“What?” the stranger snapped, thrown off.

Daiki didn’t answer directly. He kept his gaze locked on the photo.
“I saw him before you kidnapped me.”

The stranger’s jaw tightened. Dean? That was impossible. He was supposed to be halfway across the world.
“You’re lying,” he hissed. “Last time we talked, he was in America.”

Daiki’s stare didn’t waver.
“And I’m telling you — he’s here. I saw him. He was with someone from my family."

"If you let me go, I’ll take you to him.”

The boy hesitated. It stank of a trap — maybe Daiki was baiting him, waiting to slip a knife between his ribs. But for a heartbeat, the offer tempted him.

He shoved the blade closer.
“You’re lying…” His voice trembled. “I’ll kill you.”

Daiki’s lips twitched — a smirk that didn’t reach his eyes.
“You know what?”

last straw.

Daiki had finally snapped. This kid wasn’t as dangerous as he thought he was.

A soft snap — then the ropes dropped to the floor like dead vines.
“Game over, kid.”

The boy’s eyes widened. Shock froze him a second too long.

In one fluid motion, Daiki snatched the knife and flung the stranger over his shoulder like a sack of rice. The kidnapper had become the captive — upside down, legs kicking uselessly.

“W–what are you doing?! Let me go, you giant gorilla bastard!”

Daiki ignored the muffled curses. He reached into the boy’s pocket, rummaging until his fingers closed around a phone.
“Sorry, kid. Need to borrow this.”

Without a second thought, Daiki headed for the exit—dragging the furious boy like dead weight.

He needed to figure out where he was.

He needed to call someone.

Across the city, Mrs. Cho sat in the back of a black car, her mind miles away, until her phone buzzed with an unknown number. She answered it without thinking.

“Hello?”

A pause. Then came the voice she feared she’d lost:
“Madam… are you okay?”

Her heart clenched. She gestured for the driver to pull over, her breath hitching.
“Where are you? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. Don’t worry about me. Is Ayane safe?” Daiki’s voice was low — steady but soft.

“She’s fine. Still at the mansion,” Cho said, pressing her forehead, tension finally breaking.

A beat of silence… then an unexpected question:
“What about the boy?”

That caught her off guard. She hadn’t expected Daiki to ask about the boy who’d been so hostile toward him.
“He was asleep when I left,” she said gently.

Right now, her mind was too overwhelmed to worry about anything else.

Daiki had vanished after yesterday’s chaos — no one had been able to find him. The only thing that mattered now was that he was alive.

“Where are you? I’ll come get you.”

Daiki glanced at the skyline, a faint smile ghosting his lips.
“Don’t worry. I can see Black Edge from here.”

Mrs. Cho closed her eyes in relief. She knew that old building — half-abandoned, near her restaurant.
Safe ground.

“I see,” she murmured, then added gently,
“Be careful.”

Daiki didn’t answer. He didn’t need to. The silence said enough.

He ended the call, shifted the boy’s weight on his shoulder, and stepped into the night.

His eyes fixed on the dark silhouette of the building ahead.

A smile cracked on his lips.
“Alright, kid. Let’s go see your pal now.”

Dangling upside down, the boy kicked again — fear and confusion fighting in his chest.

He had no idea what he’d started.

And Daiki had no plans to stop now.

To be continued…