[COLOR=GRAY][H3][SUB][color=D7BE69]TIMES[/color] IMMEMORIAL: LET [color=D7BE69]BYGONES[/color] BE BYGONES [/SUB][/H3][/COLOR][table][row][/row][row][cell][img]https://i.imgur.com/ie441kj.png[/img]
[COLOR=GRAY][sub]INHERITANCE OF RESPONSIBILITY: TELLTALE OF [color=D7BE69]PROPER[/color] HEARTS[/sub][/color] 
[sub][color=d7be69]Theme: [/color][url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzvepO-eEHA][x][/url][/sub]
[sup]__________________________________________________________[/sup]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/pPdgKCs.png[/img]

[/cell][cell][right][url=https://www.pixiv.net/en/artworks/73164836][img]https://i.imgur.com/N8ZME5n.png[/img][/url]
[/right][/cell][/row][/table][color=gray][right][sup]There circulates a certain distinction between you and the others. 
You haven't realized yet-- The certainty and depth of your potential.
Ah... But with such depth, it will attract the covetous hands of those swept by jealousy.
But you are bound to surmount the hardship assiduously...
--For you wouldn't be part of the [color=d7be69]family[/color] otherwise.[/sup][/right][/color]

[color=gray]The car finally met its destination, halting its engine welcoming the two to their fate, a faint moment of silence embellished the atmosphere. The two huffed their last smoke, allowing its heat to settle in his chest for a bit, the constant flow of the smoke and its trail of heat and taste were left in his mouth, as he exhaled every bit off. Almost like a ritual, he witnessed the bud in his hands and thought for a bit that this was so common that it felt almost ordinary. Every other moment of the day he wouldn't touch the stuff, it felt almost hindering, but there was certainty when it came to moments like these. You would only concentrate on what's at the moment, you would ignore the focus of what's outside and lean on the matter of the instance you were apart. In its own right, this was a moment of tranquility in a sea of worries. The bud signified the end of his solemn pondering, his eyes drifting towards Kaseki, who seemed to have been right at home with the entirety of everything. No more words needed to be exchanged, no more worries needed to be present. Proper 12 opened the door and exited the vehicle, as soon as he departed, no signs of the others were seen--

--

A young couple sat at the precipice of their own peace, perhaps they were around their mid-to-late 20's huddled together as if to sustain each other with their company. Their smiles beamed beyond a shadow of a doubt while the TV blared its lights to menial entertainment. The morning felt peaceful, a life where mediocrity could become a cherished atmosphere, where doing nothing became a commodity for two. Just easing into one another, deeper and in soliloquy, allowing each other a chance to be cared for. But honestly, there is nothing much more fragile than a man with something to lose, witnessing the tightness of the grip of his hands, the man without an ear, Yosuke Katagiri, not a worry in his sight, was the prime target for Proper 12's assignment. A knock on the door awakened them from their bliss, the man parted from his fiance and attempted to moved himself to the source, but the woman, a young soul of brunette waves adorning the style of her locks, eyes of imperial jade and freckles racing through one cheek all the way to the other, gestured him to stay and she decided to go herself.

[i]"I'll pause the movie until you get back." [/i]

[b]"If it's one of those damn sales-men again, tell them I dropped my wallet somewhere on the sidewalk and slam the door on their face, Kikiyo. Can't believe I have deal with so many of them a day."[/b]

[i]"Not like it really matters, don't go pressing play until I'm back."[/i]

The man settled into his bed, placing his hands behind his head and picking up his phone. [b]"Gotcha."[/b]

Upon a few more knocks, Kikiyo arrived at the door and proceeded to open it, without much of a thought before the image before her finally registered. For a moment, the world felt like it had halted for her. The very instance that their eyes met was enough to warrant a reaction from her, she attempted to close the door as quickly as she could, only to be met with force of the man standing before her. Her trembling gaze shifted almost a whimper of help, noting the eyes of a man she expected not to see for the rest of her life. [i]"W- W-What are you doing here?"[/i] She took a few steps back, placing her hands in her chest almost as a shield, desperately awaiting for a moment where she could run for it, looking for any alternatives to settle this situation. [color=39b54a]"I see, so he's gone far enough to tell you who I am."[/color] The man stood proudly, almost as if that was a wayward thought in his mind, allowing it to surface and be seen without much reprise. [color=39b54a]"No need to fear, young Kikiyo. My business here is with Yosuke. If he has told you so much as to what my identity is, then you should also know what my business with him might entail, correct?"[/color]

[b]"What's taking so long, Kik-" [/b]

Yosuke arrived at the scene, and locked eyes with the man at the door, the moment he did he felt a certain fear run across him, a certain amount of anger blended together as well. Why him of all people? [b]"Kaseki..."[/b] Kaseki removed his hand from the door, began to adjust his tie for a moment before finally standing straight. Brushing his mustache with the tip of his thumb, two sturdy strokes. A proper man of great and intimidating aura. [color=39b54a]"May I come in?"[/color]

For a moment, Yosuke wanted to scream, he wanted to understand the comings and goings about the life he left behind. He wanted to simply fight off that injustice, witnessing the hue of those eyes before him, of the man known as Kaseki, he knew a couple of things were about to happen today. Maybe this was his attempt of reconciling whatever honor there was in his soul. To leave it without regret, but ultimately, Yosuke stared dead into the eyes of a man he had no power over anymore, sighed away his frustrations and looked at his fiance. The woman known as Kikyo who expected something out of his future husband, but the man couldn't help but laugh at the injustice of it all, placing his hand where his ear used to be. [b]“Sure thing, Kikiyo do you mind making us something to drink? Tea would be fine.”[/b]

Kikiyo eyes widened in surprise, she couldn’t really digest everything, her gaze continuously shifted between her soon-to-be husband and Kaseki, trying to piece together what little sense she could make out of everything. Standing between the two, it was almost like some sort of sick joke, her voice trembled, but her frustration pushed the words out of her mouth. [i]"Are you insane?"[/i] Turning to Kaseki with new found courage, like a mouse standing before the cat before its last moments, attempting to gnaw away at its fate. [i]"You know what he had to do to get out... Yet, you're here, trying to drag him back. Do you guys have any sense of dignity at all?"[/i] Kaseki stood there, looking at the young woman place her heart on her sleeve, his stare unwavering, towering above her frame almost as if gauging her worth. [color=39b54a]"Quite the opposite, my lady. The last thing I want to do is bring him back. The toll has already been paid. However, it is not my place to decide what actions take place among the family. And well, I'm just here to help someone finish a job they have left undone for quite awhile. After all..."[/color] Kaseki's gaze shifts towards Yosuke, who seems to be shielding himself as best he could from his own thoughts. [color=39b54a]"Yosuke is important."[/color]

Nothing as frail as a man with something to lose.

Those words uttered in Yosuke's head repeatedly, something the family repeated to him constantly. A warning, perhaps... not for the people they targeted, but for themselves. To wane in fruitless activities would result in action being taken by the family, Yosuke thought he had a method of escape, he thought about all the steps he had to take, an how all of this started. Looking into the eyes of his fiance, however gave him the hope to pursuit something greater, something that didn't involve the usual routine of brutality and pointless violence. The day to day of every criminal, the constant back and forward between the victims and the police, the Shinobi's on their asses everyday attempting to claim his life. Yosuke still felt a sense of fealty however, there were times where the family provided security, it was like it says... a family. A place he could return to, so it would make sense why they would feel betrayed. The family is still an organization, a myriad of people all joint together for a useless cause, but now? What was it all worth? In the end, Kikiyo's life was in danger, and taking on Kaseki would inevitably result in the lives of both of them. It would be swift, it would be easy, but most of all it would as if death itself came to pick them up. There would be not trace of his presence here, there would no life to tell their tale. I would almost be as if the two never existed in the first place.

[i]"Don't give me that shit... If you're after his life, then--"[/i]

[b]"Kiki."[/b]

Yosuke's voice interjected, a smile peering from his lips. [b]"It is what it is."[/b] Kikiyo failed to understand, she really couldn't understand what was Yosuke's submissiveness over the matter, she wanted to yell at him, but his eyes were resolute. Just thing morning they were together, it's been months since his detachment... Why? Why didn't they think further? They needed to run away, very far away. To a place where the two could've lived in peace, but she knew deep inside that it wouldn't work. Kaseki stood there patiently, witnessing the couple finally break, their spirits almost lost in their own folly. [color=39b54a]"May I come in?"[/color]

[b]"...Please do." [/b][/color]