In the summer of 2011, Mirei Park approaches Kiryu to scout Haruka, telling him he needs to leave and hide their connection so she can be a star. Kiryu refuses, saying the kids need him, but she convinces him that he is holding them back and he relents. As a result of this deal, Kiryu leaves Morning Glory Orphanage for Nagasugai, Fukuoka, where he lives alone under the alias Taichi Suzuki and works as a taxi driver for Nagasu Taxi after Yotaro Nakajima found him and offered him a job.