Hidden Secrets

Chapter 72

His gaze wandered over the calm lake, its surface reflecting the pale moonlight of the crescent moon. An indistinct intuition had led him to this place, yet Yaten couldn't explain why he was here. He lifted his beer to his lips and took a large sip before casually flicking away his cigarette.

The idea of becoming a father seemed ludicrous to him. It was something he had never wanted. His profession was too dangerous to have a family. A wife and child would be too vulnerable to potential enemies. It was a decision he had made as a teenager, the moment he had first properly interrogated someone and everyone in his circle knew it.

But the notion that this child was Chiba's seemed even more absurd. Yes, he knew that Minako and he got along well, but still... He couldn't imagine there had ever been more than friendship between him and Minako. On the other hand, Rei was one of her best friends, and they were often guests at the Chiba villa. What went on behind closed doors there, he did not know, and he didn't want to dwell on that thought right now. Another cigarette found its way between his lips as he continued to ponder.

Tomorrow he would have to devise a plan. A plan to get closer to Minako and one to finally free Chibiusa. The fact that he could do nothing but wait at the moment was driving him almost insane.

Suddenly, a strange feeling came over him. It was as if he were no longer alone. His senses sharpened as he listened intently to the silence. But there was nothing – absolute silence, no movement that caught his attention. His hand slid to his ankle, and with a fluid motion, he drew his weapon. A slight tension enveloped him. He was alone out here, but that didn't mean he was safe; quite the opposite. If it was someone from Kenji's people, it would probably end badly for him. Because Rubeus never traveled alone.

Alert, he glanced over his shoulder and then turned in the other direction. After not spotting anyone at first glance, he rose to his feet. His instincts rarely erred, especially not in such critical moments, yet his desire to find and confront a potential observer was limited. However, his senses were still heightened to the extreme; every little detail was registered by his attentive mind. But there was nothing – absolute silence, no movement that caught his attention.

He concluded that if someone was here, they must be in the shelter of the trees at the edge of the forest. If someone was watching him or planning something, there was only one option: to lure them out. In the dense shadows of the forest, they would be difficult to spot. His gaze remained focused on the edge of the forest for another moment, barely discernible in the darkness, before his fingers tightened around the trigger of his weapon, and he turned around, ready for action.

His target was the nearby park. There, a sprawling meadow stretched out, and if he was really being watched, the pursuer would have to reveal themselves there to continue trailing him.

Meanwhile, Minako pressed herself further against the tree trunk. She could hardly bring herself to breathe. Again and again, she risked a furtive glance around the tree towards Yaten, but she couldn't bring herself to approach him. When he rose to his feet and took a few steps towards her, she hoped only that he hadn't spotted her. Her heart pounded so loudly that she feared it would pierce the silence and lead him straight to her. She kept her eyes tightly shut and felt only the rough bark beneath her fingers.

After several tense minutes, she loosened her grip slightly. Her curiosity won out, and she cautiously peered around the trunk again. Yaten had turned to leave and was slowly moving away from her. She breathed a sigh of relief. It was the first time since her staged death that she had seen him in person. Her heart seemed to urge her to follow him and finally explain everything, but her feet remained as if turned to stone in place. Her mind simply wasn't ready, and she doubted it ever would be. Although she was aware that she couldn't avoid him forever, especially if she stayed in Tokyo. Likewise, she knew his persistence and resources; it would be difficult not to encounter him, but she was determined to avoid this conversation for as long as possible. Because she knew it wouldn't be an easy conversation, and her concerns lay elsewhere.