The Scarlet Minute (a VK and DL fanfic)

Rido Kuran

Kira woke up from her slumber to see that it was noon. She was startled seeing the unfamiliar surroundings but remembered the past moments and relaxed.
This was Kaien's house, she should be safe here, right?
But after two heart-clenching betrayals, Kira developed trust issues. She was going through cynicism. She believed everyone had an ulterior motive, their kindness was just a mask to hide their true colors.
Kira tsk'ed, it seems her thoughts were growing darker and darker. She looked at the window. Her eyes were distant, radiating a strange sense of loneliness. Nothing like the eyes of that of a five year old child. Beams of orange and golden sunlight fell on her pale face.
So much had happened in the past year. Her parents were murdered by their once-trusted friend. She made real friends but lost them soon after. Finally, when she thought she'd met her second mother and house, she was betrayed again. It was a surprise, she was still sane after all this shit.
She just wanted to hide. Hide away from this cruel world. Under normal circumstances, she should've been playing around with her parents like a normal child should do. But everything was now messed up. Her life, which was just beginning, was now twisted.
"Kira?" Kira heard Kaien. She turned away from the window and faced the blonde hunter.
"Uncle Kaien." Kira acknowledged.
"So, you're awake."
"It seems so."
Kaien sighed. This child has been through a lot of shit which she shouldn't have. He could feel the difference between this Kira and the one he last saw.
He went ahead and got a chair was nearby. Kira raised an eyebrow at him as he sat. "Listen I know you've been through a lot-"
"Trust me, you don't even have the gist of it."
Kaien raised an eyebrow at the interruption but continued nonetheless. "But I need to know what happened to you in the past year, ever little detail. It's important for the investigation."
Kira nodded. Kaien was surprised. "You'll tell me?"
Kira shrugged. "There's nothing to hide anyway."
Kira told him all the events which took place. Kaien was shocked to know that Kira was taken to the Inferno, but was even more shocked to hear that it was owned by Gale.
He heard the entire story. Kira's voice broke down when she talked about the death of her friends and Shizuka Hio. Crap, this girl is stronger than I'd expected, Kaien thought.
A normal person, even an adult, should've been traumatized and going through depression, but this child was still sitting straight.
Kaien watched as Kira's head was down. No, she too is suffering but is strong outside. This to be honest, Kaien had always thought of Kira as a naive princess, who needed the protection of her father at all costs. But the Kira now said otherwise.
"Seems like you've been through more than I'd imagined...." Kaien said. He was feeling guilty that he couldn't even take care of the one of the last belonging of his deceased friend.
Other being Ace, whom he had carefully kept in the GrimWar Boarding School. He was kept under the care of Sheryl Fernandez, one of Kaien's most trusted female colleagues. 
Kaien noticed the look on Kira's face, which read 'danger'. Her look was bloodthirsty and horrific. Kaien was paralyzed momentarily before he shook Kira. "Are you okay?" He asked.
Kira went back to her previous self. She saw Kaien looking horrified, not knowing why though. She got a sense of deja vu from this.
"I'm good. By the way, I'm starving. Is there something to eat?" Kira asked. Kaien was back to earth and looked flustered. He forgot about dinner. Kira sighed.
"Did you forget, uncle Kaien?"
Kaien nodded meekly. He must read the 'parenting 101' book, 'cause from the looks of it he sucked at it.
Kira got up. "Where are you going?", Kaien asked.
"Someone needs to make dinner."
"You know how to cook?" Kaien was shocked.
Kira smirked at Kaien. "I learned it. Why uncle, don't you know how to cook?", Kira asked mockingly.
He didn't know what to answer. He ordered take outs and ate instant ramen. He didn't even know how to cut vegetables, much less prepare something with it. But there is no way he's going to admit all this to Kira.
"It's not necessary for everyone to be perfect on everything." Kaien said. Kira nodded sarcastically.
Kaien raised an eyebrow, "Fine then, show me your akin-to-Gordon Ramsey skills."
"Sure."
There wasn't much in Kaien's house to prepare something extravagant but when Kaien looked at the table, he was surprised to the core.
It was a burst of Japanese cuisine. There was Tempura, Kare-Raisu (Curry rice), Onigiri and Miso soup. There were two sets of each dish.
(A/N: search it all in google, if you are curious.) 
Kaien saw that Kira was already eating. He too sat down and dug into the delicious meal.
They finished eating and Kira was reading a book. Kaien was talking to someone on the phone.
"WHAT!? SHIZUKA HIO ESCAPED?" Kaien forgot that Kira was present and yelled at the phone. Kira's face immediately darkened upon hearing the news. Kaien realized what he had said and hung up the phone saying 'I'll talk to you later'.
Kaien saw Kira's expression. "Listen, I know it sounds incomp-"
"It doesn't matter."
"The thing is, you need to be careful now."
"I know."
"Fine then, go to bed now."