August 18, 2014
Philippines.
The melodious sounds of birds singing in the trees outside blended with the creaking of the classic wooden windows, only to be interrupted by the loud engines of passing motorcycles. This cacophony stirred the young woman from her sleep, causing her to roll over in bed and quickly cover her ears with her pillow. Startled, she exclaimed, "Oh my god, Troy! I've been calling your name fifteen times!" This was a daily occurrence in the bustling streets of the Philippines.
"Mama, just give me five more minutes!" her nephew retorted, further irritating her senses. Glancing at the clock, she realized it was already nine in the morning. In the Philippines, sleeping past 8 a.m. was seen as a luxury only afforded to the children of wealthy families.
Frustrated by the noisy morning, she muttered under her breath, "What a lovely way to start the day." Nevertheless, she forced herself out of bed. Her eyes fell upon the clock on the wall, and she cursed silently, realizing that her brother-in-law, Takeomi Akashi, would be arriving at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in just a matter of minutes.
Unbeknownst to her sister, Victoria Reyes, her ex-husband had planned a surprise visit to the Philippines, bringing along his daughters and friends. As if on cue, a loud knock echoed through the door. She shouted that it was open, her heart racing in anticipation. The moment the door swung open, her eyes widened in shock as she noticed the unmistakable signs of hickeys on her nephew's body. Suddenly, everything clicked into place, and she understood why her sister had been so furious with Troy Akashi the night before.
"Oh my goodness, Troy! Why do you have love bites on your body?! You're only 16 years old," she said with a horrified expression on her face. Troy chuckled and responded, "It's normal for a 16-year-old boy." It was evident from his nonchalant reply that he didn't find it a big deal at all.
"And besides, I had a great time last night," he added, further irritating her with his insensitive comment. He then questioned whether his father would be returning home soon, provoking even more annoyance from her. As she glanced at Troy's face, a mischievous smirk was planted on his lips. The resemblance between him and his womanizing father only fueled her exasperation.
"By the way, why are you in such a hurry?" Troy glanced at the woman, who was changing into more casual clothing.
"Don't mention this to your mom; I'll meet your dad at the airport," she responded, slipping on her blue hoodie.
Smirking, Troy replied, "Thanks, tits," before sauntering out of her room.
"Disgusting pervert!" She yelled, slamming the door shut in frustration.
"I love you too," Troy playfully uttered, causing her to roll her eyes in exasperation.
As the Bonten family arrived at the NAIA airport, the vibrant chatter of people enveloped the atmosphere. Sanzu wiped his perspiration-soaked forehead and opened a bottle of water, graciously offering it to Y/n. His attention was then diverted when Rindou showed him something on his phone, causing him to tilt his head in curiosity.
Sanzu's eyes narrowed as he read the Filipino words on Google translation, "Magagandang-gandang omagah," attempting to decipher its meaning. Clicking his tongue in annoyance, Rindou confidently corrected him, "Can't you read? It's 'Magunduh ohmagah.'" This sudden exchange of words confused Hajime, who glanced at them with a puzzled expression.
Expressing his displeasure, Hajime complained about the intense heat in the Philippines, accepting the refreshing cold water offered by Kakucho. Ran, seemingly irritated with the obliviousness of his companions, retorted, "Who the heck told you to wear winter attire?" Rindou couldn't help but laugh at the situation, finding their lack of preparation amusing.
Amidst the amusing interaction, Takeomi muttered under his breath, "Fuck this shit," to which Manjiro simply replied, "Same." While the rest of the group continued practicing Filipino words from Google Translation, Takeomi patiently awaited the arrival of his sister-in-law, longing for the day to swiftly come to an end, as he found it increasingly unbearable to listen to the banter behind him.
"Dad, I can't wait to meet Mommy and Kuya!" exclaimed Tisha, Takeomi's thirteen-year-old daughter, filled with excitement. Tasha cheekily remarked, "You stink," causing Tanya to roll her eyes in response, unimpressed by her twin's behavior.
Growing impatient, Mikey complained about Veronica's delay, prompting Takeomi to respond with a frustrated tone, "Have some patience." The wait was indeed wearing on his nerves.
Discarding his toothpick, Wakasa turned to Benkei and inquired, "Where are we headed first?" Benkei took a sip of his water before answering, "I think we'll have lunch at the carinderia where we used to dine in the past." The mere mention of this nostalgic spot stirred memories of their previous stay in Manila and the unforgettable experiences they had as gangsters in the Philippines.
"Kuya!" exclaimed Veronica excitedly as she and Troy sprinted towards their group. "It's Nica," Wakasa informed Takeomi, who nodded and instructed everyone to gather their belongings and ensure that no one was left behind.
Hajime took a moment to compose himself before expressing his relief, "Thank goodness she's here. It's such a relief." Benkei's eyes widened upon hearing Hajime's pronunciation of 'Init.'
As Victoria reached Wakasa, she embraced him and took in the comforting scent of sandalwood emanating from him. "The last time I saw you, you had curly hair," Wakasa whispered as he held Veronica in his arms. He glanced at Troy, who watched them with shyness evident in his eyes, and asked, "Hey Troy! Do you still remember me?" Troy awkwardly nodded in response.
Meanwhile, Manjiro observed Troy from head to toe before inquiring, "You're Takeomi's son, right?" Takeomi glanced at Manjiro suspiciously, aware of his doubts. However, a part of Manjiro recognized that this teenager could indeed be Takeomi's son due to his towering height and the brown-turquoise eyes that resembled Takeomi's turquoise ones. Moreover, Troy reminded Manjiro of Shinichiro Sano.
"Isn't he quite tall for his age?" casually remarked Hajime to Ran.
Hearing this, Ran chuckled and smartly retorted, "Haven't you remembered Hanma?"
"Valid point," Hajime conceded.
Silence befell the group as they walked towards the waiting white van. Sanzu pointed excitedly at the nearby street food and exclaimed, "I can't wait to try their neon balls!"
"You fool! It's not neon balls. It's called quick-quick," confidently corrected Rindou, glancing at Ran, who looked on in confusion. Ran clearly had no idea about the ongoing conversation between his brother and Sanzu.
"It's actually called kwek-kwek, not quick-quick, you fools," Benkei interjected, rolling his eyes playfully while Wakasa and Veronica struggled to suppress their laughter.
After a while, as they settled into the van, Sanzu asked, breaking the silence, "Does anyone know where we can buy chongke?" This question left everyone speechless and staring at Sanzu in surprise.
With a confused expression, Troy innocently asked his father, "Dad, how does Uncle Haru know about Chongke? Isn't that something used by drug lords?" Takeomi sighed in disbelief before responding, "Don't speak like that in front of my children again, Haruchiyo."
Rindou tapped Veronica's shoulder and whispered, "Are you single? Because I am," to which Rindou and Ran chuckled, clearly proud of Rindou's boldness.
On the other hand, Sanzu gently rested Y/n's head on his chest, and the group decided to take a break as their destination was still quite far.
Meanwhile, at the residence of Akashi Takeomi in Japan, a loud, resonating thud emanated from the basement. Maria, the maid who was familiar with the house's activities, knew that such noises occurred when Sanzu and Takeomi engaged in their questionable business ventures. However, since the brothers were on vacation, Maria found herself alone in the house, save for the guards stationed outside and the newly hired maid, Ella.
After completing her cleaning duties in Sanzu and Y/n's rooms, Maria's curiosity compelled her to investigate the source of the recurring thuds in the basement. Despite suspecting that the mysterious noises were connected to Sanzu and his girlfriend's presence in the house, she dismissed her speculations as it was not her place to question her boss's sister-in-law.
With a mixture of trepidation and anticipation, Maria descended into the basement. Upon opening the door, she was greeted by emptiness. She was aware that after Sanzu and Takeomi concluded their sinister activities, the basement served as a chilling space where they disposed of their victims' lifeless bodies or fed them to their pet boa constrictor, ensuring no trace would be left behind.
Filled with inquisitiveness, Maria pondered the absence of any objects or occurrences that could induce such a loud thud in the empty basement. Unsettled by this peculiar situation, Maria, a 58-year-old employee with over three decades of service to the Akashi family, recognized the gravity of the circumstances and understood that something was amiss.
An unsettling feeling lingered as Maria sensed an underlying disturbance connected to Haruchiyo's girlfriend. There was an unexplained aura surrounding her that raised Maria's suspicions.
Driven by a mixture of concern and curiosity, Maria made her way towards the room of Ella, the new maid who was also a diligent student. Takeomi had personally recruited her as a tutor for his younger child.
Standing outside Ella's room, Maria paused for a brief moment, taking in the ambiance and listening intently to the sounds around her. "Ella!" she called out, attempting to engage the young woman in conversation. However, her calls remained unanswered, compelling Maria to test the handle of the door. What she discovered next left her speechless and terrified.
Upon entering the room, Maria's knees quivered in shock as she gasped, promptly covering her mouth in disbelief. Her mind raced, struggling to comprehend the gruesome scene before her. Deep within her, a profound sense of fear emerged, unlike anything she had experienced before.
A surge of panic coursed through Maria as she urgently called for the guards, her heart pounding relentlessly. How could such a heinous act be committed against a promising young woman? A woman who had shown nothing but respect towards them and had dreams and aspirations of her own? Ella had done nothing wrong, yet she now lay deceased in such a grotesque manner.
Once again, Maria's eyes fixated on Ella's decapitated body, with her head resting in her hand and her lifeless figure seated nearby. She took a deep breath, collecting herself, before softly muttering, "Who could have inflicted such a horrific act upon you?"