The Yakuza's flower

Meaning?

Hanayama's POV

I went to the Underground Arena because Mitsunari Tokugawa said he had an announcement to make.

The new fighters were coming.

Another tournament.

That was all it was.

The meeting didn't last long.

I saw plenty of familiar faces.

Baki.

Retsu.

Doppo Orochi.

A few others.

Kureha Shinogi was there too.

That surprised me.

Most of his time was spent at the hospital these days. I figured he'd stepped away from fighting.

Apparently not.

Once Tokugawa finished speaking, everyone went their separate ways.

I was hungry.

There was a ramen shop nearby that I visited often.

The owner already knew me.

He made good food.

He didn't ask questions.

Neither did I.

That was enough.

After finishing my meal, I paid and glanced at the clock hanging above the doorway.

9:30 p.m.

I stepped outside and headed toward the small public park a short walk from the hospital.

The lighting there was poor.

Only a few streetlamps cut through the darkness.

I sat on a bench beneath one of them and lit a cigarette.

The night was quiet.

A few minutes later...

I heard familiar footsteps.

I looked up.

Ume.

I took one last drag before putting the cigarette out against the ashtray beside the bench.

"Hey."

She smiled as she stopped a few feet away.

"Seems like we keep running into each other."

"Seems so."

I stood and slipped my hands into my pockets.

"Late shift again?"

She nodded.

"Kind of."

A tired laugh escaped her.

"But that's okay. I like helping people."

She leaned lightly against the lamp post, giving her legs a chance to rest.

"What about you?"

"Late business meetings again?"

Most people never asked what I was doing.

I preferred it that way.

She wasn't asking out of curiosity.

She was making conversation.

"Meetings."

"And other things."