Takumi’s piercing gaze never wavered from Victor’s. The tension between them was almost tangible, stretching like a taut string that could snap at any moment. Both men stood firm, silently measuring each other, their expressions unreadable, yet each fully aware of the weight of the confrontation.
Victor finally broke the silence, letting out a dry, almost forced chuckle. “I believe we agreed to meet to talk,” he said, his voice calm but edged with unease. “What is it that you want?”
Takumi’s expression hardened, his eyes narrowing as he stepped forward, closing the gap between them. “How is that even a question?” His voice was low, deliberate, every word laced with disdain. “I heard from someone that you escaped that place after making a deal with some demon…” He trailed off briefly, studying Victor’s reaction. Then his lips curled into a thin smile, one devoid of warmth. “But that doesn’t matter now.”
Victor tilted his head, his grin faltering just slightly. “So, what does matter, Takumi?”
“What matters,” Takumi continued, his tone growing sharper, “is why you’re here. After everything, do you still seek vengeance?”
Victor’s smile disappeared altogether, replaced by a guarded expression. He leaned slightly forward, his hands shoved into his coat pockets, his voice dropping into a quiet, ominous tone. “And if I do? What then?”
Takumi didn’t flinch. Instead, he crossed his arms, his eyes as cold as ice. 
"Then we better end everything here tonight."
Victor’s laughter echoed through the air, sharp and mocking. “Oh, please. There’s no need for that melodrama. We both know you betrayed me when I was foolish enough to trust you, but…” He paused, a sinister grin spreading across his face. “That doesn’t matter now.” His voice dripped with mockery as he repeated Takumi’s words, twisting them for his own amusement.
He shrugged, his tone suddenly light but laced with an undercurrent of malice. “Believe me when I tell you, I don’t hold any grudges. But,” he added, his eyes gleaming with an unsettling intensity, “my demon and I? We have… unique terms and conditions. Cursed souls like yourself could never understand.”
Takumi remained silent, his expression unreadable. His eyes bore into Victor, searching for any cracks in his facade. To his surprise, Victor seemed genuine—or at least convinced of his own words.
Victor smirked, taking Takumi’s silence as an invitation to continue. “I move as she pleases, and that brought me here. I don’t seek revenge, Takumi.” His voice grew softer, almost contemplative. “But now that we’re face to face…”
“Don’t play games with me, Victor,” Takumi interrupted, his tone dangerously low. “If you plan to harm anyone in my circle, you know you won’t succeed.”
Victor groaned theatrically, rolling his eyes. “Puh-lease. I know you severed your ties with your demon a long time ago. He’s not going to swoop in to save you, is he? You’re on your own now.”
Takumi’s fists clenched at his sides, but his expression remained stoic. He couldn’t let Victor see the flicker of doubt creeping into his thoughts.
"But then again, I'm not here for personal reasons," Victor said, scratching the back of his head before pointing to the name tag clipped to his white coat. The bold letters displayed his title as a doctor in the very hospital they were standing in.
"I may not be your ally, nor am I your foe," he continued, his voice calm but edged with warning. "However, since I move according to my mission, I’d suggest you keep your guard up."
Victor glanced at his wristwatch and sighed, feigning impatience. "Now, if there’s nothing urgent you need from me, I must excuse myself. I still have patients to attend to."
Takumi didn’t respond, his eyes cold and unreadable as he stood in Victor's path. He made no effort to move when Victor attempted to pass, forcing the larger man to squeeze through the narrow gap left between Takumi and the doorframe.
Victor descended a few steps down the stairwell before pausing. His carefree demeanor evaporated when Takumi’s voice called after him.
“What’s the other realm like?”
Victor froze, his eyes fixed on the stairs ahead. Memories he’d tried to bury surged to the surface—visions of clawed hands, gaping maws, and the suffocating weight of darkness. The terror of facing demons who hungered for his very soul had nearly broken him. His jaw tightened, and a shadow passed over his face.
Without turning fully back, he glanced at Takumi, who remained unmoving, his head slightly turned, eyes cast sideways.
“Go find out yourself,” Victor muttered, his voice hollow yet sharp with bitterness. Then, without another word, he disappeared down the stairs.
Takumi massaged his temples in frustration, his thoughts swirling like a storm. He had come here with a purpose, but the bitter taste of his own pride held him back from uttering the words he needed to say.
He had sought out Victor for help—something Takumi rarely did—but their shared history was a festering wound that made it almost impossible to ask. The memory of his betrayal was vivid, haunting. Takumi had not just wronged Victor; he had used him, manipulated his trust, and ultimately sacrificed him in a desperate attempt to cross into the other realm.
Now, years later, Takumi could only imagine the horrors Victor had endured during his time trapped there. He had likely been exposed to the raw chaos of the realm, surviving in ways Takumi couldn’t begin to comprehend.
But Takumi’s desperation outweighed his shame. He needed to know if it was possible for someone stuck in that realm to return unscathed—or, at the very least, if they could come back without the scars of their imprisonment. It wasn’t just a theoretical question; it was about Samantha. Her reappearance was inexplicable, and the gnawing fear that it came with a hidden cost had taken root in his mind.
Victor might hold the answers, but Takumi’s hesitation, born of guilt and pride, left him standing there, unsure if he could bridge the chasm he had created between them.
"Where should I really begin?" Takumi muttered under his breath, his voice barely audible over the stillness of the hospital rooftop. He lingered for a moment longer, his thoughts heavy and unresolved, before turning on his heel and heading for the exit.
Descending the hospital steps, he made his way to the sleek black car waiting at the entrance. The door opened seamlessly as Mr. Otonashi, his ever-loyal butler since Rener's departure, greeted him with a respectful nod.
"Where should we go, young master?" Mr. Otonashi inquired with his usual composed demeanor.
"In the asylum," Takumi replied without hesitation, settling into the backseat.
The car smoothly pulled away from the hospital, the dim city lights reflecting off its polished surface. It had been months since Takumi last visited the asylum. His quest with Kathleen to bring Samantha back had consumed him entirely, forcing him to take an extended leave from his duties.
As the car navigated through the winding roads, Takumi found himself staring out the window, the faint glow of streetlights casting fleeting shadows across his face. The asylum loomed ahead, a place once teeming with answers and riddles alike. 
The authorities had likely seized most of Samantha's belongings from her office for their ongoing investigation, leaving Takumi little to work with. Still, he was determined to find something—a trace, a clue—that might shed light on her circumstances and help him navigate her enigmatic behavior.
He had considered relying on Kathleen’s insights, knowing she had a deep understanding of Samantha. But Kathleen’s joy at reuniting with her long-lost friend had clouded her judgment, rendering her oblivious to anything unusual about Samantha’s actions.
Takumi’s thoughts were interrupted by a vibration in his pocket. He pulled out his phone to find a text message from Tomoya:
"I tracked Scott's whereabouts, but I lost contact. Upon checking, no planes, private nor public, have departed the country either. However, this doesn’t confirm he’s still here since I couldn’t get access to records of any sea travels."
Takumi frowned. The message hinted at more complications, and the uncertainty surrounding Scott’s location only added to the growing list of mysteries.
They needed Scott. If Takumi’s theories about Samantha were correct, his presence could make or break everything. Every vital possession—they couldn’t afford to miss a single piece of the puzzle. 
Takumi had always known that bringing Samantha back would come with heavy consequences. But he wasn’t prepared for the weight of those consequences when they hadn’t even managed to retrieve her correctly.
Takumi rubbed his temples in frustration, the weight of the situation pressing down on him. He didn’t want to admit it, but in that moment, all he could do was wish he could meet Rener again.
If only... things had gone differently.