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Interlude- Adrenaline
"Excuse me."
I looked up with my generic smile to greet the small boy. "How can I help you, sir?" He giggled at being called sir.
"Do you have any chocolate?"
His question threw me for a loop before I deadpanned. There are multiple packs of chocolate around the counter. Raising a brow I answered a bit uncertain as if it was a trick question. "Yes.."
He looked at the chocolate then back to me. "Oh, okay." He left out the store.
"Agh!" The vein on my forehead felt like it was going to burst out and I'd bleed all over the place. Then Kagami would have to clean it all up, he might slip a few times. He'd be covered in my blood...
Woah, that was a bit dark.
My eyes widened before trying to roll back into my head. "Who's up there?" I'm certain if anybody was in the store they'd walk straight back out.
I am in your head. I am the voice that guides you through your journey. I am….YOU. Dun dun dun.
"Okay, no. That's it, I'm officially bored out of my mind."
I am the voice that is reason above reason, I will keep you sane in your times of need. I am the one that will pop up during unnecessary moments and never be there when you actually need me. I AM CLICHE! Muahahaha-
Yeah, no.
"Hanako-san, I'm going out for my lunch break now!" I shouted to the office behind the counter. I barely caught her reply in my haste to get out the door.
I really needed to do something else for once.
Walking around for a good few minutes I found myself in front of a game arcade. Even from outside, I can hear the squeal of kids winning prizes and the cries of the lame losers.
Looking ahead of myself I was wondering if I should head towards the tall skyscrapers or into the arcade when the sounds of a car honking its horn grabbed my attention.
*Honk*
A woman is running to get across the street even though the light already changed back to red. I realized with mounting horror that she wasn't going to get across in time for the car to stop.
The driver honked the horn again and the woman did something that made me want to laugh and scream at the same time.
"Motherfucker!" She flipped him off and dived the last few inches onto the sidewalk where the crowd caught her.
"Crazy bitch!"
Game arcade it is.
Just as I was walking in someone was walking out and there was no way for me to stop. I bounced off of the squishy person and almost didn't catch myself from falling. Straightening myself out, I took in the person on his butt.
He has terrible acne, his hair looks like it as bad dandruff and extremely oily, his clothes are wrinkled as if he slept in them, and I'm done checking him over.
The boy struggles to get up and I offer him my hand. "I'm sorry, here let me help." I figured it was the least I can do since I did knock him to the ground and his stuff came out of the bag.
I gathered up his belongings and put them back in his plastic bag with the arcade logo on it. Standing up I offered it to him. "Here you go." After he took the bag I fully intended to go into the arcade but laughter stopped me.
Turning around I saw a group of teens pointing and laughing at the teen I'd accidentally knocked over.
"Fatty can't stay on his feet!"
My eyes widened and something sick formed in my stomach as the boy shook his head and tried to walk away but was blocked off.
"Did you win anything?" one of the group members snatched the bag from his hands and looked inside. He burst out laughing and showed it to the group. "Look what Kotaru-chan got!"
I looked away from the scene and went to walk away. What was happening really wasn't any of my concern, I made my peace with him. If he was too weak to stand up for himself it wasn't any of my concern. It isn't.
Nope.
"You boys stop this nonsense and leave that poor boy alone."
Feeling like complete crap for letting an older woman step in before me, I groaned. What appeared to be the leader of the group stepped forward after passing the Kotaru's, the guy I knocked over, the bag to a lacky. "Move out the way old lady and stay outta this."
I felt dread build as she didn't move but stand there as if she isn't leaning on a cane for support. "No, now you hand that bag right back."
The boy he'd passed the bag to look around nervously, noticing they were making a scene in front of the game arcade. Grabbing the leader's elbow he tugged. "Dude, come on. This is going too far."
Time seemed to slow as the leader tore his arm out and shove the member of his group down to the ground. The boy, thankfully, landly on his butt instead of his head.
"I'm the leader! What I say and do goes got it?" He kicked the teen struggling to his feet in the face. "You can join Fatty and Grandma, the damn bitch."
"Now you hold on just a minut-" Time slowed and I wondered how things escalated so badly as the older woman went to grab the leader's arm. He noticed this and drew his arm back to hit her.
No..no.
My feet moved faster than I thought was possible for me, I redirected his fist with my arm to the side. I felt my body flow through the motions like a well-oiled machine as my shoulder, with the force of my body, pushed him back and away. Adrenaline flooded my veins and I hated how I felt happy. Then I realized I wanted him to get up.
I wanted him to attack me so I could fight him.
Chapter 11 Arc III: My Little Sister is A Land God
Nanami didn't take her time getting home once the street pavement started to show signs of cracks with weeds growing through the said cracks.
Too dangerous to move slowly.
So when she got home, she fully expected the apartment door to be firmly closed and locked, not cracked open.
Her muscles tightened almost painfully as she crept closer to the door.
Keiko grabbed her shoulders and looked her dead in the eyes. "If something is ever wrong with the apartment or the door is left open, do not engage. Wait from a distance and observe. Do not engage, Nanami."
Nanami could almost feel Keiko's eyes burning holes into her neck as she steadily moved closer to the ugly brown door. But Nanami wasn't about to let some thief steal what they worked so hard to get over the years.
Feeling anger blossom in her chest, Nanami remembers the early mornings Keiko made her get up and follow her to the jobs. All the times she had to smile and laugh for the older people to weaken their hearts to Keiko's pestering to get work or money.
Throwing caution to the wind she yanked the ajar door open fully. Her heart stuttered as she found the apartment to be completely trashed. The dresser drawers were thrown open and rummaged, the one table flipped, the TV rested face down on the floor panels, her drawings Keiko kept were torn, and a man dressed in all black stood during the chaos.
Astonishment overtook her for what felt like hours but was only seconds. The man reacted faster than her. Elbowing Nanami in the stomach to stun her, he pushed roughly onto the ground before speeding off.
"Stop-p!" Nanami cried out against the pain in her solar plexus. She felt her world tilting as the strange man got away with the only true thing left of their mother. Grief and self-hate surged through her veins as she could only watch the man's broad back fade into the distance with a fragment of her heart.
Tears rushed down her rosy cheeks.
Nobody in the neighboring door came to check on the attacked girl on her doorstep. Nobody even bothered to peek out their blinds. Nobody cared enough to bother with the victim of yet another robbery. Too many to be caring so much.
Nanami hated the street she lived on with a fiery passion.
My stomach hadn't been in knots. My head didn't hurt, nothing noticeable happened to me today to have clued me in to the mess awaiting me home from work. So when I walked up the stairs, resisting the urge to massage my tender back, my soul felt lifted. Home safe.
My little sister sat in the corner furthest from the door. I noticed her pictures that she'd drawn was no longer taped to the walls. Everything else seemed to be the same, well except the TV had been moved to face away from the table and instead towards Nanami's hunched form.
My schoolbag dropped from my shoulders and the thud seemed a bit too loud for the apartment. I couldn't stop the yawn from passing my lips. "Oh Nanami, today at work was so boring." I moaned a bit dramatically. "The shelves just wouldn't seem to stay stocked and don't even get me started on my boss's son." My eyes rolled and I discarded my outer layers as I spoke.
When I moved to the kitchen to start preparing dinner with some of the groceries I'd acquired from work, I found myself stumped momentarily. The kitchen appliances had been moved and shuffled completely out of order.
My eyebrows furrowed in confused suspicion. "Nanami, did you rearrange the pots and pans?"
Her back faced me so I couldn't see her facial expression.
"I'm sorry."
If I hadn't been waiting for her reply, I wouldn't have heard the mutter. The subtle shake in her frame or the croak in her voice.
Not realizing how much distress she was really in I walked to her and placed my hand on her shoulder firmly in a comforting manner. "It's not a big deal." my lips quirked in the corner. "As long as you realize if I can't find the appropriate appliances we can't cook the food."
Of course, I already knew that the kitchen being as small as it is, there wouldn't be a problem finding anything.
I, however, was not prepared for Nanami to turn and latch herself onto my waist. She shook violently as sobs wracked her body. Dropping down onto my knees I pulled her into my arms. Remembering how my moms used to comfort me, I rubbed circles onto her back.
No words passed between us as Nanami cried and I looked around the one-room I've become so familiar with, memorized down to the 't' the layout and organization. Which is why I noticed the glaring issue.
Our family picture was missing and anger surged through me. Pulling back, I brought Nanami to arm's length. "What did you do?" I growled out irrationally thinking she'd been playing around and accidentally ruined the photo.
Gone.
She shook her head as fat ugly tears made her face scrunch up. "I tried! I promise." She exclaimed pitifully and I relaxed my grip.
"Nanami what happened?" I asked in true concern with an undercurrent of anger.
She hiccuped wiping her eyes. "I came home and the door wasn't closed." She stuttered over some words but I understood enough to cause my stomach to tighten.
"What?" The word breathlessly left my mouth.
"He took it, Keiko! He took Mommy and I tried-I tried to stop him but he was so strong-" I cut her off abruptly with my frantic hands checking her body and my eyes scanning every inch of her. When my fingertips touched her stomach she flinched back.
Pulling her shirt up enough I saw the formation of a painful purple bruise.
Inhaling deeply I stood calmly, ignoring the no-doubt curious look Nanami drilled into my back. Retrieving the first-aid kit from beneath the bathroom sink, I returned to my spot and made quick work of laying Nanami down onto her back.
Rolling up the white shirt, I forced a smile at her. "Nana, I'm just glad you're not dead and the apartment isn't ruined either."
"B-but Mommy's phot-"
"It's okay," My fingers gingerly applied a soothing cream to the area. "You tried." My voice took on a hard tone. "Even though I told you to assess the situation from a distance then decide on a course of action. You were hurt Nanami. Not a damn thing in this apartment is more important than your wellbeing."
Realizing that it wasn't just my fingers shaking but my entire body was buzzing with restrained emotion. Fear overtook my body, the kind that choked out anything else. No not fear, I'm terrified. Not for me but for how easily I almost lost her.
Nanami Momzono could have been murdered while I was at work I wouldn't know until I came home.
Tears fell down my cheeks and my hand applying cream stopped altogether. Nanami sat up too quickly and flinched as her movements caused the bruise on her stomach to move. She stared at me with wide tear-filled eyes. "I'm sorry."
My arms pulled her to my body as if to merge us. If we were merged then I would always be around her, I'd know what's going on. Self-disgust built in my stomach the more I thought how Nanami must have felt and how I'd originally reacted.
I'm truly not a good person. Never have been, that just won't damnit change.
"Never put the value of your own life below something else. You are loved, cherished, and dear God please don't do this again." My throat tightened painfully on my words but...Nanami need-no she deserved to know and so much more.
She deserves a better sister than me...a better life than this crappy one.
Dad hadn't come home, not since three days ago. Betrayal tried to worm its way into my heart but I pushed it down. Dad wouldn't leave us if he knew we were in danger or something like this had happened.
He wouldn't.
It's been two days since the break-in and I hadn't left Nanami alone since. Where I went, she followed, there was nothing else to it. I couldn't risk something like this happening again and the only way for me to be able to protect her is if she's around me. Simple.
If it was so simple then why is my heart clenching all the time and this fear wouldn't leave me?
"He stole our family photo." The fact was stated simply with as much nonchalance as I could manage. Dad's horrified face gave me pause and his eyes shifted away from me. The apprehension grew steadily as his eyes only got darker and darker.
I jerked back when he stood up suddenly, too quickly. He made for the bathroom.
"Dad?"
He turned to me with a strained smile on his face that showed he wasn't feeling any emotions that would spur on a happy smile. "Yes, Kei?"
My fingers fiddling with the table edges. Nanami slept curled in a ball as if to shrink into herself and become invisible. My shoulders tensed and I allowed all I was feeling to run free. "Will we be okay?"
His face pinched tightly and then he smiled one of his disarming teeth showing grins that would have calmed a less suspecting person.
"Of course we will! It was just a common thief."
Kaito Momozono, for all his good traits and fatherly affections, is still a liar. But I already knew that. Somewhere in my brain, I realized that Kumimi and Kaito wasn't such a horrible match after all. Liars, like-seek-like.
"Okay..."
The next two months are tense.
Isobe turned out to be the foolish boy from the anime. This strained our relationship greatly until we weren't even considered friends anymore and stopped talking.
Fate doesn't seem to like meddling reincarnated girls it seems.
I finished my school work with relative ease but found myself still yearning for more. More than the crappy apartment, the side hustles, the constant working, and more. I was never satisfied with anything and I then had a realization.
I hated working for money. I wanted to have stuff handed to me for once, to stay home and use my off days to rest. Every day it becomes harder but routine had already set in, I couldn't break it.
There is no escape for the poor man.
Nanami is more drawn in and alert.
It hurt at first to see her anxiously looking around as if somebody was going to jump from the bushes and snatch us off the streets. She doesn't chatter excitedly on the way to school much anymore. Her body is ready to string into action.
Nanami….is scared. She wasn't the only one, I was just accustomed to my fear.
"Ice-cream."
Nanami blinked from her wary gaze around to me. She doesn't ask, but there is a clear question in her eyes.
"I want some ice-cream," I stated this time to where she could understand me.
She gave me a confused look which I ignored like a pro.
"Let's go get ice-cream." I urged stopping on the sidewalk. Students rushing by bumped my shoulder as they swerved around me to avoid running me over.
She copied me also but when someone exclaimed in annoyance at the bump in their run she would apologize. "But we didn't bring any money…"
I lifted my school bag as if to present it. "I always bring some yen just in case."
She arched a brow. "In case of what?"
Shrugging my shoulders, I looped my arm with hers. "In case I want ice cream." I smiled slightly at my joke.
Nanami giggled before pausing and giving the direction students were running a worried glance. "School...won't we be late?"
Forcing my face carefully free of any negative emotion I feel at skipping school, I smirked. "We've been going every day, Nana. We need a longer break." I rolled my eyes dramatically and huffed. "Especially if it means I can escape Tengi-sensei's class."
My English teacher had gotten into an unfortunate accident while at home so she was out for the remainder of the school semester. Which left the school desperate to find another competent instructor to teach the classes English.
Of course, I didn't expect much to change because I already know English. However, I didn't expect my teacher to be obsessed with being right about everything..even when he's wrong.
I still felt out of place. As I look out the huge glass window beside me, I realize I won't ever really get used to seeing Japanese characters everywhere instead of English. Tokyo looked very different from Houston or my small hometown-
Turning I stopped my train of thought. "Yum," I stated and promptly ate another spoonful of my delicious plain vanilla ice-cream from the small-sized cup in front of me.
Nana, across from me, licked her popsicle before biting into it. I cringed and slide my tongue over my teeth. After a few more seconds of trying to ignore the crunch sounds, I couldn't take it anymore.
"Doesn't that hurt your teeth?" I asked slightly annoyed but more curious than anything.
Nanami blinked before biting into the poor blue popsicle again. She crunched while I cringed. "No." She finally answered.
I was about to respond when I had an idea. Swallowing my spoonful of ice-cream quickly I smiled excitedly. "Let's go to a karaoke bar!" I whispered like it was a huge secret.
Nanami looked unsure so I leaned forward. "Think about it. We're already skipping. Might as well go all the way!" I grabbed her hand in mine. "Come on," I whined and pouted playfully. The rebellious feeling flooded my veins and I felt like I was in 2016 again. "Heck, we don't even have to go crazy."
Nanami looked doubtful before she slowly grinned. I already knew she wouldn't last long so my waiting grin matched hers almost perfectly.
"Fine."
"You're embarrassing," Nanami stated sitting across from me on the couch provided in the booth. The dim lighting hid her red flushed face.
I smiled casually and flipped another page in the songbook provided on the stage. "You decided to come."
"Well, that was before I realized how frustrating you can be!" Nanami exclaimed, gesturing towards the door. "You could have just told the front desk worker it's our first time but no; you had to act like you knew it all."
My eye twitched momentarily before I sent her a withering smile. "Anything else?"
She uncrossed her arms and blushed slightly in embarrassment. "No.." Turning back to the dilemma in front of myself I furrowed my brows.
Starting to feel a little stupid my heart beat a little faster. Looking down at the Japanese song lists I realized I didn't know any of these songs. Well, save for the select few that played in the convenience store. Even with those I never just stopped and listened to the background music before. We didn't even own a radio in the house either.
"Find anything good yet?" Nana asked coming to stand beside me on the stage. Flipping the pages a few more times I released a breath of relief. Smiling I pointed to a song I happened to know very well.
Shake it Off by Mariah Carey sat looking like a fountain in the desert upon the English songs list.
Nana looked confused. "I've never heard that song before. Is it good?"
I smiled. "Very." I sent her a teasing smile. "Now if I suck, don't laugh okay?" Nanami responded with a laugh and a salute.
Nana should be able to understand the words Mariah Carey is singing because I speak English a lot at the house since I use it when I'm stressed.
Huffing I motioned her off the stage. "You're already laughing and I haven't even song yet." She took her seat while I got the karaoke machine to play Mariah's song. As the music started I felt myself feeling nostalgic. I could imagine myself going far back. I wasn't even in the karaoke room no more. The present world greyed out and a memory from my past played like a movie.
By the time the song had ended and I lowered my arm from a grandly dramatic sweep I'd done Nanami sat looking perplexed.
I grinned thinking I'd blown her away. "I'm good aren't I?" I flipped my braid over my shoulder and cocked my hip arrogantly.
"No, but your moves make up for your voice," Nanami said sweetly and I faked being angry.
"Well show me how it's supposed to be done then," I commanded bratty with an eye-roll.
Nanami stood up and playing along she took the microphone with a flourish and confidently said, "Just make sure to listen carefully."
Saluting her I took my seat and wondered if I should just push it and buy some food instead of waiting till we got home.
It went back and forth like this for at least an hour before we decided to take a break. Sitting beside each other we looked through the long book from onstage for another song we could pick. Of course, I didn't want to sing any more songs. My voice box wasn't used to hitting all the high notes or even singing for long periods. I just wanted to head home and sleep today away.
I felt a funny feeling settle in my stomach just as the door to our karaoke room burst open.
Looking up quickly, we saw a small group consisting of three dudes enter our room. They all wore high-end clothing, shiny shoes, and well-kept hair. That told me they weren't regular or poor people. It also helped that they were each individually very pleasing to look at. Especially the guy holding the clipboard….with his fancy suit, top two buttons were undone, brushed-back jet black hair, and one dimple.
Crap my hormones.
"-After this, we head directly to the stu-who are you two?" The question was directed towards Nanami and me. She looked at me and I flipped another page in the songbook but without taking my eyes off of them. I dully noted how his velvety voice sent a shiver down my spine, but in a good way.
"We are two girls. Though can you gentlemen kindly leave, we still have another hour left to this room." I added a sugary smile at the end. The guy with the clipboard really needed to leave.
Another guy waved his hand. "Hey, the guy at the front told us this room was unoccupied."
"You might have gotten the room numbers mixed up then." I uncrossed my legs at the tone of his voice.
The guy that'd just spoken looked like he wanted to say something but the fine man stepped in front.
"How about we share this room for the remainder? It'd only be for the hour." He offered a smile that would have a regular woman swooning.
"No, I'm afraid we'll have to decline sirs." I shoot back.
He took a subtle glance around the room. "I notice there is no food. If you let us stay we'll supply the food and drinks."
Leaning back in my seat I smiled politely. "Well, what are y'all doing standing in the door? Go ahead and take a seat."
Nanami shoved my shoulder playfully. "You were checking that dude out."
I laughed and smiled slyly over my shoulder at her. "Was." I completely agreed and we shared a laugh.
"I've never seen you attracted to someone before now," Nanami said walking beside me looking still slightly shocked.
I shrugged. "He was fine." I smiled then thinking about the business card he left. "I might let him take me out when I'm eighteen...If he's not taken by then." I added as an afterthought and laughed again.
Nanami looked at me thoughtfully. "It was so strange seeing you attracted to someone."
Adjusting the bag of groceries in my left hand, I scratched my nose. "It shouldn't be, I'm only seventeen." I felt like a grown woman though on the inside. Just as we turned the corner I saw something that made me pull Nanami behind a store board.
Nanami slapped my hand off of her shirt and glared at me. "What was that for?"
I didn't bother shushing her because we were far enough to not be heard. Instead, I nodded my head towards the two men who recently exited the drinking bar. "Isn't that Dad?"
Nanami looked excitedly to where I was pointing but then narrowed her eyes. "Yeah, but who is that with him?"
"I don't know." I adjusted the bag to my right hand. "Let's find out." Nanami nodded her head. As we moved closer our plans are foiled by a delivery truck backing up. The loud beeping filtered out any words we might have been able to hear. I swore and began to try and lip-read.
The night air felt cold against Kaito's thin layer of clothing. He didn't bring any thicker coats from the apartment and now he wished he was back there.
He also knew he couldn't go back to that apartment.
"I just have some things to do," Kaito said unaware of the watchers not far from him. "I'm going to go somewhere for a bit to get those things done." The man standing across from him frowned disapprovingly before signing. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his wallet. Lifting a couple of yen from inside he shoved it into Kaito's awaiting hand.
The man felt self-disgust as Kaito put the money into his pocket. "I shouldn't keep doing this for you. You don't deserve it."
Kaito dropped his cigarette onto the ground and smashed it with his foot. He nodded his head and huffed. "Yeah man, I don't." Kaito could practically feel Kumimi's angry scowl directed at his back. Tightening his hands inside his pockets, he felt his chest tighten. "I couldn't ask you for anything else after this."
"But you will."
Kaito didn't fidget, he never has. "They can't find them; they can not stay there anymore. They're not safe-"
Akimasa never liked Kaito so he doesn't know exactly why he agreed. Kaito had gotten the woman he loved. "I know. Just go before the wrong person sees me with you."
"Thank you." Kaito meant it to.
Turning Kaito caught Kumimi's wide eyes- no. Doing a double-take he notices its actually Nanami's wide eyes looking hurt and confused at him. He doesn't see Keiko but he knows his little Kei is not too far behind if Nanami's somewhere. Kaito musters up all his strength and offers Nanami his winning smile.
"I love you, Daddy!"
Then he's gone into the sea of Tokyo people; blending and not sticking out. He's good at that, perhaps too good he thinks.
"You don't always have to go, you have us."
Looking at the girl Kaito had locked eyes with Akimasa thinks he knows why he offered to help that man out. For her children, he thought.
All for Kumimi's children.
"Sis somethings wrong with the sky."
"It's just raining with the sun out…"
"Exactly!"
"You two are no longer welcomed here."
My eye twitches in annoyance. "Landlord-san there must be a mistake. We paid last month's rent on time."
"It's not because of the rent. Your damn father went and got into some shady shit. I don't want them coming here looking for any living relatives!"
Nanami stepped closer to me and I opened my mouth to argue with her but it was pointless.
"I don't want to hear anything from your deceiving tongue! You both have a few hours to pack your crappy shit and be out!" Her hair bounced as she stomped away from us.
She was scared. The landlady did not care if I had photos of her unfaithfulness and could potentially show them to her husband. She wanted us gone and fast.
Dad's a liar, but I already knew that.
"Keiko…" Nanami's voice spurred me into action.
"We can only take what we can carry. The table, dresser, pots and pans will have to be gotten later." I already knew the landlady was probably going to sell anything we left behind anyways.
And just like that, we were out of a place to live. No place to store or cook the groceries in our hands.
Omg, thank you all so much for the love and views! Thank y'all for sticking with me for so long!
Response(s) to Review(s)
Shadowing: Omg I'm so excited that you reviewed! Thank you so much for your guess. I can't tell you everything but...but she will eventually get along with Mizuki enough to make Tomoe's life harder. Lol
xPricefieldx: Your review had me laughing so hard and I have replayed that video so many times. Never lose that humor \ o /. P.S: You inflated my ego along with these other lovely people. : P
MoonDancer89: I was not expecting to read that guess but I'm so glad you mentioned Kei and Ami cuz I got plans for them coming up since they are in high school now…*wink* *wink* *nudge* *nudge*. Ooo honey, when they meet Kurama it's gonna be some drama but let me stop before I type too much.
MaggieMangle: Like where have you been? I missed you, : ( I'm really sorry about you losing your password. : ( If you have access to your email hope is not all lost. Thank you and best wishes for luck.
I love each and every one of you all, my readers, ghosts, followers, favoriters, though you all deserve the truth. I am hyped on the people that be reviewing on my content.
P.S my business is going along awesomely and hopefully, my stuff will be up next month in time for Thanksgiving!
