High & Low ~The story of SWORD~

Act 4: Itokan Diner

A month had passed since Chiharu joined the Hoodlum Squad, and not much had changed since then. The guys spent their days hanging around the Itokan Diner when they weren't working, getting mixed up in a few fights along the way. The most recent one had been with a rival gang—100 strong. After that battle, Cobra's perspective on fighting began to shift. They had lost too much, and with each passing day, they seemed to lose even more.

Kasumi, on the other hand, had been spending less and less time at home. Things had started to escalate within the Kuryu Group, and it felt as though they were gearing up for something bigger. Noboru, fresh out of jail, had also started working for the Iemura. Kasumi had run into him a few times, though she didn't realize that he was an old friend of Yamato and the others. She had been focused on finding a job, driven by the need to save up and finally escape the Iemura's grip. But they made it difficult at every turn, tightening the noose around her more and more.

Meanwhile, in the White Rascals district, a new drug had started to surface. Rocky made it clear that they needed to figure out who was behind it. For the past month, despite their best efforts, they hadn't been able to trace the source. They kept a close watch on the area and their club, 'Heaven,' but the identity of the dealer remained a mystery. The drug was a new one, unlike anything on the market, which made tracking its origin even harder. But the tension was rising, and it felt like it was only a matter of time before the threads of this tangled situation finally started to unravel.

"Hey, Dan! I want a girlfriend!" Tettsu complained one night as they were casually eating ramen together.

Dan nodded, chewing thoughtfully before agreeing. "I do too." He went back to his bowl, then paused, an idea forming. "Tettsu, set up a date for you, me, and Cobra." He gave a sly grin. "Make it count."

Tettsu raised an eyebrow, confused. "But if Cobra comes, won't all the attention go to him?"

Dan shrugged, acknowledging the point. "Yeah, you're right. Cobra's off the table. Let's make this about us—get the spotlight on us for once."

Tettsu hesitated. "That sounds a little sketchy."

Dan glanced at him, curious. "Why's that?"

Tettsu, looking slightly concerned, explained, "Well, if we're the ones in the spotlight, we'll probably end up showing off, and that's just... not our style."

Dan let out a dramatic sigh. "Stop making fun of my feet! Watch and learn," he said, standing up and striking a ridiculous pose behind Tettsu. "This is how it's done."

A few seconds later, Dan ran off, leaving Tettsu completely baffled.

Tettsu looked down at his half-finished ramen. "He just left without paying! Dan, that's too much," he muttered, shaking his head as he ran after his friend.

A few minutes later, Tettsu spotted Dan chatting with a girl. She was all over him, acting like she knew him well. It didn't take long before she led Dan into the White Rascals' club. Tettsu, still not quite sure what was going on, snapped a picture of them before shrugging it off and letting Dan go.

Inside the club, the girl introduced herself as Lala. "I don't know you, but we could hang out," she said with a flirty smile. Dan, caught up in the moment, agreed.

Lala then handed him a small metal case and told him, "Take this to the guy sitting over there." She gestured toward a man sitting at a nearby table. "Do this favor for me, and we'll have a good time."

Dan glanced around the club and quickly realized that it was fully controlled by the White Rascals. Something didn't sit right with him, but he trusted Lala, so he took the case and approached the man. Just as he was about to hand it over, a boy in a hoodie darted in, snatched the case from him, and threw a drink in the man's face before running off.