29 - Between Rion & Akane

Two days have passed since Akane left school. Since then, I haven't seen her again. She's not even been attending school lately.

This morning, the weather finally cleared up. Every day, I've been coming to school earlier than usual, waiting for Akane to appear in class. But she still hasn’t shown up.

I want to apologize to her if we meet again, but… I’m scared she might hate me after that confession. Should I reach out to her first? No… maybe Akane really does need some space to be alone right now.

Meanwhile, Rion has become increasingly popular with the students here, especially with the girls— they seem to follow him around happily.

But one question keeps bugging me: what exactly did he whisper in Akane's ear that day?

I want to confront him directly, to say something to that guy. But those girls act like human shields around him. They form a phalanx, leaving no space for me to get close…

I let out a long sigh.

Right now, Nagi and I are sitting on the school roof, eating our morning bento and discussing Akane's situation. But somehow, this bald guy ended up joining us…

I don’t get why Nagi even allows him to join in our conversation. Even though he’s Nagi’s friend, he’s still an outsider. We're talking about Akane's personal issues here, and it would be dangerous if any of this leaked.

I glare at Nagi, my jaw tightening, veins starting to show on my forehead. "Nagi…" I lower my voice as much as possible, yet still put pressure on it.

"He-he's the one who insisted on coming along!!" Nagi quickly answers, panic clearly etched on his face as he feels my piercing stare.

"Yo! Why do you guys look at me like that? Don’t you both trust my abilities? Hmph. I may not seem like it, but I can be useful, you know?" Kaito says, looking a bit hurt. He scratches his head, seemingly searching for a way to prove he’s not just some nuisance.

"Useful? Nagi, are you sure we can trust this guy?" I narrow my eyes skeptically.

"Not really," Nagi replies curtly, without hesitation.

"WHAT?! YOU REALLY DON’T TRUST ME THAT MUCH?!" Kaito shouts in frustration, his loud voice shattering the quiet rooftop.

Nagi and I nod at the same time.

Seeing our reaction, Kaito sighs in frustration, his eyes looking as if they might tear up. "Jeez… you guys are so mean. I may be an outsider, but I genuinely want to help."

"Besides, Akane-san's father's company once helped my sister. I just want to repay that debt, by helping his daughter solve her problem," Kaito explains, sounding defeated.

...

I start to feel a little sorry for him.

"Alright, Takeda-kun. Prove to us that you can be of use."

Kaito’s eyes light up the moment he hears me start to believe him. "Alright then! Here we go— I got this info from Chiharu."

"Apparently, Akane-san hasn’t been able to come to school because of her family pressure. It’s all because of Rion-san's parents; they’re relentlessly pushing Akane-san to go through with the marriage," Kaito explains.

Chiharu? That name rings a bell. If I’m not mistaken, Nagi mentioned her to me once. She's Kaito's younger sister, right?

"Is your information reliable?" I ask, still uncertain.

Kaito nods, his face showing conviction. "Yes. Akane-san's father’s company is quite close with my sister. She's an influencer, so they often ask her to promote their brands."

"Then… how did your sister— Chiharu-san— find out about that information? Isn’t this a personal matter, not business?" Nagi asks, puzzled.

"My sister initially just felt something was off. The company that usually contacted her suddenly stopped for two weeks."

"Then yesterday, she accidentally saw a car from Yamashita’s rival company, the Yamamoto family. Chiharu eavesdropped on them talking about this. That’s where she got the information," Kaito continues.

WAIT. ISN’T THAT ILLEGAL?!

Thankfully, Kaito only told this to us…

Still, what Kaito just said feels hard to believe, almost like fiction. But— if the situation is truly that serious, this can’t be dismissed as a minor issue. I can’t just sit by idly.

Before I knew it, my fingers had clenched tightly, nails digging into my palms. My lips pressed together, holding back the ache in my chest.

Could it be that… Akane is merely a pawn in this arranged marriage, a piece in a larger conflict between these two companies?

No… That can’t be the true story. I may not be entirely certain, but— one thing I do believe: no matter how harsh a parent, they must still care for their child in some way, no matter what.

Suddenly, an image of my own mother comes to mind. Her face with that cold smile, eyes never really seeing me, always buried in her books. I never saw any warmth or concern from her.

I quickly shake my head, trying to dispel those bitter memories.

Maybe that’s just a false belief— a hope I had as a child, wanting to be seen by my mother. Though I now understand not all parents are good, I still… Can’t help but force myself to believe.

But this isn’t the time for self-pity. Focus, Yuichi…!

We need to act fast. Thanks to Kaito’s information, I at least know what I need to do. The objective is clear.

"Thank you, Takeda-kun."

"YES!" My simple thanks makes Kaito overly excited. He raises his hands and jumps up and down like a kid… But that’s not important right now.

As he said, the Yamamoto family and the Yamashita family are rival companies. That’s the key.

The arranged marriage isn’t about love, or even family. It’s a strategy.

I may not understand much about corporate rivalries, but I’m certain of one thing: this marriage isn’t just about money. It’s about power. They want to place “influence” within their opponent. Through this marriage, they’ll gain leverage within each other's companies.

I’m sure both families are aware of the risks, yet they’re still going through with this marriage as a form of competition.

One thing’s for sure: until the marriage is completed, these two families remain rivals.

If I can convince one of the families, maybe... just maybe... this marriage can still be canceled.

I look at Nagi with a determined expression, unable to hold back a wide grin. "Nagi!" I call out his name with excitement.

Nagi nods slowly. Without needing an explanation, he seems to understand.

Alright. I’ve already thought through the plan; execution can come later. Right now, what’s more important is bringing Akane back to our side.

I’ll go to her villa after school today.

***

As soon as the school bell rings, Nagi and I dash out of the classroom— no time for small talk. We head to the bus stop, catching the quickest ride to Akane’s villa.

Throughout the journey, my mind is filled with endless possibilities. What’s going on there? Why hasn’t Akane shown up at school since that day? And… Rion. That guy. Just thinking about his face makes me want to punch something.

After a twenty-minute ride, the bus finally stops in front of the villa. A chilly breeze hits my face as I step off. The villa hasn’t changed much since the last time I was here.

I’m reminded of Akane’s laughter as she forced me to dress up like a Barbie doll back then. What once was a happy memory now leaves a bitter taste.

I take a deep breath, trying to calm myself before ringing the doorbell at the villa's large iron gate.

Time feels slow as I wait, and when the door finally opens, a maid appears, running frantically. Her face is pale, and her breath is ragged.

"Oh! You’re… Akane-san’s friend, right?" Her voice is full of hope, but beneath it lies a fear too deep to ignore.

I nod slowly. "Yes…"

"Please… help Miss Akane-san… She’s… she’s arguing with Mr. Rion-san upstairs!" she says quickly, her voice trembling. The maid’s eyes... I can see there’s something more than ordinary fear. This is beyond a mere argument.

Wait… Rion..? That guy… is already here?

I glance at Nagi with a meaningful look, no words needed. He understands. We don’t have much time.

"Sorry!" I nearly shout, rushing past the gate the maid just opened. Without waiting another second, we sprint toward the villa. I don’t bother taking off my shoes or thinking twice. I don’t care about the dust or the floors we step on— none of that matters now. All that matters is Akane.

In the journey, we almost bumped into several servants along the way, but there was no time to apologize. The expression of the servant earlier kept haunting me. Something's not right here.

Once we reached the long hallway leading to Akane’s room, I noticed many things had changed. The photos that used to hang on the walls— our childhood memories— were gone. Every frame was empty, as if everything from Akane's past had been erased.

This is definitely not a good sign. She must be suffering, and I wasn't there for her...

I stopped in my tracks. My heart was pounding faster when I saw someone coming out of her room.

White hair, sharp eyes... I instantly recognized him. Rion.

He looked at me with a sly grin, his face full of satisfaction that made me want to punch his arrogant face. How could he be left alone with Akane in there? What did he do to her?!

My body went stiff, as if frozen in place. My mind was racing, but my body refused to move. Could it be... am I... too late?

Rion stepped closer, each step calm and measured, like a predator about to capture its prey. He reached out his hand, trying to grab my shoulder. But in a flash, Nagi swatted his hand away roughly.

"What do you want?" Nagi’s voice was flat, but his gaze was sharp, locking onto Rion.

Rion just smirked, pulling his hand back while glaring at both of us with a mocking look.

TO BE CONTINUED.