Outbound

Hayakawa

After a brief scan of the cafe, Naoya's sharp eyes spot a familiar face among the crowd. Sitting in the corner booth of the cafe is a man wearing a black cap and dark shades, seemingly engrossed in a newspaper but occasionally sneaking glances around the room. Naoya recognizes him immediately as Hayakawa. "There he is," Naoya says to the others, subtly nodding in the man's direction. Without drawing undue attention to themselves, they make their way towards Hayakawa's booth. As they approached, Hayakawa looks up from his newspaper, eyes scanning each of their faces before his gaze lands on Naoya. A small smile forms on Hayakawa's lips. "Well, well, well. Look who finally showed up." Naoya returns Hayakawa's smile with a faint one of his own. The trio takes a seat at the booth, sliding in quietly. Now that they are finally face to face, the atmosphere is filled with a mix of tension and an air of the past. Hayakawa eyes them critically, assessing their appearances and evident fatigue. After a moment, he says, "Looks like you've been through hell and back. Care to fill me in?" "I will. However, you have the thing?"

Hayakawa nods, understanding Naoya's cautiousness. He pulls a sleek, black briefcase from beneath the booth table and places it on the tabletop with a clank. "As promised," he says, his voice low. "I got you everything you asked for." Naoya's eyes scan the briefcase, a flicker of relief passing over his face. He reaches out and unlatches the briefcase, taking a moment to briefly survey the contents. Inside, the briefcase contains several packets of cash, a set of fake identification documents, and two burner phones. It's exactly what Naoya had requested. Satisfied, he closes the briefcase and turns back to Hayakawa. Naoya spends the next few minutes recapping the events that have led them to this point. He speaks quietly, not wanting to draw any unnecessary attention from anyone nearby. As he talks, Hayakawa nods and listens intently, absorbing the information. At times, his face betrays a hint of shock and disbelief, his gaze flicking to Ms. Fujiwara and Jun with newfound curiosity. "If you were alone, this shit you went through would be way easier. Then why do you have these two with you?" Hayakawa asks.

Naoya takes a moment to respond, his gaze briefly landing on Ms. Fujiwara and Jun before returning to Hayakawa. "It's a long story," he eventually says, his voice even. "But the thing is... I can't just leave them. They're being relentlessly pursued by the same people who are hunting me down, and we wouldn't have made it this far without each other." Hayakawa leans back, a contemplative look on his face. He seems to understand without needing further explanation the bond and trust that has been forged between Naoya, Ms. Fujiwara, and Jun. "Alright, I get it," he finally says. "But that does make things way more precarious. Three people are harder to hide and manage than one." "I don't need to hide, I need to bring the crew back together."

Hayakawa raises an eyebrow, an amused smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "You plan on raising some hell, huh?" he said, a teasing tone laced in his voice. "Oh don't even start with that." Hayakawa chuckles lightly, shaking his head. "Alright, I won't tease about the 'good ole days'," he grins, leaning back in his seat. "You never did know when to quit, did you, Naoya?" "I was forced to quit. You know I was known as dead." Hayakawa let out a low whistle and nodded, the atmosphere briefly turning somber as they reflected over the past. "But here you are now, like a damn ghost out of the past. So what's your plan, then?" "First, the crew. Anything else later." Hayakawa regards Naoya with a critical eye, weighing his determination against the potential risk. After a moment, he shrugs and says, "You're crazy alright, but I've seen you in action, so I know better than to doubt you. I'll help you reconnect with the old crew. But consider me a consultant now, got it? I'll guide, I'll connect, but I'm not getting involved directly. I've already had my fill of that life. Understood?" "I know you have a wife and a kid Hayakawa. I just need to get my crew back without letting those fuckers know my location." 

Hayakawa nods, acknowledging Naoya's understanding of his current life situation. "Yes, I do, and I'm not risking them for anything. I'll be sure to keep your location under wraps. As for your crew, I'll make contact with them. But let me warn you, they might not be too keen on jumping back into the mix after all this time. You're stirring up one hell of a hornets' nest." "Might as well go and kill the queen bee myself." Naoya says. Hayakawa lets out a snort, a sharp bark of laughter escaping his lips. He leans back in his seat, a hint of grim amusement in his eyes. "Still as cocky as ever, I see. Always with the tough talk, even in the face of certain danger. You haven't changed much, Naoya." "You are more sharp than me after all these years." Hayakawa quirks an eyebrow, a wry smile playing on his lips. "A compliment from you, Naoya? I must be dreaming. What's next, you're gonna tell me you missed me?" the teasing tone is evident in his voice. "I'm going to say fuck off next." Hayakawa chuckles, enjoying the banter. "There's the Naoya I remember. All grouchy and full of piss and vinegar." He shakes his head slightly, a hint of nostalgia in his eyes. As the banter continues, Hayakawa's demeanor starts to soften. A part of him seems genuinely pleased to be reunited with an old friend. "Seriously though," he says, his voice dropping slightly. "It's good to see you, even under these circumstances. But let's get to the nitty-gritty. You need to get your crew back together, right? I know where each one of our old posse is at." 

"'I've already had my fill of that life.' my ass. You clearly have been interested in what is going on this entire time." Hayakawa chuckles again, raising his hands in mock surrender. "Caught me," he says, his tone playful. "I've been keeping tabs, sure. You just can't shake off the old habits. But make no mistake, I'm done with getting my hands directly dirty. I'm just here to help facilitate and connect, nothing more. Let's keep it that way." "I am aware. Oh yeah, I probably have to return back to my old appearance too. I look like a homeless thug right now don't I?"

Hayakawa looks Naoya up and down, a judgmental look on his face. His eyes flit over Naoya's dusty, disheveled appearance, taking in his slightly unkempt hair and worn-out clothing. "You're not wrong," he eventually admits, his tone wry. "You've seen better days, that's for sure. First order of business, then, we'll need to get you cleaned up. And maybe a shave." "Yeah. I'm down with that." Naoya says with tired smile. Hayakawa nods, looking relieved. "Good, because walking around looking like a hobo is going to attract all the wrong kinds of attention, especially from law enforcement. We'll need to get you a new ID and maybe some proper clothes. And a place to lay low, obviously. Where are you holing up now, anyway?" "Well, to be fair...I cannot return to any place because they already know. As for Jun and Ms. Fujiwara their houses and where they live are already known including my own house. I had to get rid of the car too as a distraction."

Hayakawa lets out a low whistle, looking grave. "Damn, sounds like these guys have been on your tail for some time. You sure you don't want just want to drop off the radar entirely and leave the country? They clearly have some serious resources to track you down this thoroughly." "You seriously expect me to say 'Yes, of course!' and leave the country like it's the end of a movie?" Hayakawa snorts, a bark of laughter escaping his lips. "No, that's the last thing I'd expect from you. I've known you long enough to know that you're too damn stubborn to back down even in the face of certain death. That's what got us into so much trouble in the past." Naoya continues, "Enough of about this, you sure you know how to bring back the crew?"

Hayakawa leans back, his expression becoming more serious. "Yes. I have the means to contact each one of them. But understand, some of them might be reluctant. After all, it's been a long time. Not all of them might be up for rekindling relations, especially not with how much danger you're stirring up. And some, well, won't be so keen to risk their newfound peaceful lives just to help you out." Hayakawa continues, a pensive look on his face as he recalls each member of their old crew. "But some, I think, aren't fully content with their current lives. They might be seeking something more, even if they don't realize it yet. They're stuck in a routine, a monotonous existence. Maybe your return can give them some excitement and purpose, reignite some old flames." "My old ass is barely scraping the surface. I better not ruin their life even more with this." Hayakawa chuckles softly, a hint of genuine amusement in his eyes. "Oh, I don't think you ever had a chance at a normal life, even without this mess. You've always had that thrill-seeker streak, always pushing the envelope, always doing things on your own terms. If anything, this is just another chapter in that same pattern, isn't it? And hey, even if you're 'barely scraping the surface', you're still managing to make a damn splash." "That splash caused Jun and Fujiwara to be involved in this shit show. I am not sure if others would willingly come back to business just for me." Hayakawa gazes at Naoya thoughtfully, his expression becoming more contemplative. He remains quiet for a moment before finally speaking. "I can't predict what each member of our old crew will do. Some might join you out of loyalty or kinship, others might not. But one thing is for sure, Naoya – it's not entirely your fault that Fujiwara and Jun got involved. You didn't force them to do anything; they're in this because you're not the type to abandon people once they're in your circle." 

"Jun is the first person to find me and attempt to kill me by the way." Hayakawa pauses at this admission, a flicker of surprise crossing his face. "Wait, so you're telling me that this guy tried to kill you, and now you're working together? That's one hell of a turnaround. You do realize how insane that sounds?" "You are acting like you aren't talking to an insane ghost." Naoya states with a sly smile. Hayakawa chuckles while Jun scratches the back of his head with a smile. "Looks like even your new recruit knows you're a crazy bastard, huh?" His tone is filled with a hint of amusement as he regards Jun, the tension in the air momentarily lifting. "He does. However, he was in this business so he knows how to take care of himself. But for Ms. Fujiwara's case..." Hayakawa nods, understanding Naoya's implied concern for Ms. Fujiwara's safety. "Yeah, she's a civilian, isn't she? This isn't her world. But I've noticed she's no damsel in distress, either. She's got guts, from what you've said." Ms. Fujiwara looks at both of them and thinks to herself about if she should start speaking. Naoya catches Ms. Fujiwara's gaze and gives her a faint nudge with his elbow. He understands her discomfort and offers her a reassuring nod, an unspoken indication that it's okay for her to speak up. "I'm not afraid of all this because I am not exactly unfamiliar with it." Hayakawa, Naoya and Jun turns to look at Ms. Fujiwara, their expressions filled with curiosity. "What do you mean?" Naoya asks, his voice soft but filled with intrigue.