Chapter 11-2: Beach: Day one, Part two
"I really think you should let Chihiro go. Now."
My eyes open wide at the familiar, but completely unexpected voice. "P-Peko!?"
My assailant whips his head around toward the voice at lightning speed. "Che…! Pekoyama!"
"Kanzai." She states, voice like ice. "What is the meaning of this?"
He unpins me from the wall and hurriedly turns to her. "J-Just a little side job, ya know? A mercenary's gotta make a living somehow-!"
"Your living comes from serving the Kuzuryuu clan without question." She snaps. "Were you aware that you're currently attacking a mutual acquaintance of both Master Fuyuhiko and I?" I can't see his face, but his entire body goes rigid. Her gaze hardens. "I see…"
"I-It ain't nothin' like that!" He pulls at his collar a little. "I mean, I was even bargaining to let him go!"
I flinch at the usage of that particular pronoun, but Peko doesn't even blink. Rather, her expression shifts from neutral to a full out glare. "I do not define rape as a bargaining tool!"
"It wasn't gonna be rape! Sure as shit is better than dying right?" He whips his head back toward me, making me flinch. "Right!?"
I can't bring myself to say anything; I'm way too scared to. Peko shoots me a concerned look before leveling her glare back on the man.
"You're a disgrace." She says flatly. "I am aware you do not ask questions as a mercenary, but when your hit goes directly against the family…" She crosses her arms. "I'm warning you. Let Chihiro free this instant, or I will not hesitate to go to Boss Kuzuryuu."
"…" I see a vein bulge out of his neck from his building fury. "Really!? You're threatening to fucking tattle on me, you dumb broad!? I don't take orders from you!" He points his gun at her. "And ya know what? Forget that fucking family too! I'm going solo from here on out, fuck taking orders from some nasty old man and his girly-ass brat!"
"Kanzai…" She says flatly. "You realize if you don't submit and apologize now, you will not be leaving this alley alive."
If this man had any semblance of common sense, he'd back down from just the look in her eye. "…Fuck that!" He reaches back and snatches my wrist up, pulling me to him. He jams the end of the gun into my temple, making me wince. "Either you let me leave, or I'll paint this fucking alley with this kid's brains!"
Peko, who's completely unfazed, simply removes her bamboo sword from its bag on her back… except it's not her bamboo sword. It's a real one. "…You're making a very large mistake."
"Oh please! You don't have the balls to kill someone unless your fucking keeper wants you to!" He lets out a laugh, but I can feel him trembling. "Say, where is the little bitch? Someone should tell him his dog ran away-!" He whistles. "Hey, c'mere ya little brat! I know you gotta be somewhere, so where the fuck are ya!?"
"Right here, asshole!"
In the span of about two seconds, I hear two guns go off. I feel a sharp pain on my right shoulder and something wet on top of my head. The man's grip on me completely slackens as he falls away from me, and I fall to my knees. My ears are ringing, and I'm pretty sure I black out for a second.
What just happened?
"Chihiro!" I hear steps approaching me from behind. Looking up, I see Fuyuhiko crouched in front of me. "Shit… I thought I was cleared to shoot!" He pulls a hankie out of his pocket and wipes at my shoulder. After a moment, he lets out a small sigh. "It looks like it just grazed you..."
"F-Fuyuhiko...?" I manage. "How did…?" I trail off when he wipes something off my head and tosses the handkerchief behind me. When I try to see where he tossed it to, he catches my chin.
"Don't you fucking look back there!" His voice is harsh, but his expression isn't a mean one. He looks back toward Peko, who's standing sort of awkwardly off to the side. "You know what to do here… I'm going to take Chihiro to our room."
"But Fuyu-" He glares at her, leaving no room for her to argue. "…Right." She moves past us, shooting me a small frown as she whips out a phone from her pocket.
"Come on." He stands and holds a hand out to me. "We're staying at a hotel just a few blocks from here."
Fuyuhiko was quiet during our walk. I was expecting him to question me, but he seemed more concerned with getting to wherever it was he and Peko were staying. After a short while, we got to an even nicer hotel than the one Shirabe had booked for us. The doorman was ready to stop us, but Fuyuhiko just flipped him off and walked right by him.
"Fucking hotel staff…!" He gripes. "I don't need a damn monkey to tell me who I can and can't bring in here!"
I'm about to ask him what he means, but he stops abruptly in front of an elevator. It quickly opens and he pulls me in, hitting the button to the floor just under the top one.
Once the doors are closed, he glances over to me. "Hey, you…" He gives me an up-down look. "…Never mind. You can use the shower in my room once we get up there."
"S-Shower…?" I question. I reach up to feel my hair; there's something crusty in it. "This is…" I put my hand over my mouth and close my eyes, feeling sick all of the sudden.
"H-Hey… It's really not that bad. I mean, the fucker didn't bleed that much-" He smacks his forehead. "No, I meant that-!" He sighs. "Okay, so really I can't give you much consolation on this…"
"I-It's fine." I say, taking a deep breath. "You and Peko saved me… a-and he was going to kill me…"
He nods and looks forward, strange expression on his face. A small silence falls between just in time for the elevator to ping to a stop. He leads me out and swipes a key card to the room just next to the elevator. I don't know exactly how high up we are, but it has a wonderful view of the area; I'm pretty sure I could find my hotel if I tried hard enough.
"Alright…" He sighs and pulls me toward what I assume is a bathroom. "There's a fresh towel on the shelf you can use. I'm going to leave you alone for a while, so don't you fucking leave the room, alright?" I mutely nod. He seems a little reluctant to let my hand go, but after a short moment he does. "Good."
I quickly turn away from him and run into the bathroom, shutting the door behind me as quietly as I can. I hear the door to the room open and slam shut almost as soon as I'm inside.
"…I can't believe that actually happened." I think sadly. "And I managed to drag Fuyuhiko and Peko into it too! I should have listened to that weirdo Izuru..."
I let out a sigh and walk across the overly large bathroom. I completely bypass the sink with the mirror and make a b-line for the shower; I'm not sure I could stomach seeing another person's blood crusted to my hair. "I'm surprised that I'm this calm as it is… not that I'm complaining." I frown. "Am I a bad person for not being more… shook up?" I quickly undress and take a look at my clothes, breathing out a sigh of relief when I see that they somehow managed to remain blood-free.
As I shower, I end up getting lost in thought. "I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do in this situation. The guy who attacked me was working in Fuyuhiko's "family" right? So what's to say that they're not…?" I shake my head. "No, if they were working with him, then they wouldn't have saved me and done… that. Still though…" I glance around the room. "Just what are they doing here anyway? I'm not sure how much I like all these people coincidentally showing up…"
Freshly washed and in a much better mood, I step out of the stall. "Strange coincidences aside, I'm really happy that they came along when they did. That man obviously wasn't going to take no for an answer, even though he knew I was a boy!" I pause in the middle of toweling off. "…Wait. He was practically screaming about me and Chiaki to his boss. Just when did they… show up?"
A sudden knock comes from the door, startling me so much that I slip and fall on my butt. "Ow…!"
"Chihiro, are you-!?" The door flies open to reveal Peko. I quickly cover my lower half with the towel. Judging by the crimson on Peko's normally stoic face however, I know that she just got an eyeful. "I-I am very sorry, I was afraid you were…!"
"What's goin' on?" I hear Fuyuhiko question from behind her. "Did Chihiro fall or somethin'?"
"I-It's nothing Young Master! We should allow Chihiro to get dressed!" In a way completely out of character of herself, she shoves Fuyuhiko out of the doorway and slams the door shut behind her.
After a few beats of silence, I let out a shaky sigh.
"Well… she definitely knows now." Resigning myself to my fate, I throw my clothes back on. It doesn't suck as much as when Mukuro found out, but… I can't help but feel scared of what they're going to say. Mukuro's reaction was the only positive one in the long line of attempts to let people know I'm actually a boy, and then I have to consider that they may have heard him screaming about Chiaki as well… so it's no wonder that I'm shaking like a leaf right now.
I take a few deep breaths to try and steady my nerves and walk out into the room. Peko seems to have regained her composure for the most part, but I'm certain a see a twinge of pink on her cheeks from her place by the door.
"All clean now?" Fuyuhiko asks. I nod. "Good. How's the arm?"
I glance over to it. "I-It's fine, I think… it really was only a small cut, like you'd said."
Fuyuhiko walks over and leers at it. "…Still, I'm gonna have Peko wrap it up for you. It looks like it might scar."
I don't protest as the silverette approaches and leads me over to a table where a first-aid kit is sitting. She gently wraps the bandage around the upper part of my arm, making sure it's secured before stepping away. "Thanks…" I mumble.
She nods stiffly and moves to stand by Fuyuhiko. "Chihiro…" She starts. "Could you please explain what happened in that alley?"
I look off to the side. "…W-Which parts?"
Fuyuhiko sits down on the bed with a huff. "Let's start with why that ass was referring to you as a "he." I feel like that's kinda important."
I flinch. Right to the point. "…" I clutch at my skirt a little. "Y-You probably know the answer to that already."
Guessing from the look on Peko's face, she told him exactly what she'd seen. Not that I blame her. Fuyuhiko lets out a small huff of disbelief. "So, you're really packing…?"
"Y-Young Master!" Peko squeaks.
My eyes feel hot with tears, but I refuse to let them fall. Not here… I can't be weak right now. "…Y-Yes, I really am a boy."
There's a tense silence. After a moment, Fuyuhiko breaks it. "So what, you one of those "girl in a boy's body" morons?"
"No!" I quickly shake my head. "N-Nothing like that! I am a boy…"
"Then why the hell would you dress like a girl?!" He yells.
Between Fuyuhiko's furious glare and Peko's slight frown of worry, I furiously have to fight back the tears. I take a deep breath and tell them everything: About how it started, my previous attempts to change, and why I hadn't just started over when I came here. I even tell them about how Mukuro had figured it out instantly.
Once I'm finished, I hug my arms to myself. It's difficult laying yourself bare to people you can really only consider acquaintances…
"Just what are they going to do, I wonder?"
Peko is still frowning at me, and Fuyuhiko seems to be sort of blunted by the information he received.
There are a lot of things that could happen. He could smack me, kick me out of his room, he could call up everyone and tell them what a liar I am, but after a few minutes, he simply lifts his head and looks me dead in the eye.
"Fine." He states.
"H-Huh?" I breathe.
"I said, fine!" He yells. "You could have lied to me once I asked you, but you had enough balls to fess up when I gave ya a chance. It takes guts to come out to people like us after all… and you managed not to cry while doing it." He sheepishly rubs the back of his neck. "Look… I don't really get why you didn't just stop when you came here, but I'm not gonna act like I don't understand how it happened. I get how it feels to be views as weak because you're small…" He furiously shakes his head and levels a glare at me. "Look, I'm not gonna rally up a mob or something just because you're a dude, so quit looking like you're gonna start bawling!"
I can only stare at him. Of all the reactions I had thought of, this wasn't on the list. Slight sympathy? "R-Right…" I wipe at my eyes a little, unable to help the smile on my face. "Thanks Fuyuhiko."
"Yeah…" He nods, twinge of pink on his cheeks.
"Chihiro…" I look over to Peko. "Are you certain you're… okay? Most people don't really react well to what we do. I imagine you must have been pretty scared…"
I raise an eyebrow. Is that what she's been frowning about this whole time? "W-Well… I felt pretty sick at first. Having his… b-blood in my hair didn't really help with that. Honestly though, I'm okay for the most part… even though it makes me think that I'm pretty awful for not being more shaken up over it."
"Nah." Fuyuhiko says. "Its better you brush this shit off and move off it. Seriously, it would make things a shit-ton harder on us if you were a wreck over a guy who was going to kill you-"
"What Master Fuyuhiko meant," Peko interjects. "Is that we're glad you're alright. I'd hate for your trip to the beach to be ruined because of something you had no control over."
Fuyuhiko flushes a little and my curious look, and he quickly pushes the conversation forward. "Peko and I have some more formality bullshit to handle, but we're at least gonna bring you back to some of those other losers you're on a trip with. Once you get back to school though, I'm gonna need a damn explanation about what exactly happened in that alley, got it? I need to know why exactly I had to put a bulle-" He coughs into his hand, earning a small smile from Peko. "I mean, dismiss one of my guys."
I hurriedly nod, completely thankful for the time I'd need to get my story together. "R-Right!"
"Pekopeko, Fuyuyu! What are you two doing with Chihiromon?"
The three of us stop in our tracks and turn around at the sound of Ibuki's voice. "I-Ibuki?" Peko questions. "What are you doing here? I thought it was a class trip!"
She pulls the three of us into a bone-crushing hug, Mondo and Souda approaching from behind her. "Oh-ho, didn't you know? We got to get out of class like you guys! 'Cept we're not in a stuffy meeting." She tilts her head. "But you're not either? Gasp! The heir is playing hooky!"
Fuyuhiko growls and pulls out of the hug. "We're not playing hooky, damn it! We're just dropping Chihiro off."
"Off…?" Souda hits his fist into his hand. "Fuyuhiko you dog! Romancing the little programmer!"
"You were on a date!?" Ibuki questions, eyes sparkly. "The tiny Chihiromon stolen away by a dashing Mafioso that's just her size!" She fake swoons, earning a laugh from Souda and a dark look from Mondo. "It's a ship made in heaven I tell you!"
"Like fuck!" Fuyuhiko yells, face crimson. "Why would I bring Peko if I were going on a date with Chihiro, huh!?"
"Cause you're into that kinda-" Souda cuts himself off and looks off to the side at the pure death glare Fuyuhiko is sending his way. "I-I mean, we were just playing! Y-Yeah, just a tiny joke…"
"Whatever." He huffs and brushes past Ibuki. "C'mon Peko, we gotta get back." She hurries after him down the boardwalk, not saying a word.
"Jeez, what was his beefaroni?" Ibuki pouts. "He was acting like he wouldn't wanna bag the cuteness of Chihiromon!"
I glance a little off to the side. "His reaction makes sense given he knows I'm a boy…"
Souda laughs. "Yeah, but did you see the look on Peko's face? She had the same look she gets when she wants to pet something cute!"
I raise an eyebrow. "S-She did…?"
"Fo sho!" Ibuki nods seriously. "Seems like Ibuki is not the only one aboard this ship! Good thing too; she needs a deck hand to help keep her afloat!"
Mondo shakes his head. "Whatever. Where were ya at that you even ran into those people?"
I feel my face heat up and I scratch my head. "W-Well… I'm not entirely sure. I got lost looking for the arcade."
"Got lost? What are ya, fi-" He stops. "The fuck did you do to your arm?"
"E-Eh?" I glance down to the wrapping. "I-It's just a scratch! I, uhm, fell down. That's how they found me! T-They took me back to their hotel to get it wrapped and brought me back here afterward…"
Something about the look on his face tells me he doesn't believe me, but Ibuki cuts in. "Hey, since you're here anyway Chihiro, wanna come with us to the movies!? They're showing Jaws! Dun-da dun-da dun-da!"
I raise an eyebrow. "B-But… you can watch Jaws any time?"
"Well yeah," Souda snorts. "But me and this guy here have a bet going."
"Ibuki shall explain!" She gestures to Mondo. "Señor Buff Booty has challenged Shark-Tooth Souda to a bet! The deal is that he wouldn't be able to sit through the sharkalicious classic, and then go directly to the beach for a nighttime swim session without having the crap attack to end all crap attacks!"
I shoot Mondo a flat look. "Mondo, really?"
"Hey!" He says indignantly. "He's the one who started talkin' big! I just told him to put his fucking money where his mouth is."
"H-How much did you even bet?" I question.
"Hundred bucks says I'll stay in the water!" Souda says, cocky grin on his face. "You wanna place a bet, Chihiro?"
I grimace. "I-I'll give you both one hundred bucks if you don't! This kind of thing can only end badly…"
"Awh, lighten up Chihiromon!" Ibuki slings her arm around my shoulder. "It's not like we're gonna get Gundham to summon Jaws for us! Come with us, pretty please? Ibuki will cry if you don't!"
"But Ibuki-!" I try to protest, but she immediately starts bawling.
"Bawwww! Chihiro doesn't wanna hang out! What did Ibuki do to deserve this!?" She curls up into the fetal position on the ground, sobbing loudly. "Wahhh!"
"Chi…" Mondo walks over and crouches down in front of me, speaking in a whisper. "Look, I promise nothin' bad is gonna happen! I have something funny planned, so will you just come?" He glances behind him to Ibuki. "Plus, I don't really think that chick is gonna stop unless you do… so, please?"
He shoots me a pleading look, and I can't help but blush a little at the proximity of his face. "…F-Fine, okay? I'll go with you guys…"
"Really?" Ibuki asks, popping off the ground. "Fo sho, fo serious? Yay! It's gonna be a hoot and a half with Chichi with us!" She snatches up my arm and proceeds to drag me off in the direction of the movie theater.
"What didja say to convince her huh?" Souda asks from behind us. "She was super against it before."
I can almost hear the smirk in his voice. "Wouldn't you like to know?"
I sigh. "Honestly, I'd like to know as well. Just what do you have planned?"
The movie theater is bustling with activity upon our arrival. Thankfully the ticket line moves fast, and we get up to the booth in a relatively short amount of time. Mondo approaches first.
"Four tickets for Jaws." He says, shoving his I.D. through the little hole in the glass.
The ticket lady glances at it before pushing it back through. "That'll be forty-five dollars, please."
I start fishing around my pocket, but Mondo stops me when I pull my wallet out. "Hey, I made you come here. I got you."
"E-Eh?" I stutter. "I-It's fine, I have plenty-"
"Hey, I said I was, and I'm fucking gonna!" He says, shoving the money at the ticket lady. I can't really tell, but for a second I could have sworn he was blushing. He turns away too quickly for me to tell though. "Souda, gimmie your and Ibuki's share!"
"Why am I paying for her?!" Souda asks. Ibuki doesn't seem to be listening, instead humming along with the tune playing out of the speakers.
"Cause this is our bet, and I've already paid for Chihiro!" He snaps. "So gimmie the damn money already, we're holding up the line!"
Souda grumbles something unintelligible under his breath as he shoves the money in Mondo's hand. After getting our tickets, we make our way through the lobby and into one of the halls of theaters.
"Ehh?" Ibuki says, noticing where we're going. "Snacks!"
"We don't need snacks!" Souda huffs, still a little miffed. "I already had to pay for your damn ticket. I'm not gonna pay for that, too!"
"I-I have an idea." I say, stopping in my tracks. "H-How about the both of you go and find us some seats while Ibuki and I go get some popcorn? I'll pay."
"Sounds like a plan." Souda grins, immediately perking up. "Especially since I don't have to pay again…"
I shake my head. "I-I already feel bad that Mondo bought my ticket, so I've got it."
"Snacks!" Ibuki cheers. "What kind of movie would you have if you didn't have snacks!? It would be a- a-" She screws her face. "A sovie! No one wants to go see a sovie!"
"...R-Right." I laugh, looking at my strange friend. "Well, let's go before the movie starts-" Before I can even finish talking, she starts dragging me down the hall by my arm.
"We're gonna try to grab seats in the back!" Mondo calls after us.
"O-Okay-! Ow, Ibuki, don't pull me so hard!" I squeak, snapping my attention back forward. She quickly weaves through the crowded hall and out into the lobby, pushing through hordes of people until we finally reach the snack counter.
"One extra-large bucket of popcorn, plox!" Ibuki quips, grinning at the cashier. "Oh oh, and two extra large Cokes!"
"T-Two?" I ask, confused. "Why only two?"
"Cause you always share snakipoos at the movies!" Ibuki states as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. "Drinks too! It's like, an unspoken rule!"
I can't help but giggle. "If you say so Ibuki!"
We fall into a comfortable silence for a moment before Ibuki speaks up again. "Say, Chihiromon?" I look up at her. "Do ya have a crush on someone right now?"
…What?
I frantically shake my head. "N-No! What would make you ask something like that!?"
"W-ell, Ibuki was just curious." She says, twirling her hair. "Chihiromon is always surrounded by one hot stud or another, so Ibuki could have sworn you'd have picked a bronco to mount by now!"
"Picked a bronco to…" My face goes red with a volatile mix of embarrassment and indignation. "Ibuki, what is wrong with you!? I-I just have a lot of friends who happen to be guys!"
"Ho ho ho!" Ibuki says, shooting me a devious grin. "Is Chihiromon certain they're all just friends? Methinks the hot studmuffin waiting for us in the theater is pretty interested!"
"M-Mondo?" I squeak, heat in my face intensifying. "W-We really are just friends! There's no way he'd be interested in me; I bet he probably things of me as a little sister or something!"
"Ou contraire!" Ibuki says, poking my nose. "Ibuki wouldn't forcefully buy someone a ticket to a movie if she wasn't interested! No sir, no way!"
I huff and take the two sodas from the worker. "…T-That doesn't mean he has a crush on me!"
Ibuki grabs the bucket and starts to follow after me. "Boo, hiss! Don't be such a naysayer!" She speeds up to match my pace. "Okay, so you may not be convinced, but hear Ibuki out! Ibuki has super super good hearing, and she's heard lots of talk in the halls that there are boys swooning left and right for Chihiromon!"
"…I doubt it." I say after a moment. "Wouldn't they be doing that for girls like Sayaka and Sonia?"
"Not everyone is gross like Souda and only obsesses over unattainable beauties!" Ibuki says. "'Sides, Chihiromon is adorable times ten, and not just looks wise! Ibuki totes thinks that it's suprising you seriously don't think anyone likes you like that!"
I grimace. "W-Well, what about you? Do you have someone you like?"
Ibuki thankfully doesn't comment on the quick subject change. "Ibuki? Hmmm!" She does an imaginary beard stroke, shifting the bucket of popcorn to one arm. "Well, she did have a thing for this one chick a while ago-" I have to try very hard not to let out a surprised choking noise. "But there's this one guy who's really swell! He's so cool! And dashing! Chihiromon should really meet him!"
I look over to her curiously. "Does he not go to our school…?"
"Oh, he's there alright!" She nods seriously and grins at me. "I'm fo sho gonna show him off to you once we get back! Then maybe you'll see that Chihiro should get some manly men in her life!"
I frown and stay silent. Ibuki's just being a curious friend, but she doesn't understand the… dilemma I have. I've never really thought about being with someone like that because of it! It's… really sort of embarrassing to think that a guy could have a crush on me of all people! Since I really am a boy and all…
"I don't think I could handle rejecting someone…" I think sadly. "But even if I did like whoever they were back, I'd have to! I'm not gonna go out with someone when they don't know I'm a guy!" I flush a little. "N-Not that I want to go out with someone of course! Not now anyway..."
"Hey look, up there!" Ibuki shouts. "Hi guys!"
"Ibuki, shut up!" Souda yells back. "Can't you see the movie's starting!?"
I sigh. Hopefully the movie gets my mind off everything that's happened today.
The sky is almost completely dark by the time we make it out. I'd almost forgotten how long that movie was!
I stretch my arms once we're out on the beach. "So… do we have to go back and get Souda's swim suit, or do you already have it?"
"No no no." Mondo says, wicked grin on his face. "Sweet little Souda is goin' skinny dipping."
"What!?" He shrieks. "That wasn't part of the fucking bet!"
"Hey, why do ya think I picked a part of the beach that was empty?" He laughs. "C'mon, just strip down and go for it! We're not gonna make fun of you or anything!"
"Who said there was anything to make fun of in the first place!?" His face goes red out of indignation.
"If there weren't, then why aren't ya stripping?" He asks, clearly baiting the mechanic.
"M-Mondo, does he really-" I start, but Souda cuts me off.
"Fine!" He throws off the tank top he was wearing. "I don't have a damn thing to be embarrassed of anyway!"
I slap a hand over my eyes so that I don't have to see anything. After a moment of clothes rustling, I hear Ibuki yell out. "Wow, so your hair isn't naturally pink!?"
"Of course it isn't, you moron!" He yells, voice a little shaky.
I hear Mondo snort from his place beside me. "Alright man, you know the bet! Fifteen minutes of non-stop swimming gets ya a hundred bucks!"
"Fine!" I hear splashing, and Souda's voice suddenly sounds far off as he yells out. "Shit, it's so cold…!"
Taking that as my sign for the all clear, I uncover my eyes. "W-Was that really necessary?"
"Damn straight, Chi!" He grins. "Just you watch, the real fun is about to begin! Hey Ibuki," He turns to the girl. "Everything set up on your end?"
"Ding ding riceroni!" She nods, striking a pose. "They should be here any minute!"
I frown, not liking where this is going. "Just what are you two doing…?"
"Know how Souda is obsessed with that chick, er… Sonia?" I nod. "See, I've been trying to get him off her for a while… cause let's face it, it's just damn creepy the way he's obsessed with her."
"O-Okay?" I screw my face in thought. "B-But what does that have to do with this?"
"You'll see…" He looks off toward the boardwalk, as if he were looking for something, Ibuki quickly mimicking his expression.
They stay like that for a while until Ibuki calls out in a yell-whisper. "Look look, they're coming!"
"Alright!" Mondo fishes around his pocket for a minute before he pulls out a lighter and what looks like a firecracker. He lights it and tosses it near the shoreline, where it quickly goes off with a loud pop.
"Gyah!" Souda yells from the water. "Mondo you dick! Don't do that!"
"Hey, I was just trying to liven things up a little!" He yells back. "It's too damn quiet!"
I get a bad feeling when I hear a familiar voice from behind me. "Oh, Chihiro! I didn't know you'd be here!"
I turn back to see Sonia, Gundham, and Taka approaching from behind us. "G-Guys?" I squeak. "What are you doing here?"
Sonia giggles. "I'd gotten a call from Ibuki earlier! She told me that there was something she'd wanted to show me, and I really was curious as to what it was! Gundham and Taka were kind enough to escort me here as well!"
"Of course!" Taka yells. "We can't let a lady walk around at night alone! It simply isn't safe!"
Gundham merely nods to me in greeting.
Mondo doesn't look entirely pleased with the extra company, but he quickly shakes it off. "Well, you're just in time! It should be ready any minute…"
"Ahh!" Souda yells, slightly frantic. "Shit! Something just brushed my leg!"
"Quick!" Mondo yell whispers to Sonia. "Get behind that rock!"
Sonia looks confused, but complies, hurrying behind the large rock next to us.
"C'mon Souda!" Mondo yells, turning his attention back to the mechanic. "You're prolly just making it up! Ya only have five minutes left!"
"I'm not making it up!" He shrieks. "Something definitely just touched my-" He freezes. "Gyahhh..! It just did it again!"
"C'mon Souda-pop!" Ibuki yells. "Don't wuss out now!"
"Fuck that!" He screams, swimming back to shore. "I am not about to be shark food for a hundred bucks!"
As he approaches the shore, I quickly turn around to face the boardwalk. Both Taka and Gundham look confused for a second, but they quickly learn why exactly I did it.
"What in the-!?" Taka yells, face crimson. "Why on earth are you-!?"
"Ehh? Taka and Gundham? The heck are you two doing here?" I hear Souda question.
"Oh, is that Souda?" Sonia pops her head out from behind the rock. "I was unaware-"
He freezes when he sees her. She stares at him a bit before her gaze travels downward. "O-Oh… I'm sorry?"
He snatches his clothes off the ground and holds them in front of his crotch. "M-M-Miss Sonia!? I-It's not what you think, i-it's just really cold right now!"
"Ah, yes, well!" She says, turning away hurriedly. "I do believe I should be getting back!"
"B-But Miss Sonia-!" Before he can say anything, she hurries away, a very red looking Gundham following quickly after.
I see Mondo's shoulders shaking beside me with suppressed laughter. "G-Gee Souda, you should really put some clothes on! You don't wanna scare anyone else off!"
"You ass!" He yells, tugging his pants on. "You fucking planned this, didn't you!?"
Unable to contain it anymore, he busts out into a full-blown laughing fit along with Ibuki. I feel angry at what just happened, but before I can yell at him for it, Taka brushes past me.
"Are you insane!?" He yells, walking up to the gang leader. "Why would you possibly thing that publicly humiliating one of your friends is funny!?"
"Hey!" Mondo's laughter comes to a halt. "He's the one obsessed with that chick! I was just trying to help him take the damn hint!"
"So you try to make him see it by exposing his lower half!?" Taka retorts. "You ought to be ashamed!"
"H-Hey…" A now-dressed Souda says, approaching from behind us. "It's not that big of a deal… I-I mean, I would have laughed too if it wasn't me…"
"See!?" Mondo yells. "He's fucking okay with it!"
Taka crosses his arms. "That doesn't mean it's alright! Show some respect to the rest of the people around you, I mean look at poor Chihiro!" He gestures to me. "She looks positively mortified!"
"Yeah, at you making a damn scene!" Mondo retorts.
Ibuki walks over, nervous sort of half-smile on her face. "...This didn't go as well as Ibuki hoped-"
"She looked like that even before I came over!" He walks up and stands toe to toe with Mondo. "You should apologize immediately, to both Souda and Chihiro!"
"Like fuck, you're the one who isn't letting this go!" Mondo yells, glaring right at him. "You fucking apologize!"
"C'mon guys…" Souda says, scratching the back of his head. "Let's just go. I don't think they're gonna stop for a while."
I look back to my two friends who are practically at each other's throats. "A-Are you sure? I mean…"
"Hey, what are you people doing!?" I hear someone yell. "No fighting on the beach!"
Souda yelps. "Shit! It's the fuzz!" He snatches up both my and Ibuki's wrists and takes off down the beach. "You'll never take me alive!"
"Souda, I'm pretty sure it was just a passerby-!"
Ibuki suddenly overtakes Souda and starts dragging both he and I toward the hotel. "Nooo! Ibuki is too young to be arrested!"
I let out a sigh, resigning myself to being dragged back to the hotel by my two panicked companions.
"Today just wasn't my day…"
