AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hello, guys! First of all, let me apologize in advance for publishing a story that I didn't really take my time on. Don't worry, I'll revise it when I finally learn how to efficiently manage my time. Anyhoo, I've been a fan of the Crows Zero films ever since the first one came out - not to mention that I'm like, the biggest Yamada Takayuki fan in the entirety of the Philippines (...or the world). Check this Instagram account I made for him: yamadatakayuki_. Also, I might change the title of the story, too. I haven't really thought of one that fits the story well since I freewrite all the time. I don't have a prepared plot or whatever, I just write and write until I finish something. Haha. Even if I'm not really happy with this story, I still hope you guys would enjoy it! Thanks for reading! XO, Steph
Shiori was lost.
She shook her head sheepishly as she recalled her last words before stepping inside the plane to Japan, temporarily leaving her lucrative American life: "What could happen?"
Sadly, everything has happened. One day into her supposedly finding-myself tour and she has already lost her way back to her hotel.
"Sumimasen (Excuse me)," Shiori awkwardly said to the cashier at the nearest Family Mart she found the very morning she woke up and decided to take a stroll. She only intended to look for a nice place where she could eat her favourite Sapporo ramen, but she had obviously overdone it.
"A tourist, aren't you?" the cashier, whom Shiori assumed to be around her late 30's, surprised her by fluently responding. "Where are you from?"
Shiori exhaled a breath she didn't know she had been holding for so long. "Thank goodness!" she exclaimed. "Someone who can understand!"
"Are you saying that Japan is full of non-English speaking morons?" she nonchalantly asked, sending chills up Shiori's spine. Noticing her reaction, the cashier broke into fits of giggles. "I was kidding. I knew what you meant. I was married to an American, lived in that filth hole of a country for ten years. What's your name?"
Shiori had to shake her head to clear her cloudy mind before she could actually reply. "Shiori," she trembled because she had forgotten to eat. "My name is Shiori Tamiko. Or Tamiko Shiori – however you guys say it."
"Shiori," the cashier whispered to herself, as if analysing the name. "Your name means 'poem'."
She nodded. "My father is Japanese. He was born in Kagoshima."
"And your mother is what? Chinese?" the cashier asked, leaning closer to her with only the counter as a partition. "What brought you here?"
"Oh, umm," Shiori stuttered. "She is, also with a little bit of Filipino blood, too. She was born in America, and that's where she met my father who was a businessman then."
"What brought you here?" the cashier asked again.
"Just to..." Shiori paused, because for a moment, she almost allowed herself to rant about how she wasted her life away on drugs back in America, got her mother depressed over her not showing interest in education, which lead her father to sending her off to a vacation in Japan all by herself, however long she wishes. "Travel. Yes, travel. My father wanted me to appreciate his motherland. It's my first time here. Forgive me if my Nihongo is pretty bad."
The cashier just smirked, almost as if seeing through her lies. Shiori was about to ask something when the wind chimes by the door produced its usual sound, indicating that a customer was in.
"Ohayo gozaimasu, Yasuko-san (Good morning, Yasuko)!" a voice, obviously coming from a boy, said. Shiori kept her ground, not even tilting her head or body back to inspect the newcomer. "Ten uncooked sausages for the boys!"
"Oh, good morning Tokio," for the first time, Shiori saw the cashier, Yasuko, let out a genuine smile. "Don't you guys think it's too hot to hang at the gas station today?"
Tokio only snickered in response but later on spoke. "It's a fine day for a grill session. The boys still couldn't get over the fact that Genji has sparked up a fight against Housen yesterday, so we're all still talking about it."
Shiori felt the boy already standing right beside her by the counter but still didn't move a muscle.
"Sumimasen ga (Excuse me but)," Tokio said, along with a slight bow. Shiori gently moved her head to the side to finally interact with the boy. "Are you in line?"
Poor, lost Shiori only shook her head, but her buried and long-forgotten Japanese instincts took over and allowed her body to mimic Tokio's bow. After a couple of seconds, she finally came face-to-face with him. What a beautiful sight, she thought. Strangely beautiful, Tokio's eyes were of different colors. Although his hair was scrunched up towards different directions, he still looked like an angel. His jet black hair and crisp white long sleeves were a match made in heaven.
She didn't want to seem too assumptive but she saw Tokio's mouth slightly drop upon seeing her face. "O-oh," Tokio stammered. "Okay." Then he gave her a smile.
"Here are ten uncooked sausages for you," Yasuko emerged from behind the counter with a huge paper bag filled with sausages. "I see you've met my new friend, huh, Tokio? Shiori, that's Tokio, my young master before I decided to move to America."
"Oh wow," Shiori shifted her stare to Yasuko. "You guys go way back, that is so amazing!"
"Indeed," Tokio responded, taking the paper bag from Yasuko's hands. "Yasuko-san, add that to Tamao's tab this time, yeah?"
Tamao. Something about that name seems interesting.
Yasuko only shook her head and giggled, but then took the orders from her then young master and wrote something on a long piece of paper filled with numbers. "Kanojo tottemo wa utsukushii desu ne (She's very beautiful, isn't she)?" she said under her breath without looking up, as if making sure only Tokio would hear.
The beautiful boy blushed, hiding his gaze from Yasuko and Shiori. "Atarimae dayo (Definitely)," Tokio replied, obviously agreeing to whatever it was that Yasuko told him. "Well, I have to bounce. It was nice meeting you Shiori-chan, if ever you need any help, come find me at the rundown gas station just across the street."
Shiori nodded and smiled weakly. Without any more small talks, Tokio rushed out of the store and carefully crossed the street. Her eyes followed him, and it was only then she realized that there actually was a rundown gas station just across Family Mart. Unfortunately, the spot was covered with three huge gas pumps that obviously didn't work anymore – hence, blocking her view of Tokio and his friends. In time, she thought.
"I bet you're hungry," Yasuko said, bringing Shiori back to her bittersweet reality. "Come pick any meal. I'll add it to Tamao's tab as a prank. I'm sure it will crack the boys up."
"Tamao?" Shiori asked.
Yasuko fixed her a plate with two fist-sized onigiri's and a cup of water. She motioned Shiori to come to where she is behind the counter, then she cleared her table filled with papers and candies to have a place for Shiori to set her meal. Shiori muttered a soft "arigato gozaimasu" which Yasuko returned with a smile.
"Tamao is Tokio's best friend," Yasuko finally replied, grabbing another chair where Shiori soon sat on. "They don't really acknowledge their closeness but everybody knows they're best friends. Been through a lot, those two."
Shiori only nodded while munching on her food, totally forgetting about everything for a moment. "I like his name," she said, unconsciously.
"Tokio?" Yasuko asked, whipping herself a hotdog sandwich and then proceeded on adding it to Tamao's tab. "It can't be Tamao. His name sounds beastly."
"Exactly," Shiori stated, taking a gulp of her water. "Tamao has a nice ring to it."
Yasuko and Shiori ate in silence, allowing the peace to create a certain atmosphere that would later on add to their bond. Something about Yasuko made Shiori feel an utmost sense of comfort.
"I can't find the way back to my hotel," Shiori said, helping Yasuko out in arranging a shelf.
"This is a 24-hour convenience store, you can sleep here," Yasuko joked. "But you have to be friends with the guy who takes over the next shift."
For the first time since she stepped on the Land of the Rising Sun, Tamiko Shiori laughed. "Thank you for everything, Yasuko-san," Shiori murmured. "My day could've gone even more messed up if I had not met you."
"Don't worry about it, Shiori-chan," Yasuko smiled, putting the last bottle of Georgia in the fridge. "I don't usually meet new friends anymore so this is wonderful."
The sun had already set, and Yasuko was down to her last couple of minutes at work. "I'll walk you to your hotel later," Yasuko said.
"Hai, thank you," Shiori replied.
"Doitashimashite (You're welcome)," Yasuko said. "But before we go our way, let's drop these cans of beer across the street. I make it a habit to give those boys something before I go home. My boss asks me to throw stuff that are only a week away from their expiration dates, so it's better to have them consumed beforehand instead of just throwing them out."
"Boys?"
"Oh, you know…" Yasuko smiled thoughtfully. "Tokio's friends. A bunch of troublemakers, a bunch of crows."
"Crows?"
"That's what people call the students from Suzuran High. It's an all-boys school, and people think they bring nothing but trouble – which is true most of the time, but Tokio's friends are the kindest I've ever met in my life. That's why I don't get the point in talking ill about them."
"Now I can't wait to meet them," Shiori said, in all due honesty. Yasuko only giggled in response. "Tokio goes to that school then?"
"Yeah," Yasuko replied. "He didn't want to be stereotyped as just the 'rich kid' who can easily have his way with things. Tokio has more heart than his parents think he has. That's why he went to Suzuran, even if he is free to do anything he wants. His parents are even more scared for him now that he just survived an intense aneurysm operation."
Shiori only nodded. Is that why his eye colors are different?
Closing time came and Shiori was wondering why her chest was pounding like the usual migraines she would get.
"Ready?" Yasuko asked.
"Iko (Let's go)," she enthusiastically responded.
Shiori's head was fixated on her shoes while they crossed the street. As they were getting closer to the rundown gas station, she started hearing banters and bickering from overly enthusiastic boys.
"Woh, Yasuko-san!" two voices yelled at the same time, and Shiori still didn't look up.
"My favourites!" Yasuko exclaimed. "Mikami brothers, no fights today?"
"A bunch of bald guys soon, hopefully," the other twin replied, earning the rest of the guys who were smoking like chimneys a good laugh.
"You brought someone with you, Yasuko-san?" yet another voice coming from a stranger popped out.
"Tamiko Shiori," Yasuko said. "Meet Tokaji Yuji. He's single!"
Shiori gave Yasuko a slight nudge on her rib.
"Forgive my friends, Shiori-chan ," Tokio interrupted, and this time she looked up. "They're a crazy bunch but trust me, they'll protect you with all their lives even if you just met them."
Shiori only gave all of them a slight bow and muttered a silent "Konbanwa (Good evening)."
"Do you mind if we hang around for a little bit?" Yasuko whispered and Shiori shook her head. Deep down, she was starting to love the familiar comfort that she was getting from being around the crows. For once, she felt safe.
"So, Shiori," Yasuko started. "You've met Tatsukawa Tokio… The two balls of energy that are the Mikami brothers, you've also met Tokaji Yuji and that one right there is Tsutsumoto Shoji."
"I like your hair, Shoji," Shiori genuinely said, which caused the crazy-haired pretty boy to blush.
All of them took a bow of respect and welcome to Shiori. "Hajimemashite, Shiori-chan (How do you do, Shiori)," Mikami One said, and Shiori figured she'd call them Mikami One and Mikami Two.
"Oie," a deep and rather fascinating voice interrupted and all of the people turned around to look, except for Shiori. "Nani hanashitetano (What have you all been talking about)?"
"Woh, Tamao!" Tokio greeted the newcomer. Shiori wondered why she couldn't bring her head up to take a look at the man who had a name that tickled her fancy instantaneously. "Yasuko-san is dropping off our usual favourite left overs and also brought a friend with her. Tamao, this is Shiori."
Slowly, Shiori mustered the courage to look up.
And finally, she saw him.
...The man with the name that could make her knees weak. His face though, could save a sunken ship. He looked bored, with eyes that weren't short of emotions, only telling her that there is something more than his good looks and monstrous aura. Half of his hair was tied in a bun, and he was wearing a slightly washed out and tattered black and grey plaid polo shirt. His black jeans were rolled unto his knees and he wore a pair of black sandals that seemed very old Shiori swore they were about to give up on him. His guards were up, a lot of walls have been built around him, and Shiori was unconsciously trying not to climb them up and unravel the mystery that was Tamao.
"Arigato gozaimasu, Yasuko-san," Tamao said, and Shiori felt a slight sting on her chest because Tamao didn't acknowledge her presence. She didn't break her gaze at Tamao, who soon shifted his look from Yasuko to her.
And their eyes met.
Tamao didn't say a thing, but he gave Shiori a very, very small smile.
It was enough to make her feel better about everything.
"Oie, Serizawa!" another voice coming from a stranger emerged from somewhere outside the rundown gas station.
Shiori followed the voice and found three guys standing by a tree a couple of inches away from the gas station's barbwires. One of them, whom Shiori figured to be drop dead handsome, had his back leaned against the tree.
"Looking for trouble at this time of the evening?" Mikami Two asked.
"I didn't know the Ebizuka Trio actually went out at night basing on how white-complexioned Kirishima is!" Mikami One added, causing Tokio and Yuji to laugh.
"Are you trying to pick a fight with us, Mikami's?" the one with the braids and sunglasses despite night time, said.
"I mean if you want that then we can probably give it to you," Shoji giggled.
Yasuko grabbed Shiori by the arm and slowly moved her behind. She later on found out from Tokio that those guys were the notorious Ebizuka Trio who ruled the freshmen and sophomores of Suzuran; braids guy was Sugihara Makoto, the one with the face mask Honjou Toshiaki, and the cute one being Kirishima Hiromi.
"We heard about what happened the other day," Hiromi said, walking away from the tree to Tamao's direction. Shiori looked at Tamao, and saw that he was giving the trio his usual bored look, as if he didn't just hear Hiromi talk. He then took a lazy drag of smoke from his cheap cigarette.
"Why are you here?" were the only words that came out of Tamao's precious lips, with a little bit of smoke coming out.
Precious lips, really? Shiori thought, and at the same time realizing how inappropriate she was being.
"Nothing," Hiromi said, lighting the cigarette that was already trapped between his lips. "We just wanted to let you know that no matter what happens, we are never going to stand behind Takiya Genji."
"Tell him that, then," Tokio said. "Not us."
Hiromi was going to say something, but his eyes landed on Shiori. His look lingered on her face, inspecting every crevice. He gave her a weak smile and then walked out of the scene, the other two quickly following behind him. Shiori watched them until they disappeared.
"Kirishima Hiromi was totally checking out our princess, wasn't he?" Mikami One nudged Mikami Two, who laughed while playfully elbowing his twin. Shiori blushed. The princess amongst the crows, she was.
"Okay, that was interesting," Yasuko sighed, obviously used to those kinds of situations whenever the crows are around. "Now, I have to get home because I need to rest. I take the early shift tomorrow. Will you guys be here?"
"Of course, Yasuko-san," Tokio said. "We'll be waiting for your beer by then."
Yasuko laughed heartily. "See you tomorrow, boys."
"Bye," Shiori muttered.
"Later, Shiori-chan!" Tokio yelled.
Shiori took a look at Tamao, who already was looking at her. At the same time, they gave each other a rather tired, yet assuring smile. We'll definitely see each other again, aren't we - their smiles said to each other.
Yasuko and Shiori walked home, turned out the Family Mart cashier, who is now her friend, lives only a block away from the hotel where she stayed. After about a hundred of "thank you's" from Shiori, Yasuko went inside her house. Shiori, with a huge smile plastered on her face, went her way. She took the couple of steps to her hotel as an opportunity to appreciate Tamao's face that left a permanent mark on her mind.
It was pure attraction, that's for sure, but there was a certain force that drew Shiori to Tamao and the mystery that he was carrying with him.
Shiori wasn't new to male attention, even back in America she had an awful lot of them, but she couldn't keep her thoughts off the crow. Was he a broken man? Shiori sure loved to think that she could fix those kinds of people.
She was distracted by cigarette smoke that enveloped her face. She coughed a couple of times, now new to the scent since she has long quit the habit. "What the hell?" she cursed under her breath.
"Gomen nasai (Forgive me)," Kirishima Hiromi, the gorgeous guy willing to piss Tamao off from earlier, emerged beside her. "I didn't mean to do that."
"Weren't you there at the gas station earlier with two of your minions?" she blatantly stated, now walking faster than she previously was. "What do you want?"
Hiromi scoffed, matching her pace. "I just wanted to make sure you get home safe, since none of Serizawa's army seem to care about your safety."
"Serizawa?" she heard the name being mentioned earlier, but didn't really automatically assume that it belonged to someone. It could have another meaning for all she knew.
"You hang out with people you don't know?"
Shiori was slightly pissed with his remark. "I just met them."
"Serizawa Tamao," Hiromi continued. "The king of beasts, one of the most feared men not only in Suzuran but in the whole city."
So that was it, Shiori thought. The unknown vibe that Tamao was giving off was having a caged animal inside him. Now, she was starting to gain the ability of putting a finger on the mystery.
"Did you just move here?" Shiori momentarily forgot that a crow was walking with her. "You look like a city girl to me."
"Is that all you ever do?" Shiori said, earning a curious glare from Hiromi. "Judge other people?"
"I'm just trying to have a talk with a beautiful city girl, what is so wrong with that?"
"Can you please stop calling me that?" Shiori didn't hide her anger at all, practically yelling at the boy whom he thought was just cute – now he was annoying, too.
"A girl should not yell like that," he retorted after taking a long drag.
"And a girl should not be bothered by some boy this late at night," Shiori and Hiromi slightly jumped at the voice coming from behind them. She immediately recognized whose it was.
They both stopped walking and looked at Tamao, who was staring, with his usual bored face, at Hiromi.
"Serizawa," Hiromi said, with a mocking tone. "Were you following this girl like I was, too?"
"This is my route," Tamao answered. "I'm not following anybody."
Shiori's heart sank. She knew being followed was inappropriate, but it seemed okay thinking about being followed by Tamao. What's wrong with me, Shiori mentally slapped her face.
"But you follow Takiya Genji, don't you now?" Hiromi was trying to piss the king of beasts off, but was failing miserably, basing on the consistent bored look on Tamao's face. "And I didn't know you actually had a house, poor boy."
Tamao remained calm and collected, obviously not bothered by the insults being thrown at him. "Go, Shiori-chan," Tamao stated, never breaking eye contact with Hiromi.
He remembers my name, she thought.
"Arigato gozaimasu, Tamao-san," Shiori said then ran off, leaving the two crows to deal with their crow business.
Shiori kept running, even if nobody was chasing her. She arrived at her hotel room with beads of sweat on her forehead and a seemingly endless panting.
She flopped herself on her bed and almost instantly, she fell asleep.
"What's the deal, Serizawa?" Hiromi asked, taking a step closer and almost standing face-to-face with Tamao. "This is your route, really? You don't live around this area, you lying bastard. You were following her."
"I don't think that's any of your business, little boy," Tamao retorted, ever so nonchalantly, creeping Hiromi out. "Since when did you know where I live, huh?"
For the first time since he first heard stories about Tamao, Hiromi started to grow scared of him. Even if he has seen him fight numerous times, he was just starting to figure out why he was called the king of beasts after all. It wasn't just for his strength, but how he handles situations as well. Serizawa Tamao sure was something else. "Ah-," Hiromi started to stutter. "I just guessed it."
"You guessed wrong, then," Tamao responded, consistent with his nonchalance. "Now go home."
Without any second thoughts, Hiromi slowly backed away from Tamao and eventually left the place.
Tamao only watched his back until he was out of sight. He stayed where he was, put his left hand into his pocket and threw the cigarette on his right hand that he had forgotten he was actually holding. Tamao smirked to himself, wondering why he was starting to act so strangely, then he made his way home.
That totally wasn't his route.