The morning air was cold when Yumi stepped out of the apartment.
The city was still, but the street below had already gathered for her.
Rows of men in black suits lined the pavement, heads bowed, hands clasped.
Sleek cars gleamed under the rising light, their polished bodies reflecting her pale figure like a ghost.
In the centre stood Lewis, straight-backed and sharp, "Good morning, Princess." His hand pressed to his chest in greeting. "Boss called for you."
Her expression didn't change. "Father?"
He nodded.
She said nothing and entered the waiting car.
The convoy pulled out in silence, a mechanical parade of black steel gliding through the city streets.
The drive to her father's estate felt longer than usual.
At Her Father's Estate:
The hall was filled with smoke and the faint hum of men speaking quietly.
Her father sat at the head of the table, his eyes like cold iron.
"Ellie," he began, voice steady. "She's been leaking information."
Yumi's stomach turned. "That's not possible."
"It is possible." He shot her a death glare. Shivers run down her spine. Then he continued, "She sold us out to the police." He leaned back, lighting a cigar. "You'll deal with it."
There was no room for refusal.
Yumi nodded once. "Understood."
Her father waved her away. "Make it clean."
When she left the room, her chest felt tight, her breath sharp. She walked into the washroom, locked the door, and gripped the sink until her knuckles turned white. Her reflection looked calm, composed, beautiful even. But her throat ached.
She bent forward and threw up.
The sound echoed in the marble chamber. When it stopped, she rinsed her mouth, staring at the water spiralling down the drain.
Ellie.
A flash of laughter flickered in her mind.
Ellie's grin when they were little, running through her mother's garden with matching ribbons in their hair.
They had shared secrets, dresses, and even their first drink. Ellie had been warm, her warmth, in a house of ice.
"What the fuck," she laughed, voice shaking. "What the fuck am I doing?"
This was the second time in a month. Two people she once trusted. Two, she had called family. Both gone by her own hand or order.
Each death carved out something inside her until she no longer knew what was left.
Lewis waited outside when she emerged. Without a word, he handed her a cigarette.
She took it with shaking fingers.
"We have her location."
She inhaled slowly, the smoke burning through her lungs. "Where?"
He handed her a tablet. "Warehouse by the docks. She's not running."
"Of course not." Yumi exhaled slowly. "She never runs."
-----
The warehouse was empty except for the echo of waves slapping against the pier. Faint light spilled through cracked windows, painting the floor in uneven shades of grey.
Ellie stood near the centre, hands trembling but her chin held high.
Yumi stepped closer, her gun hanging loosely by her side. "Why?"
Ellie's laugh came out thin and shaky. "You wouldn't understand."
"Try me."
"Akito. Takahashi Akito," Ellie's voice softened. "The man I fell in love with. He's tall, gentle, has these ridiculous brown eyes that never stop looking worried." She smiled faintly through tears. "You'd like him, Yumi. You always liked the kind ones."
Yumi's throat tightened. She remembered late-night talks about love and dreams, back when they still had hearts to waste.
"Akito-san confessed to me," Ellie continued, her voice trembling. "But he doesn't know who I am… what I do. He's a police officer."
Yumi's eyes flickered. "…So what."
"I just want to leave," Ellie said, her voice small. "I'm tired, Yumi. I hate this life. I hate who I've become. The only thing I ever loved was you."
Yumi shut her eyes for a moment, swallowing hard. She could feel the weight of the men waiting just outside. One wrong word, one wrong look, and she'd be next.
"I ask again. What are you planning, Ellie?"
"I want to live," Ellie whispered.
"You won't be if you try to leave. You know the code."
"I thought you'd understand." Ellie's tears glistened in the dim light. "You always said you hated this world. You're not like him. You're not like them-"
"Stop talking."
Ellie gave a small, broken laugh. "I knew you wouldn't help me. I knew I couldn't escape. I just wanted you to hear me one last time."
Yumi's breath hitched. "Just stop this, Ellie. Drop it… and come back home to me."
Ellie shook her head. "This isn't home." Her eyes softened. "But I did hope, once… back when we dreamed about the café by the beach. A real home. One where love isn't a crime."
Yumi's jaw clenched. "That was when we were kids. Grow up."
"You've really changed." She took a hesitant step closer. "Do you even remember how to care about anything?"
Yumi's heart twisted painfully, but her tone stayed flat. "Caring gets you killed."
Ellie smiled through her tears. "No, Yumi. This life already killed you."
The words hung between them, heavy as the silence that followed. Outside, the waves crashed against the pier.
Yumi raised the gun. Her hand trembled. Ellie didn't move. She only looked at her, calm but tragic.
"Do what you need to," Ellie whispered. "I hope you're happy with what you choose, Yumi-chan. I pity you."
The shot cracked through the night.
Ellie fell. The echo of it rolled over the docks, swallowed by the sea.
Yumi stood motionless, staring at the body. The smell of salt and gunpowder filled the air, clinging to her clothes, her hair, her skin.
Lewis appeared at the doorway after some time. "It's done, Princess?"
Yumi's voice came out steady. "Dispose of it."
"Yes, ma'am."
She turned away, walking back toward the car. Her vision blurred at the edges, but she didn't stumble. The world felt distant, muffled. She wiped her face, though there were no tears. Just to keep her body awake.
Inside her system, something twisted violently, but she buried it deep.
The day dragged on. Her work was endless, the lights too bright, the noise too sharp. When she checked her bag, the pill bottle was missing. She hadn't taken her meds for over a week.
Still, she pushed through. Meetings, calls, reports. If she stayed busy enough, she wouldn't hear things. Wouldn't see things.
Then the sky had turned black.
The drive home was suffocating. Her chest felt crushed, like the air had been drained from the world. The streetlights blurred into streaks of grey.
When she finally reached the apartment, she stumbled inside and went straight to the kitchen. Drawers slammed open, cupboards rattled.
The noise woke Toji.
She hadn't called for him, that's...strange.