A week had passed since that incident.
Jin was in the kitchen, cooking breakfast with a black apron tied over his clothes. The smell of food filled the air warm, savory, and familiar. Beside him stood Shun, cutting vegetables at the counter, his sleeves rolled up as he focused.
"Cut them fast," Jin said while stirring the pan.
"Perfection needs time," Shun replied calmly, continuing to slice.
"Do you know who did that? I mean, the attack on Yuki last week. It was someone who knows us, right?" Shun asked, handing the chopped vegetables over.
Jin took the plate and tossed the veggies into the pan. The sizzle grew louder for a moment. "Yeah, I know. It's David behind it. Cut that meat into thin pieces too," he said, tone still gentle.
"David...." Shun paused, trying to recall the name. "Who was that?"
"You burned around twenty of his cars and beat his men because he didn't pay the full amount for our work. Remember?" Jin said as he stirred the mix in the pan.
"Oh… you mean that Paris incident. But what made him take revenge after seven years?" Shun asked, now slicing the meat carefully, making sure each cut was thin.
"Don't know. Gotta ask him face to face," Jin replied.
Shun nodded slightly. "Let's visit him after this," he said, passing the plate of thin-sliced meat.
In the living room, Hana and Kaizen were sitting cross-legged on the floor, playing chess on a small wooden board. The soft ticking of a nearby clock filled the quiet space, and the warm sunlight peeked through the curtains.
"Checkmate!" Hana grinned wide, clapping her hands in excitement.
Kaizen blinked at the board, then sighed softly as he began resetting the pieces. "Don't think you're better than me. I just let you win this match," he said, trying to sound cool.
"That's the sixth time you lost! Just admit it you lose, Kaizen! Now admitted I'm older than you!" she said proudly, puffing up her little chest with a victorious smile.
Kaizen narrowed his eyes playfully. "First, I'm six months older than you. And second… try learning how to say R first, little kid," he teased, flashing a smirk.
And just like that thump! a tiny fist thumped right into his belly. It was painful, enough to knock him back onto the couch with a surprised "Oof!"
"Call me little kid again, and next time you'll get a biggel punch," Hana huffed, climbing on top of him and glaring down. "Now, who's the little kid?"
Kaizen just stared up at her, dramatic as ever. "I'm letting this slide.. because that's what a man does," he said weakly, barely managing the words, but his stubborn face stayed strong.
"Again with that cheap line flom TV," Hana mumbled with a roll of her eyes. She let go of his collar, hopped off, and plopped onto the couch beside him with a tiny pout.
Yuki and Hinata were sitting at the dining table, the soft clinking of dishes echoing in the background as they watched Kaizen and Hana playing in the living room. The two kids were giggling and bickering over their game, filling the house with a warm, lively noise.
Yuki smiled faintly at the scene, then turned her head toward Hinata. "You know anything about why we're all staying at your place?" she asked, curiosity in her voice.
Hinata shrugged, her tone light. "No idea. Jin just said it'd be safer here for now. That's all I got."
Yuki leaned back in her chair, resting her chin on her hand. "Hmm.. anyway, wanna go shopping today?" she asked, a little grin tugging at her lips.
Hinata gave a small nod. "Sure. It's been a while since we've gone out together."
"Yeah," Yuki said, glancing out the window at the sunny sky. "Might be good to clear our heads a bit too."
Just then, Jin and Shun came out of the kitchen, carrying trays of breakfast steaming bowls of rice, eggs, toast, and a pot of miso soup. Jin placed the plates down carefully, while Shun followed behind with extra chopsticks and a glass of juice for each person.
The table quickly filled with the smell of fresh food and the sound of light chatter. Everyone gathered around, even the two little ones finally joining in after their game.
They all started eating, the conversation flowing easily between bites light teasing, stories from yesterday, Kaizen trying to sneak extra toast, and Hana proudly bragging about winning six times in a row.
The morning passed with laughter, comfort, and the quiet feeling of being surrounded by people who made everything feel a little more like home.
Yuki and Hinata left for shopping with the kids and now Jin and Shun are playing games.
Jin's fingers gripped the controller like it was life or death. His eyes locked on the screen, completely unblinking. Shun sat across from him, elbows on knees, posture tense, thumbs twitching with razor-sharp precision.
Fight.
Their characters clashed in a storm of fists and kicks. No warm-up. No testing. Jin went straight into a pressure combo spinning back kick, low sweep, rising uppercut. Shun blocked the first two, parried the third, and answered with a brutal elbow to the jaw.
Jin's health bar dropped.
His eyes twitched. No words.
Shun's smirk lasted half a second before Jin's counter came flying in a mid-air grab, slammed him to the ground, then a finisher string that lit up the screen in red sparks.
"Cheap move," Shun muttered.
Jin said nothing, but his slight grin screamed got you.
Round two. Shun's character rushed forward, no mercy. He ducked under Jin's opener and launched a spinning kick that sent Jin flying. He followed it up with a ground-pound and a savage knee to the ribs.
KO.
1–1.
The final round began with silence.
The air was heavy, controllers creaking under the pressure of their grip. Every move mattered. Every dodge, every jab. It wasn't just a game now it was pride.
Then Jin landed a perfect counter, flipping Shun's character across the screen and delivering a flaming punch straight to the chest.
Final Hit.
Victory: Jin.
Shun dropped the controller on the couch, exhaling through his nose.
"Run it back," he muttered.
Jin cracked his neck. "Thought you'd never ask."
And the rematch began.
And just like that, the whole day slipped by. The sun dipped low, painting the sky in shades of orange and violet it was already 7 PM.
Hinata and Yuki returned from shopping with the kids, laughter and bags filling the quiet house. Hinata moved into the kitchen, tying her apron and getting to work, the sounds of chopping and sizzling soon filling the air. Yuki, meanwhile, hummed softly as she cleaned the living room, organizing the scattered shopping bags and folding up little jackets.
But in the corner of the house, locked in their own digital battlefield, Jin and Shun were still glued to the screen. The room smelled faintly of snacks, and the glow of the monitor flickered across their faces like firelight in a cave.
Then Jin suddenly paused.
A memory clicked.
"Aren't we supposed to go somewhere today?" he asked, eyes narrowing, his voice calm but sharp.
Shun blinked, still halfway through a combo, then leaned back. A beat of silence passed. "Right.. Paris. That David thing," he muttered, eyes narrowing as the memory sharpened. "You know where he's at?"
"Yeah," Jin said, standing up smoothly.
Shun placed a firm hand on his shoulder.
Jin raised his hand, snapped his middle finger against his thumb.
FZHHMMM.
A sharp, crackling flick of blue light burst outward in a flash, a deep hum echoing through the room for a second like static ripping through space.
And just like that, they were gone.
The game screen still glowed, waiting for the next match that would never come tonight.
[Chapter 27 end]