The air in the room was thick with an uncomfortable silence, broken only by the gentle whir of the ceiling fan. Hiroshi's piercing gaze bore into Riku, searching for answers that he knew would not come easily.

Riku fidgeted under the weight of Hiroshi's scrutiny, his hands trying to find solace in the familiar task of tending to bandages. But even that could not distract him from the intensity of Hiroshi's stare.

Finally, unable to bear it any longer, Hiroshi broke the silence with a sudden outburst. "Why do you waste your potential as a street troublemaker, Riku?"

Riku paused, his hands still in mid-air. He looked up at Hiroshi with surprise etched on his features. For a moment, he seemed lost for words before letting out a sigh and returning to his work.

"It's not just about making choices," Riku spoke quietly, his playful tone replaced by something more serious. "Sometimes life doesn't give you options. You do what you have to in order to survive."

Hiroshi's brow furrowed in confusion, but he couldn't deny the truth in Riku's words. "But you're smart, capable...you could use your talents for something meaningful instead of causing chaos."

Riku finished with the bandages and leaned back, meeting Hiroshi's gaze head-on. "It's not always that simple, cop. Not everyone has the luxury of choices." A hint of sadness flashed in his mismatched eyes as he spoke.

Riku's laughter was hollow, lacking any true mirth or joy. "You think I haven't tried? Every time I attempt to escape this lifestyle, something pulls me back in. It's an endless cycle, like a never-ending loop."

Hiroshi leaned forward, wincing at the sharp pain it caused him. "Then break the cycle, Riku. You don't have to continue down this path. Help me understand why you keep returning to it."

Riku let out a deep sigh, his hand running through his disheveled hair. "It's not that simple, cop. People don't just become troublemakers for the sake of it. There's always a reason, a story behind their actions."

Hiroshi's eyes burned with determination, his voice resolute. "Then tell me your story. Help me understand."

Riku hesitated, his gaze drifting away as he seemed lost in thought. Memories from his past swirled in his mind, making him seem distant and detached. After a long pause, he finally began to speak.

"I grew up in a household where my parents were hardly ever around," Riku began, his voice barely above a whisper. "They were always working, always too busy for me. I was left to fend for myself most of the time. There was no guidance or discipline... just me and an empty house."

Hiroshi listened intently, his heart breaking for the lonely child Riku once was.

Riku continued, his expression distant and detached. "I started acting out, desperate for attention from my absent parents. But they never noticed. So I turned to the streets, searching for the structure and direction I had been missing. The rough authority figures I found there... they filled that void, albeit in a twisted way."

Hiroshi nodded, a look of understanding dawning on his face as he pieced together Riku's troubled past. "So you sought out trouble to feel like you belonged somewhere, to find some kind of purpose," he stated softly.

Riku's lips curled into a bitter smile, the weight of his past evident in his weary eyes. "Yeah, something like that. It wasn't ideal, but it was all I had. The streets became my home, and rebelling was my way of coping."

Hiroshi's voice softened further, his empathy shining through. "But Riku, you're not alone anymore. You can find a different way, a better way. I'm here to help, if you'll let me."

Riku's expression shifted, a mixture of gratitude, skepticism, and hope flickering across his face. "Maybe. But it's not easy to change, especially when it's all you know."

"I know it's not easy," Hiroshi replied earnestly, "but it's possible. And you don't have to do it alone. I have an idea. Let's make a deal."

Riku's eyes narrowed cautiously at the offer. "A deal?"

Hiroshi nodded firmly, determination clear in his gaze. "If you put in the effort to stay out of trouble, I'll do everything in my power to help you get on a better path in life. I'll vouch for you, support you, whatever it takes. But you need to meet me halfway."

The weight of the offer sank in for Riku, uncertain if he could truly turn his life around with someone's help. He'd never had someone believe in him like this before, offering a lifeline that seemed almost too good to be true. "You'd do that for me?"

"Yes," Hiroshi affirmed without hesitation. "I see potential in you, Riku. I know you can turn things around if you commit to it. So, do we have a deal?"

Riku's emotions swirled as he looked at Hiroshi, unsure of how to respond. After a moment, he made a decision and extended his hand. "Alright, cop. We have a deal. I'll try to stay out of trouble, and you help me find a better way."