Hisashi just stared ahead, seemingly not able to reach for words.

The woman in front of him was beautiful. She seemed to be around his age, her voice calming and smooth. Her charisma radiating. It couldn’t help but calm Hisashi down.

“Yeah… I’m fine, don’t worry. You just surprised me.”

“I’m really glad you’re safe. I still feel bad about the accident. Let’s get off the road, shall we?” she said with a smile.

Helping Hisashi up, she pushed her motorbike to the pavement. “Do you need help with the motorbike, miss?”

“No, don’t worry about it. I’m a strong woman.”

“May I know your name?”

“Oh, that’s rude of me, sorry. My name is Akame.” Said the girl while reaching out her arm.

“Nice to meet you, Akame. I’m Hisashi.” He said, accepting her hand.

“I want to make it up to you, Hisashi. How about a coffee together? If you have time right now?”

Hisashi blushed. “Yeah, sounds good to me. If you want to, we can go down the road over there, so you don’t have to push the bike that far.”

“Yeah, that’s a great idea.” Akame swung her head, getting hair out of her face. She whistled a tune, glancing over to Hisashi who scratched his head.

Sitting in the café, Akame leaned forwards to Hisashi, supporting her face with one hand.

“So, what do you do in your free time?”

“I enjoy dancing, although it’s been a really long time since I’ve last danced. I mostly investigate for work.”

“Investigation? What are you working on?”

“Um, I work for the mayor. I’ve been dealing with some troublemakers recently, but I cannot seem to outsmart them.”

Akame let an “oh” out. “The Akai Ryu, right? They’re quite cunning.”

Not wanting to remember the recent events regarding both the mayor and Akai Ryu, Hisashi nodded and asked, “What about you?”

“I’m an accountant. But it’s a really boring job, so I mostly read books in my free time. I’m a huge fan of philosophy and psychology. And dark romance.”

Hisashi widened his eyes. “Wow, that’s an interesting combination.”

Akame smiled. “I like to analyze relationships. And the human psyche. It’s interesting to study people and their reactions, you learn quite a lot of things about somebody that way.”

Hisashi smiled, leaning forwards. “So, do you think you could read me?”

“Hm, perhaps. You seem to be on the edge ever since we’ve run into each other; there’s something that’s been bothering you lately. But you want to cover it up, make it seem like everything’s going fine. I don’t know you that well, but judging from your profession and who you’re working for, I suppose you’re a perfectionist. Afraid of screwing up.”

Hisashi slumped forward. “Why must you hurt me in this way?” Akame laughed.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to over-analyze it. You seem like an interesting person, tho. Do you just dance or…?”

“Oh, no, I can play the recorder. Sometimes when I have time and will, I go to a beach or in the woods, and I play when I’m alone.”

“Oho, that’s fantastic. It takes time to learn to play an instrument, so I’m amazed. Did you go to a music school?”

“I’ve had additional classes with my Music teacher in elementary school. He taught me how to play it and I’ve been in the school ensemble. It was fun. Can you play anything?”

“I’ve learned to play the piano. But I could never afford one, so I only have a keyboard at home that I occasionally play.”

Hisashi couldn’t stop smiling. He knew he wanted to hear more about Akame, and get to know her better.

“Could you tell me more about yourself?”

Yoru sighed in desperation. Thinking of the best way to split up and kill two birds with one stone, he said, “Alright. Then this is how we can do: we can split and three of us can go and rescue Yuuma, and the rest of you I can entrust capturing the mayor’s man. There will probably be a ton of guards, and I assume that they’ve put him in the dungeon that’s built beneath the mayor’s house. Not many people know about it, so I reckon this is where he’ll be keeping Yuuma before he possibly executes him. So, we don’t have much time.” He said while pointing at the map of the mayor’s house.

Ryo raised her hand. “That’s not possible either. The mayor’s man is a pain in the ass to capture, he’s strong, and fast, and he is probably an executioner. He’ll be a tough nut to deal with, so I think it’s the best that you go with us to capture him, Yoru.”

Yoru sighed. “Then I have no other choice but to bother him. I know he’s overworked.”

Luna tapped her finger against the table. “Well, he’s the one that’s really close to Yuuma. I think he won’t mind it if you asked him, especially because you’re the one asking him to do you a favor.”

Kyoshi nodded. “And I think he’s skilled enough to take down the bodyguards himself. Not even once did he complain about the missions, and he did them perfectly.”

Yoru rubbed his forehead. “Alright. I’ll go find him. And to the rest of you: good luck.”

Standing up, everyone has left the room, except for Yoru, who walked over to the terrace. “Have you been here this whole time?”

A voice was heard from Yoru’s right. “Yeah, I’ve heard everything. I can guess what you’re going to ask me this time.”

“First of all, thank you for getting me Tarou’s name and his relationship with the mayor. I know you have a lot to do and even more on your mind, but this time I’ll have to ask you to go and retrieve Yuuma on your own. This is the map of the underground dungeon. Only one way in, and one way out. Packed with guards in every corner. It’s going to be dangerous, so please, be careful. Make sure both you and Yuuma make it back in one piece.”

The man standing next to Yoru was small, his dark eyes studying the map closely. Black shirt loose around his arms, neatly tucked into a pair of black suspender pants.

“The dungeon beneath the mayor’s house. I see, you can consider it done. I’ll go get ready.”

Yoru closed his eyes. “Thank you. Good luck, Anata.”

Anata gave Yoru one last nod before he went out.

The darkness of the room surrounded him, light piercing only from one tiny window. The room smelled of blood, was it his own? No, the room was bloody even before he’d been dragged here. Just how many people have been tortured and killed here? He wondered had the mayor had ever beaten somebody of his own here. He wouldn’t be surprised if he did.

The heavy doors have opened, and footsteps echo through the almost empty room.

“So, are you finally ready to talk?”

Slowly opening his weary eyes, the chained man’s hair was loose, falling down the sides of his face. Seeing the polished black shoes, he didn’t even have the chance of his vision clearing as his head was yanked up roughly, forcing him to look into those hateful black eyes.

The doctor smirked. “Do whatever you want, old man.” With that, he remained silent. Numb to countless profanities leaving the mayor’s mouth. With each blow to his body, his head only got cooler. There was no need to talk or fight back; Yuuma knew his silence was enough to drive the mayor insane.

His grin grew wider with each blow, the wild laughter eventually echoed throughout the dungeon, accompanied by the mayor’s crazed screams.

He did not give in. He did not talk.

The mayor grabbed him by the chin, making him look up. With a grimace, he said, “You sure are stubborn. Did that brat Yoru teach you that? I’ll fucking show you whom you brats are messing with.”

Just as he was about to slash Yuuma’s face open, when a guard forced the doors open.

“Sir, this is an urgent matter! Your spy is here. They want to talk to you.”

That stopped the mayor in his tracks. Yuuma frowned. “A spy?”

The mayor slowly lowered the hand holding the whip. Turning to the guard, his eyes were wide. From surprise, fear, or bewilderment, Yuuma didn’t know. He wondered just one thing.

“How could we not know about the mayor’s spy? Who is it? Is it somebody from Shuryo Inu? Nah, they’re too incompetent. Or maybe it’s those two that are chasing us around?”

The mayor hummed. “Where are they now?”

The guard gulped. “At the entrance to your office, sir. They asked to speak with you.”

Seeing the mayor wasn’t answering, the guard continued, “I-I told them you are busy with work. But they insisted! That brat­–”

“Hush now! I am coming over immediately. See that this prick doesn’t move an inch!”

They were waiting in the shadows. Bored out of their mind.

Listening to the voices fighting in the room in a certain mansion across the mayor’s office. Pathetic fools. If only they knew how lucky they actually are. It’s a surprise how nobody dared come and shut them up.

Oh, how all would be better if they didn’t even exist.

Hearing hard heaving, they turned to see a certain man approaching him. The man froze in a spot as he beheld the threatening presence, the dark figure held no weapons, but the pose and mad spark in their eyes had the mayor stop.

“I have something for you. But it won’t come without a price.”

The mayor frowned. “Name your price.”

“50 000 wyrettes.” The mayor grits his teeth. “This little cockroach.” Gulping, he composed himself. Anything will do if they’re up against the Akai Ryu, the unpredictable brats.

“It will be deposited to you today. No, immediately! Now then, tell me.”

The figure in the shadows shifted. Slowly, they started.

“It seems that the leader of Akai Ryu has a beef with you because of some personal reasons. I have not found out which ones yet. That’s why he is attacking you directly, and not the Shuryo Inu. I have found out that he is in fact, a chemist by profession. The others are of a similar branch, scientists, and one is a doctor. That’s why he seems to get his hands on explosive stuff. The only things he needs are “the ingredients” which he can get here in town, and he can make bombs himself. He is always making plans to bring you down one way or another, but he wants to do it by his own hand.”

“That much I’ve figured myself. But a chemist, interesting. Which school?”

“Kuroyuki high school of natural sciences. Right next to a music school, but I don’t remember the name.”

“Well, it doesn’t matter. Is that all you’ve found out?”

The hooded figure nodded. “I will continue gathering more info on the way.”

“Fine then. I’ll look up the school yearbooks. And now, as promised,” said the mayor and threw something into the figure’s hands. 

When he turned around to ask one more thing, the figure had already disappeared.

Anata ran, ran like crazy. Passing by the city assembly, he made a semicircle, getting behind the mayor’s house. The garden filled with palm trees gave him a perfect hideout. Some guards were passing by, Anata concealing himself behind the large trees and the shadows they made. Taking out a long dagger, he waited until the guards were no longer in sight, then sneaked across the garden, his destination being the doors leading to the underground dungeon.

A laugh made him jump behind a short wall in the garden, somebody was near. Anata slowly breathed in, and out, allowing his body to calm. The man’s voice was getting more and more distant, so once it became silent, Anata moved.

Approaching the doors, Anata noted the lock and chains on the door handle, so he took a small bobby pin out of his pocket.

Within minutes the lock was cracked open, and Anata pulled the chains, doors flinging open.

Jumping behind barrels, he protected his head as a rain of bullets showered the entrance. “Fuck! He’s not there!” he heard the guards yell.

Halting the fire, one of the guards felt a sharp pain in his chest, before dropping dead. Anata swung the long dagger at the guard standing next to him, his head rolling on the floor. The third guard was down in a matter of seconds as well.

Before his body touched the ground, Anata grabbed him up, using him as a shield against the bullets aiming for his head.

Throwing the body upon the guards, Anata took his gun out and shot them in the head. Running down the corridor, he followed the mental map he created when Yoru showed him where Yuuma was being kept. Turning right, he knew he only had one more turn to the right, then left and continued straight to reach Yuuma’s cell.

Before turning right again, he picked up a piece of wood, and threw it in the corridor. Loud BANGs were heard as the wood had been shredded to pieces, Anata returning the fire from his shelter. “Ugh!” was heard as one man fell to the floor, and Anata took that second of lost focus to attack. Deep cuts across the neck left the guards gasping on the floor, their hands clutching on the neck where blood was gushing out. Footsteps echoed throughout the hall and Anata braced himself, running towards the sound, striking first and striking hard.

The remaining guards fell down, and shuffling could be heard from the cell.

Having kept the hairpin in his hands while fighting the guards, Anata opened the doors of the cell.

A gush of sharp air struck him as he bent to avoid a chain aimed at his head. “Wait, Yuuma! It’s me.”

Yuuma caught the chains, his eyes wide. “Anata… You’re here?”

“There’s no time to explain right now.” Said Anata as he brought Yuuma’s hands down, working through the locks upon the cuffs.

“I’m busting you out. Yoru and the others are chasing one of the mayor’s men I found out about, so once they’ve captured him, we’ll question him.”

Yuuma nodded. “Thank you for coming.”

“I wouldn’t leave you behind. Yoru wouldn’t allow it. Now, let’s go.”

Getting out of the cell, Yuuma picked up a sword and a gun from one of the guards, letting Anata lead him out.

The duo ran through the corridor, avoiding the pile of bodies Anata left upon his arrival.