Whispers in the Winter Wind

Months had passed as the seasons cycled through their familiar patterns, leaving Yasushi and his friends nearing the conclusion of their fourth year in college. It was a time marked by both anticipation and transition, with graduation looming for most of them. For Yasushi, Jingliu, and Xinyi, the journey wasn't ending there; they were preparing to move to the United Kingdom to further their studies.

In their pursuit of justice against the corrupt councilmen, they had progressed significantly. Four men had been addressed, leaving only one final piece of the puzzle before the work could be deemed complete. The investigation was about 80% finished, yet that remaining 20% carried its own challenges. It was a period of intense focus as Yinhaie, Nandini, and their group prepared to uncover the necessary evidence against the last man.

There was also the matter of an important meeting with the Gyudo Homeless Association. This was a critical step before confronting the issue head-on. The sense of momentum was tangible, with significant developments converging at once.

Amidst all these preparations, a personal milestone approached. In just a few days, Yasushi's mother, Kohana, was nearing her due date. Soon, Yasushi would welcome a younger sister into the world, adding a poignant moment to an already eventful time.

Currently, in Yasushi's home, which he shared with Jingliu and Xinyi, the atmosphere was tense as everyone scrambled to prepare for their imminent departure to the UK. They were due to leave in a day or two to make it in time for the birth of Yasushi's little sister.

Yasushi had already finished packing. With the family planning to move to the United Kingdom for school, they already had a house waiting for them, removing the need to worry about accommodations. However, before they could leave, there were still numerous loose ends in Japan to address. While the move wasn't permanent, there was a significant amount to organize before they could settle down and catch their breath.

"Why aren't you freaking out!?" Xinyi shouted, grabbing Yasushi's shoulders and shaking him back and forth.

"What's there to freak out about? Mom's near one of the best hospitals, and they've got a professional team ready to help her at home if we don't make it on time. Besides, the house they got for us is close by, so we can visit them whenever we need to," Yasushi said, his tone calm as he looked at Xinyi, puzzled by her reaction.

Xinyi let out a breath and dropped her hands from his shoulders. "Fine. Maybe you're right." Her voice carried a reluctant tone, though the tension in her stance didn't quite fade.

Yasushi cracked a grin, leaning back slightly. "Come on, Xinyi. I'm the older brother here. She's my mom. If anyone should be losing it, it's me, not you."

Her cheeks reddened as she took a step back, folding her arms. "That's not the point. She's like all our little sister, you know? Our families are basically intertwined. Of course, I'm worried. Even Jingliu's more worked up than you are, and she's your girlfriend!"

Yasushi's expression softened, though his voice stayed calm. "You're forgetting something. I've been through hell and back before ending up in this life. This kind of pressure doesn't break me. If things ever get out of control, I'll do everything I can to keep us on track."

Xinyi froze for a moment, as if the weight of his words had sunk in all at once. She bowed her head slightly, murmuring an apology under her breath.

"Don't worry about it. Anyway, go get your stuff ready. We're flying out tonight, just to be safe. I already told everyone else," he said. With that, Xinyi gave another apology before leaving.

Yasushi stayed where he was, hands resting on his hips, feeling like he had aged decades in an instant. If he added both his lives together, he would be somewhere in his early forties. The thought felt strange to him. Then again, his previous life hadn't exactly been what anyone would call fulfilling — it had been all about survival and fighting, nothing more.

"Well, whatever," he muttered to himself. "I wonder if I'll have to play the overprotective older brother role someday."

He had always looked out for his friends and family, and the idea of having a younger sister made him wonder how far he'd go to protect her.

+-+

"The long journey has started," Xinyi muttered, leaning back into her seat on the private jet.

Two hours had passed since takeoff, yet the distance to their destination in the UK was still considerable. They had planned for two layovers along the way, a necessity given the circumstances, and one of the reasons they had to begin their trip sooner rather than later.

Yasushi sat nearby, focused on his laptop, sorting through emails and documents gathered about the councilmen. His expression hardened as he read on, the details painting a grim picture of corruption running deep within their ranks.

What offered him a small sense of relief, however, was discovering that the mayor appeared to be unaware of the schemes, shielded from the truth by a network of individuals aiding the councilmen in their deceit. Targeting their accomplices would become essential — a task made somewhat easier by their careless trails that left plenty to track.

Layena approached Yasushi, placing a drink and a sandwich on the small pull-out table in front of him. Without a word, she stepped away. A short while later, she returned, this time sitting down beside him. The suddenness of her action caught him off guard, though he didn't object.

He glanced at her, puzzled by the unexpected gesture. Noticing his expression, Layena explained, "Yinhaie and a few others thought I should spend more time with you. They said I ought to get to know Lord Yasushi better since we don't really interact much. So…I decided to join you."

"Is that what this is about?" Yasushi asked, his tone even as he picked up the laptop resting on his knees. "I don't mind, but tell me, did you collaborate with Yinhaie and Nandini's group on this?" He turned the screen toward her for confirmation, and she nodded.

"That's good," he remarked. "So, what else do you know?"

Her demeanor shifted as she replied, her voice calm but serious. "They all have families — spouses, children. But they're brazen about their infidelity. If it comes to it…we have the locations of their families. Should we ever need to use that information, we're prepared."

Yasushi had not expected that. Layena struck him as someone more composed, a person who found comfort in books and ideas rather than direct confrontation. Yet here she was, presenting an entirely different side of herself.

He hadn't seen this coming, but deep down, he recognized that their situation called for bold moves. If they intended to sway those councilmen with their findings, subtle persuasion alone wouldn't cut it. The option to expose their secrets to family and friends lingered at the edges of his thoughts — a tactic he wasn't keen on using unless absolutely necessary.

He hated the idea of pulling uninvolved people into the fray, but if those men refused to cooperate, there would be no choice. Yasushi had never physically harmed anyone's family or friends before, but he'd come close enough to scare his targets into compliance. Fear worked well enough. It always had.

"You're making sense," he said after a moment. "So then, what's your plan? How do you suggest we use what we know so far?"

Layena remained silent, her expression tightening as she wrestled with her thoughts. Several minutes passed, her focus drifting toward the window. Then, with a decisive nod, she turned back to him. "It's not flawless. I'd need more time to fine-tune it. But this is one approach I've been considering…"

"If the evidence we've gathered doesn't work in our favor, we'll take it to the police and let the proper channels handle it. That would mean arrests. But if the police are compromised, they might just bury it. From what we've observed, though, they don't seem to be in on this. It looks like the councilmen are acting without their involvement," she said.

Her tone shifted slightly as she added, "But if that doesn't work... we could consider threatening their families. It's not a choice I want to make lightly, but if the usual methods fail, we might not have another option." Her expression grew harder, her eyes narrowing as her voice cooled with intent.

Yasushi frowned faintly but didn't voice opposition. His agreement wasn't enthusiastic, but it was there. While he had made significant changes to himself, some parts of his past still lingered beneath the surface. He had never targeted innocents in his previous life, but if these people pushed him too far, the rules wouldn't apply anymore. He wasn't about to hold back for their sake.

Yasushi leaned back, his shoulders settling as he let out a breath. "You're a lot more... direct than I imagined, Layena. I'm not against it, but you're right — this should only ever be the absolute last option. We'll exhaust every other approach before even considering it," he said. Layena gave a small nod from where she sat beside him.

"Yes, as I said, only if there's no other way. Besides, it's illegal, and pulling it off would mean risking them exposing us in return. Still, with the leverage we already have and the panic they're bound to feel, we could force them into making a misstep when the time comes." Her words carried a calm certainty, and her lips curved slightly, as if the idea amused her.

Yasushi looked at her, his thoughts turning inward. He weighed whether pairing her with Nandini would be a good idea. The thought of creating a second Nandini made him pause, a mix of dread and amusement flitting through his mind.

+-+

Their first stop brought them to Russia, specifically Novosibirsk. The plane required an hour to refuel, leaving Yasushi and the group with time to kill inside the terminal. Faced with the wait, they wandered around the airport, noting the variety of shops and amenities available to passengers.

The girls soon decided to head to the bathrooms, mentioning plans to pick up supplies before the next leg of the journey. With another stop scheduled in Warsaw, Poland, and then a direct flight to the United Kingdom, they figured it was a good time to stock up on essentials.

Yasushi stayed near the bathrooms, waiting for them to return. As he stood there, some local women approached, speaking to him in their language with lighthearted, flirtatious tones. They appeared confident that he couldn't understand them, but Yasushi's ability to comprehend all spoken languages ensured he caught every word.

After a moment, he decided to speak, switching from Japanese to Russian. "I'm sorry, ladies. I'm in a committed relationship, so I can't accept this. I hope you understand," he said. His words caught them off guard.

"You can speak Russian?" one of them asked, stopping her flirtatious tone to stare at him.

"Yes. You could say I can speak all the languages on Earth," Yasushi replied in a joking tone. This drew a laugh from the group, and they stepped back slightly, visibly impressed.

"Really? I know a little Polish. Can you?" another one asked, this time speaking in Polish.

Yasushi looked at her and transitioned seamlessly into Polish. "Yes, I can. I hope this is enough to prove it, ma'am," he replied.

Yasushi had discovered this ability during his first trip to China with Jingliu. Over the years, particularly during his college days when he encountered many international students, he had used this skill to communicate in an ever-growing range of languages.

"Yasushi!" Xinyi called out from his right.

Turning toward her, Yasushi saw his group already walking out. He nodded quickly. "My friends are waiting for me. I've got to go. Goodbye," he said before heading off without further delay.

"Who were they?" Xinyi asked, glancing briefly at the Russian women, who still had their attention fixed on him.

"Oh, just a couple of women who struck up a conversation. They were surprised I could speak their language and Polish too," he replied with a low chuckle. "Anyway, let's get what we need before our flight. We've still got fifty minutes."

Jingliu's eyes followed the women for a moment before she reached for Yasushi's hand and held it firmly. Yasushi noticed the gesture and silently concluded that she had figured out the situation, her response both deliberate and clear. He almost laughed to himself at the thought.

They spent the remaining time walking from one shop to another, picking out items they thought their parents would appreciate.

+-+

An hour later, they were back in the air, heading toward Warsaw, Poland. The journey itself would stretch out for another five hours, giving them more than enough time to occupy themselves. Fortunately, they'd stocked up on food and drinks, ensuring they wouldn't run out of things to enjoy during the trip.

The group had settled in the main compartment of the private jet, their attention fixed on the large TV screen. A superhero movie played, one they'd been meaning to catch but never got around to watching. The room carried an easy air as laughter and commentary broke out here and there. Yasushi sat comfortably, his focus on the film occasionally interrupted by his phone buzzing in his pocket. Fishing it out, he glanced at the screen. The message was from Furuya, which caught him slightly off guard.

The text, written with a mix of excitement and nervous energy, read, "I went for that office job trial. It felt a little strange, but they more or less confirmed I'm hired. Once we graduate, I'll start saving up more seriously — hopefully enough to buy a ring for Catherine and propose to her!"

Yasushi read through it twice before responding, tapping out his reply with deliberate care. "You've talked to her about this, right?" He was genuinely happy for his best friend but couldn't help tempering that with a touch of concern.

"N-no…should I?" Furuya texted back, the uncertainty clear in his message.

"Proposals usually happen after you've talked to your partner about it," Yasushi replied. "You both know you want to get married, and sometimes even shop for the ring together. After that, it's just about deciding when and how you'll do it. I've already made that promise with Jingliu. Now, it's just about picking a day. I got the ring custom-made."

"I see… Thanks for the advice," Furuya responded after a pause. "I'll talk to her once you're all back. Feels like that kind of thing is better in person, right?"

Yasushi answered with a thumbs-up emoji, leaving Furuya to his thoughts.

"Alright, thanks again. I'll start figuring it out," Furuya typed quickly, then ended the conversation.

Yasushi placed his phone back down, his attention returning to the film. His mind drifted briefly to the upcoming trip — Poland, then the United Kingdom — to make it in time for his sister's delivery.