Tokyo Crazy Paradise : The Untold Chapters

Chapter 4: Bring Me To Life

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Bang.. the gun went off..

Makino opened her eyes. Strangely, a surge of relief filled her heart to see Doumyouji still standing in front of her. The gun missed. Doumyouji remained grim.

" You could do better than that," he curtly replied.

Tsukasa screeched at Doumyouji. " You really want to die, dumb ass?" Ryuji held her back. " Do not interfere. This is between Doumyouji and Makino."

Doumyouji's eyes shone with determination. He pointed at his head and his left chest, " Here.. aim here. Do not miss again. Do not shame me with poor shooting. I am after all your teacher. Show me your best shot."

Makino's heart pounded louder and harder.

You really want me to do this. Doumyouji.. I..

Flashback.. at Doumyouji shooting range.

The gun went off. Makino opened her eyes to see it hit dead center. She exclaimed in glee, jumping up and down like a kid getting her first Christmas gift. In the midst of her excitement, she suddenly turned around and kissed Doumyouji really hard. Stunned, Doumyouji at first wanted to pull away but he sheepishly let her instead. When Makino realised her mistake, she quickly let go of Doumyouji. She turned away feeling really shy. Doumyouji, who was secretly glad of Makino's impulsively showing her affections like that, started to grin like a Cheshire cat.

" What was that for?" He teasingly ask as he loaded the gun for another shot. Makino tried to evade the question and started mumbling about the weather and that she was lucky.. bla.. bla.. Just as she was about to march off, Doumyouji grabbed her and spun her facing him. " Do it again," he impishly demanded.

" Do what?" She acted ignorant although she knew perfectly well what was it he was implying.
" You know what."
" What I know?"
" Makino.. don't play the idiot. You know what I am talking about." Makino blushed red.
" It's a thankyou kiss.. nothing more.." She tried to break free but he won't let her. He brought her closer to him.
" Don't do it.." she whispered breathlessly. Doumyouji murmured that he would not yield to her fickle request.
" I know you want me too." Doumyouji lifted her chin up and brought his lips closer.

Makino hated when Doumyouji stubbornly refused her but this time, she knew that he was right. Instinctively, Makino closed her eyes and reached for his neck. What followed was the most intense kiss she ever experienced. It was long, passionate yet tender. When it was over, both of them were breathlessly shaken by it.

" Where did you learn to kiss like that?" she softly asked. Doumyouji shrugged.
" I don't know. Perhaps I'm naturally good at it." His eyes twinkled devilishly. " Or that I have a really good partner."
" Why you.." Before she could finish her sentence, Doumyouji pulled her into his embrace again for another kiss. Makino struggled free. " People are looking at us."
" What? You just notice?" Makino shoved him really hard. " I thought you wanted to teach me how to shoot."
" Waa.. already mad at me kaa?" Grinning, Doumyouji loaded another shotgun. " Okay, come here. Let me show you again."

At that moment, all Makino knew was that it was like being in heaven to be there with Doumyouji. Although deep inside her treacherous heart, she knew this happiness won't last.

I was in too deep in this darkness that binds me to this bloodied oath. My whole life was for this solemn vow yet when you came, I felt that somehow only you could bring me out of this nightmare. At the end, I find myself neck deep back where I started. I can't escape.

Bang... Another resounding shot. Doumyouji's body shattered by the bullet's impact. His SPs shifted uneasily seeing Doumyouji was hit. But they were greatly relieved to see that it only hit him in the shoulder.

He bellowed, " Another shot. This one better. But next one.." He signaled for her to finish it. Kill me.. and end my suffering.

Makino bit her lip nervously. She felt so drained. Her sweaty palm fumbled with the gun. She knew that there was one last bullet. She also knew that she must shoot Doumyouji if she wants to get out of this mess alive but she can't. Doumyouji sensed her uneasiness. He had faith in her. She'll know what to do.

" Makino, stop. We can talk." said Tsukasa.
Makino shook her head. " No one can help me."
Nishikado stated, " We will let go of you even if you do not shoot the master."
" Nishikado, I told you to back out of this," yelled Doumyouji stubbornly. Nishikado paid no heed to Doumyouji's protests.
" We can pay you as much as you want."
Makino laughed, " Do you think this is about the money?" She shook her head in disbelief, " Nishikado-kun is so naive to believe that I would risk everything just for the sake of money."
" Then why are you doing this."

Makino smirked, " Have you thought of revenge?" All that present was thunderstruck. Doumyouji stared at Makino. His conviction dithering. So, Makino was not lying. I don't believe this. I refuse to believe this.

" So it was all an act?"
Makino nodded. Reluctantly, she said, " I told you. I never loved you. I told you to let me disappear. I did not want to hurt you by letting you know this but you came after me. You always this stupid, Doumyouji. Because of your stupidity, we will triumph against Doumyouji Corporation and make all of you pay for all you did to us."

Doumyouji shook his head. " I do not believe you. Just come back to me and I'll forget everything. Your past. It's no longer important. We will be happy. Just like old times."

If only it is that easy.

Makino yearned to believe his words.

Because deep down I knew.. I am in love with him. My own enemy.

Looking at Doumyouji, Makino wished she could tell him the truth. That he could see what was in her heart. In her eyes.

Another voice scolded her. You are a fool, Makino. He will hate you if he knows that you have been deceiving him all this while. Remember what his family did to you. Your parents, Rui's parents, Shizuka.. Just pull the trigger.

The voices became louder drowning her own voice of reason. It was telling her to shoot. Shoot.. Shoot.. Shoot...

Bang... Doumyouji slumped into a heap on the ground. A pool of blood collected underneath him. Makino dropped the gun. Everything after that seemed to move in slow motion. Ryuji ran to Doumyouji and tried to stop the bleeding.

Doumyouji looked up to Makino. His glazed eyes could barely make out her silhouette against the night shadows. Trembling, he held out his hand towards her.

I lost.. her.

Makino stared at him. She wanted to reach out and grasp his hand. But she knew that she should not. She wished that he could see that she really did not want to hurt him. Her heart ached to run to him and tell him everything will be all right. Would he knew that her heart was breaking to see him crumpled like that because of her? This strong-willed man who loved her reduced to a bloodied pulp in her hands.

Don't let him die here. Please.. I still need him to save me...

Ryuji snapped at him, " Wake up!"
Doumyouji stirred but he was too much in pain to answer. His breathing faltering. Ryuji examined his wound. Makino's shot went right at his stomach. It was bleeding profusely. Nishikado flicked his cell to call the ambulance, barking his orders to his men as he dialed the numbers. The rest of the Doumyouji SPs and Kuryugumi kumiins led by Tsukasa surrounded Makino, all set to swoop upon her at any moment.

" Do not attack her. Doumyouji instructed that we must let her go," Tsukasa yelled at the others. All of them stepped back but obviously for the SPs, they were determine to apprehend Makino against Tsukasa's orders.

Suddenly, a helicopter descended from the sky. Its arrival brought a heavy gust of wind causing the men to disperse. A rope ladder dropped from it right next to Makino. Makino grabbed hold of it and when she was safely suspended on it, the helicopter ascended. Tsukasa caught a look at Makino's face. Her distraught facade tells that Doumyouji and Kuryugumi problem did not end here. Tsukasa saw Makino looking at her. She was trying to tell Tsukasa something. And that something was so obvious that she did not have to be an expert at lip reading to tell.

Makino had just managed to tell Tsukasa, " Take care of Doumyouji. For me."

* * * * * * * * * * *
At Kuryugumi private hospital complex..

Meiko sensei labored to transfuse enough blood to Doumyouji as fast as she can. At the same time, Ryuji, Bun-san and Nishikado worked to find out more about Makino's background. Their hunch is that Makino was a part of an enemy organization sent to Doumyouji Corporation to spy. But which organisation.. that was what they have to find out first. But it was not easy considering Doumyouji Corporation just like the yakuza, had many enemies and have done a lot of bad things to others. To sieve through hundreds of names and organizations was no easy task.

" How did Makino met Doumyouji anyway? Didn't you check her background."
Nishikado explained, " We did. She was clean or so we thought. Makino was an employee of the Doumyouji corporation. We recruited her to be a security hacker for our IT department. For your information, Makino originally was an expert in cyber-security and that was why I took her to work under me." Nishikado sighed. " I was the one who introduced her to Doumyouji. A great mistake that I'll forever will be reminded."
" After that, what happen?"
" Love.. that's what happen. That's if you ask Doumyouji. He was head over heels from the very first day they meet. After a year, he proposed and they were going to marry last summer before she disappear."

" If she's a computer expert, most probably she had falsified her records, removing all traces of her real background." said Ryuji.
Then, Bun-san got an idea, " We could try the old way."
Nishikado confused, " What are you suggesting?"
" Get to the old records at the Japan Registry department. They have not computerised their whole records yet so there must be a hard copy of Makino's real background and perhaps from there we could draw up her link to Doumyouji Corporation and her possible motive against us."
" That's ingenious. Perhaps you could also get our yakuza information network to work on that too. That is if Makino Tsukushi was even her real name," muttered Ryuji. Nishikado nodded, " Let's hope our luck holds up."
Nishikado and Bun-san quickly got on to their feet. Ryuji sighed, " This is going to be a long day."

Tsukasa kept vigil next to Doumyouji. Kaya-san patted her from the back. " It's not your fault."
" I trusted Makino.. obviously I have lousy judgment."
" You did what your instinct told you."
" But Kaya-san, I just caused this man to die just because I stupidly believed Makino's lies."
" Shhh.. he has not died yet. Anyway, how would you know she was lying? You and I are only human after all."

Tsukasa stared at Doumyouji. Poor guy. Then, she thought of Makino. What sort of girl could shoot someone so in love with her? A cruel one or a desperate one?

The door opened. Meiko sensei explained that they managed to stop the bleeding but Doumyouji is still dangerously hanging to life by a thread.

" How's his prognosis then?" Meiko sensei sighed.
" If Doumyouji did not fight to hold on to life.. I would say the prospect is very poor. Tell his people to prepare for the worst."

* * * * * * * * * * *

Makino was seated next to the masked helicopter pilot. The pilot told her that Hanazawa-kun was expecting her very soon. Makino nodded.

" Mimasaka-kun, you can take off the mask now. I don't think we were followed."

Mimasaka laughed and immediately took his mask off. " Makino, I knew you'd know me anywhere."

Makino smiled, " We are childhood friends after all. You, me, Rui and Shizuka."
Mimasaka nodded. " Years of planning and finally we can put our strategy in motion. We owe everything to you, Makino. Without you, we could not have made it."

Makino did not reply. Her mind was preoccupied with Doumyouji. Was he all right? The fact is, she purposely shot him at the stomach hoping that she did not hit any major organs to cover her escape. Yet, knowing well that she did her best to avoid killing him, she was worried. What if he lost too much blood?

Now that I know what I'm without.. you can't just leave me here. Breath into me and make me real...
All this time.. I can't believe.. been kept in the dark but you were right there in front of me.
I've been sleeping a thousand years it seem.. now I open my eyes to everything..
without a thought.. without a voice.. don't let me die here..
bring me to life...

" Makino.. are you with me?"
" Huh.."
" You are thousands of miles away.."
" It's nothing.." Sensing something amiss, Mimasaka Akira murmured, " Don't tell me you are in love with that boy?"

Glancing at him, she sighed, " How did you know?"
Mimasaka turned towards her. " Because I know you. From the way you look at the boy.. the way you hesitated in killing him... I know."
"I can't hide anything from you, Akira-kun."
" You should have been more careful."
" You were not there. You would not understand."
" Understand? You cannot fall in love with Doumyouji Tsukasa. Remember how they kill our parents. Remember Rui.. How broken he was to lose Shizuka and his parents at the same time? We were fortunate to be left behind with an opportunity to avenge them. Do not tell me that you are having second thoughts."
" I am not having second thoughts. But what if we were wrong, Akira? What if Doumyouji Corporation had nothing to do with our parents death? What if it really was an accident?"

Mimasaka glared at her. " No... Doumyouji Corporation was the one that had planned our parents to die in that plane crash. You read the investigative reports.. what did it say? You remember your solemn vow to Rui. And to me?"
Makino hesitantly nodded. " I remember."

" Then, forget whatever feelings you have for that insignificant Doumyouji boy. We have more work to do. And Makino."
" Yes.."
" Do not let Rui know about this. I can overlook this matter but Rui.."
" I'll be careful. I promise." I'll forget him.
" You should be." He sighed. " Our lives depend on that."

Makino felt so numb and cold inside. This familiar lonely feeling which shrouded her heart ever since her parents died. That only his presence could make it fade away. Now, that feeling returned more intense then it ever before. She felt like drowning in her doubts. Obsessive ruminations between revenge and love. What is wrong and what is right? Should she go on pretending that she did not care? Or risk betraying those who have been there for her years. She didn't know what to do.

I'm sorry, Doumyouji. This is my choice. We just were not meant to be.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Doumyouji found himself in a vast field. Empty and dead. There was only the wind and dust. He could hear Makino calling his name but he cannot see her anywhere.

He could hear her voice bidding him to come to her. To lead her out of this dark place.

But.. she lied to me. I did not want to go back to her lies. Her deceit.. Let her stay here in this darkness. For now.. for eternity.

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kumiin - member of the kumi

kumi - group as in Kuryugumi is a group

This chapter is inspired by Evanescence's Bring Me To Life (Daredevil OST). A nice Gothic feeling song which I think sums up the whole chapter. To all Rui fans, he's due for his much awaited appearance next. Till next time. Bye.

"Bring Me To Life" (feat. Paul McCoy)

how can you see into my eyes like open doors
leading you down into my core
where I've become so numb without a soul my spirit sleeping somewhere cold
until you find it there and lead it back home

(Wake me up)
Wake me up inside
(I can't wake up)
Wake me up inside
(Save me)
call my name and save me from the dark
(Wake me up)
bid my blood to run
(I can't wake up)
before I come undone
(Save me)
save me from the nothing I've become

now that I know what I'm without
you can't just leave me
breathe into me and make me real
bring me to life

(Wake me up)
Wake me up inside
(I can't wake up)
Wake me up inside
(Save me)
call my name and save me from the dark
(Wake me up)
bid my blood to run
(I can't wake up)
before I come undone
(Save me)
save me from the nothing I've become

Bring me to life
(I've been living a lie, there's nothing inside)
Bring me to life

frozen inside without your touch without your love darling only you are the life among the dead

all this time I can't believe I couldn't see
kept in the dark but you were there in front of me
I've been sleeping a thousand years it seems
got to open my eyes to everything
without a thought without a voice without a soul
don't let me die here
there must be something more
bring me to life

(Wake me up)
Wake me up inside
(I can't wake up)
Wake me up inside
(Save me)
call my name and save me from the dark
(Wake me up)
bid my blood to run
(I can't wake up)
before I come undone
(Save me)
save me from the nothing I've become

(Bring me to life)
I've been living a lie, there's nothing inside
(Bring me to life)