Chapter 168 - Evil Intentions

In one of the houses in the suburbs, a young woman sat staring at her own reflection on the mirror smiling to herself, humming a love song as daydreams – her plans of finally being with her prince filled her mind. She was unseeing of the dark shadow shaped like a cloud with hollow eyes, nose, and mouth like a Halloween mask, passing through, in and out of her head.

She was still suspended from school, but she didn't mind. She didn't want to see the people from there anyway. Fake people.

They were all not worth her time.

There was only one she was looking forward to seeing next week after her suspension, and it was that ungrateful bitch Suzuki Ara. She would remind that slut that she owed her, her life. Once she remembered that, Okada Koharu was sure that Ara was going to do everything for her as she had always been doing in the past three years.

An excited smile stretched her lips.

Koharu would ask Ara to break it off with Homura Ryuu because the archer prince was hers! She would ask nicely of course – not that she would let Ara refuse even if she didn't ask nicely anyway. With the devil on her side, she'd be lucky Koharu was willing to forget her insolence and let her off.

However, if not…

"They can all die," she whispered proudly like an avenging deity. Then, a funny thought crossed her mind. "Or that devil can have that Ara slut and screw her mind senseless."

She snickered at the thought. At least that devil was good in bed. Ara had nothing to complain about.

"Have fun on your remaining week," she told her reflection as the shadow lurker came out of her mouth only to circle back and return on her head, and her aura shifted again.

The smile vanished on her face as her eyes became fierce. "Why do I have to wait until next week? She asked her reflection unhappily.

That's right. Why wait when she could just come to school and ask Ara on Monday? The sooner she did it, the sooner the problem would be solved and she would have her prince finally.

"That's right," she whispered again, as her eyes that stared at the reflection became dazed and she totally forgot what she wanted all over again. "What was right again?"

In the meantime, inside one of the low-class pubs, a lone man sat by the bar, waiting for his drink, his eyes staring blankly at the bartender, watching him mix somebody else's cocktail. He just arrived and so he didn't mind waiting. After all, even someone like him who lurked in the underworld, and had numerous experiences on violence, he was normally good-natured.

But when it seemed like he was going to wait a while, he turned his attention on the blaring television on the far wall which was showing the news.

"Boss, I'll make you your drinks," a voice offered, and the man turned to see another bartender – a young man with an unusual pair of grey eyes and crooked teeth looking eager to serve, and so he nodded.

He ordered whiskey on the rocks – his usual drink when he was brooding. The young man moved swiftly to do his bidding, and he had his drink in front of him in no time.

"If you need anything else Boss, just tell me and I will make it for you," he offered in a very friendly manner that made the man snort in amusement.

"So," he turned his serious pair of eyes on the bartender and noticed his nameplate. "Nobu, are you a half?"

The young bartender was surprised. "Why did you ask boss, do I look like one?"

"Your eyes – they're unusual," the man commented.

As if he just remembered, the young man had a look of realization on his face and snapped his fingers.

"Ah! These?" he pointed at his eyes with a grin. "These are contact lenses," he informed him. 

"Contact lenses?" The man was confused.

"It's all the rage now since Monday, Boss," the young man answered with a beaming smile. "The IBEC started and the news showed Homura Ryuu of the Homura House for the first time in public after a long while and his handsome looks and unusual pair of eyes are so popular now."

What?

At the mention of the Koutaishidenka's name, the man stiffened on his seat, his teeth gnashing inside his mouth. Since this afternoon when he had found out it was Homura Ryuu who Koharu was running after now, he'd been thinking about ways to fix his problem that wouldn't incur the prince's wrath on him.

He couldn't come up with anything.

It was like mere mortal planning to do something bad to a god but had no idea how to make him not strike him down. How was that nutjob Koharu expecting him to abduct the prince's girlfriend? It was just preposterous.

Fucking bitch…

The young man seemed not to notice his change in mood and continued on to chatter about how great Homura Ryuu was, making his mood darker by the second until…

"Sadly, I heard from a friend that the prince will leave on a business trip soon. The girls in Tokyo will be sad," the young man said and gave him a wink. "But it's a good time for normal guys like us to hit on with the girls no?"

The man didn't care about the joke. He cared about the earlier information. "Homura Ryuu will leave on a business trip?"

Normally it was Kazehaya Gin who did those things for the company. If this was true, it's actually great news. He might have the chance he needed.

"Yeah. My friend works at the Cedar Palace. He said the Koutaishidenka's going to leave on a very important business trip next week. That's why they're preparing well because it seemed he'd be taking a lot of people with him, and they would be totally short on staff."

Oh?

Hope began to spark inside the man. Great. Just great.

He would have someone investigate this thing immediately. As soon as he had a chance, he would strike so that Koharu would finally shut the hell up.

He was lost in his thoughts, unaware of the triumphant, yet, disturbing look the young man was giving him.

"Boss, I'll be going to the back to fix our stocks," the young man told him, before leaving.

Outside the pub, the young man stepped into the quiet alley and skipped his way as he whistled a tune to himself. He felt so great. His job for the night was done, he thought as an evil glint shone in his grey eyes.

Of course, Homura Ryuu would be very busy soon, the prince just didn't know it yet. The young man laughed into the night as his body shifted into his original self: a raven-haired beauty with silver-grey eyes.

"Onwards where the garden is, onwards where her true love waits

In another world, in another place and time.

Towards where all her sorrows' borne, in his arms where she won't belong.

Their destinies unfold, just like what I have told…"