The next morning, Yuki stood at the edge of a small, serene park, her thoughts swirling like the autumn leaves caught in the breeze. After last night, she felt like a puppet in a game far beyond her understanding. Riku's calm, unshakable demeanor made her wonder if she truly understood the nature of the revenge she had set into motion.
Yet, despite the fear, there was a strange comfort in knowing Riku was always one step ahead. She watched the sun creep up behind the trees, trying to clear her head.
Her phone buzzed. It was a message from Riku.
Meet me at the old café. We need to talk.
Yuki's heart skipped a beat. Whenever Riku asked to meet, it meant something significant was about to happen. She pocketed her phone and hurried toward the familiar meeting spot, her pulse quickening as she made her way through the city streets.
Riku was already seated at their usual table when Yuki arrived. His expression was unreadable as always, his black coat draped over the back of his chair, a coffee cup in front of him. He didn't look up as she approached, but she knew he had sensed her arrival.
She slid into the chair across from him, her nerves buzzing. "You said we needed to talk."
Riku took a slow sip of his coffee before answering. "Last night was the first step, but we're not done yet. Okada's assets have been frozen, but that only buys us time. He's going to retaliate."
Yuki frowned. "But with his money locked down, how much of a threat can he still be?"
Riku leaned forward slightly, his eyes narrowing. "Money is just one part of his power. His influence stretches far beyond his bank accounts. Okada has allies who won't let him fall without a fight, and he's already calling in favors."
Yuki felt a chill run down her spine. "So… what now? Do we keep hitting his allies?"
Riku shook his head. "No. We need to be smarter. If we go after his connections directly, they'll see us coming. Instead, we use them to bury him."
"How?" Yuki asked, intrigued but unsure of what he meant.
Before Riku could answer, the door to the café swung open. Yusei Tetsuya walked in, his easygoing grin in place as usual. But there was a sharpness to his gaze that told Yuki he had more than just a friendly visit in mind.
"Morning," Yusei said casually, sliding into the seat next to Riku. He glanced between the two of them. "So, are we ready to dismantle an empire today?"
Riku gave a faint smirk. "Something like that."
Yuki looked between the two men, her mind racing. "Wait, you're helping us again?"
Yusei shrugged. "I help Riku when I can. Sometimes, bending the rules is necessary. Besides, Okada's not exactly clean. Taking him down is doing the world a favor."
Yuki studied Yusei, still trying to understand the dynamic between the two. It was clear they had a long history, but what unsettled her was how easily Yusei, a cop, seemed to slide into Riku's shadowy operations.
"So what's the plan?" Yuki asked, trying to keep up.
Riku pulled out a folded piece of paper and placed it on the table. "This is a list of Okada's key allies. We're going to turn them against him."
Yusei raised an eyebrow. "Leverage?"
Riku nodded. "Some of these people have just as much to lose as Okada if their involvement in his affairs comes to light. We'll offer them a choice: distance themselves from Okada and cooperate with us, or we expose everything."
Yuki's eyes widened. "You're going to blackmail them?"
Riku leaned back in his chair, his eyes steady on hers. "It's not blackmail if they have a choice."
Yusei chuckled softly. "Riku has a way of framing things to sound… noble."
"But they'll know it was us," Yuki pointed out, her anxiety growing. "Won't that put a target on our backs?"
Riku's expression didn't change. "Not if we control the narrative. We leak just enough information to make them think we're only interested in Okada. Once they realize we can protect them from the fallout, they'll cooperate."
Yuki stared at him, still unsure if she could fully grasp how deep this strategy ran. She had always thought revenge would be simple—just take down the ones who wronged her. But Riku was turning it into a complex web of manipulation and influence.
Yusei leaned back, crossing his arms. "It's a solid plan. Risky, but solid. I'll help smooth things over with anyone who gets nervous."
Riku gave him a nod of acknowledgment. "I appreciate it. But you know this only works if they believe we're the lesser evil."
Yusei's grin widened. "That's not hard to believe with Okada on the other side."
Yuki sat in silence for a moment, absorbing the gravity of what they were about to do. She had thought she was prepared for this, but the more she learned about Riku's methods, the more she realized how deep she had sunk into this world.
Finally, she spoke. "And after this? After we turn his allies against him?"
Riku's eyes darkened slightly, the calm calculation never leaving his gaze. "Then we take Okada down for good."
Later that day, Yuki found herself standing alone on a quiet street corner, waiting for her contact—one of Okada's lesser-known allies. Riku had briefed her on what to say, how to approach the situation. She was nervous, but she had no choice. This was part of the plan.
As she waited, Yuki couldn't shake the feeling that her life had spiraled out of control. She had gone from a victim seeking justice to an active player in a dangerous game of power and manipulation. And Riku… he was more than just the mastermind behind it all. He was the catalyst, the one who made everything happen.
But as much as she admired his skill, she also feared what he was capable of. How much of this was about helping her, and how much was about Riku's own agenda?
The sound of approaching footsteps pulled Yuki from her thoughts. She straightened up, ready to play her part in the next phase of Riku's plan.
Whatever came next, she was in it now.
There was no turning back.
End of Chapter 23