The Yakuza's flower

Meaning?

Hanayama's POV

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

New fighters were coming, and Another tournament was going to happen.

That was all it was.

So

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.

And I had gotten hungry.

There was a ramen shop nearby that I visited often.

The owner already knew me.

He made good food.

He never asked questions and was never bothered by my presence in his shop.

.........

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 that was a short walk from the hospital.

The lighting there was poor.

There were a few streetlamps that cut through the darkness in that area.

When I arrived, I sat on a bench beneath one of the lights and lit a cigarette.

The night was quiet and the breeze was a bit cold

A few minutes later...

I heard familiar footsteps.

I looked up.

Saw her coming closer..

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.

" yeah, Meetings And other things."

I looked at her for a moment.