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CHAPTER NINETEEN:
You wanna play a game?
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Aki sat on the roof of the Port Mafia building, her legs dangling over the edge. There was a breeze in the air, whipping at her hair, blowing it all around her face. Down below, the people of Yokohama looked like ants—tiny and minuscule. Between her lips was a cigarette. On her way to the roof, she had stopped by Chuuya's office and riffled through the drawers of his desk until she found the packet along with a lighter. Aki didn't smoke often, but she had on occasion. The smoke was burning her throat, making her nose tickle, but she didn't hate it, in fact, she understood the appeal of the death sticks.

Her mind was going a hundred miles per hour. She didn't understand a single thing that had happened. She hadn't known Nobu was back in Yokohama. He had been sent across the country in search for new lab rats—new children to torture. Nobu's ability was Death By A Thousand Cuts, the ability to summon any weapon from his mind, but the catch was, it could only be used for torture. He was one of Katsu's favourites, because he was ruthless and enjoyed the screams of children in pain. He would beat them and use all kinds of torture methods on them, all to break their minds apart so that they would be bend to Katsu's will. He was vile, maybe even more so than than Katsu himself. Aki had spent a lot of time around him, locked away in his torture chamber as a child.

                She wasn't his favourite because he was fond of her or cared for her, she was his favourite because he had enjoyed breaking her the most. She had defied him, time and time again, never bending to his will. Despite her pleads and cries for him to stop, she never gave up fighting against him—at least, for a while. That day he broke her, it was as if the ceiling had crumbled and the sun had shon onto her. It was in that moment she became his favourite. She had been broken so beautifully.

                  "You planing on jumping?" Aki had felt his presence before he even spoke.

                 Chuuya had stepped onto the roof from the metal door she had left open. The face-framing locks of his hair was blowing in the wind, a hand settled on his hip and an unreadable look on his face as he stared at her. He had followed after her, despite her warning—despite his brain telling him not to. His body had moved of its own free will after her.

                  "Didn't I tell you not to follow me?"
She barked out, her eyes narrowing. But she didn't dare look at him.

                  She heard him step closer to her—felt him step closer, "Yeah, but when have I ever listened actually to you?" He fired back, stopping to stand a few feet behind her. "He's in the torture chamber, by the way, the Boss wants to—"

                 "I don't give a shit about what the Boss plans on doing with him," Aki spoke over him, her teeth gritted together. "No torturer in this building is going to get their hands on him before I do. I'm going tokill him and—"

                   "You can't kill him," Chuuya interrupted, making a pang of anger shoot through Aki's body. "The Boss wants him kept alive." He added, only infuriating her further.

                  She flew out of her position over the ledge and within a second, she was right in front of him. The metal object she swung above her head glinting in the dying sun. Chuuya brought his hand up in a swift motion, catching her wrist, stopping the knife she gripped between white knuckles above his head, "I don't give a shit about what he wants!" Aki yelled at him, struggling with the knife in her grip. She was furious. Enraged. Hurt. She didn't want to be the one hurting—she wanted to be the one inflicting the pain. "Do you have any idea what he did to me? What he done to me?" Her voice broke as she shouted at him.

                  Chuuya blinked in surprise. In her amber irises, was a pool of tears. They clung to her lashes, refusing to fall—but they were there, as clear as day, glittering in the sunlight, "Do you have any idea the things that he did to me? The torture that he put me through? From the moment I opened my eyes until the moment I closed them at night, he would hurt me! I was a child! A defenceless child! And he tortured me like I was some kind of animal!" Her voice was hoarse as she yelled, shaking her head, her arm shaking as she fought to bring the knife down onto Chuuya.

                     "A year I endured! A whole year I suffered before I finally gave him what he wanted! And even then, it was only more torture. Do you even know how an assassin is created?" She asked him, trying to blink back the tears, so many unreleased emotions leaving her body at once. "You have to break their mind, body and soul before they become ruthless killers. And that's exactly what he did! He destroyed me! He destroyed everything I ever believed in! He turned me—he turned me into this! Into this vile, murderous machine!" She was screaming at the top of her lungs, the tears finally dripping from her lashes, trickling down her cheeks and dripping from her chin.

                  The knife slipped from her fingers as she released it, her body giving out. She wanted to slip to the ground, curl up into a ball and wail until her throat ached. But before she could hit the ground, Chuuya yanked her into him, holding her wrist above their heads, his gloved hand on her waist. He kept her rooted to the spot, not allowing her to fall—not allowing her to crumble.

                   "You're wrong," He told her in a determined voice as she stared at him in disbelief. "He didn't destroy you. Nothing about you is destroyed. You're strong, you're powerful—fuck, you're the most defiant person I've ever met. Those things he did to you, they don't define you, no matter how much he would have you believe that. You aren't some fucking number, alright? You're a human being. Does that mean you're an Angel? Absolutely fucking not. But you're a person, alright? You are not a machine." Aki was gawking at him, her jaw loose, eyes wide. What he was saying to her contradicted everything he had ever said to her. He was constantly telling her that she was an assassin and nothing more, but just then, he was looking at her as if he saw something real; a raw, authentic version of herself.

                  "Why are you saying all of this? You hate me." She said in a small voice, lowering her head, hanging it in shame. She had shown so much emotion—fuck, she had cried in front of him. If the roles were reversed, she would never allow him to live it down. Was he going to do the same? Was he going to laugh at her for being so weak and pathetic?

                 Chuuya inhaled through his teeth, "Because as much as I hate to admit it—you and I are similar," Aki snapped her head upwards, staring at him in disbelief. He had been the one that told her they were nothing alike—he had swore it. "We're different. But our past selves, they're so similar it makes me want to throw up. I can't deny that, not when it's right in front of my face." Aki blinked, her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water.

                  "So, what? Are we kindred spirits now? Soulmates or something?" She humorously asked him.

                   Chuuya scoffed, "Don't get your hopes up, Kitagawa." He said, though, there was the hint of a smile on his lips.

                    A small laugh rolled from Aki's lips, "This still doesn't mean you like me, right?" She arched an eyebrow, swiftly trying to change the subject.

                    "Still can't stand you, actually," She scoffed. "But just know that I get you." Aki's gaze softened as she looked at him, tilting her head to the side.

                   "I think I get you too," She confessed, making Chuuya's lips part. The corner of her lip twitched up into a smile. "I think you really like slamming people into tables." Chuuya laughed—a real one, and the sound made Aki's heart skip a beat. She had made him laugh, not scoff, not snort—laugh. It felt like an accomplishment she hadn't even been aware she wanted to reach.

                   "That bastard had it coming." He said, playing it off with a careless shrug.

                  Aki offered a smile, "Thank you," Her words almost made Chuuya drop dead on the spot. Two little words. Two words to show her appreciation for what he had done—of course, that hadn't been why he defended her, but he couldn't deny the feeling of pride welling in his chest. "You did what I couldn't do for years. So, really, thank you, Nakahara." Twice. She said it twice.

                   He collected himself, clearing his throat, "So, what are you going to do now? You still wanna kill him?" He asked her, raising a suggestive brow.

                  Aki looked down at the kitchen knife by her feet, "Nah," She said with a shrug. "Though, I am going to torture the shit out of him."

                "Wakey-wakey, you piece of shit!" Aki chirpily exclaimed, sending a fist flying through the air before it connected with the jaw of the unconscious man that was hung up by his wrists against the wall. The crack of his jaw echoed around the bricked room, blood stains smeared on the floor and the walls. The torture chamber of the Port Mafia had seen a lot of things in its life—but nothing close to what Aki had in store for her old mentor.

               The fat ugly man sprung awake with a cry, howling into the air as she took a step back. She cracked her knuckles, a sadistic smile on her lips. Behind her, Chuuya leaned against the wall, his eyes trained on the woman. Seeing her break down in the way she had, had shocked him to his core and he couldn't help but admit that he felt better seeing her back to her usual self. Was it an act? Perhaps. But everyone in their line of work dressed themselves up, making them appear scarier than they truly were. Even he did it from time to time.

                  When Nobu's eyes landed on Aki, he drank her in. She was standing there, her hand placed on her hips, a wicked grin on her lips, her amber eyes flashing in the dimly lit room, appearing a shade darker—almost red, "The man's eyes widened, "No," He breathed out, gulping hard. "No! You will not deceive me! You will not! I am your master, I—"

                  "You're an ugly dog with his tail between his legs," Aki spoke over him, taking a step closer to the man. He pushed himself against the wall, trying to keep a gap between them. She grinned sinfully at him. "What's the matter, Nobu? Are you scared?" She teased in a sing-song voice. He was scared. He was absolutely petrified. The monster he had created had deflected against him—she stood on her own now, no longer tormented by the man. She had rose above him, like a Phoenix from the ashes.

                    "I—I—"

                    Aki tilted her head, blinking innocently, "You what? Sorry, are you trying to say something?" She mocked him. She glanced over her shoulder at Chuuya, raising an eyebrow. "Can you make out a word this idiot is saying?" She asked him, making the ginger man click his tongue.

                    "Nope. I'm not fluent in cowardice." He said casually, shrugging.

                   Nobu's eyes flew open in rage, "I am not a coward!" He screamed, giving the chains that held his arms above his head a tug.

                   "No?" Aki tested, "Okay, why don't we do a little test then? I start breaking your bones and you see how much you can take," She suggested. "You need your hands for your ability to work, right?" As she stalked towards him, Nobu's eyes widened in horror, his face paling. He was absolutely terrified of his own creation.

                    "No, please, seventy-two! Please!" He wailed like a baby as she stopped in front of him, reaching her hand towards his left hand chained to the wall.

                   Aki mocked a frown, "Don't you want to hold my hand? Come on, now," Her eyes flashed dangerously as she wrapped her hand around his fist. "Don't be such a tease." Within a split second, the sound of bones crushing filled the air as the ground began shaking beneath their feet. Nobu was screaming in agony as his bones shattered into thousands of pieces beneath his skin, ripples of seismic energy pulsing around Aki's hand.

                    She was grinning like a maniac—all teeth bared, feeling the bones crumbling beneath her hand, along with his thumping heartbeat, "Scream a little louder. I can't quite hear you." She cooed over the sound of his screams, pushing out more of her ability. Chuuya rose his head, watching the woman as she brutally shattered the man's bones with ease. There was something so dangerously beautiful about how she was taking back her power from him. She was absolutely destroying him with a mere touch.

                  Aki brought up her other hand, the smirk on her lips growing far wider when she wrapped it around his right hand. A second later, his hand was contorting beneath her palm as she shot the vibrionic waves into him. She was destroying both of his hands, leaving nothing but mangled skin. The outside was completely untouched, not a single cut in sight, but his hands had turned to nothing more than floppy skin without bones to hold them together.

                  "You wanna play a game?" Aki suggested, tilting her head, raven cascades slipping off her shoulders. Nobu sobbed in response. "Great! So, here's the game. Basically, I just stop and restart your heart whenever I feel like it, kay? Let's start!" She cheerily exclaimed, her eyes wide, grinning like the Cheshire Cat. She was mad. Absolutely insane.

                  Chuuya watched her closely. He wasn't even aware she could something like stopping and starting someone's heart, but when he thought about it, the more it became logical. Her ability could stop a heartbeat and then, like a defibrillator, it could shock him back to life. It was quite a powerful and crafty little trick she had acquired—and very useful. With every fleeting day, Chuuya was realising more and more why she was such an asset to the Port Mafia.

                    Aki put her hand on Nobu's chest as he tried to get away from her before activating her ability. It pulsed across his chest in ripples, making him throw his head back. Blood squirted from his mouth, landing on her blouse but she didn't even flinch. After a few seconds of him screaming like a big baby, his head fell down and his body went limp. Aki cancelled her ability.

                 She glanced over her shoulder at Chuuya, a frown on her lips, "Can't I just leave him like this?" She pouted.

                   Chuuya sighed, "No, you can't. He might be useful to the Boss in the future. Now bring him back." Chuuya ordered, folding his arms at his chest, his hat tipped downwards.

                   Aki scoffed, "Such a bore," But nevertheless, she used her ability to shock Nobu's heart back to life. The man's eyes flew open as he gasped in air, gulping it down like water. Aki grinned. "Welcome back! Ready to die again?" She chirped excitedly, tilting her head.

                 "No—no! Please! Whatever you want to know, I'll tell you anything! Please! I'll tell you anything you want, seventy-two!" He exclaimed in panic, not wanting to feel his heart stop again, nor the pain that came with Aki's ability. It was pure agony.

                  Aki leaned closer to him, holding her pinky finger up, "Pinky promise?" She teased, seconds before howling at her own joke. Nobu's hands were completely destroyed. He'd never use them again. Aki looked over her shoulder at Chuuya. "Come on, you could at least laugh." She prompted with a frown. Quite frankly, she had thought her joke was hilarious. But maybe that was just the sheer mania oozing from her body.

                  Chuuya rose a brow, "I would if you didn't have the humour of a five year old."

                  Aki screwed up her face, "I would if you didn't have the humour of a five year old," She copied in a childish voice, proving his point. She turned back to Nobu quickly. "Question time! How do I remove the kill chip in my head?" She dared to ask him. It hadn't been her idea to ask—in fact, it was something she'd had for so long, she hadn't even given it a thought. Mori, however, hadn't forgot about it.

He had instructed that the interrogation should be solely for figuring out how to remove the chip from Aki's mind. He wanted her to work at the Port Mafia indefinitely. Aki didn't know how she felt about that. The kill chips were designed to activate if removed—there wasn't a single way on earth to remove it from her brain. Which meant she still had a mission to complete. But with Chuuya standing there; she had to ask the questions.

                   Nobu suddenly laughed through his tears, "Remove it? There is no removing it, you foolish machine!" Aki punched him square across the jaw, using her ability to make the punch twice as powerful. It cracked his jaw in multiple places, along with his nose, bursting it open.

Chuuya stepped in line with Aki, "He's not gonna tell us anything. We should just leave him here—let him rot." He suggested, shooting the man a fierce glare.

"You're not going to kill me?" There was a hint of fear in his voice. He had lost the right to use his ability and he was in excruciating pain. He would rather death than rot in the dark room that reeked of blood. And he would certainly rather die than have Aki use her ability on him again. There was no pain quite like it.

Aki's eye twitched, "If it were down to me, you'd be dead already," She growled, before a sigh escaped her lips. "But apparently, you're more useful alive than dead. So, you'll stay here, for however long we want you to." She told him, a dark look in her eyes. Her fingertips were itching—tingling. She wanted to kill him, she wanted to rip him apart. But not only did Mori want him kept alive, Katsu would surely punish her if she killed one of his favourite Executives.

Aki turned her back, walking away.

Nobu thrashed behind her, "Please, seventy-two! Don't leave me here like this! I—I raised you! I created you! You can't—"

"Just shut the hell up already." Chuuya growled over him.

Aki turned around to face Nobu, a dark look in her eyes, "I'll be seeing you around, Nobu," She promised before her whole face lit up with a toothy grin. She waved enthusiastically at him, "Bye, bye!"

AUTHORS NOTE.

                 aki ATE in this chapter, i won't hear otherwise! she was truly channeling her inner dazai (chuuya's worst nightmare).

                  — taylor xx