Yunxue kept her head low, struggling to keep tears from spilling. "I'm sorry, Yasushi! I'm just...useless!" Her voice shook, her frustration spilling out, raw and uncontrolled.
The day of the event had seen a string of developments, setting the stage for the clash. Yunxue had dug deep, unearthing an impressive pile of incriminating evidence against the group Terrance belonged to.
But even with the proof laid out in front of him, Terrance held his ground, refusing to betray his associates. They pressed him, appealing, bargaining, spending hours trying to get him to talk. But he stayed silent, unmoved by anything they tried.
With no other options, Yasushi and his group eventually went to the police, bringing everything Yunxue had found. By then, the authorities were familiar with Yasushi and his friends, given their involvement in various incidents over the past couple of years.
Yet the response was underwhelming. Promises were made, assurances given that they would investigate and provide updates. After that, two brief reports trickled in, but beyond those, they were left in the dark, as if everything had faded out from any sense of urgency.
Yasushi adjusted his tie, glancing over at Yunxue, her head still bowed. "Don't worry too much, Yunxue. The police are probably preparing things on their end and just keeping quiet about it for now. It might be wishful thinking on my part, but let's stay alert and keep our guard up, alright?"
He straightened his tie one last time, then stepped over to her, reaching out to pat her head. She lifted her face, clearly feeling the sting of self-doubt, her expression twisted in frustration.
"I'll… keep watch today," she managed, brushing her tears away with the back of her hand.
"Good. That's all we can do for now — just stay sharp. I filled Sakura in, too. She's as frustrated as any of us with how the police are handling things, but she doesn't see this as your fault," Yasushi said.
"That's right," Jingliu's voice came from the doorway. She stepped inside and planted a kiss on Yasushi's cheek. "Don't be so hard on yourself, Yunxue. Let's get going. Everyone's already waiting."
"Yeah…" Yunxue's voice was low as she let her expression harden, determination settling in her eyes.
The three of them made their way out of the grand house, finding Xinyi waiting in the car with Layena beside her, and Yinhaie already in the driver's seat, ready to take them to their destination. They climbed into the car without delay, and soon they were on their way, the city lights flashing by.
As they settled into the drive, Xinyi turned, glancing back. "Are the others meeting us there on their own? If not, I could call someone from home to pick them up if they need it."
"Furuya messaged me earlier," Yasushi replied, leaning back in his seat. "He's driving the others over himself. He isn't part of the organization, but he offered to help out today. He's bringing along a few friends, too."
Xinyi raised her brow, tilting her head thoughtfully. "Oh…right. He got his license a few months ago, didn't he?"
"Yeah, he did," Yasushi replied, a small chuckle escaping. "He was dead set on it — wanted to be able to take Catherine out for dates outside the city.
Xinyi let out a sigh, shaking her head as a smirk crept onto her face. "Good for him, I guess, but if he messes with her…my precious friend and maid…" Her tone darkened, an unsettling look flashing across her eyes, as though warning Furuya from a distance to treat Catherine carefully.
The others in the car laughed at her unusual threat, catching her point even if it came out with a touch of intensity. The drive itself didn't drag on much longer, and soon they pulled up to the entrance. Yinhaie dropped them off and headed off to find a nearby spot to park.
As they stepped out, Sakura's voice cut through the mild hum of activity around them. "Glad you guys made it! We're just waiting on a few more, but I need you all over here now!" She waved them over, her hand gesturing in an insistent motion.
They noticed two booths set up on either side of the entrance, along with several large containers filled with food. Most of the group members were already there, moving around in a blur of purposeful activity, each one engaged in setting up or sorting supplies.
Soon enough, another car pulled up, and Catherine stepped out, joined by Furuya's friends. Furuya himself parked his car alongside Yinhaie's and returned with her, both of them walking back together.
Yinhaie approached Jingliu and Yasushi, exchanging a few words in low tones. Yasushi nodded, replying with a quick, "I'll count on you, then — appreciate it." Yinhaie gave a respectful bow before taking her leave. Yunxue, overhearing the brief exchange, felt a flash of curiosity but held back from commenting, focusing on setting things up instead.
After a few more minutes, the remaining members began to trickle in, with only a handful absent for personal reasons. Now nearly everyone was present, which brought fresh energy to their preparations.
Tasks moved along faster, each person falling into place to help organize, fill containers, and check the setup. With barely ten minutes to go until the park's opening, they had everything ready and lined up in a neat and welcoming layout.
Sakura, noticing the growing crowd at the gates, clapped her hands, calling out to everyone. "Ready to kick this off?" she asked, her voice brimming with energy. In response, a chorus of enthusiastic "Yes!" echoed from the group, their voices blending with the sounds of people arriving outside, drawn in by the sight of their setup, intrigued by what lay ahead.
+-+
An hour passed as the event rolled forward, with the park bustling, now fully open to everyone. As word spread about the free food and kindness offered, people from across the city gathered, particularly those struggling with homelessness. Some came without delay, drawn by the promise of a meal and a rare welcome.
What caught everyone's attention, though, was how a group among them had taken on the role of organizing, quietly keeping things in order. A few of the more responsible ones stood guard, ensuring the ones with rougher habits didn't disrupt anything.
Instead, they managed an unspoken balance, even handing food to them personally. They let no one disturb the park's peaceful crowd or disrupt the booths, almost instinctively drawing a line between those who wanted to cause trouble and those who simply wanted a meal.
At first, the whole thing seemed odd to Yasushi and the others, but as they fell into this unexpected rhythm, it allowed everyone to work together smoothly.
Yet, while most visitors were only there for a meal and a few minutes of rest, Yasushi and the others remained cautious. Their eyes scanned the gathering regularly, aware of the potential for something else — a sense that Terrance and those around him might have their own intentions for the park and this event.
The volunteers moved around, doing their best to stay prepared, watching for any sign of trouble as the crowd grew, all while keeping an eye on each interaction, each unfamiliar face that passed by.
Yasushi reached for the next container, ready to continue, when he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He pulled it out, scanning the new message with a hint of surprise that softened into a smile as he read. Jessica noticed, leaning closer with a look of curiosity.
"Something happen?" she asked, watching him closely.
"Hmm?" Yasushi looked up, distracted for a moment. "Ah, no, nothing big. Could you call Sakura over?"
Jessica hesitated, curiosity lingering, but nodded and stepped away to find Sakura. A moment later, Sakura appeared, wiping her hands on a cloth as she approached him.
"So, what's going on?" she asked, her tone casual.
Yasushi held out his phone, letting her read the text from Yinhaie. She read through it twice, then gave a nod, her expression changing to one of satisfaction. "Perfect. Now we just need to keep our eyes on any last-minute troublemakers who might get ideas," she said, a broad grin spreading across her face.
Yasushi chuckled, slipping his phone back into his pocket. "Feels like a stroke of luck, honestly. Seems the police have actually been doing their part this whole time," he added, the tension in his voice easing as he looked around, ready to focus fully on the event once more.
Yasushi had just learned that the police had raided the building where Terrance's group usually gathered, taking advantage of a moment created through a calculated move by Yinhaie. She informed him that the police had made an agreement with the mental institution to temporarily release Terrance, knowing his mental state would draw him directly back to his hideout.
As predicted, Terrance had raced straight to the familiar building his group used as a base. Police followed him, giving him just enough lead to reach his destination. Minutes later, they had surrounded the building, quickly organizing to launch the raid.
When they moved in, nearly everyone inside was captured on the spot, though a few managed to break free and slip out of reach. Those escapees were now being actively tracked by the police, but Yinhaie, studying the feeds from CCTV cameras scattered around the city, saw signs of trouble.
She warned Yasushi that these stragglers seemed to be converging toward the park, apparently intent on one last desperate move against the crowd of homeless people who had gathered there.
Now, Sakura was taking care of alerting everyone, going person by person or by group, to ensure they understood the situation without sparking panic. She kept her explanations brief but made certain everyone understood what might be at stake.
Yasushi, in the meantime, believed the park authorities were already in the loop, likely having received official updates from the police. If necessary, he was sure they would work alongside his group, aiming to prevent whatever desperate act Terrance's remaining followers might try to carry out against those at the event.
To confirm his suspicion, Yasushi decided to check in directly with park management. He entered the park quickly, weaving through groups and activity, and sent Sakura a quick message letting her know what he intended. She replied not long after with a brief "good luck," which he took as encouragement.
Moving through the park, Yasushi scanned the area until he noticed an employee who seemed unusually tense, her eyes darting around. Approaching her directly, he asked, "Can I speak with a manager?" which caught her off guard.
Before she could respond, he held up his phone to show her the text from Yinhaie, explaining the situation. Her expression changed instantly, her eyes widening as she took in the information.
"F-follow me, please!" she stammered, immediately turning and hurrying off, Yasushi close on her heels. She led him toward a building located in the park's quieter corner, away from the main areas. They reached the entrance, and Yasushi stepped inside, finding a small group, including the manager, gathered in hushed conversation, their expressions troubled and uncertain as they looked up at him.
Without wasting time, Yasushi explained the situation, showing them Yinhaie's message and detailing the threat they anticipated. He expressed their commitment to support the park's security efforts, making it clear they were prepared to protect the area if anything happened.
"We'll place our guards at all four park entrances. The rest of your group should join them to cover as much ground as possible. Let me speak to your team leader," the park manager stated firmly, directing his focus back to Yasushi.
Yasushi quickly called Sakura, passing his phone to the manager. As the two began discussing plans, the manager gave quick instructions to his nearby staff, instructing them to find Yasushi's group and coordinate with them as they positioned themselves around the park. After a moment, he turned his full attention back to Sakura on the phone.
Two minutes later, their conversation wrapped up, and Yasushi received his phone back. The manager looked him over and gave clear orders, "Return to where your booths are stationed. Your leader will give you specific instructions. I'll do my best to keep the park's visitors unaware of any disruptions."
Yasushi nodded, taking in the directions and then quickly heading out, moving through the park with purpose. As he made his way back, he spotted several park staff and security personnel walking at a brisk pace, though the visitors seemed oblivious to any unusual activity.
Arriving at the designated spot, Yasushi scanned the area and noticed only a few of the homeless people and members from his organization remained. However, his closest friends were still around, along with Sakura and Jessica.
"Hey, over here!" Furuya called out, raising a hand to grab Yasushi's attention.
Yasushi moved over quickly, and Sakura addressed them, "Alright, the others are positioned at the remaining entrances — four in total. We're holding down this one. Our event goes on as planned here, while the other groups spread out to cover the park. Let's keep things low-key, so no one catches on." She held up a small container and explained, "I've handed these out to each group to help us look inconspicuous."
She turned to Yasushi and added, "I'll station you, Xinyi, and Furuya near the front. The rest of us will spread out a bit, keeping a lookout without drawing attention. Understood?"
The group gave quick affirmations, a collective "Roger," before breaking off to take up their assigned positions. Yasushi, Furuya, and Xinyi headed closer to the main road, halting just shy of its edge.
Furuya glanced toward the park entrance, exhaling. "Here's hoping they're caught long before they make it this far. But knowing how things go for us, we're probably looking at a head-on clash," he muttered, sounding both resigned and ready for whatever lay ahead.