Even without a clear plan, and fully aware of the danger, that wrong decision felt strangely right to Takashi.
Sitting in the car, not knowing what his father had meant to that man, or what he had endured inside the organization to make him help so unconditionally…
Takashi realized he knew almost nothing about Sota Hayami.
And yet, he trusted him.
“So… you’ve made your choice, Detective?”” Sota asked.
There was no hesitation in his voice...only decision.
Takashi didn’t hesitate.
“Yes. No matter how dangerous it may be… I’m ready.”
“Then we’ll continue this conversation after you recover.”
Sota’s expression softened for just a second, almost too brief to notice before he looked away again.
Takashi knew he was right. For now, all he could do was wait for his body to heal.
Still, he didn’t want the conversation to end,
afraid that once it did…Sota might disappear.
“How can I find you…if I need to?” Takashi asked, as if he wanted to be sure Sota wouldn’t back away.
“Don’t come to that bar again, Detective.” Sota said quietly.
“I’ll find you.”
He paused for a moment, then added,
“Don’t worry. I’ve made my decision too.”
It felt as if he had read Takashi’s thoughts.
“Just tell me what you want me to do, and I’ll do it.” he added, reassuring Takashi that he wouldn’t back away.
“But you need to understand…I’m just a small fish in the organization.
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The boss has only a few men close to him. People he trusts with his life.”
He paused, looking away.
“The rest of us…”
His voice lowered.
“The rest of us just follow orders.”
“I need them.”
Takashi’s eyes widened, rage burning so fiercely it felt as if it could swallow everything around him.
“I need something on the ones closest to him.
Something strong enough to put them behind bars for life…
to weaken him.”
“Don’t be so sure about that, Detective.”
Sota let out a quiet, almost bitter laugh at the irony.
“I told you…they’re far more dangerous than you think.
They’re cautious.”
His voice lowered.
“If you hit them where it hurts, they’ll hit back harder.
And they don’t leave traces behind.”
He continued in the same serious tone, as if trying to make Takashi reconsider one last time.
“They’re the most powerful organization in Shirogawa...even here, in town.
They own the bars, the hotels…they have money and influence enough to buy everyone’s silence.”
His jaw tightened.
“You said it yourself. They’re always one step ahead of you.
That night you came with your team into Shirogawa…
they already knew you were coming.
That’s why you need to be careful. No one can know about this.” Sota said, as if he wanted Takashi to connect the dots on his own.
And he did...
Takashi had suspected it even before Sota spoke.
Now, it only made everything clear.
Maybe my father was betrayed too…
The thought struck him suddenly, and anger surged through him once again.
“I’m aware of that.” Takashi said.
“I suspected it even more after that night.”
He met Sota’s gaze
“Don’t worry. I assure you, no one will know.
I won’t put you in danger.”
“I’m not worried, Detective Mori.”
Sota gave a small, bitter smile.
“I just want to be sure. If we’re doing this… then we need to do it right.”
He paused.
“In silence."
Sota was unnervingly calm as if he knew exactly what he was getting himself into.
That calmness stunned Takashi.
Compared to Takashi who was hot-headed, impulsive, always charging forward without looking back.
Sota was calm, restrained, and obedient.
Maybe it was because he knew them too well.
Maybe those years spent inside the organization had shaped him that way simply to survive.
Takashi realized he still knew almost nothing about him.
But at that moment, the only thing that mattered to him was the fact that he was one step closer to his goal.
“So…we have a deal, Detective.”
Sota broke the silence.
In that moment, it wasn’t clear whether Sota was helping Takashi, or if it was the other way around.
Takashi nodded quietly.
After a brief pause, Sota added:
“You should go home. It’s already late.
I’ll come to find you in a few days. Right now, you need to focus on healing.”
And he was right.
Dawn was creeping in, and the cold had settled deep into Takashi’s bones.
His body was trembling, but he hadn’t noticed, his mind was still trapped in the conversation they had just shared.
“Then…I’ll wait for you, Mr.-”
“You can call me Sota.” he interrupted before Takashi could finish.
He was already outside, ready to close the door.
Sota leaned back toward him.
“Don’t worry, Detective…I’m a man of my word.”
With that, he started the engine, ready to leave.
Takashi closed the door and stepped back, watching as Sota drove away.
His body was shivering, exhaustion finally catching up with him.
As he walked toward the building, his mind was still replaying the night’s events.
It had all happened so quickly, but he was satisfied with the outcome.
He was so exhausted that he felt he could sleep for days.
He glanced back at the street once more, but Sota’s car was already gone.
Still, he felt satisfied, even though he was holding on to the word of a man he barely knew.
