Elio Novan has it all-wealth, power, and the success of YUI, the world's leading tech giant. But beneath the surface, his life is anything but perfect. Haunted by a tragic past and a betrayal that left him shattered, Elio has built walls around his...
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The day after the meeting with the investors, I make my way into YUI headquarters. From the moment I cross the threshold, I feel the weight of countless stares and catch snippets of hushed conversations.
"Did you hear? Mr. Novan turned down a proposal from one of our biggest investors!"
"Yeah, some say he did it to protect global safety, but others think he's just trying to keep all of the power to himself."
I walk past the bustling floor, and the tension is thick. The headquarters of YUI, with its sleek, modern design and glass walls, feels colder today, like the place is watching me too. I try to ignore the murmurs and the watchful eyes, keeping my head high. Ignore them... let them talk. It's always the same whispers; no one dares to speak up.
Finally, I reach my office. The polished wood door feels like a safe zone—away from their stares. As soon as I'm inside, I don't waste time. I head straight for the bookshelf, the one that's more than just a bookshelf. "Where's that book... ugh... I can never find it." Ah... here it is. I find the book with "YUI" written vertically on the spine.
With a practiced pull, the shelf clicks. It swings open, just like always. Honestly, this secret door thing... it feels a bit much sometimes, but today? I'll take it. I step through, and the door slides shut behind me, shutting out the noise, the eyes, everything. Finally, some damn peace.
The hidden elevator waits, walls lined with screens. Security feeds, global news, blah blah blah. I press the button, and the elevator starts its descent. I should... probably explain a bit about this whole YUI thing, huh? YUI has five districts. Every one of them has its role, its own piece of the puzzle. It's funny. We run the whole thing, but sometimes... it feels like it runs me.
The first district focuses on making YUI a global powerhouse—our marketing district. Their job is to craft and project the image of YUI to the world, making sure our name is synonymous with innovation and excellence. The second district is dedicated to sales, driving revenue and making sure our products reach every corner of the globe, blah blah blah. The third district, though, that one fascinates me the most—it's dedicated to creating our devices, or as I sometimes think of them, our "slaves." This is where the magic happens, where ideas are turned into tangible, often groundbreaking technology—the creation district. The fourth district is tasked with testing products that are less dangerous but still require meticulous scrutiny—the testing district.
And then there's the fifth district, the hidden gem in YUI's operations: DIAD. They handle all the "dirty work" and test the most dangerous and, well, "interesting" devices. DIAD is shrouded in secrecy, working in the shadows to keep YUI ahead of the curve.
Most employees don't even know DIAD exists. Some district heads think it's a "dead" district, long since shut down. They couldn't be more wrong. DIAD is alive and kicking, a crucial part of YUI's strategy. It's led by two district heads who've been away handling some of YUI's "dirty work." That leaves me to check in occasionally, making sure things stay on track.
