Chapter Text
Within the dazzling lights of Tokyo city lay a dark, narrow alleyway that had been drained of all life. Pieces of garbage were strewn across the concrete floor, faded graffiti covered the cold brick walls and the emptiness of the area was a contrast from the loud and bustling streets, tucked away behind a number of abandoned buildings. A young man stood against the wall as he stared down at his phone. It was a new request.
The purple haired man clicked on the notification and entered WebSpace, a mysterious website hidden in the far ends of the internet, much like the alleyway. It allowed citizens to send requests in exchanges for large amounts of money, each user’s identity shrouded in anonymity. Despite this, Rui actually knew who the person behind his long time partner, DarkWay. It was Nene Kusanagi, his close childhood friend. Him and Nene were both in serious need of cash, so they teamed up as WebSpace users that were known for their insane capabilities. No matter how hard the task was, the duo would always be the first ones to take up the offer. And to nobody’s surprise, they would always succeed.
Direct messages with DarkWay:
DarkWay: New task, CyberBoy. This one’s a tough one. I’m not even fucking exaggerating. It’s the hardest one yet.
CyberBoy: Just tell me what it is.
DarkWay: So, someone just sent a request for someone to be kidnapped in exchange for 1 Billion yen. Not just a random ass person either. The requestor is asking us to kidnap Japan's no.1 idol, Tsukasa Tenma. Look, they even tagged us in hopes they would accept.
DarkWay: < 1 attachment >
His heart practically skipped a beat upon reading the task, but also at the amount of money they had been offered Rui’s body trembled in fear as he slowly clicked onto the screenshot.
New task
@DarkWay @CyberBoy
Find a way to get close with Japan’s no.1 idol, Tenma Tsukasa. Kidnap him and send him to location 324-1097 Akasaka, Tokyo. Then, you will meet a white van and two of my business partners, who will take our target and send him to me. If you are successful, you will receive one billion yen for completing the job. Aim to do this ASAP. No questions are to be asked. If word of this spreads, there will be consequences. I will not take accountability if you are caught in the act before my men get to our target.
CyberBoy: What the fuck? That’s messed up…
DarkWay: Yeah, no shit Sherlock. As much as I think this dude is screwed up, just let it sink in. One BILLION yen, Rui. We’ll never have to worry about money again.
CyberBoy: Ok. But can you actually give me a damn minute to let it sink in?
DarkWay: Sure.
Rui bit his lip. Sure the request would be near impossible to fulfill. Not only that, but there was no way they could get away with kidnapping one of the most recognised people in all of Japan. While WebSpace was literally made for illegal activity, including stealing, stalking and scamming. However, those were usually rather small crimes, since rich people often hire people to do shit like that anyways. Or maybe it only seemed so insignificant because of how extreme his latest request was. But the money up for grabs was something Rui and Nene’s poor asses could even fathom. With this money, they would be able to go to the Tokyo University of Arts, graduate with stellar degrees and pursue their dream jobs, directing for Rui and acting for Nene. After this they could ditch Webspace and live normal lives. Which would mean that they could make people smile like they dreamed of since they were kids rather than resorting to cruelty in order to get by. Stuck on all the possibilities, Rui opened the chat and typed : Accepted.
The tall boy was greeted by the familiar sight of his shitty old apartment. Dusty shelves that he hasn’t even touched once, a sad looking dining table and a living room with a carpet couch covered in stains and cigarette burns. After all, Rui spent most of his money on college fees, and was able to scrape off just enough money for a 20 sqm old apartment. He slumped back on his couch and turned on the TV to relax. The station was playing a newly released movie, and none other than Tsukasa Tenma himself was a part of the cast. Annoyed, Rui grabbed the remote to turn the TV off. He had wanted to escape from his worries of the WebSpace task, not to receive a reminder of the shit that was about to go down.
Even so, there was a light in the idol that set off a spark in Rui that he had never felt before. He couldn’t look away from Tsukasa. There was something in his eyes that was almost like a hypnosis. As Rui continued to watch him, he realised that the idol was actually a pretty good actor. His every move conveyed emotion and passion as if the emotions his character was feeling was feeling. It was a shame that he only appeared in a few scenes. Usually, famous idols and models were casted in shows as an audience drawer, and had little to no acting skill. Needless to say, Rui was impressed. No. Don’t get focused on him. He is my target. Rui thought, shaking his admiration away.
On that night, a dangerous yet captivating spark was ignited.