The Kurozawa Assassin Bloodline

By the time Reika and Kenji made it home, it was nearing midnight. Their lights were still. "Those damn brats." Reika muttered through clenched teeth. Kenji paused his pitiful excuse of a walk to stare at her. She must be exhausted to talk like that. 

Reika caught Kenji staring. "What are you looking at?" He decided it was better to stare at the door. He made to open the door, but it was wrenched open by Nagi. He was in pyjama shorts and holding a pizza slice.

"Mom. Dad. Welcome." He stepped aside to allow them to enter. Inside, on the kitchen island, was a pizza box. Reika could see Arato crouched down under it, also holding a pizza slice.

"Sorry Mom. We got too hungry and bought it." Nagi stepped up beside his mother, looking relaxed. He didn't seem apologetic, but was rather chewing on his slice. 

Reika shook her head. "It's almost midnight, Don't be sorry."

Kenji looked around. The house was neat. "Is Rei sleeping?" Nagi finished his slice.

"No." He spawned a knife out of his pocket. Kenji had even noticed. It was a ridiculously large and very sharp chef's knife. Nagi, without looking, stabbed the knife into the middle of the pizza and dragged it. It cut the pizza – and the pizza box. Kenji could even hear the wooden surface of the island scratching. "Slice?" He had lifted his cut barehanded to offer to Kenji.

Reika shoved him aside and lifted the pizza box. Three identical lines were etched into the wood. "Nagi!"She turned towards him. "Why are you cutting pizza? It's already cut!"

Nagi blinked. " Well, because we ordered it uncut."

"Why? Why would you order an uncut pizza?!" Reika was gripping the pizza box tightly, deforming it. 

Nagi now realized he was getting into trouble. He sheepishly scratched his head. " Um.. Well… Arato said we should cut it into little boxes. Y'know, make it fancy… but we got hungry, so I just sliced it normal." Rei put the box down and covered her face. 

This was getting out of hand. "You said Rei's not asleep right? So where is he then?" Kenji asked, trying to divert. Nagi shrugged – wait – SHRUGGED? 

"Party." Arato's voice sounded very small. Nagi looked over to him. 

"Actually, he never came home. Arato said everyone at school was talking about some party, so he thinks Rei is there."

"This late?!" Kenji moved closer to Reika to whisper in her ears. "I normally don't mind, but we just got chased by strange people. It's not ideal for –" Kenki couldn't even finish his sentence. Car sounds came from the front of the house. Reika and Kenji crouched, going into full defensive mode.

Kenji pressed his back to the wall under the window, muscles tense, ears straining for any sound. The hum of the car engine outside rumbled low before it cut off completely.

Reika edged toward the window, peeking through the blinds. "It's not the same car," she whispered.

Kenji exhaled slowly. "Let's wait."Then loud teenage laughter echoed down the street. And then—"REEEEEI! GET YOUR ASS OUT!"

The voice was nasal and cocky, the kind of voice that belonged to a teenager who thought he ruled the world.

Reika and Kenji both relaxed—slightly. "Of course." Reika muttered, straightening up. Kenji joined her to look out of the window. A sleek, expensive car—far too nice for any teenager—sat outside, thumping with bass. Several teenagers sat inside, laughing and yelling. In the driver's seat, a boy with curly hair and a mischievous grin lounged like he owned the world—this had to be Adrian.

The passenger door opened, and Rei practically fell out, staggering to his feet, his legs like spaghetti.

"Woah there, Rei." The boy in the driver's seat – presumably 'Adrian' shouted at Rei.

 "I'm—" He hiccupped. "I'm fine!" He swayed, catching himself on the car door. The front door opened. Nagi, still holding his half-mangled pizza slice, leaned out the door, peeking at his brother.

Kenji shook his head. "I'm going to get him. Doubt he can even walk to the door at this point."

Reika eyed him critically, her arms crossed. "You're not going out there like that."

He frowned, confused. "What?"

She gestured at his shirt with a sharp flick of her fingers. "We got that out of some dumpster. Rei's friends are out there. You're not embarrassing the family more than he already has."

Kenji scoffed, pulling at the stretched-out collar. "Reika, it's fine. They're drunk teenagers—they're not paying attention."

Her eyes narrowed. "You'll wear the coat."

Kenji sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Unbelievable." He grumbled under his breath but didn't argue further. With an annoyed huff, he yanked the ragged shirt over his head and tossed it aside. He grabbed the nearest coat—an old, dark one—and threw it over on his bare chest, snapping the buttons shut. "There. Happy?"

Reika didn't look particularly pleased but waved him off. Kenji pulled the coat tighter around himself, his jaw clenched in irritation, and pulled Nagi aside to step out onto the driveway. 

Adrian's car thumped with bass, the windows vibrating with every beat. Laughter echoed from inside the vehicle, the teenagers oblivious to the chaos they'd just delivered to Kenji's doorstep.

Rei swayed dangerously near the curb, still clinging to the car door for balance.

"Rei," Kenji called as he strode over, his voice stern but not loud enough to wake the neighbors. "Let's go."

Rei's head whipped around—too fast. He lost his balance and staggered forward, arms flailing.

Rei stumbled forward, looking like he was about to faceplant into the driveway. Kenji was there in a flash, grabbing him by the arm. "Rei, you're hammered," Kenji muttered, holding him up.

"I'm not! You're hammered!" Rei slurred back, before immediately gagging and leaning over to dry heave.

Adrian leaned out the car window. "Hey, Mr. Kurozawa!" He was way too casual, his grin wicked. "Just so you know, Rei's been super chill tonight—tried a little something new, y'know?" He winked. "Party favors."

Rei's head jerked up. "I DID NOT!" He tried to straighten but only ended up clinging harder to Kenji.

Kenji's jaw twitched, his grip tightening on Rei's arm. His eyes flicked to Adrian, narrowing.

Adrian raised his hands innocently. "Just kidding, man! Totally clean. Right, Rei?" He burst out laughing as Rei made pathetic grabby hands at him.

"Daaaad! Don't listen to himmm—" Rei slurred, grinning stupidly, before managing to slip on his own feet. In his quest to look for anything to support his fall, his fingers caught the front of Kenji's coat, gripping the fabric as he tripped over his own feet.

Kenji barely had time to react before Rei's full weight yanked downward, and with an ugly tearing sound, the front of the old coat split wide open, the buttons popping off like bullets.

The night air hit Kenji's bare chest instantly, the coat flapping uselessly around his sides. For a brief moment, there was silence—before the teenagers in the car erupted.

Adrian Adrian's jaw hung open for a second, eyes widening slightly as he took in Kenji. His grin returned—cocky and playful. "Damn. Didn't know Rei's dad was jacked."

"OH MY GOD," one of the girls shrieked, scrambling to sit up straighter.

"Damn, Rei, your dad's ripped!" another girl cackled, already pulling out her phone. Another—bolder—pulled out her phone quicker and snapped a picture.

Adrian wasn't done. He leaned out the window, whistling low. "Mr. Kurozawa! Hiding all that under that coat? Respect." He gave Kenji a mock salute.

Kenji sighed heavily, resisting the urge to cover himself. He adjusted the ruined coat, but it hung limply off one shoulder now, exposing his chest and abs completely. Rei, still clinging to him, barely seemed to notice. 

Kenji rolled his eyes, gripping Rei's arm to keep him upright. The girls in the backseat were now fully leaning out the windows, snapping pictures and whispering excitedly. One of them waved, her cheeks flushed. "Hi, Rei's Dad!" He ignored her.

Adrian revved the engine. "Alright, we're out! Take care of him, Mr. Kurozawa! Byeeee Reeeeeei!!!" Kenji sighed and hoisted Rei upright. Rei giggled, not even registering his words.

From the doorway, Nagi took a bite of his pizza and deadpanned, "He's going to be so sick when he wakes up."

Inside the house, Kenji dumped Rei unceremoniously onto the couch. Rei flopped onto his back, blinking dazedly at the ceiling before making an unhappy noise and rolling onto his side. His grip on Kenji's ruined coat didn't loosen, so Kenji gave up trying to pry it away.

Reika stood in the doorway, arms crossed. Her gaze swept over Kenji's exposed chest, then to Rei's slumped form, and finally to Nagi who was still eating pizza.

"So," she said flatly. "Do we talk to them now?"

Kenji sighed, rubbing a hand down his face. He turned to Nagi "Nagi, go get Arato."

Nagi didn't move. "Why?"

Kenji's patience was razor-thin. "Because I said so."

With a dramatic sigh, Nagi turned and slouched down the kitchen, calling out lazily, "Aratooo, emergency family meeting. You have to come because Dad said so.."

Reika rolled her eyes and walked past Kenji, nudging Rei's head with her foot. "Get up."

Rei groaned. "Noooo."

"Get. Up."

Rei grumbled, sitting up halfway only to immediately sag back down like a dying man.

Arato stood up from his place beside the counter, his usual eerie silence making his entrance almost ghostly. Kenji exhaled sharply. "We need to talk. All of you—" His gaze swept over them, voice dropping into something more serious. "There was a chase tonight."

The room went still. Even Rei, who had been half-asleep, cracked an eye open.

Kenji glanced at Reika, and she nodded, stepping forward. "Your father and I were being followed tonight. And while we lost them, this means one thing: We are in danger."

Arato straightened slightly, his head tilting the other way now, eyes sharpening. Nagi chewed, unfazed. "Like, so we don't go to school and stay here all day?"

Reika's expression darkened. "No. But you all need to be careful. Rei—" she cut him a look before he could even try to speak, "—you need to stay alert. No more reckless partying, no more getting drunk off your ass and stumbling home like an easy target."

Rei groaned, sitting up more properly now. "I was fiiine—"

Reika ignored him. "Nagi, don't linger outside. Straight home from school."

Nagi gave a lazy thumbs-up. "Got it."

"Arato," Reika continued, "Just tell us if you notice anything suspicious And you all. Make sure you keep an eye on Arato everyday." Arato gave a slow blink but nodded.

Kenji crossed his arms, finally tired of the coat and pulling it off. "They wouldn't just come for us. If they know we're difficult to target, they'll go for any weak spots." His gaze flicked to Rei, who bristled.

Reika sighed. "Just be careful. All of you. If something feels off, you get out of there."

The weight of their words finally sank in. Even Rei, despite his drunken state, looked more serious now.

Kenji clapped his hands once, shaking off the heaviness. "Alright. That's all. Go to bed."

Rei flopped back onto the couch dramatically. "Carry me."

"No."Kenji was already leaving.

"Mom?"

"Absolutely not."

Rei let out a loud, exaggerated sigh and slumped deeper into the cushions, clearly resigning himself to spending the night there. Reika didn't argue. "If he throws up on that couch, he's cleaning it."

But Rei was already half-asleep, murmuring something unintelligible, his arm draped over his forehead like some tragic hero in a bad play. One by one, they all drifted off to their rooms, leaving Rei sprawled out, snoring softly.

The house grew quiet, and the dull sounds became quieter. The house was asleep. But not for long.

Creak. The soft sound of a door opening broke the silence. Nagi's head poked out first, eyes glinting in the dim hallway light. A few moments later, Arato's pale face appeared behind him, eerily expressionless as always.

"You got it?" Nagi whispered, barely containing his excitement. Arato, without a word, held up a handful of colored markers like a prized trophy.

Nagi grinned. "Nice."

The two crept down the stairs, careful to make no noise.. Rei was still passed out on the couch, one leg hanging off the side, snoring like a chainsaw.

Nagi crouched beside him, holding back laughter as he uncapped a bright pink marker. "What should we start with? A mustache? Or cat whiskers?"

Arato tilted his head, analyzing Rei's peaceful, oblivious face. "Both."

They worked in near silence, Nagi suppressing giggles and Arato focused on his art.. Nearly done, Nagi picked a red marker. "Gotta add something special," Nagi whispered. With careful strokes, he drew little hearts on Rei's cheeks and scrawled "#1 Party Princess" across his forehead.

Arato stared at it for a moment, then slowly nodded his approval. Rei snorted in his sleep, twitching slightly, but didn't wake up. "Perfect," Nagi whispered, snapping a quick photo with his phone.

Arato blinked, his usual unsettling calm returning. It's easy to farm socials with Rei. I never run out of content.." Nagi stuffed the markers into his hoodie pocket, then led the way back upstairs, both of them disappearing as quietly as they came.

Rei remained on the couch, snoring loudly, his new masterpiece on full display, ready for the morning's disaster.