Dialogues in the dark

The same night Makoto was awakening, a strange young boy visited the earth.

Elsewhere, in a dimly lit alley of Kagoshima Prefecture, a man crouched in silence. His well-combed black hair and the quiet luxury in his posture contrasted sharply with his surroundings. He appeared to be in his early thirties, his fair skin catching the faint glow of a distant streetlamp.

A small black skull icon adorned the bracelet on his wrist—a mark of authority in the underworld.

Draped in a black and gray coat over a tailored suit, he extended a gloved hand, offering something to the stray feline before him. The little creature sniffed, then nibbled cautiously at the morsel, its sleek fur blending into the darkness.

The alley was drenched in shadows, the world beyond barely a whisper.

Then—

"Long time no see, Don!"

A voice rang from the alley's entrance, crisp and unmistakably teasing.

Don turned his head towards the direction of the voice, his cold green eyes squinting.

"What took you so long, Goldilocks?" His raspy voice carried no warmth, only quiet demand.

Goldilocks grinned, her crystal-blue eyes gleaming under the alley's faint light. "What's up with that tone? Are you my boss or something?"

She stepped closer, her short blonde hair catching just enough light to appear almost white at first glance.

Her cropped pink sleeveless top hugged her frame, while a thigh-length, fur-lined brown coat sagged loosely off her shoulders, revealing the delicate slope of her nape.

Slim-fitted deep purple jeans highlighted the sharp curves of her hips, and her sneakers—sporting an S logo—completed the look with casual defiance.

Behind her stood Takade, her partner, his presence steady but relaxed.

Don exhaled, his attention momentarily shifting back to the black cat pawing at his fingers. "How was the trip from Russia?"

Goldilocks rolled her eyes. "Tolerable, I guess. But we didn't come here to exchange pleasantries."

"Oi, Goldie!" Takade interjected, his tone mildly chiding. "Despite everything, Don is an official at the Venom Assassin Agency."

Don's gaze didn't waver. "'Despite everything'?"

Goldilocks leaned back against Takade's chest, her lips curving in amusement. "Oh, come on. Don's just their lapdog. Their messenger. We can be rude to him all we want."

"I'm standing right here; you realize?" Don spoke, a bit uninterested.

Goldilocks lifted her chin to Takade, eyes twinkling with mischief. "Or are you going to punish me if I don't respect him?"

"Oh, you bet." Takade's response was smooth, teasing. He pressed a kiss to her forehead, deliberate and unhurried.

Goldilocks scrunched her nose. "Ugh, what was that? Am I your daughter?"

She turned, gripping the front of his green "Peace"-printed shirt with both hands. "If you're going to punish me, then do it with diligence."

Her lips crashed against his, the kiss deepening into something slow, indulgent—drawn out in a way that exuded both passion and playfulness.

Takade moved to kissing her neck. "Ahn!" Goldilocks moaned, "Takade-chwan!"

"Ahem."

Don cleared his throat, still crouched, gaze firmly fixed on the feline at his feet.

Goldilocks pulled back just enough to glance at him, one hand covering her mouth in mock apology. "Oh no, did we turn you on, lonely virgin?"

"Give him a break, Goldie." Takade pinched her nose lightly. "Sorry Don, we got carried away."

Don's voice remained detached. "I'm not interested in those things. My only service is to the VAA. My only loyalty is to the agency."

Goldilocks groaned. "Blah, blah, blah—there it is again. That self-righteous nonsense. Can we just get to business? I'd like to retire early, thank you."

A brief silence followed.

Then, Don rose to his feet, brushing nonexistent dust from his coat. His expression, as always, was unreadable.

"Forgive me," he said coolly. "Let's get to the matter at hand."

Don's POV

These two—Takade (34) and Goldilocks (28)—are among the best assassins the VAA have.

Professionals to the core, they had just returned from Russia, another mission successfully buried in the snow.

Goldilocks is a Russian lady. Despite her playful arrogance, she carried a past soaked in survival and bloodshed:

Born into poverty, she was sold off as a child by her desperate family. Her path led to the Middle East, where innocence became a weakness and killing became a skill. She grew up running, obeying, destroying people and lives. That was all she knew, that was all life taught her.

Until Takade happened.

They met ten years ago during a joint mission to eliminate an Indian prince. Unlike anyone else she'd encountered, he didn't flinch at her reputation (as other people, even assassins, do).

He didn't see her as a monster—just as a person. He treated her with respect, even when she called him every name in the book.

She hated him at first. Then, she realized something terrifying… or rather, wonderful.

He was the only person she loved.

And the only one who loved her back.

For the past decade, they'd been partners. He was her leash when she lost herself.

And five years ago, he made her a promise:

"One day, we'll leave this life of blood and death and go to Hawaii, okay?"

That had been their goal ever since.

But before they could step into that new life, there were debts to be paid: Twelve impossible missions, assigned by the 12 Skulls Executives of the VAA.

They had completed eleven. Only one remained.

The one I was about to give them.

The hardest, the trickiest—but also the simplest. It all depended on luck and circumstance.

I reached into my coat, pulling out a plain envelope. Without a word, I handed it to Goldilocks.

She took it, her gaze tired but sharp. Sliding out the documents, she studied the photograph inside.

"So… is this her?" she asked, her tone unreadable.

"Yes. Akira Nakamura is your final assignment."

Takade leaned over, peering at the picture. His brows lifted in recognition.

"Ah, THE Nakamura?!"

Goldilocks turned to him. "You've heard of them?"

"Who hasn't? Anyone in the underworld trading business knows them. They're an enigmatic bunch, the Nakamuras… and those Hanazonos too."

The stray cat at my feet stretched, then slinked off into the shadows, signaling the end of our meeting.

I had fun, Stray-Cat-I-don't-know!

I didn't waste any more time. "Can you do it?"

Goldilocks scoffed, tossing her hair back. "Who do you think you're talking to? I'm Russia's finest." She smirked, confidence dripping from every word. "In the underworld, Takade and I are ghosts. We can't be found."

Yes. That was why they were perfect for this job.

"I know you can handle it." My gaze locked onto her crystal-blue eyes. "But, since I've known you for a while now, allow me to ask you something."

She raised a brow, glancing at Takade, who looked just as confused.

"Alright, Virgin, ask away."

I ignored the jab. "Akira is sixteen years old. Arrogant? Very. Conceited beyond belief, actually. But she has a future. She's a brilliant young girl who could one day be someone important—to Japan, maybe even the world."

Goldilocks folded her arms, squinting. "So…?"

Sigh. Did I really have to spell this out? She was making me waste unnecessary energy.

"Do you still want to assassinate her, regardless of all that?"

Goldilocks exhaled slowly, tilting her head toward the star-speckled sky.

"Don… no, Kurosaki Kuro…" Her voice softened, just slightly. "I seriously wonder what a goody-goody like you is doing among the executives of an assassin agency."

I responded, my voice even. "Don't misunderstand me, I don't pity the girl. I've stained my hands with the blood of children before."

"I know." She turned to face me fully, her expression unreadable. "You figured out that I don't take assassination jobs involving children, didn't you?"

"..."

I remained silent.

She was right.

But I hadn't just found out—I had known for a while.

Goldilocks, a.k.a. Point Blank, who hadn't missed a shot in fifteen years, had never killed a child. And she never took assassination requests involving them.

She exhaled softly, leaning against Takade. "Idiot. Don't worry about me. This is my last job with the agency. I'll be free after this."

Then, she did something I wasn't expecting. She smiled—a rare, warm smile. The first I'd ever seen from her.

"Offing one arrogant Ojou-sama won't weigh much on my mind," she added, voice light. "I refused to kill kids for selfish reasons, not because I'm kind or anything."

Takade's arm snaked around her waist suddenly, pulling her close. "Ohhh, you goody two-shoes!" he teased.

Goldilocks giggled, nudging him playfully. "Stop that, I'm only good to you."

"I know… I know…" He murmured before pressing a kiss to her cheek.

The scene before me was starting to burn my eyes. These two had the audacity to scare away my beloved (stray) cat, yet here they were, cozying up in front of me?

Alright. Time to shut this down.

"Before we conclude this meeting, let me add one word of caution…"

The grave tone of my voice cut through their moment. Takade and Goldilocks turned serious, their playful energy vanishing.

Success.