"Which is why… You must come with us. Now."
The cold voice cut through the muffled sobs and whispers in the funeral hall.
Yuki Ozawa froze in place. Her body locked stiff, she couldn't even remember whether she was breathing correctly or not. She didn't move, didn't resist, even when one of the men roughly lifted her chin with his fingers. Her eyes were hollow, as if the world had already vanished, leaving behind only the silence that swallowed her whole.
On the other side of the hall, Yuzu—her older sister—couldn't hold herself back any longer. Her eyes were swollen red from days of mourning, while her shoulders slumped with exhaustion after handling their parents' funeral rites. Yet with a burst of courage, she shoved the man's hand away.
"Don't you dare touch my twin sister!" she shouted, her voice cracking but fierce.
The words echoed across the chamber… only to dissolve into uneasy murmurs. No one stepped forward. Dozens of mourners watched in silence, pity glimmering in their eyes, but their feet were rooted to the floor.
"Please!" Yuzu's voice trembled, rising in desperation. "Take me instead! If you must drag someone away, then you can take me!"
Her plea rang raw, her hands shaking violently as she clutched Yuki's arm, shielding her with what little strength she had left.
The man in the black suit—clearly the leader—snorted, lips curling into a cruel grin as he showed a piece of paper to the two young girls.
"Your parents signed this contract, Kids. It said that if they failed to pay off their debts, their youngest daughter, Yuki Ozawa, would serve as collateral. It's all written down, plain as day. Even we yakuza have rules. We can't swap collateral just because you happen to be equally pretty as your twin."
He licked his lips as his eyes slid toward Yuzu, his gaze lewd and mocking. Disgust rose in Yuzu's throat, forcing her to stumble back a step. Yet her hand still gripped Yuki's tightly, as if she could pour her strength into her sister through that single touch.
"I'll repay you! I swear it!"
Yuzu cried, falling to her knees. Her forehead nearly touched the dusty, cold floor, only to plead for the freedom of the sole remaining member of her family.
"From today forward, I'll work. I'll pay back every debt my parents owed! Just… please, anything but Yuki!"
Her voice cracked, but she didn't care about her pride. For Yuzu, her pride is not worth what she is fighting for.
Unfortunately, the leader shook his head and then lit a cigarette with casual ease. He stared at Yuzu for a moment, enjoying how Yuzu looked at him as if her world would end right then and there.
"Sorry, Kid. That girl's worth far too much to let go."
The words hammered into Yuzu's chest like a big stone. Her throat burned, her lungs ached, but still she whispered, hoarse and broken.
"Please…"
Her prayers went unanswered. To the men, Yuki was no longer human—just an asset for them to use. She was a hidden jewel. A blank canvas of pale skin, innocent features, and long black hair glinting under the dim funeral lights.
"NO! Don't take her!"
Yuzu thrashed when two men seized Yuki by the arms. The sound of struggling bodies, scuffing shoes, and frantic sobs filled the hall. Yet no one intervened. Although several people came to the funeral, none of them were brave enough to interfere with the business of the most feared yakuza group in their area.
"Yuki! YUKI!"
Yuzu's scream tore the air as her twin sister was dragged toward the doors. She lunged forward, only to be shoved back, collapsing onto the floor like discarded trash. Tears poured down her cheeks, mixing with dust and the bitter scent of burning incense.
Yuki turned her head once. Just once. Her face was calm, her lips sealed. There was no screaming or resistance. She let herself be taken like a doll whose strings had been cut.
The black car rumbled away from the hall. Inside, the air reeked of smoke and cheap leather. Yuki sat in the back seat, motionless, across from the leader himself. Thin trails of cigarette smoke curled in the stale cabin light.
"Hm… you really don't react at all," the man mused. He hooked his fingers under her chin again, forcing her to meet his gaze. But Yuki's eyes remained the same—cold, blank, and unreadable.
"Are you not afraid?" His voice turned sharp, a cruel edge beneath his words. "From this day on, you're nothing but livestock. We'll bleed every penny we can out of that body of yours."
At last, Yuki's lips parted. Her voice was quiet, steady—almost gentle, as though she were asking something trivial.
"If I repay everything… will I be free?"
For a moment, the man blinked. Then he chuckled low, shaking his head. "Of course not. The moment your parents failed to pay their debt, you became ours. Forever. Until you die, you'll remain as my thing."
"…I see."
Her reply was flat, almost emotionless. The man's smile faltered. This girl was strange—so unlike her twin sister. It wasn't even the first time they had picked up a girl to make her theirs. Girls their age usually screamed and struggled when they were forcibly taken. But Yuki remained silent. She didn't even show much emotion when her twin sister screamed her name for the last time.
He leaned closer, his tone darkening as he warned Yuki seriously.
"Listen carefully. If you ever try to end your life, I'll make sure your sister suffers worse than you ever could. Understand?"
"Don't worry," Yuki said, her gaze sliding to the window. City lights flickered outside, glittering like distant stars. "I have no intention of dying so easily."
Something in her words made him pause. But after a while, he finally spoke again.
"Then why… why you're so calm?"
"Because showing emotion won't change anything," she answered. "It won't put me in a better place, will it?"
A crooked grin spread across his face. He leaned back, smoke curling from his lips as he studied the living doll seated before him.
"You're right. No matter what you do, you belong to us now."
Yuki fell silent. Her hands curled into fists on her lap, but her face remained expressionless. Outside, the city lights glittered bright and cold. Yuki gazed at it for a long time. Even though no one told her, she knew it might be the last time she would see the beauty of the city lights that she hadn't seen in a long time.