Originally I wasn't going to include this short epilogue, since the whole focus of the story was that fateful night with Sousuke and the emphasis on its twist, however after receiving some feedback on the 6th and last chapter, I decided to add a little glimpse into Rin's and Gou's lives after everything that happened.

EPILOGUE

6 years later

Sunlight filtered through emerald leaves, flowing through the gaps like shimmering water. Rows of trees cast their filigree shadows, sketching strips of lace on the pebbled pathways. Marbles and stones gleamed under the meridian halo, the soft, neatly mowed grass surrounding them, rustling in the gentle breeze. The whistling humming of cicadas, basking in summer's sweetness, completed the soothing sentiment of tranquility that settled in the scenery. It was a beautiful, ordinary Sunday, yet another day Gou was returning from her visit in the peaceful cemetery.

At first, the ride had not been easy.

For many miserable weeks , following Sousuke's death, she would wake up in the dead of night calling his name in vain. The nightmares would continue chasing her past her sleep, viciously demanding pieces of her sanity during the day. And as her belly was gradually swelling, she kept dangerously flirting with depression. Twice her new patrons, the members of the Iwatobi, had to rush her to hospital with severe abdomen pains. Twice she had almost lost the baby, the only legacy Sousuke would leave in this world.

But then her angel was born. And the light sauntered in, igniting the shadowy colours of her life back into vivid hues of scarlet and aquamarine. Suddenly, she had a new reason to stay strong for, to stop enduring the days as if she was still in captivity, and instead transform them. Moving to Kyoto had helped her build up a fresh start. Not that her ties with the mafia were severed, the scent of the underworld was running relentless in her veins after all. But the traces of Samezuka had been erased from her life. To their misfortune, police hadn't arrested any of them for what they had put her through. Perhaps a different future would have awaited them, better than the Fate they had eventually met in her brother's hands.

Her key slipped into the lock and the happy buzzing of a TV cartoon filled her ears. Her face lit up at the sight of Rin and a dark-haired boy, squatted on her beige carpet amidst scattered toys, right in the middle of her small but bright lounge.

"Still conquering castles you two?"

"Hey mom! Do you like my army? Uncle Rin helped me choose the best warriors!"

Rin gazed up at her and smiled. Visiting Sousuke's grave always calmed her soul and softened her features. Unlike him, who, even after all those years, still struggled to drag his feet up to the cold tombstone.

Being the murderer of his best friend had driven him to the threshold of suicide several nights. Becoming an uncle of his sister's son was what had brought him back every single time. His connections to Iwatobi had been proven useful and Sousuke's death had been tucked away as a common settling of scores between gangs. But Rin had maintained the scars and the black gaps where his shark teeth once had been, to painfully remind himself of his guilty past. For a while, he had found solace in the images of the Samezuka houses blazed up in wild flames. The memories from the night he had set their properties on fire, the dreadful payback for the anguish they had caused on Gou, were still a balm for his heart. He had stood in the shadows smiling, as the ashes floated around like snowflakes and the air was smelling of burning flesh.

Of course that resulted in him being a fugitive on his way to Hell ever since. But it was worth it.

Rin stood up and slid behind her. His arms circled her waist and his chin rested on top of her head. She relaxed in his embrace and they both watched young Toraichi, as he built a plastic pyramid of warriors and sorcerers.

"He didn't cause you any trouble, did he?"

Rin pondered for a minute.

"Well, he is very opinionated. I wonder where he got that from."

Gou snorted with a hint of pride.

"Not all his traits are mine you know."

"You're right, he can also kill you with his cold, serious glare when he's angry, much like his father. Just see him when he loses in janken."

Gou pinched one of his hands crossed on her stomach.

"Good, he's one hell of a combination then."

Rin laughed and placed a soft kiss on her temple, before freeing her from his grasp.

"You're not staying for dinner?"

"Nah, I'm off. I have to stop at Makoto's, I left my cellphone there last night and then I have some business to settle downtown."

Gou narrowed her eyes on him, full of suspicion.

"You argued with Haru-kun again, didn't you?"

At the sound of Haruka's name, the redhead breathed out and sulked like a spoiled child.

"I just told him that I'd rather eat my laces than his grilled mackerel third day in a row, and next thing I knew I was picking up my trainers from the garbage outside our flat."

"Oh, you two will never grow up."

"Hey, don't say that. Besides," he leaned down, his husky voice teasing the shell of her ear "... that only means I can finally spend the night here..."

She shoved him away playfully and shook her head.

"You'll never change, will you?"

"You wouldn't want me to."

Rin offered her a cheeky wink, before shutting the door behind him. Gou pursed her lips thoughtfully, while fragments of his bold presence still lingered in the air. Her son was still playing careless on the carpet and she knelt down beside him.

"Did you have fun with uncle Rin?"

"We had ice cream and played battles. But my men beat his soldiers."

Toraichi gloated happily as he showed off his army. Gou's glance swayed above the various plastic and rubber warriors, until it fell on an impressive figurine in military uniform, propped up further away from the pile of the rest toys.

"And who is he?"

"This is dad."

Gou's voice faltered.

"D-dad?"

"Mhm. He is standing there to guard his friends, because they are not as strong as he is."

"Did uncle Rin tell you that?"

The little boy nodded.

"Uncle Rin told me many stories about dad. He also says I should be like dad when I grow up, because I look a lot like him."

Gou tenderly brushed away her son's dark bangs, to gaze into the glinting sapphire of his eyes, that light green painting the sea's surface under the brightest sun.

"That, you do."

"But I don't want to be like dad."

Gou frowned. Yet Toraichi continued rummaging through his warriors nonchalantly.

"Why you don't want to?"

For a mere second, the boy's eyes twinkled in a different, darker shade.

"Because when I grow up, I want to be like uncle Rin."

He opened his little palm, revealing a red soldier he was holding tightly all along. Mimicking the loud noise of a rocket that's about to land, he made the toy forcefully dive into the pile of warriors, kicking and scattering their unfortunate bodies all around the carpet, sending a chilling shiver down his mother's spine.

The End

Ok now we are done for good lol Thanks again for reading, stay tuned for the fics I promised at the end of the previous chapter.