Yuki was behind the huge crates of shipment that just came from Peru. She needed to get that evidence, now and she needed to confirm her assumptions. That was the only way to let go of the memories and embrace what was to come. She needed to finish the mission this one night.
She ran silently near the guards. She needed a diversion. She looked around at the almost empty pier. One of the ships that came was already going away. She took a large stone beside the crates of cement. She filled her lungs with air and threw the stone towards the water with all her might.
“What was that?” one of the night guards asked the other. He had his flashlight shine in the source of the noise.
“Check it out!” the other guard commanded.
“Why don’t you do it?” the first guard asked.
“You’re such as chicken,” the other guard commented and walked away.
Yuki used the diversion to go behind the first guard. She used her electric rod to weep the guard into unconsciousness. She took him in an old shack and pull of his clothes. She changed her own with the guard’s uniform.
“Bleeh! It stinks!” she complained in annoyance.
She went outside and checked on her disguise. She took all that she needed in her backpack and stuffed it on the man’s uniform.
She went inside. She tried to look calm as she walked. When she saw some other guards she hid in case they suspect her. She went inside the building. It was where the transaction will happen, that was according to her source.

Ryosuke went inside his father’s office.
His father looked up at the paper works that he was doing. “What is it son?” the older Yamada asked.
“Dad, promise me you’ll not lie to me,” Ryosuke asked.
His father was shocked upon hearing his child speak to him like that. He smiled at the younger boy. Ryosuke got it all from him, from his eyes, nose and even his stature. He had the same smile as he had. “Why would I do that?” he asked.
“Just promise me, you won’t and I’ll believe everything that you’ll say,” Ryosuke told his father.
“I promise I will never lie to my son,” his father stood up and faced him. “Cross my heart and hope to die,” the old man added while putting his hand on his chest. “Now tell me, what is bothering you?” he asked.
Ryosuke faced the window. It was dark outside, but the stars are shining brightly on the sky. “They were suspecting that you are shipping drugs outside the country. They also suspects you of supplying drugs to local pushers in Tokyo and other provinces,” Ryosuke looked at his father. His father’s face became so pale. “Is it true, dad?” he asked silently. His eyes were pull of pain and there was a spark of hatred in there.
Yamada Houtarou combed his hair with his hand. He looked nervous.
“Dad? Please, answer me,” Ryosuke begged.
The older Yamada looked at his son’s eyes, “I am not a Drug Lord,” he answered in conviction.
“Dad, you promised that you will not lie to me,” Ryosuke commented.
“I am not lying,” Houtaro said silently. “Whoever was behind this is framing my name.” The older man was full of anger now. “Call Hanazawa, I need to call a meeting with my business partners. They have to know that this is happening.”
“We don’t know who they are, Dad. They might have even be one of your colleagues,” Ryosuke told his father.
Houtarou looked at his son. “Are you suspecting my partners?” he asked in surprise.
Ryosuke nodded.
Yamada Houtarou slumped in his chair. “What shall we do?” he asked.
“Leave it all to me,” Ryosuke said confidently.
“What will you do?” he asked.
He smiled at his father. “I’ll be calling the Chinen’s,” he said. He walked to his father and gave him a tight hug. “Thank you, Dad, for being honest to me. I promise you, I’ll clear your name.”
Houtarou stared at the retreating back of his son. He smiled. His son was already a grown up, now. This year he’ll be in the university. When did he become a proud father with wonderful children? He wondered.

Ryosuke contacted Yuki but he couldn’t reach her. Her phone was off. He sighed. He dialed Yuri’s number.
“Moshi moshi, Ryo-kun?” Yuri said on the opposite line.
“Are you with Yuki? I can’t contact her.” Ryosuke asked.
“Eh, I thought she was with you. She told us that she’ll be spending the night there,” Yuri answered.
Ryosuke’s heart drummed into his chest.
“Ah, sou ka --- arigatou, ne?” he said.
He was about to cut the line when Yuri said, “What is happening?”
“Arimasen,” he answered but the worried sound of his voice couldn’t be kept.
“Yamada Ryosuke, I know that you know something!” Yuri’s voice was a little too loud.
Ryosuke slumped on his bed, he needed to think of something.
“Yamada Ryosuke!” Yuri shouted on the line. Ryosuke woke up.
“Yuki might have a lead on the real drug lord that framed up your friend before,” Ryosuke told Yuri.
Yuri became silent then, “Who told you that?” he asked.
“Morimoto Ryutaro,” he answered.
“Wakatta. I’ll call up uncle.” Yuri said and cut the line.
“I needed to talk to Daiki,” he told himself.

“Oh, Ryo-chan, where are you going?” asked Jhenie who just arrived. Behind him was Daiki. Ryosuke walked towards his best friend and pulled his collar.
Daiki was surprised with Ryosuke’s behavior.
“Where is your father?” Ryosuke asked.
“Anou… I don’t know.” Daiki answered pushing Ryosuke away but the other guy wouldn’t let go.
“Ryosuke Yamada, let go of Daiki, right now!” commanded his sister.
Ryosuke disregarded his older sister, “What is his connection to the drug shipments?” he asked addressing Daiki who was taken aback.
“I don’t know. I really don’t.” Daiki answered innocently.
Ryosuke let him go while Daiki tried to fix his collar.
“Is he at your house?” Ryosuke asked.
“He said he won’t be. He will be fixing something. That was what I heard between his conversation with Okaasan this morning,” Daiki answered. “What is the matter, Ryo?”
Ryosuke’s mind was wondering. Where could she be at this hour? “I need to go to the pier,” he told them.
“Why?” asked Jhenie.
Ryosuke looked at her sister. There was a worried expression in his eyes, “Yuki might be there.” he answered.
“Why? Is Yuki missing?” she asked. Ryosuke nodded. “She might be in her friends’ house.”
“She told her family, she’ll be staying here for the night.” He answered back. “She might thought, her family will not be looking for her here.”
He walked away towards the car. “I’ll be going with you,” Daiki said and took out his car keys.
“Me too,” ¬Jhenie said.
When they were inside the car, somebody stopped Ryosuke on closing the door. Kyoumi was there. “I know what you are thinking. I know you’ll tell me that it’s too dangerous for me to go along but you see, Yuki was a really good friend of mine so I want to see to it that she is ok, too.”
Kyoumi pried the door open and sat beside her older brother.
Nobody spoke while Daiki drove them to the pier.

Yuki found herself in an empty cargo van. The man who found her disguised as a guard dumped her on the solid floor. The gash made from the wound on her thigh was bleeding hard. She scraped it in a metallic crate when she tried to escape her pursuers. She wasn’t that vigilant. It was due to her stupidity as she allowed herself to be uncovered.
She studied the room. It was empty except for one empty box. She could feel the pain in her thighs. She looked at it. It won’t stop bleeding. She was already feeling the drowsiness probably because of the extensive lost of blood. She couldn’t do anything for herself. She was tied and she had no more strength left to free herself.
She bit her lower lip, she shouldn’t sleep, she knew it. Any moment now, they’ll come looking for her. They should have seen her distress signal already.
“What have we here?” she heard a man said outside. “Three Yamada’s and an Arioca.”
Yuki snapped in attention.
“The boss will be happy,” the man said.
“Where are we putting them?” another man asked.
“In with the girl,” the first man said.
“Let us go!” It was Kyoumi.
Several men laughed. “Cute little girl. That old man must be very proud to have such a cute baby,” one man commented.
“Let go of Kyoumi,” that was Ryosuke.
The door of the empty cargo opened. Ryosuke, Daiki, Jhenie and Kyoumi was shoved inside. Another man locked the door.
“Drive them to the boss,” the one that seemed to be the leader said.
They felt the engine start.
“Ryosuke…” Yuki called.
Ryosuke looked at her in shock. He finally found her. “What happened to you?” he asked as he crawled beside her. They were not tied like her.
“Pull out the swiss knife in my pocket, “Yuki commanded.” Ryosuke did what she was told.
The others were beside them now.
Ryosuke untied her. Daiki on the other hand tried to push open the door. “Damn it!” they heard him curse.
“What happened to you?” Kyoumi asked as she looked at her wound.
“I just scraped it somewhere,” she answered trying to smile.
Jhenie tore her pants, “You’re bleeding hard,” she commented.
“Can you do something about it?” Ryosuke asked.
“I’ll try,” Jhenie took the swiss knife and tore her skirt. Yuki pulled a small bottle of alcohol from her pocket and gave it to Jhenie.
“This will sting,” the older girl told her. She nodded.
Ryosuke took hold of her hand. He pulled her to him. Daiki was on the other side of Jhenie who was sweating hard.
Jhenie tied her thigh with the cloth she tore from her dress to stop the bleeding. Yuki moaned in pain. Ryosuke felt hurt seeing Yuki like this but then she relaxed after a while. Yuki was a very brave girl. She was strong. Ryosuke stared at her while Jhenie cleaned the area beside her wound. This girl doesn’t need him, he thought. She could stand by herself. He let go of her.
Yuki felt Ryosuke loose his grip. She looked at him. He was only staring at her. Pain was visible on his eyes. She extended her hand on him and took hold of his arm. She wanted him near her.
Ryosuke saw the longing in Yuki’s eyes before she closed it tight as Jhenie applied a minimal amount of alcohol in her wound. He felt her grip tighten. He held her wrist and pulled her close. He closed their gap and hugged her. He let her head rest on his chest. He felt her whimper every time Jhenie patted Yuki’s wound with the alcohol damped cloth. She gritted her teeth on his flesh as Jhenie patted it for a longer time. Jhenie tore another piece of cloth from her dress and tied it on Yuki’s wound.
Yuki relaxed. She looked at her well-tended wound and looked at Jhenie. “Arigatou, ne!”
“Douita!” Jhenie said and pat her on the head, “You are a very brave girl.”
Kyoumi was smiling at her so as Daiki. They rested while the cargo truck drove away to wherever land.
Ryosuke pulled Yuki closer. She put her head on his shoulder and held his hand.