Chapter Twenty Two

As Riki finished his story while drinking hot chocolate, David smiled sheepishly and said, "I'm really embarrassed. You took me to the restroom and bathed like a little kid," the Kyoto boy replied with a smile, “Don't say that; all those moments were fascinating for me; I enjoyed being with you.”

David gave a grateful smile, turned his head to Akira, who was playing with his cup, and said, “Can you not be so sullen?” The boy said without looking at him, “I can't control it.” David sighed and said, “You did a lot for me too; don't think I'm just grateful to Riki,” but Akira just nodded and remained silent.

Meanwhile, the doorbell rang. David raised his eyebrows and asked, “Was anyone else wanting to come?” Akira answered “no” as he got up with a frown and went to the door.

with Opening the door and seeing Mikitani behind it, he gasped and barely said, “A-ah... Mikitani-san, what are you doing here?” The scarred-faced man raised an eyebrow and said, “Is that all you can say? Don't you want to invite me into the house?” When he saw Akira's hesitation, he pushed him aside and entered the house.

Akira quickly closed the door, ran after him, and said, “Mikitani-san! Please wait! I- I!” But the man had reached the living room. Riki and David looked at the uninvited guest in surprise. After a moment, David slowly stood up, gave a half bow, and said, “Happy New Year, Mikitani-san.”

The man turned his gaze from David to Akira's embarrassed face and said, “So you lied when you said his condition hasn't changed.” The Japanese boy just kept his head down in shame as David said, “Please don't blame him. He wanted to let you and the others know. But I asked him to stop.”

The man sighed, looked at the foreign boy again, and said, “I see. It's good to see you back, Higuma. Happy New Year to you too.” Then he turned his head to Riki, who was silent the whole time, and said, “Now I see that what you said is true.”

Akira suddenly got angry again and turned to Riki, saying, “You told them, you bastard?!” David held up his hand and said, “Calm down, Akira; of course he can explain himself. But before that, please bring a warm drink for our new guest. And you, Mikitani-san, please come and sit down.”

After giving Riki a spiteful look, Akira went to the kitchen. Mikitani also took off his overcoat, coat, and scarf and sat on one of the sofas. David said as he sat down, “Well, Riki, explain.”

The Kyoto boy paused and then said, “I resigned from my position in Kyoto to live in Tokyo from now on. The boss said he couldn't agree to my decision until he didn't know why.” He paused again, sighed, and continued. “So I told the truth; I said that you are better, and I want to be near you from now on in Tokyo.”

David, whose cheeks were a little red from embarrassment, turned to Mikitani and asked, “So Yonkiku-dono also knows about my recovery?” Meanwhile, Akira returned to the room, and the man said while taking the cup from him, “Yes, the boss personally ordered me to come here and make sure.”

Akira said as he leaned bitterly against the wall, “It's all the fault of this nosy fox!” Mikitani took a sip of his hot drink and said to Akira, “It wasn't just his words that caused this order; your behavior was also influential.” The Japanese boy said in surprise, “What?! My behavior? what you mean?”

- You used to come every year on the first day of the new year to pay respect to the boss, but this year you not only didn't come, you didn't even call. This behavior made the boss realize the truth of Azuma's words.

Akira didn't know what to say, while David said, “Please don't blame either of them. I'll take responsibility for this. These two are not to blame.” Riki frowned and said, “No, you shouldn't say that; I caused this.” Akira also wanted to say something, but his pride wouldn't allow it.

Mikitani smiled and said, “Calm down guys, no one is going to be blamed or punished.” Then he took another sip and said, “Boss sent me to invite you to dinner if Higoma is alright.” Riki asked in surprise, “All of us?” The man nodded in agreement with a smile.

He finished his drink, stood up, and said as he put on his coat, “I'll be waiting for you downstairs with Tajima in the car; get ready and come.” He then left the three surprised boys and left the house.

David was a little stressed. It felt more like a summons than a normal dinner invitation. However, seeing the worried faces of his friends, he sighed, smiled, and said, “Don't worry, nothing will happen.” Then he turned to the Kyoto boy and said, “Riki, you're almost ready; please go down earlier. Akira and I will change our clothes and come soon.” Riki nodded hesitantly, put on his overcoat, and left the house.

Akira, feeling better from being alone with David, approached him and said, “I'm sorry, Big Boy, you're in trouble again because of my distraction,” then added with a pause, “About that matter, I... I…” David gave a kind smile and said, “You don't need to explain; now is not the time. Besides, this problem started because of me; don't worry too much; let's get ready and go.”

***

Akira looked at the foreign boy who was sitting with pain on his knees and quietly said, “You don't have to sit like this,” but David just smiled and didn't answer. Akira was sitting on his right and Riki on his left when the boss entered the room.

The two Japanese boys stood up as a sign of respect and helped the foreign boy to his feet. The old man stood in front of David, put his hand on his shoulder, and said with a smile, “I'm glad to see you're back on your feet, Higuma.” David bowed his head in respect with a smile and said, “I'm glad to meet you again, Yonkiku-dono. Happy new year.”

The old man laughed and said, “Thank you, my son, thank you. Happy New Year to you too.” Then he turned to Akira and said, “I see you are fine too, Shinka.” The Japanese boy bowed with shame and said, “I'm sorry for not coming earlier, boss. Happy New Year.”

The old man laughed happily and said, “No problem.” Then, as he sat down, he added, “Sit down, boys, get comfortable.” The three of them sat down on their knees in front of the man. As soon as the old man wanted to speak, he noticed David's sweaty face and worriedly asked, “Are you alright, son?”

Before David could say anything, Riki quickly replied, “He can't sit on his knees, boss. It's hard for him because his femur was broken.” The old man raised his eyebrows and said, “Ah, yes, I understand. It's no problem, Higuma; there's no need to be formal; sit comfortably, my son.”

David said shyly, “But...” However, Mikitani intervened and said, “Don't worry, Higuma; the boss well notices your physical injury and knows you don't mean to be rude. so sit comfortably.” The foreign boy paused, stretched out his injured leg, then gave a half bow and said, “I'm sorry, Yonkiku-dono.”

The old man said with a smile, “There's nothing to apologize for, son. Take it easy.” He then looked at the three of them and continued, “I'm glad all three of you are here; there are a few things I'd like to tell you before dinner, but before that, I want to have a few words with Higoma,” then added after a pause, “Alone.”

Riki and Akira exchanged a surprised look, then got up and left the room. The old man turned to Mikitani and said, “You too, Seiji.” The scarred-faced man, clearly surprised, slowly got up and left the room.

David felt himself sweating more and more with every passing moment. Now he was alone with this man, who was the head of a yakuza group. However, he tried to keep himself calm; he himself had said that he was ready to accept the responsibility of everything, so he should not back down.

The old man said with serious eyes, “Let's get to the point. Since when have you been working for the police?” David, who didn't expect such a question, blinked a few times in surprise and paused, saying, “I'm sorry, but I don't understand what you mean.”

The old man stroked his beard and said, “Be honest with me; that's when you stay safe. Since when do you work for the police?” David said as he felt his heart rate increase, “Y-you're wrong.”

- Oh, really? So you want to say that you met Shinka completely by chance, you went to the abandoned warehouse completely by chance, and then the police arrived and you found out about the bombing in the office completely by chance, right?

Confused, David just nodded in agreement. The old man sighed and said, “Do you really expect me to believe you? Do you want me to believe that an untrained person can get into fights with the yakuza members so easily and recover from physical injuries so quickly?”

The foreign boy did not know what to say and just looked at the man with a shocked expression. The old man continued, “I just don't understand why you saved Shinka in the bombing. He's a yakuza, you could have ignored him or just warn him on the phone.”

Then he smirked and said, “Ah, now I understand; you knew that if you got hurt because of him, he would keep you by his side. That's why, after you woke up, you made yourself dumb so that you could easily listen to what he was saying at home. Especially with the arrival of Azuma, they talked more about the group at home, and this was a golden opportunity. If it wasn't for Yabuki's attack and saving your own life, you would have continued with your plan, but when you saw that you might be exposed, you pretended to get better and requested Akira to make sure no one found out, am I right?”

David was completely confused; he didn't expect that hiding his recovery would lead to such conclusions. He was scared, he was scared with all his being. For a brief period, he closed his eyes and imagined Riki's and then Akira's faces. Those two boys had helped him without hesitation; he had to protect them. All this was his own fault and his own bad luck.

He took a deep breath, calmed himself down, then opened his eyes, bowed his head, and said, “I'm sorry, Yonkeiku-dono, but everything you said is a misunderstanding." As soon as the old man was about to speak, the foreign boy added, "However, I take full responsibility for all matters. I was the one who asked Akira not to inform anyone. Riki and Akira worked very hard for me, and I don't want them to be exposed to this issue.”

Then he raised his head, looked the man in the eyes, and said, “I am not a spy, and I am not cooperating with anyone. I do not regret about it and if I go back to the past, I will still help Akira. Now my fate is in your hands; if you assure me that Riki and Akira will not be harmed, I will accept whatever decision you make.”

As the old man looked at him, a small smile spread across his face, and he said, “Well done, son; I knew I didn't make a mistake.” Then, to David's surprise, he continued, “Seiji, come in with the others; I'm sure you heard what Higuma said.”

Mikitani re-entered the room with Riki and Akira and sat down in front of David's stunned gaze. Riki smiled kindly at the foreign boy, and Akira had a certain pride on his face. David said confusedly, “I-I don't understand. What's going on here?”

Mikitani smiled and said, “Calm down, Higuma; this was all a test. The boss wanted to make sure you were the right person.” David frowned at Riki and said, “You knew about it?” But Riki answered no by shaking his head. The old man laughed and said, “I'm sorry, Higuma, maybe I overdid it. Only Seiji and I knew about this plan. I'm glad you gave me the right answers.”

David looked at the man in confusion and said, “But-but I don't understand the reason for this test.” The old man smiled and said, “Let me be honest, Higuma. Even though you are not Japanese, you showed good spirit and determination. In order to prevent you from being deported, I asked Tajima to declare you as one of our employees by manipulating the documents and registering your work history from one month after you arrived in Japan until today.”

Then, touching his beard, he continued, “This way, if something goes wrong and your study visa is canceled, you could stay here based on your work history.” David blinked several times and asked, “So-so I'm a member of a yakuza group now?”

The old man said as he laughed, “That's right, my son. I'm sorry we did this without your knowledge, but I really need people like you. Don't worry; in fact, you're just an employee in our company's administrative department, which is completely legal. However, I ask you to agree to officially join our family.”

Confused, David looked to Akira and Riki for help. But their eyes said that the decision was his own. David took a deep breath and said, “May I think about this proposal for a while and then answer?” The old man said with a smile, “Of course, my son, take it easy.” Then he got up and said, “We better go get some dinner. I don't know about you, but I'm very hungry.” As the boss left the room with Mikitani, David also stood up with the help of his friends and walked towards the dining room.

The dining room had an area of approximately 20 square meters, and in the middle of it was a short table full of traditional and colorful Japanese dishes. Around the table were seven cushions for sitting, one at the top of the table and then three on the right and left sides of it. The boss sat at the head of the table and said, “Come sit down, boys.” Mikitani sat on the left side, close to the old man. On the right side of the boss were first Akira and then Riki. David, who had to stretch his legs, sat next to Riki at the end of the table, the furthest point from the boss, to be comfortable.

The old man said with a smile, “Don't be shy, start,” and started eating a thin soup himself. As the others were eating, David looked at the dishes. Most of the food was special and expensive, like sushi. Finally, he saw some cooked vegetables and shrimp. He slowly took some, but just as he was about to start eating, he felt a feminine and sweet fragrance wafting through the room.

Meanwhile, the boss said, “Oh, you're just in time, my dear; come here and let me introduce you to Higuma.” David turned his head and noticed a young girl with shiny black hair neatly tied in a ponytail, black eyes and eyebrows, and fair skin. Although it is difficult to guess the age of Japanese people, he did not think that this girl was more than 20 years old.

Mikitani moved a little, and the girl calmly sat next to the boss. The old man smiled and pointed to the young girl and said to the foreign boy, “This is Sayaka, my daughter.” The girl gave a respectful smile and bowed her head slightly.

David also smiled and said, “I'm glad to meet you, my lady; I'm David Powell.” The old man looked at his daughter with pride and said, “Sayaka is a smart girl; of course, she's studying at a university in China, and she came home for the New Year's holidays. She was very eager to see the famous Higuma.”

The girl said with a beautiful smile “Oh, father, please stop.” David forced a smile but said nothing; however, he noticed that the girl was not looking at him at all and was looking at Akira, who was facing him the whole time eating. Although the boss was talkative during the meal, mostly Mikitani and other people were his audience, and David ate his food in silence.

After the meal, David respectfully asked permission to leave due to fatigue. Then the old man said with a smile, “I would have liked you to stay longer and have some sake together, but I understand that your body still needs rest,” then added as the three boys stood up. “Oh, Azuma, you stay tonight. I need to talk to you about some Kyoto issues, and if you're still on your way, we need to choose someone for the Kyoto Headquarters.”

Riki, clearly wanting to be with David, paused and sat down, causing a smile to appear on Akira's lips. The foreign boy and Akira once again said goodbye to everyone and left the old house.

***

Akira sat on the couch and looked at David, who was trying to lie down on the bed, and finally said, “Would you like some help?” The foreign boy shook his head and said, “No, I can do it myself, thank you.” Then he slowly laid down and added, “When you want to go to sleep, please turn off the electricity.”

Akira got up, turned off the light, but instead of going to the bedroom, he walked over to David's side, sat down on the bed, and said, “Can we talk?” David, whose eyes were not used to the darkness yet, blinked a little and said, “If you wanted to talk, why did you turn off the electricity?”

- It's easier this way.

- Okay, so? What do you want to talk about?

Akira paused for a moment but eventually moved on to a less important topic and said, “What do you think of what the boss said? Are you ready to join our group?” The foreign boy sighed and replied, “I really don't know. I appreciate your boss's kindness and offer, but I really can't make a decision right now. I'm not a risk-taker, and I'm not violent. He thinks that because I've helped you a few times, I must be strong and a bully.”

He paused a bit, then continued, “On the other hand, it would be great to get a salary and be less dependent on the government scholarship, and I could even send some of that money to my family. However, I have to think about it a lot.”

Akira nodded and said, “Right, it's not an easy decision; I give you the right to be hesitant.” Then he paused, waited a few seconds, and said, “Do you think I'm a slut like Riki?” David sat up on the bed with a frown and said, “What do you mean? Besides, how many times did I tell you not to call him that?”

Akira said as he struggled to overcome his embarrassment, “You know what I mean. That...that I think about you as more than a friend,” The foreign boy sighed, leaning against the wall next to the bed, and said, “I still don't understand. Why do you two feel like that? Don't get me wrong; I don't think you two are weird or naughty. Everyone is free to express their feelings however they want, but I don't understand why me.”

He paused a bit and continued, “I don't have a good figure; I'm not handsome. I'm quite an ordinary boy, weak and aloof. Besides, after what I've been through, a defective left hand and a leg which I can't sit properly with it, added to me. On the other hand, you two are strong, charming, and handsome; girls will surround you if you want. I really don't understand why you should like someone like me.”

In the gray light of the room, he looked at the Japanese boy who was sitting quietly and said, “You already have someone who loves you." Akira turned his head to him and said with frown, "What? What are you talking about? Who?”

- Sayaka; The boss's daughter.

Akira shook his head and said, “You must have misunderstood; since I joined the group, I have seen her less than 10 times, and we have talked very little.” David shook his head in denial and said, “You didn't notice the way she gazed during dinner. She was looking at you the whole time, and I could see the passion in her eyes.”

Akira shrugged and said, “I didn't notice. Besides, I think it's pointless; the boss is very sensitive about his daughter; he won't let her be with one of his men.” David sighed and said, “Anyway, you can share your feelings with better people, not a flawed person like me.” Then he sadly added, “Maybe you got this feeling out of pity. Because I helped you and got hurt, you think that you should accept the responsibility and have a special feeling for me.”

Akira frowned and said, “No, it has nothing to do with that! I felt like this before these events...” But suddenly he stopped and lowered his head in shame. The foreign boy raised his eyebrows and said, “You had this feeling before?! From when? You never said anything.” The Japanese boy took a deep breath and said, “I don't know when it started. Maybe... maybe after I stayed at your house for a week or after our trip to Gifu, but I didn't notice it myself. It was in Sendai when I realized you were more than just a friend to me.”

David tilted his head slightly and asked, “Sendai?” Then, with a little thought, he added, “Oh, you mean when you came to the dormitory to look for me? But you kept saying you weren't one of those boys, so why did you change your mind?” Akira sighed and said, “Perhaps your words.”

- my words? But I didn't say anything special. At that time, you thought that I expressed my interest in you in the restaurant; that's why you were complaining, and I explained that I meant the food and the restaurant.

- No. I mean the words you said before sleeping.

David thought with a frown; after a few seconds, his eyes widened, and he said confusedly, “W-were you not asleep?” Akira shook his head and said, “No, I just…I just didn't know what to say, so I pretended to be asleep.”

David, feeling sweaty from embarrassment, said, “You mean... that my words made you look at me differently?” The Japanese boy calmly answered, “I don't know. But after that, I thought a lot about the answer to your question, and when we returned to Tokyo, I decided to try because I felt that somehow my answer to that question was positive.” Then he added with a sigh, “But then the warehouse incident happened, and you were hurt because of me. And then you had to leave Shinjuku. At that time, I thought that my feelings were wrong and it was better that we parted ways, but there wasn't a day that I didn't think about you.”

He lowered his head and said, “Just when I was praying to see you just one more time to tell you how I feel, you entered my office, but then there was an explosion.” Remembering these painful memories, he fisted his hands, then turned to the foreign boy and added, “I'm not good at these things; after what happened to my family, I wasn't close with anyone anymore. I'm not saying I wasn't with anyone; it's easy to find a bedmate in Shinjuku. But...”

He took a deep breath and said, “But I never had feelings for another guy.” As his ears turned red with embarrassment, he glared at the foreign boy in the dark and said, “I-I can't say it more than once, so listen carefully. I love you, David. I've never felt this way about anyone before. And ... and...”

David smiled and said, “Calm down. I know it's hard for someone as serious and strong as you to express their feelings. You've been brave enough to say it so far,” Then added with a sigh, “To be honest, I don't have much experience either.” In my country, I had a girlfriend once for a few months, but after that, I didn't get into any emotional relationships, and I preferred to be alone. Until I met you. At first, I didn't like you and thought you were just causing trouble.”

He laughed softly and continued, “But then I gradually got used to your presence. I was attracted to your making noise, showing your strength, and even getting angry. In that one month that I was gone from Shinjuku, I felt that there was a void in my life.”

Akira said with a hopeful tone, “So... you mean...” But David raised his hand and said, “I'm sorry, but I don't know. Like you, I've never been interested in another guy before, and I don't understand it. That's why I never told you how I felt. But I know one thing.” He looked into Akira's eyes in the dim light of the room and said, “I don't want to lose you, I don't want you to get hurt, and I don't want to not be able to see you.”

Akira felt herself turning red, stealing his gaze from the foreign boy, and said, “Even though you know I'm cursed...” but David cut him off, gently taking his hand and saying, “Don't start again. You're not. Don't say that anymore; I may not be strong, but I will always protect you.”

Akira laughed kindly and said, “Someone has to take care of you, Big Boy.” David said as he smiled, “Indeed it is; maybe that one person is Mr. Thunder, although I haven't seen any Thunder moves from him yet.” Akira threw him down on the bed, grabbed his wrists, and said with a smile, “Looks like you'd like to be beaten again, huh? Do you miss my hits?”

David laughed and said, “You're like your old self now.” Akira, embarrassed, let go of his hands and sat back. After a few seconds, he asked quietly, “So what are you going to do with that fox?” David said as he lay down, “I told you before, Riki is a good guy. He has some bad manners, but overall he is not a bad person.”

Akira frowned. “That wasn't the answer to my question.” The foreign boy sighed and said, “What do you want to hear? I'm sorry, Akira, but I can't turn Riki down.” The Japanese boy, feeling angry, asked, “So you want to go live with him?”

David shook his head and said, “No, I prefer that we all live together for now and see what happens in the future,” then quickly added, “Of course, this is your house; if you don't want him or me or both of us to stay here, I do not blame you.”

Akira rolled his eyes and said, “Don't be a fool; I want you to live here with me!” He wanted to say, ‘he wouldn't let that sly fox live here,’ but then he thought that in that case, that fox might convince David to live with him. So he cleared his throat and said with displeasure, “Although I don't like it, but if you want, that bastard can live here for now.”

David smiled and said, “Thank you, Akira. I always knew you had a kind heart despite your harsh demeanor,” the Japanese boy shrugged and said. “I don't care about him; I just accepted it because of you.” David sat quietly on the bed, wrapped his arms around his waist from behind, and said kindly, “Thanks, Akira. It would also be great if you two were friends.”

The Japanese boy was shocked by this sudden embrace. On the one hand, he liked this movement and felt the warmth of the foreign boy's body with pleasure, and on the other hand, he felt embarrassed. He said softly, “Why did you hug me?”

- Oh, don't you like it? I had forgotten that the Japanese are sensitive to physical contact. I'm sorry.

Just as he was going to take his arms out from around his waist, Akira stopped him and whispered, “I-I didn't say I hated it, idiot.” David smiled, resting his forehead on the back of his head, and said, “Can I sleep now? I feel so tired.” Akira wanted them to stay in this position a little longer, but he knew that David was still weak. Sighing, he slowly unclasped his hands from around his waist and said, “Right, it's late.” He helped the foreign boy lie down, adding, “Good night, Big Boy.” David smiled as his eyes closed and replied, “Good night, Mr. Thunder.”

***

At first, Riki was disappointed by David's words, but when he realized that the foreign boy wanted the three of them to live together and did not want to reject him, he happily said, “I don't have a problem, David-chan. We can go to the bath and spend time together, like when you were not feeling well.”

David laughed and said, “Please, Riki, this is Akira's house. If you want to stay here, then you have to follow the rules. I know that he doesn't do stupid things, but you are different. As long as we are here together, you must not do anything to make him angry. I don't take a bath with you or with him; I've gotten better enough to go by myself. In addition, provocative words, sudden kisses, and flirting are prohibited.”

Ricky pursed his lips, pretending to be upset, and said, “But...” But David continued seriously, “You're a good guy, and I appreciate the way you feel about me. But I believe that flirting is not a part of your personality but just a part of your habit. So please stop it and let me get to know Azuma Riki's true character.”

Then he added with a sigh, “By the way, you're not going to change or give up everything for me. So tell me, what was the reason you resigned from your position in Kyoto?” As soon as the Kyoto boy wanted to answer, David added, “Don't say it was me, because I know it wasn't. Maybe that's part of it, but I want to know everything.”

Ricky looked at the foreign boy for a bit and said, “You're smarter than you show,” then added with a sigh, “I saw my mother in the temple on New Year's. Although she got a bit old, I recognized her. I wanted to go forward, but I realized that damn man was with her too. All my memories came in front of my eyes; for a moment I decided to go ahead and put a knife in his heart, but I saw that there was a girl and a young boy with them, and they were completely happy together.”

He lowered his head and continued, “That's when I said to myself, why should I get my hands dirty for him? They don't even remember me, and they have a happy family. When I returned home, I realized that it was a stupid decision to went back to Kyoto in the first place.” He raised his head, looked at the foreign boy, and continued, “Now I have a reason to live, which is you. That's why it wasn't hard for me to leave that city and position, so I made my decision and talked to the boss.”

Akira, who was sitting in a corner and was silent until now, said, “You left Kyoto to run away from your mother and your family? I can't believe it.” Riki sighed and looked at the other side without paying attention. David asked quietly, “May I tell Akira about your past? I feel like now that we're going to live together, it's better for him to know and get to know you better.” Riki was silent for a few seconds, then shrugged and said, “As you wish, it does not matter to me.”

David nodded, turned to Akira, and began to describe the Kyoto boy's past. As the story progressed, he could see the Japanese boy's surprised and pitiful looks at Riki. When David finished, Akira was silent for a few moments, then turned to the Kyoto boy and said, “I'm sorry, Riki. I never thought you'd go through something like this. I'm sorry for all the insults I gave you,” and sincerely bowing his head in apology.

Ricky looked at him and said, “I don't need pity; I don't care what other people think about me.” David sighed and said, “I want you two to be friends and work together.” Riki frowned at the foreign boy and said, “I should be friends with this wild bastard?!” As Akira stood up angrily, David quickly said, “Sit down, Akira.” Then he added to Riki, “Don't make trouble; if you two want to fight like cats and dogs, I swear I will leave you both!”

Both boys, who were shocked by this threat, looked at the foreign boy with surprise. Akira slowly sat down, and David said, “You heard about Riki's past; now will you let him get to know you better, and I will tell him your past?” Akira fisted his hands on his knees and remained silent. He didn't want anyone else to know his past, especially this sly fox, but David said again, “Trust me, Akira.” The Japanese boy looked at his friend and slowly nodded in agreement.

David smiled at him, then turned to Riki and began to describe Akira's past. After he finished speaking, the Kyoto boy looked at Akira and said with a bitter smile, “You had a bitter past too, although at least you had a real family until high school.” Then he added with a sigh, “Now I understand your harsh behavior better; I'm sorry for your family.” Akira didn't say anything and just nodded.

David smiled and said, “Well, I'm glad you understand each other better now; it makes me feel better.” Riki turned his head to him and asked, “What about you? You don't want to talk about your past? What were you doing in your own country? How did you come to Japan, and what were you doing before you met us?” Akira also looked at the foreign boy; it was clear in his eyes that he was also interested in knowing. David laughed and said, “We've talked enough about the past; maybe one day I'll tell you. For now, I have to focus on planning for physical therapy and going back to college. Besides, I am a boring person with a boring past.”

***

A few days later, David's physical therapy began. During this time, all three of them got used to living together, and no serious conflict between Riki and Akira formed. At David's insistence, the Kyoto boy continued his career as a yakuza in the Shinjuku branch of the Yonkiku group alongside Akira, although Akira was not too happy about it.

After two weeks of physical therapy, David's left fist slowly opened and now he could move the fingers of his left hand slowly. He also improved in walking and could walk easily with a slight limp, although it was still difficult for him to stand for long periods of time. A few days before the university ultimatum, David decided to visit his professor.

As he walked slowly in the courtyard of the college, suddenly a voice said, “David?!” He turned his head and, seeing the announcer, smiled and said, “Hi Tina. You seem full of energy as always.” The girl ran to him, hugged him tightly, and started to cry.

David gently pulled the girl away and said, “You don't have to be so emotional; we're in the middle of the college yard.” Tina wiped away her tears, but just as she was about to say something, David added, “Oh, not now, please. I have to go to Professor Okada first, then I promise to sit down and talk to you, okay?”

The girl nodded her head and said, “Don't forget what you promised.” David smiled, but suddenly a powerful paw was placed on his shoulder, and someone said, “Damn, it's really you?!” The foreign boy turned to his black friend and said, “Yes, Yonas, it's me. I'm glad to see you healthy too, my friend.” The black boy hugged him tightly and said, “I'm glad to see you on your feet again, man.” David said as he smiled nervously, “Yonas, please stop. You're pushing too hard; you're making me go back to the hospital.”

The black boy shyly let go of his friend and said, “Ah, sorry, sorry.” David nodded to them and said as he walked towards the lab, “See you later, my friends.” As soon as he entered the laboratory, everyone stopped working and stared at him in surprise. He was getting nervous about these reactions. He was always used to living without attracting attention.

He stopped in front of the old man who was reading a book and said, “Good morning, Professor; it's nice to see you again.” The man raised his head in surprise. Seeing the foreign boy, he immediately got up, walked away from the table, put his hands on David's arms, and said kindly, “Oh David, my son, what a sweet surprise! Nice to see you again.”

***

In the middle of February, after the university problem was solved, one day David said to Akira, who had just come out of the bathroom, as he was sitting on the couch, “Can you make me an appointment with your boss?” The Japanese boy replied as he dried his hair with a towel. “No problem, I can call Mikitani-san now and ask when we can go there,” he then added hesitantly, “But for what?”

Before the foreign boy could answer, Riki said from the kitchen as he was cooking, “What do you think for, idiot? It's obvious; he finally wants an answer to the boss's offer.” Akira took the towel off his head, glared at the foreign boy, and asked, “Really?!”

David nodded in agreement with a smile. The Japanese boy sat next to him and asked eagerly, “So you finally want to accept it?” The foreign boy glanced at his half-wet hair, sighed, took the towel from Akira's shoulder, threw it over his head, and as he dried it, said, “Probably, but first I need to talk to your boss and make sure I'm not going to participate in criminal acts.”

Akira raised his hands, pulled David's cheeks, and said, “So now you're saying I'm a criminal?” David stuck out his tongue at him and said, “Maybe, Mr. Thunder.” Akira let go of his cheeks as he laughed, lightly punched him on the shoulder, and said, “Okay, Mr. Yummy.” He stood up and said, “I'll call Mikitani-san now.”

***

As the TV screen showed censored footage, the news anchor said, “Today at 5:13 a.m., someone called police to report that a human body had fallen into his net while fishing near the Rainbow Bridge. The police and the criminal team quickly arrived at the scene and found the body of a 40-year-old man.”

“According to the initial reports, at least a month has passed since the death of this person. Due to the swelling of the corpse in the water, its face could not be identified, and since all the fingers of his hands were also cut, it is not possible to identify him with fingerprints.”

“This person was found with his hands and feet tied, and the initial investigation indicated that he died from internal and external bleeding and then drowning. Official sources have not yet announced their opinion, but some of our sources said that this type of murder It is related to criminal groups and the yakuza. Also, some detectives believe that this body belongs to a person with a criminal record named Ikeda Yabuki among criminals...”

The man turned off the TV and dropped the remote on his desk. As he gazed at the city and the lights of the buildings at night from the large window of the room, he took a sip of his whiskey and said under his breath, “Even your death is trouble. Useless trash.”

He looked at the photos on his desk. In one photo, a large foreign boy in a suit was standing next to that damn old man, Yonkiku Tetsuji. It was this damn boy who ruined his work. It was rumored that this boy, known as Higuma of Yonkiku, had been officially a member of Yonkiku's group for some time and was stationed in Shinjuku.

In another photo, the foreign boy was seen with Shinka Akira, the lucky kyoudai of the Yonkiku group, and in another photo, he was with Azuma Riki, the kyoudai of the Yonkiku group in Kyoto who suspiciously stepped down from his post and now was active in Shinjuku.

The man lit a cigarette, looked at the pictures, and said, “Who are you, Higoma? An ordinary unlucky person? Or a bastard who just wants to ruin my work?” At the same time, the door of the room opened, and a middle-aged and stout man entered the room and said to the young man behind the desk, “We have to go, Keizo-sama; the car is ready to take us to the annual meeting of the district bosses.”

As the young man stood up, he put out his cigarette on the face of the foreign boy in the photo and muttered disgustedly, “We're not done yet, Higuma. I still have work to do with you and your ridiculous friends.” Then he put on his coat, fixed his hair, and left his office with the stout man.