Into the Frying Pan Part 1

2012

Continental Hotel Room

Osaka

7:00 AM

*Dididididi* *Dididididi* *Dididididi*

*Dididididi* *Dididididi* *Dididididi*

Yoru's iPhone vituperatively blared on the bedside counter, announcing it's time for her to wake up.

The teenager's eyes shot open and she reached out toward the smartphone, deftly silenced her ringing alarm before setting the apple device onto the cherry-wood dresser.

With bright rays of morning sunlight beaming through the silk curtains illuminating the modest hotel room, the pajama-clad assassin sat up on her bed and raised her arms above her head. She stretched the muscles and bones in her shoulders and neck till they set back into place with a satisfying pop.

*Crack*

Yoru let out a satisfied sigh once she lowered her arms and quickly shoved the white quilt spread over her off her person. The hitwoman slid off the mattress and slipped her feet into the black felt slippers stationed beside the bed.

Afterwards, she walked into the bathroom and closed the door behind her. After just five minutes, Yoru walked out of the washroom with her teeth brushed, face cleaned, and bed-hair fully tamed.

The assassin strode toward the closet and opened the walnut wardrobe. The left side contained several hung up long-sleeve dress shirts, folded up cotton pajamas, undergarments and hosiery. Alongside clothing, the right side contained a holstered VP9L, several loaded 20-round magazines, polymer holsters for both pistol and rifle magazines and switchblades.

*Ding Dong*

"Delivery for Wick Yoru." A baritone voice announced after the doorbell finished ringing.

"Password?" Yoru inquired as she cautiously freed the German pistol from its gun sheath. She sent her gear for repair and tuning last night and requested them to be delivered to her around 7 am, but it never hurt to be careful. She doesn't recognize the employee's voice and not even the hotel's rules can stop the stupid from spilling blood on Continental grounds.

"Your Sunday best." The unfamiliar man answered without missing a beat. "And your paraphernalia for the night."

The violet-eyed assassin calmly set the handgun down and reached for a white dress shirt instead, now certain the person outside is indeed a member of the Continental staff. She had told Akito the former and Tamiko the latter and she trusted the two wouldn't let someone untrustworthy deliver their wares.

"One moment please." The teen called out while she slipped the collared shirt off its velvet hanger.

Yoru draped the button-down over her left forearm and walked to the door to accept her delivery.

"Good morning Miss. Wick." The employee greeted the hitwoman after she unlocked and pulled open the dark-oak door. "I hope you've had a restful night."

The attendant stood behind a two tier cart, Ayane's suit and the purple-haired assassin's kevlar plate carrier sat atop the topmost tray and the bottom bearing what she sent to the armorer.

The trolley contained everything Yoru sent to the armorer and some she noticeably didn't.

Her neatly folded black suit and trousers were tucked to the left of the pan and her empty plate vest rested to the right of her laundered formalwear. Beneath the professional attire and kevlar tactical vest sat two black ceramic plates alongside a sheathed O-Tanto.

Her SCAR PDW rested next to the daggers and Yoru noticed several modifications had been made to the SBR.

For starters, the original collapsing stock was replaced with a more traditional adjustable folding stock and a Trijicon MRO substituted the reflex sight she initially ran with the rifle. The old suppressor was swapped out for a custom integral one, likely so the rifle would be more maneuverable in close quarters firefights.

Several modifications were made to improve the PDW's ergonomics and shooting. The old grip is also replaced with a new textured one; the charging handle with a folding one; the factory trigger with a hip fire reflex trigger; and a flared magwell extension was added to the base of the magazine entrance.

Her Glock 45 lay in the bottom right corner of the cart and the armorer had also taken the liberty to add a low-profile holographic sight to the pistol. Four magazines that are noticeably longer than the seventeen round ones she's been using rested to the Austrian pistol's left.

"I see Tamiko had taken some… liberties with my equipment." Yoru noted after she finished scanning the cart's contents. "But I didn't purchase the other switchblade or the O-Tanto."

"Yes, Miss. Omura wanted to give you something extra for your retirement mission." The staff member replied as he crouched down and hoisted up the bottom tray. "Mister Sanaki also wanted me to give you this."

The steward pulled out a yellow post-it note and handed it to the teenager. The teenager gently took the note from the employee's hand and began reading its contents.

'Coupon for Unlimited Free Suit Repairs.' The sticky note read and a cartoonish doodle of a fish doing a peace sign was scribbled in the bottom left corner. The entire coupon is written with a blue ballpoint pen and is in no way official, but the genuine acts of kindness of both workers made the violet-eyed assassin's chest warm.

"What's your name?" Yoru looked up and asked the formally-dressed staff member while he stacked the two trays together.

"My name is Onishi, Miss Wick." The steward earnestly replied as he slipped his fingers beneath the stacked containers. "Onishi Ken."

"You a new hire?" The violet-eyed hitwoman asked whilst Ken handed over her package. "I haven't seen you before."

"Yes, I got started just earlier today." The steward honestly affirmed with a nod. "The Continental reached out to me yesterday and today's my first day."

'So Akane's already rooted out some of the moles.' The teen thought while she strode toward the center of her room. 'As expected of her.'

"Ken, thank you." Yoru gratefully told the employee after setting down her delivery. "I appreciate it."

"It is no problem Miss wick." Ken simply responded. "I'll leave you be then."

Following his parting words, the hotel worker quietly shut the door to give the teenager some privacy. The lock automatically engaged once the hotel room door shut and the hitwoman began changing.

______________________________________________

Ten minutes later

"You look for me… Inside the dark…" Yoru's ringtone sang, announcing an incoming call as the Japanese assassin straightened her suit jacket in front of a dressing mirror. "I am the ocean… you are the shark…"

The violet-haired girl briskly turned and walked toward her device as the music disseminated throughout the Continental hotel room. Once she stood over her bedside dresser, she picked the phone up and flipped the device over to see the caller ID.

'Auntie's calling me.' Yoru thought as she accepted the incoming call with a swipe of her thumb.

"Good morning Yoru." The aged voice of Katia Jovonovich- the assassin's aunt- greeted once the violet-eyed teen pressed the smartphone to her ear. "I hope I haven't interrupted your sleep."

"Good afternoon Auntie." The suit-wearing hitwoman politely greeted the head of the Ruska Roma with warm familiarity. "And no, I woke up around ten minutes ago. Как поживаете, тетя?(How have you been, Auntie?)"

"Я в полном порядке, спасибо, что спросили, маленький крокус (I've been quite well. Thank you for asking, little crocus)." The Soviet affectionately replied and the teenager could hear a hint of a smile over the phone. "How have you been doing?"

"Quite well as well." Yoru answered and steeled herself for the discussion she's about to have. "Is there any reason why you would be calling me?"

"Well, I've heard that you're retiring." Katia disclosed, adopting a more businesslike tone as the conversation steered away from simple pleasantries. "Can you inform me on the reason why?"

"I found out my sister is pregnant." The teenager honestly divulged to her aunt. Despite many people believing their relationship is fully for their own respective benefits, that is not the case; at least, right now it isn't. It may have started out as purely contractual, but the two eventually grew to adore and cherish each other as family. Simply put, the hitwoman had no reason to lie to her aunt.

"Hmm. I see." The Ruska Roma matriarch contemplatively noted. "And when, exactly, did you find out?"

"Around two and a half weeks ago." Yoru revealed before sitting down on her made bed, the quilt crinkling where she sat. "We just so happened to be seeking care at the same hospital."

"So, it was a coincidence that you two met." The aged woman remarked. "Would you have not decided to retire had you not met her in the hospital?"

The Wick paused at her aunt's question. In hindsight, such an inquiry was bound to be brought up in a conversation like this and the violet-eyed assassin realized she's underprepared. She'd been so focused on the what of her retirement and never thought of the why beyond guaranteeing her younger twin's safety. Did Yoru have any reason to leave outside of her sister?

"...No, I would have not." The purple-haired girl admitted and shook her head, recalling how she used to purposelessly take on one contract after another. "I originally didn't want anything to do with her. She was a civilian and I'd rather she doesn't get involved with our way of life."

Had Ai not been as persistent as she was, the assassin likely wouldn't have ever thought about retiring. She would probably keep on accepting contracts until the day she died on one. Yoru didn't need the reward money, she had enough to live comfortably for the rest of her life.

John's will combined with all the reward money she's received totaled around sixty million USD and that's not mentioning the total worth of her investments.

"...You're just like Jardani." Katia commented after a brief pause and deep breath. "Instead of being scared of your sister becoming your Achilles heel, you were more concerned for her safety."

The hitwoman blinked and pursed her lips at the mention of her father's original name and let her aunt continue.

"When Jardani started courting your mother, my mother asked him the same question." The head table member continued, unaware of her niece's unease. "He said nearly the same thing as you did. What made you change your mind?"

"...Ai was really persistent." The teen simply answered following a brief pause. "No matter what I tried, she always had something to refute my arguments. Eventually, I caved."

"Вода камень точит. (The drop wears away the stone.)" Her aunt sagely stated the Russian proverb in response at her concession. "Can you do me a little favor, маленький крокус? (little crocus?)"

"What do you need, auntie?" Yoru immediately inquired, accepting the Soviet's request without as much as a second thought.

"Can I ask you to train one of our orphans?" Katia asked the hitwoman. "His name is Ony and we got him pretty recently. His parents were immigrants living in the poorer regions of Berlin and died as unintended collateral. He's nine years old and shows promise."

Yoru nods along to her aunt's words and mulls over the implications behind such a demand.

Following John's death at Sacré-Coeur, the purple-haired teenager had worked very closely with the Ruska Roma, backing power plays and assassinations for political reasons she didn't care enough to understand. In a way, the hitwoman had become the face of the crime organization despite not taking part in any of the major decision making.

Regardless of her lack of experience and blood relation, the criminal underworld saw Yoru as an extension of her late father's will and legend. Her association and loyalty to the organization elevated their status beyond a second-rate seat and cemented the Ruska Roma as the most powerful organization currently sitting at the table.

Yoru's retirement would be a huge blow to the organization's standing and would likely cause a war between them and the other members who sensed blood in the water.

However in spite of all that, Katia doesn't sound angry nor disappointed when her adoptive niece informed her of her imminent retirement. In fact, the organization head was almost acquiescent of the teenager's reasons why despite all the potential damage it could cause.

Likewise, the Soviet had put out a genuine request instead of an order befitting for a woman of her stature, something other high-table members wouldn't ever dream of doing. Though the implications of asking the hitwoman to train a successor are huge, so long as the kid isn't forced into it, she doesn't really care; what happens in the underworld after she leaves is none of her business.

"Of course I will." Yoru stated, agreeing to her aunt's request. "I didn't have any real plans other than 'stay with my sister' after I retired. Think you can ship Ony over to Japan and I'll send him back to Berlin after a couple years?"

"Yes." Katia affirmed, relieved and grateful to her niece for accepting. "When do you think you can take him in?"

"Akira gave me a week's time limit for my retirement mission." The Wick replied as she glanced at the digital clock resting on the bedside drawer, the device's red letters reading it's nearly twenty past seven. "So, maybe some time next Saturday?"

"Спасибо, маленький крокус. (Thank you, little crocus)." The organization head thanked her niece in Russian. "Желаю Вам удачи в Вашей пенсионной миссии. (I wish you the best of luck in your retirement mission.)"

"Большое спасибо, тетя. (Thank you very much, Auntie.)" The teenager responded before the line went dead after her aunt hung up.

Yoru pried the smartphone from her ear and just before she shut the device off, paused at the sight of her current home screen wallpaper.

The photo showcased the hitwoman in a spirit halloween angel costume holding an electric guitar and standing before a microphone. Her father snapped this picture during her high-school's talent show during her freshman year.

Her bandmates had pleaded with her to wear the costume for their performance and despite her initial reservations, she eventually caved in and wore the cheap outfit. It was scratchy and the fabric was all too thin in some places, but the then assassin-in-training had a blast performing their song; a song she had written based on her father's love for her mother.

The dingy and dusty school auditorium may not have the crisp lighting nor the proper podium her and the band dreamed about, but the voracious roar of their peers once the final note dissipated was more than what they could ask for.

'I think the song is still on Soundcloud.' Yoru thought as she allowed herself to be swept up by the wave of memories. 'Has it really been only two years? I felt like way more time had passed.'

But before long, the phone automatically shut itself off from a lack of inputs and the assassin likewise stopped reminiscing about happier times.

'Time to head downstairs for breakfast I suppose,' The teenager thought as she hopped off her bed and before she left her room, straightened up the part of the quilt wrinkled from her sitting on it. 'Shig's coffee is just what I need right now.'

______________________________________________

Fifteen minutes later

"Here's your order Miss WIck." A waitress dressed in a white long-sleeve dress shirt with a black vest announced before unloading Yoru's food onto her table. "Please, enjoy your meal."

"Thank you Kaoru," The hitwoman smiled and thanked the server after the woman finished setting her meal. "And please give Mr. Ishida my utmost regards."

Kaoru smiled and bowed before briskly walking off into the kitchen for more orders to serve to other patrons, skillfully weaving in between the walking customers and her fellow workers. It's around half past seven and early morning rush hour is in full swing.

Despite the dining room being decorated similarly to a typical three Michelin star restaurant, the atmosphere was similar to what you would find in a typical cafeteria. Underneath the glamor of opulence, the Continental hotels are just business hubs filled with regular people. The average contract is only worth around twenty-thousand dollars and the majority of assassins are veterans who use them to supplement their incomes.

Aside from the cup of coffee- made with half a teaspoon of sugar and a splash of whole milk just the way she likes it- the teen also ordered a plate of syrniki and a bowl of buckwheat porridge. Her meal was not your typical Japanese breakfast, but the Slavic food reminded Yoru of her childhood.

The Wick reached over and hooked her fingers around the handle of the ceramic coffee mug before raising the steaming cup to her lips. The assassin gently blew on the liquid, cooling the topmost layer of the brew, and took a small sip.

The hot brown liquid slowly poured into Yoru's mouth and she set the dark gray jug down onto the marble coaster it originally came with. The teenager savored the rich flavor of the coffee before swallowing, the warmth of the brew spread throughout her chest as the café trickled into her stomach.

"You don't have to ask for permission if you want to sit." Yoru said to seemingly no-one in particular. "The restaurant is jam-packed in the mornings and the seat in front of me is free."

"You heard my footsteps even though the restaurant is this busy." The developed voice of Akiko sounded behind the teenager. "That's some good hearing you got there. Do gunshots hurt your ears?"

"A bit, but the doctors said that I should be fine." The hitwoman answered as the tracker set her wrapped sandwich and paper coffee cup in front of her.

"Get it checked out anyways." The bounty hunter amiability advised whilst pulling out the vacant chair. "Permanent hearing loss sucks extra hard when you're young. Trust me, I'm speaking from experience."

"You're a former JSDF member?" Yoru suddenly asked the huntswoman while the older woman opened her breakfast sandwich.

"Yeah," Akiko affirmed, mildly surprised that the hitwoman managed to correctly guess her former affiliation. "Spent some time in Iraq back when the government sent troops to do humanitarian work. Came back home and got discharged in '08."

"Iraq huh." The hitwoman contemplatively remarked, thinking back to the war stories her father told her. Before John was an assassin, he was a marine and fought through several wars during Ronald Reagan's presidency.

"So, what are you going to use the money for?" The teenager inquired as the raven-haired tracker quietly said 'itadakimasu' and prepared to take a bite of her sandwich.

"Why're you asking?" The ex-soldier asked before biting into her breakfast.

"Just making conversation." Yoru frankly replied and swallowed a spoonful of her porridge. "If we're sitting together, might as well. Talking beats just eating in silence."

"Hmm, can't really disagree with that." Akiko remarked as she took a quick swig of her coffee. "My husband and I have been eyeing a house for quite some time now, it's in a nice area and it's quite spacious as well. The thirty-two million yen combined with our other savings is enough to buy the entire thing up front."

"Any reasons why you would want to buy that house?" Yoru queried as she sliced a chunk off of her cheese pancakes. "Is there a little one in the future plans?"

"She's already out and running around." The bounty hunter answered while the violet-haired girl chewed on her Russian flapjack. "Had her nine months ago and she's been my little bundle of joy since."

"I'm planning to retire after this" The huntswoman informed the teenager after taking another bite of her sandwich. "I joined the Continental because I needed money, and I don't have to worry about that anymore now."

"But I have to ask," Akiko questioned the assassin after her monologue. "What made you want to retire?"

Yoru stopped eating and looked up toward the former soldier before the older woman continued onward with her question.

"You joined almost right after your father died in his duel with the Marquis." The bounty-hunter continued now with the hitwoman's full attention on her. "Most people joined for either money or vengeance and since you had no shortage of cash and spared Caine, everyone assumed you joined to uphold his legacy."

"Before I answer, what do you know about my family?" The suit-wearing teenager asked the navy-eyed tracker after setting down her silverware. "The one I was adopted from."

"To be honest, nothing at all." Akiko honestly answered. "All I know is you have dual American and Japanese citizenship and you were born in Japan. Though… There was this idol that recently took a break and she looks suspiciously similar to you. If you were just seven and a half centimeters shorter and had more body fat, you two would look completely identical. Are you two related by chance?"

Yoru didn't answer at first and instead scanned the people currently sitting within earshot. While they all seemed engrossed within their own conversations and meals, their eyes were subtly focused on the purple-haired assassin and the scarf-wearing tracker, patiently awaiting for the information the younger girl is about to divulge.

"Yes, Ai is my identical twin sister." Despite the gravity of the information she's currently letting out, the hitwoman's tone was surprisingly nonchalant. "She took a hiatus because she got pregnant with twins. I found out just two weeks ago and decided to retire for her and her unborn children's sake. She's the only family I have left and I can't afford to lose her too."

"...Is she safe?" The ex-soldier tentatively inquired, not expecting the assassin to casually drop that caliber of intel.

"The hospital she's admitted to is affiliated with the Continental." Yoru revealed and the majority of the evesdroppers instantly lost interest upon hearing that. "The clinic just so happens to treat civilians as well as assassins."

"Then what about her pregnancy?" The tracker further questioned, still in disbelief at the younger girl's aloofness. "I've heard of too many idols getting into massive scandals because they were dating someone so isn't that super sensitive information?"

"That kind of information is kind of bottom of the barrel stuff." The teen responded with a shrug, seemingly unworried about any of this leaking out. "The vast majority of the information the intelligence officers deal with relates to politicians and world leaders. The kind people will pay hundreds of millions to get their hands on.

The entertainment world is just not lucrative enough for the Continental to care about. My sister's pregnancy would fetch eight hundred thousand yen at most and that's just not worth the effort for them."

"Hmm. I see." Akio remarked before taking a bite out of her sandwich. "And your plans after retirement?"

"I'll probably work at the Continentals as a security guard until I'm eighteen." The violet-eyed assassin answered, purposefully leaving out her agreement to train one of the Ruska Roma's orphans. "After that, I'll find a way to be close to my sister. I've got to make up for the ten years we've been separated."

"Yeah, that sounds good." The former JSDF service woman commented whilst Yoru resumed eating.

With that, the two nascent retirees ate their breakfast in relative peace in preparation for the day ahead.

______________________________________________

One hour later

Basement of a liquor store

8:37 AM

*Click*

Yoru inserted the key the front-desk clerk had given her into the lock on the old steel door. With a twist, the entrance to the basement unlocked with a sharp click.

*Creak*

The teenager pushed the gray sill in, the aged hinges letting out a shrill creak rang out their rusty components grated against one another.

"Good morning Miss WIck." The sommelier greeted the hitwoman as she stepped into his 'wine room'. "How may I help you today?"

The basement itself is divided into two parts, the front held a variety of expensive wines and spirits for the employees upstairs to sell to wealthy patrons and the back held all sorts of armaments displayed on brightly lit shelves. From typical nine-millimeter pistols to a .338 Lapua AWM, the armory has everything an assassin would possibly want. However, the violet-haired girl is here for something else.

"I'd like to buy a plate." The Wick replied after closing the door behind her with a dull thunk. "Preferably one that can serve a large party."

Yoru is planning to hit the Omi clan tonight. Akira had just informed her the Shimazu clan's spies had gotten word that all of the high-ranking members of the rival clan are gathering at the La Veduta restaurant for a meeting. To anyone with a working brain, this was clearly a trap, a poisoned honeypot meant to lure the hitwoman in.

"Oh? How large of a party are we talking about here?" The arms dealer politely inquired, quizzically tilting his head at her request.

But, this is too good of an opportunity to pass up and the teenager knows this. That's why the hitwoman's currently preparing for a full frontal assault on the Italian restaurant and the hotel it is located in. As the saying goes: to beat a trap, you must spring it first.

"A reception," The assassin answered almost instantly as she walked toward the sommelier and stopped at the glass counter. "I'll need to feed many, many guests tonight."

The Omi clan is the largest of the rival clans by far, with membership numbering in the triple digits. If they're planning to ambush her, they will spare no effort in killing her. All of their members will be stationed at or around the hotel and be armed to the teeth.

"Do you wish to be able to see your guests?" The oenologist inquired as he softly tapped the countertop with his pointer.

"Yes, I do." Yoru replied with a nod. Despite the window tremendously increasing the shield's weight, being able to see through the escutcheon would allow the teenager to accurately return fire.

"What style would you like your plate to be?" the wine connoisseur further questioned.

"...Scalloped." The hitwoman replied after taking a moment to consider her options. While Yoru had bought the shield as a way to protect against the hail of bullets that would be fired at her, the sharp corners would allow it to be used offensively.

"Hmm… I think I just have the thing." the alcohol expert thoughtfully remarked as he strolled out from behind his display cabinet. "Please, follow me Miss Wick."

The man walked to the other side of the armory and stopped over a case displaying black ceramic hielamans with a variety of shapes and sizes. The smallest of which barely comes up to her hip and the largest comes up to below her bust.

The arms dealer opened the glass display and grasped one with particularly pointy edges. The suit-wearing man grunted in effort as he lifted the ceramic escutcheon from its place and slowly set it to the ground lest the hard material damage the floor.

"Level four Defender Ballistic Shield." The sommelier said to the hitwoman before he hoisted the aegis up with another groan. "Urrgh This particular one is made up of a special blend of interwoven ceramic and aramid fibers. A resin binder fuses the different fibers together and the window is made up of polycarbonate laminate, allowing it to stop anything up to black tipped 30-06."

"Here." The Continental armorer grunted as he held the shield out for Yoru to hold, his forearm muscles bulged and his fingertips whitened as he struggled to keep his arms stable. "It's a bit heavy, but it should be able to withstand any…"

The wine connoisseur trailed off when the teenager casually took the escutcheon from him and slid the eighty-four pound (38.1 kg) shield onto her right arm. While he struggled to lift the hielaman with both arms, the violet-eyed teenager casually swung it around as if it's made of cardboard.

"...As I was saying," The arms dealer continued after taking a brief pause to process the assassin's almost outright superhuman strength. "It should be able to withstand any abuse your guests may levy at it and its unique shape and sharp corners makes this model an excellent option if you were to ever run out of food to serve your attendees."

"Yeah, this is good." Yoru commented as she pretended to smash something with one of the shield's corners. "Thank you."

"Is there anything else you would want for your guests?" The sommelier inquired as the hitwoman allowed her right arm to hang by her side.

"...I think I would like something robust and plentiful." The hitwoman replied after a brief pause to consider what else she would need for her assault. "Preferably one that packs a bit of firepower."

"Robust, plentiful and packs a bit of firepower…" The oenologist contemplatively repeated as he pursed his lips in concentration. "I think I know what I can get you."

The alcohol expert turned around and walked toward his rack of rifles before, once again, motioned for the assassin to follow him.

Yoru followed the suit-wearing man to the gun stand and after the arms dealer walked behind the glass counter, he bent down and lifted a belt-fed machine gun onto the clear display case.

"HK 121 A2, H&K's newest light machine gun." The sommelier said, introducing the black belt-fed mitraille he fetched from the bottom row of mount behind him. "I know of your preference for the Belgians, but this one I can wholeheartedly endorse."

"With the NATO 7.62 rounds it fires and the hundred and twenty round belt box, you do not have to worry about any of your guests going hungry or requiring seconds." The armorer continued as the hitwoman set down the ballistic shield and inspected the German LMG. "Its chrome lined barrel allows for at least three-hundred rounds of rapid fire before you have to replace it with a fresh one."

"The gun has a hundred and sixteen centimeter (45.7 in) barrel and weighs nine point nine kilograms (21.8lb)," He carried on with his explanation while Yoru pointed the squad weapon toward the ceiling and racked the bolt back. "Though a heavier LMG than some of the others I have in stock, the added weight helps mitigate the recoil of the powerful ammunition it uses. The gun's three stage gas system allows for three different cyclic rates, all depending on how quickly you desire your guests to be fed."

"Apart from replacing the factory grip and trigger, our gunsmith didn't alter this particular rifle too much." The arms dealer informed the teenager as she set the machine gun back down. "It's quite new and third party parts are quite limited. Though, if you're dissatisfied with either the folding stock or our choice of attachments, feel free to request something else."

"No, that should be fine." The Wick denied his offer with a headshake. "How much do I owe you?"

"That would be two coins, Miss Wick, one for the shield and one for the LMG." The alcohol expert smoothly replied and the hitwoman reached into her pocket for the gold discs. "Do you want me to send it to your room?"

"Yeah, I'd appreciate that." Yoru appreciatively said while sliding the coins across the polished glass countertop. "Thank you."

"It's no problem Miss Wick." The sommelier stated as the purple-haired girl turned to leave. "As always, it's been a pleasure having you and do enjoy your reception."

The assassin stopped just before the door and looked back at the oenologist. The teenager silently nodded before leaving the continental armory to prepare other things for her battle against the Omi clan.

______________________________________________

Ten hours later

Four streets from the St. Regis hotel

6:23 PM

"They all know you're here." Akiko announced as Yoru stepped out of her taxi four streets away from the St. Regis hotel. The huntswoman stood outside of a Caffé Veloce holding a steaming cup of coffee just twenty feet from where the car stopped.

"Yeah, but that wouldn't matter." The assassin assuredly responded as she shut the door and the continental cab drove off, the cabdriver informing her a couple minutes prior that this is the closest he could get to the luxury hotel. "Didn't I lose you back at the Continental?"

"I have my ways." The tracker simply remarked with a shrug as she sipped her café. "The clans won't be paying me thirty-two million if you can shake me off that easily."

"But, I still can't figure out how you could move that fast with all the gear you have on." The bounty hunter pointed out after lowering her paper cup. "The shield and the light machine gun combined is at least forty-eight kilos (106lb) and that's not including your other gear. You probably carried more than your weight in equipment and still managed to outrun and lose me*."

"I have my ways." Yoru cryptically answered, repeating Akiko's vague reply back at the older woman.

"Ohhh… kids these days." The huntswoman jocularly lamented whilst shaking her head. "Where did their respect for their elders go?"

The hitwoman just simply responded with a shrug, and the tracker snorted at the teenager's lack of response.

"Are all teenage girls like this?" Akiko jokingly wondered, adding to their light banter. "If so, then I'm not looking forward to my daughter's high-school years."

"No, I think it's just-" The teenager started but before she could finish, the strident screech of car tires to her left promptly cut her off.

Yoru whirled around to see several vans and cars all stopped just less than thirty feet in front of her. The hitwoman narrowed her eyes at the assortment of vehicles and quickly readied herself for the onslaught, unslinging her LMG and pressing the gun's stock into her elbow before resting her left pointer finger on the three pound trigger.

Before any Omi clan members who climbed out of their vehicles could aim their imported guns at her, she opened fire.

*RATATATATATATATATATATA*

______________________________________________

Takachiho Hospital

Miyazaki prefecture

Hospital hallway

6:25 PM

"Hey, Sensei." Ai called out to her doctor- Anemia? Anamika? She couldn't remember. "I'm bored, can you please tell me more about Yoru-chan?"

"No, I can't." the gynecologist staunchly denied after turning to face her. "I got into a lot of hot water last time when I accidentally told you about the continental."

*THUD*

Ai and the president jolted in their seats after the Hospital Director loudly slammed his fist into his desk.

"WHAT IN KAMI'S NAME WERE YOU THINKING, AMAMIYA!!!!" The elderly man roared in indignant fury at the young doctor. "HOW DID YOU THINK SPILLING CLASSIFIED INFORMATION TO CIVILIANS WAS A GOOD IDEA?!"

"I'm so sorry Goda-san!" The clinician profusely apologized as he kneeled in a seiza position. "Please forgive me!!!"

The physician shuddered as the memory of the vicious tongue lashing he got from the hospital's director resurfaced. After Yoru left, Ai and her manager had to sign an NDA and were given briefings on the continental and the criminal underworld in general.

The idol was given leeway because she's related to someone already involved with the Continental and the president was also given some wiggle room because he's her legal guardian.

The elderly hospital administrator had grimly informed them both that had Ai not been related to the renowned Angel of Death -the pregnant girl could never get used to her older sister's moniker, it just sounded so… edgy- they would've been executed without as much as a second thought.

"Pretty please sensei?" The purple-haired teen pleaded as she clasped her hands together and flashed her best puppy eyes at the older man. "I've already signed the NDA~!"

"Hrrk!" Doctor Anamika groaned out as glittering stars and blinding light seemed to erupt from his favorite idol.

"I… I mean…" The doctor stammered out, his admiration for Ai brutally warred with his sense of duty while the girl's puppy eyes chipped away as his resolve.

"What are you two talking about?" The elderly voice of the clinic's resident trauma surgeon questioned the pair from behind.

"Ogawa-san!" The messy-haired gynecologist called out his colleague's name whilst the elderly man made his way toward the pair. "I thought you were supposed to leave at six today!"

"I was." The Chinese practitioner responded with a shrug.

"Something came up?" Anemia inquired as the ex-continental physician sat beside them with a steaming cup of tea.

"Pfoooo Yeah, it was quite a mess." The senior doctor languidly responded after softly blowing to cool his hot beverage. "I had to use a bucket."

"Oh, that bad?" The younger physician remarked as his coworker sipped his hot drink.

The surgeon hummed in agreement and Ai craned her neck to take a peek at the foreigner.

The doctor- Doctor Ohana? That's what Anamika had called him, right?- smelled very strongly of disinfectant and looked very tired, likely due to his advanced age and the operation he just completed.

During her time here, the idol noticed select members of the hospital staff use some code words such as 'tissue', 'rag', and very rarely 'bucket' and 'mop'. If she was to guess, they probably meant the severity of treatment they administered to the assassins who checked in.

"Ohana-san?" The pregnant teen called out to the Chinese surgeon. "You've known Yoru-chan for a long time now, right?"

"It's Ogawa," The aged man amiably corrected her and blew on his drink again. "But, yes. I've known your sister and her father for a very long time now."

"Can you tell me more about her?" Ai eagerly asked the practitioner, hoping the elder doctor would be more willing to tell her about her twin.

"Normally, me telling you would breach all sorts of contracts and break the oath I swore to the Continental." Okawa swiftly answered her question, shutting down any hope the entertainer had. "After all, loose lips sink ships."

"I-It won't happen again!" Anamika stuttered out, his face flushed with embarrassment as the surgeon not-so discreetly glanced toward him before sipping his tea.

"I don't know, you were pretty close to caving back there." The older physician replied with a shrug. "Something about your fav-"

"I get it, I get it!" The messy-haired gynecologist hastily interrupted his older colleague, his hands waving in the air in defeat. "I shouldn't have told her."

"Don't worry, I'm just messing with you." Former back-alley healer teased his younger colleague. "Come on, let's go to my office, it should be more secure there."

"Yosh! Come on Sensei!" Ai sprang out of her seat and pumped her fist into the air, ecstatic that Okawa agreed to her request.

"E-Eh?!" Anamika yelped in confusion, befuddled that his coworker would casually do something like this. "Wait, wait, what if Goto-san finds out?!"

"What Goto doesn't know won't hurt him." The Chinese surgeon stated as he stood up as well. "If he does catch wind of this, just say it's my idea and I'll deal with him. Besides, I don't think Yoru would mind if her sister learns more about her. She's never one for secrets anyways."

The idol's ever-present smile slightly wavered at Agowa's offhand comment. The foreigner noticed and didn't say anything; instead, he started walking away from the bench toward his room. Ai followed after the older doctor and the pair gained quite a distance before the messy-haired physician decided to go after them.

"H-Hey! Wait for me!" Anamika pleaded as he scampered to his feet, almost tripping over himself from how quickly he leapt off the bench.

______________________________________________

Ogawa's room

6:30 PM

"Alright, I'll leave you two in here to discuss whatever you want." Ogawa-san said once Gorou and Ai are seated in his office. "Here."

"Woah!" The gynecologist yelped after the aged surgeon tossed a key towards him. The younger doctor juggled the opener for a bit before finally clasping both hands around the brass object.

"I wish I could stay, but today was just exhausting." The Chinese healer confessed after taking another sip of his tea. "Just lock the door when you're done."

"Okie Agowa-san!" The idol smiled and a purple star seemed to leap off her as her fingers extended into her signature peace sign. "I will remind Sensei of that!"

"Again, it's Ogawa." Ogawa-san corrected the violet-eyed teenager once more and looked over to his younger colleague. "And Anamiya, don't try anything funny with her. God knows what Yoru'll do to you if she finds out."

"... W-WHAT?" Gorou shouted in confusion, his brain stalling for a couple of seconds to process the former continental physician's words.

Before the gynecologist could demand what he meant by that, the trauma surgeon had already shut the door and walked off.

"What did Ogana-san mean by that, Sensei~?" Ai turned toward him and asked, stretching the last syllable of the honorific with a playful smirk.

"N-Nothing!!" The clinician stammered out under the scrutiny of his favorite idol. "He's just being silly!"

"Hmm." The teenage superstar hummed and softly rapped her pointer finger to her chin. "But I've heard you're very popular with the ladies here, are you sure he's just being silly? Should I be worried? I am alone in a room with a guy a decade older than me, that sounds like something straight out of those raunchy books!"

"N-No. I'm not like that." Gorou groaned out before hanging his head in defeat, the accusations being too much for him to handle. "I'm not…"

"Heehee, I'm just joking, Sensei." The teen chuckled, her demure laugh sounding like silver bells to his ears and the physician looked up at his favorite idol. "I know you aren't like that. You would've already gotten a girlfriend if you were."

Ai's words pierced through his chest like a sword, the emotional damage was too much for him to do anything but silently droop his head further as imaginary blood dribbled from his mouth.

"All jokes aside, I know you're not the type to do something like that." The teen reassured her gynecologist, her comforting words revitalized him and he shot up in his chair with his head held high.

"I- Ahem" The doctor started to fanboy, but caught himself and quickly disguised his outburst with a cough. "You asked me what I knew about Yoru, but to be completely honest, I am not the most familiar with her. That would be Ogawa, and he's just clocked out."

"That's fine, tell me what you do know." Ai earnestly requested, and Gorou nodded.

"Well, I should start when I first met here two years ago now." The physician began as memories of his and the older twin's first meeting flooded in. "I had just finished my residency and…"

______________________________________________

January 2011

Two years ago

Hospital Lobby

8:04 PM

"Now, Anamiya-kun, do you have any questions?" The aged hospital director Goto Yoshiaki asked Gorou following a lengthy conversation in his office.

"N-No. I… think I got it." The newly ordained gynecologist stuttered out an answer, still processing the vast amounts of information the man had revealed to him minutes prior. "Is that why you don't allow residents in some specific parts of the hospital after eight?"

"Yeap, cuz that's when we usually open our doors to the criminal underworld." The chief of medicine affirmed with another nod. "While unlikely, residents do sometimes drop out and leaking any information about the Continental will cause us to be deconsecrated. That's also why we're adamant about kicking visitors out after visiting hours."

"And speaking of assassins, here comes one now." The administrator remarked as the front doors burst open to reveal a purple-haired girl in a black suit clutching her flank.

The teenager slowly walked through the empty hospital lobby as crimson blood sluggishly dribbled from her right hand and Gorou couldn't help but feel as if he knew her from somewhere.

*clink*

"Name and date of birth?" The secretary manning the front desk requested as she began typing away at her computer, not bothering to look up at the hitwoman.

"...Wick." The assassin breathed out a reply after a couple more deep breaths. "Wick Yoru, nineteen ninety-six April fourth." *2

'April fourth… April fourth… April fourth…' The clinician repeated the date in his mind several times, attempting to unearth why the hitwoman that walked in seemed so familiar. 'Wait a minute…'

"...Ai?" The glasses wearing doctor whispered out as his eyes widened in realization. How had he, an avid fan of B-Komachi, not made the connection sooner? Apart from being a bit taller and skinnier, Wick-san practically matched Ai one for one! Did the suit and ponytail throw him off that much?

The suit-wearing teenager's breathing stilled, having heard what the gynecologist said despite him whispering half a room away. The hitwoman slowly turned her head to look Gorou directly in his eyes and his breath hitched as Wick-san narrowed her eyes on him.

"How do you know that name?" The assassin coolly demanded, every word feeling like ice. Despite the lack of any noticeable emotion, the physician felt as though an invisible sword was held against his neck, threatening to slit his throat if he slipped up.

"I- I thought you looked like a girl I once knew!" The doctor stammered out a response while beads of cold sweat formed on his forehead. He knew he sounded as unconvincing as a child with their hand in a cookie jar, but that was the best response he could muster with how intense the teen's glare is.

Wick-san scowled at him for a couple more seconds and the invisible pressure continued mounting until the front desk employee called out a room number and firmly informed the girl that's where she needed to go.

After that, the hitwoman decided to turn around and leave him be, deeming obtaining treatment more important than shaking answers from the frightened doctor. However, Gorou had a feeling that this wasn't over yet.

*Smack*

"Ow!" The physician cried out in pain and clutched the back of his head, the site of injury stinging from a slap. "Why did you do that?"

"That's for being an idiot." Goto-san replied, disappointment evident in his tone. "You only knew about the underworld for, what, half an hour and you antagonized one the moment you saw them for the first time. Haahhh… And it just had to be her as well."

"W-What do you mean?" The gynecologist asked for clarification, noticing how his superior heaved a sigh before mumbling the last part.

"Her father, Wick John, was a legend in the underworld." The hospital admin started to explain while the teenager in question walked down the hallway, the injury on her side dripped a thin line of blood across the polished hospital floor. "He was retired, had been for five years to safely marry his late wife, but then something brought him back. Wick Senior coming out of retirement triggered a domino effect and eventually led to major power shifts between several high table families."

"High table… " Gorou ruminatively repeated his superior's words. "Aren't they the ones who controlled everything from the shadows?"

"Yeap," Goto-san affirmed with a nod. "What you need to know is that the Wicks represented something the high table didn't like, they represented fighting for something more than money, fighting for something more than greed. The Wicks fought for each other, and Wick John fought for a better life for his daughter."

"Then it all boiled over with the Marquis Vincent de Gramont," The hospital leader continued, pronouncing the foreign name more slowly. "Ambitious, cruel, and eager to prove himself, he came to power by promising both Wicks' heads to the high table. His efforts culminated in a duel with the man, a duel he tried to sabotage in any way possible."

"What happened?" The doctor curiously inquired, his brows slightly furrowed in concern for the violet-haired girl.

"He tried his best to prevent Wick John from ever getting to the duel in the first place." The healthcare manager expounded, elucidating the events that lead to Yoru losing her father. "He thought with a high enough bounty placed on the pair, they would never make it to the duel. But despite practically every assassin in Paris gunning for their heads, both Wicks made it to the duel on time. And in that fateful duel, Wick senior killed the Marquis and kicked off the largest shift in the underworld since the second World War."

"...Though, that's not without consequences." Goto-san sympathetically continued with a brief pause. "Wick Senior was mortally wounded and bled out. Not even two days after her father's funeral, Wick Yoru officially joined the underworld and quickly made a name for herself. What followed next was one of the bloodiest scrambles for power the High Table has seen and she earned her moniker, the Angel of Death, during the conflict."

Gorou pursed his lips as he stared at the thin trail of crimson blood on the hospital floor, horrified that someone this young had to go through so much.

'That means… Ai must be Wick-san's only remaining family.' The gynecologist realized as his mind connected the dots. 'Poor girl… no wonder she treated me with so much hostility when I said her twin's name under my breath.'

"Well, I think that about covers it for her." The clinic's director said before glancing toward the worried younger physician. "Don't worry about Wick going after you, I'll apologize to her when she gets out. Go take care of your patients."

"Y-Yeah…" Gorou nodded and shuddered as he remembered the glare Wick-san threw at him. If she can be that scary by just looking at him, he doesn't want to find out what she would do to unearth how he knew her little sister's name.

______________________________________________

2012

Ogawa's room

6:38 PM

"Wow…" Ai breathed out as her gynecologist momentarily paused his story. "Yoru-chan seemed to be quite… intense back then."

"She was grieving." The doctor simply answered, turning toward the idol as he did so. "And I can understand why she acted like that."

"I never knew who my parents were, my grandparents were the ones who raised me." The gynecologist revealed to the pregnant teen while his lips thinned into a thin smile, the feelings of childhood nostalgia almost overwhelming him. "And when my grandmother died when I was in college, I felt like something was torn from me. I stuck closer to my friends and my grandfather and cried a lot to cope with the pain I felt."

"I'm sorry." Ai sympathetically said to her doctor. "That must've been rough."

"Don't be, I've already made peace with her death." He answered while looking down at his lap. "Everyone deals with grief differently. Some stick closer to the people they're closest to, afraid they will disappear and leave them as well. Some shut themselves off from the world and push away their friends and family. And… there's some who would rather ignore the object of their grief and never deal with it until it's too late."

The messy-haired clinician clenched his fist tight enough for his knuckles to turn white for a moment before releasing his grip after a deep breath.

"Sensei…" The idol worriedly called out to her gynecologist, noticing his discomfort. "Did you have experience with the last kind?"

"...Yeah." Gorou breathed out an affirmation, his shoulder sagged and a pained look overtook his face.

"Do… Do you want to talk about it?" Ai hesitantly inquired, uncertain on how she would broach the subject.

"No." The messy-haired clinician denied with a headshake. "It's… personal."

"Oh." The teenager breathed out, realizing she may have overstepped.

Afterwards, the doctor-patient pair sat in silence for a while and an uncomfortable tension filled the room in place of the heavy atmosphere.

'Crap… what do I say?' The gynecologist thought to himself as the seconds seemed to drag on. 'If I don't say anything, then it's going to be super awkward!'

"Well uhh…" Gorou started before trailing off when Ai looked at him. "...Do you want to know what happened afterwards?"

The idol's violet-orbs lit up at the prospect of knowing more about her physician and twin sister's first encounter and enthusiastically nodded. The doctor internally sighed in relief as the discomforting mood within Ogawa's office receded like a .

"Alright, so after I completed my first official shift at this hospital…" The clinician began the story once more.

______________________________________________

January 2011

Two years ago

Outside of Hospital

10:32 PM

*Thunk*

"Hrrk!" Gorou groaned after he raised his arms to stretch, feeling all the stress of his first official day as a doctor disappear once he walked out of the clinic. "Ahh, today was exhausting. I wonder if it's always going to be like this from now on."

With only street lamps illuminating the concrete sidewalk, the doctor continued to mutter to himself as he strode toward the bus stop. Unbeknownst to the tired man, a pair of violet-eyes was carefully observing him from within the shadows.

"Maybe tomorrow I'll- mmph!!" The physician began, but a hand cupped over his mouth quickly interrupted him. Immediately afterwards, someone kicked out both his feet and pressed his back against their chest.

*Thump*

*Click*

"Don't move," A familiar voice icily ordered as the cold barrel of a gun pressed against his neck. "Unless you do as I say, you'll have a hole in your neck to bleed out of. Understood?"

"Mmph!" Gorou affirmed as he fervently nodded his head, realizing that the person threatening him was none other than Wick-san. With cold sweat now dripping down his brows, the clinician realized his superior didn't manage to placate her and his well-being was suddenly in jeopardy.

"Good," The assassin commented as her grip on his mouth loosened. "Now, tell me how you know my twin sister's name."

"Y-You just looked like a girl I once knew!" The gynecologist stuttered out completely scared out of his wits, his heart rate violently accelerating as a pressure suddenly emanated from the hitwoman; she was not happy with his response. "D-Didn't I tell you this at the hospital."

"You're lying." Wick-san coldly stated whilst pressing her pistol further into Gorou's neck, the doctor's breath hitched as the chrome barrel pressed against his scrag. "Tell me the truth, or else you won't be going home today, Gorou Amamiya."

"Okay, okay I'll tell you!" The physician panickedly cried out, adrenaline coursed through his veins as his flight or flight- mostly flight- instincts kicked in, screaming at him to get the hell away from the assassin. "You just… You just looked like one of the entertainers I really like!"

"... Did… did you… did you mistake me for an…" The suit-wearing teenager faltered as she slowly processed his words, evidently misinterpreting what he meant. "Oh lord above…"

"Wait, no. You're misunderstanding-" Gorou attempted to defend himself, but was quickly cut off by the hitwoman.

"You absolute degenerate, I'm only fourteen." Wick-san informed the doctor before promptly shoving him off of her.

"Please, you're misinterpreting what I mea-" The gynecologist tried again as he staggered from the force of the teen's push, almost falling flat on his face several times before he regained his balance.

"Look, I get it. It was a stupid misunderstanding." The assassin quickly cut him off while taking several steps back, unable to look the older man in the eye. "I'm… so sorry about that, I… I thought you knew who my sister is."

'But I do know.' The physician thought to himself, wisely choosing to hold his tongue as to not exacerbate the situation any further.

*Click*

"Uggghhh…" The teen holstered her pistol and groaned, cupping her face with both her hands. "Dammit Yoru, your paranoia is getting to you. Not everyone is out there to get you. Yoshiaki was right, this was all one big misunderstanding. (畜生夜,被害妄想もいい加減にしろ.みんながあなたを狙っているわけじゃない.義昭の言う通り,これはすべて大きな誤解だ.)"

Wick-san had spoken that last part in English, and though Gorou's proficiency in the western language was lacking, he could still catch her self-deprecating tone and Goto-san's given name. The hitwoman was doubtlessly beating herself up for what she just did.

"Hey umm…" The doctor called out to the teenager, his heart rate slowly subsiding after the teenager began apologizing. "Do… Do you want to talk about it, Wick-san? The bus stop is usually empty this late."

"You're… You're asking me to talk to you about my problems?" The assassin incredulously asked the doctor, the teenager in utter bewilderment at what he's suggesting. "Right after I just threatened to shoot you?"

"I'm a doctor, I joined the medical field so I can help people." The physician answered, paraphrasing what a character from one of his favorite anime said in a climatic scene. "Besides, I vowed I wouldn't deny aid to anyone and I plan to uphold my oath."

Wick-san stayed silent as Gorou's words seemingly struck a chord with her, possibly evoking memories of something from her past. The girl then looked into his eyes and the gynecologist was taken by what he saw. When the teenager wasn't glaring at him, her eyes looked burdened with something he's only seen in old war veterans and JSDF members who spent time in Iraq.

Wick-san didn't have the eyes of a teenager, she had the eyes of a soldier.

"Did you get that from a show you watch?" The purple-haired hitwoman asked, shaking her head in amusement when the doctor tried to sputter out a response. "But, you're a gynecologist, not a psychologist or psychiatrist. What could you do for me?"

Upon receiving such a question, the physician quickly gathered himself with a rapid headshake.

"I still had to take some psychology classes in med school Wick-san." Gorou truthfully replied after recovering from the assassin's callout. "And I would be a pretty bad doctor if I ignored someone in need of care."

"... You're a strange man Anamiya-san." Wick-san stated while her shoulders and arms visibility relaxed, no longer primed to reach for her firearm. "Yeah, I… I think I want to talk about it and… I'm sorry for threatening you."

"Call me Gorou." The doctor requested as the hitwoman began walking closer to him. "Wick isn't a Japanese last name and I could tell that using my given name with an honorific doesn't come naturally to you."

"If that's the case, then please call me Yoru." Yoru requested in response, stopping two paces from the clinician. "Wick-san is my father."

"Alright then, please follow me, Yoru." Gorou said, extending an invitation toward the younger hitwoman. "I swear as a doctor, I will try my best to help you.

"Of course, lead the way, Gorou." The assassin accepted his invitation and the two of them began walking to the nearest bus station.

______________________________________________

2012

Ogawa's room

6:53 PM

"And what happened after that?" Ai curiously questioned her gynecologist when he stopped talking.

"To be honest, nothing much." The physician truthfully answered. "We went to the bus stop, talked with each other until my bus arrived, and went our seperate ways. And before I left, Yoru apologized to me for the third time."

"I still can't believe Yoru-chan believed you mistook her for an entertainer." The idol stated, softly giggling at the thought of the ridiculous misunderstanding. "That's a remarkable first meeting you two had."

"Well, yeah." The clinician acknowledged with a nod. "But if you want to hear a crazier story, you'll need to ask Hikaru. He had a pretty wild first meeting with her as well."

"You mean Sasuko-san?" The teenager asked for clarification to which Gorou corrected her with his proper name. "He's… Yoru-chan's best friend, right?"

"Suzuko, but yes." The gynecologist corrected and confirmed. "And from what I've heard, they met when both of them ended up going after the same target. Yoru ended up giving him the reward money and they have stuck together ever since."

"Hmm. I guess I'll ask him whenever the opportunity comes again." Ai remarked and looked over to the clock, the black hands displaying a time of 6:54. "Ah, the president's picking me up soon."

*Creak*

The violet-haired girl stood up, the chair under her let out a soft creak as she pushed herself off the seat.

"Thank you for telling me this, Sensei!" The idol enthusiastically thanked her doctor. "I'll see you tomorrow!"

"I'll walk you to the entrance." Gorou amiably offered just before Ai began to leave the room.

The teenager smiled and nodded, accepting the physician's offer much like her sister did almost two years ago.

______________________________________________

Kansai International Airport

Osaka

7:04 PM

"日本航空をご利用いただきありがとうございました.(Thank you for flying Japan Airlines.)" The voice of the flight attendant split through the otherwise completely silent cabin when the airplane finally came to a stop on the runway. "機内サービスクルーを代表して,大阪へのお越しを歓迎いたします.ご滞在をお楽しみください!.( On behalf of the in-flight service crew, I would like to welcome you to Osaka. We hope you enjoy your stay!.)

Issak lifted himself out of his seat and shuffled across the hallway alongside all the other passengers, careful to avoid bumping into anyone while he walked toward the exit.

When the Russian finally left the plane, the first thing he noticed was how warm the air in Osaka is when compared to New York. The temperature is at least ten degrees (four to five degree celsius) higher and he had definitely overdressed for the climate.

The mobster strolled down the steel staircase and took off his jacket the moment he walked into the airport proper, the inside being much warmer than the exposed apron.

This trip marked Issak's first time in Japan, and hopefully it'll be his last. That is, unless Orlova wanted to go here for their honeymoon.

The gangster pursed his lips as he thought back to his girlfriend. Having heard the stories that surrounded Yoru Wick, she desperately pleaded with him to not go to Osaka for his revenge quest, saying it's suicide for him to hunt the Angel of Death down. He didn't listen, but she almost made him reconsider.

'I'll have to apologize to her when I get back, I shouldn't have slammed the door on her.' The brunette shook his head, disappointed at himself for how he handled that situation. 'Maybe I'll take her to a nice restaurant in downtown Manhattan.'

Issak heaved a sigh before making his way toward the baggage reclaim, remembering he spent over twenty-five thousand USD for the continental to smuggle his weapons into Japan. Normally, assassins would be able to purchase their own weapons in the various disguised liquor stores but normal criminals and freelancers don't have access to that luxury. Especially so now that the Russian had just been disfellowed from the Tarasov mob.

*Ding!*

A notification sounded on his phone and the former Tarasov member pulled out his device.

"So she's just around the St. Regis Hotel." Issak remarked under his breath after seeing the most recent report on the hitwoman's location. "Should take me around forty minutes to get there. Hopefully she won't be dead by then."

The mobster put away his iPhone and hummed a tune as he strolled to where his gun case was held. The Russian's revenge is near and hopefully, he'll return to New York by tomorrow. Hopefully.

*I've managed to calculate how much Yoru is carrying and it totals up to around 149 to 150 pounds or around 68 kilograms.

*2 Japanese people use the YYYY/MM/DD format. Despite Yoru being an American, she uses the date formats of the country she's in so as to not confuse people.