✧˖°. ࣪𖤐 𝐒𝐞𝐡𝐲𝐚𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚 𝐑𝐞𝐧

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━─── Just like he said he would, Shinichiro walked back home, the cool evening air brushing against his face as he meandered down the familiar path. At first, he was a bit regretful that he didn't bring his Kawasaki W650, the absence of the rumbling engine leaving a dull ache in his chest. The thought of the wind rushing past him, the hum of the bike beneath him. Iy was always something he craved. But as he felt the small weight of the girl in his arms, the steady rhythm of her soft, even breathing against his chest, all of his regret vanished in an instant.

Had he brought the damn bike today, he wouldn't have found her.

The thought of someone else discovering her, of her tiny, vulnerable form being out there with anyone else, tightened his chest in a way he wadn't used to. And for once, he felt a sense of gratitude for his laziness.

'Must be fate,' he thought with a smirk.

He didn't believe in fate, hell, he didn't believe in much beyond his own fists, but in this moment, with her small arms tucked around his neck like a little koala, her head resting against his shoulder, he couldn't deny it. It felt right. He wasn't sure who he was fooling, but damn if he wasn't willing to let it slide.

It reminded him of the time he first carried his younger brother, the same weightlessness in his arms, the same deep sense of protection swelling in his chest.

As pathetic as he felt for being such a shit fighter, carrying the small girl was effortless. For a seven-year-old, she was light as air, like a plushie in his arms, delicate and soft, so different from the scrappy roughness he was used to.

He fumbled with the key, managing to jam it into the door lock with more force than necessary, then kicked off his sandals, leaving them haphazardly by the front door. It wasn't a big deal, though; he'd deal with it later. Right now, he had a small, sleepy bundle to take care of.

"I'm home!" His voice rang out, the usual cheerful tone lacking its normal enthusiasm.

"Welcome h—" Emma's casual greeting faltered, her eyes growing wide as she froze mid-sentence. Her gaze snapped to the girl in Shinichiro's arms, anf her mouth dropped open.

Shinichiro blinked, then smiled awkwardly at his younger sister. He was about to open his mouth to explain when Emma bolted for the door, her tiny feet pounding across the hardwood.

"Grandpa! Grandpa! Shinichiro kidnapped someone!"

"Emma, what the fuck?!" Shinichiro's voice cracked with irritation, his hands tightening slightly around (Y/n) in reflex.

'Why the fuck do they always assume that?!' Shinichiro fumed, cursing internally. It was like a broken record with these idiots.

He heard a rapid, approaching set of footsteps, like a herd of buffalo charging through the house, and groaned.

"Shin kidnapped someone?!" Mikey's voice thundered through the hallway, and the door burst open. He skidded to a halt, eyrs wide as saucers. His hand shot up to his mouth dramatically.

"Kidnapper!"

"Shhhh!" Shinichiro hissed through gritted teeth, the frustration creeping up his spine. His eyes narrowed into a glare that could've melted steel. "Would you quit yelling? Can't you see she's sleeping?"

Luckily, (Y/n) was a heavy sleeper. At least, she seemed to be. Despite the chaos around her, her little body remained perfectly still, her breath a soft, steady rhythm against his chest. He could only hope that his siblings' idiocy wouldn't wake her up anytime soon.

Mikey snickered under his breath, his grin widening as their Grandpa appeared, giving Shinichiro a sharp, disapproving frown. "Shin, who the hell is that?"

Shinichiro bit back a groan, feeling the weight of his siblings' curiosity pressing in. "Oh, uh, I'll explain later." With a swift, practiced motion, he shot them a warning glance that told them to shut the hell up, before trudging toward his room, grimacing at the chaos that greeted him. With a grunt, he kicked aside random crap and shoved things into corners with his feet. Clearing a spot, he laid out the futon, doing his best to make it neat, though it was a struggle with the mess everywhere, all while cradling (Y/n) securely in his arms.

Once the futon was mostly set up, he gently lowered her onto it, exhaling deeply as she remained blissfully unaware, still fast asleep. The sight of her so peacefully resting made his chest tighten. Damn it, he thought, his heart breaking again. Wakasa's words echoed in his head, painting the horrifying picture of just how much trouble (Y/n) was in. Thank God he found her when he did... Who the hell knows what would've happened if she'd run into the assholes who killed her parents.

He carefully slipped off her shoes, setting them aside with quiet reverence. Then, pulling a blanket over her small frame, he lingered for a moment, just watching her sleep before he started tidying his room, just enough to make it feel less like a disaster zone.

When he finally left the room, the familiar sight of his two little hellraisers caught his attention. Mikey and Emma were deep in some ridiculous conversation while their Grandpa sat in front of the TV, sipping tea like he didn't have a care in the world.

"Who do you think that was?"

"Shin's baby?"

"No way. When the hell has Shin ever had a girlfriend?"

The jab hit like a damn gut punch. Shinichiro flinched, the sting of past rejections rising to the surface. God, he'd never live down those awkward moments.

"Then who the hell could it be?"

"Why the hell are you asking me?"

Shinichiro, standing behind them, couldn't help but roll his eyes. With a flick of his wrist, he delivered a light smack to the back of Mikey's head. "You two are way too young to be gossiping like a bunch of old hens."

"Ouch!" Mikey exaggerated, clutching his head, while Emma shot Shinichiro a flat, unimpressed look.

When Shinichiro's eyes met their Grandpa's, the old man's gaze flicked to him like a hawk zeroing in on prey. Shinichiro felt his skin prickle, but instead of launching into an interrogation, Grandpa surprised him with a calmer tone.

"How's the little girl? You cleaned up your room before, right?"

Shinichiro rubbed the back of his neck, feeling the heat creep into his face. "Ye-yeah, it's cleaned up... mostly. She's just dead tired. Slept like a damn log. Good thing she didn't wake up, thanks to a certain pair of loudmouths."

His eyes narrowed at Mikey and Emma, who both exchanged guilty glances. Mikey pouted, while Emma scoffed.

Shinichiro turned to Grandpa, knowing the real conversation was about to begin. He sucked in a breath, his mind racing. Time to convince him.

"Is it okay if she stays here for a bit, Gramps?"

The old man's eyebrow twitched, like he was about to explode. Shinichiro braced himself for whatever was coming next. What the hell was he even asking for? He'd already brought the kid home and tucked her into his room.

"Who the hell is that kid?" Grandpa asked, voice sharp, his suspicion hanging heavy in the air.

"Her name's (Y/n). Found her in an alley. She needs a place to stay for a few days."

Silence. Grandpa's gaze didn't leave Shinichiro, and for a moment, it felt like the weight of the world rested on his shoulders. Finally, the old man sighed, a breath of relief escaping him like he was thanking the gods themselves.

"Oh, so she's not your kid." Emma's voice sounded almost disappointed, though she tried to mask it with casual indifference.

Mikey, always quick with his commentary, added, "Sounds better than Shin kidnapping some poor kid."

Shinichiro shot them a glare that could melt steel. "Shut the hell up, both of you. Why don't you go to sleep, huh? Look at the time, it's past your damn bedtime."

"Eh?" Mikey tilted his head like a confused puppy. "When the hell did we get a bedtime?"

"Right now. So, go. To. Sleep."

Mikey stuck his tongue out at Shinichiro, then bolted before Shinichiro could grab him. Emma just gave a silent huff and headed to her room with a muttered, "Whatever."

With a sigh that carried the weight of his frustration, Shinichiro turned back to Grandpa, ready to face the real discussion now. In his mind, he repeated his mantra, trying to steel his nerves.

Don't fuck this up, Shin. Use your damn charm.

───── · ·End of Chapter 09· · ─────

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