Bound is back baby, and boy do I have some fun things planned out for the next few chapters. I'll keep things short and let you guys read as soon as possible. As usual, thanks for reading and I hope you continue to read this story.
P.S – Lately I've been playing too much SIF and that is getting in the way of my schoolwork and writing. Sorry…not sorry.
Bound - Ch. 12 Responsibilities
"Masaki, didn't I raise you to act this way." A man hiding behind a pair of glasses scolded the boy.
"Yeah, well, I don't remember you raising me at all!" A boy around the age of eleven replied back angrily.
"Masaki! You will not speak to your father in that manner!" A woman with brownish-red shoulder length hair yelled at the boy.
"Or what?! I'll get punished? I told you already, he was asking for it when he badmouthed me first." Masaki vented his anger.
"Masaki..." This time his father spoke in a calmer tone. "As your father, I only want what's best for you. I don't want you to make enemies like I have."
"Whatever." The boy crossed his arms and huffed. He could care less about what his father had to say.
The scene in front of the red haired boy began to change.
Smoke filled the air as people panicked everywhere. Masaki stumbled on his feet as they pushed him to the ground. He was scared, but he was more worried about where his parents were.
They were at some party that his parents had to attend to, and he had to go with them. There, he met a man named Izumi Jin and two other boys who seemed to be around his age. But it wasn't long before there was a terrorist attack on the party, which led to the current situation.
The eleven-year-old searched desperately for his parents. He didn't understand why, but there was an unsettling feeling in his stomach telling him he wouldn't be able to see them anymore if he didn't.
"Mom! Dad!"
"Masaki!" A woman with auburn hair ran towards him and pulled him into an embrace. "Thank goodness you're alright."
"Where's Dad? What's happening? Why-" The questions he had for his mother was interrupted by gunshots being fired.
But what surprised him more was that his mother was the one firing the shots. She had pulled him closer and pulled out the gun out of thin air and fired at some men dressed in black suits.
Without wasting any more time, the woman took her son's hand and they ran. This time the boy was more shocked to have seen his mother used such a dangerous weapon like she had been trained to use it for years.
"Yuhi!"
"Jin, please take my son and get him out of here!" The man frowned at her request.
"But-"
"They have Kyousuke." Masaki's mother made a worried expression. "I won't leave him behind."
"Mom, who has Dad? What's happening? Why isn't anyone explaining anything to me?!" The young boy shouted his frustrations at the two adults.
"I'm sorry Masaki, one day you'll understand." His mother released her hold of his hand and ran in the opposite direction of the two.
"Forgive me Masaki." Before Masaki could chase after her, he felt a hard chop against the back of his neck right before the world around him went completely black.
Lilac orbs blinked open from the morning rays. Masaki put a hand to his head as a giant headache came as an aftermath of his drinking from last night. Shaking away the pain, he sat up in bed and thought to himself about the dream he just had.
It's been awhile since I last had a dream about them...I don't know how Ushio can deal with things like that almost every day...
It was when he realized that he wasn't wearing any clothes that made him deeply confused. The redhead wasn't one like Eiichi who would sometimes end up sleeping with no clothes. When another presence stirred beside, it was then he began to panic. Slowly, he turned his head to look at the sleeping figure beside him.
Shit! Damn it, I'm going to get killed for this! I'm so freaking screwed!
Ruby eyes fluttered opens and made contact with Masaki. They widened at the sight of the man in bed with her.
"What the hell are you doing in bed with me?!" Nico screamed at him.
"I could ask you the same thing considering this is my apartment and my bed!" Masaki replied back using the same tone of voice. He rubbed his head to soothe the headache that he had.
"Don't come any closer!" As Nico scooted away she winced at the pain in between her legs. The brunette gasped when she realized that she was naked in the same bed with her also naked bodyguard.
Immediately covering herself up with the sheets she glared at her bodyguard. Tears were now streaming down her face as she did so.
"You're the worst! Taking advantage of me when I was drunk!" Nico cried. "That was my first time!"
"Well, I'm pretty sure we're both at fault considering that I was drunk too, because if I wasn't then I wouldn't have ever damn made a move my fake girlfriend who have the hots for my older brother!"
There was so much tension between the two that they didn't hear the knock on the other side of Masaki's bedroom door.
"Masaki is everything...alright..."
There in the doorway stood the person Masaki wanted to be the last person to find out about this mistake. Nico squealed and covered herself even more with the sheets leaving Masaki with almost nothing covering him. Averting his gazed at the two individuals he quickly turned around.
"Masaki." The tone of his voice turned serious. "Get dressed. I want to hear everything you have to say about this."
xXx
"U-Ushio..."
"No excuses, explain." Amber orbs eyed the redhead with a disapproving look.
"We...were both drunk last night...and as it turns out, we ended up sleeping together too..." Masaki answered dejectedly.
All Ushio could do was sigh at his younger brother. He knew Masaki wasn't one to lie, so of course he believed the younger man.
"You do realize the position you put yourself in, right?" The bluenet's question received a silent nod from the other. "This means you will have to take responsibility for your actions."
"What?! Wait you can just-"
"Whether or not Yazawa-san will agree to my proposal is up to her, but I'm saying this as your older brother. What are you going to do if she ends up having your child?" The older individual waited for Masaki to respond.
"Well...it's only a possibility..." Amethyst orbs averted from the gaze the over gave him.
"Just a possibility? Did you two even use protection? Knowing you were both drunk, I highly doubt it."
"What are you my father now?" The redhead sarcastically remarked.
"No. In fact, I'm not even your real brother, so I know I don't have the right to tell you what to do." Ushio changed his tone of voice to a softer one. "But in a way, this will give you a reason to return back to that world."
"What do you mean by that Ushio?" Masaki furrowed his eyebrows when he asked the question.
"Don't you think it's about time you start thinking about taking back what belongs to you?"
"I'm not going to use her as my ticket back to that world! I never thought you would be a person to stoop so low Ushio." Masaki was slowly growing anger with the navy haired man.
"I never said anything about using her, besides don't you think it's about time you stop running away from your real responsibilities?"
"We are NOT going to be talking about that!" Masaki's eyes flickered with anger. He stood up leaving his apartment, knowing full well that Ushio wouldn't leave until he gave an answer.
In the living room, Ushio sat alone and sighed to himself. As of right now, he had over things to be worrying about, but now that Masaki had gotten himself into this mess, there was more that Ushio now had to worry about.
"Yazawa-san, you can come out now." The small figure stiffened behind the corner once she knew she had been caught eavesdropping.
"How long did you know I was there?" Red eyes averted from the gaze of the other.
"From the beginning." There was a small pause before Ushio continued to speak. "I'm sorry for what Masaki did, but please give him a chance to make up for his mistakes."
Nico's eyes widened at the statement. She was surprised to hear the blue haired bodyguard apologize for the redhead's mistakes. In fact, she was sure she was going to get a lecture from Ushio as well.
"What were you two talking about? What kind of responsibilities does he have? It's not illegal is it?" The brunette decided it was her turn to get some answers herself.
"It's not my place to say. If you want to know more about Masaki's past, I believe it is best to ask him yourself. After all, you already know how sensitive we are about them."
Ushio's reply had Nico even more surprised. The man who stood in front of her was more mature than a certain redhead. There was something about him that made Nico feel secure to tell all of her secrets to. Ushio was most definitely a mysterious man. One minute he is fierce bodyguard just to know he can be like a kind and gentle father-like or older brother figure next (even though he was younger than her).
"I-I see." The small woman would be lying if she said she wasn't charmed by this side of his personality.
"Do you want me to take you home Yazawa-san?"
"Nico."
Amber orbs blinked at her reply. "I'm sorry?"
"Call me by my name. I-It's not like we're strangers anymore." Nico didn't understand why she was getting warm in the cheeks.
"Understood, Nico. Shall we get going then?" Ushio gave her a gentle smile, making heat rise up her face even more.
"I can't believe he would even try to bring up those things!" Masaki kicked the invisible dirt off the sidewalk.
After storming out of his apartment, he decided it was best to cool of his head by taking a walk.
"What would he understand about-" Masaki immediately stopped himself.
He knew exactly well where Ushio was coming from. His older brother only wanted what was best for him since he still had something to return to. Ushio, on the other hand, was still trying to find a real reason to keep moving forward.
The redhead knew he would be lying to himself if he said that Ushio was someone who didn't give up easily. The older man was human, just like him. There were times after a mission he would see a lifeless bluenet question his existence. It scared him even more when Ushio would fall into a relapse of his past. Whenever that happens, it's like Masaki is helplessly watching a completely different side of Ushio.
"My responsibilities, huh?" Before he himself had realized it, his feet had unconsciously taken him a children's hospital that was a couple blocks away from his apartment.
Lilac colored irises trailed up the tall building as he was once again pulled into a deep thought.
"Am I really ready to take on things? Would it mean that I've finally accepted that they're gone?"
Tokyo Children's Hospital. One of the many hospitals owned under the chain of the Nishikino family.
Masaki laughed bitterly at how he knew all of this even though he is considered missing from that world. If he were to return to that world of the wealthy would he be able to make such a difference?
"You better be grateful that I'm taking my precious time to listen to what you have to say." A man dressed in an expensive suit rubbed his chin as a couple stood with him.
Masaki was never really one to eavesdrop on a conversation, but there was something fishy about a businessman and a pair of people to be talking out in an open area where no one else was present.
"Please sir, we're begging you. Let our daughter stay at the hospital. She is still trying to get better from her illness." Masaki heard the plea in the father's voice, but he didn't like where the conversation was going.
"I have no need for patients who can barely afford to pay their bills. Besides, there is another family that has their own child who would benefit from the room that your kid is in." As much as Masaki wanted to deny the fact, he man in the suit was right. Hospitals were no different from big businesses. If they can't have the money they want, then the patient being taken care of has become irrelevant to them too.
"But-" The woman beside the pleading man spoke, but was quickly cut off.
"Unless you are willing to pay more than what the other family if offering...then I guess I could make some arrangements for your kid." The man suggested. "After all, I am the president of the hospital."
"How much do you want?" The child's father asked.
"Since you already have trouble paying for the expenses now, I won't be asking for money. However..." The older man eyed the mother and smirked. "I think we can make some exceptions."
"You sick-"
"Alright." The mother answered with a straight face cutting off her husband.
"Yuko!"
"If it means she can keep her room and continue her treatment...I'll do anything."
The man in the suit laughed before walking off. "It was nice doing business with the two of you. I'm sure your daughter will also appreciate your sacrifices."
Once the man was out of earshot, the father of the child yelled at his wife.
"Why?! Why would agree to such conditions?!"
"What choice do we have when our child needs that treatment?!" The woman cried. "I can't bear to lose her, and seeing you work more than three jobs just to pay for her medical expenses is becoming unbearable. I can't afford to lose you too."
The couple embraced and cried in each other's arms. Masaki was long gone the moment the deal was reached. It brought too many memories of his mother who would often console him after getting into an argument with his father. Her words of wisdom began to play in his head.
A mother would do anything to protect her child.
Masaki clenched his teeth and continued to walk faster and pretend he didn't hear any of that conversation.
Our job as doctors is to make sure our patients are being taken care of. Masaki, remember, it doesn't matter how much money you make, but how many lives you can save."
The words of his father echoed through his ears.
"Haha, those two are so easy to fool." The familiar voice came from nearby. "As if I would keep that room for their kid when there is someone else who is willing to pay much more. After I'm done with that woman, all there's left to do is tell them the bad news."
Something inside Masaki began to boil. He clenched his fists and tightened his jaw to prevent himself from walking up to the president and beating the daylights out of him. The redhead took deep breaths and tried to calm himself down (something Ushio had taught him when they were younger because he was such an impulsive person).
Pulling out his phone, he began to dial a number. Hearing the other person on the other side, he made his way back to his apartment.
"Ushio, do you think you can convince Saori-san to create some dramatic headlines that will catch the eye of the public."
"Depends, how dramatic do you want it?"
"Something that will make some hospital presidents want to pull all of their hair out." Masaki smirked.
"Will do, I'm sure she'll enjoy it too...but what made you change your mind all of a sudden Masaki?"
"I...did some thinking and finally came to the conclusion that I can run away forever. Whether or not they're still alive, I'm sure this is something they would want me to fix things to the way it should be."
"It seems like you've put a lot of thought in this, but before we continue with this, you do realize this will affect your missions in the future."
There was a short pause between the two bodyguards. Then a small chuckle escaped from Masaki's lips.
"As if something as small as this will stop me from doing crazy things with you and Eiichi. You're going to have to do better than that to stop me from being a Soldier."
"I hope you're prepared for the worst then." Ushio replied back. The redhead was sure the other was smiling at what he said earlier.
"Bring it on. I'm waiting to see the looks on their faces when they hear about it."
The following day, Nico managed to get herself out of bed. After Ushio had dropped her back home, all she wanted to do was lock herself inside her room.
Waking to the sound of the television, the brunette made her way downstairs to the kitchen where the rest of her siblings were. It was like a usual day in the Yazawa household. Her parents were often missing in the morning due to work, but by the end of the day, they would have dinner with the whole family.
Nico tiredly dragged her feet to the fridge to find something to eat, until she heard the reporter on TV talk about a familiar person that she wished would disappear from the face of the earth.
"As you all know, today's breaking news is about the sudden appearance of Nishikino's missing heir from 10 years ago who is now stepping up to take his rightful place in the world of medicine. Although he is still young and is not completely ready, he is said to be taking the place of CEO from the current vice president."
Nico's jaws dropped at what she was hearing.
"Right now we have some reporters surrounding his apparently in hope to get some answers from the new CEO of Japan's chain of hospitals. Where exactly have Nishikino Masaki have been ever since the police have stated that his parents had gone missing? And just which direction is he going to take his family's business? Stay tuned to find out."
Ruby orbs blinked at the screen of the TV. Nico couldn't believe what she just heard.
Nishikino.
She remembered hearing the name a long time ago, but she never thought that her fake boyfriend would be the next in line heir to take over the giant chain of hospitals in Japan.
So, this must have been what they meant by taking responsibility...but if Masaki is from the world of the wealthy...then who exactly is Ayase Eiichi and Sonoda Ushio?
~Later that Night~
"I can't believe that kid is still alive!" The aging man slammed his fists against his desk. "Not only that, he plans on making rounds to see if we're worthy of our positions!"
"You should have thought that out before making dirty deals then." A new presence entered the room.
"W-who are you? No one is allowed to enter my office without prior arrangements."
The president shook in his seat as the other walked closer revealing a masked man dressed in black.
"I came from the Organization. They wanted me to take care of...some business they had with you."
"W-what do you mean by-" His voice hitched when a gun was pointed to his head.
"They no longer need a useless person like you, especially if he's going to be losing his position very soon."
"W-wait, p-please s-spare me! I'll give you anything you want! J-just please don't kill me." The older man pleaded for his life.
"What I want is your life."
Gunshots echoed in the office. The president laid dead on top of his desk, bleeding from the bullets in his head. The other presence had long disappeared from the scene, leaving behind what was left of his job.
*Insert Dramatic Music Here*
This is just the beginning you guys. There's so much more that I plan to have happen.
Remember to leave your review, comments, and questions (that I may or may not answer).
Until Next Time…