Kira paced the length of her room, her fingers clutching the hem of her sweatshirt. The uncertainty swirled in her mind like a storm.
What should I do? Tell Ryujin about my identity? Stay quiet? Her thoughts were running wild until she finally stopped in her tracks and whispered, "Enough. I need to talk to Renn. He's the only one who knows both sides of me Kira and Luna. If anyone can help me sort this out, it's him."
She stood up and walked briskly around her apartment, checking every electronic device, every window latch, every door bolt making sure nothing was compromised. Only when the place felt secure did she allow herself to breathe.
She returned to the middle of the room, took a deep breath, and tried to refocus. "Let's do some vocal practice... I have to. The concert's in just four days."
Kira opened the track she was meant to perform on Halloween night. Her voice trembled slightly as she began to sing. The melody was haunting, filled with emotion, but her voice faltered. Her tone cracked mid note.
She clutched her throat in frustration and sank back down onto her bed.
"I can't even sing properly," she whispered, more to herself than anyone else. "Should I perform at all? Maybe I should just cancel... but I promised Renn. I can't let him down." Her voice cracked with conflict. "Oh, gosh... what should I do?"
She buried her face into the blanket, rolling side to side as anxiety wrapped around her heart like chains.
Elsewhere in the city
Meanwhile, in a dim room lit only by the glow of several screens, Kairos sat hunched over his system, his fingers flying across the keyboard.
He was pulling surveillance footage, accessing hidden databases, filtering through thousands of lines of code and video files.
Last night's call echoed in his mind. A cold, sharp voice had reached him through the static:
"I want you to investigate the person who attacked Kira Yukimura. Full background, every detail. Discreetly."
Back in the present
Kairos's brows furrowed as he paused a frame of CCTV feed. He leaned forward, zooming in.
"There you are..." he muttered. "So this is where you live, huh? Let's dig deeper..."
He typed a command. Lines of personal data began appearing on the screen. Then his expression changed. His jaw clenched, and the cold edge in his eyes turned to shock.
"What the hell...?"
His chair creaked as he pushed it back slightly, staring at the monitor like it had just betrayed him.
At the same time
Across town, Ryujin stepped once again into the curious little shop the one that had been gnawing at the back of his mind since his last visit.
The bell above the door gave a faint jingle.
The gruff old man from before wasn't at the counter. Instead, a boy barely older than sixteen stood there with scissors in hand, cleaning his station.
"Welcome, sir," the boy said politely. "What would you like to do?"
Ryujin scanned the room suspiciously. His eyes flicked to every shadowy corner.
"I want a haircut," he said, taking a seat without letting his guard down.
"Sure, sir. Right this way."
The boy draped a cloth around Ryujin's shoulders and picked up his scissors. Then, pausing, he asked with innocent curiosity, "Do you really want to cut your hair? I mean... your hair is beautiful."
Ryujin gave a soft laugh. "Yeah, I know. But... because of my hair, my tattoo isn't visible."
The boy's fingers froze.
"You have a tattoo?"
Ryujin nodded and pulled back a strand of hair to reveal the crescent moon on the side of his neck.
The boy's expression changed instantly eyes wide, breath hitching.
Ryujin's gaze narrowed.
"Looks familiar, doesn't it?"
Before the boy could react, his hands shifted the scissors glinting dangerously.
"Stop," Ryujin said coldly, pulling back his jacket just enough to reveal the gun strapped under his arm. "If I were you, I'd rethink that move."
The boy froze, trembling now.
"I don't want to hurt you," Ryujin continued calmly. "But I know Kairos came here for a tattoo. And I know you're the one who gave it to him."
The silence between them stretched tight.
"Tell me everything you know. I don't want to see a kid like you get dragged into this. Help me, and I'll ask the court for leniency."
The boy's lips parted, hesitating between defiance and fear.
But then
Wham!!.
A sharp blow struck the back of Ryujin's head.
His eyes widened in shock as he stumbled forward, grasping the edge of the chair to keep upright.
From the shadows, a figure stepped forward, holding a metal rod smeared with crimson.
As Ryujin collapsed, the words tumbled out of his fading consciousness—
"I thought... you wouldn't come... today..."
His body hit the floor.
And the light in his eyes dimmed to black.
---