I'm Your Weakness (MiTake)

Chapter 36

The air inside the grand lounge was suffocating, despite the luxurious surroundings. The chandelier above cast golden light across the room, but it did nothing to warm the cold, calculating expressions of those gathered. This was not a meeting of loyalty-it was a conspiracy.

At the head of the long table sat a middle-aged man, his fingers drumming slowly against the polished wood. His gaze swept over the others, sharp and assessing.

"Izana has returned," he stated, his voice carrying a weight that made the room grow silent. "And he's moving fast."

A man seated near the end of the table leaned forward, his expression unreadable. "So? That has nothing to do with us."

"It has everything to do with us," the older man corrected. "Because Izana isn't here to play games. He's here for Sano Manjiro."

Murmurs spread across the room. The mention of Mikey's name brought an uneasy shift in the air.

A woman, elegantly dressed but with a sharpness in her eyes, spoke up. "Then let him go after Mikey. Why should we care?"

The man at the head of the table exhaled through his nose. "Because Takemichi is in the way."

The entire room stilled.

Takemichi Hanagaki.

The rightful heir. The one meant to inherit everything once his grandfather was gone.

The weight of his name alone was enough to sour their expressions.

One of the younger men scoffed. "That weakling? He's nothing."

"Nothing?" The leader arched an eyebrow. "He's the key. Izana may want to break Mikey, but he's not stupid. He won't attack him head-on-not yet. Instead, he'll start with something softer. Something that will hurt Mikey in ways fists never could."

A realization dawned over them.

Takemichi.

Mikey's weakness.

A smirk curled on the lips of one of the conspirators. "So, if Izana gets rid of Takemichi..."

"Mikey will crumble," the leader confirmed. "And once Mikey is out of the way, Izana can take everything-control, power, legacy." He leaned back, his voice turning darker. "And once that happens, Takemichi's inheritance will be meaningless. We'll have no reason to fear what he might become."

Silence stretched, thick and foreboding.

Then, a low chuckle escaped from one of the men.

"So... all we have to do is let Izana do the work for us."

A cruel smile spread around the table.

Let him be the weapon.

Let him destroy Mikey.

And in the process...

Takemichi Hanagaki would fall.

They just had to wait.

The scent of expensive cigars curled through the air as the conspirators settled into their agreement, their laughter fading into a tense, knowing silence. They had all played their hands; now, it was time to let the game unfold.

The man at the head of the table lifted his glass, swirling the amber liquid inside. "Izana has already begun moving his pieces. All we need to do is sit back and watch."

The woman with sharp eyes tapped a manicured nail against the table. "And if Takemichi somehow survives? If he manages to interfere, like he always does?"

A low murmur of agreement rippled through the room. They had all seen how Takemichi Hanagaki defied the impossible time and time again. A man with no strength, no talent for violence, and yet he always managed to pull people to his side. He had undone plans years in the making, turned enemies into allies, and resurrected the ghosts of a lost era. That kind of influence was dangerous.

The leader smirked, setting his glass down with a soft clink. "Then we'll make sure he doesn't get the chance."

A younger man, arms crossed, narrowed his eyes. "You mean we kill him ourselves?"

"No." The leader shook his head. "That would be reckless. Too many eyes are already on us. But... there are ways to ensure a man like Hanagaki breaks."

The woman’s smirk grew. "By taking away everything he holds dear."

"Precisely." The leader’s gaze darkened. "We strip him of his allies. We turn his own people against him. We make sure that when Izana strikes, Takemichi is already drowning. Alone. Weak. Helpless."

A slow nod moved through the table as each conspirator absorbed the weight of the plan. This wasn’t about brute force—it was about dismantling Takemichi piece by piece, until there was nothing left of him to fight back.

One of the older men chuckled, taking a long drag from his cigar. "And here I thought this meeting would be boring."

The leader leaned forward, his gaze gleaming with cold amusement. "Gentlemen, ladies… it’s time we reminded the world that power doesn’t belong to those who fight the hardest. It belongs to those who know how to control the game."

The room filled with quiet, approving laughter as glasses were raised in a silent toast.

Outside, the city pulsed with life, unaware of the storm brewing in its shadows.

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After 3 Days

Mikey's POV

I stood at the shoreline, my hands buried deep in my pockets, staring out at the endless horizon. The waves crashed against the rocks, a rhythmic reminder of time slipping away. The salty breeze tangled in my blond hair, but I barely noticed. My mind was elsewhere—on Takemichi.

Takemichi had always been there. Always running headfirst into danger, always putting himself in harm’s way, all for the sake of others. For my sake.

I clenched my fists. I didn’t deserve that kind of loyalty, not after everything I had done. Not after the people I had lost. But Takemichi never gave up on me. No matter how much I tried to push him away, he always came back.

And now, Izana was coming for him.

I knew exactly what my brother was capable of. Izana wasn’t the type to strike directly. No, he would make me suffer first. And there was no better way to do that than by destroying the one person who refused to abandon me.

Takemichi was my weakness.

The realization made my stomach churn. Izana would use him, break him, turn him into a tool for his own revenge. And if that happened… I didn’t know if I’d be strong enough to stop it.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. The weight on my shoulders had never felt heavier. If I wanted to protect Takemichi, I needed to act now. No more waiting, no more second-guessing.

"I won’t let him touch you," I whispered, my voice swallowed by the crashing waves. "Not now. Not ever."

Determination burned in my chest. No matter what it took, no matter what I had to do, I would keep Takemichi safe.

Even if it meant becoming the monster everyone feared me to be.

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I want to left a cliffhanger so enjoy this xD