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"-haku, Kohaku!"

Kohaku opened his eyes from the nightmare when he suddenly sitting up and he was in the evacuation camp, where everyone and other friends of his had their wounds treated. "B-Byakuya…? Please tell me you're real," he whispered, before suddenly pulled into a hug by him, making him shocked and relieved that he was real. "You're real… thank goodness…" Kohaku spoke as he was exhausted mentally and emotionally, he couldn't even think rationally because of that tragedy. His father Kahayana was alright with the other members in Secret Garden, after building a tent for the evacuation far from the area in Bali.

Byakuya pulled away a bit to check his condition, his tiredness and dizziness he obtained took a toll upon him. Not to mention the injuries are healing by itself, however he was met with the soreness on his muscles which made him hissed. "Ouch… my arms and legs…" he ended up wreathed a little in his arms, while Byakuya kept a hold onto him to keep him steady when Kohaku asked him. "W-What happened?"

"You're fainted."

Sherry stated, observing the view outside of the campsite with Kyoran whose eyes still eyeing everything in the camp. They were conversing for the important information and checking how to eradicate the said creatures. Kohaku was getting headache the moment he tried to think of them, so Byakuya answered him. God, that was a horrible nightmare, he couldn't believe he had to be ended up like this. Byakuya could see behind his cool and composed expression, he was deeply struck with distress and it was messed up for him. Kyouka also noticed what happened to him, which she stared at her older brother Byakuya.

Kyouka immediately grasped the situation, she heard that there's a possibility the target were possibly to go to Bali or somewhere that isn't in Indonesia just like Malaysia or in different part of the country--and they must be fast to eliminate them. Kohaku was worried about him too, despite his annoyance towards his sudden behavior but he wouldn't mind. "As much I hate to tell you guys this... I can't hold it back anymore... fuck it..."

They heard Kohaku spoke in a rather emotional and shaky tone, Byakuya can see how angry and conflicted he felt about something he desperately needs to say but for the mean time, no one would dare to not disagree. "You know, before this happens... that skinwalker... he... impersonated that man... who raped me back then..." Kohaku whimpered, his face looks like he had been in hell and suffering all the pains and trauma he received. Byakuya started to move a hand through his hair, soothing him gently as it brings a bit of comfort for him.

"What did he do?" Byakuya asked calmly, however anger slowly seeps into his question and he hopes that the answer would appease the curiosity inside of him. No one wants him to kill someone on the spot or make a scene, because then it would make Kohaku suffer the consequences after that. "He... he... he... he grabbed me and choked me to the wall... then h-he forced me to submit to his... words... I refused. So, he... extracted something out from my body... and after that--he released me and I fainted... that's all... I heard the two of my friends--they're dead... leaving the remaining three..."

Everyone couldn't hide their shock, not even Sherry--that caused Kyouka to frown with confusion. "W-Why did that creature take his appearance? Didn't that bastard already died in prison?" Kiryu spoke out, crossing his arms together before Kahayana growled. "He must've killed him and absorbed his looks," he said, his son has been a victim of sexual assault once from a foreign lecturer in the college campus--and NOW HE GOT THIS?!

"Damien's gonna be pissed if he found out about it," Kyoran spoke, not liking how angry the male Administrator just because he decided to take care of Kohaku a bit--seems like Damien might not hesitate to kill him.

Meanwhile, Hisato is inside the tent with Damien who was walking in circle--trying to process his thoughts and figuring out the solution after the incident. "Wasn't there any clue?" Hisato asked, before Damien glared at him and snapped. "There's no information at all! Not even a fucking shit! Damn it...! How come a skinwalker like him able to stole that?!"

Hisato knew Damien was pissed, his cold front went south as he unleashed his wrath once again after he was able to find out one of his valuable information were hidden or stolen by the skinwalker himself--impersonating as one of the Administrators. "He stole one of the confidential documents! Now I have to retrieve it by myself and put an arrest warrant on his head, better put him to rest as soon as possible... since he's an American citizen... this shouldn't be difficult."

Then, he fell into thinking when he has the lead after searching his laptop but he wanted to wait for the Intel to reach him, after all someone accidentally told him the culprit went into the forest nearby. "Not only that, Hifumi is conspiring with someone who literally can skinwalk his appearance."

That was a difficult situation, the bioterrorists have a ability to blend into society and disguise themselves as the locals or they have a power to mimic appearance or replace someone's identity. He didn't know what happened to the victim yet he sensed he wasn't doing well after what he did earlier. It was horrible, he wouldn't want to risk his life in falling into trance due to his stress level and anger and his nightmares involving Hifumi keeps bothering him. "And, that skinwalker... using his appearance... to..." Hisato added while let out a deep grunt, folding his fingers on his desk inside the tent with Damien.

Damien's eyes widened at Hisato's words, his face contorted with disbelief that such incident happened. "I'm not certain about them knowing our true identities, now we're far from them… we need to think of something, do you have any idea, Hisato?"

Damien asked, Hisato was thinking for a moment, rubbing his chin when he was focused on the plan they had. "Could you give me some time and…?" he turn around to see the veil door of the tent opened, seeing Byakuya let Kohaku stand on his own when they're inside he tent. "Just as you ordered, Damien-sama," Byakuya told him, he nodded once he saw Kohaku adjusted the sleeve of his denim jacket. "Thank you Byakuya, all of you may dismissed."

Both of them saluted him before they left the tent, leaving both of them once they are alone by themselves. Kohaku seems traumatized that he was in danger and was trying to not have a breakdown, until Damien gave him his space with a concerned look in his red eyes.

"..."

He can feel the air changed, silence returned once again in the air surrounding between them as Damien did nothing and waited for him to respond. "Did... you know what happened...?" he asked, somewhat scared of looking at his eyes but slowly glance to him. Kohaku was unsure if Damien know the incident, did he notice it or someone told him about it? After all, he is unable to say anything and didn't know if he should be relieved and express his emotions or maintain his sanity. To his surprise, Damien seems to recognize his reactions and concerns, and took a few steps towards him until he was standing in front of him. He saw his hands were still trembling.

His lips were pursed and formed a thin line, his eyebrows were furrowed but not the glare to make him intimidated. For a second, he didn't know where his expression comes from--but Kohaku can see it even though his recent experience broke him. What was it? It was close to anger, yet despair and concern was seen--but why?

Kohaku wanted to say it, but he was afraid to admit that he has been suffering a sexual assault, and it was far worse than what usually everyone knows--the incident made him hesitant. He doesn't know how to deal with the feelings of distress and tension, was it rage or anguish that welled up inside his chest that made him want to give in and cry? Damien noticed that his subordinate was... biting his lips, slightly shaken in fear of remembering what 'that Administrator' did to him. "Kayana? Tell me... did he...?"

His voice went slightly softer, followed by a glimpse of warmth and empathy. It made Kohaku's walls began to crack.

So he did.

"He killed both of my friends..."

Damien was wide-eyed as he heard the cracked tone of his voice, he was almost looking like in verge of crying when his friends are killed and almost his best friends died here. "He... extracting something from me... I don't know what it is... but... seeing the skinwalker impersonating as my former... perpetrator... he touched me..."

Kohaku paused when his superior hugged him tightly, it was gentle yet firm, he couldn't help but buried his face to his chest because it's very warm. He doesn't believe in sudden hugs at his sudden close proximity, usually he hates being too intimate in return for gifts and gestures or showing any affection like hugging. But this is not any of the expected, he should really hate it. Yet, why didn't he?

Kohaku slowly buried his face further onto his body, his shaking shoulders had begun to dissipate from the action, if only he'd allow his supervisor to hear his soft sniffling. "W-Why? Why did I... and then... something bad will happen again..." he wept, feeling his superior stroked his hair and soothes his back slowly. He was shocked by his actions but since he knows the circumstances around the incident, it only made him... "I'm sorry that I made you suffer in secret... Kayana, listen to me carefully. You have to calm down first," Damien advised him while telling him to push away the pain in his memory of his assault.

Damien let him sobbing and unleashing his tears, as someone who lost some of his loved ones-he can understand them. It was tragic yet so terrifying, he don't even know how many tears he used to shed in the past. He's emotionally and mentally drained but not his physique, more than strong but not psychological state which took him a long time to recover. "I can't even... get over this one... what will happen to them... when will my best friends found out the real me? Will they hate me and left me...? I failed to do it..."

That got his attention, what was it? Has someone find out the truth that he was working in the unofficial paramilitary organization called Secret Garden? Although their duty is to protect Indonesia from traitors and corrupt people, they're still regarded as wanted criminals by the underworld business itself even with their current powers--while protected by the Indonesian shadow government due to their status. The same government they are protecting, they're the 'opposition' against the current government for the country and opposing the World Government in this world.

"I'm sorry, Kayana..."

Damien glanced around, trying to find a solution as he let the said boy crying silently in his chest before pulling away a bit. Kohaku was surprised that his supervisor did something really unusual. In that brief moment, Damien himself experienced a slight burst of warmth from that gesture. As soon as they were caught in an eye-lock, his cheeks felt heated all of a sudden as if his face was burning. This wasn't good, he has to distract himself as fast as he can or else...

Kohaku shrieked when Damien put his hand on his face comically, making the latter had a red vein mark on his forehead. "Stop that," Damien grumbled, after making a funny look at his subordinate and it works. It helped the latter to forget the matter for a while. "Sorry..." he apologized before he grabbed a box of tissue and pull out a tissue to wipe out his tears.

Their conversation continued after Damien got the whole information he needed, but after he retrieved the information he asked him to lay down for awhile, making Kohaku complied and rest on the bed. He eventually get tired as the flashbacks still haunting his mind and the pain spread inside of him, despite the fact his bruises has healed but he knew he was very unstable; his father Kahayana has been taking care of his well-being and brought him to therapy routinely--UNTIL THIS INCIDENT!

"Now... I'm curious about the 'intruder' who dare to entered our territory... and impersonated as someone's appearance... this is getting worse," Damien groaned, he was frustrated that this intruder dared to ruin their plans, now everything that occurred are very horrible. Before he went outside, he turned his head to his subordinate as Kohaku rested on the small bed. "I know you have to take your own time to figure out what to do, just take your time to make a decision, you don't have to do much if you're not in the best state," Damien told him, still concerned of him.

"No no, it's fine... and thanks."

Kohaku thanked him when he finally calmed down, not when his eyes are still red from shedding too much tears. "No problem, I just want you not to burden yourself, it's not entirely your fault," he smiled at him, he could feel amount of bliss from his chest and his head as well. Although he gotten an headache, it wasn't as worst as it is seems. "Okay, I think I'm better… for now," he heaved a bit, before he look back up at the commander. "You called me here not only about this, right? I will listen to you and… I'll try my best to do as you command," Damien heard him as he frowned a little, before he sighed softly looking at him. "No need to force yourself, okay? Now listen to me carefully."

Kohaku nodded when he was listening to him, feeling his hand releasing his shoulder he folded his arms looking at his superior who explained sternly. "As much I hate to inform this, we have no choice but to assist Trilaksana Forces while they will try their best to conceal our existence. But right now, we have to depart to Jakarta, right?" Damien nodded and looked back at him, folding his arms. "We'll be leaving now," he stated, before he added.

"Get yourself prepared."

Few hours later…

They flew for hours and they're nearing Jakarta, the sun was setting and the night already filled the sky. They could see buildings and houses below them, some of them were lit with the lights from the lamp post, giving the city a bright glow of lighting-it was empty as a ghost town, there were less people walking around due to the nightfall. Few hours later, they have arrived at the landing pad of the building where all of the buildings are dark and still ruined. Kohaku observed his surroundings that the post-eruption took a toll on the capital city of Indonesia, he couldn't believe his is happening because of them.

His hair almost grown to his shoulders and almost his eyes after he's awake. While he ran his fingers through his bangs, it fell on his eyes but didn't fully cover them that his bangs also becoming longer onto his cheeks. Wearing a new signature assassin attributes that should fit the Secret Garden's signature black-themed attires, while he let his hair loose and would tie them when he had to during free time. Wearing a black collared blouse with long sleeves, black leather belt and black pants tucked into pair of knee-length black riding boots, he wears a dark gray slit collared dress-like sleeveless coat reaching his ankles with belt fastened around his slim waist--with dark gray Batik Garutan patterns underneath--with addition of golden necklace with cross pendant around his neck hung elegantly--now it has black corset around his coat and waist.

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

"Kayana, right?"

Kohaku turn around when someone called him by his real name, looking at the young woman who's the leader of Trilaksana Organization--Alda Iskandar. "Yes, that's me," he replied to her, making Alda chuckled when she was looking up at him, she was humble that he can't deny her kindness cheered upon him. "Damien told me about you, and I heard that you've won seven competitions in scientific literatures right?"

Wait, how did she know about that?

Oh well, he didn't really mind if she knows.

Alda was amazed by him, she didn't know that his new subordinate is talented and smart. He isn't playing around when it comes to recruiting members of Secret Garden, he would get information first before he can meet the individual so he can make the job easier--especially evaluating them. "No wonder Damien is interested, he would never let anyone snatch his target and doesn't hesitate to interrupt them," she explained, observing the wide window glass in the waiting room. "Byakuya told me about him, well… he isn't that bad--I mean he never cross the line."

Kohaku said when he was standing beside her, folding his arms when he was looking at the view of cloudy morning skies above the city. "Are you okay? I heard from Damien that you're not feeling well after the Phantom Eruption," she rest her hand on his shoulder, looking at him with concerned eyes. "Not okay at all, I became bitter after losing some of my friends because of someone… I don't know why but it's just like that."

"You don't have to explain yourself to me," Alda said to him, smiling at him motherly which made him calm down. "I'm here for you if you need anything. You know that you can talk to me anytime, right?"

Alda was patting his shoulder to comfort him when she told him that, she couldn't believe Kohaku's mental and psychological condition hasn't recovered from that. She's surprised that his trauma and darkness is gone, after seeing him during their last mission. It seems he's fine now, though she knows that he's still hurt inside his heart-Kohaku was still a college student, and he's still trying to cope up with everything that happened to him.

"I don't really want to burden you with my problems, I'm fine now," Kohaku told her, turning his head away from her. "I don't sleep much after that, I have been getting nightmares from that tragedy," he explained in honest tone, he couldn't lie about his recent conditions. "I think that I shouldn't be telling you this because I don't want to bother you with this but... I'm sorry Madame, I keep on worrying about things that you don't know about."

Alda nodded, before she suggested. "You should get some rest when you have free time, don't force yourself Kayana."

Kohaku tried to smile with a nod by her suggestion, but he ended up frowns again when he look away from her. "I will try, after this is over," he need to get himself some fresh air, besides he really never missed the air in Jakarta. "I'm going to go out for a while for fresh air, if you need me, just let me know."

"Thank you," she thanked him before he went out of the building.

Kohaku passed through the gate, heading outside the building and already informed Byakuya about this. As the air of the city is dim and chilling when he passed through the sidewalk, it's cold whenever he just passing by and he could hear water drops from across him. The lurking shadows are hiding somewhere when he sensed them, he knew when he had to do and he stops on his track. As he sensed a looming presence lurking behind him, he proceeds to take out his bullwhip and turn around--slashing the Phantom Beast's throat that injured the creature and made it fell to the ground.

Kohaku approached the Phantom Beast silently when he held out his bullwhip towards the creature, before he slashed the creature on the throat and beheading the beast mercilessly. The blood splattered on his face and his glasses but didn't affect his immunity at all, the beast has extinguished before he take off his glasses and wipe off the blood off the lenses--with his handkerchief and wiped ones on his face before putting on his glasses again. "So bothersome…" he said quietly to himself, his coping mechanism to ease down his emotion didn't change after some months since the incident.

He turned his attention to the dead Phantom Beast, looking at the cut marks on the neck and the head which was severed from its body.

'That's not your problem anymore, Kayana...' he thought to himself, his cold gaze was directed to the dark clouds above him. He sighed, looking at the direction of the capital city of Indonesia that was completely destroyed by the Phantom Eruption. "I should find a sink first…" he look around to look for the sink, he found one in the sidewalk and he approached the sink to clean off the blood. Turning the faucet before taking off his fingerless gloves, he proceeds to clean his hands and his bullwhip--the water was clean and not corrupted so he was fine with it.

The rain started pouring when he was drying his hands on his handkerchief, looking at the direction of the capital city that was covered by the clouds. He felt pity for those people that died due to the Phantom Eruption; he's not sure if they would survive or not since it affected the entire population of Indonesia, he wasn't even sure if they survived the eruption or not. He can't imagine if he was in their shoes--he wouldn't survive with what happened to them.

Once he finished, he was about to insert his weapons inside his coat as he was planning to leave. As he close his eyes, he immediately opens his eyes and turn around to look up. "Over there?"

Kohaku whispered, before he look around and jumps high into landing upon the edge and stepped forward. Although he has superhuman strength, he couldn't control his strength well that he had to hold back--unwilling to let anyone notice--just like Byakuya's experience. He began to enter the city that was flooded with darkness of the rain. He doesn't mind the rain and he ignored the coldness while on his tracks, before he entered a half-destroyed dark mall that was abandoned ever since the phantom outbreak begun. Once he entered, the scent of rust greeted his nostrils, his magenta-purple eyes flash slightly with gold and red around his pupil glowed through the light, only illuminating the light source.

The view was somewhat quite nice despite the somber dark clouds above, he was enjoying the fresh air even if it's cold.

"You're here?"

Sherry greeted, making Kohaku surprised to see her in this area. Kohaku remained composed when he watched his colleague approaching him, despite her mysterious and somewhat alluring with calm, collected and beautiful presence. She has always been seen by others as graceful, honorable, and desirous of beauty--even when engaged in fight. One look and he can tell this woman's elegance--she's definitely a woman in her own right. "And what can I have done for you?" she asked, her tone was polite while trying to open her black umbrella, Kohaku narrowed his eyes to her. "At least you keep me in company instead of being all alone, my best friend Byakuya wasn't able to come after he got our commander's important task."

Her lips curved into a delicate smile, for some reason--it made Kohaku calm down with his words. "Why don't we take a detour?" she asked, wrapping her arm around his when they're in walking pace. "Let's just take the other route, I'm here to assist you--in any way possible," she said, though there's some hints of her Hypno-Whisper that can make him submit and he may not realize it. He nodded reluctantly and they went down to the underground shelter, the area is quiet and dark--giving a lull of tranquility as they passed through some fallen items and destroyed partitions. "Huh, so this is the underground mall's underground bridge," he noted, the pathway was lit with some streetlight and lamps.

They also noticed some dark stains on the walls, they may have been formed by darkness--not a good thing to witness. Some of the area was empty, except for some stalls that remained until the partitions collapsed. Kohaku observe the place, thinking how terrible the situation has gotten and with some of the area was starting to crumble and rust, it was somewhat… a reminder? Sherry kept her arm around him, yet Kohaku felt uneasy and tense, before he noticed something. "Is it me or do you have three shadows?" he whispered when his eyes narrowed a bit at her.

"Hey, do I look strange to you?" she asked when she felt a threatening gaze, she could tell if someone glares at her from her behind like seeing her through. Even if they're people who were hiding behind them as if he was trying to not get caught by them. However, both of them turn around when they were surrounded by the Phantom Beasts. "Then... you prove me wrong," he said, holding his bullwhip while Sherry unleashed her katana-like weapon on her hand. "I can't wait to severe them up," Sherry exclaimed with smirk on her face.

"Indeed, there are a lot of them..." Kohaku was speaking with smirk on his face, letting the Phantom Beasts charge on them--before their eyes shimmered in red as they began to severe their body with their respective weapons. Kohaku was skillful with his whip, almost beheading one of the beast while Sherry cut off the beast's arms and legs effortlessly. Few hours later, the dead beasts vanished into thin air as Kohaku let out a soft sigh--before he was surprised to see Sherry hugged him in front of him. At first, he was going to refuse... but he didn't. "There there, I know you're having a lot of things in your head... Kayana."

Sherry said with a smile, letting him buried his head to her shoulder. The warmth sensation was enough to comfort him, and it helped him to relax a bit despite his conflicting emotions inside his head right now. "I may not remember clearly when and how we first met, but somehow I know how warm you are from that day... not to mention all of the good deeds you have done," she said, making him be tense for a little second before Kohaku slowly relaxed in her arms. "It was what we usually do anyway. Plus, you don't ask me that is too personal yet," he told her but her chuckling made him weird, while her hand move gently through his back and on his hair--messing with it.

"Perhaps, you can do something to me that could make my legs and hips unable to work for awhile."

Kohaku went petrified comically by her statement, before she released him and gave a playful giggle. "Come on, we should take a look around before leaving to the city," she told him while Kohaku raised an eyebrow when she lead him to the underground train station. The atmosphere has gone a bit dimmer than it originally was. He wonders whether the rain clouds affect the atmosphere around them when he look through the windows of the train--the area looked a bit cleaner than it was before. At that time, he was still worried about something, his mind wandered into a dreadful situation that he's not sure if he will decide his decision if that happened to him. "Stop playing with my mind, Sherry... I'm getting headache because of this."

Sherry always teasing him because she was such a flirt.

He thought to himself while feeling his hair being caressed, only noticing that she was combing his hair gently. Her wine-colored eyes seems charming and alluring yet she gave off a dangerous vibe as if someone can slit his throat without hesitation, even so--Damien ordered both of them for their respective tasks to each other; Kohaku had to save her from performing any dangerous stunts since she wanted to feel what is fear (she never felt them) and Sherry had to use her Hypno-Whisper to keep his mental state calm and collect. He couldn't let someone else control him mentally or mentally manipulated to kill her, Sherry will live but with the rest of Secret Garden working together to stop her from doing anything erratic.

Sherry suddenly stopped on her track, looking up at the somber sky for a moment that made Kohaku stopped as well. "As the sky speaks... is this the right thing for us to do?" she wondered, he just look at her briefly before he looked at the scene in front of him. This location he was standing on, looked rather dreary and bleak--an uncomfortable, empty feeling that sent chills through his body. Whether it was due to the unsettling quietness or the cold air, he couldn't really tell. His thoughts wandered once again, wondering on things that went unanswered.

"Have you ever wondered what is black umbrella symbolize, for us Secret Garden?"

Kohaku blinked when she asked him that question, he began to ponder of the answer. Black Umbrella... that might remind him of a secret society that exists--some of the individuals who used the black umbrella are in covert operation in the field and some of them are spies under the organizations who used them to overthrow other nations. That is why the black umbrella was used as the secret weapon of some high-ranking individuals--including Kohaku, Damien, Hisato, Kahayana, Byakuya, Kyouka and Sherry--to defend their own countries as their homeland and the governments of the said nation under the control of the Secret Garden.

Kohaku watched her turn around to face him, her wine-colored eyes meeting his magenta-red, almost sharing the same shade of colors. A deep sense of understanding crossed in their gazes, a sense of... an undecipherable relationship. "I never did mind," he answered quietly, his bullwhip soon morphed into a black umbrella--due to the downpour came and it covered them. "It means that you're ready for the fight, right?" he asked, before she smirked a bit. "Not only that, it reminded us not to doubt anymore about our decisions. Our sense of self and all of our deeds had put us in here, trying to bring peace and prevent the people being exterminated by the Phantom Beasts."

Kohaku took a moment to inhale and exhale deeply, before the two of them resumed their journey deeper into the city.

They have arrived in the rooftop of the empty building that was connected to one of the busy yet abandoned roads, Sherry hold his hand and approaching the edge and looked down the below. Both of them observed the cityscape, while Kohaku still holding the black umbrella and covering both of them from the rainstorm. "You have given me time to think, even more than I ever thought," Sherry spoke calmly while looking at him. "I understand..." he replied, despite she glanced away from him and looked at the cold road down.

"You don't mind it if I do that?" she suddenly asked, making him look at her in surprised reaction. Before she spoke once again while his hair fell on his face slightly, reaching to his chin. "About what?" Kohaku asked, like a dumbass he was as he kept looking at her. She chuckled softly. "The feeling..." she trailed off, making him blink for a moment. 'Damn, my expression didn't give me a clue...' he thought to himself when his lips turned into a thin line. "Let's find a place to shade from the rain and stop yourself from getting sick," Kohaku told her and Sherry giggled before pulling him away from the edge.

After a long walk, they decided to go back.

Byakuya watched his best friend Kohaku returned with Sherry who yawned while returning back to her own bedroom, he noticed his face is a little pale than the usual--even when the Phantom Eruption took place, the blood is the only thing that tainted his complexion. This moment reminds him of the nightmare that they will face a dark future, although it won't last long yet. "Wipe yourself off first," he reminded, shoving a towel on Kohaku's face, which annoyed him. "Seriously? Right now?"

"I know, you're pissed that I have to remind you with this."

"Byakuya, you still shoving the towel on my face. I CAN'T BREATHE, YOU DUMBASS!"

After that, Kohaku finished cleaning himself and he heard his lecturer/professor Hokuri was talking with the Trilaksana subordinate officers across him. "You better not let him escape, do you hear me? Also, if anyone of you found my daughter--then let me know about it! Don't just stand there doing like a statue, do anything about it!"

Kohaku listened to him when he approached his professor, watching his own officers left him with a salute. "You had a daughter?" he asked, making Hokuri shrieked in surprise and turn around to see his student. "Gosh, you scared me there," he grumbled, he nodded reluctantly at Kohaku with folding his arms. "Right, I haven't told you about that huh? Well, she's my adoptive daughter, I raised her on my own."

"Oh?"

"Yes, she was an orphan and I took her under my wings, I was the one who's curing her illness and I didn't expect that she's a Sanka; a human who infused by Yaksha's Core," Professor Hokuri explained, before he unfolded his arms. "It's a long story about our lives, but she kinds of being rebellious even though I didn't spoil her and treat her the best way I can."

Kohaku listened to him attentively as he was trying to connect the dots, which he was surprised that he actually adopting a daughter. "What's her name?" he asked, that made him scowled at him. "Why do you want to know? You better not do something real weird," he asked, making Kohaku rolled his eyes and look away from him. "I was asking about her name, I never met her in person though. But, I think one of my friends did know her before. That's from what I heard."

Professor Hokuri knitted his eyebrows together at him, knowing it was one of his friends in master's degree. "Alright, it's Kurino Deinukai. Also, please have a rest--you look like you haven't sleep for a while."

Kohaku nodded, he went back to the bedroom and his father told him to get some rest. Feeling his will is faltering and his drive lost in him, he tried to rest himself from his thoughts. He closed his eyes for a while, trying to have some closure as he lay down in the bed, pushing himself to not focus on his upcoming plans. "Huh..." he sighed, before his face went beet red upon thinking of Sherry--why is this assassin keep messing up with his mind!?

Although he knows why she keeps messing around with him, ever since he joined the Secret Garden Organization, Sherry never stays away from him as she tends to distracting his thoughts and messing with his mind by using Hypno-Whisper at some occasions. It does bring him annoyance, knowing that she is one of the most capable in terms of combat, especially with that hypnotic ability of hers. That doesn't change the fact of the influence she exerted on others, she still assisted him and he would thank her for that.

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