High & Low ~The story of SWORD~

Act 14: Enough Is Enough!

As the night deepened, a tense meeting unfolded atop a high rooftop. A man with striking white hair, dressed in a black suit with white pinstripes, and carrying an umbrella appeared from the shadows. Across from him, sitting on a cold metal bench, was Kohaku. Dressed in all black, his expression was a mix of anger and confusion, as though lost in thought. The man, known as Lee, approached with a sinister smile playing on his lips.

"I happen to have the information you're desperate for," he said, his voice smooth, as he reached the bench where Kohaku sat.

Kohaku's attention snapped to Lee instantly. In a flash, he sprang to his feet, grabbing Lee by the throat with a force so strong it made Lee stagger back a few inches. Despite Kohaku's raw strength, Lee remained calm, his unshaken demeanor sending a chill through the air. Kohaku's grip tightened around Lee's neck, his eyes burning with intensity.

"What do you know?" Kohaku demanded, his voice low and menacing.

In response, Lee coolly pressed a blade against Kohaku's side, the cold steel pressing into his flesh. "Why such a serious expression?" Lee asked, his voice unnervingly calm, as though unfazed by the situation.

Kohaku's fury boiled over as he grabbed the blade with his bare hand, cutting himself in the process, but managing to hurl the knife away. With a sharp shove, he pushed Lee back, though the man simply shrugged and smirked. "Don't panic," Lee said, his amusement clear. He then laughed, lifting the knife and pointing it toward Kohaku. "I know who killed your friend."

Kohaku's eyes narrowed. The words struck a chord within him, but instead of rushing to retaliate, he turned and began to walk away. Lee called out, his voice laced with intrigue. "Kohaku-san," he said, his tone turning serious. "Do you know who the real culprit is?"

At those words, Kohaku halted. He slowly turned to face Lee, his expression hardening. Lee stepped closer, his voice lowering as he revealed, "The person who killed your friend..."

And with those words, the night's events would mark the beginning of an even darker chapter for SWORD. Lee had successfully gained Kohaku's trust, and that was only the beginning of the chaos that would follow.

The next morning at Itokan Diner, Nikka and Naomi were busy cleaning up the place. With all the chaos lately, the diner had been neglected for some time. Nikka had found herself spending a lot of time there recently—not just to see Tettsu, but because she had started to enjoy working in the diner. It was also a relief for Naomi, who could step out for a moment and take a breather.

"That was a surprise last night!" Nikka exclaimed, scrubbing a plate as she spoke. She had been there when Chiharu revealed that Ren was actually Kasumi. "We were all so worried about Kasumi," she added, shaking her head.

Naomi nodded in agreement as she wiped down the upper shelves. "At least something good came out of it," she said, before heading toward the back of the diner to grab more beers for the fridge.

Meanwhile, outside at the Hino Gas Station, Cobra, Yamato, and the others were talking. So much had changed recently—new threats were surfacing, and yet, it still felt strange that the Doubt gang had made such an open move in the Sannoh district.

Chiharu scanned their surroundings and abruptly cut into the conversation. "Where's Kasumi?" he asked.

"She's still sleeping," Cobra replied simply.

"Will she be alright?" Yamato asked with concern.

"She'll be fine," Cobra answered, his tone cold and firm.

Just then, an unexpected voice cut through the air. "Kasumi's doing fine!" The group turned to see Kasumi standing there, looking a little disheveled but otherwise okay. She had woken up just a few minutes ago, still dressed in her usual boyish clothes. Though she had gotten a good rest, her bruises were still visible. "I'm really sorry for lying," she said, bowing to them in genuine remorse. "I should have trusted you all."