"So, what did I miss?" Valkyrie joked, her eyes darting between Hera and I.
Hera, already at her side, offered a soft but small smile.
"Nothing important." Hera said, smiling at Valkyrie.
"Anyway, we need to leave and Rakshesha already reached out. She's already in the jet, waiting for us." She added.
Valkyrie nodded, wincing slightly as she moved and Hera supported her.
Hera then shifted her attention to me, her eyes showed sincerity and gratitude.
"Thank you, Shigeyoshi, for helping us escape the hotel and for treating Valkyrie's wound." Hera said sincerely.
"No problem. Be safe on your flight." I replied, still cold and monotonous.
"We owe you one, Ray. You didn't have to help us, but you did." Valkyrie, leaning on Hera for support, added.
"Just doing what needed to be done." I shrugged nonchalantly.
With a final nod, Hera and Valkyrie exited my house and called a taxi through an app. The door closed with a soft click, and the atmosphere shifted.
The scene transitioned back to the luxurious Himura mansion, where the night had settled in, casting a serene, moonlit glow over the expansive swimming pool. The pool lights flickered, illuminating the water in a soft, azure hue. Arashi and her friends lounged by the poolside while Reina already settled in her and her friends were gone. The sound of water gently lapping againts the tiles providing a soothing background. The air was cool, and the stars twinkled above, adding a tranquil ambience to the night.
Shion took a sip of her drink and looked at them, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
"So, what's the latest gossip?" She asked, her voice light and playful.
One of Arashi's friend, Yume, leaned in closer.
"Didn't you hear what happened in the Muji Hotel Ginza? The hotel exploded, it was all over the news." Yume said.
Rio, lounging on a nearby chair, raised an eyebrow.
"What happened? Why it was exploded? That hotel was always packed with foreign and tourist guests everyday." Rio asked, her curiosity peaked.
"I don't know. People on the internet claimed the hotel was packing with unknown foreign armed men, and the police had to blow up the whole hotel because they were troubling the premises." Yume answered, oblivious to the real truth.
"That's bullshit!" Shion yelled.
"Government would never fucking blow up a building that generates money and taxes well." Shion added, not buying Yume's answer.
Then, suddenly Arashi screamed at them. She had an angry look.
"Shut the fuck up!" Arashi yelled at them, silencing the trio.
"We should talk about that fucking bastard, Ray Shigeyoshi." She angrily spat out.
Yume's eyes widened.
"Ray Shigeyoshi? He's your stepbrother, right?" Yume asked.
"Yes." Arashi said, her voice trembling with anger.
"Remember I told you that he humiliated me in front of my family. I want your boyfriends to teach him a fucking lesson." She added.
Shion leaned forward, intrigued.
"Woah, I didn't know this. What the hell happened, girl?" Shion asked also.
"He insulted me in front of my Okasan, and my sisters. He made me look like a fool." Arashi angrily said, her fists clenched.
Rio's curiosity was piqued also but feeling a bit of concern towards Arashi's anger on her stepbrother.
"So, what are you planning?" Rio asked, concerned.
"I want your boyfriends to beat him up." Arashi said, her eyes blazing with fury.
"I want them to make him pay and ensure he stays from me and my family." She added.
"But, Arashi-san, do you think you're just exag-" Rio's concern took over but as soon as she was about to voice her opinion, she was interrupted by the angry Arashi.
"Bitch! Just shut the fuck up!" Arashi yelled at Rio.
Rio fell silent and defeated. Still, the concern in her heart was unwavering.
The boyfriends, who had been lounging, drinking, and smoking, exchanged excited glances. These were the same three who had a notorious brawl with Kaito and Hiro and almost sexually assaulting Sakura a while back.
"We'll fuck him up, Arashi-chan. We'll make sure he regrets ever crossing you." One of them said, the third boy with a diamond watch, who had a violent grin spreading across his face.
Another one of the boyfriends, who was a small guy but buff, playfully punched the other boy, tall with glasses, on his shoulder.
"This punch is nothing compared to what the fucking bastard gonna feel when my fist meest his face." The short but buff boy boasted.
The tall boy rubbed his shoulder and made an angry look to the short one.
"I'll fucking deal with you after we beat the shit out of this Ray guy!" The tall boy angrily muttered.
The girls laughed, except Rio, who looked defeated and uncomfortable, laughed at their playful exchange, their tension momentarily broken.
"You assholes are ridiculous." Yume said, shaking her head with a smile.
The short boy, grinning, threw another playful punch at the tall boy, who dodged and retaliated with a light jab of his own. The impromptu sparring match drew more laughter from the group.
"Save your energy for this Ray guy." Shion teased.
Arashi's anger seemed to cool slightly in the face of the lighthearted banter.
"Just to make sure he understands not to mess with me." She said, her tone still firm but less harsh.
"We'll take care of it." The short but buff boy assured her, flexing his muscles dramatically.
"Poor bastard won't know what him." He added.
The group fell into a more relaxed silence, the tension easing as the boys continued their playful scuffle.
The soft hum of cicadas and the gentle rustling of leaves added to the night's peaceful ambiance, contrasting sharply with the violent plans being hatched.