*Captured Game*
by: WhiteGloves
My first touch of the Liar Gameseries!
After a year here comes the manga again!
Suggoooi neh! And the dramas are amazing as well!
I've always liked the concept of this series!
Won't you join me in ending this series? kidding haha!
Alright- Let's begin!
The seagulls flew on the orange sky with the breeze of the salty wind. The sun was already set.
There was nothing on sight of the horizon except the sea and a distant rocky cliff where a lone mansion stood. The mansion was facing the east side where the sun rises while its veranda was facing west where the sunset was fixed. It was a quiet place.
The glass door from the veranda suddenly opened and there came out a young woman in a blue dress. Her shoulder length hair was black and her eyes too innocent and pure. She paused for awhile to admire the scenery, and then proceeded toward banisters where she leaned her arms and surveyed the place before her.
She took in the beautiful view. It calmed her heart a little.
She stood there for some time, unaware of everything around her. All she has in mind was how peaceful the place was and how freely the birds were flying. If this was how penalty really goes then she would be fine with it, she decided.
"Kanzaki-sama?" called a voice, surprising the young lady by the veranda who looked behind to see a servant calling, "dinner is served."
The young woman in blue whose name was Kanazaki Nao, nodded at the helper.
"Hai... I'll be there in a second."
The maid left her alone again with a bow and Nao continued gazing out to the horizon.
How she ended up there and for what reason, even she could not understand. But one thing was clear to Nao as she looked away into the sky without really seeing anything—a fact so clears she doesn't have the power to question it nor to oppose it: she had lost the game.
The final round of the Liar Game.
The birds on the sky were already far away. Still, Nao remained thoughtful. Then her thoughts jumped to that close friend and companion who had nonchalantly helped her all throughout the game. The man who was the reason she was feeling guilty all this time because she caused him too much trouble. Akiyama-san.
It has been a month since she was taken away after the final game. She wondered how he was doing now.
Nao smiled a little and turned around toward the doorway.
She remembers it all too well as if it was only yesterday. How she and Akiyama fought in order to win a certain 'auction' game. It was easy to raise the amount of money for the players. What made it tricky was the presence of the disposal rule where in certain amount of money will be null from the game. The total sum of money was only equivalent to all the players so if some of it goes to the disposal—then certainly someone won't be able to achieve any money to pay his or her debt which was the original plan of Kanzaki and Akiyama.
It was quite a battle. And as they feared it—some of the money went to the disposal account. There was no hope for one person. Naturally Akiyama wanted Yokoya to be the escape goat. More naturally, Yokoya wanted the same.
And then Nao remembered how the third round concluded with her the most surprised of all. She and Akiyama managed to hold on to their target sum of money and were already certain of victory when Yokoya's scheme prevailed. Unsurprisingly, Akiyama was already aware of his plan but to oppose a great player like Yokoya there were risks that must be taken in order to save everybody.
In the end, Akiyama managed to buy everyone their freedom—even Nao. But as Nao tried to grasp the situation her friend was in, she suddenly realized a certainly flaw on his plan. No. That was not the case. Akiyama knew it all along. Nao had noticed Yokoya's calm attitude all throughout the final bidding with Akiyama, but she also noticed that triumphant grin on his face.
And as she began to understand it... horror struck her deeply.
Yokoya was losing badly that time and there was no mistake there wasn't enough money to save a person... but so was Akiyama.
Akiyama was fighting for the sum of money with everyone's name on it except his. Kanzaki Nao realized this only after checking their account. Yokoya had already taken Akiyama's name... even if everyone won the game Akiyama would be left behind for then there wasn't enough money for two. He would be the only one losing!
Desperate as she was, Nao looked into the rule and saw one thing that might save his friend.
Turning to the dealer of the game in the middle of the heated bid, Nao made her decision.
"Are you sure, Kanzaki-sama?" the dealer had asked her for the third time as she stood there in the background.
"Hai." She answered so resolutely she even surprised herself.
"Then... well be announcing the result after the bidding. If Yokoya-sama wins the game he'll take the 400 billion money for himself since that was his original plan. If Akiyama-sama wins then 50 billion will be distributed to the nine players including yourself, leaving all of you debtless."
"So it is true..." Nao looked up at the dealer with a hard face, "a hundred billion was already eaten by the disposal account... then leaving Yokoya-san... Akiyama-san will also lose the game ..."
The dealer did not confirm this nor deny it. He just remained standing there stiffly.
Nao watched Akiyama from the glass window, and then closed her eyes.
"Hai," she said once again, "please make the transfer to Akiyama-san's name. I don't care what happens to me anymore. Just please make sure Akiyama-san gets out of the game without a single debt."
The dealer remained immobile for some time and Nao could have sworn he kept his eyes on her. And then she saw him bow.
"I understand. Then please, if you would follow me."
He pointed toward the door, making Nao blink in surprise as she looked to where he was pointing.
"Huh...? Why...?"
"Your loss has already been confirmed by myself," the dealer in the mask said without further ado, "therefore we will be taking custody of you. If Yokoya-sama wins he will still be able to pay us so there is no need to take him. But the confirmation of your loss grants us this action. If you can pay your debt of 500 billion then we will release you. But if you cannot then we will take the money back by any means."
He paused while Nao gave him a shocked look.
"Can you pay it, Kanzaki Nao-sama?"
"N-no..."
"Then... come with me."
And just like that she was taken away from the building and off, not even able to say goodbye to Akiyama.
She hasn't seen anyone ever since. And she hasn't heard anything about her debt either. All she knew was that she was kept in confinement until now and far away from people as possible like she was some sort of prisoner. She didn't know what they were planning to her so all she could do by then was to wait.
She arrived at the dining room where a long table was set. At the far end of the table was her chair and her dinner. As usual there was a helper waiting for her and a butler too. It made Nao sigh for the last time.
"I really don't understand this," she told them as she was helped on her chair by the old butler, "If I am really taken by the Liar Game Office because of my debt then... why am I here in this mansion living like a princess?"
She turned to the butler with a crestfallen look.
"Can't you at least tell me that?" she asked him sadly.
"I'm sorry, Kanzami-sam," the butler bowed, "but we are prohibited to enclose any information to you. Please have your dinner."
Nao lowered her eyes on her food.
"I figure you'd say that again..."
And she ate her dinner quietly.
That was right. She was confined like a prisoner without anyone to talk to. It was like this solitude was her punishment after all. She wondered if LGO was gaining something from that. So their 500 billion is equivalent to watching a girl in prison?
That was absurd.
When she finished her dinner, she took her usual routine of going in her room and taking a shower. Then in her solitary room, she remained watching the starless sky. It was such a lonely night.
It made her sigh.
It was then that a knock on her door came. Nao looked up in surprise and stared at the door wondering if it was only her imagination. For the past weeks since she arrived there nothing on her schedule included somebody knocking on the door. If there were times that someone would break her routine—it would usually mean something.
And sure enough as the door opened Kanzaki Nao recognized a man in mask—someone from Liar Game office!
"Y-you!" she breathed, standing up at once with her wide open. Was that the guy named Leronira or something?
"Kanzaki-sama," the dealer said in person as he bowed before her, "it has been a long time."
Nao caught herself on time and stood her ground with a sudden realization.
"Y-you're here... does that mean I'm going to be taken away already?"
The man in the mask paused and then nodded.
"Hai."
Nao felt her body tremble. She knew this day would come. If Liar Game was taking their time then it was not a good sign! She had been pondering about it for awhile and came to realize that maybe they were looking for someone to sell her with. There was no other way she could pay her debt and without the Liar Game there was only one way that she could compensate by herself alone—it was to be sold!
With this idea in mind, she felt her knees wobble and gave away. She fell down her knees on the floor.
"K-Kanzaki-sama?" the man in masked sounded surprised at her sudden fall that he actually went to help her.
"I knew it..." Nao mumbled to herself, her eyes filling with tears, "I knew there was some reason behind keeping me here and feeding me all this time... so that was your plan all along... I knew it... I should have known..."
Tears fell down her lap. The dealer didn't know what to do at that.
"K-Kanzaki-sama..."
"If... if I had known this..." her silent cry was making it difficult to speak, "I- I should have enjoyed my... my time here... it was pointless... if I'm going to be sold anyways..."
"Sold?" the man in mask repeated sounding taken aback.
Nao's whole body shook and her shoulders trembled... but then...
"Sold? You?" said a familiar cool voice form somewhere, "who ever told you such a lie again, Nao?"
Nao froze. The voice was so familiar... could it be...?
She raised her eyes up toward the doorway and saw a man standing there with lots of his hair still blocking his eyes. It was a familiar figure. It was a familiar sight. Nao couldn't help the way she reacted as she saw once again that man—that lone man who was ever there whenever she was in times of trouble.
"A... Akiyama...san?" she whispered, her body too stiff to move, "w-what are you doing here...?"
Akiyama just stood there by the doorway without even moving but Nao could see one of his eyes. They were directly upon her; his cold eyes that ever intimidated anyone that dared look at him; a man so nerve-racking and smart, the genius of all swindlers—Akiyama Shinichi.
Nao opened her mouth, her disbelief still apparent. It has been a month since she last saw him and now that he was there—she suddenly felt all her worries leaving her... it was as if all the burdens were taken away... by just seeing him.
"Akiyama-san!" she blurted again, finding it a better way to make sure that she wasn't dreaming, "Akiyama-san!"
Akiyama stared at her hard and long. And then without further ado, strode toward her and grabbed her by the arm.
"Stand up." He said in his usual commanding voice, "we're going."
"By going... you mean...?" Nao muttered but was unable to continue as the slim guy half pulled and half dragged her out of the room.
"W-wait, Akiyama-san!" Nao cried in surprise as Akiyama continued to pull her wrist, "Where are we going? And h-how did you know this place? No, wait—why are you here? Did you lose another game? Akiyama-san!"
By this time he was pulling her on the staircase where she needed to jump one step at a time because of his quick pace.
And still he did not bother to answer her.
"Akiyama-san!" Nao persisted, her worry increasing, "wait a moment! Tell me how you found this place and why are you here? There's no Liar Game anymore, is there? So it's impossible that you could lose any game! Akiyama-san!"
For an answer—Akiyama suddenly stopped at the bottom of the stairs. His halt was so surprising that Nao found herself bumping on his back.
"Ow... Akiyama-san..." she breathed with an eye close, "that's a dangerous stop... why did you..."
But then she realized the reason.
There standing by the doorway was a group of men in black suit and masks. Nao stared at them anxiously and then felt Akiyama's grip on her wrist tightening. Looking up at him, she was surprised to see Akiyama eyeing the black men in suit with blades on his eyes. Clearly, this was not the same cool headed Akiyama-san.
What had happened to him?
"Akiyama-sama," said the masked man in front of the others.
"Get out of my way," Akiyama muttered quietly with eyes flickering dangerously, "I've won all the games you've given me. Now I'm claiming my prize. Get out of the way."
Nao felt Akiyama's grip on her hand tightening even more.
Akiyama...san?
The dealer did not say anything for a second, and then after long while he bowed.
"We're only here to confirm that you have claimed your prize." The leader of the group said quietly, "As per the deal, Kanzaki Nao was kept away from harm and was treated properly. With this deal comes her debt. We no longer have any claims to her life whatsoever. Thank you for participating in the last game. Please excuse us."
And all of the men in black bowed all together.
Nao stared at them in bafflement until Akiyama started pulling her again. They went out of the door without another word and were inside a car in no time.
Above the mansion house stood two dealers with masks still on their face. They watch the two enter the car and watch it glide away from the mansion gates.
"So he really did win, that Akiyama." said the man standing in the left side, "he's unbelievable."
"He is." said the other masked man, "and if I'm not mistaken, the boss has already acknowledge him to be the king of this Liar Game. He did beat our previous King."
"I understand that... but is there any point in keeping Kanzaki Nao here?"
"You do not know? She's an essential part of the plan. Without her Akiyama would have never agreed to participate in the game. That person acknowledges the importance of money as much as Kanzaki Nao."
"But as I gathered, it was her personal request to lose the game last time. The plan would not have worked if she did not sacrifice herself."
"True... but the boss believed that she would. And she did. She never ceases to reach the expectation of the boss after all."
"So even if she did not the boss doesn't plan to let her go easily, is that it?"
"There is that option. The boss has always recognized her as a threat and would have found it amusing to put her in lots of games. But there is no need to mull over this. It has already gone to past and Akiyama has already won the final game. And he has just claimed his prize."
This conversation happened along while the black car glided passed the trees. It was only then that Nao realized she was actually far away from civilization. And still she could not understand what was going on and this she made clear by turning to Akiyama that very instant—
"What's going on?" she exclaimed to Akiyama, whose silence was apparent, "Akiyama-san! Why did you suddenly appear out of nowhere? How come you're here? A-and what game was that guy talking about? Don't tell me you did participate in another game after all! I can't believe you did that... why...?"
"I can ask you the same," Akiyama said in his usual drawling voice.
Nao looked up at him and saw that he was surveying her with his cold right eye while the other was hidden under his hair.
"Huh...?"
"Disappearing like that... you idiot..." Akiyama continued, his mood not getting any lighter, "do you realize how much stress you gave me after I found out they took you after you sold yourself to them?"
"S-sold myself?" Nao repeated sounding alarmed, "I—I didn't!"
"Geez, you really gave me a damn headache for a whole month!" Akiyama rubbed his hair in an aggravated way with a vein pounding at the side of his head. Then he continued saying, "Right after the game they told us the result. Both Yokoya and I were on the losing end but I won everyone's debt. Then suddenly they told me I was debtless as well because you turned yourself in! ARE YOU A BIG MORON?"
"A-Akiyama...san..." Nao was speechless as the man ranted on with the unusual glare on his eyes.
"They didn't tell me anyway to see you and the game ended up with you disappearing in it. For two whole weeks I did not hear anything from them and for two whole weeks I kept myself busy in trying to find your whereabouts— I raked all the places we've had the games and met those people whom we played it. I even met Yokoya in the process. What if they didn't give me any chance to retrieve you? What if you were actually sold in the market? Have you thought about those things when you let them take you? Don't you tell me you trust them enough not to do those things?
Nao couldn't say anything to that but continued listening with hands on her heart.
Akiyama paused for awhile, his hair hiding his eyes again. It seemed like he was trying to calm himself too. For some time, silence kept the two at bay but then he spoke again.
"Never do that again, you moron. Never again."
Nao stared at the man with eyes filling with tears. She wanted to thank him so much but couldn't... not after seeing Akiyama looking all worked up and worried. It was rare for Akiyama-san to look that way. No—it wasn't like him. Akiyama-san has changed a lot, she realized. No... it was not just that... he was just too nice to ignore a weak one like her... she had always thought it was like that and she appreciated his efforts...yet now...
Akiyama breathed heavily in front of her and she saw that.
Akiyama-san, for her sake was always there... always worrying over her and now here she was doing nothing but to trouble him again. He even went to all the trouble just to reach her again. Just what kind of man would do all that for her...?
So in the end, Nao bowed her head and said a heartfelt, "I'm sorry."
Akiyama paused after hearing this. And then looked away.
"You're really an idiot." He said under his breath, making Nao bow her head, "Stop crying. I just saved you."
"I'm sorry...hai..."
And the car glided silently into the night. The two remained quiet for a long while. Then Akiyama spoke.
"Did... did they hurt you?"
"No..." Nao answered solemnly, "they didn't do anything bad."
There was another pause.
"That's good..." Akiyama turned away, "that's really good. I'm glad you're okay."
Nao looked up and saw for the first time, Akiyama looking her in the eye again but his gaze was softer than before.
Her heart began to race in a different way than before. Why...?
"Akiyama-san..." she lowered her eyes, "my... my hand... aren't you going to let go of my hand?"
She didn't want to mention it but indeed, Akiyama has not let her hand go ever since they entered the car. At first she thought it was okay... but as time went on she suddenly became self conscious around him... not even understanding why her heart was beating so quickly. But why was he still holding her hand? Was it because he was caught with the moment? Nao wanted to know...
Well, it didn't seem like Akiyama wanted to let it go any time soon as he answered—
"Never mind that."
"Akiyama-san...?"
"Some bad adults might just grab you again and capture you. Let's not let that happen. I've had enough headache for a month."
His clutch on her hand tightened again and Nao felt her heart swell. For Akiyama to care for her so much... she felt her gratitude swell up inside her. She'll definitely take care of him, she decided.
She suddenly thanked the car was a bit dim. She just realized how red her face must be.
Akiyama, on the other hand, looked away to the window and didn't say anything after that.
The two held each other's hands for a long time.
Was that only the movement of the car, or did Akiyama pull her closer?
Nao pressed her lips closed and then slowly slid next to him until their shoulders were touching.
Akiyama didn't react nor look up. Nao glanced at him and then closed her eyes with a smile.
It was not the usual night set by routine for her anymore. This time she was now free.
Thanks to Akiyama-san.
Then Nao gently leaned her tired head on his shoulder. She was really tired. But then she realized he must also be... after all the trouble she gave him... Akiyama-san was really anxious for her back there even though he showed it by his gruff pull and cold eyes.
She felt Akiyama looked at her but then said nothing.
His presence suddenly made the atmosphere choking her for a long time disappear. Nao breathed as if to let her accumulated feelings out but it was not enough—she must pay him back! But this time there will be no need for any money. This time they will no longer play the Liar Game. In this game there will only be her and this man. The two of them. There will be no debts or owes in this game she was willing to enter herself...
And this time she will fight without expecting anything in return. She will do it out of something that will always guarantee her happiness. She will do it out of love.
No setbacks. No holding back.
Just pure, unconditional love.
And she was sure Akiyama, doubtless of his character, would reciprocate.
Well... even if he didn't, Nao decided as she gripped his hand too, that she will make sure to pay him ten times that will make it impossible for him not to respond.
It was neither game nor gamble.
It was love.
But then again... will there be things like that in a romantic relationship too? She wanted to know.
Well... there was only one way to find out.
Let their game begin.
*.*.*
A/N: LiAR LIar LIAR! Do all couples shout that after a relationship?
Nao seriously wants to know haha!
~THE END~
THANK YOU FOR READING!