Chapter 31: Mafia? How noble is his bloodline?

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In front of the visual intercom at the Togawa family residence, Taki Shiina stood with her arms folded, her fingers tapping restlessly against her elbows.

If she had a choice, she really would not have come to a place like this. She was not prejudiced against the rich, but this mansion was so extravagantly wealthy that every inch of land seemed to gleam with gold, and it instinctively made her want to leave.

Besides, Sakiko’s departure from the band had continued to rankle. Taki felt that if she saw that irresponsible face again, she might not be able to stop herself from punching it.

But what had happened that evening was beyond what she could handle on her own, and she remembered what Sakiko had said that day.

“If you encounter any other supernatural phenomena, be sure to tell me.”

Sakiko Togawa had to know something for her to have said that. At this point, Taki could only swallow her pride and come looking for her.

Rapid footsteps pounded across the paving stones. The wrought-iron gate had barely begun to open when a blue-haired figure charged out, seized Taki by the collar, and slammed her against the wall.

“What do you mean Tomori is missing? Don’t you go home with her every day? Don’t you stay with her until she gets home?” A terrifying light flared in Sakiko’s golden eyes. “I thought you were a responsible person!”

She had transferred into Class 1-B so that she could keep an eye on Tomori Takamatsu at all times without becoming too close and dragging their relationship back to what it had once been. The two classes were right next to each other; every day, she could glance into the classroom while passing through the corridor and confirm that Tomori was all right. They also shared many classes.

As long as Tomori remained at school, Sakiko could be said to be watching over her constantly.

As for outside school, Sakiko knew Taki’s habits. Although Taki’s home was two stops away from Tomori’s, she still took Tomori all the way home every time.

And Tomori’s house was not tucked away in some deserted alley. It stood right behind Tsukinomori Girls’ Academy, along broad pedestrian streets and footbridges equipped with plentiful surveillance cameras.

Under such circumstances, how could a perfectly healthy person simply disappear? Tomori was not a soap bubble that could pop while walking down the street!

“Could you stop pretending you’re so concerned about Tomori?” Taki stared coldly into Sakiko’s eyes. When it came to anger, she was no less fierce. “You were the one who formed the band. You were the one who quit. You were also the one who said you were going to disappear for a while. What is this supposed to be? A newlywed scam that cheats people out of both their feelings and their money? Or the old ‘use them and throw them away’ routine?”

The corner of Sakiko’s eye twitched faintly. She released Taki and slowly backed away several steps. Mutsumi Wakaba arrived only then; she had followed Sakiko as soon as she heard those words, but she could not keep up.

“So you even spirited away someone and hid her in your house, while the only people left in the dark were us.” Seeing Mutsumi appear at the Togawa residence, Taki could not help sneering. She felt like a complete fool.

“Just shut up.” Sakiko gripped the railing weakly, as though she would collapse if she let go.

“Am I wrong? If you really care about her so much, why did you hurt her?”

“I said shut up!” Sakiko flew into a rage and jerked her head up.

For one fleeting moment, Taki almost thought Sakiko was about to attack and kill her. The light in those golden eyes was as vicious as a sickle; she had never seen Togawa Sakiko look so savage.

But the blinding light dimmed after only a moment. Sakiko lowered her eyes, swaying unsteadily.

Taki saw a side of Sakiko she had never seen before: a frail Sakiko. The tyrant had become a newborn fawn, her drooping shoulders so delicate they seemed liable to snap at any moment, making Taki want to embrace her despite herself.

“I... I came to explain what happened.” The anger she had meant to vent suddenly had nowhere to go, and Taki spoke stiffly. “It’s a little supernatural.”

It was not that Sakiko had frightened her. Meeting force with force was Taki’s nature; the harsher the other person became, the harsher she could be.

Rather, she had been swallowed by the helplessness radiating from Sakiko. It felt like arguing with your closest friend before leaving home in the morning, only to hear that afternoon that she had died. No matter how you cried or laughed at her funeral, that person would never respond to you again.

“I’m listening,” Sakiko said softly. “Tell me everything in detail.”

“Tomori’s been going to RING’s rehearsal studio lately, and I work there too, so we usually go and come back together,” Taki said. “But I was on duty at school today, so I arrived a little late. By the time I got there, RING was surrounded by a whole lot of cars belonging to the underworld. There was even a helicopter overhead, and they wouldn’t let anyone inside.”

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“Once they left, the blockade was lifted. I went to see Miss Ririko, and she said there had been an explosion in the rehearsal room we usually use. I asked whether she had seen Tomori. She said Tomori and Soyo had both come, but neither of them was among the people evacuated. Since the gangsters had brought an ambulance and carried someone into it, I thought Tomori and Soyo might have been injured and taken away for treatment, so I searched for hospitals using the ambulance’s license plate.”

She raised her phone and waved it. “But only Soyo was at the hospital. She was badly injured, though fortunately not in any danger. There are also people from the underworld watching her, and they won’t let me near the room.”

“Tomori... may have been taken by them.” Taki hesitated for several seconds before giving her assessment.

Sakiko sprang to her feet and turned toward the house.

“What are you going to do?” Taki called after her.

Sakiko did not answer. A few minutes later, Taki heard a buzzing sound. A white motor scooter came gliding over. Sakiko’s small head was completely enclosed in a helmet, with two blue ponytails sticking out behind it, and her own instrument case was slung over her back.

She tossed Taki two helmets, then jerked her head toward the seat behind her. “What are you waiting for? Get on! We’re going to the hospital.”

A line that cool deserved to be delivered from behind the wheel of a Maybach or something similar, but Sakiko’s only vehicle was this electric scooter...

There was no helping it. Although she knew how to drive, she was not yet old enough to obtain a legal license. The last time she had driven Takafumi Wakaba’s Maybach, she had damaged it so badly that the repairs had eaten up a great deal of her allowance. Only her family’s influence had kept the police from coming after her. Under no circumstances could there be a second time.

The Togawa family naturally had its own drivers, but having one drive her meant reporting the trip in advance, and there was also the possibility of drawing Odin’s attention. That left an electric scooter as the only practical means of transportation. She was already sixteen, old enough to ride a motorcycle on the road.

“We’re all three riding this?” Taki asked, somewhat dazed.

“What taxi would come all the way here at a time like this? It’ll be fine,” Sakiko said solemnly.

While Taki was still hesitating, Mutsumi had already put on her helmet and climbed onto the footboard. By curling herself up slightly, she could hide between Sakiko’s legs, apparently leaving the seat behind Sakiko for Taki.

The two of them seemed remarkably familiar with this kind of transportation... Taki could not shake the feeling that something was wrong.

Weren’t you two both young heiresses? Didn’t your family garages have more luxury cars than you knew what to do with? Why were you so practiced at this? A motorcycle meant for several people was not something only delinquent girls liked? The kind of girls who drove at top speed in the dead of night with their arms spread wide, screaming wildly before plunging into a ditch and ending up on the news the next morning?

Taki suddenly felt that, in the months since they had last met, Mutsumi and Sakiko had somehow begun to radiate the scent of an illicit affair. They had certainly done all sorts of strange things behind CryChic’s back.

It was already deep into the night, but Crow, leaning against the hospital-room door, was still full of energy.

For most people, hospitals were unpleasant places. Coming to one first meant that something was wrong with your body; then there was the question of how much it would cost, not to mention the shrieks of children and the anguished moans of patients. Stay too long, and you began to feel as though the place was torturing you into insanity.

Crow, however, liked hospitals. There were two main reasons.

First, upscale hospitals like this one favored expensive floor tiles. Polished until they shone, the tiles could reflect the view beneath a beautiful woman’s skirt.

Second, even when there were no beautiful women in short skirts, there were still pretty young nurses to watch.

Crow had never been embarrassed by his lecherous gaze lingering long enough to earn him an eye roll from a nurse. With his hands on his hips, his coat flared deliberately to reveal the ukiyo-e tattoo beneath. Everyone who passed hurried out of his way. Who would dare object to his lascivious stare?

Sometimes Crow felt that being the young master’s henchman was worse than being an ordinary gangster. The former offered better prospects, certainly, and even though he could put on a lecherous face and tease an innocent girl with, “Miss, are you lonely?” whenever he wished, he could not actually lay a hand on her. Especially when he was beside the young master, he had to maintain a respectable bearing.

As a low-level thug, on the other hand, things were easy. Spot a girl he liked and walk straight up to her. Carry a brick and ask, “Miss, is this yours?” Then, whether she agreed or not, grab her and have his fun.

The lighter snapped crisply. A cigarette flared with a faint ember. Crow drew in a deep breath, exhaled a thin stream of smoke, and continued his vigil.

Tomori Takamatsu had already been taken back to the shrine, but the chestnut-haired girl still needed to be dealt with.

Powerful adrenaline and anesthetics had carried her through the most dangerous period. Once she woke, there would be many things to question her about. She was not allowed to let word of seeing Deadpool spread, and until everything was settled, she could not be allowed contact with outsiders.

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“Sir, smoking isn’t allowed inside the hospital.”

A young voice sounded beside him, its tone cold as ice.

Crow turned his head and examined the girl who had appeared without him noticing. She wore a refined lace blouse beneath a cardigan for warmth, a pleated skirt that fell just to her knees, and twin blue ponytails draped over her shoulders.

She looked as though she came from some highly cultured and wealthy family. A long instrument case hung from her shoulder, while she carried a basket of fruit in one hand. Her round, almost bun-like face was so cute that he felt an urge to pinch it and toy with it.

Perhaps her family had protected her too well, leaving her ignorant of the cruelty of the world? Crow was delighted. He thought he might have a little fun with her.

His face was not as frightening as a demon’s, but combined with his damp, vicious gaze and the black coat of the Snake Banner Eight Clans’ execution bureau, he looked like someone no sane person would provoke. Few people would dare retaliate if he slapped them across the face, yet this girl had actually told him not to smoke in the hospital.

“Out visiting a friend this late at night?” Crow curled his lip and struck what he considered a handsome pose, sweeping both hands sharply back through his hair into the classic slicked-back style.

“Yes. I bought her some fruit.” The girl’s smile was like sunlight. Crow felt that this crow might yet be bleached white, for he had encountered a dove from the church.

His delight made his smile even more wicked... He had been born with an evil-looking face, after all, which explained his lack of luck with women.

But he also possessed a trace of dragon blood. Those with such blood could release their charm freely upon ordinary humans, and women were easily captivated. Crow spent every day running errands for the young master, so it was only natural that he had grown somewhat starved for affection—especially when confronted with a beauty of this caliber.

“Oh, my, what a well-mannered child. But it’s not safe for a student to be wandering around outside this late, is it? What would you do if you ran into a bad man? Shall big brother escort you home?”

Crow bared his teeth and put on the swaggering act of a seasoned wolf.

“Run into a bad man? But you are a bad man.”

Crow froze. A fierce gust of wind struck him in the face.

Damn it. He had not expected anyone in this day and age to dare use a beauty trap against a member of the Snake Banner Eight Clans. The family’s response had been swift, but word of what happened in Ikebukuro had still spread. Could this girl be an enforcer sent by the Raging Ghosts?

He hurriedly raised an arm to block, but it was already too late. His opponent was clearly much faster than he was. Crow was not a fighter by nature; his main role beside the young master was handling odd jobs and offering schemes, pretending to be a strategist.

Some kind of weapon emerged from the instrument case on her back and struck him precisely in the lower abdomen. The pain instantly robbed him of his ability to fight, but he could not cry out, because the blow had struck his nerve plexus as well.

Crow’s body went limp, folding into the shape of a shrimp. Sakiko casually slammed the instrument case into his head. She drew Murasame but did not unsheathe it; instead, she used the sheathed blade to strike the hollow behind his knee, forcing him to kneel.

Mutsumi Wakaba and Taki Shiina, who had been hiding around the corner, saw that the attack had succeeded and immediately rushed in. One stuffed a strip of cloth into Crow’s mouth while the other fastened the handcuffs they had bought around his wrists. Sakiko pushed open the hospital-room door, and together the three girls dragged Crow inside, shut the door, and began kicking and punching him.

Crow felt that something was wrong. He could see several slender legs stamping about on the floor, and the attacks were painfully amateurish. Apart from the blue-haired girl’s surprise assault, none of the kicks or blows had any technique behind them.

If they truly belonged to the Raging Ghosts, they would have killed him the moment they dragged him, a clan officer, into the room. They would not have sent several girls this young.

What was going on? Was someone else targeting this place? But what third-party faction could there be among the mixed-bloods of Tokyo?

He could not figure it out. All he could do was curl himself up as tightly as possible and protect his vital points.

He was not the only one standing guard that night. Someone would come to relieve him after a while. Since the girls had no intention of killing him, all he had to do was hold out and find a way to stall them. Once reinforcements arrived, he would win.

Having made up his mind, Crow began to let out low whimpering sounds. He could not speak, and the muffled syllables were indistinct, but they should at least understand that he wanted to communicate.

They might have been beating him without any real technique, but damn, it still hurt! Even as a mixed-blood, he was beginning to find it difficult to endure.

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