The Devil's Lair

The Genesis

Note: F/N and M/N refer to your parents respectively.

————Akagi Sakurai's POV————

Before me is the home of an old friend whose requested to meet with me. Over the phone, F/N sounded disheartened— yet distressed. When I attempted to pry, he brushed off my questions and urged me to arrive soon.

After I closed the door to the car, the driver immediately switched his hazard lights off and drove away from the area.

Rolling my sleeve back, the hands on my watch read twelve–thirteen P.M. I hope all is well with those two. Sometimes, they worry me sick.

Not to mention having to raise a child so young as well.

As I was about to pass through the gate to the house, the front door opened revealing a young man in his mid–twenties. He hasn't shaved in a week or so judging by the goatee growing on his face. He opened the gate for me and offered a friendly smile.

"Akagi–san, thank you for meeting us on such a short notice, please, come in." His voice quivered a few times between words.

He's nervous. Has he been taking care of himself?

"F/N, is everything alright? I'm worried." This better not be some kind of trap.

"Ah, yes... eh, no." He sighed dejectedly. "I'm afraid not. We can discuss it with M/N. You weren't followed, were you?"

Like myself, he's paranoid as usual. In my profession, you have to always be aware of your surroundings and who is in your general vicinity.

"No." I replied curtly. In the event I were followed, the situation would more than likely escalate to the point where I'd move cities if not emigrate to another country.

I can't be seen in public.

I took one good look at my surroundings before entering F/N's home.

"Pardon the intrusion." I slipped off my shoes and set them aside from the other pairs, following F/N to the living room where M/N was already seated. She was holding her arms and didn't even glance at me.

"Can I fix you a drink?" F/N offered politely. The tense silence surrounded the house like a poisonous gas. In addition, I could already tell they've begun packing up the house from the moving boxes and lack of decor compared to the last time I was here around a month ago. But a simple housing move doesn't warrant this sense of urgency.

"Just mineral water, please." He nodded and ambled to the kitchen. His movements are slow and forced, a clear sign he hasn't slept much if at all.

"M/N, is everything alright?" I whispered to the woman. Her eyes glossed over me for a second before returning to the television ahead of her while shaking her head slowly. She isn't simply stressed. She seems almost afraid.

Once he handed me the beverage, F/N sat next to his fiancée, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees while I took the loveseat near the sliding glass door to the patio.

They both are trying to keep up appearances, but anyone can tell deep down that something's off. The skin around M/N's eyes have already begun to wrinkle, no doubt due to stress.

I want to address this first.

"F/N-san, you have bags under your eyes and you look terrible, have you slept much recently?" As he opened his mouth to answer, his stomach growled. Embarrassed, he rubbed the back of his head.