ɢᴀɴɢ-𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗥𝗦! [ ᴛʀ x ᴍᴀʟᴇ! ғᴀᴛʜᴇʀ ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ ]
CH. 15
Driving With My Darling — And One
'But I think, I'm a fool
Try to breath under water
Driving with my darling
Faster than I should
Driving with my darling
(Forever if we could)'
THE man in black visibly flinched, his grip faltering for a split second as he stared at the blade lodged straight through M/n’s hand and yet he looked unbothered.
Not even a twitch of pain crossed his face, only mild annoyance, like someone had spilled something on his sleeve.
“You brought a knife, to a fist fight? ” M/n said, voice low, almost conversational, his gaze lifted slowly, landing on the man quietly
“That’s not just cowardly… that’s a very bold choice.” His lips curved faintly, not quite a smile.
“Especially when you pointed it at my sons.”
Ran snapped out of it first.
“Hey—! what the hell are you doing?! You're bleeding!” he barked, stepping forward, eyes darting to M/n’s hand.
“Are you insane?! That knife went through your hand!” Rindou added, voice sharper than usual, panic slipping through as he pointed.
M/n glanced at them, following their gaze as if he had just remembered it was there.
“…Oh, this?” he said lightly, giving his wrist a small tilt, as if inspecting it.
“It’s fine. I’ll deal with it after.”
“After—?!” Ran looked like he wanted to strangle him.
One of the men in black let out a scoff, trying to recover his footing, his voice laced with forced confidence.
“You’ve got some nerve acting tough like that, you can’t even use one of your hands properly. That leaves you with one, while we’ve got weapons.”
“Ah...” M/n cut in gently. A tick mark formed at the face of the man in black for being interrupted.
“Shut up, will you?”
M/n let out a quiet sigh, glancing down at the knife in his hand again before shifting his attention back to Ran and Rindou. His expression softened just a fraction.
“Do me a favor...This is the only time I'll ask of this. Help me take care of these.” He said.
Ran and Rindou exchanged a look, something unspoken passing between them before nodding.
“Tch...don’t slow me down” Ran muttered.
“Same to you,” Rindou shot back. M/n smiled faintly.
“Good.”
The three of them surged forward at once, the fight erupting again. But this time, there was a rhythm to it.
Ran moved with precision despite the lack of his baton, weaving through opponents with practiced grace, his strikes clean but slightly restrained. When M/n kicked a fallen pipe toward him, it slid perfectly into reach.
“It may not be your usual, but I'm sure you'll manage just fine.” M/n remarked. Ran caught it mid-step, spinning it once before smirking. “Hmph...Obviously.”
Rindou, on the other hand, fought like a storm, aggressive. using whatever openings he could find. Without their usual coordination, he leaned into rougher tactics, grabbing, twisting, forcing opponents down with brute efficiency. Still, it wasn’t seamless.
As a guy with a crowbar swung too fast that he almost didn't avoid it.
Almost.
If it weren't for M/n that is.
M/n tugged Rindou, before kicking the guy straight into the gut. Rindou was caught off guard, his body being pulled backwards. His glasses slipped and was carried by the chaoticness of their situation.
𝗖𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗞!
His glasses shattered on impact, the frame snapping as it fell uselessly to the ground.
“Shit—” Rindou hissed, momentarily thrown off.
“I'm sorry, I'll get you a new one.” M/n murmured, not even looking back.
“Shut up and focus on the fight!” Rindou muttered, but he adjusted, falling back into step. M/n didn’t reply.
Because by now, he was no longer holding back. (No more mr. Nice guy ahh 🥀)
His movements lost their earlier ease, replaced by something aggresive. Far from his usual grace. Every strike carried weight, not just strength, but intent. each one driven by something simmering beneath the surface.
Anger.
Because every time he glanced at them, every time he thought about what could’ve happened if he had been even a second later...
If only he had stayed...
If only he...
something in him tightened. And that what if questions that swirled in his head. That alone was enough.
Bodies hit the ground one after another. Ran and Rindou were breathing heavier now, standing back-to-back for a moment as the last few men staggered down.
Eventually, even they slowed, exhaustion catching up as they leaned slightly into each other.
“Is that all of them?” Rindou muttered.
“It should be...” Ran replied, though his eyes were still scanning.
Up ahead, one man remained. And M/n was already in front of him. The man tried to scramble back, panic finally breaking through his bravado.
But M/n’s hand shot out, gripping his collar and dragging him back with ease.
“Wait, wait—!” the man stammered. M/n didn’t raise his voice. Didn’t tighten his grip either. But the quiet in his tone and the expressionless face made it worse.
“Who sent you?” The man froze almost immediately at the question.
“I...I can’t say—”
“Wrong answer.” M/n’s injured hand lifted slightly, the one still pierced through and for a split second, the man saw the angle of the blade shift.
Towards him.
Ready to stab him in the eye if he has too.
“I—I can't say it! I'll...we'll...” the man blurted out, voice cracking. “We were just told—told to do it! He said if we didn’t, if we didn’t, he’d deal with us himself!” M/n’s gaze didn’t waver.
“Deal with you how?”
“I—I don’t know! He didn’t say!” the man shook his head frantically.
“Please, I swear, that’s all I know!” M/n stared at him. The blade hovered over the man's eye.
And for a moment, it looked like he might actually bring it down.
But, he stopped. A quiet exhale left him.
“...” His grip loosened. The man dropped to his knees, scrambling backward in relief, but before he could even create a distance, M/n moved.
A single, clean kick to the man's chin. The sound echoed as the man hit the ground, unconscious before he even fully registered the impact.
Ran and Rindou flinched at the sound.
“Damn...” Rindou muttered under his breath.
Ran didn’t respond. Because M/n was still standing there. Back turned to them.
The faint city lights cast shadows along his figure, the blood from his hand slowly dripping to the ground. And for the first time ever since M/n adopted them.
M/n was registering something far from anger. No, maybe even worse than anger. It was like seeing someone ready to snap at any moment. And right now, Ran and Rindou felt like they'll be having front row seat.
This quiet reaction was something they hadn’t seen from him before. Neither of them spoke. Neither of them dared to. The shift was so sudden it almost felt unreal.
One moment, M/n stood there with that heavy, suffocating presence wrapped around him, something sharp and unfamiliar and the next, it was gone the second he turned his head toward them.
“Are you two hurt?” His voice was calm again. Back to the loving and caring M/n. He completely did a 180°. Like nothing had happened.
M/n stepped closer without hesitation, reaching out as if to check them over, his gaze scanning quickly but carefully. Shoulders, arms, face, lingering just enough to make sure they were intact.
Ran frowned immediately, grabbing his wrist before he could continue.
“Don’t even start with that. You should be asking that to yourself.” he snapped. Rindou stepped in too, visibly irritated but… unsettled.
“Yeah, the hell are you doing acting like we’re the problem here? You’ve got a knife through your palm, idiot.” he gestured sharply at M/n’s hand. M/n blinked, as if only now remembering it again.
“Right...it's fine, hahah.” He let out a small chuckle.
“It’s not fine!” Rindou snapped, already reaching out instinctively.
“Just...hold still, I’ll take it out—”
“Don’t.”
The word came quick and firm. Rindou froze.
M/n tilted his head slightly, still smiling, but his eyes carried a quiet seriousness now.
“If you pull it out carelessly, it’ll bleed more than it should, we'd rather avoid that, yeah?” he explained, tone almost patient. Rindou slowly pulled his hand back, jaw tightening.
“…Tch.”
Ran exhaled sharply through his nose, clearly annoyed. “Then stop wasting time. Let’s go.”
M/n nodded like that had been the plan all along. “Hahah...Alright.”
THE hospital lights were harsh. The smell of sterile and fresh cleaner greeted them at the door. Somehow, M/n walked through it like he was just passing by a convenience store.
Ran noticed the way his pace didn’t change, the way his shoulders stayed relaxed, like there wasn’t a blade lodged through his hand.
“Walk faster. Your sense of urgency is non-existent.” Ran muttered, irritation creeping in.
“I am walking,” M/n replied calmly. Rindou clicked his tongue.
“You’re strolling.”
“Call it whatever you want, let's just—can we move a little faster?!” M/n huffed out a quiet laugh, but he did pick up his pace just a little. Still steady. Still controlled.
…Though his fingers twitched. Just slightly.
The moment they stepped further inside, a nurse’s eyes landed on him, everything changed.
“Oh my God—sir!”
Within seconds, the calm was gone. Nurses rushed in, voices overlapping as they guided him forward, someone already calling for assistance, another grabbing supplies.
“Sir, please sit. No, we need to take you in immediately—”
“It’s alright.” M/n said, trying to ease the urgency with a small smile.
“It’s not as bad as it looks.”
“It’s exactly as bad as it looks, sir!” one of the nurses shot back, already directing others. “Prep a room, now.”
Ran and Rindou barely had time to react before M/n was being ushered away. M/n glanced back once.
“Stay here,” he told them, he turned around once again. “—Or head home if you want.”
“I won’t take long.” he gave a small wave before the nurses drag him into a room.
Ran and Rindou stood there in the lobby, the noise of the hospital moving around them, but neither of them moved.
"Stupid fuck...” Rindou clicked his tongue, shoving his hands into his pockets.
“That guy…” Ran didn’t respond immediately.
His gaze was fixed in the direction M/n disappeared.
“Are you going home?” Rindou asked, voice quieter this time. Ran didn’t answer right away.
He thought about it for a moment. About just walking out like they usually would.
“No...” Ran said finally, turning his head slightly. “You?” Rindou scoffed lightly. “Like hell I’d leave after that.”
“Yeah, I guess you're right.” Ran muttered.
Then Rindou glanced toward the hallway again, frowning faintly.
“You think he’s actually okay?” Ran didn’t answer immediately. But his eyes didn’t leave that direction.
“He better be...”
MINUTES dragged on, slow and heavy, like the air itself had thickened.
Ran leaned forward on his seat, elbows on his knees, hands clasped loosely together as he stared at the floor. His foot tapped once… then stopped.
Rindou sat beside him, slouched back but not relaxed, fingers idly tracing the rim of his now-empty cup, his gaze flicking every now and then toward the hallway where M/n had disappeared.
Silence sat between them like good friend.
“…Hey.” Ran’s voice cut through it, quieter than usual. Rindou glanced at him.
“Hm? What is it?”
Ran didn’t look up. His jaw tightened slightly, like the words were heavier than he expected them to be.
“I'm sorry...”
Rindou blinked, caught off guard.
“…Huh?” Ran exhaled slowly, fingers tightening together.
“I wasn’t fast enough, if he didn’t step in… that would’ve been you.” he muttered. Rindou stared at him for a second, surprise flickering across his face before it softened into something gentler.
“You’re blaming yourself for that? We didn’t even know one of them had a knife, Ran. That’s not on you.” he said, a small breath of disbelief in his tone. Ran scoffed under his breath, but there was no real bite to it.
“…Still.”
He finally lifted his gaze, brows furrowed.
“You could’ve gotten seriously hurt.” Rindou shrugged lightly, but his eyes drifted again toward the hallway.
“Yeah...Could’ve. But I didn't.” Ran didn’t reply.
Rindou’s fingers stilled.
“And now he’s the one in there instead. So you don't have to worry about me.” That part lingered. Ran’s expression tightened again.
“Why wouldn’t I worry? You’re the only family I’ve got.” he said after a moment, quieter now.
Rindou’s brow twitched slightly.
“Only?” he echoed. Ran glanced at him, confused. “Yeah? Who else?”
Rindou didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he leaned back, head tilting slightly as his eyes drifted once more toward the hallway. His voice, when he spoke again.
“…What about him?” Ran stilled.
“…What?”
Rindou scratched the back of his neck, a small, almost awkward chuckle leaving him.
“I’m just saying, for someone you keep insisting you don’t trust, you’re pretty stubborn about not even considering the obvious.” he started, Ran frowned.
“What obvious—”
“M/n.” Rindou cut in, glancing at him.
“Doesn’t he count?”
Ran’s lips parted slightly before he looked away, brows knitting together.
“Why would he...?”
Rindou huffed quietly, shaking his head.
“You’re seriously gonna act like that thought never crossed your mind?” Ran stayed silent.
He just never let it stay long enough to mean anything. Rindou leaned forward, elbows on his knees now, hands hanging loosely between them as he stared at the floor.
“I used to think he was annoying as hell,” he admitted, a faint chuckle slipping out.
“Like, seriously. Who does that? Just walks into someone’s life and starts acting like they belong there?” Ran let out a quiet hum.
“But then he just… didn’t stop,” Rindou continued, voice slowing, more deliberate now. “Even when we ignored him. Even when we told him off. Even when we made it obvious we didn’t want him around.”
He glanced sideways at Ran.
“He still showed up...At first, I thought it was pathetic and that he probably does it to gain something. Like, what kind of guy tries that hard for people who don’t even want him?” Rindou admitted honestly.
“But then it got… weird.” Ran frowned faintly. “Hm?” Rindou let out a quiet breath through his nose.
“Because he wasn’t doing it to get something out of it. He wasn’t asking for anything back. He didn’t expect us to suddenly trust him or treat him differently. He just… kept trying. waiting for us to warm up to him ourselves.” That made Ran’s eyes flicker. Contorting into conflicted mixed of emotions.
“…And then there was that day. When we got ambushed by Crimson Fang.” Rindou said, voice dipping slightly.
“He went all over the place looking for them, didn’t even tell us until we saw then battered and bruise the morning after." Rindou continued, he let out a soft laugh.
Ran’s lips pressed into a thin line.
“He made them apologize, like it actually mattered to him that we got that.” Rindou said, almost like he still couldn’t believe it.
“…That was the first time I started thinking differently,” Rindou admitted.
Ran glanced at him.
“Differently...?” Rindou hesitated, then scratched the back of his neck.
“Like maybe… he wasn’t just some random guy trying to mess with us.” He looked back toward the hallway again.
“And today just made it worse...” Ran huffed lightly. “Worse?”
“Yeah, because now I can’t even pretend anymore.” Rindou said, nodding once.
His voice dropped, quieter.
“…He didn’t hesitate, Ran. He saw that knife coming at me, and he didn’t even think about it." Ran’s fingers curled slightly.
Rindou exhaled slowly, his shoulders relaxing just a bit.
“I’ve always just had you and that was enough. I didn't need anything else.” he said. Ran’s expression softened, just slightly.
“But having someone like that step in…it feels different that I don't even know how to explain it properly.” Rindou added, he let out an embarrassed laugh. Ran didn’t interrupt.
“…It’s weird, Like, I don’t trust him completely. At least not yet.” He glanced at Ran.
“But I don’t not trust him either. Is that weird?” Ran’s gaze dropped again. He didn’t speak, but his grip on his own hands loosened. Because he understood what Rindou was saying.
He’d been feeling it too. Every time M/n smiled like nothing bothered him, every time he said something that hit a little too close.
Every time he showed up again and again, like he wasn’t going anywhere.
Silence filled the space between them again.
“You talk too much...” Ran muttered, though his voice lacked its usual edge. Rindou snorted lightly.
“And you ignore your feelings too much.” Ran didn’t deny it. A moment passed before Rindou spoke again.
“So?” he asked. Ran glanced at him. “So what?” Rindou tilted his head.
“Are you gonna keep pushing him away?” Ran didn’t answer immediately. His gaze drifted toward the hallway. Toward the place where M/n was.
“…I’ll try,” he said finally, Ran rubbed the back of his neck, looking away.
“Don’t expect me to just switch like that…I still need time.” Rindou smiled and nodded.
“Yeah...take your time.” he said softly.
For a while, time blurred. The harsh hospital lights dimmed into something softer as exhaustion finally caught up to them.
Rindou had ended up leaning sideways at some point, his head resting against Ran’s lap. Ran, despite himself, had let his hand settle lightly on Rindou’s shoulder, more out of habit than thought as his own eyes began to droop.
Neither of them noticed how long they stayed like that.
“Excuse me.” A voice pulled them back. Ran stirred first, blinking sleep out of his eyes, his hand instinctively steadying Rindou when the younger shifted.
He looked up to see a doctor standing in front of them.
“Are you relatives of M/n L/n?” the doctor asked. Ran hesitated for half a second… then nodded.
“…Yeah.” The doctor seemed to understand enough. He gave a small nod of his own.
“He’s stable. The injury was serious, but fortunately the blade avoided any critical structures. His hand should recover within a few months, provided he doesn’t aggravate it.” he said, which immediately loosened something tight in Ran’s chest.
“And… right now?” The doctor exhaled lightly.
“That’s where it gets complicated. Your… relative has congenital insensitivity to pain or for short; CIP. Because he can’t feel pain, he won’t be able to recognize if something is wrong during recovery. Normally, we’d discharge a patient like this the same day, but in his case, that would be risky.” Ran frowned slightly.
“We’ll need to keep him here for monitoring. A few days at least. We have to ensure he doesn’t unknowingly damage the tendons or reopen the wound.” the doctor continued. Ran nodded slowly.
“So he’s okay?” he asked again,
The doctor gave a small, reassuring nod.
“He’s alright. But we’ll be observing him closely.” There was a small shift beside him.
“Can we see him...?” Ran blinked, glancing down. Rindou was already awake, sitting up, rubbing his eyes but fully alert now.
'When the hell did he wake up…?'
The doctor nodded.
“He’s resting, but you can see him. Just be aware, he may be disoriented from the anesthesia.”
Rindou didn’t waste another second. He stood, grabbing Ran’s wrist and tugging him up. “Thanks.” he muttered quickly before heading in the direction the doctor pointed. Ran followed after him.
INSIDE, theroom smelled sterile. Machines hummed softly in the background, steady and rhythmic.
M/n lay on the bed, one hand carefully bandaged and elevated, his chest rising and falling in slow, even breaths. His eyes were closed, face relaxed in a way that didn’t quite match the situation.
A nurse stood beside him, checking his monitor. Ran and Rindou stepped closer, quiet now, their earlier energy completely gone.
They just… looked at him.
The nurse finished up, gave them a brief nod, and slipped out, leaving the three of them alone.
“You know...” M/n’s voice suddenly broke through, lazy and slightly slurred.
“if you two keep staring at me like that… I might start thinking you’re sleep paralysis demons.” Rindou scoffed immediately.
“Shut up.” Ran let out a small breath he didn’t realize he was holding.
Rindou crossed his arms, frowning. “You’re seriously joking right now?” he muttered.
Rindou stepped closer, irritation creeping into his tone.
“You’re actually unbelievable, you know that? Who the hell throws themselves in front of a knife like that? And don’t even start with that ‘it’s nothing’ crap. your hand got pierced.”
M/n finally opened his eyes, glancing at him.
“Ah...That.”
“Yeah, that,” Rindou snapped.
“And you don’t even know how bad it is because of your condition. You could’ve made it worse and wouldn’t even notice!” M/n’s gaze softened slightly.
“Rindou.”
“Don’t ‘Rindou’ me,” he shot back, though his voice wavered just a little.
“You should’ve just—”
“Let it hit you instead?” M/n cut in gently. Rindou froze.
M/n’s expression didn’t change, it was still calm, but his smile didn't quite match his tone.
“You want me to stand there and watch that happen? Watch you get hurt and do nothing?” he continued quietly.
“That’s not—”
“I’d do it again,” M/n said simply. The words landed heavier than anything else. Ran’s hands clenched at his sides.
“…Why?” His voice came out sharper than he intended.
“Why would you do something that reckless?” he pressed, brows furrowed. M/n looked at him.
Really looked this time. And offered a small smile.
“Because you’re my sons,” he said simply.
“And I’d be damned if anything happened to you. I don’t need a better reason than that,” M/n added.
“I’ve been through worse than a knife to the hand. I got shoot back then so this? This is manageable.” He lifted his bandaged hand slightly. Ran clicked his tongue, looking away.
“…That’s not the point.”
“It is my point.”
He exhaled slowly.
“Give me a couple of weeks, I’ll be back to normal. I’ll even ask the doctor if I can leave tomorrow—”
“No.” Both of them said it at the same time. M/n blinked. Rindou crossed his arms again, frowning.
“You’re not going anywhere. They said you have to stay here for a few days so they can monitor you.”
“A few days?” he repeated, slowly pushing himself up against the pillows, brows knitting together.
“You mean… I’m staying here. As in overnight?”
Ran nodded calmly.
“Yes, the doctors need to monitor your condition—”
“No, no—wait.” M/n cut in, he glanced between Ran and Rindou, his usual composed smile thinning just a fraction.
“That won’t be necessary, I feel perfectly fine, look! I'm as nibble as can be!” he lightly lifted his bandaged hand as if to prove a point,
“I'm functioning well, stable, no complaints.”
“You can’t feel your injury, M/n..." Rindou reminded him patiently.
“...” M/n paused, then waved it off like it was a minor inconvenience.
“Still. I assure you, I’m very capable of monitoring myself. I’ve done it before.” M/n ignored him, leaning forward slightly now, voice lowering like he was trying to negotiate a deal.
“Surely there’s a compromise. A day, perhaps? I go home tonight, return tomorrow for a check-up—”
“No.” the twins deadpan at the adult. M/n blinked. Ran crossed his arms, staring him down.
“You’re staying.”
“No arguments.”
Rindou nodded, equally firm. M/n stared at them like they had just betrayed him personally.
“…What about the house?” Ran blinked.
“What about it?”
“What about it?” M/n echoed, incredulous now, sitting up straighter.
“There are chores! Groceries, meals, laundry. The entire house will collapse in less than twenty-four hours. Do you know how many things require maintenance on a daily basis? Dust accumulates, dishes pile up, floors do not clean themselves, Rindou.”
“Uh-huh...how...tragic.” Rindou deadpanned.
“And food! Why did I ignore the elephant in the room.” M/n continued, ignoring him, now gesturing with his good hand.
“Have you both considered food? Sustenance? Nutrition? Or are you planning to survive off instant noodles and fruit sodas?” Ran clicked his tongue.
“We won’t starve.” M/n looked at him slowly.
“Ran.”
“What?”
“We both know you can't cook.”
“I do, I just need some guidance and a recipe”
“And who the hell would be your guide?"
“Um...I can probably look online...”
M/n turned to Rindou.
“And you.” Rindou blinked. “What about me?”
“You consider chips a meal.”
“Not my fault they make me full afterwards.”
“They are not sufficient.” Rindou scoffed. “Calm down, you're acting as if we’re not gonna die without you in the house." M/n leaned back slightly, staring at the ceiling like he was processing a tragedy.
"Wanna bet on it?"
“…We'll manage!” Then he sat up again, more frantic now, voice dropping into something concerned.
“You’ll forget to eat properly! You’ll skip meals, you’ll order takeout every night until your diet is 90% grease and processed food—”
“Hey—”
“And the house! don’t even get me started on the house. Laundry will remain unfolded, my precious fine china will collect dust, The kitchen—God, not the kitchen!” M/n continued, now fully in it. Ran rubbed his temple.
“You’re being dramatic, M/n.”
“I am being realistic, and it's no exaggeration of what would occur in a couple of days." M/n corrected sharply, though his tone still carried that strange calm edge.
“We can handle it...probably.” Ran muttered the last part, which fail to pass by M/n's ears.
"See? You're not even certain." M/n looked at them, then exhaled slowly, like he was trying to physically push the anxiety out.
“My poor, delicate sons. Left to fend for themselves in a cruel, unforgiving kitchen.”
M/n said, nodding to himself as he filled his mind with possible outcomes.
“Stop talking like we’re gonna starve in the wild. It's only for a few days.” Rindou said, though he was clearly holding back a grin.
"And a lot can happen in a few days." M/n deadpan at his sons.
“We’ll be fine, I'll be in charge with the cooking.” Ran said, more serious now.
"Y—you...?”
Rindou chimed in, shrugging.
“And I’ll clean.” M/n felt his soul leave for a moment.
“Y—you...?”
“Yeah, me.”
“Did you get possessed...?” Rindou clicked his tongue.
“I'm being kind here. And I can clean!"
“You're literally the messiest out of the two of you.” M/n replied immediately. Rindou rolled his eyes.
“Whatever. Point is we’ve got it covered.”
Ran nodded.
“So stop worrying about us and focus on not messing up your hand even more.” M/n stared at them, either terrified or trying to comprehend what the hell he just heard from the past 30 seconds
The panic didn’t disappear entirely, but it… softened.
“Promise me one thing, you’ll eat properly.” he asked quietly. Rindou sighed.
“Yes.”
“You won’t skip meals...?”
“No.”
“You won’t burn the kitchen down?”
"..."
M/n really felt his soul leave his body right then and there. His precious kitchen 🙏
M/n hesitated. Then slowly leaned back against the pillows again, exhaling. Ran smirked faintly.
“Scary, right?”
“I'd actually prefer it if you'd just lie and say you won't burn my kitchen down.” Rindou snorted.
Then M/n glanced at them again, his usual smile returnin.
“Just don’t starve...burn the kitchen if you must, but do it for the reason to eat.” he said quietly. Ran huffed.
“Just don’t destroy the house or we'll end up homeless...”
“We'll do our best not to.” Rindou muttered.
“Rindou...”
“Relax, we’ll keep it standing.” M/n studied them for a moment longer and sighs.
“Alright, I suppose I'll stay.” he sighed, closing his eyes.
“Just focus on not tearing your hand open."
“Alright, I'll leave it to you two.” he said quietly. Ran and Rindou nodded. They stayed for couple hours until visiting hours were over. The twins weere about to leave when M/n called out for them.
"Hold on, let me give you at least an instruction on what to do around the house." M/n said. In truth, he was still nervous inside, so maybe giving them a guide could at least lower the the chances of seeing his house on fire?
"You still don't trust us with the house, don't you?" Ran deadpan at M/n.
"What??? No! I trust you guys the wellbeing of ny house." M/n defended himself, letting out a fake gasp.
"You literally wrote a step on how to sweep...? Your trust must be sooo bountiful for you to put that." Rindou pointed out after receiving the paper.
"You...might need it..." M/n drifted off.
"You also wrote a step on how to put water in a pot"
"What? I like being specific." M/n chuckled, his voice letting out a few nervous tones.
"Dude, you're a bad liar."
"You guys should go hone it's getting late."
NIGHTLIGHT illuminated the warehouse that reeked of rust and oil, the kind of place where sound carried just enough to make every breath feel louder than it should be.
A dozen men knelt on the cold concrete, heads bowed low as their bodies trembling. Either from the cold or from the ravaging fear running through their veins. Bruises bloomed across their faces, cuts still fresh, some of them dripping onto the floor beneath them.
The aftermath of their failure clung to them like a permanent reminder.
“Pathetic.”
The voice came from the shadows. sharp enough to slice through whatever courage they had left.
A figure stepped forward, the faint light catching the glint of his glasses as he adjusted them with two fingers. His gaze swept over the group, unimpressed.
“You were given a simple task and yet you still managed to fail." he continued, tone almost bored. No one dared to lift their heads.
One of the men swallowed hard.
“W-We’re sorry—”
“I’m not interested in apologies, I'm interested in reresults." the man cut him off coldly.
He exhaled softly through his nose, as if the entire situation was nothing more than a minor inconvenience.
“Roppongi is already under the Haitani brothers’ control, if we want authority there, we remove them. It’s that simple. Just as we did in Shibuya… and Shinjuku.” he said, voice turning thoughtful. A faint shift made itself known beside him.
A tall figure leaned against one of the pillars, shoulders relaxed, hands tucked into his pockets like he was watching some kind of show rather than a punishment waiting to happen. When the leader glanced his way, he grinned.
“Go on, teach them what happens when they waste my time.” the leader said flatly.
The man who was tall and lanky rolled his shoulders, a low chuckle escaping him as he cracked his knuckles, making the tatoo visible. His black-and-gold hair caught the dim light, casting jagged shadows along the wall behind him.
“With pleasure~” Panic rippled through the kneeling men.
“N-No, wait—!”
“Please—!” But before he could take a single step forward
“W-Wait!” One of them blurted out, voice breaking. The leader paused.
Slowly, his gaze shifted back to the trembling man who had spoken.
“Hm? What did you do sonething worth saving you tail? You’d better make this worth it.” he said quietly. The man’s throat bobbed as he forced the words out.
“W-We might’ve found… Nightingale.”
Even the man leaning by the pillar stilled.
“…What?” the leader asked. The man nodded frantically.
“He—he looked different, but it’s him! His face… the way he fights, it’s the same! I swear!”
“…And?” the leader prompted. The man hesitated for only a second.
“He was with the Haitani brothers...” That caught his attention.
“For a moment… we thought it was just coincidence, but the way he protected them… the way he moved…” the man continued shakily. His voice dropped.
“…I think he’s their father.”
The leader adjusted his glasses again, eyes narrowing slightly.
“Where?” he asked.
“N-Near a supermarket,” the man answered quickly. “Not far from Roppongi.” The leader went quiet, the gears in his head started thinking. Calculating.
“…I see.” He turned slightly, gesturing without even looking.
“Spare him.” The tall man raised a brow, then smirked.
“Aw? Just him?”
“The rest are useless, do what you want with them." the leader replied flatly.
The grin widened.
“Got it~” the lanky dude lolled. What followed wasn’t quick and It wasn’t clean either.
The sound of fists meeting flesh echoed through the warehouse, followed by muffled cries that didn’t last very long. When it was over, the men lay scattered across the concrete, unmoving save for shallow, broken breaths. The spared man didn’t dare look back.
“Come here.” the leader called. He scrambled forward immediately, nearly tripping over himself. The leader stopped just in front of him, gaze calm but suffocating.
“I have another task for you. And this time, I want you to not fail again.” he said. The man nodded rapidly.
“A-Anything...!”
“Watch him.” the leader continued.
“Follow his movements. I want to know his routine, where he goes, who he meets, everything.” The man swallowed.
“…Y-Yes.”
“And if you fail this time—”
“I won’t! I swear! ” he blurted out quickly.
“Good.” The man didn’t wait another second. He scrambled to his feet and bolted out of the warehouse like his life depended on it. And in a way, it did.
The tall man stretched slightly, rolling his neck as he stepped over one of the unconscious bodies.
“So,what's the plan now, boss?'” he drawled, glancing over the leader who remained still for a moment.
Then, he smiled.
“…Patience.” he said, sporting a maniacal grin.
“I’ve waited this long already.” The man raised a brow, intrigued.
“Nightingale…to think you’d show yourself again.” the leader murmured under his breath, almost fondly. There was something darker behind that smile now.
Something obsessive.
“And with children, no less...” A quiet chuckle slipped from him.
“You pushed me aside back then, you rejected me like I was nothing.” he went on softly.
His fingers adjusted his glasses again, the motion precise.
“Let’s see how long you can keep that same composure now.” The tall man snorted, clearly entertained.
“You’re really going all in, huh?” The leader didn’t deny it.
“What do you need me to do?” the man asked.
A brief pause tranpired until the leader spoke.
“Gather everything you can on him, anything we can use against him.” the leader said.
The man grinned.
“Easy enough.” He turned, already heading toward the exit.
“Just say the word if you want me to stir things up.” The leader’s smile didn’t fade.
“Oh, I will. I do not expect failure from you, Hanma.” The man chuckled, raising a hand lazily as he walked off.
“Got it, boss. You can rely on me.” he smirked.
“Can't wait to see what you'll do this time, Kisaki~”
OooOoOoOOoHhhhH ThE PlOt THiCkeNs.
Yes, this is finally the warming up arc for the Haitani brothers 😩
This chapter isn't long as the other chapters, since I was a little busy with something.
I wanna continue Flour and Gunpowder. (The original story that M/n here is based on.)
Take a look at the panels ٩(ᐛ)و
Lol, it's uncolored (Some important parts are colored tho) to cut some time, making a webcomic is not easy when you're alone 🥀🥀
It's giving M/n x Taiju ngl.
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