[9:00 AM - Katsushika estate]

While the rest of the group continued their breakfast, Kazuo and Yuko were already waiting outside for Shotaro to arrive.

"Nervous?" Kazuo asked his friend, "Not going to lie, I'm kind of scared." Yuko exhaled.

"Why do you think someone like Mr. Ishinomori needs our help? He seems like he can go solo and beat the shit out of those people." Kazuo wondered, as if on cue a jet black Subaru WRX STI arrives, its hood and roof decorated with a long dark green stripe. The window rolls down to reveal Shotaro in his usual attire, wearing sunglasses this time, "You guys ready?" He asks from inside the car. The two of them are stunned, not at Shotaro's looks or car but his ridiculous entrance. The two of them looked at each other then took turns to get inside the car.

The car left soon after heading towards the Shinsaibashi district but before they continued, Shotaro stopped at the 7-11 which the Gutai group frequented. He stepped out of the driver's seat to buy a can of coffee. Entering the car again Shotaro looked at his two companions for the day, "what music do you kids like?"

"Some regular pop" Yuko responds, "Sakanaction, Gesu no Kiwami Otome. Those two and the likes."

"And you?" He pointed at Kazuo, "More or less the same" Kazuo scratched his head. Shotaro opened his phone and started playing some tunes which blast through the speakers of the car, sending the two into a shock. "Sorry about that," Shotaro apologized, "I don't get a lot of guests."

Shotaro stepped on the gas pedal and continued driving the winding road towards Osaka. "Some rules for today, mostly regarding what to call me. I'd like you two to call me Takeshi today, Takeshi Hongo. Age 22, born in Miyagi prefecture, my favourite writer is Seichō Matsumoto and my favourite food is oyakodon with a side of chawanmushi; the two of you are my university friends, the three of us are studying in the arts." Shotaro continued while driving. "Why all the hassle?" Kazuo wondered. "I booked a haircut at the salon as Takeshi Hongo, I just use that name as an alias." He replied, still in a rather casual tone. Kazuo turned his head to Yuko, both of them nodding in agreement about Shotaro's alter ego.

The trio soon reaches the city of Osaka after about two hours of driving, a far more bustling place than the small rural town of Gaki. Kazuo and Yuko took in the sights of the city, looking at the busy shops which line the streets. The car approached a red light, Shotaro turned his head to ask, "You two hungry? Can't fight on an empty stomach."

Yuko shook her head but Kazuo nodded. Yuko looked straight at Kazuo, "You skipped breakfast?"

Kazuo snickered a little, "Hey, I knew we were going to go to the big city today, I want to try some new food out. Besides, I already ate a bit of the Speculaas cookies Mr. van Rijn offered for breakfast."

Shotaro smiled, "I haven't eaten either, you wanna go to Jiyūken?"

"Jiyūken?" Both respond

"Curry shop in the Namba area, it's about 10 minutes from Shinsaibashi." Shotaro replied. Kazuo smiled, "That sounds good, getting some fill before a fight is always good."

After reaching the Namba area, the three of them stepped out of the car to take in the scene and sights of Namba, Shotaro took a deep breath and took the two to Jiyūken.

"I don't usually cheat on my diet, but. I heard that Tezuka likes the food here." Shotaro explains his motive.

"You're on a diet?" Yuko exclaimed

"I mean, how do you think I maintain this physique?" He jokes, "A steady diet of healthy foods, two hours of work out and all that." Kazuo overhearing this conversation just looked down and pinched his stomach, he frowned a little and sighed, dragging himself to follow the two to Jiyūken. The three of them sat down and ordered their respective foods after they were done with ordering Shotaro cleared his throat. "My plan for today is simple, head into Shinsaibashi, you two wait outside while I try to get information from this woman. If things go wrong then you guys step in, alright?"

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Kazuo asked the clearly confident looking Shotaro. "Last time Detective van Rijn told us that he's going to handle everything, the main suspect ended up dead and the only reason we know about Miss Kitani here is because of Tezuka and the Detective's friends."

Shotaro took off his sunglasses, "Look, ever since I was a kid, I've been roaming these streets and beating up evildoers wherever I went. This one is just going to be another walk in the park." Yuko slammed her fist onto the wooden table and lurched her head towards Shotaro, staring intently at him. "I'm not saying that I distrust you, I'm just not sure if you're good enough."

"Oi!" Shotaro shouts, "who's the adult here, brat! You got some confidence in saying that." Kazuo immediately stepped in to stop the two from fighting, he told the two of them to sit down to prevent any more chaos from happening. Between the always aggressive Yuko and the less-than cool-headed Shotaro, Kazuo feels as if he's just watching a new pair of Saburo and Jiro duke it out verbally. The food finally arrived with three portions of curry rice for them to enjoy. "So Uncle Shotaro, tell me how did you meet Uncle Tezuka?" Kazuo asks. Shotaro just looked straight at Kazuo, he put down his chopsticks then drank some tea. "It was around three or so years ago, my memory isn't the best. I'm not sure if you know but Tezuka used to work for a detective agency before he founded the Mangaka Guild. At the time I was a drifter, some kid who was just lucky enough to survive day by day. I ended up at Gaki one day and he just started helping me along with Mr. Shichima."

"You were a drifter?" Yuko wondered. Shotaro swirled his glass a little, the ice clinked against the corners, "you could put it that way, I had no one and nothing. I had to survive on my own since then I've promised to myself that I'll destroy any and all evildoers that come my way. Maybe that way, the world can be a little bit better." The three of them continued to eat, cheerfully chatting with one another.

"Wouldn't it be nice to live in a world without murderers like the one you two-faced a few days ago?" Shotaro blurted out in a relaxed manner. Yuko took a sip of her ocha, "That'd be nice, I could have spent my summer holidays doing more productive things."

"What productive things?" Kazuo asks, "All you do with your tal-" Before Kazuo could finish, Yuko grabbed his shirt's collar, "What were you going to say?" she smiled at him. "Nothing Yuko, you're always helpful in our studio." She let off her grip, leaving Kazuo a little bit shocked.

Shotaro laughs at the two's antics, "Honestly, you two reminded me of Shirō and Naoko." Kazuo and Yuko now set their sights on the Mangaka Guild member, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT!" the two of them shouts in sync. "Relax, relax. I just mean that you guys interacting reminds me of the two of them.

[11:30 AM - K-ARA Salon, Shinsaibashi]

"Kusaka! Don't forget today you have a booking with Mr. Hongo today." said one of the Salon's staff.

"Yes yes, don't worry. I already had my lunch." Kitani giggled, "I'm not that lazy, so don't worry too much."

"I'm just saying this to remind you!" Her friend laughs, "Right, I'm gonna go and eat lunch alright!"

Kitani waved goodbye, immediately after her friend was out of sight. She received a call from a burner phone, she picked her phone up and answered the call. "Hey, this is Kitani."

The voice on the other side was different from her boss's, Yoshitoshi. This voice is deep and a bit rough, "This is Aoki, Shigeru Aoki. Head of the Acquisition Team."

"Mr. Aoki? What's the matter." Kitani frowned, expecting the worst.

"Yoshitoshi is at the hospital, the Hitman team is now under the management of Genpei Akasegawa until further notice, orders from The Boss."

"Alright, I understand. May I ask wh-"

"No. I will not mention any further details."

"Thank you."

The phone clicked off, Kitani sighs and starts preparing the tools for her upcoming business. "I wonder what kind of haircut this person wants, he sounds more like a businessman when he calls yesterday." She wonders. Something sounds a little off about the caller, Takeshi Hongo, but decided that she's not going to let that bother her day, as she goes on with her day, trying to shed away the thoughts about Yoshitoshi and just work her regular day job.