Hotaru watched John Wick's retreating figure, her red lips curving into a slight smile. "So, that is the legendary Baba Yaga? It seems he's quite fond of turning down the Great Lord Ninja."
She paused, a playful glint in her eyes. "And for a legend, he looks like he's taken quite a beating."
She fixed her bright gaze on Shiranui Hayate, waiting to see how he would respond.
Hayate chuckled softly. "He's been out of the game for four years. Getting caught off guard and taking a few hits is only natural. Right now, he wants nothing to do with people like us."
"But," Hayate's voice grew contemplative, "having stirred the waters after his retirement, staying dry is no longer an option. This incident will drag him back into the abyss, whether he likes it or not."
"Besides... no one refuses the goodwill of Shiranui Hayate. Not even the Boogeyman."
As they spoke, John Wick finished his conversation with Winston. Having secured the location of the punks from Addy, he vanished from the bar.
"He's gone," Hotaru noted. "Are you going to follow him?"
Hayate shook his head slowly. "No need. He'll be back at the hotel. The story has only just begun; there will be plenty of opportunities."
After finishing their drinks, Hayate stood up. "Let me walk you back. New York at night isn't exactly peaceful."
After seeing Hotaru safely to her door, Hayate waited until he heard the lock click before turning back toward the Continental.
Inside her room, Hotaru leaned against the door, exhaling slowly once she was sure Hayate had left.
She had been Hayate's assistant for half a year now. Before that, she was a killer for the Fraternity—the Loom of Fate's textile mill assassins. She wasn't a registered member of the Continental back then, and a botched mission had nearly cost her her life.
It was during that failed task that she collapsed at Hayate's doorstep. He had saved her, and since then, she had washed her hands of the blood-soaked business. Knowing he was also a hitman, she chose to become his assistant, handling intel and logistics.
The Fraternity hadn't contacted her in months, seemingly indifferent to her departure. But today, she had received a message from the Mill: Cross had betrayed them.
She bit her lip, wondering if she should involve Hayate in this burgeoning mess.
Back at the Continental, Hayate waited patiently. His room was at the end of the hall, right next to John Wick's.
Time ticked by.
The sound of a door opening signaled John's return. Not long after, the muffled sounds of a struggle drifted through the wall from the neighboring suite.
Even without looking, Hayate knew exactly what was happening. Perkins, the female assassin who dared to break the Continental's sacred rules, was currently getting her head wrapped in a bedsheet and pummeled by John.
Hayate knew someone would eventually alert the front desk, so he didn't bother making the call himself.
The Continental's rules were somewhat absurd to him. No business on hotel grounds. It sounded fine in theory, but when someone attacked you, you were still expected to uphold the rules by not killing them in return. Breaking the rule to punish a rule-breaker just made you a target for the High Table as well.
It was the only reason John Wick was showing any restraint.
The noise stopped. John had won.
Hayate opened his door just in time to see Perkins crawling along the hallway floor. He shook his head silently.
John emerged from his room, hanging up his phone. He grabbed Perkins from behind, pressing his pistol to her temple until he extracted the information he needed. Then, he delivered a sharp blow with the butt of the gun, knocking her unconscious.
At that moment, the door to the room on John's other side opened. A man named Harry stepped out, pistol drawn.
The sound of a slide racking caught John's attention. He froze, unsure if the person behind him was another bounty hunter looking for an easy payday.
Without turning, John heard a familiar voice: "Do we know each other?"
"I think we might," John replied.
John raised his hands to show he had no intent to attack. As he started to turn, he noticed the door directly in front of him was also open. Standing there was the man he had already run into twice today: Shiranui Hayate.
John paused, then finished his turn to face the man behind him. "Hey, Harry."
Harry glanced between the three of them. When his eyes landed on Hayate, his pupils contracted slightly in recognition. He looked back at John. "Everything okay?"
"Yeah," John said.
"Then handle your own business."
Harry turned to go back inside, but John called out, "Hey, Harry. Want to earn a coin? Keep an eye on our sleeping friend here."
Harry's expression remained stony. "Catch and release?"
"Exactly," John quipped. "A game of cat and mouse."
Harry accepted the task. He produced a pair of handcuffs, secured Perkins, and dragged her into his room.
Hayate stood in his doorway, holding a bottle of Chivas Regal and an empty glass. He smiled at the weary John Wick.
"John, want a drink? You look like you could use one. That's a nasty hit you took."
He gestured with the glass toward John's abdomen. Blood was already beginning to seep through the bandages, staining his shirt a dark crimson where Perkins had landed her blows.
John stepped forward, took the bottle and the glass, poured himself a stiff drink, and downed it in one go.
"Good scotch." John checked the label—Chivas 1987—before handing the items back.
"John," Hayate said, taking the bottle. "You're looking a bit ragged. Are you sure you don't need help for the next leg of your trip?"
"Shiranui Hayate... I'm retired. This is personal. I can handle it."
John was clearly determined not to get sucked back into the "life," rejecting his persistent friend once again.
Hayate shrugged with an air of disappointment. "Suit yourself, John. Just stay safe. It would be a loss to the world if the Boogeyman fell like this."
Hayate turned and closed his door.
As for Harry—the man guarding Perkins—and the mortal danger he was about to face? Hayate didn't have the slightest intention of warning him.
He didn't care one bit about the fate of some random hitman.