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viiii

     It was past midnight as Airi made her way to her father's office, looking surprisingly awake for the hour that it was. She was no stranger to these light night assignments, always ready to get up and to work at any time of day. She had to be with the kind of work that she did, killing in broad daylight was almost always a recipe for getting caught.

     Rin looked up from his computer when the door opened, and he was on his feet and out the door almost immediately. "I'm surprised you're ready so fast, you usually take a bit longer," he noted with a soft chuckle, the father and daughter walking down the hallway together.

     "First Kaito and now you, I do not take that long to get ready! And besides, this should be a short trip so I didn't want to waste time with hair and makeup. Hopefully the paparazzi is sleeping at this hour," Airi huffed, crossing her arms over her chest as she looked up at her father. She was a bit shorter today, having ditched her usual heels for black combat boots, matching with the rest of her all black apparel, but still a stark contrast from her pink hair.

     Rin couldn't help his amused smile when he heard his daughter, stepping into the elevator with her and hitting the button for the lobby. "You know we're just teasing. But if getting all dressed up is what makes you so good at your job, then keep doing it. You're doing something right, Airi, your work speaks for itself. Not only to me, but to the rest of the Board as well. I'm sure of it."

     Airi felt her heart warm when she heard her father, smiling up at him in return. "You really mean it?" She asked excitedly. She adored her father, he understood her better than anyone else, and he was the person she admired the most. Knowing that she had his approval meant more than anything.

     "Of course, am I the kind of person who says things they don't mean? If anyone can run this company better than me, it's you. You have everything it takes, and more. And I'm so proud of you," Rin said softly, his eyes shining with the kind of fatherly pride that most people could only dream of receiving. There was no doubt that he truly believed every word that he was saying.

     "You're going to make me cry, getting all sappy before we go out," Airi grumbled, though her smile never faded as she looked up at her father.

     Rin chuckled when he heard her, before the elevator doors opened and the two of them stepped out together. "You're right, I suppose now isn't the best time for this. But always remember that no matter what you do, no matter how badly you mess up, I will always believe in you," he said with an affectionate smile. "Now come on, let's go get this over with so we can go to sleep."

     Airi smiled back at her father as they made their way across the lobby together, a slight bounce in her step. She wanted to give him a hug and tell him how much his words meant to her, but that could all wait until later.

     For now, they had to focus on the job at hand. She pulled the hood of her sweatshirt over her head to keep her hair concealed, the two of them seeming to blend in with the shadows as they walked the deserted streets to get to their destination.

     They walked in comfortable silence together, both of them mentally preparing for what they needed to do. Airi only turned to her father once their target grocery store was in sight, pulling the gun out of her holster. "Just say the word when you're in position," she instructed, her father simply nodding his acknowledgment.

     They were in front of an innocent looking grocery store, closed to all customers at this hour, but the two of them were far from customers. The moment they stepped in front of the store, two employees stepped out of it, one of them removing their name tag. "Sorry, we're closed!" One of them piped cheerfully, giving the two of them a small smile.