Exposed

The trio gazed with gleaming eyes, standing in awe at the dazzling room before them on the ship. Their circular paradise was divided into three large sections: a bedroom, a living room, and a bathroom. The walls and ceiling were painted eggshell white while the carpeted floor featured a repeating brown squiggly pattern. Thick glass walls in both the bathroom and bedroom provided stunning ocean views and were fitted with semi-automatic white blinds and matching curtains for privacy. In the living room, a sliding glass door opened onto a compact yet well-furnished patio with wooden planks and two chairs.

Seita let out a hearty laugh as he ran toward one of the ginormous beds. He jumped with his arms spread and sank into the puffy white sheets. Burying his head within, he stayed motionless for a second before popping his head out and letting out a deep breath, kicking his feet excitedly. 

"This place looks even better in person..." Asahi gawked as his eyes continued to scan around the room.

"It's a good thing it's to your liking," Mihari gave him a smile. "It would have been a complete waste otherwise."

"Asahi-nii, look!" Seita ran across from the beds and pulled out the flatscreen TV from the wall before turning it toward them. "There are new movies on here too! Let's stay up late!"

"This room sure has plenty of features," Mihari read from a pamphlet. "Jacuzzi... tanning lights... even, oh?"

She raised her hands toward the ceiling and clapped twice. The soft yellow lights above them abruptly faded off, leaving a dim room only illuminated by the afternoon sun.

"That's pretty nifty," Mihari clapped twice again and resumed browsing with a grin.

A short chime played from above, interrupting their discoveries and they glanced up toward the speaker.

"Good afternoon, dear esteemed customers," a calm male voice greeted. "Welcome to Beyond Fate. We're glad to have you on board today and hope you will enjoy your stay throughout this week.

We'll be holding our opening event in the grand hall located on Floor 2 in fifteen minutes. Please dress accordingly. If you have any questions, our staff will be more than happy to assist you.

Once again, thank you very much for joining us on Beyond Fate." The chime played again to end the announcement.

"Why don't you go for us?" Mihari suggested to Asahi, gesturing toward his younger brother. Seita was continuously hopping from room to room, pressing buttons to test what they did.

Mihari gently kicked his luggage case toward Asahi, pushing the responsibility over. The boy let out a sigh but made his way to the bathroom, kicking Seita out to change into a brand new suit from his phone.

The grand hall was the same size as a football field with three 7-layer chandeliers hanging above, reflecting the bright yellow lights throughout the red carpet flooring. With all the suits and murmuring in the air, Asahi felt rather uncomfortable among the crowd.

"First time here, ain't ya?" A man wearing round sunglasses stood next to him. Asahi turned to see a tall man with a sharp chin staring down at him with a friendly grin. Unlike the others here, the man didn't wear a suit, rather a brown leather jacket. His face was unshaved and he held a lit cigarette.

Asahi gave a quick nod in response to his question.

"I'm Alan," the man extended a single hand. "Alan Holsting."

A Westerner. Asahi decided to start with his first name, "Asahi—"

"Asahi, is it?!" Alan interrupted him and shook his hand energetically. He pulled Asahi close and draped an arm over his shoulders. "Say, you don't have a bodyguard around, do ya?"

"Are you looking for trouble?" Asahi eyes him. "I'll call for security."

"Not at all!" Alan took a step back and raised his hands defensively with a smile. "I'm just offering peace of mind during your trip. That's all! He pulled out a card and handed it to Asahi.

Alan Holsting
Protection Services
(301) 555-7890

"Reach out if you're interested!" Alan then quickly walked away.

"A businessman," Asahi sighed and shoved the card into his pants pocket.

"Ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon!" A man shouted from above in English. Glancing up, Asahi saw a bearded man standing on a bridge with golden railings. Hanging underneath were several screens, each displaying a transcript of his words in a different language.

"Welcome to Beyond Fate. I am Udo and on behalf of the entire crew, thank you for joining us. We'll be sailing into international waters in one hour and the grand hall will be transformed into our beloved gambling quarters. So everyone, please relax, grab a drink, and remember," Udo held his arms out.

"Take fate into your own hands!"

"I won again!" Seita exclaimed as the chips were pushed toward him. His brother watched from a distance with a fake smile. Ever since Seita learned he could gamble without any issues, the fifteen-year-old had been dominating several games for days straight. Asahi didn't know whether to feel excited about the winnings or frightened by his brother's potential.

"Ah, I think that's enough for me," Seita twirled around on the red-cushioned stool and hopped onto his feet. He carried a small wooden case filled with mostly blue chips, each worth fifty thousand. The boy noticed Asahi staring and gave him a wink before heading out of the grandhall, humming as he went.

"Sir, please show your cards," the dealer requested, snapping Asahi out of his daze. He let out a playful breath as his full house lost to a straight flush.

"That's another seventy-five grand lost," Mihari stared with concern as she walked beside him back toward their room. She wore an elegant black backless dress and curled her black hair, styling it in soft, cascading waves down to her shoulders. "I really think we should stop."

"It's fine," Asahi shrugged as he pressed a button to call an elevator. "We have more to play with."

"Are you sure? This seems like a lot. And even the dresses," Mihari twirled a strand of her hair around her finger. "Where did you get them? They all fit me perfectly."

"If you like them, just say so," Asahi smirked.

"S-shut up..."

"You kids sure are wealthy," a burly voice called out from behind them. A man wearing a purple floral shirt stepped out from around the corner. He donned a hooded black jacket with his hands in the pockets, seemingly playing with something.

"I've been watching you. You've been spending a lot of cash for the past few days. Care to share how you're funding all this?"

"I-is there a problem?" Mihari clenched Asahi's sleeve.

"Maybe you're not being entirely honest about where all this money is coming from."

"We don't know what you’re talking about," Asahi declared, stepping in front of Mihari. "We made our money honestly through trade."

"Sure, some kids like you can make it big time with 'trade,'" the floral man sarcastically made air quotes. "You have a secret... and you're going to share it with me.

"Mihari, let's go," Asahi tried to guide them around.

"You're not going anywhere," he drew a gun out of his pocket and aimed it toward the couple. "I NEED to know! You know it! Give me it!"

"You're crazy!" Asahi yelled as they were slowly forced back with the gun just inches away. He eyed the elevator, searching for the arriving one.

"I-I've lost enough money here, yet you seem to keep going!" The gunman began to laugh hysterically with bulging eyes. "I can't go back after losing my company's money! T-they'll kill me!"

*ding*

"Mihari, now!" Asahi shoved the gunman aside and grabbed her hand, guiding them toward the open doors. Upon entering, he frantically pressed the close button.

As the golden doors began to slide shut, a single gunshot echoed through the hall.

Asahi stared as time seemed to slow down around him. Mihari's eyes remained wide open as she fell backward, a crimson stain spreading from her head. As she hit the ground, her head drooped to the side, her limbs lying without life.

Though Asahi was aware he had yelled, the sound of his own cry seemed nonexistent in his own mind.

The elevator rang and the doors slid open. Sluggishly, Asahi picked up Mihari, carrying her in his arms. In the empty halls, he made his way to their empty room.

Gently, Asahi lowered Mihari on the tan couch in the living room and trudged to the bedroom. He sat on the floor in silence.

"M-Mihari is gone?"

No. That couldn't be possible. None of this was real. It was clearly all a nightmare! Mihari was still alive!

...right?

Asahi froze up as a thought struck through his mind. Slowly, his head rotated toward his pocket.

He pulled out his phone and stared at it.

What if...

As if in a trance, Asahi slowly entered the PIN to his phone. He opened the gallery and tapped on the most recent photo. A selfie the three of them had taken together in their expensive room.

With shaking fingers, he zoomed in on Mihari. She had a bright smile on her face, making a peace sign with her left hand. The stark contrast between her joyful expression and the grim reality sent a shiver down his spine.

Asahi would do anything to get her back.

Slowly, he raised his hand, and threw his phone.