Masaki’s hand movement halted when he found the oxygen mask lying next to him.
Seeing that, Ayu quickly shoved her phone into her skirt pocket and approached Masaki. She helped him put on the mask, making sure to find an opportunity to return the phone.
Ayu was once again struck by guilt when she saw the old man up close. She could hear his labored, heavy breaths. He wasn’t doing well. But still, Ayu couldn’t bring herself to truly sympathize with him.
“You’re still here?” Masaki asked, his voice hoarse and muffled by the mask. But Ayu could still hear him.
“Yes. Shibata-san has some matters to attend to,” Ayu replied.
“Liar.”
“What?” Ayu was offended. While she may have benefited from staying there, she wouldn't have stayed if not for Shibata's request.
“Shibata… lied,” Masaki hissed. He wasn’t accusing Ayu of lying, but Shibata.
&
"Why not? It's a fantastic idea!"Kyoko was immediately enraged when Ryu forbade her, even though she had already agreed to the plan."Kyoko-chan, that plan is dangerous. I—""If it's dangerous, why did you tell me?!" Kyoko interrupted.Ryu sighed. He hadn't wanted to tell Kyoko either, but he knew it would be a huge problem if Kenji found out. And it was clear that Kyoko wouldn't forgive him for keeping such a beneficial plan a secret."Maybe we can come up with another plan to—""No! You know it's a good plan."Kyoko admitted it firmly. She was actually annoyed that she hadn't thought of the plan herself and had been 'beaten' by Kenji. She felt like she was less clever than Kenji. Kyoko hated that feeling of losing."I'm sure we can come up with another plan that...""Why are you so against it? You also want this done quickly, right? This is the fastest way. We're wasting time.
"That sounds beautiful." Ryu sounded very cheerful. Naturally, his goal had been accomplished.“Hmm…” Kyoko couldn’t say anything else, so she just hummed while cursing in her heart.“Are you going to start work tomorrow?” Ryu asked.Although it wasn't planned, Kyoko could see where this conversation was going. As they were back on track, she answered more seriously.“Yes, I have to get back to work. There's no way I can avoid it after such a long leave, right?”It was a bait, and Ryu understood that.“You’re returning to work at just the right time,” Ryu said.“What do you mean?” Kyoko made sure to sound more intrigued.“Sandaime has already returned to work. He’s been active again since last week.”As agreed, they had to mention Kenji's name to make anyone who overheard them feel fearful or at least feel the need to intervene
Kyoko stared at the people surrounding her, trying to see if she recognized any of them, but there were none.They were all strangers, and now they almost moved in unison toward her to capture her.But a gunshot rang out, and one of her attackers suddenly fell to the ground with his eyes still open.Two of his companions immediately shifted their attention away from Kyoko, searching for whatever had caused their friend to fall.But before they could find the source, another one went down. This time he fell face-first, and Kyoko could see what caused it. The back of the man’s head was bleeding, and blood began to pool on the ground. There was a large, gaping wound visible.Kyoko's eyes widened, and she turned her head in all directions. Finally, she saw Ryu running with a silenced pistol in his hand. Who knew how many meters away he had accurately shot his target?The one remaining man—the one who had chased Kyoko from inside&mdas
"Just wait here in a different room. Don’t follow me," said Ryu to Kyoko, who had been walking behind him."Why? I want to hear his confession!" Kyoko pointed to Murakami, who was tied up beside her.Ryu hadn't just tied his hands; he had also taped his mouth because Murakami kept begging them not to take him to Kenji. Of course, it was a plea that only resulted in noise. Ryu had no intention of granting it."Not now. Later, I'll tell you everything he says to me. I promise. But you can't follow beyond this point," Ryu asked, while gently touching Kyoko’s arm. It was unintentional, just a habit, because he wanted to stop her from moving further.Ryu was about to apologize, but Kyoko didn’t push his hand away. She just hissed in frustration because her request was denied."Why does it have to be like that? I've been with you all this time, and I was allowed to hear everything. Why can't I hear this?" protested Kyoko."I’m not stopping you because I don’t want you involved anymore, but
"I’m not lying!"Murakami shouted again as he struggled to free Kenji's hands from his neck, gasping for breath. He might die soon by Kenji's bare hands, not his katana."Nidaime ordered me! It was Nidaime's job. All of that smuggling belongs to Nidaime!"As Kenji loosened his grip, Murakami began to speak. The more words he uttered, the more Kenji felt he was delirious."What do you mean my father ordered you to smuggle those goods? Kuryugumi doesn’t engage in illegal business!" Kenji hissed.Kuryugumi—and other clans—engaged in illegal activities that involved bribery and controlling politics with money, but all their businesses were legitimate. Every company under Kuryugumi had legal structures and operated in clear, legal sectors.Smuggling within MOL included the acquisition of illegal drugs and firearms. These two items are illegal in this country, and Kuryugumi should not sell them.Kenji shoved Murakami back onto the floor, grabbed his katana, and pointed it at Murakami's thro
"What do you see in him? Why do you want to spend time with Kenji?" Masaki asked the annoying question again, just when Akiko was trying to be kind to him. She had taken him for a walk, pushing his wheelchair through the large house's garden.It was her own idea, not Shibata's. She felt sorry for him when she saw him sitting and staring into the distance on the side porch. Shibata wasn't with them because he had gone to take the doctor, who had been staying for several days to treat him, back home. Masaki was feeling better today, so the doctor finally left. For autumn, today was very warm. The idea of going for a walk was actually beneficial. Akiko, of course, hoped that the warmth of the day would also warm Masaki's heart. Unfortunately, the old man in the wheelchair never chose peace when he was with her. Akiko hoped he would change—maybe repent—after his condition had worsened a few days ago, but he remained stubborn. "Because he's kind." Akiko would repeat that answer a thous
"Maybe he was just messing around," Yui said while brushing her long hair.She was commenting on Ryu’s story, which described Murakami's tale. Like Kenji and Ryu, Yui was naturally surprised. Even though hours had passed since Ryu told the story, she was still discussing it."That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. I didn't know you had a talent for being stupid," Kenji replied.Yui clicked her tongue, then reached for the katana on the car's dashboard, but Ryu, who was in the driver's seat, quickly grabbed it and put it back."Please don’t fight. I’m driving. We’ll all die if you keep arguing in the car," Ryu pleaded, desperate for peace. He just wanted to reach their destination calmly."Then tell your sister to keep her stupidity to herself!" Kenji hissed as he turned to stare out the window.Ryu shook his head slightly when he saw Yui about to respond, signaling his sister to be patient. He knew dealing with Ken
Very slowly, Akiko helped Masaki lie down on the futon. He seemed even more exhausted after talking about Hayato while sitting up earlier. When Akiko offered to help him lie down, Masaki nodded.It was a bit difficult because, even though he was very thin, Akiko still found him heavy. But she was somewhat helped by the fact that Masaki could still shift his own body to find a comfortable position to lie down."Do you want something to drink?" After straightening his blanket, Akiko asked, She could hear his breathing becoming louder.Masaki nodded, and Akiko fetched a bottle of warm water, attaching a straw to it. Masaki took a few sips of the warm water from the bottle, and his breathing seemed to ease slightly."Will you stay here?" Masaki asked, closing his eyes.Akiko nodded. "Of course," she said.There was no way she could leave him alone right now. Shibata had not yet returned, so she had to stay with him.As long as Masaki didn
"But how does he know about Ishida? Maybe he's just referencing a memory?" Ryu tried to calm his sister."No. Earlier he mentioned Nakamura, then suddenly brought up Ishida."Yui approached the desk, where the laptop and equipment were set, selected a file, and played one of the recordings. It was a recording of Abe and Ueda.There were several files, and Yui's job was to listen and pick out the important parts. Ryu and Kyoko's task was to ensure the bugging devices were placed near Abe, which was a difficult challenge.Abe was always cautious, so he would sweep for bugs in his office and bedroom every two or three days.To avoid suspicion—since finding bugs in his office would raise alarms—Ryu and Kyoko had to take turns placing and removing the devices each time.Luckily, they had already figured out Ueda's highly regimented habits. So far, they hadn't encountered any issues. However, the process of placing and removing t
After hearing the footsteps and the scolding, Kyoko knew that what Ryu was doing was his way of covering up their situation—talking alone in a strange place. Still, it caught her by surprise.“You two could find another place for that, couldn’t you? Don’t flaunt it in public like this!” The reprimand was sharp.“We apologize.” Ryu flashed a regretful smile, bowing deeply as he asked for forgiveness.However, Ryu's usual smile, which often soothed the emotions of his conversation partners, lost some of its charm due to his disguise. The person scolding them didn’t seem convinced.“I could report you and have you fired for doing this during work hours!” she yelled.“Tsukino-san! Don’t be like that. We were just messing around. There’s no need to take it that far. Please forgive us,” Kyoko finally turned around and joined in the apology. Her words were more effective t
“Damn idiot!”The bald man sitting behind his desk cursed at the television, which was currently showing Yuto Nakamura kneeling at the gate of his home.He then turned to the man behind him. “Why isn’t Kuryugumi defending them? They should be helping, right? They were responsible for nominating Nakamura."The man who was being addressed bowed slightly, indicating that he needed permission to respond. “They’re probably deceived as well, Abe-dono*. They don’t know about the bad things and think they’re clean.”Abe scowled, continuing to observe Yuto, who bore a dismal expression in his eyes. He had suspected that from the beginning, but he didn't think it was accurate.“Kenji is different from Masaki. He isn’t careless like this. I am familiar with how they typically select candidates to propose to. Even the slightest oddity would cause them to cancel their choice and look for someone
Yuto cursed inwardly as he saw the crowd of reporters gathered at his doorstep. He hadn't expected to face them, even though Karin had given him a slight heads-up about the situation at home. But it turned out there were far more people than he'd imagined."Please take a turn over there."Yuto asked the taxi driver not to stop in front of his house. He needed to find another way in, perhaps through the less conspicuous back door, hoping no one would be waiting for him there.But again, disappointment. As he arrived at the street leading to the back entrance, Yuto saw a few people standing near the gate. Even though the crowd was smaller than at the front entrance, it was still preferable to the main entrance.Yuto instructed the taxi driver to stop, but not directly in front of the gate. He got out near the back gate of the neighbor’s house, then walked toward his own.He kept his head down, raising the collar of his coat to hide his face. Th
"There are no serious symptoms, Sandaime. Your wife is strong, and her pregnancy has entered the end of the second trimester. Very strong. I hope there won't be any issues until the day of delivery."The doctor, who had examined Akiko, smiled as he delivered the news. Despite hearing everything, Kenji didn't feel reassured. "Are you sure? She was dizzy earlier!""I'm sure. Fatigue can cause dizziness, even if it occurs only once or twice. If it repeats frequently, then it could be a concern." The doctor gave him a slight warning, but not a direct one, to prevent Kenji from becoming panicked."I'll remember this. Make sure you don't make a mistake." Kenji's tone was threatening. He did not want any errors."Of course. Just make sure Tanaka-san continues with her regular check-ups." The doctor bowed, and Kenji waved him off.Kenji then entered the room, where Akiko was lying down. Her eyes were closed, but Kenji knew she wasn't asleep. The moment he
Akiko did indeed locate the man who was with Shibata yesterday, but his condition was not favorable.Yesterday, Akiko noticed that his condition had deteriorated, but this time it was even worse. He had bruises on his face, his nose was bent and darkened, and his shirt around his chest was dirty, revealing the mark of Kenji's boot."Akiko-chan."Yuto tried to approach her, but Kenji—who, of course, had followed her in—stopped him. He pulled Akiko's hand, keeping her away from Yuto while standing between them."What do you think you're doing?!" Kenji shouted."Move," Akiko replied, pushing Kenji aside."Kiko-chan." Kenji was clearly surprised, as it had been a long time since Akiko had openly defied him like this.But Akiko didn't want to stay quiet. She needed to understand the meaning of the strange sense of righteousness stirring within her heart.Akiko never doubted that her love for Kenji was real. There was no
"Yuto-kun? Where are you? Have you seen the news? You have to see it!"Karin's panicked shout left Kenji feeling slightly disappointed. Karin didn’t recognize his voice. She kept talking, thinking she was speaking to Yuto."That’s Otou-san, right? What happens now? Will that position be lost?" Karin was panicked, and naturally, Kenji smiled.It was better this way. She couldn’t recognize his voice because she didn’t expect him to be involved in all the misfortunes that had occurred. Kenji had answered the phone because he wanted to give Karin a little hint about what was coming her way next. But perhaps it wasn’t necessary. Surprises always produced more satisfying results."Yuto-kun?!" Karin shouted again, having received no answer.So, Kenji crouched down and covered the phone’s mic."Answer, but don’t say anything about me," Kenji whispered, commanding and threatening.Yuto clearly wanted to
[For the next news. We were taken aback by the unexpected news that arrived today. We have confirmed that this case is currently under police investigation as we release this report.]The opening of the news made Yuto glance back at Kenji. He couldn’t understand why Kenji had come over just to invite him to watch TV. It couldn’t be that simple.But Kenji wasn’t paying attention. He continued to watch the television, smiling.[This morning, it was reported that a man with the initial 'K,' who was recently appointed as the Minister of Education, has committed a criminal act.]At that point, Yuto's face went pale. Although the news only mentioned an initial—not a full name—the title mentioned was enough to clarify the identity. Since only one person on Earth had been appointed Japan's Minister of Education, the narrative fit perfectly.Yuto could easily imagine what had happened because he had spent half his life knowing
“What’s wrong with you?”Kenji held back Akiko’s hand, which was about to feed her a large piece of roasted fish without removing the bones. Akiko was just going to eat it as is.“Oh.” Akiko looked at the fish on the end of her chopsticks and put it back down.Kenji moved his chair closer to Akiko, took the plate, separated the fish meat from the bones, and then returned it. Now it was safe to eat.“What were you daydreaming about?” Kenji asked.Earlier, Kenji thought Akiko was just sleepy, so he didn’t pay much attention to the food in front of her. But Akiko didn’t look drowsy; her eyes were just vacant, lost in thought.“I… Oh, never mind.” Akiko shook her head and proceeded with her breakfast.“If you don’t like today’s activities, cancel everything and rest.” Kenji was unable to recall what Akiko had planned to do next.&