Three knives flew from my fingers, plunking loudly into the targets in front of me. They all managed to land, but not in the center of the targets, causing me to huff with disappointment. I heard Genji whistle behind me.
"You're getting better," he complimented, taking another spoonful of the soup I'd just cooked for him. He was seated on his porch step, watching me practice. "Mmmhmm. You're a real natural with the knives."
"Don't talk with your mouth full," I scolded.
He stuck his tongue out at me, bits of crushed meat and vegetables on top of it. I waved a knife around in the air threateningly, causing him to recoil in fear and laugh.
I poised in front of the targets again, and threw one again, which landed where it was supposed to. I jumped with happiness, dancing in place a little. "Whoo! Did you see that?!" I called back to him.
"Yes, of course! How's your ballet practice going, by the way? You've been so preoccupied with knife throwing these days."
"It's going great, still. I have a recital coming up so Mary's working me harder than ever."
"Rip. Well, at least you can incorporate it in your fighting now too."
Genji stood up, putting the bowl aside, and took a knife from my belt. He aimed at one of the targets, and in less than a second, it was spinning out of his hand. It plunked right in the center of its chest.
I scrunched up my face, jealous. "You're better than me. Way better."
"Nuh-uh... you just started and are almost at my level. And it took my all my life to get to this point with knives. Hence why I chose shurikens instead..."
I'd been practicing with him lately, aside from the tutoring job I was supposed to be doing. Genji was catching on with all his classes, so I didn't even need to help him that much anymore. He did seem to want me to learn how to fight properly, and honestly... I wanted to as well.
Fighting came close to my love of ballet and gymnastics, which is super cool. I'd been sparring with him lately, so much so that it was becoming routine.
Genji reached over to my wrist, for my hand that was holding a knife, and raised it to point at the target in front of me. He stood right next to me, gently placing his other hand on my waist to keep me steady.
His face was right next to mine, and as I looked over to look at him, I saw that his eyes were narrowed as he looked forward, concentrating.
"So just point it right where you want it to go," he began softly. I inhaled his familiar vanilla scent, making me feel all fluttery on the inside. "Wave it once, twice, and three times..." he instructed as he guided my arm's movements with his own.
"And, let it fly..."
Together, we threw the knife with force, witch stabbed the target. I smiled up at him. "Thanks."
Genji grinned down at me, reaching up to gently brush his fingers against my cheek. I swore that he was about to kiss me, and felt my heart speed up with apprehension... but also excitement. "You're welcome, little bug..."
He leaned forward, but a sudden clattering noise caused us both to part faster than the Red Sea. Genji cleared his throat awkwardly, while I blushed profusely, the two of us trying to act like nothing had just happened.
Standing in the doorway was an older man, creases lining the underneath of his eyes, and a strict expression set on his face. He was dressed like a traditional Japanese man, in a kimono, and was leaning on a cane.
His eyes... they were Genji's eyes. That meant that this was...his father?
I looked over at him, to see that he was looking down in either respect or embarrassment or both. "Father. Had I known of your return, I would've greeted you at the door."
"I'm sure," he croaked monotonously.
He then turned his eyes over to me, and looked me up and down, his eyes narrowing. I gave him an awkward bow, holding my hands right in front of me. I knew elders appreciated traditional customs. "I'm (y/n), sir. A friend of Genji's."
A small smile made its way onto his father's face. "(Y/n)? Well, so you finally talked to her, huh, Sparrow?"
Genji waved frantically, panicking, while my mouth dropped open with mock shock. "Well, looks like you talk about me too. Exposed!" I sneered.
"Shut up!"
"That's no way to treat a lady you've been talking about for years..." his father went on.
I laughed really hard, but I was also in a little bit of shock. For years? Really? If he really did talk about me so much, what took him so long to approach me?
Why did he... play around with other girls if he really did think about me?
I brushed away my thoughts, knowing that I would definitely think on them later. But a nagging thought remained, brought about from all this speculation: did he STILL play around with girls to this day?
I really hoped not.
Genji sighed, obviously embarrassed. His father shook his head, all in good fun it seemed. And then the serious look replaced his temporary jovial one.
"Listen... Genji, do you think we could talk in private?" he asked.
Genji nodded, tossing me a what-do-you-think-is-going-on look, and I mirrored it, also curious as to what he had to say. He followed his father into the house, leaving me outside.
I waited for his return, sitting on the porch step, whipping my phone out to occupy myself. I had a text from Kai, so I opened it up. He had sent it an hour ago, but I had been too busy to read it.
My eyes widened as I read the words, "Will you go with me to the Lotus Dance?"
What?!
Someone had actually asked me to the dance? Well, there was a fist time for everything.
I stared at my keyboard, wondering what to type. There was someone I wanted to go with already, and he was inside the house at the moment. But... it was likely that he had a date already. He had girls left and right.
Kai had me. And only me. Probably.
I resolved to say yes, but wanted some more time to truly think about it. I replied, "Don't ask me over text. Ask me again on Monday at school, and I'll give you my answer."
There, that gave me time.
Genji walked back outside at that moment, so I put my phone away in my pocket. He seemed to be in distress for whatever reason, his eyebrows knitted with concern, his expression saying that his mind was in several different places at once.
I got up, dusting off my jeans. "What's wrong?"
"You should head home. I have... stuff to do."
"What kind of stuff?"
"Clan stuff. Like I told you about."
I placed a hand on his shoulder, forcing his flitting gaze to settle on mine. "I thought you said you didn't do stuff for the clan."
"I don't. But I have to, this one instance. This little girl... Cara... she's one of the kids from the park. Those Muertos impersonators took her hostage a few hours ago. Her mom paid us to get her back. I don't give a shit about the money, but I have to get her home safe."
Anger. That was all I felt at the moment. I thought of the omnic, defenseless, laying on the ground as they beat him. And then the faces of the innocent children in the park. "I'm going with you," I said coldly.
He shook his head. "Too dangerous, (y/n). Just go home, I'll be alright, I promise."
I retracted my hand from his shoulder, walking to the targets, and whipping the blades out from their torsos. I had a belt for them wrapped around my waist, so I tucked them away in their sheathes, dead set on going. "No way, Shimada. I'm ready. I can help you get her home. And I have a score to settle with those guys."
"Absolutely not!" he protested sternly, stopping me from grabbing a sword hung up on a rack. "What if something happens to you again? I wouldn't forgive myself!"
"It's not your choice. I'd follow you anyway. So just... let me go with you? Please? Carrot, I can help!"
Silently, he looked as if he was fighting an internal battle. I gripped his hand in mine to reassure him. "We're losing time! I don't want that girl to get hurt, so let's go now!" I pressed.
"Damn it. Why are you so hard-headed?"
"I just want to do the right thing. Don't deprive me of that," I begged.
He sighed in defeat, stepping out of my way to let me grab the sword on the rack. I nodded gratefully, taking it and slinging it onto my back. I would only use it as a worst-case scenario kind of thing, since I wasn't any good with it.
Genji grabbed a few shurikens, and any other weaponry he needed as well, and did so quickly so we'd be able to go quickly. "You do as I say. Hear me? What I say, and when I say it."
"Okay."
"They're holding her in a storage facility in Kyoto. Let's go."
A/N: So, I have a quick announcement pertaining to the updating schedule! At a MINIMUM, I will upload a chapter every Saturday. (When I say Saturday, I really mean early Sunday, because I start writing at like thirty minutes to midnight. So it goes out on Sunday for me, if you get my drift.) If I have time, I'll update in less time, but as for a reliable schedule, that's what it is. If it's a short chapter, like this one, expect another one coming out the next day. :) That's all.