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Prologue
December 2012
Nagasugai, Fukuoka
As the people of Nagasugai head out for the night, Sixth Chairman of the Tojo Clan Daigo Dojima cruises through the streets in a limo with another man, Patriarch Tadashi Madarame of the local Yamagasa Family. Ahead, the red-clad Yamagasa soldiers square off with ranks of Tojo men, the two yakuza clans staring one another down and itching for an opportunity to fight. The limo pulls up and Daigo's aide, Minoru Aoyama, opens the door to allow Daigo to step out. Daigo thanks Madarame for his time and asks that he give Daigo's offer some consideration, but before Daigo steps out Madarame stops him and says he seems like a trustworthy man; not only did Daigo agree to a sudden change of their original meeting, he chose to meet Madarame in the old Patriarch's private limo rather than the hotel they originally planned, meaning Daigo was completely vulnerable and unprotected during their talk. Daigo says he hopes this shows Madarame how serious he and the Tojo are taking their alliance with the Yamagasa, and he assumed Madarame would never resort to trickery in any of his dealings. Daigo is on Yamagasa turf, so he intends to play by Yamagasa rules while he's visiting, and Madarame asks if Daigo (who commands 30,000 Tojo soldiers to the Yamagasa's 500) would really humble himself to abide by the Yamagasa's rules. Daigo says that's what being in an equal partnership is all about, and Madarame compliments Daigo on his decency before saying he will have his answer within a week. Daigo once again thanks Madarame for his time, stepping out of the limo and watching as Madarame departs.
As the limo drives off, the leader of the assembled Yamagasa men tells his fellows to depart. He stays long enough to give Daigo a bow, though he does give a rude snort on his way off. Daigo asks Aoyama who that was, and Aoyama identifies the man as Yahata, captain of the Yamagasa Family and patriarch of his own subfamily. Aoyama dismisses the Tojo soldiers and lights a cigarette for Daigo, telling him that he is glad to see Daigo is okay and cancelling the hotel meeting really caught him off guard. Daigo replies that the Yamagasa are honorable and wouldn't try anything foolish, and since the Tojo Clan is pushing for the alliance he needed to take in account whatever risk came his way. A car arrives and Aoyama says they need to get back to the hotel and out of the street, but Daigo decides to take a walk instead, a chance to unwind after a long trip and negotiations as he says. As Daigo walks off, Aoyama calls to two Tojo men who were waiting nearby and orders them to follow Daigo.
On his walk, Daigo comes across a queue of taxis waiting to take on passengers. He goes down the line until he finds one cab in particular, knocking on the window and asking the driver for a lift. The driver tells him to go to the front of the queue and ask that cab, but Daigo says he wants to ride in this cab and as a paying customer the driver cannot refuse him. The driver opens the door and Daigo gets inside, the driver asking where he would like to go. Daigo does not give a destination, merely asking the other man to start driving. Without another word, the driver activates his meter and drives off into Nagasugai.
As they drive, Daigo inspects the taxi and sees the driver's license, identify him as Taichi Suzuki. Trying to make small talk, Daigo asks Suzuki how long he's been a driver, with Suzuki saying he's been driving for about six months now. Daigo guesses that means Suzuki doesn't have a great lay of the land, then, which he finds to be a shame as he was hoping his driver could fill him in on what life is like in Nagasugai. Daigo says he's in Fukuoka on "business", apologizing to Suzuki before saying he plans on thinking out loud for a moment.
Daigo frames his struggles with the Tojo as if it were a civilian company: he manages about 30,000 employees, and they have had a few rough years and were close to collapse before their fortunes turned. The main reason they stabilized was thanks to a partnership with a rival "company" in Kansai, whom they had been competing with for years before changing times forced them to adapt or die. They forged an alliance to weather trying times, but now something new has come up which might force them apart again- the owner of the other company is terminally ill with lung cancer, and has maybe a month or so left to live. Daigo admired and trusted this man for his strength and wisdom, but he has had issues with the three men who seek to replace him: the self-made vice president, the managing director who controls most of the business in Osaka, and a third director whom is favored by the president. Each one has what it takes to take over, but each one shares a great distaste for Daigo and his "firm". Should one of them take over the old rivalry between East and West would rise up again, so Daigo is out looking for other "firms" that might ally with him; he himself has come to Fukuoka, and he has agents in Nagoya and Sapporo as well (hoping their negotiations are proceeded apace).
They return to Nagasugai, with Suzuki pulling to a stop near a footbridge and opening the door. Daigo protests as he never told Suzuki to stop driving, but Suzuki merely shifts his placard to "available" and tells Daigo he can't keep driving the man without a set destination (but he can forget about paying his faire, at least). Daigo takes this to mean he needs to find his own way forward, and ask he gets out he tells Suzuki he is really trying to follow that path before identifying him as "Fourth Chairman". "Suzuki" (confirmed to be Kazuma Kiryu in disguise), drives off, Daigo going to the footbridge and tossing his cigarette into the river.
Kiryu continues on his route, pulling into a rest stop to get some dinner. As he waits for his food, he overhears two other cabbies complaining about their lack of business due to the bad economy. The men eat their food when one spots an idol show on TV, one identifying this one as the "Princess League" where amateur idols compete with one another for a chance at the spotlight. Kiryu watches the show and sees his adoptive niece/daughter Haruka Sawamura giving an interview, though he overhears one of the men making some lewd comments about idols Sleeping Their Way to the Top while the other comments many are at the mercy of Stage Moms who throw them to the wolves in pursuit of some long lost dream. Rather than pick a fight, Kiryu merely slams his now empty bowl on the counter and storms off, drawing a few worried looks from the two cabbies. As Kiryu goes back to his car and drives off, he catches the eye of another man having a smoke at the rest stop.
Nagasugai, Fukuoka
As the people of Nagasugai head out for the night, Sixth Chairman of the Tojo Clan Daigo Dojima cruises through the streets in a limo with another man, Patriarch Tadashi Madarame of the local Yamagasa Family. Ahead, the red-clad Yamagasa soldiers square off with ranks of Tojo men, the two yakuza clans staring one another down and itching for an opportunity to fight. The limo pulls up and Daigo's aide, Minoru Aoyama, opens the door to allow Daigo to step out. Daigo thanks Madarame for his time and asks that he give Daigo's offer some consideration, but before Daigo steps out Madarame stops him and says he seems like a trustworthy man; not only did Daigo agree to a sudden change of their original meeting, he chose to meet Madarame in the old Patriarch's private limo rather than the hotel they originally planned, meaning Daigo was completely vulnerable and unprotected during their talk. Daigo says he hopes this shows Madarame how serious he and the Tojo are taking their alliance with the Yamagasa, and he assumed Madarame would never resort to trickery in any of his dealings. Daigo is on Yamagasa turf, so he intends to play by Yamagasa rules while he's visiting, and Madarame asks if Daigo (who commands 30,000 Tojo soldiers to the Yamagasa's 500) would really humble himself to abide by the Yamagasa's rules. Daigo says that's what being in an equal partnership is all about, and Madarame compliments Daigo on his decency before saying he will have his answer within a week. Daigo once again thanks Madarame for his time, stepping out of the limo and watching as Madarame departs.
As the limo drives off, the leader of the assembled Yamagasa men tells his fellows to depart. He stays long enough to give Daigo a bow, though he does give a rude snort on his way off. Daigo asks Aoyama who that was, and Aoyama identifies the man as Yahata, captain of the Yamagasa Family and patriarch of his own subfamily. Aoyama dismisses the Tojo soldiers and lights a cigarette for Daigo, telling him that he is glad to see Daigo is okay and cancelling the hotel meeting really caught him off guard. Daigo replies that the Yamagasa are honorable and wouldn't try anything foolish, and since the Tojo Clan is pushing for the alliance he needed to take in account whatever risk came his way. A car arrives and Aoyama says they need to get back to the hotel and out of the street, but Daigo decides to take a walk instead, a chance to unwind after a long trip and negotiations as he says. As Daigo walks off, Aoyama calls to two Tojo men who were waiting nearby and orders them to follow Daigo.
On his walk, Daigo comes across a queue of taxis waiting to take on passengers. He goes down the line until he finds one cab in particular, knocking on the window and asking the driver for a lift. The driver tells him to go to the front of the queue and ask that cab, but Daigo says he wants to ride in this cab and as a paying customer the driver cannot refuse him. The driver opens the door and Daigo gets inside, the driver asking where he would like to go. Daigo does not give a destination, merely asking the other man to start driving. Without another word, the driver activates his meter and drives off into Nagasugai.
As they drive, Daigo inspects the taxi and sees the driver's license, identify him as Taichi Suzuki. Trying to make small talk, Daigo asks Suzuki how long he's been a driver, with Suzuki saying he's been driving for about six months now. Daigo guesses that means Suzuki doesn't have a great lay of the land, then, which he finds to be a shame as he was hoping his driver could fill him in on what life is like in Nagasugai. Daigo says he's in Fukuoka on "business", apologizing to Suzuki before saying he plans on thinking out loud for a moment.
Daigo frames his struggles with the Tojo as if it were a civilian company: he manages about 30,000 employees, and they have had a few rough years and were close to collapse before their fortunes turned. The main reason they stabilized was thanks to a partnership with a rival "company" in Kansai, whom they had been competing with for years before changing times forced them to adapt or die. They forged an alliance to weather trying times, but now something new has come up which might force them apart again- the owner of the other company is terminally ill with lung cancer, and has maybe a month or so left to live. Daigo admired and trusted this man for his strength and wisdom, but he has had issues with the three men who seek to replace him: the self-made vice president, the managing director who controls most of the business in Osaka, and a third director whom is favored by the president. Each one has what it takes to take over, but each one shares a great distaste for Daigo and his "firm". Should one of them take over the old rivalry between East and West would rise up again, so Daigo is out looking for other "firms" that might ally with him; he himself has come to Fukuoka, and he has agents in Nagoya and Sapporo as well (hoping their negotiations are proceeded apace).
They return to Nagasugai, with Suzuki pulling to a stop near a footbridge and opening the door. Daigo protests as he never told Suzuki to stop driving, but Suzuki merely shifts his placard to "available" and tells Daigo he can't keep driving the man without a set destination (but he can forget about paying his faire, at least). Daigo takes this to mean he needs to find his own way forward, and ask he gets out he tells Suzuki he is really trying to follow that path before identifying him as "Fourth Chairman". "Suzuki" (confirmed to be Kazuma Kiryu in disguise), drives off, Daigo going to the footbridge and tossing his cigarette into the river.
Kiryu continues on his route, pulling into a rest stop to get some dinner. As he waits for his food, he overhears two other cabbies complaining about their lack of business due to the bad economy. The men eat their food when one spots an idol show on TV, one identifying this one as the "Princess League" where amateur idols compete with one another for a chance at the spotlight. Kiryu watches the show and sees his adoptive niece/daughter Haruka Sawamura giving an interview, though he overhears one of the men making some lewd comments about idols Sleeping Their Way to the Top while the other comments many are at the mercy of Stage Moms who throw them to the wolves in pursuit of some long lost dream. Rather than pick a fight, Kiryu merely slams his now empty bowl on the counter and storms off, drawing a few worried looks from the two cabbies. As Kiryu goes back to his car and drives off, he catches the eye of another man having a smoke at the rest stop.
Part 1: Kazuma Kiryu
Chapter 1: The Wanderer
Kiryu returns to Nagasu Taxi Co., parking his car before giving it a quick clean. He goes inside to clock out and drop off his fares for the night, when his boss Yotaro Nakajima calls him over and asks to speak with him in private. As it turns out, rival company Tenjin Transportation wasn't too happy about Kiryu breaking the queue that night, telling Kiryu to be more careful with the other companies. Kiryu apologizes for the "rookie mistake", but Nakajima tells Kiryu not to be too hard on himself. He was just about to head over to Tenjin Transportation with an apology gift, but Kiryu insists on being the one to deliver the apology since it was his mistake. Nakajima tries to talk Kiryu out of it since it's his company, but when Kiryu holds firm he agrees and sends Kiryu on his way to Tenjin Transportation's headquarters on West Gion Street.
Kiryu steps out on the street, deciding to go buy something first rather than show up to Tenjin Transportation empty handed. After acquiring a suitable gift, he goes to Tenjin Transportation and asks to speak with the president. The president speaks to him and says he isn't surprised by the encounter- they get complaints all the time about Nagasu Taxi, saying that if Nakajima would just train his drivers better they wouldn't be having these problems. He drags Nakajima as scum of the earth who won't last long in their business, but Kiryu protests and says all blame should be put on him for not following the rules. With that he hands over his apology gift, the Tenjin Transportation president happily accepting it and telling Kiryu not to do this again.
Kiryu departs Tenjin Transportation and calls Nakajima to report. Nakajima is glad to hear everything went well, admitting he's happy Kiryu went instead of him as he's intimidated by the Tenjin president. Kiryu once again apologizes for breaking the queue and prepares to head home, but Nakajima stops him- it's payday, so why don't they go hit the town? Kiryu has something to finish up first, but he agrees to meet Nakajima when he's finished; Nakajima guesses that means Kiryu is sending off money again, asking if perhaps he left some family behind when he moved here. Kiryu says it's a little more complicated than that, but Nakajima is satisfied and says all he wants to see is Kiryu with some cash in his pocket and a smile on his face. With that he hangs up, and Kiryu heads to a nearby convenience store to send his payment off.
As he leaves the convenience store, Kiryu is stopped by a yakuza looking for some quick cash. Kiryu says he doesn't have any money on him, but the yakuza calls over some of his buddies and demands Kiryu pay up. Once more Kiryu blows the thugs off and walks away, but the yakuza won't take no for an answer and start threatening him; his patience gone, Kiryu returns and beats the trio to a pulp, telling them to get lost before someone calls the cops. The yakuza flee, and Kiryu vacates the area and heads to Ose Bridge (where Nakajima agreed to meet him once he was finished with his wire transfer). He arrives and Nakajima greets him, commenting that Kiryu has a pretty sweet setup all things considered- he himself is an older man and should have a family by now, but he's so strapped for cash he can't even afford a dog. But that's all in the past, and Nakajima encourages them to live it up now and enjoy themselves, all on him tonight of course. As they head into town, Nakajima asks Kiryu how he's settling in; Kiryu says he's doing his best, with Nakajima saying if Kiryu needs anything just let him know- folks like them have to stick together, and it wouldn't fee right to leave him hanging. Kiryu says Nakajima has done enough already, hiring him on without any prior experience, but Nakajima counters Kiryu isn't exactly unqualified- he sensed Kiryu would be great for the position, adding that he can't exactly explain it but he took a shine to Kiryu when they'd first met. Kiryu replies he didn't exactly leave a great first impression, but Nakajima is unperturbed, saying that as a 30-year man he's gotten quite good at judging the character of others. He does wish Kiryu would come to him for help more, but then perhaps he doesn't come off as a very trustworthy guy. All the same, Kiryu thanks Nakajima for his help, saying he's lucky to have met the man shortly after moving to Nagasugai.
Their first stop for the night is a restaurant named Hanamidori, Najakima taking Kiryu inside for some mizutaki. They enjoy their meal and Nakajima asks Kiryu how it compares after they leave, Kiryu saying it's much different from the soy-based hot pots he's used to. Nakajima guesses that means Kiryu is originally from the Kanto area, though he apologizes once again for prying when Kiryu gets a bit flustered at this. Now, it's time to hit the bar, though Kiryu questions if maybe Nakajima's already had enough to drink; Nakajima insists he's fine, and the two keep walking.
On their trek to the bar, the two come across a pair of punks harassing some of the local women. Nakajima steps in to try and drive the punks off, but the punks tell him to get lost before punching him. Now Kiryu intervenes, saying that if the punks were just out of try (and fail) at picking up women that wouldn't be his problem, but attacking his boss? That's too far, and Kiryu beats the punks down, the two cowering in fear and asking just who this guy is (since he clearly doesn't seem to be one of the Yamagasa Family). Kiryu asks if they're asking for Round 2, but Nakajima tells him they've learned their lesson before telling the two punks to leave. As the punks run off, the woman thanks them for the save and Nakajima notes Kiryu knows how to fight; Kiryu says that was just a fluke, and Nakajima is willing to let it slide for now as they resume their bar hopping.
They stop at a food stall near the waterfront. Once they settle in, Nakajima says this brings back memories to how they first met at a stall not unlike this one; Nakajima saw Kiryu getting beat by a group of punks after he intervened to stop them harassing another guest, and while Kiryu says it isn't one of his fondest memories Nakajima says he took Kiryu as a man of character after seeing his intervention there. If anything, Nakajima should be thanking Kiryu; he always wanted his taxi company to be a place where guys like Kiryu could come and make an honest living. Too many people have dreams and ambitions that get derailed by circumstances beyond their control- Nakajima, for instance, lost pretty much everything important in the past, but it made him more trusting and made him realize how important it is to have someone watch your back. Nakajima says he saw a bit of his younger self in Kiryu, and no one should have to go through life alone without some pals to back them up. With that, he encourages Kiryu to lighten up and drop his normal formalities, and Kiryu agrees as they start drinking. Kiryu notes that Nakajima has been pretty open about his past, but Nakajima says not to worry about that and if Kiryu wants to keep some things private, that's perfectly fine by him- though he can always tell him if he ever gets hauled in for a traffic violation. There is one thing he wanted to know, though- did Kiryu keep in touch with the young woman he helped out when they first met? Kiryu says that isn't really his thing, which Nakajima says it a darn shame since pretty girls like that are rather hard to come by in Nagasugai. Kiryu asks why Nakajima is asking, with Nakajima saying there's rumors going around the company that maybe Kiryu bats for the other team, since he's single in his forties and never goes out drinking or to hostess clubs- he should change things up unless he wants rumors to keep spreading. Kiryu remains mum on the topic, but Nakajima takes this to mean he agrees to go drinking with them again.
"Again" is right now, and despite being very drunk Nakajima convinces Kiryu to go visit a cabaret club with him. They head to a club named Olivier (which one of Nakajima's friends recommended to him). Kiryu seems to recognize the name, but he passes it off as nothing before Nakajima goes to the attendant and demands to see the top girl in the place. And no, he won't be paying the extra fee for her, but Kiryu steps in to cover that part of their payment before things get out of hand. They settle in and are approached by a hostess who introduces herself as Momo; Nakajima drunkenly protests that she's not pretty enough to be the Number One, but changes his tune when the real Number One arrives and introduces herself as Mayumi.
The four settle in (well, Nakajima and the girls do; Kiryu ends up sulking), but are interrupted when some rude punks start loudly complaining about the Tojo Clan at the next table over. Nakajima asks who they are, with Momo saying that's their "protection": a couple of bottom-run Yamagasa yakuza who patrol around the hostess clubs. Nakajima asks why they're partying at hostess clubs when there's nothing threatening them, but Momo says there's been some outsiders from Tokyo in town (that "Tojo Clan" the yakuza were talking about), so the Yamagasa are on edge. Nakajima whines that if they wanted to hang around they could have done so on a day other than payday, which Momo agrees to; thugs like them end up scaring off other paying customers, and their inebriated state makes them a menace to her coworkers. Meanwhile the two yakuza wonder aloud why they're hanging out in clubs instead of fighting the Tojo, guessing that the main family is trying not to ruffle any feathers right now. Neither of them are happy, thinking the Yamagasa are going to be exploited by a no-named Tojo Chairman who never earned his post, and heap their abuse on the club workers. Nakajima, though, cannot take any more abuse, so he finishes his drink and declares that he will throw the yakuza out himself. He staggers over and tells the yakuza to shut up, but they just punch him out and tell him to watch his mouth.
Now Kiryu crosses over, chiding the yakuza for being so quick to attack a civilian. The yakuza asks who Kiryu thinks he is, with Kiryu reminding himself that these guys really don't know who he is. They don't care and prepare to fight, only to get beaten severely by Kiryu. The yakuza flee, and as the hostesses go to treat Nakajima Kiryu apologizes to the manager for the trouble. The manager, though, is grateful Kiryu stepped in, hoping that the Yamagasa thugs never return. Nakajima comes to and asks where the yakuza went, with Kiryu lying and saying he successfully scared them off.
The two leave Olivier, with Nakajima saying he plans to come back and request Mayumi again. But it's time to call it a night, and he wishes Kiryu well before he heads for home. Kiryu leaves and heads back to the apartment he's currently renting, though sleep evades him for now; rather, he sits on the floor and helps himself to a cigarette, mulling over his encounter with Daigo earlier that night. He is snapped out of his brooding when a woman arrives and announces she's returned from work, turning off the kettle he left boiling over and turning on some lights. That woman? Mayumi.
Kiryu steps out on the street, deciding to go buy something first rather than show up to Tenjin Transportation empty handed. After acquiring a suitable gift, he goes to Tenjin Transportation and asks to speak with the president. The president speaks to him and says he isn't surprised by the encounter- they get complaints all the time about Nagasu Taxi, saying that if Nakajima would just train his drivers better they wouldn't be having these problems. He drags Nakajima as scum of the earth who won't last long in their business, but Kiryu protests and says all blame should be put on him for not following the rules. With that he hands over his apology gift, the Tenjin Transportation president happily accepting it and telling Kiryu not to do this again.
Kiryu departs Tenjin Transportation and calls Nakajima to report. Nakajima is glad to hear everything went well, admitting he's happy Kiryu went instead of him as he's intimidated by the Tenjin president. Kiryu once again apologizes for breaking the queue and prepares to head home, but Nakajima stops him- it's payday, so why don't they go hit the town? Kiryu has something to finish up first, but he agrees to meet Nakajima when he's finished; Nakajima guesses that means Kiryu is sending off money again, asking if perhaps he left some family behind when he moved here. Kiryu says it's a little more complicated than that, but Nakajima is satisfied and says all he wants to see is Kiryu with some cash in his pocket and a smile on his face. With that he hangs up, and Kiryu heads to a nearby convenience store to send his payment off.
As he leaves the convenience store, Kiryu is stopped by a yakuza looking for some quick cash. Kiryu says he doesn't have any money on him, but the yakuza calls over some of his buddies and demands Kiryu pay up. Once more Kiryu blows the thugs off and walks away, but the yakuza won't take no for an answer and start threatening him; his patience gone, Kiryu returns and beats the trio to a pulp, telling them to get lost before someone calls the cops. The yakuza flee, and Kiryu vacates the area and heads to Ose Bridge (where Nakajima agreed to meet him once he was finished with his wire transfer). He arrives and Nakajima greets him, commenting that Kiryu has a pretty sweet setup all things considered- he himself is an older man and should have a family by now, but he's so strapped for cash he can't even afford a dog. But that's all in the past, and Nakajima encourages them to live it up now and enjoy themselves, all on him tonight of course. As they head into town, Nakajima asks Kiryu how he's settling in; Kiryu says he's doing his best, with Nakajima saying if Kiryu needs anything just let him know- folks like them have to stick together, and it wouldn't fee right to leave him hanging. Kiryu says Nakajima has done enough already, hiring him on without any prior experience, but Nakajima counters Kiryu isn't exactly unqualified- he sensed Kiryu would be great for the position, adding that he can't exactly explain it but he took a shine to Kiryu when they'd first met. Kiryu replies he didn't exactly leave a great first impression, but Nakajima is unperturbed, saying that as a 30-year man he's gotten quite good at judging the character of others. He does wish Kiryu would come to him for help more, but then perhaps he doesn't come off as a very trustworthy guy. All the same, Kiryu thanks Nakajima for his help, saying he's lucky to have met the man shortly after moving to Nagasugai.
Their first stop for the night is a restaurant named Hanamidori, Najakima taking Kiryu inside for some mizutaki. They enjoy their meal and Nakajima asks Kiryu how it compares after they leave, Kiryu saying it's much different from the soy-based hot pots he's used to. Nakajima guesses that means Kiryu is originally from the Kanto area, though he apologizes once again for prying when Kiryu gets a bit flustered at this. Now, it's time to hit the bar, though Kiryu questions if maybe Nakajima's already had enough to drink; Nakajima insists he's fine, and the two keep walking.
On their trek to the bar, the two come across a pair of punks harassing some of the local women. Nakajima steps in to try and drive the punks off, but the punks tell him to get lost before punching him. Now Kiryu intervenes, saying that if the punks were just out of try (and fail) at picking up women that wouldn't be his problem, but attacking his boss? That's too far, and Kiryu beats the punks down, the two cowering in fear and asking just who this guy is (since he clearly doesn't seem to be one of the Yamagasa Family). Kiryu asks if they're asking for Round 2, but Nakajima tells him they've learned their lesson before telling the two punks to leave. As the punks run off, the woman thanks them for the save and Nakajima notes Kiryu knows how to fight; Kiryu says that was just a fluke, and Nakajima is willing to let it slide for now as they resume their bar hopping.
They stop at a food stall near the waterfront. Once they settle in, Nakajima says this brings back memories to how they first met at a stall not unlike this one; Nakajima saw Kiryu getting beat by a group of punks after he intervened to stop them harassing another guest, and while Kiryu says it isn't one of his fondest memories Nakajima says he took Kiryu as a man of character after seeing his intervention there. If anything, Nakajima should be thanking Kiryu; he always wanted his taxi company to be a place where guys like Kiryu could come and make an honest living. Too many people have dreams and ambitions that get derailed by circumstances beyond their control- Nakajima, for instance, lost pretty much everything important in the past, but it made him more trusting and made him realize how important it is to have someone watch your back. Nakajima says he saw a bit of his younger self in Kiryu, and no one should have to go through life alone without some pals to back them up. With that, he encourages Kiryu to lighten up and drop his normal formalities, and Kiryu agrees as they start drinking. Kiryu notes that Nakajima has been pretty open about his past, but Nakajima says not to worry about that and if Kiryu wants to keep some things private, that's perfectly fine by him- though he can always tell him if he ever gets hauled in for a traffic violation. There is one thing he wanted to know, though- did Kiryu keep in touch with the young woman he helped out when they first met? Kiryu says that isn't really his thing, which Nakajima says it a darn shame since pretty girls like that are rather hard to come by in Nagasugai. Kiryu asks why Nakajima is asking, with Nakajima saying there's rumors going around the company that maybe Kiryu bats for the other team, since he's single in his forties and never goes out drinking or to hostess clubs- he should change things up unless he wants rumors to keep spreading. Kiryu remains mum on the topic, but Nakajima takes this to mean he agrees to go drinking with them again.
"Again" is right now, and despite being very drunk Nakajima convinces Kiryu to go visit a cabaret club with him. They head to a club named Olivier (which one of Nakajima's friends recommended to him). Kiryu seems to recognize the name, but he passes it off as nothing before Nakajima goes to the attendant and demands to see the top girl in the place. And no, he won't be paying the extra fee for her, but Kiryu steps in to cover that part of their payment before things get out of hand. They settle in and are approached by a hostess who introduces herself as Momo; Nakajima drunkenly protests that she's not pretty enough to be the Number One, but changes his tune when the real Number One arrives and introduces herself as Mayumi.
The four settle in (well, Nakajima and the girls do; Kiryu ends up sulking), but are interrupted when some rude punks start loudly complaining about the Tojo Clan at the next table over. Nakajima asks who they are, with Momo saying that's their "protection": a couple of bottom-run Yamagasa yakuza who patrol around the hostess clubs. Nakajima asks why they're partying at hostess clubs when there's nothing threatening them, but Momo says there's been some outsiders from Tokyo in town (that "Tojo Clan" the yakuza were talking about), so the Yamagasa are on edge. Nakajima whines that if they wanted to hang around they could have done so on a day other than payday, which Momo agrees to; thugs like them end up scaring off other paying customers, and their inebriated state makes them a menace to her coworkers. Meanwhile the two yakuza wonder aloud why they're hanging out in clubs instead of fighting the Tojo, guessing that the main family is trying not to ruffle any feathers right now. Neither of them are happy, thinking the Yamagasa are going to be exploited by a no-named Tojo Chairman who never earned his post, and heap their abuse on the club workers. Nakajima, though, cannot take any more abuse, so he finishes his drink and declares that he will throw the yakuza out himself. He staggers over and tells the yakuza to shut up, but they just punch him out and tell him to watch his mouth.
Now Kiryu crosses over, chiding the yakuza for being so quick to attack a civilian. The yakuza asks who Kiryu thinks he is, with Kiryu reminding himself that these guys really don't know who he is. They don't care and prepare to fight, only to get beaten severely by Kiryu. The yakuza flee, and as the hostesses go to treat Nakajima Kiryu apologizes to the manager for the trouble. The manager, though, is grateful Kiryu stepped in, hoping that the Yamagasa thugs never return. Nakajima comes to and asks where the yakuza went, with Kiryu lying and saying he successfully scared them off.
The two leave Olivier, with Nakajima saying he plans to come back and request Mayumi again. But it's time to call it a night, and he wishes Kiryu well before he heads for home. Kiryu leaves and heads back to the apartment he's currently renting, though sleep evades him for now; rather, he sits on the floor and helps himself to a cigarette, mulling over his encounter with Daigo earlier that night. He is snapped out of his brooding when a woman arrives and announces she's returned from work, turning off the kettle he left boiling over and turning on some lights. That woman? Mayumi.
Chapter 2: Uninvited Guest
The next morning, Kiryu wakes up to find Mayumi making breakfast. She tells him she also washed his work shirt, so he should have a clean uniform when he goes in to Nagasu Taxi. Kiryu insists that he can take care of himself and Mayumi doesn't need to clean up after him (or stay over all that often), but Mayumi insists on being helpful. She also couldn't help but notice that Kiryu's boss had a few too many drinks the previous night, with Kiryu guessing that when you're single at his age you tend to cut loose more. Mayumi doesn't see it that way, guessing Nakajima was married at some point based on the indents on his left hand (saying he would have to have been married for a long time for a ring to leave a mark), which Kiryu did not notice. Kiryu goes to put on his uniform, telling Mayumi he wants to be alone tonight, though Mayumi shoots back that Kiryu always seems happier whenever she's around. He goes to the door to put on his shoes, but stops when his eyes fall to a picture that has been turned around; Mayumi asks if something's wrong, but Kiryu passes it off as nothing and exits his apartment.
Kiryu leaves his apartment and heads to the Dispatch Office, but before he heads back inside the two punks whom he beat up for harassing the woman the previous night show up in search of revenge. It takes a moment to jog Kiryu's memory, but he's more than happy to give them a repeat performance. The thugs gloat that they brought backup this time, calling over a fellow by the name of Nagata, a member of the Nagatsu Devil Killers... whom Kiryu has never heard of, much to their shock. Kiryu asks if they can just leave him alone as they're making him late, but Nagata and his flunkies aren't backing down and force Kiryu into a fight. This ends poorly for them, though Nagata swears revenge as he and his buddies limp off. Kiryu, once more, couldn't care less and heads in to start work.
Inside, Kiryu finds Nakajima recovering from last night, though he whines it feels more like he got punched out rather than hung over. He asks Kiryu if he took a tumble the previous night, and while Kiryu denies that he suggests Nakajima get that looked at. Nakajima waves off Kiryu's concern and tells him to check in with Hirakawa to get his first assignments for the day. Kiryu goes to the front desk to check in, and Hirakawa says she has a present for him: the president of Tenjin Transportation was so impressed by Kiryu's gift that he came by to deliver one of his own. Kiryu asks if maybe this should be given to the company, but Hirakawa insists that Nakajima would just give it to him anyway, so Kiryu accepts. He makes to leave, but before he gets very far a coworker named Wada steps in and asks if he might catch a ride from Kiryu before he starts his route. Another worker, Muramatsu, tells Wada that as the most senior member of the team he shouldn't be exploiting their jobs like that, but Nakajima says that as long as Wada doesn't make a habit of it he's fine with it. Though, as the most senior member of the team, Wada should take some time during the drive to teach newbie Kiryu more of the ropes.
Kiryu drives Wada to his apartment, taking time to follow the man's advise and not break any traffic laws. After he drops Wada off, another man approaches and asks for a ride. As Kiryu drives him, the man does his best to make small talk, but Kiryu isn't all that interested. The man asks if Kiryu's a newcomer, and when he confirms this the man says that's a bit of a problem- locals like him love to talk to cabbies, so keeping the conversation going is a good way to stay ahead of everything. Kiryu comments that Nakajima gave him similar advice, but he admits he's not that good at small talk. The passenger offers to help him out, starting with a question about how his job's going. Kiryu comments things are going well, with the passenger saying he's in a similar boat in his position as a "glorified security guard". They continue for a little while until Kiryu is almost run off the road by another driver; the man identifies it as one of the Devil Killers, a notorious street-racing gang that has been harassing and shaking down motorists for some time now. Incensed, the man tells Kiryu he should be able to beat the Devil Killers at their own game, and when Kiryu expresses some doubts the man reveals he's actually a officer with the Fukuoka Police's motor division, deputizing Kiryu to take on the Devil Killers. With that motivation, Kiryu accepts the rival's challenge and beats him in the ensuing street race.
The two force the defeated Devil Killer into a nearby parking lot, where he's revealed to be Nagata, the punk Kiryu beat up on his way into work. Nagata swears revenge and scurries off, the officer asking Kiryu how they know each other. When Kiryu explains the fight he had earlier, the man offers to take him out to eat as payment for his help. At the restaurant, the man apologizes for getting Kiryu involved before explaining more: the Devil Killers used to just be street racers, but recently they've started getting involved in more conventional gang-related mischief. This, though, is something else entirely, and they seem to be gunning for Kiryu specifically. When Kiryu asks what he should do, the man says he should make them eat dust- he's seen what Kiryu can do behind the wheel, and with his skills and determination he might have a chance at taking down the Devil Killers, as humiliating them on the racetrack will prove far more effective than conventional arrests. He can't do it himself as street racing in a cop car would be bad optics, but Kiryu is the first person he's met that could pull it off. He pleads with Kiryu to help, as it could be one of his coworkers that gets run off the road next time, and with that motivation Kiryu agrees to the plan.
He returns the man to Nagasugai, where he thanks Kiryu for the help and properly introduces himself as Furumichi. Kiryu introduces himself as Suzuki, and Furumichi tells Kiryu he'll make sure the cops turn a blind eye to his racing while he takes down the Devil Killers. With that he leaves, and Kiryu returns to his regular route before heading back to the dispatch center. He informs Nakajima about his run-in with the Devil Killers, which Nakajima reacts to with uncharacteristic shock before passing it off as nothing. Muramatsu expresses outrage that the Devil Killers would go after a cab instead of one of their own, but is equally shocked when he learns Kiryu won his race against them. Nakajima says he'll talk with Furumichi about this, and Kiryu apologizes for getting Nakajima caught up in his own troubles. Nakajima tells Kiryu there's no need to be so humble- he's not the one tearing up the streets and causing havoc. Nakajima gets pensive again, but waves off Kiryu's concern when pressed and tells him to take a well-deserved break.
Kiryu works throughout the day before returning to the depot to clock out. Before he can, though, he is stopped by two yakuza who ask to speak with him. Kiryu, though, tells them to buzz off as he still has work to do cleaning his cab, but the leader of the due tells him it will only be a minute before calling Kiryu by his real name. On closer inspection, Kiryu can see that these are Tojo men, the leader suggesting they move somewhere private to talk further. Frustrated that he's once more getting dragged into Tojo Clan business, Kiryu grabs his coat and follows them to the river. After refusing the leader's offer of a light, Kiryu asks what they want; the men introduce themselves as Yuu Morinaga and Masato Aizawa, and they were assigned to Daigo's security detail by chief of headquarters Aoyama. Kiryu doesn't care about that and asks again why they want to talk to him, and Morinaga says they want Daigo's whereabouts: Daigo met with Patriarch Madarame the previous night, but the Clan lost track of him afterwards. Daigo was last seen getting into a taxi, and while Morinaga and Aizawa tried to follow in their own car they were unfamiliar with Fukuoka's roads and lost the taxis. But they did get the license plate, and after cross referencing with the government they found Taichi Suzuki, but since Daigo doesn't know anyone by that name they thought they would pay "Suzuki" a visit. At first it seemed odd that Daigo would select a cab from the middle of the queue, but Morinaga never expected Kazuma Kiryu, Fourth Chairman of the Tojo Clan, would be posing as a taxi driver. Kiryu tells them they have the wrong guy and tries to leave, but Morinaga asks once again if Kiryu knows where Daigo is. Kiryu continues to deny: all he did was pick up a passenger and then drop him back off in Nagasugai, nothing more.
Realizing he's crushed his cigarettes in frustration, Kiryu asks if they're done and makes to leave, but Aizawa stops him and asks if he would really abandon Daigo just like that. This is a pivotal moment for the Tojo Clan, and Daigo coming to harm could be catastrophic, and yet Kiryu doesn't seem bothered by anything about it. He advances on Kiryu before Morinaga stops him, going on to say that while he hasn't been in the Clan long, he's heard plenty of stories about Kiryu from Daigo himself, the Chairman saying he was doing what he could to protect the Clan that Kiryu left him. The other Tojo execs want nothing to do with the Yamagasa deal, but Daigo insisted on pushing through as that's what he felt would hold up his promise to Kiryu. Aizawa begs Kiryu to tell them where Daigo is, but once more Kiryu tells them he knows nothing and walks off.
Aizawa steps up and grabs Kiryu, asking if he's really going to turn his back on Daigo. Kiryu knocks Aizawa back, and Morinaga steps up and asks if this means he's not Kiryu, but just Taichi Suzuki. Kiryu confirms this, and Morinaga says that just makes their job easier- all they have to do now is beat him up a little to get their information. If he was the Fourth Chairman they wouldn't be able to lay a finger on him, but if he's just some taxi driver then he's fair game- they can just beat the truth out of him and get back to their jobs. Kiryu asks if they would attack a civilian like him, with Morinaga countering he'd rather not but desperate times call for desperate measures. Kiryu says if that's the case then he has every right to act in self defense. With that the three fight, Kiryu ultimately beating Morinaga and Aizawa down. He turns to leave as Morinaga and Aizawa try to recover, telling them one final time that he knows nothing and they just need to work with that.
Kiryu leaves his apartment and heads to the Dispatch Office, but before he heads back inside the two punks whom he beat up for harassing the woman the previous night show up in search of revenge. It takes a moment to jog Kiryu's memory, but he's more than happy to give them a repeat performance. The thugs gloat that they brought backup this time, calling over a fellow by the name of Nagata, a member of the Nagatsu Devil Killers... whom Kiryu has never heard of, much to their shock. Kiryu asks if they can just leave him alone as they're making him late, but Nagata and his flunkies aren't backing down and force Kiryu into a fight. This ends poorly for them, though Nagata swears revenge as he and his buddies limp off. Kiryu, once more, couldn't care less and heads in to start work.
Inside, Kiryu finds Nakajima recovering from last night, though he whines it feels more like he got punched out rather than hung over. He asks Kiryu if he took a tumble the previous night, and while Kiryu denies that he suggests Nakajima get that looked at. Nakajima waves off Kiryu's concern and tells him to check in with Hirakawa to get his first assignments for the day. Kiryu goes to the front desk to check in, and Hirakawa says she has a present for him: the president of Tenjin Transportation was so impressed by Kiryu's gift that he came by to deliver one of his own. Kiryu asks if maybe this should be given to the company, but Hirakawa insists that Nakajima would just give it to him anyway, so Kiryu accepts. He makes to leave, but before he gets very far a coworker named Wada steps in and asks if he might catch a ride from Kiryu before he starts his route. Another worker, Muramatsu, tells Wada that as the most senior member of the team he shouldn't be exploiting their jobs like that, but Nakajima says that as long as Wada doesn't make a habit of it he's fine with it. Though, as the most senior member of the team, Wada should take some time during the drive to teach newbie Kiryu more of the ropes.
Kiryu drives Wada to his apartment, taking time to follow the man's advise and not break any traffic laws. After he drops Wada off, another man approaches and asks for a ride. As Kiryu drives him, the man does his best to make small talk, but Kiryu isn't all that interested. The man asks if Kiryu's a newcomer, and when he confirms this the man says that's a bit of a problem- locals like him love to talk to cabbies, so keeping the conversation going is a good way to stay ahead of everything. Kiryu comments that Nakajima gave him similar advice, but he admits he's not that good at small talk. The passenger offers to help him out, starting with a question about how his job's going. Kiryu comments things are going well, with the passenger saying he's in a similar boat in his position as a "glorified security guard". They continue for a little while until Kiryu is almost run off the road by another driver; the man identifies it as one of the Devil Killers, a notorious street-racing gang that has been harassing and shaking down motorists for some time now. Incensed, the man tells Kiryu he should be able to beat the Devil Killers at their own game, and when Kiryu expresses some doubts the man reveals he's actually a officer with the Fukuoka Police's motor division, deputizing Kiryu to take on the Devil Killers. With that motivation, Kiryu accepts the rival's challenge and beats him in the ensuing street race.
The two force the defeated Devil Killer into a nearby parking lot, where he's revealed to be Nagata, the punk Kiryu beat up on his way into work. Nagata swears revenge and scurries off, the officer asking Kiryu how they know each other. When Kiryu explains the fight he had earlier, the man offers to take him out to eat as payment for his help. At the restaurant, the man apologizes for getting Kiryu involved before explaining more: the Devil Killers used to just be street racers, but recently they've started getting involved in more conventional gang-related mischief. This, though, is something else entirely, and they seem to be gunning for Kiryu specifically. When Kiryu asks what he should do, the man says he should make them eat dust- he's seen what Kiryu can do behind the wheel, and with his skills and determination he might have a chance at taking down the Devil Killers, as humiliating them on the racetrack will prove far more effective than conventional arrests. He can't do it himself as street racing in a cop car would be bad optics, but Kiryu is the first person he's met that could pull it off. He pleads with Kiryu to help, as it could be one of his coworkers that gets run off the road next time, and with that motivation Kiryu agrees to the plan.
He returns the man to Nagasugai, where he thanks Kiryu for the help and properly introduces himself as Furumichi. Kiryu introduces himself as Suzuki, and Furumichi tells Kiryu he'll make sure the cops turn a blind eye to his racing while he takes down the Devil Killers. With that he leaves, and Kiryu returns to his regular route before heading back to the dispatch center. He informs Nakajima about his run-in with the Devil Killers, which Nakajima reacts to with uncharacteristic shock before passing it off as nothing. Muramatsu expresses outrage that the Devil Killers would go after a cab instead of one of their own, but is equally shocked when he learns Kiryu won his race against them. Nakajima says he'll talk with Furumichi about this, and Kiryu apologizes for getting Nakajima caught up in his own troubles. Nakajima tells Kiryu there's no need to be so humble- he's not the one tearing up the streets and causing havoc. Nakajima gets pensive again, but waves off Kiryu's concern when pressed and tells him to take a well-deserved break.
Kiryu works throughout the day before returning to the depot to clock out. Before he can, though, he is stopped by two yakuza who ask to speak with him. Kiryu, though, tells them to buzz off as he still has work to do cleaning his cab, but the leader of the due tells him it will only be a minute before calling Kiryu by his real name. On closer inspection, Kiryu can see that these are Tojo men, the leader suggesting they move somewhere private to talk further. Frustrated that he's once more getting dragged into Tojo Clan business, Kiryu grabs his coat and follows them to the river. After refusing the leader's offer of a light, Kiryu asks what they want; the men introduce themselves as Yuu Morinaga and Masato Aizawa, and they were assigned to Daigo's security detail by chief of headquarters Aoyama. Kiryu doesn't care about that and asks again why they want to talk to him, and Morinaga says they want Daigo's whereabouts: Daigo met with Patriarch Madarame the previous night, but the Clan lost track of him afterwards. Daigo was last seen getting into a taxi, and while Morinaga and Aizawa tried to follow in their own car they were unfamiliar with Fukuoka's roads and lost the taxis. But they did get the license plate, and after cross referencing with the government they found Taichi Suzuki, but since Daigo doesn't know anyone by that name they thought they would pay "Suzuki" a visit. At first it seemed odd that Daigo would select a cab from the middle of the queue, but Morinaga never expected Kazuma Kiryu, Fourth Chairman of the Tojo Clan, would be posing as a taxi driver. Kiryu tells them they have the wrong guy and tries to leave, but Morinaga asks once again if Kiryu knows where Daigo is. Kiryu continues to deny: all he did was pick up a passenger and then drop him back off in Nagasugai, nothing more.
Realizing he's crushed his cigarettes in frustration, Kiryu asks if they're done and makes to leave, but Aizawa stops him and asks if he would really abandon Daigo just like that. This is a pivotal moment for the Tojo Clan, and Daigo coming to harm could be catastrophic, and yet Kiryu doesn't seem bothered by anything about it. He advances on Kiryu before Morinaga stops him, going on to say that while he hasn't been in the Clan long, he's heard plenty of stories about Kiryu from Daigo himself, the Chairman saying he was doing what he could to protect the Clan that Kiryu left him. The other Tojo execs want nothing to do with the Yamagasa deal, but Daigo insisted on pushing through as that's what he felt would hold up his promise to Kiryu. Aizawa begs Kiryu to tell them where Daigo is, but once more Kiryu tells them he knows nothing and walks off.
Aizawa steps up and grabs Kiryu, asking if he's really going to turn his back on Daigo. Kiryu knocks Aizawa back, and Morinaga steps up and asks if this means he's not Kiryu, but just Taichi Suzuki. Kiryu confirms this, and Morinaga says that just makes their job easier- all they have to do now is beat him up a little to get their information. If he was the Fourth Chairman they wouldn't be able to lay a finger on him, but if he's just some taxi driver then he's fair game- they can just beat the truth out of him and get back to their jobs. Kiryu asks if they would attack a civilian like him, with Morinaga countering he'd rather not but desperate times call for desperate measures. Kiryu says if that's the case then he has every right to act in self defense. With that the three fight, Kiryu ultimately beating Morinaga and Aizawa down. He turns to leave as Morinaga and Aizawa try to recover, telling them one final time that he knows nothing and they just need to work with that.
Chapter 3: The Plot Unfolds
Early Summer, 2011
Okinawa
Kiryu is leaving Morning Glory Orphanage, but goes to sit with Haruka on the beach first. Haruka asks why he's leaving as she agreed to stay with him; Kiryu explains that Haruka and the kids are growing up now, so they don't need him watching over them anymore. And he was getting tired of babysitting them all, but Haruka calls him a liar. Kiryu insists it has nothing to do with Haruka's impending career in showbusiness, but Haruka presses on and insists he's lying. Park-san (Haruka's manager) said there would be funds to cover the orphanage, but only if Kiryu left, so that must be the reason for his departure. She knows Kiryu is lying for their sake, but respite all that she deserves the truth. After a pause, Kiryu explains that he overheard Taichi talking about skipping high school to go straight into the workforce, along with Ayako and Koji and even Shiro; all of them are willing to sacrifice their future to help Haruka and Morning Glory, and if she hits it big as an idol she can return a hero in their eyes. But Kiryu feels they are all too young to be sacrificing their dreams like that, and he won't allow that to happen. Haruka says that might be true, but they also want him to be part of their dream, and she agrees with them. Kiryu is touched, but he counters that he always knew one day they would have to go their separate ways, and he is doing this out of his love for Haruka and the orphans.
The Present Day
Kiryu suits up and heads to work, once more allowing his gaze to linger on the overturned picture. He heads to the dispatch office, where Hirakawa sends him to Nagasu Bridge with an urgent pickup request. Kiryu heads out and finds two yakuza waiting for him, the apparent leader tell him to take them to Hakata Station. As they drive, the two yakuza complain about having to leave Nagasugai so soon after arriving, with some potential problem at HQ calling them back. The leader asks if Kiryu could drive faster, and deciding to make "small talk" Kiryu asks what the rush is. The leader says that a high-ranking official in their organization died in an accident in Nagoya recently, and they're needed back in Osaka for the funeral; apparently, a Tojo associate bought it not long afterwards, killed in the same city not too far where their guy died. The yakuza's underling says it's too similar to be a coincidence, with the leader saying the Seventh Chairman should just name his successor and get things over with, as if he doesn't it could cause further trouble for them, and that's exactly what their rivals want at this time. If no successor is named, then a consensus vote is taken and the larger family wins, with the underling saying that would put things between the Watase Family, Ousaka Enterprises, and the Takachi family; Watase controls the largest family in the Omi Alliance, while Ousaka has gained significant influence and power as head of HQ. Now that Takachi's dead, it will come down to those two factions, and it isn't just a simple matter of money- if they want to rule the Omi, they need to do something that will prove they deserve the position... like, say, kill a Tojo bigwig like Chairman Daigo or Goro Majima. Still, at the end of the day it's just more they have to deal with, and they complain about Kiryu's driving as he takes them to the station. Once the two Omi men leave, Kiryu assures himself once more he has nothing to do with Daigo or the Tojo Clan anymore.
Kiryu returns to Nagasu Taxi and clocks out for the day. As he steps outside, he spots Morinaga and Aizawa across the river trying to question a Yamagasa Family man about Daigo's whereabouts. The Yamagasa man is hostile, thinking that the Tojo are framing their group for the Chairman's disappearance as an excuse to muscle in and take over their territory. Aizawa takes issue with this, but Morinaga tells him to back off and appears willing to let the Yamagasa man go. The Yamagasa man says he and other rank-and-file members have been against the alliance since the beginning, telling the two Tojo men he intends to report this to his superiors when he leaves. The two Tojo men depart, with Kiryu noting Aizawa rally needs to learn how to control his temper. He heads home and finds Mayumi waiting for him, the hostess saying she had an early shift and wanted to stop in and say hello. Kiryu once again insists that he will be fine on his own, with Mayumi asking if she's annoying him; Kiryu denies that's the problem and he really does appreciate all the help Mayumi has given him. Maybe it's another woman, then, but Kiryu says that's not it either; he asks if Mayumi thinks it's weird that they're practically living together despite not actually being a couple, and when Mayumi presses him on a Relationship Upgrade he says he's just not ready. Mayumi says she's willing to be patient, but Kiryu has a question for her- doesn't she have a family too? Mayumi says her parents have long since passed on, but talking about the past is depressing and they should focus on more important things, like dinner.
Mayumi goes to get food ready while Kiryu has a smoke, but just then there's a knock at the door. Kiryu goes to answer, but in stumbles Aizawa and Morinaga, the latter having been brutalized in an attack. Aizawa begs Kiryu to allow them to rest here, with Morinaga apologizing for Aizawa not listening to his orders not to bother Kiryu. They get Morinaga to bed before Kiryu takes Aizawa back to the bridge where they first met, Aizawa apologizing for the intrusion; he couldn't take Morinaga to a hospital and he had nowhere else to go, so Kiryu's apartment was the safest place he could think of. Kiryu demands to know how they found his home, with Aizawa explaining they looked up his name with the local real estate bureau when they were looking for "Suzuki", and he was the only Taichi Suzuki who was renting. They didn't approach him then because, according to Aizawa, Morinaga is very by-the-book and didn't want to break the code, so approaching him at work was a more appropriate venue. Kiryu then asks what happened, and Aizawa explains they were jumped by Yamagasa men- ever since Daigo's meeting with Patriarch Madarame the Yamagasa have been on the warpath, and they've already taken down ten other Tojo associates. Kiryu asks why as he assumed negotiations were going well, with Aizawa countering they were going well for upper management- the rank-and-file were never happy with a Tojo presence in Fukuoka, and with Daigo missing Morinaga cannot call for assistance from the main Tojo Clan without getting himself into a heap of trouble- getting beat up by the Yamagasa would only make a bad situation worse. Kiryu points out it isn't Morinaga's fault he got ambushed, but Aizawa says Patriarch Aoyama is a harsh man with zero tolerance for failures- even a long-standing family from the days of Chairman Sera was cut out by Aoyama after a scandal. Aoyama's method may seem draconian, but it has placed a focus on families that produce results and has reinvigorated the Clan in recent years.
Back at Kiryu's apartment, Mayumi goes to hang up Morinaga's coat while the yakuza rests. After checking that he's still resting, Mayumi goes through the coat's pockets and finds Morinaga's Tojo crest, unaware that Morinaga is not as asleep as she thought. Kiryu and Aizawa return from their talk and Kiryu tells Mayumi to go home for the night, and despite Mayumi's protests he assures her these men work for a friend of his and he'll be alright. Mayumi departs and the three get to talking, with Kiryu once again saying he doesn't know what happened to Daigo after he dropped him off. He asks why they aren't looking for more leads, but Morinaga says that's all they have: Daigo didn't take another taxi or return to his hotel, and there's no reason he would have gone into hiding. That leaves only one possible option: abduction. Kiryu asks if the Yamagasa Family might be behind it, which Morinaga sees as a possibility given the lower ranks' hostility towards the alliance, but Aizawa doesn't buy it: Daigo was a guest of the Yamagasa, and while they might pick a fight with low-level Tojo grunts there's no way they'd go so far as to kidnap an honored guest of their Patriarch. Kiryu agrees that's a bit too audacious for low-ranking yakuza, but that doesn't leave them with a suspect. Just then Morinaga's phone rings, Aizawa fetching it for Morinaga; his talk is brief, but when he finishes he announces that Aoyama has declared himself Acting Chairman. Aizawa is surprised as Daigo's only been missing two days, with Morinaga guessing the Tojo executives are rushing to ink the Tojo-Yamagasa alliance and need a Chairman to sign off on it. There will be a meeting at the hotel in town at midnight, and the two yakuza need to hurry to get there on time. They leave Kiryu's apartment and Morinaga thanks Kiryu for his help, though Kiryu apologizes that he couldn't do more for them. Morinaga says it's no worry, as he finds it reassuring that Kiryu still hasn't given up on Daigo. Before he leaves, Morinaga goes to tell Kiryu what he learned about Mayumi, but from Kiryu's look he guesses Kiryu is already aware of who she really is. With that they leave, Kiryu locking up behind him and contemplating what he just learned.
The next day, Kiryu heads into the office and is greeted by Hirakawa. Apparently Nakajima is late from getting dinner, so she sends Kiryu out to go find him. As Kiryu wanders the streets of Nagasugai, he is greeted by a detective from Osaka, his badge identifying him as Kazuhiko Serizawa. Kazuhiko is in town investigating Daigo's disappearance, asking if Kiryu would know anything about this, but once more Kiryu denies knowing anything about Daigo. Before he can break away, Kazuhiko grabs Kiryu by the shoulder and pins him against the wall, revealing he knows exactly who Kiryu is and that he knows his history with Daigo- they've been keeping tabs on Kiryu for a while now, after all. Kiryu breaks away and asks why a detective from Osaka is in Fukuoka, and Kazuhiko says he was sent down here to keep tabs on another person of interest: Captain Watase of the Omi Alliance. He asks if Kiryu knows about the Seventh Omi Chairman's illness- if he dies, then the truce between the Omi and the Tojo Clan ends and an all-out war will break out. The Tojo Clan has been sending agents across Japan to other yakuza families to gain allies in the event of a fight, and after Daigo came down to personally treat with the Yamagasa Watase followed to try and stop him. Kiryu asks if this means the Omi Alliance wants to get the Yamagasa before the Tojo Clan, but Kazuhiko is uncertain of that. All he does know is that the Omi aren't taking no for an answer, and they have more than enough force to crush the Yamagasa without a second thought. Nagasugai has since become a hotbed of yakuza activity, with Kazuhiko saying it's as if they expect the great war to kick off right here. This leads all to his current theory: the Omi Alliance is behind Daigo's disappearance. Without Daigo, negotiations between the Tojo and Yamagasa would stall, and if an acting chairman is appointed the Omi could use Daigo as a bargaining chip to swing the Yamagasa towards them instead of the Tojo. Kiryu asks if Kazuhiko tracked him down just to tell him this, but Kazuhiko says he's getting to his point: Kiryu's been in touch with two Tojo associates who were supposed to be guarding Daigo, right? He asks Kiryu to keep them from doing anything stupid; if Watase did kidnap Daigo, Morinaga and Aizawa are likely to fly off the handle and charge in blindly, which would give the Omi the excuse they need to start the war against the Tojo Clan. Kazuhiko wants Kiryu to go talk Watase down, and when Kiryu protests he's not a yakuza anymore Kazuhiko counters that that makes him perfect for the job: he's knowledgeable enough to know the politics behind the move, but he's far enough removed from the Tojo Clan to be an impartial arbitrator... and if it helps, he can always punch his way out.
Okinawa
Kiryu is leaving Morning Glory Orphanage, but goes to sit with Haruka on the beach first. Haruka asks why he's leaving as she agreed to stay with him; Kiryu explains that Haruka and the kids are growing up now, so they don't need him watching over them anymore. And he was getting tired of babysitting them all, but Haruka calls him a liar. Kiryu insists it has nothing to do with Haruka's impending career in showbusiness, but Haruka presses on and insists he's lying. Park-san (Haruka's manager) said there would be funds to cover the orphanage, but only if Kiryu left, so that must be the reason for his departure. She knows Kiryu is lying for their sake, but respite all that she deserves the truth. After a pause, Kiryu explains that he overheard Taichi talking about skipping high school to go straight into the workforce, along with Ayako and Koji and even Shiro; all of them are willing to sacrifice their future to help Haruka and Morning Glory, and if she hits it big as an idol she can return a hero in their eyes. But Kiryu feels they are all too young to be sacrificing their dreams like that, and he won't allow that to happen. Haruka says that might be true, but they also want him to be part of their dream, and she agrees with them. Kiryu is touched, but he counters that he always knew one day they would have to go their separate ways, and he is doing this out of his love for Haruka and the orphans.
The Present Day
Kiryu suits up and heads to work, once more allowing his gaze to linger on the overturned picture. He heads to the dispatch office, where Hirakawa sends him to Nagasu Bridge with an urgent pickup request. Kiryu heads out and finds two yakuza waiting for him, the apparent leader tell him to take them to Hakata Station. As they drive, the two yakuza complain about having to leave Nagasugai so soon after arriving, with some potential problem at HQ calling them back. The leader asks if Kiryu could drive faster, and deciding to make "small talk" Kiryu asks what the rush is. The leader says that a high-ranking official in their organization died in an accident in Nagoya recently, and they're needed back in Osaka for the funeral; apparently, a Tojo associate bought it not long afterwards, killed in the same city not too far where their guy died. The yakuza's underling says it's too similar to be a coincidence, with the leader saying the Seventh Chairman should just name his successor and get things over with, as if he doesn't it could cause further trouble for them, and that's exactly what their rivals want at this time. If no successor is named, then a consensus vote is taken and the larger family wins, with the underling saying that would put things between the Watase Family, Ousaka Enterprises, and the Takachi family; Watase controls the largest family in the Omi Alliance, while Ousaka has gained significant influence and power as head of HQ. Now that Takachi's dead, it will come down to those two factions, and it isn't just a simple matter of money- if they want to rule the Omi, they need to do something that will prove they deserve the position... like, say, kill a Tojo bigwig like Chairman Daigo or Goro Majima. Still, at the end of the day it's just more they have to deal with, and they complain about Kiryu's driving as he takes them to the station. Once the two Omi men leave, Kiryu assures himself once more he has nothing to do with Daigo or the Tojo Clan anymore.
Kiryu returns to Nagasu Taxi and clocks out for the day. As he steps outside, he spots Morinaga and Aizawa across the river trying to question a Yamagasa Family man about Daigo's whereabouts. The Yamagasa man is hostile, thinking that the Tojo are framing their group for the Chairman's disappearance as an excuse to muscle in and take over their territory. Aizawa takes issue with this, but Morinaga tells him to back off and appears willing to let the Yamagasa man go. The Yamagasa man says he and other rank-and-file members have been against the alliance since the beginning, telling the two Tojo men he intends to report this to his superiors when he leaves. The two Tojo men depart, with Kiryu noting Aizawa rally needs to learn how to control his temper. He heads home and finds Mayumi waiting for him, the hostess saying she had an early shift and wanted to stop in and say hello. Kiryu once again insists that he will be fine on his own, with Mayumi asking if she's annoying him; Kiryu denies that's the problem and he really does appreciate all the help Mayumi has given him. Maybe it's another woman, then, but Kiryu says that's not it either; he asks if Mayumi thinks it's weird that they're practically living together despite not actually being a couple, and when Mayumi presses him on a Relationship Upgrade he says he's just not ready. Mayumi says she's willing to be patient, but Kiryu has a question for her- doesn't she have a family too? Mayumi says her parents have long since passed on, but talking about the past is depressing and they should focus on more important things, like dinner.
Mayumi goes to get food ready while Kiryu has a smoke, but just then there's a knock at the door. Kiryu goes to answer, but in stumbles Aizawa and Morinaga, the latter having been brutalized in an attack. Aizawa begs Kiryu to allow them to rest here, with Morinaga apologizing for Aizawa not listening to his orders not to bother Kiryu. They get Morinaga to bed before Kiryu takes Aizawa back to the bridge where they first met, Aizawa apologizing for the intrusion; he couldn't take Morinaga to a hospital and he had nowhere else to go, so Kiryu's apartment was the safest place he could think of. Kiryu demands to know how they found his home, with Aizawa explaining they looked up his name with the local real estate bureau when they were looking for "Suzuki", and he was the only Taichi Suzuki who was renting. They didn't approach him then because, according to Aizawa, Morinaga is very by-the-book and didn't want to break the code, so approaching him at work was a more appropriate venue. Kiryu then asks what happened, and Aizawa explains they were jumped by Yamagasa men- ever since Daigo's meeting with Patriarch Madarame the Yamagasa have been on the warpath, and they've already taken down ten other Tojo associates. Kiryu asks why as he assumed negotiations were going well, with Aizawa countering they were going well for upper management- the rank-and-file were never happy with a Tojo presence in Fukuoka, and with Daigo missing Morinaga cannot call for assistance from the main Tojo Clan without getting himself into a heap of trouble- getting beat up by the Yamagasa would only make a bad situation worse. Kiryu points out it isn't Morinaga's fault he got ambushed, but Aizawa says Patriarch Aoyama is a harsh man with zero tolerance for failures- even a long-standing family from the days of Chairman Sera was cut out by Aoyama after a scandal. Aoyama's method may seem draconian, but it has placed a focus on families that produce results and has reinvigorated the Clan in recent years.
Back at Kiryu's apartment, Mayumi goes to hang up Morinaga's coat while the yakuza rests. After checking that he's still resting, Mayumi goes through the coat's pockets and finds Morinaga's Tojo crest, unaware that Morinaga is not as asleep as she thought. Kiryu and Aizawa return from their talk and Kiryu tells Mayumi to go home for the night, and despite Mayumi's protests he assures her these men work for a friend of his and he'll be alright. Mayumi departs and the three get to talking, with Kiryu once again saying he doesn't know what happened to Daigo after he dropped him off. He asks why they aren't looking for more leads, but Morinaga says that's all they have: Daigo didn't take another taxi or return to his hotel, and there's no reason he would have gone into hiding. That leaves only one possible option: abduction. Kiryu asks if the Yamagasa Family might be behind it, which Morinaga sees as a possibility given the lower ranks' hostility towards the alliance, but Aizawa doesn't buy it: Daigo was a guest of the Yamagasa, and while they might pick a fight with low-level Tojo grunts there's no way they'd go so far as to kidnap an honored guest of their Patriarch. Kiryu agrees that's a bit too audacious for low-ranking yakuza, but that doesn't leave them with a suspect. Just then Morinaga's phone rings, Aizawa fetching it for Morinaga; his talk is brief, but when he finishes he announces that Aoyama has declared himself Acting Chairman. Aizawa is surprised as Daigo's only been missing two days, with Morinaga guessing the Tojo executives are rushing to ink the Tojo-Yamagasa alliance and need a Chairman to sign off on it. There will be a meeting at the hotel in town at midnight, and the two yakuza need to hurry to get there on time. They leave Kiryu's apartment and Morinaga thanks Kiryu for his help, though Kiryu apologizes that he couldn't do more for them. Morinaga says it's no worry, as he finds it reassuring that Kiryu still hasn't given up on Daigo. Before he leaves, Morinaga goes to tell Kiryu what he learned about Mayumi, but from Kiryu's look he guesses Kiryu is already aware of who she really is. With that they leave, Kiryu locking up behind him and contemplating what he just learned.
The next day, Kiryu heads into the office and is greeted by Hirakawa. Apparently Nakajima is late from getting dinner, so she sends Kiryu out to go find him. As Kiryu wanders the streets of Nagasugai, he is greeted by a detective from Osaka, his badge identifying him as Kazuhiko Serizawa. Kazuhiko is in town investigating Daigo's disappearance, asking if Kiryu would know anything about this, but once more Kiryu denies knowing anything about Daigo. Before he can break away, Kazuhiko grabs Kiryu by the shoulder and pins him against the wall, revealing he knows exactly who Kiryu is and that he knows his history with Daigo- they've been keeping tabs on Kiryu for a while now, after all. Kiryu breaks away and asks why a detective from Osaka is in Fukuoka, and Kazuhiko says he was sent down here to keep tabs on another person of interest: Captain Watase of the Omi Alliance. He asks if Kiryu knows about the Seventh Omi Chairman's illness- if he dies, then the truce between the Omi and the Tojo Clan ends and an all-out war will break out. The Tojo Clan has been sending agents across Japan to other yakuza families to gain allies in the event of a fight, and after Daigo came down to personally treat with the Yamagasa Watase followed to try and stop him. Kiryu asks if this means the Omi Alliance wants to get the Yamagasa before the Tojo Clan, but Kazuhiko is uncertain of that. All he does know is that the Omi aren't taking no for an answer, and they have more than enough force to crush the Yamagasa without a second thought. Nagasugai has since become a hotbed of yakuza activity, with Kazuhiko saying it's as if they expect the great war to kick off right here. This leads all to his current theory: the Omi Alliance is behind Daigo's disappearance. Without Daigo, negotiations between the Tojo and Yamagasa would stall, and if an acting chairman is appointed the Omi could use Daigo as a bargaining chip to swing the Yamagasa towards them instead of the Tojo. Kiryu asks if Kazuhiko tracked him down just to tell him this, but Kazuhiko says he's getting to his point: Kiryu's been in touch with two Tojo associates who were supposed to be guarding Daigo, right? He asks Kiryu to keep them from doing anything stupid; if Watase did kidnap Daigo, Morinaga and Aizawa are likely to fly off the handle and charge in blindly, which would give the Omi the excuse they need to start the war against the Tojo Clan. Kazuhiko wants Kiryu to go talk Watase down, and when Kiryu protests he's not a yakuza anymore Kazuhiko counters that that makes him perfect for the job: he's knowledgeable enough to know the politics behind the move, but he's far enough removed from the Tojo Clan to be an impartial arbitrator... and if it helps, he can always punch his way out.
Chapter 4: Destinations
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Part 2: Taiga Saejima
Prologue
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Chapter 1: Ends of the Earth
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Chapter 2: The Way of Resolve
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Chapter 3: Frozen Roar
Saejima wakes up, having been rescued from the storm. His savior hands him some deer stew. Saejima asks the man if he saw Baba, which he denies. Saejima gets up and intends to find him, but the man tells him to stay and offers to find him in his stead, as the rumored man-eating bear has Saejima's scent. Before he leaves, the savior introduces himself as Okudera.
Outside the cabin, the village leader Nishina explains to Saejima the history of the village and that Okudera is an outsider. The villagers give Saejima some equipment because Okudera told them he would not heed their warnings of the mountain. He heads there and stumbles upon an injured Okudera and an unconscious Baba. He takes Baba while Okudera fends off Yama-oroshi the legendary bear. At sunset, Okudera makes it back to his cabin in the village to avoid the intensifying snowstorm and tells Saejima of his intention and reasons to kill the bear rather than hunt it for meat and supplies, discussing murder and imprisonment in the process.
Baba wakes up, and Saejima learns the villagers don't hunt if Okudera is on the mountain, believing his scent will attract Yama-oroshi, who attacked the village 9 years ago. Sakurai gives Saejima some hunting tools when he shows his insistence on hunting in the mountain looking for Okudera. The two gather food while fending off Yama-oroshi and return to feed Baba after the bear injured Okudera. The men thank Okudera, who tells them killing is only justified during the hunt, and leave.
Outside the cabin, the village leader Nishina explains to Saejima the history of the village and that Okudera is an outsider. The villagers give Saejima some equipment because Okudera told them he would not heed their warnings of the mountain. He heads there and stumbles upon an injured Okudera and an unconscious Baba. He takes Baba while Okudera fends off Yama-oroshi the legendary bear. At sunset, Okudera makes it back to his cabin in the village to avoid the intensifying snowstorm and tells Saejima of his intention and reasons to kill the bear rather than hunt it for meat and supplies, discussing murder and imprisonment in the process.
Baba wakes up, and Saejima learns the villagers don't hunt if Okudera is on the mountain, believing his scent will attract Yama-oroshi, who attacked the village 9 years ago. Sakurai gives Saejima some hunting tools when he shows his insistence on hunting in the mountain looking for Okudera. The two gather food while fending off Yama-oroshi and return to feed Baba after the bear injured Okudera. The men thank Okudera, who tells them killing is only justified during the hunt, and leave.
Chapter 4: Reckless Encounter
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Part 3: Haruka Sawamura and Shun Akiyama
Prologue
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Chapter 1: Backstage Dreams
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Chapter 2: Hope Lives On
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Chapter 3: Closing In
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Chapter 4: Beyond the Dream
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Part 4: Tatsuo Shinada
Prologue
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Chapter 1: Abandoned Glory
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Chapter 2: Confronting the Past
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Chapter 3: The Price of Truth
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Chapter 4: Fleeting Triumph
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Finale
Prologue
Fujita is at his desk, having written his confession and planning for it to be in the news. A disguised Serizawa enters the room and kills Fujita with a headshot after learning his intentions, burning the confession and placing the gun in Fujita's hand in the process. Before he leaves, he throws down an Omi Alliance pin.
Chapter 1: A Legend Returns
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Chapter 2: A Hidden Past
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Chapter 3: The Survivors
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Chapter 4: Crossroads
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Final Chapter: Dreams Fulfilled
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The End
The End
