Emika Café—a place known for its artistic interior, where the scent of freshly brewed coffee lingers in the air. Flowers of various kinds are arranged meticulously, adding to its charm, and a few cats roam lazily between the tables. Despite its warm ambiance, the café mostly caters to couples, making it an unusual place for a meeting like this.
Kenzo leaned back in his chair, a smirk tugging at his lips as he glanced at Yuzuha.
"Hey, Yuzuha. Sorry, am I late?"
"No, it's only been ten minutes since I got here," Yuzuha replied casually.
Kenzo took in her appearance—she wore a simple white top with loose denim trousers, her long black hair tied up, revealing honey-colored eyes that seemed to glow under the soft café lighting. She looked innocent, almost too innocent, yet there was something about her… an energy that didn't quite match the delicate image.
"She looks so pure, but I can feel something powerful from her," Kenzo mused.
"So, what's up with you?" he asked, stirring the sugar in his coffee.
Yuzuha let out a small sigh. "Same as usual... but I really miss my dog."
Kenzo noticed the slight tremble in her voice. "I'm sorry to hear that. Losing a pet is heartbreaking," he said sympathetically.
She clenched her fists. "But I don't get it. Why are people so cruel? What did my dog ever do to deserve that?"
Kenzo frowned. "The police still haven't found the killer, right? I heard they also murdered your previous landlord and the new tenant who moved into your old apartment."
Yuzuha nodded grimly. "Yeah… The police say the murderer is extremely skilled—he didn't leave a single trace behind. Even the FBI got involved, but they couldn't find anything either. They think he's someone who knows exactly how to erase evidence."
Kenzo tapped his fingers on the table, deep in thought. "I see… For your information, I noticed something," he said, his tone lowering.
Yuzuha's eyes widened slightly. "What do you mean? What did you see?"
"I don't know how he killed them," Kenzo admitted, "but I think I understand why he did it."
Yuzuha stared at him, waiting for his explanation.
Kenzo leaned forward. "Think about it. If someone broke into your apartment, your landlord might have seen him. That could be why he was killed. Then the new tenant… maybe he saw something too. But what's more important is your dog. Dogs bark whenthey sense danger, right? Maybe the killer realized your dog was a threat. So he took it out first."
A shiver ran down Yuzuha's spine. Her mind flashed back to that night—how Inui had barked furiously, growling at the darkness outside the window. That was when she saw it. A shadow. Tall. Still. And then… glowing blue eyes staring back at her from the dark.
Her breath hitched.
Kenzo continued, stirring his coffee absentmindedly. "After killing your dog, he knew he could enter your home undetected. But if your landlord saw him, that explains why he had to be eliminated too. Same with the new tenant. He's erasing witnesses, one by one."
"But… why?" Yuzuha whispered, her voice shaking. "What does he want from me?"
Kenzo exhaled. "That's the part I don't know yet." He looked at her seriously. "But don't worry, the police will find him. Did they check the security cameras?"
Yuzuha shook her head. "The CCTV footage was hacked. Completely erased."
Kenzo's eyes narrowed. "That's insane. If he can erase security footage like that, then we might not be dealing with just one person. He could have an entire team of hackers behind him. And if that's the case…" Kenzo paused, his voice dropping, "...what if it's Dark Shadow?"
Silence.
Yuzuha's breath caught in her throat. Her eyes widened, a mix of shock and fear flashing through them.
Kenzo suddenly chuckled. "Relax, I was just messing with you," he said, grinning.
Yuzuha let out an awkward laugh. "Oh… right."
But outside the café, someone was watching them.
Dametri Raizakis leaned against his sleek black car, arms crossed, his eyes locked onto Yuzuha. His subordinates stood nearby, one of them holding a small device linked to Yuzuha's hacked phone. They had been listening to everything.
"He's observant," one of the men commented, referring to Kenzo.
Dametri said nothing. He wasn't focused on Kenzo. What caught his attention was how the bastard was looking at Yuzuha—with hunger in his eyes. Disgusting.
His expression darkened.
A few minutes later, Kenzo and Yuzuha left the café. Kenzo casually patted Yuzuha's head before saying goodbye.
Yuzuha smiled slightly and walked off.
Kenzo, however, remained, watching her leave. His lips curled into a smirk.
"Just a few more days… and I'll have her all to myself."
His mind wandered, imagining how she'd look without clothes, her body beneath his—
"Super sexy," he murmured under his breath.
A sleek black Mercedes pulled up beside him. The tinted window rolled down halfway, revealing a man inside.
"Hey, bro, wanna come for a ride? We're heading to Black Cat Nightclub. Drinks, women… good times," the man offered.
Kenzo's eyes gleamed. "Hell yeah, man. I could use some fun."
He slid into the car, but the moment he did, something felt off.
His gaze darted to the men inside. Their suits, their posture—nothing about them looked like they were heading to a club.
"Hey… who the hell are you guys?" he asked, suspicion creeping into his voice.
Then, from the seat beside him, a figure shifted. The air inside the car grew heavy. A presence. Cold. Overwhelming.
Slowly, the man turned to face him.
Kenzo's breath hitched.
Glowing blue eyes bore into him, sharp as blades.
His heart stopped.
"No way…"
The man's lips curled into a smirk.
"How does it feel to see Dametri Raizaki, also known as Dark Shadow, in person for the first time?"
Kenzo felt his blood run cold.