Father and Daughter

“Heartless Demon?” Surata questions. He feels like he has heard that name before but can’t remember where.

“What is he talking about?” asks Yorui.

“Oh, sorry kids, guess you didn’t know. Hehe.” Majuro laughs at their surprised expression. “This Koroki has a nickname, isn’t that, right?”

Koroki’s lips smack against each other. “Tsk, shut up!” Koroki’s top slowly falls off from his left shoulder, revealing his chest. Upon his chest full of scars, there seems to be something marked on top of his heart. Majuro focuses his vision, seeing as the marking becomes clearer. His eyes widen as he grins excitedly.

The marking on Koroki’s chest is a kanji tattoo:

“臓”

“The “Heartless Demon”. A manslayer who fought during the War of the Fallen. Rumors say that he just vanished from the battlefield, not leaving a single trace. Pink hair. Soulless eyes. It’s said that they have a red Noye tattooed above their heart. But…there’s no mistake. Hehe. I thought I remembered your face from somewhere, Demon. I just thought you died somewhere.”

“The War of the Fallen? What is he talking about?” Surata can’t comprehend anything that Majuro says. “There’s no way! Koroki can’t be the Heartless Demon. He’s too lazy for that. But then again, I don’t know anything about him.”

Koroki responds, showing no sign of emotion. “You talk too much for someone who specializes in killing.”

Suddenly, Koroki’s eyes light up. His pulse rapidly speeds up. His surrounding aura begins to spread, turning into sparks. The hair on Surata’s arm stiff up as if Koroki’s aura was emanating electricity. To finish things quickly, he activated his Noye.

“Pink?! Hehe. Maybe you aren’t him then.”

“A pink Noye? Since when did he have a Noye?!” Throughout Surata’s time with Koroki, ever since he moved in, Surata believed that Koroki didn’t have a Noye. He knew that Koroki was powerful, but this is shocking.

Some days while training, he would ask Koroki about Noye. But, every time he would ask him, Koroki would always deny it or ignore it. Surata didn’t think much of his comments since that’s how he responds to most things. Maybe he really didn’t have it. Maybe Koroki was just like Surata: Noyeless. That’s what Surata thought. 

Finding someone like him and seeing how strong they are, strongly encouraged Surata to train more, refining his determination. However, seeing Koroki now twists Surata’s whole understanding of who Koroki is.

“Such… powerful aura.” Yorui's body shivers from the aura. The coldness of the aura brushes her skin, giving her goosebumps.

Koroki gazes at his glowing chest. Instinctively, he aims the inside of his scabbard into his chest, pushing it inside his Noye. His body consumes only half of the scabbard as if it is stuck. He slowly pulls out the scabbard. This time, his scabbard looks longer than before.

It is too long to be holstered on his side since it would scrap the floor behind him. However, something seems to appear in his scabbard. Koroki unsheathes this weapon. A dull blade escapes his sheath. A blade longer than most katanas. Its edge is highlighted in a wavy dark red design as its glare reflects the beaming moonlight. The smell of rust lingers around the sword. The blade looks rough like it has seen its fair share of battle.

Yorui and Surata remain in awe, faces filled with shock and suspense.

Majuro laughs at Koroki’s weapon. “A nodachi with a katana sheath? Hehe. Nice weapon. Let’s see what you're made of… Demon!”

Koroki’s pain seems to fade from his mind, his face dull, fixated on Majuro. A gust of powerful wind blows from Koroki as he quickly vanishes into the wind.

“Wait, where’d he go?” Majuro quickly looks around for Koroki… but is nowhere to be found. His nerves twitch as fear starts to dwell in Majuro, his fear turning into excitement. Hearing the stories of this “demon” and now seeing this “demon” in action can’t smear the smile off his face. A manslayer versus a demon. The real battle now begins.

Koroki reappears in front of him, almost teleporting, and aims his blade at Majuro. In one swift attack, the blade pounds Majuro, delivering a fatal blow to his chest.

“What-” He can feel his ribs cracking as he coughs up blood. The impact hits Majuro’s nerves, almost knocking him unconscious. The aching pain from the slash feels like a new, sharp blade. If Koroki's blade had been any sharper, Majuro would have been sliced in half.

“I may have been that heartless in the past, but I have a heart to let you live… for her sake,” Koroki states, staring dominantly at Majuro, his voice filling with a little sympathy towards Yorui. He steadily sheathes his blade.

Majuro lays on the floor, defeated. Dwelling in pain, his mind clears up like he has just been free from his own torture. His pulsating Noye shuts down, and his heart rate decreases.

Yorui, despite her injuries, runs towards her father. Not even pain can stop her right now.

With clear sound returning to his ears, Majuro hears footsteps approaching him. The steps glide across the ground, crying, carrying sadness and worries. Majuro tilts his head towards the footsteps. Life reverts to his eyes as Yorui runs towards him, dragging herself. The sight of his own daughter takes him back to that day.

___

Majuro is an ex-shikari from the Ikari country. His love for fighting on the battlefield was like no other. His strength and feats made him a powerful threat to the other nations. With his brutal and questionable tactics, Majuro was among the top of his military.

He would get sent to carry solo missions, single-handled killing every enemy spotted, granting him the title “Majuro the Manslayer”. As his excitement for fighting grew, his Noye began consuming him. During missions, his Noye would get carried away, slashing anything in his way, even allies.

The people began to see Majuro as a problem. His fellow shikaris grew fearful towards him, and even his leaders saw Majuro as a future threat to his country.

On a clear, sunny day, Majuro rests at home with his family. A young Yorui plays outside with her mom, playing ball. His home is the only place where he can be without fighting or using his Noye.

Shatter.

Trying to peacefully recover his body from his missions, Majuro hears glass shattering inside the house. He hears his wife and daughter cheerfully laughing outside, so something must have fallen. Majuro gets up from dozing and decides to go check on the noises.

As he approaches the kitchen, he senses multiple unfamiliar auras around the house. Doors slam open, and windows shatter as multiple men, dressed in black, appear surrounding Majuro. These men stare at Majuro, weapons in hand, their eyes beaming dark red.

Majuro wraps his head around his situation. “Trying to mess with me while it’s my day off. Hehe. Guess you don’t know who I am. Let me show you.”

Majuro activates his Noye, grabbing his sickle, ready to fight. The men ambush him, giving him no time to think. However, Majuro acts like an untamed beast while using his power. Slash after slash, the kitchen starts to be bloodstained, like paint splattering on a black canvas.

During his rampage, his wife begins to hear screaming and furniture moving. “Honey, what’s with all the noise?” She drops the ball, her curiosity piques. “Hey Yorui, give me a second. I’ll be right back.”

The young Yorui happily nods as she continues to play in the yard.

She goes to check on what’s happening. She approaches the kitchen and sees splattered blood across the room. Majuro stands amongst the bodies while facing the other way. She begins to walk towards Majuro, walking past dead bodies scattered on the floor. Majuro senses the presence of someone behind him.

She stretches out her hand toward him. “Honey, are you ok...”

Slash.

Her body is paralyzed, unable to move. Her stomach feels hot. She tilts her head down and stares at a sickle piercing her body. She coughs up blood, her blood spilling on Majuro’s face. Unwary of his actions, Majuro fixates his eyes towards her, recognizing the person he stabbed. Blinded by his Noye, he undoes his power.

“Izumi! What are you doing? I’m so sorry.”

Izumi struggles to speak, her blood leaking like a broken pipe. “Why… why… why is this happening?”

“Why did you come inside? I’m so sorry, Izumi!” Majuro can hear reinforcements arriving at the house.

After seeing the dead bodies, Izumi realizes that Majuro didn’t do it on purpose. He was simply protecting his family from this attack, but she wasn’t aware this was happening. Her lack of fighting shows that. She just got caught in the crossfire. “Majuro. What did… we do wrong? We did… everything right for this country, so… why?”

“Stop talking, I’ll take you to a hospital. Everything’s going to be okay.”

“No, it’s not. Listen, I left… Yorui outside. Take her… and leave!”

“I’m not leaving you.”

She places her hand on his cheek as he holds her in his arms. “I don’t think I’m going to make it.”

Majuro’s eyes drown in his tears, splashing on his wife’s face.

“That’s not a face any man should make in front of other people.”

“I’m so sorry! Don’t leave me.”

“Listen, honey, whatever happens to me, promise me… that you will take… of our daughter.”

The distinct footsteps grow closer. “I’m sorry.”

Reinforcements arrive at the scene. If he takes her to the hospital, he can’t protect Yorui. His heart aches with sorrow. He is left with no choice.

Majuro kisses her cheek, firmly hugging his wife one last time. Her eyes lighten up, feeling ecstatic by Majuro’s hug. She smiles peacefully, ready to leave the world with no regrets. Her hand slowly slides off his face as she takes her final breath.

“Izu-Izumi? Izumi?” Majuro gently lays her on the floor, blinded by his tears. He pauses for a moment, processing what happened. Hearing the men around him, he reactivates his Noye.

Seeing his wife die by his own hands fogs Majuro’s mind. His Noye pulsates, going out of control. He begins to go insane as he goes on a rampage of the men. His cries turn into laughter, enjoying the onslaught, menacingly laughing his sadness away.

With all the ruckus inside, Yorui heads inside the house. She got bored playing alone, so she wanted to find her mom to play tea party. She strolls to the kitchen and stumbles upon the dead bodies and blood in the house. Amongst the dead bodies, she notices her dead mother on the floor, with her father chuckling above the body.

“Mommy?”

Majuro drops his head, gazing at the young Yorui. The face Yorui made that day is burned into his memory, something he will never forget.

Her face back then resembles the same exact face she is making in the present.

___

“Why? Why? It’s your fault! Why did you leave me, Yorui?” urges Majuro as he stares at Yorui.

His words tug at Yorui’s heart. She freezes in place like she is shot in the chest. Being told she betrayed her family is the last thing she wanted to hear. “I didn’t leave you!”

Majuro tries to recover himself. “First her, now you! I can’t be defeated! I can’t, can’t lose!” Somehow and someway, Majuro's sheer willpower and frustration gather enough energy to reactivate his Noye.

Koroki notices his futile attempt to fight. “Tsk, he still has the strength to get up. Guess I should’ve killed him after all…” He casually takes his stance, his Noye pulsating, waiting for his next move.

A voice interrupts their moment, piercing the air. “That’s not what we are going to do!”

Just as the voice speaks, Koroki’s body rapidly slams into the ground, carving a comedic hole. Everyone present is so absorbed in the battle that they didn’t notice this presence until now. They all turn their attention to the voice. This blow and voice feel too familiar to Koroki.

Surata’s face lights up again, feeling ecstatic and at rest. “Father! Where were you?”

“Oh. I was just doing a quick errand. I see you took care of Majuro for me.” Ishio turns his face to Surata, exposing a sincere smile of gratitude. “Thank you.”

Ishio stands behind the grounded Koroki with his calm and gentle demeanor. The impact of his hand colliding with Koroki emits steam from his knuckles like a steamer.

Koroki fixes himself into a sitting position, rubbing his head. “Ouch! Stupid old man. Are you trying to kill me?!”

Being the parent he is to his son, instead of supporting Koroki, he stands there, sneering. Ishio crosses his arms, glancing at him from his side-eye view, responding to Koroki with a smirky comment. “For someone who doesn’t like fighting, you sure know how to play with your food.”

Majuro’s Noye activation consumes all of his energy. But he doesn’t have the energy to sustain it. In response to his physical condition, that is his last cry of an attempt to fight back. His Noye shuts off while his body collapses to the ground. His face turns pale as his consciousness slowly fades.

Behind Ishio, Surata can hear handcuffs clanking and heavy walking. Approaching the scene, cops appear from the front door. They make their way to the downed Majuro, holstering their weapons.

“You are under arrest, Majuro.” Ishio calmness instantly turns sterner, glaring at Majuro. “Don’t try to fight back, or I will be the one to put you down.”

The cops turn Majuro on his stomach, cuff him, and then lift his dead weight. Before leaving the scene, Majuro drags his eyes towards Yorui for one final glance. The sight of his daughter exposes a slight smile. His smile freezes on his face as he gets escorted out of the house. The battle is finally over.

The air around them feels lighter. The silence lingers for a moment, processing that peace has been restored.

“It’s over. It’s finally over,” Yorui gasps, with a face full of relief. This is the outcome that she wanted the entire time: no one dies.

Yorui’s adrenaline dissipates as her exhaustion and injuries catch up with her, collapsing on her butt.

“Yorui!” Surata shouts, panicking, realizing her condition.

“I’m fine, just really tired.”

Accessing the situation, Ishio rushes over to Yorui, analyzing her injuries.

“These injuries are bad! We should treat them!” Ishio leans his head to Surata.

Though Ishio has suggested to treat them, he isn’t a professional. His medical skills are mediocre compared to an actual doctor like Nurse Hapi. But, he does know basic first aid and how to bandage up wounds.

“Surata, can you still move?”

“Yes, Father.”

“Alright, take her to my room so I can treat you both.”

“Ok.” Without hesitation, Surata limps his way over to Yorui, holding his injured arm. Using his other arm, he puts Yorui’s arm over his shoulder. Surprisingly enough, Surata still has the strength to carry Yorui back into the house, let alone walk upstairs to Ishio’s room.

While the others are heading inside, Ishio walks over to Koroki, who is still soullessly standing. “Thank you for taking care of the situation, Koroki.”

“I really didn’t have a choice. This wasn’t my fight, but he made it my fight.” Koroki’s eyes revert to his dark-brownish eyes as his Noye slowly diminishes. His pulse also returns to normal. However, his sword is still intact, sheathed.

Koroki doesn’t like to get involved in other family issues. Only family members can be involved in family issues. Other people's problems aren’t his problems. That’s just his philosophy. It just makes sense. But, when Majuro threatened Surata, it became his issue.

Koroki can’t hide his true intentions past Ishio. Despite Koroki’s calm and lazy personality, he knows that Koroki wants to help out Yorui. Understanding Koroki’s character, Ishio can’t help but put on a genuine smile as he stares at Koroki.

“What?”

“You’re a good kid, Koroki. Just remember, you aren’t the Heartless Demon anymore. You’re just Koroki.”

“I know.” sighs Koroki, looking down as his eyes reminisce about his past.

Afterwards, Koroki lifts his head up. He calmly heads upstairs with his weapon leaned against his shoulders. Ishio follows him, avoiding the damaged furniture and mess created by the fight.

A phase of victory and recovery is underway as they enter the room, and Ishio tends to their injuries. The recent news causes Surata and Yorui’s thoughts to dwell around Koroki’s identity. But their attention focuses on their injuries before any unnecessary thoughts, waiting for their recovery.

___

Time passes, and Yorui’s eyes gently open, feeling sluggish from a long slumber. After regaining consciousness, she scans the room. The room looks tidy and organized. The desk is littered with pictures of Ishio, and there is a refreshing scent of mint in the air. Her hands, which she uses as support, sink into the soft pillows under her.

Her body feels fine but tight. She reaches towards her injured back and feels thin, clean white cloth wrapped around her body. Her excruciating pain is now gone. Her eyes shift to her side, feeling a presence.

Koroki is also in the room, resting with his back against the wall, his sword leaning on him. Hiding under his clothes, Yorui can see his body is also covered in cloth and bandages.

“Where… where am I?”

No answer. Koroki’s eyes are shut, so he must be asleep.

Feeling normal, she hops off the bed. After keeping her balance, she heads towards the opened door.

Koroki hears her footsteps heading towards the door. He opens his eyes slightly, yawning, “Where are you going?”

Koroki stops Yorui in motion. She turns to him. “How long have I been asleep for?”

“4 days.”

“Were you staying here, watching me this whole time?”

“Yea.”

Yorui’s face flusters, quickly shifting her weight from side to side. She stands there in a defensive stance, her hands covering her private parts. “Did you happen to do something to me when I was unconscious?”

“W-What?” Koroki’s eyes widen, flustering. “I-I didn’t do anything!”

“Really?” Yorui shifts into an intimate pose, showcasing her beauty. “So, you don’t think I’m pretty then, huh?” teases Yorui.

“I-I never said that!”

Yorui can’t hold in her laughter. Teasing Koroki is something she seems to enjoy doing. His reaction is her favorite. Seeing his reaction, she excessively laughs at Koroki.

Koroki starts to get angry, feeling annoyed at being laughed at. “Leave me alone!”

Yorui laughs even harder, causing tears to well up in her eyes. She leans forward, clutching her stomach as her laughter becomes uncontrollable. She's on the verge of having a good-natured accident, but she can't stop herself from giggling.

During her amusement, Ishio walks into the room, interrupting their moment.

“Wow, guess you slept well, miss Yorui.”

“Oh, Mr. Ishio, thank you for healing my wounds.” She lowers her head, showing her gratitude.

“Raise your head up, Yorui. There’s no need for that. But you’re welcome.”

His calm and gentle smile makes Yorui feel welcomed and happy. She doesn’t deserve this treatment by a stranger; at least, that’s what she thinks.

Ishio fixes his attention to Koroki. “Koroki, breakfast is ready. Surata is waiting for you.”

“Oooo, I wonder what he made.” Koroki jumps up and strolls out of the room.

Before joining Koroki, Ishio stays to talk with Yorui. “Sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable with Koroki sleeping in here. I just needed someone to look after you while I occupied his room.”

“That explains why he was here then. It’s fine, it didn’t bother me.”

“That’s good then.”

Yorui doesn’t want to waste any more of their time. They already have done so much for her, so leaving as soon as possible is probably the best thing to do. Dwelling on that, Yorui gathers her belongings, getting ready to go.

“Umm, thank you once again for this Mr. Ishio.”

“Just call me Ishio or a dad if you want.”

“Uh… ok. Thank you, Ishio for the hospitality, but I have to get going.”

“But Surata has made food. At least stay and eat. I promise you it’s worth your while.”

“I’m sorry, but I’m not hungry right now.” She’s already in debt from them, so she doesn’t want to add more to it.

Her mind is fixated on leaving, but her stomach has other plans. While Yorui scurries to the door, she feels her stomach scream at her. Ishio and Yorui can hear the rumble of her stomach.

“Um…are you sure you don’t want to eat?”

Her heart drops to her stomach when she realizes that she is actually hungry. Her body freezes up. The weight from the embarrassment makes her want to curl up in a ball. If she had left earlier, she could’ve saved herself from this. She has no choice. “Mhmm…Maybe eating wouldn’t hurt me.”

Ishio escorts Yorui to the kitchen as she looks down in shame.

___

They arrive downstairs and see all the food covering the table. Organized plates and utensils on each seat. The rich scent of cooked pork chops and steak. It feels like Thanksgiving, but in April. Surata carefully takes the roasted chicken out of the oven. “Hello Yorui. Father, everything is ready on the table.”

He presents the food with a smile, a showcase of his sweat, tears, and love into his food.

Koroki sits at the table, fidgeting, waiting impatiently to start eating. “Can you guys be any slower? If you guys stall any longer, the food’s going to get cold.”

Everyone sits down at the table and is ready to eat their dinner. Everyone's mouths salivate from the smell, dying to take a bite. They begin their prayers.

This is something Yorui hasn’t done before. Usually, she would simply eat her first and enjoy it. She looks at the guys, seeing their poses. Ishio and Surata are engulfed in their prayer. Across the table, Koroki’s eyes are closed shut, but his hands are fidgeting around.

It looks like Koroki is trying to blend in but isn’t praying. His effort makes her feel a little happier, not feeling the only one let out.

She follows their lead and digs into her food. “Wow! This is so good! This is like heaven!”

She devours the food instantly, like a famished, starving stray dog. They stop eating, questioning Yorui’s eating style. Ishio and Surata exchange amused glances, wondering about Yorui’s unusual eating habits.

“You know, there’s more where that came from.”

Yorui quickly asks for seconds as she gets teased.

As she watches them playfully teasing Koroki, savoring the delicious food, and sharing joyful laughter, a warm smile spreads across her face. They remind Yorui of the wonderful homeless individuals she has befriended. This is a moment not to forget. It’s good to have these moments now and then. After getting stuffed and spending time with this family, Yorui stacks her dirty dishes on the table, then stands up, expressing her gratitude again.

“Thank you, guys, so much. I don’t know if I will ever repay you, but I really have to get going.”

Yorui walks to the front door.

“And where exactly do you think you’re going?” asks Koroki.

Yorui stops in motion. “Huh?”

“Your dad was sent to jail, right? So, where are you going go?” comments Koroki as he is eating. “You can go back if you want. But I think-”

Koroki immediately gets slammed into his bowl of food by a punch from Ishio. The sauce and chunks of meat fly out of the bowl, smearing on his face.

“That’s enough, Koroki,” Ishio exclaims. The bright atmosphere shifts to a gloomier one. “Koroki has told us your situation. Your father forced you to help him kill those people, right?”

“…” Her lips are sealed, but her eyes speak for themselves.

“However, even though he is a manslayer, do you still think of him as a father?”

“!” Yorui is stunned by what Ishio said.

“Why are you telling her this?” Koroki urges as he tries to clean up the mess.

“Do you want to get hit again, Koroki?” Surata poses, knowing the outcome of his actions.

“You got a point.”

Yorui's lips open, with the words coming out without any remorse. “You’re right. My dad wasn’t a good father to me. Forcing his own daughter to hurt other people for his own sake. It wasn’t fair to anyone… especially me. I never wanted to hurt people, but he taught me that to survive.”

She rambles on. “But what was I supposed to do? Defy my own father?! Yeah, I hate him with my guts. But… even though he can’t undo what he did, he is still… my father.”

“You really are… a kind girl.” smiles Ishio.

Hearing Ishio call her “a kind girl” is the last thing she expects. Yorui can’t comprehend the words that Ishio has said.

“If you really must go, then I won’t force you to stay,” Ishio states. “However, you can stay with us if you like,” suggests Ishio.

“Huh? But I’m just a complete stranger. Really, you’re ok with me staying here?”

“I can’t let a child that needs help leave my sight without helping them.”

“But, I might use you guys… or betray you.”

“I don’t think you will do that anymore.”

Yorui stands in place; thoughts overwhelm her like a damaged robot. She really wants to stay, and she does. What if something were to happen to them again because of her? She wouldn’t be able to live with herself, having to hurt more people. However, these people are different. Their strength. Their kindness. Their love. They make her feel at home. Maybe it’s not a bad idea after all.

Having doubts, she comes to a decision. “Well, I guess I can stay with you guys for a little bit, if that’s ok with you, Koroki?” asks Yorui. Koroki is the person she knows the most, so she wants his assurance.

Seeing Koroki’s dull expression, Surata playfully teases him, bumping him with his elbow. “C’mon, you can’t say no to your girlfriend.”

“Shut up! She isn’t my girlfriend.” Koroki turns his attention to Yorui, staring in silence.

If she stays, they will think they are dating. With his mindset, he usually doesn’t care about strangers. But he also is against the idea of her going back to her old routine. “Suit yourself.” He mutters, obviously trying to hide his sincerity.

It wasn’t the sweet words she hoped to hear, but it was the words she expected. A spark of joy strikes Yorui, her eyes brimming with happiness.

“Well, that settles it. Welcome to your new family, Yorui.” kindly says Ishio.

“Thank you!” exclaims Yorui with a smile as tears of joy run down her face. She heads back to the table, where they welcome their new addition to their family. Their happiness will soon disappear into the dark abyss.

___

In a dark warehouse in a nearby city, the smell of gasoline roams the area. Groups of men unload boxes from trucks into the warehouse. The dark atmosphere loiters in the air, surrounding the men. They were unboxing lots of weapons as they were preparing for something. The men chuckle amongst each other, alarmingly giving off an evil vibe.

A handsome man, dressed in baggy pants and a sweater, walks through the warehouse, observing the workers. “Sir, all of the weapons you requested have arrived,” a worker states.

The boss casually nods at the worker. Everything seems to be going smoothly. A well-dressed man catches up to the boss.

“Mikado!”

Mikado continues walking away, not acknowledging his assistant. “What is it, Kaen?”

“It appears that Majuro “the manslayer” has been taken to prison.”

Mikado’s calm expression remains. “Oh, really? What a shame. I had hoped he would have caused more trouble.”

“…”

“So, who turned him in?”

“He says that the Heartless Demon defeated him.”

“Huh?” Mikado stops walking, slowly turning around. His attention is grabbed. Kaen catches Mikado up to the situation. Mikado’s eyes grow bigger as he becomes excited. “I see. That makes things interesting. I wondered where you disappeared to… Heartless Demon.”

___

Yorui now joins the family, and the squad is now complete. Everyone in the country discovers that Majuro is now arrested. As more enemies get a grasp of the situation, how will they react to the news? Who is Mikado, and how does he know the Heartless Demon? What will happen to this new family?