Ding donggg"Haii." Standing outside, he could hear footsteps running toward the door.Creaaakss The door opened, revealing an angelic profile behind it.
"You have to ask who it is before opening the door, dummy."It was like instinct. Katsuya's arm wrapped around the lady's waist, pulling her closer as he gently brushed through her soft blonde hair.
"I can recognise your bell sound."
"And stop running like that," he let go slightly before lifting her face up by the chin, "you don't want to hurt Kiryu now, do you?"There went the softest smile spreading on Katsuya's charming face.
"But Kiryu was excited to see you as well." She cupped his cheeks.
"Alright, alright. Anything you say. Let's head inside, it's cold here."
"Ah, right. I made dinner."
They held hands and walked in.It must've been magic if anyone had witnessed that scene.The all-cold, "missing a heart," icy-cool Katsuya showing that much affection?
...
"Kazu-san, how many kids did you want?"After dinner, they sat themselves cozily on the large family couch.
"I don't want any kid."
"Wait, what... then Kiryu…?" She looked up at her fiancé, holding her belly.
"I feel unease, Emi." He furled a sad smile. "I could never have dreamt of having a family. Especially when our lives are as unpredictable as they are. It's scary, don't you think?"
"Then why did you…" she was confused, gripping onto his hand, "then we don't have to. Just the two of us, like before, was fine."She bit her lips."I can abort—"
Katsuya pressed a finger across her lips."Don't finish that sentence."Faintly caressing her round cheeks,"Kiryu can hear us."
"Sorry." She lowered her head.
"Don't apologise."
...
Ever since their first encounter years ago, these two had been inseparable. Their love and connection surpassed everything.
It happened when he was just a random scumbag, and she was just a girl who worked in a run-down bakery. Katsuya was poor and lazy, so he'd drop by every day to buy bread for his three daily, malnutritious meals.
She remembered seeing him injured or bleeding almost every time he stopped by. She couldn't help but offer him a box of band-aids, and in return, he replied:"And you think that's gonna help?"Before walking off with his dry bag of bread.
Emi was never the type to take offense, but that did kinda hurt.It's not like she had the money to get him anything more extravagant anyway.
After that event, on one random evening, the sun was starting to set and her shift had ended. Emi grabbed her bag, about to head to the subway station, when she saw him lounging on the ground a few blocks away. Her curiosity was sparked.
She ambled thoughtlessly toward his defeated-looking shadow. As she got closer, the pool of blood became more visible. He stank of soaked sweat and alcohol, injuries cloaked his dark beige skin. He was still breathing, but his eyes were closed. Emi assumed he must be asleep.
"Yeah… band-aids definitely can't help this." Emi squatted down."Why did you drink so much…"She pulled out a handkerchief from her bag to wipe the blood off his alluring profile.
"Didn't drink."
"AH!" She flinched.
"Alcohol was to disinfect the wounds."
"Ah… that really scared me. Don't start speaking out of nowhere like that."
"Tough up. Getting scared so easily is gonna get you killed."
"Said the dying person?" she laughed."Just kidding. Please don't die." She stood up."I just got my salary, so wait here."And so she dashed to the convenience store nearby, leaving her bag behind with him.
"You're hella lucky I ain't Katsumi," he muttered, knowing his brother would've bolted off with the bag already.
A while later, she returned with a bag of essentials.
"Such waste of salary," Katsuya remarked.
"Not really." She soaked the kitchen scissors with pure alcohol before snipping off his shirt."It's not a bad spend."
She cleaned off the dried blood with a towel, treated the wounds, and wrapped them with elastic bandages. She even bought an extra cheap shirt for him to swap into.
"You're quite decent at this."
"Somewhat." She stood up, about to head back into the convenience store."Wait here."
"Not like I have a choice." He looked down at his wounded body. He was unable to move regardless.
A while later, she returned with two boiling cups of instant noodles and banana milk.
He guzzled down some of the hot soup."What's up with this?"
"You seemed hungry." She slurped the noodles."I am also hungry."
"Pft." He laughed."You're quite cute for someone annoying."
"I just saved your life." Her round cheeks puffed up."You're quite annoying for someone who's not cute."
"Haha. So I'm cute." He nodded slowly, taking in her compliment.
...
Their meeting wasn't extravagant, but they had been through storms together.They cried, they laughed, they loved, and stuck together by what felt like the force of the universe.There was no doubt that both of them would not hesitate to jump into a fired-up garage filled with explosives for each other.
Back to the current timeline:
"I can't say that I can guarantee your and Kiryu's safety, but I will do everything I can, Emi. For you, and our children."
She spiked up from the seat, excited."Children?"
"Two would be nice. Maybe three." He hummed with a playful expression."I want a girl next."
"Ah yes. Let's name her Kana then. Kimura Kana."
"It'd be funny if we get another boy."
"What if we really get a boy again?"
"Then…" He thought for a moment."Then let's name him Kaitou."
"Kimura Kaitou, huh?"
"That's cute."