Shun finished up shopping with the girls as the sun dipped low on the horizon, casting golden rays over the streets. Alongside the group supplies, he picked up a few basic school items for himself—nothing special, just things he needed. After parting ways with the girls and exchanging light farewells, he made his way back home.
As soon as he stepped inside, the savory aroma of something cooking made his stomach growl softly in anticipation.
"I'm home," Shun called out, slipping off his shoes at the entrance.
From the kitchen, Kawakami peeked out, wearing her apron, her sleeves rolled up. "Welcome back, Shun. You're right on time—dinner's almost done."
Shun stepped closer, catching a whiff of roasted garlic and seared meat. "Mmm… what is that? Smells amazing."
"Pork tonkatsu with shredded cabbage and miso soup," Kawakami replied with a soft smile. "And I made a few side dishes—tamago-yaki and pickled radish."
Shun's eyes lit up. "You're spoiling me, seriously. That sounds incredible."
Kawakami chuckled lightly. "Don't flatter me too much or I'll start charging you."
"Guess I better earn my keep then," Shun teased, setting his bag down by the stairs. "I'll go change first."
"Good. It'll be ready by the time you're back."
"Thanks, Kawakami," he said, heading up the stairs.
As he reached his room, a relaxed sigh escaped his lips.
'A good meal, good company, and more pieces in motion. Things are starting to move just the way I want.'
After changing into something more comfortable, Shun stepped out of his room and made his way to the dining table. Kawakami had just finished placing down the last dish—crispy pork tonkatsu, with a side of tamago-yaki, pickled radish, and steaming bowls of miso soup. The table was neatly arranged, glowing softly under the warm kitchen lights.
"Looks amazing," Shun said, nodding in appreciation.
Kawakami gave him a small smile. "Eat before it gets cold."
"I will. Thanks again, Kawakami."
As they ate together, the warm scent of freshly cooked tonkatsu filling the room, Kawakami glanced up from her bowl and asked, "So… how was your first day?"
Shun chewed thoughtfully before replying. "It went fine. Everyone was friendly, and the teacher seemed decent. Nothing too crazy."
Kawakami smiled, pleased. "That's good to hear. I saw you walking with a few students earlier. Who were they?"
"Ah, that? Just Komi-san, Kitagawa-san, and Amano-san," Shun replied casually, sipping his miso soup.
Kawakami raised an eyebrow, her tone playful.
"Hmm… all girls, huh? Looks like someone's already building a little harem."
Shun smirked, leaning back slightly.
"What if I am? Don't worry—I won't leave you behind."
Kawakami's cheeks flushed a soft pink as she narrowed her eyes at him.
"D-Don't joke like that! It's ridiculous."
He laughed under his breath. "Relax, it's just a joke. Probably."
Kawakami looked away, trying to hide the lingering smile tugging at her lips. She cleared her throat and changed the subject.
"Anyway, are you planning on joining any clubs? Might be a good way to settle in and meet more people."
Shun nodded. "Yeah, I was thinking of checking out a few later this week. See what's out there."
"Well," she said, setting down her chopsticks,
"if you need help with anything—applications, info, whatever—just ask, alright?"
He gave her a small, appreciative smile. "I'll hold you to that."
They returned to their meal, the light clinking of dishes and their comfortable silence filling the room. Shun glanced at Kawakami from the corner of his eye, his mind quietly thinking:
'It's only a matter of time. I'll make sure she never feels alone again.'
After dinner, Shun quietly returned to his room, locking the door behind him. He sat down at his desk, pulling open the top drawer and retrieving a battered, old brick phone—completely untraceable, designed for one purpose. There was only a single contact saved.
[ матушка (Mother) ]
He pressed the button.
The line clicked, followed by a familiar voice—deep, gravelly, yet tinged with a strange maternal warmth. One could never tell if it belonged to a man or a woman.
[ сынок (dear son)? Is that you? ]
"Yeah, it's me," he said, voice low.
"I just want to know… why am I still being hunted? I thought the mark was lifted."
There was a pause. Then a raspy, amused chuckle.
[ Hahaha... I see. There are still those bold enough to defy the High Table's command. Don't worry, we'll take care of it.]
[ But now tell me, how are you doing, сынок (dear son)? ]
Shun leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling.
"Everything's fine, матушка (Mother). I'm adjusting. Japan's quiet. Peaceful. School life's going smoothly. And… that's thanks to you."
[ You helped us far more than we helped you. Without you, our organizations wouldn't have reached the level of the High Table. ]
"I just did what I had to. Killed who I was told to. The rest was your doing."
[ That's what I love about you, my сынок (dear son). Efficient, calculated, unattached. But for now—enjoy your new life in Japan. Send me weekly updates. ]
There was a pause before Shun adde
"I've made some… connections. With my classmates."
[ Oh? And who are they? ]
Shun smiled faintly. "That's a secret. Knowing you, you'd send someone to 'evaluate' them."
[ Hahaha! Can't a mother be curious about her son's friends?]
"I doubt most mothers act the way you do," Shun muttered.
"Anyway, I should hang up before this line gets traced. Tell Uncle Boris I said hi."
He ended the call with a beep.
Far away, under a dull gray sky, somewhere in the shadows of Eastern Europe, a woman stood in a high-rise office. Golden light from the window blinds streaked across her pale, scarred face. A long blonde ponytail trailed down her back. Her ice-blue eyes remained fixed on the silent phone in her hand. She clicked her tongue.
She was tall—180 centimeters—and slender, dressed in a wine-colored skirt suit and black pantyhose. A mole beneath her left eye marked her delicate but fearsome features, her body marred with the scars of war—neck, chest, thighs, and a brutal burn across the right side of her face. The others called her "Fry-Face" behind her back. None of them dared say it to her front.
A thin Russian cigar burned slowly between her fingers. She exhaled a stream of smoke, wearing a quiet smile. She was Balalaika from Black Lagoon but her life was similar yet different in said story.
"That brat. Guess there is no point in dwelling on it. I should focus more on dealing with those bastards." Balalaika inhaled her cigar and the door opened revealing a tall, broad Russian man with pale skin and short black hair. He has a large scar running from the right side of his forehead to his left cheek. Additionally, he wears a dark green suit over a black turtleneck shirt and dark green pants.
"You seem to be in a good mood, boss. Was it Little Sergey?" He spoke and Balalaika exhaled the smoke.
"Yes, it appears our command is being ignored and they are still hunting my сынок (dear son). It's likely those people are still loyal to a dead corpse trying to get their hands for revenge."
Balalaika said standing up from her chair and Boris grabbed a coat placing it on her shoulder. It was a Russian military coat draped off her shoulders with a rank insignia of a Soviet Airborne Forces captain.
"Let's not waste time and make the dogs join their master since they're eager to meet them." Balalaika's eyes sharply as she prepared to hunt down those who tried to harm her сынок (dear son).
Though, she didn't mind him getting hurt since he was a hitman and weapon but there was a command place on Shun and whoever tries to will be excommunicado.
Meanwhile, Shun smiled hearing Balalaika's voice and someone he was trying to pursue but had difficulty trying to win her over since he had been busy dealing with life as a hitman.
'I wonder what Revy and Koko are doing.' Shun decided not to dwell knowing there isn't anything that could kill them anyway and their luck is insane.
He hid the phone then opened his computer to play some games. Though he had only been gaming for a year, he got relatively good at the game he was playing.
The most surprising thing about the game was not because it gave him things to pass the time and rewind but also because the game is where he met.
"Sergey!" A voice heard a familiar young girl and saw the person who wears a pink dress complimented with white ruffles around the edges, and pink ribbons in her hair.
"Ako. I miss you. Sorry for not being online much." His in-game character was a dualist magic gun user that suited his personality and real life profession.
"Mhmmhm~❤️ That's okay since you're now, my husband!" Ako said showering Shun a deep affection. Shun was surprised when he met her during the gaming session and took the time to mold her into the perfect Waifu.
"I'm starting to get jealous seeing you two."
The game character before him was a young man who had reddish hair wearing a white pants and a green jacket that barely covered his chest. However, he knows that this person was a young woman named Kyoh Goshoin and student council president. Though, her in-game name was Apricot.
"Same here. Though, they do look cute together."
Another voice and turn to a white haired knight that seems to be the perfect embodiment of a male protagonist. Shun, unsure who this person was but from careful deduction knew she was Japanese and from the pattern means she is a girl. His highest and most likely guess was that she was Yanagi Uzaki while in game name was Zaki. She replaced the blonde tsundere girl.
"How have you guys been?" Shun asked and they began to chat telling him there is a new raid they could do in the game. Shun immediately shows his interest while Ako simply does what her husband wants.
The group entered the raid zone—an ominous, fog-covered battlefield known as the "Ruins of Nyx." Broken columns jutted from the ground like the ribs of a dead god, and dark creatures with glowing red eyes emerged from the shadows.
"Targets sighted. Let's make this clean," Shun said, his in-game avatar—Sergey—flipping both magic revolvers in his hands with practiced ease. His coat fluttered as he moved, his presence radiating calm precision.
Ako clung close behind, her staff glowing pink with support spells.
"Don't worry, husband~ I'll keep you safe!" she chimed, casting a buff.
"Lover's Embrace!" A glowing heart circled Sergey, increasing his attack speed and defense.
A horde of demonic wolves lunged from the fog.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Sergey's twin guns roared to life, each bullet a mix of elemental magic and hollow point precision. Every shot pierced through the wolves' skulls like hot needles through butter. He pivoted, spun, and leapt back—all while Ako healed and cheered from behind.
"Focus fire on the alpha!" shouted Kyoh—Apricot—her avatar summoning an enormous magic circle beneath her. "Starstorm Nova!"
A cascade of glowing stars rained from the sky, exploding upon contact with the ground, sending several mobs flying into the air in chunks of scorched shadow.
"Hah! Still got it!" Kyoh grinned behind the screen.
"Leave the stragglers to me," said Zaki calmly, her knight avatar gripping a massive glowing sword. She dashed forward, slicing clean through three monsters with one elegant spin.
"Sacred Moon Slash!" she declared.
A glowing crescent erupted from her sword, carving through half a dozen enemies and scattering their remains like dust.
Ako giggled. "So cool~! But not as cool as my Sergey!"
"Alright, I'm moving in!" Sergey sprinted forward, guns blazing.
"Ako, give me the Overload buff!"
"Coming right up~!" Ako cast her spell, enveloping him in crimson lightning.
Sergey dove into the largest pack of enemies. His bullets sparked with unstable energy, each shot causing mini explosions. He dashed through the smoke, performing stylish gun kata moves that would make even John Wick jealous.
A massive enemy descended from above—the raid boss, a monstrous beast covered in shadowy tendrils and obsidian armor.
"Showtime," Sergey muttered, reloading with a spin and clicking both chambers into place.
"Leave the tanking to me!" shouted Zaki, stepping forward to block the beast's charge with her greatshield. Sparks flew as claws met steel.
"I'll weaken its magic resistance!" Apricot called, casting a debuff hex with glowing runes circling the boss.
Sergey circled behind, leaping onto the boss's back with his guns pointed directly at its skull.
"Let's end this."
"Wait for me, darling!" Ako called, casting Final Blessing to boost Sergey's damage even more.
"Thanks, love," Sergey whispered, then pulled both triggers.
BOOM!
Twin magic blasts erupted at point blank, blowing the boss's head off in a stunning, cinematic explosion. Its body collapsed in slow motion, fading into light.
The loot chest appeared in the center of the arena.
"Well played, everyone," Zaki said coolly.
"That was amazing husband," Ako beamed, snuggling her avatar against his.
"I think you carried again," Apricot sighed with mock annoyance.
"Next time, I want to shine!"
"You'll get your moment," Shun replied, cracking his knuckles with a grin.
"We're just getting started."
The group returned to the hub city, chatting, laughing, and planning their next raid together.