Zero’s yoyo kept rising and falling in his hand.
The small metal toy spun around his fingers before dropping toward the pavement. With one quick movement, he sent it down again, then caught it on the return.
A cigarette rested between his lips.
Under the streetlights, his hair looked almost unreal—green on one side, pink on the other. A skull chain rested around his neck. His cat-like eyes moved across the row of shops without much interest.
Four men followed him.
They stopped outside a small grocery store.
The shopkeeper saw them and immediately reached for the shutter.
One of Zero’s men stepped forward and jammed a hockey stick beneath it.
"Closing early?" he asked.
The shopkeeper froze.
Zero walked closer, still playing with the yoyo.
"Open it."
"I—I was just closing for the night."
One thug grabbed the shopkeeper by the collar and dragged him away from the shutter. Another kicked a plastic crate aside.
"Stop!" the shopkeeper protested. "I already paid last month."
"That was last month."
The man tried to argue again.
Zero finally stepped past the others.
The four men moved aside without being told. He looked at the shopkeeper, then at the half-closed shutter.
His yoyo dropped.
It struck the pavement and came straight back into his palm.
"You see this?" Zero said, holding it up.
The shopkeeper swallowed.
"Every time I throw it down, it comes back up. Your shutter can do the same."
Zero smiled faintly.
"So keep it open. I want this month’s collection."
"I don’t have it yet."
Zero tilted his head.
"You had a month."
"I need two more days."
The men behind Zero laughed.
The shopkeeper raised both hands. "Please. Business has been terrible."
Zero’s yoyo moved again.
The metal toy flashed through the air and struck the man’s face.
He stumbled back, clutching his mouth. A tooth dropped onto the floor.
The nearby customers went silent.
Nobody moved toward the shop.
One man whispered, "Don’t go after them. Zero has more men behind him."
The shopkeeper lowered his head.
"Fine. I’ll give you what I have."
"Good."
One by one, the surrounding shopkeepers began bringing out their monthly payments.
Cash envelopes.
Small boxes.
Sealed packets.
Zero’s men collected everything.
A young voice came from farther down the street.
"Money isn’t always the game."
Zero glanced toward the sound.
A boy was lying across a bench near another shop. A cap covered most of his face, turned backward and pulled low. Only part of his face was visible.
He spoke again.
"Sometimes timing changes everything."
Zero started toward him.
His phone rang.
He stopped.
The boy on the bench lowered his cap a little further.
Zero looked at his screen.
"Who is calling me now?"
He answered.
"Talk."
The voice on the other side made Zero’s expression change.
He turned away from the boy.
"I’m coming."
The call ended.
Zero looked back at the bench.
The boy was still there.
For a second, neither moved.
Then Zero slipped the phone into his pocket.
"Finish collecting," he ordered.
His men nodded.
Zero walked away.
The boy on the bench opened one eye.
"Too late," he muttered.
Irin was sitting on a sofa inside an old house.
A strange voice reached her from somewhere inside the building.
It came from an old tape recorder.
A distorted laugh played from the machine.
"Heh... heh... hehehe..."
Irin’s face became serious.
A man stood beside the recorder.
His name was Mitsu.
He looked much older than the last time she had seen him. Gray had spread through his hair, and his movements were slower now.
"I know how important this is to you," Mitsu said.
He looked at Irin for a moment.
"Seeing you like this makes me want to try again."
He placed a hand on her head.
"I’ve grown old, Irin. Forgive me."
Irin lowered her head.
The recorder continued playing.
That same laugh.
That same voice.
Her fingers tightened around her cane.
"Mitsu."
"Yes?"
"Why did you bring me here?"
Mitsu didn’t answer immediately.
Irin turned toward him.
"Show me."
Mitsu’s face changed.
"Irin, listen..."
A metallic click interrupted him.
Irin drew the katana hidden inside her white cane.
She held it out just enough for him to see the blade.
Mitsu stared at it.
"All right," he said.
His voice became serious.
"I understand."
He raised both hands.
"I’ve made too many mistakes already. If one more goes wrong, someone may die."
Irin kept the blade steady.
"I won’t repeat the same mistake."
Mitsu nodded.
"I’ll do everything I can."
He stepped toward the door.
"Wait."
He reached into his coat and took out a card.
"Take this. There is some money on it."
Irin accepted it for a second, then pushed it back.
"I don’t need it."
Mitsu placed the card in her hand again.
"Keep it."
Irin tried to return it.
Mitsu closed her fingers around it.
"Please."
He stepped outside and pulled the door shut.
His voice came through the other side.
"I wanted to talk more, but according to the contract, it’s time for the burning."
She placed the katana back inside the cane.
Then she moved forward.
A few seconds later, a horrible scream came from deeper inside the building.
Irin stopped.
Her expression hardened.
"An entire hell..."
She took Mitsu’s card from her pocket and placed it inside her bag.
I won’t use this card so easily.
Her hand touched the bag once before falling away.
I have only one real goal now. Find that tyrant and destroy everything he built. Even if I have to reach him before my own end, I will.
Irin took a lollipop from her bag and put it in her mouth.
She slowly continued walking.
"Hmm. This helps me change my mood."
Outside, she approached a woman standing beside the road.
"Excuse me. Which way is the exit to Dosha City?"
The woman pointed south.
"You still have about twenty kilometers. You can take the southern road. The western road also leads there."
"Thank you, sister. Take care."
"You too."
Irin turned toward the road.
So I need to build a better map in my head.
She tapped her cane against the ground.
Then she continued toward Dosha City.
Classes had ended.
Yemir walked home with Vini, umbrella open above him.
Vini glanced sideways.
Yemir had been unusually quiet.
"What happened to you?"
"Nothing."
"Then why do you look like you’re counting something?"
Yemir adjusted his umbrella.
"I was counting days."
"Days?"
"Yeah. In a few days, it will be New Year."
Vini stared at him.
"New Year is still more than a month away."
"Oh."
Yemir looked ahead.
"Then I counted wrong."
Vini laughed.
At that moment, Casia approached another girl.
"Yemir, Vini!"
Vini looked at the newcomer.
"Hey, Sakura. This is the girl who joined our class two weeks ago."
Yemir glanced at her.
?Sakura held a basketball under one arm, her form-fitting orange jersey showing off every line of her body as she silently studied Yemir.
Vini grinned.
"Look at her. She’s already staring at you."
Sakura heard him.
"Excuse me?"
Vini laughed.
Yemir ignored the conversation and took his red berry drink from his bag.
How pretty.
The thought came before he could stop it.
Casia suddenly hurried toward them.
"Yemir!"
She stopped in front of him.
"We’re going to the basketball court. Come with us."
"No."
"Why?"
"Too much sunlight."
Vini groaned.
"Of course."
Sakura stepped closer.
"Hey, you."
Yemir looked at her.
"You never even turned around once. I was walking right behind you."
"So?"
Sakura blinked.
"I heard you’re a good student. Give me your notes."
"There are plenty of good students here."
A nervous voice came from behind her.
"S-Sakura... I can help you."
Vion stepped forward.
Vini scratched his cheek.
"Isn’t that Vion? The new student?"
Yemir nodded.
"Maybe they knew each other before."
Sakura looked at Vion and smiled.
"Aww. I almost forgot about you."
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"Don’t tell me you enrolled in this college because of me."
Vion laughed awkwardly.
Sakura turned back to Yemir.
"So, umbrella boy, will you accept a one-on-one basketball match?"
She pointed toward the court.
"Or do you think you’re better than me?"
Casia immediately stepped between them.
"Don’t challenge him just because you want attention."
Sakura looked at her.
"And why do you care?"
"Because he doesn’t need to prove anything to you."
Yemir sighed.
"I said I don’t want to play."
Sakura smiled.
"Then you’re leaving just like that?"
Vini suddenly grabbed Yemir’s arm.
"Come on. Let’s give her an answer."
"Where?"
"Indoor court. No match is scheduled today. It’s empty."
Yemir looked toward the sky.
Then at Vini.
"Fine. One game."
Vion smiled.
Sakura tightened her grip on the basketball.
"Good."
Yemir closed his umbrella.
And for the first time that afternoon, Vion stopped pretending he was only interested in basketball.