Chapter 7

Sano could not compute the words he had just heard. Drake was Joanne's lover? Drake plus Joanne? You could almost hear the gears in Sano's head crank. But Joanne's voice jolted him out of his daze.
"Drake! You know we aren't. Stop teasing Sano."
Sano mind gave a huge sigh but he blurted out, "Why would I care?!" With that, he spun on his heels toward the dojo. He could hear them laughing in the background, but he kept on walking. As he walked, he thought to himself. Why would I care anyway? Could I actually be jealous? She just reminds me of someone… He bumped into Yahiko, and they started to argue about whose fault it was. His mind clean of the thought, he fervently disputed with Yahiko.
He strolled to his room about 20 minutes later and found that someone was already in his room. He stiffened, but then relaxed as he remembered that he shared a room with Joanne. He was about to enter, when he heard hushed voices. There seemed to be an argument of some sort. Drake! What was Drake doing in his room? Oh yeah, he was Joanne's friend. Sano turned to leave, when Drake came out and slammed the door. Drake gave Sano a look that could wither small plants and looked like he was going to punch Sano, but thought better of it, after seeing the wicked jacket.
As Drake passed Sano, he said "Wicked, huh? I know what that stands for, wicked bad taste." He smirked and went past. Sano was about to go after him and beat the pulp out of him for insulting his jacket, when he heard something. It was a faint mewing sound. It was coming from his room. He went in to investigate and found Joanne crying, balled up in a corner.
Sano was furious. He wanted to do everything in his power to make Joanne smile instead of cry. He went to her and asked what was wrong.
*sniff* "I… I… Drake…well, he said…" then she broke into sobs. Her body racked with weeping.
Sano flew out of the dojo in search of Drake and when he found Drake, Sano could only see red. He pulled Drake up by the collar and said "What do you think you are doing?! Messing around at the gambling place, disturbing my friends, then coming to the dojo and upsetting Joanne! Do you want a death wish?! I would be more than happy to grant that wish!"
Drake's face was contorted with pain and he was grasping at the hands on his collar, which were cutting of any air to his lungs. Sano let him go, and Drake slumped to the ground, gasping like a goldfish on land. Drake finally answered saying "It's none of your business, what happens between me and Joanne, and with your friends, I just did what any other lucky player would do. Why care anyway? Don't tell me that you fell in love with that…" His voice died away, after seeing Sano's face.
Sano looked as if he was going to wring Drake's neck very shortly. But instead he said "It is my business because she is my friend and what if I did fall in love with her? And what would that be?"
Drake looked troubled when he said "Ask the Youza, about what she is to them."
Sano was stunned. The Youza?! The Youza was the most violent and dangerous gang in the country. What would they want with a girl like her. Unless she was more than she seemed. Disturbed, he forgot all about Drake and walked back to the dojo. He was in a daze. He didn't even notice that Kenshin was awake and healthy and giving him a questioning look. Sano walked straight past Kenshin and went to his room. Inside, Joanne was balled up in the corner, apparently, she cried herself to sleep.
Kenshin was worried. What had upset Sano so much? He hobbled to where Sano's room was and got there just in time to see Sano pull his sake bottle back at throw it straight at Joanne's face.

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