Bottles clinked beneath the shimmer of disco lights. The music pulsed cool and steady from the DJ booth as a group of girls in tight, glimmering outfits and towering bunny ears danced across the stage. Some writhed elegantly around the poles while others descended gracefully, heels clicking as they sauntered between tables, flashing coy smiles before climbing up again to join the others.

Enzo's eyes widened, drawn to the chaos but still fenced in by the tables ringing the small stage. Around him, a few older men laughed mockingly. Shinra was among them, relaxed with one arm slung over the back of his chair.

"Oi, Enzo," he said, smirking around a cigarette. "Scared of virgins now? Daijoubu, this one's far from innocent." He nodded toward one of the dancers. "Right, Rui-chan?"

The girl giggled, giving a small, teasing shrug as she twirled down the pole.

Enzo scratched his neck, lips jutting in a slight pout. He wasn't scared. Just...weird. The whole concept of being this close to a half-naked girl was still weird. Not terrifying. Awkward, maybe.

His eyes drifted to the other seniors at the table—most of them already drunk, laughing as they slipped yen into bras and grabbed at swaying hips like it was a game.

"Ne, Shinra-san," he asked, bright-eyed and curious. "How much do I give them? For the... the thing?"

Shinra quirked a brow, exhaling smoke from his nostrils as he plucked the cigarette from his lips. "Don't even try. You're still a baby. The guards here'll snap your fingers off. This kinda service is for grown-ups. My people."

Enzo's smile drooped instantly, defeated. His disappointment was so obvious that Shinra couldn't help but laugh again, loud and mean. Then, like any good senpai, he grabbed a bottle of sake and tipped it toward Enzo's lips.

"Here. Open up."

And like a puppy trained to obey, Enzo did just that. One gulp, then two, until the bottle was practically empty before he even realized. The table erupted with cheers.

"Yo! The brat actually did it!"

"Wait, is he even legal?"

"Oh shut up. You were drinking in middle school, don't go all saint on us now."

Enzo's chin and collar were damp with the overflow, but his grin was wide, cheeks flushed pink. He hiccuped, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, "Damn... that was so refreshing. My body feels like—super light."

"Is that a review?" someone snorted. "We got a critic now?"

Enzo's eyes sparkled, voice already slurring. "More. I wanna try more."

"Yamero, Shinra. If he finds out, you're dead."

Shinra leaned back, cigarette glowing again between his fingers. "He earned it. Got us all our cash back from those shitty debtors. Kid deserves a reward."

He exhaled smoke slowly. "Besides... it's been a while since we fought. I miss it."

"You're both insane."

Just then, Shinra's gaze flicked toward the entrance, and though his face didn't change, he definitely noticed who had arrived. He draped his arm around Enzo's shoulder.

"You said you wanna be a man, right? Then here," he murmured, pushing the cigarette to Enzo's lips. "Try this."

Enzo took a puff with the same blind enthusiasm and immediately choked, hacking and gasping. "Guh—this...! Hah... wait, I wanna try again—"

But before he could snatch the cigarette back, a flicker of movement caught his eye. Static jolted through him. His body snapped to attention.

"Aniki!" he called out, eyes shining. "You're here!"

He bounded over, practically knocking over a chair in the process. The plaster on his knuckles was crooked and hastily wrapped, revealing the raw, red skin underneath.

"You tired? Sit here! I'll massage your shoulders, I promise I'm good at it!"