Chapter Text
Kai hated days like these.
He had already finished the morning reports.
Everything that needed his attention had already been dealt with.
It felt like he was a slave to some higher power, forced to sit and wait for his meal.
Rhythmic footsteps drifted in from the gardens.
A faint smear of dirt clung to the corner of the window.
The polished wood beneath his fingertips was smooth enough to reflect light.
Antiseptic lingered in the back of his throat.
Small comforts. Small annoyances.
Kai let out a breath through his mask, raking a gloved hand through his hair.
I should speak with Joi about altering the cleaning staff. Their work has been less than-
His thoughts were interrupted by a sharp rap on the door.
Sharp yellow eyes shifted to the source of the noise.
“Enter.” he called out, his voice low and clear. He shifted, leaning back in his chair and turning his attention towards this new task.
The door opened without a creak, the motion smooth and practiced.
Hari—Chronostasis—strode into the room with purpose, closing the door behind him. A small manila folder dangled from his right hand.
His steps gave sharp thuds on the polished floors as he made his way to Chisaki.
Sloppier than usual.
“Something has surfaced, sir.” Hari stated, setting the folder on the desk with care. He was sweating.
Interesting.
“Explain.” Chisaki hummed, barely glancing at the folder. He kept his focus on his subordinate, noting every single wince, shake, and stare like it was his job. In a way, it was.
Hari straightened his spine. “Our people in Kyoto have made reports.” He was dancing around the subject. Whatever it was, it had caused even a powerful man like him to shake.
Kai raised an eyebrow, tapping his index finger on the folder.
“Spit it out.”
Hari clenched his jaw. Nervous eyes darted to the document, then back up to his boss.
“…They have found evidence of a—girl. With your surname.”
That made Kai pause.
He didn’t reply at first. Just carefully opened the folder, and held the singular paper inside up to the light.
He skimmed it. Eyes catching on minute details.
Kyoto General Orphanage. Medium occupancy. Well behaved children.
Then-
Kani Chisaki.
Kai did not look up from the text.
“DNA?”
“Perfect match.”
Hmm.
He looked at the photograph. Six years. A face to the name.
There was no smile, her shoulders were stiff. Her gaze remained fixed on the camera.
“And they’ve seen her?” Kai pressed, his fingers holding the paper increasingly tighter.
“We have three eyewitness accounts, sir.”
He breathed.
His expression steeled.
“Bring her to me.”
—
Kani’s eyes blinked open.
She was greeted with the same familiar sight she saw every morning. That grey popcorn ceiling.
Why do they call it that? I doubt it tastes like popcorn…
A small ray of sunshine peeked in through the blinds, dancing on the thin wool blanket on top of her.
Kani scrunched her nose, sat up against the rickety metal headboard and pulled her knees up to her chest, kicking the itchy blanket of of the mattress with her toes.
She waited for a moment, listening to the small whoosh of the fabric as it hit the ground.
The little girl sighed, glancing over her shoulder at the window above her bed. It was the only window in the room. So every morning, when that big ball of light peeks between the buildings, it shines directly on her eyes. Waking her up hours before everyone else.
Speaking of…
Kani bit the inside of her cheek, whipping her head left and right.
She was met with rows of sleeping faces, resting in beds identical to hers. Some were snoring, some were laying in odd positions, and Sao, he had fallen off of his mattress for the third time this week.
Exhausted lungs let out a sigh, then sore arms and legs quietly crawled to the edge of her little island, and reached. Her fingers dangled above the tiny side table until they latched onto her hairbrush.
It was bright pink. Though Kani had no say in the color. Even if it made her head hurt.
Carefully, she patted down the rats nest her hair must be after sleep, and started brushing.
It was a slow, painful process, dragging the bristles through her strands until she got the knots out.
At least she didn’t wince anymore.
With a quiet huff of exhaustion, Kani set the brush back on the side table, then opened up the top door, cautious to pull it slightly to the left so it didn’t squeak.
Reaching into the depths, she snatched up a pair of socks.
Soft.
Kani stared at them for a moment, her sharp eyes dragging over the fibers, the strings and threads.
A breath.
She stretched, pulling on the right sock first, then the left.
Once her feet were safe in their cozy haven of fabric, she pushed herself off of the bed and onto the ground.
Sao stirred, mumbling something about ‘corporate laws’ before turning back on his face.
Kani blew a puff of air from her lips, then ran her hands down her nightgown, eyes narrowed at the wrinkles.
The girl turned, grabbed the banished blanket off of the floor, and pulled the corner up to the top of her bed. After throwing the odd yellow pillow in the center, Kani nodded, changed into some black pants that were far too big for her, and a brown shirt that had a hole in one sleeve.
Deeming her appearance acceptable, she tiptoed through the long room of sleeping acquaintances, skipped floorboards that made questionable noises, and ducked through the door.
~
Kani covered her ears.
Shouts rang out, old ladies with skin dripping off their faces like paper shoving breakfast trays into tiny hands.
The other kids were running around the tables, arguing about who would sit next to who.
Kani only recognized a few of them.
Since when did this room get so full?
She huffed, cradling a singular clear marble between her thumb and pointer finger. Rolling it back and forth, she weaves through the crowd of messy smiles, and plopped herself at the small table in the far corner.
Her shoe-clad toes tapped the water damaged floors, making up a rhythm even she didn’t know.
The ceiling fan made clicking noises every so often. The overhead lights were bright and artificial, and the walls were covered in patterned wallpaper that was peeling at the edges.
“Sweetie-“
Kani flinched, deep golden eyes widening while her body whipped to the right.
She heard her marble fall to the ground.
The tall woman in front of her ignored it, giving her a smile.
Her hands looked clammy.
She smelled like ash.
“Did you get some food?”
Kani bit the inside of her cheek, tearing her gaze from the figure so she could scour the floor for her lost trinket.
“Dear?”
The woman wrapped her long, spindly fingers around her shoulder.
Kani lurched, almost falling off her chair. Her eyes darted from the ground to that imposing smile, and quickly shook her head.
The woman sighed, set an apple on the table, and disappeared into the throng of legs and feet.
Kani bit her lip, and tugged on one of her tawny curls.
Her marble rolled next to her foot. The apple, however, looked suspicious.
~
The building had a door on the left side that led to a small enclosed outdoor space.
It was enough space, that the directors deemed to call it ‘the playground’. Though, the only ‘play’ that ever happened there was in the sandbox (which was full of bugs by the way), or near a cluster of large rocks that the others would climb on.
Kani, sat on the grass, right next to the door.
She was content to pick at blades of green, listening to the mindless chatter of her companions.
“Hey! Come play with us!” A shrill voice squeaked.
Kani looked up, her eyes locking with his.
Oh. This boy. He sometimes sits next to her at breakfast.
He gave a smile so big, she wasn’t sure his face could contain it.
“Come on, Suki brought her toy horse!” He exclaimed, gesturing to a circle of kids near the rocks.
Kani didn’t like horses, and she didn’t know who Suki was.
She stood up anyway.
Patting her pants, making sure her marble was with her, she gave a silent nod, and let the boy lead her to the group.
She sat in between two girls, who gave her a little wave.
Before she could see what this toy was all about, a loud shout rang out through the ‘playground’.
“Rei! A nice couple’s at the door for you!”
The yard erupted in squeals in cheers, as Rei crawled out of the sandbox and into the building, her pigtails covered in dirt.
Kids got called to the door every day. Sometimes there were parents at the door, looking for a new baby girl. Sometimes there were two mommies or two daddies.
But Kani had learned a while ago not to expect her mommy to walk through that door.
“Neigh!”
Her attention was pulled back to the circle when Suki lifted a wooden horse in the air.
The girls beside her looked up in awe, as if it was some mystical creature.
“This is horsey! And he is a horse! And he-“
Suki dropped the horse.
It fell to the ground, bounced off of a rock, and split in two.
The girl to Kani’s left screamed.
The others stood up, their faces pulled into expressions of various concern
“Let me see it,” Kani muttered, turning the attention to her.
She chewed on the inside of her cheek.
Reached out a palm.
Suki frowned, but carefully picked up both pieces, tears pricking at the corners of her eyes.
She had dirt on her knees.
The horse, or what was left of it, was deposited into Kani’s palm.
She breathed.
Then she pressed the sides together, and closed her eyes.
“Oooooh!”
Kani opened her eyes again, and looked at the toy.
It had turned from wood into stone.
Smooth, shiny marble.
She blinked, staring at it.
“Uh- I’m sorry,” she mumbled, turning the object over in her hands. “That’s not right…” before holding the fixed (but changed) horse out to Suki.
“It’s okay! It’s prettier this way!”
Kani pursed her lips.
~
The air hung with a thick steam curling up from a large pot sitting on the stove. The walls were covered in mildew, and the ceiling was far too low.
But Denise was a small woman, so she had no trouble navigating the room.
She shuffled around the small island in the middle, her head narrowly missing the lightbulb hanging from a rusty chain.
It was the only light in the kitchen, and it cast an eerie yellow glow through the room.
Denise made it work.
She opened barely filled cabinets, stuffing her arms with canned ingredients halfway to their expiration date.
Some hair fell loosely from her hairnet, obscuring her vision and gathering sweat.
The flame of the stove sputtered, red dancing with the haze of blue and orange.
The chef hummed a quiet melody, carefully slicing vegetables and sliding them into the pot.
Creeeak
Denise’s lips curled into an imperceptible smile.
“Isn’t it nap time, dear?” The old woman rasped into the space, not bothering to turn and greet the likely figure.
Small steps shuffled into the room.
“…Can’t sleep.” The girl squeaked.
Denise chuckled, “You never can, Kani-Chan.”
Kani pouted at the nickname, but inched closer, stretching on her tiptoes to see what was on the counter.
“Can I try..?” She muttered, staring hopefully at Denise. The woman had flour on her cheek.
Used to the familiar question, Denise nodded. She leaned down, unfolding a stool in front of the stove.
Kani carefully climbed on top of it, eyes lighting up when she saw the soup.
Denise handed her the wooden spoon and the girl gripped the edge of the countertop.
“Back straight. Don’t slip darling.”
Kani nodded quickly, then dipped the spoon into the soup.
The creamy mixture clung to the wood, the carrots swirling in the empty space. Some specks danced on a filmy layer, and Kani surmised they were spices, from her and Denise’s last chat.
She stirred clockwise, following the spin of liquid as all the components mixed.
It was wonderful.
Kani spared herself a glance up at Denise, who was leaning on the counter beside her, and smiled.
“Thank you, Den-Den.”
Denise winced, lightly smacking Kani on the head.
“I told you not to call me that! I’m an old woman, you know!”
Kani’s smile only widened.
Focus returned to the soup, but briefly she questioned why it took so long.
“…Couldn’t we just make it hotter?”
“Then it would burn.”
Kani nodded at the information, filing it away like it was the most important thing she heard all day.
Denise cleared her throat.
"You know... whoever adopts you is going to have one heck of a little sous chef."
Kani kept stirring.
"...Maybe."
Denise sighed, then reached up, opening a cabinet and pulling out a small box.
A donation. Or something she had bought with her own yen. It wouldn’t matter either way.
Fingers slipped between the cardboard, revealing the pillowy confection in the center. Then, she slid it closer to Kani.
Kani stopped stirring.
Her eyes widened like saucers, golden light dancing in her irises.
“Mochi? …for me?”
“Who else?”
Kani bit her lip, hopping down from the stool.
Slowly, her hands latched onto the box, cradling it like it might disappear at any moment.
It was yellow. Likely mango flavor.
She brought the soft ball to her lips.
It smells sweet.
Then took the tiniest bite in the history of the universe.
Denise laughed.
“It’s going to last a week if you eat it like that.”
Kani beamed up at her.
“That’s the point.”
~
“Kani. The director needs to see you.”
Kani hadn’t even heard the door open.
She turned, and left Denise’s side.
That sentence, though usually with a different name, has been said many times. Everyone knew the expectation of what came after. Even Kani.
Shuffling past the doorway, the air felt heavier.
Not the comfortable weight of steam like in the kitchen, but the weight of uncertainty.
Kani found herself dragging her feet. Scanning the walls.
Those frames are empty.
That baseboard is painted a different color than the rest.
That wallpaper is extremely ugly.
The repeated thud of her steps echoed in the cramped hallway. Like the tick of a clock.
But she followed close behind the attendant, unaware her hands had balled in the fabric of her pants.
The space opened up into the reception area, a small desk shoved against the far wall, and a large ornate door to the left.
Kani had never noticed how pretty that door was.
Or that the couches and chairs in the center of the room didn’t look nearly as soft as they did when she saw the others in them.
She didn’t realize she stopped walking.
“Honey, let’s go.” The attendant hummed behind her, placing a hand on the small of her back.
Legs forced themselves to move. Feet stuttered as they made their way to a couch.
Kani hauled herself up, refusing help.
She ran her hand over her shirt, staring at the wrinkles. Found her marble in her pocket, and rolled it between two fingers.
Then, she saw him.
Pupils widened. Her breath hitched in her throat.
Long white coat. Heavy black boots. Pristine gloves wrapped around his hands.
He was talking to the director. Their voices were low, but his was firm. Steady.
He turned.
Grey met gold.
Kani bit the inside of her cheek.
Black medical mask. Arrow-shaped hair.
She was breaking him apart. Putting him into tiny boxes she could sort and make sense of. That’s the only way she could keep herself from shaking.
The man stepped closer. His eyes narrowed at the girl.
Thud.
Thud.
Thud.
Then—
He knelt.
“Kani Chisaki?”
“…yes?”
“It’s time for you to come home.”