In a quiet, upscale café tucked away in a wealthy but deserted district, only a handful of businessmen sat discreetly working. Most of them paid no attention to anyone else, their focus locked on their laptops and paperwork.
It looked like a safe place, but Mina never let her guard down. She sat out on the balcony, hidden behind the thick shade of a sea almond tree. With elegant composure, she lifted her cup of steaming black coffee while checking through her laptop. Her eyes occasionally flicked to the wristwatch on her hand, then swept across the café and the first floor below.
He's still not here, she thought.
Even as she kept a sharp watch, Mina made sure to look busy, eyes drifting across endless lines of emails. Just another ordinary day. She was used to this. She sometimes dreamed of the day she wouldn't have to handle such things anymore.
But for now, SCJ Group—and her position within it—was the only anchor she had left.
That was when a shadow moved. A man with a laptop case stepped in, immediately catching Mina's attention. Their eyes met for the briefest moment before both pretended otherwise. The man, dressed in a dark suit, sat down at the table behind her, his back turned toward her, and began working on his own laptop.
Though surprised by his sudden appearance, Mina acted indifferent. She kept typing as if nothing had changed, her lips barely moving.
"...Amuro, isn't it?" she whispered.
The man's head shifted slightly, as if she'd struck a nerve. His reply came in low, gravelly Japanese:
"Yes… and no. Amuro couldn't make it."
Mina frowned, fingers still moving across the keys. She pressed her Bluetooth earpiece closer, feigning a phone call.
"What do you mean? Why couldn't Amuro come?"
The man paused just long enough to order a coffee from a waiter, then leaned back and answered carefully:
"Because Amuro is dead. I just returned from his funeral."
"What the—?!"
Mina nearly lost her composure, her voice rising, but she quickly steadied herself.
"I heard after that 'accident' he was badly injured. Don't tell me… it was because of that?"
The man hummed in confirmation. Mina clenched her fist under the table, eyes squeezed shut. She hadn't expected things to escalate this far. Life and death had always been part of Amuro's work—but he had followed her orders. And now he was gone.
Her jaw tightened. No matter how hard she tried, her emotions slipped through, and the man behind her noticed. His tone was cold, but strangely soothing:
"Lady Mina, you need not carry guilt. Serving the Kamakiri clan has been our family's duty for centuries. Life or death—we accepted this long ago. What you must do now is stay composed. If not, they will notice."
Mina's eyes scanned the room again, ensuring no one was watching. Then she leaned closer, bitterness dripping from her voice.
"Your clan only serves the Kamakiri household. But me? I'm just the daughter my own mother cast aside…"
"No, my lady, don't say that."
He cut her off sharply, sipping his coffee.
"We may be mere retainers, but we're not blind. We obey the Kamakiri bloodline—only the Kamakiri bloodline. We will never bow to outsiders. If you know you know."
Mina's expression hardened. Her sharp eyes locked forward.
"I understand."
"Good. Your composure will be crucial in what's to come. Amuro can rest easier now. They claim you've broken Kamakiri rules many times, but the truth is, Valko was the one breaking them first. He's been manipulating shareholders to hand SCJ stock over to him. And—" his voice dropped lower, "Lady Haruna herself permitted it."
Mina's teeth clenched, her eyes shutting tight.
"That foolish woman… she doesn't realize what she's doing. As for Valko, his true goal is to force me into submission, with no escape left..."
The man studied her from the corner of his eye, as though seeing something in her she hadn't meant to reveal. But he simply replied, dryly:
"Sounds… troublesome."
Mina's anger vanished in a heartbeat, her tone cooling.
"But it will all end soon. He's left too many weaknesses. It's only a matter of time before he falls into his own trap."
"Oh?" The man raised a brow. "So you already have a plan?"
Mina didn't answer directly. Her gaze slid calmly across her laptop screen.
"Call it what you will. He sowed the wind. Now he'll reap the storm."
The man couldn't shake the feeling she was hiding something—plotting—but he didn't press. He also understood that Mina seemed to be an extremely cautious person. Considering the situation she was in right now, he could sympathize to Mina. All that mattered was fulfilling his duty.
Then Mina asked suddenly:
"What's your name?"
He hesitated. "You don't need to remember the name of a lowly servant like me… but it's Satoru. Amuro was my paternal uncle, even though we were the same age."
"I see." Mina's tone softened. "I promised Amuro I'd protect his family. His death… I bear part of the blame. I swear I won't let your family suffer for standing by me. That's a promise."
Satoru bowed his head.
"All of us, even at the cost of our lives, will remain loyal to you."
"Good."
Mina sipped her bitter coffee with quiet satisfaction.
Satoru slipped a tiny USB drive from his pocket.
"This contains the black box data from Amuro's car. Valko's men scoured the crash site but couldn't find it. I… secured it first."
Mina took it discreetly, studying it.
"Safe to watch here?"
"I disabled all the café cameras before entering. The sound is muted. You can watch it now."
Unfazed by his thoroughness, Mina plugged the USB into her MacBook. A small video window appeared.
At first, it was just footage of Amuro driving at night. But the reckless speed made it clear—he was running from something. Mina's eyes narrowed.
Don't tell me… Shana?
The car swerved violently off the highway onto a gravel road. The footage shook wildly. Then—suddenly—a figure lunged onto the hood.
"What the hell—" Mina whispered.
It was Shana.
Her eyes glowed an unnatural blue. With monstrous strength, she dented the steel. Amuro panicked, swerving, trying to shake her off. For a moment, it seemed to work—she slipped off the hood.
Mina almost smirked, lips curling—
But then a hand smashed through the side window, clamping around Amuro's throat. Mina gasped.
More arm, arm, and arm, then arms—impossible, grotesque—snaked into the car, strangling him as Shana's flexible body twisted inside. She smiled with jagged fangs, her expression terrifying.
The video blurred into chaos. The car flipped, metal shrieking. No sound, only violent images. The vehicle slammed off an overpass, tumbling.
Amuro screamed—mute but visible—trapped, helpless. The footage flickered. His body half-flung through the windshield, mangled between steel. Mina covered her mouth, horrified.
And then—Shana. Perfect, untouched. She stepped gracefully from the wreck, her monstrous arms melting into crimson, furred tails before disappearing into her body. She fixed her hair calmly and walked away as though nothing had happened.
The video ended.
Mina's mind reeled.
What the hell did I just watch?
She pressed both hands to her forehead, fighting to steady her breath. Even Satoru had shut his eyes, grief etched across his face. To see his uncle die slowly like that… and to see that horrible monster.
Mina's heart pounded. Her voice trembled.
"She… what the hell is she?"
Satoru only frowned. He had no answer.
They sat in silence, gathering themselves. Then Mina's thoughts sharpened.
She can't be human...
Mina frowned and thought to herself. Thinking up to here, Mina also clarified a few suspicious characteristics of Shana.
And suddenly, pieces began to click. She remembered the hospital X-rays of Duyen. Her eyes widened.
Don't tell me… Shana's involved in that too?
The memory of Duyen's father acting suspiciously struck her. They had hidden Duyen away, refusing Mina's visit. Now it made sense.
Scare? Me? But—
Her stomach churned with jealousy and rage. The thought of Duyen living with Shana—sleeping beside her, doing god-knows-what—was unbearable.
No.
No!
Impossible!
Mina's fists shook. I refuse to be outshone by that… That monster!
Her obsession roared inside
Duyen, you're mine.
Mine!
MINE—!
Satoru's voice cut through her spiraling thoughts.
"I know this is upsetting. But for the sake of the bigger picture, stay calm."
Mina forced deep breaths, though her voice still shook.
"Do you know what she is?"
Satoru shook his head.
"I don't. She's beyond my understanding. But when Amuro called me… before he died, he seemed to know. He tried to say it, but he was too weak. I thought he was delirious. But he knew. And it was too late."
Mina exhaled sharply, the weight of helplessness pressing down. For all her control, this was uncharted territory.
As if sensing her turmoil, Satoru murmured:
"Even if I don't know what she is, I urge you—this isn't the time to make new enemies."
Mina crossed her arms, huffing. She knew he was right. She didn't have the data—or the means—to fight Shana. At least, not now. Maybe.
Her phone rang. She tapped her earpiece.
"Hello? Huh?…What?"
Her eyes hardened.
"Are you certain? …Do you know where they're moving? …Fine. I'll head there immediately. Track them. Don't lose the address."
She cut the call, frustrated.
"What happened?" Satoru asked.
"Nothing," Mina muttered, shaking her head.
"Nothing at all."