Yuuki took a deep breath as he prepared to leave for school, the morning sun casting a warm glow over his familiar neighborhood. Today was meant to be just like any other day, filled with classes, friends, and the mundane rhythms of teenage life. Yet as he strolled down the street, unease unfurled slowly within him, settling in the pit of his stomach like a heavy stone.

He glanced over his shoulder, feeling an instinctual awareness of a sleek black car trailing him from a distance. The driver wore dark sunglasses that obscured their eyes, making it nearly impossible to decipher any intent behind the tinted glass. Yuuki's pulse quickened, an unsettling thought creeping into his mind. Could he be imagining things? After all, it was just a car—an ordinary commuter. But as he continued walking, the engine roared to life, and the vehicle accelerated, keeping pace with him.

Panic surged through Yuuki, igniting a primal instinct to run. Why was it following him? He picked up his pace, weaving through clusters of pedestrians, desperately hoping to elude the unyielding presence of the car that seemed to hover just behind him.

But the car was relentless. As Yuuki turned a corner, adrenaline flooded his system, and a moment of clarity spurred him into a full sprint. Each frantic step pushed him further into fear's grip, his breath quickening as his heart pounded in his chest like a war drum. The familiar sights of his neighborhood blurred into a frantic whirl, detached from the reality he was so desperately trying to escape. In the distant background, he heard the unmistakable screech of tires—a sound that sliced through the air, a warning.

Just when he thought he might catch a break, a van appeared out of nowhere, pulling up alongside him with alarming speed. Yuuki's instincts screamed at him to flee, but before he could react, strong arms seized him, wrenching him off his feet and yanking him into the dark interior of the vehicle.

“Let me go!” he screamed, thrashing wildly against his captors. The struggle was futile; the men were overwhelmingly strong, forcing him into the back seat where he gasped for breath.

One of the kidnappers snatched up Yuuki’s phone and dialed a number with grim satisfaction. “Ryu, we’ve got the boy. Mission accomplished,” the man said, the words echoing menacingly in Yuuki’s ears like a death knell.

Yuuki’s heart plummeted. Ryu. Was it the same person? The name lingered in his mind, a shadowy figure he had heard whispered in hushed tones by classmates—the kind of person tied to dangerous activities and risky business. The sheer weight of despair washed over him as he realized who this man was and what they might want from him. Laughter erupted from his captors, a cruel sound that reverberated in the van, reveling in their success.

Fighting back tears, Yuuki desperately scanned the interior, searching for anything—any tool or opportunity that would help him escape. The walls of the vehicle felt like they were closing in, and he struggled against the rising tide of panic threatening to swallow him whole. He needed to think clearly, to devise a plan, to fight for his freedom.

As the van drove on, it took him further away from everything that felt safe, toward a large, ominous mansion that loomed in the distance, dark and foreboding against the morning sky. Each thud of his heart matched the rhythm of his racing thoughts, urging him to act quickly. What awaited him in that mansion? He couldn’t allow himself to succumb to fear—not yet.

Yuuki’s mind raced as he contemplated his next moves. He needed to gather every ounce of courage within him, to tap into the resolve that had kept him strong in difficult times. Whatever lay ahead, he knew he had to be ready. This was only the beginning of his fight for freedom, and he was determined not to let them win without a struggle.