As Yuuki pushed the last bite of his breakfast away, he realized with dismay that he hadn’t really eaten. His stomach was tied in knots, anxiety overriding any sense of hunger. The unease that had settled within him all morning now bubbled to the surface as he noticed Ryu’s intense gaze fixated on him.

“Take him to the limo” Ryu ordered sharply, signaling to the two guards stationed at the door. A chill ran down Yuuki’s spine as their heavy footsteps approached. Panic surged through him; he felt the instinctual need to resist kicking in.

“Don’t touch me, bastard!” he snapped, the words bursting forth. “Where are we going? Let me go!”

Yuuki struggled as the guards advanced, memories of judo classes with his father flashing through his mind. He had learned to harness his strength, to maneuver his body effectively. He twisted, attempting to break free from their grasp, but his small frame was no match for their brute force.

With a swift effort, he managed to catch one of the guards off guard temporarily, knocking a plate of fruits to the floor as it shattered, scattering pieces everywhere. The sound echoed in the room, a violent reminder of his desperate struggle.

Ryu chuckled, watching Yuuki’s frantic attempts with a mix of amusement and intrigue. The sight of the smashed plate and the chaos that ensued only seemed to entertain him. This cat-and-mouse game was more than just a display of power for Ryu; it was an unsettling thrill, a reminder of the control he wielded. He never thought Yuuki would put up such a fight. During his initial capture, the boy had seemed so compliant, almost resigned. Yet now, he was a storm of defiance, his emotions hanging on a delicate thread. Ryu felt a strange thrill at the sight, even as his focus sharpened on the situation at hand.

The guards, however, were relentless. They forcefully grabbed Yuuki, dragging him toward the door. “You don’t want to do this, kid,” one of them growled, his grip tightening, making it clear that resistance was futile.

As Yuuki was pulled along, frustration morphed into desperation. “Please... let me go!” He felt tears welling up, his voice cracking as he begged. “I swear I won’t tell anyone about this!” The sobs escaped him before he could fully suppress them, and he hated himself for it.

Ryu's expression softened for a fraction of a second, a flicker of something more profound behind his amusement. But the moment faded quickly, replaced by the cold façade he wore like armor. “Enough!” he said, his voice slicing through the air as he followed closely behind the guards, watching the unfolding scene with a mixture of triumph and inner turmoil.

As they neared the limousine, Yuuki’s heart raced, a torrent of emotions flooding his mind. He was terrified of what awaited him, yet there was a flicker of defiance buried deep within. This wasn’t the end; he wouldn’t let it be.

The guards forcefully pushed him into the back seat, and he had to stifle a whimper of fear. He felt a guarded presence beside him. One of the guards had taken a seat next to him, large and imposing, while the other slid behind the wheel.

Ryu settled into his seat facing Yuuki, the plush leather cradling him in uncomfortable luxury. The sound of the door shutting shut closed off any potential avenue for escape, amplifying the tension in the air. As the limousine glided through the city streets, Yuuki’s sobs echoed off the interior like a haunting melody, filling the space with a profound sorrow. Each tremor in the boy's voice struck Ryu hard, a reminder of the chaos and pain that enveloped them both.

Yuuki didn’t try to calm himself. instead, he allowed the torrent of emotion to flow unimpeded. The harsh reality of his circumstances settled around him, and he felt utterly overwhelmed. Turning slightly in his seat, he finally gathered the courage to voice the questions swirling in his mind. “Why are you doing this to me?” he asked, his voice shaky but resolute. “What did my father do to you? Why am I the one being punished?”

Ryu’s heart tightened at Yuuki’s words, an unexpected pang of empathy rushing through him. He could hardly deny the truth in the boy's anguished queries. Yes, Yuuki had done nothing to deserve this fate; it was his father who had paved the way for such suffering. But as much as Ryu wanted to respond, to ease Yuuki’s confusion, he was trapped in a web of his own making.

The memories of betrayal and anguish rushed back in waves—the screams of that fateful night, the helplessness he had felt watching his parents suffer. Ryu closed his eyes for a moment, finding it hard to reconcile the boy before him with the man who had torn his world apart.

“Your father has made many enemies,” Ryu replied finally, his voice low and heavy with the burden of his motives. Each word felt like a mixing of truths he didn’t truly want to share, but it was a necessary evil in this twisted dynamic. “He’s caused a lot of pain, and now it’s time for him to understand the consequences of his actions.”

Yuuki’s eyes widened, fear and confusion mingling in their depths as he processed Ryu’s words. “So you think hurting me will teach him a lesson? That it will make it right?” His voice quivered with a mixture of anger and despair.

Ryu turned away, uncomfortable with the emotions churning inside him. He couldn’t agree more with Yuuki’s sentiment. The truth was that hurting someone loved by a wrongdoer always felt like a more effective form of revenge. It was a cruel game of balance—inflicting pain to provoke a response from a man who had caused his own suffering.

Silence enveloped them for a moment, the weight of their interaction hanging heavily in the air. The city outside rushed by, indifferent to the turmoil within the car. Ryu felt the tightness in his chest intensify as he glanced back at Yuuki, who was now frantically wiping the tears from his cheeks.

“Please,” Yuuki’s voice broke through the silence, laced with raw vulnerability. “I want to go home. This isn’t fair.”

Ryu’s resolve wavered, the fierce determination for revenge clashing with the reality of seeing Yuuki as a boy caught in the crossfire. Despite the anger fueling his vendetta, he couldn’t ignore the innocence radiating from the boy, nor could he escape the haunting question of his own morality.

The internal conflict tightened its grip around him, leaving Ryu restless. He had orchestrated these events, but as he looked into Yuuki's tear-filled eyes, he began to wonder if his path of vengeance was leading him to a more profound darkness than he had anticipated.

Finally, as the limousine approached its destination, he steeled himself for what lay ahead. The images of his past coiled around him, but the vulnerability of the boy beside him ignited a new battle, one he hadn't anticipated. This had become more than a quest for revenge—it was a test of his humanity, a moment that might redefine everything he believed.

As the car slowed to a stop, Ryu felt the weight of his choices closing in on him once more. The door to their fates swung open, and the new chapter of their lives awaited them both, fraught with tension, uncertainty, and the fragile thread of redemption.