Well, That Escalated Quickly...

After their unsuccessful first night, Haruki and Takahiro decide to regroup with Chief Kenji and the rest of the team back at the precinct.

On the drive back, they reviewed the intel they collected and waited to discuss their next steps.

"Any luck?" Kenji asked as Haruki and Takahiro entered the room.

Haruki shook his head, frustration evident in his expression. "Nothing solid, Chief. Just rumours and speculation." He then went into more detail on what happened at the scene.

Takahiro pitched in at the end of his report.

"Well, it seems like the rumours about the Velvet Lounge being a hub for drug activity are true," he reported, his tone serious.

"Multiple sources mentioned seeing shady characters around the club, and one homeless man even mentioned the involvement of the Aramaki and Kurozawa groups."

Kenji listened attentively, his expression grave as he processed the information. "It's clear that something is happening at the Velvet Lounge," he said, his voice serious.

"Can't we order a search?" Rekka asked, sprawled on his desk.

Kenji sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Without concrete evidence, we can't take any drastic actions."

Aya nodded in agreement. "I'll see if I can pull up any recent police reports or complaints about the club. Maybe there's something we've overlooked." She typed away at her computer, a serious expression on her face.

"We need to find a way to gather more evidence without tipping off whoever's behind this operation," Kenji continued, his mind already churning with possible strategies.

"Sakurai, Takahiro, I want you two to continue monitoring the area discreetly. Look for any patterns or unusual activities that might give us a lead."

Haruki and Takahiro nodded, taking in their new orders.

"We won't let you down," Haruki said, eyes blazing.

Kenji nodded. "I know you won't, Sakurai. Just remember to prioritize caution over haste."

He reminded Haruki, "The other team will work on bringing them to book."

Haruki frowned slightly, thinking of Misato's smug face.

"Yes, sir," he said.

"Dismissed!" Kenji waved them off. Both men saluted and walked out of the room.

The sound of the busy precinct was the only noise around them as they made their way to the car.

Takahiro noticed his younger colleague's tense demeanour and touched his shoulder reassuringly.

"We'll figure this out, Haruki," Takahiro said, offering a small smile. "Just take things easy."

"Yeah, you're right," he took a deep breath, "I'm good," Haruki smiled back.

The drive back to the surveillance area was filled with silence. Haruki couldn't shake the feeling that they were on the brink of something big if they could just push a little.

As they arrived at their designated spot, Haruki and Takahiro settled in for another long night of observation.

They had decided to stop walking about since people knew their faces now.

Haruki pulled out his binoculars and watched the club's entrance and surroundings.

"Pocky?" Takahiro asked, holding out a box of treats.

"No, I'm busy," Haruki huffed, eyes on the door.

"Suit yourself," Takahiro mumbled, breaking off the snack. The sound of soft chewing and crinkling wrappings filled the car, and after a few minutes, Haruki finally broke.

"What was that?" Takahiro asked, amusement in his eyes.

"What flavour is it?" Haruki mumbled again.

"Strawberry," Takahiro smirked, holding out the packet for Haruki to take one out. He mumbled a quiet "Arigatou."

Takahiro tried not to laugh as he saw the small blush on his neck.

"Don't mention, it's going to be another long night, so let's get settled," he said, taking out his camera.

**********

After a long week of surveillance and gathering information, it seemed as though they were in a never-ending loop of boring shifts and stakeouts.

"This is boring!"

Takahiro looked up from his phone. It seemed Haruki was having his daily dose of ranting about how the job was going.

‘Right on time too,’ he thought, looking at his watch and then Haruki.

"We're not getting anywhere just sitting here," Haruki muttered, frustration evident as he leaned back in his seat.

Takahiro nodded in agreement, his expression thoughtful as he scanned the area. "You're right. We need to take a more proactive approach if we're going to gather any useful intel."

"We've tried everything other than ask them straight if they're peddling drugs," Haruki huffed as he turned to glare out the window.

Takahiro smirked at Haruki's behaviour. It reminded him of his nephews at home.

He resisted the urge to ruffle the younger Alpha's curly hair. "Let's go back to the precinct, it’s already late," He said, turning the ignition on.

“What?! No!” Haruki shook his head.

“Why not? We aren’t finding anything of use here. Who knows, Aya might have found some things useful.”

As they prepare to head back to the precinct, a sudden commotion erupted outside the club.

Screeching tyres and shouting filled the air and drew their attention.

What they saw sent a chill down their spines—a convoy of sleek black cars adorned with the emblem of one of the city's most notorious yakuza factions, the Aramaki family, pulled up outside the club.

"Not very subtle," Takahiro hummed, taking out his camera to take pictures of them.

Some men stepped out, and Haruki grabbed Takahiro's arm, shaking it excitedly.

"Calm down, I'm trying to take pictures. What is it?" Takahiro asked.

"It's him," he hissed, staring wide-eyed at one of the men.

"Who?" Takahiro asked, looking over the photos to make sure they were clear.

"The guy that gave Aiko-san the drugs! That's him!" Haruki looked through the binoculars again and held it out for Takahiro to take a look.

"You sure?" Takahiro asked as he peered through the binoculars, watching the men exchange words with the club security.

"That's him," Haruki whispered, his eyes narrowing as he watched the man and his companions walk towards the alleyway instead of into the club. "He's involved in something shady."

"Let's tail him, see where he's going," he suggested, reaching for the keys to start the car.

Takahiro stopped him. "You're on probation, Sakurai. Our orders were to scout and report," he said calmly.

"Wha? but he's right there! We could just bust them and find out their plans," Haruki said, frowning.

"Our orders were to watch and report," Takahiro repeated, remembering his conversation with the chief.

Flashback

"Takahiro, I'm assigning you on a different mission aside from the lookout," Kenji said, leaning back in his chair. The rest of the team was out for one reason or another.

"Sir?" Takahiro arched an eyebrow. A different mission?

"I need you to keep Sakurai in check," Kenji began, eyeing Takahiro. The kid's heart is in the right place, but sometimes he gets too excited and rushes into things."

Takahiro tried not to laugh. That summed up Haruki's personality perfectly. "You know what led to his suspension, right?" Kenji asked.

Takahiro frowned. He had heard bits and pieces around but not the whole story, and since Haruki had just returned, it didn't feel proper to ask. "A bit, sir," he replied.

Kenji sighed again, "I'm sure he will tell you all when he is ready, but know that his excited nature got him into trouble." Takahiro's brows rose at that information.

"So this is why I am assigning you to this mission and making you the team head; keep him in check. please."

Takahiro stood at attention, "Yes sir, you can count on me!" he said, face straight.

"Good, I wish you good luck."

Flashback End

He stared down at Haruki's frowning face and sighed. The chief certainly knew his men well.

Haruki glared hard. Takahiro could tell he was thinking of something.

The younger Alpha finally relented and sighed.

“Ok, how about this? We watch them, see where they're going or what they're doing and report back to the chief. Huh?" Haruki asked, practically vibrating in his seat.

Takahiro considered it. Getting more information from these people would help their investigation. He looked at the club and saw that the men had disappeared into the alley.

"Okay," his lips twitched as he saw Haruki's eyes light up. "We will just listen in on their conversation and leave without engaging. Is that clear?"

"Crystal," Haruki nodded, "let's go!" he hissed, already out the door. Takahiro shook his head, "Slow down, we are supposed to be undercover, remember?"

They crossed the street discreetly and made their way towards the alley, staying close to the shadows to avoid being followed.

Peering around the corner, they spotted the man and his group gathered in a circle. Their voices were hushed as they engaged in a heated conversation. Haruki strained to listen, his heart racing with adrenaline.

"...need to make a move soon," the suspect was saying, his tone urgent. "The boss won't wait forever."

"Agreed," another man replied. "But we need to be careful. The cops are sniffing around, and we can't afford any slip-ups."

"We need to report this to Chief Kenji right away," Haruki whispered to Takahiro.

Takahiro nodded, his expression grim as he reached for his phone to alert the rest of the team. But a sudden commotion erupted from the other end of the alley before he could dial the number.

Haruki and Takahiro ducked for cover as gunshots rang out. "Shit!" Takahiro cursed, reaching for his weapon.

Haruki's heart raced as he scanned the darkened alleyway, trying to locate the source of the gunfire. Blood rushed through his ears as he was transported to a different place, facing a similar situation.

'He needed, He had to, he-'

"Sakurai!" Takahiro grabbed Haruki's arm, his voice urgent as he shook him out of his daze. "Stay low, Sakurai. We need to assess the situation before we make a move."

Haruki nodded, his breath coming in short, controlled bursts as he fought to keep his nerves in check. Together, they edged closer to the scene, their senses on high alert as they prepared for whatever danger lay ahead.

As suddenly as they started, the gunshots stopped.

Haruki and Takahiro exchanged a startled glance before cautiously approaching the source of the disturbance.

As they rounded the corner, they were met with a shocking sight – a figure clad in black, their face obscured by a mask, standing over the drug dealer and his men's prone forms.

Haruki sprang into action, his instincts taking over as he lunged at the mysterious assailant.

But before he could reach them, the figure vanished into the darkness of the alleyway.

"Sakurai! Don't follow him!" Haruki paused at Takahiro's shout. He turned to see Takahiro kneeling beside the drug dealer, checking for signs of life. "Still has a pulse," he grumbled as he reached for his radio to call for backup.

Haruki stood in the blood-stained alleyway as the sound of an ambulance echoed from the distance, watching people peek in to see what the fuss was about. It slowly became clear that they were dealing with something far more dangerous than they had initially anticipated.