(Kouji)

Love is all that matters
Faithful and forever
keeping us together
love is all we need.
Prisoner of illusion
Sentence is suspended
Loneliness is ended
Love has set me free.
(Love is all that matters by Carmen Eric)

In the Depths of Darkness

Chapter 6: I think it's time to end this...

"We've finally arrived!!"

Tomoki ran around the place and laughed as well. Junpei watched him and smiled, at the same time getting his things out of the vehicle. Kouichi, breathed the fresh winter, gave a sigh and smiled. Takuya, got out his bags and grinned at Kouji who just ignored him and grabbed his own things. Izumi looked at him with concern.

'He's been quiet ever since we left...'

"Alright guys! Let's go and-"

"Not so fast Takuya..." came Kouji's voice for the first time on the whole trip. "We've got to get this mission done before we have fun."

Takuya groaned. "Yes, yes... I know..."

Izumi placed a hand on his shoulder. She looked around and saw few people in the place. "Kou..." she began. "Lighten up a bit. Why don't you all have fun for a while before starting the mission?"

Kouji looked at her and was about to talk but Takuya's shout of joy beat him.

"Yes!!!!!! Last one on the slopes is a rotten egg!!"

"Oh come on Tayuki! That's so old!" Kouichi stated and ran after him followed by Junpei and Tomoki.

Izumi smiled at them but Kouji frowned and sighed. He decided to leave them like that while he sorts this mission out. He had a lot in mind so he pushed aside having fun and relaxing to get his mind straight. 'I was assigned to be the leader here... I have to make sure everything's-'

"Kouji... Can I talk to you for a moment?" Izumi whispered as she slipped her hand into his and pulled him to a nearby tree.

"What?" He asked annoyed.

"...What's wrong with you? You weren't like this last night."

He tried to answer but his mouth wouldn't open. Seeing her worried made it harder for him to answer back. "I..." She clasped her hands into his and looked at it.

"I hate to see you like this Kouji... I don't want to see you depressed..."

Kouji closed his eyes and sighed. "I'm not... I'm just... a bit tense."

She nodded and let his hands go. "Tell me if you have a problem. I want to help you out Kouji." She added "I really do."

"...I will..." He turned back to the car and locked the doors as they both headed inside the hotel to get their reserved room keys.

Takuya and the others finally arrived and they all ate dinner.

"So, what did you two do?" Kouichi asked, looking at his brother and Izumi.

"Nothing much. He just slept." Izumi answered for Kouji who just ate his ramen.

"Sleepy huh?"

Kouji nodded without looking up. "You were all able to sleep while I was up the whole trip driving."

"Sorry for not waking you up." Takuya said "I was suppose to take your place when we're half-way there."

He just shook his head. "No. It's okay."

When they were all finished eating...

"Look guys; let's just do this quick so that you can all take the rest of the week off..."

Kouichi and the others nodded as they listened to what Kouji's instructing them to do.

"Tomoki, turn every security cameras and alarm systems off, Junpei will go with you and kee an eye out for guards. Kouichi, you stay on top of a nearby building and watch our backs. Takuya, you're coming with me to get the files."

"Okay!" Tomoki and Junpei answered in unison.

"Gotcha!" Takuya replied.

"I will!" Kouichi said and Kouji nodded back at them. He stared at Izumi for a while and looked down. His twin noticed this and made a mental note to talk to Kouji or Izumi about it later. Izumi stayed in her and Kouji's room. 'Good luck guys...'

Junpei had managed to knock the security guard in the control room out so Tomoki was able to turn every camera off. He contacted Kouji through a device they had clipped on their ear to be able to keep in touch with each other.

"All cameras and alarms are off!"

"Thanks Tomoki!" Kouji replied as he and Takuya headed towards Riko Matsuda's room and quietly entered it. Kouji readied his gun as Takuya switched on the lights.

"What the hell?!" Riko got up from bed. "Who-?!" he stopped upon seeing Kouji's eyes.

'Blue eyes...' "You... you can't be... you're-"

Kouji aimed the gun at his head, eyes narrowing at him and his other fist was clenching, not seeming to care whether his nails were to dig into his flesh and let the blood out which is already happening, although, the pain does not hurt or bother him. He was too pre-occupied with Matsuda raping and murdering his mother.

His eyes gave a death glare to Matsuda as he cowered in fear. Those blue eyes reminded him so much of Kousei's. He wanted to kill the Minamotos because he feared Kouji's dad. But his son's eyes were to be feared more.

"...Kouji Minamoto..."

That name was like knife that stabbed you straight to the heart; your breathing would stop upon seeing and recognizing those cold, blue eyes, full of anguish, pain, a thirst for blood and revenge.

"Now I'll make you regret for not finishing me when you had the chance..." came the assassin's deep voice. He cocked the gun in his hand and was about to pull the trigger when...

"Daddy?"

Kouji froze and his eyes widened. Takuya turned to the little boy who stared in shock and confusion of what was going on.

"Oh shoot!" Takuya ran to the door and pulled the boy in after closing it immediately and locking it to prevent any other people to see this. "Kouji! Pull the damn trigger!"

Riko Matsuda looked at Takuya who covered his son's eyes and then turned to Kouji to see the killer's reaction. He smirked "Can't do it can you?"

"What?!" Takuya looked at his partner and blinked. "What the heck is wrong with you Kouji?! Just pull the stinkin' trigger!"

Kouji shook his head "I... can't..."

"What?! Are you out of your mind?!"

"You don't have what it takes... kid..."

Takuya resented the remark Matsuda told them, rather, Kouji. "He is NOT a kid! He can do it! He's just letting you have one last taste of living!"

"Admit it Kouji, yes, when I saw your eyes, I know you have a weakness..." Matsuda continued ignoring Takuya.

"You know how it feels like to lose a parent... that's why you can't kill me, knowing I have a son."

The phrase itself 'I have a son' rang into his head as his past came back to haunt his confused mind making it more harder to kill and more complicated to get the job done.

Matsuda had got out of bed and was now holding a gun in his hand and aimed it at Kouji's forehead, who, seems to have not noticed.

"Even if you're 18 years old... you're still a little kid..."

Kouji felt the cold metal thing on his forehead. This made him look up at Riko, the one responsible for his mother's misery and death.

"So long kid... say hi to your mother for me..."

"Kouji!!" Takuya yelled.

Riko whispered one last statement which made Kouji's eyes widen and narrowed. He used the bottom part of the gun's handle to hit Riko's head and the adult fell to the ground, wailing in pain. Kouji kicked his ribs repeatedly and stomped on his head and finally had the weapon point at his Riko's chest.

"...Listen... look deep into my eyes... and don't you ever forget who killed you..."

Kouji smirked "Go to hell... and rot there..."

BANG!

One sound of a gun is enough to end a person's life if aimed at the heart or at the brain.

"Daddy...?"

One word, of a child, who had a hint of sadness and confusion, was enough to make one's day ruined and pained.

"Kouji?"

"Let's go..." A teardrop fell from one of his blue orbs which puzzled and worried his best friend.

The little boy cried. This caused people to cry as well and feel a pang in their hearts. But, assassins don't feel these. Or do they?

"You're not going to regret this are you?" The goggle head asked, placing a shoulder on Kouji as he turned to the boy, cocked the gun and readied on pulling the trigger to end the child's life, anger and sorrow after seeing his father's corpse.

"I won't." With one pull, the kid fell on the floor, dead.

"I got the documents now let's-"He stopped seeing his best friend, his partner, the wanted assassin, crying silently. "...go...Kouji..."

Kouji walked towards the door and pressed a small button on his head phones. "Mission complete Tomoki, you can activate everything again..."

"...Kouji? Are you okay?" came the 17 year old's voice.

"Yeah... I'm fine..."

When they had all rendezvous, no one dared to ask Kouji anything about the mission so the group turned to Takuya who merely shrugged.

Their 'leader' entered the room and was greeted by Izumi who flashed him a smile that soon faded and turned into a frown after seeing his forlorn face.

"Kouji-kun? Are you alright?"

"Izumi?"

"Yes?"

"I have to tell you something..." He said, sitting down on the other bed so he was facing her.

"What is it?" She asked, grabbing one of his hands and he held hers.

"I've thought about it..." He started "And... I think it's best if we end this."

She threw him a confused look, seeming not to understand what he was getting at.

"Kouji, I don't understand. What're you trying to say?"

"I... killed Riko Matsuda, finally getting my revenge." He continued. "And, he had a son, who saw me and Takuya." He paused for a while and glanced up at her to see if she knew what he's saying. "You know the rules of oue HQ. My dad has also given me strict orders on it, to kill every witness, no matter how young or old, male or female, it doesn't matter. We must kill the witness."

She nodded understanding these rules that he had explained to her. "Go on."

"Izumi, what I'm trying to say is, I don't think you deserve someone like me."

Her eyes widened "Kouji... no... don't..."

"I think it's time to end this... our relationship..."

She shook her head vigorously. "No... you're only kidding... right?" She said with a weak smile.

Kouji shook his head "This is not a joke Izumi..."

Izumi's green eyes were blurred with tears as Kouji continued.

"We might as well end our relationship..."

Cliff hanger!! Yes, I hate them yet I LOVE to do them! Anyone know what will happen next? Review please! But if you don't want to... fine... I won't force you.