"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
Kenji crouched down next to Masaki, checking his neck and hands."CALL THE DOCTOR!" Kenji shouted, and Ryu obeyed his command."Otou-san!" Like Akiko, Kenji patted Masaki’s shoulder and cheeks. There was no response."Oxygen!" Kenji called out, stepping over Masaki's body and pressing his hands against his chest. He counted carefully and pumped, pressing down on the chest with constant force, trying to bring Masaki's breath back.Yui arrived with a portable oxygen tank and hooked it up, pressing the ampoule to let air flow into Masaki's body, alternating with Kenji, who continued his compressions.But slowly, the mask slipped from Yui's trembling hands, leaving them shaking uncontrollably."What are you doing?! Keep going!" Kenji yelled at Yui, who knelt beside Masaki, covering her face."There's nothing more we can do!" Yui snapped back, lowering her hands. Her face was now drenched with tears."There is! I won't stop un
Akiko was confused. She couldn’t decide whether to feel sad, panicked, scared, or happy. The situation she was facing was so unfamiliar.She looked back and saw a procession of at least ten cars—one of them a hearse in the middle.They weren't just ordinary cars; Akiko had previously seen a police car at the front, clearing the way so they could arrive faster, and there was also another police car passing alongside them, taking turns.Akiko felt small, like she didn’t belong in that place. A world that wasn’t hers.“What’s wrong?” Kenji asked, noticing Akiko glancing out the window and then back at the cars behind them.Akiko shook her head and smiled. “Nothing. I just wanted to see what’s happening.”Akiko wasn’t going to complain to Kenji right now. She didn’t want to add even a little burden to him. Kenji hadn’t said anything since they got into the car, and tha
"Excuse me, is there a studio here for ikebana classes?" A woman pushing a stroller inquired as she approached the reception area."Are you a new participant looking to sign up?" The woman at the front desk looked excited."Yes, but I’m a complete beginner.""That’s no problem. We have classes for beginners, and after all, every expert started as an amateur." The receptionist smiled and handed over a form to fill out."But, excuse me, is it okay if I bring my baby? I don’t want to leave him at home alone." The woman hesitated, pointing at the stroller."Oh, of course! There's childcare for all participants. We have it set up because most of our students here are women. Hey there, handsome!"The receptionist waved at the baby, whose little hand reached out from the stroller, smiling at the movement in front of him."Thank goodness. I was worried I'd have to leave him." The mother took the form and sat down to st
"Did you kill him?" Ryu asked Yui, who was sitting in the back seat, tidying up her katana."No. The position wasn’t right. I didn’t want him attacking me when my arms were tired."Yui flexed her hands, squeezing the air to loosen up her muscles. Her arms were genuinely exhausted after a tense struggle with Ueda. The effort to break free had forced Yui to exert all her strength to maintain control of the hostage situation."He's crazy. I’m not sure I could beat him in a fair fight," Yui shaking her head.Ryu glanced at his sister through the rearview mirror. It was rare for her to admit someone else's strength so frankly. Yui often mocked Kenji, even though they were clearly equals."Is he that good?" Ryu asked."Yeah! He’s amazing! His arms can stretch like rubber, but he can’t swim and has no sense of direction. Still, he never loses in a fight. He’s awesome!"Ryu almost swerved off the road as Ky
Kyoko underestimated Ueda’s strength when drunk—or rather, he wasn’t as drunk as she had hoped. He was still incredibly strong.Kyoko’s plan was to make Ueda drink until he was too weak to force anything like what was happening now. Ueda was still moving with impressive precision, while Kyoko drifted in and out of consciousness. She continued to push him away, but her strength was probably half of what it normally was.Worse, Kyoko was still half-conscious, which made her fully aware of the fear each time Ueda touched her. Not being able to fight back while knowing she was on the brink of being assaulted by him was far worse.“Let go of me, you pig!” Kyoko screamed with all her might when she couldn’t break free from Ueda’s grip.“Why are you resisting? Didn’t we agree to this? You were the one who came onto me earlier,”Ueda whispered, lowering his face to try and press his ch
"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