3:00 a.m. (Your POV) [Your Residence, Kyoto, Japan]

Looking at Taeyeon, I nodded telling her that it was all going to be alright. Even though I said that to try and reassure her, her palms were beginning to sweat and her hands were shaking profusely. Just a moment ago, she had sounded valiant. Now, her fear and anxiety were starting to take hold. 

With a deep breath, I moved my hand up behind the base of her porcelain neck. In one move, I hit her and she knocked out almost instantly. As she fell over, I caught her with her body going limp. In that moment, I caught a glimpse of her eyes as she stared at me in surprise. I could only look away in shame as a few words slipped her tongue before she fell unconscious.

Taeyeon: "Why?...."

You: "Because I love you too much to put you through this..."

Without a moments hesitation, Ava escaped from Jessica and began to cry and pound at me in her shock. After all, this was the first time I had ever acted this aggressive towards Taeyeon. 

Ava: "Daddy! What did you do! Why did you hurt mommy!?"

Holding Taeyeon in my arms and looking down at Ava, I couldn't hold my eyes from watering as I was being killed on the inside by the decisions I had just made. With her whining going on and on, I tried my best to explain what was happening to her still young brain. To do this, I looked over at Jessica and signaled to her to pickup Ava once more. When she did, I placed Taeyeon on the floor away from me. As I gently layed her down on the floor, I felt her fingers feel my arms. Looking at her face to see if she had regained her consciousness, I saw that she was still unconcsious. 

Jessica: "Even in her darkness, she still wants to hold you... To be your strength..."

My tears began building up when Jessica said this, but I held them in so that I could look strong as I spoke to Ava. Taking her from Jessica, I looked her in the eyes and tried my best to explain the situation to her young mind. 

You: "Honey, I did that to your mother because I need you two to do exactly what I say, okay?"

Ava: "But mommy would listen to you if you just told her..."

You: "I don't know that... But I need you to trust that everything I do is so that you and your mother are safe... You know I wouldn't do anything that I didn't think would make your lives better, right?"

Ava: "Yes..."

You: "Good. Now, I want you to turn around for me..."

Hesitantly, she turned and I did the same thing I did to Taeyeon. Although not as hard, it had the same effect on her small body. As she went limp, I caught her and laid her down right next to Taeyeon. When I finished that, Jessica walked up to me and stared into my eyes. She had that very same ice cold stare that could break anybody.

Jessica: "Explain."

You: "I don't have to explain what I do with my family to you."

Jessica: "Might I remind you that its our family? If anything, Taeyeon is the extra in this equation."

You: "Shut it."

Jessica: "Well, there's no need to explain anyway. I knew the moment Taeyeon had resolved to fight along side you that you were going to to something like this."

You: "How would you have foreseen that?"

Jessica: "It's in your nature..."

You: "In my nature?"

Jessica: "You've never realized it, but you've always been one of the most unselfish people I've ever met. From the very day I met you, there was a kindness that you locked away from the world. You never showed anybody, but certain people have been able to open the door to that hidden trait of yours."

You: "Now, how would you know something about me that I don't even know?"

Jessica: "You know it's true... You just refuse to accept that it exists..."

You: "How have I ever been kind?"

Jessica: "You like to bear the weight of your mistakes on your shoulders. From the beginning, you were never truly heartless, but rather the opposite. It was because you never wanted those around you to feel the anguish you felt that you pushed people away with your behavior. By sending them away, should something go wrong, there wasn't any possibility of collateral damage affecting anybody you cared about. Even worse, you locked your heart away and refused to let yourself truly care about people. This made sure that you were never vulnerable."

You: "Wouldn't that just make me selfish then? That I refused to care about people so that someone couldn't hurt me?"

Jessica: "Perhaps... But I like to think that you're not as selfish as you put out... After all, it would be hypocritical for me to say that I never tried to hide myself from the world... Albeit, my intentions were always different from you..."

You: "Why do you believe in me so much?"

Jessica: "You know why..."

You: "I'm sorry for that..."

Jessica: "Why would you be sorry for me loving you? I should be thanking you for entering my life..."

You: "If I had never met you, you would still have the same life you lived before. Things would have been much better for you and for everyone else I've come into contact with over the past few years. I can't help but feel that I've become much more of a burden than I can help everyone else."

Jessica: "Don't say that... You've given me so much to be happy about... Even if I've only just met her, I love our daughter with a love far more than anyone else can comprehend..."

She knelt down and brushed Ava's hair with her hand. The entire time, she had this look that I had never before seen on her face. She really meant what she said, in the little time they've had together, she's truly rekindled the maternal bond they once shared. Looking up at me, her eyes gained a sense of calm and hope that wasn't there in our conversation prior. 

You: "What is it?"

Jessica: "You have to make sure you come back alive."

You: "I can't guarantee that. Not with the kind of people there are out there."

Jessica: "You're going to do it. You have no choice."

You: "Why?"

Jessica: "You've lived this far in support of our daughter. So, you need to finish what you've started. Only when she's ready to take care of herself in the world is when you can stop. When the day comes that she's become her own person, then you have my permission to die. Until then, you have to stay alive as her ultimate support system."

You: "I'll try my best. However, I need you to help me now."

Jessica: "Where do you want me to take them?"

You: "If you can carry them, there should be a black SUV parked on the street across from the residence. There, you should be able to find Suzy waiting for someone to tell her where to go. From there, you need to take the car to the airport and wake Taeyeon up. When she gives confirmation, they'll allow the four of you to take my private jet anywhere in the world. Take that jet to Seoul and meet up with your former group members. They each have a security detail so you four should be safe until I can finish things up."

Jessica: "That's awfully well thought out. Tell me, did you anticipate this happening?"

You: "Not this specific situation, but I've always been prepared of the worst."

Jessica: "So afraid of being under prepared that you over prepare?"

You: "Exactly."

Jessica: "And from the beginning, you've planned to handle every possible moment by yourself, huh?"

You: "Yes."

Jessica: "...I'd like to think you've learned your lesson from everything that's happened over the years, but you're as stubborn as ever..."

You: "And what is that supposed to mean?"

Jessica: "Nothing. I should get going."

Putting what she hinted aside, I looked around the room for something to help her carry both Taeyeon and Ava to safety. Looking into a closet, I saw a travel pack stuffed inside. Seeing as it was rather large, I knew we could fit part of Ava so that Jessica could carry them to the car. 

Jessica: "That's kind of crude... Why do I have to carry Ava in a backpack?"

You: "That's the best we've got right now. Are you sure you can carry them?"

Jessica: "I should be alright. I'll put Ava near my chest and I'll carry Taeyeon on my back."

You: "Okay."

Helping her arrange herself, I opened the door for Jessica and let her go off. She looked like she was having a rather difficult time with them, but I knew she was going to get the job done. Outside the house, we stopped for a second and she once again tried to persuade me to change my mind.

Jessica: "Just come with us and run away. This is something far worse than you've estimated."

You: "No, I have to handle this. It's now or never."

Jessica: "Good luck."

You: "I don't need luck."

Jessica: "Arrogant much?"

You: "Thank you."

Jessica: "For what?"

You: "Believing in me."

Jessica: "I'll believe in you even if you never ask me to. Because even after all that life's put you through, you're still the honorable man I fell in love with all those years ago."

You: "Thank you..."

Five Minutes Later (Your POV) [Your Residence, Kyoto, Japan]

After seeing the three of them off, I prepared myself to leave the room. As far as I could tell, outside the room there was complete darkness and, in that element, I had the advantage. While I was sure the men standing guard were no scrubs, I was sure that they didn't have the level of skill I had without my eyes. Even when blinded, I am more than capable of fending off for myself.

Walking out into the hallway, I was surprised by the emptiness in the house. There were no guards outside the door, no sounds came from any rooms close by, and the aura of the property had gone away. Earlier, there was a heavy feeling in the air, it now seemed as if the tension had left. Readjusting the knife in my hand, I set myself on the defensive. 

As I roamed the property, there were no people to be found within the hallways. Checking each room, there were also no people in each of the rooms. Walking into the living room, I was able to see outside. Looking out, there were no guards anywhere in or around the property. In the short time between the masked man giving me an ultimatum until now, they had silently left the property leaving not so much as a clue to track them by. 

That is until I passed by my office...

From there, I saw a light coming from within the room...

Walking in, I saw there was someone sitting on my chair at my desk...

Masked Person: "Took you long enough to come here... Tell me, did you send away your family? If not, you truly are one of the most foolish people I know."

You: "They're long gone by now..."

Masked Person: "Good. Then it's just the two of us..."

You: "Where did you send your men?"

Masked Person: "Away. I won't need any of their help to take down a weakened man..."

You: "Weakened? I believe you're the fool. You threatened something I care very deeply about. That was not a very wise decision."

Masked Person: "That's exactly why you're weakened you damned fool! You used to be feared because there was nothing important to you! As a lawyer, there was no leverage that could be used against you! As an killer, you were the best because your heart was filled with a darkness never seen before! In the past, you had something to prove. You were once a man driven to achieve the highest he could, but now you've become complacent."

You: "Just because I settled down and decided to honestly care about other people doesn't mean that I have deteriorated. On the contrary, now I have a reason to fight. I've finally found something worth risking everything for..."

Masked Person: "Risk your life for a make-shift family!? Covering up your lies with even more dishonesty will hardly hide the fact that you've been running from something your entire life! From the very beginning you ran away to Seoul in the hopes of leaving behind the burden of being your grandfather's heir! You even ran away from your life in Seoul so that you wouldn't have to submit to the rules laid out for you by your own grandfather!"

You: "That's hardly the reason why... I'm a self made man. I don't need his money to provide for my family."

Masked Person: "You arrogant fool! Have you truly convinced yourself of that!? You were always talented and had everything handed to you! Not once did you ever have to work for what you had... You were born lucky... That's why you never needed your grandfather's resources... That's why I made sure I had a direct line to attain those funds when the time came..."

You: "What are you talking about!?"

Masked Person: "From the moment your grandfather was choosing where to leave his massive estate to, I played the role of the manipulator. I am the witness to the agreement! The one person who shall always serve as proof of it's legitimacy!"

Upon hearing this, I threw the knife next to his head hitting the wall behind him. Even with such a sudden attack, he didn't even flinch. In fact, it was almost like he was anticipating it.

You: "That means if I kill you, I can combat the legitimacy of that contract..."

Masked Person: "You can, but I know you far better than you think I do. After all, I have been secretly directing your entire life from the moment you graduate law school until this point. Now, the play is in its final act and I will be the one who comes out the victor in the end of it all."

You: "Big words for someone who doesn't have much power at all?"

Masked Person: "Oh believe me boy, I have power. The only reason I want the combined assets of the Jung estate and your grandfather's is because I need funding and leverage for the next stage of my plan. So, you should be thankful that you get to play such a pivotal role in my plans."

You: "What could you possibly be planning with such a large amount of cash? Are you going to build your own country?"

Masked Person: "Precisely... And when all is said and done, the world will tremble before the might of the Yakuza and, most of all, the world will have to see the greatness that is my existence"

You: "And who might you be?"

Masked Person: "Keito..."

You: "What did you just say!?"

In an instant, the man removed his mask and my knees trembled from the shock I received. Never in a million years would I have thought that the man behind this all was the person I considered an older brother. As I looked on in disbelief, I tried to maintain my composure and calm.

Keito: "Well, don't tell me you didn't see this coming. After all, this is the fate we were both destined to end up at. From the very beginning, you knew full well the two of us would come at this crossroads..."

You: "How...? Why...?"

Keito: "I told you. I want the inheritance so that I can bring the Yakuza out of the darkness and into the light. As my family's name suggests, we live in the shadows. Now, it is my turn to arise from the shadows after waiting all this time. With those assets, I can place my men government positions and eventually take over Japan's government. Eventually, the Yakuza will no longer be merely a gang. We will soon become a nation..."

You: "Was it all a lie...? Were you always manipulating me...?"

Keito: "Not only you... Don't take it personally... I had also manipulated your grandfather, the Jung family, your father, Jessica, SM entertainment, and even your younger brother..."

You: "So it was you... You were the one who told him about the inheritance..."

Keito: "Only the parts I wanted him to hear.... After all, without his involvement, how could I have gotten you to return to our organization? I knew you had found something you wanted to protect and that was the perfect way to integrate myself into your life completely while it seemed that you were the one who wanted me to..."

You: "All this time..."

Keito: "You thought I was someone you could trust?"

You: "..."

Keito: "Like I said, you are the fool my friend. Every moment over the last decade, I have been silently directing your life from the shadows waiting for the right time to strike. Not one moment went by that I had not planned for... Even the birth of your child... Even the 'death' of her mother..."

You: "How could you have planned that...?"

Keito: "By simply drugging her IV's while she was in the hospital... I knew I needed her gone if I was to get what I wanted from you... Yet, I also knew she was necessary to strong arm you into submitting to the terms of your grandfather's will..."

You: "I won't let you away with this... All the lives you've ruined... Everything you've done to hurt other people... I'm going to make sure you pay for it all with your own life..."

Keito: "Who are you to play all high and mighty? You're every bit as selfish as I am! I'm just more hungry to achieve my goals than you are... Then again, I can just attribute our vigor to the differences in our upbringings..."

You: "What does how we were raised have to do with anything?"

Keito: "You lived in a family acknowledged and loved across the world. Everything was handed to you, even your natural abilities in academics and fighting. I, on the other hand, grew up in an exiled Yakuza sect in the war torn middle east. From the moment I was born, all I knew was how to shed blood to achieve what I wanted. I'm willing to do anything to achieve my goals... Yet, it was you who gave me the credo I needed..."

You: "Glory and gore go hand in hand..."

Keito: "Exactly... For my glory, someone else must pay with their own suffering and blood. In this case..."

You: "I'm the one you chose..."

Keito: "No, my friend, I didn't choose you. It was fate that tied our lives together. From the very beginning, it made our different backgrounds intertwine in order to truly teach each other how to reach the next level. We were both meant to be each other's ultimate rival, the final battle in order to find true meaning in each other's lives. Seeing as we both somewhat need the other alive, I have a suggesnstion... I am willing to settle this without any weapons, a simple battle with our fists."

You: "What game are you playing now?"

Keito: "None. If I win, you submit to my desires. If you win, I'll let you walk away with your family intact. Isn't that what you always wanted? To leave all your sins behind and take care of your new found muses?"

You: "Fine. Let's settle this."

Knowing full well that everything each of us had ever aspired to achieving relied solely on the outcome of this fight, we both took off what we wore on our upper bodies. Upon removing our shirts, the similarities between us were nearly limitless. He had scars from bullet wounds and knife stabs. So did I. We both bore tattoos that symbolized our association with the Yakuza. Yet, amongst these tattoos stood out a set of very special tattoos. 

On my upper left sde of my back and on his lower right side, we each bore a half of the same piece of art. Mine, a mystical white dragon and his a regal white tiger. Put together, they created an image of an eternal struggle between two powerful forces. Even more so, it relayed our relationship perfectly... We were always going to be rivals, but, without the other, one of us would be incomplete and unable to be great... As much as we were complete opposites, we also composed half of the perfect whole...

Keito: "How ironic that we should live to reenact the scene tattooed on our backs... Yet, today it is the time for the tiger to usurp the mighty dragon..."

You: "As if I would let you get the better of me..."

Keito: "I already have... You calculated almost everything, but you never realized that the greatest threat to your authority was right next to you the entire time..."

You: "I doubt that..."

Keito: "Believe what you want... Tell me, do you know what the kanji written on our backs says?"

You: "We are brothers, not of blood, but stronger than iron..."

Keito: "Only to be torn apart by death..."

You: "We are heirs to the samurai..."

Keito: "Our fate lies with heaven..."

You: "Now then, let's see which one of us heaven favors more..."

Walking over the center of the room, we both squared our fists and prepared to beat the life out of each other. In an instant, punches began exchanging between the both of us. 

Jab. Jab. Hook.

You: "Is this really what you've wanted all this time!? Did our friendship really not mean anything to you!?"

Keito: "Friendship!? When did you get so sentimental!?"

Step in. Step out. Uppercut.

You: "Since I learned that selfishness can't fullfil my dreams! I'm not who I was before! I've learned that life is more than power and material possesions!"

Keito: "Pitiful!"

You: "The one who's pitiful is the one who betrays his comrades!"

In an instant, he threw a punch so quick that I couldn't block. Gathering myself, I squared up once more and we exchanged blows and words once again. 

Keito: "Just give in! Be part of the world I will create with your help!"

You: "Not as long as I live and breathe!"

No matter what the combination, I could land punches on him but they seemed to have little to no effect on Keito. Yet, it was the exact opposite for me. His punches were landing but I could feel the deterioration of my body as I took each of his hits. As we kept exchanging hits, it was clear that he had the upper hand. Knowing this, he began taunting me.

Keito: "What happened!? Are you not trying hard enough!? Can you not bring yourself to hit me!? I know full well that you can fight better than this! Come at me with everything you've got! Now we are gladiators! Its kill or be killed!"

It was no use, no matter how hard I willed myself, I couldn't land an effective hit on him. He was far too powerful for me at this time, not when I wasn't at a hundred percent. Even then he would be a challenge, but with my fatigue he was nearly impossible to beat. 

Accepting my fate, I put my guard down and let him land punches straight to my face. After that barrage, he kicked my gut and caused me to fall over on my back. Laying there, I accepted that he was the winner of our bout.

You: "You win. Do as you wish to me... But please don't touch my family..."

Keito: "So that's it... I was correct... From the beginning, learning how to care for other people has made you weak... It made you vulnerable... Even now... Your greatest weakness caused you to lose focus in this fight..."

After he said this, he walked towards the desk once more and put his clothes back on. Once he had put all of his clothes on, he turned to me with a darkness and cold in his eyes. The same look we had usually given to our assassination targets. Yet, I noticed there was water building up in his eyes.

Keito: "How disappointing, I had prepared you for this moment. I trained you, and even provided a conduit for you to hate me. Yet, you failed to test my skills. For now, I will let you live on and prepare yourself. When you're ready to kill me, then you know where I'm going to be..."

You: "Why are you being so merciful?"

Keito: "I'm not. I'm just protecting my honor. It would be dishonorable for me to kill a man clearly not in the proper mental state to protect himself or his loved ones. So, I am willing to wait for my prize. Next time we meet, you will follow through with terms of your grandfather's contract and I will kill you. Until then, hate me. Hate me until you can't hold it in anymore. When that time comes, I'll be ready..."

You: "I won't let you get away with this..."

After I said this, he crouched down next to me and began talking.

Keito: "I've heard that before... But tell me... Why do you keep protecting that makeshift family of yours when it only brings you pain and suffering? Even going as far as to give up your life. All for a group of people who will never comprehend how much you have given up for them..."

You: "It was because I was taught how to truly love... Once, I looked at it just like you... I thought the only things in life were money and my goals, but I was horribly mistaken..."

Keito: "Why?"

You: "Even when I had money, power, and the potential for even greater things; I felt awfully empty on the inside. I felt like something was missing. All those years ago, when I moved to Korea, I found things that filled the void. For once in my life, I honestly cared about people other than myself..."

Keito: "Jessica and Taeyeon?"

You: "Not just them... It was those two, but also Suzy... Their combined kindness made the ice around my heart melt... The three of them calmed the hellish blizzard that was my existence..."

Keito: "How complicated..."

You: "It's not. Those three people are very important to me and I would go through so many things for them. Yet, the ones I'm more than willing to lay down my life for..."

Keito: "Jessica and Taeyeon?"

You: "No... Of all the people in the world... Taeyeon, Ava, and our unborn child are my greatest treasures... For them to live their lives in happiness, I would gladly forfeit my own..."

Keito: "As expected, you came here prepared to die... Every calculation of yours was perfect, even up to losing to me... Wasn't it?"

You: "..."

Keito: "But, I must say... I have, for only the second time in my life, outmaneuvered and outsmarted the legendary devil of the Yakuza... Even your reputation as a brilliant strategist has come crumbling down..."

As I lay there on the floor, my body unable to move, Keito stood up and went through his pockets. Feeling around, he finished as he pulled out a bottle that looked like it was filled with some type of serum. Suddenly, he threw it at me and I barely caught it. 

Looking at it, it was some type of drug. Clearly it wasn't from Japan because it had its ingredients listed in English.

You: "Are you going to inject me with this?"

Keito: "No, it's already been used."

You: "What does this do?"

Keito: "To you? Nothing. But to a woman, it could be very well devastating..."

You: "Why?"

Keito: "It's a drug I bought from the United States where it's readily available. What does it do? Well, to put it more elegantly, it induces a miscarriage for any woman it's injected to... So, you can guess who it was I injected the drug into right?"

You: "Taeyeon..."

Keito: "There you go... Well, I guess I can give you a glimmer of hope... This drugs effects can be reverted if the antidote is given within 6 hours of initial injection... So, you have a chance to save your unborn child..."

You: "Where's this antidote?"

Keito: "On top of your desk... However, there is still a downside to using the antidote..."

You: "What?"

Keito: "The drug is very specific. It will induce a miscarriage a hundred percent of the time, but the antidote will only stop the effects in twenty percent of the patients it is tried on. As for the other eighty percent of the time, it seems that the antidote has an adverse effect on the bodies of people it isn't compatible with..."

You: "And what is that?"

Keito: "Those who don't have the procedure canceled... All die..."

You: "You're telling me to gamble my wife's life!?"

Keito: "I'm not telling you to gamble anything... I'm just telling you that I injected your wife with a drug that will effectively abort your unborn child and that there is a very risky way out... it's up to you to decide how you want to act..."

You: "Bastard... If I could get up, I would kill you..."

Keito: "That's why I made sure I hit your nerves to immobilize and tire you out faster... Now, I'm going to inject you with morphine that will kick in about fifteen minutes after I administer it... That should be enough time for me to get out safely and also enough pain killer to allow you to move once again..."

With that, he pulled out another bottle of serum and also a needle. Injecting me with the morphine, he made his way out of the door. Before he left, he stared at me laying on the floor helpless with tears in my eyes. As he walked away, I screamed at the top my lungs from the anger I was feeling. I let out my roar for as long as I could. Eventually, even my throat grew tired of my pointless banter. Turning to me, I once again saw a complex look on Keito's face. A face that had the smugness of a victor, but the sadness of a person losing somehting they held dear.

Keito: "You know... Compared to other people... We are different..."

You: "..."

Keito: "We both rose to the top of our respective worlds... Thinking we were at the same level... With that, we gained a level of sychrony and peace that many duos dream of achieving... With that bond we've developed I was able to hear something just a moment ago... Something I have never once heard from you..."

You: "W-What...?"

Keito: "The sound of your heart bursting apart..."

As he walked toward the door, I resumed my screaming until my voice died due to my exhaustion. When my yelling ceased, he turned around and stared me in the eyes as he walked into the hallway.

Keito: "You know... I don't think you've noticed it but... The fact that you came to fight me without any help from your loved ones... It shows that you've never really changed... After all these years... You're still the same arrogant fool that marched into Korea all those years ago... 

You've never trusted anyone completely...

You've never thought you needed help from anybody...

And that's why you will lose everything..."