Footsteps In The Dark

Ayame Sano

(The picture is Ayame as an adult in the present)  

Present Time: 2017

Ayame curled a strand of hair behind her ear as she cradled the phone between her shoulder and ear, tracing the contours of the faded photograph with a fingertip. The edges were worn, but the image of two high school sweethearts was still vivid — her and Manjiro Sano, known to all as Mikey, their youthful smiles frozen in time. Her other hand worked diligently at the papers strewn across the desk, organizing the endless affairs of the Tokyo Manji Gang. The corners of her lips quirked up in a nostalgic smile as his voice, vibrant with the same rebellious spark from those days, filled her with familiarity.

"Everything's running smoothly," Ayame assured him, tracing the contours of their younger selves with a finger. "Just the usual updates. Oh, and I've got that meeting soon but don't worry about the meeting; it's routine." Ayame assured him, her voice laced with the confidence that came from leading alongside Mikey for so long.

His laughter crackled through the receiver, a joke about one of their more eccentric members setting the serious tone adrift for a moment. She laughed too, a light, airy sound that seemed at odds with the heavy responsibility they both shouldered.

"Always the joker," she mused, but the tone of Mikey's next words caught her off guard.

"Ayame, I'm serious now," he said quietly, his voice carrying a weight that instantly sobered her. "I love you."

The vulnerability in his declaration sent warmth flooding through her chest. "I love you too, Mikey. So much," she responded softly, her thumb caressing the glass of the frame. "Come back home safely, okay?"

"Promise," he replied before the line went dead, and she was left holding onto the silence that followed.

As she placed the phone down, her attention snapped to the door opening with a soft click. The man who entered wore a familiar face, but his eyes held a cold determination that seemed foreign to her.

"About time you showed up," she started, folding her arms as she took a step forward.

"Let's talk business," the man started without preamble, his eyes scanning the room like he owned it. Ayame straightened, her stance firm, the strength of the Tokyo Manji Gang's leadership coursing through her veins.

"Things need to change, Ayame," he declared bluntly, his gaze never leaving hers.

"Is that so?" Ayame countered, her chin lifted defiantly. "And what do you propose?"

"I'm taking over the Tokyo Manji Gang," he announced, his voice unnervingly steady.

"Mikey's vision is what guides us," Ayame insisted, standing her ground.

"Your loyalty is commendable, but misguided," he countered with a dangerous edge.

Her brow furrowed; disbelief etched onto her features. "You can't be serious, Mikey has always had a vision for this gang," she stated, but the man cut her off with a scoff.

"Listen, His vision is old news. It's time for change. What do you say, Ayame? Be my wife instead, stand by my side."

The words struck her like icy darts, betrayal wrapped in an offer she could never accept. Her shock morphed into fierce resolve. Her heartbeat thundered in her ears. 'Betray Mikey? Never.'

"I would rather die than betray Mikey," she declared, each word slicing through the tension.

"Very well," the man responded coldly. "Your wish... and Mikey will join you soon enough."