the head and sending him stumbling back, her leg released. Pressing on the advance, she tackled him while he was dazed, shoving the two of them to the ground. They began to wrestle, punches and struggles devolving into desperate whacks and slaps.
What am I doing? Rio thought dully. She was attacking her closest friend, someone she hadn't seen in years, all because some woman she hated told her to? But what else am I supposed to do? I'll be dead if I fail Tsutsumi.
Nagisa caught her wrist in his left hand, then her other in his right. "Nakamura. Why are you here? Why are you fighting me? Don't tell me you…work for these people?"
She froze. "I…I have no choice. They won't let me escape. I have to keep fighting, or she'll punish me."
A look of deep concern passed over Nagisa's face, and Rio felt her heart stall. "Oh, Nakamura. What did you get yourself into?"
Her heart restarted, pounding heavy and hard, and as she stared into his eyes, a deep blush crept across her cheeks. Damn it all…what am I, some starry-eyed middle schooler? She broke their eye contact, fearing her heart swelling up too much. "Shut up. I was desperate. And stupid. I got too deep into it."
Nagisa cocked his head. "But you know what these people are doing is wrong. You could easily seek shelter with Lovro, or with the ministry of defense, or even with the police. There's no reason you have to stay, Rio."
Rio shook her head, frustrated. "It's not that simple. She's…powerful. And dangerous. Even if I sought out refuge with another group, she'd find a way to kill me. I know too much. I have to do what she says, at least for now. I'm sorry." She hesitantly met his eyes again, and felt her heart ache at his sad expression. "I…guess you're with Lovro, then?"
He nodded, and paused. "You're not gonna…stop me, are you? From leaving, I mean."
She bit her lip. I don't think I could, even though I need to. "No. But…I'll need the files you stole and pictures you took. If I don't salvage those, I'll be torn to pieces. She won't be happy that I let you escape, but I won't be punished if I recover that much." I hope.
Nagisa nodded again, before, strangely, a smile appeared on his lips. "You've really gone and grown up on me, haven't you, Nakamura?"
She couldn't help but smile in turn. "I could say the same to you." Her heart twinged, and she hurriedly pulled Nagisa upright, prompting the two to get to their feet. "Now get out of here."
Nagisa pulled out a few papers and a USB from his pocket, given them to her before turning his heel and dashing off. Rio watched him go, before remembering the men below. Heart sinking, she rushed to the railing and peered over, hoping they hadn't been able to see that exchange. Strangely, though, all the men were gone. Where...?
Sudden gunfire erupted from across the warehouse. On the opposite end of the catwalk, where Nagisa was running, a dozen or so men had appeared, all firing at him. Rio felt a spike of fear shoot through her, but Nagisa of course handled it expertly, dodging each bullet and leaping off the railing to the ground. Sprinting with impressive speed, he made it out door, elbowing past the one guard there.
Goodbye, Nagisa, Rio thought sadly. It had been nice to see him, even if the circumstances weren't ideal. They were enemies now, weren't they? She only hoped fate wouldn't force them into another direct conflict. If she were ordered to kill him, she didn't think she could do it. He's still my friend, even after all this time. Even now, Rio's heart was pounding. She could recall the ache that had struck her chest when he'd smiled at her. He was still handsome, even more so now, and that kindness she remembered was all too present. He's still the same Nagisa from all those years ago. As she thought more and more about him, her cheeks began to redden.
Oh hell, Rio thought. Not again. Not after so long.
"Miss Nakamura!" Came a voice from behind her. She turned around as the same grunt she'd left behind at the third floor catwalk stepped up to her. "Um…were you successful?"
I have to be Tsutsumi, she thought. Putting on her best confident expression and posture, she met his eyes calmly. "Of course. We tussled for a few minutes, and I was able to snatch a few of his stolen items. Unfortunately he got the better of me, and made off with a few files, but the majority was recovered."
"I see," the grunt said, before bowing. "I owe you my thanks, Miss Nakamura. You really helped me and my men out."
"It's my job," Rio said. Reluctantly, she forced herself to walk past the grunt back in the direction she'd left Tsutsumi. What would happen once her boss discovered she'd let the intruder go? Would she be proud of her for recovering what files she did? Or would she be utterly furious? That scene of the devastated office returned to Rio, Tsutsumi mad and crazed. Underneath her professional smile, that monstrosity lurked. Would it awaken now that Rio had failed?
I didn't fail, she told herself. I got the files back. Some of them, at least.
She repeated that to herself all the way to her boss's office. Knocking twice, she found Tsutsumi to be inside from her invitation. Hesitantly, Rio cracked open the door, awaiting yet another scene of destruction.
Tsutsumi was standing in the middle of the room yet again, but the office was pristine and untouched, if missing a few of the items it had held before a hurricane of rage had passed through it. Tsutsumi turned as Rio entered, her smile calm and disarming.
"Miss Nakamura," the dark-haired woman nodded. "You dealt with the intruder, I trust?"
"I…recovered most of the files," Rio answered. "He escaped, though."
A flash of anger passed over Tsutsumi's features, before being replaced by her usual smile. "Well, I suppose that's to be expected. Lovro wouldn't just send anyone against me, after all. Good work, Miss Nakamura. You've done well." Rio nearly breathed out a sigh of relief, until her boss continued. "However! I cannot have my second fail in a fight, even against one of Lovro's top men. So, I will train you. In between your work, you will join me in the gym and I will improve your skills. You already have plenty of experience and skill, but it won't be enough, going forward. I hate to waste time with this, but it seems necessary." Her eyes gleamed, and she smiled at Rio. "Understood?"
Rio swallowed hard. "Understood." Wonderful, now even her free time was being spent with Tsutsumi? Just how am I gonna escape this rotten place?
.
Nagisa dashed across the grassy field, men yelling distantly behind him. Overhead, the sun had begun to set, a gradient of yellow, orange and pink splashed across one side of the sky while the rest was a deep, muted navy blue. It was dark, even here in the city, and the mix of trees and buildings helped to obscure him. As he scrambled between the bushes, he knew his speed and agility had proven enough to assure his escape. Even now the guards chasing him sounded further away than they had moments ago. He'd escaped.
But only with a few files, he thought bitterly. Lovro wouldn't be happy, and Nagisa himself felt almost like this whole mission had been for nothing. But…it ended up being for Nakamura. That thought comforted him. Yes, he'd lost most of what he'd come here for. But if it was for Nakamura's sake, he could handle that.
I still can't believe it was actually her. Even now he half believed it had been a dream, that he'd hallucinated her. But no, she'd definitely been real. Real, and stunningly beautiful. Wearing a professional-looking outfit, her long blonde hair flowing behind her back, her eyes a crystalline blue. She was still the same Rio Nakamura he remembered from that middle school classroom—and yet, she was so much more. Nagisa had nearly had his breath taken away when she'd knocked him over and they'd met eyes. Yes, she'd certainly grown up. Apparently to the point that she's joined crime.
What had happened to her after all these years? Why was she working with this organization? These questions still buzzed around in Nagisa's mind, annoying gnats that bit at him. A tiny voice whispered that she'd gone bad, that she wanted to destroy this city. I don't believe that, he told himself forcefully. He'd met her, talked with her. She'd been vague, and hadn't explained everything, but it was clear that whatever the reason she was here, she didn't want to be. She was afraid. How could he have refused her those files, after seeing that fear in her dazzling eyes?
He needed to do something. To help her, to save her. It was all too obvious she was in a tight spot. She was trapped in this life of crime, with no one to help her out. He had to save her. Wasn't saving people the whole reason he'd gotten involved with Lovro in the first place?
"Nagisa?" A voice in his ear came. It was an earpiece, a new piece of technology Lovro wanted to try, especially after Nagisa had nearly gotten killed by Daisuke. The old Russian hadn't said anything during this mission, but Nagisa felt comforted that he had guidance if he needed it.
"I'm out," he replied, pressing a finger to the earpiece to activate its mic.
"Wonderful," Lovro replied. "I'm waiting near the point we discussed. There was…a bit of a complication. I won't get into it now. Come back quickly, and make sure you're not followed."
"Got it," Nagisa replied, glancing around. There seemed to be no one around, unless a stealth master on large with Nagisa himself was hiding in the bushes. He scurried from tree to tree, the nearby road just barely visible through the foliage by a streetlight. Lovro would be waiting at the exit location they'd decided on before the mission—or, at least, he should have been. What complication had arisen? The old Russian hadn't seemed especially distressed, so it couldn't be anything terrible—but still, Nagisa had a sinking feeling.
Sneaking through a park, between an alleyway and at last around a roundabout road, Nagisa reached the parking lot. Strangely, Lovro's car was right where it should have been. With a bit of searching, Nagisa found that the man himself wasn't anywhere near the vehicle, though. So he left the area on foot. He glanced around, trying to locate a likely route. What could have pulled the old Russian's attention away?
"Nagisa."
He whirled around. Lovro walked calmly into the parking lot from around the corner of a building. Behind him, a pink-haired middle schooler and a bespectacled young woman trailed, looking sheepish and bashful. Nagisa gaped. Sakura? And Omori? What were they doing here?
Lovro gave him a nod and a small smile as he approached. "I see the mission went well. You recovered all the files?"
"Um…" Nagisa began, eyes still locked onto Sakura. She was staring at the ground, rubbing her arm awkwardly. "I had a few hiccups. Hey, Lovro, why the hell are they here exactly?"
Lovro glanced at Sakura and Omori. "Ah, yes. This was the complication I spoke of. I've yet to get an answer out of them as for why, but it's clear they followed us here. How they could have known about this mission or your affiliation with me is uncertain."
Nagisa glared at Sakura. "Why did you do this, Sakura? I told you I'm not going to stop now. I've made up my mind. You shouldn't have followed me here!"
A flash of defiance appeared in her eyes. "I couldn't just sit here and do nothing! Let me guess: you jumped around in some building packed full of people with guns and nearly got yourself killed. Do you realize how scared that makes me? How scared that makes your friends, or would, if you ever told anyone? I couldn't just sit around and wait for you to die, Nagisa. " Tears started to form around her eyes, but she kept them from falling.
Nagisa frowned, taking a step back. Omori looked up, and started to speak as well. "I agree, Nagisa. I…well, I only found out you were doing this a few days ago, but really, think about what this could be doing to those close to you. I'm already worried you'll die, suddenly and unexpectedly."
An aching feeling constructed Nagisa's heart as he listened to them. No, he thought in frustration. I already made my decision. How many more times must I make it?
Lovro stepped between the girls and Nagisa before anyone could say anything else. "Everybody calm down. Nagisa has very good reasons for doing what he's doing, and he understands full well your concerns. Keeping you in the dark is clearly no longer an option, so I might as well explain the situation in full to you two. But first, we must get away from this place. We may not be within the realm of safety just yet."
Reluctantly, Nagisa followed Lovro to the car, hopping in the passenger's seat. Sakura and Omori silently piled into the back, and Lovro drove off. The silence in the vehicle was tense and grating, and Nagisa desperately wanted to confront Sakura, demand she stay away from him before she got herself hurt, ask why Omori of all people was suddenly involved in all this. But he forced himself to stay quiet, and at last Lovro parked next to a residential park. The four got out and slowly stepped into the cold streetlight, Lovro and Nagisa remaining standing, Omori and Sakura taking a seat on a bench.
Lovro was the first to break the silence. "Now. How about we speak in a civilized manner, alright? First off, something both I and Nagisa I'm sure would like to know the answer to very much so—how is it that you found us?"
Omori began to blush, and Sakura bit her lip, before sighing. "It was me. I…I've always known there was something strange about your past, Nagisa. You're clearly not ordinary. I discovered how you were part of E Class, trained as an assassin, that you killed your teacher. It was obvious you were working with Lovro, and that whatever you were doing, your life was being put on the line. I couldn't just let you get yourself killed. So I…I followed you on one of your missions."
"I was part of it," Omori interjected. "She told me about you and what you were doing. I should have left it alone…but I was too curious. I had to know if you were really in that much danger. Miss Kiyashiki and I followed you after school every day, hoping to catch you going on one of your missions. It was tricky tracking you without letting you notice us, but I think I pulled it off well enough. We finally got lucky tonight."
Nagisa felt his mouth go dry. This was all too much. Sakura knew about the truth of E Class? About Korosensei? She and Omori had been following him every day after school? Why? Why would they go through all that, just for him?
Lovro nodded. "I see. Clever of you. I would be intrigued to know how exactly young Sakura found out about E Class, but I will leave that for now." He glanced at Nagisa, gesturing for him to go ahead.
Nagisa swallowed hard. "You did all that…for me. Why? Why did you follow me so far?"
A flash of defiance lit up Sakura's eyes. "Because you were gonna get yourself killed! You're an assassin, for crying out loud. If you're going about doing assassin-type things, it's only a matter of time before you die, no matter how skilled you supposedly are. I'm not about to let that happen!"
Omori's expression was more subdued, but she still seemed as fierce as Sakura was. "I agree, Nagisa. We care about you. If you're going someplace where you could very well die, how can we stand by and let it happen?"
"I have to," Nagisa nearly whispered. "Damnit, I have to. You can't sit around and let me die? Well I can't sit around and let this city die!" I never wanted this.
"I understand your perspective," Lovro said, addressing the girls. "You perceive Nagisa as needlessly putting his life at risk. But I assure you, there is much need." He paused, sighed, and went on. "What I am about to divulge to you two is not something I casually discuss with innocents, but I fear it is necessary to explain in this case. This city is within the grip of a criminal organization, and a very dangerous one at that. I know very little of their plans and motivations, but I do know that they are extremely ambitious, and that only bad things will come of whatever it is that they're up to. I cannot take action until I know everything, however. Nagisa was—and still is, in my opinion—the best of his class, and his skills have not dulled even until today. He was the perfect candidate to infiltrate this organization, and locate files and images that might get me a better clue of the plans of our enemy. I recruited him in a moment of desperation, when even my best men were being picked off and I feared the worst. Nagisa has been a vital ally, and his infiltration missions, while they had their fair share of close calls, have gone as well as I'd hoped. What Nagisa does is necessary, girls, and while I understand your concern for his life, he is more than capable—and this city needs him."
Nagisa watched as Sakura and Omori digested that, their expressions a mix of disbelief and shock. Would that be enough to convince them to leave him alone? Would they finally stay away from him, and keep themselves safe?
"There's…" Omori began slowly. "There's no one better than Nagisa out there? He has to be the one to do this?"
Lovro nodded. "Admittedly there are better assassins out there than he, but they are all either busy in some other job or not on good terms with me. Nagisa lives in this city and cares for it, and he is the best in E Class. He is the best choice, and he has agreed to help."
"But he could still die!" Omori cried. "No matter how skillful he is!"
Lovro sighed. "Yes, it's certainly possible. But it would be no different were he going into war. If this city has need of his skills, then it is his duty to see them put to use. To stop him would be selfish."
Omori quieted at this, staring at her lap in thought. Beside her, Sakura spoke up. "You're really okay with this, Nagisa? I thought you wanted to be a teacher."
He glared at her, knowing his expression was hard and harsh, but unable to soften it for her. "I'm still a teacher. But this is my duty, whether I like it or not. I'm sorry, Sakura, but you can't change my mind. This is my path."
It was like a slap to the face to her, he knew as he watched shock etch itself on her features. Regret and sorrow pierced through him, but he knew it had to be said. She was too persistent, too stubborn, too certain she could change his mind. Hopefully now she would give up. Hopefully now she wouldn't follow him into danger like she had tonight.
As he watched her, however, her eyes started to glimmer, the betrayal and sadness in her expression washing away ever so slightly. It was barely noticeable, but to Nagisa, who'd known her for seven years, he could pick it out. He felt a muted, distant dread appear in his stomach. What did that face mean?
Lovro was speaking, never giving Nagisa a chance to decide. "Well, there you have it. I know how much it must crush you to see your friend put his life at such peril, but it is a necessary risk. Now, if you'll all follow me, I'll see you all home. It is getting late, and I'm sure we'd all like to put this incident past us."
The girls sullenly nodded their heads, and followed Lovro, Nagisa heading up the rear. As he walked, he couldn't help but replay Sakura's expression in his mind, both her shock and the light in her eyes just a moment after. He felt horrible about having said that to her, especially because the reason he was doing this in the first place was to help her—but at the same time, he was unnerved by how quickly that more hopeful face had replaced it. He knew Sakura—she had something in mind, and whatever it was, it could only end poorly.
They piled into the car, and Lovro drove off, making his way based off Omori's directions to her house. Nagisa kept glancing in the rearview mirror, noting Sakura's sad, downcast eyes. Did I just imagine that hopeful face? If so, it was all the more reason for him to feel bad. Would things be the same between them anymore, now that he'd been so uncharacteristically harsh with her? Would she ever forgive him? Already she knew his secrets—surely that if nothing else would drastically change the way she saw him. Was this all for nothing? The thought struck him suddenly. I might save the city, sure, but have I lost Sakura?
That had always been the risk, but now, faced with that outcome, Nagisa realized just how much he didn't want to lose her. But what can I do? Quit? Leave this city to its fate when I know I have the skills to do something about it? No, he couldn't. As much as he wanted to choose Sakura, the citizens of the city were too important to disregard.
Lovro dropped Omori off, the teacher acting more than a little frazzled, and then they were off again. Nagisa's house was closest, and then the old Russian would take Sakura home. At least he could be trusted to keep her safe, if nothing else.
As they drove, Nagisa kept trying to find the words, figure out what to say to mend the relationship between him and Sakura. But nothing came to mind, and Sakura didn't even meet his eyes in the mirror, electing to keep her eyes planted firmly on her lap.
And then they were at his house, and it was too late. Nagisa waved dully as Lovro drove off, taking Sakura with him.
.
Sakura raised her head as Lovro drove away, feeling a pang of regret as she saw her tutor's sad expression. What must he think? Did he believe she felt betrayed, pained that he was risking his life for the city? Well, I do feel that…but it wasn't as bad as Nagisa probably thought it was. Sure, Sakura wasn't happy with the idea of him infiltrating criminal hideouts and getting shot at by a bunch of thugs, but a plan was hatching in her mind, one that was quickly overriding any sense of melancholy within her.
With Nagisa out of the car, she allowed herself to smile in earnest. She couldn't help but smile, whenever a plan was forming in her mind. Even if there was no guarantee it would work, she always got a thrill out of figuring it out.
"You look much better now that your teacher is gone," Lovro commented from the driver's seat. "I wonder why?"
Sakura met the old man's eyes in the rearview mirror. He had a scary face, and though he talked politely, Sakura could sense the danger in his eyes. Even if she hadn't already been told, just by meeting Lovro, Sakura knew—he was an assassin, and a particularly deadly one, at that. She wasn't exactly sure how to respond to his question-he'd acted rather calm and even a bit kind in the park, but now that they were alone, would he become mean?
Better to take the confident approach, Sakura decided, though she didn't feel especially confident, especially since her plan wasn't even fully formed in her head. "I…have a proposition for you, Mr. Lovro."
"Is that right?" Lovro said, a small chuckle escaping his lips. "And please, just call me Lovro. Now, what sort of proposition could a middle school girl have for me?"
"You mentioned before that you chose Nagisa in a moment of desperation. Your men were being picked off. Clearly you were in desperate need of assassins. From what I can tell, you're fighting a force you don't fully understand. Any advantage you can get you'll take."
"An awfully confident assertion," Lovro observed.
Sakura pressed onwards. "You taught Irina Jelavić. You gave tips to Nagisa when he was in E Class. Clearly you're accustomed to teaching new assassins. I wouldn't be surprised if that was what you did primarily before this criminal organization popped up. You need assassins? You have the perfect opportunity right here."
She waited, her heart pounding, her breath held, until Lovro spat out a raucous laugh. "You want me to teach you how to be an assassin?" Another bout of laughter left his mouth as he came to a stop at a red light.
Sakura felt her face heat up. "I'm the perfect candidate! I already know karate, and I stay in shape. I learn quick. Why not take me on?"
"Because it's not nearly so simple," Lovro answered, his laughter fading. "Training an assassin is no small task. It takes a good deal of effort, from both instructor and student. I would have to spend years teaching you, honing your body, implanting the skills into the very memory of your muscles. Even then you would only be mediocre. This war is happening now, or at least it will be very soon. I've a lot to do and no time to waste teaching a new pupil."
"Nagisa trained in only a year," Sakura pointed out, hurrying to redeem herself. "He's the best of his class. You could train me in as much time."
"Nagisa has a talent for killing," Lovro said. "And he was trained by necessity, every day, all day. Even if you underwent the same regimen as him, it would take too long. The conflict underlying this city will come to its head well before a year is finished."
"I don't need the full year," Sakura interjected hastily. "I don't need to be as good as Nagisa. I don't even need to be as good as the students in E Class. I wouldn't be trained to kill unkillable targets, or to take on opponents on your skill level. I only need to do what Nagisa is doing: infiltrate bases, get information, and do it without being detected. You don't need to train me into the ultimate assassin, only one who can get the job done."
Lovro smirked at this. "You're a clever one, girl. And you argue well. I admit, you are convincing. It is true you could become useful with only minimal training—but in order to squeeze even that much in, you would have to make training your life. Each and every day would be spent practicing. You are in middle school, are you not? How do you suppose to take your classes alongside my training regimen?"
Shit, Sakura thought. She hadn't thought this far ahead. Before she really knew what she was saying, her mouth was again moving. "I don't need to take them! If this only takes a few months, I'll just make up for what I miss during the summer! I'll retake the year if I need!" What am I saying?
This seemed to surprise Lovro. "You would really go so far?"
Would I? She swallowed hard, before nodding.
Lovro nodded. "You really do care for him that much, don't you?"
She remembered moments spent with Nagisa in the library, time spent laughing over silly stories and bonding over a test passed. He was her friend, and she loved him. If it was for his sake, would she throw away her schooling? I…I think I would. She nodded again to Lovro, meeting the old man's eyes in the mirror.
He smiled. "As it so happens, you needn't go to such drastic measures. I would hate to see such a bright young mind be deprived of proper schooling. Typically when training students as young as yourself I will include schooling in between physical lessons, to sharpen mind as well as body. Should you become my pupil I'm sure you would receive teaching far beyond the sort you already experience. I can pull a few strings and allow your school to take you back, no questions asked, once your training is finished."
Sakura's heart soared. She could hardly believe it. "Th-Thank you so much!"
"It is really no problem," Lovro replied. "This is typical for my protégés. However, I fear with this criminal business taking up my time, I will not be able to oversee your training, nor will any of my associates—we are quite busy currently, you see. I do, however, have an idea for who could train you in my place. You won't receive the same quality of teaching, but I'm sure they will do an adequate job."
Sakura's face fell a bit; she'd been hoping to get experience directly from a clearly quite accomplished assassin like Lovro. Still, to be receiving training at all was phenomenal. "I'm happy to be getting trained in the first place."
Lovro nodded. "Of course, if you're to be abandoning your current school and essentially giving up your present life for my regimen, I will have to clear it with your parents."
She paled. Her father? He'd never let her do something like this. "Wait! Please don't tell my dad about this. He's already out of a job; if he finds out I'm leaving him, he'll freak out!"
The old man narrowed his eyes at her. "I don't exactly feel comfortable lying to your father about this matter, nor do I think a realistic lie could be conjured to explain your absence. However, I do admit that most responsible parents would not condone something like this." He frowned in thought.
"Just tell him the truth," Sakura said quickly. "Tell him I'm going to a new school. Something a…bit more private. Tell him I'll be staying in dorms, and won't be able to see him. He'll eat it up. The idea of his little girl getting top tier schooling would make him sign any papers you shove at him."
"I suppose that would work," Lovro laughed. "I will come up with the deeper details of this lie later. As for your father…I might be able to set him up with a job."
"Really?" Sakura exclaimed. She could hardly believe what she was hearing. Professional training, great schooling, a job for her father…this was better than she could have ever hoped for.
Lovro nodded. "I will say, however, miss Kiyashiki—this is not mere charity, nor is it solely to use you in the battle against the criminals Nagisa and I face. I'm making you my investment. Once this war is over, once Nagisa returns to his teaching position and I no longer have business in Japan, I plan on training you further. You will become my pupil, properly, and I will make you a great assassin."
She swallowed. "And…what if I don't want to be an assassin?"
He met her eyes in the mirror. "Do you not?"
She looked down, thinking. Did she? She didn't really have any aspirations or career goals beyond the general civil worker plan most others her age had. She wasn't exactly picky about where she was going to go once she left high school—but assassination? Killing? Did she really want to do that?
Lovro seemed to sense her uncertainty. "Well, not to worry. We will talk more about this later. For now, I will make preparations for your training. Congratulations, Miss Kiyashiki. You are now my pupil. I can only imagine how Nagisa will react."
Her eyes widened. "Don't tell him!"
Lovro frowned.
"Please don't tell him," Sakura said again. "He can't know I'm doing this. He'd stop it immediately."
Amusement appeared on Lovro's features. "You two are very interesting. Neither one wants the other to be hurt, and yet both will gladly sacrifice everything in service of the other. I fear all of this secrecy between the two of you will tear your relationship apart. Still, I will do as you request. I wonder if he will deduce for himself what has happened when he finds out you will not be attending tutoring lessons with him anymore."
I wonder if he'll think I hate him, Sakura thought, a sick feeling pooling in her stomach. She didn't want Nagisa to hate her. Far from it. The whole point of what she was now doing was for Nagisa's sake. Once she was an assassin like him, maybe Lovro would send them on assignments together. Maybe they could work together, as equals. Maybe he'd finally see her as something more than just a kid. Maybe…
It suddenly struck her how crazy her plan was. Become an assassin? Actually infiltrate criminal bases? Actually kill people? Was that what now awaited her? There wasn't even a guarantee that she'd work with Nagisa once her training was over, or that he'd come to accept her. She was throwing away her life as it currently was all for a chance? She wasn't even doing this to help people; Nagisa was far more altruistic than she was. She was just being selfish, hoping that somehow she might reach him through this crazy scheme.
What about Shibata? She was leaving her best friend behind. All for a distant hope on a man so far above her he was barely visible. What was she thinking?
A tumble of thoughts and emotions ran through her as Lovro pulled to a stop outside her house. He caught her eyes in the mirror, before turning around in his seat and facing her directly. "You will be alright?"
She nodded absently, opening the door and getting out. Lovro waved a goodbye as she walked to her door and went inside, the sound of the car's tires screeching distant in her mind. Once inside, she half expected her father to be out hunting for a job, but he was sitting on the couch, the TV on in the corner. Rubbing her arm awkwardly, she strode for the stairs, hoping he hadn't noticed her come in, but he sat upright as her foot hit a creaky floorboard.
"Sakura!" Her father exclaimed, standing upright. "How was cram school? You're doing well so far?"
She nodded, her throat dry. She'd told her father that she'd had cram school whenever she'd gone off with Omori to follow Nagisa, so that must've been where he thought she was. "It was good. Listen, dad, could I—"
"Hold on," he said, seeming excited. At least he wasn't drunk, Sakura conceded, though she felt more and more guilty when she remembered she'd be leaving him soon. It's bad enough I'm lying to him already…she thought. Her father hurriedly pulled out a pamphlet from the kitchen, showing it to her eagerly. On it was displayed a construction worker. "I've got an interview for a job at a construction site scheduled for this Friday! Your old man will finally have a new job!" He smiled broadly.
Sakura did her best to return it. "That's…that's great, dad. Congratulations."
His face fell as he studied her expression. "You're…not happy?"
"I've got…stuff on my mind," she said, hoping he wouldn't pry. "Listen, dad, could I go to my room? I've had a long day."
He frowned at her, but let her go. "Of…of course, sweetie."
She pulled away, and made for the stairs. Her father's eyes drilled into her as she disappeared upstairs, but she quickly forgot about him as she shut her door behind her and flipped down on her bed. Her brain was still a mess, and she struggled to make sense of all her thoughts. Nagisa, Lovro, Shibata, her father, Omori, everything swam inside her mind, impossible to focus on any one thing.
Eventually, she sat up, and glanced at her phone. A lone text message was all the notifications she had gotten over the course of the entire day. Shibata. Her best friend had texted her while she'd been out with Omori. Sakura squinted at her phone as she read it: You've been refusing to hang out the last few days. Is everything alright?
She sighed. What was she going to tell her? That she'd been following her tutor around after school? Shibata would think that was bad enough, but now she'd come up with some crazy scheme to train as an assassin. How was Sakura going to break that news to her? Hell, how was she going to leave her best friend in the first place? Shibata, the one person who'd stuck with her through everything she'd done, the one person who'd supported her no matter what. Sure, the training wouldn't be longer than a few months, but that was still a long time. A long time where she wouldn't have her trusted best friend at her side.
Maybe I should ask Lovro to call this thing off, she thought. Doing this meant throwing away her current life, if only for a few months. Why was she doing this in the first place, anyway? Just to be with Nagisa? She was such a child. He was never going to see her as anything more than a kid, no matter what skillset she had.
"Oh, Nagisa," she found herself murmuring aloud. As she stared up at her ceiling, she recalled a dream she'd recently had of the two of them together. In it, they'd been assassins together, darting across buildings and holding each other in the night. When she'd initially woken up, she'd replayed the dream in her head over and over, imagining a world where that was reality. Now, she saw how childish that dream was. A fantasy, an illusion. She was a middle schooler, he was a grown adult. It would never happen. She was deluding herself.
And suddenly, she removed Nagisa from her imagination. It was just her, leaping around buildings, sneaking in the night, being the most badass assassin out there. She wasn't just a master of karate, but a master of all martial arts, physically capable in every way. What do I want to do with my future? Nagisa probably wants me to climb the corporate ladder and run a company, like most kids plan on doing when they have no real vision. But Lovro wants me to be an assassin. What would that be like? Would it be how she imagined? Would she be a graceful dancer on the rooftops, an agile cat of the night? Or was this still a delusion?
But she'd seen articles. Obscure ones, hard to discover, buried deep in the internet. She'd seen a clip of what was purported to be E Class leaping through the night, just as agile and elegant as she imagined. They'd had her fantasy fulfilled. They'd become the girl in her dream. She could become that too.
Was that what she wanted? The life of an assassin? An illegal life, technically, although people like Lovro treated it as any other profession. A life where she'd have to kill. And yet, a life where she might be able to do something real. No sitting in board room meetings, no boring office work for decades until she died. She could live a life of thrills, and a life where she could make a real impact. Besides, there's no reason I have to kill anybody. Nagisa wasn't killing anyone. She could be like him, making a difference without murder. That was a far better life than anything she could have hoped for besides this, right?
She still felt uncertain. But this plan seemed far better than any she'd had before. She couldn't conceive her father would approve, but, well, she wasn't going to be a middle schooler forever. Eventually she'd be eighteen, and then she could do with her life what she wanted. Hopefully that would mean becoming a full, proper assassin.
For now, we'll have to settle for a half-baked one. She sat upright, feeling still a bit unsure, but far more certain than she had when she'd left Lovro's car. She grabbed her phone and quickly called Shibata, putting the device up to her ear.
"Sakura?" The chubby girl answered. "What's up?"
"Hey, Shibata," Sakura greeted. "I…I got your text. Listen, I'm sorry I've been neglecting you lately. I've been doing things, stuff I'd rather not involve you with. I shouldn't have put you aside for that, and I apologize."
Shibata cut her off before she could go on. "Sakura. It's fine. I'm used to you running off and getting into trouble and doing your own thing. Honestly, I'm kind of glad you don't involve me with everything. It just worries me when I can't keep an eye on you; you're way too good at doing things you shouldn't be. You…you have done anything too bad this time, I hope?"
We'll see, Sakura thought. "I can take care of myself. Don't worry about me." She bit her lip, uncertain how she was going to phrase the news. "Um…listen, Shibata, I…I'm going to be going away. Soon. I'll be leaving the school, staying someplace outside of my house. I don't know when I'll be back, but it'll probably take a few months. But I'll be fine; you don't need to worry about me. Once I'm done, everything will be better."
"Sakura?" Shibata said, her voice concerned. "You're leaving? Why? What's going on?"
A pang of guilt rang through Sakura, but it was too late to back down. She'd made her decision, and though she didn't like it, Shibata was tough. She could take care of herself while Sakura was gone. "I can't tell you. I'm sorry. But I'll be back, eventually. I promise."
Shibata paused. "And you're sure nothing's wrong? Nothing at all?"
Sakura smiled. "I think things might finally be going right, actually."
"If you say so," Shibata replied reluctantly. "Just…be careful, okay, Sakura?"
Sakura nodded, though Shibata obviously couldn't see it. "I will. Thank you…thank you for putting up with me, Shibata. You're a great friend." A chuckle escaped her lips. "I guess I shouldn't be talking like I'm leaving right away. I mean, I'll still be seeing you in school for a few more days." Probably. "Sorry. I…I'll see you tomorrow."
Shibata laughed. "See you, Sakura."
She hung up, and Sakura set the phone down beside her on the bed. A smile still lingered on her face. Despite everything that had happened today, despite a fight with Nagisa and her operation with Omori getting upended by an attentive Lovro, she still felt like she'd accomplished something big. And she had, really. She was to be trained by one of the greatest assassins in the world, become at least somewhat like Nagisa, an assassin in her own right. And maybe eventually I'll be a true assassin, once I get out of high school and Lovro recruits me for real. Sakura was giddy at the thought.
Those thoughts accompanied her as she inevitably fell asleep.
.
Hey all. Chapter 14, finally finished.
So, first things first. I am so so so so sorry about the wait. Recently I've been having troubles sticking to one writing project, and this one seriously fell to the wayside. I think that a severe lack of reviews/attention to this fic in general caused me to lose motivation and I burnt out fast. I worked on it here and there over the last two months but it was hard to get back into it. Recently with guilt/the prompting of a reviewer I decided to finish the chapter. I'm happy it's finally done and again, I apologize for having taken so long. My motivation is still not great but I do mean to be better about updating regularly; hopefully I'll get you all a new chapter by the end of next month. I always say this, but I put extra emphasis on it this time: please, please, please leave a review. Hearing the thoughts of my readers is the biggest and best way to get me motivated to write.
Aside from that, we're quickly heading towards a shift in the story. I'm super excited to continue this fic and I hope you all are too.
Until next time!