Chapter 6 – The night holds no stars
"Haku… it's our anniversary today… for fifteen long years I've longed for you… are you waiting for me too?"
I'm sitting on a small wooden bridge over the river, it's low enough that I can reach the water. My feet wiggle back and forth, splashing water around my toes.
"For twenty-five years I've loved only one person. Aren't humans supposed to be fickle in their love?"
The sun moves in its daily track, as it begins to reach the bottom of the sky, I rise and pull on my socks and shoes.
"Time for work… see you tomorrow…"
I step through the entry doors into the dimly lit but cozy hall, I'm welcomed by the sound of clinking cutlery against plates and whining children banging on tables. Behind the bar Yasuo refills the glass trays, and I wave hello while heading towards the changing room. The work attire is professional and simple, a white shirt, black pants and black apron tied around the hips. It doesn't take me long to get dressed, I throw a last glance in the mirror and adjust my hair before entering the dining area again.
When I walk through the door the table bell chimes, announcing that meals are ready to serve. I stack the plates on my arm and head towards the dining tables. There's a family with children waiting for me, the kids dig in immediately when I place the food in front of them.
"Please enjoy your meal"
It's fairly simple working in a bar, it's just to rinse and repeat, apply professional smile, chat with customers, serve beverages and food. The simpleness of the job is one part as to why I picked it. The other is because I can regulate my working hours mostly by myself, it allows me to visit his river more often.
Yasuo is a decent colleague, we chat in between service to make the time pass quicker. At ten we stop serving food and the normal guests begin to leave, replaced by drunkards looking for fun. It's by this time that two more of my colleagues arrive to stock up on personnel. It's going to be busy work tonight and we'll need all the help we can get. Frisky people have a habit of creating trouble.
Ogawa Fumiko saunters up to the bar and lean against the counter, she's a short, raven-haired firecracker, and the only person I can have a decent conversation with.
"Hello Ogino San, how's work today?"
"Nothing major yet… but the night's still young!"
"How unfortunate for us!"
I chuckle playfully, flinging a glass from one hand to the other and lean it against the beer tap. Some foam spills over the edge soaking my fingers, so I dry them off on the apron.
"How will we survive the night if this your onset attitude?"
"We'll manage, with plenty of breaks everything becomes possible!"
"Yeah, if you're too long without nicotine you're scarier than a bear!"
"You speak as if it's something bad! Breaks for me means breaks for you, it's a win-win situation!"
"Whatever you say… hurry and get ready now, I need your help…"
"Sure, I'll be back in a sec"
I shake my head in amusement watching her skip towards the changing room with her ponytail wagging. When I've poured three more beers, I bring them out to the customers on a tray. They're a loud-mouthed bunch of newly turned twenty-year old's. They seem to be deeply embedded in a conversation, as they barely notice when I place the drinks before them. I wonder if they'll be the ones to look out for this evening, hatchlings are masters at causing trouble.
At ten Yasuo enters his prime state as the music turns up a notch, his favorite hobby is to play DJ. He's actually pretty skillful and always seems to manage picking the right songs. I'm more of a Metal girl myself, but if we were to play my songs half the bar would stand up and leave. Even so I can't help but hum and stomp to the beat. One of Fumiko's favorite amusements is to tease me about it, until she joins herself, that is. On rare occasions us personnel throw a mini dance-party behind the bar, to the customers delight.
The tempo increases as more people swarm through the doors. They're checked by the security guard and then herded through the customer's closet. A familiar figure amble towards the bar, it's the same man that Usagi tried to marry me off to. He's quite the regular to visit both the café and here. Most often he slouches down in a corner and observe the surroundings. This day it seems he's decided to change habitat and settles down on a bar stool before me. It's confusing since I'd begun thinking about him being the same caliber as me, worthless at socializing that is.
"Welcome, what would you like to order?"
"A Jameson on the rocks please"
"Sure thing, just wait a moment"
I turn around and search through the different lined up bottles on the shelfs. The whiskey flask is up top, and I need to stretch a bit to reach it. On my way back I snag a glass and pour the ember liquid into it, then add a few ice cubes.
"There you go sir"
"Thanks…"
As I present the whiskey, he grasps the glass and trace a finger against my hand, I can't quite tell if it was on purpose or not. He twirls the glass between his fingers. Following me with a sharp glare, which I ignore and continue working.
When the bar becomes busier, I push that problem to the back of my brain, devoting my full attention to serving the customers.
"Hey Ogino San! Let's take a break!"
Fumiko waves to me from the back door where we throw the trash and receive deliveries. It's not until I'm approaching her that I notice him still watching me. If he's grown attached to me, I'd rather have him ask me out so that I can deny him. It's annoying having him sit there like a barn owl on a perch.
As we reach outside, we're assaulted by cold air that seep through our clothes. Fumiko hauls a pack and igniter from her pocket and lights the cigarette. She inhales and the end of the cigarette burns bright yellow, then exhales a breath of smoke that rise towards the dark sky.
"That guy's been watching you an awful lot tonight…"
"Maybe I've got a booger or something…"
"Nah, there's nothing strange on your face…"
"Maybe I've got my shirt inside out…"
"C'mon cut the crap… I think he's stalking you…"
"You jump to conclusions fast I see… please don't turn into another Usagi…"
"Hilarious!" She snorts and drags another whiff of smoke "seriously though, it's not a sudden thought… It's from thorough investigation"
"So, what evidence did you find then?"
"Let's see… He only comes around when you're working… he always choose a spot with the best view of you… like he's biding time, or confidence, I don't know…"
"Wouldn't he be more, 'pushy', if his intentions were to stalk me?"
"Not necessarily, some of them are silent fuckers, just waiting for an opportunity to strike…"
"I'm still not convinced…"
"It doesn't hurt to be extra careful!"
Her words might be true, it wouldn't surprise me if they were. But there's no need for any additional caution. It wouldn't make a difference whatever his motifs are, whether he's a scumbag or not. I'm not planning on handing myself over.
"I'm already careful enough…"
"You're always like this, stubborn as a mule! Can you pretend to care about your own safety for just a moment? This could be dangerous!"
"What do you want me to do?"
"Since your bike is trashed, you should ask someone to walk you home… that's the least you can do"
"Who should I ask? Izanagi's girlfriend is crazy jealous, you and Yasuo leave before us… there's no one else"
"Darn, that's true… can't you crab a cab?"
"Stop worrying so much, I can handle myself…"
"I'm worrying because I care! You know what I've been through so make sure not to end up in the same mess!"
"Yeah… sorry…"
Fumiko is one year older than me and have plowed through plenty of boy/girlfriends trying to find the right one. Her relationships have never worked out, but her last boyfriend wins the price for worst partner yet. He was bad in every way imaginable, controlling, jealous and became extremely violent. She had no one to confide in and hid what was going on, blaming everything on something else. In the end she relented to me once I began questioning the different signs of abuse. I supported and convinced her to leave him, then housed her in my apartment until she could find a new one. She's been very attentive to dangerous signs in people ever since.
"Don't apologize! Just promise to be careful and protect yourself…"
"I will…"
"Promise!"
"Fine, I promise!"
"And promise to adopt that bitch face of yours while you're at it! You've sent lots of guys running in terror from it!"
She laughs to herself and stub the cigarette against her boot, throwing the butt into a trash bin.
"Yeah, yeah, I promise…"
"Well, time to get cracking, there's beers to pour and morons to serve… come on!"
I follow through the door behind her and chuckle heartily. It's deafening walking from silence into the high tempo atmosphere in the bar. People are moving on the dancefloor, spilling drinks, and yelling at each other trying to overpower the load music. I serve one drink after the other and soon our conversation has been pushed to the back of my mind.
Just as predicted the hatchlings from earlier today decides to create problems. They're at the bar fighting with Yasuo about a beer they spilled out themselves, too frisky to think properly. The security guards waste no time in tossing them out of the bar, afterwards everything returns to normal.
When it's two at night we turn the lights on and silence the music. Guests stumble back and forth, entering the closet to retrieve their coats and exit the doors. There're always some stragglers refusing to leave, persistent on finishing their drinks, although they've already had plenty of time to do so. When we've managed to shove everyone out the door, the security guard's waves goodbye and leave. Yasuo's and Izanagi's usual nightly banter finish our pretty successful shift.
"Bye, good luck with everything!" Yasuo loves teasing anyone who works closing time.
"Yeah, thanks, we'll have a real good time!"
"It all depends on attitude! The night's still young and plenty of things to clean, work with good humor and everything will be fun!
"Yeah, sure… thanks for the 'pep-talk'"
I listen to their amusing banter and shake my head at Fumiko who laughs at me. They head towards the exit and I follow along, locking the doors behind them. My feet stick to the ground from spilled alcohol as I head back behind the bar. Fortunately a cleaning company will take care of the floors and toilets in the morning, we'd never get home otherwise.
Izanagi switches on some soft music while I begin refilling glass trays and shelfs. We're very familiar working with each other and know one another's rhythm. A lot of grease and spilled drinks have accumulated during the night. It's strange how something can become so dirty in just a few hours. I grab a bucket with soap and use a rag to clean up all the surface areas. When I'm nearing the end Izanagi pipes up to tell me that he'll finish the rest and that I can go home. I exit through the back door and bring the last trash bags with me, throwing them in the bin.
The bright City-lights illuminates the sky, making it almost impossible to notice any stars. The streets never descend into complete darkness, which is both comforting and sad. The air is cool outside, and my breath creates vapor as I stride along the sidewalk. Before me a few stragglers sway back and forth, laughing and chatting with each other. Several nightclubs are still open, and the streets are teaming with drunkards.
I turn into a clammy alleyway where only some light spills in from the streets. It's a shortcut to my apartment with the added advantage of avoiding other people. My footsteps echo ominously against the brick walls. When I've reached halfway through the path, a second pair of shuffling steps resound behind me. I throw a glance over my shoulder and discern a tall shadow a few feet away. It might just be another straggler, but something about that figure seems familiar. I hasten my pace to check if the shadow imitates, and it does. Sprinting has never been my forte but in this situation there's not much choice. The sound of his panting breath grows near when I've almost reached the end of the alley.
His hand gouge into my shoulder and I'm yanked backwards. Some air escapes my lungs as he pins me forcefully against the wall.
I would recognize his black hair and auburn eyes anywhere; they've been a constant companion from work. His whiskey smelling breath puffs against my chilled skin.
"I've finally caught you…"
I gather force to knee him in the nether region, but he moves out of the way before it manages to hit.
"You're pretty violent aiming for those part…"
"You're just as violent forcing me against this wall"
His intense gaze roams my face, a wide grin spreading through his expression.
"You don't seem scared at all…"
"I'm not…"
"So why did you run?"
"Because my favorite late-night show begins in half an hour…"
His mouth opens wide in a hearty laugh and the white teeth seem to glow in the dark.
"You're very funny… and brave… it's nice getting to know you for real…"
"Wouldn't a nice cup of coffee suffice? This seems a bit drastic…"
"You'd never accept my invitation…"
"So this was your solution?"
"Yeah…"
I should be panicked, scared out of my wits, yet I'm calm and collected. Life has made me tenacious; experience have taught me patience and rationality. He wants to overpower me, to see weakness and fright in my eyes, I won't give him the satisfaction. My deadpan expression and chilly gaze bore into him with confidence.
I breathe deeply and use both my arms to shove him backwards, then dash to the side. But he's quick as a weasel and pulls me back, pushing me against the wall again.
"You should give up these futile attempts of escape…"
"You're imagining things, I just wanted to dance…"
"Seems like my devotion wasn't wasted… I wonder if you'll always make me laugh this way…"
"What 'always' are you talking about, I thought this was a one-time event…"
His mouth still forms a wide grin, as if he'd already won this battle. He's certainly got every physical advantage possible, speed, strength, and endurance. Though I'm convinced that the outcome will be determined by wits.
"I thought we could make this a regular occurrence, with a few changes of course…"
"What would those be?"
"I want to surprise you…"
"Just out of curiosity… how many girls have you 'asked' out in this manner?"
"Only you…"
"Why?"
"Because you're different… you seem closed off from the rest of the world, as if you're disappointed by life…"
"You speak as if you knew me…"
"I do know… you've been the object of my study for many years…"
"Why me?"
"Do you really need to ask?"
He grasps a lock between his fingers, massaging it affectionately. His words and possessive gaze send shills down my spine. He's been vigilant beyond reason thus far, leaving me no opportunity to act.
"Why haven't you, 'asked me out' before?"
"I was unsure how to approach, you seemed determined to remain alone… in the end this was my solution… the only thing left was to get rid of that damned bike…"
"I appreciate your effort, but aren't you going a bit overboard?"
"There was no other choice, I've waited too long already…"
"You've waited too long? don't make me laugh…"
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"I already belong to someone…"
He faulters for just a moment, leaning his head in confusion. I bend my knees simultaneously pushing my hands against his arm, and he stagger backwards. The lower position allows me to throw a precision strike against his most vulnerable part. He lurches in pain, and I take my chance by dashing to the side towards the end of the alley. My feet skids against the damp ground when I rush around the sharp corner, but I manage to stay upright. I sprint as fast as my legs will carry me toward the junction between the pedestrian lane and road.
His stomping feet and panting breath threatens from behind.
The road is just ahead, with a last push I manage to proceed into the lane.
In the corner of my eyes there's a growing blinding light. I whip my head in its direction, and the screeching of tires sliding against asphalt burst my ears. The object slams against my lower body and hurls me through the air. I slam so hard against the ground that my chest compress, pushing out the last bit of oxygen left. I tumble time and again until my skin is scraped raw by the pavement. My body crash against a light pole and finally come to rest. My lungs fight to inhale but the only result is a gurgling gasp. I roll over on my back with a heavy groan as pain spreads throughout my limbs.
My eyes blink repeatedly, trying to focus on the features of the faces above me. Someone holds a phone to their ear, another collapse beside me, hands pressed against mouth in panic. My chest explodes in agony when my lungs contracts in a violent cough. Something wet dribbles down my chin and for a moment I'm convinced that it's drool. Until the faint metallic taste of blood invades my mouth.
Someone gestures to the panicked woman beside me, I can see their lips moving, but the only sound within my ears is a constant screeching echo. She rolls me over in a fetal position and I want to scream, but the only result are gurgles. I try to move my arm, but it seems to bend in a funny angle.
So far nothing but tumult and confusion have gripped my mind. Yet now I'm beginning to comprehend the situation.
The lady beside me tears her blouse apart into fabric strips. Helplessly tying them around my limbs, hoping to stem the bleeding. Everything seems to move in slow-motion, every action a lethargic agony. My heart keeps pumping blood through my veins, but I'm beginning to wonder if it will make any difference.
Darkness looms in the corner of my eyes, my mind a foggy mess. I move my unbroken arm in a last-ditch effort to reach the necklace around my throat. The movement is excruciating and slow, but I'm adamant on reaching it. My fingers claw against the glass vial and grip it firmly.
Numbness gathers in my feet and spreads throughout the rest of my body. It's a relief when the pain ebbs away, yet it must be a sign that something is terribly wrong.
"Haku…"
The name is a silent sight.
I always thought that if I were to die, it would be by his side.
Now it seems like I'll be all alone, yet my misery will finally end, it's somewhat of a comfort.
I close my eyes and allow the darkness to swallow me completely.
Thanks all of you for the engagement and for continuing to read my story.
Like always, any reviews, likes, follows make me so indescribable happy.
Celurian : Your comments are so motivating and I'm happy that you like my story, thank you!
James Birdsong: Thank you so much!
Aseripon: That was my thought from the beginning, to describe Chihhiros life before the reunion. Thank you!