Chapter 4

Hideyoshi made it back to his apartment, reaching out with his gauntlet to the door knob, the circle in his palm perfectly placing inside a circle in the door, all of the locks suddenly unlocking and snapping out before he turned the knob and pushed the door inside.

He heard giggling, immediately slamming the door and jumping forward, rolling across the ground and drawing his sword, which had been completely hidden by the inside of his trench coat.

Mai came out of the bedroom, standing in front of Hinata. Her hair was a different color than before, now a painfully bright yellow color with more braids done all over her head.

“Um, you good?” She asked.

Hideyoshi quickly hid his blade as Hinata ran around, running to Hideyoshi. He hugged her tightly and lifted her up off the ground while his eyes never left Mai.

“How’d you get in?” Hideyoshi asked.

“Hinata let me in.” Mai replied.

Hideyoshi quickly turned to look at his sister.

“I told you to never let anybody in. No exceptions.” Hideyoshi replied.

“But it’s Mai. I like her.” Hinata said, beginning to get sad.

Hideyoshi sighed and began to bounce her, hugging her tight.

“No no it’s okay sweetie. Don’t be upset.” He said before turning to look at Mai.

“But why did you come here? You didn’t know I was gone.” He said.

“I was actually coming to see you, but I saw that Hinata was alone so I stayed to play with her until you got back.” She replied.

Hideyoshi stared at her, trying to keep Hinata from crying. He finally sighed and shut his eyes.

“Fine…but never come here again unless I tell you to. Got it?” He asked.

Mai nodded.

Hinata rubbed her eyes and Hideyoshi lowered her down to the floor.

“We were just playing.” Hinata said.

“I know. I’m happy you have a friend. But it’s dangerous.” Hideyoshi said.

He then remembered something, lighting up and smiling. He kneeled down right in front of Hinata with a smile, reaching into his pocket.

“Hey, you wanna see something I got for you?” He asked, acting all excited to make her smile and laugh.

“Yes.” She said.

“Alright…pick a hand.” He said.

Hinata put her finger to her lips, thinking as she looked at each arm a few times.

“That one.” She said, pointing to his left arm.

He pulled it out, opening his hand to show nothing.

“Oh no. Gotta guess again.” Hideyoshi said.

Hinata seemed to think hard about it, making both Hideyoshi and Mai chuckle.

“This one!” She said loudly as she tapped his right arm.

Hideyoshi pulled out the necklace that he bought for her, watching her face light up as she looked so excited.

“It’s beautiful!” She said loudly, jumping up and down.

She turned around and lifted her long and straight hair up, letting Hideyoshi put it on her. He tried to clip it together, but struggled. He couldn’t get them to lock and connect, trying to not get too frustrated.

“Here, let me help you.” Mai said as she walked over.

Her yellow hair made Hideyoshi look away, shining bright enough it would blind him if he looked for a few seconds.

She took the necklace from his hands, softly rubbing against them before he pulled them away. She smiled and clipped the necklace together with ease.

“See, not so hard.” She said.

Hideyoshi smiled and rubbed his eyes while looking away.

“How does it look?” Hinata asked, spinning around so Mai could see it.

“You look beautiful! And the necklace is nice too.” Mai joked, making both of them laugh.

Hideyoshi made his way over to the television, which was still on the same news station as earlier, and the same one as the bar.

The only channel that anybody was given.

“What’d you have to go for?” Mai asked as she walked over, Hinata excitedly running to her bedroom to play with her toys.

“Was offered a job.” Hideyoshi said.

Mai looked at him curiously.

“About time you get a real job.” She said.

He looked at her, as if knowing or expecting her to know what he meant. She sighed.

“That’s what I was afraid of.” She replied.

“It’ll be a real nice one. Enough money for us to live for a few years.” He said.

She looked surprised.

“Off of one job? Must be a crazy one.” She replied.

Hideyoshi didn’t respond at first.

“Hideyoshi. What is it?” She asked.

He looked at her, staring into her eyes as she stared back. They stood in silence for a few moments.

“Military shipment.” He mumbled.

Her eyes went wide, stepping back after he said it.

“Are you ******* serious?” She asked quietly, not wanting Hinata to hear her.

“There’s going to be a lot of Gadian and there’s going to be multiple gangs working together.” Hideysohi said.

“The gangs don’t work together. They’re all out there fighting for their own survival. Hell, I’m shocked that they haven’t learned you protect all of them. That should get you killed.” She said.

“I never told any of them I would be exclusive.” Hideyoshi replied, turning to stare at the television.

“Yeah? And you really think that you can do it?” She asked.

He shrugged.

“It won’t be difficult if you have enough people. Besides, I can sneak off if needed.” He said.

“We both know you would never do that.” Mai replied.

“I would do whatever I have to to make sure I can be with Hinata. Keep her safe and give her the life she deserves.” Hideyoshi replied.

“She lives in this world without anybody else knowing of her existence.” Mai said.

“The ones I know are the ones I trust to know. But as long as I can keep her inside, fed, safe, and healthy…I don’t have any other problems to worry about.” He replied.

“When are you ever here for her? You are always gone working, putting your life and by correlation hers at risk. If you get spotted or traced back here, they will take her away from you. You know that right?” She asked.

Hideyoshi turned to face her, revealing a tear running down his cheek.

“I do everything I can to protect me, but that goes double to protect her. I take the risks I take so we have money to feed ourselves and a place to stay. I fight to protect us.” He said with quiet intensity.

Mai chuckled.

“You don’t know what you fight for.” She turned and stormed off to the front door, turning to look at Hinata in her bedroom. She blew a kiss to her before opening the door, slamming it shut. Hinata lowered her head and went back to playing with her dolls.

Hideyoshi stood alone, lowering his head and putting his hands together. He wrapped them around the back of his neck as all of the lights and television suddenly turned off, leaving them both surrounded by nothing but darkness.

Hideyoshi sighed and made his way into the bedroom.

“But I just woke up not too long ago.” Hinata said as she suddenly felt herself get picked up by Hideyoshi.

“I know sweetie. But it’s their way to try and make us sleep on time.” He replied with a dry and cold tone.

“But I’m not tired.” She said.

“That’s okay…just…lay with me okay?” Hideyoshi said as he laid down, his body suddenly becoming taken away by exhaustion. His eyes shut and he was asleep, snoring in a few seconds.

Hinata stayed curled up next to him, wrapping her small arms around his torso and resting her head on his chest while staring at the window.

The sound of the rain constantly hitting the window was peaceful, ambient sound that started to make her sleepy. Her eyes became heavier and heavier until she suddenly felt herself falling asleep, yet she got up off the bed. She yawned and went over to the window, loving the sound of the rain.

Loving how peaceful and serene it was. How beautiful it was to her ears. She leaned forward and looked through the glass, trying to look down either end of the tight and thin alleyway.

All she could see was other windows, all pitch black and cast in darkness.

There were very few lights visible, nearly the entire world cast in pitch blackness. But she could see the faintest hues in the pitch black skies, multiple colors very slowly changing as the lights from the capital could be seen from the rooftop of every building.

She yawned and looked up at the clouds, loving the beautiful moving paintings in the dark clouds. The lights so faded shifting around each other or changing from one color to another. She put her arms up on the windowsill and tilted her head to try and see more, looking up with a small smile.

Her eyes finally closed, succumbing to sleep and staying at the window as the lights ever so lightly reached her face.

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