Second Chance: A Dark Tale of Urban India

Rohit walked along the quiet footpath with one hand buried deep in his jacket pocket and the other on his sling bag. He was too shocked and overwhelmed to even call a cab. The world around him felt distant, muted.

For any onlooker, he looked like just another normal young man in some branded jacket and jeans. But inside, his mind was spiraling worse than a madman’s.

That woman... Takayama.

How could he not recognize the name? During the brutal civil war within the Yakuza, the Takayama clan had been the fiercest rivals of the Omi Alliance — the same clan responsible for the death of his only family, his little brother.

He had taken his revenge by blowing up their patriarch in a car bomb. That act had ended his life in the Yakuza world for good. He had sworn never to step foot in that bloody mess again.

And yet here she was — wearing the rank of a queen. That massive Irezumi dragon tattoo across her back was no ordinary ink. It was reserved only for the highest ranks. Either she was the current matriarch... or the next heir.

But the real shock was Li.

Li had married her?

Both of them were clearly in disguise. That daughter they brought to the banquet must have been an act too. The last time Rohit had met Li was three years ago, when they had parted ways as squad members. Li had wanted to buy a private island and retire like a king.

So how the hell did he end up back in this black hole of politics?

If it had been anyone else — Richard, Anton, or any of the others — Rohit wouldn’t have been this shaken. They were close, but none of them were like Li. Li was the reason, they first became mercenaries, the homie who had stood with him and helped him bury his old civilian life.

It all went back eighteen years ago in Japan...

Hitachi Building, Tokyo – Morning, 2006

The half-bald manager stormed toward Riku’s desk like a man possessed.

"You useless piece of shit!" he roared, hurling a thick stack of documents straight into Riku’s face. Papers scattered everywhere. "I told you to finish the police database migration before leaving! Do you even understand what overtime means?!"

Slap!

Before Riku could react, the manager’s hand cracked across his face. Riku’s head snapped to the side. Blood trickled from his split lip, staining his white collar. The entire open office fell deathly silent.

"You stay here tonight," the manager snarled, leaning in close. "No pay. If those National Police Agency logs aren’t synced by tomorrow morning, I’ll make sure you’re blacklisted from every IT company in Japan. Do you understand, you dog?"

Riku who was 32, bowed deeply, his voice low and submissive. "Moushiwake gozaimasen... I’m sorry, sir."

The manager huffed and walked away. The moment his back was turned, a small, satisfied grin crept across Riku’s bloodied lips.

Unlike modern cubicles, the office was one big clustered room — desks and chairs packed together like a classroom, with the manager prowling around like a strict teacher under direct supervision.

Across the desk, Li Wei, 24 years old, watched him with a deep frown. As a Taiwanese national, Riku was one of his few true friends — someone he cherished deeply. Li had first joined the company in Taiwan as a bright, exceptional engineering student and was later transferred to the main branch in Tokyo.

Adjusting to the new company culture had been difficult for a foreigner, but Riku — his senior by more than eight years — had helped him not only with coding but also with fitting in with the locals.

They had become close because they shared the same company dormitory as roommates and had similar interests. So far, things had gone well. Two years had already passed. Li had even found a girlfriend, but Riku still hadn’t been so lucky.

Li nudged him and whispered, careful not to let the manager see. "What the hell are you doing? You stayed up all night for nothing, and now you’re grinning like an idiot."

Riku smirked. "I was onto something. You could say I found the ultimate key to shut this bastard up. Just wait for lunch."

Li tried to persuade him. "You’re crazy. Can’t you just live a quiet life and make peace with the world? Think about Haruka. What kind of impression are you making on her?"

Riku frowned. "Not everyone’s life is colorful when they’re single. You got lucky with a beautiful fiancée, and now you’re lecturing me about peace? Mind your own business."

He wanted to say more, but the manager was still prowling the floor like a predator.

Riku couldn’t help but glance at Haruka, who was sitting just a few meters away in the same room. The moment their eyes met, she turned pale, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. She quickly looked back at her monitor, too afraid to speak.

Riku hated this. The previous manager had been friendly, but this new one was a constant pain in the ass. Ever since the company’s culture of shuffling managers, this baldy had been targeting him relentlessly. Riku knew exactly why — it was because of the new joinee, Haruka. In just a few days, the two of them had grown close, and the manager clearly didn’t like their budding relationship.

Just wait for today, Haruka. I’ll take care of this manager for good. Then there will be no one left to obstruct us.

They continued working until the electronic chime for lunch rang. People began leaving the room. Riku stood up too. "Let’s go. Your Sakura will be waiting."

Li was still furious. "I’m not going. You go."

The manager came back from his patrol and pointed straight at Riku. "Riku, you’re not going anywhere today."

Some colleagues murmured. A few even chuckled at his misfortune.

Li muttered under his breath, "Great, now rot for your own deeds." He was about to stand and leave when Riku added with a smirk, "And someone said he wouldn’t go. Was that just empty words?"

Li sat back down in rage. "Lucky for you. Unlike you, I keep my word."

Riku smirked wider. "And we both know why you’re getting so broad. She’ll be coming for her secret baby boy. Damn, you really fell for a single mother."

Li shot back in the same stoic tone, "Mind your own business."

A few minutes later, the HR woman, Sakura, 34, Li Wei’s fiancée, finally approached their desks with a gentle smile.

She had taken quite a liking to Li since his joining and often handled his transfer. Thanks to her timely interventions, Li was spared from many misfortunes, and soon they became friends and then a couple. Her divorce was still in process.

"Manager, let the boys go for a quick dinner break. They’ve been working so hard."

The manager scowled at Riku. "The dog stays."

"Please..." Sakura insisted softly, lightly touching the manager’s arm. "I’ll stay behind and help you organize the Q4 audit files in the archive room while they eat."

The manager’s eyes darkened for a while before turning professional. "Fine. Get out, you two. But if you’re even one minute late, don’t bother coming back."

Sakura turned to Li and Riku with a warm smile. "Wait for me, boys. I’ll be back soon."

As she walked away with the manager, Riku nudged Li. "Feels so fishy..."

Li shook his head. "Always so doubtful and pessimistic, Ojisan. Come on, we only have twenty-five minutes."

Internet Café, Nearby Alley – Afternoon, 2005

Riku and Li Wei sat in the dimly lit back corner of their usual spot — a small Chinese restaurant that doubled as an internet café. Even in the middle of the day, the place was dark, with only five old PCs lined up against the wall, their fans whirring loudly.

Riku slid a CD-R into the drive. "What is that?" Li Wei asked, slurping his noodles.

"Last night," Riku whispered, "I used a hardware keylogger on the manager’s tower. I got his admin password. I copied everything."

Riku had suspected the manager from day one. While handling the records, he had noticed too many irregularities. That was why he had hacked the manager’s computer connected to the mainframe server — and it seemed he had been right.

They opened the folders. It was a goldmine.

Spreadsheets showed millions of yen meant for police salaries being siphoned into private accounts through shell companies. Ghost subcontracting, bribery, embezzlement of welfare funds — all carefully tampered with in the records.

Li’s jaw dropped. He hadn’t expected corruption on this level, but his shock quickly twisted into a dark grin. " Good job Riku. He’s finished. Upload this to 2channel right now."

As the files began uploading, Li pointed at a folder labeled ’Staff_Training_Videos’. "Wait.. wait. Look into this.. Play that one."

The grainy 3GP video started. A female colleague was shown stripping in the archive room while the manager watched and recorded. Some women looked willing, others had tears in their eyes. Many familiar faces appeared.

Then another video started.

And then... a video of Haruka.

Riku’s heart cracked. Why was he so unfortunate? His chest filled with rage, but he chose strategic patience to tear that bastard down. He knew that, in his current situation, he was too weak.

On the other hand, Li Wei’s face went deathly pale. He recalled his fiancée, Sakura, leaving with the manager for the archive room alone, with a smile.

’If Haruka... then my fiancée...’

He didn’t wait. He bolted up and sprinted out of the café toward the Hitachi building. Riku cursed and ran after him.

"Fuck.. this brat. I hate this."