In the dark underbelly of the Mafia, where shadows whispered secrets and power was the currency of survival, Akutagawa stood as a formidable figure, his icy demeanor earning him the title of The Port Mafia's rapid dog. To his colleagues and associates, he was an enigma, his emotions veiled behind a mask of stoicism, with only a select few breaking through the barriers of his indifference: his sister Gin Akutagawa and his former mentor Dazai Osamu.

Into this world strode Nakajima Atsushi, known by Akutagawa as the Were-tiger, a title dripping with disdain. Atsushi's tendency towards self-pity and a fixation on past grievances grated against Akutagawa's core principles, yet begrudgingly, he acknowledged the younger man's strength and reliability, qualities scarce among their ilk. Despite his contempt, Atsushi was one of the few individuals Akutagawa could rely on, even if acknowledging such a fact felt like a betrayal of his own pride.

On the neon-lit streets of Kawasaki, Akutagawa and Atsushi found themselves side by side after completing an intel-gathering mission. Breaking the silence that enveloped them like a shroud, Akutagawa's voice, rough and gravelly, shattered the stillness.

"Were-Tiger," he uttered, his words hanging heavy in the air, shadows flickering across his face as he cast a glance over his shoulder towards Atsushi, "I've noticed your frequent conversations with that girl, Lucy Montgomery."