Itō Mitsuo and three of his subordinates cornered a girl in an alley.
The short-haired girl was wearing a pretty sea-blue top and a miniskirt, clutching two books. She had just come out of a bookstore when she was blocked here by four strange men—
They were...?
A very typical case of harassment.
During this period, the Matsutani-kai had taken on several large projects, and the entire organization was becoming increasingly prosperous. Many mid-level guys had gotten new cars, and those who did well had even changed to new houses... oh, some had even changed to new girlfriends... or new Mamas.
In short, life seemed to be getting better and better, except... except for low-level thugs like them.
At the same time, along with the good things, some bad things happened—for instance, some high-level members disappeared mysteriously, and the talk of 'gods and ghosts' within the group became more and more taboo.
In this way, the gradually transforming large organization couldn't care less about the lowliest people at the bottom.
They were almost unemployed.
Itō Mitsuo shook his head, thinking of the 'vanished' Nakajima Saki, and then looked at the girl in front of him.
"Want to go singing?"
The curvaceous girl not only had a great figure, but her looks were also much more refined than that Nakajima girl, except for this 'robot-like' dullness and innocence... "Eh...?" The girl tilted her head and took an unguarded step forward, looking at Itō Mitsuo, who was a bit taller than her. "Is there something I can help you with?"
Itō Mitsuo grinned and twisted an ostentatious silver ring on his ring finger. "Miss, what's your name?"
The girl tightened her grip on the books in her arms, her nervousness hidden beneath a calm face. "...Megumi."
Itō Mitsuo didn't hear clearly. He picked his ear and continued forward indifferently. "What a plain name. Well, want to go play? Judging by your outfit, you're the kind of girl who has no money but great taste, right? I'm in charge of this entire street. Do you want to buy something?"
As he spoke, the man drew closer to the girl. He could almost smell a faint fragrance... "Hey... do you know the Matsutani-kai?"
"Of course."
This voice was much more distinct.
Itō Mitsuo turned around.
At the entrance of the dead-end alley, a tall woman stood with her arms crossed, looking at them coldly. She also had short hair, but this one seemed extremely aggressive: like a poisonous apple, the woman's cold eyeliner flicked up slightly at the corners of her eyes. Her ten long fingernails were painted with black polish, and she wore a sharp lady's suit with a pair of plain black high heels.
She looked at Itō Mitsuo with a half-smile. "Has the Matsutani-kai fallen to such a state?"
Itō Mitsuo took a small step back imperceptibly, which caused him to bump into the girl with the books behind him.
"Don't meddle in other people's business!" The man rolled up his sleeves, revealing a mass of black tattoos. "The Matsutani-kai is—"
"I'll have a talk with your leader."
The woman raised her hand to check her watch and, frowning, gave a look to the man behind her—the fellow who stepped out from the shadows... was terrifyingly handsome.
His long hair was tied in a ponytail, and he had a tall, straight figure, dressed in a black suit. After his eyes swept over the group nonchalantly, a chill spread.
"Kato, it's time for me to take you home." The woman reached out from a distance. As her slender finger hooked, her disdainful gaze fell freely upon Itō Mitsuo and his men.
Perhaps feeling the contempt, the man suddenly pushed the girl with the books, pulling her back into their circle. Itō Mitsuo, with false bravado, fiercely clenched his fists at the poisonous apple. "The Matsutani-kai is working for the Tojo Family—"
Suddenly, the man shut his mouth tight.
All expressions of dissatisfaction and defiance flipped over, turning into caution. He quietly took a few more steps back, hiding half his body behind his subordinates, and asked tentatively, "May I ask who you are...?"
The woman tucked her short hair behind her ear and curled one side of her mouth, her disdain becoming even more obvious. "Your IQ isn't so low that it's invisible. If the Matsutani-kai is full of stupid, sightless fools like you, I'll have to consider getting a different dog to keep."
"Come here, Kato Megumi." The poisonous apple hooked her finger again—this time, no one dared to stop her.
Kato Megumi looked at this beautiful, doll-like young lady, clutched her books, and moved behind her, whispering her thanks. The woman glanced at her but didn't speak.
"Noguchi, let these guys rest for a while." Tojo Aoi gave a few instructions to Noguchi Tadashi, who stood to the side. "And stop reading those 'How to Chase Girls' books. Look at them; simple and direct—at least it's a form of screening."
"You're inciting me to commit a crime, My Lord Aoi." The handsome man lowered his head and curled his lip.
"I don't give you so much 'activity funds' to go to bars so you can be a righteous judge or a fitness coach." The woman snorted, signaled for Kato Megumi to follow, and turned to leave.
Only after the two ladies disappeared at the alley entrance did Noguchi Tadashi turn his face.
He looked at Itō Mitsuo and his men.
"I work so hard and can't even pick up a girl, yet you pieces of trash are quite direct..." The originally handsome face suddenly became distorted. The man clenched his fists, and the sound of cracking bones and screams echoed in the dead alley... Kato Megumi had never ridden in such a luxurious car. The back seat was incredibly spacious; the girl stretched out her legs, and there was still room in front. She used her peripheral vision to watch the short-haired woman to her left. Since getting into the car, she hadn't spoken to her again.
Aren't you going to ask where I'm going?
The inside of the car was terrifyingly quiet, with only the clicking sounds of a mouse and keyboard.
After three long traffic lights, Tojo Aoi finally closed her laptop and looked at Kato Megumi.
She said a name.
"Eh... Eh?! Papa?"
"Your father didn't tell you?" Tojo Aoi crossed her legs, pulled out a cigarette in blue packaging, looked at Kato Megumi, and put it back. "He's an employee of the Tojo Group—thanks to your daughter-obsessed father, many employees know he has a good daughter."
"I saw a photo your father took out once while discussing work details—of you and him." This also explained why Tojo Aoi recognized her.
"I see." Kato Megumi nodded. "Thank you very much for helping me out."
Tojo Aoi didn't respond, staring blankly at Kato Megumi's face.
"Um... Miss Aoi?"
"?"
Tojo Aoi suddenly asked, "Are you in the same school as Mori Tsukisa?"
Mori Tsukisa...?
Kato Megumi thought for a moment. "Classmate Mori Tsukisa and I aren't friends, but I know of her. Miss Aoi?"
"Do you see her often?"
"If I specifically try to run into her... I do see her often? Miss Aoi?"
After the inexplicable question came another completely unrelated topic—Tojo Aoi tapped her black fingernails on the seat, eyeing Kato Megumi's somewhat old-fashioned women's shoes.
"Your father is due for a promotion."
"...Sorry?"
Kato Megumi couldn't keep up with the jumping speed of the woman's thoughts, but when this cold and sharp poisonous apple suddenly smiled, it could make one immerse themselves in her exquisite and gorgeous smile.
It's just that there's no emotion in it at all.
Kato Megumi thought.
"I said, your father is due for a promotion, right?"
Right? A question?
What does that mean?
Tojo Aoi lowered her legs pleasantly and leaned her body slightly toward Kato Megumi, her words meaningful. "It's a very simple meaning. Try to think like an adult, little Kato."
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