The Chase

The shady figure sprinted for the stairs, taking them 3 at a time.

Not again… not here…

Not her…

“GET BACK HERE!” I wasn’t exactly quiet. Which turned out to matter. Because as I tore past my parents’ door, it swung open with a bang.

“ONII-CHAN?”

Yui’s head popped out, eyes wide. I only caught her expression for half a second before I shot past.

“NO TIME! STALKER!”

Her eyes sparkled.

“OH.” she grinned.

By the time I ran down the first steps of the staircase, I heard slippers behind me.

“Wait for meeee! You can’t have a dramatic chase scene without the little sister!”

“STOP IT! Now is NOT the time for that.” I shouted, my voice coming out in a tone I’d never used on my sister before.

“Why are you even here?”

“I was about to take out the trash. Then I heard your battle cry.”

We reached the ground floor. Ahead of us, the man pushed through the building entrance and disappeared into the night.

I clenched my teeth and pushed harder, lungs already protesting.

We burst outside. He was halfway across the parking lot, sprinting toward the street.

“STOP!”

“Yeah, listen to my brother, you creep!” Yui added helpfully.

He ignored us. Well, worth a try.

We chased him down the sidewalk. My legs screamed. Yui, somehow, still had enough breath to trashtalk.

“Wow, you’re really out of shape, huh? You sure you’re not a retired granny?”

“This is not… huff… the time… huff… for commentary…!”

We turned a corner. The guy cut across a narrow side street, his breathing starting to roughen.

Good, he was finally slowing down… but so was I.

Yui narrowed her eyes. “Okay, you’re not gonna catch him like this…”

Then she muttered: “Time for anime logic.”

She suddenly sprinted ahead and cut left.

“Where are you–?”

She cut through a narrow side street.

She’s flanking him.

The side street curved back toward the main road ahead.

If the man turns left now…

No way that works…

HE TURNED LEFT?

The man ran straight past the side street’s exit… right into her path.

Yui lunged out at the perfect moment.

“LITTLE SISTER ULT!!!!”

“WA–?!”

She body-checked him, barely heavy enough to matter, almost bouncing right off… but it was enough to throw him off balance. He stumbled, feet tangling.

That was my chance. I threw myself forward.

I slammed into him and we hit the asphalt hard. Pain shot through my shoulder and elbow, but I didn’t care.

I grabbed his hoodie and pinned him down.

“Got you!” I panted.

Yui pumped her fist. “DID Y’ALL SEE THAT?”

She looked around theatrically.

“Is nobody filming this? That was peak action!”

The man beneath me shifted once, then strangely, he relaxed.

“Who are you?!” I demanded, voice shaking with adrenaline.

He lifted his head slightly, mask and sunglasses still on.

“Who do you think?”

I didn’t hesitate. I tore off the mask and then his sunglasses.

I was met with familiar sharp features, cold eyes… that faint superior curve to his lips.

“You.”

“Who is that? Wait, is it–?”

It was him.

The guy from the hallway that night.

Yuna’s boss, the CEO of her agency.

“Well, well…” he said, like we’d bumped into each other at a café. “Getting physical now, are we, Renno?”

My teeth clenched. “Don’t call me that.”

“What, your online name?” he asked mildly. “Afraid someone around here might recognize you?”

His gaze slid towards Yui. “And you… quite the tackle… well, not really.”

“Shut up!” she snapped. “Who the hell do you think you’re aiming that camera at? Stalker, creep!”

“Camera?” he repeated innocently. “What camera?”

I tightened my grip on his hoodie.

“Hand it over, now!”

He raised his hands slowly.

“Feel free to check.” he said, way too relaxed. “I’m not hiding anything.”

I searched him anyway. His jacket, his sleeves, pockets, anything.

…Nothing.

“You’re kidding me…” I growled.

“He ditched it.” Yui muttered.

Of course…

I pulled him closer by the collar.

“You think you can keep controlling her forever?”

He smiled lightly.

“I think… that you’re in a dangerous position.” he said.

“What?”

His gaze flicked past my shoulder.

A couple of teenagers stood nearby, looking in our direction. One of them flinched when our eyes met.

The CEO’s voice stayed smooth.

“Imagine how this would look on video. A beloved streamer attacking a harmless civilian in the street.”

“You’re not harmless.” I spat.

“Proof? You see no camera… no evidence. It’s just your temper.”

“I saw you with it, running down the stairs!” Yui shouted.

He tilted his head. “And who are you again?”

Yui straightened, dead serious.

“I’m the little sister… And I’ve seen enough anime to know you’re the final boss.”

The CEO chuckled.

“How cute. Honestly, you’re kind of funny. We could need someone like you in our agency.”

“Ew, no. My brother taught me not to trust men who give off ‘walking red-flag’ energy.”

His eyes returned to me.

“Let go, Renno. Before this looks even worse.”

Every part of me wanted to hit him… to wipe that smug off of his face.

But eyes were on us. Maybe even phones raised at this point. If I swung, I’d give him exactly what he wanted.

But… my free hand moved on its own. I slammed my fist down against the concrete… right beside his head.

The impact sent a shock through my arm. Pain exploded through my knuckles. My skin felt warm…

…Blood.

The CEO froze.

For the 1st time since Yui had tackled him, his eyes widened… not in fear, but surprise. Like he hadn’t expected that.

I leaned closer, my voice low enough that only he could hear it.

“You’re not getting away with this.”

A drop of blood slid down from my hand and splashed onto his face.

“I don’t care how many lawyers you hide behind. You messed with the wrong person.”

His gaze flicked to my bleeding knuckles.

Then, slowly, the smugness crept back into place, like a mask being carefully put back on again.

“Careful, you’re already hurting yourself.”

I let out a humorless breath.

“That was totally worth it…”

Finally, I released his collar.

He straightened his hoodie as if nothing had happened, like this was all beneath him.

“I think you should watch where you aim your rage. You might burn yourself.”

With those words, he turned and walked away.

Just like that.

“HEY! We’re not done!” Yui yelled.

He didn’t look back.

My hand throbbed. Blood had smeared across my knuckles.

"...Damn it." I muttered.

"Uh... hey."

I stiffened.

When I look up, a small group stood a few meters away. 3 guys, maybe late teens or early twenties. The same group from earlier.The ones the CEO had deliberately drawn attention to.

One of them scratched the back of his neck, clearly unsure if he should even be talking to me.

"Sorry, man. We didn't mean to.. uh... get in the way or anything."

"It's fine... but you should go."

They didn't.

The same guy squinted at my face, then his eyes widened.

"...Wait."

My stomach dropped.

"You're--" he started.

"No." I said immediately.

"I didn't even say--"

"I know what you're going to say. And you're wrong." I cut in.

The other 2 exchanged glances.

One of them laughed nervously. "Dude... that really is him."

I clenched my bleeding hand into a fist, ignoring the sting.

"Look." I said, already turning away. "You didn't see anything. This wasn't what it looked like. Just... forget it, okay?"

"Then who was that guy?" one asked, nodding in the direction the CEO had gone.

"None of your business."

I started walking, scanning the ground, my eyes darting to shadows, poles, bushed... anywhere a camera could be hidden.

Behind me, footsteps followed. Not the ones from my sister.

"Hey, wait!"

I just kept going.

"Hey man, no hard feelings. We just wanted to ask if your girlfriend is doing alright? This guy over here is a big fan." one said, nodding at his friend.

I stopped. "I don't have a--"

"LunaZero" he added quickly. "I mean... if the rumors are true."

"That's not--" I started, then stopped myself.

This wasn't the place. This wasn't the time. And  these definetely weren't the people I could explain anything to.

"You don't know anything. None of you do. And you shouldn't be spreading, heck, even believe rumors about someone's private life like it's entertainment."

Silence fell. The mood shifted. Yui looked like she wanted to say something, but realized she shouldn't.

"...Sorry. We didn't mean--"

"I know." I said, turning away again. "Just... go."

This time, they did.

-----------------------------------

We searched the route afterwards, behind poles, near bushes, everywhere.

No camera.

I don’t know how he did it.

“Damn it.” I muttered, kicking a pebble across the asphalt. “Go back to mom and dad.” I told her. “I’m gonna keep searching, but it’s getting late, they’ll worry.”

“Are you gonna be okay?”

“...Yes” I lied.

She bumped her shoulders lightly against mine.

“If you need backup again, I’ll be camping at the door.”

I almost smiled. “Yeah… thanks.”

She headed off.

—----------------------------

I searched for another hour, checking every inch of the path we had chased him along, but I found nothing.

I went back to my apartment. Every step felt heavier. I reached the top of the stairs… and stopped.

Yuna sat on the floor beside her door. Knees pulled close, arms wrapped around them, her head lowered.

When she heard me, she looked up.

“Ren.” she whispered.

I crouched infront of her. “I’m sorry. I caught him, but… the camera was gone. He hid it.”

She shook her head weakly.

“It’s okay. You did everything you could.”

She stared into the distance. “...Now you’re not even safe here.” she said quietly. “First Tokyo, and now this.”

Her lips trembled. “If he leaks those photos… right now, in this situation… people will think the pregnant girl has to be me… has to be LunaZero.”

“I don’t think it would be smart for him to leak em.”

“What do you mean?”

“Even if he leaks those photos through other people, if it goes to court, it could still be traced back to him.”

“Ren, what are you talking about.”

“It wasn’t just a fan.”

“...What?”

“It was him… your boss.”

She froze… Completely.

Every single part of her body went stiff, one after another. Finally, her eyes went dull, like someone shut a light off from the inside.

“...Of course.” she whispered.

“Yuna.” I said quietly. “Why would he do this? I get that he wants to milk the situation… but leaking a VTuber’s identity will hurt long-term. Especially if you’re the most popular one they have. It just doesn’t make sense.”

Her hands trembled on her knees.

Her voice was thin, when she finally spoke.

“...It’s leverage.”

“Leverage?”

“If I ever tell the truth.” she said. “...about my baby.”

“...The truth?”

She kept her gaze on the floor. “He wants people to believe you’re the father.” she whispered.

“But… why?”

“Because in reality…” she forced the words out like they hurt.

“...he is.”

The hallway went silent. Just the buzzing of the ceiling light… and my heartbeat.

“He’s the father.” she repeated, like she was trying to make herself accept something she didn’t want to be true.

Something cold slid into my chest… something deeper than anger.

The thought of her child being his… it cut deep.

I didn’t know how this had happened or what the circumstances were. But that didn’t matter right now.

“Yuna. Look at me.” I spoke softly.

She hesitated, then lifted her eyes.

I held her gaze.

“I’m going to help you. I don’t care how much it costs to fight a legal battle like this. Tomorrow, I’m gonna take a look at that contract of yours. I’m going to take you out of this.”

“But–”

“There’s no ‘but’. You don’t carry this alone anymore. Not your fear, not your contract. Not… his child.”

Tears slid down her cheeks, silent at first. She tried to hold them in… but she failed.

A small, broken sound escaped her.

I pulled her into my arms.

“...I’m scared. I’m so scared, Ren.”

“I know… I know.”

We stayed like that for a long moment.

Then, I took her back inside and stayed long enough to make sure she’d sleep.

When I left, the hallway was quiet. It was around midnight by now.

Tomorrow was going to be a long day.

And I already knew sleep wouldn’t come easy.