Mariko woke with a start.
Her body felt sticky with sweat. Her nightclothes were clinging to her skin and a faint warmth clung to her like fever. She sat up slowly and brushing the stray hair off her damp forehead.
The room was too quiet.
"Hana?" she softly called.
No answer.
She waited and listened to the faint ticking of the old clock on the wall. Then she tried again but louder this time.
"Hana!"
Still nothing.
For a while, she just sat there while staring blankly at the pale walls of her room. Something inside her chest felt tight. She had a nightmare. She was sure of it. But the memory slipped away the more she tried to hold onto it.
Her throat felt dry.
Just then, the door slid open and Hana rushed in. She was slightly out of breath.
"I'm so sorry, young lady! I was just finishing something in the kitchen."
Mariko blinked then smiled softly.
"It's fine, Hana."
Hana hurried to her side and gently wiped the sweat off Mariko's neck and arms with a damp cloth.
"You were sweating so much. Did you have a bad dream?"
Mariko hesitated.
"Maybe... I think so. But I can't remember it."
Hana nodded in reply. After helping Mariko change into a light dress, she began brushing and tying her hair into a ribbon. However, her hands slightly trembled.
Mariko caught it.
"Why do you look sad today?" she asked while watching Hana's reflection in the mirror.
Hana froze.
"Sad? Oh, I'm not sad, young lady. Not at all."
Mariko puffed her cheeks.
"...You're lying."
Hana gave a nervous laugh but said nothing more. And Mariko let it go. At least for now. When Hana finished fixing her ribbon, Mariko slipped off the bed. Her bare feet touched the cool wooden floor.
She walked to the door and open it. A strange hush filled the mansion. The corridors were dim. Only a few lamps were lit while their light was flickering weakly against the walls.
Mariko frowned.
'Why is it so dark?'
Normally, the mansion was bright and lively. Kaito was always particular about making things proper by keeping everything in order. But today, it felt different.
Mariko walked quietly down the hallway. Her small hands brushed against the wall for balance. When she reached the top of the stairs, she heard voices from the living room.
Curious, she peered down.
Her aunt Kiye stood near the center of the room and facing an older man seated on the sofa. It was her grandfather. The air between them felt heavy. It wasn't quite an argument but it wasn't peace either.
Mariko tilted her head.
Then Kiye turned and saw her. For a brief second, her aunt's eyes shimmered with moisture. But she quickly wiped them and forced a smile.
"Mariko, dear." Kiye gently said.
Mariko smiled back and waved her hand before she descended the stairs.
"Good evening, Auntie. Good evening, Grandpa!"
The old man's expression softened as he looked at her.
"Ah, my dear granddaughter. I heard you were sick. Are you feeling better now?"
"Yes." she nodded. "I feel good now."
Her grandfather chuckled softly and studied her face for a long time as if memorizing it. His eyes carried something strange. It was warm but also with a hint of sorrow.
"Would you like to stay with me for a while, Mariko? You'll have your own room, lots of toys and your favorite desserts. Doesn't that sound nice?" the boss suddenly asked.
Kiye stiffened immediately. Her sharp gaze darted toward him. But the old man ignored it while still smiling at Mariko.
Mariko blinked her eyes in surprise.
"But I have to ask Mommy and Daddy first."
The room suddenly fell silent.
The smile on her grandfather's face faltered slightly although he quickly covered it. Around them, the servants exchanged uneasy glances. Kaito, who had been standing near the doorway, turned his head away and closed his eyes.
Mariko noticed it all.
"What's wrong?" she softly asked while looking around.
No one answered her.
Then her grandfather slightly leaned forward.
"I already asked them. And they said yes." he calmly said.
Mariko's eyes widened.
"Really?"
The old man nodded.
"Yes, really."
Then she turned toward Hirotsu.
"Is that true, Hirotsu-san?"
The man hesitated for a moment. But with visible effort, he nodded his head.
"Yes, young lady... It's true."
Mariko looked down while processing his words.
"Oh..."
But before she could say anything more, Kiye suddenly reached her side and pulled her gently but firmly into her arms.
"No." Kiye sharply said. "I will not allow her to go with you."
"Kiye—"
"She is not going anywhere with you." Kiye interrupted while holding Mariko protectively. "Not today. Not after what happened."
Mariko blinked her eyes in confusion.
"Auntie?"
Kiye stroked her hair gently and forced a smile.
"It's alright, sweetheart. Everything is fine."
But her hands trembled.
Mariko looked up at her aunt's face. Then at her grandfather's still form. The silence between them spoke louder than words.
Before Mariko could even open her mouth to ask what was happening, a strong arm swept her off her feet. She gasped softly when her small body was lifted. Then suddenly, she was in her grandfather's arms.
"Grandpa...?"
Kiye's eyes widened in shock.
"Put her down!" she shouted while lunging forward.
But before she could reach them, Hirotsu-san stepped in front of her. His usually calm eyes were now cold and sharp. He raised one arm and blocking Kiye's path completely. Then he shake his head.
"Hirotsu!" Kiye shouted in half fury and half disbelief.
The boss clutched Mariko gently but firmly to his chest. Then he looked down at Kiye with chilling calm.
"I will be in charge of Mariko from now on." he declared.
His tone was soft but it froze everyone in the room.
The boss took a slow step forward. But before he could take another step, two figures moved swiftly in front of him.
Kaito and Hana.
Their heads were lowered respectfully. But their tensed posture spoke volumes.
"Boss..." Kaito evenly said although his hand twitched near his coat. "Please put Lady Mariko down."
Hana followed. Her eyes glinted with restrained fear and defiance.
"We all know our masters would never agree to this. Please don't force us to go against you."
Around them, the other servants moved subtly and forming a silent line between the boss and the door. Some stood beside Kaito and Hana while others spread out across the room.
The air shifted.
The polite and obedient aura of house servants vanished. It was replaced by something colder, sharper and infinitely more dangerous.
It was a quiet return of their inner selves. These are the assassins, enforcers and survivors of the underworld who once answered to Gen'emon and Tane.
The boss narrowed his eyes and watched them as their killing intent filled the air.
"So all of you still remember who you really are."
No one moved.
Kaito's voice was steady but low.
"Our loyalty remains with the masters. Their word is our order."
The boss chuckled. It was a dry sound that made Mariko's small hands tighten against his sleeve.
"You dare to defy me now?"
"Only to protect what's left of theirs." Hana replied.
For a long and tense moment, no one breathed.
Then the boss's face shifted. The faint smile that spread across his lips wasn't kind. It was sharp, wicked and full of challenge.
"Well..." the boss said at last. His voice was calm but dripping with dark amusement. "It's been a long time since anyone in dared to challenge my authority."
He adjusted his grip on Mariko and looked at the servants as if they were his prey.
"I think I'll handle this myself."
Before anyone could react, he turned toward Hirotsu-san.
"Hirotsu." he said. "Hold her."
Hirotsu's expression tightened but he obeyed the boss. He took Mariko gently from his master's arms.
"Don't be afraid, young miss." he whispered to her.
Mariko blinked up at him.
"Hirotsu-san...?"
He forced a smile that didn't reach his eyes. Then he carefully placed a hand over her eyes and blocked her view.
Everything went dark.
But even in the darkness, she could hear everything. The sharp click of shoes, the deep breath of men preparing to fight, the sharp noises of metals, the tremor of fear in Hana's gasp and the sound of Kiye shouting her name.
"Mariko!"
"Hana.. Kaito... No!"
"Stop!"
Mariko's small hands reached for Hirotsu's sleeve.
"What's happening?!"
But her only answer was the rough tightening of his grip and the quick movement of his steps. She could feel him turning and walking.
Behind her, a lot of voices clashed. She could hear the grunts, the screams and the muffled moans breaking through the quiet halls.
"Hirotsu-san?"
But he didn't answer.
Mariko was tightly clutched in his arms. Her small hands were pressing weakly against his chest.
"Hirotsu-san, what is happening? Where is Aunt Kiye and Grandpa?"
"Please stay still, young miss." he murmured.
Hirotsu didn't stop. He burst through the back door into the courtyard where a long black limo was waiting for them. Its windows were tinted like obsidian.
Two men in black suits stood by the car. Their expressions were serious and unreadable. They opened the door wordlessly as Hirotsu approached. Then he placed Mariko gently inside.
"Please stay here." he whispered.
Mariko looked around.
"No... Wait! I have to go back!"
She tried to crawl toward the open door but Hirotsu stopped her with both hands. Then he slowly shake his head.
The door shut with a heavy thud.
Through the window, Mariko saw more men gathering around the vehicle. Their faces were expressionless and their their suits dark and crisp. The way they stood made her chest tighten.
She pressed her palms to the glass.
"Hirotsu-san, please tell me! Where's Aunt Kiye? Why are they fighting?!"
But Hirotsu didn't answer. His eyes met hers through the glass. It looked sad and hollow.
That silence scared her more than any words could.
Minutes passed.
Or maybe hours.
Mariko couldn't tell. The world outside the tinted windows felt distant and muffled. The men outside didn't speak or move. Only the steady hum of the car's engine filled the silence.
Then, the doors to the mansion opened.
Everyone straightened their backs immediately.
Mariko's breath caught as her grandfather emerged.
He walked slowly as if he had merely finished a simple meeting. But his inner shirt was soaked in red. Drops of blood ran down his sleeves and fingertips and staining the marble floor beneath his shoes.
Even from inside the car, Mariko could feel his thick and suffocating aura. It was heavier than she'd ever felt before. She had always known her grandfather was a powerful and dangerous man. But she had never felt it like this.
He looked different.
The warmth she remembered was gone. His eyes were cold and the air around him felt sharp and almost alive with fury.
The men in black bowed low as he passed but none of them dared meeting his gaze. One of them quickly opened the car door for him.
When her grandfather climbed inside the limo, the faint scent of iron filled the enclosed space.
Then the boss looked at her. For a second, his expression softened and almost fatherly. Then he smiled and raised a hand to gently pat her head.
"There, there." he murmured. "You don't need to worry."
But his touch was still damp.
Mariko stared at him.
"Grandpa... Where is Aunt Kiye? And Hana... And Kaito? What about the other servants?"
He didn't answer.
He just smiled and moved his hand to her cheek in a gesture that might have been affectionate once.
"You don't need to worry about them either."
"...Grandpa?"
His thumb brushed her cheek. When he pulled it away, a faint smear of blood was left behind. It was bright against her pale skin.
Her chest tightened.
She wanted to move and ask again. But the words caught in her throat when she saw his expression.
The boss turned his gaze toward the driver.
"Move."
"Yes, boss."
The car started. The soft hum of the engine filled the silence while the mansion grew smaller behind them. Mariko sat frozen in her seat while still staring at her grandfather's bloodstained clothes.
Finally, he spoke again in a quiet and almost gentle voice.
"You are growing up, Mariko. You will soon learn there are things in this world not worth worrying about."
Then he looked out the window.
"From now on, you must not trouble yourself with insignificant people anymore."
Mariko's lips trembled slightly but she didn't dare to speak.
The reflection of her face in the window stared back at her.
Her cheek was now stained with fresh blood.