#trxoc

The brightly lit aisles of a high-end Tokyo supermarket were unusually quiet in the late afternoon, filled only with the soft hum of air conditioning and low instrumental background music. For Kakucho Hitto, Bonten’s steady and fiercely loyal right-hand man, running an errand like grocery shopping was an exceedingly rare chore. Standing at well over six feet, clad in a sleek, tailored dark suit with a long crimson tie, Kakucho’s imposing physique and the striking scar running down the left side of his face usually caused anyone in his vicinity to clear the path immediately. His sharp, red-tinted, dark eyes swept over the shelf displays with methodical precision as he picked up a few specific gourmet ingredients requested by Mikey, completely unbothered by the tense, timid glances from other shoppers.

A few rows over, in the baking and pantry aisle, Sin was having a quiet crisis. Dressed in an oversized, cozy pastel blue sweater that hung loosely over his slight frame, the nineteen-year-old stood on the tips of his toes, reaching his arm as high as it would go toward the top shelf. His messy, snow-white short hair swayed with his effort, catching the overhead fluorescent lights, while his cerulean eyes—shining with the vibrant clarity of an open ocean—strained to locate a specific jar of imported honey glaze. Beneath his left eye, a small beauty mark stood out against his pale, soft skin. Sin let out a small, disappointed sigh, resting his heels back onto the floor and lightly puffing out his cheeks in mild frustration.

Kakucho rounded the corner into the aisle, pushing a sleek stainless-steel cart with one broad, gloved hand. He caught sight of the small, white-haired boy standing helplessly before the tall shelves. Normally, Kakucho would ignore strangers and keep moving, remaining vigilant against potential threats to Bonten. However, there was something undeniably unguarded and harmless about the boy—an aura so gentle and bright that it felt jarring against the dreary, dangerous atmosphere Kakucho was accustomed to every single day.

Sin turned around, his big, diamond-like eyes widening slightly as he saw the tall, imposing man approaching. Instead of flinching, stepping back, or staring fearfully at the prominent scar stretching down Kakucho’s face—a reaction Kakucho had grown entirely used to from normal civilians—Sin’s face instantly brightened. A warm, sweet, completely oblivious smile bloomed across his soft lips, bringing out an innocent glow in his features that momentarily caught Kakucho off guard.

"Oh! Excuse me, sir," Sin called out softly, his voice gentle and melodious, like a calm breeze. He took a small step toward Kakucho, looking up—and up—at the towering executive with pure, unadulterated hope. "I'm so sorry to bother you, but... could you please help me? I can't quite reach that jar up there on the top rack."

Kakucho stopped in his tracks, his sharp eyes narrowing slightly in quiet disbelief. He looked down at the boy, expecting even a flicker of hesitation or nervousness in Sin's expression, but found none. Sin just tilted his head, looking at him with absolute trust and sweet patience, as if Kakucho were nothing more than a friendly, helpful neighbor rather than a high-ranking lieutenant of Japan's most feared criminal syndicate.

"Which one?" Kakucho asked, his voice deep, gravelly, and calm, devoid of his usual stern edge as he stepped closer to the shelf.

"The orange-blossom honey glaze, right next to the maple syrup," Sin pointed up with a slender, delicate finger, his ocean-blue eyes sparkling with gratitude even before Kakucho had grabbed it. "I tried jumping a little, but I didn't want to accidentally knock the glass jars down and make a mess for the store workers."

Kakucho reached up effortlessly, his long, muscular arm easily grasping the glass jar from the highest shelf without even needing to lift his heels. He lowered his hand and held the jar out to Sin. "This one?"

"Yes! That's exactly it!" Sin beamed, taking the jar carefully into both hands as if it were a precious treasure. "Thank you so much! You're so tall and kind, sir. I really don't know what I would have done without your help."

Kakucho felt a strange, unfamiliar warmth settle in his chest, mixed with a faint urge to sigh at how recklessly trusting the boy was. He adjusted the cuff of his suit jacket, his dark gaze lingering on Sin’s soft features. "You shouldn't be climbing or reaching recklessly for heavy glass jars alone. If it dropped, you could have gotten hurt."

Sin blinked his large cerulean eyes, a quiet, gentle laugh escaping his soft lips as he hugged the jar to his chest. "I suppose you're right! I'm usually a bit clumsy, so I really appreciate you looking out for me. My name is Sin, by the way!"

"Kakucho," he replied simply, keeping his tone measured, though his protective instincts—usually reserved for Mikey and his inner circle—were subtly nudging him to ensure this innocent boy made it out of the aisle safely.

"It's very nice to meet you, Kakucho-san!" Sin gave a polite, sweet little bow, his white messy hair falling slightly over his forehead before he looked back up with that brilliant, ocean-bright stare. "Are you shopping for dinner tonight? If you ever need help finding any spices or baking ingredients, I know this aisle pretty well!"

Kakucho couldn't help the small, almost imperceptible curve that touched the corner of his lips at the boy's endearing, completely oblivious offer. "I think I have everything I need. But make sure you ask for help next time instead of reaching blindly, Sin."

"I will! Thank you again, Kakucho-san. Have a wonderful evening!" Sin offered one last cheerful wave before turning around to carefully place the honey jar into his small hand basket, humming a light tune under his breath as he moved further down the aisle.

Kakucho stood still for a moment, watching the boy's small, pastel-clad figure disappear around the corner. He reached into his suit jacket, lightly tapping the concealed firearm resting against his ribs—a stark reminder of the dark, violent world he belonged to. Yet, as he looked back at the top shelf where the jar had been, Kakucho felt a sudden, fierce resolve taking root in his mind. In a city choked by bloodshed and greed, meeting someone as untainted, sweet, and pure as Sin felt like finding a rare flower in a warzone—and Kakucho resolved right then that if their paths ever crossed again in Tokyo's dangerous streets, he would make sure no harm ever touched the innocent boy.

As Sin continued down the aisle, his eyes caught on a small display of decorative tea tins. Still holding his hand basket, he leaned in to inspect the floral labels, completely unaware that Kakucho had lingered just a few paces behind. Kakucho kept a casual distance, pushing his cart along with methodical slowness. His sharp eyes scanned the surrounding area—not out of suspicion toward Sin, but out of habit, keeping a quiet perimeter around someone so remarkably defenseless.

When Sin reached for a box of chamomile tea, his fingers accidentally slipped against the glossy packaging, sending two other boxes tumbling off the edge. Before they could hit the floor, Kakucho moved with practiced speed, catching both boxes effortlessly in one broad hand.

Sin gasped softly, his hands immediately coming up to cover his mouth. His cerulean eyes widened in shock, glistening like polished jewels under the store lights. "Oh goodness! Kakucho-san, your reflexes are amazing! I am so sorry, I’m so clumsy today..."

"It's fine," Kakucho said, his deep voice carrying a grounding, steady weight. He placed the boxes neatly back on the display before turning to look down at the white-haired boy. "You don't need to apologize for an accident."

Sin looked up at him, a soft, grateful smile breaking across his features once more, highlighting the delicate beauty mark beneath his left eye. "You really are a guardian angel today, Kakucho-san. First the honey, and now saving the tea boxes! Are you sure you're not secretly a superhero?"

The innocent comparison caught Kakucho entirely off guard. A man whose hands were stained with the blood of Tokyo's criminal underworld being called a "guardian angel" or a "superhero" was almost absurd, yet there wasn't a trace of sarcasm in Sin's gentle tone. Sin truly believed it. Kakucho cleared his throat slightly, adjusting his collar to hide the faint shift in his composure. "Far from it," he murmured quietly. "Just paying attention."

"Well, superhero or not, you've made my grocery trip a lot brighter," Sin said sweetly, stepping closer and placing the box of chamomile tea into his basket. He looked down at Kakucho's cart, noticing the sparse assortment of heavy, high-end cut meats and imported coffee beans. "Are you shopping for a big household? You have very sophisticated taste!"

"Just for my employer and colleagues," Kakucho replied, keeping his explanation simple. He didn't feel the need to elaborate that his "employer" was Manjiro Sano and his "colleagues" were the deadliest syndicate leaders in Japan. "They can be... particular about what they eat."

"That's so thoughtful of you to do the shopping for everyone!" Sin beamed, his obliviousness completely shielding him from the reality of Bonten's inner workings. "Working for a big company must be exhausting, but they're very lucky to have someone as caring as you taking care of them."

Kakucho stared at Sin for a brief second, marveling silently at how effortlessly the boy reframed his dark life into something so pure and benign. He felt an odd, protective warmth swelling in his chest, a stark contrast to the cold calculation he maintained daily. "They don't make it easy," Kakucho admitted, a rare, faint glint of humor in his eyes. "But someone has to keep things running."

"If you ever need a break, there's a lovely little tea shop just down the street from here," Sin offered warmly, his tone soft and inviting. "They have the sweetest peach pastries! I go there whenever I feel overwhelmed."

"I'll keep that in mind," Kakucho said, his dark eyes softening as he took in the boy's sincere, bright expression. He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a sleek, unbranded business card—simple, dark cardstock embossed only with a direct phone number, usually reserved for emergency contacts within Bonten's network. He held it out to Sin. "Here. Take this."

Sin took the card carefully with both hands, looking down at the sleek dark paper in curiosity. "A phone number?"

"If you ever find yourself in trouble, or if you ever need help with something you can't reach... call this number," Kakucho said firmly, his eyes dead serious. "No matter what time it is."

Sin blinked, his ocean-blue eyes shimmering with pure, sweet delight. He tucked the card carefully into the front pocket of his cozy pastel sweater, patting it gently. "Thank you, Kakucho-san! You're really the kindest person I've met all week. I'll make sure to keep it safe!"

"Good," Kakucho nodded, feeling a profound sense of satisfaction knowing the boy now had a direct line to him. As Sin bade him another warm goodbye and headed toward the checkout counters, Kakucho stood by his cart, watching until the small, white-haired boy safely exited the building into the cool Tokyo afternoon. Pushing his cart toward the cashier, Kakucho made a quiet mental note to ensure that area of the city remained entirely free of any street trouble—unbeknownst to Sin, he had just gained the absolute protection of Bonten's top executive.

The heavy glass doors of the luxury grocery store slid open, letting in a gentle gust of cool evening air as Sin stepped out onto the wide sidewalk. The Tokyo sky had shifted into a soft, bruised violet, dotted with early streetlights that flickered to life one by one. Sin adjusted the handles of his cloth shopping bag, the weight of the honey glaze and chamomile tea feeling pleasant against his hand. He took a deep, contented breath, his white messy hair blowing slightly in the breeze, before taking a leisurely stride down the pavement toward his apartment.

A few meters behind, Kakucho stepped out into the crisp air, carrying his own sleek black shopping bags. His towering frame and sharp, scar-lined face remained a striking contrast to the bustling district, but his red-tinted dark eyes were focused solely on the small, pastel-clad boy walking ahead. He kept a deliberate, quiet distance—close enough to intervene in a heartbeat, yet far enough that Sin wouldn't feel followed. For Kakucho, whose daily life revolved around high-stakes territorial deals and bloody executive meetings, walking behind someone so completely devoid of malice felt surreal.

As Sin reached the intersection near a quiet residential park, a sharp, metallic screech of tires pierced the evening calm. A heavily tinted, unbadged black sedan pulled up abruptly along the curb just a few feet ahead of Sin, cutting off his path. The rear door flew open, and two heavily built men in rough, dark streetwear spilled out, their aggressive postures instantly setting off alarm bells in Kakucho's mind. They were low-level extortionists—thugs trying to make a quick name for themselves in Bonten’s territory.

"Hey! Kid, hold up," one of the men barked, stepping into Sin’s line of sight with an ugly, threatening grin. "You look like you come from a wealthy family. How about you hand over your wallet and whatever is in that bag before things get messy?"

Sin stopped in his tracks, blinking his wide, cerulean eyes in complete, innocent confusion. He looked at the tall, aggressive man, then down at his grocery bag, before offering a soft, gentle smile that caught both thugs entirely off guard. "Oh! Are you hungry, sir? I only have baking glaze and tea in here, but if you're having a hard time buying food, I can share some of my pastries from home!"

The thugs stared at Sin, genuinely stunned by the boy’s total lack of fear and sweet, oblivious offer. The leader scowled, stepping closer and grabbing Sin by the collar of his cozy pastel sweater. "Are you making fun of me, brat?! Hand over your money now!"

Before the thug could pull Sin an inch, a heavy, gloved hand clamped down around his wrist with the force of a hydraulic press. Kakucho had closed the distance silently, his terrifying, six-foot-two frame looming over both men like a shadow of pure dread. The atmosphere instantly plummeted into a suffocating, deadly chill. Kakucho’s red-tinted eyes glared down at the thug with cold, lethal promise, his scar prominent against his rigid, furious expression.

"Take your hand off him," Kakucho commanded, his voice dropping into a low, terrifying rumble that vibrated through the quiet street. "Right now."

The thug yelped as Kakucho’s grip tightened, the bones in his wrist creaking under the overwhelming pressure. Recognizing the signature scar and the terrifying aura of Bonten’s No. 3 executive, both men turned deathly pale. "K-Kakucho-san?! We—we didn't know—we're sorry!" the leader stammered, his knees practically buckling in terror as the second thug backed away, completely paralyzed by fear.

With a flick of his wrist, Kakucho shoved the man backward onto the pavement. "Get out of my sight before I make sure you never walk through this district again," Kakucho threatened coldly, reaching inside his tailored suit jacket just enough to flash the sleek, dark leather of a concealed holster.

"Y-Yes sir! Forgive us!" the two thugs scrambled back into their car, the tires screeching loudly as they sped away into the night, desperate to escape the hitman's wrath.

Kakucho took a slow breath, instantly suppressing his terrifying killing intent before turning back to face Sin. He expected the boy to be trembling, crying, or terrified by the violent exchange he had just witnessed. Instead, Sin stood there, his ocean-blue eyes wide with absolute wonder, holding his grocery bag carefully with both hands.

"Kakucho-san!" Sin gasped softly, a bright, blooming smile sweeping across his face. "You really are a superhero! You came to help those poor men find their way, didn't you? They looked so confused, but you were so firm and brave!"

Kakucho blinked, utterly speechless for a second. He stared down at the white-haired boy, completely baffled by how Sin’s mind managed to turn a brutal gang threat into an act of heroic guidance. A quiet, deep sigh escaped Kakucho’s lips, though the corners of his mouth softened into a faint, protective smile. "They were dangerous, Sin. They were trying to hurt you."

"Oh, I don't think they meant any real harm," Sin said sweetly, stepping closer and tilting his head up at Kakucho with pure, gentle warmth. "People just get grumpy when they're stressed or hungry. But I felt completely safe the moment you stepped in! You're really my hero today."

"You're far too trusting..." Kakucho murmured softly, reaching out and gently patting the top of Sin's messy white hair, his touch surprisingly tender for a man who commanded legions of armed enforcers. "Come on. I'm walking you all the way to your door. I won't take no for an answer."

"Yay! I'd love that," Sin beamed, happily walking side-by-side with Bonten's deadliest executive under the warm glow of the streetlights, utterly unaware that the card in his sweater pocket now guaranteed him the unyielding protection of Tokyo's most dangerous underworld kingpins.

The walk to Sin’s apartment complex was quiet and surprisingly pleasant. Kakucho matched his long strides to Sin’s short, relaxed pace, his eyes scanning every shadowed alleyway and parked car along the route. Beside him, Sin hummed a light melody, blissfully unaware of the silent, tactical sweeping Kakucho was executing for his safety.

When they arrived at the quiet residential building, Sin stopped near the well-lit entrance, turning around with a soft swish of his pastel sweater.

"This is me," Sin said, his ocean-blue eyes sparkling under the warm entrance light. He held his grocery bag close, looking up at Kakucho with an expression of immense gratitude. "Thank you so much for walking with me, Kakucho-san. And for... well, everything today!"

"It was no trouble," Kakucho replied smoothly, keeping his tone even, though his eyes softened as he took in the boy's cheerful smile. He gave a firm nod toward the building door. "Head inside and lock your doors properly."

"I will!" Sin promised brightly. He reached into his sweater pocket, double-checking that the sleek, dark card Kakucho had given him was still safely tucked inside. "And I'll make sure to keep your card right next to my keys. If I ever get stuck with another top shelf, I know who to call!"

Kakucho couldn't help the small, rare smile that tugged at the corner of his lips. "Call me for anything. Not just shelves."

"You're very sweet, Kakucho-san. Goodnight!" Sin gave a polite, adorable bow before tapping his access card against the scanner and slipping inside the glass doors, giving one final wave through the glass before heading toward the elevators.

Kakucho stood on the pavement until he saw the light click on in a third-floor apartment window. Only when he was entirely certain Sin was safely inside did he reach into his pocket and pull out his encrypted smartphone.

He dialed a direct line, placing the phone to his ear as he turned to walk back toward his parked luxury car.

"Takeomi," Kakucho spoke into the receiver, his voice shifting instantly from gentle patience to the cold, authoritative tone of Bonten's second-in-command. "I want a permanent, discreet watch put on the residential district in Shibuya, near the third avenue park."

“A watch? What happened?” Takeomi’s raspy voice came through the speaker, sounding slightly surprised. “Did another syndicate cross into our territory?”

"No," Kakucho said firmly, his gaze drifting back up to the warm glow of the third-floor window one last time. "Just ensure the area is completely cleared of any low-life extortionists or trouble. If anyone so much as breathes near a boy with white hair named Sin, handle them immediately—and let me know."

There was a brief pause on the line before Takeomi chuckled softly, recognizing the unyielding tone of absolute protection in Kakucho's voice. “Understood. It’s done.”

Kakucho hung up, slipping his phone back into his suit coat. As he opened the door to his vehicle, he felt a strange sense of peace. In a world defined by violence, power, and dark shadows, he had just found something pure worth protecting—and he would make sure the innocent boy with ocean-blue eyes never had to learn just how dangerous Tokyo really was.

The smooth engine of Kakucho’s car hummed softly as he navigated through the glittering neon arteries of central Tokyo. Within twenty minutes, he pulled up to the high-security subterranean garage of Bonten’s main hideout—a monolithic, private skyscraper overlooking the bay. Leaving his sleek black bags on the passenger seat, he grabbed only the small box of gourmet tea and the specialized ingredients he had promised Mikey, adjusting his suit jacket before stepping into the private elevator.

When the heavy doors slid open on the top floor, the contrast to the quiet residential street Sin lived on was immediate and stark. The massive penthouse was bathed in dim, ambient lighting, smelling faintly of tobacco, expensive whiskey, and iron. Sanzu Haruchiyo was lounging lazily on one of the black leather sofas, casually cleaning a polished silver handgun, while Ran and Rindou Haitani bantered over a game of billiards in the corner. Sitting on the low table in the center of the room, staring blankly out the floor-to-ceiling glass window, was Manjiro Sano—Mikey.

"You took your sweet time, Kakucho," Sanzu drawled without looking up, his scarred lips twisting into a smirk. "Did you get lost in the soup aisle, or did you have to kill someone on the way?"

Kakucho ignored Sanzu’s typical provocation, walking straight toward the central lounge. He set the bag containing Mikey’s requested sweets on the low glass table. "Everything you asked for is here," Kakucho said calmly to Mikey.

Mikey shifted his dark, hollow eyes toward the bag, reaching out with a slow, deliberate movement to pull out a small box of dorayaki. "You were delayed," Mikey observed, his voice devoid of emotion, yet possessing that terrifying, quiet weight that held all of Bonten together. "Takeomi mentioned you ordered a patrol team to Shibuya."

The room fell unusually quiet. Ran paused mid-stroke with his cue stick, resting his chin on his hands as he looked over with amused curiosity. Rindou leaned against the billiard table, crossing his arms.

"Kakucho giving orders for a random suburban street?" Ran chuckled, his eyes glinting with mischief. "That's new. Did a rogue gang set up shop on our turf?"

"No," Kakucho replied, his voice steady and unbothered. He pulled a heavy crystal glass from the bar, pouring himself a splash of bourbon. "Just clearing out some trash."

"Trash?" Sanzu snorted, holstering his gun and leaning forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Since when do you care about petty street thugs bothering civilians? You looked almost... distracted when you walked in."

Kakucho took a slow sip of his drink, his sharp red-tinted eyes gazing into the amber liquid. He thought of the small boy in the pastel blue sweater—the absolute, pure innocence in Sin’s ocean-blue eyes, his sweet, oblivious smile, and the total lack of fear when facing a high-ranking underworld lieutenant. Kakucho knew the wolves sitting in this room. If any of them met Sin, their brutal, corrupt world would shatter the boy's delicate light in an instant.

"It's nothing for you to worry about," Kakucho said, his tone dropping into that unmistakable, icy authority that signaled the end of the conversation. "The area is secured. That's all."

Mikey slowly bit into his sweet, his dark eyes lingering on Kakucho’s face for a fraction of a second longer than usual. A faint, almost imperceptible shift passed over Mikey's pale features, as if he recognized the silent, fierce protectiveness radiating off his right-hand man. Mikey said nothing, simply turning his gaze back to the glowing city lights below, silently granting his unspoken approval.

Meanwhile, in a cozy, warm apartment three floors up in Shibuya, Sin was humming a gentle melody as he finished putting his groceries away. The room smelled sweetly of fresh chamomile tea, which was currently steeping in his favorite porcelain mug on the kitchen counter.

Sin picked up his pastel blue sweater from the chair where he had tossed it, reaching into the front pocket to pull out the sleek, heavy card Kakucho had given him. He held it up under the warm lamp light, tracing his finger over the deep, smooth texture of the black cardstock and the neatly raised numbers.

"Kakucho-san..." Sin murmured to himself, a soft, fond smile warming his face. "He looks so scary at first, but he's really just a big teddy bear."

Setting the card down carefully on his bedside table right next to his lamp, Sin picked up his warm mug of tea, taking a small, comforting sip. He walked over to his window, looking out at the quiet, peaceful street below. Down on the corner, completely hidden in the shadows of the park trees, an unmarked black car sat quietly idling—Takeomi’s discreet patrol, stationed there under Kakucho's explicit orders to guard the street.

Sin, completely oblivious to the heavily armed guards keeping watch over his building, rested his cheek against his hand and smiled out at the night. He felt inexplicably safe, knowing that somewhere in this big, chaotic city, a tall, scarred guardian angel was keeping an eye on him.

A few days passed in Tokyo, bringing a heavy, steady rainfall that slicked the city's concrete and painted the neon lights into blurred streaks of crimson and gold. Inside the private top floor of the Bonten tower, the rain lashed against the massive floor-to-ceiling windows.

Kakucho sat at a sprawling polished mahogany desk, meticulously reviewing financial ledgers and shipping manifests. Beside him, Takeomi leaned against the wall, blowing a cloud of bitter smoke from his cigarette.

"The boys on the Shibuya detail checked in," Takeomi said casually, tapping the ash into a tray. "Everything's quiet. The white-haired kid went to a local bakery yesterday morning, bought three peach pastries, and spent two hours reading by a window. Nobody approached him."

Kakucho’s pen paused for a split second before resuming its smooth movement across the paper. "Good."

Takeomi chuckled under his breath, shaking his head. "You really took a shine to him, didn't you, Kakucho? It’s not like you to play guardian angel to a random civilian."

"He's harmless," Kakucho replied, his voice deep and entirely even, though his sharp eyes held an immovable finality. "And he doesn't belong in the mess this city creates. Keep the guard on him."

Before Takeomi could answer, the heavy leather doors of the office swung open. Sanzu strolled in, tossing a sleek black tablet onto Kakucho's desk. "Information on the localized extortion racket we crushed last night," Sanzu drawled, a dark, manic grin playing on his face. "Turns out those low-lifes you scared off last week were trying to set up a protection racket around the third avenue market district. They were planning on going shop to shop today."

Kakucho’s dark, red-tinted eyes locked onto Sanzu instantly, the atmosphere in the room dropping several degrees. "Today?"

"Yeah. Guess they didn't take your little warning as seriously as they should have," Sanzu laughed, tapping his hip where his handguns rested. "Want me to go handle them permanently?"

"No," Kakucho said, standing up smoothly and pulling his heavy, dark trench coat over his tailored suit. The scar across his face seemed to harden into stone. "I'll handle it myself."

Meanwhile, oblivious to the storm brewing in the criminal underworld, Sin was navigating the rain-slicked sidewalks of Shibuya under a wide, clear plastic umbrella. He was wearing an oversized beige cardigan buttoned over a soft cream-colored turtleneck, his messy white hair damp at the tips from the mist. In his arms, he carefully cradled a small, tied paper box from his favorite bakery—containing two fresh, sweet peach pastries.

Sin had spent the entire morning thinking about how kind Kakucho had been at the supermarket. Remembering Kakucho's deep, steady voice and how effortlessly he had helped him, Sin had decided to swing by the high-end grocery store again, quietly hoping he might bump into the tall man and offer him a pastry as a small 'thank you.'

As Sin approached the quiet avenue near the market, the rain began to pour harder, drumming loudly against his umbrella. He stepped under the awning of a closed flower shop to catch his breath and adjust his grip on the bakery box.

Suddenly, three men stepped out from the shadow of a nearby alley, blocking his path. They were rough, soaked, and smelling strongly of cheap alcohol—clearly members of the same petty street crew Kakucho had confronted days prior.

"Well, well," the leader sneered, wiping rain from his forehead as his eyes fell on Sin. "If it isn't the little rich brat from the other day. Your scary bodyguard isn't around to save you this time, is he?"

Sin blinked, his large, ocean-blue eyes reflecting pure, gentle innocence. He didn't step back. Instead, he tilted his umbrella up slightly, looking at the drenched men with genuine concern. "Oh dear... you're completely soaked! You really shouldn't stand in the freezing rain like that, you'll catch a terrible cold."

The thugs stared at him, bewildered by the total absence of fear in the boy's voice. "Are you deaf?!" one of them snarled, grabbing the metal frame of Sin's umbrella and yanking it aside, letting the cold rain splatter against Sin's soft face. "Give us your money and that box, or we're going to drag you into the alley!"

Sin winced slightly at the harsh movement, but before he could even process the threat, a sleek, jet-black luxury SUV screeched to an absolute halt right at the curb.

The heavy door slammed open, and a towering figure stepped into the pouring rain.

Kakucho didn't even bother holding an umbrella. His dark coat absorbed the rain as he crossed the pavement in three long, terrifying strides. The aura radiating off him was so suffocating, so intensely murderous, that the air itself felt heavy to breathe.

"I thought I made myself clear," Kakucho's voice rumbled, darker and more lethal than the thunder crashing overhead.

The thug holding Sin's umbrella froze, turning pale as paper as he looked up into the icy, scar-marked face of Bonten's deadliest executive. "K-Kakucho-san—!"

Before the man could finish his sentence, Kakucho’s gloved hand snapped out like a striking viper, gripping the thug by the throat and slamming him violently against the brick wall of the building. The second and third thugs stumbled backward, falling over themselves in sheer terror as Kakucho’s lethal glare pinned them to the spot.

"If you ever step foot near this boy again," Kakucho purred, his voice dropping into a whisper that chilled them to the bone, "I won't just break your hands. I'll make sure nobody ever finds what's left of you."

He shoved the leader to the ground with total contempt. The three men didn't hesitate—they scrambled to their feet, abandoning their pride entirely as they sprinted blindly down the flooded street, disappearing into the storm.

Silence fell over the awning, save for the rhythmic patter of rain against the pavement. Kakucho took a slow breath, forcing his overwhelming killing intent to recede, terrified for a brief second that he had finally shown too much of his monstrous nature to the pure boy standing behind him.

He turned around slowly, picking up Sin’s fallen umbrella from the ground and shaking off the water. "Sin... are you hurt?"

Sin was standing there, his pale skin slightly damp from the rain, holding his bakery box tightly against his chest. His cerulean eyes were wide, but there was no terror, no disgust, and no fear in them. Instead, as he looked up at Kakucho, those ocean-bright eyes filled with absolute, radiant warmth.

"Kakucho-san!" Sin gasped softly. He stepped forward, completely ignoring the rain, and held his clear umbrella back over Kakucho's head to shield the tall man from the downpour. "You came again! You really do appear whenever someone is in trouble... like magic!"

Kakucho stared down at the small boy holding the umbrella up as high as his arms could reach to cover him. The contrast between Kakucho's dark, violent world and Sin's untainted perception was so vast it almost made Kakucho's chest ache.

Gently, Kakucho took the handle of the umbrella from Sin's hands, holding it effortlessly over both of them. "You shouldn't be out in this rain, Sin. It's dangerous."

"I was actually looking for you," Sin admitted timidly, a faint, adorable blush dusting his cheeks as he held up the bakery box. "I went to the bakery this morning to get those peach pastries I told you about... I wanted to give one to you to thank you for helping me the other day."

Kakucho looked down at the simple paper box, then back at Sin's sweet, expectant smile. The cold, ruthless lieutenant of Tokyo's worst criminal syndicate felt a sudden, profound shift in his heart—a silent promise that no matter how dark the world around them became, he would protect this boy's gentle light with his very life.

"Thank you, Sin," Kakucho said quietly, his gravelly voice softening into something undeniably tender. He placed a large, protective hand lightly on the small of Sin's back, guiding him toward the warmth of his car. "Come on. Let's get out of the rain... and you can tell me all about these pastries."

Kakucho opened the rear door of the sleek SUV, guiding Sin inside out of the chill. As Sin settled onto the plush leather seat, his eyes wandered around the immaculately clean interior in quiet awe. He carefully placed the damp bakery box on his lap, brushing a few stray strands of wet white hair from his forehead.

Kakucho climbed into the passenger side, closing the heavy door behind him and instantly shutting out the roar of the rain. The interior fell into a peaceful, muffled quiet, warmed by the soft glow of the dashboard lights and the gentle hum of the climate control.

"Are you warm enough?" Kakucho asked, turning slightly in his seat to look back at the boy. His sharp features were still damp from the downpour, but the lethal edge he carried outside had completely melted away.

"Yes, it's so cozy in here! Thank you, Kakucho-san," Sin beamed, his ocean-blue eyes sparkling with genuine warmth. He carefully unloosed the string around the paper box, opening the lid to reveal two golden, glazed peach pastries that filled the vehicle with a sweet, fruity aroma. "See? I brought the best ones! They bake them fresh every morning."

Sin picked up one of the delicate pastries, wrapped in a square of wax paper, and held it out to Kakucho with both hands, his small beauty mark catching the dim interior light as he smiled up at him expectantly.

Kakucho reached out, his broad, gloved hand taking the pastry with utmost care. The contrast was almost surreal—Bonten's top executive, a man feared across the nation's underworld, holding a delicate dessert handed to him by a boy who saw him as nothing less than a guardian hero.

"Thank you, Sin," Kakucho said softly, taking a small, polite bite. The pastry was crisp, sweet, and rich. "It's very good."

Sin’s face lit up with pure delight, a sweet, soft chuckle escaping his lips as he took a bite of his own. "I knew you'd like it! I was worried I wouldn't run into you again, but it feels like whenever I need a little extra help, you're always nearby."

"I told you," Kakucho murmured, his deep voice carrying an immovable promise as his red-tinted eyes held Sin's gentle gaze. "If you ever need anything, I'll be there. You don't have to worry about people like those men ever again."

Sin nodded happily, completely trusting the man sitting before him, blissfully oblivious to the vast, shadowy empire Kakucho commanded just to keep that innocent smile intact.

Outside, the rain continued to wash over the streets of Shibuya, but inside the warm luxury car, two entirely different worlds had found a quiet, unbreakable harmony.

The afternoon sun filtered through the lace curtains of Le Petit Verger, a quiet, hidden tea shop nestled in a cobblestone side street of Shibuya. The gentle clinking of porcelain and the sweet, buttery scent of warm scones created an atmosphere that felt worlds away from Tokyo's dark underbelly. Tucked into a cozy corner booth sat Sin, his messy white hair catching the soft sunlight and his cerulean eyes sparkling with quiet happiness. Dressed in a oversized mint-green knit sweater that swallowed his wrists, he carefully poured steaming peach-blossom tea into a floral cup, a tiny smile resting on his lips as the beauty mark beneath his left eye caught the light.

Sitting directly across from him, towering over the delicate wooden table, was Kakucho Hitto. Clad in a tailored charcoal suit that strained subtly over his muscular shoulders, Bonten’s formidable lieutenant looked hilariously out of place amidst the pastel decor and floral wallpaper. His sharp, red-tinted dark eyes were unusually relaxed, and his broad, scarred face lacked the cold, lethal edge he normally presented to the world. A small porcelain cup rested somewhat awkwardly between his large, leather-gloved fingers as he took a slow sip under Sin’s eager, expectant gaze.

"So?" Sin asked softly, leaning forward with his hands tucked under his chin, his large ocean-blue eyes wide with innocent anticipation. "Is it as sweet as I promised, Kakucho-san?"

"It’s surprisingly good," Kakucho replied in his deep, gravelly rumble, setting the delicate cup down with practiced care so as not to break it. "The peach flavor isn't overwhelming. You have excellent taste, Sin."

Sin beamed, a bright, rosy tint dusting his pale cheeks as he clapped his hands together gently. "I'm so glad! I was worried you might prefer strong black coffee or something bitter because you look so serious all the time. But I knew you had a soft side for sweets!"

A quiet, faint chuckle escaped Kakucho’s lips—a sound so rare that even Takeomi’s stationed guards outside the window would have blinked in sheer disbelief. "I don't mind sweet things every now and then," Kakucho admitted softly, his dark gaze lingering on Sin’s joyful, untainted expression. In a world full of betrayal, bloodshed, and greed, sitting in this quiet tea shop with a boy who saw him merely as a kind, protective friend felt like a rare, precious breath of fresh air.

Two days later, past eleven o'clock at night, Kakucho was sitting in a private briefing room at Bonten HQ, reviewing a thick stack of weapon shipment invoices. Opposite him sat Kokonoi Hajime, furiously typing away on a laptop, while Sanzu twirled a switchblade on the table in pure boredom. Suddenly, the quiet hum of the office was shattered by the sharp, high-pitched ring of Kakucho's personal phone—the direct line he had given Sin, programmed to bypass all silent modes.

In a fraction of a second, Kakucho moved with terrifying speed. He stood up so abruptly his leather chair slammed back against the wall, his hand instantly darting inside his tailored jacket to rest on the grip of his concealed firearm. His red-tinted eyes turned pitch black with intense, protective urgency. "What's wrong?" Kakucho demanded into the receiver, his voice dropping into an icy, deadly tone that caused both Kokonoi and Sanzu to freeze and look up in alarm. "Sin? Are you safe? Where are you?"

"O-Oh! Kakucho-san!" Sin’s soft, melodious voice came tumbling through the speaker, sounding slightly flustered and breathy. "I'm so sorry to call you so late! Am I interrupting something important? You told me to call this number if I ever had an emergency..."

"You aren't interrupting anything. Tell me what happened. Are those men back? Are you hurt?" Kakucho’s heart pounded against his ribs, his mind already calculating the fastest route to Sin's apartment and signaling Kokonoi to track the signal.

"No, no! Nobody is hurting me!" Sin quickly clarified, his gentle tone laced with cute, embarrassed panic. "It's just... I was trying to change the lightbulb in my hallway before bed, but the step-stool slipped, and now the spare bulb is wedged behind the heavy oak bookshelf! I tried reaching for it with a broom handle, but I accidentally pushed my cozy blanket up there too... and now I can't reach either of them, and my hallway is completely dark! I... I didn't know who else to call..."

Kakucho stood frozen in the middle of the room, his hand slowly sliding away from his gun as the sheer absurdity of the "emergency" washed over him. Beside him, Kokonoi caught the faint stray audio from the speaker and buried his face in his hands, muffling a laugh, while Sanzu smirked maniacally, mouthing, 'A blanket?' Kakucho let out a slow, long breath, the cold tension in his chest melting into a profound, fond warmth. "Stay right where you are in the dark, Sin. Don't try to climb anything else. I'll be there in ten minutes."

Ten minutes later, Kakucho’s luxury SUV pulled up along the curb outside Sin's apartment building. Kakucho took the stairs two at a time, arriving at Sin's third-floor door and knocking firmly. The door swung open, revealing Sin standing in the dim entry light, wearing fuzzy white slippers and an oversized pastel yellow hoodie that practically reached his knees. His snow-white hair was cute and messy, and he looked up at Kakucho with a mix of relief and shy embarrassment.

"Kakucho-san... I'm really sorry for making you come all the way here for something so silly," Sin murmured timidly, his cerulean eyes shining softly under his long lashes as he looked up at the towering executive. "You must think I'm so helpless..."

"I told you to call me for anything," Kakucho said smoothly, stepping past the threshold into the warm, cozy apartment that smelled sweetly of lavender and vanilla. "Show me where it is."

Sin guided him into the small hallway, pointing toward a tall, heavy dark-oak bookshelf. Sure enough, wedged tightly in the dusty narrow gap between the top of the shelf and the ceiling was a soft blue fleece blanket and a small box of lightbulbs. Kakucho didn't even hesitate; without needing a stool, his well-over-six-foot frame and long reach allowed him to effortlessly slip his gloved hand into the gap, retrieving both the blanket and the lightbulb box in three seconds flat. He then reached up, screwed the new bulb into the overhead fixture, and flipped the wall switch—instantly flooding the hallway with warm, bright light.

"W-Wow..." Sin gasped softly, his eyes widening in pure, starry-eyed wonder as he clutched the retrieved blanket to his chest. "You fixed it so fast! It took me forty minutes of jumping around!"

"You shouldn't be jumping around on unstable stools in the dark," Kakucho chided gently, turning to look down at the white-haired boy. He reached out, his broad, warm hand gently patting the top of Sin's messy hair. "Next time a bulb goes out, just leave it for me."

"You're really the most dependable person in the whole world, Kakucho-san," Sin beamed, his soft lips curving into a radiant, sweet smile that made Kakucho's protective instincts swell to absolute capacity. "Thank you so much!"

A week later, the sky above Shibuya was clear and crisp. Kakucho was walking down the busy shopping district alongside Bonten’s unpredictable No. 2, Haruchiyo Sanzu. Sanzu was in one of his notoriously foul, chaotic moods, his bright pink hair swaying as he lazily twirled a pair of dark sunglasses, complaining bitterly about a delayed shipment from their port contacts. Kakucho walked beside him, hands tucked into his trench coat pockets, his red-tinted eyes stoically scanning the crowd.

"I swear, if those dock workers don't speed it up, I'm going to personally put a bullet through—" Sanzu began, his jagged, scarred lips twisting into an ugly snarl, before his train of thought was abruptly shattered.

"Kakucho-san!"

A sweet, cheerful voice echoed above the ambient noise of the street. Kakucho stopped instantly, his head snapping toward the sound. Stepping out of a small floral shop on the corner was Sin, holding a brightly wrapped bouquet of yellow sunflowers. His messy white hair caught the crisp afternoon sunlight, and his ocean-blue eyes sparkled with pure, unrestrained delight as he spotted the tall man.

Sin practically jogged over, his fluffy oversized coat bouncing with every step, completely ignoring the fact that standing right next to Kakucho was Haruchiyo Sanzu—a man whose terrifying reputation and manic aura usually made ordinary citizens flee the sidewalk in terror.

"Sin," Kakucho spoke, his voice instantly softening as he stepped slightly in front of Sanzu, an instinctive, protective reflex kicking in to shield the pure boy from the erratic lieutenant. "What are you doing out here?"

"I was just picking up some fresh flowers for my windowsill!" Sin said happily, stepping right up to Kakucho with absolute trust. Then, his bright cerulean eyes drifted to the pink-haired man standing beside Kakucho. Instead of flinching at the dark scars stretching from the corners of Sanzu's mouth or the wild, unhinged glint in his magenta eyes, Sin offered a warm, sweet, completely oblivious smile. "Oh! Hello! Are you a friend of Kakucho-san?"

Sanzu froze, his magenta eyes narrowing into sharp, dangerous slits as he stared down at the small, white-haired boy. Sanzu’s hand subtly drifted toward the concealed firearm beneath his suit jacket, his chemical-addled mind trying to process why a random, defenseless civilian was approaching them with zero fear. "Who the hell is this brat, Kakucho?" Sanzu growled softly, his voice dripping with lethal malice.

Before Sanzu could take a step forward, Kakucho’s heavy, gloved hand clamped firmly onto Sanzu’s shoulder, holding him back with a subtle, unyielding warning grip that signaled absolute authority. "Watch your mouth, Haruchiyo," Kakucho purred in a low, dangerous undertone meant only for Sanzu's ears, his scar darkening slightly.

Sin, entirely blind to the deadly tension passing between the two high-ranking mobsters, reached into his floral wrapping, pulled out a single, perfectly bloomed yellow sunflower, and held it out toward Sanzu with both hands. "You look a little stressed, sir! Sunflowers always make my day brighter when I'm feeling overwhelmed. Here, you can have this one!"

Sanzu stared at the vibrant yellow flower held out by the delicate, pale hands of the boy. He looked from the flower up to Sin’s face—taking in the genuine, sweet innocence in those diamond-bright blue eyes and the small beauty mark beneath his left eye. For the first time in months, Sanzu was genuinely rendered speechless. The sheer, untainted purity radiating off Sin was so overwhelming it completely short-circuited Sanzu’s aggressive, chaotic thoughts.

Slowly, almost mechanically, Sanzu reached out with his leather-gloved fingers and took the stem of the sunflower. "A... flower?" Sanzu muttered, his manic edge faltering into utter bewilderment.

"Yep! I hope it brightens your afternoon!" Sin beamed, before turning his sweet smile back to Kakucho. "I'll let you two get back to your work! Thank you again for helping me with the lightbulb the other night, Kakucho-san. See you soon!" Sin gave a cute, cheerful wave before turning on his heel, humming a light tune as he happily strolled down the sidewalk toward his home.

Kakucho and Sanzu stood on the bustling street corner in complete silence, watching the small, white-haired figure disappear into the crowd.

Sanzu slowly looked down at the bright yellow sunflower in his hand, then turned his gaze toward Kakucho, his eyes wide with a mixture of shock and twisted amusement. "What... the hell was that, Kakucho? Who is that kid?"

Kakucho adjusted his trench coat collar, his red-tinted eyes softening with quiet pride as he looked in the direction Sin had gone. "That's Sin," Kakucho said, his voice dropping into a tone of absolute, immovable resolve. "And if you—or anyone else in Bonten—so much as causes him a single bad day, you'll have to answer directly to me."

Sanzu blinked, a slow, dark smirk slowly spreading across his scarred lips as he twirled the sunflower stem between his fingers. "Relax, right-hand man... I get it now," Sanzu chuckled softly, looking back down the street. "Something that pure... yeah. It'd be a crime to let anything break him."

The engine of the luxury black SUV purred quietly as Kakucho pulled away from the curb, leaving the bright yellow sunflower in Sanzu’s gloved hand and the quiet street corner behind. Sanzu slumped into the passenger seat, staring blankly out the tinted window with a strange, unreadable expression on his scarred face. Between his fingers, he held the delicate stem of the sunflower as if it were a fragile piece of glass, his usual chaotic chatter completely silenced by the lingering memory of Sin's sweet, unbothered smile.

"Keep staring at it like that and you'll wither the damn thing, Haruchiyo," Kakucho said calmly, keeping his eyes fixed on the road ahead as he navigated through Shibuya’s afternoon traffic. His voice was steady, but there was an unmistakable note of warning humming just beneath the surface.

"I'm just trying to figure out what kind of spell he put on you," Sanzu muttered, turning the vibrant blossom side to side. A quiet, raspy chuckle escaped his throat, though it lacked its usual sharp toxicity. "He looked at me—really looked at me—and didn't even flinch at the scars. Didn't look at my suit. Just handed me a damn flower because I looked 'stressed.' Is he completely out of his mind, Kakucho?"

"He's not out of his mind. He's just good," Kakucho replied smoothly, turning the wheel as they approached Bonten’s main skyscraper. He slowed down as the heavy iron gates lifted, guiding the vehicle into the underground parking bay. "He lives in a world that hasn't forced him to be cruel yet. And as long as I'm around, nobody is going to drag him into ours."

"Does Mikey know about him?" Sanzu asked, stepping out of the car and carefully placing the sunflower into his inner suit pocket so the petals wouldn't get crushed.

"Mikey knows he exists," Kakucho said, shutting his car door with a heavy thud. "And Mikey gave the order to ensure his shop and his life stay untouched. So if you're thinking of messing with him for fun, Haruchiyo, think twice."

Later that evening, the rain returned to Tokyo, slicking the pavement in shimmering reflections of neon red and blue. Inside his small apartment, Sin was sitting on his cozy rug, wearing a oversized knitted sweater with the sleeves pulled over his hands. The warm glow of the new hallway light bulb illuminated his tidy living space, where the bouquet of fresh flowers he had brought home sat neatly in a clear glass vase on the windowsill.

His phone buzzed softly on the small coffee table. Sin picked it up, his cerulean eyes lighting up when he saw Kakucho’s name on the screen. He pressed the button immediately, resting the phone against his ear with a soft, happy sigh. "Hello, Kakucho-san!"

"Good evening, Sin," Kakucho’s deep rumble came through the speaker, accompanied by the quiet sound of papers shuffling in his office. "I'm just calling to make sure the light bulb is still working and that you didn't try climbing onto any more bookshelves today."

Sin giggled, a sweet, musical sound that made Kakucho pause his pen in the middle of signing a high-value financial document. "No, I stayed completely on the ground today, I promise! The hallway is super bright now. Oh, and did your friend like the sunflower? He looked like he was having a tough afternoon, so I hope it helped!"

Kakucho couldn't help the faint, genuine smile that tugged at the corner of his lips as he leaned back in his leather executive chair. "He was definitely surprised. He kept it with him all day, actually. You have a habit of throwing people off, Sin."

"I just like seeing people smile," Sin murmured gently, wrapping his arms around his knees as he looked out at the rain washing against his windowpane. "You work so hard and you always look so serious, Kakucho-san. But whenever you're around, I feel completely safe. So I want to make sure you're happy too."

On the other end of the line, silence stretched for a long, quiet moment. Kakucho closed his eyes, letting the boy's soft, untainted words settle into his chest—a gentle reminder of why he fought so hard to keep the darkness of Bonten far away from this little sanctuary.

"I am happy, Sin," Kakucho said softly, his voice full of protective warmth. "Get some sleep tonight. And if you ever need anything—big or small—you know where to find me."

"I know," Sin whispered happily, his soft pink lips curving into a gentle smile as he curled up under his freshly retrieved blanket. "Goodnight, Kakucho-san."

‧₊˚✧ 𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 ✧₊˚‧ ──────────────── ‧₊˚✧ ☾ ☼ ☽ ✧₊˚‧

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Act I: The High-End Grocery Supermarket

Character Secret Trivia: Kakucho Hitto

The "Grocery Errand" Cover: Kakucho’s appearance in the high-end supermarket wasn’t completely random. Mikey had personally requested a specific imported honey glaze for his dorayaki, but Kakucho refused to send low-level Bonten grunts to get it. He secretly enjoys doing minor personal errands himself because the mundane routine of picking out groceries provides a brief, grounding escape from managing Bonten's violent operations.

Character Secret Trivia: Sin

The Glaze Obsession: Sin didn't actually need the orange-blossom honey glaze for baking. He wanted to try making a special homemade glaze for his morning toast after reading about it in a cozy culinary magazine. His clumsiness and inability to reach the top shelf was entirely genuine, as he had tried jumping three times before Kakucho walked into the aisle—nearly knocking down a row of expensive olive oils in the process.

Act II: The Rain-Slicked Street Confrontation

Character Secret Trivia: The Extortionist Thugs

The Unintended Mercy: The two street thugs Kakucho confronted were low-level recruits trying to impress a rogue local syndicate. When Kakucho clamped his hand down on the leader's wrist, he intentionally controlled his strength to only bruise the bone rather than crush it completely—not out of mercy for the thug, but because he didn't want the sound of breaking bone to terrify Sin.

Act III: The Ride Home & The Patrol Order

Character Secret Trivia: Takeomi Akashi

The Shibuya Detail: When Takeomi received Kakucho’s call ordering a permanent patrol around Sin’s residential street, he didn't question it further because he initially assumed Sin was Kakucho’s secret informant or a high-value asset. It wasn't until days later—when his men reported Sin spent two hours reading in a bakery—that Takeomi realized Kakucho was simply using Bonten’s top-tier intelligence network as a personal bodyguard service for a completely harmless civilian.

Act IV: The Bonten Headquarters Lounge

Character Secret Trivia: Manjiro Sano (Mikey)

Mikey's Silent Intuition: Mikey knew Kakucho was hiding something the moment he walked into the penthouse lounge carrying the gourmet tea and sweet ingredients. Mikey didn't probe Kakucho about his sudden interest in Shibuya because he recognized the subtle shift in Kakucho’s posture—the exact same protective, fierce aura Kakucho used to carry years ago during their childhood. Mikey silently allowed the private patrol order to stand as an unspoken gift to his most loyal friend.

Character Secret Trivia: Ran & Rindou Haitani

The Lost Bet: After Kakucho brushed off Sanzu's probing about his delay at the grocery store, Ran and Rindou secretly placed a ¥100,000 bet on what Kakucho was up to. Ran bet that Kakucho had secretly bought an illegal weapon cache, while Rindou bet that he was tracking an undercover cop. Both of them lost miserably when Sanzu later brought back the story of the white-haired boy and the sunflower.

Act V: The Tea Shop (Le Petit Verger)

Character Secret Trivia: Kakucho Hitto

The Delicate Porcelain Handing: Before Sin arrived at Le Petit Verger, Kakucho arrived 10 minutes early to inspect the tea shop's exit routes and seat positions. When handed the delicate porcelain teacup, Kakucho had to actively calibrate his grip strength; he was so accustomed to holding heavy firearms and steering wheels that he genuinely feared snapping the delicate ceramic handle between his fingers while trying to impress Sin.

Act VI: The Late-Night "Emergency" Call

Character Secret Trivia: Hajime Kokonoi (Koko)

The 10-Second Signal Track: When Kakucho’s phone rang late at night and Kakucho drew his gun, Koko had already initiated a high-speed GPS trace on the caller’s number within four seconds. By the time Sin explained that his blanket was stuck behind a bookshelf, Koko was staring at a satellite view of a quiet apartment complex and had to rapidly cancel an automated emergency dispatch order he was about to send to Bonten’s armed field units.

Act VII: The Street Encounter & The Sunflower

Character Secret Trivia: Haruchiyo Sanzu

The Kept Sunflower: Sanzu’s uncharacteristic silence after receiving the sunflower from Sin wasn't just confusion—it triggered a faint, distant memory of his past before Bonten's darkness completely consumed him. Despite his manic demeanor and dark remarks in the car, Sanzu actually brought the yellow sunflower back to his private office at HQ, placing it in a glass bottle on his desk where it remained until the petals naturally withered.

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OMAKE: The Legend of the Sunflower

The ambient lighting in Bonten’s primary briefing room was, as usual, oppressively dim. Classical music drifted faintly from Mikey’s private suite down the hall, creating a calm atmosphere that was currently being completely ruined by the Haitani brothers.

Ran Haitani leaned over the long, polished mahogany conference table, his chin resting in his hand as his sharp eyes locked onto the small, bright yellow sunflower sitting in an empty glass water bottle right in the center of Haruchiyo Sanzu’s desk.

"Rindou," Ran called out casually, not taking his eyes off the flower. "Am I hallucinating, or did our psychotic No. 2 suddenly take up ikebana?"

Rindou didn't even look up from his phone, his thumb tapping rapidly against the screen. "You're hallucinating. Sanzu probably snorted fertilizer by accident."

"I am standing right here, you idiots," Sanzu’s raspy voice growled from the corner leather couch. He was slouched back, twirling his polished silver pistol around his index finger with terrifying speed, his manic magenta eyes glaring at the brothers. "Touch the flower and I’ll put three rounds through your hand, Ran."

Ran chuckled, leaning in closer to inspect the vibrant yellow petals. "Where did you even get it? Did you murder a florist?"

"He didn't get it himself," Kokonoi Hajime interjected smoothly, walking into the room with a sleek tablet tucked under his arm and a hot cup of espresso in the other. He stopped by the table, tapping a few keys on his device before looking at Sanzu with a smirk. "According to the street surveillance feed Kakucho made me pull from Shibuya, a cute, white-haired boy gave it to him."

The room went dead silent for two full seconds.

Rindou’s thumb stopped dead on his phone screen. He slowly raised his head, his glass-framed eyes widening slightly. "A... boy? Gave Sanzu... a flower?"

"And Sanzu didn't shoot him?" Ran asked, genuinely baffled. "Who is this kid? Is he a wizard? Does he possess dark magic?"

"He's Kakucho's civilian," Sanzu grumbled, taking a slow sip from a dark bottle of whiskey. His scarred lips twisted into a subtle, uncharacteristic scowl that lacked any real malice. "The brat thought I looked 'stressed' and handed it to me like I was some kind of charity case."

Right on cue, the double doors of the briefing room swung open. Kakucho stepped inside, clad in his sharp, charcoal-tailored suit. His red-tinted dark eyes swept across the room, taking in the scene instantly: Ran hovering over the sunflower, Koko smirking, and Sanzu brooding on the couch.

Kakucho walked straight to his desk, completely unbothered by the stares. "Koko, do you have the financial reports for the harbor deal?"

"I do," Koko nodded, handing over a thick folder. "Also, Kakucho... your friend Sin has officially become a legend among our patrol guys in Shibuya."

Kakucho’s eyes narrowed slightly, his scar darkening. "What did they do?"

"Nothing bad!" Koko raised his hands in mock defense, laughing softly. "It's just that yesterday afternoon, one of our discreet surveillance guys accidentally dropped his notebook while following Sin at a safe distance. Sin picked it up, ran two blocks to return it, and gave the guy a homemade strawberry candy because he looked 'tired from walking.'"

Ran burst out laughing, slapping his knee. "Are you serious?! Kakucho, where did you find this kid? He's turning our elite hitmen into softies!"

"He's not turning anyone into anything," Kakucho said firmly, though his deep voice carried a distinct edge of fond pride that didn't escape anyone's notice. He placed the harbor files on his desk and turned his gaze toward Sanzu. "And I see you actually kept the flower, Haruchiyo."

Sanzu glared at Kakucho, crossing his arms tightly over his chest and turning his head away with a huff. "It was either put it in water or throw it in the trash. The bright yellow color was hurting my eyes anyway."

"Right. That's why you've been threatening to shoot anyone who steps within three feet of it for the last two hours," Rindou drawled, finally sliding his phone into his pocket with a amused smirk.

Before Kakucho could reply, the door to Mikey's suite clicked open. The entire room fell instantly silent as Manjiro Sano stepped out into the main hallway, holding a small, empty glass dish. Mikey's dark, hollow eyes scanned the room, landing briefly on the bright yellow sunflower sitting on the table, then shifting over to Kakucho.

"Kakucho," Mikey spoke quietly, his tone flat yet absolute.

"Yes, Mikey?" Kakucho answered respectfully, stepping forward.

Mikey held up the small dish. "The honey glaze you brought from the store last week ran out. Get more."

A tiny, almost imperceptible curve touched the corner of Kakucho’s lips as he nodded. "Understood. I'll head back to the supermarket in Shibuya right away."

As Kakucho turned to leave, Ran leaned over to Rindou and whispered loudly, "Fifty bucks says he conveniently 'bumps' into the white-haired boy in the baking aisle again."

"I'm not taking that bet," Rindou snorted. "He definitely will."

Kakucho ignored them both, stepping into the private elevator with a quiet sense of satisfaction. As the doors closed, he reached into his suit jacket, checking his phone—silently hoping that maybe, just maybe, a certain white-haired boy in a cozy pastel sweater would be struggling to reach a top shelf today.

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