(A high-end restaurant. Kazama is sitting at a reserved table, waiting for a business client. He checks his watch, slightly annoyed. Suddenly, he hears a familiar voice from behind him.)

Shinchan: (cheerfully) "Sir, here’s your order!"

(Kazama freezes. That voice—it can’t be… He turns around and sees Shinchan, wearing a waiter’s uniform, holding a tray.)

Kazama: (shocked) "Shin-... Shinnosuke?"

Shinchan: (blinking, then breaking into a grin) "Whoa, Kazama?! Man, I didn’t expect to see you here!"

(Kazama stares, trying to process everything. Shinchan, his old friend… his first love… the one he pushed away all those years ago… is standing in front of him, looking as carefree as ever.)

Kazama: (slowly, unsure) "It’s… been a while."

Shinchan: (laughs lightly, setting down the tray) "Yeah, like what? Six years? You look good—well, still uptight, but good!"

(Kazama wants to say something, to ask why Shinchan is working here, to ask if he’s okay, but before he can—)

"Shin-chan, hurry up with the orders!" (A coworker shouts from the kitchen.)

Shinchan: (sighs, grinning at Kazama) "Guess duty calls. Let’s catch up later, okay?"

(Shinchan walks away, leaving Kazama sitting there, feeling a strange tightness in his chest. He watches Shinchan joking with customers, flashing that same mischievous grin he always had in high school. But something feels… different. And Kazama doesn’t know why, but his heart was racing)

(Kazama sits in his office, staring blankly at his laptop screen. The numbers, charts, and emails all blur together. No matter how hard he tries to focus, his mind keeps going back to one thing—Shinchan.)

(The way he smiled, the way he called his name so casually, as if nothing had happened between them… as if they were just old friends catching up. But Kazama knew better. They were never just friends.)

Kazama: (muttering to himself, annoyed) "Tch… why am I even thinking about this?"

(He leans back in his chair, rubbing his temple. He had buried those feelings years ago. Shinchan had always been a mess—immature, reckless, unpredictable. Kazama had worked too hard to reach his current position to let someone like that distract him.)

(But then… why did seeing Shinchan make him feel like something inside him had cracked open again? Why did he feel like something was missing all these years, and only now he realized what it was?)

(His phone buzzes. A message from his secretary.)

Secretary: "Sir, your next meeting is in 10 minutes."

(Kazama exhales sharply, shutting his laptop with more force than necessary.)

Kazama: (to himself) "I don’t have time for this. He’s just an old friend. That’s all."

(But deep down, he knows he’s lying to himself.)

(Two days later, Kazama finds himself standing outside the same restaurant. He tells himself it’s just coincidence, that he just happens to be in the area… but deep down, he knows that’s a lie.)

Kazama: (muttering to himself) "This is ridiculous… I have better things to do."

(And yet, his feet move forward. Before he knows it, he’s walking inside.)

(The restaurant is busy. The sound of clinking plates and soft chatter fills the air. Kazama scans the room, searching for that one familiar face. And then—there he is.)

*(Shinchan is at the counter, laughing with a coworker. He’s the same as ever—messy hair, playful smirk, carefree energy. But now that Kazama is actually looking… he sees the small details he missed last time. Shinchan’s uniform is slightly loose on him. There are faint shadows under his eyes, like he hasn’t been sleeping well. And when he smiles, there’s a hint of something… tired.)

(Kazama’s chest tightens, but before he can think too much about it—)

Shinchan: (turning around, grinning) "Yo, Kazama! Back so soon? You missed me or something?"

(Kazama stiffens, his ears burning. He glares, trying to sound composed.)

Kazama: "I was just in the area."

Shinchan: (laughs, crossing his arms) "Sure, sure. Totally not stalking me, right?"

Kazama: (gritting his teeth) "You’re still as annoying as ever."

Shinchan: (mock gasps, placing a hand on his chest) "Ouch! And here I thought you came back to see me!"

(Kazama looks away, trying to calm his racing heart. He came here to check on Shinchan, not to get teased like this.)

(Before he can respond, a customer suddenly trips near the counter, their drink flying through the air—straight at Kazama.)

(In a flash, Shinchan grabs Kazama’s waist and pulls him close, twisting their bodies just in time for the drink to spill on the floor instead of on him. Kazama stumbles, his hands instinctively gripping Shinchan’s shirt.)

*(For a second, time stops.)

(They’re too close. Kazama can feel the warmth of Shinchan’s body, his breath brushing against his ear. His heart pounds, his face burning.)

Shinchan: (smirking, voice low) "Careful, Kazama~ Can’t have you getting all wet, now can we?"

(Kazama shoves him away, flustered.)

Kazama: "Shut up! I—I'm leaving!" (storms out of the restaurant, heart still racing.)

(Shinchan watches him go, still smirking—but his eyes hold something unreadable.)

(Kazama had planned to never step into that restaurant again, but his curiosity gets the better of him. He finds himself back, but this time, he doesn’t go inside.)

(He leans against a wall outside, pretending to check his phone, when he suddenly hears Shinchan’s voice from the alley behind the restaurant.)

Shinchan: (sighing) "Come on, boss, just give me one more week."

Manager: (scoffs) "Shinchan, this is the third time you’ve asked for an extension. Rent’s not gonna pay itself, you know?"

(Kazama freezes. Rent? Extension? He didn’t expect Shinchan to be struggling.)

Shinchan: (laughs lightly, but it sounds forced) "I know, I know. I’ll figure something out."

Manager: "Look, you’re a good worker, but this restaurant won’t keep you afloat forever. Weren’t you studying business? What happened to all that?"

Shinchan: (pauses, voice lower now) "I… dropped out."

(Kazama’s eyes widen. Shinchan dropped out of university? He had always been lazy in school, but Kazama never thought he’d actually quit.)

Manager: "Dropped out? Damn… does your family know?"

Shinchan: (chuckles bitterly) "They don’t care. They haven’t cared for years."

*(Kazama clenches his fists. He always knew Shinchan’s family was a mess, but hearing it out loud… it pissed him off.)

Manager: (sighs) "You’re too carefree, Shinchan. If you don’t get serious about life, you’re gonna regret it later."

Shinchan: (softly) "…Yeah. I already do."

(Kazama feels something twist in his chest. He doesn’t know why, but hearing that hurts more than anything Shinchan has ever said before.)

(For the first time, Kazama sees the real Shinchan. Not the childish troublemaker. Not the shameless flirt. Just… someone who’s been struggling alone.)

(Kazama steps back, his heart heavy. He never thought he’d say this, but… maybe Shinchan is the one who needs saving this time.)

Kazama Helps in Secret:

(Kazama had planned to ignore what he overheard. It’s none of his business. It shouldn’t bother him. But for some reason, it does.)

(The thought of Shinchan struggling alone, dealing with rent issues, dropping out of university—it sticks in his mind like an annoying splinter. No matter what he does, he can’t shake it off.)

*(So he does something he never thought he would.)

(One evening, Kazama makes his way to the restaurant. He spots the manager outside smoking a cigarette.)

Kazama: (calmly) "How much does Shinchan owe you?"

(The manager raises an eyebrow, looking Kazama up and down before taking another drag.)

Manager: "And why would I tell you that?"

Kazama: (expression unreadable) "Because I want to pay it."

Manager: (pauses, then chuckles) "Huh. Didn’t take you for the type to care about that idiot."

Kazama: (sharply) "Just tell me the amount."

(The manager shrugs and gives him the number. Kazama transfers the money without hesitation.)

Manager: (whistling) "Damn. Rich kid, huh?"

Kazama: "Not your concern."

(As Kazama walks away, he tells himself that this is just to get rid of that annoying feeling. He’s not doing this because he cares. Definitely not.)

The Next Day

(Shinchan bursts into the restaurant, slamming his hands on the counter.)

Shinchan: "BOSS! Why the hell did my rent suddenly get paid?!"

Manager: (casually sipping coffee) "Oh, that? Some rich guy covered it."

Shinchan: (frowning) "…What? Who?"

Manager: (grinning) "Take a guess."

(Shinchan freezes. Only one person comes to mind—someone who would never do something like this.)

(Shinchan storms out, heading straight for Kazama’s place.)

Shinchan Confronts Kazama & Tries to Repay Him:

(Kazama barely has time to relax when he hears loud knocking at his door.)

Shinchan: (yelling outside) "KAZAMA! OPEN THE DAMN DOOR!"

(Kazama sighs, already knowing why he’s here. He takes his time before opening the door, only to be shoved back as Shinchan storms in.)

Shinchan: (glaring, arms crossed) "You think I wouldn’t find out?"

Kazama: (calmly shutting the door) "Find out what?"

Shinchan: (gritting his teeth) "Don’t play dumb! You paid my rent, didn’t you?"

(Kazama leans against the wall, staring at Shinchan without saying a word. He doesn’t confirm it, but he doesn’t deny it either.)

Shinchan: (frustrated) "Why the hell would you do that?! I never asked for your help!"

Kazama: (shrugging) "I had extra money."

Shinchan: (fuming) "That’s not an answer!"

(Shinchan takes out an envelope and slams it onto Kazama’s chest.)

Shinchan: "Here. Every yen I owe you. Take it and don’t do this again."

(Kazama looks down at the envelope, unimpressed. Without hesitation, he rips it in half. The money inside flutters to the ground.)

Shinchan: (stunned) "The hell—?! Why did you—?!"

Kazama: (coldly) "I don’t need your money, Shinchan."

(For a moment, Shinchan is speechless. He clenches his fists, his emotions all over the place.)

Shinchan: (softly) "Then why…?"

Kazama: (looking away) "I just didn’t want to see you acting like an idiot. That’s all."

*(Shinchan stares at him, trying to understand. Why is Kazama helping him? Why does he care?)

(For the first time, he sees something in Kazama’s eyes—something unreadable, something almost… gentle. Shinchan’s chest tightens.)

(But before he can say anything, Kazama turns away.)

Kazama: "Go home, Shinchan."

(Shinchan doesn’t move. He wants to argue, but something stops him. Instead, he just watches Kazama—trying to figure out what the hell is going on between them.)