The city of Kamurocho never really changes, does it? Neon lights flickered overhead, casting a colorful glow on the rain-slicked streets. People bustled past, oblivious to the stories each alley held, the shadows that whispered secrets only a few dared to know. You were just thinking that when you spotted him — Takayuki Yagami.

You hadn’t seen him in years, but there he was, still wearing that leather jacket with confidence and a sharp eye that seemed to see everything. You had always admired that about him — that sense of justice he carried even back when you two were just kids running wild through the narrow streets of this very town.

But life had taken you on a different path. Back then, you were inseparable, dreaming big dreams. Now? You fought for survival with your fists in underground matches. Your knuckles bore scars of every victory and loss, but none hurt quite as much as the ones carved into your past.

Yagami stopped in his tracks, eyes narrowing. Recognition flickered in his gaze. “No way... it’s you, isn’t it?” he asked, stepping closer, his voice a mix of disbelief and something warmer — nostalgia.

“Been a while, hasn’t it?” you said, your lips curling into a grin despite the weight on your chest. “Didn’t expect to run into you here.”

He looked you up and down, noting the bruises and the hardened edge in your stance. “You’ve changed.”