Tatsuma Hiyu looked up at the darkening sky and sighed, pulling his hood up and jogging to his home just as it started pouring the rain, the messenger bag bouncing against his hip as he ran down a street, typical day. Thankfully his home wasn't far from his work; he was just a currier for a business. Running packages all over Tokyo on foot or on bike. It was a simple job and one he enjoyed. He could keep in shape, he got paid, and no one really bothered him. He jogged up the steps and pulled his hood down, shaking his head as he reached in his pocket for his key, he felt the cool metal and took it in his hand, feeling the familiar motion of putting it inside and stepping into the dark room, closing the door and locking it behind him.
There wasn't much on the walls of Tatsuma's home. Family pictures of his parents, some that his mother had sent him in letters when he was in high school of her and her husband, Tatsuma's father. Well…adoptive mother and father. He tried to push the thought of their bodies on cold metal shelves of the morgue when they had been brutally stabbed over six years ago near Christmas Time. He put his keys in a glass bowl by the door in the walk way and pulled the bag over his head and dropped it by the door, walking toward the kitchen. Even his kitchen was bare, hardly anything in the cabinets save for a few strawberry decorated glasses and plates. He reached in the fridge and took out some strawberry milk, feeling the cold air set in around him. He poked a hole in the package and opened up a cabinet, but there was nothing inside.
"Hm." He said to himself around his straw. "No food." He walked over to another and opened it but it yielded the same results. He felt his stomach rumble and covered it with one gloved hand, the other holding his milk in place. "Need food." He sighed and finished off his milk in search of food, but he had not a speck. Not even instant ramen noodles. He threw the package in the garbage and settled on going out to eat. He didn't feel like walking to the grocery store for bags of food when he could go get some Ramen from his favorite ramen place and wait for a sunny day to stock up his house. He flipped his hood up and grabbed his keys as he started out the door, locking it behind him once again, smiling as he started down the street.
Aoi Misato closed her text book and look out the window of the library, it was starting to drizzle a little and everyone was starting to leave. She stood and took a stack of books to the counter and checked them out, she would need more studying to pass the exam that was in a month. She heard a girl going past that she was starving and Aoi thought for a moment, she had skipped breakfast in order to make it to her morning class on time, it was now late in the afternoon and she took felt weak with hunger. She put the books into her bag and pulled it up on her shoulder and walked to the doors, taking out her umbrella and opening it as the doors slid open.
She turned and smiled as she made an impulse decision and turned on her heel, heading back away from her house and toward another part of town.
Diago looked up as the door opened. "Ah, Kamaki! W-Welcome home!"
Kamaki Sakarai looked up and blushed a little as Diago greeted her; he was still so unused to calling her by her first name. "Yuya, how are you still awake?" She walked inside and noticed how spotless the house was, and it wasn't even his place! "Diago! What the hell?" He blushed as he put away a broom and dust pan in a closet and closed it.
"I-I thought I'd just tidy up while you were gone, I mean, I know how hard your working in the shop and everything."
"Diago," Kamaki smiled tiredly at him. "You had classes all night," She looked at the clock and sighed. "Ah well, hey!" Diago blinked as he pulled the apron from around his neck and hanging it on a peg. "Since you cleaned the house and everything, how about some hot ramen, on me?"
"S-Sure K-Kamaki!" He smiled and took her hand as she lead him out the door and locked it, heading down the street hand in hand.
"Put it down."
"But! But!"
"I said put it down Corinne!" Kyouichi snapped, his wooden sword over his shoulder as he glared at the cross dressing man who had a centerblock raised over his head to throw at a displeased customer who had called him "a freaking dude".
"Only for you Kyouchan!" The man with the white make up and pink cheeks said as he hugged Kyouichi, making him grimace.
"I told you not to call me that! Damn it! I'm not a little kid anymore!" He huffed and pulled away as thunder rolled overhead making the cross dresser whimper and scrounge for an umbrella. "Look, just go back to big mama's place..." a thought crossed his mind and he silently went into panic mode. "What time is it?" He asked Corinne, the man/woman pulled out a watch and looked at it.
"It's nearly six in the afternoon, why Kyouchan?"
"I'm late!" He turned and started to run from Corinne but stopped when he felt the "what the hell" stare from Corinne over his shoulder. "I'm going and getting me some grub!" He turned and started walking to Cony's place, a call from Corinne making him wave over his shoulder to let the she/he know he wasn't going to answer. But once he rounded the corner he broke into a run down an alley, jumping over a fence and nearly knocking over Alan as he rummaged through a trash can.
"Yo Kyouichi! Where's the fire man?" Alan called as Kyouichi flipped him off and headed toward a grey building. A young girl with long blonde hair walked out and looked around; seeming shocked until Kyouichi ran up, calling her name.
"Saiyuri! Saiyuri!" He stopped a few feet away from her and smiled; his sword over his shoulder as always, he smiled a little. "I wasn't late, just like I said I wouldn't be." The blonde girl smiled and giggled softly.
"You told the truth Kyouichi, but, do you really have to walk me all the way home? Every single day? Rain, snow, hail or shine?" She lifted her hand to her mouth and hid her snicker.
"Hey sister, these streets are dangerous." Kyouichi said toughly, making her smile and laughter die instantly and stare at him innocently. "Girls like you get targeted easily, easily in this part of Tokyo." He turned and nodded as she started to walk side by side with him, "As your body guard I have to keep an eye on you, especially after last time."
"Body guard," She smiled at the word and looked up as the dark clouds became more menacing. "Just because I got wrapped up in a gang fight by Big Mama's place that one time." She snickered and looked at him from the corner of her eye. It had been raining that day too.
"And lots of times since then that you don't need to know about," Kyouichi lied. He knew this girl harbored The Power, just like the rest of them had so long ago, but he had never seen her use it. But you get a sense about people. "You're a prime target ya know," he stopped her with his sword and glared as someone dodged out of sight. This time he wasn't lying. "There are lots of…underground gangs that would pay high price for girls like you Sayuri, remember that, and don't leave school without me ok?" He walked a little closer to her and kept her half hidden.
"Thank you, Kyouichi." Saiyuri smiled and touched his arm gingerly, making him look back at her and roll his eyes.
"Yea, yea, whatever." He sighed but let her hand stay on his arm as he walked her down a series of streets and corners to her apartment. "You remember…"
"Call if I need anything." She smiled softly and opened up the door, "You still won't come in, will you Kyouichi?" She asked and kept the door open as she walked inside; inviting him in as she did every time he walked her home.
"Nah, I've got somewhere I gotta be. Someone else I gotta check on." He closed one of his eyes and turned halfway, watching her look down but with a smile.
"A Kabuki Samurai for hire has other damsels to look after and walk home?" She almost sounded disappointed.
"Coney can take care of himself!" Kyouichi laughed and shook his head, turning his back to her before looking over at her seriously. "Saiyuri, I mean it. Don't leave your apartment without me." She nodded once and murmured her goodbye and closed the door. But Kyouichi didn't leave until he heard the click of her door lock. Then he walked down the steps and looked up as he walked by her apartment. She had her window open to put her flowers in the hanging flower bed she had on her small window.
She waved gently before closing the window back and locking it and closing the blinds, Kyouichi wasn't smiling; he hated keeping her locked up like that. But after the last time, he wasn't sure if he could trust her running around the streets. He turned and headed toward Coney's place for real this time, jogging and then running as rain started to fall. By the time he had reached Coney's he was soaked. He slid the door open and walked inside, shaking water from his hair when he heard a familiar voice.
"You look like a drowned cat." Kamaki said with a snicker as Kyouichi walked in the door, his jaw nearly hit the floor when he saw Aoi, Kamaki, Diago and Tatsuma seated all at the counter like they used to sit and everyone had ordered their favorite ramen.
"Kyouichi!" Tatsuma said with his usual tiny smile, one he recognized on Saiyuri's face but he kept that under lock and key, running over and slinging an arm around Tatsuma's neck and slamming down on the seat next to him. They all chatted happily and ate quickly, speaking each about their lives after high school. Coney smiled behind the counter as he gave them all refills on their bowels and listened as well, it had been a long time since the kids had gotten together like this, and it was nice to have the hustle and bustle back in the shop.