Riku sat in the darkness of his apartment, the soft glow of the city casting faint patterns across the floor. He had been here before—waiting, planning, calculating. Everything was in motion, but there was one variable that was always unpredictable: human emotion. He had seen it many times. People thought they wanted revenge, but when they were faced with the reality of it, their emotions would cloud their judgment.
Yuki was no exception.
He knew she wasn't going to stay put, no matter how much he had tried to shield her. She was broken, yes, but not passive. She had fire, determination. And people like her—they couldn't just sit by and watch while someone else took over their fight.
Riku let out a small breath, glancing at the second phone lying on the table. A special one. He had set up something in advance, anticipating that Yuki wouldn't follow his instructions. This wasn't the first time he had dealt with someone like her.
As if on cue, the phone vibrated, signaling a notification.
He picked it up, reading the message.
"Target has left the safe house. Tracking active."
A small, knowing smile curled on his lips. Yuki had taken the bait. She thought she was acting of her own will, trying to rebel against him, but Riku had already anticipated her every move. The moment she stepped out of the safe house, she had triggered a signal. He knew exactly where she was headed.
"Predictable," he muttered to himself.
He tapped the screen, opening a secure app that displayed Yuki's location in real-time. She was making her way through the backstreets, likely thinking she was being clever, evading anyone who might be watching her.
Riku shook his head slightly. "You don't realize, Yuki… I'm always watching."
He stood up, grabbing his coat from the chair, his mind already shifting to the next stage of his plan. He had intentionally made it easy for Yuki to leave. Her defiance played directly into his strategy. Okada would be expecting her to act rashly, and he would focus his attention on her.
That was exactly what Riku wanted.
Yuki moved quickly through the narrow alleys, her breath coming in short bursts. She hadn't told Riku, but she couldn't just sit still and let him handle everything. She had been the one wronged, the one betrayed. It wasn't fair for her to hide while Riku did all the dirty work.
She had to do something.
Her plan was simple—find Okada and confront him. She didn't have the skills or the resources Riku did, but she still had her resolve. And if she could get close enough to Okada, maybe she could finish this once and for all.
As she turned a corner, she paused for a moment, catching her breath. The streets were quiet, almost eerily so. It felt too easy—like no one was looking for her. But her determination pushed her forward. She couldn't stop now.
Little did she know, Riku was already two steps ahead.
Back at Okada's headquarters, the tension was thick. His lieutenants were scrambling, trying to follow the leads on Riku's whereabouts. Every move they made seemed to lead them in circles. Riku's methods were precise, frustratingly so.
Okada paced back and forth in his office, growing more furious by the minute. His patience was wearing thin. Riku had dismantled his operations piece by piece, and now, with his empire on the verge of collapse, Okada's desperation had turned to rage.
Suddenly, one of his men burst into the office, panting heavily. "Boss, we've got something. The girl—Yuki—she's on the move."
Okada's eyes darkened. "Where?"
"She's been spotted near the old warehouse district. Looks like she's trying to come after you."
A cruel smile spread across Okada's face. "Good. Let her come. If we can't get to Riku, we'll use her to draw him out."
He barked orders to his men. "Send a team. Make it look easy for her. Let her get close enough, then grab her. Riku will come running."
The men nodded and quickly left the room, preparing to set the trap.
Riku, watching Yuki's movements on his phone, knew exactly what was about to happen. He had anticipated Okada's next move perfectly. It was only a matter of time before Yuki became the bait. But Riku had already accounted for this.
He opened a separate app on his phone, sending a quick message to his hidden operative.
"Go."
A few blocks away, a figure clad in black received the signal and moved silently into action. This was Riku's backup—a part of his plan that neither Yuki nor Okada knew existed. The moment Yuki walked into the trap, Riku's operative would be there to ensure things didn't spiral out of control.
Riku checked the time. Everything was lining up. Okada was about to make his move, and when he did, the final piece of Riku's plan would fall into place.
Yuki arrived at the warehouse district, her heart pounding in her chest. She felt exposed, vulnerable, but she forced herself to push forward. The old warehouses loomed above her, casting long shadows across the ground.
She wasn't sure what she would do if she actually found Okada. She wasn't strong, she wasn't trained—but she couldn't go back now.
As she stepped deeper into the district, the sound of footsteps behind her made her freeze.
She spun around, but it was too late. Several men, all dressed in black, emerged from the shadows, surrounding her.
Her heart raced. "Riku…" she whispered under her breath, realizing she had walked straight into a trap.
One of the men smirked, stepping forward. "Okada sends his regards. You're coming with us."
Before Yuki could react, the men moved in, grabbing her arms and pulling her toward one of the nearby buildings.
But just as they were about to drag her inside, a low whistle echoed through the alley. The men froze, their eyes scanning the darkness.
From the shadows, Riku's operative emerged, moving with deadly precision. In a matter of seconds, the men were disarmed and incapacitated, leaving Yuki standing in shock.
The operative glanced at her briefly, then spoke into a small earpiece. "Package secured. Proceeding with the plan."
Yuki, still trembling, couldn't believe what had just happened. "Who… who are you?" she asked, her voice barely audible.
The operative didn't respond. Instead, they motioned for her to follow. "You're safe for now. But you need to stay close."
As they led her away, Yuki realized just how deeply Riku had planned everything. He had known she would try to leave. He had known she would be targeted. And he had made sure that, even when she thought she was acting on her own, she was still under his protection.
Riku had been in control the entire time.
Back at his apartment, Riku received the confirmation message from his operative. Everything was proceeding exactly as he had planned. Yuki was safe, and Okada had played right into his hands.
Now, all that was left was the final strike.
Riku leaned back in his chair, the city lights reflecting in his eyes. The game was almost over, and soon, Okada would fall.
And when he did, Riku would be there to watch.
End of Chapter 27