Rain pelted Riku's face as he and Hikari tore through the maze of alleys, the sound of their pursuers echoing off wet concrete. The masked man's voice still clung to Riku's ears like poison You can't outrun who you are.
They didn't stop running until the neon glow of the main street came into view. The sudden noise of traffic masked their footsteps, and with quick turns through back lanes, they finally lost sight of the shadows chasing them. Both collapsed under a flickering streetlamp, breathing hard.
Hikari scanned the street twice before speaking. "We can't stay out here. Your place how far?"
"Fifteen minutes if we cut through the market," Riku replied, forcing himself to stand despite the stabbing pain in his ribs.
By the time they reached his house, his legs felt like lead. The warm light spilling from the window made it look like any other peaceful home in the neighborhood completely at odds with the chaos they'd just escaped.
Inside, the familiar smell of miso soup and freshly steamed rice wrapped around him. His mother looked up from the kitchen table, surprise etched across her face. "Riku? You're soaked! And… who's this?"
Before he could answer, his father entered from the hallway, and his little sister peeked from behind him, eyes wide. Hikari gave a polite bow, but her clothes and dagger sheath told a different story.
"She's… a friend," Riku said quickly, brushing past them. "I need the first-aid kit."
In his room, Hikari shut the door and turned to him. "Shirt off. You've got a deep cut on your side."
He hesitated but obeyed, wincing as the fabric peeled away. The gash was ugly, a reminder of the masked man's blade. Hikari's hands were steady as she cleaned and wrapped the wound, but her eyes avoided his.
"Now," Riku said, breaking the silence, "start talking. Three days ago I was just a student. Now you're telling me I'm some guy in royal armor with my memory erased. Why the hell should I believe you?"
Hikari stopped, her fingers tightening on the bandage. "Because I was there the day you disappeared. I watched them wipe you clean. You weren't just anyone, Riku you were the heir to a bloodline they feared. I tried to protect you, but they got to you first."
Riku stared, trying to piece it together. "If that's true, then who are *they*? And why hide me here with a fake family?"
"They're called the Black Lotus," Hikari said quietly. "And your 'family'… they don't know they're part of it. They believe you've always been their son because your entire identity records, photos, memories were rewritten by a cover unit. To them, you're as real as any child they raised from birth."
The truth twisted in his stomach. He glanced toward the closed door, where his parents were probably chatting about "the nice girl Riku brought home." Everything he knew his life, his family might be a lie built to protect him… or to control him.
And somewhere out in the rain, the masked man was still hunting.