November 1st arrived with a chill in the air, but inside my apartment, the atmosphere was filled with anticipation.

It had been a month and an half since I’d stepped outside for anything other than a quick run.

A month of training, reflecting, and trying to rebuild myself.

But now, tonight, was a chance to breathe fresh air, sit down with friends, and maybe—just maybe—start feeling like life was moving forward.

Yesterday Kento received a call from Sasaki who had invited us for dinner at a restaurant nearby.

At first, I couldn’t believe it.

After all the drama, the isolation, the confinement to my apartment, the idea of going out into the world again felt surreal.

But here we were.

As I stood in front of my mirror, adjusting the collar of my shirt, I felt a nervous excitement building inside me.

It was strange—after weeks of isolation, I almost forgot what it was like to dress up for something other than training or lounging around.

I’d picked out a simple outfit: a crisp button-down shirt, dark jeans, and a jacket.

They were really shorter... So I lost some weight after all.

It was nothing too flashy, but it felt good to wear something decent again.

Kento was sprawled out on my couch, scrolling through his phone, dressed in his usual casual but sharp style—a navy blue jacket over a white tee, jeans, and a pair of sneakers that somehow always looked brand new.

He looked up as I adjusted my collar for the hundredth time.

“You’re looking sharp, man”

He said with a grin.

“Relax. It’s just dinner.”

I chuckled, feeling the nerves ease a little.

“Yeah, I know. It’s just… it’s been a while.”

Kento stood up, clapping me on the shoulder.

“You’ll be fine. It’s about time you got out of this cave. Let’s go. Sasaki-senpai and Hana are waiting.”

The night air was brisk, but it felt good to be outside.

The streets were quiet, and the glow of streetlights reflected off the damp pavement from an earlier rain.

As we walked toward the restaurant, Kento chatted about the latest updates from the police, but my mind kept drifting to the strangeness of it all.

After everything that had happened, it almost felt like the calm before a storm.

When we arrived at the restaurant, a modest but cozy little place tucked into a corner of the neighborhood, Sasaki and Hana were already seated at a table near the window.

Hana waved us over with a bright smile, and Sasaki gave his usual nod of acknowledgment, his expression as serious as ever, but there was a warmth in his eyes that put me at ease.

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“Kento, Keisuke. Good to see you both”

Sasaki said as we sat down.

“You too, Taichi-san.”

I replied, offering a smile.

Hana greeted us with her usual cheerful demeanor, immediately launching into a story about a funny incident at work that had everyone laughing.

The conversation flowed easily—Hana’s lightheartedness balanced out Sasaki’s quiet intensity, and Kento’s usual banter kept things lively.

For the first time in a long while, I felt… normal.

Like I wasn’t weighed down by the past or constantly looking over my shoulder.

As the night wore on, the conversation turned more serious.

Sasaki asked me how I’d been holding up, and we talked a little about the ongoing search for Nagasuki.

There hadn’t been much progress, but Sasaki didn’t seem overly worried.

His calm, measured tone gave me some reassurance, though the uncertainty still lingered in the back of my mind.

“So, how’s the training going?”

Hana asked, leaning forward with interest.

Did I tell her?

I don’t think so.

That it was that damn Kento?

I glanced at him menacing but then I smiled.

“Well, I’ve lost weight thanks to this guy”

I said, gesturing to him.

“And I can actually keep up with most of the workouts now. It’s been tough, but it’s been good for me.”

Kento grinned.

“He’s being modest. Keisuke’s been killing it. I think he could take on Nagasuki himself if it came to that.”

I laughed as he mention it.

"Is that true? You would have been fine even a little more chubby, it would be ok anyway!"

Hana realized what she said and got up.

"I-I'm g-going to the bathroom, i'll c-come back fastly!"

She left leaving the three of us at the table.

Sasaki raised an eyebrow, a hint of a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

“Is that so? Maybe we should bring you into the fold sooner than later.”

I smiled, but before I could respond but Kento stretched and stood up too, saying he needed some fresh air.

“I’ll be right back.”

He said with a casual wave, stepping outside.

Now it's just the two of us.

For a moment, the silence felt heavier than it should have.

Sasaki sipped his drink, watching me carefully, his sharp eyes studying my face.

He had that way about him—like he could see through whatever facade you were putting up, straight to the truth.

“You’ve come a long way, Keisuke.”

He said quietly, his tone thoughtful.

“Kento’s told me about your progress. Physically, mentally. It’s not easy to pull yourself out of the place you were in.”

I nodded, unsure how to respond.

“I’ve had a lot of help”

I said, glancing toward the window where Kento had gone.

“And I’m trying. But there’s still a lot I don’t understand. About Nagasuki… and everything.”

Sasaki leaned back, his gaze shifting to the window as well.

“Nagasuki is a loose end.”

He said after a moment.

“A dangerous one. But he’s also part of something bigger. The Shima-Kai may have collapsed, but the underworld is never truly quiet. There are always those who want to take advantage of chaos.”

I frowned, feeling that familiar unease creeping in.

“You think someone’s helping him?”

Sasaki didn’t answer right away, his eyes still fixed on the dark street outside.

“It’s possible. But that’s something we’ll deal with when the time comes.”

We sat in silence for a few more moments, the weight of his words hanging between us.

Just as I was about to ask another question, Sasaki’s phone buzzed.

He glanced at it briefly before slipping it back into his pocket, his expression unchanged.

“Where’s Kento?”

He asked, glancing toward the door.

“I don’t know”

I replied, a slight edge of concern creeping into my voice.

“He said he was just going to get some air.”

Sasaki’s eyes narrowed.

“Let’s check on him.”

We both stood up and headed toward the front of the restaurant.

As we stepped outside, the cool night air hit me again, but Kento was nowhere to be seen.

I glanced around, scanning the street, but it was quiet—too quiet.

Sasaki’s expression darkened as he scanned the area, his instincts clearly on high alert.

He pulled out his phone, dialing Kento’s number. After a few rings, it went straight to voicemail.

Something wasn’t right.

“Kento?!”

I called out, my voice echoing down the empty street.

No response.

Sasaki’s jaw tightened, and he turned to me, his voice low and urgent.

“Stay close. We need to find him.”

At the same moment Hana got out from the restaurant.

"What happened?!"

"Kento is disappeared."

Sasaki coldly said.

The uneasy feeling in my gut twisted into something colder, sharper.

Kento had only stepped out for a moment, but now he was gone.

And just like that, the quiet calm of the evening shattered, replaced by a sense of something unfinished—something dangerous still lurking in the shadows.