Right now, on top of him, was a woman who had just dared to push him.
It was only now, up close, that he finally saw her face. Too dim from afar, but unmistakable now.
And he was certain. This was the face of someone who didn't belong on the night streets.
Her dark hazelnut hair was neatly tied back, skin pale as snow, glowing even under the streetlights. Wide, brown eyes shimmered. Fear, confusion, maybe even tears.
Akira stared.
He could kill her. Right now. One flick of his finger, and she'd crumble like glass.He let out a silent hum, thoughtful.
So fragile.
.
.
.
"So, are you going to get off me or?" Akira whispers gasped her back to life.
"Ah, um." She pushed herself off him, hands clenched onto her clothes as she prayed to god that her cause of death will not be torture. Her eyes shut tied wating her a bullet to pierce her skull.
Judging the way she acted, Akira could tell she must be a brand-new cop.
Judging the way she acted, Akira could tell she must be a brand-new cop.
A sigh escaped his lips.
Katsuya walked over to help the leader stand up, while the other underlings rushed toward him with an aid kit to patch up the wounds."Well, well, that just kinda ruined my mood," Akira exhaled.
"Is that police bitch new to this or what?" Katsumi was annoyed.
The police should know their place and not meddle in the affairs of their world.
"Mind your language, Katsumi," Akira stretched. "Call the Miyazakis and contact the Hirais to take that lady home. She shouldn't be here."
"Okay, okay..." A groan of disappointment. "Tch, playin' the hero and all."
Hearing this, the lady was relieved. She guessed they weren't as cold-blooded as the rumors made them out to be.Though… he did technically just torture someone gruesomely. Her eyes landed onto the two unconscious bodies being carried away.
Ah. What a mess.
The underworld was hard to understand. They were all so unpredictable.
"Haven't the Handas been doing their jobs lately?" Katsuya muttered, carrying Akira to one of the cars. "This shit shouldn't have happened. Tch."
.
.
.
Time skip. Perhaps a month later.
High up in one of the large estate buildings, in a top-floor room, two men sat around an expensive couch.
*sizzles*Katsumi lit up a cigarette, trying to ease the tension brewing inside him.
"If you're gonna be a lazy asshole, then piss off," Katsuya said, flipping to the next page of the report. "And don't smoke in my room, you idiot."
"Not like I want to or anything," Katsumi huffed, stomping his foot. "Aish. Shit's so fucking stressful here, don'tcha see? Kira's recoverin'. All this work's piling on my fuckin' plate. I'm goin' insane here!"
"Don't get grumpy with me. The Handas and Nishis were under your care. They failed to do their damn job properly. That's why we're in this mess," Katsuya snapped, finally looking up at his overwhelmed brother. "You better discipline them properly, Tsumi."
"Tch. Don't just dump it all on me!!" Katsumi rolled his eyes.
.
.
.
.
The darkness of night began to sheath the sky. Civilians had all returned to their nests, as the monsters of the dark began to roam Japan's roads. Akira, dressed comfortably in a kimono, strolled down the active night street with about twenty of his men surrounding him, a bulletproof umbrella held over his head. His hands were tucked into the large hanging sleeves of his kimono as he calmly walked.
He was observing all the dogs giving into their nature, allowing impulsivity to take over. Violence, alcohol, drugs, nudity, and all sorts of crimes washed over the path. They were aggressive creatures who lacked understanding and self-control. They woke at night and became their true selves.
Civilians rarely appeared after sunset. The Akiyama group kept it lowkey within their territory, ensuring these bastards never disturbed anyone who didn't belong to their society.
The syndicate world was cruel, but it had its own rules. Defying them led to punishment from the Akiyama group, feared by all. Top organisations like theirs were the law. They were justice. They were the order of the underground.
"I SAID STOP IT!!"Akira's footsteps paused at the sound of a familiar voice. This time, though, it sounded more desperate. His eyes drifted toward the dark valley where the scream had come from.
Man 1: "Sh sh shh, be a good girl, stop fighting~"
Man 2: "Man, make it quick, this bitch is strong!"
Man 3: "One police officer, she is, after all. Hurry up! My turn next! HAHAHA!"
Rape.
Rape was one of the biggest taboos in the underground. Females here were usually negligent with their bodies, especially cheap. There was no need to force anyone into filth like this, let alone do it to a civilian.
"…"Akira pulled up his kimono sleeves, palm open. One of his men quickly placed a pistol into his hand. He paced into the alley.
A dark shadow approached. The men turned their heads—
Bang. Bang. Bang.
Their skulls were pierced through.Thud.They dropped dead, just like that.
It was, expectedly, the female officer from last time. Of course he recognised her. The Handas had looked into her background. She was confirmed clean.
He would be lying if he said seeing her in this state didn't irritate him. It wasn't his first time seeing a half-naked woman, but somehow this situation felt especially unpleasant.
Akira pulled off his scarf and wrapped it around her flimsy body, still feeling the ache of bullets deep in his own skin as he moved.
"Y-you killed them…" she whispered. She couldn't even blink.
"That's how it works here." Akira shrugged and tossed the gun back to his man.
"But… you didn't have to kill them. We could've just…"She didn't get it. Why? Why did people keep dying here?"Not use violence…"
Akira squatted down, staring deep into her eyes."You're one of those 'daylight' police."
The kind made just for show. Useless performers invented to provide the public with false comfort.
"…" She looked away.
"You don't belong here. And you have no business being out here at this kind of time. This is my territory. So piss off my land before you disrupt the balance."His words were like ice. Dripping cold and terrifying.
Akira stood up, about to leave.
"My…"
He paused.
"My father was working shifts here a few years back." Her breath got shaky as she tried to continue. "He never let me know why or what… but one night, he… he never came back."
"…"
"I know the police is in no position of power… but I didn't have any other choice. I—"
"Why are you telling me this."
"You asked me to leave…""I can't. I have to get my dad back."
He turned around and gently lifted her chin."Name?"
"What?"
"Your dad's name?"
"…Daiki." She paused. "It's Ikeda Daiki."
"Hirai. Look it up," he ordered.
Hirai, the assistant who had been standing silently behind him the whole time, swiped across a portable tablet before swiftly showing the screen to his superior.
"Go home, missy. Your father's dead."The coldness in his eyes gave the lady shudders.
"Eh…?"Silence washed over the space for a moment."But why? What happened? Why didn't I know?"
"Look. We have our own law here. Your father broke it. So whoever he was working for killed him. And whoever dies here, stays here. Just here. Simple as that." Akira sighed."And if you don't leave soon, it's going to be the same for you."
Once again, he stood up, ready to walk away.
"D—"She clenched onto his kimono."Wait… please."
He could see it. The hope and light leaving her eyes. Tears soaked those sparkling orbs. She hadn't even been crying until now.
He guessed he had just dropped one heavy bomb on her.People died casually here. The dogs in this world had adapted well. Nobody really cared when someone was gone.
He had forgotten what that felt like.
Her fingers gripped tighter onto his kimono with each second.
"You do realise you're begging a criminal, right?" Akira laughed.
"…"Her lips parted, but she had no idea what to say.Her values, identity, even her reason to live were crumbling.What was there to say anymore?
Her thoughts and emotions clogged everything. She just didn't want to be alone.She felt like if she was left by herself for even a second, her heart might stop beating.She would die.
"What do you need?"Akira should have left long ago. He didn't understand why he was still standing there."If you don't speak up—"
"Can you…"She lowered her head."Stay with me…"Her voice cracked. Somehow, he was comforting right now. Even though he was a killer, a criminal, an evil man.She knew all that, logically. Yet she had nobody else in that moment.She had lost everything.
The head of the Hirai could no longer hold back his irritation and had to speak up."Excuse me, ma'am, but I do hope you understand who you are speaking to—"
"Okay."
Eh?
Everyone froze.
"But not in this muddy alley with three dead rats lying around."
"Give me your hand."She unconsciously grabbed his hand and lifted herself up, her head still hanging so low she couldn't see anything.
"Your name?"
"Hi...mari."
"Then Miss Mari, I'm not going to stay with you. But you can stay by my side."With her hand resting on his palm, he gazed down at the delicate figure.Rustled hair covered her soft profile, her police uniform was a mess, and his scarf hung loosely around her.Her breathing was uneven. Her eyes were still teary.
"I'll be in your care… Akiyama-san."
"So you do know who I am after all."He intertwined their hands as they continued walking down the wild streets of Shibuya.
"…Everyone does, I think."
"Is that so?" he smirked."Then, are you not scared of me?"
"I am," she muttered."But being alone is scarier. At the moment."
"Pft."