22 An offer

Ivan stood before Katsu, his words spilling out in a rush. "Truly… we are the same," he said. "Both lost everything we love, sent to a faraway place, destined for death… but a savior came to help. We both tried to change our lives, but in the end… failed… reverting to our past selves. I am just your future self, and if I don't intervene, you will end up just like me, someone who could not let the past go…"

Ivan drank deeply and stood up, his voice rising in irritation. "Listen to me, child," he said. "I see potential in you, you're strong."

But a voice inside Katsu's head interjected: "You're wrong."

"You have the strength of hundreds of men!"

No, you're wrong.

"You have power that no one else has!"

No, you're wrong!

"We are the same! In the future, we will be the same! Your fate will end up like mine! So why won't you listen to me!"

No, we're not the same.

"Your past is the same with mine, my present will be your future!"

No, we will not be the same.

"Why won't you listen to me!? I'm giving you an opportunity!"

No! My past isn't the same as yours, and my future will never be the same like yours. I will fulfill my promise to Vin, someone who is more like me!

These voices echoed in Katsu's mind, but he remained silent. Despite Ivan's words, Katsu knew he was not like him. He would not let his past control him, nor would he allow himself to fall into the same trap that Ivan had.

Just then, Bon and Vin burst into the restroom, their faces tense with worry. "What are you doing here!?" Vin demanded of Ivan.

"We're here for you," Ivan replied calmly.

"Did you not read my letter!?" Vin snapped.

Bon cut in, his tone sharp. "I did, but I'm not letting you just leave me with Monsieur! After months of forging an unbreakable bond, you just leave him so suddenly!? From the very moment you saw him at the docks, you knew you had to take him in. You had the responsibility to take care of him, and now you're giving it to me! If only you would've seen the amount of determination he had just to go here and risk his life to save you, because you are his only family left. Yes, your plan might be the best course of action, but for him, and for me, it isn't… Now stop thinking about his safety and start thinking about his feelings."

Bon's words cut deep, and Vin stood there, speechless and stunned. He clenched his fists, his mind racing as he rethought every decision he had made. He had been so focused on keeping Katsu safe that he had forgotten about his feelings.

Bon turned away with a sad frown, heading toward one of the bathroom stalls. "And here I thought I'd never see you do something like this," he muttered.

Vin was left standing alone, his thoughts a jumbled mess. He called out to Bon's retreating figure. "Bon…"

But Bon didn't turn back. With a heavy heart, Vin muttered in a quavering voice, "I… I am sorry…"

Vin leans against the wall of the stall, tears streaming down his face as he struggles to make sense of the situation. Bon calmly closes the door behind them, leaving Vin to his thoughts. The weight of his decisions bears down on him like a ton of bricks. He is lost in his own despair, unable to think clearly.

Meanwhile, Ivan confronts Katsu, who remains silent and unresponsive to his demands. Frustrated by Katsu's lack of cooperation, Ivan tackles him to the ground, causing Katsu to yelp in fear. Ivan pins him down, breathing heavily as he looms over him.

"Listen here, boy!" Ivan barks, "I am giving you a chance here. You need to stop with that ignorant attitude, or else I will have you killed!"

Katsu struggles to get free, his heart racing as he tries to break free from Ivan's grasp. The sound of his own ragged breathing fills his ears as he fights for his life.

But just as things are looking bleak for Katsu, Bon, and Vin burst into the room, drawn by the sound of the commotion. Ivan stops what he is doing and lets Katsu go, and the boy scrambles away in terror.

Vin steps forward, his eyes flashing with anger as he confronts Ivan. "Tch, Ivan, what are you doing?" he demands.

Vin tries to step forward to stop Ivan, but Bon grabs him by the shoulder and holds him back. Ivan is panting heavily, his face contorted with anger and frustration.

"As I was saying," Ivan says, his voice dripping with venom, "Katsu, I have an offer for you. With your strength, you would be a valuable asset to us."

The room falls silent as Ivan continues to speak, his words falling on deaf ears. Katsu's mind is already made up; he has no intention of joining Ivan's organization.

"As tempting as your offer may be, I already have someone with me that I know and trust, someone I cherish more than your group. I'm sorry, but I already have a family. I decline."

Vin's heart swells with pride as he hears Katsu's words. He knows that he is that family, that Katsu is choosing him over Ivan's corrupt organization.

But Ivan is not pleased with Katsu's decision. He gets up, brushes off his coat, and pulls out a revolver. The room falls silent as Ivan aims the gun at Katsu's head.

"Don't resist," he says, "or the boy gets a bullet to his brain."

Bon freezes with his hand on his pistol, unsure of what to do. Vin's mind goes blank as he realizes the gravity of the situation. He is powerless to stop Ivan, and he knows it.

"Tch. So you knew!" Bon rages, "And yet you didn't say anything!"

"I'm not stupid," Ivan replies coolly, "in any case, you all are stupid."

"How did you know?" Vin demands.

"Oh, I knew from the beginning. There's no way I would let you give the boy a letter without letting me see it first."

"So you lied!" Vin yells.

"That's already a given. After that, the basic reaction would be for you to foolishly come here and try to save the boy, and look where we are now…"

Vin and Bon stand frozen, their eyes locked on Katsu as he is dragged away by the guards. The boy's desperate cries for help echo in their minds, filling them with a sense of dread and helplessness. As the guards knock him unconscious and take him away, the sound of his voice fades away, leaving an eerie silence in the room.

Back at the HQ, the two Generals are deep in conversation when a soldier rushes in with urgent news.

"General! We've received reports from the surveillance teams!" the soldier says, panting heavily.

General Sho looks up from his desk, his expression serious. "What is it soldier?"

"The pair who was supposed to stall, was found out!" the soldier replies, his voice urgent.

General Sho and the other General exchange a shocked glance. They had thought everything was going according to plan, but this news throws a wrench into their carefully laid out operation.

"What do you mean 'found out'?" General Sho asks, his voice rising in frustration.

"Although we don't have much information, but it appears that the enemy was aware of our plan all along. They knew we were going to send in the two as bait," the soldier explains, his voice trembling with fear.

"WHAT?" both Generals exclaimed.

The minute hand strikes 12, and the operation grinds to a screeching halt.

End of Chapter 22