ʜᴇᴀᴠᴇɴ ᴀɴᴅ ʙᴀᴄᴋ||ʙᴏɴᴛᴇɴ

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ᴇʟᴇᴠᴇɴ

The Black Lotus was the kind of place that screamed money and trouble in equal measure. Sleek black and gold decor glinted under the pulsing neon lights, and the bass from the music was so heavy it felt like it was rattling your bones. The place was packed, wall-to-wall bodies grinding on the dance floor, drunk idiots spilling drinks at the bar, and rich snobs lounging in the VIP sections like they owned the place. And, of course, there were the guards. Big, burly guys with earpieces and holstered guns, their eyes scanning the crowd like hawks.

Security was tight, no doubt about it. Rindou, leaning casually against a pillar near the bar, tilted his head slightly as he surveyed the scene. His lavender hair caught the light, giving him an almost ethereal glow in the chaos. "Security's heavy," he murmured into the comms, his voice low and calm. "They've got eyes on everyone coming in. Stay sharp."

The group had split up as soon as they entered, blending seamlessly into the crowd. [Y/n] was at the bar, pretending to sip a drink that was definitely just water because, hey, she wasn't an idiot. Her eyes scanned the room, taking in every detail, the guards at the exits, the ones stationed at the foot of the VIP stairs, and the ones lurking in the shadows like they thought they were in some bad action movie.

It didn't take long to spot Matsunaga. He was exactly where they expected him to be, up in the VIP section on the second floor, lounging on a plush couch like he was the king of the world. His scarred face was as intimidating as it was smug, and he was surrounded by a small army of armed guards and a few guys in suits that probably cost more than [Y/n]'s entire arsenal of knives.

"Second floor. Center VIP area," [Y/n] murmured into her headpiece, her voice low and steady. "Target confirmed. Matsunaga's exactly where we expected."

"Surprise, surprise," Sanzu's voice crackled through the comms, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Bet he's feeling real comfortable up there. Let's fix that."

Rindou, still leaning against the pillar, glanced at the guards positioned at the foot of the VIP stairs. "There are two at the base of the stairs, armed," he reported, his voice calm but with an edge of tension. "The second floor's got at least six more, and the rest are scattered near the back exits."

[Y/n] nodded slightly, her eyes never leaving Matsunaga. "And Matsunaga himself?"

"Center couch. Surrounded, but distracted," Rindou said, his tone thoughtful. "If we're quick, we can get information out of him, then eliminate him."

"Timing's everything," Sanzu added, the grin in his voice recognizable. "Ran, you ready to give them a distraction?"

Across the room, Ran was lounging at a high-top table, a glass of whiskey in his hand. He smirked, swirling the amber liquid lazily before downing it in one smooth motion. "Always," he said, his voice low and confident. He stood, adjusting his jacket with a casual flair, and made his way to the center of the dance floor.

PHASE ONE: DISTRACTION

Ran downed his whiskey in one smooth motion before standing and making his way to the center of the dance floor. His movements were unhurried, almost lazy, as he grabbed another drink from a passing waiter and purposely spilled it against a burly man with tattoos stretching up his neck.

"Oops," Ran said with a fake-apologetic smile, raising his hands in mock surrender. "Didn't see you there, big guy."

The man turned, his face darkening as he squared up to Ran. "The fuck's your problem?" he growled, his voice loud enough to draw attention from the nearby crowd.

Ran smirked, casually adjusting his sleeve like he hadn't just started a fight. "No problem," he said, his tone light but with a dangerous edge. "Unless you want to make it one."