Chapter 1: 影に潜む男 (The Man Who Lurks in Shadows)

The rain fell in relentless sheets, pounding the dark alleyway and turning the streets of Tokyo into a glistening mirror of neon lights. Inside a dimly lit café, a man sat at a corner table, his expression unreadable. His name was Kurosawa Riku, and he was no ordinary man. He was the person people sought when their hearts had been torn apart by betrayal. When the love they cherished had been stolen away, Riku was the man who could bring them justice—justice through vengeance.

Riku's sharp eyes glanced at the flickering light above him. He had been in this café many times before, waiting for another broken soul to seek him out. His job wasn't glamorous. It wasn't even legal. But it was satisfying in a way that few could understand.

His phone vibrated, a single message lighting up the screen.

"He took everything from me. Please help."

The message was from Sugiyama Kenta, the latest in a long list of clients whose lives had been ruined by the poison of Netorare. His fiancée, a woman he had loved with all his heart, had left him for another man. Not just any man, but his closest friend.

Riku sighed, pocketing the phone and finishing his coffee. He stood, pulling on his black leather jacket before stepping out into the rain. Another job, another soul to save.

Kenta sat nervously in his apartment, the lights dimmed. His hands trembled as he waited for Riku's arrival. Ever since that day—the day he discovered his fiancée, Mayu, in the arms of his best friend, Takeshi—he hadn't known peace. Night after night, he replayed the scene in his mind, the betrayal, the lies. He had been unable to confront them, unable to fight back. But then he had heard about a man who could help.

When the knock came, Kenta jumped. He hurried to the door, opening it to find Riku standing there, the rain dripping from his dark hair.

"Are you Kenta?" Riku asked, his voice calm but carrying an edge.

Kenta nodded, stepping aside to let him in. Riku entered the room, scanning his surroundings before sitting on the worn-out sofa.

"So, tell me everything," Riku said, leaning forward slightly, his eyes piercing into Kenta's.

Kenta swallowed hard before he began. "It started a few months ago. Mayu and I had been together for three years. We were engaged... I thought everything was perfect. But then... I found out. Takeshi, my best friend, he—" His voice cracked, but he forced himself to continue. "He took her from me. I don't know how long they were seeing each other behind my back, but... when I confronted her, she didn't even deny it. She said she loved him. That she had chosen him."

Riku's expression remained unchanged, but Kenta could feel the intensity in the air. "And you want revenge," Riku stated, not as a question but a fact.

Kenta nodded, his eyes filling with a mixture of anger and desperation. "I can't move on until they both pay for what they did."

Riku sat back, folding his arms. "Revenge is a heavy burden. Once you start down that path, there's no going back. Are you ready for that?"

Kenta's fists clenched. "I don't care. I just want them to suffer the way I did."

Riku was silent for a moment, weighing Kenta's resolve. Then, he nodded. "Fine. I'll help you."

Kenta exhaled, relief flooding through him. But before he could speak, Riku raised a hand. "There are rules. I don't involve the police, and I don't kill anyone. My revenge is psychological—breaking them from the inside, making them regret what they did. Do you understand?"

Kenta hesitated but nodded. "I understand."

"Good," Riku said, standing up. "Give me everything you know about them—their habits, their weaknesses. If they've destroyed your life, I'll make sure theirs crumble."

As Kenta gathered his thoughts and began detailing everything he knew about Takeshi and Mayu, Riku felt a familiar sense of detachment. He wasn't doing this out of kindness. He had long stopped believing in the concept of justice. What he offered was a service—a way to tip the scales back in favor of those who had been wronged.

But beneath his calm demeanor, Riku harbored a secret of his own—a reason why he had chosen this path of vengeance. His own story, his own betrayal, was something he never spoke of. But one thing was clear: as long as there was someone out there whose love had been stolen, Riku would be there, lurking in the shadows, ready to deliver his own brand of justice.

End of Chapter 1