Chapter 25 — Peace & Break Ups

Emiko looked at him, concern in her eyes. 「You must have woken up really early for this, JJ.」JJ stretched and smirked. 「Yeah, but it’s fine. I’m just getting back into my old routine.」Emiko frowned slightly. 「JJ, you’re young, but you should still take care of your health.」「That’s fine too.」 JJ leaned closer, winking. 「Remember, I don’t get sick. And you’ve experienced my vitality firsthand, right?」Emiko’s cheeks flushed lightly. 「…W-Well… that’s true… but that doesn’t mean you can act recklessly.」JJ chuckled confidently. 「Whatever you say, milady.」Her blush deepened. 「D-Don’t tease me like that…」Miyeon, pouting slightly, cleared her throat. 「We’re still in the room, you know.」JJ scratched the back of his neck nervously. 「Oh, right… sorry about that.」Miyeon’s tone turned a little jealous. 「Hey, JJ… I’ll be honest. I’ve never been jealous of a mother before. So… how are we going to resolve this?」JJ laughed softly. 「I see… I’m really glad you’re being so frank. Don’t worry, Miyeon. Perfection can’t be rushed. You’ll know when it’s your turn.」Miyeon smiled contentedly. 「Alright… don’t hold back. And I’d prefer if Solomon did it.」「Solomon?」 JJ raised an eyebrow.「It’s a nickname I gave SJ. He holds a lot of wisdom, so it suits him.」JJ chuckled. 「Fair enough.」
◽Later that day, at the Akuma base◽
「Akuma!」 Red Asura barked.Akuma looked up calmly. 「Yes, Red? Do you have something on your mind?」Red Asura glared. 「I don’t… but we’ve been planning for days! Why haven’t you attacked him yet?」Akuma walked toward him, eyes sharp. 「And what exactly are you trying to say, Red?」Red swallowed nervously, clenching his fists. 「You’re scared of him… JJ, that is.」
Blue Asura started to speak, but Akuma gestured for him to stop. He obeyed silently.
Akuma’s tone was calm. 「If that’s truly how you feel, then go ahead. Show JJ what you’re capable of.」Red’s eyes widened in shock and confusion. 「For real?」Akuma chuckled softly. 「Yes, Red… really. You can leave even now, since you’re so confident.」Red smirked, confidence radiating from him. 「Fine. It’s time to prove that not only am I stronger than Blue, but stronger than you too.」Akuma nodded. 「Go ahead, then.」 Red walked off with his head held high, leaving a tense silence behind.Blue Asura turned to Akuma, worried. 「Was it really okay to let him go just like that?」「Yes,」 Akuma replied, moving toward the desk to check their plans. 「I foresaw this.」Blue Asura’s concern deepened. 「I’m not worried about him… I’m worried about the plan.」Akuma chuckled lightly. 「No need to worry. Red will awaken a force far greater than Psyc, and that’s exactly what we need.」Blue frowned in confusion. 「But why wouldn’t it cause more trouble?」Akuma’s expression turned serious. 「JJ is still incomplete… an empty husk. If he exceeds a certain level of his untapped power, his body will backlash. That’s when we strike.」Realization hit Blue. 「…So letting Red go was intentional.」Akuma laughed softly. 「Yes. Remember…『A pawn can be promoted to any piece, but never a king.』」Blue nodded silently. 【So Red was nothing but a pawn… am I one too?】Akuma’s eyes glinted darkly. 【Just wait, JJ Samuels… your day is coming soon.】
◽Four days later — Saturday, May 7, 2050◽
Mei played the piano in JJ’s home studio, her fingers dancing across the keys. 【He must have spent a fortune on this… not everyone can afford a grand piano like this.】A ping sounded on her phone. She glanced down. 「Oh… thank you for the donation, JH22.」She squinted at the message. 「‘Why haven’t you posted in the last six months?’… Oh… it’s been due to family problems, but that’s settled now.」JJ quietly entered the studio. 「Oh, hey… there you are.」Mei froze for a moment. 「Uh… yeah.」JJ closed the door behind him and chuckled softly. 「No need to be tense. Are you okay?」Mei shook her head. 「I’m fine… it’s just… I’m live streaming right now.」JJ frowned apologetically. 「Oh, my bad. I didn’t mean to disturb you.」She waved him off. 「You’re not disturbing me… I can stop it if you want.」JJ patted her shoulder gently. 「It’s fine. Since Shizu chose sports over music, someone has to play the Casablanca Piano.」Mei blinked in shock. 「Huh… really? That piano…」JJ smiled. 「Yeah, I spent about 15,000 MR on it.」Mei’s eyes widened. 「Wait… how much is that in Chinese Yuan?」JJ explained patiently. 「After World War 3, the economy was in shambles. Some regions kept the same dollar value. $15 million times 13.2… that’s 198 million yuan.」Mei’s hands flew to her mouth. 「F-For real…」JJ shrugged lightly. 「Yeah, but you shouldn’t worry. Instruments are meant to be played. I’ll see you later.」 He left the studio quietly.Mei pressed her hands to her temples. 【How wealthy must he be… to spend that much without hesitation?】 She glanced at the live stream comments—others were just as shocked.「Ever since I met JJ, he’s always honest about what he spends when asked.」
◽In the living room◽
Emiko sat comfortably in JJ’s embrace. 「So… where’s Hana and the others?」JJ grinned. 「They’re working on a vegetable garden. Mei’s playing the piano.」Emiko felt his hand brush against her chest and laughed nervously. 「Hey… could you not?」JJ smirked. 「What? Your twins are… you know… nice to the touch.」 He leaned closer, his hand wandering.Emiko blushed. 「Mmm… what if the girls see us?」JJ chuckled. 「They won’t. Besides they’ll understand.」 He leaned in for a soft kiss.Sora walked into the room. 「Mama…」Emiko quickly disentangled herself from JJ’s embrace. 「Um… y-yeah, honey. Do you need anything?」Sora hesitated. 「Hmm… what were you and Shizu’s papa doing?」Emiko swallowed nervously. 「Err… nothing. We did nothing at all.」JJ chuckled. 「Don’t lie to her… we were hugging.」Emiko’s cheeks flushed. 「JJ!」JJ laughed softly. 「I mean, it’s true. But Sora… what brings you here?」Sora’s voice trembled. 「Um… c-can you be my papa… if you don’t mind?」Emiko’s eyes softened, a hint of sadness in them. 「Sora… it’s not that easy.」Tears welled in Sora’s eyes. 「B-But… it’s not fair…」JJ looked at her seriously. 「I can’t do that, Sora.」