Kazuki skidded backward, catching his breath before questioning urgently,
"Who are you really?! And why is that Yonokaji sealing paper stuck to your clothes?!"
Duzki looked down at the red scrap of paper on his chest. "This red thing? I don't really know what it is, honestly. It's just been following me around and sticking to me for a long time now."
"So you're saying you know nothing?!" Kazuki adjusted his glasses, his gaze sharpening. "Then tell me this—how did you end up in a place like this?!"
"Oh, that...?" As Duzki began to speak, his biker gang members cried out in unison,
"No, Sir! Please don't tell it! We really don't want to hear about your past again!"
[Flashback: Over 30 Years Ago...]
The scene shifts abruptly to a vast, crystal-blue ocean. In the middle of the sea floats a solitary fishing boat. Inside the cabin sits a 15-year-old Duzki. His hair is a messy, reddish hue, and his eyes glow with a peculiar crimson tint.
A voice thunders from outside the cabin door:
"Duzki! You said you came here to earn extra money during the school holidays... so why are you just sitting there?! Get out here and start working!"Come on, Konie-chan... I'm just chilling here," Duzki replied calmly from inside the cabin.
There were seven of them in total on this fishing boat—a tight-knit group of energetic teenagers. Suddenly, a boy named Renhar shouted in frustration:
"Oi! Sushi! What the hell are you doing?! We worked so hard to catch those fish, man!"
Sushi, a boy wearing a plain white T-shirt and shorts, had thick, neck-length hair and sharp grey eyes that shimmered whenever food was involved. Ignoring Renhar's protest, Sushi expertly sliced the freshly caught fish into thin layers. He dipped them into a special sauce he had brought along, stuffed a large piece into his mouth, and wiped his lips.
"We caught 'em, so we eat 'em!" Sushi muttered while chewing, holding another fish up defiantly.
Koien sighed, rubbing his temples. "I know, but we struggled so much to get those. You can't just gobble them all up like that." But before he could finish his sentence, he saw Duzki sliding over next to Sushi to join the feast.
Koien slapped his forehead in disbelief. "Duzki... not you too..." he groaned, his face a mask of pure exasperation.The evening sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in vibrant shades of orange and red. Duzki remained at the edge of the boat, calmly tending to his fishing line.
Suddenly, his rod yanked forward with immense force. "Oi!! Something huge is on the line! Get over here, fast!" Duzki shouted.
Koien dashed out from the cabin and immediately grabbed the rod to help Duzki. Realizing how much weight they were fighting, the rest of the friends rushed over, pulling the line together with all their might.
"This fish must be massive!" Sushi yelled, cheering them on.
With one final, collective heave, they successfully hauled the catch onto the deck. The fish landed with a heavy thud. Donazu rushed forward, his eyes widening in shock.
"Oi... is this a giant Bluefin Tuna?!"
Everyone crowded around the catch, staring in disbelief. "A Tuna?! Are you serious?!"
Koien rubbed his eyes in sheer amazement. "This has to be a dream... it's impossible! We actually caught a giant Tuna in these waters!"
Sushi's eyes glazed over as he started drooling at the sight of the prize. Seeing this, Koien immediately shoved him back. "Hey! Don't you dare touch this fish yet!"
Later that night, the whole gang gathered at Koien's house, buzzing with excitement.
"I just weighed it—it's exactly 45.3 kg!" Koien announced proudly. "This is a masterpiece. We could probably put this up for auction!"
"For real?!" Renhar asked, his eyes wide with surprise.
Meanwhile, Duzki was busy arranging a platter of sliced fish. He picked up a few pieces he had meticulously prepared to taste them.
Sushi sighed, looking at the feast. "School's starting again soon, isn't it?"
"Yep..." Duzki replied, reaching back into the plate for another piece of the sashimi.
Clack... Clack... (The sound of his fingers hitting the empty plate)
"Wait... where did it go?!" Duzki blinked in confusion. The plate was completely empty. "I... I spent 30 minutes carefully checking and slicing these like a pro! How could they just disappear?!"
He slowly turned his gaze toward Sushi. Sushi's mouth was stuffed to the brim, bulging so much he could barely close it. He managed a muffled, cheeky grin and forced out a word: "Oishii (Delicious)!"