Secrets Century II

Takemikazuchi exhaled slowly through his nose, looking away as if uninterested. "You and I both know you never do anything without a reason."

Ishtar chuckled. "True." She moved to stand before him, tilting her head. "You look tired."

He scoffed. "Even gods need rest."

She studied him for a moment, then glanced around the room. "You've been busy," she noted. "Training your newest champion, I hear?"

Takemikazuchi's expression remained unreadable, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes. "You've been keeping an ear to my affairs?"

"Oh, darling," Ishtar purred, "I keep an ear on everything." She leaned in slightly, lowering her voice. "And what I hear is that you've found someone… special."

Takemikazuchi's fingers twitched. "Say what you came here to say, Ishtar."

Her smile widened, but her eyes gleamed with something colder. "I have an idea," she said smoothly. "We eliminate those who refuse to stand with us against Enkidu. Ayami, Hikaru… and especially one of my own."

She let the weight of her words settle before adding, almost lazily, "Lina."

Takemikazuchi regarded Ishtar carefully, his sharp eyes searching her expression for any hidden motives—though with her, there were always layers beneath layers. "I'm listening," he said, his tone measured.

Ishtar smirked, pleased that he hadn't dismissed her outright. She took a slow step forward, her fingers idly tracing along the hilt of a ceremonial blade resting on a nearby stand. "You and I both know brute force isn't always the best approach," she said. "Hikaru and his little group are cautious, especially with her leading them." She practically spat the word, her distaste for Ayami barely concealed. "If we push too hard, they'll scatter like rats, and I hate chasing down pests."

Takemikazuchi said nothing, waiting for her to get to the point.

"So," Ishtar continued, turning back to him with a glint in her eyes, "instead of forcing a confrontation, we lure them into one. Specifically, we lure Hikaru—through someone he cares about."

Takemikazuchi's brow furrowed slightly. "You mean Lina?"

"Oh, no," Ishtar said, waving a dismissive hand. "Lina is sharp. She'd see through it. And Ayami? Too unpredictable. But there's another. A girl named Sakura—a close friend of Hikaru's, someone he'd never leave behind."

Takemikazuchi remained silent, considering.

Ishtar leaned in, her voice a seductive whisper. "We take her. Not harm, not yet. Just… remove her from the picture. Hikaru will come looking. And when he does, he'll walk straight into our hands."

A long pause stretched between them. Then, Takemikazuchi exhaled slowly, eyes narrowing. "And what do you gain from this?"

Ishtar laughed softly, stepping back. "Oh, come now. What I always want—control. Order. The pieces are aligning, dear Takemikazuchi, and I simply wish to ensure they fall into place in our favor."

The god of martial arts was silent for a moment longer. Then, finally, he gave a small nod. "Fine. But if this goes wrong, don't expect me to clean up the mess."

Ishtar smiled, satisfied. "Oh, don't worry. If all goes as planned, Hikaru won't even realize what's happening until it's far too late."

***

The afternoon sunlight streamed through the window, casting a warm golden glow over Sakura's bedroom. She lay sprawled on her bed in an oversized hoodie and shorts, completely at ease. A soft smile played on her lips as she scrolled through her phone, caught in an endless loop of cute cat videos.

"Ahh… so adorable," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. She tapped the screen to save another video, fully immersed in her own little world.

The room was quiet, the only sounds coming from the soft hum of her fan and the occasional notification chime from her phone. It was one of those peaceful afternoons where nothing seemed out of place.

Then, a thought crept into her mind. What's Hikaru doing this Sunday…?

The moment the idea fully formed, warmth rushed to her face. She let out a small squeak, quickly locking her phone and pressing it against her chest.

"Ugh, stop thinking about it," she muttered, rolling onto her side and burying her face in a pillow. But no matter how hard she tried, the thought lingered, making her blush even deeper.

Sakura sighed, staring at her phone screen. The group class picture stared back at her, and there, just slightly off-center, was Hikaru. He wasn't even doing anything special just standing there, hands in his pockets, looking as casual as ever.

Her eyes drifted to the side. Standing next to him was Lina.

"...."

Something in her chest tightened. She didn't like this feeling.

Her mood soured instantly. She clicked her tongue, locking her phone and tossing it onto the bed. Then, grabbing a pillow, she buried her face into it and let out a muffled groan.

"Ahhh, why do I have this kinda feeling?!" she whined, kicking her legs against the mattress in frustration.

She wasn't jealous. No, of course not. That would be ridiculous. Stupid, even. It wasn't like she and Hikaru were…

She groaned again, rolling onto her back and staring at the ceiling. Ugh. This is so annoying.

Sakura's frustrated thoughts were cut short by a soft thud outside her window. Her body tensed. A bird? A branch? Her gaze flicked toward the window, but before she could sit up, the glass slid open without a sound.

A figure stepped inside. Dressed in dark clothing, their face hidden behind a smooth, expressionless mask, they moved with an eerie precision—silent, calculated, efficient.

Sakura barely had time to gasp before the intruder spoke.

"I'm sorry," the masked figure said, voice calm, almost regretful. "But this is for the gods' sake."

Her eyes widened. "What—?!"

She lunged for her phone, but she never reached it.

In a single swift motion, the figure closed the distance between them. A sharp pressure struck her neck, and the world tilted. Her limbs went weak, her vision swam, and before she could even process what had happened, darkness swallowed her whole.

The last thing she felt was the sensation of being lifted off her bed.

A few minutes later, Sakura's mother stirred on the living room couch at the faint creak of movement upstairs.

"Hm?" She blinked, groggy, glancing toward the ceiling. Probably just Sakura watching those animal videos again.

Yawning, she stretched and got up, deciding to check on her daughter before heading to bed herself.

She reached Sakura's room and found the door slightly ajar.

Peeking in, she noticed the ruffled bedcovers, Sakura's phone abandoned on the sheets, and the window cracked open, letting in a cool breeze.

Her mother frowned. "Sakura?"

Silence. She checked the bathroom. Not there.

Her lips pressed into a thin line. Maybe she stepped out for some air? Shrugging, she decided not to overthink it. Teenagers were unpredictable, after all. With a small shake of her head, she left the room, closing the door behind her.

Downstairs, the house remained silent.

A few days later, the morning sun cast its usual glow over the school, but something felt off. The air was heavier, a quiet tension lingering beneath the usual chatter of students.

Hikaru stepped into the classroom with Lina, both heading to their usual seats. Lina stretched lazily in her chair while Hikaru absentmindedly set down his bag.

He had barely settled when Risa walked over, her expression tense.

"Hikaru," she said, her voice quieter than usual.

He glanced up. "Hm?"

"Do you know where Sakura is?"

Hikaru blinked. "Sakura?" He shook his head. "No. Why?"

Risa's lips pressed into a thin line. "Her mom told me she hasn't been home for days."

That got his full attention.

"What?" Hikaru sat up straight. "What do you mean she hasn't been home?"

Risa exhaled sharply. "I mean exactly that. Her mom thought she was staying with a friend at first, but when she tried calling, no one picked up. She checked with everyone she could think of, but…"

"...Sakura's usually with you," Risa added, watching his reaction carefully.

"Not yesterday," Hikaru muttered, rubbing his temple. "I was taking a break. I just got a message from her mom saying she thought Sakura was at my place, but I haven't seen her."

Lina, overhearing, walked over. "Mind telling me the last place she was seen?"

Risa shook her head. "Her mom just said she was in her bedroom an hour before she vanished. And then… she was gone."

Lina exchanged a look with Hikaru. Something wasn't right.

To Be Continue.