Ran and Rindo Haitani

It was already getting dark in the Roppongi district.
Little Rindo sat by the door, hugging his knees. His eyes slowly closed.
“Ran… where are you…” he muttered quietly.
He had been waiting for several hours.
When the door finally creaked, Ran entered the apartment. His school uniform was wrinkled, and there was a fresh bruise on his cheek.
He froze when he saw his brother at the door.
“Here again…” he said quietly.
Ran carefully lifted Rindo into his arms. The younger boy was light—too light for his age.
Rindo snuggled sleepily against him.

• Ran... you're back...
• Yes, idiot. I always come back.
  Ran put him on the sofa and covered him with an old blanket.
  The apartment was quiet.
  Too quiet.
  No parents.
  No dinner.
  No light in the kitchen.
  Ran silently went to the kitchen and found only half a pack of noodles.
  “So… today it is,” he muttered.
  He cooked it and divided it into two parts.
  When Rindo woke up, he sat down silently next to her.
• Ran.
• What?
  — When we grow up... no one will abandon us?
  Ran looked out the window at Roppongi at night.
  His eyes turned cold.
• No.
  He put his hand on his brother's head.
  — Because then... everyone will be afraid of us.
  And in the silence of the apartment, two boys decided for the first time to become what would later be called the kings of Roppongi.