A short while later, Helen returned while Mia tried to settle into the spacious room. She sat on the edge of the couch, watching Yohan for a mont before asking,
"You said you were attacked by a man on a bike...?"
"Yeah," Yohan replied. "With a tal bat."
Helen let out a long, painful sigh. "This is definitely Hatoru’s doing. I already have a hunch who attacked you." She leaned forward. "His na is Spike. According to our records, he’s carried out nurous hits for Hatoru—leaving most of his victims hospitalized."
"We managed to detain him once," she continued, voice hardening, "but Hatoru pulled strings and got him released without charges. Most of Spike’s victims ended up dead, so there wasn’t anyone to testify."
Helen looked at Yohan with a new intensity. "The fact you survived—barely scratched—is huge. And You said you saw his face. If we can confirm that, we can finally arrest him and make him pay for everything he’s done. We’ll make him kneel before the law,"
Yohan didn’t share her enthusiasm. His gaze stayed fixed on the floor as he turned her words over. Normally Helen’s plan would’ve been the obvious one, but—
"Is that going to bring down Hatoru?" he asked finally, looking up.
Helen hesitated. She couldn’t honestly say yes. Over the years the police had nabbed a few of Hatoru’s n, but none were willing to point a finger at him. They’d sooner go to prison than say his na while in custody.
Even if they did, Hatoru would just find a way to wriggle himself out.
"I’m going away," Yohan said. "It’s the only way I would be able to take him down."
"Going away to where?" Helen’s voice tightened with concern.
"I don’t know yet," he admitted. "But sowhere he can’t easily follow."
"Then what do you plan to do once you’re there?" she asked.
"I’ll find solid evidence—sothing that brings his whole empire down," Yohan said, voice low but steady. "I already have a lead"
"Yohan, you shouldn’t do anything dangerous. Let the police handle this," Helen protested.
"I’m sorry, but I can’t trust the police when the people I care about are at risk," he answered.
Helen opened her mouth to argue, then shut it. His logic left her with nothing to say. After a mont she exhaled. "If you’re set on this, you have to be extrely careful. You already know how dangerous he is."
"Yeah, I will. The massage parlor will stay closed for now, so Mia and Remi can stay here safely." He looked at her, guilt flickering across his face. "I’m sorry for putting this on you."
"It’s fine," Helen said softly. "I’m glad I can help. And the girls seem like good kids, so it shouldn’t be much of a burden."
He got to his feet. "I should get going."
"Huh? Why don’t you just spend the night and leave tomorrow?"
He considered it for only a few seconds. "I can’t. They might already know about this place, and I don’t know if I’d be able to lose them again if they show up during the day. It’s just best I leave tonight."
"But... you said you don’t even know where you’re going?" Helen pressed.
"That doesn’t matter. I’ll just spend the night in a hotel. I already told you not to worry too much—I can handle myself."
Helen wanted to protest further, but she let it go. "Okay," she said quietly.
Just then, Remi shuffled into the living room, rubbing her sleepy eyes.
"Boss, when did you get here?" She asked.
Yohan turned toward the small voice. Remi stood in the hallway, her hair ssy and her pajama sleeve half-slipped off one shoulder.
"Remi," he said softly, forcing a smile. "You should be asleep by now."
"I heard voices," she mumbled, shuffling closer. "Are you leaving again?"
The question hit harder than he expected. He crouched a little, his good arm resting on his knee. "Yeah... I have to take care of sothing important."
"For the shop?" she asked, blinking drowsily.
"Sothing like that," he replied, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "But I’ll be back soon, alright? Be good for Helen."
Remi nodded slowly, her eyelids heavy. "Okay... stop getting in fights so you don’t get injured again."
Yohan chuckled faintly. "I’ll try my best."
Helen watched silently from the doorway, her arms folded. When Remi finally turned back toward her room, Yohan straightened and t Helen’s gaze.
"Take care of them for ," he said quietly.
"I will," she replied. "And Yohan... please, be careful out there."
He gave a small nod, then turned and headed for the door. The hallway outside was silent, the faint hum of the city leaking in through the windows.
By the ti the elevator doors slid shut, the weight of what lay ahead pressed down on him again—cold, heavy, and inevitable.
Yohan climbed into his car and shut the door, letting out a long sigh before starting the engine and zooming off.
"I have to find sowhere to blend in—and sowhere from which I can reach Hatoru."
He glanced at the photo of Izumi, Hatoru’s granddaughter, tucked in the back seat.
"I know where I need to go," he said aloud. "Crestview City College. If I can find Izumi there, I can get to Hatoru."
He flinched at how he’d said it. ’Use her to get to Hatoru’. The words sounded wrong, cold and calculating. He was about to drag an innocent person into a dangerous ga and he speaking about it so casually.
’Maybe’, he told himself, ’being related to Hatoru already made her a part of the problem... or at least a solution’
Seeing her as an enemy would make it easier. But the thought didn’t sit right. He was doing exactly what he told the loan shark not to do, and deep down he knew it was wrong.
’I know there’s no justifying it, and at this point I don’t really mind. It’s either her or my family’
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