Chapter 32: Chapter 32

"I--I don't know what to say or think..." Van said in a confused manner. He started pacing back and forth inside the office.

"You have to believe me, Van...Eventhough I look entirely different.This is me. I'm Nao from Tokyo who was adopted by the Nishikawa family... I really have no idea what happened to me while we were in Karuizawa with Reiko that summer. I suddenly woke up in another body with a different identity..." I relayed, and I was getting more and more anxious.

Van's eyes widened after he heard Seira.

"How did you know about Nishikawa family and the time that I went to Karuizawa with Nao and Reiko?" he unbelievably asked her.

"How many times do I have to tell you that I'm Nishikawa Nao? Do you believe in me this time?" I asked, as I was secretly hoping that Van will believe me.

Meanwhile, Van can't take his eyes off from Seira. Yes, she looks different, but deep inside him, his heart is saying another thing.

He decided to believe what his heart says.

"I-I believe in you." he finally admitted.

I started crying as if there's no tomorrow, while feeling relieved.

"T-Thank you,Van... You just don't have any idea on how long I waited just to hear you say that." I said, as I was getting more emotional.

Van felt his feet move on its own.He slowly walked towards Nao and touched her cheeks.

"W-What happened to you, Nao? Why are you inside Seira Yoshida's body?" he gently asked her.

"I-I really don't know how to explain everything,Van. I woke up that morning---in a different bed and room. And then when I suddenly looked at the mirror, my face looked different. And when I asked the Yoshida household on what happened to me they said that I was under comatosed for so many years." Nao started to explain again.

"Come to think of it, then whose body is on your tomb back in Okinawa? We didn't have a chance to see it because it was cremated and buried rightaway." Van stated, while getting more and more confused.

"I wish I know the answer to that question, Van." I responded, getting a bit dizzy because of confusion.

Van was going to say something when he suddenly stopped. They heard a noise outside the door of the office.

"Just wait right here, Nao." he instructed, as he opena the door.

He instantly saw the sandwiches wrapped in plastic, lying on the floor. He know that those sandwiches are made by Reiko.

"It was Reiko!" Van exclaimed,while looking astonished.

I suddenly walked towards the door and stared at the sandwiches on the floor.

"Reiko was here? Do you think she heard---everything?" I asked Van, while feeling worried for Reiko.

"Wait for me here, Nao. I need to talk to her." Van hastily informed her.

And before I could stop him, Van quickly ran outside the office, to catch up with Reiko.

My heart starts to ache as I watch Van running away. As if this would only be the last time I'd see him...

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Van stopped running once he was outside the office building. His eyes searched around hoping to see Reiko at the midst of busy people walking down the street.

Then, without any warning, one black van suddenly screeched and stopped infront of

him. And at a blink of an eye, the door opened.

Someone punched him in the stomach and he felt that excruciating pain, then his vision went black.

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Van woke up with a start. He knew his eyes are already open, but he still can't see anything. He can still feel a little pain on his stomach, but he can now endure it. He realized that he's sitting on a chair and he's blindfolded with his hands and legs tied up with a rope. He knew rightaway that he is in a dangerous situation. But he decided to remain calm and started thinking fast on how he can escape...

Van suddenly heard some voices on his right side. The voices sounded a little far, that he strained his ears to listen to his abductors.

"What do you think our Boss will do to him?"

"I don't know either...Our only job here is to wait for an order, not to gossip about our Boss." lectured another voice.

"They're working for someone..." Van thought to himself.

He suddenly heard a big sound. It's like someone is opening a huge gate. He deduced that he is in a certain warehouse. And the location is not in the big city because he couldn't hear any vehicles passing by...

"Boss!You're just in time!" greeted someone.

Van didn't hear any response from the "so-called-Boss." What he can only hear is the sound of the footsteps coming his way. Then it stopped.

"Well, well... I never thought that we could bump into each other outside work---- Van."

Van couldn't believe his ears once he heard that voice. Different emotions started to sink in... He had never felt so betrayed like this.

"Chief." he muttered.

Van heard his Editor-in-Chief laughed, as he pulled the blindfold from his eyes.

"You don't looked surprised at all, Van. That's quite frustrating." the Chief casually greeted him.

Van gave him a deathly glare.

"Who are you working for?" he demanded.

"There's no need for you to know. And this is just a warning for you. Stop meddling with other people's lives. Quit your job in the magazine office, go to island or something. In that way, that pretty girlfriend of yours and your little brother will be living a long, peaceful and happy life. And oh, I forgot to include your father in Okinawa as well." the Chief snickered at him.

Van's body trembled, feeling fearful for his father, Ren and Reiko...

One idea suddenly struck his mind. Memories of the previous events suddenly

clicked on his head.

"I knew it." he suddenly blurted out.

The Chief frowned at him.

"What?" he interrogated Van.

"Now it's all making sense. Now I know you are you working for." Van announced.

The Chief looked genuinely surprised after he heard Van.

"--You're working for Mr. Yoshida. And you're trying to cover his illegal business aside from his other businesses...He is working as a big-time drug dealer. Am I right?" revealed Van.

All of the Chief's bodyguards looked at each other in shock. Meanwhile, the Chief started to get nervous.

"I see. So you've finally figured it out,huh?You're a skillful investigator, Van... Not to mention a dangerous one." said the Chief, as he finally regained his composure.

"And I know what else is on your mind now, Chief. You must be thinking how did I guess everything." probed Van.

"You tell me." he commanded.

"I was already skeptical from the day that I started showing interest to the Yoshida family... You asked me too many questions on why I was interested with them." Van related.

"And the reason why you were interested with the Yoshida family is because of what happened in Karuizawa almost ten years ago,right?" stated the Chief.

Van nodded as an answer.

"And I finally got suspicious of your actions few weeks ago..." he continued.

"Tell me more about it." the Chief asked him to talk more.