Return (K Project Fanfiction)

Chapter 3: Back Home

Daiki's PoV:

Gigantic glass skyscrapers dragged their finger tips across the sky, leaving trails of puffy clouds lingering in their presence. Mother's usually bright loving face had long changed to a cold unmoving mask on the ride here. The shift was entirely bizarre to Daiki. However when she waved a hand and his red coat had immediately been lined with gold, mild curiosity slipped on his face. Mother's second personality was shoved away.

"It was a gift," Her voice denied any emotion, answering his question as if reading his mind. "From a former, rather colorless friend." Dry humor entered her words as she spoke of her friend. He followed behind her, accepting her answer. Odd happenings was no stranger to him, and it was simpler to accept them as they were.

When they finally reached an office through the maze of halls and elevators, an old man awaited them. If Daiki didn't know any better, he would have swore there was a halo of gold that circled around the man. It was obvious the man was elderly, but strength rippled out of him. Probably to caution his enemies, but it had the opposite effect on Daiki, and he stepped side by side of his mother.

"Father," Reika's voice echoed in the empty office. "You have caught me unawares." They stopped a little ways from the desk, and the unbothered man motioned for them to sit in one of the empty seats that stood in front of him.

"Your emotions always made you hasty," Mustering all his concentration, Daiki focused on his grandfather's voice. With the current turn of event, he wasn't stupid enough to still think that Mother would come here again for fun. "Never a forethought before you played your next move."

"This is a game then," Mirthless laughter spilled out in pleas out of his mother. Daiki internally shuddered at the noise. "Killing him was your idea of a game. Don't worry Father, I have my emotions perfectly in check. Shall we play a game now?" She leaned mockingly on the edge of her chair. Grandfather sipped tea, undeterred by his daughter's newfound craziness.

"Do not scare your child, Reika," She laughed at this. "If you are implying that I killed your husband, then I will tell you I did no such thing."

"Oh, but Father," she murmured, her voice the temperature of frozen icicles. "You did not stop it."

"Unlike what you think, I do not have total control of this country." A stretch of silence convened. Daiki watched both sides play their games, plan out their moves, and weigh their decisions. If the situation was not so intense, he would have enjoyed watching their competition. They were both genius' at play.

"Fine then," Reika gave in to the silence, not liking her odds. "The tell me who?"

"You must be more specific, my daughter."

"How you love your games," Something of a smile drifted across her face. "You know what I mean. Who is his killer?"

"I suppose you'll find out eventually," he muttered to himself, before making his final decision. "You have been gone for long, and things have changed. The blue king had his own reasons. I warn you to observe before doing."

"You think his acts are justified," Accusation rang clear.

"My views are my own."

"Whatever you wish to say then," A lazy air floated around his mother. Daiki could see the resemblance between the people he met at Homra and his mother. However he had never been given access to this side of his mother, and never glimpsed any information about her past. After coming to this country, he already learned more about his mother in the past 24 hours than the last 8 years in his life.

A shift in Reika's mood brought Daiki back to attention. His grandfather seemed to notice as well, and guarded his expression carefully.

"What twisted plot are you about to go through Reika? You know they have never ended well."

She ignored him, and turned towards Daiki instead. "Stay with your grandfather for a few days, dear. I must attend to an old friend of mine." Picking herself up, she turned towards the door and strode out. There was no second backward glance towards him or his grandfather.