Chapter 118: Organization

Kai and Hina walked side by side along the dimly lit street, their steps in sync.

The tension that had exploded in the alley earlier had dissipated, replaced by a heavy silence filled with unspoken thoughts.

Hina kept her gaze fixed straight ahead, but her hand still gripped Kai's wrist , but not as tightly as before, but enough to feel protective.

She was only worried about her boyfriend's life.

They kept walking for a while, in silence, until Hina spoke.

"Akira went out to prepare a few things," Hina said suddenly, breaking the silence.

"Oh... I almost forgot about her." Kai said in his mind.

Kai glanced at her, trying to read her tone. "Things? What kind of things?"

Hina sighed lightly, as if the question were obvious.

"Disguises. A black wig and dark sunglasses to cover her right eye. You know, the one she usually keeps hidden under the eye patch."

Kai chuckled softly, imagining Akira with that look.

He knew her well enough to guess she'd find it annoying but would still do it without complaint.

"Akira in a wig? That's hard to picture," he remarked with a grin.

"Don't underestimate my sister," Hina replied with a hint of pride in her voice. "She can be convincing when she wants to be." 

Kai nodded, keeping the smile on his face, but deep down, a shadow of concern crept into his thoughts.

"And these disguises are for the plan against Sabushi, right?" he asked, trying not to sound too anxious.

Hina stopped walking for a moment, turning to face him. "Yes. But there's something you need to know." Her voice grew more serious, and her crimson eyes locked onto his. "Akira also told me about your part in the plan… and it's risky."

Kai stiffened, the smile vanishing from his face. "My part? What do you mean?"

He clearly didn't expect something like that.

"Akira and I thought you could act as bait," Hina explained bluntly. "Sabushi is known for targeting people wandering in areas controlled by his men, especially at night. The idea is to let you walk in one of those zones and get captured on purpose since you're a sensitive target for them. We'd monitor your location with a GPS hidden in your clothes. Once we know where they take you, we'd strike."

Kai's eyes widened. "Wait, what? You're saying I'd have to get kidnapped on purpose? Are you insane?"

Hina crossed her arms, her expression remaining serious.

"I didn't say we'd follow the plan exactly like that. I know perfectly well that Sabushi is too smart to fall for something so obvious. But it's important that you know what we've considered. I already have a variant in mind, and I'll discuss it with Akira—and with you—once we're ready."

Kai swallowed hard, trying to calm his racing heart. "So… I won't actually have to get kidnapped?"

"Not if I can help it," Hina replied firmly. "I wouldn't risk your life so easily."

They were still speaking in a low voice.

Relief washed over Kai, but it was short-lived, interrupted by an unexpected encounter.

Up ahead, Yuna was walking hand-in-hand with a boy Kai had never seen before.

The young man had a cocky air about him, with a trendy haircut and a smile that seemed a little too smug.

They were clearly headed toward a nearby convenience store, with Yuna carrying a reusable shopping bag.

Yuna's eyes met Kai's, and her face immediately fell.

She hadn't expected to see him there, least of all with Hina.

For a moment, it looked like she wanted to say something, but then her gaze dropped to the ground.

Her eyes widened at the sight of Kai.

She didn't know what to say or what to do.

She was just frozen.

"Yuna," Kai greeted her with a nod, trying to break the awkward silence.

"Ah, Kai… hi," she replied, forcing a smile. Her voice was tense, and she avoided looking at Hina. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"Neither did I," Hina added, her tone neutral but with a subtle edge.

Her sharp eyes quickly scanned the boy at Yuna's side, silently deeming him insignificant.

He seemed familiar to Hina's face.

Then, the boy next to her introduced himself.

He bowed his head.

"Hello, my name is Ren. Ren Inoue and i'm Yuna's current boyfriend. I'm pleased to make your acquaintance." He said, with a formal tone of voice, while offering his hand to Kai for a shake.

Kai remained confused for some seconds before introducing himself.

He shook Ren's hand and smiled at him while scratching the back of his head.

"The pleasure is all mine. My name is Kai Suzuki. And this is my girlfriend Hina." Kai said.

Hina bowed at him.

"Nice to meet you." She said, with a cold but formal voice.

"Oh! Yuna spoke about you, Kai. She said that you are close friends, right?" He said, while wrapping an arm around Yuna's neck.

She was clearly uncomfortable, but she was smiling like everything was normal.

"O-Oh! I hope she said good things about me. Ahaha." Kai said, with a fake laugh.

Yuna gripped the boy's hand tight, as if seeking some kind of reassurance... or because of nervousness.

"We were just grabbing something to eat," she said quickly, as though trying to justify herself.

"I see," Kai said, feeling the weight of the atmosphere. "Well, I don't want to keep you. Have a good evening."

"Yeah, you too," Yuna murmured, watching them walk away.

The situation was becoming more embarassing for Yuna.

Kai probably noticed her discomfort and decided to go away.

Yuna's heart ached, heavy with the thought that Kai had seen her like this.

She couldn't explain who the boy was or why she was with him, and the idea of Kai misunderstanding stung more than she wanted to admit.

As Kai and Hina moved farther away, Hina scoffed. "What a strange surprise. I wasn't expecting something like that, i must admit."

Kai shot her a reproachful look but decided not to say anything.

He didn't want to add fuel to the fire.

When they finally reached Kai's home, the door opened before they could even knock.

Akira stood in the doorway, leaning casually against the frame with her usual unreadable expression.

"Welcome," she said in a flat tone, her sharp eyes scanning them. She held up a shopping bag containing the items she'd bought. "I hope you're ready, because we have a lot to discuss."

Kai stepped inside with Hina, feeling a sense of foreboding. It was going to be a very long night.