As Minoru takes command in the cockpit, Shijo Maki's heart races, a surge of fear coursing through her veins. Regret gnaws at her, her carefully laid plans now appearing reckless. This was supposed to be a trip of healing, a respite from the turmoil caused by her crush, Tsubasa Tanuma, who had shattered her hopes by declaring his affection for her friend Nagisa. Yes, her frustration simmered with the intensity of a burning fire. She yearned for a reprieve, a temporary escape, but being underage, she couldn't drown her sorrows in alcohol. Thus, a vacation seemed like the perfect remedy.
"Hyaa! Why is this happening to me?" Her voice trembled with a mixture of desperation and disbelief. She clung to the notion that this journey was meant to be a soothing balm for her emotional wounds. "This was supposed to be a good trip! What do I do now? Argh! I don't want to die! I just wanted a break, a chance to heal from the pain! Hiek!" She vocalized her anxieties, her pleas echoing through the cabin. Suddenly, a jolt shook the aircraft as Minoru guided the plane into a steep climb.
"What…?" Maki's gaze snapped to the window, her wide eyes capturing the scene before her. Miraculously, the chaotic situation normalized, dispelling the looming specter of doom she had felt moments earlier. "Could it be him? But how…?" Her thoughts raced as she tried to comprehend what had transpired.
Maki's perception of the man had undergone a metamorphosis. She had initially pegged him as a mere handsome face with little regard for propriety. Yet, his aura had shifted, revealing a keen intuition and an unwavering poise in the face of adversity. His silver hair and imposing demeanor held an uncanny allure, both captivating and unsettling. He had navigated the crisis with the ease of someone accustomed to such challenges.
"No… Perhaps this is his true nature," she contemplated. Her mind embarked on a juxtaposition between Tsubasa, the source of her unrequited affection, and this enigmatic individual. "No, Tsubasa can't even compare to him. But wait… why am I drawing parallels between them? Could it be that I've finally moved on?" A flicker of joy danced within her as the notion of her mended heart brought relief.
"No, this is absurd! Why am I even comparing him to someone I barely know?" Maki caught herself, recognizing the absurdity of her internal debate. His uniqueness was undeniable—his silver hair a rarity, his countenance strikingly handsome, and his physique exuding an aura of protection. His character, though imperfect, had left a lasting imprint on her. Then there was his competence in combat, surpassing that of her bodyguard—an arena with which her affluent upbringing had familiarized her.
"But wait... I doubt they could handle a situation like this, no way," a newfound clarity graced her thoughts. Her mind underwent an intellectual transformation, dissecting the dynamics at play. "Why am I even concerning myself with him?"
A surge of sudden realization dawned upon her. "Why indeed," she mused, connecting the dots of her recovery. "No, this can't be right. He must have been assigned to protect me, surely!" A wave of skepticism washed over her, a defense mechanism against embracing her feelings.
However, with time, the truth crystallized—the silver-haired man was not a family employee. Maki's disbelief turned to indignation. "That! Don't lie to me, Father!" she retorted in her mind.
[Why would I lie? But don't get too excited. Although I'll pick you up in Korea, don't expect pocket money for the next month, Maki.]
"W-Wait! Dad, I'm sorry!" Her remorse reverberated within, the sudden gravity of the situation accompanied by a sense of humility.
In this whirlwind of emotions, Maki discovered the depths of her feelings and the strength to confront her past. This turbulent flight had inadvertently become a journey of self-discovery, one that had shed light on her capacity to heal and grow.
---
Yanagi Minoru skillfully landed the plane and parked it, a feat that demanded precision and expertise.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
An insistent series of knocks echoed, disrupting Minoru's moment of accomplishment as he prepared to exit the pilot's seat. The impending investigation loomed over him, promising a day filled with exhaustive questioning by the authorities. "What a bother," he muttered, acknowledging the forthcoming ordeal but choosing not to dwell on complaints.
Opening the door, he was met by the girl who had been sitting beside him during the ordeal. He tried to recall her name, but she didn't give him the chance to complete his thought. "Ah, um, are you okay?" she asked, her voice tinged with concern as she held her waist. Despite her seemingly cold exterior, the dark circles under her eyes revealed her true fatigue.
"I'm fine, thanks. And you? Did you get hurt?" Minoru's query swept the cabin, now devoid of passengers save for him and this enigmatic girl. Amid the hushed aftermath, one question remained unanswered: Who was she?
"I'm f-fine, t-thanks to y-you. But don't think I'm grateful or anything! Let's just go." A mixture of annoyance and embarrassment colored her words, her gaze evading Minoru's as if she were a fragile bird trying to flee.
Truth be told, Shijo Maki found it difficult to express gratitude, especially to a handsome man like Minoru. After that brief conversation, she had an inkling of his less-than-stellar personality traits. Nevertheless, her circumstances had become complicated after he saved her life. His actions had an uncanny resemblance to those of a secret agent, although she was aware of his womanizing tendencies.
"Go where? And why should I?" Minoru's eyebrow arched as he quizzically posed the question.
Minoru, however, recognized this type.
He saw through her veneer, identifying the pattern.
A girl accustomed to control, probably from a privileged background. There was an unexpected charm in this predictability, especially in how it manifested in her amusing reactions.
"Just follow me! My dad wants to meet you. Ugh!" She stamped her foot in frustration, her cheeks turning crimson. It was a reaction he had anticipated.
"I'm sorry, but I can't. Stepping out of this airplane will trigger a barrage of questions from the authorities. They'll want to know who landed the plane and who thwarted the sabotage attempt." Minoru stepped out of the cockpit, his gaze shifting suspiciously towards the girl who wore a proud smile, despite the weary circles under her eyes.
"Rest assured, my family will make things easier for you. You won't have to go through all that hassle. Did you already forget my name?" She pointed her thumb towards herself.
"Shijo? Oh, right...?" Minoru pretended to ponder, a sly grin dancing on his lips. Her reaction was exactly what he'd expected.
"That's just my family name! Ugh! You stopped me mid-sentence, of course, you didn't catch it," she groaned, her hand covering her forehead. "I'm Shijo Maki, and you are?"
Minoru connected the dots. Shijo – the Shijo Corporation, known adversaries of the Shinomiya. This added a layer of intrigue to the situation. He now had a chance to make progress in his mission.
"I'm Minoru, Yanagi Minoru," he introduced himself, seizing the opportunity to delve deeper. "So, why did you choose an Airline, Saijo? And why travel abroad without any bodyguards around you?"
"What's it to you? And it's Shijo, not Saijo!" Her frustration was palpable.
"I see, so you're a bit of an airhead?" he asked.
"An airhead...? M-Me? No way! I was ranked third among my peers last year!"
Minoru hit a nerve. He wasn't wrong – anyone who knew about her had an ulterior motive. Her unguarded travel, without security, was an obvious target.
"Yes, you are. Aren't you aware that people around you usually have an agenda? And here you are, no bodyguard in sight. Are you mending a broken heart? Or just being the rebellious daughter?"
His words pierced through her facade, hitting her heart with an arrow where it hurt most. Her trip was, indeed, an escape from the pain of unrequited love.
"Wh-what are you saying? D-Do you think I care about that? N-No way!" She vehemently denied it, her blush betraying her true feelings.
Minoru's smile softened. "I apologize if I was too blunt. Let's change the topic."
"As I said, it's nothing!" She retorted, her embarrassment growing as she unconsciously opened an airplane snack and began eating it with annoyance. "Hmph!" she huffed, crossing her arms.
Quite the tsundere.
However...
"Wait... Sigh..." Minoru sighed, a blend of exasperation and amusement. Watching her consume the drugged snack was like observing a playful kitten chasing its tail.
'This girl is incredibly stupid. Who would've thought that someone from her background could still embody such innocence?' With a mixture of acceptance, he cradled her as she drifted into slumber, the consequences of her actions leading her to a peaceful sleep, blissfully unaware of her misstep.
---
After a while, Minoru found himself aboard a private airplane headed for Tokyo. Serendipitously, he had a chance encounter with the daughter of a wealthy family. Although he had no intention of rescuing her or anything, he couldn't ignore his bad luck for getting into trouble, alongside the stroke of luck that had landed him in this situation.
Minoru could hear Shijo Maki slumbering soundly in the seat behind him, despite his prior warning about what she had just consumed. He picked up a glass of water from the tray in front of him and took a sip, a wry thought crossing his mind, '...women.' He knew exactly what had transpired.
"Thank you for saving my daughter and the other passengers by safely landing the plane. I'm Shijo Makoto, Chairman of Shijo Corporation," a man with short brown hair, sharp eyes, and a slight beard spoke with relief, bowing respectfully to Minoru.
"Yanagi Minoru. Thank you for handling the troublesome aftermath for me. I would have been stuck dealing with their investigation. Please, raise your head, sir," Minoru responded, resolute in his determination. He wouldn't let the plane crash his ass again, and he held onto his resolve to survive and safeguard his interests, driven by his responsibility to his children.
'After I extracted information from that bitch...' He reminisced about the interrogation he subjected the assassin to after thwarting their suicide mission.
At first, He was likely the prime target, but with his face and hair hidden, it seemed improbable. Perhaps Dimitry had orchestrated this plot to eliminate him, wanting out of the organization. Yet, Minoru dismissed such a third-rate scheme as ineffective against him.
Turning his thoughts to the girl seated behind him, she was likely the real target due to her connection to the Shijo family. However, this wasn't truly his problem. She was just fortunate that he happened to be on the same plane.
"This is merely a gesture for someone who saved my daughter. Given the continuous rise of Shijo Corporation, there have been many targeting my family members. But now they seem to be taking it to extreme measures..." Shijo Makoto offered a helpless smile, not boasting of his wealth but merely explaining the gravity of the situation.
Minoru nodded in acknowledgment, conveying his understanding without words.
"May I inquire about something, Yanagi-san?" Shijo Makoto began.
"Of course, but I'll need to hear your question first."
Shijo Makoto was impressed by Minoru's composed demeanor. Few could speak so casually to him, yet Minoru's confidence wasn't arrogance—it was earned. However, it seemed almost too good to be true for someone of his age.
"Do you have any plans at the moment? A career, perhaps?"
The enigmatic man before Shijo Makoto, sitting gracefully after his daring feat, was a puzzle.
How could someone stay so composed? His speech implied that this was just routine for him, indicating substantial experience in the field. Shijo Makoto pondered his motives, finding it unlikely that Minoru had targeted Maki, especially after he had killed her potential assassin and prevented a plane crash. Makoto marveled at his daughter's luck in being seated next to Yanagi Minoru.
Yet, Makoto's main question lingered: what were Minoru's true motives?
"I'm still contemplating my career path, as I recently completed my studies abroad. However, I'm interested in improving education in my homeland and becoming a teacher," Minoru shared, aligning his answer with his fabricated identity.
His name, age, and background—all fabricated, save for the real Ph.D. he held. Despite his identity as a hitman, he hadn't forsaken his education.
Still, that Ph.D., even attained under an alias, was a paradox. After all, he was officially deceased following the plane crash seventeen years prior.
"I see! That's an honorable ambition, Yanagi-san. If you're interested, I can help you find a suitable starting point. I have connections with Shuchi'in Academy, known for its exceptional educational standards," Shijo Makoto offered, already thinking ahead.
'Placing him in my daughter's high school might help foster a connection between them. It appears that he's only turned twenty this year, yet he possesses remarkable talent at such a young age.' he thought.
Anyone capable of dispatching armed assailants and seizing control of an unstable plane wasn't to be taken lightly. While Makoto had reservations about Minoru's true identity, as long as his intentions didn't harm his children, Makoto was prepared to invest in him.
"I'll consider your offer, sir. Naturally, I need to discuss this with my family first," Minoru replied, his approach measured. He didn't wish to rush, and he believed his application alone would secure the place he sought, which was the high school his target attended.
"But feel free to contact me if you're interested in my assistance. And may I ask where you graduated from?"
"I graduated from Oxford, sir."
Shijo Makoto was taken aback; he had expected a different response.
"Even without my help, you could easily secure the opportunities you desire," Makoto chuckled, impressed by Yanagi Minoru's capabilities at such a young age.
For Minoru, he suppressed an internal chuckle. Makoto was cautious at him, but his trust as the Chairman of Shijo Corporation was a valuable help.
---
"Damn, why am I so damn nervous?"
A strange sensation courses through him.
This emotion is foreign, never experienced in his second chance at life.
Yet, facing his children ignites a flurry of nerves he can't quell.
He's at a loss for how to act or what words to utter in their presence.
The circumstances only exacerbate the turmoil within.
He's forsaken them for nearly four years, and while Ai bears no blame—she did try to reach out him—it turns out she forgot about the secure phone he had given her.
But then again, Ai isn't like him, casually changing identities; she's a normal person.
Moreover, he's breaking his promise by arriving a day late to this first reunion in four years.
"My luck's just a laughing stock! Wonder if the gods have a personal vendetta against me or something..."
Behind the wheel of his 911, he steals a glance at the collection on his left—a trove of gifts he's bought.
"Well, hope the red roses strike a chord and the toys make them smile."
Yet, even with all his preparations—the sharp suit, the sleek sports car, the thoughtful tokens—he's still as anxious as a rookie on their first date.
After a while, he arrives at the address Ai sent him.
"This the place? Cozy digs. Did she manage to secure this apartment on her own?"
Credit where it's due, Ai's become an unrelenting single parent—a testament to her determination.
"Feeling more of a scumbag as time ticks... Should've done this sooner. Wanted them to have a decent home. No use hesitating, time to step inside."
With a newfound determination, he mounts the daunting staircase, every step an affirmation of his intent to bring happiness back.
Yet, fate has other plans; he spots a hoodie-clad figure, a bouquet similar to his own, positioned at the entrance—a figure that reeks of suspicion.
He doesn't think twice—his grip on the man's shoulder is relentless.
"Arghh!"
Pain echoes through the stranger's yelps, his feeble frame easily dominated by Minoru's grasp.
"What the hell's your deal?" Minoru's gaze transforms into a fiery, bloodshot glare—an epitome of fury.
"S-So it's true... she's had kids all this time? How dare she spin that web of lies... and shack up with ikemen scums like you!" The words are spat out between gritted teeth.
"..." Minoru tightens his hold further, annoyance evident.
"KIEEK! ARGH!" The hooded figure winces in pain before unleashing a maniacal laugh. "HAHAHA!"
Just as a door creaks open, a voice inquires, "Yes? Who's this...?" The owner peers out, locking eyes on the peculiar sight before her, leaving her frozen in place.
"DIIEEEEEE, YOU LIAR!"
A concealed knife, unveiled in the depths of the hoodie, slithers toward Ai, poised to strike. Yet, it's Minoru's right hand that intercepts the blade, protecting her.
However, the intensity in Minoru's bloodshot eyes radiates a terrifying pressure, potent enough to extinguish a life, leaving him with a quivering shiver down his spine. Minoru finds himself uncharacteristically consumed by this overwhelming rage, engaged in a battle against his real nature.
Minoru tames his fury masterfully, though the incongruence troubles him—it's a version of himself he doesn't recognize.
But now, he's incandescent with rage, his reasoning obscured by an overpowering emotional storm. However, one pair of eyes witnesses it all, and he'll be damned if she sees this side of him.
"Mi... Mino-ru?"
Ai's timid voice compels him to glance at her. She's taking a step back, wide-eyed, staring at the blood trickling from Minoru's hand, where the blade grazed his flesh as he shielded her.
"Ai... I'll step out for a moment, okay? Sorry for yet another broken promise."
Minoru closed the door in front of him, leaving Ai inside. She looked at him with those eyes—filled with regret, confusion, and guilt.
That hoodie-wearing guy, whose name ain't worth mentioning, sure messed up big time by crossing a line he shouldn't have touched. Well, he's about to become fish food—a fate he's undoubtedly earned. In other words, he's royally fucked up. As Minoru walks away, hauling the guy along, his internal turmoil rages on—a battle between the fury that seems to consume him.
---
Hey, what's your take on this chapter?
I kind of feel bad for the guy, you know? He was just doing what he had to after that plane mess. Did I go overboard with him? Or do you folks actually dig him the way he is? Stone-cold, ruthless assassin and all that. Oh well, the next chapter's from a different POV, but I'm still scratching my head about Ai's real feelings. What the heck does she want, you know? Haha, sorry about the rambling, but could you give me your thoughts? And hey, do you have any recommendations for similar fanfics?