The older woman, once a top cybersecurity detective, now ran the quiet but highly profitable network that kept Phantom’s business thriving.
She finally met his gaze, lips quirking at the teasing lilt in his voice.
“They’re getting lazy,” he added, stretching his arms behind his head.
“You should throw them something once in a while. Otherwise, I’m carrying all the weight.”
“They have their own assignments,” she countered, unimpressed. “This one’s yours.”
Riki glanced at the file she slid across the desk.
“A schoolgirl?”
“Eight years old,” she confirmed. “Her father is worried about suspicious men loitering near her school. You’re to pick her up and ensure she gets home safely.”
He exhaled through his nose, but there was no complaint.
“I’ll take it.”
---
The playground was mostly empty now, children already picked up by their parents or guardians. But one little girl still sat on the swing set, tiny feet kicking at the dirt as she hummed to herself.
Riki watched from a distance, unseen as always.
The girl, Yuki, was wrapped in a red scarf that nearly swallowed her small frame. She didn’t look scared or nervous, just patient.
Stepping forward, he finally made his presence known.
“Hey,” he called out, keeping his voice gentle.
Yuki blinked up at him. “Are you the one Papa sent?”
“That’s me,” he confirmed. “Ready to go home?”
She studied him for a moment before nodding. Without hesitation, she slid off the swing and walked up to him, her tiny hand reaching for his.
Riki paused, caught off guard. He wasn’t used to physical contact, not in his line of work. But Yuki didn’t seem to care, she simply grasped his fingers in her own and tugged him forward.
“Okay, let’s go!”
A rare, small smile tugged at his lips as he let her lead the way. He loved kids, not in a weird way ofcourse, he had immense affection for them.
The afternoon sun cast long shadows across the pavement as Riki walked beside Yuki, her tiny hand still gripping his without hesitation.
Unlike the wary adults who spoke of Phantom in hushed voices, she wasn’t scared. To her, he was just the man her father sent—a protector, nothing more.
“You don’t talk much, do you?” Yuki mused, glancing up at him with bright, curious eyes.
Riki smirked slightly. “I talk when needed.”
She hummed thoughtfully. “Papa says people who talk too much are suspicious.”
He chuckled at that. “Smart man.”
They passed through a quieter street, where the houses stood further apart and the roads weren’t as crowded. Riki kept his senses sharp, eyes flicking to every passing car, every shifting figure in the distance.
The job was simple, escort her home, but experience taught him that simple things often turned complicated.
Yuki, oblivious to his cautious gaze, kept talking.
“I have a friend who says there’s a ghost at school,” she said.
“He’s always around, but no one can see him. I told her she’s silly, but she says ghosts are real.”
“Maybe they are,” Riki replied lightly.
Yuki gave him a skeptical look. “Do you believe in ghosts?”
He thought for a moment. “Not the kind that haunt people.”
She seemed satisfied with that answer, skipping ahead slightly. But just as she did, a car idling nearby suddenly revved its engine.
Riki’s body reacted before his mind fully registered the movement. He grabbed Yuki’s wrist, pulling her back just as the vehicle lurched forward, tires screeching. The car passed too close, nearly grazing the curb before speeding away down the street.
Yuki gasped, clinging to his arm.
Riki’s jaw tightened as he tracked the license plate, partially covered with dirt, deliberately obscured. He memorized what he could.
“Are you okay?” he asked, crouching to her level.
She nodded, though her grip on him didn’t loosen. “That was scary.”
“Yeah.” He ruffled her hair lightly. “But you’re safe.”
She hesitated before looking up at him. “You’re like a real bodyguard.”
Something in her voice made his chest tighten. He wasn’t a hero. He wasn’t even a good person. But to this little girl, he was someone she could trust.
“Come on,” he said, standing. “Let’s get you home.”
---
Meanwhile; Natsumi’s Office
Nakamura Natsumi twirled her pen between her fingers, barely listening as her coworkers continued their chatter.
“…it’s kind of romantic, don’t you think?”
She blinked, refocusing on the conversation. “What is?”
One of the girls grinned. “Phantom. The mystery, the secrecy. Like a modern-day vigilante.”
Natsumi scoffed. “He’s an errand guy, not a superhero.”
The girl pouted. “You’re no fun.”
She shook her head, turning back to her work. But despite herself, her mind lingered on the name.
Phantom.
A man no one had seen. A shadow who existed only through whispers.
And for some reason, she found herself wondering, what kind of person was he, really?
YOU ARE READING
???? ??? || Ni-ki ?
Fanfiction"i hope he atleast reads my mails, that's the only way I can reach him" ??? ????? ? ???? ??? ? ????? ?? ??? ?????? ?????? ??? ??? ??? ??? ????????. ??? ???????? ?? ??? ???...
