SOSHIKI HQ

  The time was five minutes after midnight. All the Higher-ups were gathered –including the new replacements for the sixteen Higher-ups that V had just exterminated in the morning— at the Sacred Field nearby the headquarters. The Elders –three out of the four– were standing on a higher deck, wearing veils that covered their faces. There are also Guardians that surrounded the field for security, and V was standing at the execution deck, with her straight back and firm shoulder, holding her revolver from her Body Ink. Her face was cold, her ruby eyes were empty.

  In a few minutes, a black car then pulled over, and one of the Men in Black opened its back door, escorted Tomo and Matsumoto Hirota to enter the Sacred Field.

  The air was rather eerie the moment they both stepped onto the premises.

  “Blimey..” Matsumoto Hirota heaved a sigh. “Your girl is not in a good mood, isn’t she?”

  “What did you expect? That she’d welcome you with open arms before she pull the trigger to your head?” Tomo raised his eyes on V who was standing afar, a mixture of sorrow and anger crossed his features, everything within him wanted to scream in outrage. “I respected you with all I am, Matsumoto-sama.. but I would crush your fucking skull down to your soul if it wasn’t for her.” He paused his speech as they walked slowly, all eyes were on them except V’s, with her eyes that still hollow. “How could you do this to her?” Tomo clenched his fists. “YOU, of all people..”

  Matsumoto Hirota was fully aware of the consequences of his action, he knew exactly what the outcome of it would be. A flashback then hit him, back to the day when a particular little girl she used to think of as his own granddaughter was turned into a monster.. on a night like this, on a state like this.

  The little girl was no longer the same since then on, and that very little girl, was V.

  Matsumoto Hirota closed his eyes.. reminiscing about that night, before his mind brought him back to his very first meeting with V.

  She was only five then. He thought. How fast the time flies.

  **

  “Oy brat! It’s three a.m. in the morning!”

  I barked as I unlocked and opened the sliding door of the Izakaya, but as annoyed as I was at the moment, I found myself flabbergasted by the rascal right in front of me.

  He was covered in blood, head to toe. His face pictured nothing but exhaustion, and he entered the Izakaya with slow footsteps, muscles bulged beneath his shirt as he moved.

  “Should I ask what happe..” I stopped, my eyes averted at the little girl he was holding hands with. And the two Demons outside my establishment. I was rather vexed. “Care to explain what’s going on or should I eliminate these two fuckers first? Did they attack you? Who’s that little girl with you? Loli complex? Seriously Kai?”

  “For fuck sake! Quiet please Oyaji, don’t be a headache.” Kai gently picked up the little girl and put her in a seat, then fixed him a seat himself over the ramen counter. “Let those two rests outside for a moment, we played around a bit. And say hi to my little sister, I just snatched her from my dear family. They hid her existence until today.”

  Little sister?

  LITTLE SISTER?

  My eyes widened

  **

  Now that I look at her, she does resemble her brother a lot. Except for the black hair and the ruby red eyes. No visible Body Ink on her exposed skin too. Is she really a Deveraux? That clan is a mysterious clan over all, they don’t really mingle with the others –except for the blond dickhead right here—, but things that I am sure of.. would be the blond platinum hair, blue eyes, abnormal heights, and the ridiculous tattoos on their skin are their hallmark.

  And she got none of that, at all.

  “Here! All set! Do you like ramen, little girl?” I smiled as I served two Kuro Ramen for the two siblings. “This black ramen is your brother’s favourite, go ahead, don’t be shy, enjoy the food, I made it myself.”

  “Oyaji, stop smiling like that it’s creepy!” Kai yapped.

  Switching my face back to normal, I retorted. “Hey, I’m just trying to be nice here..”

  “Shut up already!"

  **

  A few minutes passed, and neither of the siblings had touched the bowls.

  I crossed my arms over my chest, and the longer I observed, the more irritated I am with the current situation.

  She looked very, very malnourished. Her face is timid, rigid. Her black hair was unkempt, her skin was pale-as-a-porcelain-sink skin with bruises all over and made my blood boil to think people would hurt the innocent child!

  “Kai..” I uttered softly, but he only shot me a look, as if he was warning me off not to interfere.

  So I stood in silence, complying with him.

  Until I can no longer hold myself.

  “The noodles are getting cold, would you want me to replace them?” I challenged the brat’s icy blue eyes.

  For a moment there, I’d thought he would burst himself into rage, but my deduction was wrong.

  He proceeded to touch the chopsticks, then slowly, slurping the ramen.

  “Hmm, taste good!” He said.

  He then kept on repeating those words as he was eating, sneaking his gaze toward the younger Deveraux on each slurp, and by heaven’s grace, the little sister finally drew a half smile on her face.

  Her fingers that were tangled in between her arms then slowly moved toward the counter table, touching the chopsticks. She then leaned her body a bit closer to the bowl.. and I notice the sparks in her jewelled-red eyes. They twinkled and gleamed, and with a little hesitation, she took her first slurp.

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  Kai looked at her in amazement, stoned in relieved, as if a big burdened has been lifted. He stole a glance at me to whisper a thank you.

  At that moment, for the first time in my life, I saw the very man I thought of as my very own son.. shed tears.

  **

  Whispers then can be heard from the crowd as the two walked by.

  Soshiki High’s Principal was there too, along with his secretary who was standing behind him. Visible bruises on her face, but she was able to heal most of her heavy wounds rather quickly.

  V’s deduction was right. The sixteen –former– Higher-ups had hired some elite assassins to eliminate Secretary Saiaka as well. Simply because they presumed that she was investigating on the many bad deeds they've done. And for the fact that she was close to V.

  The latter was personal.

  That's how deep their hatred was towards her.

  Although, the truth was far from what the sixteen of them had assumed.

  The night was graced with a full moon, and the night breeze was a lot cooler than any other nights.. just like the night when Kai Deveraux died. At the very same spot where V’s standing at.

  Her heart then starts to race when she recalls that dreadful night, but she keeps on standing still and firm, holding back her tears.

  However, the moment she saw Matsumoto Hirota making his way approaching the stage, her empty eyes suddenly filled with drops of water.

  He was, after all, a grandfather figure to her.

  **

  "Oyaji.." Kai paused but shot out a soft look toward the little girl. "Vivienne Ale Deveraux. I’ll register her name at the Civil Office tomorrow, I’m taking a full custody. Taka’s my attorney.”

  "I see." I said. "Ale.. after your mother, huh?" I asked, raising my brows. “And that brat Taka never loses even one case at the court, yea know?”

  “Yes. And yes.”

  Ale Deveraux was Roth's second wife, who was rumoured to have died of cancer. How could this child isn't known within the Soshiki if she was the very flesh and blood of the most loathed man in this very organization?

  "Vivienne.." I turned my gaze toward the child. "Vivienne is such a pretty name. Did your brother tell you what the name means?"

  She was quiet.

  I have no children on my own.

  I have no idea how to handle this little one right here. But my heart whispered to keep on trying.

  And I would later succeed, I also would later learn a horrifying truth about the child.

  From that moment on, either if it was out of impulse or anger or sadness of whatever the feeling was I had at the time.. I swore to look after her.

  “Vivienne means Alive. And you, little one, will live up to its name.”

  Her ruby eyes then sparkled in response.

  Matsumoto Hirota’s younger days:

  I was born in a strict Soshiki family, where all children were taught combat skills from the age of five. Granted, all children in Soshiki clans were all taught from an early age on how to sharpen their skills. But from those non-stops training alone, I became a fearless warrior in the battlefield. Many of the children became warriors who would later rule the Soshiki.

  I lost my comrades throughout the war years.. The Great War it was named. While the world was having its world war, we were having one to protect the world.

  Back then, I began to doubt a lot of things, including the reason why we had the war in the first place. If it wasn't for this or if it wasn't for that.. countless bullshit of reasoning and there were many wars throughout the history. Were we doing it for the sake of humanity? Or were we doing it for us as Soshiki?

  However, a young soldier can only follow the orders. I was born to this, and I chose to live in it.

  Years passed, numerous mistakes were made, many lessons were learned, and I had become a General in the war. New recruits were sent to the battlefield then, but one young man stood out the most from the crowd.

  He was only thirteen.

  And in two years time, at the age of fifteen in 1988, Kai Deveraux would end the centuries’ war between the Soshiki and the Spectres. Something that his predecessors couldn't accomplish, something that his comrades couldn't achieve, something that I could never attain..

  He was a brute in the battlefield. The most fearsome and a respected Fighter.

  After the war ended, I restarted my life in my sixties by managing an Izakaya Ramen. It wasn't big, but it was exactly what I wanted. And for some reason, it gave me a sense of accomplishment when people enjoyed the ramen that I prepared. Young Kai and his friends never failed to visit the Izakaya often, and I would never fail to be grateful for it. A group of heroes, only teenagers, and living their best life.

  It made me happy. Those young kids, whose lives were seemed to be destined for war, are now living the life they deserved.

  **

  A month later I received a call from Kai, he and Vivienne were settling in well in New York. But after a year, I received another call where he'd asked me to be a mentor for his younger sister. Things had happened in there, but I was a man with a few words despite of my occasional stupid yapping, and so did Kai. There was no question from me, and there was no other explanation from him.

  And I would visit them twice a year, teaching Vivienne with Shogi and some tactical lessons from my years on the battlefield. She loved my stories about the war, her face lit up with joy on each visit I'd made.

  She would also be receiving many, many combat lessons from Kai himself and from his friends. His loyal friends who would always make my Izakaya as their base camp for their morons’ meetings.

  Time passed, and my heart is aching to even think what had happened.. but things did happen.

  Reality hurts.

  However, even with the pain and all the heartache.. she's standing still. Majestic and steady, just like the day when I saw her brother ended the Great War.

  With fiery eyes and a face so regal no one compares.

  And I'm.. I am so proud of her.

  **

  Tomo escorted the Matsumoto Hirota safely to the execution stage, where V's at.

  Silence had suddenly filled the air, there was no more whispering.

  A Higher-up representative from the Chinen clan then spoke out to the crowd, stating the crime which Matsumoto Hirota had committed.

  But at the end of the sentence, there was a sincere Thank You being shouted from his trembling voice. A voice that can be heard throughout the entire field.

  "Thank you for your service to the Soshiki! Despite of what you've committed, you were and still are, our great General Matsumoto-sama!"

  He then burst into tears, and bowed his head down toward the former General. The crowd would follow him in an instant.

  They were his soldiers, his students, his comrades.. who had fought alongside him in the great war at the end of his leadership.

  Kai Deveraux may have ended the war, but Matsumoto Hirota was the one who led the warriors to victory.

  And in disbelief, tears started falling down on Matsumoto Hirota's cheeks. "Vivienne.." He whispered. "Thank you."

  Holding the revolver, she replied with a quivering voice. "How could you do this to me.." Her throat ached.

  "Please forgive my selfishness, Vivienne." He softly smiled. "Burry me next to your brother, will you? He was the only son I have, my only son.."

  Vivienne maintained her posture straight, but both her mind and soul struggled whether to scream or to keep on standing still. "Mm." She replied with a head soft nod, as she could no longer utter another word.

  Her whole heart is aching, and to carry her duty as one of the leaders of Soshiki hurt her even more.

  Stillness was all around as everyone watched the stage, and at twelve-fifteen after midnight under the moonlight, she pointed her revolver at Matsumoto Hirota's head.

  **

  "Hey Matsumoto-jiji, would you like to hear the story when I first ride the subway in New York?"

  "Interesting. Go ahead!"

  "Well my dearest brother here was calling me on every five minutes! I'd arrive in station A and he'd be like.. where are you now? Then I'd arrive in station C and he'd be like.. aren't you supposed to be arriving by now?? What took you so long?? Oyy?? Answer me!!"

  "Hahaha!"

  "I know! Then when I reached the destination point he made another call so I finally blew up!"

  "I wonder how it went.."

  "I said 'what the fuck Kai I'm thirteen! Stop calling already!’ Ahahaha that F word almost cost me an entire year of no allowance, Matsumoto-jiji. My brother was meeaan!!"

  "Ha! I don't think he'd have a heart to do so.."

  "Well I got scolded and had to wash the dishes for the entire month but I made uncle Taka sending me some money, haha!”

  Endless laughs.

  Endless laughs with those two who loved my Kuro Ramen.

  I watched them grow, I watched them glow.

  Those days..

  In spite of everything that had happened, I had lived to my fullest.

  I was happy.

  **

  At twelve twenty past midnight, Vivienne Ale Deveraux, pulled the trigger.