C69 “Why Me?”

The drive back from Oyabun’s estate was silent.

Riku didn’t speak. Keiji drove, eyes forward, every movement smooth and precise.

Arun sat beside Riku, arms crossed, jaw tight. The old man’s words still echoed in his mind:

The things you try to hold too tightly are the first to break.

When the car rolled to a stop at the mansion, Keiji quietly excused himself, leaving them alone