Mizuki Akabayashi

Akabayashi is a high ranking member of the Awakusu yakuza group and is frequently seen in their meetings concerning certain subjects. He is also knowns as the "Red Demon" of the awakusu and is a renowned street fighter and is very adept at using his cane as a weapon. He is frequently teamed up with his colleague Aozaki who is known as the "Blue Demon" of the awakusu. His online screen name is Gaki (literally meaning "Kid")

Characteristics
Physically, Akabayashi is of a relatively average build but is still at pristine condition considering his age. His most notable feature is the scar on his right eye that he recieved while fighting Sayaka Sonohara. He is usually seen wearing a red suit with a black undershirt along with colored sunglasses. His favorite cane is hand crafted and intricately carved however, everyone describes it as gaudy.

When he was younger, Akabayashi was very aggressive, hot blooded, and reckless. He would always get into fights and would usually leave his opponents in a bloody mess. After his encounter with Sayaka, he seems to have mellowed with age which comes as a surprise to his older accuaintances. He approaches each situation calmly and usually without fuss and only gets physical when the situation demands it. He also has strong convictions against drug dealing and joined the Awakusu because, to an extent, they shared those same convictions.

Background
Before joining the Awakusu, Akabayashi was part of an unnamed yakuza group and acted as the body guard for it's leader. One day, he was hired to extort "protection" payment from the antique shop as well as the grocery store owned by the Sonohara's. Akabayashi went to the grocery store first and started to harass Sayaka Sonohara, Anri's mother. Rather than crumbling under pressure, like he expected, Sayaka instead drew Saika and attacked Akabayashi without warning. Although Akabayashi held his ground, Sayaka managed to cut out his right eye in the fight however, he was able to resist Saika's curse through sheer willpower. After the incident, Akabayashi can't seem to stop thinking about Sayaka and realizes that he's fallen in love with her. He confesses to her a few days later but gets shot down after he finds out that she is already married and has a kid. The two remain on relatively good terms until tragedy strikes when Sayaka uses Saika to kill her husband and then herself.

After some investigating, Akabayashi finds out that Sayaka's husband was under the influence of an experimental drug (which would later be called "Heaven's Slave") during the incident which caused fits of insanity as a withdrawal symptom. He also learns that it was his boss that was distributing the drugs which made his organization indirectly responsible for Sayaka's death. Later, when an assassin breaks in to kill Akabayashi's boss, he abandons his duty as a body guard and lets the assassin kill his boss. At some point afterwards, Akabayashi joins the awakusu.

Light Novels
Volume 06 : Akabayashi is seen at a meeting with several of the awakusu executives along with Shiki, Aozaki, Kazamoto, and the young head Mikiya Awakusu. They discuss what to do concerning Shizuo Heiwajima since he is suspected of killing 3 of the Awakusu's men. Akabayashi describes Shizuo's abilities to Mikiya, much to the latter's disbelief. Later, after the meeting adjourns, Aozaki asks Akabayashi what he was doing and he replies that he is investigating. Akabayashi expresses some satisfaction in how an old guy like him could still register for the Dollars and that they have a surprisingly effective information network. When Shiki was investigating the murders, he brings up the possiblitiy that Shizuo was framed and wonders who would benefit. He feels that Akabayashi might be a suspect due to his mysterious and vague nature. However, this is proven to be false at the end of the novel.

In the epilogue, he and Aozaki go to Vorona and Slon's hideout to confront them about kidnapping Akane Awakusu. Akabayashi easily incapacitates Vorona and tells her not to underestimate what she called "common Yakuza." He also tells Vorona of the deal her father made in exchange for her safety. If Vorona is spared then the Awakusu get preferential treatment when purchasing weapons from Drakon. When Vorona starts to object, Akabayashi knocks her out and hands her over to Simon, Igor, and Dennis.

Volume 07 : Akabayashi's past as well as some background on the Awakusu is revealed as he investigates the resurgence of the "Heaven's Slave" drug that killed Sayaka and her Husband. Akane also goes to Akabyashi for advice on how to grow stronger and he decides to take her to the place where he learned Marial arts from, Rakue Gym.

Volume 08 : Akabayashi joins the chatroom group under the screenname "Gaki." Akabyashi also has an encounter with Anri and decides to support her financially out of his feelings for Sayaka. He acts as a surrogate parent for her.

Volume 09 : Akabayashi meets Izaya in a park and gives him a job to investigate someone. The person in question is revealed to be Mikado and Akabayashi senses that Anri is getting quite close to him. Akabayashi also knows about Mikado's recent "Cleansing" of the dollars and wants to make sure he isn't doing anything that could put Anri in danger. Izaya accepts the job but suspects Akabayashi was testing him somehow.