My oh my, this fanfic is turning out to be very Chad-centered… hope no one is disappointed ^^"
Chapter 2: Encounter
Chad was patrolling Dragon territory. The threatening power lurking just slightly underneath the surface of his calm strides seemed unbelievable, even to himself, as his inward thoughts brooded over that very morning's weakness.
Sudden onsets of pain in his chest were fairly normal, but he still barely had any sort of warning beforehand. If it had happened any earlier, the Jackal gang goons might have had a party last night.
He smirked. But then again, that very risk had been his initial reason for fighting on the streets. Freedom from the repressive lifestyle, the suffocating lifestyle his rich parents imposed on him as a childhood.
He kicked a stray can out of his way.
He had been a sick weakly kid. Restrained from sports by numerous doctors, moving here and there to meet this doctor and that doctor.
A weak heart… The doctors were never sure what the cause was…
His childhood memories consisted of doctors, hospitals, and being bullied. By the time he was old enough to consider rebellion, the tension within was ready to explode. He left his "home". His parents didn't even realize until a week after: the day of his next doctor's appointment. For about a month Chad occasionally glimpsed the tiny advertising for "Chad Holdenford," before they miraculously "found him" (a.k.a. conveniently replaced him).
He took to a new name on the street, and thus Jin became known and feared in the shadier neighborhoods. The past few years he was the main man of the Dragon gang, boosting its power and territory to become the largest in the area. The only rival worth mentioning, the Jackal gang, had numerous pathetic but ambitious weaklings; a worthy rival only worthy because of their leader, his loyal sidekick, and sheer numbers.
But gang life and gang matters were starting to become trivial. Chad had freedom, but his freedom was empty.
Chad paused as he saw Keys dart behind a wall and peer around its corner. Keys was a pale-faced lanky guy with a mop of sooty hair who loved sweets. Even now as he peeked around the corner after some unknown prey, Chad could see the small thin round white stick of a lollipop sticking out from the side of his mouth. What his real name was, nobody in the Dragon gang remembered. His nimble hands at breaking open safes and picking locks had landed him his name. Chad could see those nimble hands twitching nervously.
His curiosity peaked, Chad joined Keys' side. Keys squeaked and attempted to nonchalantly suck on his lollipop.
"Whatcha after Keys?"
"Nothing," Keys muttered in his whispery thin voice, his fingers twitching nervously.
A sudden breeze carrying the faint scent of sakura blossoms rushed past, startling Chad. He stared dazedly after the long raven-black hair of the white-sleeved shrine maiden that had passed by. The tear-filled angry dark eyes remained imprinted in his memory.
"Nothing eh?" Chad whispered back as his eyes continued to follow what Keys had been stalking. "If that's nothing, then I'm sure you don't mind me taking it."
Chad's feet were already unconsciously following the girl, and he shook himself from his stupor and followed quickly.
Keys sighed gloomily and sulked, surrendering his prey to the greater predator.
Chad couldn't stop following her.
What is a girl… like her doing here?
One warning glare from him scared off the few other contestants that came close, but anger and disgust filled him at the thought of him not being there. She was like meat for the wolves. If he hadn't spotted Keys following her, then what would've become of her?
But who is to say that you aren't a wolf too?
Chad grinned ironically to himself. A stalker calling other stalkers monstrous and disgusting?
He stopped.
The girl had exited the last alleyway into the broad street right in front of a hospital. She hurried in the automatic sliding glass doors and disappeared among the throngs of people.
The urge to rush into the hospital doors and find her welled up, but instead he waited.
A couple of hours later his wait was rewarded when the girl came out, supporting a short old man. She scolded him roundly, her face flushed. The old man's head was bowed meekly, as he allowed her to drag him along. Her body movement radiated with anger, but those eyes…
Relief and love… he must be her father or grandfather.
Before Chad realized it, he had followed them all the way to a hill covered with blossoming sakura. The petals floated about in the wind, landing in her hair. They disappeared into the shrine. Chad barely managed to stop himself from following them in. He stared longingly at the closed paper door of the shrine when a squawk startled him. Two ravens were coming toward him. He stumbled back, startled, and one of them landed on his outstretched arm while the other landed on his head. Chad stood stock still, too surprised and in disbelief than to do anything more than blink at the raven on his arm. The raven on his arm blinked its beady eyes back at him and cocked its head curiously, as if surveying him. The other raven continued to squawk indignantly from on top of Chad's head.
"Phobos? Deimos? Who is it?" Came the girl's voice from within.
Chad bolted behind the trunk of the nearest tree. The two ravens took flight, startled by their moving perch, and settled on the outstretched arms of the girl.
Her eyes swept the area, and for a moment his heart pounded as he felt her sharp gaze pass over his tree. He slumped to the ground in relief at the sound of the paper door sliding shut.
Why am I hiding from her?
He didn't know. He knew one thing for sure though. The Dragon Gang would be losing a member in the very near future.