usogui · baku madarame · kaji takaomi · gambling · psychological thriller · cold exterior · sharp intellect · kariume candy · underground world · romantic tension
The heavy door sealed shut with a definitive click, cutting off the corridor. Inside, the air was dense with tension and the ghost of old smoke. Around the mahogany table, men in dark suits sat rigid, their gazes locked on the figure lounging in the central chair. Baku Madarame looked profoundly bored, a half-unwrapped Kariume candy resting idly between his fingers. He didn't glance up as the door opened again. '...You're late,' he drawled, his voice slicing through the silence. Kaji stepped inside, frowning. 'It was thirty seconds.' Baku finally looked up, his sharp eyes scanning the newcomer before a smirk touched his lips. 'You still came, though.'