Enter the A.R.B

Nice to Meet You Again☠

Jyuto sighed at the yakuza's behavior, "Samatoki, look closely"

"Aa?" Now, Samatoki's glare is directed to Jyuto.

"That child is completely frozen from fear,"

"Huh, why!?"

'He isn't doing it on purpose?' Katsuo blinked in confusion.

"Do you think your way of speaking is soft? If it's a child, of course, they would freeze from fear," Jyuto sighed, once again.

"Then, what do you want me to do!? Are you saying you can do any better!?"

"Wait, I'll-," Rio stepped in between in two before locking eyes with Katsuo, "Hmm?"

"What's wrong, Rio?" Jyuto asked.

"I think we have met somewhere before," Rio answered before walking towards Katsuo and crouching down to the boy's level. "I'm sorry but can you show me your face a little more?"

Katsuo's whole body stiffened as Rio leaned into him to examine his face, only a few millimeters between each other.

'Too close, too close!' His brain screamed as his cheeks blushed red at the intimacy.

"As I thought, there's no mistake," Rio nodded to himself, satisfied as he pulled away with a smile. "It's been a while, Katsuo. Do you still remember me?"

"Eh?" Katsuo blinked in confusion. Have they met before?

"Rio, is he your acquaintance?" Jyuto asked, mirroring Katsuo's confusion.

"Yes, we've met before."

"S-Sorry, I don't really remember," Katsuo told Rio. Most of his memories before being taken in by DJ Rokuro were a blur. The only thing he remembered was his own name but he stilled doubted it sometimes. It could be that they had met during that period. Then again, he really didn't have the best memory. He even had to study the contestants' names for today.

"Is that so?" Rio smiled. "It's okay if you don't remember. Don't strain yourself."

"I don't think you can easily forget a man like Rio though," Jyuto said.

"No, the situations were different back then. I happened to find him passed out with serious injuries at the harbour so I cared for him for about ten days. Katsuo was in a critical state and it wasn't a good memory either. It can't be helped if he forgets," (1)

"That.... Feels more like an unforgettable situation but that's not it?"

"How each person feels is different and I don't mind if he forgets. More importantly, I'm happy that you're doing well."

Katsuo didn't have any memories about the incident Rio had spoken of, not even a small flash.

"Ehh..., so he was that weak," Samatoki mumbled.

"Yes, he was. And I had to leave for duty before recovered fully. I was curious what happened to him,"

"Was it a military duty?" Jyuto asked Rio.

"I was on leave when I met him," Rio started to explain. "But due to circumstances, I had to get back on duty right away. Once you return to the military, you can't move freely. I was reluctant to leave him alone but I still couldn't take him with me. I wasn't able to find his family members either."

"I see. This child is a war orphan. I guess that's not war in this age."

Katsuo had known that he didn't have any of his family members even before he was taken in by DJ Rokuro. He had never bothered to search for them or hoped that they were alive. He already had a new family.