The room was dim, lit only by the pale glow of several screens lining the walls. Lines of data flickered across them—maps, surveillance images, files.
A group of people stood around a large table in the center of the room. The air was tense.
"You failed."
The voice cut through the silence like a blade.
One of the men clenched his jaw. "We didn't expect resistance like that."
"Resistance?" another scoffed. "Two of our men were injured."
A quiet murmur spread through the room.
"He shouldn't have survived," someone muttered. "No normal person survives gunshots like that."
At the far side of the table, Takeda stood with his arms crossed, his expression unreadable.
One of the men turned sharply toward him.
"You were the one who brought the scientist to us in the first place."
Takeda didn't move.
"I gave you information," he said flatly. "What you did with it wasn't my responsibility."
"That boy protecting him is the problem," another voice added. "If he hadn't interfered, we would already have the target."
The argument began rising again—voices overlapping, frustration building.
Then the door opened. The sound was quiet, but it was enough.
Every voice in the room fell silent.
Slow footsteps echoed against the floor.
A tall man entered the room, his movements calm and unhurried. His gaze swept across the group once, sharp and observant.
Dr. Shirogane.
No one spoke.
He walked to the table, resting one hand lightly against its surface as he studied the images on the screens.
One of them displayed a blurry photo of Ren from the night of the attack.
Two gunshots. Still alive.
Shirogane tilted his head slightly.
"…Interesting."
The word was soft.
"You're all focusing on the wrong problem," he said.
Someone hesitated before asking, "Then what is the real problem, sir?"
Shirogane's eyes lifted from the screen.
"The boy protecting him."
Silence filled the room again. Another screen flickered, showing surveillance footage taken from a distance—Ren standing beside Aoi outside the house.
Shirogane studied it carefully.
"Gunshot wounds," he murmured. "Yet he survived."
One of the members spoke carefully. "We believe the virus inside him reacted."
Shirogane's lips curved faintly.
"The virus adapts."
The room remained still.
"But he is not our objective," Shirogane continued calmly.
His finger tapped lightly against the table.
"Our objective… is Aoi."
Takeda's eyes narrowed slightly.
One of the men frowned. "If that boy keeps protecting him, capturing Aoi won't be easy."
Shirogane finally looked up fully.
A quiet smile touched his face.
"Then we remove the obstacle."
The words were spoken so calmly they felt colder than anger.
He turned slightly, the screen behind him now displaying a map.
A house.
Aoi's house.
"We do not attack directly," Shirogane said. "That would be inefficient."
He glanced toward Takeda.
"You suggested something similar earlier."
Takeda straightened slightly.
"We lure the boy away from the house."
The room leaned closer.
"Once he's distracted," Takeda continued, "we move in quickly."
Another member added, "The woman living there… she could be useful."
Shirogane nodded once.
"Yes."
His gaze returned to the map.
"Threaten her."
The words hung in the air.
"Once Aoi sees that resistance will put her life at risk… he will cooperate."
A quiet pause followed.
Then someone asked the question everyone was thinking.
"And the other one?"
Meaning Ren.
Shirogane's eyes flicked back to the screen showing Ren's image.
He studied it for a long moment.
"…If necessary," he said calmly,
"remove him."
Silence swallowed the room.
Then Shirogane straightened.
"Prepare."
His voice remained quiet, but there was no mistaking the command.
"This time… we do not fail."
—
Morning sunlight filtered softly through the curtains.
The house was quiet.
From the kitchen came the faint sound of dishes clinking together.
Ms. Aiko stood near the counter, pouring tea into three cups while the television murmured quietly in the background.
"…after weeks of research, officials have confirmed that the first stable vaccine prototype for the virus has finally been completed."
The news anchor's voice filled the room.
Ms. Aiko paused for a moment, glancing toward the screen.
On the television, images of laboratories and researchers appeared.
"…clinical trials are expected to begin soon."
She let out a quiet breath.
"Well," she murmured to herself, "that's something good at least."
Footsteps approached from the hallway.
Aoi appeared first, still half-asleep, running a hand through his messy hair.
"You're awake already?" Ms. Aiko asked gently.
Aoi yawned. "Barely."
Behind him, another figure entered the kitchen.
Ren.
He moved a little slower than usual, but otherwise looked almost normal now. The injuries from a month ago had healed—only faint scars remained beneath his clothes.
Ms. Aiko gave him a brief look.
"You should still be resting."
Ren leaned lightly against the counter.
"I've been resting for a month."
"That doesn't mean you're fully recovered."
Aoi grabbed one of the cups from the table and took a sip before sitting down.
"You're wasting your breath," he said lazily. "He doesn't listen."
Ren glanced at him.
"You talk like you do."
Aoi smirked slightly.
Ms. Aiko shook her head, though there was a faint smile on her face as she placed the last cup down.
The television continued quietly behind them.
"…authorities believe the vaccine could significantly slow the spread of the virus—"
Ren's gaze drifted briefly toward the screen.
Aoi noticed.
"You heard that?" he said. "Maybe things will finally calm down."
Ren didn't answer right away.
His expression remained thoughtful.
"Maybe," he said after a moment.
But something about his tone sounded uncertain.
Aoi frowned slightly but didn't push it.
Instead, he leaned back in his chair, stretching his arms above his head.
For a moment, the house felt peaceful.
Normal.
Outside, the street looked quiet.
The trees shifted gently in the morning breeze.
Across the road, a parked car sat unnoticed.
Inside it, someone lowered a pair of binoculars.
"…Target confirmed."
A quiet voice spoke into a small radio.
"Both subjects are inside the house."
A pause.
Then another voice answered through the static.
"Understood."
The binoculars focused once more on the window.
"Wait for the signal."
….
By the time evening arrived, the house had grown quiet again.
The lights in the living room were dim, casting a soft glow across the walls. Outside, the sky had already darkened, the faint sound of wind brushing through the trees.
Aoi sat on the couch, one leg stretched out while the other rested on the floor. A book lay open in his hands, though he had barely turned a page in the last ten minutes.
His attention kept drifting.
Across the room, Ren stood near the window, his arms loosely crossed as he stared outside.
"You've been standing there for a while," Aoi said finally.
Ren didn't turn around immediately.
"…Just looking."
"At what?"
Ren's gaze shifted slightly toward the quiet street.
"Nothing."
Aoi watched him for a moment before closing the book and tossing it onto the couch beside him.
"You're being weird again."
Ren finally glanced back.
"You say that a lot."
"Because it's true."
Aoi stood up and walked over, stopping beside him near the window. For a moment he followed Ren's gaze outside.
The street looked normal.
Empty.
After a second, Aoi leaned his shoulder lightly against Ren's arm.
"You're still thinking about that night, aren't you?"
Ren didn't answer.
That silence was enough.
Aoi sighed softly.
"It's been a month," he said. "You're alive. I'm alive. Nothing happened after that."
Ren's eyes shifted toward him slightly.
"Nothing yet."
Aoi frowned at the wording.
"That's a terrible way to comfort someone."
Ren's expression softened just a little.
Aoi huffed quietly and looked away, resting his weight against the window frame.
"Seriously though," he muttered. "You're supposed to be the one recovering."
Ren glanced down at him.
"And you're supposed to stop worrying."
"That's not happening."
For a moment neither of them spoke.
The silence between them wasn't uncomfortable.
Just quiet.
Then Ren suddenly reached out and lightly tapped Aoi's forehead.
Aoi blinked.
"…What was that for?"
"You were overthinking again."
"I was not."
"You were."
Aoi narrowed his eyes slightly before pushing Ren's shoulder in retaliation.
"Shut up."
Ren let out a quiet breath that almost sounded like a laugh.
Aoi stared at him for a second.
"You almost died a month ago and now you're laughing at me."
"You're dramatic."
"I am not dramatic."
"You cried."
Aoi's face immediately flushed.
"I did not cry."
Ren raised an eyebrow.
"You definitely did."
"That was—"
Aoi stopped mid-sentence, clearly trying to come up with a defense.
"It was… temporary emotional instability."
Ren stared at him.
"…That's your excuse?"
"Yes."
Aoi crossed his arms stubbornly.
Ren looked at him for another moment before shaking his head slightly.
"You're unbelievable."
Aoi scoffed.
"And you're annoying."
For a moment they just stood there again.
Then Aoi spoke more quietly.
"…Your scars still hurt?"
Ren paused slightly.
"Sometimes."
Aoi's eyes dropped briefly toward Ren's chest before quickly looking away again.
"You should've just stayed in bed longer."
"You would've complained."
"…That's different."
Ren tilted his head slightly.
"How?"
Aoi hesitated, then muttered quietly,
"Because I'd still know you were safe."
That time, Ren didn't tease him.
Instead, he reached out and lightly rested his hand on the top of Aoi's head.
Aoi blinked.
"…What are you doing now?"
"Making sure you stop worrying."
"That doesn't help."
"It does."
Aoi grumbled but didn't move away.
Outside, the wind shifted through the trees again.
Across the street, inside the parked car, someone quietly lowered a camera.
A soft click echoed.
Another voice spoke through a headset.
"They're both still inside."
A pause.
Then a calm response came through the radio.
"…Not for long."
Night settled quietly over the neighborhood.
Most of the lights in the nearby houses had already gone out, leaving only the occasional glow of street lamps along the road.
Inside the house, the living room had grown quiet.
Ms. Aiko had gone to sleep earlier, leaving Aoi and Ren alone downstairs.
Aoi had ended up back on the couch, one arm draped lazily over his eyes.
"Remind me again why I stayed awake this late," he muttered.
Ren sat in the chair across from him, scrolling slowly through something on his phone.
"You said you weren't tired."
"I lied."
Ren glanced up briefly.
"That's obvious."
Aoi groaned softly.
The quiet hum of the house filled the room for a moment.
Then—
A faint sound came from outside.
Ren's eyes shifted toward the window.
Aoi didn't move.
"…Did you hear that?" Ren asked.
"Hear what?" Aoi mumbled without lifting his arm.
Another sound.
This time clearer.
A dull thud.
Like something hitting the ground.
Ren stood up slowly.
"Stay there," he said.
Aoi lifted his arm just enough to peek at him.
"…Why?"
"I'll check outside."
Aoi frowned slightly.
"At this hour?"
Ren walked toward the door.
"It's probably nothing."
"Exactly," Aoi muttered. "So don't go."
But Ren had already reached the door.
He opened it slightly, stepping outside.
Cool night air brushed past him.
The street looked empty.
Quiet.
Ren took a few steps forward, scanning the area.
Then he saw it.
Someone was lying near the sidewalk across the street.
His eyes narrowed.
The figure shifted weakly.
"…Help…"
The voice sounded strained.
Ren walked closer.
"Are you hurt?"
The person tried to sit up but failed, collapsing back against the pavement.
"My leg… I think it's broken…"
Ren hesitated.
From inside the house, Aoi's voice called faintly.
"Ren?"
Ren glanced back toward the door.
Then he looked at the injured man again.
"…Stay here," the man groaned weakly.
Ren stepped closer.
"What happened?"
The man lifted his head slightly.
And for the briefest moment—
His expression changed.
The weakness disappeared from his eyes.
Ren realized too late.
A hand suddenly grabbed his arm from behind.
Another figure stepped out from the darkness.
Then another.
Three.
Ren immediately twisted his arm free and stepped back.
His gaze sharpened.
"…So that's the game."
The man on the ground slowly stood up, perfectly fine now.
"No choice," he said casually. "You're harder to approach than expected."
Ren's eyes flicked toward the house behind him.
The door was still slightly open.
Aoi was inside.
That meant—
The trap wasn't for him.
It was for the house.
Ren moved instantly.
But the man stepped forward, blocking his path.
"Sorry," he said calmly.
"You're not going anywhere right now."
Behind him, across the street—
Two dark vehicles quietly pulled up.
And several figures moved quickly toward the house.
Inside the house, Aoi finally pushed himself up from the couch.
"Ren?"
No answer.
He rubbed his eyes and walked toward the door.
The cool air drifting inside told him it had been left open.
Aoi frowned.
"…Seriously?"
He stepped closer and leaned slightly out the doorway.
The street looked darker than before.
Quiet.
Too quiet.
"Ren?" he called again.
Still nothing.
Aoi stepped outside, glancing left and right along the street.
Then—
Headlights slowly swept across the road.
Aoi turned.
Two black vehicles rolled to a stop near the curb.
For a moment he just stared, confused.
The doors opened.
Several men stepped out.
They moved quickly. Too quickly.
Aoi's body went tense.
Something felt wrong immediately.
One of them walked forward, calm and controlled.
"Aoi Takahashi," the man said evenly.
Aoi's eyes narrowed.
"…Who are you?"
Another man moved behind him.
Before Aoi could react, a hand grabbed his wrist and twisted it behind his back.
Metal snapped shut around it.
Cold.
Handcuffs.
"What the—"
Aoi tried to pull away, but the grip tightened.
"Don't struggle," the man behind him said quietly.
Aoi's chest rose sharply as he tried to turn.
"What do you want?"
The man in front of him didn't answer right away.
Instead, he nodded toward the house.
Two more men entered.
Aoi's expression changed instantly.
"Hey—"
He tried to move forward, but the man holding him pulled him back.
"Don't," the man warned.
Inside the house, footsteps echoed briefly.
Then a voice.
Ms. Aiko's voice.
"What is going on—?"
Aoi froze.
The men returned a moment later.
Ms. Aiko was with them.
One of the men stood behind her, holding her arm firmly. Another kept a gun lowered at his side.
Not pointed.
Just visible.
Aoi's heart dropped.
"Let her go," he said immediately.
His voice was sharp now.
The man in front of him finally spoke.
"That depends on you."
Aoi stared at him.
"What do you want?"
The man studied him calmly.
"You."
Silence fell between them.
Aoi's jaw tightened. "For what?"
"That conversation will happen somewhere else."
Aoi shook his head.
"No."
The man sighed slightly, almost like he expected that answer.
Behind Aoi, the grip on his arms tightened.
"Don't make this harder than it needs to be."
Aoi's eyes shifted toward Ms. Aiko.
She looked frightened, but she forced herself to stay calm.
"Aoi…" she said quietly.
The gun beside her shifted slightly.
Not threatening.
Just enough to remind him it was there.
Aoi clenched his teeth.
"…If I go with you," he said slowly, "you let her go."
The man watched him for a moment.
Then he nodded. "That was always the plan."
Aoi didn't believe him.
But he didn't have a choice.
The man behind him suddenly pressed something against his neck.
A sharp sting.
Aoi's body jerked.
"…What—"
His vision blurred almost instantly.
The ground tilted beneath him.
The last thing he saw was Ms. Aiko trying to step forward before the men pulled her back.
Then everything went dark.
…
The night road stretched quietly ahead of them.
Inside the back of the vehicle, the only sound was the low hum of the engine and the occasional shift of tires against the asphalt.
Aoi lay motionless across the seat.
His hands were secured in front of him, metal cuffs tight around his wrists. His head rested awkwardly against the side of the door, dark hair falling slightly over his eyes.
Across from him, one of the men watched carefully.
"Still out?" he asked.
The man beside him checked his watch.
"He will be for a while."
In the front seat, another voice spoke through the radio.
"Package secured."
Static crackled.
Then a calm voice responded. "Good."
The tone was quiet, controlled. Almost disinterested.
"Was there any resistance?"
"Minimal."
A pause. "And Ren?"
The man in the passenger seat glanced back briefly.
"He interfered."
Another short pause.
"…Expected."
The voice on the other end remained steady.
"But he isn't here."
"No," the man replied. "He's currently occupied."
The radio went silent for a moment before the calm voice returned.
"Good. Bring the subject in."
The line clicked off.
Inside the vehicle, one of the men shifted slightly.
"You think he'll cooperate?"
The man beside him looked down at Aoi for a moment. "…No."
The vehicle slowed as large metal gates appeared ahead.
Tall fencing stretched along both sides of the road, hidden deep within the trees.
Security lights flickered on as the car approached.
The gates opened automatically.
As the vehicle passed through, the facility slowly came into view.
Concrete structures. Tall reinforced buildings.
Cold white lights glowing against the dark forest.
The car disappeared inside the complex.
In the back seat, Aoi stirred faintly.
Just a small movement.
The drug hadn't worn off yet.
But soon—
It would.
—
A dull ache pulsed behind Aoi's eyes.
For a long moment, he didn't move.
His body felt heavy, like he had just woken from a deep sleep he hadn't meant to fall into.
Then the memories came back.
The men. The handcuffs. Ms. Aiko.
His eyes snapped open. Cold light glowed from the ceiling above him.
Aoi blinked slowly, trying to focus. The room around him was unfamiliar—clean, white, and far too quiet. Smooth walls. Stainless steel counters. Medical equipment arranged with precise order.
A laboratory.
His chest tightened. Aoi pushed himself up slightly—
Metal clinked.
He looked down. His wrists were cuffed together in front of him.
The chain connected to a metal ring fixed to the table.
"…Seriously?" he muttered under his breath.
He tested the cuffs. They didn't budge.
Aoi leaned back slowly, forcing himself to breathe evenly while his mind started working again.
Where was he? A government facility?
A private lab?
Whoever took him had resources. That much was obvious.
Footsteps echoed from the hallway outside.
Aoi's head lifted immediately.
The door opened. Two men stepped inside first. They stood on opposite sides of the room, silent, watchful.
Then someone else entered. An older man.
His hair was streaked with silver, neatly combed back. Thin glasses rested on the bridge of his nose, and his lab coat looked perfectly pressed—as if he had just stepped out of a conference instead of a kidnapping operation.
His eyes settled calmly on Aoi. Sharp. Observant.
Interested.
"So," the man said quietly.
"At last."
Aoi's gaze hardened.
"…You're the one behind this?"
The man didn't answer right away. Instead, he walked slowly across the room, studying Aoi the way a researcher might observe an experiment.
Up close, his expression was composed—almost polite. "Dr. Shirogane," he said simply.
Aoi didn't react.
Shirogane stopped a few feet away.
"I apologize for the unpleasant method of bringing you here."
Aoi gave a short, humorless laugh.
"You kidnapped me."
"Yes."
The answer came without hesitation.
"No point pretending otherwise."
Aoi leaned back slightly against the table, eyes narrowing. "What do you want?"
Shirogane folded his hands behind his back.
"You."
Silence filled the room.
Aoi held his stare. "For what?"
Shirogane tilted his head slightly, as if the answer should already be obvious.
"You're a scientist, Aoi Takahashi."
"And?"
"And you understand the virus." His tone remained calm, almost conversational.
"You understand its behavior, its mutations, its patterns… better than most people currently alive."
Aoi's expression didn't change.
"So you drag me here to say that?"
Shirogane's lips curved slightly. "No."
He stepped closer.
"I brought you here because I want you to work with me."
The words hung in the air.
Aoi stared at him for a moment.
Then he shook his head once.
"No."
Shirogane blinked. "That was quick."
"You didn't expect that?" Aoi replied flatly.
Shirogane studied him quietly. "I expected resistance."
Aoi leaned forward slightly, the cuffs clinking.
"You released the virus, didn't you?"
One of the guards shifted at the blunt accusation.
But Shirogane didn't seem offended.
If anything—
He seemed amused.
"The world likes simple answers," he said calmly. "Villains. Heroes. Accidents."
His eyes settled on Aoi again.
"Reality is more complicated."
Aoi's voice hardened. "Then explain it."
Shirogane shook his head slightly.
"Not yet."
A pause.
Then his gaze sharpened.
"But you will help me finish what we started."
Aoi let out a slow breath. "No."
The word was quiet. But absolute.
For the first time, Shirogane's smile faded just slightly. "You're very certain."
Aoi met his eyes without hesitation.
"You think threatening me will change that?"
Shirogane didn't respond immediately.
Instead, he adjusted his glasses.
Then he said calmly:
"Perhaps not."
A small pause passed.
Then—
"But people are rarely motivated only by themselves."
Aoi's brows furrowed slightly.
Shirogane's gaze stayed steady.
"You care about Ren, don't you?"
The room suddenly felt colder. Aoi's body went still.
And Shirogane noticed.
Very clearly.
The room fell silent.
Aoi didn't move. But something in his expression changed—just slightly.
Shirogane noticed immediately.
He always noticed.
"Ah," he said quietly. "So I was correct."
Aoi's voice came out colder than before.
"Don't say his name."
Shirogane studied him with calm interest.
"Interesting reaction."
Aoi's hands tightened inside the cuffs, the metal chain giving a small clink against the table.
"You dragged me here," Aoi said slowly. "If you have something to say, say it. Don't play games."
Shirogane adjusted his glasses.
"I assure you, I'm not playing games."
He walked a slow circle around the table, hands still folded behind his back.
"Your partner is… unusual."
Aoi's jaw tightened.
Shirogane stopped beside him.
"The virus reacts differently inside his body," he continued calmly. "Stronger. Faster adaptation. Remarkable survival rate."
Aoi didn't respond. But the look in his eyes had turned sharp enough to cut.
"You've been watching us," he said.
"Observing," Shirogane corrected lightly.
Aoi let out a short breath through his nose.
"Let me guess. You want to study him too."
Shirogane was quiet for a moment.
Then he said, "If necessary."
The words dropped into the room like ice.
Aoi leaned forward despite the cuffs.
"No."
For the first time, there was real anger in his voice.
Shirogane didn't react. Instead, he simply watched.
"You misunderstand the situation," he said calmly.
Aoi laughed under his breath.
"No. I think I understand it perfectly." His eyes lifted, meeting Shirogane's directly.
"You want a scientist you can control."
Shirogane tilted his head slightly.
"And if I refuse?"
The room went quiet again.
Then Shirogane spoke in the same calm voice.
"Then I would be forced to become… persuasive."
Aoi stared at him. "Try it."
One of the guards shifted uncomfortably.
Shirogane's gaze remained steady.
"You're confident," he said.
Aoi leaned back slightly against the table again.
"I'm not working for you."
Another pause.
Shirogane sighed softly. "A shame."
He turned slightly toward the guards.
"Take him to the holding room."
Aoi's brows furrowed. "What—"
Before he could finish, one of the guards stepped forward and unlocked the chain from the table. Another grabbed his arm and pulled him up.
Aoi struggled immediately.
"Get off me."
The guard tightened his grip.
Shirogane watched quietly as they forced Aoi toward the door.
Just before Aoi was pushed out of the room, Shirogane spoke again.
"Bring Ren here."
Aoi froze.
The guards stopped moving for a moment.
Slowly, Aoi turned his head.
"What did you just say?"
Shirogane's eyes met his.
Calm. Unmoved.
"If you won't cooperate," he said evenly, "perhaps he will convince you."
Aoi's heart dropped.
"You touch him—"
The guard shoved him forward before he could finish.
The door slammed shut behind them.
And Shirogane simply stood there for a moment, thoughtful.
Then he murmured quietly to himself:
"Let's see how long your resolve lasts."
…
The forest was silent again.
Ren walked quickly along the narrow path, his expression darker than before.
The men who had stopped him earlier were gone.
They had left too easily.
And that alone made something feel wrong.
Very wrong.
Ren stepped out from the trees and toward the house.
The porch light was still on.
But the front door—
Was open.
His steps slowed. A cold feeling settled in his chest.
Ren pushed the door open the rest of the way. "Aoi?"
No answer. The house was too quiet.
Ren stepped inside.
His eyes scanned the room automatically.
A chair slightly out of place. One of the drawers half open. Something on the floor. His gaze dropped. A broken glass.
Ren's stomach tightened. "Aoi?"
Still nothing.
Then—
"Ren…?"
The voice came from the hallway.
Ms. Aiko stepped out slowly.
She looked shaken.
Her hair slightly messy, one hand still gripping the wall as if she needed it to stay steady.
Relief flashed across her face when she saw him.
"Ren… you're back."
Ren walked toward her immediately.
"What happened?"
His voice was calm.
Too calm.
Ms. Aiko hesitated. "They—"
Her voice trembled slightly.
"Some men came."
Ren's eyes darkened.
Ren's gaze moved slowly across the room.
The broken glass. The chair pushed slightly out of place. The open door.
Everything looked ordinary.
But something about it felt wrong.
Very wrong.
"They threatened me," Ms. Aiko said quietly behind him. "So he wouldn't fight."
Ren didn't answer. His mind was already putting the pieces together.
The men in the forest. The strange delay. The timing.
His eyes darkened slightly.
"They weren't trying to stop me," he murmured.
Ms. Aiko frowned. "What?"
Ren looked toward the open door.
"They were keeping me away."
Silence filled the room.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Ren reached for his jacket.
Ms. Aiko's voice came out nervous.
"Ren… where are you going?"
He slipped the jacket on and stepped toward the door. "To bring him back."
He stopped at the doorway.
Cold air drifted inside.
Ren didn't look back when he added quietly,
"And whoever took him…"
His voice lowered.
"…made a mistake."
For the first time since the virus appeared, Ren wasn't running anymore.
He was hunting.