Hunting Akuma (Book Two of The Yakuza Series) (✔️)

二十一 (Twenty-One)

(Aria's POV)

Word got around that he was gone.

Not that Ryu was gone.

That Akuma was gone.

That someone finally got him.

Yori made the announcement. He got set up a meeting with all the bosses and hired killers of the Yakuza. They didn't believe him at first, but when he showed them pictures of the house and everything, it got through to them.

Some rejoiced.

Some didn't care.

That was about a month ago.

The underworld has changed a lot since the news broke. Everyone has been doing more. They don't have to look over their shoulder anymore, afraid of triggering Akuma. They can operate and do crime as they please.

Juliet and Vince are still here. Vince hasn't found Genkei yet. He said that Genkei does a job and then disappears. He goes underground for some time before reappearing. He goes completely off the grid.

Juliet has been staying with me at the safe house. She keeps telling me that I should go out and find a new place. Maybe an apartment or something.

I can't though. I don't want to. The safe house is the last place we were together.

The ring sits in the safe with the cash and everything else. I've developed the habit of taking it out and staring at it everyday. I can't help it. I stare are it and think about the life we could've had.

Mrs. Date brought Shimo to me a few days ago, so now he's here. Juliet is more of a dog person, but she likes him. She goes to stay with Vince at a nearby hotel at night. Vince drops her off in the morning and picks her up in the evening.

I haven't slept that much. I run on caffeine, anger, and sadness. I've cried so much....I didn't think it was possible to cry as much as I have.

"What would you like for lunch?" Juliet asked.

"I don't know. Anything I guess."

"Okay. I'll see what I can do." She smiled as someone knocked on the door.

Not many people know about the safe house and we weren't expecting anyone, so we both went on high alert.

"Aria?! It's me!" A familiar voice yelled.

I ran to open the door. It was Aimoto.

He pulled me in for a hug and held me tight. "I'm so sorry, Ari. I'm so so sorry."

"Who is this?" Juliet asked.

"Oh Juliet this is Aimoto. Aimoto this is Juliet. Aimoto is a friend of ours and an extraordinary hacker."

"Ah yes. My husband has rambled about some stunt you did with some files. Drove him crazy."

Aimoto grinned. "One of my greatest pieces of work."

"I was just about to start lunch, will you be joining?"

"Yes." He nodded as he shut the door.

"How did you know to find me here?"

That made him chuckle. "Ari, I'm tuned in to every security camera in the city. Plus, I'm the one that helped him find this place. No camera points in this direction, so it's completely out of sight. I saw Vince and Juliet coming and going on a camera from the street over. I pieces it together after that."