chapter 21: There goes the house
The moment the two Kurogane goons were tossed outside, everyone flopped down on whatever surface they could find—floor, sofa, or even just against the wall.
"Well," Ryuuji grinned, "that was easier than my last breakup."
Hotaru was about to throw a shoe at him when a loud creak echoed through the house.
Everyone froze.
"What…was that?" Mira whispered.
Before anyone could answer, the ceiling above them cracked open. A chunk of plaster narrowly missed Kuro, who leaped into Tora's arms like a dramatic damsel.
Tora looked up, adjusting his glasses. "Uh…guys? I think this fight may have—"
CRASH.
The entire kitchen wall gave way, leaving Jin standing there in pure confusion, holding a pot of ramen, completely exposed to the outside world.
"We broke the house," Mira whispered in horror.
"We BROKE THE HOUSE?!" Hotaru screeched.
As if the house itself took offense, the floor shifted, sending Ryuuji tumbling face-first into the broken sofa. Tora tripped over a loose floorboard, and Jin somehow managed to save the ramen with ninja reflexes.
Kuro sat on the only intact table leg, licking his paw like a king surveying his crumbling kingdom.
"Everyone OUT!" Hotaru yelled.
They scrambled, grabbing whatever they could—laptops, weapons, ramen—before the entire roof caved in behind them.
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Five minutes later, on the street
They stood in front of what used to be their safe house—a pile of broken wood, cracked walls, and Tora's now-dead laptop lying in the rubble.
"Well," Ryuuji sighed, "that's one way to end a lease."
"Where do we go now?" Mira asked, eyes wide with panic.
Just then, Sai's bike screeched to a halt in front of them, almost knocking Ryuuji into a street pole.
"Need a lift?" Sai smirked. He flipped up his helmet, revealing his usual messy black hair and the smirk of someone who just enjoys life too much.
"Heard you idiots blew up your house."
Hotaru groaned. "It wasn't us—it was physics!"
Sai raised an eyebrow. "Physics didn't build a bottle rocket launcher in the kitchen."
Tora coughed and looked away.
"Anyway," Sai said, throwing a keycard at Hotaru, "there's a warehouse a few blocks down. It's abandoned, but I made some… modifications. Call it your new HQ. My gift, because you losers are entertaining to watch."
Hotaru caught the keycard. "What's the catch?"
Sai winked. "No catch. Just don't die before I get to see you actually take down Kurogane. It'd be boring."
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New Base - Sai's Gift
The warehouse was massive, much bigger than their old house. Metal beams stretched overhead, and dust coated everything, but the bones of the place were strong. A perfect hideout for a team of chaotic idiots.
There was even a secret trapdoor leading to an underground bunker—fully stocked with surveillance equipment, first-aid kits, and… was that a karaoke machine?
"This is way too good," Mira whispered. "Are you sure Sai's not secretly evil?"
"He's evil," Hotaru said flatly, "but in a 'helps you so he can mess with you later' way."
Ryuuji already claimed a corner as his 'flirting lounge,' Tora started setting up a new command center, and Jin opened a makeshift outdoor kitchen right outside the main doors.
Kuro found a high beam to perch on, where he could judge them all from above like the tiny overlord he was.
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That Night
As they settled into their new home, Hotaru leaned against the railing, watching her crew argue over who got the top bunk in the sleeping area.
This was her weird, dysfunctional family. And now they had a real base—strong enough to handle a hundred more fights.
She smirked. "Let's see Kurogane try to knock this one down."
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End of Chapter 21