10 Neon Secrets

7:00 pm,

In the bustling streets of Shinjuku City, near Shinjuku Golden Gai, people were engaged in their daily activities. Amidst the crowd stood a man who looked to be in his thirties with a briefcase under the glow of a neon light outside a club. The man appeared odd, almost out of place, towering over the average Asian man at nearly 6 feet 5 inches tall. His tired eyes with long, feminine eyelashes conveyed a sense of weariness.

Circular glasses adorned his face, reflecting the vibrant lights around him as he gazed down at the ground. On his fingers, he wore rings that lacked distinctive features, mere pieces of unremarkable metal. His attire added to the eccentricity, with an open dark blue blazer, typical of salarymen, contrasting with a dark orange/yellow shirt that might be more fitting for a yakuza member. The clash continued with a cherry blossom pattern adorning the shirt's fabric.

His pants were equally unconventional, starting as dark blue like the blazer but revealing an unexpected surprise near the bottom. Passersby quickened their pace, mistaking the design for blood stains just above the ankles. However, it was merely a deliberate pattern mimicking blood, adding to the overall confusion. The man completed his peculiar ensemble with shoes that blended elements of both men's and women's fashion, featuring a design resembling masculine loafers with a two-inch heel.

"You know we're not supposed to stand out," a woman's voice chided. The man turned toward the voice, and his long wavy black hair, reaching below his ears, swayed in the wind as he did.

"I don't want to hear that from you," the man replied, his voice carrying a tired tone. The woman scoffed at his words, acknowledging that he wasn't entirely wrong. She, too, failed to blend in seamlessly. In her thirties, she had long flowing silver hair cascading below her shoulders, making her stand out even more. She wore a gray coat, seemingly normal, but her height, only about 2 inches shorter than the man, drew attention.

"I can't help my physical appearance, but you can help your outfit!" she retorted, jabbing her finger towards him. The man blinked his brown eyes, meeting her red ones. "You can dye your hair," he suggested. The woman waved him off, saying, "Whatever, just don't look like a psychopath, please."

The man shrugged before changing the subject. "So, did you manage to hide it?" The woman nodded. "Yes, I did, no thanks to you!" she exclaimed before getting closer to him and whispering, "Maybe don't kill people by ripping them apart! Then I don't have to hide the bodies for you!"

"But hiding bodies is your job," the man whispered back. "It's only a job for you. I don't hide them for anyone else. Ugh!" she whispered-yelled at the man before letting out a sigh. "Anyway, did you decide who's going to who yet?" the woman asked as the man rested his thin fingers on his chin, letting out a thoughtful hum.

"You go to Sasaki; I'll go to the sisters," the man said as the woman nodded. "Okay, I wanted to talk to him about yesterday anyway," she said. The man asked, "Yesterday? What happened yesterday?" The woman glared at him, replying, "None of your business. You just go inform those two," before she started walking away. The man looked at her departing figure, gripping his briefcase, thinking, *Don't make me kill you, Julia.*

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Nanami quietly ate her Omurice at the table while her family also ate their meals. Meanwhile, Richard lounged on the couch, uninterested in food. *They all seem a bit shell-shocked after the gift Richard just gave,* Sasaki thought as he ate some curry. *I knew he was rich, but damn it! It's so embarrassing!* Satoru thought as he, too, ate curry. Richard's extravagant gift, a third of his salary to his daughter, left Satoru feeling somewhat inadequate in comparison. *Who carries that much money with them? In notes!?* Sayuri thought as she also ate, what else do you expect? curry. *My little brother has someone rich and handsome as his friend,* Nanami thought, or more like sang, still in a state of shock.

Sasaki set down his utensils, dabbing his mouth with a handkerchief after finishing his meal. "Do you want more?" Sayuri asked. Sasaki shook his head. "Nope," he replied, rising from the table and picking up his plate. As he carried it to the kitchen sink, he noticed the trash bag was full.

"Mom, you forgot to throw out the trash," Sasaki pointed out. Sayuri turned to look at Sasaki, suddenly remembering. "Ah, you're right! Could you take it out, Sasaki?" she asked. Sasaki let out a sigh before setting down his plate and beginning to wrap the trash bag. However, before he could lift it, Richard took hold of his hand and grabbed the bag himself.

"I'll throw it out. I'm going to leave anyway," he said. "You don't have to; Sasaki can take-"

"It's fine, Ms. Miamoto. Like I said, gotta go anyway, so it's no skin off my back."

Satoru glanced at his watch. "I guess it's getting pretty late, but are you sure you can't stay a little longer?" he asked, eager to know more about his son's first friend and hoping for a good rapport between Richard and his daughter. Richard raised his hand, declining, "Nah, my parents are going to freak, especially after last night, so I can't. Sorry."

Nanami observed Richard as he walked towards the door alongside Sasaki, thinking, *How did that weirdo get a friend like that?* referring to her little brother. "Goodbye, Richard-kun!" Sayuri bid farewell, and Satoru added, "Visit us again sometime." Richard waved at them before opening the door.

"I'll try. Anyway, Sasaki, let's meet up tomorrow," he said. Sasaki tilted his head in curiosity. "Why? And where?" Richard pondered for a moment before suggesting, "How about the Gyoen National Garden? It's pretty far, but we can just take my car there." Sasaki blinked in surprise. "You have a car?" Richard nodded. "Yup, so maybe we can go around 1 o'clock?" Sasaki sighed. "Sure, I guess." Richard pumped his fist, saying, "Hell yeah! Alright, then see ya tomorrow."

Richard stepped out as Sasaki closed the door behind him. Letting out a sigh, he began walking towards the stairs of the apartment. "Made some headway, but I've got to chip away at him a bit more before he spills about the MoH'es," Richard mumbled to himself as he descended. *I really want to know what happened to the body of the other MoH,* he thought, heading over to the trash cart. He opened the one in the middle and dumped the trash bag into it.

"What are you doing here?" Richard heard a woman's voice from behind him. He went wide-eyed before spinning around. *I didn't even feel her get near me!* he thought. The woman, with flowing silver hair and red eyes, almost as tall as him, stood in front. "Do I know you?" he asked, tensing his body for a potential fight. The woman glared at Richard. "Answer the question, brat," she said, her voice ice cold and dangerous. "I don't talk to strangers, so back off," Richard warned.

The woman let out a sigh before looking around; there wasn't anyone walking around as it was getting late. Without warning, the woman launched a kick with her right leg towards Richard's head. He reacted, going to block the kick, but the woman raised her leg higher before bringing it down in a question mark kick. It landed on Richard's shoulder, or at least, she thought it did. "That's a damn heavy kick," Richard said. He had reacted fast enough to block the kick with his left arm, but the force nearly made his knees buckle.

Richard clenched his right hand into a fist, hurling a punch at the woman. Reacting with inhuman agility, she retracted her leg in a fraction of a second, executing a spin to evade the punch. Seizing the momentum, she unleashed a counterattack with a devastating back kick.

Richard, gritting his teeth, pulled his hand back, anticipating the force of the incoming kick. He intercepted the powerful strike with both arms, the collision sending shockwaves through his limbs. The sheer force pushed him backward, his feet skidding against the pavement as he struggled to maintain balance.

Richard, wearing a pained grin, observed the woman closely, searching for any vulnerabilities.

"You're not human, are you?" he quipped, the strain evident in his voice. The woman, maintaining her intense glare, centered herself, ready for the next exchange.

"How much do you know?" she interrogated, her silver hair cascading as she moved. Richard, his gaze flickering between her and the environment, responded, "Not much, but are you sure you want to risk this? I've taken down one of your kind before, haven't I?" He wore a psychotic grin.

The woman sighed once more, the tense atmosphere escalating. "I should have killed you back in the junkyard," she stated, advancing toward Richard with a clear intent kill.

*There's nothing around for me to use, then...* Richard strategized, his mind swiftly calculating the next move. In a sudden burst of speed, he closed the distance, launching a devastating roundhouse kick aimed at the woman's head. The woman, showing uncanny agility, adeptly ducked under the attack, the air whistling as Richard's foot missed its target by mere inches. Observing Richard's move, a realization struck her. *Did he just copy me?*

Without missing a beat, Richard smoothly pulled his leg back, coiling energy, and unleashed a rapid, precise kick directed at the woman's midsection. Evading with remarkable grace, she pivoted away from the oncoming strike, showcasing her own mastery of movement. The kick, although perfectly executed, failed to find its mark.

Capitalizing on the split-second opening, the woman retaliated. She reared back her left hand, channeling kinetic energy into a lightning-fast punch aimed directly at Richard's face. Richard, displaying remarkable agility, spun on his heels, deftly evading the punch. The seamless motion transitioned into a counter—a back kick unleashed with lethal precision toward the woman's face. However, she skillfully dodged once again.

"Damn, you're one slippery bitch, aren't you?" Richard remarked with a huff, a mix of frustration and amusement in his voice as he centered himself for the next exchange. As the combatants distanced themselves briefly, the woman regarded him with a half-impressed, half-analytical expression. "Impressive. Not only did you copy my movements, but you executed them better than me," she acknowledged, silently recognizing Richard's unexpected prowess. *This brat's talented, for a human.*

Richard chuckled, dismissing the compliment. "Did jack shit, though. But who cares? I'm having fun!" he declared, a renewed sense of enthusiasm sparking as he readied himself to continue the fight.

"Just another battle junky," the woman remarked with a click of her tongue, her disdain evident. As a prelude to what seemed like a strategic shift, she placed her hands on her long coat, hinting at its removal. In her mind, a calculated decision took shape. *I can wear this brat down before killing him, but with his skills, it would take too long. I have to use my abilities,* she strategized.

As she prepared to remove her coat, a voice interrupted the impending escalation. "Julia-san?" The woman turned around, and even Richard peeked behind her to witness Sasaki standing there, his head tilted in curiosity.