Kawamoto's gaze slowly moved downwards, sweeping over Ryu's knees, elbows, and other joints.
"I'll beat you until you can't stand up anymore."
"You can try and see if your motorcycle is faster, or mine is faster."
There was no roar, no ferocity.
The calm tone belies the most gruesome threats of violence.
The absolute confidence in his words, the assurance that he would deliver on his promises, was more chilling than any roar.
Ryu's face was ashen, and his legs trembled like leaves in the wind.
He stared into Kawamoto's seemingly emotionless eyes, his crotch soaked with sweat; he was truly terrified and wet himself.
He had no doubt that this monstrous high school student was absolutely capable of doing it!
What's even more terrifying is that he has the ability to do it!
This threatening ferocity...
Who exactly are the delinquents involved in yakuza gangs?
Mitsui didn't go back to playing basketball; he found a monster leader and joined a real yakuza organization!
"Roll."
Kawamoto threw Ryu to the ground and uttered his last word.
Ryu felt as if he had been granted a pardon. He didn't even dare to utter any harsh words and scrambled towards the alley entrance.
He didn't dare ride the motorcycle anymore, and he didn't even dare look back at his unconscious companion. In the blink of an eye, he disappeared without a trace.
Silence returned to the alley. Hisashi Mitsui stared in disbelief at the scene, only one thought pounding wildly in his mind.
Kawamoto's calm exterior, there probably lies a true beast.
He suddenly felt incredibly fortunate that he was a teammate standing beside Kawamoto, not an enemy.
Just then, Tetsuo, clutching his head, staggered to his feet.
The head wound wasn't deep, and the blood had already congealed, but it still looked quite frightening.
He tapped a cigarette out of the crumpled pack, lit it, took a deep drag, and his pale face seemed to recover somewhat in the smoke.
" Tetsuo, are you alright?"
Hisashi Mitsui stepped forward, his tone concerned.
Tetsuo exhaled a puff of smoke. "Just a minor scrape on my head."
Mitsui nodded. " Ryu said you wanted to leave them, to find a proper job, and even tried to persuade them to join you..."
"That talkative bastard Ryu told you all that?"
Tetsuo snorted coldly and took another deep drag on his cigarette.
Amidst the swirling smoke, a rare look of frustration crossed his face.
"I actually tried looking for a job during this time. Damn, I only realized how difficult it is to find a job these days after I went there."
"With the economy in a slump, layoffs are happening everywhere. Forget about finding a proper, long-term job. Even part-time jobs are in high demand, and the requirements are quite high."
He glanced subconsciously at Kawamoto Kazuki, who was watching them, his eyes no longer showing the hostility they had before.
You're right.
Tetsuo said to Kawamoto, "Working to earn money and taking responsibility like a man is much harder than being a delinquent."
He hesitated for a moment, then said, " Tetsuo, how about I call my dad? Maybe his company..."
"Alright, Mitchy."
Tetsuo interrupted him directly.
He knew that Mitsui came from a wealthy family and genuinely wanted to help him.
But for Tetsuo, this help felt like charity.
The bond between him and Mitsui was pure and should not be mixed with worldly interests or class differences.
Although Tetsuo was just a good-for-nothing who had no skills other than fighting, he still had the pride that comes with being a bad person.
He didn't want to rely on his brother's pity or his family background to get a job that he might not deserve.
That would make him feel like he had lost even the last shred of dignity.
I appreciate your kindness.
Tetsuo patted Mitsui on the shoulder. "I want to try to make it on my own like a man. If I fail, it's because I'm incompetent."
He finished his last puff of cigarette, threw the butt on the ground, and crushed it out with the toe of his foot.
He walked up to Kawamoto first, looked at this powerful young man who commanded respect, and said very seriously, "Thanks."
No further words.
But he remembered this life-saving grace.
Then he looked at Mitsui, his roguish smile returning to his face, and casually waved at him.
Goodbye, athletic boy.
After saying that, he turned and staggered toward the overturned motorcycle in the alley.
Hisashi Mitsui watched Tetsuo's lonely figure, his eyes welling up with tears.
He knew that this parting might mean they would each embark on completely different paths in life.
The brother who stood by him during his most depressed times, fought alongside him, listened to his complaints, and wasted his time with him.
We are now trying to embark on a thorny but absolutely correct path.
A strong emotion welled up inside me.
He instinctively took half a step forward and blurted out, "Goodbye, Tetsuo..."
His voice carried a barely perceptible sob.
The boy didn't understand what redemption was, nor did he understand what it meant to turn back before it's too late.
All they know is that if the world is a deep well, when you fall in, there's someone just as stupid as you next to you.
He may not be able to pull you up, but he will lean against the cold well wall with you.
Do nothing, just wait and see if the stars will fall down.
Just then, a voice, completely out of place with the atmosphere, broke in. "You two should never see each other again."
It's Kawamoto Kazuki.
He walked up to Mitsui, watching Tetsuo's retreating figure, and asked with a hint of doubt, "You're all so young, your lives have just begun. Why are you acting like it's a final farewell?"
" Hiratsuka City only has a population of 200,000. It's such a small place, how could we possibly not meet?"
He turned to look at Mitsui, whose eyes were slightly red, seemingly unable to comprehend such a sorrowful farewell.
Mitsui was left speechless by Kawamoto's blunt remarks, which dampened his earlier feelings of parting.
Kawamoto is sometimes terribly slow-witted.
He clearly didn't understand that his goodbye to Tetsuo was a farewell to his past, aimless life.
Kawamoto looked at Tetsuo, who had stopped, and a hint of admiration appeared in his eyes.
It takes courage to say goodbye to your past mistakes.
He said, " Tetsuo."
Tetsuo turned around and looked at him.
I understand why you didn't accept the job offered by Mitsui.
"Then I'll give you another suggestion you can listen to."
Tetsuo didn't say anything, he just stared at him.
Mitsui looked at Kawamoto in surprise.
suggestion?
Do they want Tetsuo to join the Shohoku Basketball Club?
My age might not be suitable...
"The current economic downturn and corporate conservatism have led to a reduction in formal positions, a situation unlikely to change in the short term."
But everything has two sides.
"The forced adjustment of the industrial structure has also created a demand for temporary specialized talents. For example, there are jobs that require specific skills, such as master craftsmen, furniture artisans, and left-hand craftsmen, but may not necessarily require long-term employment."
Seeing Tetsuo's thoughtful expression, he continued, "For this kind of demand, flexible employment services might be a direction worth exploring. You can look into Recruit Holdings' business development in recent years; they've done quite well in this area."
"You probably have friends or family members who do these kinds of crafts, right?"
Kawamoto proposed a specific approach. "You could try to integrate these scattered resources and build a simple information network. Then, using your knowledge of Hiratsuka and your network, you can precisely find and connect with clients who have temporary labor needs, such as small construction companies, renovation teams, or even individual homeowners."
He paused, then said, "Of course, this is just my personal guess based on some information and trends; it may not be accurate, nor may it be suitable for you. But perhaps it can provide you with a direction for thinking."
The alleyway fell silent again.
Mitsui was completely stunned.
He hadn't expected that Kawamoto was not only good at fighting and playing ball, but also could speak eloquently about these socio-economic and employment trends.
Tetsuo stood still, but his eyes grew brighter and brighter.
Kawamoto didn't offer him a ready-made job.
Instead, it gave him a direction, a path he could explore and try on his own.
Or rather...
A future!
This made him feel more respected than simply giving him money or a job, and it was also more challenging.
He was silent for a few seconds, then waved vigorously in Kawamoto's direction.
"Thank you!"
This time, the expression of gratitude was even more solemn than before.
After saying that, he strode around again, picked up the motorcycle from the ground, lit another cigarette, put it in his mouth, started the engine, and drove away.
Smoke curled upwards.
Tetsuo looked up at the gradually brightening sky and a smile appeared on his lips.
"That Mitsui kid..."
"You've really made an amazing friend."
Mitsui looked in the direction where Tetsuo had completely disappeared, then glanced at Kawamoto Kazuki beside him, whose expression remained calm.
So much happened this morning.
But in any case, the match is about to begin.
" Kawamoto, we're probably going to miss the train. Let's take a taxi to the prefectural stadium."
"Are you crazy? Do you know how much it costs to take a taxi from Hiratsuka to Yokohama?"
"I'm not crazy, I'm just a simple and honest rich kid."