The nights following Yuusuke’s downfall were quiet.
Rin Nanase hadn’t gone out as the Dark Knight since that night. The city felt calmer—yet he couldn’t shake the unease within him. He told himself his role as the Dark Knight was finished; that his duty now was to focus on Nanase Corporations and ensure its technology never fell into the wrong hands.
He needed rest. He needed to heal.
But even in the silence of his mansion, Rin found no peace. His mind was a loop of memories — the warmth of his family, their laughter, and the bloodstained futons that replaced them. Grief still clung to him like a shadow.
A doorbell broke the silence.
Rin glanced toward the front entrance. Standing beyond the door was Chizuru Kawasaki, an old friend — someone who’d been a constant in his life since childhood.
He allowed her inside. Sebastian, the family’s longtime butler, was already preparing an omelette over rice and two glasses of red wine. Soon, Rin and Chizuru were seated in the living room, quietly eating together.
“Didn’t think you’d visit around this time,” Rin said, taking a bite.
“You’re always busy during the day,” Chizuru smiled, lifting her glass. “So I figured I’d stop by at night to say hi.”
“How thoughtful of you.”
She chuckled softly. “We’ve been friends since we were kids. I don’t think I’ll ever let go of you.”
Rin looked up, his tone softening. “I could say the same to you.”
He finished his meal, sipping from his wine glass.
“I really thought I lost you during those three years,” Chizuru admitted quietly.
Rin set his glass down, meeting her eyes. “I’m here now, aren’t I?”
She nodded slowly. The room fell silent — until their gazes locked.
Without a word, they leaned forward, lips meeting in a gentle kiss.
Rin’s hand rose to her cheek, thumb caressing her skin as Chizuru shifted, moving to sit on his lap. Her arms wrapped around his neck; his free arm encircled her waist, pulling her close as the kiss deepened.
Then — a phone rang.
Rin broke the kiss, reaching for the device on the table. The screen flashed: Private Caller.
“Who is it?” Chizuru asked.
“No idea,” Rin replied. “Whoever it is, they’ve been calling for days.”
He set the phone down. Chizuru cupped his face, turning his gaze back toward her. She kissed him again, softly at first, then deeper.
The rest of the night unfolded in warmth and silence.
Later, under the blankets, Chizuru rested against him, her arm draped over his chest as she drifted into sleep. Rin, however, lay awake, Yuusuke’s words replaying in his mind — Do you really trust anyone in your company?
He quietly slipped from the bed.
---
Wearing a black long-sleeved shirt and jeans, Rin descended to the basement. The room was dark, lit only by the glow of his main terminal.
“Retro,” he commanded, “widen the display in hologram form.”
The air shimmered. A blue holographic projection of the Nanase Corporations database expanded before him. With a sweep of his hand, windows opened across the room — files, schematics, employee records.
YOU ARE READING
Dark Knight
AksiA young multimillionaire decides to become a masked vigilante to find the one responsible for eliminating his entire family when he was a child. However, later on, he realizes that the city needs him as a criminal organization hides in the shadows t...
