Mayumi Fujiwara

Chapter 13

It was Monday again and Rei came equipped to have another sleepover. Kana shook her head but since she understood his goal, she let it happen. Of course, the smile dropped from Yamamoto's face when he saw the suitcase again.

"You want to stay here again?" Yamamoto's reluctance couldn't be more obvious. He was in front of the small opening of the door, trying to shield the entrance.

He gave him a nod, his finger lightly touched Kana's fingers. She flinched, stepping away, embarrassed her father saw this. She gave a side glare at Rei, who smiled bright. "I missed seeing my wife last time, so this time I came to spend more time with her. I'll be more well behaved."

"What happens if you break the rules again?" Yamamoto really didn't want him so he was prolonging his rejection.

"I'll leave immediately then!" Rei grinned mischievously.

Yamamoto and Kana stared at him, not expecting this answer. Yamamato blinked, nodding his head slowly and stepping away. He genuinely didn't expect Rei to say that but it gave Yamamato the upper hand. Because the moment he sees the rules broken, he will kick him out or so he thought.

Rei got in, with less packaged clothes than last time, back to the same room as last time. He unpacked his suitcase, humming in delight. He got Haru and Kaito on his side. He just needed to get Mayumi on his side too so he had everyone against Yamamoto.

Rei set his clothes in the drawers and remembered the notebook Kana gave him on the first day. He opened the paper again, going through the rules one more time.

No.1 Wake up by 6AM

No. 2 Sleep by 10PM

No. 3 Sounds that are above 40hz will cause an alarm to ring.

No. 4 No interrupting

No. 5 No phones in the house

No. 6 They have to study in the living room so he can see them.

No. 7 No movies or entertainment

No. 8 No eating except in the dinner table

No. 9 No snacks

No. 10 We don't talk about Shuto

No. 11 Inspection at 9PM

No. 12 No allowance

In that notebook, he saw the colourful writing of Kana and the little doodles she drew around. Even though the rest of the notebook was blank, the doodles were sad. Like the crying face she drew near rule ten. She must have missed her brother even if they don't talk about him. Or the coloured chocolate bar with a sad face, putting a little broken heart around it. He can just tell she wanted to eat snacks which made him feel happy that she liked being in his room a lot. She gets to eat what she wants without restraint.

He closed the notebook knowing by the end this, these rules will no longer exist because he will destroy them soon. He placed it on the table and walked out of the guest room.

He immediately set out to put his next plan in motion. He paced to Mayumi, greeting his mother-in-law.

"Mother, I missed you! It's only been a week but it feels like I haven't seen you since forever." Rei gave a charming smile as she grunted in approval.

"Ah, you are here again. It was enjoyable… when you were not around." She didn't even reciprocate his words back. Rei chuckled to himself, knowing she disliked him enough to enjoy the days when he wasn't there. "I'll help you clean today!"

"This is what I feared..." Mayumi muttered to herself, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"I'll promise you, I'll do my best this time!"

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Rei used the mop to bend the water in the bucket strainer, wringing out the excess water before swinging his arms around the floor, paying attention to his surroundings. Mayumi, not noticing Rei did the mopping duty, crossed the path he cleaned until he raised his hand.

"Wet floor." He smiled at her, gesturing to take the other side, where it's dry. Mayumi looked at him like he grew another head, she tapped her body as if to check if she fell down without knowing but she was still standing.

"Huh?" She looked down at the marble floor, the trace of water there but it wasn't excessive, drying quickly because Rei wrung the mop well enough. "O-Okay..."

XOXOXO

When she saw him near the window, on top of a ladder stool, cleaning the top of the window. She ran across the kitchen, stretching her arms out. "Hold on- not with the rug-"

She slowed down when saw him with a window wiper, lightly going through the window panes, carefully swiping with

"Oh..." Mayumi went into a stop when he cleaned like a professional.

"Is something wrong?" Rei asked, looking down at what he did. "Did I do it wrong again?"

"No... Nevermind." Mayumi tilted her head, confused as she walked away, not without looking back where Rei was.

XOXOXO

It was dinner time and Rei helped by setting up the table, washing all the extra dishes she brought out whenever she was prepping the food with them and later, dumped on the sink. Unlike last time, where Rei wasn't helping in the cooking, and getting in the way by doing unnecessary things, he actually worked with her like a teammate this time. Mayumi frowned, Rei was behaving exceptionally well today.

She waited for the pot of stew to boil and instead, looked at Rei. He had a wide smile on his face again that ticked her off on other days but this time, she didn't have a problem with him.

"What's wrong with you today?" Mayumi questioned, stirring with a big ladle, glancing at him beside her. "No longer causing trouble?"

"You make it sound like I intentionally caused trouble." Rei pursued his lips, offended at the factual reality. "I can keep out of trouble, you know?"

Mayumi didn't answer. It was like she was insulting him even when she wasn't speaking. "Although when did you learn to clean?"

She noticed. There was no way she didn't notice the big improvement and nonexistent mess when he was constantly making them two weeks ago.

"I spent all week long learning to clean from my maids just to help you." Rei lightly sparkled his manipulation there by throwing out how he did it for her. Knowing someone would go through extra lengths just to make you comfortable usually warmed most people's hearts.

"Poor them. Must have dealt with a lot." Mayumi ignored his efforts and he laughed again, staring at his mother in fondness as she continued to take her job seriously. He stood beside her, arms behind his back as he smelled the aroma of the stew.

"I decided to focus on my strengths and let you cover my weaknesses so I didn't do what I can't do." Rei leaned down as she tried to ignore him. "Did I do well mother?"

Mayumi blinked, taken aback by how different Rei was in comparison to all the four men in her life. He was more clingy, needy and affectionate which doesn't exist in their household. He dared to say what he wanted without any repercussions. "You... did well."

Rei's grin got even wider, leaning back, happy. It was like dealing with a puppy. She felt like she could see his tail wagging if he had any. She shook her head. What was she even thinking? She should focus on her cooking. She closed the stove, secretly glad that Rei actually was helping her this time around and not being a burden.

XOXOXO

Everyone in the Fujiwara family eyed Rei like a hawk, looking after its prey. He has been following the rules and not causing trouble not even once for the past two days. He wasn't even creating a disturbance, living like he was a member of this family for years. Kana truly wondered what he had in mind to be acting this docile now.

It was another day, late evening, around six when Mayumi had to leave the house to get fish fresh from the market as she wanted to cook a specific dish. Rei followed her along like a puppy.

It was all babysteps planning into converting her to his side. He was just waiting for the right moment to bring it up. Even if she didn't want to side with him, he had Haru and Kaito on a leash and if she loved them, she would side with them. If not, it was still three siblings as he believed Kana would also take his side and won't betray her siblings.

He walked down the streets, passing by lamps as they both headed to the local market. It was a fifteen minute trip there, with Mayumi picking the freshest crabs and salmon while Rei carried the bags. It was the perfect time to bring the topic so Rei slowly delved into it. The cold air breezed on them, the dawn switching into the night sky.

"Mother, what do you think about the family rules? Do you like them?" He wanted to test how she felt about them then he knew where she stood.

"I have no opinion about them." Mayumi glanced at him. "They are a type of self discipline so I understand their purpose."

Self discipline? This is not the military camp but he did find it interesting she thought of it that way. He looked her up and down. She was dressed so organised and neat, always wearing that vintage maid uniform. Black dress, white collar, and apron around the waist. She fits right in the clean girl aesthetic he sees online.

"I want to hear more about you." Maybe there was history behind her life?

"There is nothing interesting about me." Mayumi dismissed it, keeping her eyes straight ahead before she suddenly looked behind, tensing up.

"No, I think-" Rei didn't get to finish his words when a big black van braked near them, two men from inside came out and grabbed Rei.

"W-What?" A cloth was shoved into his face. A big buff guy squeezed his arms together, clamping his mouth. Rei held his breath quickly and struggled to get out of his hold, feet kicking as he tried to get him off but his grip was so tight, it was suffocating.

"There is no camera around here. He is the target right?" The men said to each other, bringing out a picture and comparing it side by side with Rei.

"He looks like our target, although who is even that?" He couldn't hold his breath anymore. He took a large intake, and the smell of chemicals hit him immediately.

"I don't know. Just take her with you." He noticed his mother-in-law getting dragged by the arm. Rei's mind went through a hundred possibilities. He was the target and his mother-in-law probably got dragged because she was with him. Who could possibly want him down? There was only one person in mind.

His lids started to be heavy and he had a hard time keeping them open. His eyes rolled, body limped as he blacked out.

The next time he opened his eyes was when cold splashed on his face, forcing him to jerk awake. His hands and legs were tied to a chair. He was in an abandoned warehouse with nothing but empty barrels, chopped wood, pipes and other construction leftovers. Where was he?

"Oh, they are both awake now, Gouda." There were around nine of them in front of him, one of them sat in a chair while the rest stood behind him. They had tattoos similar to each other as if it was insignia. All of them dressed in suits but they looked so tacky. The man took off his cigarette, blowing the air on his face.

"What should we do with her, Gouda?" One of the lackeys pointed beside him and Rei turned his head. Oh... he forgot they took his mother-in-law. She was sitting quietly, not moving from her spot. She looked rough, her hair out of place and clothes wrinkled, unlike her usual self but she seemed fine.

"I don't know? Maybe we should kill her too?" The man shrugged. Rei's eyes widened as he shook on his chair.

"Don't you dare touch her!" he yelled, panicking but he tried to remain calm. He shouldn't panic.

"Or else what? What will you do when you are all tied up?" They laughed as if they said the biggest joke.

"I'm the one you want right? Just let her go... please." He decided to not get angry and swallowed his pride quickly. "She has nothing to do with this. I beg you. Please. Just... let her go."

"Oooooh what a man?" they cocikly mocked before one of them punched him. "Whether you like it or not, you are already at our mercy. We don't need to listen to you."

"Please... she is just an older woman... I don't even know her that well." Rei begged quietly as he got punched again and again. If being associated with her was putting her in danger, he would rather not know her.

"Please." His nose bled through and cheeks bruised up but then they switched from his face to his chest, messing him up. Pain shot all over his body. Mayumi looked at him shocked, shaking slightly, there was concern and worry in her gaze.

"The more you beg, the more we want to rough her up now." They dragged Mayumi to her feet, unlike him, she was tied to her hand not to the chair.

"No, no... don't do this. Please." Rei begged again. If anything happened to her, he would never live with himself. "You can do anything to me! Anything you want, just do it to me."

Rei aggressively shook his body, trying to get out but instead, the chair fell down. Rei winced, trying to crawl.

"What should we do, Gouda?" The lackeys looked at the man sitting, just taking a smoke.

"He said we can cripple him but I think it would hurt him more if we played around with her." The cruelty behind those words had Rei's heart stop. He never felt this much fear in his life.

"STOP!"

The lackey cut off her rope and then made a slit on both sides of her dress, laughing loudly at what they would do. "How about we-?"

The lackey felt his forehead go warm, soothing him almost from the cold weather in contrast except the metallic glint almost blinded his eyes. He gulped, sweat slid his forehead as his breath layered, muzzle on the centre of his forehead. All of the men stood up in apprehensiveness. There was a gun on his forehead.

Mayumi hit the magazine of the gun on the man's head, kicking his leg and pulling his arm towards her, kneeing him in the guts so hard, the man spat saliva. She threw him to the side and pointed her two glocks, one on the boss and the other on six approaching figures.

"Who wants to die first?" Mayumi asked. "Oh, in case you think this is fake-"

She shot at the boss cigarette, cutting it in half as a bullet went through it and made a hole on the ground. "- this should help ease any doubts."

The gun had a silencer on making it look more intimidating. It was rare to get into the country without illegal use. Everyone's jaws hang open. "EHHHHHHH!"

Rei closed his eyes and opened it again, trying to make sure he was seeing this right.

"Come on- she is a woman... there is no way she would shoot." Gouda signalled them to move. All of them started to run towards her and she, without any hesitation, shot the man getting close to her. He fell to the ground, clutching his legs. She pointed both guns at them as she dodged an attack, left hand shot the two men coming from her right and her right hand went under her left armpits, shooting the one creeping from her blind spot. She high kicked the one she previously shot out of the way as more kept coming.

"She is not killing, just leaving your guys incapable." Gouda noticed how she wasn't shooting to kill. "Are you all that pathetic, you can't take down one woman?"

He pulled his own gun and focused on trying to shoot her without shooting his people.

Mayumi's hand went forward, on the ground, propelling herself on the air, stabilising herself despite the gun as she flipped forward, avoiding a bullet. She ducked when a man threw a punch, arms crossed as she shot the two men coming from both sides, the man attacking from forward almost got another hit by using his elbows but she used the magazine of the gun to slam it on his knees, forcing him to drop to his knees. She hit him on the head with her elbow, while the other hand rotated the other gun to the one coming behind her. She noticed him from the eyes of the man she elbowed. She shot the one behind, sliding on the ground, to throw them off.

All the men were on the ground, all eight shot. She pointed the gun at the boss who stayed on his chair.

"Who are you?" Gouda asked.

Rei wanted to ask the same question.

"I see the Raising Tiger gang sign on you. Must be Masamune's son." Mayumi looked at him.

"You know my father?" He was shocked. "Are you a gang leader? From which fraction?"

"Your father and I go way back. Tell him, if he touches any of my sons-" She pointed at Rei, whose lips stayed in an "O" shape. "-I, Nine, will finish the job-" She pointed the gun on his forehead, poking his head over and over again, bopping. "-that I didn't finish eighteen years ago. He will know what I mean."

Gouda nodded. He didn't need to hear it from his dad. He can tell this woman almost killed his dad. "Take your trash with you."

She gestured with the gun at the groaning men, bleeding from their arms and legs. He nodded, the ones who shot on their arms, were supporting the ones who were shot on their legs. They all dragged themselves out of the warehouse in a hurry, scared. Mayumi took the knife from the ground and cut off Rei's ropes. She put her gluck on her strapped thigh, where they always remained hidden.

"Mother... who are you?" Rei stood up, rubbing his wrists.

"Oh... right. You were not supposed to see this." Mayumi blinked. "I should call AI to fix this and get me amnesia pills."

Mayumi panicked as she tapped her body, looking for her burner phone.

"Oh... AI?" Rei looked at her and she froze, turning to look at him. "Mother, are you an intelligent agent?"

"No..." Mayumi avoided his gaze and Rei crossed his arms.

"Yes, you are.'

"No, I'm just a stay at home mom..."

"It's too late for that." Rei's face palmed, shoulder shaking, blinking in shock.

"If you tell anyone-" She pointed the gun at his head. Rei merely slapped it out of his sight and she seemed shocked. He won't be fooled by her act now.

"Does anyone know?" Maybe her husband? There is no way such a big secret remained hidden for this long. For god sake, she had two guns hidden on her thighs. Granted, he didn't notice but Yamamoto had too? He lived with her for over twenty years.

"Nobody knows." Mayumi blinked innocently at him.

"How come nobody-" Rei cut himself off. This family was running his head in. Are they ALL, ALL leading double life? He thought Kana was crazy but he realised she was the sanest out of all.

Rei pulled the chair that was on the ground, pulling it up to sit. "How are you going to hide the blood?"

Mayumi fidgeted. "I can call Eleven to cover for me. Although I haven't called him in years. Since screwed me over with that stupid mission and made my husband sleep with the wrong woman...."

Hold on, what? What did she say? "Can I hear that story?"

"It goes back nineteen years-"

Nineteen years ago, in a club, Sunshine Lover, Nine was on a mission. It was her last mission. She wanted to quit being an agent and focus on her kids. Kaito was almost eight, Shuto six and Kana four but being an agent, it wasn't easy to quit so Eleven suggested she fake her death. He hired a replacement double. She looked almost similar to Mayumi. Makeup done the same, fake hair, and dress so she would look like her doppelganger. The target, who was supposed to witness the fake death, was in a club. He hired Nine as his bodyguard but the fake nine was acting as her replacement.

Mayumi was in disguise, she will pretend to be the enemy and fake kill "Nine" so then this witness can tesifty she is dead without arising anyone's suspicion. She sat on the bar with fake red hair, extremely dark make up, acting like she was drunk. She was waiting for the client to come.

Unexpectedly, Yamamoto entered the dim bar, sitting on the stool, pissed off that Mayumi wasn't answering her phone after their fight last night. He asked the bartender for the strongest drink they had. Mayumi noticed him and quickly looked away from him, covering her face. What was he doing here?

Yamamoto kept calling the phone, gulping down a glass in a minute. "Why isn't she answering?" He ran his hand through his hair as he asked for more drinks. It went from one till there were more than six empty glasses. He was hiccuping, crying as he wrote paragraphs of messages to Mayumi's number.

Mayumi stared at him from the side remembering how they fought the previous day over the fact she was barely home and how he wanted her to stay home more with the kids. Her solution was to quit and that's why she was on this mission. She walked away, unable to witness more as it was giving her heartache so she quickly left the area.

That's when Yamamoto caught a glimpse of someone. He stood up, wobbling, cheeks red and drunk as he grabbed the hand of a woman. He looked at her pleading before he crushed his lips on hers.

"The woman he saw was... the fake me." Mayumi nodded sarcastically, telling the story in annoyance.

Rei was dreading where this was going. His brow twitched, no way, right? No, this can't be. Nah.

"They went into a room together-"

"STOP! PLEASE STOP!" Rei literally ripped his hair out. "Don't continue, I beg you."

"No, you have hear this. They made out-"

"No… stop."

"It went a little out of control."

"I don't want to hear it-"

"And that's how Haru was born."

"You are giving me psychological damage." Rei wished he stayed curious.

"That gave ME psychological damage." Mayumi pointed at herself. "And that's why I never speak with Eleven anymore. If I saw him, I would kill him."

Rei nodded, completely on her side with this. He had beef with Eleven too now.

"To make matters worse, I forgave Yamamoto as it was MY mistake. I should have never accepted such a mission or trust Eleven BUT Shuto believed I was cheated on so he started creating problems with Yamamoto and the innocent child, Haru." Mayumi sighed, looking stressed out. "Shuto thought I was a pushover and that's why I was allowing it."

"Wow, this mistake is creating a generation of trauma." Rei couldn't believe what he was hearing. This story was ridiculous. Haru really was just a mistake through and through. He kinda understands now why that kid was toxic. If he was Haru, he would be a bully too. He deserves to take out his anger. Rei won't be able to live if that was his life.

"It is a secret I'm taking to the grave… but if I see Eleven, I'm going to kill him." A fire burned in Mayumi, her stoicism gone as she looked angry.

"Let me join you on this mission." Rei stood up pointing at the air. "I want to kill him too. Let's go."

Both Mayumi and Rei got out of the warehouse. She looked at her ripped outfit and just held the sides to cover her exposed thighs. The bag of fishes is long forgotten. "Can you not tell anyone what you just saw today? I have retired already. I'm no longer an agent."

"... if you want me to keep this a secret, I want you to side with me against your husband." What perfect time to gain an ally. That's not how he envisioned it but he would take any opportunity he got. His horns popped up and tail. Ahh, the secrets he held were so beneficial. He loved blackmailing everyone.

"I knew you were a sly devil when I first saw you." Mayumi shook her head but she needed him to cover up for her today so she couldn't be picky. "But you got yourself a deal. I'll side with you when you need me too."

Yamamoto Fujiwara had no idea what was coming for him.