The dim lighting of his makeshift home clinic did barely anything to soothe the burning ache in Oni's muscles. Bandages wrapped around his torso and limbs felt like a constant reminder of his most recent humiliation. In his whole career of street fighting, no one has ever got the best of him until tonight. How had he, Oni, the manifestation of pure demonic power, been pushed back so fiercely? It was something he would never forget. Kento's face flashed behind his eyelids; the memory of the club fight was searing in his mind. The sheer skill of the younger fighter, the speed and precision, all caught him off guard completely.

Anger simmered beneath his skin; a potent cocktail mixed with surprise. He would have his vengeance for this humiliation. Kento would pay for daring to wound him, for daring to challenge his dominance. Oni's mind spun; it searched for an edge, anything, something he could use or do against the bouncer. Then he thought about it a little longer, and it clicked; it was so clear. His woman, Kaye. He noticed the fear that flashed in her eyes and the rage in Rei Faun's from what he said after their fight. It was a delicious memory; it's been a while since he had such satisfaction after a loss. Even if it was a small reward. His feral grin grew more as he knew he could use this realization to his advantage. He could use this to break the bouncer and make him suffer. The gears in his mind were already going through multiple possibilities of his dark scheming mind.

Oni's mind, his drive and focus, usually would be found on going through different ways to win from one street battle to the next. He was just wired that way; nothing else mattered to him. All he wanted was to win the next fight no matter what the cost. He already lost his soul a long time ago from his first kill when he joined up with Lou Yan, Wan, and Shen in the beginning. But tonight something was a little different. He was curious as to why his boss asked him to give the bouncer an "audition" when they battled in the club tonight. His boss wanted to test Kento's mettle. Was it to see if the bouncer would be able to replace him? He scoffed at this notion because he knew he was the best fighter out there. Or did his boss want him to join their ranks?

It made him suspicious, but he learned a long time ago never to question Lou Yan, ever. But there was one, not too long ago, who did dare to question his boss. Turned out the one who did was an undercover cop. The poor unfortunate soul, no, he was a fool. Thinking he could bring down their fighting empire. Oni remembered the night vividly because he was a part of it. His boss wanted him, as well as a few of the others, to make it like the cop never existed, to erase every single speck of information attached to him. It wasn't the first time the street fighter made someone "vanish," and he knew it wouldn't be the last, but what did he care? It was part of his job anyway. The authorities were entirely too scared of him to make any kind of arrest anyway; he felt untouchable. For a long time he's felt that way, or at least he did until tonight. His eyes narrowed. Rei Faun was going to pay; one way or another, he didn't care how he did it, but he would get his vengeance.

Meanwhile, at the Jade Dragon, the last of the shattered glass crunched under their feet as Wan and Shen finished their final sweep of the club. The adrenaline of the battle earlier that evening was gone; what was left had been a weariness that settled deep in their bones. With a nod and a grim satisfaction at the now-empty room, they gave the signal and sent the crew home for the night. As the familiar faces were leaving, some were wearing bandages from Oni's battle with Kento, who slipped out while locking doors and securing windows as they went. A heavy silence descended after the last click of the lock.

Wan stretched his arms overhead, a small groan escaping his lips, while Shen basically stood, a stoic figure amidst the aftermath. Without a word, the two started towards the staircase, the worn steps leading them up to the relative quiet and privacy of Lou Yan's office. Once they arrived, the two of them settled into the chairs in front of the desk.

Lou Yan kept his eyes on his computer screen. "Go on," his voice cold and uninterested in what the report ended up being, but he had them do it anyway in order to keep up appearances.

Wan glanced at Shen and then back at his report. "Right, the damage was highly considerable. The revenue was non-existent. The bar itself was decimated; most of the liquor ended up on the floor along with the broken bottles. Tables, chairs, and a few of the sofas were damaged beyond repair. Even the new sound system was knocked out of commission. Plus, that's not taking into account the injuries that happened to the guests and crew."

Lou Yan's nonchalance was almost unsettling. He waved a hand dismissively at the report; it barely carried any weight with him. "Write it off," he mumbled, eyes glued to the glowing screen before him.

Shen finally posed his question, "What did Rei Faun want when he stopped by earlier?"

Lou Yan kept his sights on the screen, "A place to stay for a while."

Both Wan and Shen exchanged surprised glances. This was sudden; usually a fighter would ask for a place to stay a few days afterwards, not the very same night.
Wan leaned forward. "Did you offer him a spot then?"

Lou Yan finally turned, a small smile which played at the corner of his lips and nodded. He swiveled the screen around and revealed a live feed of Kento moving around the apartment. "I have it set up to monitor the fighters so that I can watch them no matter where I go, my office, home, etc. You know how I like to keep tabs on my "investments," if you know what I mean?"

Shen leaned back in his chair and studied Lou Yan. "So then, you don't trust Rei Faun, I take it."

Lou Yan glanced at Shen from the corner of his eye. "You should know by now, I trust no one. Not now, not ever. You don't get as far as I have by trusting people."
Wan glanced between his partner and boss. "You don't suspect him of being a cop, do you?"

"No, he doesn't come off as one. Not like the last person who tried to bust us when he was undercover. Rei Faun is a true fighter, as we saw that from the battle with Oni. No one in our top fighter's career has been able to match him blow by blow. Plus, he showed absolutely no fear, no intimidation. You could see it; he never backed down once. In fact, he kept pushing the fight. When I'm not around, make sure he's not doing anything suspicious."

Shen realized something, "What about Oni?"

Lou Yan stood up from his desk. "What about Oni? He's still my top fighter despite what happened tonight. This was the first time since we brought him in that he'd lost. So I wouldn't doubt he's already contemplating revenge. I have no problem with him seeking it out. It's late, and I, for one, am calling it a night." He walked over towards the door and opened it as he walked down the stairs.

Wan and Shen stood after their boss left and decided to follow suit. It was getting very late, and there was still a lot to do. At least it was going to be the weekend. Usually that's the time when they make the most money, but since the fight caused such destruction, the Jade Dragon will have to be closed for renovations until they're completed. The two left the office and then walked down the stairs as they left out the back and went home.

Not far from the Jade Dragon Kento lay sprawled out on the bed, the sheets tangled around him like the unresolved emotions churning within. He tried to get himself to focus on the ceiling, hoping the simple grid pattern would somehow untangle the knot in his chest, but the fight with Oni kept replaying in his mind. Each punch, taunt, and kick echoed the deeper conflict he was battling. Then to make things even worse was the intense situation with Kaye and the guys. Their accusations sharp and cutting, leaving him feeling exposed and wrong. There was a wave of guilt that washed over him, so intense it felt like a physical weight pressing down, suffocating him. But he knew, deep down, that the detective was right; he couldn't carry this burden alone. But the stubborn part of him, the fiercely independent part, still insisted he could handle it. He convinced himself, and anyone else who would listen, that this was his fight, his responsibility, and that pushing away the others was the safest course of action. He would almost believe it if only his guilt would just let him breathe.

Back at the manor, three out of the four remaining guys were talking among themselves quietly in the living room. They turned their attention towards the stairs when they heard them squeaking.

Cye's brow furrowed with concern as he watched Ryo descend the stairs with his shoulders slightly slumped. "So, how's Kaye doing?" He asked, his voice laced with worry.
Ryo shook his head, a weary sigh escaping his lips. "She cried herself to sleep," he murmured, the words heavy with sadness.

A frown etched itself onto Sage's face. "We all understand how stubborn Kento can be about things," Sage began, "but this... this seems way more than what it's supposed to be. He's never let things escalate like this before."

Rowen nodded in agreement, his gaze thoughtful. "Yeah," he added, "Something else is going on here. And for some reason, Kento doesn't want us involved in it. You guys could tell as well as I that Kento was definitely hiding something since he was being so defensive. The main thing we can do at the moment is give him time, because if we push things, then he'd get more defensive. We can't afford that to happen."

Ryo thought over what Rowen said, and it made sense. He looked over at Cye, "Any luck reaching Kento by phone?"

Cye shook his head. "He's not answering by call or by text. He must have found a place to stay then."

Sage stood. "Well, not much else we can do at the moment. Kento will come home when he's ready. In the meantime, we'll have an idea of where he will be at night anyway."
Rowen rose from his chair as well. "He's right. We'll deal with whatever is going on when the time comes. It's getting late."

Ryo and Cye glanced at one another and nodded as they too stood. The four of them made sure the manor was locked up tight. Every one of them had keys and the code to the alarms if they were to come back home late from somewhere. Once they made sure everything was locked, they made their way up the stairs to their respective rooms and retired for the night.

At a cop bar on the other side of the city, Detectives Shaw and Yayoi decided to stop in and blow off some steam. It was always a welcoming place to be from the day's grim realities. Fresh from their shift, Shaw and Yayoi slid into their usual booth in the back. From their vantage point, they could observe the comings and goings; it was a habit ingrained by years in the force.

The clatter of dishes and hushed conversations filled the air as they ordered their usuals. But under the surface of their unwinding was the case that still clung to them.
Shaw couldn't shake his unease. He voiced his concern about their person on the inside, Kento, excluding the rest of his friends from the current investigation. "It just doesn't sit right with me, Yayoi," he said, his voice low. "We all worked on that last one together, and it was only through everyone's contributions that we made it. Remember how you and your knowledge of street racing helped with your brother's situation? Teamwork, that's what it's all about."

Yayoi conceded, acknowledging that she agreed with Shaw's point to a certain extent. However, she emphasized that the final decision wasn't hers to make; it rested mainly with Kento. She explained that Kento had assured her he would communicate if he felt overwhelmed or unable to handle the situation.

Shaw, who was visibly skeptical, raised a brow at Yayoi's confident assertion. He questioned her certainty, suggesting that Kento might not even have the opportunity to signal for help if things went south, adding, "He might not have a chance to get the word out, is all I'm saying." His doubt hung in the air, a subtle challenge to Yayoi's trust in Kento's judgment.

The aroma of their dishes finally settled around them, a welcome distraction that momentarily silenced their conversation. Steam curled upwards from Yayoi's plate, while Shaw's drink shimmered under the soft restaurant lights. They both picked at their food, a silent ritual of cautionary bites and thoughtful chewing, until the waiter left, leaving the two in privacy.

Yayoi, having tasted a few morsels of her meal, set her fork down gently. Her eyes, filled with a quiet intensity, met Shaw's. "When was the last time Kento contacted you?" she asked, her voice soft but firm.

Shaw paused, lifting his glass to take a slow sip, the question hanging heavy between them. He placed the glass back on the table, his brow furrowing in thought. "A couple of days ago," he finally answered, his gaze drifting towards the window, a slight hesitation coloring his tone.

Yayoi gave a slight and thoughtful nod. She reached for her glass, the ice clinking softly as she lifted it to her lips. After a brief sip, she placed it back down, her fingers toying absently with the flexible straw. "You know as well as I do," she began, her tone calm and measured, "that when someone goes undercover, it takes time to establish connections, to make contact with the outside world." She paused, her gaze meeting his directly. "Especially when that 'someone' is a civilian, an informant. We have to be patient, Shaw. They need to have time to build trust and gather information."

Shaw sighed, the sound heavy with the weight of his concern. He ran a hand over his face, massaging the bridge of his nose as if to ease the tension throbbing there. "You're right," he conceded. "You're absolutely right. I'm just... worried. Worried for nothing, it seems."

Yayoi leaned back in her chair, a mischievous glint in her eyes as she watched Shaw, who was now currently pacing a groove into the floor. Her lips curled into a playful smirk. "Honestly, Shaw," she began, her voice laced with amusement, "you're going to give yourself an early grave worrying like that." She tapped a finger on the armrest as she pretended to ponder. "Let's see, which of our 'worry-induced disasters' will it be this time? We've got option one, the dramatic single hair farewell, though I think you're exhausted from that one year ago." She paused, her smirk widening. "Option two, the premature graying, ah, the mark of a true worrier! Or, my personal favorite, option three, the ulcer. A real stomach-churning masterpiece, brought to you by the wonders of excessive anxiety." She chuckled softly, knowing her teasing was lighthearted but hoping it would finally get Shaw to loosen up a little.

Shaw's restless pacing finally ceased as he abruptly turned, his gaze fixing on Yayoi. A playful smirk danced on his lips as he retorted to her statement, the words laced with a humorous exasperation. "Oh really?" he drawled, raising an eyebrow. "The only reason I'll have gray hair is because you give it to me." The accusation, though delivered lightheartedly, carried a hint of truth.

Yayoi's response was immediate, a bright laugh bubbling out of her. "Well, yeah," she chirped, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "You're my senior officer, so of course, you're going to go gray first."

Shaw shook his head, a soft chuckle escaping him as he conceded the point, taking his seat back at the table. The earlier tension dissolved, leaving behind a comfortable camaraderie as they settled back to finish their meal, the interaction a familiar dance between them.

As Yayoi and Shaw were in the midst of finishing their meal, a subtle shift in the ambiance caught Yayoi's attention. She glanced around the dimly lit bar and noticed that the other patrons, once boisterous and lively, were now gathering their belongings and heading for the exit. A quick sweep of the room revealed a growing emptiness, and a realization dawned on her. Turning to Shaw, she stated, "Looks like it's closing time."

Shaw nodded in agreement, the understanding passing between them without the need for further explanation. He pushed himself to his feet, the stool scraping slightly against the floor, and reached into his pocket, pulling out his worn leather wallet. With a practiced ease, he extracted the necessary bills and placed them on the table, then quickly returned the wallet to his pocket.

Yayoi raised an eyebrow, a hint of surprise flickering across her face at his decisiveness.

Seeing her reaction, Shaw grinned and offered, "You can pay for tomorrow's meal," his voice laced with playful confidence.

Yayoi's surprise quickly melted into a genuine laugh. She pushed her chair back and stood, the sound of her movement blending with the remaining low hum of the bar. Together, they turned and stepped out into the night, the door closing softly behind them.