August 24, 2063
20:21, Shibuya District, Central Tokyo
Bathed in the glow of neon lights and surrounded by towering buildings wrapped in holographic advertisements, Seto Haruki and Kurayami wandered off to look for something to eat. Meanwhile, Mr. Bito and I moved through the sea of people together. Many eyes turned toward me, my height alone made me stand out, not to mention the tattoo beneath my eye. Women in particular tried to approach me, even though we were complete strangers. I offered them friendly smiles. Some wanted photos, but I still had work to do.
"Kurayami's piano skills and singing have improved by leaps and bounds," I said, reassuring my boss. "At this rate, I think she could debut as a solo artist within two years."
"Too slow~ We're relocating here," Mr. Bito replied casually. "I've already scoped the place out. There's a club about to shut down; we can take it over."
"Here in Shibuya?" I asked. "Won't I stand out too much?"
"And does that tattoo of yours not stand out?" he shot back with a chuckle. "The nail that sticks out gets hammered back in, they say. But the most dangerous place is often the safest one. Besides, there's no better place to do business than the heart of Tokyo. I'll have my daughter playing guitar and singing as an idol—ha! All we need is a catalyst."
"Yes, Bito-sama. But Japan's music industry leans heavily toward pop-rock, and the competition is fierce. Breaking into the market won't be easy."
"Hmmm~ So what do people like these days?" Mr. Bito stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Help me think."
I paused, tilting my head up toward a massive billboard displaying cute animated characters.
"People like things that go beyond imagination," I said.
As I spoke, a blue butterfly slipped free from my body. In the blink of an eye, it crossed paths with a golden dragonfly gliding down toward a tall, black-haired young man.
"Kuyami-chan~ Where are you?" Seto called out, scanning the area anxiously.
"Excuse me," Haruki asked passersby, "have you seen a girl wearing a red skirt?"
The dragonfly circled the streets of Shibuya until it noticed a gray moth drifting toward something unseen. Curious, it followed—until it finally found the black-haired girl in the red skirt standing before a massive screen. On it played an advertisement of a blonde animated girl who soared freely through the sky.
Kurayami reached out and touched the screen. She loved it.
"Hello! My name's Shaka. What's yours?" the animated girl asked cheerfully.
"K-Kurayami… My name is Kurayami."
"That's so cute! Kurayami, do you like music?"
"I do! I really do. Um… are you a representative of the Moon?"
"That's right! Want to see something amazing?"
The character spun gracefully, transforming into a charming school uniform.
"Haha… that's incredible!" Kurayami clapped her hands in delight.
Nearby, a white-haired man with a tattoo beneath his eye stopped when he spotted her, watching quietly for a moment.
"Someday, I'll be just like you," Kurayami said softly to the character.
"Of course you will! I'm rooting for you," it replied—remarkably lifelike, despite being nothing more than a robot on a billboard.
Bito watched his daughter for a while before turning back to me.
"You said people like things beyond imagination."
I nodded. "If we're going that route, we'll need quite a bit of funding."
"That's exactly why I trained you boys to be cats," Mr. Bito said with a grin.
The butterfly drifted along the street as sirens wailed in the distance. A black car sat parked in a dark alley. Inside, the black-haired man adjusted his seat and asked the white-haired driver—
"So, boss. Which car are we bidding on tonight?"
"White's too plain. License plate 8888."
Soki shifted gears, pulling out from the shadows to begin the night's work.
"That's way too flashy, but—" Seto pulled out a fake plate and stuck out his tongue, laughing. "Easy peasy. Hehehe."
I cranked the music up to max. Vrooom!
♫Came to get down, I came to get down!♫
The dragonfly flitted through a vent into a rundown rented room packed with junkies. Two mysterious men in black-and-white hoods burst in, clashing violently. One thug was sent flying straight out the window, crashing into a dumpster below.
"I'll be taking this batch!" one of them shouted.
The dragonfly darted through neon-lit gambling dens and up onto a rooftop. The two troublemakers sprinted and leaped over obstacles, bags in hand.
"Stop right there!" Two yakuza with long swords gave chase.
"Hurry up! Hurry up!" shouted the white-haired man in a cat mask as he split off from his partner.
♫ Everybody jump! ♫
"I'm going, boss~ WAAAAH!" the black-haired man yelled as he leapt between buildings—only realizing midair that he could actually do it.
The white-haired man soon found himself at a dead end. He turned to face the yakuza sharpening their blades.
"Shit…"
"You little shit! You're about to be sliced into sash--ACK!" Both yakuza collapsed instantly, revealing a man in a rescue suit holding a tranquilizer gun.
"Haruki-kun! Phew! That was a close one," the white-haired man said gratefully.
"Tell me about it. Huh, wait. Where'd that little troublemaker go?" Haruki asked.
"Over heere~~~"
Their voices echoed from another building just as the golden dragonfly crossed paths once more with the azure butterfly. The two insects flew side by side toward an alley lined with nightlife venues, heavy with the promise of an approaching storm. They slipped through an air vent into the meeting room of the Taioshin yakuza clan.
In Kurayami's bedroom, a gentle piano melody filled the air. Elsewhere, Mr. Bito popped open a bottle of champagne, celebrating the steady flow of money from both legitimate and illegitimate ventures.
♫♫♫ Jump! Jump! Jump! Jump~! ♫♫♫