Midnight City by M83
Midnight City by M83
Midnight City by M83
Han's POV
I woke up to find myself alone. This seemed to be a reoccurring event whenever I was with Meiko, if that was actually her name. The events from yesterday played again in my head. From Mei seeing me with the models, some man named Kai making her cry, and the last thing I remember was telling Mei she was beautiful. I unbuttoned the dress shirt from last night, catching a whiff of her floral scented perfume still lingering in the collar area. Standing up, I realized it was a bad idea. My head was pounding from a hangover.
Squinting at the clock, it was about two in the afternoon. It was then that I noticed a bottle of water with a few aspirin next to it on the coffee table. Alongside it was a note in what I assumed was Meiko's bubbly handwriting.
It'll alleviate your hangover.
Remember to eat lots of carbs.
Thanks for yesterday.
- Mei
Meiko's POV
We were still working on teaching Sean to drift when Han came down. His hair was still damp from the shower he took when he stepped out. I caught his eye, silently pleading for him not to bring up the night before. He seemed to understand, nodding, as if nothing happened. Sean was getting a lot better, and there was a way that Han looked to prove it.
"Twink! I'm gonna grab another set!" Sean yelled to Twinkie, reading a car magazine. He nonchalantly waved him off at first until he processed the words in his head.
"Whoa whoa whoa, hold up! Another set?! Chill with it, man. That was your third set today! Tires don't come cheap, Sean!"
Tires screeched as a few cars pulled up from a distance near us. It was Takashi and his crew. Han instantly went up to Takashi,
"Grab a chair, DK. We're about to roast some marshmallows." He said light-heartedly.
But Takashi pushed right past him, taking purposeful steps towards Sean. I held my breath, holding a hand to my mouth as Takashi repeatedly threw heavy punches at Sean, relentlessly till he was beaten to a bloody pulp, literally. Stepping back, I look around at anyone who would stop him. I caught Morimoto's eyes but the look on his face said that I shouldn't intervene.
"Stay away from her." He whispered to Sean, "Or the only thing you'll be driving… Is a wheelchair. Wakata ka?"
Pushing past Twinkie, he glared at Han, "Find yourself a new driver."
He then strode back towards me.
"Come with me, we need to talk."
I looked helplessly at Sean, my instincts as a nurse kicked in, I desperately wanting to patch him up and wrap bandages around his wounds. Glancing at Takashi and Morimoto, they both gave a firm shake of their head. I sighed, giving an apologizing look to everybody as I slid into Takashi's car, with him slamming the door next to me. What an odd time for him to be a gentleman, after beating a man to a pulp. Very gentlemanly. Swiftly turning around, the crew all made their way out of the lot.
"I'm alright," Sean muttered, spitting the blood from his mouth.
Han scoffed, "What'd you expect? You didn't just play with fire, you soaked the matches in gasoline."
"So what happened back there, Kashi?"
He exhaled heavily through his nose, "One of my men saw them intimately having dinner yesterday. She had the audacity to tell me it was over, that I had changed." He slammed the wheel fiercely, making a wide turn back to the hideout. Turning to me in his seat, "Have I really changed so much to the point where she hates me, Mei?"
Meiko smiled sadly at him, gently massaging his shoulder, and took a deep breath.
"Kashi, you're just trying to please too many people at once. You're stretching yourself thin. And it just so happens that you're a fiery person, and when you're at your limits, you tend to take it out on Neela. She just has needs too. I don't think it's anything against you personally, Takashi. When she needed room to breathe, you didn't let her. When you keep someone as free-spirited as Neela caged like that, the harder they fight to escape. Sean was the first person to not really know who she was and respect her for it. She's so used to people in the Yakuza not speaking to her out of fear of you that something so novel like Sean interested her. It's not you, it's not her. Sometimes, things just fall apart, timing, personality differences, and what always happens, life."
He seemed thoughtful for a moment, shaking his head.
"I feel bad, Mei. Neela, she means a lot to me. She just – she's so frustrating. I nearly hit her. I was almost like … Kai." He instantly turned to Mei and winced, he knew that mentioning his name wasn't the best idea.
"He's back, you know. Kai. He's back. Yesterday. He was at Han's club. And he- he told me to go back to work for them or else I'd regret it." Meiko whispered, slowly leaning back into her seat, not caring that his name was mentioned.
"Mei, he won't be able to do anything to you. Yakuza's protecting you. I am protecting you. You know I would put my life on the line for you."
"That's exactly the problem, Kashi. I know that, he knows that. The Triads know that. I don't want anyone getting hurt. I just want you all to be safe."
Two week later, Takashi and Meiko were still arguing about Kai and the Triads. They argued on their way up to the Yakuza hideout atop of the pachinko arcades. Takashi had slumped back into his chair as Meiko went to go make tea. Before long, it spread like wildfire that Kamata was downstairs. The lower ranks rushed out, the higher ranks standing in line as Takashi tidied up the place, grabbing his reports.
As Kamata stepped into the office, everyone bowed respectfully before exiting the office, leaving only Meiko and Takashi to be with Kamata.
"I was just about to see you, Oji-san."
Placing an arm on Takashi's shoulder, he smiles, "Have you been well?"
"Yes. Here's last week's take."
"Oji-san" Takashi murmured, bowing to Kamata; holding the report out for him, only for Kamata to walk pass him, not acknowledging him.
"Business good lately, Takashi?"
"Hai, please. Sit, uncle."
As Kamata eased into the armchair behind the table, Meiko appeared, placing a cup of hot tea near him.
"I remembered your favorite tea, uncle."
He smiled at Meiko, "Good girl." She grew to be a daughter of sorts to him and he treated her as such. "I've heard from my men that Kai and the Triads are back. You say the word, and I can have the entire gang eliminated." He promised, glancing up at her, he was glad to see a determined look on her face.
"I do not scare easy, Oji-san. You have taught me that we only fear what we do not understand. I understand their workings, one must always be swifter than the opponent's mind." Bowing, she gestured to the tea. As she got up, she smiled widely upon seeing his proud look. Immediately, she pranced over, hugging Kamata tightly. It was rare that Kamata allowed such a blatant display of emotion, but he had a soft spot for Meiko. Such displays were brief whenever it happened. Even Takashi had to smile slightly. Patting her back, Kamata chuckled.
"There, there. I'll be out soon. I just need to talk about some business with Takashi."
Nodding, she quickly shot a worried glance to Takashi. Meiko was usually there for business discussions; Kamata respected her opinions enough to have her included. For her to be kicked out was odd, and nerve-wracking, for Takashi, anyway.
Meiko's POV
Kamata exited the office alone. This was odd, normally, Takashi would escort him out. But I only saw Takashi's back. Kamata smiled at me, patting my cheek before leaving the premises. Rushing into the office, I instantly see Takashi looking pissed as hell, his eyes slightly watering.
"Han's been stealing from me."
"What? Are you sure?" I didn't even have time to comprehend the thought; Takashi was already dragging me to his car.
"We're going to find out now."
And we sped off to Han's garage. I really hoped he didn't steal money from Takashi, I really do. But I had a feeling that I was wrong. As we approached, we definitely made an entrance. Tires squealed from every direction, causing everyone from the garage to look out to see what the commotion was about. Takashi stormed out with Morimoto in tow, and a few other men flanking my back.
"Hey, brotha" Han said airily, to be met with a punch across the face from Takashi.
"I vouched for you! I put my reputation on the line for you! We were partners! You think you can keep your side deals from me?"
Han quickly shoved him off, "This ain't the boy scouts, it's what we do."
"Takashi!" Neela yelled.
My heart dropped. This just made everything ten times worse. Takashi looked torn between betrayed, confused, angry and taken aback. When Sean followed closely behind her, I knew things weren't going to end well. Takashi proved it by pulling out his gun.
"This is what we do, huh?" He snarled, pointing the gun at Han's head.
"You need me. You'd still be shaking down tea houses for chump change if it wasn't for me." Han said steadily. I could tell he was trying not to shake, to keep his composure. Takashi saw straight through it, angering him even further, cocking his gun. I ran in front of him, trying to get him to put the gun down.
"Kashi, yamete." I whisper, the gun now pointed directly at my temple. I know he would never shoot me, but everyone else was free game. Someone else pulled the lever to lower the gates, causing everyone to duck, heading in different directions. During the confusion, one of the men pulled his trigger, effectively putting a bullet into my stomach. Everyone ran for cover from the noise of the gunshot.
Meiko quickly collapsed onto the door of Han's car, blood leaking from her stomach. Hitting her head on the door handle made her wince, sucking in her breath. The man that shot Meiko tried shooting at her again, narrowly missing Han.
"Regards from Kai."
He laughed, trying to make a run for it. Enraged, Morimoto grabbed his gun, shooting at the faux gang member. He emptied his gun, putting several bullets into the man, cleanly piercing most of his vital organs. Realizing his gun was empty and the perpetrator dead, he rushed towards Meiko.
Three men surrounded Meiko; Takashi, Morimoto and Han. Han couldn't even get close before Takashi slugged him again.
"It isn't your place to worry. Stay away from Mei." He snapped.
He tore off the sleeve of his shirt; Morimoto cradled Meiko to lightly lift her from the ground as Takashi wrapped the fabric tightly around her lithe frame to stop the bleeding. With one last menacing look at Han, Takashi lifted her up bridal style, away from Han's garage and into his car to the hospital.
"I'm so sorry, Mei. You're going to be fine." Takashi whispered to Mei as he went to drifting speeds on the highway, saying it more so to reassure himself than her.
"I'm sorry I'm getting blood all over your seats. I'll get you new ones when my body isn't leaking. Heh." She laughed sarcastically, trying not to wince and further worry Takashi. He couldn't help but laugh. Even when she was in such a state, she still tried to lighten the situation.
Han's POV
Takashi had discovered his side deals, some guy shot Meiko and now she's in the hospital. Were it not for him stealing Takashi's money, Meiko would not have been with him, the man would not have shot Meiko there and she would not have been hurt. Fuck. This was his fault entirely.
Everyone in the garage was at a lost. Everything happened so fast. Neela immediately broke down crying in Sean's arms, fully understanding the brevity of the situation. In a way, Meiko had saved everybody. When Takashi held that gun out, he had no problem shooting everyone in the garage. It was Meiko that stopped him from shooting Han, preventing everyone from losing a father figure, and a place to stay. Reiko leaned back into Earl, trying to process everything that happened. Taking a deep breath, she stomped down the stairs to stand directly in front of Han, arms crossed.
"You better make sure Meiko is ok. If not, I won't ever forgive you."
Han slumped down to the floor, throwing the wrench he held in his hands to the side.
SamWarrior – Thanks! You'll just have to keep reading to find out more! Really? What does the name Kai remind you of? :o
Spirit Kiss – Yes, she does! You'll find out who he is in the next chapter! ;)
Lady OD – Yay! That line has a lot to do with what's in the next chapter!
Nikki-Nieu – Yup! Finally, right?
AUTHOR'S NOTE
I'm so excited for you guys to read Chapter 8, there's a lot going into that chapter. A lot of questions will be answered, so stay tuned! Anyway, please please please review! I'm taking suggestions such as what you guys would want to happen in the story, certain scenes, and everything in between. I really appreciate any ideas and input you guys have! The more reviews, the faster Chapter 8 gets put up!
And an extra question, do you feel that adding song titles/artists help with the story?
