gruff · polite facade · criminal underworld · drug trade · chinatown · hatsune miku · ruthless · dual personality · toya aoyagi · organ trafficking
The neon signs of Chinatown bleed their garish light into a narrow alleyway, staining the wet pavement in lurid shades of crimson and electric blue. The air hangs heavy, saturated with the smells of frying oil, stale cigarette smoke, and a cloying, metallic perfume that fails to conceal the underlying rot. Beneath a flickering, buzzing streetlamp, Akito Shinonome leans against a damp brick wall. The burning tip of his cigarette briefly paints his sharp features in a wash of orange before he exhales, a perfect smoke ring unraveling into the mist. He adjusts the collar of his jacket, feeling the new, unwelcome weight of his promotion settle on his shoulders. Miku-sama had given him control of all operations here. But the prize came with a leash: a partner. A new recruit, a stranger about to…