Chapter Text
The dim city lights reflected off the wet ground, distorted by the falling rain.
Shit. Kazuki cursed as he once again missed his target. This shouldn’t have been a tough job, just a clean, quiet, hit. In and out. Except he had slipped up in his charade, and the target had seen right through his disguise and made a break for it.
So now here he was, his lungs burned as he sprinted after the target, turning down a maze of alleyways and dodging obstacles that were thrown into his path.
The narrow path of the alley opened up into a street. It was so early in the morning that the sun hadn’t come up, so the road was fairly empty. A red sedan slammed on its brakes and honked as the target ran in front of it. He yanked open the drivers side door and tossed the driver on the ground, taking his place at the wheel.
“Dammit!” Kazuki stopped running and fired his gun a few times, but it was too late, the car was peeling away.
The sound of a sniper rifle suddenly pierced through the quiet night. The car spun out, and crashed into an oncoming fuel truck.
“What the hell?!” Kazuki ran towards the flaming wreckage. Even from far away he could tell that there was no way the target survived.
He should have been relieved, but as he got closer he saw someone standing near the accident. A heavily pregnant woman holding an umbrella…
He tried to sprint, but Kazuki suddenly felt like he was running through quicksand. She stood frozen and in shock staring at the mess he had made.
“YUZUKO” He screamed at the top of his lungs.
She didn’t hear him. A loud boom erupted from the car, drowning out his cry.
Kazuki watched in horror as the love of his life and his unborn child were completely engulfed by the flames.
This is my fault.
This is all my fault.
The shockwave sent Kazuki flying backwards. However, when his back hit the wall, he was in a completely different location.
He was indoors. A hand was gripping his throat, and the metallic scent of blood was heavy in the air.
“I’ll deal with you later” Ogino growled. Searing pain ripped through Kazuki’s shoulder.
The hand on his throat released, but instead of dropping to the ground Kazuki was stuck to the wall, almost like the bullet in his shoulder was holding him in place. He struggled through the pain, but couldn’t move, couldn’t reach his gun, couldn’t do anything.
He was forced to watch helplessly as Ogino slid open the partition separating the rooms in Misaki’s small apartment.
“MIRI!! RUN” Kazuki shouted as loud as he could.
“Any last words, child?” He heard Ogino say in a voice that almost sounded bored.
“Where’s my Papa? I want my Papa!” He heard Miri cry.
“How predictable,” Ogino muttered. Kazuki shut his eyes tight and prayed for a miracle.
Please. Anything but that. Please…
The sound of Ogino’s gun rang in his ears.
Kazuki’s feet were on the ground again. His eyes snapped open, and he was somehow outside once again. This time, it wasn’t raining, and he stood at the entrance of a large mansion: The Suwa Estate
Before Kazuki could process what was going on, Rei stumbled out the door holding his bloodied right arm.
“We have to get back! Miri-“ Kazuki was interrupted by the sickening sound of yet another gunshot.
Rei froze for a moment before falling forward. Adrenaline overcoming the pain from his injuries, Kazuki dove forward just in time to catch Rei’s head. Blood was quickly seeping out of a hole in Rei’s back, right over his heart.
“No…no no no no no I can’t lose you too.” Kazuki pleaded.
“Kazuki?” Rei wheezed, blood trickling from the corners of his mouth.
“Please. Stay with me Rei! Come on” Kazuki begged.
His plea fell on deaf ears as the light left Rei’s eyes.
Kazuki heard the crunch of boots on grass, walking towards them, but he didn’t move. Yuzuko was gone, Miri was gone, and now Rei was gone too. Without them, he couldn’t go on, didn’t want to go on.
The last thing he saw was the barrel of a gun before pain exploded through his skull and his vision went black.