Chapter 27: Authority

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CODENAME: NESOI
NAME: MURAKAMI RITSUKA
AGENCY: NJC
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 It was difficult: holding back the rising snarl threatening to rip through my throat. Of course, the pleasantly smiling old man didn’t seem to notice my rapidly growing annoyance as he continued to leisurely fill out the necessary paperwork. I wrapped my left foot around the leg of a lone chair behind me, dragged it forwards, then collapsed unceremoniously upon it. The elderly man finally noticed that he still had company and grinned at me benevolently. I was annoyed: at the old man and at the itchy wig on my head.

“And you will be leaving the yacht here, until further notice, correct, son?” he asked politely, his Japanese was clean and accurate. I grounded my teeth, closed my eyes, and took a shuddering breath to calm my escalating irritation; I don’t want to attract more attention to myself. Even in the late hour, there were still people in the port’s boat shop.

“Yes,” I whispered, not daring to speak any louder without having to attempt to deepen my voice, “That is correct.” The man nodded pleasantly then leaned over the paper again.

Dammit. The NJC had already prepared a foolproof plan to hide in North Korea as well as arranged travel plans by means of helicopter back to Japan. So why in the hell would I need to waste my valuable time negotiating the purchase of a ship?

“Alright, so all you need to do is sign here – ”

“I do not believe a signature is necessary,” I snapped, my anger conquering my logic, “I plan to pay you in cash here and now.” The old man stared at me, uncomprehending the words I just spoke. I choke back the growl rising through my throat.

“Are you sure you can afford it? Aren’t you too young to be buying luxury yachts – ”

“On the contrary, I can afford more than just a yacht. And my age is none of your concern.”

“Are you using your parents’ money?” he asked me.

“Yes, for a matter of fact, I am, but I’m sure my father would approve of my purchase.” I replied, grimly smiling, of course Hades would approve: it's for the good of the NJC.

“Well…” the old man said hesitating. That’s it. If he doesn’t sell me the ship in less than 5 seconds, I’m going to knock him senseless and steal the boat and – “Alright, well, the purchase price will be 770 million won.” Finally.

I quickly opened the bag hanging off my shoulder and pulled out the large roll of cash held together by a rubber band and a certain amount of notes sectioned off by paper clips. I snapped the rubber band apart, and begun to count the notes.

“In each paper clip,” I stated irritably, “is a hundred 50,000 won notes, count them on your own time.” I quickly counted the required amount, and then threw in two extra paper clipped sections so he won’t bother me if I counted wrong. The man gaped at me bewilderedly and uneasily. I snatched the paperwork out from under him and stuffed it into my bag.

“Goodbye.” I said, standing up and heading out the glass door.

The port was small, due to its location beside an insignificant town, thus the dock was abandoned in the late hour. However, its boat shop was fully stocked with large and well equipped vessels. I sighed; aggravated that I had to travel so far to buy an unnecessary purchase and weary that I was publically in enemy territory.

I strolled out on into the pier separating land from water. On either side of the pier, extending to the end, were thin, grey painted railings extending to the end. I leapt onto the railing. As I tried to reclaim my balance on the piece of wood, I continued my spinning ponderings.

What if an NIS saw me here and called for backup? Even though I was disguised as a boy (complete with a wig, a hat, contact lens, and the appropriate attire) I was completely careless before. My facial features can’t be altered, thus, if someone looked at me close enough, without a doubt, they would identify me as a girl and become suspicious as to why I was disguised to begin with.

I balanced my way to the end of the pier.

I may be the second in command, but I knew I stood no chance against more than two highly trained agents.

I stopped.

The thought of Styx plunged into my mind. I harrumphed, and then sat down on the railing, starring out into the night-blackened sea. 

Styx has become inefficient as of late. Her actions were becoming completely controlled by her emotions: definitely not how a leader should act. 

I remembered, this morning, I had decided to take a nap on the bed beside Xiah's in the infirmary. The curtains around his bed had been drawn shut as well as mine.  Thus, I thought I could get some much needed sleep without Styx knowing. Xiah was also resting after being shot by the NIS and Styx ordered that no one is to bother him. Therefore, no one would know of my presence unless they were defying Styx's orders and were curious enough to pull open the curtains around me. Behind his curtain, Xiah was reading some sort of Korean book under the dimmed light above him. Other than his reading light, the rest of the room was dark. I remember quietly slipping into the room and sliding onto the empty bed, clearly happy that Xiah was too engrossed in his novel to notice.    

However, before sleep could fully pull me under, the door of the infirmary slowly opened. I sprang up-right out of sheer reflex.

 I remembered how I intended to bound out of the bed and confront the person for defying Styx's orders, then threaten to tell Styx if they revealed my presence in the room. However, the person who has entered the room was none other than Styx herself.

I froze. It wasn't because I feared the punishment if Styx realized I was here: I wasn't bothering Xiah, he probably didn't even realize I was here. I froze because Styx had come to visit an injured agent.

Not once did she come to visit me the numerous times I was injured, or the time Micky severely broke his leg and fractured an arm jumping out a window in Italy. She wasn't even present at Hades' death bed. And yet, she came to visit Xiah Kim Junsu.   

"Ah," Xiah cried, I remember glancing over to see Xiah's silhouette through the curtain scramble to sit up at Styx came to sit by his bed, "Styx-sama, what are you doing here?" 

"Don't strain yourself, Xiah," Styx said, her voice was barely audible. I had to move to the edge of the bed in order to hear and avoid my feet being seen. I remember how silently and awkwardly the two sat. "Are you well?" Styx finally asked.

"Well enough, Styx-sama." Xiah answered quickly, "So, what are your plans for leaving Korea?" 

"North Korea has offered us refuge for the time being and Japan will be able to fly us back in a week's time, we will move when you are well."

I remember being shocked. Styx never cared whether an agent was well. All she ever wanted was an agent to be well enough to perform a task! When did her heart melt? 

"R-Rin?" Xiah suddenly asked, his voice quivering. I nearly tumbled off the bed in shock: Xiah used Styx's given name. "I know this is impossible, but I have to ask." 

"Go on," Styx said, surprised. 

"After....after this mess has been resolved, and we are back in Japan...do you...do you want to go…want to go out with me?" 

That was it: I couldn't help it. I, Nesoi Murakami Ritsuka, had tumbled off the edge of the bed in shock. 
Styx gasped, Xiah cried out. I had quickly leapt to my feet, reached out and pulled back Xiah's curtain and revealed my presence. I remember thinking that it was too late for me to try to lie my way out of this and I was too angry at Xiah: he had attempted to break a law of the NJC. There were not to be any relationships other than coworkers inside this organization. And Xiah was deliberately trying to pursue a more intimate relationship with Styx: the leader!

I was fuming. It was the fact that Xiah was pursuing a relationship that enraged me – hell; I wouldn’t even care if Eos and Micky suddenly were attracted to each other. I cared because he was pursuing a relationship with the leader.

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Xiah,” I shouted, “I should kill you right here for attempting to commit such a felony. You know the code of the NJC! And you dare to do such a thing as pursue a relationship with Styx!?” Xiah was shocked, both at my yelling and my sudden appearance.

“Nesoi,” Styx snapped, “get out.”

“You’re going to allow this?”

“Nesoi, it isn’t your place to question my authority. Leave.”

“You were right: you aren’t fit to lead, you aren’t – ”

“Leave, Ritsuka!” Styx screamed. I turned and stomped out the room.

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Later that day, when I was sulking in a corner, Ares came and told me that Styx wanted to send me on a mission: to negotiate the purchase of a ship. This, thus, landed me here: a small town three hours away from Gwangju in an itchy wig and boy clothes.

I heaved a sigh. Was it the right decision to have Styx the head of the NJC?

What would Hades have done? I grumbled softly to myself at the thought of him. The crazy old fool, he knew his time was limited, yet he still chose to spend it pursuing a world he would never be able to see. I can’t believe such a man chose to adopt me: a mischievous little brat. 

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“Hey! Hey, give me back my hat, you little – ” course, he never got to finish his sentence. The world wouldn’t like it if a police officer swore at a little child. I continued to stare at the police officer several feet below me as he tried to coax me into climbing down the tree. But, why would I do that? Why would I give him back his hat when it’s so amusing to watch him try and get it? He isn’t even trying to climb up the tree himself.

“What is your problem, sir?” a sudden voice said. I turned to see an older man approaching the scene. His face held a smile, but there was something wrong with it…

“That girl took my hat, had me chase her down six blocks, and is now sitting in a tree!” the police officer cried. The man looked up and smiled benevolently at me. I glared at him, determined not to be fooled by whatever he wanted. 

“Why don’t you come down,” he asked, “if you do, I’ll go buy you a box of Pocky.” Pocky? What’s Pocky…Hmm…either or, the man promised me something that sounded rather good. And it wasn’t fun watching the police officer leap around like a monkey anymore. So I leapt from my perch, dropping the hat in the process of scaling down the tree. The police officer caught his hat midair, thanked the man, and walked away mumbling.

Once my feel hit the ground, I bounded over to the man, stopping in front of him and looked at him expectantly.

The man smiled and held out his hand, as if he expected me to grasp it. I starred at it curiously. My father never held his hand out for me: then again, I never see him...

The man drew back his hand when he realized I wouldn't grasp it. 

"Come on, let's go to the store." 
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"So," the man asked me while I munched on the chocolate Pocky. It was…good, whatever it was… "how did you learn to do that?" He had introduced himself as Murakami Kei. 

"Do what?" 

"Scale up and down a tree like that and steal a police officer's hat." 

"It was easy: the stealing part, the stupid police officer wasn't paying attention when I snatched it. And I tree...I don't know, I just do it." 

"Where are your parents, child?" 

"My dad is always working." I said, "He spends his time drinking too, but he never bothers me. He doesn't really care. My mom died during childbirth." 

"So you're all alone." 

"Ya, I guess." 

"For a young child, you're pretty naughty." 

"It isn't my fault that a police officer was stupid enough to let his hat get stolen by a seven year old. The world is just bad." 

"Would you like to change the world." 

"That…sounds like fun…sure.”  

"I can show you how." 

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And with that, I, Aramaki Ritsuka became the adoptive daughter of Hades Murakami Kei: the original leader of the NJC. I guess I also decided to take his last name too - to make it official that he was my father...
I wonder how he would feel about the NJC now. How much turmoil the organization has fallen under... would he have been able to fix it? 

I harrumphed and jumped off the railing. There isn't any time to be daydreaming, Ares was waiting for me back in town. It would take me half an hour to walk back there and another three for us to reach Gwangju. No one will let me drive anymore after the damage I've done to Micky's car. 

My left eye began to twitch. Tch. The stupid contact was irritating me even more than the wig. Reaching up, I kept my left eye open using my right hand and plucked the contact lens out of my eye using my left. No one is going to see me this late at night. I threw the brown lens at the wall, happy to see it go.

"No….” I stopped in my tracks. I've heard that voice before: only now they spoke in Korean, to which I don’t understand… Oh please, dear god, let it not be –  

Suddenly, a tall, familiar figure emerged from the edge of the building. He had pressed a phone against his ear and was half-heartedly looking around.  

Standing before me, casually dressed in a pair of dark jeans and a leather jacket was the NIS's U-know.

Dammit! Him again?! Of all places to meet him it has to be now, when I already removed my contact lens? My hand instinctively moved towards the gun at my hip.  

He was heading east, and I, north. If we continue on this path, no doubt we would collide. Out of instinct, I turned around and headed in the opposite direction, hoping that he wouldn't notice me. He was still preoccupied by the phone. Dammit, Styx was right; I should have learnt Korean… U-know then looked my way when I stole a glance at him. He quickly muttered something in the phone and snapped it shut.

He saw me.

He saw my eyes. 

U-know cried out loudly, his words – without a doubt – meant for me.

I bolted.  

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Author's Note:

Dear readers,
It is my very sadistic pleasure to inform you that the final deaths have been decided! Worried? You should be! (Mwahahah)

Percentage of Girls dead (Out of main five):
60%

Percentage of Boys Dead (DBSK & BigBang) :
60%

Amaya
of
ObsidianTheatre

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| Always Keep the Faith |