Kaito Tachibana walked through the narrow streets of Shinsakura, a small town on the outskirts of Tokyo. Once known for its notorious gang-ridden schools, Shinsakura had a reputation that lingered in the air like the scent of rain on hot pavement. The sun dipped low on the horizon, casting long shadows that seemed to stretch endlessly.
As Kaito turned a corner, he noticed a commotion ahead. A group of rough-looking men surrounded a young woman, their taunts and laughter echoing off the walls. She was around his age, maybe a year or two younger, with wide, terrified eyes that darted around, searching for an escape.
Kaito’s heart tightened, the scene pulling him back to a memory he tried to bury—a memory of a boy who had looked at him with the same fear. His chest ached, the weight of his past pressing down on him. The woman’s plight resonated with him, stirring something deep within.
He clenched his fists, his mind swirling with the echoes of that one tragic incident. The voices in his head whispered, reminding him of who he once was, and who he feared he still might be. But there was no time to dwell on that now.
Without a word, Kaito stepped forward, his presence immediately drawing the attention of the men. They sneered, clearly amused by the idea of another challenger. But Kaito didn’t flinch. He knew how this would end—he always did.
And so, with a resolve forged in the fires of his own regret, Kaito moved, ready to act.
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As I made my way through the narrow streets of Shinsakura, the town’s past whispered in every shadow. The town had a history, one that was hard to shake off, and even now, you could feel it in the air—the remnants of gang wars, the echoes of battles fought and lost. Shinsakura was a place where power had once been everything, and some people still clung to that old belief.
I wasn’t here to reminisce, though. I had my own reasons for being in this forgotten corner of Tokyo, and none of them involved digging up old ghosts. But as I turned a corner, something caught my eye—something I couldn’t ignore.
A group of guys, rough around the edges, had surrounded a woman. She was about my age, maybe a year or two younger, with a look of panic that she was trying hard to hide. They were taunting her, their laughter echoing off the brick walls. The scene was all too familiar, a reminder of something I’d rather forget, but couldn’t.
For a moment, I hesitated. The memory of a boy with wide, terrified eyes flashed through my mind—a memory that still haunted me. But there was no time to get lost in the past. The present was demanding my attention, and the past, no matter how painful, had to stay where it belonged.
I approached the group, my footsteps light but deliberate. The tallest one, probably about six feet, noticed me first. He broke off from the others and started toward me, a cocky grin on his face. He thought he was tough. They always did.
He stopped a few feet in front of me, looking me up and down like he was sizing me up. “You sure are tough-looking, aren’t you?” he said with a sneer. “How about joining us? We could use a guy like you.”
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I almost laughed. Did he really think I was here to make friends? I gave him a once-over, noting the way he held himself, the way he tried to puff out his chest to make himself look bigger. “Joining you?” I repeated, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “How cute.”
His smirk disappeared, replaced by a scowl. He took a step closer, getting in my face. “What’s your deal, huh? Think you’re better than us or something?”
That question hit a nerve. There was something in his tone, something in the way he asked it that pissed me off more than it should have. He was trying to get under my skin, and it was working. The memories I’d been trying to suppress started bubbling up again—the kid I couldn’t save, the look of fear in his eyes, the way he’d screamed...
My smile faded, and I felt the anger rising inside me. I wasn’t in the mood for this. Not today.
Before the guy could react, I reached out and grabbed his head with one hand. His eyes widened in shock—he hadn’t seen it coming. He was taller than me, had a couple of inches on me, but that didn’t matter. I’d taken down bigger guys than him without breaking a sweat.
“W-what the hell—?” he stammered, but he didn’t get to finish. I tightened my grip and, with a quick motion, slammed him down into the pavement. The impact was hard, and I could feel the ground shudder beneath us. He was out cold before he even hit the ground, his body crumpling like a ragdoll.
I stood up, brushing off my hands as I looked back at the rest of the group. They were frozen in place, their expressions a mix of fear and disbelief. They’d thought they could intimidate me, but now they were the ones who were scared.
I stepped over the unconscious guy’s body and walked toward the others. “You get it now, don’t you?” I said, my voice calm but firm. “The difference in power.”
I could see the fear in their eyes, the way they were trying to figure out what to do next. It was almost too easy. I didn’t even need to raise my voice. The message was clear enough: I wasn’t someone they wanted to mess with.
The guy closest to me took a step back, his hands up in a gesture of surrender. “Hey, man, we didn’t mean anything by it,” he said quickly. “We were just messing around.”
“Messing around?” I echoed, my eyes narrowing. “Does this look like a joke to you?” I nodded toward the unconscious guy on the ground. “You think that’s funny?”
He shook his head frantically. “N-no, not at all! We’re sorry, okay? We’ll leave her alone, I swear.”
I let out a slow breath, forcing myself to calm down. My heart was still pounding from the rush of adrenaline, but I didn’t need to escalate things any further. They weren’t worth the effort. “Then get lost,” I said, my voice low and cold. “And don’t let me see your faces around here again.”
They didn’t need to be told twice. In seconds, they were gone, scrambling away like rats fleeing a sinking ship. I watched them go, my fists still clenched at my sides. The anger was still there, simmering just below the surface, but I pushed it down, refusing to let it control me.
Once they were out of sight, I turned to the woman. She was still standing there, staring at me with wide eyes. I could see the fear in her gaze, the way she was trembling slightly. I took a step back, trying to give her some space. “Are you okay?” I asked, keeping my voice as gentle as I could.
She nodded slowly, but her eyes never left mine. She didn’t say anything, just kept staring at me like I was some kind of monster.
And maybe I was.
With a sigh, I turned away. “Take care,” I muttered, more to myself than to her. I started walking again, my thoughts a tangled mess. The memory of that boy’s scream echoed in my mind, louder than before.
Yeah, this is more like it, I thought, the shame creeping in once more. I’m used to this.
Sometimes, I wondered why I even bothered trying to change. Redemption seemed so far away, like a distant dream I couldn’t quite reach. But I couldn’t stop. Not now. Not when I’d come this far.