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CHAPTER FORTY-NINE:
I can't lose you.
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

                After taking down the Port Mafia assassin's, Aki and Chuuya had went back into the destroyed cabin. They changed their clothes, Aki changing into the clothes she had been wearing the day before whilst Chuuya slipped into an identical suit to what he always wore. Aki had searched the bodies of the corpses whilst eating the cold bacon Chuuya had previously made, snatching the knives, guns and ammo they had on them. She had clipped the knives to her thigh-holsters along with a handgun, the ammo shoved in her back pocket.

                   They both knew that hiding out any longer wasn't an option, especially not when their location had been found within a matter of hours. It had Chuuya's brain racing as he sat behind the wheel of the BMW, driving it through the country roads, heading back into the city. How the hell did they even find us? He had been discreet when purchasing the cabin—it wasn't even in his name, nor did the payments for the property come out of his own bank account. There shouldn't have been any way for them to find their location. It was driving him crazy.

                     He drove them back into the city, Aki fiddling with a small knife the entire time. They had stopped by a gas station to grab some food and water, paying with the cash Chuuya kept tucked under the armrest of his seat. They were planning on heading straight to the Double A Headquarters to finish what they had started. They were going to take down the Double A, no matter the consequences. They didn't care for discretion anymore, they would crush the entire building to the ground if needed.

                     "Take a right and then a left." Aki spoke up, directing Chuuya in the direction of the Double A Headquarters. No one other than the assassins of the organisation knew the location of the building, hence why it was impossible to seek out without having them on your side. It was disguised as a typical office building, tucked away in the back streets of Yokohama.

                      Chuuya took the right and then glanced at Aki, watching as she fiddled with the knife, after a moment of watching her, he realised she was nervous, "Hey, are you sure you're up for this? We can head back out of the city and give it another few days if you're not ready." He said, concerned by how quiet she had been except for when it came to giving him directions. It was something he had come to realise about her. When she was nervous about something, it could only go two ways. One way, was her talking until she could potentially lose her voice, speaking constantly to fill any silence and the other was her becoming a total mute. He didn't know which he preferred.

                    Aki inhaled sharply, closing her eyes and leaning her head against the headrest, "No, we have to do this now," She insisted, continuing to twirl the knife even with her eyes closed. "They already found us once and they could find us again. They're relentless. We have to get to them before they get to us, otherwise, we're never going to be able to take them down." She said, a dull tone to her voice. She wasn't speaking from the heart by any means, and instead, from the logical part of her brain.

                     She opened her eyes, turning her head to look at him, "I know we can do it. But there's this tightening in my chest that only worsens the closer we get," She admitted, hanging her head, her gaze focused on the knife. "Taking out the assassin's isn't what worries me. I can do that with my eyes closed. It's him I'm worried about. He holds all the power over me and if he decides to activate that kill-chip then all of this has been for nothing." She could feel her throat tightening, making her voice shaky.

                    Chuuya suddenly shifted gears before taking a sharp corner, sliding into an empty alleyway. He pulled down the hand-break and turned to her, "Aki, I won't let that happen," He assured her, turning in his seat so he was facing her, but she wasn't looking at him. "I promise you, he isn't going to have the chance to hurt—"

                    "You don't know that," Aki spoke over him, her head snapping upwards to look at him. He immediately spotted the tears in her eyes, making him blink back. "The moment we enter that building he could activate it and then I'd be fucking dead. I just—I thought I was ready for this, I thought I was ready to eliminate him no matter what but I—I'm scared, Chuuya. I'm so fucking scared." Her shoulders were rattling as she hung her head, her fingers tightening around the handle of the knife, sobs beginning to leave her lips.

                    "I don't—I don't want to die," She cried, the tears dripping onto her lap. She shook her head, squeezing her eyes shut as Chuuya stared at her. She whipped her head to face him, her eyes surrounded by wet tears. "Chuuya, I don't want to die. I really don't want to fucking die, not when I've finally found reasons to live." She sobbed, her chest tight, lungs screaming at her for air as panic began to wash over her, making it hard for her to breathe.

                   Chuuya did the only thing he could think of. He lunged across at her, grabbing her shoulders and pulling her into his chest. He wrapped his arms around her in an embrace as her body shook, sobs leaving her lips, "I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die." She repeated over and over again hysterically. She meant it like she had never meant it before. At first, she had thought the little time she had with Chuuya had been enough, but after everything they had talked about, it wasn't. She wanted a life with him—she wanted forever with him. She didn't want it to ever come to an end, especially not by the hands of Katsu. The thought alone repulsed her.

                   Chuuya cradled her in his arms like a newborn, rocking bed back and forth, his chin resting on the top of her head, "It's okay. It's okay." He assured her, running his hands over her hair, smoothing it out. He allowed her to get everting out, soaking his shirt in her tears. He hated seeing her like that—and he hated Katsu even more. He was the root of all evil in her life, the sole reason for the torment she was going through. He played with her life like it was nothing when it wasn't—her life was everything to Chuuya. If anything were to ever happen to her, he would lose his goddamn fucking mind. He'd knock those that hurt her into oblivion.

                      After a while, Aki's sobs softened, her body stilling. She breathed out against Chuuya's chest, her fingers gripping to the material of his shirt, "Chuuya, I need you to promise me something." She spoke up, her voice coming out tiny as she came to terms with what needed to be done.

                     "Anything." He said without skipping a beat.

                   "If it comes down to it—if we manage to take down the entire Double A and all that's left standing is Katsu, I need you to promise you won't put me first," Chuuya's eyes widened in horror at her words, his spine straightening out. "Even if he's threatening my life I need you to be strong, okay? I need you to take him out. Even if I'm gone, I won't rest easy until I know that man is—"

                   Chuuya ripped himself back from her, his hands gripping her shoulders, "Are you crazy? Do you even hear yourself right now?" He asked her in disbelief, his voice rising. "There's no point if you're not there to witness it—"

                     "Yes there is," Aki spoke over him, staring into his wide eyes with one's that had found a passionate determination. "Every single day children are brought into the Double A. They're treated exactly as I was. They're beaten, they're tortured, they're broken. Taking them down isn't just for me, it's for all of those kids that were once just like me. We have to stop him from being able to hurt anyone else—"

                    "Akira, take a moment to listen to yourself!" Chuuya exclaimed. "Weren't you the one saying you don't want to die just a moment ago? How could you even think about this? How could you ever think I'd sacrifice you for the good of others?" He demanded, his eyes wide, horrified by what he was hearing.

                 Aki smiled at him, reaching out to put her hand on his chest, "Because you're a good person," She told him softly, making him blink. A... good person? "You despised the Double A because you knew the awful things they did to innocent children. I need you to find that hatred again, Chuuya. I need you to hate them just as much as I do if we're going to bring them down—"

                  "Aki." He breathed out, closing his eyes.

                 "It's okay," Aki assured him, the smile tugging at the corner of her eyes. "I'm not scared anymore." He opened his eyes to study her and as he stared at her, he could see that it was true. She didn't look afraid. And then he realised. Somehow, he had given her the courage to do what needed to be done—and now, she was asking him to find the courage to sacrifice her if needed.

                     "Aki... I can't lose you." He confessed, dipping his head, feeling his eyes begin to burn.

                     "If this all works out then you won't," She reassured him, moving her hand upwards to caress his cheek. "But I need to know that you're willing to do what needs to be done if it doesn't. Please, Chuuya, promise me you'll do it. I need to hear you say it." She begged him, her thumb brushing against the soft skin on his cheek.

                    He looked up at her, making her lips part when she noticed the tears in his eyes. Her face softened, "Chuuya—" His lips were suddenly on hers, his hands clutching the back of her head, gripping her hair. She gasped against him, her body falling into his chest as he pulled her closer. He was kissing her with everything he had, their mouths moving together in perfect sync. The tears slipped from his lashes, dripping down his cheeks as he kissed her passionately.

                     After a moment, he pulled back for air, panting heavily with his eyes closed, "You're absolutely the bane of my existence," He breathed out, making a small smile tug at the corner of her lips as she remembered him saying that once before. His eyes flickered open, meeting hers. "I swear to you that if it comes to it I will kill him. I'll kill him with my bare fucking hands, Akira. I swear it." His words were an oath, his eyes holding determination, finding strength in the love he felt for her.

                   Aki reached up, wiping the tears from his cheek, "I love you so much." She proclaimed, smiling into his eyes. He had cried for her. He was one of the only people that had ever cried for her and she loved him all the more for it. She didn't see it as a weakness, and instead, the pure manifestation of their love.

                    Chuuya clutched her face tightly, "I love you."

AUTHORS NOTE.

            i need a tissue🤧.

           — taylor xx