Daryl's PoV

I watched as Yui took a seat on one of the picnic benches, while the other three were peering into a huge tank of sea turtles in the aquarium.

I had to follow her here, if it's hard to understand, just think 'stalking'.

Thinking on how to approach her, I spot a smoothie shop.

Remembering her favourite flavour like the back of my hand for some reason, I set a cup of iced smoothie on the table in front of her. She shot up to me, I took a seat next to her.

"You again?" she tilts her head, though her voice doesn't sound as annoyed as she may want it to be. "What're you? Stalking me?" she asked before taking a sip of the cold smoothie, "What're you even doing here?"

Randomly, I nod my head towards a couple at the front, making up a lie.

"...I took on basically everything from my father." She rambled out. My eyes couldn't help but glance in Soryu Oh's direction. She seems frustrated at him. Her fingers were somewhat clenching onto the cup while frowning slightly.

"Oh?" Just as I said that, she turned to me, it was like a glance, except that she never looked away for some time.

"Well, what about your parents?" she asked, nonchalant. I felt shock run through me that someone would actually ask that. Mom was killed when I was only six years old, and my father had always been devoted to the Golden Phoenix ever since he became leader. So I guess I had no love. Mother was more gentle and soothing, even though she had mafia background as well, their marriage was arranged for the benefit of two high-ranked families.

Father never even called me by my given name. It was always just 'son'. To me, it was like I was just another one of his soldiers, except having to share a house with him.

It was when she said she needed to leave that I finally snapped out. I need to stay in character.

"I'll see you at the bar tonight." I repeat my previous text and grinned at her. A small smile tugged at her lips even though she tried to look annoyed. I can tell I'm getting closer to her by the times we spend time together.

A few minutes after, I finish my coffee and go back to the headquarters to check if I had anything to do for the time being.

But as soon as I step in the door, though...

"Ah there you finally are! Slacking off, weren't you?!" father shouted at me sternly, then, someone walked out from a guest room. 

"Darren is here! Isn't that just splendid?" Dad walked over and gave him a fatherly hug, one that I've never received, ever.

Darren Naire is one of my first cousins, we share the same surname.

He's a buff guy with no brain. Yes, that's why he comes to father's liking, he's violent, does things the straight way, and always stuck to punching and/or kicking stuff.

"Daryl! So nice to see you again!" the guy himself doesn't seem like a bad person at first glance, but his beliefs are beyond moral.

I mean, I'm built, but not buff like him. He probably lifts weights and does push ups in the gym all day. Nope, not me. I have classes of education on top of my training.

"Now, Darren," father sat him down on the sofa with him, leaving no space for me, "tell me about your recent take down of the leader of those dogs!"

In 'dogs' he meant another weaker mafia group that was just rising. He likes to destroy enemies just as they're hatching.

Just like that, Darren went on and on about his moves, and how he took down—when I say 'take down' I mean killed, in whatever way—their leader without much effort.

Worst of all his bluffing, father was listening attentively with his full attention, which I've never had. I don't know about jealousy, but I definitely feel frustration. How is a father not even ever listening to his own son but so attentive to his nephew?

"That is absolute fascinating. How I wish you were next in line!"

That did it. The only reason why I tolerated my father's attitude was because when I become leader, I can take revenge for mother. Then, I can finally put that rock off my chest, and lead the group into a better future. Instead of just nonstop violence that it is right now.

"I need to go, I have a target." I said, turning away without hearing their response, they probably wouldn't notice that I was gone anyways.

I've achieved way more than Darren ever did, but dad just has a spot for people like himself. It's probably my way of achieving goals doesn't suit his taste.

That night, I was feeling too fed up and angry to go anywhere. I even forgot about Yui.

In a deep alley, I kicked rocks on the path along my way until I got to a small empty space, I kicked a can away from a pile of whatever, and continuously kicked it against the wall. What else did I have to vent my anger on? I have no one to talk to. Mick isn't even a friend, he's just an acquaintance.

Besides, he goes gaga for Darren, too.

"Never actually expected him to approve of me, but at least notice my hard work." I mutter under my breath. All of a sudden, I had a gut feeling of someone's presence.

"Who's there?" My head turned around as I snap sharply.

Almost as soon as my demand sounded, I pinned whoever was listening right to the wall. This was probably the first time Yui and I had direct physical contact.

In the dim lighting, I can make out her features and ever so smooth midnight hair.

She looked into my eyes as she said she heard noises from out on the streets.

I stay silent. I searched in her eyes, but there were no hints of her lying. I'm pretty sure we can feel each other's breaths with the close proximity between us. I can feel her warmth radiating.

"Is... something wrong?" she asks. I still don't speak. Why was she concerned? On top of that, she isn't giving me her usual cold attitude. She was acting, in fact, even a bit timid.

As I thought, my gaze never left hers.

"I-I don't know what happened, and it may not be okay at all... but you're not you when you're in a bad mood. I mean, I've never seen you this angry before.... Everybody has life hard."

I can tell she's just rambling about something as she couldn't stand my silence. Surely it was far from the best consoling, but it did make me feel lighter. Why is she so nervous? Why is she saying all this to me? Where's the usual composed, I-don't-give-a-damn-about-what-you-wanna-say Yui?

Somehow, I started to find her panicking self very... cute. It wasn't something I've ever found on one of my targets, or anyone for that matter. It feels like a side of her is shown to me that no one else has ever seen. The thought of that spread a delirious sense of content through me.

Even I was surprised when I just crashed my lips against hers without a care in the world. Nobody had ever cared about my emotions as much as she just did within a minute. Nobody had ever gotten me as attached to them as she just did in the past few days. How can this happen? How can this make sense...?

When she leaped and kissed me back, I lost all rational control. Her lips just felt so right on mine. All of my concerns flew away for those short seconds. She made me feel... relaxed. Just her presence was unbelievably soothing.

I moved my hand to her chin to get a better angle. Very soon, her arms were around my neck, pulling me down and my hands were tangled in her hair.

"Daryl..." every time she says my name out loud breathlessly, I feel more and more want to keep her in my arms forever. This has never happened to me despite the number of girls I had to kiss. It never affected me for real. How is this girl doing all of this to me?

When we finally stopped to breathe, I was suddenly out of my trance. No, no, no, no! How could I have gotten emotionally attached to someone who I was bound to kill with my own hands in the first place?!

She had an even more bewildered expression on her face. I'm fairly sure this isn't her first kiss.

And... doesn't she have a boyfriend...?

"I should get going..." she whispered, her arms falling down to her sides.

"Right." I pulled my hands away from her soft hair. I can't bring myself to look her in the eyes.

She turned, and just walked away, without looking back.

That incident just increased my guilt for what I had to do next. I was so worked up on thinking of how I could get closer to her, that I haven't realized how close she had already put herself next to me.

"They're alone, this is perfect!" Mick exclaimed in a whisper. We were hiding out in an arcade while keeping an eye on our three targets, Yui, Mei Ling and Li Yan. They were out shopping, by themselves. Not the wisest choice on their behalf.

Just then, I spot Yui walk up to a game machine, it was a shooting game. I'd be good at a game like that in real life, but not on control panels.

As both of us focused on the game screen, in the end, she scored almost sixteen thousand points.

"That is so hot." Mick whispered, successfully making her realize the crowd that's gathered around her. Pretty and gamer girls are rare.

"This is our chance." I say, masking all of my inner emotions as the three of them decided to make a stupid decision—walk through a dark alley for a short cut. Don't they know that all accidents happen there?

Before doing anything, Mick and I each took a snap picture, but that idiot forgot to turn his phone to mute, the clicking sound echoed through the alley.

And Yui certainly heard it. She whispered something in the other two's ears, before they all broke out sprinting towards the other side.

"Not so fast!" That idiot! He always wanted to act cool and yell out famous lines like in the movies. But dude! Those are movies! Only idiots stop running when their enemies shout out and tell them to!

Mick tried to grab the first two since he was responsible for them, but Yui slapped him away. They had come to a sudden halt.

I hid behind a branch alley, searching for the correct time as if a hawk. The youngest girl was scared stiff, she was probably protected too well that she's weak and naive.

I waited for another few seconds, when I was sure they had no weapons on them, I said out loud, which I later on regretted, "you take care of the two, I'll get the girl."

That must've alarmed Yui, since she put in all she's got into protecting the two to escape.

As we chased after them, there was a sudden sound of a gun fire.

"Shit, Mick! Don't shoot!" I yelled at him, he didn't have perfect aim like I did. There is a possibility that he might accidentally shoot her in the chest or head. We needed them all alive.

"Ah, sorry!" he said, right as another gun fire was heard, he probably tugged onto the trigger without noticing... that's why I objected for him to carry fires.

I start to catch up to Yui, when close enough, I got a good grip on her left wrist and pulled her back.

"Take care of those two." I told Mick as he continued running, I was already reaching into my pocket for that cloth with ecstasy when she suddenly swung herself free.

Since I'm a fast runner, I could've caught her back immediately, but... somewhere in me... I just didn't reach out when she was catching up to Mick. I could've easily stopped her from giving him a deadly head lock, which made time for Mei Ling and Li Yan to escape. It would be big trouble if they ran off and told people.

The thought of 'if she kept on running, I'll just let her go' even flashed through my mind before I instantly pushed it away.

"Ah!" She yanked Mick right to the ground by his hood. Also something I've instructed him to do and he didn't listen: either keep your hood on or don't wear a hoodie at all.

To my utter shock, she didn't move an inch afterwards, it was like she gave up; like she was satisfied with just those two running off without her. Why? She knows that her father had been so cruel to her up to now, and she still saved his guests to prevent him from trouble?!

Shaking my head, I reached out and bind her wrists. If I ran now, I could still catch up with those two ahead, and still corner all three of them.

But I just didn't.

It was like I wanted to help her.

"The other two escaped." I grit out, making it sound like that I lost.

It was a wrong move to pin her to the wall before knocking her out, since she recognized me.

"Daryl..?" she breathed out before I pressed the cloth against her mouth. I flinched.

"Hah... nice work, man." Mick patted me on the shoulder, but I hardly felt it. All I could feel was Yui, limp in my arms.

And the overwhelming feeling of guilt that I have never experienced before.

As we returned to the headquarters, I bind her to a chair.

"Not bad, son." Father said, not even glancing up from his talk with Darren.

See? This is what I always get. No matter how big of an achievement. I swear even if I stole the New York statue of liberty he'd be like 'meh, Darren could steal the Egypt pyramids!'

"My info says that Soryu Oh had just realized he had a daughter, sir." Like that, in the office, I had to call him 'sir', as a sign of respect. Even though I don't respect him as a leader at all.

"Good. We'll plan out straight tomorrow morning." He said, at least glancing at me.

I let out an inaudible long sigh.

"Just...put her somewhere for now...like your room." He waved off.

And well, that's exactly what I did.

Yui's PoV

When my eyelids flutter open, I see an unfamiliar ceiling. First, I checked my surroundings, it seems like a normal room of a teenage boy. Except with a whole collection of guns locked in a glass shelf over there. I recognize every single one of them.

Then, the door opened, Daryl stepped in with a mug in his hand. He noticed me staring at him.

Not anger. But I feel a massive amount of betrayal and disappointment.

The very first time that I've actually felt something for someone, turned out to be like this.

I felt tears threaten to come up but I quickly shut my eyelids to push them down.

When I open them again, there were nothing in my gaze but rage, anger and coldness.

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2465 words

._. ok I've been writing this....ignoring my hw...but I need to do it now....okay...

Thanks for reading~!

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—Lily

Edited: June 10, 2016