Demolition Act: Revised Edition
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Chapter Two :: Bleed
Shenzhen, China
Snow continued to fall throughout the streets of Hong Kong all the way to Shenzhen. The drift laid heavily on the dark streets as Syaoran and Meilin rode silently back to their home. The motorcycle ride was warm against Meilin's legs and cold against her arms. The thin jacket wasn't doing anything to keep her warm as she held on to her cousin's strong body. She was a lot warmer than he was, sitting behind him as he faced the harsh weather full on. She hadn't realized he came to her rescue on a motorcycle instead of a car—a borrowed motorcycle at that—until he passed her a helmet and waved at the bright pink vehicle. When she made a run for her life she had a car, parked illegally at the club, but a car nonetheless. The weather didn't permit motorcycles on the streets because of its icy domain, but Syaoran must have had to cut through communities too narrow for a car to pass through to get to her.
Glad he couldn't see her expression hidden beneath the helmet, she stared at the mounds of snow passing them by quickly. Twice the motorcycle screeched from an unexpected mound of melted snow covering an icy hole. Twice she feared her life as they rode on through the streets, hidden from view by the dark clouds and snow cover, the only sound coming from the loud muffler. Her body was exhausted and weak, the adrenaline of the flight-or-fight response spent. She was too weak to hold on to Syaoran and too weak to think clearly. As they rounded a corner, she tightened her hold on him instinctively. Death by reckless driving was not on her agenda tonight. Apartment buildings turned into stretched out properties huddled together by gates and trees protecting the expansive mansions. They were getting closer to home.
Managing a loose hug around his torso that was secure enough so she wouldn't fall, Meilin closed her eyes and dozed-off thinking about Sakura. She hadn't helped but noticed the poor state the girl was in. Her apartment hadn't been any better. Her memory remembered the lavender incense coating the cigarette stench, which coated the cat box. There had been no dishes in the sink and no trash lingering, but there had been dog food spread across the carpet next to the wall she had briefly hid behind, and a ripped magazine soiled by water. The animals looked healthy and strong, but to what cost? The fact that Sakura had a panic room made her think there was more to the girl than a protective animal front and poor apartment background. Her emerald orbs would forever haunt her, the lack of life in them made Meilin feel sorry for the girl.
Feeling sorry for strangers wasn't like Meilin. In fact, she usually ignored strangers unless she had to. If it hadn't been for Sakura and her pets, she would have been dead. The apartment complex with its broken down elevator, no emergency exit, and lack of neighborly hospitality had been a mistake and a blessing all wrapped up for the holidays. A few hours ago she would have been shot in an unknown area by three men—who disappeared—with no one the wiser. She'd forgotten her weapon and cell phone, leaving her defenseless in the worst way possible. It was only by chance that her cousin managed to find her, which she was going to find out the 'how' later.
Opening her eyes she took in the darkness covered by falling snow. The temperature continued to drop levels the further into the city they went, the lack of city pollution no longer keeping them warm. She could feel Syaoran's anger coming off him by the bunch of his muscles and knew there was no talking to him for a good half-a-day. That was fine by her, she had a plan to properly thank a certain person the Li way.
Hong Kong, China
Her stomach growled angrily. Kero made a run for it, taken by surprise from the sudden thunderous roar from deep within her body. Sakura sighed, shifting her weight on the cold and damp lawn chair. Smoke rose in tendrils as she placed her untouched, but lit cigarette on the makeshift ashtray by her arm and stood, her arms finding the air in a long stretch. Since the incident last night she hadn't gone back to sleep and the result was physical. She hurt all over. Her landlord was furious for the shooting parade, but sympathetic that it wasn't her fault this time. Keyword: this time. Her head spun with her landlords angry spews about responsibility and moving out if it's too much to handle respect for neighbors. It's a safety issue too, she had said. Sakura rubbed a hand down her face, wanting the noise to leave her head. She knew it was a safety issue. That's why none of her neighbors came out to help the girl screaming for help.
Walking back into the warmth of her apartment, she was immediately hit the off stench of rotting tomatoes and stale cigarettes. Wincing and making a mental note to clean, she aimed for the kitchen in search of food. Her stomach growled once more with enough force to make her wonder if there was a lion living inside of her. As she roamed her tiny kitchen, bare feet cold against the tiled floor, she began feeding Kero and adding a little more food to Suppi's dish. Staring in wonder at the cat's dish, she carefully picked up pieces that missed the dish and glanced at the balcony. Suppi hadn't returned since letting him out—again—after the gun charades. Not wanting to feel anxious about her missing cat, she began searching for her cabinets and coming up empty. As if sensing the dread of empty cupboards, her stomach sent out another angry gurgle. Sighing, she went to the freezer and pulled out a few bucks and let the door slam shut.
She hated using her emergency cash, but food was food. It was survival. Heading for her closet she stared at the massive amount of clothing before choosing something warm and simple. Unlike her food cabinets, her closest was packed with clothing. Most of them came from her so-called friends and others came from her own pickings. Slipping into a long sleeve black shirt that hugged her body sensually, she moved to struggle with skinny jeans, only to stop and swear forgetting to put on clean under garments. After changing for the second time, she headed back to the patio for her forgotten cigarette. A smile spread across her face as her black cat peeked a head through the planters, meowing a greeting. Scratching his head, she began to snub out the already dead cigarette and grab her house keys.
"Just food," she told no one as she headed for the door. Flashing brightly was the number three, illuminating the dark corner of her counter. Curious, she pressed the button in passing as she slipped on her snow boots.
Kero immediately started growling as a male voice spoke through the tiny speakers, giving her details on a job she neglected to do last week, but still had the chance to complete. A frown creased her mouth as the price for the job dropped. As that message came and went, Kero went silent as her landlord began giving her instructions about rent money by the end of the week—two weeks ahead of normal payment. Why? Because she endangered the apartment complex last night and if she wanted a place to stay then she needed to pay. Shaking her head, Sakura opened the front door just as the third message blared loudly with a mix of club music and sirens.
"Saku, Saku…you have to be there! I need you to lend me fifty before tonight, it's important. No it's not for the drugs; it's for the debt I have with Hiroshi. I only need fifty more before I'm good. Please…? If you do this for me, I'll totally treat you to anything you want. Just not food, I had a bad encounter with it yesterday and not in the mood for another one. Loves."
Sakura sighed, going back to the freezer to get the extra money. She really hated helping her friends out when they had debts, but she wasn't the kind of person to say no. In fact, she wished she was that kind of person. Pocketing the extra cash in a separate pocket, she gave Kero a smooch before saying, "Watch the door and don't let anyone in. I'll be home tonight."
Grateful for the quick and easy escape from the apartment, she wrapped her arms around her thin body to protect it against the freezing cold. A jacket would have been wise, but when was she wise? Not at the moment at least. Silently she bowed her head and walked silently through the lobby of her apartment, avoiding the eyes of people as they crossed her path. Her boots crunched against the fresh snow, occasionally sinking in a few feet more. As she rounded the corner someone said her name in a hoarse whisper. Frowning she looked up and around only to see her friend leaning against a buildings wall for support, arms wrapped around themselves in support or from the cold, Sakura didn't know. Opening her mouth in a greeting, she let out a whimper of surprise as her friend collapsed and ran to her, splashing slosh in her wake.
Shenzhen, China
"Damn-it, Syaoran. Why won't you talk to me?" Meilin seethed as she followed her cousin into the large, cold mansion they shared. "Just because I went into that bloody apartment complex, doesn't mean you can't talk to me. I mean, come on. You've been silent since we left." Stomping the wet snow from her boots, she stripped out of them and gingerly used the wall for support as she stripped out of her wet socks. It had rained down on them hard, not only was she wet, she was also numb to the core.
"Miss," one of the many servants they hired to maintain the mansion, approached cautiously, holding out a towel. Meilin took it and whirled on Syaoran who was already walking up the staircase centered in the middle of the foyer. Snow and mud followed in his wake. For a brief moment she stared after him, realizing just how mad he truly was. No one entered the mansion with mud. No one. If Yelan Li, his mother and the most powerful woman in China, saw him right now she would be livid. A chill ran down her spine at the thought, quickly allowing that one thread of thought to break her concentration.
"Should have just left me there then." she got out in one last attempt to rattle his demeanor.
It worked. "Because Meilin…" he turned around to face her once he was at the top of the staircase before it broke out into two sections of rooms. The anger wasn't written on his face, but she could feel it emitting off of him in waves. "You almost got killed along with that girl. A stranger. If it weren't for the gunshots, I wouldn't have been able to find you."
"Bullshit, Syaoran. You're mad about something else." Meilin's voice rose just an octave as she wiggled the numbness from her frozen toes. Again, he said nothing. Turning on a squelch of mud and ice, he went left towards his rooms.
In one loud scream that sent a maid scurrying in the opposite direction, Meilin stomped off the last of the damp rain from her body and went up the staircase. Lucky for her, her rooms were to the right and away from him. Everyone in the household was use to the outbursts, so while Meilin trudged the walk to her rooms, every servant in her wake stopped what they were doing and held on to valuables. In result, she slammed the door forcefully open and shut, rocking some of the artifacts that would have fallen if not for the extra support. Meilin was well-known for her temper and flare. She was also well-known for getting into heated arguments with her same-aged cousin. She was the one that their friends came to for help and the one her family kept in the shadows. She was also a loose cannon, but a cannon that got the job done.
Peeling off her damp halter top and stripping out of her pants, Meilin entered the adjourning bathroom. Flipping the light switch on, she reveled in the heater attached to the ceiling fan as it began to hum with life. Ruby-colored eyes took in the almost-clean room painted red and black, which matched her mood. The black granite counter top glittered with her mess from the night before and she winced, knowing none of the maids would willingly clean up her bathroom. Everything had a place and at the moment, none of them were in its place. Ignoring the mess, she ran the sink until it was warm and snatched a towel from the hanger, quickly cleaning off her body glitter and smeared makeup roughly. She couldn't help but think she resembled of a dying clown. It was probably the reason why Syaoran wasn't taking her seriously. With her hair in knots from the rain and wind, and her face melted like the snowman dead in the driveway, she wouldn't take her arguments seriously, either.
Face washed and hair combed, Meilin walked out of the bathroom and into her large room. A red-haired male sat on her queen-sized bed, one leg propped up on the other as he casually watched her with dark blue eyes. A smile spread across her face at the sight of the man of her dreams—her boyfriend. Standing up with a bounce of the mattress, he immediately wrapped his strong arms around her lithe frame and kissed her. Her smile spread wider as she took in his forest-scented aftershave and cologne, cold hands rolling up his leather jacket and under.
"I missed you," Meilin said before pulling away. Getting a good look at him, she checked for injuries that weren't there and checked for any sign that he had done something 'exciting' without her. Coming up with nothing, she gave him one more peck on the lips before heading to her closet.
"And I was worried about you. What happened last night?" he asked, returning to the spot on the bed as she disappeared inside.
"I got into some trouble after the club…" her muffled voice came back to him. Frowning, he stared at the closet with a dark look. In moments Meilin returned wearing a warm black shirt and pants. "Syaoran's mad at me because I tried to hide in an apartment complex blocks away from the club, putting people in danger, or rather one person. If it wasn't for my plan though I would have been dead."
"I would be mad too if I was there. Why didn't you call?" she frowned at him.
"Nu-uh, if anyone has the right to be mad, it's me." She crossed her arms, hip cocked as she eyed him. "You weren't there, Kyle. Neither was Syaoran. I went into the club to have fun and what happens? I find out there's a race going on without me and the losing team wants to make mincemeat of the first Li they find." He crossed the space between them, holding her arms with a gentle touch. "They blew up my motorcycle. I just got that baby fixed too."
"I'm sorry, Mei." He kissed her, easing her anger from her body. "Come on, Yuki wants to talk with us."
"Want to do something for me afterwards?" she asked automatically, making him narrow his blue orbs. "I need a ride to Hong Kong to take care of something."
"Let's go talk to Yuki first and then I'll think about it." Meilin grinned, knowing the true answer. Kissing him soundly, she pulled away and headed back to her closest to find dry boots.
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Syaoran Li stared at his snow-soaked body in a large crystal clear mirror. Brown eyes blinked back trickles of damp hair as he silently assessed the damage to his body. One long red mark ran down his collar bone to his shoulder, while a twin mark ran from his shoulder down to his elbow. The perpetrator had been a vehicle cheating to win a race. He'd been duped, though. Twice. He couldn't believe he allowed himself to get duped by a complete stranger. A stranger that went after his cousin right after. He couldn't have foreseen it, resulting in the guilt trip as he stared into the mirror. His muscles were sore and jaw bone bruised. The fall he'd taken hadn't been severe, but he was paying for it now. A pair of green eyes came to mind and a shiver ran down his spine, forcing him to physically shudder. Moving away from the mirror, he turned the shower head on. The water spurted a protest before running in a stream that was heated quickly. Steam rose as the cold enclosure became ambushed by the hot water.
The image of the girl in the apartment clouded his mind. He didn't want to be thinking about her. Not when he needed to figure out why three men had gone after his cousin for his folly. His cousin was right though, he was mad about something else. He just couldn't tell her even if she had the right to know. Meilin knew him well and that was the problem. If he told her the reason why she was ambushed for being at the club last night, she would turn around and gut him. Simple as that. Hot water scolded his skin and he shivered a second time, seeing a pair of green eyes in his minds-eye at that exact moment. Fist clenched, he hit the olive green tiled wall with enough force to crack a knuckle. Since the ride home her face continuously appeared. He didn't know why, but a part of him had wanted to stay there and be by her side. No matter how hard he tried, her face would appear. Coming up with scenarios for a race gone bad and she would appear. It was as if his mind was trying to ease away from the stress that was losing or the stress that was his cousin's life.
The bastards that cheated on a 500K race had gone after his cousin and here he was, letting hot water hit his sore body, and thinking about a brown-haired, green-eyed girl that saved Meilin before he could. Though, if it hadn't been for the barking dog and the black cat running for his life down the hallway, he wouldn't have been able to find Meilin at all. She'd hidden inside the girl's apartment. The two men firing gave it away, too. They weren't the same fools that raced him, but they were the same fools that helped cheat him out of a thousand dollars and a pink slip. Syaoran pounded another fist against the shower before grimacing at the sore spot. He couldn't believe the loss of such a short race. Meilin was going to have his ear for it once she found out. Then again, he had the right to fire back any anger on her. She had put an innocent girl in harm's way.
Sakura, he thought as he remembered the girl that helped keep his cousin safe. Shutting the shower off, he stood for a good minute inside the stall contemplating his next move. There was really only one thing he should be doing and it involved a green-eyed girl that continued to haunt his mind.
Hong Kong
The moment Sakura saw her friend collapse in the snow, she knew something was wrong. People continued to walk by as if there was nothing amiss, but she knew there was something. A girl just doesn't collapse in the middle of the street for no reason. Sliding in the snow had been a mistake, but her friend hit the ground with an audible thump and she'd reacted quickly. Puffs of white came up as wet snow was disturbed. It soaked her pants instantly as she slid a few feet to her side. A car blared down the road and she whimpered as the cold bit at her exposed skin. Ignoring it all, Sakura brushed aside her friend's brown hair in order to check for a pulse or temperature. Her temperature was blazing hot despite the bundle of clothing and her pulse was faint, indicating a sickness that needed to be treated and quickly. Sakura couldn't help but suddenly become sick as she pushed aside her friend's hair and stared at the black and blue hand-printed bruise across her neck. Wondering if the injury was the cause for the collapse, she weakly got to her feet, and with enough strength to pass out on, lifted her friend up with her.
Kero began barking madly as she reentered the apartment, struggling hard with her friend. She wasn't light and the fact that she wasn't entirely conscious made it seem like she was dragging deadweight. The moment she dropped her friend onto the couch, the dog went silent and an odd feeling overcame her. Her friend had called less than a few hours ago asking for money, yet here she was, passed out, burning up, and harboring a bruise around her slender neck. Something had happened and for the second time, she'd brought it into her apartment. Friend or not, she didn't want any more people coming with guns and shooting up the place. Shaking off the feeling of dread, Sakura went to the kitchen to retrieve a wet rag. The moment she returned to her friend, she forced out a smile. Brown orbs brightened by life blinked at her from the comfort of a large yellow Chow licking her face.
"Hey," Sakura said as she calmly sat on her knees before her. The girl smiled before coughing, her body going at an odd angle as she tried to cover up. Blood began to slide out of her mouth and down her bottom lip. The silver piercing in the center of her lip gleamed with the red tint. Grimacing, Sakura wiped at the blood before meeting her friend's gaze. "Want to tell me what happened?"
"I didn't have the money in time." She said through another fit of coughing. "Hiroshi said the next time…I won't be so lucky."
"What did he do to you Chiharu? Where's Takashi?" She shook her head as she laid her head against the arm of the couch. Sakura laid the wet towel on her body, wondering it would do anything to help. It didn't.
"He didn't do much damage, especially to—he sort of missed it on purpose. I finally told him. I told Taka about the baby yesterday and he hasn't returned yet." Tears slid down her face as she rambled. Sakura leaned her head against Chiharu's forehead, staring into her blurry eyes. Chiharu's hot skin hade her mentally cringe at the contact and she knew deep down, they needed a doctor.
Unfortunately neither girl could afford one. "I'm positive that Takashi will be back, he loves you too much to not return." Sakura pulled away and leaned on her heels, coffee table pressing into her back. "As for Hiroshi, forget about him, forget everything. You and me…and this baby…we're leaving this bloody place." Chiharu forced a smile as she embraced her friend awkwardly. Sakura hugged her back, processing her own words. "Listen, I have some stuff to do. Stay here, rest, and I'll return with some food."
"What if he calls? Don't you have a job to do still?" Sakura shook her head, standing up. She thought of the last voicemail she heard, but said nothing. She wasn't going to do that job.
"Don't worry, I'll deal with him when it comes." Glancing at her dog, she rested a hand on his head and forced out a smile weakly at her friend. "Kero will watch over you. Don't answer the phone or at least wait until the answering machine gets it and then debate if you want to answer it." A forced smile appeared on her face before she walked away. "I'll be back." Chiharu barely nodded her head before she shut and locked the door behind her. Leaning her back against it, she balled up her fists and stared at nothing. Damn-it all Hiroshi, no more games.
Anger rose inside of her as she walked the length of the hall to the elevator. Anxiety overrode that anger as she enclosed space rattled and rumbled to the bottom floor. The temptation to attack the never-ending elevator with its broken buttons and burnt handrail became a new sensation, even as she exited and walked willingly into the now pouring sleet. Sakura wrapped her arms around herself as she lowered her head, staring at the muddy ground. She'd lost her appetite with all the emotions riding her system. She'd lost her patience, as well. Lifting her head up to cross the street, she made a dash for the next corner and froze. In all her anger, she'd forgotten she hadn't wanted to go towards the upper class city. Sighing, she continued on knowing it was futile to walk back.
Her apartment complex was in the center of two cities, upper class and lower class. Upper class held the pharmacy and convenient stores with outstanding supplies that she could never afford. Lower class held the opposite, plus some. Puzzling over the difference in the two directions made her head pound. Licking chapped lips, Sakura stared ahead at the upcoming store. The same store she'd stolen the pack of lighters from yesterday. At the memory, she dug into her back pocket and pulled out a cigarette with ease. Her fingers were slick with drops of snow, making it hard to light the cigarette. Once it was done, she took a hard drag from it, feeling the nicotine hit. Bliss, even if it was bad for her health.
She didn't know if it was the anger from knowing her friend had been harmed or newly found confidence from her decision to find an escape, but she approached the store without hesitation despite having just stolen a product from it. The cold air bit at her skin as she took another long drag from her cigarette, letting the smoke leave chapped lips. The rain had stopped falling, but the snow continued to drop down like little white dots. Her body shook with the cold, but for some reason she paid no mind. Stopping in front of the glass doors, she stared at the aisles and merchandise, mentally doing a list for the items she needed. As she stood there finishing her cigarette, an elderly couple stepped out of the warm store and stared at her. Sakura wasn't sure if it was because she looked like hell or because she had no extra jacket on.
It could have been the latter. She was standing in the snow with only a thin layer of clothing, boots, and no jacket. Her hair hadn't been brushed and her face more than likely had a dirt smudge from when she dropped her body in the snow for Chiharu. Bowing her head in respect to the elderly couple, she grounded out her cigarette and stepped into the warmth of the store. Immediately her nose tingled and body shook with the change of temperature. The doors shut behind her immediately, locking away the cold afternoon air. Stomping the mud and snow from her boots before fully entering the store, Sakura looked around for the cashier she'd ran from. Immediately they locked eyes and Sakura smiled, putting on her best "I didn't do it," face and walked confidently towards the pharmacy section.
As expected, the girl followed her from a safe distance. Sakura couldn't help but scoff at her stupidity for leaving the register. If she had someone with her, they would have stolen the cash in seconds. Lucky for the store, she wasn't in the mood to steal anything. The cash in her pocket was a heavy reminder she was doing this for Chiharu. She couldn't afford to get caught for being stupid. Giving the girl a show, Sakura stayed in view of the cameras as she pulled ointment and bandages before merrily walking to the register. The girl came around the counter, eyes darkening as she took in Sakura's cold, wet look before breathing a comment under her breath. Lip twitching, Sakura smiled at the girl and the camera and slapped down a bill. The moment she left, she knew the girl was having a mental breakdown—too bad, so sad—Sakura made a mental note to never walk back into that particular store again.
A bus unloaded more than a dozen riders. Sakura weaved around the crowd, getting wet from puddles in the process. Little by little she was becoming colder and wishing she wore a jacket. A few passers stared at her as she tucked her bag under one arm and awkwardly weaved her knotted hair into a bun, tying it together with her own strands. Her hair was long this time of year, reaching just passed her waist line. Once upon a time she used to do it for a reason, wanting the extra warmth as winter became colder. Now, she just didn't have the time or patience to chop off her hair. On top of being lazy, her long hair was a part of her job. Hiroshi preferred her to have long hair, it helped with the client's desires—not in a sexual way—but to see that she was female. One client in particular loved to play with her hair. She got paid for him to play with her hair. Weird much, but it was true and it was money. It was also the only client that didn't want her to transport illegal products or steal something, which was fine by her.
The cross-walk blinked red as it began its countdown from five. Holding onto her bag tightly, she made a mad dash across the large lane. Cars blared, people stared, and she ignored it all as she jumped over a mound of pushed up snow and slid ten feet until she hit a brick wall. Laughing, heart racing madly against her chest from the exhilaration, she moved onto the next store in search of food. A restaurant across the way burned with grilled meat and her stomach turned, growling in anticipation for fuel. Next door to them stood an opened ramen shop, steam billowing from steaming pots. A crowd had gathered around to brace from the snow, ordering food to go while some sat and chattered to their company. Sakura paused in her walk as she stared at the happy atmosphere. Winter brought cheer, love, and peace amongst strangers and family alike. After the holidays, everyone seemed to breathe easier as the year came to a crawling end.
Snow continued to fall from the darkening clouds, gaining strength as time drew on. Eyes closed, Sakura lifted her face up to the sky. Droplets of snow hit her face and dripped down as ice. Her already numb face became even colder with each drop of frozen ice. Opening her eyes, she stared at the thick clouds of white and black. China was all she knew and yet she wanted to leave like she promised Chiharu. Five years ago she woke up in a hospital with no memory. The doctors had said her medical bills were paid for by strangers, but there had been no name or number for her to contact. The only information they had was her name and birthday. Amnesia had hit her hard, leaving her with no memory of family or friends. All she knew was now. If she moved her world after building it, she didn't know if she'd be able to pick back up a third time.
A hard smack against her arm sent her bag flying. Swearing as a man continued to hobble away drunkenly, Sakura gathered her wits and snatched her bag back up. Licking her dry lips, she tucked her arms around herself and cross the street once again. The grocery store opened and shut its door. The warmth that enveloped her now made her skin crawl and she stomped until her feet were clean of snow. As usual, she was stared down like a hawk by the old man. He knew her and knew what she was capable of doing. Flipping him off when he wasn't looking, she made her way down the aisles in a squeak of boots.
"Sakura…?" she whirled at her name and nearly fell over from the slick of her boots. Standing at the far end of the frozen aisle was Chiharu's boyfriend. He wore a dark blue hooded sweater and dirty jeans. His gaze was dark, but his smile was genuine.
"Takashi what the hell are you doing here. Chiharu's worried about you." He shook his head, walking towards her.
"Where is she?" he asked instead. His voice cracked and she tensed. Up close, she could see the whites of his eyes were tinted red from lack of sleep and his body odor told her other stories.
"She's safe. What happened to you?" Takashi looked around nervously before pulling her towards the back of the store and away from the security cameras. Sakura tugged back her arm and glared. "Hey. I'm not playing games. Chiharu was hurt. She's bleeding and probably starving. What the hell—?"
"Do me a favor and keep Chiharu at your place. Just until I—," another shadow loomed over their own and he swore, turning around just as an arm came up pulling Takashi away from her. He smashed into the soda shelf, sending liters of bottles to the ground in a hissing tumble. Sakura squeaked and whirled to stare wide-eyed at the attacker. Wearing black jeans and matching sweatshirt was the very person she wanted to get away from. Hiroshi Sakimoto.
"Hiroshi," she bit out. He turned away from the fallen Takashi and stared at her. His olive green eyes were dark against the red ring circling them and she knew from his stare, he was getting over a dose of his favorite drug. She knew from experience nothing good ever came from him when he was in that state. "What are you doing?" she asked carefully. He continued to stare at her, as if he wasn't registering that it was her standing before him. He took a step towards her, forcing her back until she was pressed against the cold freezer.
"Sakura…" Takashi lowly choked out. Only inches from her, Hiroshi turned and smirked as he struggled to get to his feet. Soda sizzled and hissed form a bottle smashed from Takashi's weight. Black and white liquid marked the once pristine ground as liquid dripped from other containers. "Get away…from her…you jack ass!" Takashi lunged, his fist coming down in a high arch. It connected loudly with Hiroshi's jaw. Sakura winced at the impact as she cowered not wanting to get hit. Blood began to well up on his bottom lip. Cockily, Hiroshi licked it with one eye on Takashi before spitting.
"I was going to let you and your girlfriend off the hook, but you're just asking for a beating now, Yamazaki." Hiroshi drew a breath and wiped his bleeding lip. In one move he rammed his whole body into Takashi, taking them both out and into the soda shelf. The impact forced them to fly a few inches before slipping and sliding in the sticky mess. Sakura went forward then, trying to pull Hiroshi off the struggling Takashi. He back handed her, making her fall to the ground painfully. A groan escaped her lips as she hit head first onto the tiled floor. Takashi took his chance and kicked Hiroshi off of him, struggling to get to his feet and to Sakura's side.
"Behind you!" she yelled seconds before Hiroshi took Takashi around the waist and slammed him against one of the freezers. The glass cracked in a spider-web effect and shattered as he slid to the ground, blood sliding along with him. For a split second, she was frozen in place with eyes wide. The shattering glass rung in her eyes like an echo. For a split second, she didn't know what to do. Then as if she was hit, she crawled desperately to his side only to be yanked back by her hair and up.
A hot breath was against her ear as a hand wrapped around her neck, forcing her still. "You're next bitch," Hiroshi seethed. She bit down on her lower lip to keep from screaming out, hands holding his from squeezing any tighter. His breath smelt badly of alcohol and smoke, his dark clothing reeking of vomit. "I'm going to enjoy every bit of your pain."
She had nothing to say to that. What was there to say? His hand moved away from her neck and trailed down her shirt. Sakura closed her eyes and waited for the worst to happen. With Takashi slumped on the ground bleeding from a head wound, she didn't think anyone was going to help her. Not now. She hadn't seen or heard anyone else in the store when she entered. She couldn't fight back, not with her head pounding from her own tumble and no food in her system. As his hand came away from her body, she felt a whoosh of air followed closely by a crash as a body hit a shelf. Taken by surprise, she opened her eyes and stared at Hiroshi slumped against the already abused soda shelf. One can sprayed its contents at his feet as another sprayed in the opposite direction. Frightened, she turned her head too fast and met with a pair of intense, angry blue eyes with long red hair.
She didn't know whether to thank him or scream. His blue eyes were intensely dark with a fiery anger she knew all too well. It wasn't until she realized he wasn't even looking at her and saying something to another person, did Sakura remember Takashi. Vertigo hit as she whirled around again. "Takashi…!" she breathed out in relief as he stared blurry-eyed at nothing and everything. "Takashi…are you alright?" she asked as she carefully poked and probed him. He managed a weak smile, turning his head to look at her and stopping.
"She's having my child," was what came out in a whisper. His eyes closed then and she panicked. Her hand shot out to his chest until she felt his pulse, relaxing only when she found it. It was faint, but it was there.
"He needs to get to a hospital." a female said calmly. Sakura recognized the voice without looking at her. Shaking her head, she got to her feet one shaky foot at a time.
"They'll ask questions and take his blood. He's not exactly clean for safety." She finally met the gaze of the red-eyed girl from last night. "I can clean his wound, I've done it before. Besides, his girlfriend's there waiting for me."
Meilin shrugged her shoulders, a look of doubt on her expression. "I wish I would have known it was you walking in here. I could have prevented your friend from getting injured." It was odd to here, but Sakura knew from the girl's expression she meant it. "Now we're even," she winked.
"This is the girl from last night?" the guy behind her spoke and Meilin nodded. "Meilin are you—?"
"Finish that statement and you're sleeping alone tonight." She warned him. To Sakura she said, "Let us take you home. It's the least I can do. Kyle can carry your friend out with no troubles."
"Thank you," the smile she wore for the first time since—she didn't even know—was genuine and with it came a feeling in her gut she hadn't felt since losing her memory five years ago.
To be continued…
