The morning air was cold when Yumi stepped out of the apartment.
The city was still, but the street below had already gathered for her.
Rows of men in black suits lined the pavement, heads bowed, hands clasped.
Sleek cars gleamed under the rising light, their polished bodies reflecting her pale figure like a ghost.
In the centre stood Lewis, straight-backed and sharp, "Good morning, Princess." His hand pressed to his chest in greeting. "Boss called for you."
Her expression didn't change. "Father?"
He nodded.
She said nothing and entered the waiting car.
The convoy pulled out in silence, a mechanical parade of black steel gliding through the city streets.
The drive to her father's estate felt longer than usual.
At Her Father's Estate:
The hall was filled with smoke and the faint hum of men speaking quietly.
Her father sat at the head of the table, his eyes like cold iron.
"Ellie," he began, voice steady. "She's been leaking information."
Yumi's stomach turned. "That's not possible."
"It is possible." He shot her a death glare. Shivers run down her spine. Then he continued, "She sold us out to the police." He leaned back, lighting a cigar. "You'll deal with it."
There was no room for refusal.
"Understood."
Her father waved her away. "Make it clean."
When she left the room, her chest felt tight, her breath sharp.
She walked into the washroom, locked the door, and gripped the sink until her knuckles turned white.
Her reflection looked calm, beautiful even. But her throat ached.
She bent forward and threw up.
The sound echoed in the marble chamber. When it stopped, she rinsed her mouth, staring at the water spiralling down the drain.
Ellie.
A flash of laughter flickered in her mind.
Ellie's grin when they were little, running through her mother's garden with matching ribbons in their hair.
They had shared secrets, dresses, and even their first drink. Ellie had been warm, her warmth, in a house of ice.
It's been a while since they last met, and now her childhood best friend, her sister, technically, is a traitor? how would this be? She couldn't wrap her head around it.
Then comes the annoying question: why must it be her who takes care of it?
She felt like crying, but of course, she never cries.
"What the fuck," she laughed, voice shaking. "What the fuck am I doing?"
This was the second time in a month. Two people she once trusted. Two, she had called family. Both gone by her own hand or order.
Each death carved out something inside her until she no longer knew what was left.
Her hands are so stenched in the blood of people she loves that it feels nauseating to exist in this body.
Lewis waited outside when she emerged. Without a word, he handed her a cigarette.
She took it with shaking fingers.
"We have her location."
She inhaled slowly, the smoke burning through her lungs. "Where?"
He handed her a tablet. "Warehouse by the docks. She's not running."
"Of course not." Yumi exhaled slowly. "She never runs."
-----
The warehouse was empty except for the echo of waves slapping against the pier. Faint light spilt through the cracked windows, painting the floor in uneven shades of grey.
Ellie stood near the centre, her chin held high.
"You came yourself, Yumi-chan?" She smiled faintly, welcoming a familiar face.
"…"
"You've become quite the talk of the city, haven't you?" Ellie hummed. "Princess of the Underworld and all now. Too cool to pay your partner in crime a visit."
There was no mistaking the tone beneath her words. Blame. It had been too long since they last saw each other.
Since Yumi's father had favoured her and placed her in higher jobs, her name grew, her reputation spread, but so did the number of people she killed.
"I am sorry," Yumi said quietly. Her golden eyes lowered.
"At least you still know how to apologise," Ellie laughed, small but trembling.
Silence followed. The two of them knew what waited between them. They both knew what had to happen.
"Ellie." Yumi stepped forward, her gun hanging loosely at her side. "Why?"
"You wouldn't understand."
"Try me."
"Akito. Takahashi Akito," Ellie's voice softened. "The man I fell in love with. He's tall, gentle, has these ridiculous brown eyes that never stop looking worried." She smiled faintly through tears. "You'd like him, Yumi. You always liked the kind ones. I really like him, too."
Memories of late-night talks about love and dreams returned, two girls whispering under blankets, imagining lives untouched by the devil.
Ellie had always been the romantic one. Always chasing a future that was filled with "love".
"Akito-san confessed to me," Ellie continued. "But he doesn't know who I am… what I do. Any of this. He's a kind-hearted man who cares about helping people, you know, a police officer."
Yumi let out a dry scoff, muttering, "Idiot," before she spoke aloud. "…So what. What do you plan to do?"
"I just want to leave," Ellie's voice shook. "I'm tired, Yumi. I hate this life. I hate who I've become. The only thing I ever loved was you. I know I can't run, I know I can't escape even if I try. So my only hope was that you'd be here, and we could talk it out, find a way, together. I… still hope that you're still the Yumi I know."
Yumi shut her eyes briefly, swallowing hard.
She could feel the weight of the men waiting just outside, listening. One wrong word, one wrong look, and she would join Ellie.
"I ask again. What are you planning, Ellie?"
"I want to live," Ellie whispered.
"You won't be if you try to leave. You know the code."
"I thought you'd understand." Ellie's tears glistened. "You always said you hated this world, too, right? You're not like him. You're not like them—"
"Stop talking."
Ellie gave a broken laugh. "Please, Yumi… I just wanted you to help me one last time. If you still consider me family, please."
"Just stop this, Ellie. Drop it… and come back home to me. If you drop all this, I'll speak to the boss. The death order will be withdrawn. Just… come home."
Ellie shook her head slowly. "This isn't home." Her eyes softened. "But I did hope, once… back when we dreamed about the café by the beach. A real home. One where love isn't a crime."
"That was when we were kids. Grow up."
"Even if I drop everything and return now, they'll make me kill Akito-san, wouldn't they? I'd rather die." Ellie clenched her fist.
"What the hell are you saying? Just kill him." The bitterness in Yumi's chest twisted and spilled over. She gave a sharp, angry laugh. "Kill or be killed, Ellie. Drill that into your head. Love is weakness. Love gets you killed. That's what we were taught. So why are you being such an idiot, huh? Ellie!"
"You've really changed." She took a step forward. "Do you even remember how to care about anything?"
Yumi's heart clenched, but her cold. "Caring gets you killed, too."
Ellie smiled through her tears. "No, Yumi. This life already killed you."
The words hit like a bullet. The silence that followed was deafening.
Outside, the waves crashed against the pier.
Yumi raised the gun like on autopilot. Her hand trembled, her eyes burning.
Ellie didn't move. She only looked at her calmly but tragically.
"Do what you need to," Ellie whispered. "I hope you're happy with what you choose, Yumi-chan. I pity you."
The gun wavered slightly in her hand, and for a fleeting second, Yumi almost lowered it.
But duty pressed heavier than love. The world waited for her to prove that she was still one of them.
The night air held its breath.
A few shots cracked through the night.
Ellie fell. The echo of it rolled over the docks, swallowed by the sea.
Yumi stood motionless, staring at the body. The smell of salt and gunpowder filled the air, clinging to her clothes, her hair, her skin.
Lewis appeared at the doorway after some time. "It's done, Princess?"
Yumi's voice came out steady. "Dispose of it."
"Yes, ma'am."
She turned away, walking back toward the car. Her vision blurred at the edges, but she didn't stumble.
The world felt distant, muffled. She wiped her face, though there were no tears. Just to keep her body awake.
Inside her system, something twisted violently, but she buried it deep.
The day dragged on. Her work was endless. She needed to breathe, but when she checked her bag, the pill bottle was missing.
Right. She hadn't taken her meds for over a week. Right. Toji.
She was getting a bit more stable because of the new pet she bought.
There was no choice. She pushed through. Meetings, calls, reports. If she stayed busy enough, time should fly.
Then the sky had turned black.
The drive home was suffocating. Her chest felt crushed, like the air had been drained from the world. The streetlights blurred into streaks of grey.
When she finally reached the apartment, she stumbled inside and went straight to the kitchen.
Drawers slammed open, cupboards rattled.
The noise called for Toji.
She hadn't called for him, though, that's...strange.