Chapter 287 - If they are in this together

"I am sorry."

Yuta blinks his eyes, stupefied. He hasn't expected to hear an apology. Not knowing what to do or think, he keeps his head lowered, frozen in his spot.

"You had to do that," Rie tells him with a breaking voice, "because we failed as your parents… not once or twice. I am sorry, Yuta."

"It's n-not your fault, Mother." Yuta raises his head and sees her watching him with a melancholic smile. That's what he didn't want to happen. His mother shouldn't blame herself. "You tried your best, but some things were meant to happen. I don't think that we can ever avoid the Consortium and --"

Rie pulls him in her embrace, patting his back as she bursts into sobs. Yuta can't understand why she's crying like this. He looks at his father who doesn't look any better. He has expected anger or disgust but not tears and sadness.

His mother keeps apologizing to him. His father sits down on his knees and wraps his arms around them, holding them tightly to his c.h.e.s.t. 

"Why are you crying like this?" Yuta asks his parents. "It's better if you get mad at me or punish me."

"You had to kill someone because we weren't able to protect you." Kiyohira says to him in a weary voice, "I don't want you to live the same kind of life, Yuta."

So, he realizes why his parents are being like this. They aren't ashamed or hateful. Instead, they blame themselves: that's sad, hurting. He releases his breath. "Father, Mother, I am not taking the same path that I did in my last life. I killed people because I received orders. In this lifetime, I killed someone because he was a threat to someone from our family. I am sure that both of you will do the same for us if it becomes necessary."

"I don't want you to carry a burden like that, Yuta." Rie stares at his face. "A normal life… I don't understand…"

"You made a choice." Yuta smiles at her. "If it was my previous life, I would have killed Aerie or sent her back. I am sure that her blood would have been heavy for me to bear. But I couldn't do it this time because of you -- I don't regret killing Furotani Taro. If the situation happens again, what would you choose, Mother? Would you abandon Aerie or kill Furotani Taro and Mira?"

"I won't kill Mira but…" 

Yuta puts his hand over her mouth and says, "Mother, you want us to live a normal life, but the definition of normalcy has changed for me. As long as we can live together as a family, it's normal for me. To do that, we might have to fight the Consortium, take part in a mess that is not ours whether we like it or not, and believe that everything will work out for the best. I believe that we are strong enough to prepare for such a future."

"What do you mean?" Kiyohira narrows his eyes. 

"I have decided to take control of the new power." Yuta reveals to him with a determined voice, "When the Consortium appeared, there was already a different power in the underground world. I was a part of it in my last life; even Maddox was. You had a brush with it when you dealt with Chisa Hashimoto. Currently, it's lying in fragments but a strong leader took hold of it in the future. His name was Declan. I don't know where he is now. If I take his place…"

"No, you don't have to." Rie opposes his idea. "Wouldn't there be a power struggle between the Consortium and that power in the future?"

"If we don't want to become the Consortium's puppets, we need power in our hands, Mother," Yuta explains to her with a light voice, "We can't win with money or status. Your skills are legendary, but it's not enough. We don't know who belongs to the Consortium except for Aerie and Mira. And the battle between Aerie and Mira was messy. If we want to end it for once and all, we need a giant power to interfere in the battle and destroy the Consortium when the game starts."

He pauses for a moment, hesitating to say the next words. "If the need arises, we will kill Mira and make the Consortium a part of the new power. For this, I need both of your help. Father is a leader in the business world in this country and you have the hacking skills. After the DH was discontinued and Maddox died, the dark hackers are scattered. I am sure that you can create another identity and make sure that nobody knows who it is. I doubt that anyone would think that it's you since you haven't been active in the hacking world after you retired."

Rie and Kiyohira listen to his plans with complicated emotions in their eyes. After a long time, they have managed to get themselves free from that world but it seems that they must return. 

"I know that you don't like my methods but we don't have any choice anymore." Yuta exhales. "I am tired of secrets. It's better if we all remain open to each other. When the right time comes, we should explain everything to Aerie… probably before Yuan Bo comes back. I don't think that Uncle Takeshi should be kept out since he's also in danger. Lastly, we will seize the different sects in the underground world and unite them. Nobody will be able to touch us if we become powerful, Mother. That way, we can keep ourselves safe if things go wrong…"

Even if Aerie decides to go against the Kamiyama family.

Kiyohira and Rie remain silent for a moment. Yuta wonders what they would decide. In the end, it depends on his parents. Even though he's reincarnated, there's a limit to the things that he can do as a five-year-old kid. Also, he doesn't want to keep his family in the dark. If they are in this together, he's sure that they can deal with the Consortium.