*Chapter 5: The Party, The Cost, and The Choices*

Taro stood at the edge of the party, his gaze sweeping over the loud, raucous group of gang members from different parts of the city. He had passed his initiation, a fight that had tested not just his strength but his resolve. Now, he was officially part of Kaito's gang, and Taro and ken were celebrating his acceptance into the gang, But this wasn't just a typical celebration; this was a message to everyone watching: Taro had made it. He was part of the family and letting fellow gang members know he was seen with favor in kaito's eyes

The music was loud, the strobe lights flashing in time with the bass. Bodies swayed, drinks spilled, and laughter echoed off the concrete walls. People were losing themselves in the music, in the freedom of knowing that they had power, however fleeting it may be.

Taro took a sip from the drink in his hand, his eyes still scanning the room. Despite the excitement around him, something inside him felt off. This world—the underworld—was now his. He wasn't just an outsider anymore. But he knew this was just the beginning. The next phase, the real test, was about to unfold.

*"You made it, man."* Ken slapped him on the back, a wide grin on his face. *"You survived the initiation. Now, we get to party!"*

Taro smirked, but there was a glint of something more serious in his eyes. *"Yeah, I made it."* But even as the words left his mouth, he knew that making it here was just the start of his journey, not the end.

Ken pointed across the room. *"Come on, let me introduce you to the others."*

Taro followed him through the crowd. As they weaved past groups of gang members, some laughing, others discussing business, Ken nodded to a few people. *"These guys are the ones you need to get to know. They're the ones who run the streets. Make a good impression, and you'll have their trust."*

Ken's voice lowered. *"And trust is everything here."*

Taro's eyes scanned the men around him. Tough-looking guys with tattoos, scars, and hardened faces. But what struck him the most wasn't their intimidating appearance—it was the hunger in their eyes. The need for power, control, respect. It was the same hunger he felt deep inside him, the hunger that had led him to this life in the first place.

Just then, Ken's arm shot out, stopping them in front of a woman. *"Mia, this is Taro. He just made it in,"* Ken said with a grin. *"Taro, meet Mia."*

*Mia.* Taro's eyes studied her carefully. She wasn't like the others. She stood out—quiet, composed, and graceful. In a room full of rough men, she was a soft contrast. But what caught Taro's attention was the maid's uniform she wore. It wasn't typical for the gang members to have staff, and yet here she was, standing with ease, almost detached from the world around her.

Her eyes met his, and for a moment, Taro saw something in them—something unspoken. It wasn't just the sharp intelligence he saw in her eyes, but something else. A kind of sadness. A weariness.

*"Nice to meet you,"* Mia said, her voice soft yet firm. Her polite smile didn't quite reach her eyes. *"Welcome to the gang."*

Taro nodded, but there was an unspoken tension between them. Mia wasn't just any member of the gang—she was here because her family owed the boss a debt they couldn't pay. And in this world, debts like that weren't just about money—they were about lives.

Ken moved away, leaving Taro alone with Mia. She stood there, as if waiting for him to say something, but instead, Taro found himself observing her. Something about her intrigued him.

*"So,"* Taro finally said, his voice low. *"How does it feel to be stuck in this world?"*

Mia's gaze flickered, almost too quickly. She didn't answer immediately, choosing instead to look around the room as if searching for something. She spoke after a pause, her sounding like someone with cage and restricted, "It doesn't feel like anything, all danger and no smile."* Her words were cold, dismissive even. *"This is the life I have to live, it not like I have a say."*

Taro watched her, something about her resonating with him. *"You don't have a say?"*

Mia shook her head. *" Let just forget about this, this party is for you not about me, so just enjoy it."* She paused, her voice growing quieter. *" Hopefully you will live longer than the previous once."*

Taro could feel the weight of her words. He understood that She was passionless, just a maid; and she was part of the boss's world in the most intimate way—serving because of something she rather not say.

Taro's gaze hardened. His voice was tight now. *"How long have you been in the family?"*

Mia looked at him then, her eyes cold. *"Enough for me to be here. Enough for me to stay. Enough for me to do whatever the boss tells me."* Her voice faltered for just a moment, but she quickly regained her composure.

Taro looked away, his eyes filled with curiosity. He started to question if all the people involved with the gang where evil or he was just wrong to judge everyone for just some people. He started to admit is narrowed mindset and is crude thinking of the gang

---

*The next day,* Taro met the man whose daughter had been brutally assaulted. The conversation was dark, heavy, and the air between them thick with unspoken pain.

*"My daughter… She was taken. Raped. And the police couldn't do a damn thing,"* the man said, his voice trembling with rage and sorrow. *"But you, Taro… you said you could help me. You promised me you'd make sure this didn't go unanswered."*

Taro's fist clenched at the thought of the violation his daughter had faced. *"I will,"* he said, his voice rough. *"But we have to be smart about this. We'll make sure he pays. I'll make sure they all pay."*

The man looked at Taro with weary eyes. *"I know. I trust you."*

Taro nodded, his mind racing. His thoughts kept returning to Mia. To her silence. To the way she spoke about her family's debt and her place in this world. It hit him harder than he expected. Was she just another victim? Another person caught in the Boss's web?

As Taro walked away from the meeting, he felt the weight of the choices before him. The loyalty to his new "family" and the mission to get justice for the victims of this world.

And somewhere, in the back of his mind, he couldn't shake the feeling that Mia wasn't just part of this world by chance. She was tied to it—like a prisoner who had nowhere to run.