Manabu and his friends had been surveilling Leon for several days, waiting for the right moment to ambush him. Their plan required both a strategy and a reason, and although they had found nothing significant that day, they decided to call it a night and return home.
A few days earlier, Manabu had approached Maria with a request. "Could you get Leon's phone?" he asked.
Maria replied, "Leon always leaves his phone with Sumi. Will that work?"
Mion, who was present, nodded. "That will work. Get it as soon as possible."
Manabu added, "We'll go with you."
The team arrived at The Orphanage, where Sumi resided. As they approached, Charlie, a friendly face, greeted them warmly. She and Maria were clearly close friends. Maria asked Charlie if Leon was home, to which Charlie responded, "He went somewhere. That's perfect!" Maria replied, relieved.
Just then, a girl with a plate walked by but quickly hid her face upon seeing the newcomers. Maria inquired, "Who is she?"
Charlie explained, "She's a new worker. I'll call her over." The girl, who introduced herself as Yumiko, was noticeably shy and kept her face hidden behind the plate.
Mai, intrigued, asked, "Why are you hiding your face?"
Charlie answered, "She's a bit shy about showing her face."
Maria inquired about Sumi's whereabouts. "Sumi is in her room," Charlie replied, puzzled by Maria's interest.
Maria proceeded to the second floor, leaving Charlie perplexed. "Why do you want to meet her?" Charlie asked, but Maria didn't elaborate.
In Sumi's room, Maria was greeted with a heartfelt embrace. "I missed you, Sumi!" Maria exclaimed, her voice tinged with genuine affection.
Sumi, equally delighted, responded, "I missed you too!"
After a moment, Sumi asked, "Who are they?"
Maria introduced the group. "They are your brother's new friends, and this is my twin brother, Manabu."
Sumi looked up at Manabu and said, "Brother Manabu is handsome, just like Sister Maria!" She then turned to Mion and Mai, admiring their looks. "How beautiful!" she said.
Confused, Mai asked, "Who are we?"
Sumi, with a charming smile, said, "You're his friends, so he wasn't lying after all." But suddenly, she seemed anxious. "Girls? Could it be...?" she wondered aloud. She hugged Maria tightly. "Ms. Maria is a better pair for my brother, no matter what."
Mion, with a straight face, reassured Sumi, "Don't worry, I don't like that scum anyway."
Sumi, relieved, said, "That's cool then." Maria asked Sumi if she had Leon's phone, to which Sumi responded affirmatively. She retrieved the phone from a drawer and handed it to Maria.
While the other kids played happily, Sumi turned to Manabu and asked, "Are you her twin?"
Manabu replied, "I guess."
Sumi noticed Mion sitting beside Manabu and exclaimed, "Ohh! I get it!" She then climbed onto Mion's lap and whispered in her ear, "You like him, don't you?"
Mion blushed and whispered back, "Don't tell anyone."
Sumi promised, "I won't." She added, "You know, Miss, you're cute and beautiful!" Mion patted her head. "You're cute too. By the way, my name is Mion."
Just then, Mai called out, "Done!" Everyone turned to her. Mai gave an awkward laugh, and Maria suggested it was time to leave. Sumi grabbed Mion's dress, asking, "You will come again, right?"
Mion smiled and replied, "Of course." Sumi's face brightened with a radiant smile.
Back at their base, Mion asked Mai about her actions. Mai replied, "I installed a tracker on Leon's phone. Even though it was locked, hacking it wasn't a big deal for me. We can track his location and listen to his calls. The phone had nothing significant except for a few calls from unknown numbers."
The next day, they were determined to catch Leon in the act. They followed the tracker's signal, which led them to a seedy part of town. Manabu, disguised in a hoodie, trailed Leon, who entered a "Sex Bar." Manabu's curiosity was piqued. Mai attempted to hack the bar's CCTV, but the numerous illegal cameras made it impossible to get a clear view, as they were periodically disabled.
"He's still inside, that's for sure," Mai said, frustration evident in her tone.
Mion, steely and resolute, clutched Naomi's picture. Mai's report came through: Leon was leaving the bar with a woman. They couldn't hear the conversation, but the scene that followed was shocking. Leon punched the woman in the stomach and slapped her, leaving her on the ground, tears streaming down her face. She managed to stand up and say something, but the words were lost in the chaos. Leon left, and they spotted him as he exited the bar.
Suddenly, Mai reported that five men were dead in the room Leon had entered. The revelation was met with disbelief and horror. As Mai tried to access the CCTV footage again, she saw Leon looking directly into the camera before the footage was deleted. Her device was being hacked.
"Manabu, run and follow Leon!" Mai shouted.
Taiju, with a bike thanks to Maria's help in securing his license, took off after Leon. Mai managed to regain Leon's live location. Mion, armed with a knife, prepared for the confrontation.
Manabu and Taiju pursued Leon through the streets. Leon, agile and desperate, darted through traffic, making a daring leap from a bike. Manabu tackled him, and a fierce battle ensued. Leon shoved a small child into the path of an oncoming car. Mion, acting quickly, saved the child. The fight continued, with Mion eventually stabbing Leon in the back. Leon retaliated, pushing Mion away.
As Leon tried to escape by kicking through glass windows, Manabu hurled a metal rod at him, causing Leon to stumble but stay conscious. Despite his injuries, Leon continued to fight, dodging Manabu's attacks and hurling him into a wall. Leon then leapt over cars and people, but Manabu managed to pull him down. Manabu pinned Leon and pounded him with relentless punches. The arrival of the police interrupted the brawl, leading to both Manabu and Leon being arrested for attempted murder.
In the holding cell, Manabu and Leon sat silently. Manabu's gaze was fixed on Leon, who was surveying his surroundings.
"Aren't your friends going to come?" Leon asked, his voice filled with a mixture of weariness and defiance.
"Why did you kill them?" Manabu demanded.
Leon shrugged nonchalantly, "They better hurry. I have to gā"
"Why did you kill them?" Manabu repeated, his voice hardening.
Leon's response was dismissive. "It's none of your business."
Just then, Taiju and the others arrived, managing to secure bail with a bribe. They returned to Maria's home, where Manabu and Leon were tended to by Mion, who began bandaging Manabu's head.
"Let me see. It will hurt a bit," Mion said softly.
As she worked, the group discussed Leon's actions. Maria, frustrated, asked, "Why do you always make trouble for everyone?"
Leon retorted, "It's not my fault. I never said I'd be there to fight them."
Maria, exasperated, stood up and left, leaving Leon to tend to his wounds. He muttered, "What a pain," as he began stitching his own stomach wound.
Manabu, curious, asked, "Who was the girl?"
Leon feigned ignorance. "Which girl?"
"The woman you were with a few minutes ago," Manabu clarified.
Leon seemed genuinely confused. "You were stalking me? The whole time?"
Mai interjected, "Don't bluff or act innocent. You knew we were watching. You even looked at the camera and hacked my device."
Leon was perplexed but continued to bandage his wounds. "Uhhh... it hurts..." he admitted, noting the impact of Manabu's punches.
Their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of Roy. "Leon! I'm here. Don't worry, buddy. I'll take care of you."
Leon quipped, "I didn't know you were a part-time doctor too."
Roy replied, "My mother used to teach us about medical care. She was a doctor."
Manabu asked, "Who is he?"
Leon introduced him. "This is Roy. He's the babysitter and caretaker of the orphanage you visited last time." Leon, now dressed, attempted to leave but collapsed.
"Leon! Are you alright?" Roy asked, alarmed.
Leon was rushed to the hospital, with Manabu and the others in tow. Leon, weakened from blood loss, was admitted while Roy expressed gratitude for their help. Sumi arrived with Sasha, her worry evident.
"Brother, are you alright?" Sumi asked, tears in her eyes.
Leon, hiding his injuries, reassured her. "Yes, I'm fine."
He handed Sumi a small box containing a beautiful ring and a pair of earrings. "How is it?" he asked.
Sumi, thrilled, admired the gifts. Leon told her that he might not return home for a while and advised her to stay with Maria in his absence. Sumi thanked him and left with the gifts.
Roy then addressed Maria. "Ms. Maria, Leon handed Sumi to your care. He might not be here for a long time. Until then, take care of her."
Maria nodded. "I will. Thank you."
As Roy left to take care of Leon's needs, Manabu noticed the earrings, remembering he had bought earrings for Mion too."OH jeez! " He turned to Roy. "Hey, Mr. Roy, can you help me?" Manabu whisper in his ears.Maria also came close to listen.
Roy agreed. "Sure. I'll get them for you."
Maria teased, "I knew my brother was romantic toward girls. You got rizz."
Everyone laughed as Roy went inside,He told something to Leom. Leon seemed sad but managed a soft smile as he spoke to Roy before being taken away.
"Take my place until i come back,I'll Call you
Soon after my operation"
In A Nearby Town,
the police arrived at a crime scene where a man was found dead. "I quit" was scrawled on the wall. Morgan and Jack began their investigation.
"It's not suicide," Morgan said. "Instinct tells me this was murder. The killer is experienced, leaving no clues behind."
Morgan examined the scene, stepping onto a table to study the rope. Jack, concerned, shouted, "Morgan, what are you doing? Get down!"
Morgan, lost in thought, replied, "I need to understand this better. It's a personal matter."
Jack, frustrated, asked, "So you're planning to return to America?"
Morgan confirmed, "Yes, I need to investigate the new bomb blast case. A suspect I dealt with years ago might be behind this."
Jack, upset, punched Morgan. "This is a punch from a friend. You're already messed up. Forget the past and focus on your future."
Morgan calmed down, and they left together.
Back at the orphanage, Kami returned at night with gifts for everyone. Maria hugged him. "I missed you, Dad."
Kami presented a beautiful white party dress with a matching hairband to Maria. "We have a luxurious party next month. You'll wear this dress."
He also brought suits for Manabu, Taiju, and a red dress for Mai, and a striking black dress for Mion.
Maria, smiling, thanked Kami. "Thank you, Dad. The dress is beautiful."
Kami turned to Manabu. "Do you like it?"
Manabu blushed. "Why are you asking me, Dad?"
Kami laughed. "Well, I like your bond. You all are so wholesome."
Kami then told Taiju, "I have something more for you, but it's a secret for now."
Taiju, curious, pleaded, "Please tell me!"
Kami chuckled. "Noooo~~."
Suddenly, a deafening noise shattered the calm. The lights flickered and then went out. Kami's phone rang, confirming a bomb had detonated in a renowned American Greatest Mall.
The group's faces turned grim. The attack was one of the worst in decades, signaling ominous times ahead. Kami whispered, "This is just the beginning of terror."
To be continued...