don't want you in my bloodline

just wanna have a good time

not tryna' make you all mine

ain't no need to apologise

but you just gonna' have to let this shit go

If Sophia could put assassin down on a resume, then she would have been 'sniper' at the top of her key skills from the role. She didn't know why she was so good, it had just so happened that when she'd started receiving training for it, thanks to Kamata hiring a retired army vet, that she was particularly talented with the weapon.

Maybe it was because it required copious amounts of concentration, and a calm head in order to focus your gaze so well, which she had both of. Growing up, Sophia had always been a quiet kid, she was always overthinking and observing people. Sophia didn't doubt that it was probably due to the trauma of what she had witnessed, too, but her resolve had been strong since Kamata had promised her revenge.

It was also something she could do from a distance, so she never needed to get involved or devise a complex plan to infiltrate a gathering or building in order to kill her target. A piece of cake, in her opinion.

Currently, she was on the roof of an apartment complex, bored out of her mind as she looked through her binoculars. Her target didn't seem to be home yet, which was way off of her schedule. She needed some time later to look into a lead about her parents murders, apparently word of what she was doing had officially reached Chinese mafia, and she believed it would have pushed some members into giving out names due to fear or personal vendetta.

The apartments opposite her had floor to ceiling windows, something she personally hated. It felt overly exposed, and like anyone would be up in your business if you forgot to close the blinds. How did blinds even work in that situation?

Though this wasn't something she should complain about, it made her job easier.

She had researched the architecture of the building a couple of days ago, and the thickness of the glass. Her sniper bullets were 20mm, enough to pierce it. So she had to be fast, and accurate. The sniper currently rested on a stand in front of her, she was laying face first on the concrete, propped up by her elbows as she continued to look through her binoculars. This was the most tedious part of the job, waiting for a target to arrive.

Sophia was shooting from a building that was far enough to make it difficult for the cops to distinguish which direction, and which building, the bullet had even come from. As a precaution though, she had Asuma erase the security footage of all the buildings in that block. He definitely needed a raise, especially since his seventeenth birthday was approaching. Maybe a gift too, only she didn't know what you got a seventeen year old who was such a good hacker that he could probably illegally acquire anything he wanted - if he was reckless enough.

It was strange how she had known the boy for almost two years now, the kid was such a unbearably annoying and persistent fixture in her life that it felt like he had always been around. Like a baby brother, though she'd never tell him that, he'd gloat about it.

Through her binoculars, she could see the front door open within the apartment, and the tall figure of the man walk in. He matched the photos Kamata had provided her with, though he looked slightly more dishevelled in real life. Relatively young looking, though rugged, she decided he was attractive. It was a shame he had pissed her boss off.

She had no idea what he'd done, and didn't particularly care either. This was a paid for service, someone else had put in the hit for him, and Sophia was getting a pretty good sum out of it due to her 70% cut. Maybe he'd screwed over a politician.

Putting down the binoculars, she pulled the sniper towards her, adjusting her grip and it's placement against her shoulder. She closed her right eye, the left looking into the scope of her weapon. As her gaze got used to it, and focused on her target, she followed him around in his apartment. Watching as her threw his mail onto the island counter in his kitchen, and moved towards the fridge. He pulled out a bottle of beer, from what she could see, and his feet shuffled from the kitchen into the living room. His place was a mess.

The man halted as he bent to pick up a remote, switching on the tv. Now was her chance.

As he stood there, taking a swig of his beer, and sweeping through the channels, Sophia inhaled. Her mind muted the sound of traffic and yells from people down below, turning into a low hum that reverberated through her body and eventually die down. In her mind, everything was silent, her mind was at peace.

Exhaling, her finger gripped onto the rifle a little tighter, and she lined up her shot to the back of his head. Sophia pulled the trigger.

With her hair tied, and pulled back from her face, Sophia lounged in her desk chair. Nursing a black cup of coffee, which was almost lukewarm now, she stared at her computer screen. Her watch read 3AM, and her bloodshot eyes blinked away the tiredness as she rubbed them, after suffering a nightmare she decided to abandon sleep for now, and go back to her original task.

The faces she flitted back and forth of was from a list she had previously received from a source within the Chinese police force. Currently it was a collective folder of all the recently incarcerated Chinese mafia members within east Asia. It usually amounted to nothing, but occasionally Sophia recognised a face and it was easier to get to them if they were imprisoned in Japan or South Korea; her committing a crime in China was too risky for her liking, considering both countries current political tenseness.

In the last three years, hired work aside, Sophia had killed twenty members of her own personal list, and she was hoping it had gained traction. Considering she had a very distinct mark she left when killing them, she wasn't all that surprised when the Japanese police force had launched an investigation only a year into the killings. She was surprised, however, that the Chinese mafia had only just decided to take an interest.

Her source in the Chinese police force had informed her that they were aware, but not concerned. As far as they were concerned, it was merely criminals picking each other off, and not doing it on their own soil. So they didn't entirely care. She knew that would change though once she started killing any members from them, though. When Sophia really thought about it, she knew she was on borrowed time. You couldn't make as much noise as you did with something like this, and not expect the FBI to be hot on your heels. It's why she tried to minimise the damage by keeping her work mostly in Japan, she didn't want Interpol getting involved.

She clicked through the mugshots absentmindedly, sipping on her coffee, before she did a double take. Her fingers had been fast, and gone past him, and as she sat forward to go back to his photo, her face leaned in.

He was exactly how Sophia remembered him, except age had interfered. His hair was shorter, and she remembered that on that night it had been almost to his chin. Before, his face was void of any facial hair, but now there was a faint beard. The same scar went down the left side of his face, from his eye to his cheek. Sophia had remembered feeling dread when her eyes had caught onto it.

Clicking onto his name, she read the file. He was currently in a South Korean prison on drug charges, though minor, his lawyer had decreased his sentence. Six months. She wondered if he would be allowed back in the country after that, but decided she didn't care.

Something crept into her, in that moment, and it wasn't anger or a need for violence. It made Sophia feel small, and her memories forced itself to the forefront of her mind. Replaying the events of that night in HD.

He had been smiling when he cut her mother's throat, and his eyes had remained connected with Sophia's as he had done so. Trying to elicit a reaction from the child. She had stared in horror, but no scream had left her lips, no tears had fallen. He had been impressed. Though the pain was evident within her eyes, clear as a summers day, she had steeled herself. He had wondered if that had been the teachings of her father. Whom he had - in all honesty - some respect for.

Sophia didn't know why he chose to spare her life that day, maybe it was pity, maybe it was boredom, but he did.

She remembered him walking towards her, as the rest of his men had exited the apartment. He had crouched down to her, where she sat on the floor, hugging her knees. Her fathers blood had splattered on her pyjama shirt and face, from when he had shielded her from bullets. The man had made sure he was eye level, his eyes curious and playful. Young Sophia had realised how much he had enjoyed everything he had done that night.

'When you're older,' he had said, and paused for a moment as he leaned in closer to her face, 'I'll be waiting.'

He'd left her with those lasting words, and they had etched themselves into her memories so clearly that it were almost the equivalent of having a tattoo. It was permanent, and had fuelled Sophia all her life.

As she stared at his face now, she realised her held the same expression as back then. Smug. An aura of superiority that was not unwarranted, a promise that he would make scream and beg. It was haunting to her.

The cellphone on her desk vibrated indicating that someone was calling. Without looking, she picked up the phone, answering the caller as she stared at the face on the screen. Only people she knew well would call at an hour like this.

'Hello?' Her voice was distant.

'So when you said I had to dress smart for this thing, did you mean a suit? 'Cause that isn't really my style.'

Han's tone was casual, and contained no seriousness to it as her mind refocused on the present. This was what he had called her for?

'No, it does not have to be a suit.' She said tiredly, running a hand down her face. Though she was amused he had been thinking about it. 'No cargo pants, and no sneakers. It's a rooftop party, some type of launch. So at least wear a blazer.'

'So sneakers are an absolute no go?'

'Yes Han, sneakers are an absolute no go. No polo shirts, either.'

'Do we have to match?' He asked amusedly.

If Han could see her face right now, he would have laughed at her incredulous expression.

'No we do not have to match.' She said exasperatedly. 'This isn't fucking prom.'

She heard him chuckle on the other end, and then noticed the background noise. Sophia guessed he was standing a little aways from the guests in his garage, the music and chatter was muffled. Why was he asking about this in the middle of a party?

'Is that all you called me for?'

'I didn't actually expect you to be awake at this time.' He deflected, tone returning back to its casual tone. 'Usually if you are you're either out on a job, or in my bed.'

She started to suspect that this may have been a booty call.

'I was just doing some work.' She said, 'I couldn't sleep.'

Han paused for a few seconds too long, it made Sophia feel slightly on edge. It was the sort of silence he went into before asking invasive questions about her and her life. She wondered if he had detected anything in her tone, if he knew she wasn't entirely telling the truth. Not that she was obligated to to begin with, he wasn't her boyfriend or friend.

'You okay? You sound off.'

There it was. A casual question, thoughtful even, but Han never asked anything like that simply out of the goodness of his heart. Or maybe he did, and she was just being unfair about him. He had already proved her wrong once before.

'I'm fine.' She responded, attempting to make her tone casual. 'Did you wanna' come over?'

She didn't think he'd say yes after she brushed off his question, usually when he realised he wasn't wanted or welcomed he'd take the hint and mind his own business. Han surprised her this time, he seemed to be doing that a lot lately.

'Sure, I'll be over in a half hour.'

'See you then.'

Sophia hung up the phone after that, returning back to stare at the man on her screen as she thought about his sentence. That was enough time to set up a spy for her through her South Korean links, and find out whether anyone else was after him. She wanted to be the first person that got to him once he was released, and if she was meticulous enough she could probably do that. She'd need to give Asuma a call in the morning.

Han could tell from the moment that she started kissing him that something was off. Hell, he'd been able to tell from their phone conversation. He didn't know why he had called her, just that he wanted to. His party had been in full swing, a model had been sat on his lap, and he hadn't been able to help himself. He wondered what she was doing in that moment. So he'd stepped away to give her a ring.

He expected her to be a little more annoyed at his question. To call it dumb and tell him that he was wasting her time, except she'd only seemed to be mildly annoyed. Her voice had been slightly distracted, empty even.

Now, as his fingers delved under her tank top and grazed her stomach and hip, he felt the tenseness in her body. Her lips slanted on his the way that they always had, her mouth heated and hungry in that way that always drove him crazy. But her grip as she pulled at his shirt lacked the fervour she usually had, and she didn't arch into him the way she usually did when she wanted him to touch her more aggressively.

Moving his hands from her waist, Han placed them on her shoulders, pushing her back softly.

'Okay wait. Stop.'

Sophia's eyes narrowed in confusion, but she did as he requested. Taking a step back, she looked up at him. Even in the dark, with her dishevelled hair tied back and in a baggy tank top and shorts, he wanted to fuck her brains out.

'Something's . . . off with you.'

'What do you mean?' She folded her arms, head tilting in annoyance as she waited on a response.

'You know exactly what I mean. It's like you're upset about something, or worried. You're not you.'

'Because you know me so well?' She said pointedly, and Han rolled his eyes at her childishness.

'I know you well enough to know how you usually act when we're having sex, and I could tell it on the phone.'

Sophia rubbed at her eyes, seeming exasperated, and looked back at him. He sensed the distrust in her eyes, she always looked at him that way when he was being serious about something. As if she didn't believe he was capable of being serious about something that didn't benefit him. It irked him.

'I just couldn't sleep, and it's almost four in the morning. That's all.'

'You do realise it's perfectly okay to admit when something bothers you, right? You do realise a stable person can do that from time to time?'

She fixed him with a gaze that was so angry that he was willing to bet it made most men squirm under it. He didn't, though.

'Why would I ever admit that something is wrong to you?'

For the first time, probably ever, Sophia watched as Han's brows knitted together in annoyance. She didn't think she had ever seen him annoyed. His hands dug deep into his pockets, and though his tone was still mostly casual, there was an edge to it that hadn't been present before. Ever.

'I'm a fucking asshole, and we are friends. I'm not exactly going to tell you to shut the fuck up if you have shit going on or if you need help. I'm also not always just thinking about myself.'

Of course he knew all her preconceived opinions about him, she sometimes forget that he was an intelligent man. Annoyingly so. It was just that he spent so much saying stupid shit, or behaving as if he didn't care for anything that she naturally would forget about it. She didn't miss what he had said, that he called her a friend, and it wasn't something that she'd considered him before. She felt guilty at that. In any other scenario, she would have called bullshit on this act, but the slight crack in Han's demeanour had her second guessing herself, and everything she had known about him. He seemed genuine in this moment, if not a little hurt at what she had said.

'Let's try this again.' He said, breaking their silence. 'What's wrong with you?'

Sophia stared at him, annoyed that he sounded like a parent speaking to a petulant child. She didn't know what else to do, though. She could have told him to get out, only she found herself reluctant, a small part of fearing he'd probably not speak to her again if she did. She ran a hand over her face, a sigh escaping as she decided on telling him as little of the truth as possible.

'I couldn't sleep because I had a nightmare about the night my parents were murdered.'

She didn't tell him anymore than that. She wasn't obligated to, and it wasn't necessary. If she included details, Han would get curious, and when he got curious he asked far too many questions. This part of her life was too complicated, and too personal. It was weird to share this sort of thing with him, but he had been the one to say they were friends. He didn't need to know that she was scared to close her eyes in case she saw the face of her parents' executioner in full detail, reliving that moment.

'Do they happen often?' He eventually asked, once he realised that that was all she'd voluntarily give him. Han had come to realise that she had an protective wall so high that she doubted she'd ever let it down before.

Sophia shrugged, 'no . . . yes . . . I don't really keep track.'

He nodded, and they stood there in silence for minutes as he stared at her and she him. As if either one was unwilling to make the next move, unsure of what the next move should even be.

Eventually, Han withdrew his hands from his pockets, running a hand through his hair to push it back out of his face. He looked at the TV to his right, motioning to it with his head.

'Put something on, I'll make us some coffee.'

Sophia didn't really know how to respond to that. His voice had gone back to it's usual casualness, face setting back into it's neutral relaxed expression, as he moved to the kitchen. He didn't wait for an answer as he grabbed her kettle, and she was almost thankful for it.

Sophia didn't have friends, Takeshi or Asuma had never really counted in her eyes due to how they had met or the things that tied them together, so this was new for her. She settled into the couch, turning on her television to go to Netflix. She sat in silence as she put on a sitcom, and listened to the sound of Han moving around in the kitchen behind her. The entire thing was so incredibly mundane and normal that it scared her a little.

A lot of this was unplanned in terms of plot, but I really like how it ended up. I thought fitting a scene between the last chapter, and the one coming up next would help bridge the shift in their dynamic and also add more context to Sophia's quest for revenge. I want her trauma to be explored a little and not always have her be angry and vengeful.

Thanks for the review binkleys23, and to the guest who reviewed! I'm also hoping to salvage her and Kamata because I really like them as a father-daughter dynamic. Stick with me on Takeshi's storyline, it's not going to be huge but hopefully it just makes him more of a well rounded character.