Plan

Jiro's eyes were fixated on the stars, which were twinkling in the dark sky behind a dusty window. There was a deep emptiness inside him as if he were a tiny speck in the universe, insignificant and lost.

His thoughtfulness was interrupted by a fearful gasp from behind.

"Please... I couldn't get... the money... but I promise..."

A young man, probably not older than a university student, was cornered in an abandoned house. Tattooed yakuza men were glaring at him with evil eyes, one waving a baseball at him in an intimidating manner.

The young man's eyes darted around the room and looked for an escape. He slowly stepped back, trying to put some distance between himself and the two men threatening him.

"No more talking, you weakling," the larger of the two growled ominously, his bare upper body covered in irezumi.

The fear on the young man's face was evident, his eyes wide in terror as he stared at the two menacing figures. His lips trembled as he desperately tried to explain his situation, his voice quivering as he spoke.

"One more week... please... I beg of you..." he pleaded, falling to the ground and pressing his head against the pavement.

His stuttering words and sweating made the yakuza men laugh in a cruel and mocking manner as if his plea for mercy was a joke. They looked down at the young man's cowering figure and the larger of the two sneered.

"It's too late for that now."

Jiro stepped forward to stop one of the yakuza men from swinging his baseball.

"I will pay off the debt," he said in a firm voice.

"O-oh, sir... thank you, thank you!" Their intended victim exclaimed with tears and crawled towards Jiro, his hands clasped together in gratitude.

The yakuza men stared at Jiro with squinted eyes, disbelief and shock written on their faces. The one with the baseball bat tightened his grip, obviously not happy with Jiro's intervention.

"What are you doing, Takuya? We have a reputation to uphold," one of them said sternly gritting his crooked teeth.

"We have to make an example of him or else no one will take us seriously," the other chimed in as he scowled at him.

Jiro glanced at the man on his feet and told him to get up. There was something about his face features that reminded him of Natsuo.

"And don't borrow money from criminals anymore," he warned and gestured for him to leave.

After their target rushed out with trembling knees, the yakuza man still tried to attack with his bat. Jiro grabbed his comrade's wrist, stopping him from hitting the young man. He stared at his fellow in the eyes, his grip on the tattooed wrist steady.

"I said I would take care of it," he said in a serious voice.

His comrade grumbled and stepped back, his eyes still glowering with anger. Jiro released his hold and the young man scrambled away, his face still pale with panic.

"This won't go down well with the oyabun..." the two growled as they moved into the shadows.

(Later that night)

Jiro was exhausted after a day's work. He knew he had to go back to his oyabun and face punishment for his actions, but he was too tired to do so. Instead, he headed to a local convenience store to get some breakfast for himself and his roommate.

His mind was occupied by thoughts as he wandered around the shelves, picking up groceries and considering what Natsuo would prefer. He even returned back to the store for Natsuo's cherry-flavored gummies and pondered what in the world had happened to him.

Jiro had spent months pushing away his attraction to Natsuo and had convinced himself that he was nothing more than a rat. Yet when their lips touched Jiro felt a jolt of electricity run through him, and his heart raced in a way it had never done before. He wondered why his body had reacted so strongly to someone he had been so determined to hate.

The bulge between his pants was so stiff after their kiss on the patio that he had to leave, afraid he would lose control since Natsuo was clearly resisting him. He had walked away with his heart pounding and his skin tingling, experiencing a strange mixture of tension and excitement.

The emptiness of the penthouse enveloped him as he stepped in through the door. The living room was dark and still, with no sign of life. Natsuo's bedroom was always the first place he checked, to make sure he hadn't disappeared again.

As he reached the doorway, he was suddenly filled with warmth and a feeling of belonging. He took a deep breath and stepped into the room, letting his gaze wander to the bed. Natsuo was peacefully sleeping, his teal-colored hair a stark contrast to the dark sheets. Jiro smiled and felt his heart fill with relief as he watched his friend sleep serenely in the soft glow of moonlight. He stood there for a moment, just taking in the scene before quietly walking to the kitchen.

It was becoming increasingly tiring for him to deal with the constant demands of the yakuza and his oyabun's endless tantrums. He was sick of pretending to be something he wasn't and wanted to be free of the oppressive lifestyle he had been living. His facade was slowly crumbling, making him feel as if he was losing control.

Jiro had been searching for a purpose, a reason why he should continue his life in the underworld. He had let darkness slowly engulf him, but maybe he had never been the heartless and cold criminal he had once hoped for.

He grabbed the cherry-flavored gummies that he brought to Natsuo while unloading groceries.

How did he end up in that situation?

He found himself thinking about which bag of candy to buy so that his roommate could be pleased when he got his hands on it. The roommate that he took in order to humiliate him and make him suffer.

Natsuo seemed completely reliant on him, unaware of the scheme Jiro had in store for him. It would be time to carry out the next phase of his plan, which would begin the destruction and dismantling of his life.

"Morning..."

Jiro had been so deep in his thoughts that he hadn't heard the quiet steps behind him, and the sudden voice made him jump. He quickly composed himself and looked over his shoulder, seeing Natsuo standing there with sleepy, yet gentle eyes. Natsuo's gaze seemed to pierce right through him as if he knew something was off.

"Good morning," Jiro said, keeping his voice steady as he held up the gummies.

"These are for you," he said, offering the bag to him.

"Thanks," Natsuo said quietly and a shy smile rose on his face.

Jiro hadn't expected such a sincere look from Natsuo as he accepted the gummies. It was a sharp contrast to his usual guarded expression and it made Jiro's heart swell with something he couldn't quite put his finger on.

Greed was taking hold of him. He wanted to make Natsuo's smile even bigger and brighter. He wanted to make Natsuo's happiness his own, and give him an even greater reason to keep smiling.

Natsuo quickly backed away when he took a step closer to him.

The smile on his face had made Jiro want to linger a little longer, to savor the happiness that he had seen in Natsuo's expression. His gaze fell on Natsuo as he walked away, feeling the urge to reach out and pull him back. He followed Natsuo with his eyes, watching as he disappeared into the bathroom.

Ever since their first kiss, Natsuo had been keeping his distance. Whenever Jiro tried to take a step closer to him, Natsuo would take at least ten steps back, creating a wide gap between them.

It was becoming clear to him that he was not the villain he had once imagined himself to be. He had been desperate for something real, something he could believe in, and Natsuo became that for him.

He realized that his feelings for Natsuo were genuine and that he no longer consciously intended to punish him or get revenge. His desire was to be a part of Natsuo's world.

Jiro tried to think that plans sometimes change. His new plan was to make him fall in love and become the love of his life.