Karen heard it.

The familiar laugh of one Toru Hasegawa.

She was so familiar with the man that she could discern his laugh, his aftershave, even his shadow from a mile away.

To say that she was obsessed was an understatement of the century. She had been in love with him ever since they were kids, but Toru never had any interest in her. He was fraternizing with that witch - Chiaki - up until her departure to the city after they graduated - which obviously broke the man's heart.

He entered the navy afterwards and rarely went back home again until he was honorably discharged from the wound he suffered. But he then entered the police academy and soon after he became the youngest team leader in the Major Crimes.

She was trying to follow him to show him her love and care - which was more than Chiaki was able to give him - but he didn't even glance her way. She was hurt, but she was persistent too. But the most important thing was that she would get rid of anything or anyone who got in her way to own Toru Hasegawa.

She didn't realize that her obsession had become so unhealthy, it poisoned every fiber of her own being - and her relationships with her friends and co-worker. That was the reason why she went back to this godforsaken island, because her boss told her to get a grip of herself before she ruined their progress with her obsession.

She was excited when she heard that Toru would be back - although for a reason she didn't like at all. The old and senile father of his wanted to set him up with the whore who took everything from her. Unfortunately, the uncle and even the annoying Chiori agreed to do so as they made plans for the two people to be together.

She eavesdropped enough to know that the thing would happen on the night of the reopening of her mother's ryokan that was supposed to be hers, but the dumb bitch of a mother sold it to the whore.

Damn, when did her life go so wrong?

Although the ryokan was ruined, the price of the land would fetch a very high price when the news of the resort development broke soon.

Yes, she got the information accidentally when she was snooping on her boss - who was the one behind the resort development program.

She planned to buy all the land on this godforsaken island quietly and under different aliases, to cash out later after the resort was built and left as a millionaire. Unfortunately the bitch Azusa was already five steps in front of her, by buying the three most prime properties - the bar, the ryokan beside it, and the whole mountain where the development of the resort was planned.

On top of that, she never heard Toru laugh like that whenever she saw him. He always had this grim, tortured look and eyes as cold as ice when he looked at her.

She knew she was pretty. Even prettier than Azusa, with her big boobs and curvy body that she maintained by exercising every day without fail. She took care of herself, eating healthy, and everything she could to look perfect.

Still, the man that she was in love with all of her life, would not even glance at her.

But why could she hear him laugh like that? What made him laugh like that? Or more importantly, who made him laugh like that?

She tried to sneak around to see the new rooms that boasted private onsen inside but she was confused. The layout was very different from when she lived here, and it frustrated her.

But then she heard the laugh again from the corner room, and she walked closer to try to peek inside, but she found out that the door was locked. She wanted to scream from frustration, but she didn't want anyone to find out that she was doing this... shameful thing. She was a prideful woman and she would not get caught doing something so low like peeping on the whore.

What a slut!

She must be the one who gave the idea to those senile elders to lock the door to trap Toru inside and to seduce him.

She would definitely try to find the key to this room, even if she had to barge into the office - which she did - when no one was still busy eating and drinking and celebrating their luck for having the ultimate whore who somehow chose to stay at their little village.

The office was dark, and according to her memory, the wooden cupboard behind the desk was the place where her mother kept the keys to the rooms - and the master. So she should take that one rather than choosing the others. But when she started to rummage the cupboard, she suddenly felt cold. Like cold cold. Like the one when you stood outside in the middle of the winter, and you could see your cold foggy breath, and she suddenly shivered.

She quickly turned around and checked her surroundings to see if anyone was here with her, but she could not see anyone - or anything. In fact, there was a full moon today, so, why was the room so dark?

Still not giving up though, she reached blindly around for the cupboard, and when she felt it.

A gush of cold wind behind her neck.

Just like when someone - who was standing behind her - blew air on her neck.

Okay, Karen was not a believer of any ghosts or spirit whatsoever, but when she vividly could feel someone else's presence behind her, she screamed hysterically.

Then she heard someone chuckling loudly before the light was on, and there she was, Chiori with her own mother - stood behind her with such a steely gaze.

"Why are you rummaging around someone else's office when you know that this area is forbidden?" Chiori asked her with a very cold voice.

Karen looked at her mother - who looked away in disgust. This was the first time she caught her own daughter red-handed - doing whatever she liked because she thought she was entitled - and she was ashamed that she had to bother Chiori, and Azusa by extension. The young woman already helped her so much when she offered - no, begged her - to buy the ryokan, just as she bought Hideo's bar and saved him from debts.

She knew that it was probably too much to ask, because Azusa had bought Chiori's house too, and the massive renovation was underway. It should cost a pretty penny too, judging from the material Kenji used.

Surprisingly, Azusa accepted her offer and even let her work there to teach the new employee and to be the okami, since it was impossible for Azusa to do it.

She agreed wholeheartedly because she loved the ryokan, she just didn't know how to manage it alone properly with her husband gone and her daughter... well, being her entitled, spoiled self as usual. And on top of that, Azusa also asked her to find helpers to ease her work burden.

Kasumi was grateful, and she didn't even want to disappoint Azusa by letting her daughter do what she wanted. They all knew the reason why she was there. Unfortunately, she was still her daughter no matter how bad she was.

"You know, Karen, everyone already knew about your unhealthy obsession with Toru, but this time, you're getting out of line." Chiori continued. "This ryokan doesn't belong to your mother any longer, so I can report you as breaking and entering. That will earn you a night at jail at least."

"What?? Are you insane?" She almost screamed from frustration. How dare she!

"If you still want to sleep in your own fancy place, please leave the premises immediately." Chiori continued. "And this is my first and last warning. We don't want to see you bothering Toru and Azusa in any way. He doesn't want you and he never will, so the sooner you get that, the sooner you can move on and get a grip on yourself."