Yakuza: Like a God Hand

In the early morning, while Haruka and Eugen were still asleep, Kiryu was speaking with someone at the bar.

The man had a tall face with sunken cheekbones and thick eyebrows. His messy, slicked-back black hair framed his sharp features. He wore a khaki-colored trench coat over a white dress shirt, gray slacks, a black leather belt with a silver buckle, and black leather oxfords.

"So, Yumi's sister is Mizuki from the Ares Bar… and both of them are likely working together to hide that 10 billion yen. Mizuki is also Haruka's mother," the man, Makoto Date, said after listening to Kiryu's explanation.

Makoto Date, a detective with the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, was helping Kiryu investigate the missing 10 billion yen.

"Yeah," Kiryu replied, taking a sip of his drink.

"What about the boy? The one with Haruka?" Date asked, glancing toward the door beside the counter where Eugen and Haruka were sleeping.

"He's got nothing to do with this. He's only involved because he and Haruka are really close."

"I see, but that might make him a target. Any group after Haruka could use him as leverage," Date said, frowning at the thought of Eugen being dragged into the mess.

Kiryu, however, saw it differently. He recalled Eugen's reaction when he heard Haruka might be kidnapped. His instincts told him that if Eugen had fully unleashed his anger during the fight at Ares Bar, the outcome wouldn't have been the Omi Alliance unconscious—it would've been their deaths.

"God Hand," Kiryu muttered under his breath. The name alone sounded overwhelming.

If the name held any truth, it meant Eugen had the power of a god in his right arm. But how could a kid like Eugen possess something like that?

As Kiryu pondered, the phone at the bar suddenly rang, drawing both his and Date's attention.

"Kiryu, can you please answer that? I'm busy cooking back here," Reina called out from the back room. "And remember to be polite!"

Kiryu sighed, stood from his chair, and walked over to answer the phone.

"This is Serena," he said, attempting to sound polite.

"Sir? Is that you?" The voice on the other end was familiar.

"Shinji?"

"Finally! I've been trying to reach you everywhere," Shinji said urgently.

"What's wrong?"

Shinji explained the situation: after Shintaro Kazama was shot during the funeral, Shinji had managed to get him out and take him to a hospital. Kazama was currently under treatment but still unconscious.

"Considering the circumstances, it must've been a Tojo Clan insider who shot him. If they find out where he is, they'll try to finish the job," Shinji added grimly.

"Where are you now?"

"I'm hiding in a place I trust. Once things calm down, I'll call you again."

"Alright, call my cell phone next time." Kiryu gave Shinji his number before the call ended.

Shintaro Kazama was the man who had created and funded Sunflower Orphanage, where Eugen and Haruka had grown up. It was also the place where Yumi, Kiryu, and Nishiki growing up together, and they also think of him as a father figure to them. At least, until everything changed—when Akira Nishikiyama became a different man after the incident 10 years ago.

After the call, Kiryu decided to leave Serena. His next step was to track down The Florist of Sai, a well-known information broker, to gather more intel on the missing 10 billion yen and find out more about Yumi and Mizuki.

----

An hour later, Eugen was the first to wake up. He stirred and slowly opened his eyes.

The moment he woke, he was greeted by the smell of something delicious wafting through the air, causing his stomach to growl. He tried to sit up to see where the aroma was coming from, only to realize there was an arm wrapped around him.

The arm belonged to Haruka, who was using him as a body pillow. Despite them sleeping on separate futons, somehow, Haruka had ended up next to him, hugging him in her sleep.

"You're awake, Eugen?" Reina's voice called out.

"Aunt Reina?" he asked groggily, turning his head toward her. She was busy cooking in a corner of the backroom.

The backroom of the bar was spacious, divided into multiple areas for different purposes—sleeping, cooking, and even a small bathroom and toilet.

"I'm almost done cooking," Reina said, focusing on her task. "If you can, please wake up Haruka too."

"Mmm…" Eugen hummed in acknowledgment, then turned his attention to waking Haruka, who was still using him as a pillow.

It took him several minutes. As always, waking Haruka when she was deeply asleep was a challenge.

By the time they had finished eating breakfast, the clock already read 8 a.m.

"Where's Mr. Kiryu?" Haruka asked, noticing his absence and seeing another man, Makoto Date, in his place.

"He went around Kamurocho to find an information broker," Date explained.

"Without us? He just left us here?"

"It's too dangerous for you to go with him. For now, just stay here until he calls us," Date replied firmly.

"But I'm bored here," Haruka complained, turning to Eugen for backup.

Eugen shrugged, silently agreeing. He'd get bored too if they just stayed inside the bar all day doing nothing.

Even the little dog barked, seemingly begging for a walk outside.

"Haha," Reina chuckled at their antics, while Date looked overwhelmed.

Date actually had a daughter of his own, though she was already in high school. Because of his job, he rarely spent time with her. Watching Haruka and Eugen's dynamic reminded him of when he used to take care of his daughter when she was younger.

In the end:

"Let's go have some fun!" Haruka and Eugen said together.

"Woof!" the little dog barked, enthusiastically agreeing.

Sigh. "Fine," Date muttered, holding his head in resignation.

Now, the four of them stood behind the Serena bar, ready to explore Kamurocho.

"Have fun, everyone!" Reina called out, waving them off.

And with that, the group began their walk down Tenkaichi Street.

"Remember what I said, Haruka, Eugen—don't get too far away from me," Date reminded them sternly.

"Yes, we understand," Haruka and Eugen replied in unison.

Before agreeing to let them roam around Kamurocho, Date had made them promise not to stray too far from him so he could keep them safe.

And so, the two kids enjoyed their time in Kamurocho, bouncing from one activity to another. They visited the arcade, sang at karaoke, and even went bowling. With all the entertainment Kamurocho had to offer, they didn't notice the time until it was already approaching 3 p.m.

"Hahh… hahhh…" Date panted, completely out of breath. He was clearly struggling to keep up with the boundless energy of Haruka and Eugen.

"Aren't you a detective, Mr. Date? Why are you already tired?" Eugen teased, noticing how exhausted he looked.

They were taking a break at Public Park 3, just off Tenkaichi Street.

"Of course I'm tired! You two have been dragging me all over Kamurocho non-stop, and then we played bowling on top of that. It's too much for me!" Date said, still catching his breath.

"You probably need to exercise more," Eugen remarked with a cheeky grin. His tone suddenly shifted, and he looked unusually excited. "Besides, there's still one more place I want to visit."

"What is it?" Haruka asked, intrigued.

"It's called the Pocket Circuit Stadium!"

Despite Date's protests, he was once again dragged along by the two energetic kids. They made their way north from Tenkaichi Street to West Shichifuku Street, passing through Theater Square along the way.

Finally, they arrived at a building with a large, colorful sign that read Pocket Circuit Stadium. The place was lively, with children bustling in and out of the building, chatting excitedly about their miniature race cars.

Without hesitation, Eugen and Haruka rushed inside to see what all the excitement was about.

Haruka and Eugen stepped into the Pocket Circuit Stadium, their eyes lighting up as they took in the vibrant atmosphere. The air was filled with cheers, the hum of miniature engines, and the thrill of competition.

"Wow! Look at all this!" Haruka exclaimed, tugging at Eugen's sleeve and pointing toward a looping track with a colorful archway. Miniature cars zipped through it, their motors buzzing like swarms of bees.

"This is amazing! I've never seen anything like it," Eugen added, his gaze shifting to a row of trophies gleaming on a nearby table. "Do you think we could enter a race, Haruka?"

Before she could respond, cheers erupted from a crowd of kids nearby. Haruka turned to see a boy kneeling next to his car, grinning as it sped past the finish line. A staff member in a bright green jacket clapped politely, announcing the results into a microphone.

"This place is so lively," Haruka murmured, her eyes glued to the cars expertly navigating sharp turns and high-speed straightaways. "Look at how fast they go! Do you think we could build one like that?"

Eugen nodded, his enthusiasm matching hers. "If we work together, for sure! Let's check out the parts and tools over there," he said, pointing to a display booth stocked with shiny car parts, decals, and customization tools.

As they wandered further into the stadium, the infectious energy of the kids tinkering with their cars and swapping tips pulled them deeper into the magic of the scene.

"Welcome! I've never seen you two before. Are you new here?"

A cheerful voice made them turn. Standing before them was a man that kinda old in a colorful leather jumpsuit decorated with blue, red, white, and yellow patterns. A blue headband sat snugly on his head, and his grin was as vibrant as his outfit.

"Who are you, Uncle?" Haruka asked, tilting her head curiously.

"Me? I'm the Pocket Circuit Fighter! I'm the announcer and hype man here. My job is to make the races exciting and fun!" he declared, his voice brimming with enthusiasm.

"What about you two? Judging by your expressions, this is your first time here. Want to try out Pocket Circuit?"

"Ehh? You mean we can try?" Haruka asked, her excitement bubbling over.

"But we don't have cars to play with," Eugen pointed out, glancing at the track where two cars were racing neck and neck.

"That's not a problem!" the Pocket Circuit Fighter said dramatically, pulling two pocket circuit cars from his jacket pockets and handing them over.

"Wait, really? Are you okay giving these to us? Shouldn't we buy them?" Eugen asked, confused but intrigued.

"No, no, don't worry about it! It's more important to see kids having fun and laughing while playing Pocket Circuit," he replied with a warm smile.

"Thank you so much, Mister!" Haruka said, holding up her car.

Her car was adorable, with a pink body and matching tires. Meanwhile, Eugen's car looked bold and fierce, decorated with orange flames and bearing the name Golem Tiger.

"Now, you two can race after the current match ends. Also, if you want to customize your cars, you can buy parts from the shop over there," the Fighter said, pointing to the booth in the corner.

"Okay!" Haruka and Eugen responded in unison, their excitement reignited as they inspected their new cars.