Several weeks passed. Koichi and Kasumi became closer.

After work, they went to the corner cafe for the umpteenth time and stayed late, being kept by their conversations.

" Look… Tomorrow night I will have the apartment all by myself. Hitomi has a date. Do you want to come over?"

" How can I refuse such a beautiful lady. I'll bring some food and a movie!" he proposed

" Sounds good. I have to go. See you tomorrow" she said before leaving a kiss on his cheek and heading home.

"I am nervous! It has been weeks we are dating each other and he's coming here tonight!" Kasumi said to Hitomi

" Just breathe! You don't have to be nervous… You said so many times how nice he is. Ah! Look, that's perfect if he stays for the night" Hitomi threw a dark blue babydoll nightgown at Kasumi

Kasumi's cheeks turned red.

" Do I really have to be naughty? I just want to have a great time.."

" If you don't feel like it, no. But I think you deserve a break and a romantic time with someone. That nightgown is the perfect excuse"

Once the sun started to set, Koichi arrived at the apartment with a green bottle of sparkling sake, groceries and a horror movie. The two of them were all joyous and playful, even if Kasumi felt a bit nervous. He poured some sake

" Kampai"

" Kampai!" added Kasumi before tasting the sake.

Koichi displayed the groceries on the counter, while Kasumi cooked the sticky rice.

" Do you mind if we do some sushi together?" he asked

" Why it would bother? I already thought it was what we would prepare for tonight!" she answered, all smiling.

After he cutted the salmon and her the vegetables, he went behind, almost hugging her.

He put his hand above hers, starting to roll sushis.

The evening started great with all the laughs, drinking, eating. They continued their "rendez-vous" while watching a horror movie.

Kasumi wasn't the type of woman to be afraid of that kind of movie, she is a nukenin after all. Koichi managed to surprise her with a hot and deep kiss. As he carried on removing his shirt, he laid upon her, continuing to kiss

She pushed him back and went to her bedroom. The lover stood up and followed her. His sight caught the nightgown on her bed. He didn't care about that translucent piece of cloth, all he wanted was to give her all his love.

When Kasumi saw where his gaze was at, she felt aware she was acting as a people pleaser. She wanted to be appreciated, so bad… She wanted to forget her old life, her duties, her runaways, her family, to forget Ryû… She felt she had to commit to new adventures, to new people, to new love. Against all odds, she started to think everything happened too fast. It felt wrong, unnatural…

He dragged her closer, kissing her neck and he pulled off her shirt.

" She has completely desirable skin" he thought, his hands on her lower back.

They kept kissing, later on her mattress. As she started to feel his manhood against her, Kasumi didn't want to go further. She liked him very much, he was kind, funny and he was sexy, but she felt it wasn't the right timing to do this. Koichi saw she was more distant and thoughtful, he stopped himself from kissing her and just kept her in his arms.

" Are you alright? You seem somewhere else?"

" I'm fine… but maybe this is not the right timing" she whispered

" Okay… Maybe… Maybe I should go, we could put it off until later."

" Please stay!" she fainted a smile and sat on her bed.

" Look, Kasumi, I don't have the impression you are ready to commit." he answered, grabbing his shirt and his shoes.

" See you tomorrow at the dojo" he added, before swifting a kiss at her cheek and leaving.

Kasumi sighted. Was that it? He couldn't stay at her side even turned off. Did he date her only for this reason?

She was relieved, in a certain manner.

" Maybe some air would do good…"

She picked up a blue shirt that matched her black jeans and dressed while going to her door. She put on her black sweater, her doc martens and locked the door after going out. She strolled out for more than an hour, dropping down the tension and enjoying the soft breeze. Until she felt followed by the same familiar energy at that party weeks ago…

[ Ninja Gaiden vanished memories song starts ]

Feeling something strange was going to happen, Kasumi decided it was time to come back home. She heard what seemed like an explosion and saw some smoke. She started to run the last mile, until she faced her apartment's building. Fire was spreading from the inside.

It was totally incautious and dangerous of herself to go up there, but the shrouded moon wakizashi was passed down from generation to generation. She couldn't leave her family blade behind.

She hurried herself through the stairs and stopped before her apartment door. It wasn't locked anymore and the door was wide open.

" Fuck… I am sure they found me… " she thought

In passing, she grabbed her backpack and items Hitomi cherished the most in a hurry, when a beam collapsed before her, blocking her escape route. She took another way and started searching if neighbors weren't in need. Everyone already seemed safe outside.

She couldn't stop coughing because of the smoke and the heat was already unbearable. She opened a window, the oxygen intensifying the fire behind her. Neighbors were crying because their home was burning down, while others screamed seeing Kasumi jump from almost the third floor.

The redheaded ninja stood up, moving backward while looking at her apartment. Slowly, she started to feel her ankle was sprained.

[ Ninja Gaiden vanished memories song fades ]

" What happened?" Screamed Hitomi who arrived on the run with her date.

" Are you okay?" asked Hitomi, worried.

But Hitomi could not have Kasumi's attention, the fire had it all.

Kasumi handed her the backpack with her stuff.

" What's that?"

" Some of your stuff…" she answered totally disconnected

" You went INSIDE? Are you crazy?" reacted her friend.

Kasumi saw a tall man approaching from her peripheral vision, and it wasn't Koichi…

"Have you lost your mind? It was totally impulsive of yours!" he elevated his voice while growing closer and closer to her.

" They found me, the door was unlocked and open!"

" Alright, you are coming with me…" ordered Hayabusa,

" Are you serious? What do you think I am, a child?" Kasumi answered, frowning at him.

" You ACT like one, Kasumi! You are reckless! You could get killed! It was already a surprise you managed to get throught that damn wall! "

" Don't you mind taking me away! " she confronted him and gave a defiant look.

" You didn't hear them at the council as I did!"

All he was thinking about saying those words was how the Mugen Tenshin almost chose him to kill her.

She didn't answer yet, leaving only silence. She made him lose his temper, it was unusual of him.

" I won't go elsewhere leaving my friends unprotected, Ryû." she softened her tone, looking deeper in his eyes.

Hayabusa didn't answer. He knew Kasumi better than anyone else and the fact she was stubborn as hell.

All the neighborhood was outside, looking at the picture, totally powerless, including her.

Firefighters trucks started to arrive, dispersing everyone.

Lei Fang joined Hitomi and Kasumi

" Oh my god… Are you okay?"

" How did they find you?"

" I really don't know, maybe I am paranoid, but I am starting to think Koichi was a bait…"

Her friends didn't know what to say, it was unlikely and cruel according to them.

" If my building is not burnt, you should stay at my home for a couple of days. We will stick together!" Proposed Lei Fang

" Hm.."

Kasumi was somewhat overthinking. Her date didn't go well, her clan actually found her, their apartment was torn down and deep inside, maybe Kasumi knew why Hayabusa was that mad…

It took hours before the firefighters had it under control. When the fire was extinct, the girls went to sleep at Lei Fang's.