"How did both of you have the money to come here so often when you were kids?” Max asks.

“Well, I got a pretty hefty weekly allowance from my dad,” Atreus begins recalling his childhood here in the shop with a somewhat somber expression and his eyes drifting down towards the table. “Like I mentioned, he was always distant and basically used money to make up for his lack of closeness. So, I always bought donuts for both Devin and myself.”

“You two are really close, huh?” she comments aloud, intrigued by how far back the friendship between the two men go.

Atreus nods his head. “Yeah. We had a somewhat extensive group of other friends through middle and high school, but, as you might expect, we drifted apart after we graduated. Most of them went off to different colleges, a couple joined the military. Almost none of them ever ended up coming back to LA.”

“A feeling I'm all too familiar with,” Max empathizes with a slow, dejected nod. “All of my best friends from high school and college all went off to do different things in different places. I still talk to them online, through texts, and the occasional call, but when it comes to real life, face-to-face companionship, the best I've been able to muster since getting my degree is semi-casual friendships with coworkers. And then on the rare occasion where I can meet up with old friends, we need to plan it weeks in advance, and it's only a fifty-fifty chance that it won't get canceled. Maintaining friendships as an adult is a pain in the ass.”

“I guess being in the Sanada-gumi somewhat alleviates that problem a bit,” Atreus ponders, thinking of the social structure of his clan. “The younger members are encouraged to stick together under the supervision of older members, and it's somewhat common for little cliques to form, even within families, and usually, age isn't an issue.”

“But Devin's still your number one guy, right?”

“Pretty much,” he admits with a shrug. “Our family head is a really good guy too. He looked after us since the day we joined the clan. If there's one other person I could trust to come help me with anything whenever I ask for it, it's him.”

“Sounds like you were able to eventually get the family life you didn't have at home,” Max astutely summarizes.

“Yeah, I guess that's a pretty accurate way to put it,” Atreus nods in somber agreement, thinking back on the people who have been close to him.

Devin and Ryuji have been like brothers to him, while Takahashi has been more of a father-figure than his real one, who was always too busy and distant to be emotionally invested in his child. He's lucky to have had such positive influences in his life, or he might have ended up in a different place – one far worse than the 'errand boy family' of the Sanada-gumi.

“If you don't mind me asking, what's your dad doing right now?” Max delicately asks as she takes a sip of her freshly opened bottle of chilled milk.

“Well, he retired a couple years ago and moved up north. He lives in a nice house near Sacramento. Since retiring, he's actually loosened up a lot. It's not as hard to talk to him as it was while I was growing up. Unfortunately, it's a little too late for things to suddenly become ideal, though.”

“Have you... ever decided to look for your mother?” Max asks with some reluctance, unsure if it's okay for her to bring up.

“Sometimes. I never really thought about it much when I was a kid, but when I realized that she's likely still out there somewhere, I consider trying to contact her. I know her name, and I've seen old pictures of her, but I haven't taken the step towards actively searching. I think about the likelihood that I probably won't enjoy what I find.”

“What do you mean?”

Atrues shifts in his seat a bit and takes a deep, contemplative breath. “Well, like, what if I look for her and it turns out she's the type of person I dislike? Not necessarily a hardcore criminal, but just someone who lives in a way I don't agree with. What if I'm wrong about her being out there and she's actually dead? What if she has a new family now and doesn't even pay any thought to my dad and I? I honestly don't know which would be worse. And if I do go through all the trouble to find her, what if she turns me away? I feel like that shouldn't be a surprise, considering the circumstances.”

“I understand,” Max replies with a supportive nod. “I wouldn't force you to go out and look for her if you don't think it's a good idea. If you're content with just leaving it alone, then that's fine.”

He quietly entertains the idea, but continues to question the outcome or futility of such a search. He can't help but be curious, but at the same time, he doesn't feel like it's worth it unless he was somehow given a guarantee that it wouldn't end badly. Obviously, such a guarantee is almost impossible to give. Is he obligated to search anyway? Is he a bad person for wanting to just leave it alone? These questions pop into his head from time to time, and he isn't sure how to feel.

“I wonder if it's noticeable that I never grew up with a mother-figure,” Atreus ponders aloud with a self-deprecating smirk.

“Well, I guess you do come off as a bit stoic, but I think that adds to your mysterious demeanor,” Max, with her free, donut-less hand, wiggles her fingers to emphasize the so-called mysteriousness. “It gives you a little bit of a bad boy allure.”

“Is that a compliment or are you teasing me?” the gangster asks, with narrowed eyes and an unsure smile.

“A little bit of both,” she responds, stifling a small giggle by taking another bite of her donut.

“Well, I guess considering my home life – or lack thereof – I think I ended up decently well-adjusted, aside from the fact that I'm a career criminal, but it's not as bad as it sounds,” Atreus pokes further fun at himself.

“Oh, I'm sure,” Max agrees facetiously through her mouthful of dessert.

“I just tell people I lost my arms in a freak golfing accident.”

Max sharply exhales through her nose while still in the middle of chewing. “Don't make me laugh while I'm eating,” she gives a muffled reply as he brings her free hand up to cover her mouth.

About ten minutes later, after the two devour their desserts, they stand to up to dispose of their empty drink bottles and napkins. Max rolls up the top of her small paper bag, which contains the last two donuts she plans to save for later. Takahashi, after serving another customer, notices them prepare to leave.

“So, did you enjoy yourself?” the proprietor asks, eager for positive feedback.

“They were delicious,” Max responds with a wide smile. “I'm saving the glazed strawberry and caramel as a treat for later, but that mint creme-filled one was heavenly. I definitely understand why Atreus has been coming here for so long.”

“I'm glad you liked it, I truly am,” Takahashi nods contently. “Oh, and I haven't caught your name yet, Miss...”

“Maxine Scott,” she formerly introduces herself and extends her right hand.

“Nice to meet you, Maxine,” he removes his thin, transparent plastic glove to clasp her hand and shake. “Kazuo Takahashi. Pleasure to have you. So, are you two going somewhere else for the night?”

“That's up to him; I'm letting him pick our destinations,” Max looks over to Atreus, who seems to have settled on where to go next.

“I'm thinking we should go to Joji's next,” the gangster announces.

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“Oh, I haven't seen him in a while,” Takahashi interjects. “Tell him I said 'hey' when you get there, and remind him to stop by, because he usually loves the donuts I make that have mint in them.”

“I will,” Atreus gives a confirming nod as he starts towards the exit with Max following close behind. “See you later, oji-san,” he bids farewell with a small wave.

“See you. Have a fun night, you two,” the shop owner gives a wave of a his own as the two patrons leave.

Out on the sidewalk, Max stands patiently with her bag of leftover donuts in hand. “So, Joji's is a bar, right? I think I've passed it a few times, but I never went inside. What's it like?”

“It's a really respectable place, but also pretty small – the type of quaint little establishment that stays open thanks to a handful of regulars who know each other by name, you know?”

“Oh, that sounds nice,” she quickly grows interested. “I love going to little hole-in-the-wall places like that. Are we going to take a ride there?”

Atreus shakes his head. “It's not too far from here. I was thinking we could take the opportunity for a little walk, if that's alright with you?”

“Of course!” Max gives an eager smile.

“Alright, let's go,” the gangster leads the way down the street.

As expected of Kyoba on a Saturday night, both vehicle traffic and foot traffic are somewhat dense, but the bright, multi-colored lights of the night down the street of clubs, gambling sites, game centers, and tall holographic advertisements provide a mesmerizing but nearly overwhelming urban aesthetic of dense visual noise.

“You know, it's been a while since I really walked around town like this,” Max comments, staring at the tall, advertisement-covered buildings surrounding her. “I see these sights everyday through the window of an Automa, but I can barely remember the last time I looked at it all from the view of someone who's actually walking on their own two feet. It almost makes it feel like a different city.”

“Yeah, I know what you mean,” Atreus nods in agreement. “Taking in the city slowly like this gives a different experience. I like to hear the ambiance of its hustle and bustle sometimes.”

“...Do you like Kyoba?” Max asks after a short, reflective pause.

“I've never been anywhere else for a long stretch of time before, so it's hard to give an answer to that,” the Asano lieutenant remarks as he lets his gaze fall to the sidewalk below him. “I don't really have anywhere else to compare it to. As I've mentioned, I've never left California before.”

“I guess what I mean is – have you gotten tired of it?”

“I suppose a little bit,” he answers with an uncertain shrug. “Over the last few years, the thought of finally visiting Japan has taken up more and more space in my head, at least. I guess it's become my long term life goal.”

“You don't have to answer this if you don't want to, but you make enough money to afford the trip over there, right?” she tries to delve deeper into the discussion with a careful approach. “Or is that just a baseless assumption on my part?”

“Well, I basically share second-in-command of a family alongside Devin, so, yeah, we both make good money. But it's not really about money, it's more about time and opportunity,” Atreus tries to prod at his own brain for a way to explain without going into specifics. “Most of the jobs we take aren't really scheduled. In our position, we take tasks as they come in. It's rare to have more than one week's notice on something, and because of that, it's extremely hard to guarantee an extended period of time where I can leave.”

“So, basically, you're like contractual workers who are always on call, because you're paid job to job instead of consistently?”

“Something like that. I can almost never guess what job I'm going to take tomorrow, or the day after, or the day after that. If I take a vacation and miss a particularly lucrative job, I might be eating ramen for a month out of necessity. Working at Crown as a favor to my boss's friend is the first time I've actually had some consistency – not that I like being a bouncer very much, but I at least like that particular aspect of it.”

“Your boss is friends with Mr. Aiba?” Max asks, suddenly dumbstruck at the connection.

Atreus shakes his head. “No, he's friends with Mr. Shibata, the other co-owner. He almost never shows up, but he pays most of the bills for the place.”

“Huh. Small world,” she tilts her head to the side, intrigued by the sudden reveal. “I actually didn't know he had ties to the clan. I assumed he was a successful businessman who paid for Crown as some sort of side venture. But, now that you mention it, I had no idea where his money actually came from until now.”

“You'd be shocked at how many business owners in this city have some sort of connection to the clan, even the smallest one. Trust me, I was surprised too. Even after I had joined, the list kept getting longer as time went on.”

“Should I be worried about being ripped off at places?” Max asks, half-jokingly.

“No, it's fine,” Atreus is quick to reassure here. “When it comes to legitimate businesses that the clan has stakes in, we don't actually interfere with anything. We just sit back and let the money come in. The only time you'd have to worry is if you partake in the actual illegal stuff, like the unlicensed gambling dens.”

“I'll take your word for it, but if you have some sort of secret code word that gets you discounts at places, let me know, okay?” she teases while bearing a wide grin.

“Sure, as soon as I find them out, myself,” the gangster gives a facetious answer.

During the brief lull in conversation, he becomes surprised at himself for somewhat loosely talking about some of the inner workings of the Sanada-gumi. He's not used to speaking so plainly about such a topic to a civilian, but it came out of his mouth so casually; he's used to dancing around the subject.

Before long, the couple finally approach the small, modest bar of Joji's, the quaint place sandwiched between a pawn shop and gambling den. The exterior of the establishment doesn't leave much of an impression – at least not enough of one for Max to comment on it when they arrive – but when they enter, the character of the place shines. The door chime rings, the two step in, and she's immediately taken by the classy, pristine interior of the room.

“Wow, this place is beautiful,” Max is quick to praise what she sees, admiring the shining wood floors and bar, the spotless upholstered seats in the corner where the karaoke is, and the unblemished bar stools at the counter.

“Welcome back, Atreus,” Joji's calm, mature voice, which sounds like the way a warm cup of coffee tastes, is heard from the counter. “Who's this you've brought with you?”

“This is Maxine, my coworker from Crown,” Atreus introduces his company as they approach the bar.

“Your 'coworker?'” Max repeats, feigning slight offense.

“My date,” the gangster responds, with emphasis.

Satisfied with the revision, Max smiles warmly and reaches out to Joji for a handshake. “It's nice to meet you.”

“George Kamiya,” the proprietor accepts her hand with a firm shake. “A pleasure to have you visit.”

“It's a pleasure to be here,” she responds with utmost sincerity as she resumes admiring the interior of the establishment. “This place is really lovely. I've passed by it multiple times, but this is my first time actually coming inside.”

“It doesn't look like anything special on the outside, yes, but I believe it's what makes this place as comfortable as it is for my regulars,” Joji candidly admits. “Now, please, take a seat.”

The two guests comply to his suggestion and sit themselves at the counter. Max takes a short moment to run the palm of her hand against the surface of the bar top, and is pleased to feel the smooth, buffed surface against her skin.

“What'll you have?” the inviting elder man asks his new customer.

“I'm not really an authority on mixed drinks,” Max admits. “I mostly just stick to beer, but I feel like it'd be a waste to order something so plain for my first visit here, so, do you have anything sweet?”

“How about a little concoction of mine called the 'Berry Buzz'? It has strawberry vodka, coffee liqueur, cream, and espresso, garnished with a strawberry slice. Would that be alright with you?”

“That sounds delicious. I'd love it.”

With a content expression and glint in his eye, Joji begins to seize the needed ingredients from the bar around him with precision and dauntless finesse. Max seems almost mesmerized by his well-trained hand, as if she wants to leap behind the counter and ask for lessons.

“So, how's your night been so far?” the elder man asks as he conjures the drink with noteworthy dexterity.

“We just came from Takahashi's,” Atreus answers. “He said to remind you this his mint creme-filled, peanut butter-glazed chocolate donuts are back, so he'd like for you to stop by.”

“Oh, I love those,” Joji's eyes light up with interest. “I'll be sure to stop by tomorrow before opening up here. I'm completely smitten by all of his mint creations.”

Max takes note of the familiarity between the two men. “So, how long have you been coming here exactly?” she asks her date.

“Several years now. It's only the bar I've ever been to in this city, really,” the gangster answers honestly. “I visit at least once a week.”

“I remember when Ryuji first brought you and Devin in here for the first time,” Joji begins to reminisce aloud as he continues preparing Max's drink. “It doesn't seem that long ago, but I guess it has been almost eight years now.”

“Yeah. Devin and I had finally sworn our oaths and received our pins. We were pretty happy.”

“Yes, I recall it was quite a festive night."