Chp 7: Living on the Edge

Kouta had chosen a pretty interesting dive to go to on the fourth night in a row they were hanging out. It was a heavily Chinese-themed place called "The Den of Qin", decorated with elaborate representations of the country's older culture, specifically the commissioner of the famous Terracotta Warriors, and where they gave you a drink in a cup made of fake jade.

"Hey, Itogara-kun."

Speaking of fake, Ryu thought as he turned towards his date for that night, a lady of 21 named Haruka Gozen. She leaned towards him with her cat-like eyes and blew another puff of cigarette smoke to the side. The move served to expose a bit more cleavage from her tank yes, they were definitely fake…big, but still as fake as the blood in a b-class movie.

"You're being quiet again." She pointed out.

"Well then give us something to talk about." He suggested with a smirk.

"Kouta-san says you play guitar?" She responded. He nodded, and as if summoned the other member of Yuurei came charging up.

"I tell you both, this is a fiiiine night to par-tay!" he declared loudly. The man looked at Ryu and Haruka.

"So how're you too love birds doing?" he went on. They both laughed.

"Can't you just see we're brimming with lust? I don't think I can hold back much longer" Ryu pointed out flippantly. Haruka laughed even more and threw her head back.

"Yeah, we've fallen in love so quickly! It must be a fairy tale come true!" She howled in agreement. Of course the humor wasn't received as planned.

"Itogara-san, you dog, you. Courting lovely ladies like that, huh?" he approved. The drummer threw his arm around the guitarist's, and it was even more apparent his breath was rank with alcohol. He and Haruka were only marginally less so.

"Listen, to seal the deal you gotta get close to her on the dance floor, maybe steal a kiss, and ask her if she'd like to go home with you." He said, probably loud enough for Haruka to hear what he'd said. She just laughed and toyed with the braid that snaked around from the back of her head and down her right shoulder.

"I can here you, Kouta-san." She told her friend. He looked at her with exaggerated surprise.

"Well I said it, not him." he shrugged with a grin. She left her seat and walked around to him. Despite her age, Ryu had the height advantage.

"He's such a lightweight." She said with a smile of faux exasperation.

"Oh I'm probably worse." Ryu admitted.

"Oh?" she observed.

"I've only gotten drunk three times, on booze my older friends got, of course. Two of the times I ran around shouting stuff like "Axel Rose can't sing for shit" and other things like that."

"And the third time?"

Ryu modified the truth on that one.

"Almost got into a bar fight. Staff broke it up."

Haruka hummed a reply and looked at the dance floor, where people were swaying and laughing to loud club music that Ryu couldn't (and didn't care to) recognize. The brunette's gaze swept towards him.

"You dance?" She asked, thinking about what Kouta had said.

"To a degree, don't do much of it though. Can't really dance to heavy metal." He replied. She grabbed his wrist and tugged him out of his seat.

"Come on, it'll be fun. Maybe you'll get that kiss." She assured with a playful wink. Ryu laughed.

"Alright, you got me."

The music was far from anything Ryu would ever listen. He absolutely hated most modern music, with very few notable (and highly classified) exceptions. He just mirrored Haruka's actions and occasionally others. Time marched on and they got closer to one another, and closer. Be it the crowded floor, the intoxication, or just a lack of caring, they did eventually kiss. Haruka jammed her tongue past Ryu's lips. He seized her and pulled her close. She pulled away and gazed at him thoughtfully before leaning towards him.

"Your place, NOW." She demanded into his ear with a shuddered breath.

He grabbed her and led them out of the club. He looked back at her and picked up speed, almost dragging her. She laughed and shouted for him to slow down. It felt nice. Who knew, maybe Kouta had managed to do something for Ryu's love life after all. They returned to the young man's hovel and quickly locked the door. Haruka tossed her top off in one direction and her shoes in another. She looked at the table and noted the firearm books.

"Are you a gun fanatic?" she almost scoffed, pointing a painted nail at the publications. A shirtless Ryu responded by twirling her around and pulling her close.

"No, I'm an international hitman who hides under the disguise of a teenage guitarist. They've trained me since I was old enough to walk, and those are like my holy texts." He said in a theatrically dark voice. Haruka giggled in delight at the joke.

"My, my, you must be a regular James Bond." She observed.

"I ravish dozens of beautiful women across the world when I'm not hunting down my targets. The mere mention of my name makes them desire me." He went on.

"Oh dear, you sound like a dangerous man." She said in mock surprise.

"Oh believe me, I'm very deadly." He promised.

Ryu had recently reached a point where he wasn't as nervous anymore, and he'd also come to the conclusion, from himself and Daisuke, city folk were almost obsessed with sex. Haruka wasn't exactly a childhood friend, but he felt relaxed enough around her, and just buzzed enough that his nerves were calmed (at other times he'd been fully aware and sober). It mixed with his smart-ass sense of cracking jokes, and it worked well in his favor. The funniest thing was, he wasn't entirely joking. Yeah, he wasn't an assassin, but he was learning just how to use a firearm, and he was finding the machines even more fascinating.

But now Haruka's body and attitude enticed him more. He took her to his bed and pinned her down. They kissed madly and the last thing Ryu recalled before plunging his room into darkness and been Haruka burying his face in her chest…

When he came to, or at least was feeling more alert, Ryu was on his back, arms spread out like he was crucified. He stared at the ceiling for a while, feeling the older woman curled up against him. Things were still a blur, and all he remembered were a few details of how they'd gone from the bar to his bed. For some reason she'd called him "James Bond" or something…

She was the first girl he'd slept with since Natsuyo, that mysterious young prostitute. Compared to Natsuyo, Haruka had been much faster, less teasing him about being slow or vanilla in tastes and more just enthusiastic to do it. Compared to Haruka, Natsuyo was still a mystery for the most part. Compared to Natsuyo, Haruka might be interested in an actual relationship.

Natsuyo…why was she still on his mind? She was a prostitute, a girl who sold her body to make a living. Ryu was just another customer among many, probably only notable for acting like an awkward teenage virgin. He was slightly relieved he'd been different with Haruka, less inhibited by fermented beverage too. He could feel a very dull pain hovering somewhere behind his eyes.

"Hrrrngh."

He sat up a little and saw the brunette was stirring. She rolled over and almost fell off the bed before fully coming too and propping herself up to his eyes level.

"Morning." She greeted with a yawn.

"Morning." He replied.

"So…" He said after a moment.

"So What?" Haruka demanded. Ryu scratched the back of his unkempt hair.

"How…how was I?" he asked hesitantly, that nervousness returning in a small amount. She grinned and pecked his cheek.

"Not bad, I liked your little "hitman" joke." Haruka reported. So that's where the James Bond thing had come from…

"Yeah? You're turned on by assassins?" he chuckled, trying to regain his confidence.

"It was a new one for me, shows you have some tact too. Most guys just stare at my tits all the time hoping that we go back to my place or theirs, and they get to feel em up and not actually try to be sexy." she said.

"Well…no denying they're pretty big." Ryu said, glancing down at her still bare chest.

"Yeah, but you'd think they wouldn't get THAT caught up in them." She sighed. The woman looked at him.

"Thanks for not being like that." She added, straightening her hair a bit. He winked.

"Takes more than a large bust to get me in bed, but I'm not gonna lie I liked em."

Haruka smiled and almost leapt to her feet before she began to hum, picking up the pieces of clothing that'd been discarded in the space. She looked back at him as turned away and arched his back. She noted a few thin lines of reddened skin. She cleared her throat.

"Seems like I left a few marks."

"Huh?"

"Scratches, nothing that looks too bad though."

"Jeez, Haruka-san, you're a wild gal."

Ryu also dressed himself a bit more and he shared some of his food with her for breakfast before she went on her way. They talked more, and he learned she was an office worker who lived what she felt was a stable, ordinary life. She hoped to be in a more senior position and make lots of money. She asked Ryu more about himself, how he knew Kouta, his guitar skills. Ryu told her he worked for a pawn shop on the side. Finally they arrived at Yuurei.

"Kouta said you guys are trying for a record deal?" she asked as she slid back on her top.

"Well tried, King Records shot us down. We're hoping for a second chance but they're one of the biggest names in the business." Ryu shrugged, toying with a few strands of his un-wolftailed mane. She looked at him.

"For a guy who spent so many years learning to play, you don't sound very enthusiastic."

"Look at it this way. Imagine you spent years trying to show you're capable of being a business leader. You study all the aspects of the realm, learn everything, and show success in many low and mid-level places. Then you finally get a shot with a big company, like Honda, and they shoot you right down. Wouldn't you feel pissed and defeated?" He reasoned. She thought for a minute.

"Yeah, I would." She replied in a "how else would I feel?" tone.

"That's what happened for me. I still love playing, but it feels like it was all for naught at times." He told her.

"Well, if you ask me, it just means you should go at it again." Haruka declared, fixing her hair again.

Ryu jerked a thumb towards his apartment's bathroom and offered the use of his own hair brush. When she was ready and their little fling was at its conclusion, He walked her to the door and thanked her for a nice time before she left. She nodded and pulled out a slip of paper she jotted something down on when he'd been taking some Aspirin.

"Give me a call sometime if you wanna hook up again, James Bond." She purred, sliding the small note into his hand.

"It'll have to be after the scratches go away." he shot back. She grinned and walked out the door.

Ryu let out a breath as he shut out the world and walked back towards his kitchen table. He picked up his shirt and tossed it in the laundry basket sitting near his couch. He was quietly glad he kept the place as clean as he could (given it was already a slightly derelict hovel). He found his phone and opened it. Kouta had called twice, both last night. He brought up the more recent of the two and waited for the drummer to pick up.

"Urrrghhhhhh….what time is it?" a half-dead voice asked.

"It almost ten-thirty, Nakamura-san, and the entire world is awake except for you." Ryu said.

"Tell the world to kiss my foot." Kouta said. He fumbled with something in the background before continuing.

"So, did you sleep with her?" He asked.

"Why do you think we left?" Ryu replied.

"How was it?"

"Frantic."

"Details, I want details." He demanded.

"Come on man, you don't come bragging to me about your love life. Besides, I've done this thing before, four times including Gozen-san." Ryu said.

"Aw you're no fun…Anyways, you didn't forget that Shibatori-san called a meeting for today, right?"

"Yeah, same time?" the younger of the two asked.

"Same time, same place." His friend assured.

"Okay, I'll be there. I just gotta make sure I don't have to make any deliveries." Ryu said before parting ways. He changed numbers to Daisuke.

"Hey Itogara-san, I was just about to call you." The elder smuggler said in greeting.

"What a coincidence." Ryu observed flatly.

"Yup, two things. One: I've got a job for you, and two, we have an important meeting coming up that I think you could get some experience out of and prove you can handle carrying a concealed weapon with." Daisuke said.

"What's the meeting?" Ryu asked with interest.

"Some potential new clients are interested in our services, a group called the Yellow Scarves. Gang of some sort, not sure what to think of em just yet." His boss explained quickly. Ryu's face contorted in dislike. He wasn't fond of gangs, modern ones at least.

"What exactly will I do?"

"Well besides experience, I like to have backup when I meet people. We'll comb through the fine details tomorrow before shooting practice." He assured.

"You trust me enough not to foul up?" Ryu asked, genuinely surprised.

"Despite my early statements about your naïvetés, you're learning fast… almost scary fast. Plus like I said it isn't until next week so you can still train, and it's not like I'm expecting it to go south and we have to defend ourselves." He clarified. Ryu could tell he had little choice, but he wasn't about to complain.

"Okay, what's the job for today?" He asked.

"A pharmaceutical company needs some off the record documents delivered, and they're willing to pay a rather pretty penny. 11200 Yen."

"You don't have to tell me twice." Ryu agreed immediately…

"Here you are; one daily special platter." Simon announced as he set the collection of sushi before Ryu. The young man nodded gratefully and picked up a piece of spicy tuna with his chopsticks.

The teen had decided to eat and think before he met with the band, think about if he should stay with them or make the deeply depressing choice of giving up. It wasn't a fresh thought that he'd considered quitting, oh no. In fact it was old and stagnated by now. Before he left home he'd thought about giving up, when he was floundering to survive in Tokyo he'd thought about it, even after his bandmates had given him hope, he thought about it. King Records had only worsened it.

Then there was the draw of his new life. His job today, started by a place called YagiriPharmaceuticals, had paid well. If this kept up his rent would be little more than a minor inconvenience. Of course, as a professional musician he would make tons more and do something he was fully ready to invest himself in, and also prove to his dad he could make it…but why should he care what his old man thought anymore. The young man buried his forehead in his palms. Too many dichotomies…

"You seem troubled, Itogara-san. Is sushi not good enough?"

Ryu looked up at the muscular Russian and shook his head quickly.

"Oh no, it's great. I'm just thinking too much." He assured hurriedly.

"What is troubling you then? Conflict is not good." The man said. His optimism seemed unshakable. Ryu decided it might be of use.

"Simon-san, right?" the young man asked after swallowing a piece of the stuff. It struck him as tasting like…potatoes?

"You want more sushi to ease pain?" the chef asked. The guitarist shook his head again.

"Think you could give some neutral third-party advice?" He said, forcing down the odd concoction. The chef nodded readily.

"Oh, of course, of course!" He agreed.

"I'm in a band, and I'm thinking about quitting. Working for Sabunari-san…it intrigues me…and the group has a very small chance of becoming successful. I love to play guitar, but I don't know if I can make a steady career out of it, whereas working for Sabunari-san seems to provide a steady flow of money." Ryu explained carefully.

"But Sabunari-san works in a risky business, no? Why should you risk your safety at such a young age?" Simon reasoned after a moment of contemplation.

"I have the bad habit of being an adrenaline junkie, Simon-san. Motorbike racing, playing guitar loudly…I like it when I feel alive. Sabunari-san's business seems to offer plenty of fuel for that." The young man responded. Simon reconsidered what he had to say while Ryu waited expectantly.

"How much do you enjoy playing your guitar? Why do you not just want to become famous and not just play it?" The tall man asked.

"I love it, and I want to be able to use what I love to make a living…to show my old man I can make something out of myself." He replied, adding the second half as an afterthought. That gave Simon a clearer picture, and he excused himself briefly to seat another pair of customers before returning. Ryu still waited.

"My advice is this: do not destroy yourself for a quick thrill. You are young, and you don't have to prove anything to anyone. Do what you must to stay alive, but do not go outside of reason. Only you can decide whether or not you should leave your band, because yes you must become famous to fulfill your dream. But do not become enticed by working for Sabunari-san so easily. Violence is no good; we must all learn to embrace co-existence." Simon preached.

It was pretty impressive, and he wasn't being told which path to take. Ryu thanked the man for both the food and words of wisdom before he left to meet the rest of the group at Asou's place. As he rode his Yamaha through the streets, the young man quietly made his choice. It still left a bittersweet taste in his mouth, but he would be wise to do this for his own sake. At Asou's apartment, he had them all gather in the living room with a few bottles of water. No drinking this time, they had to focus.

"Okay everyone, we've taken a big blow, but we aren't out of the game yet. There are several other record companies that could be willing to give us a shot, and that would allow us to get our foot in the door. I think we tried for the top too soon. We should work our way in and then go up from there." He began with a sports coach's enthusiasm.

"Maybe we're also letting the prospect of fame get to our heads. We could technically survive as a low-level group; we just have to get back to the idea of doing it because we enjoy it? Isn't that why we formed up in the first place?" Kouta replied. Ryu nodded readily and stood up.

"Yeah, I think we got a little too ambitious. I honestly had much more fun playing at local venues. There it felt less like we were in it for the money and more because it gave us an outlet. Yes, I'd like to be famous, but not because I'd be rich; I want to be famous because I want to use something I like to make a living. And maybe…maybe we're trying to push the wrong music in the wrong era." He agreed. Takeshi nearly jumped from his seat.

"Are you saying we need to start acting like some fucking pretty-boy pop band?" He accused. The younger man held up his hands and shook his head.

"Not one bit. We do that and we prove we're just in it for the money. But think about it, popular culture is nearly obsessed with those groups. The idea of loud guitar and good music is nearly dead to the big record companies, outside the groups that struck it big in the older days and have gained generations of fans. Dio and Metallica hit it big because they were in the right time, and they've managed to carry on with that fame they've gathered. We're in the era where a guy strutting around stage with washboard abs singing about all the girls he wants is preferable to dueling guitars or drum solos." He argued.

"Screw that! Avenged Sevenfold? Chevelle? They've made it big!" Takeshi retorted.

"That's the UNITED STATES, this is JAPAN. That is also more modern rock, not 80s heavy metal." Ryu fired back.

"Alright, enough! Itogara-san…what's your point?" Asou said, bringing the meeting back under his control. The lead guitarist shoved his hands in his pockets and sighed.

"I'm sorry, guys, it's been fun, but I don't feel it anymore. We got rejected by King Records, King-fucking-Records! Don't get me wrong, I still love playing guitar, and I'll never give it up, but I've decided it won't pay my bills. It's told me that I should just leave it at a hobby, and nothing else. In simple terms, I think I'm going to leave the band…at least for now." Ryu said, forcing out the last sentence. It made the room quiet for a few minutes.

"You've got to be shitting us, Itogara-san." Kouta said.

"I'm sorry, I wish I was…" He replied with a sad smile. The young man looked at the others.

"…Trust me, this sucks massively. Last thing I wanted and it's not because of you guys. So, yeah…see yah all later, and good luck…" Ryu went on, trying to keep his composure. Despite their protests he made for the door and left, almost closing it in Kouta's face. He took off as quickly as he could so they wouldn't follow, and took a more creative route home, all the meanwhile his phone ringing.

A/N: So a bit of a spoiler, but to make the random sex scene at the beginning of this seem a bit more...well...nessecary and not just random, Haruka will play a bit of a larger part in the story. And don't worry Niles, Natsu-chan will return soon XD

Also, yay for DRR Season 2!