Growing to three years old, the young master of the Fujimoto household is still weird.
Ever since the day that Hikaru asked his father to be let to wander outside, Li has been the one to accompany the boy. Not that Li had any qualms, it was the order of his boss. His current assignment made Gozu and Ekoda let out a stream of complaints saying that it was unfair that Li was chosen just because the old man had some history in being a strong fighter.
Putting those thoughts to the back of his head, Li looked down at the silent young boy.
But even so... this brat really is weird... Li thought as he looked at Hikaru. Today, the boy took a walk outside their compound and had decided to visit the playground. But, instead of playing with the kids around his age there, Hikaru remained standing up at one spot and was only staring.
Li thought that the boy came here to play around like what those other kids. Sliding down, swing, climbing the monkey bars, the like, but with a stoic face, Hikaru was just there, looking around.
The other kids had noticed the presence of the yukata clad youth and had wanted to invite the child to play with them, but when they saw the scary old man that stuck close the behind, though young, their instincts told them that it was dangerous. Plus that old man was scary-looking. They thought.
"Are you not playing?" Li finally asked as he already endured two hours of silence. With his question, Hikaru looked unfazed.
"No." as always, the boy was quick with his short answers.
"Why'd you even go here then." Li cannot really comprehend what their young master was thinking. Saying he wants to go out, then going to the playground, but only staring and not really playing.
"Looking for evidence at where I am." the incomprehensible answers were here once again. Li didn't even want to ask what the boy meant. If he does, he might only get more confused.
Hikaru, on the other hand, was getting a bit bored. It has been a year and he cannot even get any information on what part of Japan was this. He wanted to explore farther around, but his parents had strictly ordered Li to keep a close eye on him and restricted the area where he was allowed to walk around. Thus, making it impossible for the boy to spot landmarks to know where he was.
Just then, an idea popped up in his mind. Still with a blank face, Hikaru quickly started his plan.
"I'm thirsty, I want water." a sudden request as the boy looked up at the old man. "Go get me some."
It was a few seconds of staring at one another before Li had closed his eyes and answered.
"The boss' order is to not let you out of my sight." Li didn't budge but Hikaru won't give up on having an alone time even if it was only a few minutes.
"Water."
"Cannot do, young master."
"There are many people here, there's no way something bad will happen to me." that might be the longest sentence that the boy had said to Li.
The old man didn't have anything to say back since the boy was indeed right. He looked down at the child and saw that Hikaru looked a bit tired. Getting water will only take about a minute. Plus, he might get scolded when they go back if the kid gets dehydrated.
"I'll get water, but don't move from that spot." Li said and only left when the boy nodded his head in response.
Once Li was out of sight the boy did a subtle victory pose that looked a bit of a slapstick since when he did it,the boy still had a stoic expression.
He had finally gotten rid of one obstacle of his investigation. Hikaru turned and saw a glimpse of the other children eyeing him. It looks like he needs to get out of here before he gets invited to play with them.
Hikaru started walking away, leaving the children with disappointed looks on their faces. The scary man was gone, but they still didn't manage to invite that beautiful person. So is the thoughts of the children.
As he walked around, if he didn't saw a wall, then it was houses. It was one peaceful area making it hard for Hikaru to spot any clues on where was this.
Ever since he had been reborn, this was the first time that he managed to explore alone, without anyone bothering him.
Not that he complained, this was much better than having someone looming over him, checking his every move. He had made sure to not do too much stuff that will be weird for a child. It was best that he kept his words short lest he mentions something unlikely for a child.
Being a yakuza, both of his parents were very insightful that its almost scary. Though he doesn't speak much, the couple could somehow read what he wants with a few guesses.
"Hm." Hikaru looked around and saw that his surroundings had been wall for about a few meters now.
Looking at his front, more wall, then to the back, more walls again.
Scaling the wall can be a bit challenging, but due to his daily exercise of escaping Li, Gozu, and Ekoda, he could manage. But it was a bit of a work so he decided not to do it.
He had also walked a distance away from that playground. He could already imagine Li with a dark look on his face whilst holding the water that he had asked for.
"... ʸᵒᵘⁿᵍ ᵐᵃˢᵗᵉʳ...!!!" A voice had called from somewhere. Based on how low it was despite being a shout, it can be said that the person who said this was a bit near from where Hikaru was. It also didn't sound like Li.
Just when Hikaru was about to walk away, a small shadow had appeared above him and he looked to see what it was.
Unexpectedly, it was a young boy who had seem to have climbed up the wall and proceeded to jump off of it.
Landing with ease, the black-haired youth looked at the albino, and Hikaru stared back at the other.
Silence ensued as the two stared at each other.
"... ʸᵒᵘⁿᵍ ᵐᵃˢᵗᵉʳ...!!!ʸᵒᵘⁿᵍ ᵐᵃˢᵗᵉʳ!!"
Only the faraway sound was heard by the two children.
Black eyes stared right at Hikaru. After his encounter with the black-haired kid, a man in a suit had invited him to what seems to be their house.
The walls that he had seen back then, were what surrounds this big compound, almost as big as the Fujimoto compound. It was not that he was lost, but rather, he had come across a big ol' house and was invited in it.
Hikaru sat opposite of the other and the staring contest continued. More like, the other was glaring at him like he did something wrong. Not that he can remember if he had offended this kid.
The door opened, and a woman came in to serve them refreshments. "Please enjoy." She said before leaving him and the other kid alone once again.
Plus, from the other open door, right by what looks like the courtyard of this house, several head popped out the corner. Eyes waiting for them to talk it seems.
Hikaru didn't know what time it was,but it has been hours since he had left Li at the playground, and he could most certainly say that they might have done a full blown search for him. He didn't know what to talk about this kid, nor he knew what those eavedroppers were waiting to happen, but what he knows is that he needs to go home as soon as possible or he would be subjected to a longer hour of lecture from several people.
The albino straight up ignored the glare he was receiving from the other and looked straight at the man that introduced himself as Kusakabe.
"Phone. You have one?" Hikaru held out one hand and those peeking head flinched before Kusakabe walked close to him.
The black-haired youth watched as Kusakabe, that old man, handed the white-haired kid a flip phone. This kid, if only he didn't appear, then his escape would have been a success. But not only did he wasted his time, he even pointed out to Kusakabe the direction where he have gone to escape to.
Hikaru dialed a few numbers and placed the phone on his ear waiting for the other in line to pick up. "Hello? Li?" He started as the other line sounded to be out of breath.
"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL THIS TIME, BRAT??!!!" Due to his panic of not finding the young master for about hours, the word brat had come out naturally.
With how loud the shout that Li had did, it had been heard by the other people in the room.
"I apologize." Without missing a beat, Hikaru had quickly followed up his apology.
"Here's Kusakabe-san, he'll tell you where I am right now." Not wanting to be subjected to more shouts straight to his ears, Hikaru quickly gave the phone back to the owner.
"Yes, this is Kusakabe." And Hikaru had heard the man say a few agreements to Li.
It has only been a minute and it seems like the matter has been already settled.
"This has come to a surprise, we are sorry if we did something rude, young master Fujimoto." Kusakabe did a small bow, a small embarrassed smile on his face as he unknowingly invited what he thought was a lost child to the compound, but it turns out, it was the young master of their allied family, the Fujimoto's.
In all honesty, Hikaru didn't mind. He was grateful to have run into somebody or he would have circled the area and becoming more lost.
"It's okay. Is Li coming?" Kusakabe was relieved to know that he had found the child's patron.
But. His young master. Young master, if you do not engage in a conversation then you'll lose the chance of making your first friend!! Kusakabe had shouted inside his heart. Really, he wants his young master to have friends. Well, it's true that his young master had his son, that Tetsuya, by his side but... Tetsuya had considered himself as an underling of the young master.
"Yes, Li-san had told ne he would be arriving in a... few seconds.." that was weird now that Kusakabe had thought about it. The location that Li had mentioned on where he was, were a few blocks away from where they are. He might have only misheard or the other might have made a mistake.
Just then, one of his men came running to him. "What is it?"
"A person who called himself Li is in the front gate, he mentioned he had some business with you, Kusakabe-san." It took a few moments before Kusakabe had taken in the news and blinked a few times.
"...He has already... arrived??" It seems that he didn't hear wrong.
"Um... yes."
Hikaru stood up and got the attention of the others in the room.
"I hope I didn't inconvenience any of you. I will be going now. May we meet some other time." Hikaru bowed and gestured the man who just arrived to lead the way.
"Uh... yes. Some other time, young master Fujimoto." Kusakabe said and sent a glance at his young master.
Young masterrrr... Your first potential friend is leaving, at least give some kind of farewell like "See you later!", give this old man some reassurance. Kusakabe laments inside his heart.
Then, as if his prayer was heard, his young master stood up and ran after the Fujimoto.
Young masterrr!!! Go, go! Kusakabe cheered and decided to follow his young master to see what will happen and report it to the boss.
Hikaru had just arrived at the gates and was about to go out, but his arm was grabbed with a bit of force and made him stumble back a bit.
He looked at the owner of the hand and saw the black-haired boy from before looking at him that same glare.
"What?" Hikaru still had that stoic face on, but Kusakabe, who was watching at a nearby bush didn't mind as long as the two engaged in a conversation.
"Tomorrow, come back. You owe me one escape from this place." The boy's eyes narrowed as he said that but Hikaru remained unfazed.
Kusakabe didn't mind that his young master was planning to escape again because he was thoroughly focused on the thought that his young master had taken the first step of making a friend.
"When I have time." It was not what normal children would reply, but Kusakabe can't help but cheer in his heart that this had some hope.
It was a few seconds before the other had let go of Hikaru's arm and he proceeded to go out of the gate.
As for Kusakabe, he was left there at the ground, praising the gods above for this miracle.
Hikaru was met with Li who currently had a dark expression. He was in trouble.
"You idiot!" That might be the first time that Li had let go of his restraints and let out what he was thinking.
"If not for the Hibari's finding you then you might have been kidnapped by an enemy family!! Do you know how dangerous it is especially since you are still young. Don't talk about defending yourself, you might not even have the strength to run away."
"Especially those people from the branch family. They thoroughly hate the guts of us from the main family. They have some grudges with your parents, who know what they might do to you!!"
Hikaru had let Li lecture him. Well, he was already used to it due to many reasons. Rather, hearing lectures made some unpleasant memories come back, so he decided not to think much about it.
"Really... You... Really worried this old man..." Hikaru's eyes widened not only with that statement but also with the fact that Li had enveloped him in a hug and proceeded to carry him like how Gozu does.
Recovering from his shock, Hikaru leaned a bit close to the old man.
"I apologize." Li had let out a chuckle once he heard the unlikely apology for a child from Hikaru.
Then, as if something has clicked inside his brain, Hikaru quickly pulled back to look at Li.
"Who did you say found me?" Hikaru asked, though remaining expressionless, he was panicking inside.
"The Hibari's. Their boss is a friend of your grandfather." Li said as he started walking.
Hibari.
That name was somehow familiar... no...
That name, he knew it.
But in Japan, Hibari is a pretty common name. It is no surprise if some family had the same surname as the ones from that show, right?
Thing like this only happens to those fanfinctions he had read online. It was impossible...
"That... their young master... do you know his name?" The biggest clue was right in front of him.
"That little boy from before... if I remember rightー"
He had accidentally met up with the closest sign he could get to know where he was. But if his suspicions were true then that means that he...
"ーHibari Kyoya."
... had just gotten reborn in a fictional world.
Small theater
Gozu: I also want to walk with young master.
Ekoda: Knowing you, you would just carry him.
Shunji: My cute son, growing up so fast. Dad is already so lonely...
Himiko: Please do your work, Shu.