“Don’t you want to win? Isn’t that why you’re here?”
“Sure, but when I saw you, I knew you deserved this more than I did. You will make the most out of this opportunity.”
“Is that why you want us all to survive the challenges?”
“Partly. I also don’t want you to get hurt or worse,” he said quietly. “And I think it’s the best way forward. If we all survive, Chef Sakamoto loses. He doesn’t get his bloodbath.”
Jiro was right. All we needed to do was focus on surviving the challenges.
“Do you think Kenji would even consider it?” I asked.
“It’s worth a try. He hates me, but I think he still has some room in his heart for you.”
“Wait, you want me to talk to him?”
“Well, he’s not going to grab a beer with me, is he?”
The memory of my unlocked door flashed through my mind. I imagined Kenji entering my room as I slept, sitting on the edge of my bed…touching me. A shudder ran through me. “I’m not sure I can.”
“Why not?” Jiro asked.
I stared at him, my eyes wide. “Are you joking? You just said you didn’t want me hurt and that he’s unhinged.”
“The plan isn’t perfect, but I’ll be nearby.”
“Why not right next to me? Why not approach him together? He might even think I’m trying to double-cross you if I go alone.”
Jiro tilted his head, considering my words. “You’ve got a point.”
“Of course I do. So, we agree. We approach him together. Over breakfast tomorrow morning. We lay it all out and tell him our plan. And then…”
“And then we hope he believes us,” Jiro finished.
“But if he doesn’t, he knows our game plan. He could use it against us, become even more dangerous.”
“That’s true,” Jiro said. His expression darkened. “And if that happens, we’ll need to consider my backup plan.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Which is?”
“We take him out before he can get to us.”
CHAPTER FORTY
JIRO
I lay on my bed with my hands behind my head and my legs crossed, a smile on my face. My plan was coming together better than expected, not that I’d ever doubted myself. Still, I’d thought it might take longer to gain Akiko’s trust.
But I’d done it. I’d tugged at her heartstrings, reminded her of what we’d once had. Her feelings for me hadn’t disappeared. They’d just been dormant, waiting for the right spark to reignite them.
I let out a satisfied breath, my smile widening. There were moments I’d questioned whether I could pull this off, but once my father told me I was in the program, I’d known there was no turning back. I had to see it through.
And I would.
Because after all these years, I had to prove to Akiko that she’d been wrong about me and that I’d been right all along.
I glanced at my watch. A little past one in the morning. Almost time. I sat up and slid on my shoes. I was still dressed in my uniform, having never bothered to change. I stood by the door, listening for movement. Satisfied that the dormitory was silent, I slipped out.
Under the cover of darkness, I made my way across the compound, staying off the lit pathways and using the trees to shield my movements. When the entrance to the maze came into view, I slowed my pace, ears straining for any sound.
