Chapter 2

The meal with his brothers and business partners was finally over. Seiya slumped exhaustedly onto his sofa and turned on the TV. So, his brother was really going to follow through with their father's insane plan and marry a complete stranger. Especially since this woman was a Tsukino, he mentally shook his head. Seiya knew all too well how powerful and dangerous the Tsukino family was. Their influence extended far beyond the city limits, and it was no secret that Kenji Tsukino stopped at nothing.

But he also knew that his brother had a mind of his own and rarely deviated from his decisions. Similarly, the demands of their father, the head of the family, were rarely questioned. Therefore, it was a done deal; this mysterious daughter of Kenji would marry into their family. Everything was subordinated to the well-being of the empire, and this attitude often disgusted Seiya.

He sighed and closed his eyes for a moment to forget the trials of the day. However, his thoughts kept returning to the girl on the street. There was something about her that wouldn't let him go. Despite her pitiful clothes and lean appearance, she didn't fit into the rough streets of Tokyo.

Suddenly, he felt the need to help her, to pull her out of this bleak reality, or at least to ease her circumstances. He canceled the originally ordered menu and decided on impulse that she should take on this task. Then he approached her, asking if she could cook. When her blue eyes met his, he knew he was doing the right thing.

Money was something he never had to worry about. His father controlled some districts of Tokyo underground, and therefore, he and his two brothers led a carefree life, at least financially. But this girl had touched something in him that went far beyond material possessions. Her blue eyes had looked at him with an expression of disbelief when he gave her the money she so desperately needed.

A contented smile played on his lips, and he decided that he would definitely see her again. The girl on the street had awakened something in him that he hadn't felt in a long time.

In the meantime, at Kenji Tsukino's.

Restlessly, the businessman paced in front of his magnificent fireplace. His gaze glinted with anger as he turned to his employees gathered in his elegantly furnished study.

"This can't be true! Find her! I don't care how, but time is running out for us," he thundered at his staff. "The Kous expect their bride to be presented in three days. Do you realize what's at stake with this wedding? It won't just be your jobs, that's for sure!"

One of the men with short red hair, named Rubeus, stepped forward and dared to respond to Kenji. "Kenji, we're on it, but Ikuko covered her tracks damn well. We don't even know if she's still in Japan. She learned from the best."

"That's not funny, Rubeus! I need my daughter back in this house, and that within the next 24 hours! After all, we still need to brief her on the most important matters," Kenji hissed back, rubbing the bridge of his nose in frustration. Time was ticking relentlessly, and he couldn't afford to lose any more.

A soft knock on the door made the heads of the men turn. A young woman cautiously opened the door. "I hope you bring us good news since you're already late, Mimete," Kenji growled at her. "Um, well, regarding that," Mimete began while sorting a stack of papers in her arms and handing some sheets to Kenji. "After her escape, Ikuko changed her last name to Sasaki, we've known that since last week. She got married a few months after Usagi's birth and then took her husband's last name. From then on, she was known as Ikuko Kimura. Ikuko Kimura had two more children and passed away about two years ago at the General Hospital here in Tokyo. I also obtained a copy of her death certificate." The blonde woman took a brief pause.

Kenji's eyes bore into hers. "So the children are with their father?" he inquired further. Finally, there was a hot lead on his daughter, but Mimete tensely pursed her lips.

"Unfortunately, no. Shin Kimura filed for divorce a year after the birth of their daughter and has been living in Nagoya since then. He has relinquished custody of all the children to the system."

Kenji took a deep breath. "So she's in foster care? She must have been almost 18 when Ikuko died; that's almost too old for a home," Kenji pondered, piercing Mimete with his gaze.

Mimete swallowed and shook her head slightly.

"For heaven's sake, stop pulling teeth and tell me where my daughter is!" he shouted loudly.

"She and her siblings went into hiding before they could be properly registered. There has been no trace of Usagi Sasaki and her siblings for 2 years." Her words hit the room like a blow in the silence.

Rubeus took one of the sheets from her hands and carefully read through the information. "So, we're looking for three children, siblings, probably living on the streets... I can work with that. Finding a single girl would be significantly more challenging; a group is always more noticeable. I'll immediately dispatch all available forces to search. Please give me the gender and age of the siblings," he said calmly.

Mimete handed him another sheet. "Everything is written down there. However, I couldn't find pictures of the children. Ikuko was very strict about keeping them away from all media."

Rubeus nodded and then turned to Kenji. "If she's on the streets of Tokyo, we'll probably have her in a few hours. For a small sum, many out there would even sell their own mother."

"Then stop talking and bring her to me!"

Rubeus nodded determinedly and quickly left the office to intensify the search for Usagi. He assigned various teams and sent them out. Kenji Tsukino could feel the tension within him, like a relentless countdown ticking away.

The search for Usagi was a nerve-wracking odyssey that lasted the entire night. Rubeus mobilized every available employee and bribed numerous homeless people for information. However, most of them turned out to be false leads. In the darkness, the streets of Tokyo turned into an impenetrable labyrinth of narrow alleys, abandoned subway stations, and gloomy parks, but Rubeus and his men were well acquainted with them. They listened to the stories of beggars and tried to learn every small detail about Usagi's possible whereabouts. Patience was required, as many homeless individuals were suspicious and unwilling to speak unless their tongues were loosened with a few bills.

Hours passed, and fatigue gnawed at them. But they didn't let it discourage them; Rubeus felt that he was not far from his goal. At dawn, as the first rays of sunlight illuminated the city, Rubeus finally made a breakthrough. He swiftly reached the homeless man who claimed to know Usagi and regarded him skeptically.

"So, you know where we can find the girl we're looking for?" he asked sharply, and the ragged man grinned back, rubbing his thumb against his index finger.

Rubeus's patience was already stretched to the breaking point; he knew that time was running out. One of his men had already given this miserable good-for-nothing a generous sum, but it seemed that the guy was insatiable. Rubeus pressed him against the wall and used his forearm to press against the man's throat.

"You've already been paid for your information, and now you'll tell me exactly what you know. We're looking for a girl named Usagi, around 20 years old, with two siblings. A brother around 14 years old and a little girl barely older than 5. So, do you know where they are?" he hissed dangerously into the man's ear, with the other hand pressing a blade against his ribcage. Panicking, the man began to nod and gasped for air. Rubeus loosened his grip slightly.

"On the western outskirts, just outside Shinjuku. I met them there a few weeks ago near one of the containers. She said they had a hideout nearby with her siblings," the man gasped out, still struggling to breathe. Finally, Rubeus let go of him and sheathed his knife. "That's better," he said satisfied and turned away.

"We're pulling out of here. Everyone to the western outskirts; the teams on-site should intensify the search, and inform Kenji that we've practically found her," he called to one of his men before getting into his sports car.

The sun had been up for a while when he reached the outskirts of the city. A small search team was already waiting for him, updating him on the situation. The assumption was that the girl with her siblings was in this small shack right in front of him.

"You stay here. If she's in there, we don't want to scare her off. But surround this thing. If she tries to escape, you'll apprehend her," he gave some final instructions. Carefully, he opened the door and peeked inside. It looked far from habitable. He almost closed the door behind him, dismissing this lead as a decoy, but then his gaze was caught by the ceiling—far too good for this run-down dwelling. Maybe he was on the right track after all.

"Usagi Sasaki? Are you here?" he called out into the silence and began to look around more carefully. An old doll, missing a leg, lay on the blanket, a half-empty can with a fork stuck in it served as an improvised table. Then suddenly, a soft whimper reached him.

He listened into the silence to figure out where the sound was coming from. In the farthest corner, an old, rusted wheelbarrow without a wheel leaned against the wall, and behind it, he spotted strands of pink hair. Confident, he moved towards it. He couldn't afford to make any mistakes now.

"Hello, little girl, can you help me?" he asked gently, but there was no reaction. Slowly, he moved the wheelbarrow aside and examined his find. A girl, about 5 years old, crouched on the floor. She had pulled her legs tightly to her body, wrapped her arms around them, and lowered her head. Jackpot, this had to be her sister. She was scared, that much was evident.

Rubeus crouched down beside her. "Are you Usagi's little sister?" he asked softly, and finally, the girl lifted her head. "Are you here to take me away from her?" the little one asked with a trembling voice. "No. I've come to get you out of here. I'm a friend of Usagi's father, and he wants you to come to him. My car is outside. You can come now; someone will be here waiting for your siblings and bring them to you." "And is that really true? Usagi's daddy wants us to live with him?" the little one asked, and her eyes sparkled with joy.

Rubeus rummaged in his jacket pocket and handed the girl a chocolate bar. He needed this girl's trust. If he had the sister, Usagi would probably come voluntarily; that much was clear. "Here, take this. My name is Rubeus, and what's yours?"

The little one eagerly grabbed the chocolate bar and stuffed it into her mouth. She hadn't had anything this good in ages. "I'm Chibiusa," she mumbled.

But after she had devoured the bar and her worst fear—that he might hurt her—hadn't come true, she seemed to gain some trust. "Rubeus, you say Usagi's daddy wants us to live with him? Really?" she asked, still with a trace of suspicion in her voice.

Rubeus nodded patiently. "Yes, that's true, Chibiusa. He sent us to pick you and your siblings up. You'll have a home again and something to eat."

The idea that there was actually someone who wanted to help them overwhelmed Chibiusa. The past two years had been spent on the streets, and she couldn't remember a time when she had ever been full and safe.

"What about Usagi and Shingo?" she asked worriedly. "Your siblings will be picked up too, as soon as they return here. Or maybe you can tell me where we can find them?" Chibiusa shook her head; she never knew where her siblings were until they returned in the evening. She always hoped they would bring back something to eat.

"Well, I'll leave one of my men here to wait for them. Come on, let's go ahead; you can take a bath and have a proper meal in peace."

Rubeus helped her to her feet and led her to his car, where one of his men was already standing and waiting.

"One of you stays here. I'll bring the sister to Kenji. If anything happens, call immediately," he gave final instructions before setting off with Chibiusa.