Yamada tried Akiyo’s phone only to hear her answer tone. He sighed. He did not blame her to ignore him.

“Yama-Chan... You okay?” Yuto popped in.

“She is still ignoring me... Maybe I should go to her house and apologize....” Yamada muttered.

“No idea what you’re talking about but this the forensic report about the nurse case where that doctor was the eye witness.” Yuto said placing the folder on the table.

“Arigatou.”  Yamada said and looked at the file.

He sat up. She had been dead for the time she had been missing. Not only was that she an important witness against his grandfather.

“They are targeting Akiyo.” He whispered.

~Elsewhere~

Akiyo got up with a splitting headache. She silently tried to move her hands but she could not pull the bounds apart.

“What’s going on?” Akiyo thought worried.

“Ahhh... She got up... You do have a nice body ne?” A grumpy looking man advanced.

Akiyo shuddered as she saw him come near her. She tried to scream but there was a cloth around .

~Akiyo’s house~

Yamada rushed at the door only to find it open. He was shocked to find it open. He walked in. It was a bit untidy, clothes here and there.

“She hardly lives ha?” He smiled looking at the mess.

He noticed a blue book on her table. He opened it. A photo fell down. He picked it up. He felt a clog in his throat. It was a picture of him and Akiyo. On the back it said:-

“ Me and the one I will always love”

She always cared for him from the start. He remembered meeting her. People were bullying her, but he chose to save her.

“I am sorry Akiyo.” He whispered.

His phone rang. It was from Akiyo. He brightened and picked the phone when.

“Not your girlfriend. She is with us now. You have two hours to find her.” The voice laughed and cut up.

Yamada stood transfixed.

~Elsewhere~

Akiyo opened her eyes to see herself in a glass cage. She was feeling cold and wet.

“Wet?”

She noticed the floor was filling up with water. She gasped and started to scream but there no one to hear her. She struggled against her bounds.

~In Yamada’s office~

Yamada noticed the envelop on his table. He picked it up quickly when photos fell down. Photos of a tied up Akiyo.

“Akiyo...” He whispered and looked more into the envelop.

A single word was written there.

“Kawashima docks”

He gritted his teeth. It was his grandfather’s dock. He knew it. They targeted Akiyo as well. He left his office not before alerting Yuto.

~In the docks~

Akiyo screamed as the cold water crept up to her legs. She struggled against the bounds. No use.

Meanwhile Ryosuke arrived on to the scene. He noticed a certain man walking away smirking. Ryosuke rushed in to see Akiyo is a glass tank that was filling up with water.

“AKIYO!” he screamed and looked around for the control to stop the water.  Realizing that the only way out was to get into the water tank.

He ran upstairs only to find his adversaries waiting to beat him up.

He avoided the first two, they ended up falling down to the ground floor. He grunted and checked at the tank, it was filling up with an alarming rate.

The water had reached till Akiyo’s neck.

“Yamada-Sama....Do we really have to go through this?” One of thugs asked as Yamada avoided his punch.

“I am not like you all.” Ryosuke replied curtly and punched him.

He managed to reach the railing. He jumped into the tank. The water was almost up covered her head. He dived in and untied her bonds.

Akiyo was losing strength. The water had entered her lungs. He hugged her and surfaced up with her. He heard her gasp, her hand weakly grasping his shirt.

He climbed out of the tank holding Akiyo. She had already collapsed from exhaustion and weakness. He heard the sirens.

Yuto seemed to have alerted the department since he did not arrive.

~In Yamada’s house~

Akiyo opened her eyes slowly, only to see an IV hooked up to her hand. Her head throbbed. She placed her hand on her neck only to feel her locket.

“Are you feeling better?” Ryosuke’s husky voice reached her.

Akiyo sat up quickly only to feel dizzy. Ryosuke held her and helped her to lay down. He sighed.

“Why are you still such a big ditz?” He asked looking at her.

Akiyo looked at him.

“I know I should have not said that but I did not want to get you involved Akiyo. You are the last person left who I care about.” He continued.

“Last person?...But aren’t I more like a friend?” Akiyo asked confused.

“If it was so, I would not have felt so complicated. Akiyo... Ever since we met again... You affect me a lot. I cannot ignore it.” He sighed.

“So...It’s my fault?” She asked concerned.

“It’s no one’s fault I think. I just did not want to lose more people I care about. I already lost...” His voice trailed as he cried.

He felt a pair of arms wrap around him. His head rested on Akiyo’s chest.

“It’s okay... I am sorry... I did not mean to hurt you.” Akiyo said softly as she caressed his hair.

Ryosuke hugged her. Akiyo smiled softly. Her eyes closed as she felt exhausted. Ryosuke lifted his head, he noticed her asleep. He smiled softly and laid her down.

He kissed her forehead and whispered in her ear.

“You gave another reason to fight on. I will protect you Akiyo. I love you.”

He smiled at her and left the room. Akiyo smiled in her sleep.