A gesture of good faith (Bitsevsky Park)

[Zixin Kao]

Kiyohito

In the hours that preceded this moment, Kiyohito passed the time enjoying a fine meal. Afterward, he walked for a long duration of time both to distract himself from the mire of his thoughts but also to pass the food on through his system. He assumed that it would otherwise be coming back up if he didn’t.

After making contact with the name on that paper, Kiyohito trashed the reminder of what he was coming to do. He neither wanted to immortalize this moment nor ponder too deeply on the significance. It was with this level of acceptance of fate that he met the bloodlust gaze of a woman he did not recognize nor care to come to know.

He dug out a cigarette while they talked, but it was the Russian man at her side that he studied.

Zixin

Zixin gestured at the solitary figure that joined them. Though his lips were stable, there was a smile in his voice.

“My friends, allow me to introduce Kiyohito Korii.”

The Yakuza looked between the two. The glow of a cigarette illuminated the planes of his face as he did. Zixin had to wonder if he drew on the nicotine to calm his nerves.

“Kiyohito here is the brother of the man that has dealt your grave insult,” he exclaimed, carefully watching for recognition to piece itself together. Pavel was a difficult one to read, other than the gradations of various levels of frowns. His sister, on the other hand, was an open book. Perhaps that was why Zixin liked her so much.

To Pavel, he gestured. “Surely you have security footage. Show him a picture and he will confirm.”

He waited, gesturing that the two would come together. The stand-offishness was entertaining. “Don’t be so wary! We are only looking at pictures,” he laughed at the hesitation.

Kiyohito peered into the screen.

“That is Haruto,” he confirmed with a nod. He finished the cigarette by then and snuffed it out with the bottom of his shoe. He looked back to Zixin afterward.

Who smiled, “Proof. I offer you a brother for a brother. Sate your vengeance here and now, and let this business be behind us.” Then, to Kiyohito, Zixin leered, “I told you I knew where your brother was.”

To the group, Zixin drew a long breath, hands folded patiently in front of him. “And to confirm that Haruto’s actions are contained from here on, we will all agree that he will work for me, and I give you my word that he will not bother you again.”

With that, Zixin boldly approached Pavel to seal the deal with a handshake. “Does this arrangement meet your desire for mutual respect?”