"You should just grow your hair out already", Teruki told Mob as the blond tried his best to get the boy's hair to stay in any kind of a hairstyle. He finally settled with a decorative hair pin since nothing else would stay or fit.
Mob just shook his head, "It's easier to pull on if it's long. I like it just the way it is now."
"But the clients like longer hair", Ritsu explained, straightening out the women's kimono his big brother was wearing. Ritsu wouldn't admit it, but his brother's hairstyle made him look like a black mushroom.
All three of them were sex slaves in an Edo period brothel.
Ritsu and Mob had actually been born for this job, having been taken in by the owner at a very young age. Teruki had been sold there by his parents in desperate need of money. Now they only had each other in this hellhole they called home.
"I want to go see the ocean", Mob mumbled. He turned his head to let Teruki put makeup on his face. He absolutely hated the blood red lipstick and the chalk white powder.
"I know, but we can't go there right now", Ritsu smiled sadly as he checked their agenda for tonight, "The boss would be mad with us."
Mob had never been out of the place in his long fourteen years he had been alive. He and Ritsu had to settle with the stories Teruki would tell them. There were some things the blond could still remember from when he had been a small child. These four walls were all the two brothers knew and could remember.
"You have two clients today, brother", Ritsu told his big brother as Mob stood up from where he had been sitting on a comfy pillow, "You think you can manage?"
"Do I have a choice?" Mob mumbled and ran his hand through his raven black hair. It was silky smooth after a wash. Just the way the client had wanted it.
Teruki shrugged, throwing on his yukata for the day, "True. Good luck. I'll be going to see mine now."
Both Ritsu and Mob nodded to the blond as he disappeared to his personal room. He'd take his client of the night there, like usual.
"Be careful", Ritsu gave Mob a quick kiss to the cheek before he too left Mob alone in the room.
"Don't worry. I'll be fine", Mob reassured his little brother, "It's just two."
"It's you I'm worried about", Ritsu sighed from the doorway. While Mob and Teruki worked with clients tonight, he had paperwork to do for the boss. His feisty nature made him unpopular with the customers, male and female alike.
"Brother, let us in", Ritsu cried out as he knocked onto Mob's door once again.
Mob had refused to let Teruki and Ritsu to enter the room after he was done with his job. The boy sometimes did this and it worried the two to no end.
"Did something happen? Are you hurt? Upset?" Teruki asked. He knew that Mob's mind was unstable. He might even hurt himself if he was upset enough. The scars on the fragile wrists were the proof. Mob was never given a knife to hold after that.
"No. Go away", Mob mumbled from where he was buried under all the pillows he had hoarded in his room.
"I'll send Mr. Musashi in", Ritsu told his brother as he went to get the man.
Gouda Musashi was Mob's personal bodyguard. Each of the workers had bodyguards but only Mob had a personal one. He had been assaulted two months ago and left unable to work for a week afterwards so the boss made sure something like that would never happen again.
Musashi was built like a gorilla. He was huge. The rough face framed by the stubble of a beard didn't help either. Many of the girls in the brothel were actually afraid of the man.
Musashi got into the room without a fight. All he had to do was to tell the boy locked in that it was him and that he would come in. Mob opened the door after that, quickly returning to his nest of pillows and expensive silks.
"Your little friends were worried", Gouda explained as he sat down by the only table of the room.
The room was fairly big. There were hundreds of books and papers stacked by the walls, a pile of pillows and cloths in the middle of the room and the table. The whole floor was covered with a tatami mat. There was only one small window in the whole room. The table was right under it. Mob usually sat by it, looking out of the window with a sad expression on his face.
"Hm", Mob hummed. Gouda could only see the boy's limbs. His body had sunken in.
"Rough customers?"
Another hum. Mob wasn't that vocal.
"I heard you screaming. No use lying to me", Gouda came to Mob's side, "Let me see those injuries."
When Gouda finally got to see Mob, he couldn't help but to quietly gasp. There were both old and new marks visible on the boy's exposed skin. The kimono was disorganized and Mob's legs and chest were mostly exposed. On them Gouda could see what looked disturbingly like handprints and bite marks. There were a couple of scratch marks as well. All in all, it looked rather painful.
"Let's get those wrapped up", Gouda told Mob as he helped the boy sit up.
He couldn't help but notice the grimace on the boy's face as he touched an especially sore part of Mob's body. Gouda would always say that he was sorry for being so rough but Mob would only smile and tell the man that it was alright. He was only doing his job.
"You're so kind", Mob smiled as Gouda lowered him down onto the pillows again. There was hardly no naked skin visible after Gouda was finished with wrapping up the injuries. The man had fetched Mob some ice as well and the boy was now soothing the worst bruises with it.
"Hardly not", Gouda mumbled as he poured Mob a cup of tea. He would've loved to offer Mob some of the rice and side dishes he had brought in as well. But Mob had refused, telling him that he would only drink some tea this time. Gouda couldn't remember how many times they had gone through the same conversation. Gouda had seen Mob eat only about six times during the time he had been assigned to the frail boy.
Mob thanked the man as he took the cup. Gouda propped him up with some pillows so that the boy could drink his tea properly. It was quite hard while lying down after all.
Mob's cockatiel, Dimple, flied to sit down on the top of his master's head, singing a small song as he reached his destination. The bright red cheeks were vibrant today. The bird looked happy as he began to groom his colorful feathers.
The bird had been a gift from a traveling merchant named Reigen Arataka. A piece of the outside world and a friend for the caged bird known as Mob. It was so ironical it almost made Mob laugh as he thought about it. Now they both were caged. He and Dimple.
Reigen often came under Mob's window and got the boy's attention by throwing small rocks at the window. He would always have the most wonderful and magical things with him to show and tell about. And Mob listened closely, leaning out of the window almost to the point he fell out. Just last time Reigen had shown Mob some seashells and spices Mob couldn't even say the names of. Needless to say, Mob had been captivated. The smell of the salty sea in the shells and the aroma of the spices lulled Mob from his room to the open sea and meadows.
Reigen would always give Mob something small and tell him stories of his travels around the world.
The man wasn't rich or didn't have any power either but in Mob's mind, he was the freest person there was and the happiest person there was. Reigen lived there and there and his only imminent possession was the cart he pulled behind him and the dirty and well-worn clothes on he had on. When questioned, the man would always say that he would never have it in any other way. He would've of course loved to have a warm and dry place to sleep in but he would hate to settle down.
Last time Reige had given Mob a small decorative ball. It now sat on Mob's table. It was a ratty old thing but Mob treasured the beauty it had to offer. Mob had tried to give the man a new yukata in return but the man had declined the offer, telling Mob to save his kindness for someone else. Reigen did this because he wanted to, not for the money or other rewards.
"How was your day today?" Mob suddenly asked Gouda as the two had moved to sit by the table.
Mob had changed into a new kimono and also managed to clean himself up a little bit. His hair was combed down and he looked much tidier.
Gouda was taken aback by the question, "Nothing actually."
Mob worked during the night and slept through the day. Gouda either watched over the sleeping boy or did something else during the day and kept company to him during the night after the clients were done. He had cleaned the room today, making sure to carefully dust each book and paper. He had also aired out the pillows.
"Really now?" Mob smiled as he ran his hand over the shining clean surface of the table. Gouda hadn't only wiped it clean but polished it as well, "I think you've been working hard."
"I might've cleaned up a bit", Gouda blushed, taking a sip of his tea before it had properly cooled down. He burned his tongue and almost dropped the cup, "Ouch!"
Mob laughed as he gave his guardian a sugar cube. He had read that it would help with a burnt tongue.
Sugar was a rare treat and Gouda had a hard time accepting the offered cube from the boy. He couldn't possibly take such a precious thing.
"Just take it", Mob finally pushed the cube in Gouda's mouth, laughing at the face the man made.
Gouda enjoyed the sound of the boy's laughter. It was a beautiful sound. Like one of the many songbirds Gouda had seen pictures of in the boy's books.
"T-Thank you", Gouda mumbled as he sucked on the sugar cube.
"You're welcome", Mob told him as he turned to watch out of the window once again.
The two were back to their usual silence.
Gouda couldn't help but to stare at the early rays of the morning sun dancing on the boy's face.
Mob looked almost like a statue, sitting there so unmoving and serene. His pale skin almost shone in the sunlight like a precious pearl.
The boy's small frame got Gouda to think about the kids he had back home.
Gouda was a family man. He had moved out of the countryside and into the town in search for a well-paying job to provide for his large family. He had a wife and two children, one girl and a boy.
His big statue and strength soon got him a job as a bodyguard. Gouda took it, although he was a man of peace. His muscles weren't for hurting people. They were to admire. Muscles were a beautiful thing.
As much as Gouda's family seemed like the perfect one on the outside, there was darkness under the picture perfect cover. It had been an arranged marriage by the wife's family. The family had wanted their daughter to marry to Gouda's wealthy one and benefit from it.
Gouda's parents had a successful business selling fish and other seafood. Gouda's strong brothers and the family's other men challenged and survived the rough seas, risking their lives every day in order to catch the fish. The women woke up early each morning to prepare to fish to be sold and walked a long way to the marketplace to sell it all.
The wife's family weren't poor but not rich either. The husband drank most of the money he earned while the wife tried her best to feed the family. Somehow they had gotten the Musashi family's attention and the parents had fallen in love with the couple's beautiful daughter.
The woman was all about money. She had never worked a proper job in her life and wouldn't do it now either. She did take care of the kids and the small field they grew carrots, potatoes and other food in but nothing else. She hardly even cleaned the house.
Needless to say, the marriage wasn't a happy one. Gouda would leave the woman if they wouldn't have the children. He loved his two little treasures and would never leave them with their mother. He wanted to give the best to them and make sure that they could go to school and learn many new things. Gouda had never been to school, so it was important to him. And for that, they needed the money Gouda made.
"Can you show me your tattoo?" Mob asked Gouda after an hour of silence.
The tea had already been forgotten and definitely cold and undrinkable by now.
Gouda did as told, undoing his yukata so that his left hand and the chest were visible. An inked dragon coiled around the muscular arm, resting it's head on the man's heart. Its furious eyes almost challenged you to try and hurt it or the man who carried the legendary beast.
Mob traced the dragon's body with his fingers.
It tickled and Gouda had to try his best to stay still and not to smile.
The tattoo was black and white. A colorful one would've maybe looked cooler but it would've also been a lot more expensive. This was all Gouda could have.
"He is your guardian angel", Mob mumbled as he put his hand to rest on Gouda's chest, feeling the heartbeat under.
Dimple chirped loudly as he flew onto Mob's shoulder. Although the boss always told Mob to cut the bird's feathers, the boy never did. He wanted the bird to fly free and enjoy every second of it.
"You like it too, Dimple?" Mob smiled as the bird snuggled to his cheek, "It's your ancestor. A mystic beast."
Gouda stayed still this whole time, blushing wildly. He wasn't used to this kind of attention. The fact that he thought of the petite boy as being rather cute didn't help either.
After Mob was done admiring the dragon inked onto his bodyguard's skin, he told Gouda that he would go to sleep. He was feeling rather sore and tired after the night.
Gouda had simply nodded, wishing Mob good dreams. He would watch over the boy as he slept.
Gouda was a gentle soul. He would often write poems as he guarded his little protégé. Today, he did just that. The poems would often be very symbolic, telling the tale of a lone lotus flower growing from the dirtiest of ponds. The flower would be a sight to sore eyes and its scent sweet and gentle, making everyone who saw it fall in love.
This all referred to when Gouda had first met his boss nicknamed Mob for some unknown reason. He had been sitting by the window like many days after that. He had had a single lotus flower in front of him. It had only been a withering flower but Gouda had been taken aback by the likeness of the flower and the small boy admiring it.
Gouda would call Mob by 'Little Lotus' after that on a couple occasions by mistake. When Mob had asked him for the meaning, Gouda had explained that the boy was just like the wild flower, growing beautiful out of the dirty pond he lived in.
Mob had only smiled with a hint of sadness in his eyes, telling Gouda that he liked that name but that he was nothing like the flower. Mob had ended up tailoring himself a lotus-printed kimono afterwards. It was one of both his and Gouda's favorites now.
Gouda smiled as he remembered how vibrant the boy had looked back then. He was now only a shadow of what he used to be. Slowly but surely withering away like the lotus that day.
"Mr. Musashi? Are you there?" Ritsu and Teruki knocked onto the door at some point and Gouda invited them in to have a look at their friend.
Now they all sat around the table as Mob slept just a couple feet away from them. Dimple chirped on his master's makeshift bedside, watching over Mob and his dreams.
"He has gotten thinner again", Teruki pointed out, placing down a tray the two had brought with them into the room. It was Gouda and Mob's lunch for the day. The two were hoping that the man would make Mob eat at least all of his rice this time. He had hardly touched his dinner before.
"Even boss was worried" Ritsu sighed, "He usually never is. But you know, a dead worker does not earn you any money."
"There's surely no need to be so harsh", Gouda huffed.
"But it's the truth. You've seen it too. Brother is starving himself", Ritsu smiled sadly as he watched the cherry branch on the table.
It was unknown as to when exactly it had all began but there was no denying that it was happening. Mob was suicidal. That was part of the reason why there would always need to be someone with Mob when he ate. He might not eat or then decide to poison the food. The room itself was already devoid of any possible assisting tools in the boy's attempts, Teruki and Ritsu came to perform a check each day. The food was the only way Mob could go now, and he was clearly keen on making it this time.
"I found a knife", Teruki sighed as he slammed a small decorative dagger onto the table, "It was in one of the pillows."
"Must've been a gift from a client. Trash it", Ritsu mumbled as he checked around the table.
"Yo-You're really good at this, aren't you?" Gouda mumbled as he watched the two work. There were no other weapons to be found and they were pleased with today's find. They usually found more. Mob was learning.
"Right. You haven't been working with us for that long. We've done this so long that you learn even if you wouldn't want to. There's no hiding place in this room we wouldn't know about at this time", Ritsu explained clam. He was rather confident in his skills of keeping his big brother alive it seemed.
Teruki nodded, "We better get back to work or the boss will get mad again. Make sure that our little prince eats something today."
Both Teruki and Ritsu stood up, fixed their yukatas and left the room without any further words exchanged.
"So they came in again? They really should just do it while I'm awake. I already know what they're doing", Mob smiled as he poured Gouda and him some tea.
"They found a knife it seems", Gouda explained, offering Mob a bowl of rice which the boy took with a nod.
"I thought that I had hid it well", Mob glanced towards his nest, "They really cut up that pillow. I'll need to send them the bill. I liked that one."
"You don't seem disappointed."
"It's not like its' the first time. I'm not giving up, you know", Mob smiled, looking rather disturbing as the expression and the words didn't quite fit together, "I am going to kill myself."
All Gouda could do was to nod, "I got an order from you brother to prevent that at all cost."
"And who might your master be?"
"You, and your boss."
"Boss pays you. I am the one who gives you the orders", Mob pointed his chopsticks at the man before him, "Understood?"
Gouda gulped, nodding slowly.
"Good boy", Mob smiled.
"Can I ask you why you're so keen on taking your own life?" Gouda finally mustered the courage to ask the question. He had wanted to know the answer ever since he began to work here.
"I am a caged bird", Mob sighed from where he was now leaning on the sill of the small window. He had finished the whole bowl of rice. He must've been in a good mood to do that.
"Haven't you said that yourself, Mister Musashi?" Mob continued, "Or am I still your beautiful lotus flower?"
There was a certain sadness always present in Mob's voice when he spoke, adding to the already fragile look. His eyes were sparkling, but deep in there, there was no sign of life. The eyes were soulless. The eyes of someone dead.
Gouda felt unbelievably draw to it for some reason. Maybe he felt a connection. Gouda's life wasn't the best possible either. All the money he currently made went to his kids back home. The small amount left was used to housing and food expenses. Gouda wasn't the rich man he used to be. His clothes were provided by the brothel, otherwise they would've been worn and dirty. The untamed beard and dirty hair Gouda had were the only signs of this situation.
"I never knew my father. I met Ritsu's once or twice", Mob began, "Our mother was a filthy whore. She would do it with anyone she met and wasn't a stranger for begging in the street either. She had to do that just to get money for food and clothes."
Gouda stayed quiet. This was the first time he had heard anything of the boys' parents. He was curious.
"She never really loved us. We were just some mouths she would have to feed. A byproduct of her line of work. All we were useful were for begging. I remember doing that. It was cold and dirty. I hated it. Everyone looked down on us. They pitied us", Mob was picking at the cherry flowers, letting them fall onto the folds of his kimono. The baby pink petals blended well with the silky, red fabric. It was blood red. Ironically.
"The look in their eyes was the worst part. Then there was this one lady. She would always come, bringing us food. I didn't know what she was, so I was scared. No one had ever been so kind to us. One day, she took us here and told that this would be our new home and that we would be loved here. She introduced us to the boss who gave us a room and fresh clothes to wear. I stayed up that night, watching over Ritsu as he slept in a warm bed for the first time in his life", Mob smiled bitterly, "I killed that lady the next day."
"Why?" Gouda asked as he picked the fallen petals, placing them onto Mob's open hands so that the boy could let them fall again.
Reigen had brought in the branch of a cherry tree since Mob couldn't go out and watch the beautiful bloom the trees were all in this time of the year. Gouda had been the one to take the gift, since Mob had still been sleeping at the time.
"I didn't know what she was. I was scared, so I killed her. The boss was mad with us and kept telling us that he had lost his best worker because of some brats", Mob placed the flowers onto Gouda's head, laughing at the man's blush and confusion, "He then told us that we'd need to work in her place. And that was how it all began. I had seen eight winters and summers come and go before that, Ritsu seven. We were just kids."
"Do you hate him? The boss."
"No, not at all. He gave us a roof on our head and food. Something my mother would've never done. We would've died on those dirty streets without him and the lady", Mob played with Gouda's hair, the gentle hands combing through the knots of hair, "He then helped me track down my mother so that I could tell her how we were doing. She begged for us to give her money and to take her in. I laughed like I never had before and slit her throat right there in the alleyway we had lived in. She bled to death, alone."
"You're a murderer", Gouda breathed out.
"Maybe", Mob smiled, "Maybe I serve justice and now it's my time to face punishment for my deeds."
"You haven't been caught?"
"No. You'd be surprised how good Ritsu has become at covering my trail. He had to learn fast, as did I."
"Why not kill your brother?"
"He is the only one I have left. I love him. He never did anything wrong", Mob's weak hands wrapped around Gouda's neck, "I'm the wrong one here. I need to die."
"That's not all, is it?" Gouda let Mob do as he pleased, staying absolutely still as he boy straddled him and slowly but surely strangled him.
"You're smart", Mob smiled kind, "Yes. That's not all there is to it. You see, I want to be free. I've grown rather bored with this life."
"Can't you escape?"
"And get a job, live like anyone else and die happy with a family? Hardly. I know nothing but this way of life."
"You know how to read."
"That's a curse. Knowledge. I've read of places I'll never see and of things I'll never try. It's truly a curse."
"I could take you with me", Gouda suggested. The boy's weak muscles weren't enough to strangle him to death. There was no way the boy would kill him either. Gouda had noticed the kind gestures and friendship the boy offered him from time to time.
"And how would your wife react? Hire assassin to kill you so that she can get all your money? Then she'll kill your kids and make it all seem like an unfortunate accident", Mob laughed, "You can't help me."
Gouda hugged the boy, surprising them both with how well their bodies fit together.
"Then take me with you", Gouda whispered to Mob's ear, "We'll go together."
Small tears flowed down Mob's cheeks, "But you have people who love you! Won't they be sad? Won't you be sad?"
"It's my job to be with you and make sure that you're happy. If it means dying with you, then I'll be more than happy to follow through with anything you have in mind."
"You're just too kind", Mob sniffed as he pressed his forehead to the man's, "You're not real."
"I am. I'm right here with you now, aren't I?"
"If I could ever know love, this must be what it would feel like", Mob whispered, "I feel so warm inside. You'll really come with me?"
"To the world's end if that's where you decide to go", Gouda smiled as the two shared a shy kiss, "I love you."
"Thank you", Mob breathed out, "Thank you so much!"
Reigen came to Mob's place that late evening. He threw a small rock at the window like Mob would always tell him to do.
"Mob? Are you there? Has the gorilla killed you already? I saw one in your room today", Reigen shouted, albeit quietly not to get the boss' attention as well. It was Mob he wanted to meet, not the angry boss. The man had tried to shoot the poor merchant thrice already and Reigen didn't want to pull any more bullets out of his shoulder than he already had.
"Good day to you too", Mob opened the window to lean out of it. His cheeks were a rosy red color and his eyes were almost sparkling in the setting sun's rays.
The boy had one of those rare smiles of his today, which made Reigen happy as well. The boy had had tear tracks down his cheeks the last time the man had seen him.
"I got the item you wanted", Reigen explained as he searched for it from amongst all his other junk, "What do you need it for? It's rather unusual if you let me voice my opinion."
"And I might say that you are quite unusual as well, my friend", Mob told the man as he leaned to take the brown bag Reigen had for him. He then gave the man some of his money. It was way over the item's selling price but Mob told him it was for the trouble and told Reigen to go eat something nice tonight.
"But are you seriously trying to poison your boss? That can't end well", Reigen laughed nervously as he looked around to see if the man in question was anywhere near with a gun, "I know you're bold but this is rather harsh even of you."
Mob had obviously lied to the man. He had told Reigen that he would poison the boss and escape.
"You're being nice", Mob smiled as he gave Reigen a cage, "I'll be careful."
Dimple squeaked loudly, protesting the fact that he was in a cage and that Mob was currently giving him away. He also might or might not have ever actually liked Reigen, the man who had bought him from some other merchant from a faraway place.
"You gave the bird away? Wasn't he your friend?" Gouda asked the boy who was still sitting by the window even though Reigen was already gone.
"Dimple will be much happier with Reigen. This room was never enough for him to spread his wings properly", Mob told Gouda as he unraveled a bottle.
The label read 'Ricinus communis'. Also known as the Castor Oil Plant. Inside the bottle was liquid concentrated from the seeds of the plant, which were incredibly toxic. The beans contained the chemical ricin. About four to eight seeds were the necessary amount for Mob's plan. It was a lethal dose for an adult.
Reigen had really worked to get these ones. Good thing that he had friends all around the market routes. Name an item and a price and the man would get you whatever you wanted.
Gouda moved to sit next to Mob, as he too inspected the liquid.
"So this is it? It does not look that dangerous", Gouda leaned closer, placing his head on top of Mob's.
The boy let him, savoring the contact.
"It is dangerous. I've read that only four beans is enough to kill", Mob explained. They would drink the liquid with some tea. They had agreed that it would be the easiest to wash down with some other liquid.
"Seriously? This little thing?" Gouda took the bottle between his meaty fingers, shaking it a bit.
"How about we have a little feast? Didn't Ritsu bring us our food just now?" Mob glanced towards the door.
There was yet another tray of food for the two. The little brother was determined to make Mob eat as much as possible.
"You'll eat?" Gouda went to fetch the food.
It was the usual. White rice, boiled vegetables in soy sauce and some cooked fish. Nothing special but a proper meal all the same.
"It's a special occasion", Mob said, smiling, "I thought that I could at least try."
The two sat next to each other, enjoying the food. Mob even let Gouda feed him and vice versa.
"I had forgotten what bell peppers tasted like", Mob sighed, "I still don't like them."
"Aren't you a brat? How about the rest?" Gouda laughed as he watched Mob stick his tongue out, face full of disgust.
"The carrots are tolerable."
Mob actually ate everything on the tray for him, except for the green bell peppers.
Gouda would've loved to see Ritsu and Teruki's faces as they came to fetch the empty tray. It hadn't been like that for months, even years.
"Do you think your brother will be sad? Shouldn't you write him something?" Gouda asked Mob as they lied on the pillows together, snuggling close.
"I might know how to read, but I can't write", Mob turned to face the man, lying his head onto the muscular chest and closing his eyes.
"I can't either", Gouda laughed, "Do you think they'll know how you felt?"
"They will. Ritsu isn't stupid."
"He won't follow you?"
"No. He loves life. I sometimes have to wonder why", Mob smiled sadly, running his hand over Gouda's legs and arms.
"W-What are you doing?" Gouda was blushing. He had no idea what the boy had in mind this time.
"Hey, how does consensual sex feel like?" so bold, "Is it painful?"
"You don't know?" Gouda took the hint, albeit doubtful. He didn't know much about sex either. Not between two men at least.
"Would you teach me?" Mob's voice was sweet, the kimono falling over his pale shoulders, "Gouda."
It was the first time Mob had called the man by his name.
"We can take all the time we need", Mob purred, "We have the rest of our lives after all."
Gouda would get to hear much more of that beautiful voice call his name during the night and Mob learnt what it actually felt to be loved.
It was a messy dance between two men needing to love, needing to be loved and sharing the lust they held for each other. It was strictly forbidden but beautiful all the same.
They woke up slowly to a new morning.
Mob had claimed to be too sick and tired to take any clients that night, so the two had had the whole night, full-moon at that, to themselves. They had really made the most of it.
Mob carefully slipped out of the makeshift bed to prepare them the tea. Their final meal.
"Hm? Are you awake?" Gouda yawned from where he was lying. His upper torso was completely naked and the dragon tattoo was visible in all its glory. Its fiery eyes almost seemed to judge the two in the room.
"Yes. Would you like to have some tea? I put in some sugar too. A special treat", Mob smiled as he came back, carrying two cups of the steaming liquid, "I added some of my own secret ingredient as well. I hope you don't mind."
Gouda smiled, kissing Mob's cheek and took the cup from the boy, "Thank you."
The two clinked the cups together before taking a long, calm sip both.
Mob soon fell down next to Gouda's body, sighing, "Is there any place you'd like to go? Anywhere."
Gouda weakly shook his head. He could feel his muscles convulsing and his breath becoming more and more labored.
"No. How about you?" Gouda asked as he helped Mob come closer and snuggle to the man's chest.
"I'd like to see the sea", Mob breathed out, "Do you think we can go there?"
"Anywhere you want", Gouda slowly closed his eyes.
"Hm. I like the sound of that."
"Mob, you're free. Spread your wings and fly. I'll be right next to you."
That evening as Teruki and Ritsu finally broke into the room after hearing no reply for three hours, they were met with two bodies.
"Mob!" Ritsu cried out as he ran to his big brother's side.
It was hopelessly too late. There was nothing they could do now. There was nothing they could've done before. Mob and Gouda were both dead. Their bodies already cold to the touch.
"There was nothing for us to do", Teruki crouched down to comfort Ritsu, who was hugging his dead brother.
"I know!" Ritsu cried, "It's not fair. Why him?"
Ritsu and Teruki stayed with the bodies the whole day, reporting to the boss only when the night fell.
The bodies were burned, the ashes blown off into the sky with the wind.
Mob was finally free, and he wasn't alone anymore.
"Could you take care of Kageyama for me? He fainted again", Gouda Musashi, the president of the Salt Middle School's Body Improvement Club told Tome and her friends, still lazing around the club room.
"Again?!" Tome screamed as she waved one of her club members to fetch some water and another to get the first aid kit just in case, "I thought that he was getting stronger!"
Gouda laughed, "But he has! He almost finished the whole jog this time!"
"And you carried him all the way here? What about the others?" Tome asked as she eyed Mob for any injuries he might've gotten when falling onto the ground.
"They know how to take care of themselves", Gouda said, flexing his impressive muscles, "It's the newest member I'm worried about."
"Sure. We'll look after him for you, so just return to the others", Tome shooed the gorilla out and closed the door behind him.
Before she could though, Gouda noticed a faint smell lingering in the air.
"A lotus? Did you guys bring it in?" he asked Tome and the others.
"No! Why would we?" Tome huffed as she placed a cold towel on Mob's head, "We thought that you brought it."
"I didn't", Gouda shook his head. He eyed the lone flower sitting in a protein shake container.
"We didn't have a vase so I had to improvise", Tome explained, "Do you mind?"
"No. I like it", Gouda smiled. He had never really liked flowers. Damn, he had never had the time to even look at one from all his muscle training. Why was he so drawn to a flower now?
"Alright. Whatever you say", Tome shrugged.
"I'll get back to the others. Take care of Kageyama for me!"
"Sure!" Tome nodded, "Hey, Musashi?"
"Hm?" Gouda turned once more to the girl, "What is it?"
"When did you get a tattoo like that?" Tome asked him, pointing to a dragon tattoo coiling around the male's arm.