The silence of the manor was deafening, the only clear sound was the soft footsteps of the four-year-old descending the stairs.
The boy stayed close to the shadows, that seemed to hug him in their darkness. Earlier in the evening he had heard his mother arguing with his uncle again. Their arguments were becoming more and more regular lately.
His uncle always scared him, he would call him by another name instead of his own, Zaiaku. He didn't know the meaning behind it but knew it wasn't said as praise or compliment. His uncle Kenji would always look at him with anger and malice, he would always frown and snarl for unknown reasons, unknown at least to him. Once he dared to ask his grandmother the meaning behind that "nickname" his uncle loved to use, only for a huge fight between mother and son to take place.
He still didn't know the meaning but he didn't dare ask his mother, the twins already walked onto thin ice, they didn't need him to break it apart and let them fall into the cold eternal abyss that hid underneath layers of anger and pettiness.
He thought of asking his other uncle, Kiyoshi, he wasn't scary like Uncle Kenji and whenever his mother and grandmother allowed him to see him he was nice. But Uncle Kiyoshi was a rare sight and when he asked his mother why, the only reply he was given was that despite his uncle being a good man he walked down a dark path, a path where he had lost himself and needed time to find himself. So his eternal question about the meaning behind his nickname had to wait, at least only until he was old enough to read.
Kurayami, continued his silent journey through the manor, seeking solace in the familiarity of the shadows. The moonlight spilled through the grand windows, casting elongated patterns on the floor, like mysterious puzzle pieces scattered across the marble tiles. It was in these late hours, when the world around him slumbered, that he found a fleeting sense of peace.
He reached the large study room, where his mother, Asami, often conducted business meetings and made critical decisions for Fukumoto Industries. The little boy had always admired his mother's strength and intelligence, but he couldn't shake the unease that had crept into their lives lately. He had caught glimpses of tension and worry in his mother's eyes, a weight she carried with stoic determination.
The young boy hesitated for a moment before entering the study, unsure if he should intrude upon his mother's realm. But the need for answers and reassurance propelled him forward. He found Asami sitting by the imposing desk, her face illuminated by the soft glow of the desk lamp, and a stack of documents scattered before her.
"Mom?" Kurayami called softly, approaching with trepidation.
Asami looked up, her expression softening as she saw her son standing there, clad in his pajamas, his eyes searching for understanding. "Kurayami, what are you doing awake at this hour?" she asked, concern lacing her voice.
"I couldn't sleep, Mom," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "I heard you and Uncle Kenji arguing again."
Asami's heart clenched, realizing the burden her young son carried. She beckoned him closer, wrapping him in a comforting embrace. "Oh, my sweet boy," she sighed, "I wish I could shield you from all this, but it would seem that these walls aren't thin enough"
"I just don't understand uncle Kenji, why is he so mean and why are the two of you always arguing... is it because of me?" the boy asked with uncertainty clouding his eyes.
Asami gently cupped her son's chubby face and looked into his eyes, Kurayami could have sworn he saw an impossible strong fire at his mother's amethyst eyes, burning with such passion and love that he could almost feel the heat.
"Listen to me my love, you have done nothing wrong. Your uncle's bitterness has nothing to do with you but with me. Kenji is a petty man that seeks power by any means necessary"
"I still don't understand... what kind of power does he want?"
"my love, you're far too young to understand... perhaps once you get older" Asami could see her son's unsatisfaction with the answers he received, but what was she supposed to tell her four-year-old, my brother is petty because our father let me in charge of the company, or that she was refusing to deal with villains... even if she told him that he would ask for a deeper explanation and his innocence was far too precious to be corrupted by adult problems.
"You always say that..." said Kurayami poofing his cheeks and pouting.
"Only because you always ask questions that aren't appropriate for someone as young as you" The child looked at his mother his onyx eyes were hungry for answers, but whenever he asked his mother would say 'perhaps once you get older', it was always the same, but this time he was determined to get his answers, after all, today every single parent of his classmates came to his school for parents day, and today he could feel the void of his father's figure.
"Then how about something simple?" it was no secret that Kuroyami was mature for his age, his grandmother despite being a former waitress had a deep love for literature and she took it upon herself to teach her grandson the intricacies of the Japanese language as well as her first language, Korean. Even so, his maturity still surprised everyone including his mother, it was obvious that the boy would grow up to be as cunning as a fox.
"Go ahead then ask" She told him with her silky voice.
"Can you tell me about dad?" Asami's eyes widened at his question, not once had he ever asked about his father. Her thoughts traveled to today's events. It was rare for Asami to escape work, but she would never miss parent day, she already was a single mother and insults followed her like rain following clouds, the school was buzzing with activity, mothers and most importantly fathers were chattering, and showcasing their love with such an openness that made her own heart clench at the reminder of the missing lovely husband. To be quite honest, Asami had fallen quite hard for the father of her child, despite the fact that she didn't know his name and they only spend half a night together, she never felt such euphoria before. Their flirty banter and the rough and steady hands, his skills at...
Asami forced herself out of her memories.
"What would you like to know?"
"His name?" the boy asked with a tinge of desperation in his voice.
"That I cannot tell you, simply because his name is a mystery even to me" She saw as her son's hope for answers evaporated right in front of her eyes. "What I can tell you is that you look a lot alike" a tiny spark shone once again.
"Really?" he asked, his voice filled with excitement.
"Of course, you have the same nose, and your eyes are uncannily similar. Not to mention that you're as smart as him"
"What about his quirk?"
"That is as much of an unknown as his name"
"Do you think I'll get his? everyone in class already has a quirk I'm the only one without one... what if I don't get one"
"You will, you just have to be patient"
"How can you be so sure?"
"Because you are a Fukumoto. Do you know what the meaning behind our family name is?" Kuroyami watched his mother with furrowed brows, of course, he knew what their family name meant, but that doesn't mean he had the blessing of the gods...
"It means blessed..." he said still unsure of what to make out of this conversation.
"Exactly" His mother seemed quite satisfied, so he decided to leave it at that, but he still had an important question.
"Will I ever meet him?" he asked his voice barely above a whisper.
"Perhaps one day my love, now come it's getting late"
Asami stood up holding her son in a loving embrace, they reached his bedroom and she sang a loving tune to her little boy. Morning found them in a mess of limbs.
The morning sun cast its gentle rays through the curtains of Kurayami's bedroom, filling the room with a warm and inviting glow. Kurayami stirred, his eyes fluttering open to greet the new day. With a wide yawn and a stretch of his tiny arms, he looked over at his mother's sleeping face. After a while, she too woke up and together they welcomed the new day.
Life for Kurayami was simple, despite the mess his two uncles created. He woke up got to school and played, he spent his evenings with his grandmother reading him stories and talking.
But today was different, today marked a huge change in his young life, one that he would forever consider the catalyst of his peaceful life.
As today was the day he awoke his quirk.
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It was a typical morning at the daycare center, and the children were busy playing with their quirks, laughing and giggling as they showcased their unique abilities. Kurayami sat quietly on the sidelines, watching his classmates with a mix of curiosity and envy. He had always felt left out during these moments, as he was the only one who had yet to manifest a quirk of his own.
As the children continued to play, Kurayami noticed a little girl named Emi, who had the power to create objects from water, he had heard her father calling it Hydrokinetic Construction.
She was having a blast, making little water figures dance in the air. With a pang of longing, Kurayami reached out to touch the water figure, hoping to somehow feel its cool, flowing texture.
But as soon as his tiny hand made contact with the water, something unexpected happened. As he touched Emi's water his small finger emitted blue energy, and Emi's quirk suddenly stopped working, the water figure became nothing more than a small puddle. Emi looked at Kurayami in shock, her eyes wide with disbelief.
"What did you do?!" she exclaimed, her voice trembling with anger and confusion.
"I-I don't know," Kurayami stammered, taken aback by the sudden turn of events.
The other children had noticed what happened, and they quickly gathered around Emi and Kurayami. They were all stunned and curious, but their curiosity soon turned into fear and frustration.
"You broke her quirk!" one of the boys accused Kurayami, pointing an accusatory finger at him.
"Yeah! You're a quirk-breaker!" another child chimed in.
Kurayami's heart sank at their words. He didn't mean to break Emi's quirk; he just wanted to feel the water like everyone else. But now, the other children saw him as a threat, as someone who could take away their special abilities.
"I didn't mean to," Kurayami said softly, tears welling up in his eyes.
"But you did! You're a curse!" a little girl shouted, her voice laced with anger and fear.
The children began to back away from Kurayami, creating a circle around him as if he was some kind of dangerous creature. Kurayami felt a lump in his throat, a sense of isolation and rejection washing over him.
The daycare teacher rushed over, trying to diffuse the situation. "Now, now, let's all calm down," she said in a soothing voice. "Kurayami didn't break anyone's quirk. It was just an accident."
But the children remained uneasy, and Kurayami could sense their fear and mistrust. He felt tears streaming down his cheeks, hurt by their words and actions.
"I didn't break her quirk" he told his classmates
"Stop lying we saw you" Another boy yelled at him.
"Everyone calm down, Emi why don't you try to use your quirk?" The teacher suggested in an effort to make peace with everyone.
Emi put all her concentration on the small puddle, a smile broke into her face as it took the shape of a dog.
"It works" she exclaimed
"See, nothing happened... now everyone apologize to Kuroyami" she send with a strict tone.
Emi send her small water dog to Kuroyami, its tail wagging and sprinkling water everywhere.
"I'm sorry Yami I didn't mean to hurt you" she told him "You can pet it if you want"
"It's o-okay" he said drying his eyes, he reached for the water dog but once he touched it his hand emitted blue energy and the water became a puddle once more. Everyone stared wide-eyed until chaos ensured once more. Panic spread among the children as they scrambled to get away from Kurayami. Kids calling him a quirk-breaker and telling him he was cursed, Emi's frantic cries over her lost water dog.
The daycare teacher tried to reassure them, but her words fell on deaf ears. Kurayami felt overwhelmed by the power he didn't even know he had, and he wished more than anything that he could take it all back.
He couldn't take it anymore, he turned tail and run back inside. He found an empty classroom and hid inside the closet where the art supplies were held, there he cried his heart out.
It wasn't until hours later he was found, his tears had dried and he hadn't moved an inch. The teachers were frantically looking around and his mother had turned the whole school upside down until he finally came out the moment he heard Asami's silky voice. He got out of the closet and with speed and strength that got powered up by separation he run to his mother and hugged her as tight as he could.
She picked him up and hold him close to her loving embrace. She felt her quirk disappearing but she said nothing about it, she only hold him close and whispered reassurances as he cried himself to sleep in the safety of her arms.
That evening the doctor called his quirk Mukō-ka (nullification). He could nullify the quirk of anyone he touched. Furthermore, his quirk was always active.
Everything went downhill after that.
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The study room was filled with tension as Asami and her twin brother, Kenji, stood face to face, their gazes locked in a battle of wills.
"Asami, I still can't believe father entrusted the company to you," Kenji sneered, his voice dripping with disdain.
Asami took a deep breath, trying to maintain her composure. "I understand that you wanted to be the one leading Fukumoto Industries, but father believed in my ability to carry on his legacy," she replied, her tone steady.
Kenji scoffed, "Ability? You were always the favorite, always the golden child. But I won't let you tarnish our family's name with your incompetence."
"That's not fair, Kenji," Asami said, her voice tinged with hurt. "I've worked hard to prove myself, and I've dedicated my life to this company."
Kenji's eyes flashed with anger. "Dedicated your life? What life do you have to dedicate? You're just a single mother with an illegitimate son!"
Asami's face turned pale, and she clenched her fists, trying to control the rising fury within her. "Kurayami is my son, and he's just as much a part of this family as you are," she retorted, her voice firm.
"He's a reminder of your reckless past," Kenji shot back, refusing to back down. "You don't deserve to carry the Fukumoto name."
"Stop it, Kenji!" Asami's voice trembled with emotion. "You're my brother, and I love you, but you can't keep tearing me down like this."
Kenji's face softened for a moment, but the anger quickly returned. "I won't stand by and let you destroy everything we have" he said, his voice heavy with determination.
Asami's eyes filled with tears, "I'm not trying to destroy anything. I'm trying to honor his memory and make the company thrive."
"You're too soft-hearted, Business demands a cold stone heart, have you looked and the business proposes I send to you?"
"I have and I won't have anything to do with it." She took a deep breath to steady herself, she looked her brother in the eye "Kenji you're asking me to make deals with villains... how is that not tarnishing our family's name?"
"Our useless brother is known as a drinking addict and you have an illegitimate child. Our name is already tarnished"
"Don't say that. First, don't bring Kuroyami into this, he's only a child. Second, Kiyoshi is working hard on his drinking problem in rehab, our business is thriving what more do you want?"
"To surpass everyone" he looked at his sister "to be the best"
"Your hunt for power will only bring us destruction" she told him. "We won't discuss this ever again" He scoffed at her, then he turned around and exited the office. He never saw the small shadow sitting under the table in the safety of shadows.
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Nara was a simple woman, she loved money as much as everyone, perhaps she loved it a bit too much. She offered her services for it and she was one of the best in her area of expertise. No, she wasn't that kind of woman, not that being a prostitute was a shame... well it was, but in desperate times people would do anything to survive. She didn't judge them, after all her mother was like that, that is until she got the wrong client. After her mother's death, she swore to protect the women from that industry.
She made sure her clients knew her standards, she wouldn't take the life of a mother when there was no one to care for the child.
But she couldn't say no to that pair... not because she didn't want to but because she couldn't.
The man was draped with a ridiculous black cloak, his face unseen and his voice unheard. Beside him stood a woman with dark skin and dark hair caught in a braid her eyes were glowing a bloody red, and her words were echoing in the warehouse where their meeting was held...
Nara didn't know what she was getting into, the money that was offered was too good to pass the opportunity, so she arranged the meeting for the details, but once she heard that her target was a single mother, she immediately shut it down, she was ready to leave when the dark-skinned woman opened her mouth and she froze.
"Simon says, you accept this job" After that it was like she was trapped in her own body, she couldn't control her actions, and she became the puppet of that woman. After all, what Simon demanded he got it.
It was ridiculously easy with her quirk to infiltrate the mansion. Her quirk Architecture, allowed her to map whole buildings, along with her enemy's location.
As she slit the woman's neck she cried and apologized. After the deed was done her body returned to her once more. She looked at the incredibly beautiful woman her long black hair dyed in blood, and her amethyst eyes were looking at her with sorrow. The blue energy still danced in the dead woman's corpse, her bio manipulation only caused Nara a slight pain in her bones, but even that couldn't snap the strings that controlled her.
Nara was a skilled assassin but she had standards, she swore to never kill single mothers, but tonight she broke her promise.
The cries of a small boy calling for his mother followed her as she left the mansion behind.
Tonight was the last time anyone heard of the infamous assassin Sōan-sha.
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The sun hid behind heavy clouds on the day of the funeral, mirroring the somber mood that enveloped the crowd. Kurayami stood beside his grandmother, clutching her hand tightly as they both gazed at the casket before them. Asami, his mother, lay peacefully inside, her amethyst eyes forever closed. Tears welled up in Kurayami's onyx eyes, but he blinked them away, trying to stay strong for his grandmother and himself.
The wind whispered softly through the trees as if mourning along with those gathered. A few rays of sunlight managed to break through the clouds, casting a melancholic glow over the scene. The scent of fresh flowers mixed with the damp earth filled the air.
The mourners, friends, family, and even employees of Fukumoto Industries gathered to bid farewell to their beloved leader, Asami Fukumoto. The once-bustling woman who had always carried herself with grace and strength now rested in eternal silence.
Kurayami listened to the eulogies with a heavy heart. Each word spoke of Asami's dedication to the company and her unwavering commitment to her family. He remembered the late nights she spent working in her study, the determination that never left her eyes, and the warmth of her embrace that always made him feel safe.
'Why did she have to leave me?' Kurayami thought, his heart aching with sorrow. He couldn't fully comprehend the finality of death, and the absence of his mother left a void in his young heart that seemed impossible to fill.
The funeral procession moved forward, and Kurayami found himself standing before the open grave. The coffin was gently lowered, and he watched as the earth claimed his mother, taking her away forever. The finality of the moment struck him like a blow, and he couldn't contain his grief any longer.
Tears streamed down his cheeks as he cried openly, no longer trying to be strong for others. His sobs mixed with the weeping of those around him, a collective lament for a woman who had touched so many lives.
His grandmother held him tightly, her own tears falling, as she offered what comfort she could. But in this moment of loss, there was no true solace to be found.
He felt a heavy, almost painful hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see his oldest uncle, eyes focused on the casket and eyes glassy with what he supposed were unshed tears, right beside him was Uncle Kiyoshi who was crying his heart out openly, much like him and grandmother.
"It's time to go" Uncle Kenji said, voice rough with masked emotion. His hand was still on Kuroyami's shoulder gripping it and forcing him and his grandmother to move.
As they turned to leave an old man with shoulder-length white hair, and a beard approached them. At his side was a beautiful dark-skinned woman with braided hair and scarlet eyes.
"I'm sorry for your loss" the man said extending his arm towards Kenji for a shake. The shake was firm.
"Thank you, Ito-san"
"My boss Hassaikai-buchu also sends his condolences. Unfortunately, his weakened health didn't allow him to properly send his respects. "
"I understand, please send him my regards and well wishes"
"Of course" The man then eyed Kurayami, the young boy felt shivers crawling down his spine as he felt his soul being examined. His green eyes finally moved away from Kurayami and he felt like he could breathe again. "We shall see each other soon, Fukumota-san," he said and walked away, the dark-skinned woman remained silent and only dutifully followed her boss.
The grip on his shoulder became strong enough to bruise, but he remained silent.