"The glass doll"

February 6th, 2026

At the Himura residence - 10:38 AM

Ray stepped out of the sleek, obsidian black sports car, the morning sun glinting off its polished surface.

As he closed the door behind him with a soft click, his eyes rose to take in the sheer scale of the Himura mansion. It stood like a palace, towering with proud modernist architecture, a blend of glass and concrete, its design both elegant and imposing.

Around the entrance bloomed an immaculate garden, vibrant with exotic flowers and ornamental trees. A small army of uniformed gardeners busied themselves tending the verdant display.

Ray slid his hands into the pockets of his leather jacket. "Gotta hand it to the old man," he muttered to himself. "He caught himself one hell of a fish."

He approached the entrance slowly, taking in the disciplined stance of the two guards stationed in their outposts. They weren't your average private security. The way they stood, how their hands hovered near their rifles - these men were military-trained.

"State your business at the Himura family estate," one of them barked, eyes sharp.

Ray tilted his head slightly, expression unreadable. "I'm here to pick up Arashi Himura."

The guard didn't blink. "Fine. But you're prohibited to enter. Only the friends and family of the Himura household may pass."

Ray said nothing. He just stood there. Waiting.

A few minutes later, Arashi appeared from within the house, stepping into the garden. She walked with the precision of a model but none of the warmth. Her college uniform fit perfectly - pleated skirt, fitted blazer, and all - as though it were designed for her personally. The gardeners bowed politely, but she barely acknowledged them. The guards did more than bow; they moved quickly to open the gate, treating her like a dignitary.

Her eyes found Ray.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, tone sharp, eyes scanning him.

Ray shrugged. "Your mom asked me to be your chauffeur."

"Yeah, whatever," Arashi muttered, brushing past him and sliding into the passenger seat.

Ray noticed the guards glaring at him again as he circled the car. He could almost feel their disdain like heat on his back. He opened the driver's side door and climbed in, ignoring their burning stares. The car hummed to life, and they sped off.

The ride was silent.

Ray kept his eyes on the road. Arashi looked out the window, her arms crossed.

"She's special. She's fragile." Ray remembered what his father said. He glanced at her through the rearview mirror. There was something...delicate about her. Something hollow in her stare, like she wasn't fully present. She had that perfect, polished look, the kind that came from generations of wealth, but it was all armor. She didn't just ignore people - she dismissed them. Like they were irrelevant.

She looks smart, Ray thought. But ignorant of how the real world works. She thinks she's untouchable because of her mother.

They arrived twenty minutes later at Tokyo University. The campus buzzed with the morning rush of students.

Ray parked, stepped out, and opened Arashi's door. She stepped out gracefully, without looking at him.

"Thanks," she said curtly and walked off toward the school entrance.

Ray leaned against the car, arms crossed, watching the flow of students. Even among the hundreds, Arashi stood out. Heads turned. Whispers floated. Men looked at her with a mix of lust, curiosity, and intimidation.

As he was about to get back into the car, he saw a familiar figure.

"Keito," Ray called.

Keito stopped in his tracks and turned. His face lit up. "Yo!"

The two friends clapped hands and bumped shoulders.

"Damn, bro. You look like a privileged stepson now," Keito teased, eyeing the sports car.

Ray smirked. "You want a ride, too, princess?"

Keito laughed. "Nah, I'm good. But what the hell are you doing here?"

"Apparently, I'm driving my stepsister to school now. Didn't even get paid."

"As a matter fact, now you're here..didn't you know...? Oh right, you don't." Keito grinned. "There's a reunion party here tonight. Our whole batch is invited."

Ray raised an eyebrow. "Reunion party, huh?"

"Yeah. Booze, old faces, maybe some drama. You should come."

Ray looked away. "Maybe. I'll think about it."

Then it hit him. That feeling. The itch between his shoulder blades. A weight in the air.

His tactical instincts kicked in.

Three men. Across the courtyard. Pretending to chat, but eyes locked on him.

The way their eyes moved, how their postures adjusted when he glanced their way - amateurs. But not harmless.

"Wait here," Ray muttered to Keito.

He walked with purpose toward the three men.

They noticed.

One of them shifted.

Another tapped his foot nervously.

Ray stopped just a few feet away.

"Problem, gentlemen?" he asked calmly.

They said nothing. One of them turned away, pretending to be on a call. Another looked to the ground. But Ray saw it. A bulge at the waistband. Concealed, but sloppily.

He scanned their faces. Unfamiliar. But their type? Very familiar.

He memorized them quickly.

"Let your boss know," Ray said slowly, voice steady, cold, "if he wants to play games, he better bring something sharper than shadows."

And with that, he turned and walked away.

He could feel their tension behind him, like sparks ready to snap.

Back by the car, Keito was leaning on the hood.

"Friends of yours?" he asked, raising a brow.

"Not yet," Ray answered dryly.

He opened the door and got in. The engine purred again.

As he drove off, his mind was running.

Arashi.

The mansion.

The guards.

The stalkers.

Something was off.

The pieces didn't fit - but they were being forced to.

And Ray didn't like puzzles with missing parts.

Not one bit.