And so, after the introductions, the three teenagers got into the car.
A luxurious car, to be exact.
Kai's family was very wealthy since his mother inherited one of the largest companies in the country.
His father, on the other hand, had made a name for himself as a writer and musician and was a celebrity nationwide.
But despite this, Kai had always preferred to be alone. Material wealth never mattered to him, not in the slightest.
In fact, at first glance, he looked like a completely ordinary guy and always tried his best to make sure people liked him for who he really was.
No one would ever have guessed that he was the son of two very important and influential people.
During the ride, Kai's mother asked Hina quite a few questions.
There was a hint of suspicion in her voice. It was as if she could feel a dark aura coming from Hina.
"So, Hina-chan... you said you live alone, right?" Kai's mother asked.
"Yes... unfortunately, I do. I lost my parents when I was young, and I inherited the house I live in from my grandparents... I moved here a few years ago just to finish my studies..." She said, with a soft, sweet yet very polite and respectful tone.
Meanwhile, Kai remained silent alongside Yuna, who was completely uncomfortable. She didn't even have her phone anymore.
"Oh, I'm truly sorry..." Kai's mother said, with a compassionate tone, completely unaware of who was really sitting behind her.
Kai's father remained silent as well, as if he were analyzing the situation.
"Don't worry. During this period of solitude, I was lucky enough to meet Kai," Hina said, taking his hand.
Kai blushed slightly but pretended nothing was wrong.
"O-Oh... And how did you meet?" Kai's mother asked.
"Well, it was quite a coincidence, but he picked up a book I had dropped... and when he noticed it was one of his favorite books, we started talking... and that's how everything began," Hina said, squeezing Kai's hand and smiling as if she were reliving that moment.
"Yes, that's exactly how it happened. We were in the park," Kai added.
"What a sweet story... I wish I could say the same for mine, but this gentleman here took too long to realize how I felt. Such a fool..." Haruka said in a teasing tone, glancing at her husband.
Kai's father chuckled and gently stroked his wife's hand.
"Haha... you're right... but look on the bright side. Now we're here," he said with a smile.
Kai's mother sighed lovingly and looked again at the kids sitting in the back.
"Once we're home, you'll have to tell me more," she said.
Kai and Hina nodded, while Yuna remained silent, trying not to look at her two friends.
It was as if she didn't want to hurt herself.
She kept staring out of the window with a sad look on her face.
Perhaps it was due to the shock of everything that had happened, or maybe she just didn't want to see Kai and Hina so close.
Maybe something was changing in Yuna's heart... or maybe she was just realizing it.
Yuna stayed silent throughout the entire ride, desperately trying to keep her composure.
Every time Kai and Hina exchanged a smile, she felt her heart tighten in a painful grip.
She couldn't look at them.
Their intertwined hands, the subtle affectionate gestures... it was as if every glance inflicted a new wound.
"I can't allow myself to feel this". She tried to convince herself, clenching her hands in her lap until her knuckles turned white. "It's just an illusion... I shouldn't think about it."
But no matter how hard she tried to push those thoughts away, they lingered.
Kai had always been there for her, a loyal friend, and for a lot of time she had never dared to imagine feeling anything more for him until the moment he came to save her.
Other than that, during her time as a victim, Kai was the first name that came up in her mind.
She desperately wanted him to be the one to save her.
But now, sitting in that luxurious backseat with her heart in pieces, she realized how much everything had changed.
And how painful it was to admit that there was no longer any room for her beside Kai.
Not in that way.
She turned her gaze out the window, seeking comfort in the scenery flashing by, but everything seemed like a dull shadow of the world she once knew. "Maybe... maybe this is for the best. I can't hurt anyone."
But she had to confirm her feelings.
In that moment, she was just confused and embarassed by the presence of Kai's parents.
Between small talk and little laughs, the trip took about half an hour, as Kai's father headed to a private residence owned by the Suzuki family rather than their personal home.
They arrived in front of a large gate with the Suzuki family business logo on it.
They were immediately greeted by private armed guards.
"Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. Suzuki," said a tall man with a deep voice as he approached the car.
Fumihiro and Haruka returned the greeting with polite smiles.
Then, the gate opened, revealing an enormous private villa with a pool and a vast garden.
For some strange reason, Kai felt very uncomfortable and kept squeezing Hina's hand to calm his nerves. It was as if this place brought back bad memories for him.
Indeed, Kai was the son of two incredibly wealthy and influential people.
He could never truly live a "normal" life, and this had caused him a lot of pain in the past, and also a lot of arguments with his parents.
This was another reason he had always felt alone and "different" from the crowd.
His parents were the kindest, most loving people in the world, but at the same time, they were very protective of Kai since he was their only son, and Haruka had nearly died giving birth to him.
Hina, immediately sensing Kai's inner turmoil, lovingly stroked his hand.
He turned to look at her and sighed.
He smiled as if to say, "Thank you."
As the car glided smoothly through the expansive driveway, Yuna's silent agony and Kai's growing discomfort painted an invisible tension in the air.
Kai's grip on Hina's hand tightened subconsciously, seeking a tether to reality as they approached the imposing family villa.
It was a place that, despite its beauty, always brought a sense of suffocation with it.
The grand villa loomed ahead, its pristine walls reflecting the soft glow of the setting sun.
The neatly trimmed hedges and the vast garden seemed more like a labyrinth than a welcoming sight.
As they pulled up in front of the entrance, Kai felt a familiar knot tightening in his stomach, the one that had never loosened whenever he returned to this place.
"This is not my home..." he thought to himself, staring up at the massive structure that always seemed to swallow him whole.
The car came to a stop, and before they could even unbuckle their seatbelts, the front doors of the villa swung open.
A small group of well-dressed servants hurried out to greet them, each one bowing with practiced precision.
"Welcome back, young master Kai," one of the older maids said with a warm, polite smile.
Her name was Ayame, a woman who had been with the family since before Kai could remember.
She had always treated him kindly, almost like a second mother, but even her presence couldn't soothe the sense of unease crawling beneath his skin.
Kai nodded stiffly, his eyes darting away from her.
The last thing he wanted right now was attention, especially in front of Yuna and Hina.
"Thank you, Ayame," Haruka said, stepping out of the car with grace, her heels clicking against the stone pavement. "Could you please prepare rooms for our guests? They'll be staying with us tonight."
Kai felt his pulse quicken while Yuna and Hina actually had a surprised expression on her face.
"Oh, really?" Hina asked with an almost joyful tone of voice.
"Eh? What?" Yuna asked, with a low voice.
Kai's mother looked at them and smiled.
"It's okay. If you're special for Kai, you'll be special also for us." Haruka said.
Kai's father just nodded his head in agreement.
"Just do like this is your home." He said with a smile.
Yuna and Hina thanked them with a bow.
His parents had mentioned nothing about Hina and Yuna staying over.
"Of course they'd insis..." he realized, "given everything that happened today... But why? I think that my mother wants to ask some questions to our guests..." It made sense, but the idea of everyone staying under this roof... it filled him with dread.
He didn't want someone to see who Kai really was.
Well, Hina knew about his parents, but at the same time she never cared so much.
She always treated Kai the same as she did from the start of their relationship.
And that was another thing that Kai truly appreciated from her.
He never left her even after discovering her assassin nature, and she never used him for his money.
Fair, right?
Hina squeezed his hand again as if sensing his discomfort.
She leaned in closer and whispered, "Are you okay, Kai? You seem tense."
Kai forced a smile, though it felt strained.
"Yeah... just not used to being here," he replied softly. He tried to shake off the feeling, knowing that the last thing he wanted was to make Hina worry.
Yet, it was impossible to ignore the sensation of eyes on him... eyes from his parents, the servants, and even from Yuna, who remained eerily quiet beside them.
The door to the car opened for Yuna, and she stepped out slowly, her expression still distant.
She hadn't said a word since they left the police station, and Kai noticed the way her shoulders seemed to sag under an invisible weight.
He wanted to ask her how she was feeling, to reach out to her, but every time he looked at her, it felt like there was a wall between them.
A wall that only grew higher the more he became entangled with Hina.
They were all led toward the grand entrance, where the servants stood in neat rows, bowing slightly as they passed.
Yuna walked a step behind Kai and Hina, her heart heavy with emotions she didn't quite know how to process.
Seeing them together only reminded her of the painful realization she had come to.
Kai belonged to someone else now, even if he didn't know it.
Then, the butlers and maids gently accompained Kai , Hina and Yuna to their rooms to take a shower.
But despite these moments of "peace", there was a new-hidden force lurking in the shadows, waiting for the perfect moment to strike...