After being released from confinement, Hirachi Keisuke and Hirachi Mai's lives began anew in a large, European-style house in a quiet, secluded rural area. They were surrounded by the luxury afforded by the money Makima provided, but the interior of the house was filled with emptiness and coldness. The loneliness was heavier than any debt they had ever carried.
One afternoon, as Mai was watering the plants in the backyard garden, a powerful yet well-muffled engine sound suddenly grew close. A long, matte black sedan, completely devoid of license plates, silently pulled up in front of the house. The vehicle looked entirely out of place, like a car belonging to a secret government agency.
Makima stepped gracefully out of the back seat, in her perpetually perfect suit. She descended with two expressionless attendants who stood motionless. Makima looked like a judge visiting a private estate.
Beside her was the white-haired boy, dressed in clean, expensive clothes—Kenji!
Mai screamed with joy and rushed to embrace her beloved son.
Mai: How are you? Was the place you went to safe?
Kenji: I'm safe, Mom. The place I was at wasn't dangerous at all.
Mai: (Crying) I'm so happy you're safe!
Hearing Kenji's arrival, Keisuke rushed out of the house, his face a mix of panic and relief.
Keisuke: (Asking) Did that woman standing there do anything to you?
Kenji: Miss Makima helped save me from being kept in confinement, but she would only release me if I agreed to the deal I made with her.
Keisuke: Kenji, are you coming back to live with us?
Kenji: I have to go with Miss Makima.
Keisuke: (Voice trembling) What are you saying... Kenji? This is your home!
Mai: (Tears streaming down her cheeks) You can't leave us! Did we do something wrong? Don't you love Mom and Dad anymore?
Kenji: (Avoiding eye contact, soft voice) It's not like that... But it's... it's something I have to do.
(Hearing Kenji say this, the parents rushed to embrace Kenji tightly, crying.)
Keisuke: (Hugging him tightly) Don't go, son, please... We'll find a solution together. We'll take care of you...
Mai: (Sobbing) We'll stay together, Kenji... Please...
Makima watched this family scene calmly, as if observing a play she had scripted. A faint, inscrutable smile appeared on her face. She didn't move or speak, but her golden eyes intently analyzed the parents' despair and the boy's hesitation.
To her, the tears and love of this family were merely part of the plot unfolding as she intended. An invisible pressure permeated the air, a pressure that made Kenji keenly aware that his decision was already sealed.
A Visit Controlled by 'Kindness'
Keisuke looked at his son with suspicion. The Kenji now seemed drastically different. His demeanor was abnormally composed. His posture was steady. His azure eyes looked straight ahead, with none of the nervous fidgeting of a typical child. He looked much healthier, yet his eyes seemed blank and far too obedient for a six-year-old who had just survived a government raid.
"Are Mom and Dad safe? Did they give you enough money?" Kenji asked in a voice that sounded more like an intended expression than a genuine feeling.
Mai cried with relief. "We're safe, darling. Mom and Dad are safe."
Makima interjected smoothly, "Your parents are living peacefully and comfortably, just as you requested, Kenji." She turned toward Keisuke. "You no longer have to worry about earning a living, Keisuke-san, because your son's wish has given you everything you need."
The words sharply stung Keisuke. He knew Makima was emphasizing that the happiness they received was the exchange for losing their son to her.
Suddenly, Makima extended a small cardboard box with the logo of a famous donut shop to Kenji.
"This is a special treat for your reward, Kenji. I kept my promise to you."
Kenji accepted the box with a slight smile and a small bow before opening it. Inside was the single chocolate-filled donut he had requested.
"It's very delicious," Kenji said proudly.
Makima: (Turning to Mai) "I regret to say that as parents, you couldn't truly provide the stability and safety he needed. But now, he has learned that obedience to the correct authority brings true happiness."
Kenji noticed his parents' discomfort and pulled the donut out of the box.
"Will you eat with me, Mom and Dad? It's really delicious."
Keisuke couldn't bring himself to do it. He refused, "No... It's okay, son. I'm not hungry." He inhaled deeply to hide his bitterness, knowing that eating the donut was accepting the bargain Makima had orchestrated.
The Final Binding and the Return Trip
The visit lasted only fifteen minutes, a short and strictly regulated period. When it was time to leave, Kenji hugged his parents one last time. He handed them a bag of snacks, the only connection he could still offer.
"Miss Makima gave this to me to give to you. I need to go back and work hard to prove my worth so I can visit you again."
Kenji willingly turned to Makima and walked back to the black car without a single glance back.
As the car drove away, Keisuke and Mai collapsed onto the grass. They felt as though they had lost their son forever. Kenji was not confined by chains, but by Makima's controlled love and hope.
Inside the black sedan, Kenji sat beside Makima, feeling utterly content.
Kenji: "Thank you very much, Miss Makima. Mom and Dad looked very happy."
Makima: (Leaning in slightly) "Very good. This visit was the reward you received for keeping the agreement. But if you want to visit your parents more often... you must get stronger."
Kenji: "I don't mind! If I get hurt... you'll heal me, right, Miss Makima? I'm not afraid of pain... as long as I can return to Mom and Dad again."
Makima: (A genuine smile of triumph appeared on her face) "Of course, Kenji. Now, let's begin your training. A perfect future awaits you."