Beneath the Surface: Secrets of an Obsessed Heart-Chapter 116 - 115

Tears rushed to Hiro’s eyes, blurring his vision. That was Sora’s bag. It was the bag Sora had put Saika’s money for surgery in when he got it from Big Tony. The one Ginro seized from them.

Why did Ginro give it to Raiden? Why did Ginro and Raiden even know each other? Did that mean that Raiden was behind them losing the money? Was Raiden the one that sent Ginro to take it from them? Clearly, it was the money Raiden had collected just now. What the hell was going on?

Shoji leaned in closer, whispering in Hiro’s ear, "Now you see. He never left Japan. He’s been lying to you all along."

Hiro’s throat went dry, his mind swirling with confusion and betrayal. It wasn’t the fact that Raiden never left Japan that bothered him. It was the fact that Raiden was the real reason they couldn’t pay for his sister’s surgery. And then Raiden went ahead and pretended as if he was doing them a huge favour. He had readily given himself to Raiden not knowing Raiden had orchestrated the whole thing.

He had been such a fool.

Shoji noticed that things were about to take a violent turn with the gang members so he nudged Hiro, his voice urgent but quiet. "We have to leave. Now."

Hiro shook his head. He couldn’t move. His legs felt weak and his chest was tight with a mix of fear, disbelief, and betrayal. He couldn’t bring himself to even lift a finger. He felt as if all his energy had been sucked out of him with a vacuum. He didn’t even know what to do. His mind was all over the place.

Recognizing Hiro’s shock, Shoji cursed silently. There was no way he could carry Hiro out of there without drawing the attention of the gang members but he didn’t want Hiro to witness the horrid things they were about to do to Ginro so he pulled Hiro into a tight embrace. With both hands, he covered Hiro’s ears, muffling the sickening sounds of the torture that had begun. He could feel Hiro trembling in his arms, his body rigid from shock.

Shoji sighed softly, looking down at the boy he held protectively. He realised that Hiro’s feelings for Raiden must be real and strong for him to react like this. His jaw tightened with frustration. He gritted his teeth, his eyes narrowing as he thought; ’Raiden, you sly bastard. You actually made him fall for you.’ His plan was perfect. Everything was going smoothly. He just never expected Hiro to develop real feelings for Raiden. He thought Hiro would despise Raiden for forcing himself on him but it was the complete opposite. The shaking boy in his arms was definitely head over heels in love. Not to forget his unshakable trust in Raiden. If he hadn’t seen Raiden collecting the bag from Ginro with his own eyes, he would never have believed.

He felt Hiro was seriously dumb. How could he fall in love with Raiden despite everything Raiden had done to him? How could he fall in love with a lunatic? He was Raiden’s best friend and he knew him like the back of his hand. Raiden was a sane madman. Unpredictable, cunning, and ruthless. If he weren’t afraid of Raiden, he would have snatched Project Aegis without having to use Hiro. freēnovelkiss.com

The beating went on for what felt like forever. Shoji winced as the sounds of Ginro’s torment filled the warehouse, but he kept Hiro shielded, holding him firmly until the tremors in Hiro’s body finally began to subside. Slowly, Hiro’s breathing evened out, and Shoji felt him relax slightly in his grip.

"Are you okay?" Shoji asked in a whisper, keeping his voice gentle.

Hiro nodded shakily, though his expression remained distant, his thoughts clearly in turmoil. He wasn’t okay. He wasn’t okay at all. His shock was replaced by rage. He felt like breaking something or screaming. He wanted to confront Raiden. He wanted to know the truth. Had Raiden been playing him all along? Did Raiden even have true feelings for him or was it all revenge for the past?

Since Hiro could walk again, Shoji cautiously led him out of the warehouse. They slipped through the same gap they had entered, keeping low and moving quickly until they reached the car, got in, and drove off.

The drive was eerily silent. Shoji glanced at Hiro, who sat with his head lowered, staring blankly at his hands in his lap.

"Do you believe me now, Hiro?" Shoji asked quietly as he drove, his eyes flickering between the road and Hiro’s downcast figure.

Hiro didn’t respond immediately. His voice, when it finally came, was weak and drained of all emotion. "What do you want?"

Shoji was taken aback by the question. "Pardon?"

"I said, what do you want?" Hiro repeated, raising his hand to wipe the tears spilling down his cheeks. "What do you gain from showing me what you just did? What do you want from me? Why do you want to break us up?"

He felt that he could have continued living without that information. He could have just had lunch with Michi, gone home, put all the things they bought away then FaceTime Raiden. He could have been happily talking to Raiden but he just had to go and follow Shoji. He knew it sounded stupid but ignorance is bliss. He could have just kept on living normally. Now, this changes everything. He had already began to question all the things Raiden had done. Especially Raiden’s feelings for him. He would be devastated if Raiden only played him.

"I told you earlier," Shoji said. "I just can’t sit back and watch as Raiden plays you like a fool. You deserve better than that, Hiro."

Hiro chuckled dryly. "Why lie now? You mentioned Project Aegis, remember? My parents greatest work. You asked if i wanted to know what it was and why Raiden was hiding it from me."

Shoji cursed under his breath. He had completely forgotten about that. He only mentioned it because he was desperate to make Hiro listen to him and that was the only way to capture Hiro’s attention.

"Is Project Aegis what you want?" Hiro asked. "Is that why you want to break us up?"

"I’m not trying to break you guys up, Hiro." Shoji clarified. "I only want you to know the truth. Yes, I want Project Aegis. After all, I’m a businessman but I also want you to know the kind of person you’re dating. Raiden is not a normal person, Hiro."

Hiro was confused. "I don’t understand. What do you mean by that?" If Raiden wasn’t a normal person, what was he? He had been the one living with Raiden and apart from his strong sex drive, Hiro could say that everything else was normal so what did Shoji mean?

Shoji sighed, relieved as they came upon the parking lot of the mall. He quickly parked the car then took out his card from his breast pocket and handed it to Hiro. "There’s no time now. Let’s about this over some coffee. Considering the shock you recieved today, I think it’ll be better if you recieve no more."

Hiro looked at the card for some seconds then collected it. He could not deny that he wanted to know what more Raiden was hiding. He wanted to know what his parents Project was about and why Raiden was keeping it a secret.

"Thank you." He said, slipping the card into his pocket.

"You’re welcome." Shoji replied. "Just remember Hiro, a person cannot hide their true colors forever. Sooner or later, you’ll see who Raiden really is. Keep my card safe and call me when you’re ready to talk."

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