Midnight Regret | SANO. Manjirou (Sequel)

Mikey's POV

I try to focus on Draken’s words, but my mind keeps drifting back to Yuna. The warehouse feel colder than usual, the silence more oppressive. My captains are talking, discussing Streetwolves gang, the ghost who showed up at the shrine uninvited, but all I can think about is Yuna’s hand in his.

D

raken’s voice breaks through my thoughts again. "Mikey, you listening?"

"Yeah, I’m here," I mumble, trying to snap out of it. But it's hard. Every time I close my eyes, I see Yuna’s worried expression as she looks at Sasuke, her hand gripping his to keep him out of trouble. The way she cares about him... it feels like a knife twisting in my chest.

Kazutora leans forward, his voice calm but serious. "We need to decide what to do about Ghost. He can’t just show up without permission."

I nod, though my mind is elsewhere. Sasuke... is he really Yuna’s boyfriend? Has she been playing me this whole time? I feel stupid, like a fool who’d believed every lie she’d told me.

Kakucho chimes in, his eyes glancing at me with concern. "Mikey, what do you think? Should we keep an eye on him?"

I want to answer, to be the leader they needed, but my thoughts are consumed by Yuna. How can she do this to me? How could she pretend to care about me while she had someone else? My heart aches with every beat, each one a reminder of how much I've loved her, how much I still love her despite everything.

Draken’s voice brings me back again. "Mikey, we need your decision."

I take a deep breath, trying to focus. "Yeah, keep an eye on him. We can’t have him causing trouble."

The captains nod, satisfied with my answer, but I can see the worry in their eyes. They kniw something is wrong, but they don’t press. Not yet.

As they continue to discuss, my mind wander back to the shrine. I remember Yuna’s soft smile, the way her eyes sparkled when she looked at me. Was any of it real? Or had she been pretending all along? The thought makes my chest tighten. I feel betrayed, like everything I know is a lie.

Takemichi speak up, his voice tentative. "Mikey, are you okay?"

I force a smile, though it feels hollow. "I’m fine. Just tired."

But I'm not fine. I'm far from it. Every word they said about Ghost feels like a dagger, each one twisting deeper into the wound Yuna has left. I want to believe it isn’t true, that she isn’t with Sasuke, but the evidence is there. Her hand in his, her worried expression... it all pointed to one thing.

I try to focus on the meeting, to be the leader they need, but my thoughts keep drifting back to Yuna. The pain is almost unbearable, a constant ache in my chest. I feel like I'm drowning, and no matter how hard I try, I can’t find a way to the surface.

The meeting dragged on, the voices around me blending into a dull hum. I nod at the right times, give orders when need, but my heart isn’t in it. All I can think about is Yuna and Sasuke, and the pain of knowing she might have been playing me all along.

As the captains continue to talk, I glance around the warehouse, trying to find something to anchor myself. The cold metal, the dim lights, the smell of oil... it's all familiar, but it didn’t bring me any comfort. Nothing did. Not anymore.