Tokyo: My Best Actor Gear List

Chapter 26 The Parasite's Sense of Smell

Meguro Ward, a hidden cafe tucked away deep in an alley.

This place is not far from Akina Nakamori's apartment. Because the private rooms are well soundproofed, celebrities often come here to discuss business.

But the atmosphere in the private room today was about to break down.

"I won't sign."

Akina sat in the corner of the sofa, her hands gripping her purse tightly, her knuckles turning white from the force.

Sitting opposite her were her mother, Chieko, and her younger sister, China.

The two were dressed rather plainly, and their eyes showed no warmth of a long-awaited reunion, only naked eagerness.

"How can you be so insensible!"

Chieko slammed a document on the table—a pre-prepared guarantee. "Mr. Kanai is such a good man! He's a big star; it's a blessing he married you! Just sign this, and the family's debt will be settled, and your sister's design school tuition will be covered!"

"Yes, sister."

Chika chimed in, chewing on the expensive cake she had just ordered, "My brother-in-law said that if you're willing to get married, he'll introduce me to a job at the TV station."

Akina looked at her two "closest relatives" and felt as if a huge rock was pressing on her chest.

"What gambler or not? It's normal for men to like to gamble a little."

Chieko waved her hand impatiently, her tone full of self-righteous sarcasm, "Besides, look at how the media has portrayed you lately! You're always wearing a long face, everyone's saying you have mental problems! Now, apart from Mr. Kanai who's willing to help you clear your name, who would want you? You should be burning incense in gratitude!"

As she spoke, she stared at Akina's purse. "Stop talking nonsense and take out the stamp! Don't force me to rummage through it!"

As she spoke, Chieko actually stood up and reached out to grab the bag.

"Mom! What are you doing!" Akina retreated in terror, forced into a corner.

Just then.

"Bang!"

The door to the private room was kicked open from the outside.

The force was so great that the door slammed against the wall with a loud bang, startling the three women inside.

A tall man wearing a black suit and sunglasses walked in.

He didn't even glance at Akina, walked straight to the table, pulled out a chair, and sat down with an air of authority.

"It's quite lively."

The man took off his sunglasses, revealing a pair of eyes devoid of warmth.

He slowly pulled a pair of black leather gloves from his pocket.

[Equipment: Black leather gloves worn by a debt collector]

[Special Effect Activation: Graceful Execution (Deterrence +30%)]

He lowered his head and slowly put on his gloves.

The sizzling sound of the leather rubbing together was particularly clear in the quiet private room, like some kind of reptile flicking its tongue.

Chieko and China were stunned by the strange man who had suddenly barged in. The menacing aura emanating from him instilled a primal fear in them.

"Who are you? You've come to the wrong room!" Chieko shouted, her voice stern but her voice weak.

"Wrong way?"

Kitahara Shin put on his gloves and flexed his fingers.

Suddenly, he slammed his hand on the table.

"Snapped!"

The coffee cup bounced and splashed brown liquid all over the table.

"I am Mr. Kanai's creditor."

Kitahara Shin leaned forward, his gloved fingers gripping a corner of the guarantee.

He stared at Chieko, his face expressionless, but his tone sent chills down one's spine:

"Since you two are his future mother-in-law and sister-in-law, that's perfect. He owes our casino 80 million, and it's three days overdue. As for the interest… could you two help him settle it first?"

"Eighty...eighty million?!"

Chieko's face turned deathly pale, her lips trembling, "N-didn't you say there was only a little bit...?"

"A little bit?"

Kitahara Shin sneered, "Looks like Kanai wasn't telling you the truth. Since we're all family, let's not stand on ceremony. Guards—"

He called out to the door.

Although there was no one outside the door, this action completely shattered the two women's psychological defenses.

"No! It's none of our business!"

Chieko screamed and jumped up, abandoning the documents on the table. "We don't know him! The wedding isn't even happening yet! If you want money, go find him! Don't come to us!"

"Yes, yes, yes! We have absolutely nothing to do with that Jinjing!"

Chika was so frightened that she cried, grabbed her bag, and rushed towards the door.

"You're leaving already?"

Kitahara Shin leaned back in his chair, toying with a silver Zippo lighter in his hand, his voice somber, "If I ever see you again in Tokyo..."

"I'm not coming! I'd rather die than come!"

The two women scrambled out of the private room as if they were being chased by evil spirits.

The private room fell silent.

Only the sound of hurried footsteps gradually faded into the distance.

Akina remained huddled in the corner, staring blankly at the man in the chair.

For a moment just now, the suffocating sense of oppression was so real that even she thought it was a gangster collecting debts.

Kitahara Nobunaga breathed a sigh of relief.

He took off his black leather gloves and stuffed them into his pocket. The cold look in his eyes vanished, and he reverted to the gentle Kitahara Shin.

"It's quiet now."

He picked up the pot of still-warm black tea on the table, poured a cup for Akina, and pushed it towards her.

Akina took the teacup, her hands still trembling slightly.

"Kitahara-kun... what you just did..."

"How was your performance of the new play?"

Kitahara Shin chuckled, pulled out a mint, and popped it into his mouth. "When dealing with demons, reasoning with them is useless. You have to be more like a demon than they are to scare them away."

Akina looked at him.

The man, who had just driven away the vampire with his fiercest expression, was now calmly pouring her tea.

She was always taught to be kind, tolerant, and considerate of the bigger picture. But today she realized that kindness also needs an edge.

"Thanks."

She lowered her head, took a sip of tea, and her eyes welled up with tears. "If it weren't for you, I might really..."

Don't talk nonsense.

Kitahara Shin picked up the joint guarantee on the table, glanced at it, and then lit the Zippo in his hand.

"Click".

The flames licked at the paper, turning those greedy words to ashes.

"Remember, from today onwards, you're the one who's going to flip the table. You're no longer the food on the table."

He looked at the flickering flames, his tone resolute.

Akina looked at the ball of fire and nodded.

There was a newfound resolve in her eyes that she had never shown before.