Yakuza | DISCONTINUED | 2023 VERSION AVAILABLE NOW

The Return to Karei City

That's weird... Akira muses, thoughtfully glancing about the area. It's not very crowded nor very isolated tonight. And I would've expected more people to show up since this city grew more popular in the span of a year. Was... his effect that much?

Illumi was being more and more annoyed by the second, risking all of his composure and tolerance to get this mission over with. Silva mentioned nothing about having a fellow assassin as a target, if he is one. Sighing, he went and scoured the perimeter once more before shortly returning just where he was, unintentionally.

A strong wind blows upon them both, cool and slightly damp. Instead of cherry blossoms however, it carries with it beautiful and crimson rose petals, greatly abashing both. It was the spring, thus roses alone were a very peculiar sight.

He thoughtfully hummed when he saw lightning crackle and heard thunder boom in the near distance. It reminded him of Killua, and then Alluka. Those two really were nuisances in his life, but as his brother, Killua was still included as one of the people he cares for. Just not the girls he protects. Akira meanwhile, almost shook as well, because the sound and the light was nearer to her than she had preferred. No one but Ace and Yukiko knew that she's been developing astraphobia, and right now she regretted going alone. However she can't bother Ace right now, so she settled with pressing on and waiting for the clouds to clear, turning a blind eye to the theory of a brewing storm.

As sharp as his memory is, Illumi was still not sure if he was afraid of thunder and lightning. Something in him was stirring every time it would boom and flash. If he was afraid, Killua would loved that and would use it against him. That fact alone makes him evade developing such preposterous fear.

Behind a not so far area with a few bushes, Killua, Alluka, and Yukiko were hiding. Alluka got something to play with but that didn't mean Killua still didn't kept an eye on her. He did however, glance at Yukiko. "What are you going to do?"

Wordlessly, Yukiko stretched out her hands. Her eyes shone from cerulean to crimson, and then the river followed the gesticulation of her hands. Rose petals were on it, and Illumi was nearby. Killua hid their presences efficiently. Yukiko stood back, eyes never leaving the water, and used her whole body to bring the petals closer. For a few moments, Killua and Alluka were confused, but when they began to form words and Illumi noticed, they knew what she was doing.

This was the only way to reach out and say how much I miss you.

"You emit Nen on the water to control the roses with it so he could read, and then make them stay before Kalluto blows them again." and then he noticed the slight purple glow of the petals as they change again. For a split second, pain flashed before Illumi's dark eyes. His mind grew lucid as he learned that Akira was here. Who else? He was feeling the familiar Nen from this display, and said display reminded him so much of her. Even if he tries to deny that every thing he sees reminds him of her and that this has no significant difference, he knew in the back of his mind the truth.

Akira gasped, but not because of the lightning that greeted her nor of the thunder that followed. Her head swiftly turned around in all directions as her Nen presence disappears in a milisecond, looking for all possible leads to him. Momentarily petrified she shook intimidation off, and knelt down to grab the all-too familiar needle with the yellow head on it. Standing back up she sees more all of a sudden, and disregarding how she hadn't noticed before, Akira follows the trail of pins half-heartedly.

We all never really knew if we are ready for something until we're put in a situation where we need it. We're never actually prepared for anything unless some do-or-die instance comes our way and hits us across the head, opening our eyes in the process. And yet, when we face it, for some reason we were still unprepared.

"I knew it."

Two pairs of feet stop at the foot of the bridge. The very same bridge that these very same people defended each other for. The very same bridge where the very same feelings first began.

With a heavy sigh, Akira and Illumi pressed on. Every step they took felt like a heavy, thunderous one towards a looming misfortune, that not even any of their powers can completely interfere on. They wanted to see for real if it was still the person they've known a year ago, yet they can't bear the thought of meeting eyes. They were too prideful... it was too painful.

"Ladies first." He said, though there was sharp edge to his tone. His blank face also threatened to test her temper, but she managed to reply to Illumi, "You're working?"

"Yes."

"Well, don't let me slow you down." Akira suddenly had the same edge to her voice as she tried to pass him, but he firmly grabbed her arm before she could slip from him again. Almost inaudibly, he spoke, breath fanning over Akira's right ear, "You're here for the festival?"

"What's it to you?" she said, regretting how she just didn't immediately left him as she preferred.

"For your information, I'm obligated to know where you go and what you do, when you do it and who you're with."

However she may be surprised that he acknowledged a rule of their bond, Akira didn't answer. She just took her arm from his grasp and walked away, the same time that Illumi stressfully took out his phone to see the message. It was vibrating in his pocket since forever, so he opened the message box, and almost immediately the ambiance got heavier. Even Akira respectfully stopped just to see the cause of the sudden dark aura about the bridge.