Endling – Chapter 9
Gakupo waited in the extravagant bedroom, absently playing with one of his bracelets. One of the girls (hopefully IA), was supposed to come for his 'lesson.' Yet in truth, his thoughts were completely divorced from his mission at the moment. He missed Kaito, pure and simple.
How easy it had been to get used to his presence! They had known each other for a short time, and yet Gakupo had so many memories to treasure. Deservedly or not, Kaito had protected and cherished him beyond measure. Even if the human truly was gone from his life, the remembrance alone should've been enough to fill his heart.
But no, it wasn't. It was only his second day trapped inside of the Pale Line and already Gakupo felt like someone had split him in two. Perhaps it would dull in time like other aches, but for the moment the loss felt worse than being in a cage again.
A knock at the door distracted Gakupo from his thoughts. "Please come in," he said wearily.
The door opened, but instead of the petite mouse girl, Mew stood leaning on the doorframe with a cheeky smile on her face. "Surprised to see me?"
"I take it that IA didn't want to come," Gakupo guessed.
"He's so lame! He's soooo lame!" Mew affected a higher pitch of voice, clearly meant as an imitation of IA's voice. However, as soon as she noticed Gakupo's expression, she added in her normal tone, "Don't worry, I'm sure she'll warm up to you eventually."
Gakupo shook his head. He didn't have time for 'eventually', the auction was the following day. However, he couldn't demonstrate too much urgency, or the Master or his goons might realize his passivity was an act. But even if IA listened to him, they probably wouldn't be able to escape before the event.
Mew plopped on the bed next to him, rolling and stretching her body luxuriously, making her anklets and necklace clatter and clink. "So, what are we going to do?"
"I mean no offense, but I'd rather not do anything."
"I'm just teasing you, Gakupo. We still have a choice when we are dealing among ourselves, you know?" she laughed, as if she was saying something completely trivial.
"This place is horrible."
"Sounds like you haven't lived in the dumps I have," Mew replied, grabbing a plump pillow. She placed it under her head and continued, "I was thin as a whisker when they found me. My hair was falling out!" She ran her hands along her naked torso, obviously proud of the shiny coat of fur. Then, she poked Gakupo's ribs from behind with a finger. "You know what it means to be hungry, I bet."
That was true; sometimes foraging and fishing didn't go well. Goya had forbidden him to farm in any extensive capacity, since humans might notice any major artificial alterations to the valley and investigate. Straying too far from home to gather food was also dangerous, again due to the humans. Unfortunately, that meant his ability to stack food for winter was limited, so the specter of starvation was never too far.
"I know," Gakupo conceded. "But others have it worse out there." Goya, for instance, since he mostly ate meat. He honestly didn't know how the deep dwellers kept Prima fed, given the exorbitant needs of a dragon, though magic was certainly involved in some capacity.
"You are just reinforcing my point there, feathers."
"So you wouldn't escape, given the chance?" Gakupo had been vaguely wondering what to do about the rest of the girls for a while now. He was only meant to extract Titania, but it seemed wrong to leave the others here. But what if everyone else was as complacent as IA and Mew?
"I don't know…Where would I go? I might have these," Mew scratched behind one of her furry pointed ears, "but that doesn't mean I want to live like a hunted beast."
That's precisely why I'm here, Gakupo dearly wanted to say, but remained silent. Titania is the key to our freedom.
The conversation lulled, once it became clear Gakupo wasn't going to answer; Mew playfully batted the end of his tail for a while, and then curled up against his back, shrouding herself with his wings. "Wake me up in a couple of hours, ok? I have a client at six."
"…Sure."
The evening of the third day came: it was time for the auction.
Gakupo had spent the early hours of the day searching for escape routes; there was nothing too obvious, especially since he couldn't work spells, but there were some faint possibilities. The place had ventilation ducts connecting to the surface and service tunnels for maintenance jobs. Moreover, the personnel in charge of cooking and cleaning after the fae wasn't combat-trained. Some even looked somewhat sympathetic, or at least susceptible of being seduced in exchange for help.
Emboldened by those observations, the wind fae attempted to speak to IA again. And that's where things started to go wrong: she had absolutely rebuffed all his attempts at conversation, even going so far as to complain to the Master about him. As a result, Gakupo spent all afternoon locked inside his room, until the owner himself arrived to make sure he was properly adorned for the event.
Once the fae was done getting dressed, the Master hooked a leash to the front of the slave collar and took a step backwards, examining the end result with a critical eye. "That expression won't do at all. Smile," he said and gave a little tug at Gakupo's leash.
Swallowing the mixture of anxiety and anger that was beginning to overwhelm him, Gakupo did his best to obey. It was enough for the man, who patted his head approvingly. "Much better; what's the use of all that if you don't show an inviting expression?"
'All that' obviously referred to the metal, precious stones and gossamer covering his figure. Gakupo liked shiny things like any other fae, but he couldn't help but find all the ostentatious luxury a bit ridiculous. Of course, the revealing nature of what Gakupo and the girls were told to wear was meant to display their figures, but it also was very overdone, in a way that unsubtly showed the wealth of the Pale Line to its clients.
The Master adjusted the veil on Gakupo's head and nodded. "You're going to do well today, cutie."
"Yes, Master."
The man consulted his golden pocket-watch. "It's time to go. Our guests are waiting."
The guard waiting at a respectful distance opened the door, letting the Master and Gakupo pass through, before falling in step behind them. The three of them walked towards a part of the facility Gakupo hadn't explored yet, but he kept his gaze fixed on the chain connecting his collar and the hand of the stodgy man before him, too upset to feel curious. The fae focused on its swinging motion, stubbornly refusing every other information offered by his senses.
"Watch it," a curt voice cut through his gloom, and Gakupo realized he was in front of a short staircase. The master was standing on the first step, looking at him with barely disguised impatience.
Gakupo looked around him, feeling almost dazed. Based on his limited experience with human buildings, they were right next to a small stage, complete with velvety curtains. Past the heavy fabric, he could hear a voice making some kind of announcement. In response, a murmur like the wave surged briefly. There were many people at the other side of the curtain, and several seemed to be smoking, given the stench escaping from beyond the folds. It almost made Gakupo retch.
"Remember, smile and walk straight." The Master recovered his usual falsely jovial tone and tugged at his leash. The guard placed a heavy hand on Gakupo's back, between his wings, and pushed to reinforce the order. It wasn't necessary; what was he supposed to do but obey, at this point? The guard was even carrying one of those rods specially tailored to torture fae. So Gakupo climbed obediently, hitching up the thin tunic he was wearing.
The trio walked past the curtains, and Gakupo was immediately blinded for a few seconds due to the change of illumination. Potent lights targeted him, leaving the space before him as a dark blur filled with smoke and rows of small red lights. He wasn't even certain of the size of the room. At first, all he could tell was that a crowd was staring fixedly at him. There was something else tugging at his senses, but before he could calm down and attempt to identify it, the Master began to welcome the clients to the auction.
Gakupo paid little attention to the following speech. What did it matter? He felt both strangely distant from everything and painfully aware of all the trivially uncomfortable things about his situation: the draining feeling of the collar, the tainted atmosphere scratching at his airways and the little tugs the Master gave him as he gesticulated during his sale pitch.
This is what you wanted, didn't you? You thought doing this would redeem you somehow. The voice resonated inside of his head; his own voice, mocking and full of bitterness. But you are no hero; you're the last remainder of something that has no place in this world. The world keeps spinning without them, and will continue on without you.
A stronger tug made him gasp. The Master's eyes bore into him, the darkness within leaking like noxious muck. Only then Gakupo realized how close his eyes were to tearing up, both due to the smoke in the air and the stress of the situation. "Stop that right now. Don't you dare test me, fae."
His captor gave him another pull, forcing Gakupo to walk meekly alongside him, tracing the contour of the T-shaped stage. For the first time he began to make out faces in the dimly lit room, as some clients scooted closer to examine him. There were no compassionate faces; on the contrary, some seemed a bit perplexed when he didn't smile back at them.
They aren't so deluded as to think I enjoy being treated like this, are they?
After that, he was made to stand in the middle of the stage, as the clients placed their bids. To Gakupo's surprise, this was made without any shouting. The Master and his assistants stood to a side with electronic pads, announcing numbers and more numbers. After a couple seconds, Gakupo figured out that the announcements were preceded by one of the small red lights going green. It just made the situation more unreal to him.
Before he knew it, the auction was over. One of the clients stood up and approached the stage, becoming a distinct figure in the process. It was a towering man in a grey suit, with a big belly and a wide frame, who looked like he could've snapped Gakupo in half with barely any effort. He let a roaring laugh at Gakupo's wary expression, before caressing his face with a big hand. "Gakupo, right? Don't be scared."
"Wind fae are very sensitive," the Master commented with a satisfied smile, evidently relieved that the client found Gakupo's reticence endearing. Turning to the fae, he said, "Mister Averin is a very important man, behave yourself." He offered the end of the leash to Averin, but the man laughed again and picked up Gakupo, carrying him like a doll in his arms.
"This way," the Master waved his hand, showing the way back to Gakupo's bedroom.
The way back felt significantly shorter; Gakupo nervously chewed on his lower lip, the only movement he allowed himself as Averin carried him. Without his powers, he had absolutely no chance to fend off such a big human. The only choice was to let him do as he pleased and find a way to escape later.
Just don't think. Don't think at all. You are not here, it's not happening, don't think…
The door to his bedroom opened, and a voice told Averin to enjoy the night. There was something about ringing a bell as well.
You are not here, don't think about it…
Averin sat down on the bed and in turn made Gakupo sit on his lap. For a moment, he just observed the fae with a hungry look on his face; then he removed his veil and sank his hands in his hair, rubbing the area behind Gakupo's feathers. "I did my homework, see? I know where to touch you." His words were cut off by a knock on the door. He frowned before answering irritably, "You promised no interruptions!"
"Special service, sir, it will only be a second," answered a youthful voice at the other side. Gakupo's mind cleared at the sound of it, although it only added more uncertainty to the situation. Why was he in the Pale Line? What was he doing?
Averin groaned under his breath. "Fine, come in."
A young man wearing a tuxedo entered the room carrying a bottle of liquor and a cup in his hands. Said hands had vicious claws in them, azure like the youth's hair and horns. At the sight of him, Averin gruff expression changed into awe. "What the-! They never said they had more than one of you!"
Kaito lowered his eyes, red-faced. "I'm…I belong to the owner."
Averin let out another of his loud laughs and grabbed the cup, taking a small sip of its reddish liquor. Immediately, he made a face and threw the cup to the ground. Thanks to the thick carpet, it just bounced harmlessly and rolled under the bed. "Your maître needs to be shot and buried, if that's what passes for a special treat around here." He wiped his mouth with a handkerchief from the breast pocket of his suit.
Kaito looked dismayed, in a way that made Gakupo guess that whatever he was planning, it depended on Averin sampling the liquid in its entirety. Was it poison, perhaps? Whatever the case, Averin didn't seem too bothered by the incident. He smiled once more and added, "I 'll let it slide, since I'm here for the company. Put that swill down somewhere and come closer."
Kaito looked around awkwardly and his eyes found a coffee table nearby. He placed the bottle on top of it and slipped a hand inside his jacket, as if checking an inner pocket. He quickly removed it, looking so plainly suspicious that it amazed Gakupo that the big man didn't suspect foul play. Once Kaito was back at his side, Averin circled his waist with an arm and pulled him closer. Kaito gasped, clumsily trying to pry himself free while exclaiming, "The Master won't like this!"
"Settle down," the steely tone of Averin's voice admitted nothing but complete obedience. It was a reminder that he was likely a man used to obtaining whatever he wanted, no matter how expensive. His next line all that confirmed it. "I'll pay extra for you."
Kaito stopped struggling, dumbfounded. For the first time, his eyes met Gakupo's. You shouldn't have come here, Gakupo thought, seeing the turmoil in them. This shouldn't be your problem. Swallowing his own nervousness, he pouted childishly as he grabbed fistfuls of Averin's coat. "You chose me! Don't you want me anymore?" To his right, he heard Kaito sputter incoherently, but he kept his eyes on Averin, trying to keep his attention.
The big human released Kaito, but Gakupo's relief lasted just a second. "Who said anything about that? You think I can't handle both of you at the same time?" He shook his head in disbelief. "Take that suit off, you," he barked in Kaito's direction and then added with a lopsided smile. "You can join in when you're ready."
No, run away while you still have the chance! Please run, Kaito. I'll keep him busy. No matter how happened next, at least Gakupo could take solace in the fact that Kaito had tried to help him once more.
Without even bothering to see if Kaito complied, Averin turned around and laid Gakupo on the bed. He then pushed his knees apart and kneeled between his legs. "You don't get to wear that innocent look after what you just said, Gakupo," he laughed under his breath, unfastening the fae's belt. "You're as filthy as the rest-" his voice stopped abruptly and his eyes went round. All with good reason, since now there was a fat syringe sticking from his neck, jammed there by an irate Kaito.
"Don't you ever touch him again," Kaito said in a low tone, shaking with anger.
Averin's hand plucked the syringe out, but it was already late: whatever liquid it previously contained was already having an effect on him. He blinked stupidly, his movements slow and uncoordinated. Before he could react, Kaito struck him with one of the elegant chairs of the room. The chair resisted the blow quite well, only losing a leg, but the man fell from the bed, thankfully without dragging Gakupo down with him.
The fae sat up, still shaken, and stared at Kaito. The young man was holding the leg of the chair as a bat and breathing heavily, as if the effort had exhausted him. However, his eyes still sparkled fiercely as he waited for Averin to get up. When he was satisfied that the man was out for the count, his face softened and his gaze sought Gakupo. "Are you alright?"
Instead of answering, Gakupo did the only thing that seemed natural: he propelled himself forward and desperately hugged Kaito, almost causing him to stumble. Any response Gakupo could've said was lost under a deluge of emotion, as shame and relief and love for his brave human collided and clashed until he had nothing left but choked sobs.
"I'm sorry I couldn't get in here before…Gakupo, they didn't hurt you, right? Please tell they didn't hurt you." Kaito waited, but there was no answer. "Gakupo?" Still nothing. "Gakupo, please talk to me…" The endling couldn't see Kaito's expression given that his face was buried in the young man's shoulder, but his voice sounded increasingly distraught as he went on. It made the horrible shame he felt for dragging Kaito into this mess all the more unbearable.
He pulled away, although he wanted nothing more to remain in Kaito's arms. The problem was, of course, that he didn't deserve it. Once again Kaito had needed to come in his rescue, proving that his survival all these years had been a mistake.
Kaito wiped his eyes with a sleeve, looking more and more worried. "Please say something!"
"Thank you for coming, Kaito. I…" How could he say words like 'fine' in this situation? Even if it was what Kaito wanted to hear, his innate nature as a fae made it very difficult to lie. Words and music were the medium that magic used to construct reality, after all. In the end, he managed to spit out a meager reassurance out. "They…they didn't injure me."
Kaito didn't look placated by that at all, but before he could say anything, something inside his jacket bleeped. "Oh! We need to go, right now! Did you found Titania?"
Good question. Where was IA, right now? In her room, entertaining a client? Near the pool, which Mew claimed was her favorite spot? Gakupo approached the door, thankful for something else to focus his mind on. "I think so. Let's go."
Kaito grabbed his hand. "Wait!" From the seemingly inexhaustible inner pocket of his jacket, he produced a thin tube. "If we run into anyone, throw this at them and cover your nose and mouth." He produced another one and mimicked a tossing motion.
Gakupo nodded and gingerly opened the door. The corridor was deserted, except for a rather conspicuous guard crumpled on the floor near the door.
"I had to knock him out," Kaito said when Gakupo looked at him perplexed.
Of course, the question was how, but the young man had turned out to be even more resourceful than Gakupo expected. Despite his renewed sense of inadequacy, the fae felt his heart tremble with admiration. He was truly blessed to have met someone so wonderful.
"Left or right?" Kaito asked, ignorant of the thoughts bouncing inside the endling's head.
"This way," Gakupo pulled him towards the right, towards the indoor pool. It was reasonably close by, if they crossed the smoking lounge. The pair advanced as quickly as possible, only slowing down slightly when the corridor turned or intersected another route.
"I disrupted their cameras just before I ran into that guy back there. They'll be here any moment now to check them up," Kaito commented. Right on cue, they heard a muffled shout somewhere in the vicinity of Gakupo's room.
They run past the deserted lounge abandoning every attempt at subtlety, and the corridor at the other side opened up soon enough to reveal their destination. Gakupo immediately saw IA pouring some wine into a client's cup. She wasn't alone, however. Most of the girls were there alongside clients of their own. Worse still, the Master and his men were there as well. It appeared as if the visitors to the auction had moved there to socialize and enjoy the regular services of the Pale Line.
The Master dropped the glass of champagne he had been drinking and gaped at Kaito. "Horns?! All along, you were one of them in disguise!?" Before he could continue, Kaito's projectile hit him right on the forehead. It immediately burst into a huge cloud enveloping him and his goons. Gakupo threw his tube a moment later at some guards approaching then from another corner and Kaito followed with a third one, plunging the room into complete chaos.
"Which one?" Kaito shouted to be heard over the yelling and coughing. Gakupo guided him towards the place where IA's pale fur shone through the smoke, but in the way, Kaito stopped to get the attention of an unassuming and lean older man. Whoever it was, as soon as Kaito touched his elbow, he nodded and followed them, grabbing Kaito's shoulder for guidance.
"No guns! Get him alive!" The Master shouted between coughs. "Code Alexandria!"
Every fae in the vicinity fell to the ground, clutching their necks. Gakupo had been right next to IA by then, and both fell to the ground, mindlessly trashing about. Splashing sounds were heard as someone, fae or client, fell into the pool. Others were trying to escape the room, trampling over anything or anyone in their way. The Master goons were blindly waving their batons around, but even when they pointed directly at Kaito, all it did was to dispel the spell altering his appearance.
Gakupo couldn't see or hear anything, engulfed as he was by the pain. But as abruptly as they had come, the invisible hands tearing at his being went away. He remained where he was, barely aware of IA's body bumping against his.
Hands pulled at him and his body changed position. Gradually, Gakupo's senses returned to normal, offering a very pleasant sensation: Kaito was cradling him in his arms, rocking back and forth softly. They weren't alone; IA huddled on the ground next to them, observing the surrounding scenery with a panicked expression. To their right, the older man was rubbing his bruised knee furiously. The group was on a grassy slope close to Prima's hideout, dyed silver by the light of the moon.
"This is going to leave a mighty bruise," the older man commented.
Kaito pulled back a bit and looked at the man with worry. "You didn't break anything, did you?"
"Oh, no, no." The man said in a reassuring tone. His eyes focused on Gakupo's curious expression and he smiled kindly. "Before we go any further, you should introduce us."
"This is my father, Gakupo."
"Naoto Fuuga," Gakupo said, recalling the name Kaito had mentioned at some point. Looking at him closely, he could see some similarities in their features, although his eyes and hair were dark.
"That's right. And who's the young lady?"
"This is IA, she's the one-"
At the sound of her name, IA stood up and backed away from the men, snarling. "What did you do?! " Her eyes focused on Gakupo with sheer hatred. "Leave me alone already!"
Gakupo cringed. He pulled away from Kaito and stood up as well, stretching out his hands in surrender. "I'm sorry this was so abrupt, but you gave me no chance to explain. You're the next Titania."
"I don't know what that means, and I don't care!" IA yelled. "Bring me back!"
"Back?" Gakupo repeated with disappointment. Was it too late for IA to appreciate the outside world?
"Yes, back! I'm the best girl, the Master needs me!"
"I can't do that, I'm sorry." Gakupo stepped forward to place a calming hand on her shoulder.
It turned out to be the wrong move, because IA's fury reached the boiling point and she clawed at his face, screaming. "I hate you, I hate you! Bring me back!" Gakupo was so surprised that he didn't try to defend himself, even when her claws drew blood from his cheek.
At that point, Kaito stepped forward and forcibly pushed IA to the ground, where she continued to shout trying to break free from under his weight. "Don't you dare hurt him!" Kaito growled at her, in the same tone he had used with Averin and actually slammed her head against the ground, leaving IA dazed.
"Kaito, that's too harsh!" Mr. Fuuga said, staring at his son with surprise.
"Dad, I need some anesthetic," Kaito said, shifting position over IA to free one of his hands. He stretched it out in his father's direction.
"Is that really necessary?"
"Please, Dad- We need to get moving, we can't reason with her right now!"
"...Alright, but we'll be talking about this later." The older man reached inside his coat and produced a rag and a dark bottle. After soaking the fabric, he knelt next to Kaito and IA and pressed it against her face. "I'm terribly sorry about this, Miss IA."
The liquid did its job and IA's eyes closed. She looked incongruously peaceful, as she laid there on the grass. As soon as Kaito was sure she wasn't going to rise, he turned away from her and walked over to Gakupo.
"Are you sure that brat is Titania?" He asked in a low tone as he cleaned the blood from Gakupo's cheek with his own handkerchief.
"Yes, I can sense the power in her. Don't you feel it?"
"All I feel is that I want to pummel her for doing this," Kaito replied, gingerly touching the claw marks on the fae's skin with the fabric.
"Yuki can fix it."
"I know…" Kaito sighed. His other hand played with Gakupo's hair, as he visibly searched for words to say. His eyes travelled to a side, remembering his father's presence. "We should go, lead the way."
Inwardly, Gakupo appreciated Mr. Fuuga's unconscious interference. Now that the rush of the escape was over, he didn't feel ready to talk to Kaito in any normal fashion. His unrelenting kindness stung more than the marks on his face.
Kaito and Mr. Fuuga took turns carrying IA, while Gakupo lead the way, Kaito's handkerchief pressed to his face. The world around him did its best to distract him from his dark thoughts: the breeze played with his hair, feathers and torn tunic and the grass softly caressed his feet and tail. Even the slight coldness of the night was welcomed.
Right before the entrance to the underground hideout came into view, Gakupo heard the sound of trampled trees and bushes. Like a tornado, Goya appeared from behind a rocky formation to their left and ran towards him, paying absolutely no attention to the humans and the earth fae. The wolf-man picked Gakupo up and pressed him against his massive chest with a little howl.
Gakupo's eyes filled with tears. "Father…"
The wolf-man licked his face while making a strange sound. Except for Gakupo, few beings had ever heard that gurgling laugh.
For a second, every worry inside of the endling went away, evaporating like rain puddles under the sun. He was loved...and he was home.
As he watched Gakupo cry happily in his adoptive father's arms, Kaito felt the tension that had been building inside him ease a little. Whatever had happened in the past between the two, the wolf-man clearly was ecstatic to have his son back safely.
Kaito looked at his father, just in time to see him smile kindly at the scene before him. After the initial moment of surprise, he seemed ready to accept the presence of the immense wolf-like being. His father sensed his gaze and turned to him. "We did good today, didn't we?"
"Yeah, we did." Kaito beamed back. Knowing what he did now, he felt foolish for waiting so long to tell his father the truth.
In the end, it had been the Pale Line itself that allowed Mr. Fuuga to finally locate his son. Hours after the fight at the plaza, Kaito woke up to find himself in a white room, with the obvious look of a hospital or clinic. His father was dozing off on a chair next to the bed. He looked completely spent; there were bags under his eyes, he was unshaven and his dark blue suit was rumpled. The pitiful sight made his stomach churn with guilt.
When Kaito tried to sit up, he realized that his wrists were tied to the metallic rails of the bed. The noise as he wrestled with the constraints was enough to rouse his father. He straightened up and looked severely at his son.
"Dad, I…" Kaito stammered. "I'm sorry."
Mr. Fuuga leaned forward and placed a hand on his son's head. "Kaito, what happened?" He didn't look angry, despite all the inconveniences that travelling so far must've caused to him. But the look of disappointment was somehow worse. "The police are telling me you stole that fae boy. That's not true, isn't it?"
"Dad…" Kaito bit his lower lip. "It's true."
His father's eyes widened. "Why?! Why would you do that?!"
"Because I'm love with him," Kaito answered miserably.
"What?" His father blinked.
"I love him! I'm sorry, I'm sorry I made you worry, but I had to help him!" Kaito pulled at the restraints again, helplessly.
His father observed him for a long minute. Finally, he sighed and rubbed the bridge of this nose. "Well, the private club isn't interested on filing a police report, at least. The owner actually invited us to visit them some time and sample their services. Sleazy man."
"You've got their address?!" Kaito stopped struggling.
"Oh…Kaito, no. You're this close to being deported. Stay away from them and focus on your studies."
Kaito shook his head repeatedly. "I can't. I can't do that to Gakupo." He stared stubbornly at the bedcovers; the weave blurred before his eyes, dancing capriciously.
"I should've known things we're leading up to this, with the way you were acting," Mr. Fuuga sighed again. "This is not what I wanted for you, son."
"I know," Kaito replied, sniffling. "But I can't turn my back on him."
His father stood and walked towards the window; for a long while, he just observed the traffic outside. "We'll be into a lot of trouble, if we do this."
"Wh-what?" The words were so unexpected that Kaito wondered if he dreaming. But the affection in his father's eyes cleared up any doubts in his mind, even before the next words reached his ears.
"We're going to rescue your endling, son."