A hot summer Tuesday found Kaoru furiously fanning herself. The diner's AC barely cooling the ninety degree building.
The bell chimed, indicating a new customer.
Kaoru looked up and couldn't help but smile when she saw the customer.
"Welcome to the Akabeko!" she greeted.
He smiled, ever politely. And took a seat at a barstool in front of her.
She scribbled on her notebook and hung it on the cook's window.
"I wasn't expecting you until later tonight. So your tea isn't ready yet, but it shouldn't be more than a couple of minutes."
He smiled again. "That's fine, that it is."
She took a seat behind the counter.
"So, do what do I owed the pleasure of seeing you a couple hours early?"
The man shrugged. "I have business tonight, so I figured I'd stop by for lunch instead."
"Oh I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed, shooting up. "I should've asked you if you wanted anything else!"
He chuckled, "You're fine miss, I don't blame you,"
Again, she took out her notebook.
"Well, what can I get for you?"
"Whatever today's special is."
Tae ran out from the back, yelling her name. She reached for the remote and changed channels.
"What's wrong Tae?"
She ignored her question, opting instead to stare at the tv
"Oh my–" Tae said, clutching her chest.
A news reporter spoke on mute. a grim line on her face, and the outline of a body on the screen behind her.
"Ain't that by where you live Kaoru?" Tae asked, raising the volume.
"Ruffian Row," she said, recognizing the street name they showed.
"This whole gang violence is starting to get out of hand," Tae said, pursing her lips. "I knew sooner or later someone was going to wind up dead."
"I wonder if they've caught the culprit."
"Oh you don't think it could've been..." Tae trailed off.
"Who?"
"Battousaii," the redheaded man finished for her.
"Isn't it obvious?" The man added. "Battousaii the manslayer."
She crossed her arms, looking back at him, and back at the TV.
"I don't think so..."
"Really?" He said. "How so,"
"Battousaii has only ever killed powerful and fraudulent people. That's why the police let him off the hook. Not only that, but Battousaii hasn't killed in well over two years. Why would he suddenly come out of hiding and start again. And with just a petty street thief at that? No, it doesn't make sense..."
"Sounds like you've known him." he said.
"Not directly no. He helped save my friend from a... situation, is all."
She cleared her throat and smoothed her apron.
"That is," he frowned, almost in confusion, "interesting."
"I'm not justifying his murders of course. There are better ways to deal with evil people than he's done it. But when you think about it retrospectively; there isn't a single incident, of where he has killed a civilian."
He winced and looked away.
Tae gasped, tapping her arm.
She looked back at the TV. Where they showed a crumpled note. It displayed, a presumably bloody handprint. And Battousii's name scribbled across in black ink.
"I was him!" Tae said.
She frowned, "But it doesn't make sense."
She looked back at him. "What do you... think...?"
His seat was empty, and the door was swinging back closed. On the counter, lay a crisp fifty dollar bill.
"Where'd he go?" Tae asked.
X
Her phone rang, right on time as her break began.
She picked up, walking to the back room.
"Hey babe," she said.
Stopping, she turned around, and glared at the overflowing trash can in the office.
"Hey. How's work?"
She clutched her phone with her shoulder, and began stuffing the trash in.
"Oh you know, same old same old," she said, "I'm sure it's way less boring with you."
She cursed silently, as her phone fell, into the bag as well. The next words muffled by overdue bill invoices.
"Sorry what was that?" she said, picking it back up.
Her boyfriend groaned on the other line.
"Never mind,"
She huffed, tying up the trash can, and pulling it out.
"Well I'm sorry I couldn't hear you." she bit.
"Whatever, listen I'm going to have to take a rain check."
She dragged the bag past the cook. He looked at her, chopping onions. She rolled her eyes.
"Not like it's the third rain check in a row or anything," she muttered.
She pushed the back door open with her shoulder. Maybe a little too hard.
"I know babe. I'm so sorry. But we keep running into problems setting up the gallery. They lost one of my paintings, and I've run out of nails and," he sighed, "Look, as soon as the opening gala is over I promise I will make it up to you."
She sighed, pushing the trash bag into the dumpster.
"I'll triple make it up to you! I'll even take you to that fancy restaurant you've wanted to go to for your birthday."
She paused and smiled.
"You promise?"
"Triple promise,"
She smiled, going back inside.
"Alright, I'll hold you accountable you hear? I'm gonna go on my lunch break now, so I'll call you later."
"Love you."
She paused before responding back, "Love you too babe."
X
Tae stacked and straightened the papers on her desk. When she saw her at the door, she paused and straightened the papers again.
She sighed.
"Tae just give me the keys and go. Tsubame is waiting on you."
"Oh Kaoru, are you sure? I can always kick the customers out. Your safety is more important."
She fiddled with the keys hanging from the hip.
"Really, I'll be fine."
She handed her the keys.
"I can always come right back and give you a ride home too."
She deadpanned her.
"Tae you want me to wait an extra thirty minutes for you to get back from the other side of town?" she waved her hand dismissively. "Besides it's only a ten minute ride back on my bike. Not to mention I've also got my kenjutsu training."
She started shooing her towards the door.
"But how long has it been sine you practiced? And what about the recent shootings near your house?" Tae stopped at the door and turned back around. "There's some pepper spray in my desk, take it home with you later okay?"
She nodded, shooing Tae towards the door.
"Yes, I'll make sure to take it. Now go I'm sure Tsubame is waiting on us."
As Tae walked out to her car with Tsubame, she looked back at her.
"Now you take care of yourself you hear?"
She smiled in return. "I will."
Soon after the silent cook left as well.
And then it was just her, with the last two customers, finishing their food.
The doorbell chimed as the last customer was paying his check.
"Sorry we're closed now," she looked up, dropping the change in the customer's hand.
A giant of a man trudged in. His head grazing the lanterns as he slowly walked by and sat down in a booth.
The customer and her made eye contact, and he excused himself.
The man watched silently. The customer gathered his belonging and walked out.
Once gone, He stood up, and walked towards her. She stood from her seat as well.
Just in case.
"I'm here to see the owner of this place."
She clicked her tongue and took out a notepad. "You just missed her I'm afraid, but if you want I can take down your contact information, and tell her tomorrow?"
The man shook his head slowly. His eyes remained fixated on her the whole time. He stared at her with such a likeness that reminded her of their cook.
"No need, I'll come back at a later time." He said, walking back out.
"Oh… Alright. Uhm, is there a message you would like me to give her anyways?"
The man turned around, giving her his terrible excuse for a grin. "Tell her Gohei Hiruma was here. And he is interested in purchasing this building."
The small bell chimed again, and he was gone, as quickly as he had arrived.
Once she was sure he was completely gone. She locked everything up and snuck out the back door. Bike in hands.
It's not that Gohei had scared her or anything. By all means, he could be the kindest and softest man, and just have a really intimidating aura.
She turned a corner.
But the way he had walked in had given her a funny feeling in her stomach. One she wasn't too keen on finding out more.
She slowed at the sound of voices. Muffled, they came from the alleyway in front of her.
She hopped off her bike and walked as quietly as she could. She stopped right at the edge of the entrance.
All she saw were three people, one with a gun and one with a sword. It was enough to make her nope out of there.
Praying they didn't hear her, she hopped back on her bike and pedaled as hard as she could on the slight incline.
She wasn't even a block away when she heard the gunshot.
Once she was what she felt a safe distance away, she pulled out her phone and called the police.
The operator spoke calmly in her ear. And she yelled loudly back, rattling out the street where it had been.
The operator asked if she was somewhere safe. To which she replied 'yes' and hung up.
She whipped into her complex and locked her bike. And ran up to the stairs, two at a time. All the way up to the fourth floor.
She slammed her door closed, and double locked it. Even putting on the useless tiny chain the door has.
She ducked under her bedcovers, fully clothed in her work uniform, and waited. He whole place was silent. Well as silent as an apartment could be.
The couple from downstairs argued as always. Her neighbor played their piano, terribly. But quietly as they could. The ac in her living room, still hummed quietly.
She opened her eyes, upon a realization.
One of those people had held a sword.
Battousaii was the only one rumored to carry a sword.
She gasped and sat up.
There was no way… Had she just seen Battousaii?
She looked through the window. Almost expecting him to be racing towards her apartment. Ready to kill his witness.
No one was outside, save for the lonely guard, smoking a cigarette. The landlord's black SUV pulled out of the lot.
She sat back down in her bed.
The Battousaii never killed any witnesses though. So she was safe right?
But there never were any witnesses. Because he was too quick. Too silent. Too lethal.
He wouldn't possibly kill her... Would he?
Her walls shook, as the train behind the complex passed by. Momentarily separating her from the housing on the other side. Ruffian Row.
Next Update: 09/25/21
In which we get a different perspective, along as the identity of Kaoru's boyfirend. And a shattering introduction to a new character. See you next time!