The twins had gotten away with a couple more pickpocketing ways- though Nanami always left the crime itself to Sakiko as she seemed to be an expert at not getting caught now.

Shinsuke had gotten a new job.. Though, he didn't tell the twins the details. They didn't need to know this side- they didn't need to be exposed to the dirtiness their father had gotten wrapped into by his friend.

The twins hadn't even noticed just how well Shinsuke had been doing in terms of money until their tenth birthday rolled around. The twins had gotten more than they wanted and were surprised by the lengths Shinsuke had went to get their gifts.

Nanami soon fell out of the pickpocketing ways seeing that Shinsuke's job was now getting them by once more. He didn't feel the need to continue the bad things they'd been doing.

Sakiko on the other hand had become somewhat addicted to it. The rush of getting away with such a secret. The giddiness she felt in keeping that secret even once the deed was done. She just couldn't get enough of it.

Ten turned to eleven and Shinsuke's job became more of a topic of curiousness for the twins. They didn't know anything about his job- just that it paid well.

Just that he never brought them along to his work.

Just that when he had work partners over, he would send the twins to the store.

That was their position now as they sat outside the small convivence store, snacking on their treats. Nanami leaned against the large ice cooler with his soda and jerky stick as Sakiko sat on the edge of the concrete with her slushy she was determined to finish with a blue tongue.

"I bet he's working for the FBI. Aliens or something," Sakiko decides, pointing her finger in an 'a-ha' moment.

"If dad worked for the FBI, we would be in a better house. Not one with the floor rotting," Nanami deadpans.

"No.. See, that's what they want you to think," she conspires, "But, it's best to be hidden in plain sight."

"You know what I think?" Nanami questions, "I think you're crazy."

"When you get abducted by aliens, I won't save you," Sakiko glares, sticking her tongue out at him.

"Says the one with a blue tongue," Nanami scoffs.

Sakiko's eyes cross as she sticks her tongue out further, attempting to see if it was true or not.

"Awesome," she whispers to herself, sticking the straw back in her mouth.

"I don't get how you drink those when it's freezing," Nanami mutters, pulling his jacket closer to him.

"Cold weather means you should drink cold things. If you get cold on the inside and outside, you won't notice it because you're cold already," Sakiko explains.

"That makes no sense," Nanami denies.

"You make no sense," she says as she stands up, her free hand wiping the dirt off her jeans, "Come on. If you're cold, we should go back home."

Nanami glances to his watch, "Dad said five. It's only four-fifty."

"He'll probably be done by time we make it back," Sakiko shrugs off.

Nanami doesn't argue any further, only following his sister. It was cold and she was right- it was almost a ten minute wale back home, Shinsuke should be done by time they're home.

As they walk back home, Sakiko kicks a few rocks and Nanami finishes his jerky. Once they make it to their street, Sakiko's tongue is finally blue and she feels accomplished.

"Wow, cool bike," Nanami awes, seeing the motorcycle in the back of the blue truck that was parked in their driveway.

"Dad's in a biker gang," Sakiko figures her new answer, "Even cooler."

"Do biker gang people get paid for being in a gang?" Nanami questions as they walk to the truck to look up at the bike.

"Maybe?" Sakiko shrugs, "They have to have money to pay for all the tattoos they get."

"I don't want a tattoo," Nanami shakes his head, "Needles over and over? For hours? What's the point?"

"Pretty pictures on you forever is the point," Sakiko scoffs, "I want one."

Nanami cringes at the thought of the needles as they return to walking to the house until he spots a man in the passenger seat and jumping in fright. Sakiko looks to her brother before noticing the man as well.

"He's sleeping," Sakiko nudges her brother's arm, "Don't wake him up."

Nanami exhales, a hand on his chest as he glances to the sleeping man once more before heading to the porch. Sakiko opens the front door to a booming laugh greeting them. Peering into the living room, the men silence as they spot the twins.

"Oh, hell," the man mutters- the one that had been doing the most laughing, "Little ones."

Shinsuke's eyes widen and he hurries over to the twins, "Go to your room. Now!"

Nanami trips over his feet as Shinsuke ushers them into the hall and to their room, closing the door loudly. The twins were left confused as Shinsuke returns to the living room where the man was. Sakiko shrugs it off, hopping to sit on her bed and finish her slushy as Nanami looks to his ankle that hurt when he'd stumbled.

After a few minutes, Shinsuke returns, standing in the doorway of their room, "I told you five."

"It's cold outside, Nana could've got sick," Sakiko points out, rattling her empty cup with pursed lips.

"Then, you should have gone in the store. When I tell you to wait a certain time, you listen!" Shinsuke snaps, making the twins jump.

A tense silence goes over the trio until Shinsuke stressfully sighs, running his hand over his mouth.

"Look, I'm sorry. But, you two can't interfere in my work. It could mess things up."

"That man was laughing," Sakiko reminds, "Didn't look mad to me."

"That's beside the point. I have many work partners that.. They get distracted by other people being there. You can't do things like that. Next time, just wait in the store and come back at the time I say. Okay?"

"Yes, sir," Nanami relents as Sakiko nods in agreement.

"Okay.. It's getting late I'll get dinner started," Shinsuke decides, leaving without another word.

--

Nanami had stayed over school time to help clean up the cafeteria from the Christmas dinner leaving Sakiko to walking home alone.

Her backpack felt light from the lack of work given over winter break and she found that flinging it around carelessly was fun enough to pass time during her walk. She walked past the stores, kicked at the snow that tried to linger on the ground, and counted how many snowmen had been placed as decoration as well- though the walk felt agonizingly bored without Nanami.

When she was passing by the tobacco store, she nearly walked right into the door as it was opened, sliding on the slippery concrete before stabilizing herself.

The man doesn't give her another look as he situates the bag in his hand to light up a cigarette. Sakiko glares at the side of his head until she tilts her own in recognition.

"I know you," she points to him.

The man startles, looking down at her, "Shit, kid.. The hell you come from?"

"Well, it's nice to know you didn't try to hit me with the door," she mutters, glaring to the door.

The man huffs out a, "Didn't see you there. My bad."

"But, I know you," she repeats, "You were at my house."

"I was?" he points to himself.

"Yeah.. You were asleep in our driveway. You had the bike in your truck," she remembers.

On instinct, the man glances to the bike that was parked by the shop and Sakiko's eyes follow before excitedly pointing to the vehicle.

"Yeah! That bike!" she nods, "You were asleep in the truck and another man was in our house talking to our dad."

The man's eyes flash to realization. For a second there was pity before he pushes it out with a shake of his head.

"All right," he shrugs, beginning to walk away, "Sorry bout the door, kid."

"Sakiko. My name is Sakiko," she introduces, chasing after him, "What's your name?"

The man huffs again, stopping to look to the girl, "Your dad never teach you about keeping away from strangers?"

"You were asleep in our driveway. We're not total strangers," she reminds, "My house isn't a hotel, so you must feel home enough there to sleep."

"Right," the man muses, opening the bag on the side of the bike to place the tobacco supplies there, "Was still in my truck."

"And your truck was in my driveway," she points out.

"Fine. I won't sleep in your driveway anymore," he promises, swinging a leg over the bike.

"You can if you tell me your name," Sakiko offers, "I told you mine. You should do the same."

The man glances to her, taking a long drag of his cigarette before tossing it to the ground and squashing it with his boot.

"Daryl," he introduces.

"Well, Daryl, you may now sleep in my driveway," Sakiko grins.

"Thanks, kid," Daryl mutters, starting the bike up and making Sakiko jump at the loud noise.

Sakiko's lips pucker in annoyance as Daryl doesn't give her another look and pulls the bike out of the spot and drives away.

"Next time, I'll throw a rock at you," she mutters as she watches his back ride away.

𝒶𝓊𝓉𝒽𝑜𝓇 𝓇𝒶𝓂𝒷𝓁𝑒𝓈--

sakiko is rlly just my chaotic bb

im- (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*✲ﾟ*｡⋆