Akizuki Kayoko froze.
Her eyes flicked from Akizuki Airi, who had just come down the stairs, to the other "Airi" sitting calmly across from her.
Her mind went blank.
"W-what is this? Why are there two Airis?"
Before anyone could answer, the girl across from her formed a one-handed seal.
A puff of white smoke burst into the air. When it cleared, Makoto Nishikado stood in her place.
"Makoto?! How did you..." Kayoko's eyes widened in disbelief.
He waved it off with a casual smile. "It's a bit complicated to explain. Aunt Kayoko, just pretend I learned the art of disguise, like Kaito Kid."
Not entirely a lie.
That thief existed in this world too, and everyone knew he could change faces at will.
Kayoko hesitated, then pointed at her husband, still sitting stiffly to the side. "Then… what about him?"
Makoto didn't answer.
He walked over, placed a hand on Kouzou's shoulder, and channeled Chakra into him.
Kouzou jolted.
The haze in his eyes shattered.
"You…?! Where did you come from?" he blurted, staring at the hand gripping his shoulder.
The reply came in the form of a fist.
"Bang!"
The blow sent him crashing to the floor. His cheek swelled instantly, teeth clattering out with streaks of blood.
"Kayoko! Kayoko, stop this maniac!" He coughed blood, jabbing a finger at Makoto, with zero memory of being controlled by the Sharingan.
But the look Kayoko gave him…
It wasn't fear.
It was disgust.
Airi and Marina didn't even try to hide theirs.
Makoto drove a kick into Kouzou's stomach. The man curled in on himself, rolling across the floor in agony.
"Makoto, I want in too!" Airi rushed over, small feet already aiming for his face.
A few stomps weren't enough.
Her gaze dropped lower.
Then she kicked.
The scream that followed was raw, tearing straight from the throat.
Makoto shoved his foot against Kouzou's mouth to muffle the noise.
When he'd returned using the Transformation Technique, he'd already noticed people watching the house.
Police, most likely.
Too much noise would only invite trouble.
Less than five minutes later, Kouzou didn't have a single patch of skin left untouched.
At first, it was just Makoto and Airi.
Then Kayoko joined.
Then Marina.
By the time Kouzou finally passed out, Kayoko was trembling, tears streaming down her face.
She bowed deeply to Makoto.
"Makoto… thank you. If it weren't for you, I don't know what would have happened…"
"It's nothing."
He helped her up gently. "I'm leaving today. Take care of yourselves after I'm gone."
Kayoko stiffened. "D-did I do something wrong? Why are you leaving so suddenly?"
Marina stepped forward, her eyes dim with reluctance. "Mom… actually…"
She explained everything that had happened at school.
Every detail.
When she finished, Kayoko looked at Makoto, her expression filled with concern.
"You were too reckless."
Under normal circumstances, she might have scolded him.
But now…
He wasn't just the boy she'd taken in. He was someone she could rely on.
There had to be a reason behind what he did.
Still... even if Taisuke Sawanaga needed to die, couldn't he have done it quietly? Why in front of so many witnesses?
Makoto smiled faintly. "Maybe it was reckless. But sneaking around like that… it's not who I am."
In his past life, he'd always hated those protagonists who hid their strength.
If you're weak, fine.
But if you're strong… why pretend?
"Will we… never see you again?" Marina's voice wavered.
She was a year older than him.
At school, they barely spent time together.
At home, Airi clung to him constantly.
And now…
He was leaving.
Makoto patted her shoulder. "Just for now. Don't worry. It won't be long before we're together again."
He knew staying here would only drag trouble onto the Akizuki family.
Alone, he could act without restraint.
With them…
That changed things.
But once he cleared a few more rounds of the Reincarnation Game, once he grew stronger…
Things would be different.
"Alright. I'm heading out. Take care of yourselves."
He turned and walked toward the door.
Kayoko and Marina stood still, watching his back as if trying to burn the image into memory.
Just as he reached the entrance—
A tug.
Makoto paused and glanced back.
Airi stood there, head lowered, clutching the edge of his shirt like an abandoned puppy.
"…Can you stay one more night?"
He considered it for a moment, then nodded.
"Sure."
That night, Kouzou was tied up and dumped in the attic.
Makoto didn't kill him.
Not yet.
A more interesting idea had crossed his mind.
Kayoko poured everything she had into dinner.
The most lavish meal she had ever made.
But as they ate, she and Marina kept breaking down, tears falling into their food.
As if this was a final farewell.
Airi was clearly upset too, but her eyes kept darting around, wheels turning behind them.
She was scheming something.
After dinner, the four of them sat together in the living room watching TV for the first time in what felt like ages.
The mood shattered the second the evening news came on: Makoto's face filled the screen, alongside his wanted notice.
By ten, everyone had washed up and gone to bed.
Not long after Makoto returned to his room—
The door creaked open.
He raised a brow.
No one in this house ever entered without knocking.
He turned.
Airi stood there.
Her thin pink sleepwear complimented her figure much better than Shuchi'in Academy's black uniform.
"Airi? What's wrong?"
She didn't answer.
Instead, she stepped forward and threw herself into his arms.
The fabric between them might as well not exist.
He could feel the warmth of her body clearly.
The air shifted.
Something quiet, something heavy, settled between them.
"Makoto… I don't want you to leave." Her voice was muffled against his chest.
"What should we do, then?" he asked, already knowing.
She hesitated. The thought that he'd be gone tomorrow, with no telling when they'd meet again, hardened something in her resolve.
Without him, Kouzou would have... She owed Makoto everything.
So…
Wasn't this only natural?
Her fingers moved, slowly undoing the buttons of her sleepwear.
Makoto's lips curved faintly.
He placed a hand on her head and guided her down.
She understood what her adoptive brother wanted.
And then Makoto felt it: warmth pressing in from both sides, like cheese melting between two slices of bread.
Airi pressed her lips together and lowered her head.