That moment still lingers in the night air… the streetlight’s glow slowly fading… Mizuki’s hand still gripping Daigo’s sleeve… tight… a faint tremble in her fingers…
She looks at him and speaks, her voice soft but carrying pressure underneath— “That little girl… Sayuri, who lives with you… don’t you want to send her to an adoption ward, Narumi?”
Daigo’s eyes freeze for a second… then slowly drop… shoulders sinking just a little… A cold gust of wind passes — whooshh…
“No… I can’t leave her at an adoption ward…” His voice is low… controlled… “She’s my family… but you’re my girlfriend too…”
Mizuki’s expression shifts… lips tightening… she takes a step back, staring straight into his eyes— “Then choose… me or Sayuri.”
Silence.
Under the streetlight, their shadows separate…
Daigo stands completely still… closes his eyes for a second… inhale… exhale… His fingers slowly curl… then relax…
“I’m sorry… I wasted your time…” He looks up slowly… clarity in his eyes… “But I can’t send Sayuri away… she’s staying with me.”
A second—
Mizuki’s hand rises—
THAPP!
The sound tears through the silence of the night… Daigo’s face snaps to the side… his hair shifts slightly… a red mark forming on his cheek…
Without a word, Mizuki turns away… быст, sharp steps… tap… tap… tap… Gradually disappearing into the darkness…
Daigo remains there… head lowered… His fingers slowly touch his cheek… then fall back down…
A heavy thought settles within—
You asked something too big… I can never let Sayuri go…
His eyes close… She may not have her parents… I may have known her for only five years… But she’s my family… that’s all that matters.
Daigo’s house — night…
The door opens — click… creak… Warm light spills inside… a faint smell drifting from the kitchen…
Sayuri stands near the table… young in age… but her movements, mature… The moment she sees Daigo, her face lights up… a genuine warmth in her eyes…
“Go freshen up… I’ll set the food.”
A forced smile touches Daigo’s lips… but his eyes feel heavy… He gives a small nod— “Okay.”
Dinner table…
Plates set — clink… Sayuri sits across from him… hands neatly folded… Daigo eats in silence…
Sayuri tilts her head slightly and asks— “Your girlfriend didn’t come today?”
Daigo’s spoon pauses for a second… then moves again… “We broke up.”
A hint of sadness appears in Sayuri’s eyes… brows knitting slightly… “Your relationships never last more than a month…”
Daigo tries to smile… but his lips feel weak…
Sayuri stands up from her chair… walks behind him… Gently wraps her arms around him — wrap… hold…
Her cheek rests against his shoulder… voice soft— “It’s okay… you’ll find someone even more lovable.”
Daigo stays still for a moment… then his hand moves over hers… a light squeeze… His eyes close… calm settling in…
Morning sunlight brushes against Sayuri’s face…
Sayuri sits on the engawa… legs folded to the side… eyes closed… hands resting in her lap… The breeze gently moves her hair — whooshh…
Daigo walks in from the hallway… slow steps — tap… tap… He stops beside her… looks at her… then quietly sits down next to her — soft…
“What’s wrong, Sayuri… why so quiet?”
Sayuri opens her eyes… looks at him… a tiny smile… “Nothing… just felt like it.”
Daigo smiles faintly… shoulders easing…
Sayuri leans slightly toward him— “You’re coming shopping with me, right?”
“Yeah… of course.” Daigo stands up… stretches — crack… “I’ll be right back.”
Shinjuku Mall — afternoon…
Sunlight reflects through the glass walls… shimmering across the floors — shine… The crowd hums — murmur… footsteps…
Daigo and Sayuri walk side by side… Shopping bags in Sayuri’s hands… she moves with an excited bounce — tap tap…
“Narumi! I really like this dress! Look… with this pink ribbon, it’s so cute, right?” She holds the dress in front of herself… eyes sparkling…
Daigo looks at her… a slight smile… “Hmm… it is cute… but do you need it for school or a runway?”
Sayuri pouts… cheeks puffed… “Will it look good on me?”
Daigo can’t hold back a small laugh… shoulders shaking slightly… He takes the bag from her hand — take… And lightly taps her head — tap…
“Yeah… it’ll suit you. If you like it, get it.”
Sayuri’s face instantly brightens— “Yay!” She grabs his hand — grab… pull… And drags him toward the next section…
Daigo follows behind… feeling her grip… A soft calm in his eyes… like he’s already made his choice.
Shinjuku Mall — same moment, upper floor café…
Behind the glass railing on the second floor, a quiet café… ambient music low… the coffee machine hissing — hiss… clink… At a corner table, two men sit with low posture… bodies slightly leaned forward… eyes scanning the mall floor below…
Spy 1 lightly stirs his cup — the spoon clinks… cling… cling… His gaze sharpens on the moving crowd below… then locks—
“That tall guy… that’s him, right… Rank 3, Daigo Narumi?”
Spy 2 slides a hand inside his jacket… pulls out his phone — slide… tap… The screen’s glow reflects in his eyes…
“Yeah…” His chin dips slightly… focus sharpening… “And the girl with him… Sayuri. Note it. Hayashi only wanted to know his weak point.”
The corner of Spy 1’s lips lifts… a slow smirk… He leans back slightly in his chair… but his eyes stay fixed—
“Boss Hayashi will have it easy…” His finger traces a slow circle along the rim of the cup — scrrr… “The best way to break a ranker… is to target his heart.”
Spy 2 types with his thumb — tap… tap… tap… The message completes on the screen—
Target confirmed.
Weakness identified.
Send — whoosh…
Without looking at each other… just a faint nod… Silently judging the life moving below.
Downstairs — clothing store, mirror section…
Bright lights… mirrors reflecting from multiple angles — shine… shine… Sayuri stands in front of one… wearing the new dress… the pink ribbon swaying lightly — swishh…
She looks at herself from the side… then front… adjusting the ribbon with her fingers… A faint blush on her cheeks… eyes glowing with nervous excitement…
She turns slightly toward Daigo… “Narumi… how do I look?”
Daigo stands a little distance away… shopping bags in hand… grip loose… For a second, he just observes her silently… head slightly tilted… eyes softening…
Then a gentle smile forms… “That dress suits you really well, Sayuri.”
Sayuri’s eyes brighten even more… a small, awkward laugh escapes — hehe… Her shoulders lift a little… then relax…
“Really?” she gives a small spin — twirl…
Daigo keeps watching her… expression calm… but inside, a silent resolve tightens… His fingers grip the bags a little firmer — tight…
No matter what stands against him… Nothing matters more than protecting her.
Upstairs — café…
Spy 1 leans forward slightly in his chair… elbows on the table… Eyes narrowing…
Spy 2 slides his phone back into his pocket — slide… For a few seconds, neither of them speaks… just watching…
Like hunters memorizing the habits of their prey from a distance.
Next morning — early dawn…
A light fog hangs in the park… sunlight just beginning to rise… Two figures run along the footpath — tap… tap… tap… rhythmic…
Masaki and Hio side by side… their strides perfectly in sync… Breathing controlled — inhale… exhale…
Hio gives a slight side glance at Masaki… matching his pace— “Masaki… listen.”
Masaki doesn’t break speed… eyes forward— “Yeah, go on.”
Hio’s expression tightens slightly… brows faintly knit… “Don’t you think… we should know Daigo’s address?”
Masaki’s step slows by a fraction… then returns to rhythm… “Yeah… we should know…” He exhales — haaah… “But he wants to keep it private… so there’s nothing we can do, Hio.”
They run in silence for a few seconds… just footsteps and breath…
Park bench — a few minutes later…
They sit on a wooden bench — creak… Masaki leans forward… elbows on his knees… hands loosely clasped… Hio sits straight… hands on his thighs… fingers tapping — tap… tap… tap…
Hio leans slightly toward Masaki… voice low but clear— “I have an idea…” His gaze fixed on a point on the ground… “Even if members don’t share their address… what if we create an ID card with a tracker? So we always know where they are.”
Masaki tilts his head slightly… looks at Hio… silently evaluating for a few seconds… The breeze brushes through their hair — whooshh…
Then he straightens… shoulders set… “Alright… fine.” A short nod… “Do what you think is right.”
Hio exhales lightly… as if the plan just locked into place… Both of them sit there in silence for a while…
–Chapter 3 end —