PART II: The Boss of Chiba Outfit

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CHAPTER I

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Life in the mob wasn't as grand as the movies portrayed, but nor was it as tragic. Aside from the extra little privileges I enjoyed in the waiting line in restaurants and cafés and the free drinks in our associated pubs, there wasn't anything else much that was worth flaunting off. I certainly earned more money than I could spend. And running schemes and supervising the business in Ichihara gave me something to look forward to. I thought it was like a hobby, playing the wiseguy. Being a gangster used to mean being a part of something big. "La cosa nostra" as they say in Italian, which means 'our thing'. It meant being a member of a family not in blood, but in bond. But the golden age of organized crime was pretty much in the past. Nobody wants to be a gangster anymore - the only reason crime exists is because not everybody gets what they want and need. It's too risky. It's barely rewarding. And young men don't find prison time that amusing - who would? Joining the Yakuza isn't that good of an idea. Firstly, you've got to be willing to lose a finger or two; secondly, there's the full-body tattoo for made members. That means once you're in the Yakuza, you're in it for life. Those people committed to this kind of life have little else to look back to. And you'd better be thinking clearly, because that's a pretty big decision.

Anyone who says they don't need money either has too much of it, or is an idiot. I wondered why they don't teach about money in school. Why not? To me, it seems to be just as important as learning about Arithmetics. Nearly everything in today's world revolves around that fickle little piece of colored paper. By hindsight, it was clear that money was also a deciding factor in relationships, but I've only learned that firsthand when Yukino Yukinoshita's family spurred her into leaving the country and subsequently ending our short-lived romance. And as painful as it is to me, it only made sense. If I had a daughter, there was no way I'm going to let her marry a guy like me - I would be turning in my grave when that happens. And thus, I made a promise to myself to go all the way to the top - or at the very least make myself "respectable".

I was busier than ever. I started hiring guys to do the bookmaking and loan-sharking schemes. I had bagmen, policy bankers and shylocks working for me. I was practically running a mini-mob. So was Hanzo, who I often went with in business. In Ichihara, business was largely managed by my two lieutenants Donato and Narita, who I had allowed to continue running their schemes as they did during the reign of the Ichihara-kai. They proved to be self-sustaining. Soon, I was receiving several hundred thousand yen as tribute from them, which of course I kicked up a portion of to Manny. But only a fraction went into my pockets in the end. The rest, I invested into more money-making schemes. Which made more money. Which then made even more money. Everything was golden.

I would even sometimes forget about my illness. I was, in a way, satisfied with things. I still went to school of course. I couldn't believe it when I found out that our homeroom professor was associated with our mob. He purchased stuff from our wholesalers where it was cheaper, like ink, cigarettes, razors and even photocopy machines and printers, and retailed it in his own shop, selling it to his co-teachers. Well, I made a deal to be allowed to only attend half the day on certain occasions. He agreed. There were more lessons I was learning out there on the streets than inside the classroom. Somebody once said "if you want to understand society, you take a walk down the street."

I was so busy that I forgot a very special occasion that was due in a few days. If I remember correctly, Miura Yumiko's birthday is on 12th December. She's turning twenty-one this week. As her birthday approached day by day, I became more and more nervous. What should I give to her as a present? Money? She has too much of that. Anything she needs? Non-existent or out of reach. I did have plenty of money to spare, but instead of something I can buy, I thought about doing something for her instead. I'd make this birthday even more unforgettable than any birthdays or anniversaries she had spent with her last boyfriend, so that she can recover as fast as she can from him. It's a great idea, don't you think? I thought about a surprise… as she opens the trunk of my car, doves and balloons fly out into the sky as a banner rises saying "Happy Birthday!" It's brilliant! That would be really sweet!

But… all I had was the old family Prius. That would be kind of anti-climactic, as opposed to showing up in a Lamborghini or something. And doves? How do you catch them? Banners? Ridiculously expensive. I'm not willing to waste money on that. I realized that it's going to take a lot of effort to impress a high-class girl like Yumiko. She seems like the type associated with, I don't know, Gucci? Tommy Hilfiger? Dior? All those designer brands. This is going to be tricky, because I'm trying to give her something worthwhile and memorable. And I'm not a fan of the "it's the thought that counts" idea. What can I say? All women are expensive, you've just got to find the one within your price range.

There's another idea! An even better one - a feasible one. Hanzo has friends who have jobs in the seaside amusement park in Mihama. They also happen to be associates of ours. I could use them to arrange a special surprise for Yumiko's birthday. Sure enough, she called me on the phone, evidently expecting that I was aware of the upcoming occasion. "It's my birthday on Saturday, what are you going to do?" She asked.

"Well, what'd you want me to do?" I replied, "I'll bake you a cake or something, I guess. You're turning twenty-one soon, right?"

"Ahem! It's rude to mention a woman's age!" She chided. "So you're going to make me something… okay. Fine. I'll be looking forward to that."

She dropped the phone. That wasn't my intention. I wasn't really serious at baking her a cake. Now, I felt really apprehensive. I've never baked a cake before. I did cookies once, and it didn't end well. What the hell am I going to do? The truth is I just randomly answered that because I was lazy. You know how people say anything just to get the conversation over with?

So now, she's expecting a cake from me. I'm roaming around the local grocery, passively looking over the ingredients for a strawberry shortcake. I'm walking by the cold section. I was really scared at that moment, because I really have zero skill in baking. Even if by some miracle I succeed, there's no way she'll find it delicious. I then thought, what if I just bashed my head in on a glass pane and let myself bleed out? Then I wouldn't have to worry about making a cake anymore! It's not that I actually want to kill myself. It's more like I'm lazy rather than suicidal. Anyway, I just phoned up the local bakery and told them to make a birthday cake in time for Saturday. That immediately solved it all.

I was supposed to be going to watch the ball game with the crew this weekend. One of our guys was planning a point-shaving scheme. Kid Sudo's older brother, Ken Sudo was a player in the Tokyo University basketball varsity. He was in on the scheme. Fukushi was on our team, Chiba University. We were planning to jump in on the winter playoffs. I was going to line up the bookmakers to set the odds on the games. People tend to forget that college Basketball is still something under the umbrella of sports betting, and if I do things properly, I could get people to bet on the games the way they'd gamble on boxing bouts and baseball.

Well, it was an easy decision for me. I cancelled. It was perfectly clear to me that my friend's birthday was more important. Business can wait. Then, I was pissed that Saturday morning because I found out that one truckload of cigarettes was busted in Ichihara. Good money lost, all because the trucker didn't want to bribe the cop. I thought, what the hell. I told Donato he'd better fix the problem. All of a sudden, everyone's getting sloppy with their hands. This was no time to make mistakes.

I called Hanzo Ieyori to invite him to Yumiko's birthday. Her friends were coming over for lunch, and I didn't want to be the odd one out. He thought I was joking. I told him seriously, "listen, I don't give a damn if you forget about my birthday. I don't need people reminding me I'm closer to death. But my friend Yumiko, she still enjoys counting them down, so cancel your fucking plans and drive down here for her birthday party…" After a few more lines from Hanzo, I said, "fine, I'll let you know if she changes her mind and ceases to care about meaningless milestones."

That afternoon, I was with Tobe, Yui, Ebina and Yumiko at her house. I was surprised at how well-behaved I was. I guess I was just learning to imitate other people's behaviour. I also brought the cake I had ordered for her… it turned out to be a Rice Krispies Treat cake. I couldn't believe it. But to be fair, I didn't specify what kind of cake to the shop after all. For those who don't know, a Rice Krispies Treat is basically a mass of crisped rice binded with butter and marshmallow. I used to eat those sweets when I was younger. The cake was made of stacked Rice Krispies layers cloaked with cream and strawberries. None of us ever had a Rice Krispies birthday cake before. We all found it funny. It was their first time eating such a strange cake. In any case, it was all cool. Yumiko was going to hang out with her friends for the evening, so I told her to meet up with me later that night. "What are you planning?" She asked. I told her it was a secret.

So, this was it. I immediately called one of Hanzo's friends who were still working at the seaside amusement park. Apparently, they still couldn't find a better job. Now, in the middle of the night Yumiko and I are going to be the only ones at the amusement park. When I stretch my two arms up to the sky, the Ferris wheel will then turn on with accompanying fireworks! Now that's what I'd call a movie scene! I did try to convince them two days earlier but they refused, saying that they'll get fired. There'll be security in the place anyways, but I can't give up now. So I suggested to them, "what if we got the security guys something to drink and smoke?"

Unlikely, they said. And how was that going to work with just a couple thousand yen? So I gave them 5,000 yen and told them to bribe the guards. Hanzo's friends looked at me like I'm nuts and stood up. "Fine. 15,000 yen. This is all I got," I said. Now they're heading for the door! "Fine! Fine! Here's 30,000 yen!"

We figured out our strategy. One guy would bribe the guards and go straight to the control panel unnoticed and turn on the power. The second guy would be waiting in the Ferris wheel control box. The third guy would keep an eye out for security, track us in case Yumiko does something crazy and turn on whatever ride she wants. But where was Hanzo? He's supposed to be in the park with firework rockets ready. When the clock hits quarter before two, he'll unleash a nice display of colorful explosions.

I would go with Yumiko into the amusement park, take her to the Ferris wheel and tell her, "this is my magic for you." I stretch my arms, then the Ferris wheel turns on with music, and we get on a carriage. When we reach the summit of the wheel, the fireworks display goes off. Yumiko is awestruck. She might give me a bear-hug when she's so touched. Anyway, as we go on, the guys turn on the lampposts as we pass by them on the seaside promenade. Maybe even hand-holding… just the two of us. The plan is foolproof! No one in real life could've possibly gotten a birthday present like this!

It was all set. It was like a scheme, all for my dear friend. How sweet, I guess you'd say. We met up in front of my house at around one hour past midnight. She's wearing her orange jacket and jeans. She actually looks kind of cool with her hair tied in a messy bun. I was dressed in my usual attire, with my coat and a hat. We took the late train, and got off at Kaihimmakuhari station. I figured the front gate would be closed, so we had to sneak in, in the middle of night. It was unbelievable. I had tried to find a side door before, but there weren't any. I decided we would climb the brick wall. Yumiko is probably an expert wall climber. Yesterday, I tried to practice my lines in front of the Ferris wheel, with both arms stretched out. Passersby are staring at me… and I quickly pretend I was yawning. I'm so proud of my brain cells. They're learning quickly how to avoid drawing suspicion and ridicule from other people.

We arrived in front of the park. I could feel the warm, salty sea breeze on my face. The sky was pitch black and devoid of stars, but the moon was pretty bright. We walked over to a lower section of the wall, and I said, "We have to climb over."

Yumiko was incredulous. "Are you crazy? Why are we here in the middle of the night? Climbing over a wall no less."

"I always wanted to come to the park in the middle of the night. Please?" I sighed, rubbing my palms together and glancing at her. "Let's be crazy for once and just do it. You're good at that right? Being completely out of your mind…"

She heard my little snide remark and slapped me on the back of the head, blushing, as I started laughing. Wow, she's pretty fast. Yumiko climbs over in seconds. I couldn't haul myself up, so she had to pull me up, much to my embarrassment. It's her birthday - or birth-night, I guess. She told me that she was actually born sometime past midnight, which was interesting. Yumiko was born in Birmingham, England where her parents were staying at that time while on a business trip.

I thought a bouquet would really be finishing touch when given at the right moment. I don't have one. But I told my acquaintances to buy one for me and put it on the Ferris wheel. I pretended that I didn't have any gifts for her. She's yelling at me now. "What are you talking about? What do you mean you don't have anything for me?" She began shaking me and crying in a frustrated voice. I have to endure it… the moment has almost come, and I have to keep her with me until two o' clock. Of course, going for a drink would be ideal, but if she drinks half a bottle… she would be quite unpredictable. Do you remember the music video Thriller? That was pretty cool, and the way Yumiko and I are walking down the dark promenade by ourselves was very reminiscent of that scene. But she's spooked now, and we could hear dogs. She's hanging very close to me to stay warm against the sea breeze.

It's 1:40 in the middle of the night. I called my acquaintances and said I was heading over to the pier, where the Ferris wheel stood. They told me everything was ready. I sure have a bunch of trustworthy guys. It was quite dark, and there was only the bluish moonlight to guide our way. She was holding my right arm. Yumiko asked me why we're going to the pier. I didn't really answer.

My hands were quivering and my heart was beating loudly. Finally, the best gift I've ever dedicated to anyone was about to unfold. This will definitely move her to tears. She might even kiss me… well, only on the cheeks, and I really wouldn't mind. We were on the pier walking towards the Ferris wheel. It was pretty cold, and we could hear the waves swishing back and forth. Everything was going according to the plan.

Once we're in front of the Ferris wheel, I turned around to face Yumiko and put my hands on both of her shoulders. And as practiced, I whispered, "this is my magic for you." I stretch my arms to the sky. The huge Ferris wheel came to life. Blindingly colorful lights appeared. The silence was broken by the sudden burst of music.

Yumiko flinched before her eyes widened, gazing at the scene behind me and then at me. She opened her mouth, but no words came out. She must have been taken by great surprise. Tears began welling up in her bright green eyes. She's about to cry. "Happy birthday, Yumiko," I say to her. I gave her a hug, and she squeezed me tightly for a while. I was grinning. This will go down in my list as a momentous achievement. Can you believe it? I would've never imagined myself doing something like this for anyone else…

Yumiko was speechless, but she didn't need to say anything else. I took her hand and was about to get on the Ferris wheel carriage. We were very quiet inside, as we rose higher and higher up into the sky. I saw one of the guys in the control box waving at me. Now, the grand finale was very close. The wheel paused once we were at the very top, and in a minute, there were fireworks going off on the horizon. Behind a line of spruce trees, rockets were flying up. It was fantastic.

She's very happy alright. I was also content on seeing her joy. But a slight thought entered my mind. For a moment, my smile disappeared and I was a bit sad. I didn't let Yumiko notice. I thought, I wasn't able to give something like this even once to my girlfriend. I had never given such a big surprise like this to Yukino Yukinoshita. Not even before she left. I felt guilty. And the fact that we haven't actually broken up - she left without saying goodbye or explicitly cutting our relationship - made me feel even worse. Here I was, treating another woman with affection while my own girlfriend was an entire continent away. But it's not like that. This isn't some poetic melodramatic moment. This isn't a silly choice between Yukino and Miura Yumiko. In any case, Yumiko is a dear friend of mine, and after all we've been through these past few months, I would even say that she's sort of like family to me.

I must've been giving off depressed vibes, and she soon noticed. She glanced at me and held my shoulder. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I said. I tried to laugh. "Well, I've never had such an awesome birthday gift like this myself."

She giggled blissfully. "This is worth like, a gazillion points!"

"That's not even a real number," I scoffed.

"Oh, whatever Hachi…" she rolled her eyes, as we both watched the remaining fireworks in the sky.

Now, at this point, you'd think that it all ends here on a happy "the end" note. But of course, life always slaps you with a twist. As we were descending at the end of the ride, suddenly out of nowhere I heard sirens. I could see flashing red and blue lights. Then, someone yelled, "hey! What's going on? Who are you people?"

Before you know it, Yumiko and I got forced into a police cruiser. And now, we're at the local precinct. Yumiko looked like she didn't understand what just happened. She's looking at me with the expression of a deer caught in the headlights. "What the fuck?" She shouted. I started chuckling. The more I laughed, the more she freaked out. After getting scolded at by the park security, two police officers appeared before us.

"What are you kids trying to do?" One of the cops demanded. "Why would you go in there in the middle of the night? Huh?"

I started talking in a reasonable voice. "My apologies, sir… see, what happened was- "

The officer is not even listening. Why did he even ask me why we did it then? He pointed a warning finger at us. "Do you have any idea how much fines you are going to take? Just wait until your parents hear about this!"

Yumiko was stammering, unable to speak once again. She probably was going to demand to call her uncle Sanada, the DA to get her out of here. Unfortunately for her, we were whisked away and detained together in a cell. There were two beds on either side of the room. It wasn't so bad, I thought. I was just going to call the crew in the morning and I'll be out before breakfast. But Yumiko was starting to freak out. I don't think she's claustrophobic, it's just that she's never been imprisoned before. And the thought of her father finding out about this terrified her. Me? I nonchalantly got on my bed like nothing happened and lied there with a smile. She's mad at me now. "This is all your fault! I hate you!" I started laughing sardonically. She charged over to my side and started hitting me.

"Baka! Stupid Hachiman! Why are you smiling?" She said between clenched teeth.

I told her to calm down, to which she just flung back an insult. "That was a complete 180 degree turn, Yumiko. A while ago, it's like you were going to kiss me out of happiness, and now you hate me," I snickered.

"That was before we got thrown into jail, you stupid motherfu…"

So, she and I spent the night together… in jail. This is the third time for me, if I'm not mistaken (the first time was a whole different story.) The second time, which was when I fell asleep in Monoi station while drunk.

In any case, I guess I did give her an unforgettable birthday gift. Can anyone else say that they spent their birthday behind bars? Yumiko's never going to forget this, I'll give you that. The whole fiasco probably scared her good. She's sitting at the foot of my bed, holding her legs close to her chest with an apprehensive look, while I'm trying to sleep.

Then I found out that Hanzo's friends tried to bribe the security, but they refused. I couldn't believe it. Since their security job was the only way they could support their families, they couldn't risk getting fired. They didn't take the money. I was incensed. "You idiots!" I yelled at them when I got out. "Then you should've offered them a job! Don't you have a brain or what?" These fools have poor diplomatic skills. Instead, they just spent the money I gave them on their phone bills, drinks and food. The bastards. Since they promised to do things correctly, and they did to an extent, they just thought "whatever" and let this whole thing happen. But the next day, they all got fired. Serves them right!

So what about the fines? The next day, her uncle - yes, the one that let me experience firsthand the fine institution of prisons - arrived and took care of everything. We got off scot-free. You've got to appreciate the power of DAs.

But then I became the no.1 on her uncle's blacklist. That's right. Drug dealers, murderers, crime bosses, hijackers, rapists - I beat them all and took the first place. I'm still marked by Mr. Sanada. I can tell he doesn't really like me, and I can't blame him. I don't like myself that much as well. Yumiko's family must be thinking of me as the public enemy no.1. But- but all I wanted was for her to be happy! I'm not the bad guy!

I suppose Yumiko had almost moved on from her ex-boyfriend now. To tell you the truth, because of all the having to take care of her, spending time with her and the things both Yumiko and I did for the past few months, I don't think she had time to think about him at all. To think that all this began when she threw up on me back in a train! Of course, there's no way I'd want to remember something like that. Yumiko can still be pretty chaotic and despicable at times, but I guess those sides are what makes her kind of charming.