A/N: Worrying my butt off because of upcoming exams. Major headache, deprived of sleep, and getting lots of grey hair from stress...
Chapter 16:
Kanami did not get any sleep that night, having only sat on the edge of her bed. Listlessly, she remained stock-still for hours, her bloodshot eyes focused on a corner of her room. Her muscles tight with stiffness, the Minoseki Toji stretched her arms before examining the silver bird's wing necklace in her hands. A matching one, which she wore in the past seven years, was around her neck. It was one of the very few possessions she had a sentimental attachment to, and it gave her so much strength even in the most difficult times...
Seven Years Ago...
"Why do you have to leave, Mother?" Kanami asked for the hundredth time.
Wearing her normal cheerful smile, Minato ruffled her daughter's hair. "Because like I've told you, Mummy has some work to do."
Her words felt like heavy weights tugging at Kanami's heart. The little girl's gaze fell to the ground, unable to look anywhere else. Minato's maternal instincts took note of this at once. She knelt down, placing her hands on her daughter's shoulders.
With an equal misty gaze, the purple-haired woman asked, "Will you take care of something for me while I'm away, Kanami?"
Kanami's light-brown eyes met her mother's matching ones. "What is it?"
Reaching behind her neck, Minato's fingers fiddled a bit before unclasping the silver necklace she wore. Upon closer inspection, Kanami could see that it was crafted to look like a bird's wing. Her inquisitiveness was only increased when Minato took from her pocket a duplicate necklace.
Placing them in her curious daughter's hand, Minato said, "Many years earlier, these necklaces were worn by me and a person I loved very much. She passed away a long time ago. Hiiragi Kagari was her name."
"Hiiragi...Kagari?"
Minato hesitated, before continuing, "I'll tell you what to do. You wear one wing and you give the other to someone who is very precious to you. And it's said that when you both wear them, your love for each other will last forever."
"Forever? Why?"
A mysterious expression came to Minato's face. "Because a bird cannot fly with just one wing."
Present Day...
Hiyori's eyes flitted to each of her teammates in front of her. Her mouth was set in a straight line like normal, as she handed Kaoru, Ellen, and Kanami some papers.
"These are your new identities for the mission. There's a map of the Masamune Hotel in your packages too," she explained. "Study them well and be sure to have everything memorized before next week. Once we enter those hotel doors, we are either guests or staff members."
Kaoru's eyebrows immediately wrinkled, after just glancing at the first page of her package. "Come on, why am I always 'room service' at places like these?"
Her blonde girlfriend, on the other hand, peered into the box that lay at their feet. "I'm guessing Mai-Mai sent in these staff uniforms for Kaoru and I?"
A quick nod from Hiyori gave her the confirmation she needed. "There should be ID cards in the box as well."
Hiyori's narrowed eyes then moved to a certain pink-haired loli, who was still sulking. "I'm warning you, Kaoru: you are not to steal anything. Mai's father is already being more than hospitable by letting you two work there. You let your slippery fingers lose control and I'll skin you; I mean it!"
"And here I was hoping Nene and I could take advantage of the casino," Kaoru said.
Perched on her head, Kaoru's pet likewise let out a pouting "Ne..."
The week went by faster than any of them would've liked. So far, everything went according to plan. Just as Hiyori suspected, Sayaka was chosen to accompany her ministry's president to the secret exchange. And thanks to Mai's influence at her family-owned hotel, the stage was set. Hiyori's mind refused to allow her to relax—now, everything depended solely on how successful she led her team.
'You've dreamt of being a rebel since you were a little girl, Hiyori. You're now Japan's top-class criminal. Let's live up to that legacy.'
On the other hand, Kanami's mind was far from the mission itself, occupied by thoughts of a very different nature. According to her identity package, Hiyori again did not expect much from her. Part of Kanami wondered if their previous argument had influenced Hiyori's decision. As much as the thought soured her, Kanami couldn't blame the Mokusa Toji.
'Things are fine this way,' Kanami told herself. 'All you can do is support and protect her. It doesn't matter if she hates you. Just stick by her side, Kanami.'
With more uneasiness than confidence, the two Tojis clutched their suitcases, staring at the towering forty-three storied building across the street. A luxurious resort with thousands of people within its walls—the Masamune Hotel looked just as impressive as international acclaim would praise. Sunlight struck the windows making the building shimmer like a gold beacon.
"Here goes nothing," Hiyori murmured.
"We're already inside, Hiyoyon," she heard Ellen say through her earpiece. "Mai-Mai just gave me the security codes. Got control of the cameras and elevators."
The gentle cadence of Mai's voice was heard next. "Ready whenever you are, Hiyori-chan. I'm at the front desk."
Adjusting her thick-rimmed glasses, Hiyori turned to her fellow hotel guest. "Let's do this."
In the privacy of her hotel room, Kanami unlocked her suitcase and carefully took out its contents one-by-one. A few wigs in an array of colours, spare clothing, a laptop, and fragile spy equipment... With a child-like curiosity, the Minoseki Toji fiddled with one of the devices, turning it on.
"What are you doing?!"
"Shit!"
Narrowly catching the device she dropped in her surprise, Kanami was pinned by the deadly eyes of Hiyori. The Mokusa Toji was standing at the open connecting door of their hotel rooms. Her left eye was twitching ever so slightly, unamused.
"Eh heh heh, sorry..." Kanami nervously chuckled, with sweat dripping down her neck.
She was saved from Hiyori's full wrath, once a knock was heard at the door, along with a familiar voice. "Room-service."
Hiyori opened the door for Kaoru, who quickly came into the room wheeling in a white-clothed trolley. Although she was dressed in a standard attendant uniform, complete with a blue wig, Kaoru's face did not look as welcoming as a hotel staff member's. Her mouth was pulled into a sulky frown and her forehead was all wrinkled together.
"Bonjour, Mademoiselles," the midget said in an exaggerated French accent.
She placed the silver tea set onto the coffee table, asking, "Would you care for some milk and sugar?"
"You can drop the act now, Kaoru," Hiyori said, going into her room.
She withdrew the fake Onimaru and Oodenta she had in her suitcase, before placing them onto the lowest shelf of Kaoru's food trolley, making sure the cart's white cloth hid them from view.
"Right then," Kaoru said. "See you tomorrow."
Checking her watch, Hiyori stated, "Exchange will start in exactly thirty-three hours. Don't be late as you usually are."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Kaoru said.
She was just about to exit Kanami's room when an embarrassed cough from Hiyori stopped her. Hiyori's face was beet-red, as she spoke.
"Thanks for your help so far, Kaoru. B-Be safe, okay?"
Kaoru raised an eyebrow at this sudden show of rare gratitude and concern. Shrugging it off, she wheeled her trolley out, taking the okatanas with her. When she left, Kanami immediately turned to Hiyori with an equal look of attention.
"You're nervous."
"I'm not."
Hiyori's denial was met with Kanami putting her hands on her hips. If the Minoseki Toji was just a few years older, she would've looked like a mother staring down her untruthful child. Seeing that Kanami was unconvinced, stubbornness on Hiyori's side made her not dare to reveal her inner worry.
"Hiyori-chan, it's okay to be afraid. We all have your back," Kanami reassured, before adding, "I'll protect you—the real you."
Her words caused stabbing pain in Hiyori's heart. The Mokusa Toji clutched at her small chest, wincing, as her vision was blinded by the memory of Kogarasumaru going through a certain man and his son. If Kanami knew...
'She'd kill me right away,' Hiyori thought. 'There's no way she'd keep such a false promise for a monster like me.'
Protecting someone like her? Laughable. Such a vow was so fragile; it could easily be broken if certain truths came to light.
"I understand if you don't want to talk. I'll respect your decision," Kanami said. "But...I want to give you something. A gift?"
"A gift?"
From her uniform pocket, Kanami withdrew the silver necklace she kept inside. She took Hiyori's hand, placing it in hers with reverence.
"A long time ago, Mother fell in love with a woman named Hiiragi Kagari. She gave her this necklace as a gift, but it was returned to Mother when Hiiragi-san passed away. I want to give it to you."
The gift was unexpected, but at the mention of her mother's name, a lump caught in Hiyori's throat. Her eyes widened and her already-pale skin turned as white as paper. Hiyori was certain that her heart missed a few beats.
'Kanami's mother and mine...h-how?'
Unaware of Hiyori's shock, Kanami continued with a misty gaze, "Mother told me that when I find my special someone to give it to them. I keep one wing and you keep the other. This is the symbol of my promise."
Her emotions taking control of her, Kanami tightly embraced the ebony-haired girl, who was too stupefied to push her away.
"I need you, Hiyori-chan. And I know you need me too."
"What makes you say that?"
"Cause a bird can't fly with only one wing."
Kanami's words continued to ring in Hiyori's ears. Her lip trembling, the Mokusa Toji put aside her pride, letting herself return Kanami's embrace. The moment didn't last for long and shades of pink spread over the two Tojis' warm cheeks, once they were interrupted by voices echoing in their ears.
"You do realize your earpieces are still on, right?"
"Kaoru, you ruined the moment! We were just getting to the good part!"
"It's okay, Kanami-chan, Hiyori-chan. Pretend we're not here," Mai giggled.
"I don't understand. What's going on?" came Sayaka's voice.
"Kanami and Cutting-Board were just about to—"
Enough was enough for Hiyori. Her blood boiling, she gave a tsundere-like toss of her head, disengaging herself from Kanami's grasp.
"S-Shut up!"
A/N: The Masamune Hotel is inspired by a casino resort I stayed at in Las Vegas once. It's called the Mandalay Bay Hotel.
In the next chapter, the exchange will take place! Will Hiyori and her team be successful or will President Takatsu and the Elite Guards figure out their plan?