"You are such great kung fu masters—go take it to the road!" the Landlady taunted, her voice cutting through the room like a rusty blade. "You belong in the circus, not here!"
Liu Hongbin (Coolie), Cai Jin (Tailor), and Zhou Lin (Donut) stood before her in silence. Liu Hongbin stood with an unapologetic face. Cai Jin stared at the floor, nervously twisting the hem of his shirt. Zhou Lin stood with his hands clasped tightly in front of him, eyes downcast.
The communal room was packed with residents, many wrapped in fresh bandages. The Axe Gang's attack had left its mark on nearly everyone.
I stayed tucked in the far corner, trying to make myself as small as possible. Colleen wasn't here, and I had zero desire to face this old lioness alone.
"Don't say that, Landlady," an older resident said gently, touching the bandage on his head. "There must be a reason they're here."
"Everyone has their reasons," Zhou Lin said quietly. "We don't want to cause trouble."
"Oh, so now you understand that?" the Landlady snapped sarcastically. "Because of your little hero show, the entire mob is furious with us. We'll never hear the end of it!"
Her head whipped toward me like a hawk spotting prey.
"And you, Kevin." She scoffed. "You think you can hide in the corner?"
Her voice rose to a piercing shrill. "How dare you cause all this trouble after I even offered to introduce you to my daughter!"
I was too speechless. I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. What could I even say to that?
"Landlady, please," the older resident tried again. "He risked his life for us, even though he's an outsider. We should be thanking him." He turned to me with a warm, grateful smile. "Colleen has a good student."
I nodded with a smile at him.
"Good student, my ass!" the Landlady shrieked. "I never liked Colleen from the start, but at least she had the decency to keep her martial arts outside the Alley. Now her student is stirring up the same mess. Maybe I should throw her out, too!"
She spun back to the three men. "At least Colleen told us she was a martial artist beforehand." Her eyes narrowed. "Not like you three—pretending to be ordinary men all this time."
Before anyone could respond, a soft voice came from outside.
"Masters…"
We looked out, and it was the mother and son from before, together with another old woman. The kid had a ceramic bowl in his hands. All three knelt on the ground.
Liu Hongbin, Cai Jin, and Zhou Lin hurried outside. I followed a step behind. Hongbin gently lifted the boy to his feet; the mother and old woman rose as well.
"We have nothing precious to offer," the old woman said softly, her eyes warm with gratitude. "But please accept this small token."
"Thank you for saving us!" the boy said, lifting the bowl higher. Steam rose from it, carrying the savory scent of dumplings.
"Please forgive us," the mother added quietly. "We didn't have much pork… so it's mostly chives."
Hongbin accepted the bowl with both hands, treating it with the reverence of something far heavier than dumplings. The four of us stood in silence, staring down at the still-steaming food.
Cai Jin's eyes glistened. He pressed a hand over his mouth, fighting back tears that threatened to spill anyway.
"Stop the crying," the Landlady said disdainfully as she walked out as well. "This isn't a reality show."
"You're so black-hearted," Cai Jin said in a choked voice, still fighting back tears.
"Talking back to me, eh?" The Landlady raised an eyebrow. "You may know kung fu, but you're still a sissy."
Tailor sniffled and ran to a nearby pillar, arms windmilling. He pressed his face against it and cried harder. "It's not a crime to be good at kung fu!" he wailed.
"Once a sissy, always a sissy," the Landlady scoffed. Her eyes dropped to his white silk pants, which were translucent enough to faintly show his red underwear. "Look at you. What's with the red underwear?" She continued in a nasty tone, "Why not wear a thong while you're at it?"
Tailor cried even louder and fled from her. He hugged the old man who had spoken up for them earlier. The old man gently patted his back.
"What's wrong with red underwear?"
The voice came from a woman in a red-and-white qipao as she descended the stairs.
"Where were you when there was trouble?" she argued angrily. "If it weren't for them, we'd be finished. Be reasonable!"
"You want me to be reasonable?" the Landlady shot back. "I'll show you reasonable!"
She turned to Coolie. "You owe me one month's rent." She turned to Donut. "You also owe me one month's rent." She scoffed. "Pay up or get lost!"
"Don't worry, I'll pay for them," the woman offered easily.
"Think you're a smartass, huh? Rabbit-Tooth Jane," the Landlady sneered.
"What's it to you, you absolute tub of lard?" Jane shot back without flinching an inch.
"You miserable bitch!" the Landlady roared.
By then, the other residents had joined in, some accusing the Landlady of being unreasonable, others pleading with her to let the matter go.
The Landlady suddenly went quiet. She looked at the residents with disdain and flicked the cigarette from her mouth. She took a deep breath and roared,
"SHUT THE HELL UUUUP!"
The shout was deafening. Everyone instinctively covered their ears. A nearby window's glass cracked from the force.
She stopped, took out a new cigarette, lit it calmly, and said in a low, dangerous voice, "You think you can out-yell me?"
"Anger is not good for health, Longnu."
A calm, gentle voice came from the Deep Alley Medicine Shop. Granny Mei walked out slowly with her crutch, taking small, careful steps. Behind her followed the last resident she had patched up.
Every resident respectfully got out of the way. Granny Mei walked up to the landlady.
"But, Senior Mei—" the Landlady tried to speak, her tone noticeably more subdued.
Granny Mei gently shook her head, a serene expression on her face.
"Longnu," she said with a kind smile, "I know you are upset with them, but it is not fair to blame only them."
The Landlady frowned.
Granny Mei continued softly, "After all, the entire cause and effect of this matter started when you beat that boy."
The Landlady's jaw tightened.
"I'm not accusing you, Longnu," Granny Mei said, still smiling gently. "You are not to be blamed. You did what was best for the residents to protect them from the bully."
The Landlady's face had just begun to relax when Granny Mei added, "But they are also not to be blamed. They also acted for the residents. They did what they thought was best to protect us from the gangsters."
Granny Mei's smile deepened slightly as she changed the subject. "But what do I know? I am just a senile old woman."
"Fine," the Landlady said through gritted teeth. She turned to the three men and gave them a venomous look. "I'll be watching you. Rabbit-Tooth Jane might pay your rent for now, but you better not slip up again. That will be your last day here."
The Landlady turned and left without waiting for a reply.
The residents cheered. Coolie, Donut, and Tailor looked at Granny Mei and nodded gratefully. Granny Mei simply smiled sweetly in return.
Then Granny Mei turned to me. "Thank you, Kevin, for waiting."
I waved my hand, embarrassed. Since many residents were injured, I had decided to wait so Granny Mei could treat them first.
"Come with me, dear," Granny said with a smile.
I nodded and followed her into the medicine shop.
I sat on a stool as Granny brought out a familiar box. It was the set of Ghost Gate Thirteen Needles she had used on me before.
One by one, she inserted three acupuncture needles into my arm. She lightly pressed one, and a soothing warmth spread through my limb. The pain and dizziness gradually lessened as a sickly green liquid oozed from the pores of my arm.
Within a few minutes, my arm was as good as new.
"Thanks, Granny Mei," I said. "I'm sorry, but I was in a hurry, so I didn't bring the tea leaves from before. I promise to bring them next time."
"It's no problem, Kevin," Granny said with an easy smile. "I already told you, as Colleen's friend, you don't need to pay. Moreover, after you helped the residents, how could I ask for payment?"
I nodded.
"By the way, Kevin," Granny said suddenly.
I looked at her.
"That sword art you used earlier in the fight," Granny said. "Would you mind telling an old woman where exactly you learned it?"
I hesitated. The old man hadn't told me much, but I could sense he had major problems. I didn't know if mentioning his name in front of her would cause trouble for him.
Granny smiled at my hesitation. "It's okay if you don't want to tell," she said gently.
I gave an embarrassed smile.
Then, completely out of nowhere, Granny asked, "Kevin, how would you like to apprentice under me and learn the art of medicine?"
I froze internally. Granny Mei's skills were excellent, no doubt. But neither did we know each other well enough, nor was I some heavenly genius for her to make such an offer. Saving the residents might have made her grateful, but I had a feeling that wasn't the real reason. No… I actually had a faint idea why she had made that offer. And that was exactly why I couldn't accept it right away.
"Thank you, Granny Mei, for the opportunity," I said with genuine gratitude. Then, with an apologetic smile, I continued, "Would it be all right if I took some time to think about it?"
"Of course, dear," Granny Mei agreed easily. "Take your time."
I thanked her again and left the shop swiftly. I needed to talk to the old man as soon as possible.
—
When Kevin left the shop, Tang Mei looked at the closed door. A fond smile appeared on her face for a moment.
"You have found a good disciple."
—
"Hey, old man," I called out as soon as I entered the ramen shop. It wasn't rush hour, so the shop was empty. "Do you know a woman named Tang Mei? She might be an assassin."
Old man Kobayashi froze at the name. It was fleeting, but I saw longing in his eyes.
"How do you know her?" the old man asked. He tried to sound casual, but there was hidden eagerness in his voice.
I gave him a summary of where and how I met her, and of her offer to me after recognizing his swordsmanship.
The old man didn't speak for a minute. He sat with his eyes closed, as if reminiscing.
Finally, he opened his eyes. Back to his usual stoic expression, he said, "She isn't an enemy. You can accept her offer if you are interested in that field."
"Is she… your old flame or something?" I blurted out.
The old man calmly stood and walked up to me. He hit me with a hand chop to the head.
"The hell, old man?!"
"You can leave for now. Do whatever you want for the time being. I want to stay alone for some time," the old man said and went inside.
I watched him leave and shrugged.
It was time before the evening rush hour. Since he had no problem with her, I left the shop and went back to the Pig Sty Alley.
—
Kobayashi Kenji went to his room. He took a small wooden box out of the drawer and lifted the lid. Inside rested a faded piece of a jade hairpin. A fond smile appeared on his face.
Tokyo, Japan – The 1980s
Heavy rain hammered the garden, turning stone paths into glistening streams and flattening the grass. The shoji overlooking the courtyard stood wide open, letting the downpour fill the room with the scent of wet earth.
The first assassin came through the ceiling.
He dropped soundlessly from behind one of the beams, dagger already angled toward Yashida Shingen's throat. Shingen saw the movement too late. Barely twenty years old, he jerked back, one hand going to the short blade at his waist.
Kobayashi Kenji moved before either of them finished breathing. His sword came out, flashed once, and returned to its sheath.
The assassin landed in two pieces. His dagger slid away across the tatami. Blood pooled beneath him.
Kenji looked at the hole in the ceiling and sighed. "Shingen-kun, your hospitality is declining."
Shingen stared at the dead man, then at Kenji. Exasperated, he said, "This isn't my hospitality."
Kenji countered, "It happened under your roof."
Shingen shouted, "This isn't my roof either."
"That makes it worse." Kenji clicked his tongue. "You are bringing assassins into someone else's house."
Shingen's jaw tightened. "Can you take this seriously?"
"I am," Kenji said casually. "I killed him seriously."
Another man burst through the paper screen behind Kenji.
Kenji leaned aside without turning. The dagger missed his ribs by a finger's width. He caught the attacker's wrist, twisted, and drove the man face-first into the floor. Before the assassin could recover, Kenji drew his katana and cut across the assassin's throat.
The body went still.
Another assassin dropped from the shadows above, blade angled for Shingen's throat. Before the man could strike, a casual whistle cut the air.
"Oi, that's a sloppy descent," Kenji called out, appearing behind him suddenly, looking almost casual as if he'd simply taken a stroll. His dark blue hakama fluttered in the wind, sword already unsheathed. "You're embarrassing your fellow assassins. At least commit to the drama."
Kenji moved like flowing water given steel. One fluid step, a lazy pivot, and the assassin's head left his shoulders with a wet thunk. The body hadn't even hit the floor before Kenji was spinning toward the next two who had flanked Shingen from behind.
"Shingen-kun, my old friend," Kenji said cheerfully, parrying a dagger thrust without looking, "you really know how to throw a party. Next time, maybe invite some girls instead of these gloomy knife enthusiasts?"
Shingen snarled, blocking a strike that would have opened his ribs. "This isn't the time for your bullshit, Kenji-san!" His voice was raw, strained. Sweat and rain plastered his hair to his forehead. He'd asked his sworn brother for help, not a stand-up routine while assassins tried to carve out his organs.
Kenji laughed, bright and unconcerned, as he disarmed one attacker with a flick of his wrist and ran the other through in the same motion. "Relax. These are just the appetizers." He yanked his blade free with a flourish, flicking blood off the steel in an arc. "You've survived worse hangovers."
Shingen was already breathing heavily. "How many?" he asked, though he didn't expect an answer.
"At least three more," Kenji answered.
Shingen's eyes widened in surprise. "How do you know that?"
"One is breathing badly behind the left screen. One has stepped on a loose board twice. The third smells of cheap sake," Kenji said, as though it were obvious.
A pause followed. From behind the left screen, a man cursed under his breath.
Kenji smiled. "See? Bad breath and no discipline."
The screen exploded.
Two assassins came at the same time. One threw needles. The other rushed low with a curved dagger. Kenji grabbed the low table and flipped it up. The needles struck the wood in a tight cluster. He kicked the table forward into the rushing assassin's knees, then stepped around it and cut the man down before he hit the ground. He caught the second assassin's blade between two fingers and punctured the assassin's throat with his katana.
The third assassin appeared as well, going straight for Shingen. Shingen drew his blade, but he was too slow.
Kenji threw the dead man's dagger. It struck the assassin in the shoulder, hard enough to turn him. That was all Kenji needed. He crossed the room in three quick steps, caught the man by the back of the collar, and drove him into the wall. The assassin tried to stab backward.
Kenji broke his elbow. The dagger fell.
"Now," Kenji said, holding the man upright, "this is where you tell us who sent you."
The assassin spat blood at him. Kenji shifted aside. The blood missed. He sighed. "That was your chance." He cut the man's throat and let him drop.
Kenji wiped his blade clean on the dead man's sleeve. He looked at Shingen with a smile.
Shingen understood the meaning of that smile; Kenji wanted some answers. Shingen knew there was no point in keeping silent anymore. "The House of the Deadly Dagger," he said in a low voice.
Kenji gave a low whistle. "You really are moving up in the world, Shingen-kun."
Shingen looked through the open shoji at the dark garden beyond. Rain fell heavily outside, tapping the stones and leaves. "We need to leave."
Kenji studied him for a moment; the carefree expression never left his face. "What did you do?"
Shingen turned back. "Not now."
Kenji grinned. "That means something interesting."
Shingen snapped, "It means we are standing in a room full of corpses, and more may be coming."
"More are already here," Kenji commented casually.
Shingen went still.
The garden had fallen unnaturally quiet. Even the rain seemed to hold its breath.
Kenji rested his thumb against the guard of his sword and turned toward the open shoji doorway. A faint smile touched his lips.
A woman stood motionless in the downpour. She wore a plain violet robe beneath a dark outer cloak that clung to her like a second skin. Her black-as-night hair was pinned neatly with a single jade hairpin. Her skin, pale as polished white jade, stood in sharp contrast to her dark hair. Twin daggers rested in her hands.
Kenji's grin widened, eyes lighting up with genuine delight. He twirled one sword in a lazy circle. "Well, hello. Now this is more like it. You must be the main course. I approve of the presentation."
Shingen shifted into a defensive stance, jaw tight. "Kenji-san. She's not like the others."
"I can see that," Kenji murmured, already stepping forward. "She's beautiful, and she's lethal. My favorite combination."
Her dark eyes flicked across the bodies scattered across the tatami, then settled on Shingen. No surprise. No anger. Only cold, professional assessment.
"House of Deadly Daggers sends its regards, Yashida Shingen," she said. She spoke perfect Japanese, but had a slight accent. There was no hatred, no gloating. She spoke as if stating a fact, plain and simple. "Your debt comes due tonight."
Shingen's hand tightened around his blade.
Kenji noticed. "Ah," he said. "So this is the one you were worried about."
The woman stepped inside. Her steps didn't make the slightest sound. Water dripped from her cloak onto the blood-stained floor.
Kenji offered a small, theatrical, gentlemanly bow. "Kobayashi Kenji, at your service."
She did not return the courtesy. "Move."
"Straight to the point. I admire that." Kenji chuckled. "But I introduced myself. Common courtesy suggests you do the same."
"Move," she repeated, voice flat and emotionless.
Kenji's smile turned cheeky. "Too bad. He may be rude, secretive, and currently bleeding on someone else's floor… but he's still my sworn brother. I'm rather fond of this brat."
She asked no further. She simply flowed into motion.
The first clash was explosive. Steel screamed against steel as Kenji met her charge with his katana. The impact reverberated through the room. Her daggers spun in tight, vicious arcs—precise, economical, designed to slip through any guard and find arteries. Kenji answered with wide, arrogant sweeps that appeared to leave openings, yet every gap vanished before she could exploit it. His footwork was flashy, almost dance-like, yet each step placed him exactly where he needed to be.
"You're fast," Kenji laughed between exchanges, ducking a slash that would have opened his throat. He countered with a spinning cut that forced her to leap back. "But are you fun? That's the real question."
Her expression never changed. She pressed the attack in relentless silence, blades flickering like striking vipers. Each combination was tighter, faster, more lethal than the last. A low sweep at his knees transitioned into a rising thrust at his heart without pause. Kenji parried, riposted, and still found time for a cheeky wink.
They broke apart after their brief probing exchanges.
"This is between the House and the debtor," she stated flatly. "Interfere, and you die as well."
Kenji's laugh rang out again. "Hear that, Shingen-kun? She's polite. I like her already."
The fight resumed, and Kenji shifted to the garden, where both fighters could fight more freely, and she couldn't have as many chances to try to slip past him and attack Shingen.
The fight stretched on—minutes bleeding into what felt like an hour. They moved across the garden in the rain, leaving deep gashes on the stone structures. Kenji's style was all bravado and genius-level improvisation: theatrical spins, mid-air flips, taunting flourishes that somehow turned into lethal attacks. On the other hand, she was a machine of efficiency; every movement, no matter how small, served a purpose. Where Kenji danced, she carved. Where he joked, she remained ice.
Sparks flew as their blades locked. They strained against each other, faces inches apart.
"You know," Kenji grunted, still smiling, "we could skip this and get ramen instead. My treat. I know a place that stays open late."
Her eyes narrowed a fraction—the closest thing to emotion she'd shown. She broke the bind with a vicious twist, kicking him back several feet. He slid across the wet mud but kept his balance, laughing.
They traded blows that would have killed lesser fighters a dozen times over. She constantly looked for any opening to slip past him and finish her target, but Kenji refused to yield an inch. Every time she tried to circle toward Shingen, he was already there, forcing her to engage.
Kenji leaned back and cut upward. She withdrew before the blade reached her, then came in again from a lower angle. Her footwork was compact, controlled, and silent even on the wet mud floor. She never moved farther than necessary. She never showed him the same rhythm twice.
Kenji pushed forward. His swordwork was larger than hers, but not wasteful. He kept her away from Shingen with each step, forcing her to deal with the blade before she could reach the target. He cut at her hands, her sleeves, her path of escape. When she slipped past one angle, he closed the next.
Kenji talked through the fight.
Neither constantly nor carelessly. But enough that Shingen, despite everything, recognized the old habit.
When Kenji was confident, he joked.
When Kenji was challenged, he joked more.
"You are very difficult to impress," he said after she avoided a cut that should have taken her sleeve and half her arm with it.
She answered by throwing two needles toward his eyes. The needles were so fast, it looked like they warped through space.
Kenji knocked one aside with the sword guard and tilted his head away from the other. It grazed his cheek.
He touched the blood with his thumb. "That was not a denial."
She stepped in and aimed her dagger at his throat. He blocked it easily, but that was a feint. She dropped the dagger and jabbed her finger in his chest.
Kenji understood a breath too late. She had pressed an acupoint on his chest. His chest locked. Air stopped halfway in his lungs. For one sharp second, his body refused to breathe.
She caught the dagger midair and turned past him toward Shingen.
Shingen retreated, blade raised.
Kenji drove his sword into the floor and forced himself upright. He could not breathe properly, but he could still move. He pulled the sword free and threw the scabbard.
She reacted instantly and shifted. The scabbard still struck her shoulder hard enough to break her line toward Shingen.
Kenji dragged air back into his chest.
"Leaving me already?" he rasped, voice hoarse but still playful. "And here I thought we were getting along so well."
She looked at him for half a second. That half-second was not exactly a surprise. It was more like a recalculation. Then she came back at him.
The deadly dance started again.
He continued his jokes, but she remained silent throughout the fight. Her silence began to bother him more than the needles.
Most opponents reacted. Anger, fear, pride, irritation. Something. She gave almost nothing away. Even when he cut the edge of her cloak, even when he opened a shallow line across her forearm, she shrugged it off like nothing and continued.
The next opportunity for her came when she kicked him in the shin near a puddle. His feet slipped on the wet mud. She left him and leaped towards Shingen.
Kenji caught himself before he could fall. He spun swiftly, grabbed the back of her cloak, and pulled.
The fabric tore. She stopped and turned back to him, looking at the torn cloak in his hand.
Kenji dropped it. "I can pay for that."
"No," she said flatly. She attacked harder. There was no anger in it, but there was more pressure now.
She threw a needle at his throat. The distance was too close, so he barely blocked the needle with his sword. He countered by slashing at her head.
She twisted, dodging the sword, but a few strands of her hair were still cut. The sword hit her jade hairpin. It slipped and fell on a stone below, breaking on impact. Her hair fell loose in smooth waves.
Kenji glanced at the hairpin and said awkwardly, "That was accidental." He paused. "The hairstyle's an improvement."
For the first time, she showed some proper expression. Slight irritation appeared on her face.
She tried to use the moment and tried to bypass him.
Kenji sighed. "You really don't know when to quit." He stopped her advance again.
They clashed again, but this time it didn't last long, and they separated.
Faint violet light covered her body as she ran her qi. Kenji laughed wildly in excitement as he understood that she was finally getting serious. Dark blue light covered him as he ran his qi.
Shingen couldn't see, but faint silhouettes appeared behind Kenji and the assassin. A dark shadow loomed behind the assassin, wielding two shadow daggers. Behind Kenji, an imposing, dark-blue Eastern dragon with four claws appeared.
Kenji and the assassin charged at each other.
Their blades met with a deafening ring. Neither gave an inch. For a heartbeat, the two fighters stood frozen, locked in perfect opposition. Then violent shockwaves erupted from the point of contact, tearing through the garden. Stone lanterns shattered. Deep gouges appeared in the walls. Shingen dove behind an overturned table just in time to avoid being sliced apart into pieces by the stray waves of force.
They stepped apart.
The rain filled the space between them.
She bent and picked up the broken jade hairpin from the stone path. She looked at it once, then tucked it away without a word.
Kenji lowered his sword. "You are leaving?"
She turned toward the garden wall. "I failed." There was no bitterness in her voice—only fact.
"You could try again," Kenji offered, half-teasing.
She looked back at him. "You would stop me again."
"I would try," he answered honestly.
She studied him for a moment. Her face revealed nothing, but her eyes moved once to his wounded cheek, and once to the sword still steady in his hand.
Then she said, "Tang Mei."
It took Kenji a heartbeat to realize she had just introduced herself.
He smiled and bowed slightly. "Kobayashi Kenji."
"I know," Tang Mei said simply.
She did not smile. Her gaze moved past him to Shingen. Shingen shivered under her gaze. She looked back at Kenji.
They stood in silence for a few heartbeats, rain pouring between them. Finally, Tang Mei turned, leaped gracefully over the garden wall, and vanished into the stormy night.
"That woman has no sense of romance," Kenji clicked his tongue.
Shingen came down and stood beside Kenji in the garden under the rain. "You should have killed her."
"With what?" Kenji asked, still staring at the wall. "She was holding my heart between two fingers."
"I am serious," Shingen said.
"So was she." Kenji's gaze drifted across the devastated garden until it landed on one small remaining fragment of the jade hairpin that Tang Mei had missed. A faint smile touched his lips as he picked it up.
"You saved my life," Shingen said solemnly.
"I did," Kenji said. "And ruined a perfectly good evening save for meeting that lovely lady."
Shingen placed a hand on his shoulder. "Aniki."
Kenji turned at that.
The word softened him, as it always did when Shingen used it.
Shingen's voice lowered. "I will not forget this."
Kenji studied him for a moment. His smile returned, but not fully. "You can start by telling me why I killed dozens of assassins tonight."
Shingen gave a tired laugh. "Politics. Old favors. Old grudges. You know how these societies are."
"That was not an answer," Kenji scoffed.
"No," Shingen admitted. "It isn't."
Kenji held his gaze.
The rain kept falling.
Then Kenji sighed and sheathed his sword. "You are lucky I am tired, hungry, and too handsome to spend all night interrogating you."
Shingen chuckled.
"Yes, yes. Laugh while you can," Kenji said, already walking. "Tomorrow you're buying breakfast."
"I will buy anything you want."
"Careful. I have expensive taste."
They left the house together.
—
Kenji carefully placed the broken piece of jade hairpin back into the small wooden box, handling it as though it were made of glass. A faint, nostalgic smile touched his lips. No matter how many decades passed, he could never forget the night he first met her.
However, whenever he thought about his first meeting with her, it was inevitable that his thoughts drifted to his sworn brother as well.
The warmth in Kenji's expression died instantly. His jaw tightened. A cold, violent fury rose in its place. Whenever he thought of that man, only one desire remained in his heart—to tear the snake apart with his bare hands.
Murderous intent burned in his eyes.
Yet a lone tear still slipped down his weathered cheek.
"You truly repaid my trust well…," Kenji muttered slowly under his breath. He continued in a low, venomous tone, "dear brother."
—
I returned to Pig Sty Alley and made my way straight to the medicine shop. The residents I passed all smiled when they saw me.
"Hey, Granny." I entered the shop and called out to Granny Mei.
"Oh, Kevin," Granny said, looking concerned as she came out of the inner room. "Is everything all right? Does your arm still hurt?"
"No, it's not that, Granny," I smiled. "My arm is in fantastic condition thanks to you."
"That's good," Granny Mei said with a sweet smile. "If you have any problems, you can come to me directly."
"I will," I nodded gratefully.
"Actually, Granny," I said with hesitation.
"Yes, dear," Granny said gently.
"It was about what we talked about earlier," I said.
"And what have you decided?" Granny Mei asked with a smile.
"I deeply apologize, Granny Mei," I said, slightly bowing my head. "But I will not be able to accept your kind invitation."
I had too much on my plate. I did not have time to learn one more thing in my already busy schedule.
"It's okay, dear," Granny shook her head gently. "No need to be so troubled."
"May I suggest you consider someone else?" I offered.
"You have someone in mind?" Granny asked with a slightly curious tone.
"Yes." I nodded.
A teddy bear suddenly appeared in front of me. The stuffed toy looked up at me and jumped in delight. It noticed my gaze and followed it. It got spooked when it saw someone else in the room. It hid behind my legs and peeked out at Granny Mei, who had a clearly shocked expression on her face, no matter how hard she tried to cover it.
I patted its head, and it looked up at me again. I nodded at it. It nodded back cutely and then looked back at Granny Mei. While still peeking out from behind my legs, it waved its hand in greeting to Granny Mei.
—
It was already late at night when I returned to Newark and made my way directly to the El Grito de Cortez Bar.
I entered Reina's office. She was there, and all her lieutenants were too. As soon as I entered, she looked at me with a questioning look.
I knew what she wanted to ask. As usual, I sat in front of her without permission. She was used to it now and didn't even bother to say anything. I explained what had happened with Amanda earlier.
She nodded and passed me twenty grands. I accepted with a smirk.
"By the way, Ms. Reina," I said suddenly.
Reina looked at me with a raised brow.
"Don't you think three owners are too many for this city's underworld?" I said with a smirk.
"I think two are more than enough."
*********************
[Author's Notes]
Young Kobayashi Kenji
Young Tang Mei