Nagumo’s footsteps echoed in the empty, sterile corridor. he nudged you gently in the back, forcing you to move forward.

huge panoramic windows opened up a view of the night city, and the expensive interior felt too cold for a place called "home."

you stopped in the middle of the living room, wrapping your arms around your shoulders. too empty. too quiet. after your father's death, your life turned to ruins, and the appearance of this man in the iconic black JAA suit was the last thing you expected.

“you have such a big apartment…” you said softly, looking at the perfect gloss of the furniture.

Nagumo stopped beside you, hands shoved into his trousers pockets. as always, that light, almost weightless smile played on his face, making it impossible to read a single real emotion behind it.

“It’s one of my many,” he replied casually, winking. “glad you like it. It’s safe here, so you can breathe a sigh of relief.”

you slowly turned to face him. fear trembled inside you, but a dull resentment and the thirst for truth outweighed your survival instinct. you looked straight into his brown, slightly narrowed eyes.

“um…” You paused shortly, swallowing the lump in your throat. “did you kill my father? why?”

the air in the room seemed to freeze. his eternal, perfect smile flickered for a fraction of a second. Nagumo's eyes narrowed, and his usual relaxed posture vanished.

your question clearly caught him off guard.

for a moment, it felt like you saw the real Nagumo Yoichi — a dangerous, cold-blooded predator. but the mask returned to its place too quickly.

he laughed nervously, shaking his head, and took a step toward you. his palm rested on your shoulder — the gesture was soft, but the grip felt like steel. he patted you gently, as if soothing a frightened child.

“my goodness, what thoughts in that pretty head of yours,” his voice sounded soft, but a barely noticeable warning note slipped into it. “come along, I’ll show you your room. you need to get some proper rest after all this.”

he gently but firmly guided you down the hallway, leaving no chance to repeat the question. and you walked, realizing you were locked in a golden cage with the most dangerous man in your life.