fREallRegular P.O.V.: Kaito

Thoughts: Italicized

P.O.V. Switch: Bold


No Good Adrenaline

Chapter 1: Witness

9:53 p.m.


"Yeah, I'm almost done at the store. I'll be home in about twenty minutes" I held the small flip phone up to my ear as I timidly crouched near the tattered dumpster. Not far from me sat the small, black, kitten, eyeing the open can of tuna I placed on the cold gravel in front of me. I made sure to place it a few inches away so he wasn't scared to get it. It'd be easier to take you home with me, but Miku is allergic to cats. ... Even if she wasn't, she doesn't like them in general. I felt the corner of my lips twitch upwards as I watched the kitten take a step forward and sniff the can.

Miku doesn't like me being around cats, and she knows how much I love running off to go visit this little guy, but I do it anyways.

We've been together for a couple of years now, but it was mostly because our parents are good business partners, so they pushed me to be with her. ... I made sure to not point that fact out. If I did, she'd get mad. I mean it's not like I have a grudge against her, and I do like her. I just question if I was forced into being with her, which is most likely the case. ... Sometimes I wonder if there's more to my life than just this? Being with someone I'm not even certain about loving, majoring in social science, working as a guidance counselor for kids; And I'm only 23.

It just makes me wonder if this is really "life"?

"Well, hurry up. I know it doesn't take that long to get some ice cream, Kaito. Anyway, I'll see you when you get back. Love you" My breath hitched towards the last phrase she said.

...Love...?

I hesitated for almost a minute before quickly saying, "Love you too" and immediately hanging up the phone. I feel as though the only thing I look forward to seeing throughout my days are this little, black, kitten. I gave a small sigh as I continued to watch the small feline eat the tuna. But the more I stared at it, a small laugh broke out of me. "You're so young, and yet you have more freedom than me. I'd give anything just to be able to run away and view the night life in depth, but instead I'm stuck learning something I'm not even sure about. ... I'm sure it's dangerous living this way for your age, but you're living more than I am-" I told the kitten. But that was till its head perked up, looked past me, and gave a tiny (Meow!)

Before I could even say what was wrong, a deep, husky, and unfamiliar voice caught my ears.

"So you're the one that keeps coming to this alley? ... And they weren't kidding about the part where you talk to cats."

The man said, causing my body to suddenly go cold. Should I run away? ... Someone has been noticing me coming around here, and I don't know if that was a bad thing. But they should know that it was just for the cat! I-I mean that's the only reason I come around. I nervously thought to myself as I inhaled a shaky breath, slowly standing from my spot. To my surprise, the kitten ran between my legs, and behind me, making me quickly turn around and see it sit oh-so calmly next to a man's leg. But it wasn't till I traveled my gaze up to see whose legs those belong to.

The dim streetlight revealed a man leaning against the brick alley-wall, cigarette hanging from between his lips. Striking, dark-crimson hair was in a messy style that was less than shoulder-length, and yet some of his bangs hung in his face. ... Those eyes were sharp, matching the color of his hair. But what surprised me the most was realizing how both rough and handsome he looked, in an odd sense.

He wore black vest with a white, satin, collared-shirt underneath. A few of the buttons were undone, showing me his profound collarbone. And although he wore the collared-shirt, I could still make out the strong outlining of his biceps underneath them. My goodness... My eyes continued to wander from the quality of his shoes, his fitted dress-pants, the fact he didn't tuck in his shirt, the expensive looking watch that was on his left wrist, his overall height, back to the expression on his face. He stared at me quietly with a look that told me that he was waiting for something.

"A-Am I in trouble?" Was the only sentence that could come out my mouth, causing him to raise a brow.

He inhaled deeply into his cigarette before bringing a hand over to take it away from his mouth, slowly blowing a cloud of smoke into the cold air. "Let's just say that my men were watching you from time to time and found you suspicious. So I came to take a look for myself" He calmly told me. "You're not in trouble, but you should really take notice to what area you hang around in" He then shoved his left hand inside his pocket, staring down at me.

"Oh. I didn't know that this was an owned territory; I must've been so caught up with the cat to the point I didn't really notice much." I shyly explained, as I tried my best to keep eye-contact with the guy.

He briefly eyed the cat that obediently sat next to his feet, then switched it back onto me. "Seems like you spend more time with this cat, more than your little girlfriend that was on the phone with you. And I'm no relationship expert, but it seems to me that you want to ditch her ass and get high off of a thrill." He nonchalantly told me. High off of a thrill? Eh?! "I wouldn't blame you, kid. Life is too short. ... But because it's short, each moment you're living is never too late. If you want your thrill, you can walk out and get it. People refuse to acknowledge that they can change routes easily, but it's fear that holds them back from knowing it."

And just like that, it was then that I felt the air around me turn still.

I couldn't help but stare at him in nothing but surprise. I didn't know this man, and yet he talked to me as if he knew my life story. He only listened to my conversation on the phone, and with the cat; and yet with just the stuff he hardly listened to, it resulted into him telling me this. ... I don't know how to feel.

From a blank expression, his lips curved upwards into a slight smirk. "You want to be a made a mess, and I can tell. ... The thrill of doing something that's not good. Am I right, doll-face?" My breath hitched from the sudden nickname. D-Doll face... I hazily thought to myself. My heart feels like it's beating faster.

"I ... I-I don't know-" "You're bull shitting to yourself. If it's something you want, I can give it to you easily." He interrupted.

"E-Eh? Wh-Why?" I asked. "You're a Yakuza member, aren't you? I-I would have to do something in return for you."

He remained silent for a few moments. His crimson eyes didn't move away from me for a second, and it began to make me feel more and more nervous. But before I could even try to think about running away, he lowly said, "Because everyone needs to be free. If you're stuck doing things because of people, then you really don't have a point to live. It's true that I am a Yakuza member, but even I believe in living without be told how to live. Besides, it'd be fun to show you what you're looking for. It's not like I have anything to do, so I can just spend time dragging you around with me." He briefly explained.

But hanging around with a Yakuza member is a little too dangerous. And how would that even work out? ... But something about him is ... making me want to say yes. But why?

"Hey, cutie" My body stiffened as I felt a warm hand get placed along my left cheek. I blinked twice to notice how he took his hand out of his pocket and done so. "Your name is Kaito, right?" He questioned.

Still being stunned, I nervously nodded my head.

I was stunned for a number of reasons. The first being talked to by a gang member. The second was realizing how wealthy he was by his outfit. All I wore was a pair of black skinny jeans, white shirt, blue sweater, and sneakers. But it was his nicknames that he gave me that made me turn a little more shy than usual. Things are happening too fast for me to mentally catch up.

"I see. ... If you want to get a glimpse, then come here around the same time, tomorrow. And if you do happen to come, then I want you to listen to a song called I'm no good. The artists name is Amy Winehouse. ... I really think you're going to start relating to her songs, and I'm going to give you a new song each night to listen to by her; this being the first one." He clarified. Amy Winehouse? ... How can you automatically give me a song to listen to, and expect it relate to me? I quietly thought to myself as I eyed him. "The last bit of information I can give is that my name is Akaito. ... Now run along." He lastly told me as he slipped his hand away from my cheek; dragging his fingers across my skin as he slowly let it drop.

Akaito...

My eyes refused to leave his face for the next couple of seconds till my legs began to move; making me back away before turning on my heel to start walking out the alley.

My mind felt numbing the more I walked away, and it was probably because the debate begun inside my mind. I don't know if it would be a good idea to mention this to Miku or not. It'd be dangerous to mention that I crossed paths with a Yakuza member in general, so I haven't the choice "but" to keep my mouth shut. ... But I automatically shouldn't say anything. ... He wasn't an ordinary Yakuza member. He had to have had some type of high status. He made it apparent that he had underlings, and a good amount of wealth. So if I don't show, does that mean that something will happen to me? But if I go, will something happen to me then? But he was very calm when talking to me..., and the nicknames he gave me ...

With that thought lingering, my pace began to slow down as soon as I walked into the streets, along with the rest of the pedestrians.

What should I do? ... I have 24 hours to make a decision.

It's not like I'll do anything bad, right? ... I'm still going to wake up in the same apartment with Miku in it... having our parents wanting me to marry her...

I don't know.