"Well, now, I told you that guy was a freak," Merle's voice advises.

Shinsuke sighs, throwing away the blood soaked paper towels that cleaned up the floor under the knife.

Daryl and Merle had went out looking for the guy, or a body, only to find tracks of blood he'd left behind. He was alive and he had went away. The tracks faded out once the man reached another street of houses- the brothers deducted that he'd 'carried his sorry ass home' as said by Merle.

Shinsuke stayed home, helping clean up 'the scene' as well as Nanami, making sure there was no blood spots or smell that lingered. He all but had to pry the knife away from Sakiko as she held onto the knife like her life depended on it.

"I knew he was, that's why I cut him from the routes," Shinsuke replies to Merle.

Sakiko and Nanami were pressed tightly against one another on the couch and Nanami wondered just how easily their life had changed. Years ago, Shinsuke fought to keep the 'work' under wraps and now.. now he was speaking so openly and freely about it in front of them.

Daryl kept close to the couch, pressed against the wall with his arms crossed, biting at his thumb nail quietly as he lingered near the twins.

"You got a plan if he comes back around?" Merle wonders, "Hate to have the little 'ens caught in the mix like they were."

Shinsuke goes quiet at this, truthfully not having a plan at all. The twins tense at the thought, eyes searching out for Daryl who was already looking at them.

"Not yet," Shinsuke finally speaks, "We'll get it, though. No need to worry."

"Right, well since you're dealing with this, how's about I buy double from ya?" Merle asks.

Shinsuke was happy at the offer, though he hid his willingness. That was when Nanami decided things could still be worse as Shinsuke and Merle head outside to make their 'deal'.

"Y'all all right?" Daryl asks once the men are outside.

Sakiko reaches up to her neck, an ache there from the man's tight grip and she wondered if she would have a bruise. As her fingers touch the necklace that had made it through the struggle, she looks back up to Daryl.

"Is there really no way out of this without.. More danger?" Nanami tries to piece the words together.

"If we report it, more people will be out for us like you said," Sakiko remembers, "Is there any other way?"

Daryl's mind races through options before landing on one. The same he'd tried multiple times.

"You can run," he shrugs, "Get as far as you can."

"We just turned fourteen today.. Do you really think we'll get far?" Nanami questions.

"It's a way. Ain't that what you want?"

"You did it, too," Sakiko figures, squinting curiously to him.

"I tried," Daryl rephrases.

"Did you get anywhere?" Nanami wonders.

"Made it to Merle," Daryl nods his head to the door where his brother was, "Ain't much, better than what it was before."

"Go with us," Sakiko says before she could think about what she was asking.

"Kid-"

"You wait outside just like us," Sakiko reminds, "We're kids, you're not. Wouldn't it be better if we made it out of this together?"

"We don't even know each other. Not really," Daryl tries to talk sense into her.

"We know you more than him," Nanami supports his sister, "You know us better than he does, too."

"Y'all gotta think about what you're sayin'.. What you're asking."

"Daryl, I could have.." Sakiko breathes.

At the implication, Daryl looks to the floor where the knife had once laid. Sakiko.. She almost wasn't here anymore. How could Daryl have reacted if things ended up worse than they had tonight?

"I just.. I want out of this," Sakiko shakily admits, tears building in her eyes.

Nanami scoots even closer to his sister, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and whispering words of comfort to her.

"No, Nanami. You don't get it," Sakiko cries, standing up, "Not really."

"Kiko.." Nanami sighs.

"This is my second time dealing with this!" she hisses, "What happens the third time?"

Daryl had been informed of her previous scare with the two men as well, Nanami walking in after the worst was over.

"I want out," Sakiko states as a tear falls down her cheek, "I might not survive the third time. I don't want this life. I'm getting out of this."

"And I'm going with you," Nanami swears, standing up as well, "I'm not leaving you and you're not leaving me. We get out of this together."

Sakiko inhales to the best of her ability, the siblings sharing a nod before Nanami sighs and pulls Sakiko into a hug.

Daryl watches the exchange, feeling more weight on his shoulders than ever before in his life. He didn't have someone to run with him, they did- in each other. But, they were still just kids, would they ever make it? That guy tonight had recognized them, would others? How much danger would they be in if they were found out? By someone from the past or even that man from earlier?

All three jump as the door opens back up- Shinsuke walking in with heavier pockets as Merle peeks his head in.

"You ready?" Merle asks Daryl.

Daryl looks to the twins, conversations traded through eyes as Daryl picks himself off the wall and follows his brother out of the house.

Once it's only the three Otani family members left, there's a few minutes of silence before Shinsuke exhales and plops himself on the couch.

"Why don't you two head on to bed? I'll stay up and.." he trails off, mind clearer than usual with only alcohol in his system, "I'll just stay up."

The twins nod, making their way to their room. Once the door is closed, it's also locked by Nanami as Sakiko quietly digs through the closet for bags, suitcases, backpacks- anything they could use to keep the belongings of choice in.

Together, the twins stay silent as they pack what they can in the bags that are stored under their beds.

They weren't just running away, they were escaping.