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Sugiura took a deep breath as he walked around The Castle. It was all bright lights, flashy colors, and debauchery as far as the ex-thief was concerned. He liked style and flashiness, but not in the way The Castle presented. It was nowhere near Sugiura’s comfort zone; Kamurocho took getting used to, but Sugiura felt like he could work past it because he was on a mission when he first moved close to the entertainment district. The Castle was different. If Sugiura hadn’t been around Kamurocho for as long as he had been prior, he was sure he’d get sick right then and there just thinking of what went down there.
Sugiura was there for business. He and Tsukumo had been planning a detective agency for a few months now, and it would be well underway if it weren’t for things like money and paperwork. There were a million things that Sugiura didn’t know accompanied setting up that kind of business, and it all felt like it went over his head when Tsukumo described it to him. He felt like they’d be lucky if they could get it all going in the next couple of years, but they both felt like it was a good decision and they could make a difference. It’s just that money was tight and moving wasn’t cheap, nor was any of the bullshit that Sugiura knew they’d need to go through.
Somehow, thievery and fighting for his life felt so much simpler to Sugiura than trying to start a business in a completely new city. But when Tsukumo explained it was a place called Ijincho in Yokohama, it didn’t seem so bad. It seemed peaceful and friendly, the complete opposite of the hustle and bustle that was Kamurocho. It seemed more their speed, so Sugiura felt a little more comfortable despite the immense work that would be ahead of them.
He had seen an ad on some forums about some kind of coliseum. Despite leaving the burglary gang a year before, Sugiura still kept a close eye on their old internet stomping grounds to make sure nothing too devious was underway. A guy was looking for some tough fighters, mentioned a cut of money if they could prove themselves. It sounded too good to be true, but Sugiura had to admit that the money would really help them out. He met up with the man, agreed to fight some battles to prove himself. It was rough, but Sugiura had dealt with way worse; he’d been shot a year before and lived through it. The man told Sugiura to meet him in Sotenbori and to be prepared for a call.
And now here Sugiura was, in a completely foreign place on a shitty boat in the middle of god knows where. He’d done a little sight-seeing around The Castle, decided there wasn’t much to do. There was a boutique with some interesting clothes, but they were all way too expensive for Sugiura. Maybe one day he’d buy something. He had no interest in gambling, and he felt no need or want to go to the cabaret.
He knew that he’d eventually need to get to the fighter’s lounge; Sugiura had met the leader of the clan he’d be fighting for; Joryu. He was a quiet, serious looking man that Sugiura was sure had probably been yakuza once upon a time. Sugiura smiled and exchanged pleasantries, immediately collected his money once Joryu had left; 900,000 yen, which would go to good use once Sugiura could get back to his partner. He wanted to text Tsukumo, tell him their money issues would be no more, but no phones were allowed at The Castle.
Sugiura took a deep breath, slapped both his cheeks and splashed some water on his face. He asked around about the coliseum, gathered that people came out bloody and bruised if they were so lucky. He had to remind himself that this was all so he and Tsukumo could get their dream fulfilled.
He took a left and went up the stairs to the fighter’s lounge. He couldn’t put it off forever; Joryu asked if he minded waiting because he had some preparations before they’d fight. Sugiura felt like he could trust the man, but there was also a level of intimidation Sugiura felt deep in his soul. He’d wait in the fighter’s lounge for as long as Joryu needed.
When he got there, he was surprised at how normal it was after the bright assault that the rest of the Castle offered. There were big, strong dudes here and there, but they all seemed so friendly with each other. Some were gathered around a table chatting, others were just quietly sitting in wait. Were these guys also part of the Joryu clan?
Sugiura could feel a prickle on his skin, like someone was watching him. He turned to look to the side, gasped when he noticed a bright gray suit that he had practically burned into the creases of his mind.
“Higashi-san!?” Sugiura called out. He walked closer, gasping when a bright, shiny orange shirt came into his view. Sugiura practically leaped over to the two men he laid his eyes on. Kaito and Higashi were sitting at a small table. “Kaito-san!”
“Well if it isn’t our handsome little thief!” Kaito bellowed. He stood up, immediately pulled Sugiura into his arms. Sugiura squeaked when he was practically crushed against Kaito, but it was comforting. “Ya piece of shit, you really thought you could get away from us without so much as a word?”
“Aniki, let him breathe,” Higashi said, standing up. Kaito laughed and let go of Sugiura. The younger man took a breath, felt like he would pass out any second. He smiled and mouthed a quick thank you to Higashi. “The hell you doing here? This doesn’t really seem like your kind of place, kid.”
“I could say the same to you,” Sugiura grinned. “Kaito-san I could see coming here. He dragged you with him, right?”
Higashi clicked his tongue and rolled his eyes, sat back down. Yeah, he was definitely here against his will. Somewhat. Wherever Kaito went, Sugiura was sure Higashi would follow. But it’s not like he didn’t understand; Kaito was Higashi’s big brother and they’d been torn apart and broken down by Hamura. Higashi had a second chance now, he was going to work like hell to stay by his aniki.
“We’re part of a very important mission, you see,” Kaito stated.
“Uh-huh,” Sugiura laughed. “Joryu clan?”
“Yeah. I might have messed around and acted like some big hotshot and misunderstood a few things, so I owe him one,” Kaito explained. “Cleared it with Tabou, told him we would be here for a little while longer, now we’re here.”
Sugiura laughed again. It sounded very much like a Kaito thing and he was sure Higashi was just going with whatever bullshit Kaito had them going through. He would’ve chewed Kaito out a bit, but ultimately he’d relent and do whatever the older man wanted. It was sweet, really.
“Guess we’re all practically reunited,” Higashi said. Sugiura looked at him. He felt bad that he’d just skipped town without so much of a goodbye. He got caught up in Tsukumo’s plans and just moved. Tsukumo still hung around Mantai; he wanted to get everything wrapped up before moving, but Sugiura was ready to move on to the next chapter of his life. Unfortunately, he didn’t know how to break it to everyone, so he just left. He figured if they missed him enough, they had his number.
“I guess we are,” Sugiura agreed. Yagami wasn’t there, but he figured that maybe he was too busy with casework if he was delegating tasks out of town to Kaito. Still, he wondered how much Kaito really told Yagami regarding The Castle. From the sounds of it, the coliseum was the kind of place you didn’t leave in one piece.
“Hey,” they all turned at the voice. It was Joryu, looking as serious and stoic as ever. “Big fight coming up. Wanted to make sure you’re all ready.”
Kaito stood up, punched his hand into his other fist. Joryu chuckled, the slightest hint of a smile gracing his face. Even a man like him could be charmed by Kaito, but it wasn’t shocking; Kaito was always trying his best despite his lack of comprehension and he was incredibly friendly. The kind of person who could be friends with anyone; of course even Joryu would like him.
Sugiura took a deep breath. The man who recruited him said his cut was a quarter of what he was paid, which meant Joryu had spent well over three million yen on the recruitment fee. Sugiura had a feeling that this wasn’t going to be a walk in the park, and he prayed he’d make it out of the fight with all his limbs intact.
After the fight was over, Sugiura was spent. Somehow, the Joryu clan made it all out in one piece. Kaito had smiled, threw his arm around Sugiura and helped him back to the fighter’s lounge, Higashi quietly trailing behind. Joryu had told them he had business to attend to, and they were free to take time away for themselves.
Kaito helped Sugiura to his usual chair in the fighter’s lounge, Higashi taking the seat across from him.
“I’ll get you some food,” Kaito stated before turning to go to the desk. Sugiura sighed and leaned forward, his head nearly clashing with the table. Higashi swooped in, gently grabbed the ex-thief by the shoulders.
“Hey, come on,” Higashi muttered. Sugiura looked up at him. Higashi sounded annoyed, but the look on his face told Sugiura he was concerned. Sugiura sat upright. “Been awhile since you’ve been in a fight, I guess.”
“Yeah,” Sugiura said. He was trying to keep a clean image; he knew all he had done for the burglary gang was for the right reasons, but he couldn’t deny that he was still an ex-criminal. Since moving to Ijincho, Sugiura mostly helped citizens with basic needs; helping the elderly run errands, mostly. There was a vigilante group called Part-time Hero that Sugiura helped now and then, but the fights were child’s play. Nothing like the coliseum or when he’d fight alongside Yagami.
“Just take it easy. We’ve got time off from this place, you can go home and relax,” Higashi explained. His breathing sounded a bit uneven and Sugiura could tell even he was winded from the fight. Kaito came back with a bowl of food and placed it in front of Sugiura.
“Oh, nothing for you or Higashi-san?” Sugiura asked. Kaito didn’t even seem phased by the fight, but Higashi seemed a little tired no matter how cool he was trying to play it.
“I figured we could eat later after a night around The Castle!” Kaito exclaimed. Higashi’s eyebrows furrowed as he stared up at Kaito. “You wanna come with, Sugiura? I figured we could check out the gambling hall and then spend some time with some hot chicks over at the cabaret club. You know, make the most of this place!”
“I’ll pass,” Sugiura said. It wasn’t his idea of a fun time; he preferred either physical activity or video games. He didn’t mind the games necessarily at gambling halls, but Sugiura wasn’t really the kind of guy who liked gambling. He’d never been to a cabaret club, but they were just something Sugiura never felt like he wanted to go to. But Kaito had grown up around Kamurocho, so it wasn’t shocking that The Castle was his idea of a good time.
“I’ll sit this one out too, aniki,” Higashi added.
“What? Really?” Kaito asked. He seemed surprised. Higashi sighed.
“You know I’m not into all that seedy shit. It’s not for me and I kinda just wanna relax,” he explained. Sugiura was shocked Higashi was actually saying no to Kaito.
“Damn. Well, look at you finally earning your wings and doing your own thing!” Kaito didn’t seem like it deterred him. He turned to Sugiura. “Listen, if you’re leaving, just don’t be a stranger. I’ll let Tabou know you’re alive and doing well, but you know he cares a lot about you. And I do too. He acts like he’s so above it all, but I know Higashi cares too.”
“Sorry. I’ll keep in touch. Promise!” Sugiura smiled. Kaito winked, gave him a pat on the shoulder before he left. Sugiura watched him leave before he turned to Higashi. “Do you want some of this, Higashi-san?”
It was a bowl of meat and other various things. It smelled weird and Sugiura was sure it would make him feel better; he’d spotted a guy ordering it when he first entered the lounge, but it just wasn’t really something he felt he could get into his mouth and chew.
“You haven’t even touched it or made any sign of wanting to be near it, you really think I want any of it with that kind of promotion?” Higashi asked. Sugiura felt bad that Kaito spent money on it, but he just didn’t want it. “Are you going back home, Sugiura?”
“I don’t know,” Sugiura sighed. He liked Ijincho; it was safe and comfortable living there, but it also felt lonely. He got used to being around others once he joined the burglary ring, and while he wasn’t particularly close with anyone, he was always with other people. He knew it would be better once Tsukumo finally moved, but he was still on the hunt for a good location for their agency. Sugiura knew at least, he wanted to get away from The Castle and let Tsukumo know he was okay. “I barely got to see Sotenbori before I got here, I’d hate to go home and miss my chance to at least see what it’s about.”
“If you want, we can go walk around the city together, take in the sights,” Higashi suggested. Sugiura sat up, stared at the older man. When Sugiura first met the man, all Higashi seemed to want was to be left alone to mind his arcade. He didn’t even seem to like Sugiura, though that changed the deeper they got into the AD-9 case. Even after the dust settled and Kamurocho seemed to calm down, Higashi still seemed stand-offish. He was nice to Sugiura whenever he dropped by, but he always seemed so distant, though Sugiura knew he was just trying to keep Charles afloat while dealing with a huge change in his life.
Sugiura understood what Higashi was dealing with all too well.
Sugiura had come to really like Higashi. He thought little of him at first, felt like he was just pompous and short-tempered, but Higashi had come through and shown his true colors. He and Sugiura had a lot in common, though Sugiura hated that all of their similarities came from the trauma they had experienced. But it brought them together and gave them a kind of camaraderie that neither of them ever really talked about yet didn’t feel like they needed to.
“You know, it was just a thought,” Higashi said. He leaned back in his seat. Sugiura had been quiet and contemplating the offer. He slapped his hand on the table. He felt like this was a rare opportunity to spend some time with the older man.
“No, let’s go!” he shouted. A few of the fighters turned to the two for a few seconds before returning to their conversations. “I didn’t expect you to want to do anything. You said you wanted to relax.”
“This place just doesn’t really seem your speed,” Higashi said. “It’s not even my speed. I just came here because we caused a lot of problems for Joryu-san and really, I don’t think I trust aniki would make it back to Kamurocho if left here alone. But it’s hard to relax here after a big fight.”
“Joryu-san, huh? The cool, aloof Higashi-san using an honorific. He must’ve really made an impression on you,” Sugiura grinned. Joryu seemed so cool and headstrong, Sugiura wasn’t surprised and he was sure Higashi sensed that strong, silent yakuza presence from the man as well. Higashi was yakuza, he’d know it better than Sugiura.
“Shut up, he just reminds me of the old-school Tojo guys that I’d see sometimes in Kamurocho when I was younger,” Higashi explained. He got up, extended his hand to Sugiura. Sugiura took it and smiled, stood up himself. He still felt tired, but he could feel a second wind brewing. He was sure he could take a nap on the way back to the city.
When they got to Sotenbori, the air seemed so fresh. It was nice to be outside and feeling free. Sugiura immediately grabbed his phone, sent Tsukumo a quick text apologizing for being off the grid and explaining he was okay. When Sugiura was first told about The Castle, he told his partner he would be inaccessible for a while. Tsukumo seemed unsure about the vague information he was provided, but he told Sugiura he had trust in him, but to please let him know the second he was okay.
Sugiura didn’t want to worry Tsukumo; he was so busy getting things underway for the agency. Sugiura had his own work cut out for him moving to Ijincho, scoping things out, and getting a feel for everything going on in the city, but Tsukumo had research to do and a lot of laws to figure out. Sugiura felt like his contributions were minimal, so he did what he could and it was probably the reason he pushed himself to get to The Castle. He didn’t give Tsukumo exact details, just told him he had a way to get them the money they needed to get things settled. Tsukumo was happy and it seemed to get him excited to get things moving.
One day Sugiura would tell him about The Castle and the coliseum he fought in.
“The city seems so much less daunting after being at The Castle,” Sugiura said. The lights of Sotenbori didn’t seem as bright; the hustle and bustle just seemed innocent in retrospect. It felt daunting when Sugiura had first arrived; he was used to the quiet lifestyle of Ijincho.
They started walking. They stopped by a statue of a boy playing a drum. Sugiura told Higashi they should get a picture with it, and the man was surprisingly compliant. Sugiura smiled as he checked the image. They definitely looked like tourists.
“You look good in the Sotenbori lights, Higashi-san,” Sugiura said. Higashi was dressed sharp and looked quite good with his slightly slicked hair and sunglasses. He didn’t stand out with a bright shirt like Kaito, but Sugiura felt like he looked smart and mature with a level of badass. He wondered if the man’s style was a throwback to the old-school yakuza he had mentioned before. The shirt was definitely an homage to Kaito, though less flashy.
“I look good in any light,” Higashi grinned. Sugiura chuckled. Higashi seemed lighter than Sugiura last remembered him. More carefree, less like he was carrying the weight of all his troubles on his broad shoulders. Sugiura supposed a year gave Higashi time to come to terms with everything that he had experienced concerning the AD-9 case. “Ever had takoyaki, Sugiura?”
“No!” Sugiura exclaimed. He didn’t even know what it was, truthfully. “What is it?”
“Battered octopus with tempura, ginger, and green onions,” Higashi said. “It’s really good, I think you’d like it. It was created in Osaka, but got popular and can be found all over Japan. I’m surprised you’ve never heard of it; it’s even sold at convenience stores.”
“I was a shut-in for a long time, of course I don’t know it,” Sugiura knew Higashi didn’t mean anything by it, but sometimes Sugiura felt a little stupid when he didn’t know things that seemed so simple. He tried to play catch up once he decided to leave his house, but he mostly went for things he thought he needed to know.
“That’s not what I meant,” Higashi sighed but took the lead as they walked. After Higashi had been tasked to watch Sugiura after he had his breakdown at Charles, the older man had softened his demeanor somewhat. He had become friendlier with Sugiura, tried to explain things when he thought Sugiura wouldn’t get it. He never seemed patronizing and Sugiura felt like he understood why kids seemed to like the man so much; he was patient and explained things well.
“It’s not you, Higashi-san. It’s a sore subject when I feel like I don’t know things that anyone else my age would,” Sugiura explained. They stopped by a stall, Higashi ordering them takoyaki. It didn’t smell weird or sour and it was making Sugiura hungry just watching the man grill the food. When he got his food, Sugiura immediately ate some. It tasted heavenly. “Oh my god, Higashi-san!”
“Good, right?” Higashi asked. Sugiura couldn’t remember the last time he actually enjoyed food so much. He always ate his meals, but it felt more like he was just eating to keep himself fed rather than eating because he enjoyed what he was putting in his mouth.
As time kept moving and Sugiura got away from his past trauma and back into life again, he was feeling more and more human. He was actually excited for what the future held rather than anxious over what more fucked up things could happen.
When they finished their food, the two got back up again. Higashi was leading the way once more; it seemed like he knew his way around. Sugiura wondered if Higashi did all his research ahead of time before he and Kaito even left Kamurocho.
“So you came here with Kaito-san for a case?” Sugiura asked. Higashi ran an arcade and seemed to spend most of his time there, or at least was the case when the younger man still lived around the area. Though really, Sugiura knew Higashi would follow Kaito to the ends of the earth. He knew how much love and loyalty Higashi held for the man. It was probably the only thing that humanized Higashi to Sugiura back when they still barely knew each other.
“Yeah. Yagami had other cases to attend to, so Kaito-aniki jumped at the opportunity to work here. Said he wanted to scope the place out for potential future expansion. He asked if I’d help him out,” Higashi explained. He sighed. “It was just a huge scam by some shitty yakuza family though. And I found myself in a place where Kaito-aniki had to come save me. Again. ”
“Higashi-san,” Sugiura murmured. Back when Higashi watched over him, he explained to Sugiura what had actually happened to get Kaito kicked out of the Matsugane Family. Higashi said he felt like it was his fault that Kaito never acted; like if he hadn’t been there, Kaito would’ve kicked the thief’s ass and it would have been okay. Sugiura was sure Hamura gave Higashi shit work specifically for the occasion. “Kaito-san loves you, you know. I don’t think he ever minds making sure you’re okay.”
Sugiura was projecting a bit. He knew that Emi always had his back and would’ve done anything in her power for her baby brother. Sugiura never took advantage of it, he was just happy to have his sister still love him even though he had felt like the scum of the earth. Despite everything, Sugiura knew how much Kaito cared for Higashi.
They stopped at a bridge. Sugiura grabbed his phone and took some pictures. He turned to Higashi.
“You want another picture together?” Higashi asked. He sounded amused. Sugiura nodded his head. Higashi tapped the shoulder of a woman nearby, asked if she minded taking their picture. Sugiura handed her his phone.
“Wow, they make ‘em real handsome in Kanto!” she exclaimed as they walked toward the water, Sugiura laughed as she took a few pictures. He went over to the woman and she showed him the pictures she took. Sugiura thanked her and took his phone, went back to Higashi.
“Send me the pictures when you get home,” Higashi said. Sugiura was taken aback; he knew Higashi was being nice and not even arguing about being in pictures with Sugiura, but it didn’t occur to him that Higashi would want them too. “Something wrong?”
“Well you’re not exactly friendly,” it’s not how Sugiura meant to put it, but it’s how he felt. Higashi was always willing to help everyone out, but man he always aired his grievances and didn’t hold back. He seemed so haughty when Sugiura met him, he was happy when he learned how deep and sensitive Higashi actually was.
“And you’re not easy to get a hold of these days,” Higashi argued. He looked serious. “You just moved without saying anything to us.”
“You guys have my number,” Sugiura didn’t want to fight, but friendship was a two way street. And yeah, it was shitty he never said anything, but everyone seemed so preoccupied with what had occurred during the AD-9 case, Sugiura didn’t want to just throw one more thing onto the pile.
“I don’t,” Higashi said. Sugiura stopped and stared at him. He grabbed his phone and looked through his contacts, couldn’t find Higashi’s name anywhere. He thought at some point maybe they exchanged contact information, but they didn’t. Sugiura turned his attention back to Higashi.
“Sorry, Higashi-san,” Sugiura mumbled as he put his phone away. Every time he’d visit Higashi, the man just didn’t fully seem there. Sugiura felt like it must have been hard to be in that arcade that used to be Matsugane’s business. He knew Higashi was trying his best, and Sugiura wondered if he wanted to put it all behind him, so he didn’t even try contacting the man.
“I’m just glad you seem to be okay. You look good, Sugiura. Like you’ve been taking proper care of yourself,” Higashi smiled. He looked out at the river. “Everything that happened with your sister, finding out the truth, getting shot… I’m sure you felt like it was all over and you wanted to move on. I can’t say I wouldn’t have done the same.”
“That arcade’s really holding you back, huh?” Sugiura chuckled, folded his arms against the bridge. Higashi stood next to Sugiura.
“It’s doing better. It gives me something to focus on,” Higashi said.
“I’m glad to hear it, Higashi-san,” Sugiura moved closer to the man. “I’ve been working on focusing on things too. Honestly, it’s why I was at The Castle. Some guy was recruiting people to fight, offered a decent pay. I can’t really give specifics, but the offer was too good to pass up and it would really help with this thing I’m working on.”
“Still doing shady shit, huh?” Higashi asked. He laughed, slowly put an arm around Sugiura. The proximity was comforting; it was starting to get cold in Japan. “Just be careful. The Castle is dangerous and really not the kind of place for someone as good and sensitive as you.”
“Keep me safe then,” Sugiura said. When Sugiura had gotten in the arena, he really hadn’t expected Higashi to wield a fucking knife. He’d always been used to Higashi’s style of Muay Thai fighting, never knew the man could also wield a blade. It seemed dangerous and honestly, a little sexy. Sugiura also noted that Higashi mostly stuck around him as they fought.
“For as long as I can,” Higashi murmured. Sugiura felt a fleeting kiss right above his ear. He turned to the older man, pulled him in for a kiss. They were in public with people constantly walking by, but Sugiura honestly couldn’t give less of a shit. He didn’t think they’d have another moment like this for some time.
When they parted, Higashi looked utterly shocked and confused. There was no way he didn’t have some idea Sugiura was into him, though it wasn’t like Sugiura knew much about the best way to show hints or signs of interest. What he knew was from his old manga at best.
“Well, we’ve got a whole city ahead of us, Higashi-san,” Sugiura winked. He had completely gained his second wind. He and Higashi turned and continued walking, though Higashi had maintained his closeness to the younger man.
“Now you better send me those pictures,” Higashi said. Sugiura smiled and laughed. He had to hope that the night didn’t get him so excited and amped up that he forgot to exchange information with Higashi, though he had a feeling the other man wouldn’t let it go so easily.
“Like you’d let me forget,’ Sugiura replied. “And I promise that one day I’ll tell you about what I’m doing. When I feel comfortable and like I’ve got it figured out, you’ll be the first one to know.”
“I understand,” Higashi said. He would. He had to grow into himself within the Matsugane Family and Sugiura was sure he wasn’t happy to meet up with Kaito as an enemy once Higashi felt like he’d made it. And even then, Higashi was mostly putting on airs. But now Higashi seemed to have gotten it together. Sugiura felt like he was getting there too. “I’ll wait for you, Sugiura.”
Sugiura smiled, linked his arm with Higashi’s as they walked through the streets of Sotenbori together. That little bit of assurance could get Sugiura through The Castle and possibly through the next several months that he and Tsukumo would be hard at work getting their agency together.
The next time Sugiura saw Higashi, he knew it would be as equals that had been able to work through their trauma to get back to being the men they wanted to be.
And Sugiura would do whatever it took to be the man that Higashi was proud to wait for.