"Airi!"

Airi turned in surprise when she heard her name, her heart nervously skipping a beat when she saw who it was. She had been planning on finding Jurou to talk to him about persuading the Board members to vote for her, but facing him seemed overwhelming after the events of the past few hours.

"Jurou, hey. I'm assuming you heard what happened by now," she said, exhaustion clear in her gaze as she looked up at the man in front of her.

"I did, and I'm so sorry to hear that happened. There's always the hope that your dad made it out alive, but from what I've heard, it isn't looking good. I'm hoping for the best though," Jurou said, reaching out and gently taking one of her hands in his to give it a gentle squeeze.

Airi looked down at their hands, though she didn't make any movements to pull it away. "Regarding that...If my father doesn't make it out alive, one of the Board members is getting promoted to take his spot, which means there will be an opening sooner than expected. And you and I both know that if I don't get the opening this time around, then I'm never going to get it," she said, hesitance creeping into her voice as she looked back up at Jurou.

The older male let out a long sigh, running his fingers through his hair with his free hand. "Yeah, that does put a lot of pressure on you, doesn't it? Well, you've got me on your side. You've got your mother, and aren't you friends with Marie as well? I'm sure she could talk to the other members, she does excellent work and she's well liked."

Airi frowned when she heard Jurou, her eyes narrowing slightly as they stayed hand in hand. "Marie? For someone who's on the Board, you know she hates when people don't call her by her given name, Mariamma," she pointed out, her gaze intensifying for a moment before she finally relaxed. "But you're right, she could help. That's still only five or six votes, and I need a majority vote to get in, which is seven. Maybe I should start making phone calls, it's daytime in America, isn't it?"

Jurou shook his head at her question, giving Airi's hand a firm squeeze. "It is daytime there, but it's also four in the morning here and you've hardly slept in the past week as it is. You need some rest, and probably some time to think too. Come on, I'll walk you to your room," he suggested, tugging on her hand to start walking.

Airi let out a soft sigh when she heard Jurou, reluctantly nodding as she started walking with him towards the elevator. "It's just been a long day. I mean, it's been a long few days, but I don't think the reality of it all has even hit me yet," she admitted.

"And that's okay if it hasn't. I'm pretty sure everyone in the Angeli Mortis has felt that way at one point or another, we've all lost plenty of people who are close to us. Losing your father affects everyone, but I can't imagine how you must feel right now," he said gently, looking down at her as they walked together.

Airi nodded wordlessly as they walked together, taking a few deep breaths to try and clear her thoughts. She just had to hold out until she made it to her apartment so she could cry in peace and let the reality of her situation sink in. Her father was dead. He wasn't going to come back, they were never going to get to celebrate a holiday together, she wasn't going to get to pop into his office for candy, he wasn't going to be there when she became a Board member- if she even did.

She had to, for her father's sake. 

The two of them silently walked back to her apartment, before she gently pulled her hand away from Jurou's and gaze him a weak smile. "I'm sure I'll see you tomorrow for another long day ahead," she murmured. 

He gave her a small smile in return, sliding his hands into the pockets of his jacket. "I'm sure we will. But feel free to reach out if you need anything, alright? I just want you and your family to know that I, and everyone else, are here for you."

Airi nodded when she heard Jurou, before she turned away from him and stepped into her apartment. She closed the door behind herself before she dropped to her knees and started to sob, burying her face into her hands. 

Jurou waited until he heard the door click shut before he pulled his phone out, holding the phone up to his ear and clearing his throat before he began to talk. "How are we going with finding Rin's body? Has anyone been able to find proof that he is dead?" He asked, heading back down the hallway. 

His frown deepened when he heard the response on the other end, clenching his jaw momentarily. "What do you mean there is no trace of him? I thought you had him trapped in there to burn, yes? Where the fuck would he have gone otherwise? Dead bodies don't just get up and walk away," He snapped, before he paused mid thought. 

"Forget finding Rin, find the girl! She has him, that's the only way he could have escaped. I want people searching the entire surrounding area for the two of them, they can't have gotten out already. Find her, and then kill-"

-

"Rin Nakamura!" 

Rin's eyes snapped open when he heard his name being yelled, letting out a groan the moment that he felt pain hitting every inch of his body all at once. He forced himself to focus on the figure hovering over him, his vision clearing enough for him to view the young woman watching over him. 

Reina let out a shaky sigh when she saw his eyes open, running her shaking fingers through her hair as she looked away for a moment. "You- you're safe, don't worry. Your family is safe too, but we have to get out of here. They're going to be here any minute, we don't have time to waste," she said, pushing herself off the ground and into standing position.

Rin blinked in surprise when he heard her, before he slowly sat up, trying to collect his bearings. "Who are you? All I remember is the fire, I think I passed out and then..."

"And then I ran in to grab you before it got too bad, and dragged you out. I had been outside, waiting for that moment, but I'm sure they got me on the cameras before it completely burned down. Come on, we don't have time to waste," Reina said hurriedly, grabbing his hand to help him up and start walking. 

The older male wasn't in a position to argue with her, so he followed her as she walked, taking a good look at her features. She had striking similarities to someone familiar, and he couldn't help but wonder if they had met. "You didn't answer my first question. You look awfully familiar, I feel as though we've met a long time ago," he said honestly.

Reina couldn't help her faint smile when she heard Rin, lowering her gaze to the ground for a few moments. "A long time ago, hm?" She mused softly, shaking her head. "I don't remember us ever meeting."

"Then how did you know to come find me? Why does my life matter to you enough to help me?" Rin pressed, eyes narrowing as he looked down at the female by his side. 

Reina hesitated in her response, glancing back to the alley that they had come from, before she looked back up at him. "Your life matters because you are cursed, and you have killed many, and will continue to kill many to keep your status and where you are. But your sins pale in comparison to those who want to get rid of you, and that's why I had to save you. So you have a chance at saving your family," she explained, her voice soft as they continued to walk together.

Rin was frustrated with how deliberately vague she was being, couldn't he get a straightforward answer? He half wanted to grab her knife from where it was strapped on her arm, and threaten her at knifepoint to explain what the hell was going on and who the hell she was. But he wasn't going to do that after she had saved his life, that wouldn't be making a good impression. 

"My name is Reina," she said softly, snapping Rin out of his thoughts to realize that she had stopped walking. "Reina Nakamura. You gave me up as a child and left me to be tortured for my entire life," she continued, her eyes welling up with tears as she stared at the dark sky ahead of them. "You never came to look for me, you let him use me however he wished. He let anyone use me however they wanted to. How many nights did you spend in that comfortable apartment of yours, while I was chained under an office desk to sleep on the floor with poison coursing through my veins, or my blood soaking the mattress beneath me?" She asked, her voice shaking with a mix of anger and pain.

Her father was stunned as he stared at her, but he knew that was what had been bothering him since he met her. She shared many characteristics with his wife, their facial features were so similar, and he would know those eyes anywhere. But...Was she truly his daughter? His oldest child was supposed to be dead, and yet...

"I'm going to save you and your family. You may not like my methods of doing it, but I need you to trust me," Reina said firmly, before she grabbed Rin's arm and flipped him to the ground, easily pushing the knife through his heart before he had time to react. 

It was almost funny how easily she had gotten used to feeling someone else's blood on her hands after a lifetime of trying to stop her own bleeding. How ironic it was that in order to save a life, she would be forced to end one as well.

~~~

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