Change your clothes and put them in

Change your clothes and put them in the basket here," he instructed, pointing at a small bin located outside the cell. "Do as I ask or I won't be nice," he said again before leaving Akihito alone.

"Fuck," the photographer cursed. This had turned into a bigger messed that he thought. He cleaned his face and changed into his blue prison garb, placing his own soiled clothes in the basket as instructed.

Lying on the tatami mat, Akihito closed his eyes. His jaw hurt like hell, so did his lower back and thighs. But at least his accommodation for the night had been taken care of.

Xx Business as Usual xX

"Kitahara, did the punks talk?"

Kitahara dumped the file on his desks, eased his hips at the edge of the table. "Well, the punk leader by the name of Koga said they were just messing around while the guy who got beaten said he was a victim of street bullying."

Kitahara's boss, Captain Yamamoto looked at Akihito's particulars again. "He doesn't look like he's in the same gang." He looked up at his subordinate. "Any police records?"

The detective flipped the file and smirked. "One; and it's for the same problem. Assaulted by a group of bullies in a park –," Kitahara paused as his eyebrow rose.

"What?"

"Captain, this Takaba Akihito was bailed out by some high attorney. The case was dismissed shortly after," he said, passing the file to Yamamoto.

"What's his residential address?" Yamamoto asked, scanning the report. "Is it listed in the report?"

Kitahara began to feel uneasy. "Here's the funny thing. The address on his license had been changed. I ran the location just now; it's situated at a high class residential area in Shinjuku. And the owner of the place is Asami Ryuichi."

Yamamoto whistled. "The one and only Asami Ryuichi?"

"That's him; but I'm sure he's lying. I mean, no one lives in that area and carries less than two thousand yen in his wallet."

Yamamoto passed the file back to Kitahara. "Go check with Asami first thing in the morning. If Takaba is lying, we can book him alongside with Koga for gang fight and being nuisance to the public."

"Captain, is it really necessary?"

The captain narrowed his eyes. "That's an order, Detective Kitahara. Sion – Eight in the morning – sharp."

Kitahara groaned as he sat in front of his computer. "If Takaba's lying, I'll beat the crap out of his skinny ass."

Xx Business as Usual xX

August 3rd, Sion Headquarters

If looks could kill, the stare Asami Ryuichi gave his men would have dropped them on the spot. Thirty men or so crowded in Asami's office in Sion Headquarters at half past seven in the morning as they await further instructions from the crime lord.

The crime lord himself remained silent as he continued smoking his cigar. It was pin drop silence in the office as none of the men currently gathered in front of him dared to make a sound, fearing a simple mistake on their part would cost them their lives.

Suoh had mobilized undisclosed number of men to search for Akihito around Tokyo but none managed to locate the photographer. Akihito wasn't at his best friends' place, nor was he at any other apartments Toru and Ando could think of. It was as if Akihito disappeared from Japan altogether.

No, it cannot be, Asami mused. Akihito's passport was still in the penthouse so it was unlikely he had left. His men from Fukuoka Prefecture were stationed outside Akihito's parents' house, just in case that the photographer decided to hide there.

He looked at his men again before waving his hand. It was a cue for the guards to speak.

"Asami sama, we have searched through Takaba sama's usual hangouts but there is no sign of him," a man in dark suit said.

The crime lord did not say anything, choosing to remain silent. He took out his favorite gun, playing with the weapon. His men immediately bowed in front of him.

"We apologize for our incompetence, boss!"

Suoh stepped forward. "Asami sama, what are your orders?"

"Check hospital records for any emergency cases or outpatient treatments," he ordered and the men hurriedly left the office to carry out their duties, fearing a delay would cost them their lives.

Toru and Ando walked in the minute Suoh stepped out. The usual calm demeanor the lanky guard usually wore as strength diminished as worry took over. "Sir, I asked around and found that Takaba sama had boarded a bus a few streets away. I crossed checked with the company and managed to speak with the driver. He remembered Takaba sama getting down at Setagaya."

Asami leaned forward, both elbows rested on the oak table. "Continue," he ordered Toru.

Toru bowed slightly. "I went to Setagaya but none had seen Takaba sama. The guards are looking for him as we speak, Asami sama."

The crime lord nodded as his eyes narrowed. "Find him Toru," he ordered, checking his wrist watch. "I'll give you until midnight."

While Ando looked horrified, Toru didn't question the impossible task. Placing a hand across his chest, Toru bowed. "Understood, Asami sama," he replied and left the room with Ando.

Standing up, he moved to the large panels of glass in his office and looked at the city. The morning sun shone brightly as usual but Asami was deep in thoughts about a certain photographer. He considered Akihito's rage justifiable but to walk out on him? The photographer had better come back because if Akihito thought he could do otherwise, he was dead wrong.

I'll hunt you down and drag you back right where you belong. You have no other options, Akihito.

The knock on the door had Asami's attention shifted again. He turned and saw Kirishima entering his office with his note book and tablet.

"Asami sama," he bowed. "The security called and said that a Detective Kitahara would like to speak with you."

Asami's eyes turned stone hard. "Problem with the Thais we dealt with last night?"

"I don't think so, sir. He introduced himself as a Detective from the Security Division," Kirishima explained. "Inspector Mori has also been briefed about last night's events. We would be informed if there are any movements from the Special Crime Unit."

"Send him in."

Xx Business as Usual xX

Detective Kitahara tried not be impressed with the building's structure. His mood was already terrible to begin with, having to stay up past one in the morning to deal with paperwork. Four hours later, he had to drag his tired body up to do follow up in some rich businessman's place. Kitahara arrived at Sion at eight sharp, as per the Captain's orders and was met by a well-dressed secretary cum butler at the entrance of the elevators.