The Nameless Order.

Reputation Over Honor.

After hearing of the news of the gang going to kill Aiko, Ashirou spent day and night thinking of countless ways to stop the gang, countless ways to save his friends, but ultimately, there was only one way that he was sure that could work. To sabotage the gang's progress and save his friends in the process. All alone.

He pretended to make up plans as Axis requested, playing mind games with the members, and exchanging information with Aiko, Ikeru, and Akii. While Ashirou prepared his scheme, Aiko contacted Ikeru to tell him the situation. "Hello?" Ikeru answered his phone, "Ikeru, it's me. Aiko." Aiko spoke to him through the phone, "Aiko? Where are you? Are you ok?" Ikeru worriedly asked Aiko, "I'm fine, I'll tell you the story later but now, a guy named Ashirou contacted me that my life is in danger to a mafia gang." Aiko explained his situation to Ikeru, "Ashirou? As in Ashirou Terusho nicknamed the White Tiger that barged into our house asking about you?" "He barged into?- Never mind, yes, that Ashirou. But now his little gang is after me for killing their scum of a member back then, right now he is preparing a plan of his own to stop his gang and he contacted me to share information to save me and you guys!" Aiko further explained. "I see... Can't you go back to Canada? Where are you anyway?" Ikeru suggested. "I'll be in risk of getting a life sentence in jail, I'm in New York currently." Aiko replied, "Can't we just flee the country? Let's go back to Haro in Germany." Ikeru suggested again. "I can't, my name is all over the news, it doesn't take a dumbass to notice a guy named Aiko Hirohaito is boarding a plane or a boat out of the country. I can't go anywhere without a passport; I was just lucky to have crossed the border and into New York." Aiko replied. "I see... Then we'll meet you there, I'll talk to your parents to make them worry less." Ikeru said to Aiko, "Please do, tell them I'll make a miracle to be back with them." Aiko said to Ikeru as they bid farewell to each other and ended the phone call.

Ikeru and Akii packed up their things and locked the house of Aiko down to prepare for the journey to Aiko in New York, but they first visited Aiko's parents to bring them the news. "Ma'am? Sir? It's me, Ikeru! I got news!" Ikeru knocked on their door, "Ikeru? What brings you here?" Aiko's mother answered the door with his father following behind. "I got a call from Aiko, he's doing fine." Ikeru said to Aiko's parents. "Oh, thank God..." his mother sighed in relief, "But he is in grave danger, a mafia gang is targeting him for the death of one of their members, we are currently heading to him in New York." Ikeru continued, "Oh, my God please protect my son..." Aiko's mother started to cry as her husband embraced her, "What will you guys do?" Aiko's father asked Ikeru, "I have no idea, sir... But we have a friend within the gang itself already making plans to sabotage them and save us. In the meantime, we are just exchanging information and discussing the next course of actions with him." Ikeru explained, "I see... Please, be safe." Aiko's father said to Ikeru. "We will, I'll update you guys as soon as possible." Ikeru said as he turned to leave and continue their trip to Aiko.

Ashirou has his plan set and presented it with the gang. "The plan is to kidnap Hirohaito and bring him in this abandoned building, we can then torture him, kill him, whatever you please." He presented, "Just like that?" one of the members doubted the plan. "Yes. That's the plan. Simple as that, trust me, the only one getting hurt is Hirohaito. Besides, when did any of my plans failed?" Ashirou replied, "And how do you plan to do this, exactly?" Axis questioned him. "Like I said, as simple as kidnapping Hirohaito in the dead of night, bring him to this building not far from his house, and we win." Ashirou replied. After some discussion, the gang agreed.

After reuniting, Akii, Ikeru, and Aiko catches up with each other along with Ash. "So, this is the best friend you were talking about? I thought we were in the presence of a celebrity or a CEO of a big company!" Akii remarked about Ash, "Heh, I get that a lot but thank you." Ash replied. They chatted a lot while waiting for Ashirou's update, after a while, Akii got up to go get groceries at a local market. "Be safe, Akii! Call us immediately if something happens." Aiko said to Akii, "Mhmm! I will!" Akii said as he left.

Akii gazed upon the magnificent view of New York, he happily walked towards the market while reading his shopping list, he reached his destination and started to explore the mall as he took the items on his shopping list, he paid and left the market and started to walk home. Then, he sensed that someone is following him. The person was following Akii for a long time, but Akii continued to ignore the person, but Akii felt uncomfortable, he turned to confront the stalker. "What do you want!" Akii yelled at the person who quickly covered their ears and got down on the ground shaking. "I-I... Hey... I'm sorry, I didn't mean to!" Akii hurried to the person. "Hey? Are you ok?" Akii asked the person, "Y-Yeah... Sorry, just an anxiety attack..." the person replied with a soft, shaken voice. "Were you following me?" Akii asked the person, "Y-Yes, I was." The person admitted it, "Why?" "B-Because we have met before, and I was surprised that you are here." The person responded, "Eh? But I never saw you before?" Akii got confused. "I-I'm Zichimi Kureji, we met in Kyoto during the new year's..." Zichimi introduced himself. "Oh? Ah! I remembered! You were the guy that bumped into me, and you fell to the ground, and I helped you get up!" Akii remembered, "Y-Yes, that's me." "You had a beautiful kimono back there; I wish we can spend another new year there together again!" Akii enthusiastically said to Zichimi, "Mhmm... I wish it too..." "Do you wanna go back to our house? I'm Akii Nerumi, by the way!" Akii invited Zichimi, "A-Ah, no, sorry. I need to get back home. It was nice meeting you again." Zichimi rejected the offer, "Ah, it's ok! Safe travels back home!" Akii bid farewell to Zichimi, "Y-You too!" Zichimi replied as they went their separate ways.

Akii got back home a few minutes later, "We were starting to worry that something has happened to you, what took you so long?" Ikeru asked Akii, "I just ran into a friend, that's all!" Akii said as he laid the things he bought down, then, the phone started to ring and Ash picked it up, "Hello?" "This is Ashirou, I got an update." Ashirou said as Ash puts the phone on speaker. "Ashirou, Ikeru and Akii is here now, go on." Aiko speaks up, "Saves me the extra charge on phone calls, anyway, listen up. We have picked a location, it's an abandoned building nearby and the plan is to kidnap you and bring you there." Ashirou tells them the plan. "And how exactly are we going to be safe from this?" Ikeru asked Ashirou. "That's the part that I think you guys will dislike but... can I ask you guys to play along?" Ashirou said to them, "Explain." Aiko asked Ashirou, "It will be more difficult to guarantee your guys' safety if I am placed under suspicion, so I suggest you guys play along with the kidnapping process that I will personally do, and once you guys are at the place, I'll need Ash to call the cops and Ikeru to make distractions, Akii, there will be a weapon closest I constructed before this plan was made, I want you to take the rifle there and take out the people from above in the balcony nearby, I will make sure that the execution quote on quote will take place where the balcony is, got that?" Ashirou explained the plan to them, and after a moment of silence, they agreed. "Consider it done. We'll make the preparations, when will it occur?" Aiko asked Ashirou, "In a few days, the gang is making its preparation as well, if I can make a suggestion, head to the abandoned building and get yourselves familiarized with the layout, Akii, I provided a lot of ammo for the rifle, practice with it. It's on the 4th floor and to the left of the stairs, climbing the stairs, you'll see the balcony you'll be shooting at. Good luck." Ashirou said to them, "Mhmm, I'll do my best!" Akii said to Ashirou as the call ended.

Let us hope that all goes to plan...

Next Chapter: "Selfish Desires Beneath the Midnight Stars."