My Akuma (Book One of The Yakuza Series) (✔️)

二十六 (Twenty-Six)

(Aria's POV)

"How are you doing back there?"

"Same as how I was doing five minutes ago when you asked."

"Good. I'm almost done."

"You said that five minutes ago."

I chuckled. "I promise this time."

"Mhmm."

I was making Ryu carry the basket through the market and I was filling it to the top. I carried it at first but then it got to heavy for me. I didn't even have to ask him to carry it. He just grabbed it from my hands.

I was filling it with healthy food and good bit of junk food. Ryu has a thing for eating healthy, so that food is for him and the junk is for me. Although he does love Oreo cookies and pizza.

I tell him that if he stopped the cigarettes then he could just eat junk all the time and not worry about healthy food. He just rolls his eyes at me in response and says he doesn't smoke that much. I tell him none is better than one or two and he tells one or two is better then twelve.

"What else do you want?" I asked.

"I don't care."

"That was your answer last time. Try again."

"I don't want anything else."

"Okay then. I'm ready."

"You sure?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at me.

"Maybe just one more trip though the junk food section."

Thirty minutes later we were at the checkout and Ryu was digging his wallet out to pay.

It was when we were putting the groceries in the car that a man approached us. Ryu's hand instinctively moved towards his knife as he put his body between me and the man.

The man raised his hands once he saw Ryu's body tense.

"I mean no harm. I want to talk. Just a minute."

I closed the trunk as Ryu motioned for me to get in the car. I did as he said and locked the door. They remained at the back of the car so I couldn't hear what they were saying. I could just watch them through the rearview mirror.

I knew that whatever the man was saying was not good because towards the end of their conversation Ryu's entire body tensed and I saw his jaw start to tick. That was always a tell-tale sign that he was getting pissed. Pissed enough to put a knife through someone.

"Fantastic." I muttered as Ryu grabbed the man by the shirt and lifted him off the ground a little bit. He said a few words before dropping him down and the man took off running.

Ryu waited until the man disappeared before he got inside after I unlocked the door.

He got in and slammed the door. He didn't say a word.

"Nice talk?" I asked to which I got a grunt in response.

I reached out, grabbed his hand in mine, and placed a kiss on his palm before placing it on my cheek. He let out sigh as he looked at me and eventually gave me a soft smile.

That's when I knew.

"You've got to go right?" I asked softly.

He nodded. "As soon as we get back and I get ready."

"I can't go."

"No."

"You'll be safe."

"Yes."

"Don't be gone to long."

"I won't. I promise."

I nodded. "Is it safer that last night was?"

He nodded.

He didn't give me a verbal response. That's how I knew. It wasn't safer. It was more dangerous.

That told me that the chances of him coming back without an injury were little to none.

~~~~~~~~~
(Ryu's POV)

The man at the market told me that he worked with Tanaka. After he said that, I remember seeing him behind Tanaka the night before.

He told me that his position was a lower one and that he hated Tanaka, but couldn't find a way out of the family. Like usual, if you want out then you have to die. He didn't want that.

He then told me that Tanaka didn't want me to know anything not just because I was blacklisted, but because he has a deal with the man behind everything. Tanaka has his hand in the human trafficking business.

He informed me of a meeting happening soon between Tanaka and the boss and gave me the location. He said that he was risking everything by telling me in hopes of me killing Tanaka and the other boss. I promised him that if I got there and found what he said to be true then I would take both Tanaka and the other man out for good.

We got back home and started packing all the groceries in. As we were putting them in the fridge and the cabinets the motion sensors went off.

Aria looked at me with wide eyes and I told her to go hide in the bedroom. The outside ones were the only to be triggered, but I didn't see anything on the monitors.

"Aria, stay there and stay hidden. Grab the knife underneath my pillow. I'm going to go check outside." I said.

"Okay. Be careful."

"The doors will automatically lock, so you'll be safe. Don't come out. Okay?"

"Okay."

I made the door was secure once I left before going outside. I walked around the perimeter but didn't see or find anything. I was about to go back in when something suddenly struck me in the neck.

I reached up and felt something which turned out to be a small dart looking object. I turned my head to the left and saw a man with a gun. A dart gun.

That's when my head started feeling fuzzy and, seconds later, I collapsed on the ground. The last thing I saw was another man approaching. The last thought I had was that I easily recognized that man.