Tomoya’s gaze shifted downward, his thoughts weighed with indecision. He found himself torn over whether to disclose the troubling information about Kim and Kaiser to Junel.
Though the knowledge pressed at the edges of his mind, he felt that the moment was not yet ripe for such a revelation. He hesitated, contemplating the strategic advantage this secret could offer should he need to use it against Junel—perhaps for leverage in the future?
His eyes then moved to Takumi, unable to read the thoughts behind his cousin's stoic demeanor, though he suspected their minds were converging on the same conclusion.
The connection between Junel’s cryptic account, Jess’s warnings about the portal, and the figure of Kaiser seemed to form a damning link. If what they suspected was true, Kaiser could very well be the orchestrator behind the underground syndicates Rener had alluded to.
“So, it’s indeed true,” Takumi’s voice, calm but firm, startled Tomoya, compelling him to rise abruptly.
“You knew?” Tomoya asked, his voice a mix of surprise and disbelief.
Takumi gave a subtle nod. “Jay informed me earlier. Ruby confirmed it, and now Junel,” he replied, his tone was deliberate and low. “At first, I suspected Scott. His transformation after Shane’s disappearance seemed too calculated, too coincidental. Then, his sudden eagerness to assist in the search for her following his relationship revelation with Jess only deepened the mystery. While I believe Scott is hiding something, I’m not convinced it’s as profound as he lets on. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been willing to take a bullet for Kathleen.”
Takumi moved toward Samantha, his keen eyes noting the diminishing flow of the IV drip. With practiced precision, he adjusted it, ensuring the steady infusion of fluids. He cast a quick glance at Junel and Tomoya before speaking.
"I believe Scott’s feisty, heartless, and ruthless demeanor was merely a façade," he remarked with a sense of finality.
"It was a calculated display—intended to mislead us into believing he was at the heart of everything. That’s why I allowed him to join the search for Shane when he requested it. He deliberately showcased that side of himself, likely to draw us into the false assumption that he was deeply involved. And while he is involved, he is certainly not the mastermind behind it all."
Tomoya, once again, found himself silently admiring Takumi’s sharp intellect, impressed by how his cousin could unravel even the most intricate layers of deception with such clarity.
“Now, let me pose a question, Junel,” Takumi’s tone was composed, his demeanor calm yet probing. “Now that you have this knowledge about those close to you, what do you intend to do next?”
Tomoya glanced at Junel, who barely moved, the faintest twitch of his eyelid betraying his inner conflict. The question was not one he could easily answer, and after a long, heavy sigh, he fell into silence.
Takumi understood the weight of the moment. There were many questions left unasked, but he decided to give Junel the time to process. Such revelations were difficult for anyone, let alone someone just regaining consciousness.
Takumi had offered Junel the option to leave, yet the man had opted to stay for the time being. Despite his willingness, Takumi assigned someone to keep watch over him, but Junel was moved to a different room to spare them from the task of relocating all the medical equipment surrounding Samantha.
“What’s your plan now, nii-san?” Tomoya asked, carefully smoothing out Samantha’s blanket. “You’re not planning to let him go, are you?”
“Not exactly,” Takumi replied, his voice thoughtful. “Junel feels as though he’s been cornered, betrayed by everyone he once trusted. At the moment, he sees us as his only option until he figures out what to do next.”
Tomoya considered this for a moment. “So, you’re intending to leverage him against Kaiser?”
Takumi’s expression remained unchanged as he nodded. “It’s up to him, ultimately. I’m not eager to drag him into this supernatural struggle—he’s only human.”
Tomoya chuckled softly. “We’re human too, you know. Sure, we’ve got ties to demons, but we’re still human. Who knows? Christian developed the ability to see the dead after Shane’s disappearance. Maybe Junel will uncover something useful in the process.”
“Ah?” Takumi chuckled, his interest piqued, making Tomoya blink in surprise.
“You tell me,” Takumi continued, his eyes narrowing slightly. “I noticed your hesitation the moment you walked through that door.” He gestured vaguely to where Junel had been lying earlier. “What was it you were going to say? It seems important.”
Tomoya grimaced, realizing that Takumi had caught onto something he hadn’t expected. Nothing escaped his cousin’s sharp gaze.
Tomoya shifted his chair a little closer to Samantha, then began rummaging through the bedside table drawers, retrieving a small kit. Takumi took a seat by the door, observing quietly.
“I found something out about Kaiser and Kim,” Tomoya began, opening the kit and pulling out alcohol pads and wet wipes. He carefully began to clean Samantha's fingers as he spoke.
“That night when I met Jess at the hospital?” He continued, glancing at Takumi. “It was the same night I saw Kaiser and Kim kissing at a gas station.”
Takumi didn’t react, his expression calm, as though he were hearing a mere story, but Tomoya could tell he was listening intently.
“It’s clear they’ve been seeing each other behind Junel’s back for quite some time. I even started to doubt if the child Junel had with her is his. The way they kissed—those weren’t the same people we see every day at the hospital. They were different. So different.”
“Why didn’t you tell him, then?”
Tomoya shrugged nonchalantly. “I don’t know. I feel like I can use it against Junel when the time comes—or maybe against Kim, or better yet, Kaiser.”
Takumi sighed “Oh, Tomoya. We already know Kaiser’s behind those kidnappings. You really think a little infidelity is going to make him waver?” He shook his head. “People like that don’t feel remorse—not unless it serves them.”
“Yeah, I thought the same. Maybe I’m just minding my own business, so I chose to stay quiet.” Tomoya chuckled, then moved to clean Samantha’s other hand. As he prepared to wipe it down, a sudden thought struck him. He looked at Takumi with alarm.
“W-Wait. What about Kathleen?” Tomoya stammered. “She was planning to bind herself to a demon last night, right? To help Shane and Christian?”
Takumi stayed composed, dismissing his cousin's concern. "Calm down. There was no demon. We sealed the portal. Plus, Shane is here, and Christian's awake. What would she need the binding for?"
Tomoya’s brow furrowed, confusion creasing his face. “But how can you be sure? That portal literally spit Shane’s body out.”
“Have you forgotten? The only being able to pass through that portal has to have a physical human body. That’s why Shane’s body is here with us now."
Tomoya blinked, processing this new piece of information. “So, everything Theresa said about Kathleen dying... it was all just a bluff?”
“We must’ve altered whatever vision she saw. After all, everything she experiences can be changed.”
Tomoya sighed deeply, returning to clean Samantha’s hands. “But I think you should go see her. You know she doesn’t have anyone here, except her father—who, by the way, we haven’t even informed about any of this.”
Takumi paused, considering it. “I’ll send someone to check on her and process the things she needs.”
“I think you should go, nii-san,” Tomoya insisted, his tone firm. "You should ask her about what she saw when she collapsed, too. She might tell you the entire truth."
Takumi raised an eyebrow, sensing his cousin’s urgency, but he agreed. After all, he did have plans to return to that cursed hospital—to meet with an old acquaintance.
••••
The hospital rooftop was eerily still, bathed in the pale light of the moon, casting long, twisted shadows across the cracked concrete. The faint hum of distant city traffic was the only sound that pierced the heavy silence. The air was thick, charged with an unnerving tension that seemed to cling to the place like a shroud. Faded, rusted metal railings lined the edges, their once-sturdy frames now warped with age, threatening to crumble with the slightest touch. Scattered debris—forgotten cigarette butts, a torn plastic bag, a single shattered glass bottle—lay strewn across the rooftop, forgotten remnants of a place once used for more mundane purposes.
Takumi and Victor’s footsteps echoed like distant thunder in the quiet night, reverberating off the concrete walls. There was a palpable sense of something lurking in the air, something unseen but deeply felt. The rooftop, with its dilapidated state, seemed almost like a graveyard of forgotten memories—every corner seemed to hide something, every shadow could hold a secret. The faintest breeze stirred the remnants of paper and dust, like a whisper too soft to understand.
Takumi stopped a few paces away from Victor, his stance calm but eyes sharp. Victor’s lips curled into a mocking grin as he leaned against the rusted railing, his posture relaxed but his eyes glinting with something dangerous beneath the facade.
“Ahh, Takumi, my guy. I believe you’re paying me a visit this time, ah?” Victor’s voice was laced with amusement, but there was something unsettling in his tone.
Takumi’s lips quirked into a faint smile, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “Of course. How can I call myself a friend if I don’t, Victor?”
The words hung between them, heavy with unspoken tension. As they stood there, the silence stretched, the space between them growing thicker with every passing second. The moonlight cast long shadows over their faces, revealing the cold calculation in Takumi’s eyes and the unsettling amusement in Victor’s. The rooftop, with its abandoned, decaying presence, seemed the perfect stage for the confrontation.
Victor’s grin faltered for a moment as his eyes flicked to the shadows, but he quickly masked it with a renewed smirk. “You know, I didn’t think you’d be the type to come out here, alone.” His voice dropped, as if to test the atmosphere, sending a chill through the night. “You’re brave... or foolish. Or maybe both.”
Takumi didn’t flinch, his gaze never leaving Victor’s. “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t have a purpose.”
Victor’s smile grew, but it was a predatory, dangerous thing now. “Purpose... of course..."