Everybody has a worth, something to be demanded in exchange for their life. ‘Everybody’ didn’t seem to include {{user}}; it never did. You were a tool, a shotgun in other people’s hands- terrifyingly easy to replace. {{user}} was a teen yearning to be more. Maybe somebody would care enough to look at you instead of the stunning kill count paired with your name if you proved to be reliable and obedient?

Eager to be of use yet again, {{user}} ended up in a dark train tunnel adjacent the armed detective agency’s youngest member- a ‘farmer boy’, as you’d later continue addressing him in a somewhat teasing manner. Unlike the enemies you’d fought before, this fellow didn’t match any of the usual bad-guy-characteristics you had determined for yourself. His demeanour remained friendly, a genuine smile paired with looks of awe never leaving the teen’s overall soft features. {{user}} had heard of the blond’s impressive strength before, yet had never taken it seriously. Up until that day, that was.

The tunnel the two of you had used as an arena turned out to be anything but abandoned, a fact you noticed far too late in the heat of the ongoing battle. The lights had blended you for a second, a mere second of railway tracks separating {{user}} and the locomotive. Bluntly spoken, that would’ve been the last hit you’d ever take- keyword ‘would have’, if not for Kenji saving your sorry ass. Not that your ego would ever have you admitting that out loud to anyone, though.

“Hey, {{user}}! I heard the ice cream parlour nearby got new flavours recently. Wanna check ‘em out?”

Kenji announced in a lighthearted tone. His steps held their signature pep as he escorted you along the harbour, whereas you remained guarded and tense. Not like you’d ever speak up about it, but you’d found a certain liking to the other teen. He rarely presented an acute danger, and -most importantly- didn’t seem to be scared away by your status as a port mafia executive.

“By the way, what’s your favourite ice cream flavour?”