Some days later…
The group finally found a job.
"You kids want work?" a store owner asked, stepping outside.
"Yes!" Kenta replied eagerly.
The man handed them stacks of papers. "Distribute these pamphlets across the neighborhood. Come back before evening."
"Yes, sir!" they all shouted.
The five worked hard, walking under the sun, handing pamphlets to strangers with cheerful smiles. By evening, they returned, tired but happy.
"We did it," Kenta said, wiping sweat from his brow.
"Good job," the store owner said. He handed them a small bundle of money. "Here's your payment."
"Um… sir, can I ask one more thing?" Shin stepped forward.
"What is it?"
"We want to start a restaurant. But we don't have a place or money. Could you… help us?"
The man looked at them for a moment. Then he smiled. "I do have a place. But you'll need to pay rent once you start earning."
"Deal!" Shin said, bowing.
The man led them to a small, worn-down shop space.
"This is the place."
Kenta's eyes widened. "It's right in front of my house…"
"Yay!" Izanagi cheered.
Home Planning
That evening, the group gathered inside, making plans.
"Amelia, you'll handle the cooking, right?" Shin asked.
"Yes," Amelia nodded confidently.
They cleaned the place, put up signs, and prepared to open.
The next day, they spread the word to other orphans. A few curious kids arrived, looking around shyly.
"Hey, are you a king?" Rozy asked Kenta, eyes wide.
Kenta laughed. "No, no, Rozy. I'm not a king."
"Yes, you are," Shin said with a grin. "You're the king of our family."
"…Okay then," Kenta said, smiling.
"I want to start a gang," Nero suddenly said.
"A what?" Kenta blinked.
"A gang… that helps people," Nero clarified.
"That actually sounds cool," Kenta said. "But what would we call it?"
"Number One King!" Rozy declared proudly.
"Eh… weird name," Shin said, frowning.
"Nooo! I like it! It means I love it!" Rozy pouted.
Kenta laughed. "Alright, let's make it something cool."
"K-1-N-G-S!" Shin said, standing up. "K for Kenta. 1 for Number One. N for Nero. G for Gin. S for Shin!"
"…That actually sounds amazing," Kenta said.
"What about me?" Amelia asked quietly.
Kenta turned to her with a warm smile. "You'll be our Queen. You run the house, right?"
Amelia blushed. "Q-Queen?"
"You're perfect for it," Kenta said.
That night, Amelia sat quietly in her room, hiding her smile behind her hands.
"I became Queen… and Kenta is King… ahh!"
The sun rose over the city, warm light shining through the cracked windows of their small home.
"Big bro, wake up! It's our big day!" Rozy shook him gently.
"Ah—right!" Kenta jumped up, excitement rushing through him. "Today, our restaurant opens!"
Everyone gathered in the small kitchen-turned-dining space, their energy buzzing with hope.
Amelia stood by the stove, already cooking.
"It smells amazing!" Izanagi said, sniffing the air.
"We need to make this work," Kenta said seriously. "Today is the first step."
Shin, Nero, and Gin nodded. They cleaned the front area, arranged simple wooden tables, and made a sign outside:
"The King's Table – A Place for Everyone."
Later That Day…
They opened the doors.
At first, no one came. The hours passed slowly. Gin paced nervously. Rozy kept peeking through the window.
Then…
A little boy with torn clothes peeked in.
"Is… this free?"
Kenta smiled. "If you're hungry, it's yours."
The boy stepped in.
Then two more arrived. Then five. Then ten.
Within an hour, the place was full of kids—orphans, poor families, lonely elders.
Amelia and Rozy worked hard in the kitchen, while the boys served food, cleaned, and greeted every guest with warmth.
They earned no money that day.
But they gained something greater.
Hope.
That Night…
Everyone sat around a small table, eating the last bit of rice and soup.
"We didn't make any profit," Shin muttered.
"But did you see their faces?" Nero said, smiling.
"Yeah," Gin nodded. "They were happy."
Kenta looked around at his tired but smiling friends.
"This is our real goal," he said. "To protect, to feed, to give what we never had."
Later
At the rooftop under the stars, Kenta and Shin sat alone.
"Kenta," Shin said, looking at the sky, "We really started something, didn't we?"
"Yeah," Kenta said softly. "This is the beginning of KINGS."
Meanwhile…
In a dark alley across the city, a gang leader watched a boy report.
"There's a new place… a restaurant run by kids."
"…Interesting," the gang leader smirked. "Let's pay them a visit."
Present day
The aroma of fresh food filled the warm, cozy restaurant. Laughter echoed from every corner, as children and customers enjoyed their meals.
Amelia stood quietly near the kitchen, watching it all with a soft smile. Her eyes shimmered with memories.
"You're happy, sis?" Rozy asked, tilting her head.
Amelia quickly wiped a small tear from the corner of her eye.
"Nothing… I'm just tired," she said with a gentle smile.
Rozy didn't press further. She simply hugged Amelia's arm.
On the other side of the room—
"It's huge now," Nero said, standing near the window, looking at the growing crowd.
"It's because of you, Kenta," Gin said, patting his back. "You held us all together."
"No," Kenta said, his voice calm. "It was all of us. Without any one of you, this dream wouldn't be real."
Shin walked over, setting down a tray of food.
"But someone had to believe first. That was you, King."
Kenta smiled.
Later That Night
Amelia stood alone, looking at the photo wall—pictures of when they were younger, laughing, cooking, even crying.
She whispered, "We were just broken kids… and now, we've built something beautiful."
Behind her, Kenta approached quietly.
"You were always the queen," he said softly.
Amelia turned, surprised, then smiled warmly.
"And you were always my king."
They stood side by side, looking at their family… their kingdom.
The massive guild hall buzzed with energy. Every member stood tall in uniform, excitement and tension mixing in the air.
At the front, Shidou Shiranui, the stern but respected guild commander, stepped forward.
"All teams… this is your first real mission," Shidou announced, his voice deep and commanding. "Teams 1 to 5—you are tasked with tracking and capturing members of the criminal organization…"
He paused, eyes sweeping across the crowd.
"Organisation."
Gasps and murmurs spread across the room.
"Organisation… they're serious trouble," someone whispered.
"Not just a organisation," Shidou continued. "They're an underground syndicate connected to black-market trades, assassinations… and possibly tied to the disappearance of multiple heroes."
Team 1 stood at the front:
Sol Yoshida
Haruto Kenzaki
Celica Sora
Shin Kazuto
Hero: Tanaka Kai
Sol stood nearby, arms crossed, eyes sharp.
"Karuto Kai, huh?" Sol muttered. "I've heard that name before. They've caused a lot of bloodshed."
Kenta clenched his fists.
"This isn't just a mission…" he whispered to himself. "It's personal."
Shidou pointed at the massive map behind him.
"Team 1: You'll infiltrate the Eastern sector. Reports suggest Karuto Kai is using abandoned factories as bases. Be cautious. Expect traps."
"Team 2, 3, 4, and 5—support and sweep nearby zones. No one acts alone. Understood?"
"Yes, sir!" all the members shouted in unison.
Rozy turned to Amelia.
"Are you scared?"
Amelia shook her head, her eyes glowing with resolve.
"No. This is what we've trained for."
Shin smirked.
"Let's make history."
As the teams prepared to move out, Sol placed a hand on Kenta's shoulder.
"If you see their leader… don't hesitate. That guy's a demon."
Kenta nodded.
"I won't."