Page 31 of The Oni's Heart

For the first time in ages, I wasn’t the one breaking apart. It was him.

And it felt so damn good.

I smiled at him, sharp and unrepentant, before turning away, leaving him to stew in whatever confusion and guilt was eating away at him.

I didn’t need him to say anything. I already knew what he was feeling.

The same thing I’d been feeling for years.

18

What Plays in the Shadows

MOMOI

The sun was too bright for this kind of day, glaring down with a personal vendetta against me. But I didn’t care. I kept my pace steady, walking toward the bank like I was just another woman going about her business. But I knew better than to believe it was ever that simple.

I stepped inside the cool, air-conditioned lobby, the sterile scent of freshly printed bills and polished marble greeting me as I approached the teller. There was no line, which meant I didn’t have to wait long. I pulled out my check register from my bag, flipping through the pages with practiced precision. The transaction I was looking for came up quickly—my most recent deposit.

It should’ve been fine and exactly what it was supposed to be. But something was off.

I frowned, the familiar wave of unease creeping up my spine. The numbers didn’t add up. I wasn’t an accountant, but I had kept track of my finances too closely to miss a small discrepancy. It was barely a fraction, a minuscule difference—just a fewhundred yen. Nothing to anyone else, nothing that would raise alarms.

But I knew. Ifeltit.

The Yakuza. They were sending me a message. Another subtle warning, one only I would recognize. They were getting bolder, more direct. I wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or terrified that they were now sending these reminders through finances. It was a game, and I was still in it—whether I wanted to be or not. They were watching me,alwayswatching me.

I shoved the register back into my bag, my hands trembling just slightly, betraying the calm exterior I was trying to maintain. I could hear the low hum of the bank’s air conditioning, but my mind was elsewhere, racing through possibilities. There was no way I was going to ignore this. The difference, no matter how small, meant they were telling me something. And I’d been through enough to know that ignoring a message from the Yakuza was a mistake that could cost you more than money.

I forced myself to stay composed as I turned to leave, but the moment I stepped outside into the harsh sunlight, I felt it. The feeling of eyes on me. It wasn’t just the normal paranoia I’d learned to live with—it was different. More immediate. More personal. I was being watched.

I knew it before I even looked around. I didn’t let the panic rise, but I couldn’t ignore how my heart started to beat faster. Every instinct screamed at me to be careful. To stay aware.

I paused for just a moment, scanning the street through the reflective glass of the bank’s front door. The street was busy with pedestrians going about their lives, but I didn’t trust any of them. The crowd was always a perfect cover for those who wanted to stay hidden. I knew the game too well.

I waited for a beat, then turned to walk in the opposite direction, down a different street, trying to shake off the feelingof being followed. If I was imagining things, I would calm down soon enough. But if I wasn’t…

I didn’t get far before I knew.

The footsteps behind me. The subtle shift in the rhythm of the footfalls—one or two people following just a bit too closely. Not quite in sync with the crowd, but enough to blend in if anyone was paying attention.

I kept walking, my pace measured, trying to control the panic creeping in. A quick glance over my shoulder told me nothing. No one looked suspicious. No one looked out of place.

But something unseen stretched over my skin. They were still there. Following me.

I couldn’t afford to be caught off guard, not again. I had to lose them.

I ducked down a side street, my heels clicking rapidly against the pavement as I changed direction, trying to be as discreet as possible. The alley was narrow and dim, a winding path that should’ve taken me out of sight. But the footsteps behind me didn’t fade. They grew louder, closer.

Someone was definitely tailing me.

I cursed under my breath and quickened my pace, taking a sharp left at the next corner, ignoring the burn in my lungs. I didn’t dare look back. If I turned around, I would give them exactly what they wanted. I had to stay calm and in control.

I made another turn, then another, weaving through the narrow streets and alleyways, always one step ahead. The tension in my neck was unbearable. The pounding of my heart was deafening, but I couldn’t let it control me.

I was running out of options.

I turned onto a larger street, hoping the more crowded area would make it harder for them to follow. But just as I took that turn, I felt the unmistakable presence behind me again. A shadow was looming. A body too close, steps too deliberate.

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