MIKO ADACHI // NCT MAFIA AU

25

                                            *flashback*

"Why do I need to go on missions? Isn't that kind of stuff made to be for adults?" I asked Riku as we got out of the car. He crouched down to my level and looked me in the eyes sadly. "I know this isn't something you would want to be doing, and I think it's terrible that you are being forced to do these things. But it's your father's orders, and as you know we cannot disobey him." I sighed looking away. He sadly smiled and said "think of it this way. Your father only wants you to do this so that when he can't be there to protect you, you will already know how to and you will succeed." "Yeah I guess so, but why can't he just make Yuto do all this?" "He is. He's making both of you train and work hard." "Yeah but he doesn't make Yuto go on missions much" Riku patted me on the back and stood up.

*time skip: after the mission*

"How did it go Kimiko?" "Just as planned, like always" "good". I was staring out the window in silence the whole way back. Once we arrived My father parked the car and watched me for a moment. He then proceeded to pull out his handkerchief and wiped some blood off my cheek. "You had a little something there." "It won't make a difference since either way I've become an assassin." My father stayed quiet. After a minute or two he started the engine again and began leaving the parkway. "Where are we going?" I asked him. "Somewhere to lighten up the mood."

"Dad why are we at a convenience store?" "Sweetheart this isn't just any convenience store, this is the very place where I met your mother" he spread his arms out in the air while speaking. "Here?" I asked him while looking confused. He grabbed two lollipops and went up to the register to pay for them. After paying he showed the man his ID. The cashier gulped and nodded. I could feel his eyes on us the whole time. My dad took my hand in his and we walked over to the door. Inside was a staircase that we went up. Once we made it to the top my dad opened the door and gestured for me to go. It was the rooftop of the store. "Why did you take me here?" He turned me around to see a beautiful view of the city. He took the wrapper off one of the lollipops he bought and gave it to me. "The reason I brought you here was to tell you what I told your mother when I brought her here" he sat down and patted the ground next to him, signaling for me to sit down. "Even if you feel as if everything around you is violence, you must know that you can still find your happiness" "but what if I don't know how to find my happiness?" I asked him curiously. "You will. it may not be today, tomorrow, in a few weeks or even years. But one day, when the time is right you will learn to be happy" he smiled at me as I looked around. "Thanks dad" He ruffled my hair.

*time skip: they made their way back to the HQ*

I'm eavesdropping, Again. It's not good to be nosy but sometimes I can't help but overhear the conversations going on inside. This time it wasn't about business. This time it was about me.

"Don't you think she's a little too young to be doing all of this?" "You know I'm only doing it because I see the potential in her." "We all do sir, but couldn't this have been done later?" I could hear my dad sigh. "She deserves to have a childhood Takashi" "don't you think I already fucking know that Riku?" He raised his voice at him. "But you know that safety comes first" "why couldn't you finish training Yuto first so that he can protect her, and then train her" "oh come on Riku let's be realistic here, the boy can't even shoot a target without being scared." Riku shook his head. "Look all I want from her is to be as happy as she can be and find her way through this life she is forced to live. Whether I'm dead or alive, that's my only wish. For both of them." "Oh yeah well then what will happen when you do die? These kids will most likely be miserable and you won't be there to help them!" "Then I just have take advantage of every moment I have with them until then" I could no longer hold back my tears so I stood up and went into my room and cried myself to sleep.
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I woke up in a cold sweat from my sleep again. I checked the clock. Two in the morning? I barely slept! I sighed and got out of bed walking into my bathroom and looked at myself in the mirror. I frowned. There's no way I'm going to be able to fall asleep again I thought. I feel really lonely... maybe I should go to one of the members. I walked out of my room and decided to knock on the door closest to mine. The guy from the inside opened the door. "Yes?" "What do you do when you can't sleep?" I asked him. He seemed tired. "Another nightmare?" I averted my gaze while saying "yeah" he opened his door more widely for me to enter so I did. He lifted up his covers for me so I slid into his bed and he did the same after. It feels weird sleeping with someone. I mean it's not the first time I've slept with anyone, I used to sleep next to Yuto whenever I got scared but it's been so many years... "sorry for disturbing you" "it's fine" he paused before speaking again. "Don't go to anyone else when you have nightmares" "ok" it feels nice to have someone that cares. I back hugged him and slowly drifted off to sleep.

I woke up a little before the sun raised, and got out of Yuta's bed careful not to wake him up. I walked outside to his small balcony and took a seat to watch the sun rise. Not too long after Yuta took the seat across from me and watched the sun as it raised. "So you like the sun huh". He asked once it was fully raised. "It's the one thing that stuck around me all my life" he watched me. "Even though it went away it always came back so I wouldn't be lonely for too long" "in life there will always be people who leave, but there will also be people who stay or come." "Yeah I've learned it the hard way, but hey I met you and the other guys now so that's good enough for me." We stayed there for a while in a comfortable silence until I stood up and said "well I'm going to head out. You should go get something to eat" he nodded and said "make sure you do too" I smiled and walked to my room, got changed, put on my shoes and backpack, and went downstairs. Luckily Doyoung was there so I told him to tell Taeyong I was going out. "Where are you going?" "Tell him I'm going to the convenience store. That should be enough for him to know" "don't be out for too long ok" I simply said "I won't" and walked out the door.

I took one of the basic cars they had bc I wasn't trying to draw much attention and once I finally made it to the convenience store I parked the car and walked inside. Mr. Seojun's not here? Why? It was some teenage girl behind the counter on her phone. I want to say he's sick but what if he isn't? I need to calm down. "Excuse me miss but do you know what happened to Mr. Seojun?" Without looking up from her phone she said "you didn't hear? Someone killed the old geezer" my heart sunk once she said that. "What" "some mafia killed him while he was working, but they blocked out the cameras so no one knows who it was besides the fact that person or people that did it was from some mafia that's population has been increasing since a few months ago." "Do you know at least the name of this mafia?" She finally looked up from her phone. Cautious she leaned in forward and said "you didn't hear it from me but their name is"
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AUTHORS NOTE: oof I've been gone for a while :( I'm sorry writing and updating when I'm sick is a lot harder than I thought it would be lol. But now I'm back and I will try to post more. Hope you enjoyed reading :)