Hello! I bring you the next chapter of "Hurt":3 Sorry it took so long. I was being lazy and decided to keep avoiding having to write this and then some problems came up. (Questing on Gaia kinda makes you obsess a little! XD) Anyways, this chapter was beta-ed by "Misery Loves Fanfics", aka, saiikivonmaou. -huggles- dangerpawn is busy with college preparation so she couldn't beta this chapter. So, if the style seems different, it's because I used a different beta.
Anyway, read on, my friends! Oh, BTW, re-read the first chapter if you haven't already. When I posted it, the chapter wasn't beta-ed. There were many changes that occured after the chapter was beta-ed, so it'll be neccessary for you to re-read it. Sorry for the hassle!
Disclaimer: I don't own Get backers, blah, blah, blah...
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Chapter 2
The bells of the café rang as Ginji and Shido entered the Honky Tonk together. It was much warmer inside than it was outside. They could tell the difference the moment they stepped into the room. Natsumi and Paul were unloading some things that they had recently ordered for the Honky Tonk. Ban was sitting in a booth with none other than Himiko. The two were chatting. Ginji only grimaced as he laid eyes on them. They were so…happy…Despite his kind personality, he wished he could take that happiness away and keep it for himself. And Ban hadn't even noticed him! This was infuriating.
"Ah!" Natsumi chirped. She waved at Ginji and Shido, realizing they were there. At least she saw him. The waitress practically pranced over to them. "Hello Gin-chan, Shido-san. Welcome back! Can I get you guys something?" She beamed at them. Ginji looked up hopefully. Natsumi could always brighten up his day with her welcoming and generous nature. But today, not even that seemed to cheer him up. It only made his frown deepen.
"That Shido can get something 'cause I know he has cash," Paul interrupted as he placed a plate on the counter, "but Ginji can't. He and Ban have failed to pay their humongous tab. No pay, no food." Natsumi pursed her lips as Paul continued to unload the shipments. This only managed to make Ginji more depressed than he already was and that seemed impossible.
"But Master!" Natsumi protested gently, eyeing Ginji. "Can I at least get him some coffee? It's cold outside and I'm sure he could use it from being out there for so long. Please?" She worked her charm against Paul without meaning to, and the man finally gave in with a sigh.
"Fine, but only one cup of coffee," Paul mumbled, looking away. "And that's final. You kids are gonna squeeze me dry someday… God…" He rubbed his temple. Natsumi bowed, showing her thanks, and sped off eagerly to make some coffee.
"Thanks Natsumi-chan, and Paul," Ginji said dully, moving towards the bar to sit. Shido followed suit. His eyes darted around the café, looking for Hevn. She, or her over-large bust, was nowhere to be seen. Shido sighed and waited for Natsumi to return so he could order something himself. He tapped his fingers against the counter.
"Hey Ginji…," Shido stopped tapping. His attention shifted to Ban and Himiko. They were so absorbed in their conversation that they still hadn't noticed them. "So they're seriously going out?" Shido looked at Ginji quickly. Ginji nodded. "Really? You sure you didn't just jump to conclusions? They fight all the time and…" He looked back at the budding couple.
"Yes, Shido," Ginji said sternly. "They are dating. Trust me on this one." He groaned and watched Paul work. Shido looked at Ban and Himiko again, as if their relationship was the most fascinating thing the world had to offer. Blinking, he watched Himiko blush as Ban leaned towards her. Ban whispered something in her ear and she froze instantly.
"Whoa…," Shido whispered. He whistled and patted Ginji's head and smiled hopefully. Ginji put on a fake smile to satisfy Shido. "It ain't that bad. Don't give up. She'll dump him as soon as he tries to touch her boobs on the next date, I swear it. Then you can have Himiko, although I seriously don't know why you'd want her… But hey, we all have our likes and dislikes, right?"
Suddenly, Ban's ears twitched. He turned around swiftly and glared at Shido. Shido replied with a death glare of his own. Himiko blinked, oblivious to what was going on. Ban slid out of the booth and stomped his way to the counter, huffing. He looked like a bull that had just seen the red flag wave. Himiko scowled but did nothing to stop him. She looked out the window with red cheeks.
"Damn…" she mumbled. "He always wants to pick a fight. Jerk…"
"What did you say, Monkey Tamer?" Ban demanded sharply, eyes narrowed. He took his final step, now only a few centimeters away from Shido's face. Shido appeared unfazed. He gazed at his fingers and rolled his eyes. "Answer me, bastard!" Ban slammed his fist against the counter.
"I said you're so damn ugly so you have to steals girls and play with 'em really quick before they run away," Shido said indifferently. "Although I didn't think you'd stoop that low, man." Himiko was oblivious to the fact that Shido was considering her "stolen". Ginji knew there was a fight coming on so he stepped out of the way. He knew that it could get ugly fast. Ban growled, closing his eyes. "What? You have to take girls out from under your friends now?" Ban seethed. Although he didn't know which friend he "stole" Himiko from, he was still mad.
"You damn monkey!" Ban hollered, tackling Shido. The two began to roll around on the floor, throwing vicious threats at each other. Ginji and Paul could only watch as the two fought. Himiko turned away and went through her poisons, checking to see if they were all there.
"Hmm…," she thought aloud. "All here, but…" She returned her attention to the outside world. "Oh well."
"Just don't break anything…," Paul said, obviously uninterested. As Shido slammed Ban againstthe counter, a few glasses and plates fell to the ground, breaking instantly. Paul frowned and shook his head sadly. "Never mind… Why do I even bother?" He had a thoughtful look on his face as he counted with his fingers. He stopped mid-thought and gave up. Sighing, he went to fetch a broom.
"Um…Ban-chan?" Ginji asked quietly, stepping forward. He wanted to stop the fight so he could talk to Ban, or at least make Ban see him. The only reply he got was a muffled scream and a crash. "Ban-chan…you're making our tab get bigger. Come on…" Smash. Bam. Wince.
"At least I'm not so ugly that I have to date a blind girl!" Ban hollered as Shido attempted to strangle him.
"W-what?" Shido trembled with rage. "What did you say, Snake Bastard?" Ban sneered.
"You heard me," he taunted, showing his teeth arrogantly. He snickered. "Poor Madoka-chan… She doesn't know 'what' the hell she fell for… I bet if she ever saw you she'd run straight to the hills and never come back again. But, lucky for you, she's blind so she can't see how ugly you really are. She's your first girlfriend, right?" Shido lunged at Ban.
"You filthy bast-!"
"I got the coffee! Sorry for the wait, Gin-chan!"
Everyone turned towards the source of the voice. Standing in the center of the café, Natsumi held a cup of hot coffee. She smiled warmly and then noticed everyone was staring at her. Blinking, she looked down at the coffee as if there was something wrong with it.
"Umm…did I interrupt anything?" she asked cautiously. "Is there something on my face? Or…" Paul shook his head. Natsumi gazed at Shido and Ban and raised her brow suspiciously. "Then does anyone need help?"
"We'll settle this later," Shido told Ban. "And next time, your ass will be hitting the curb so hard it'll be numb!" Ban rolled his eyes.
"We'll see about that," he said, brushing himself off. "Monkey Tamer…" And with that, the two went to separate sides of the room. Shido sat at the bar near Paul, Natsumi and Ginji. Ban went back to Himiko, who had a look of panic on her face. As Natsumi handed the frozen-stiff Ginji a cup of coffee, Ban noticed his presence. Ginji nodded at Natsumi and thanked her politely. Then he sat down quietly.
"…Ginji…?" Ban breathed. Without a word, he stood up again and marched towards Ginji. "Yo, you came back, finally, although I don't know why you left in the first place…" Ginji looked in another direction. "How could I not have noticed you were here before…? Oh well. Hey, you know, right?" Ginji groaned.
"Know what exactly?" he asked dully, staring at the door intently. Ginji was well aware of what Ban meant; he just didn't want Ban to know. Ban put a smug look on his face and pointed to Himiko. Ginji banged his head against the counter, several times.
"Stop doing that, 'cause I have good news. How can you be sad? I scored myself a chick!" Ban declared proudly. "And she has a nice rack, too. Aren't I lucky?" He grinned. Ginji snapped himself together and nodded happily.
"Yup, you sure are, Ban-chan!" he said. Saying that and hearing those words out of Ban's mouth hurt Ginji in the worst way imaginable. He struggled to keep his smile on his face. "I knew you'd get Himiko sooner or later. You do like her, don't you?" He peered over at Himiko curiously, examining her. Luckily, she didn't notice.
"What's not to like?" Ban asked skeptically, laughing. "She has big boobs and she isn't fat. Plus, she has a nice face and ass. Hello? How can I not like that?" Ginji noted that Ban said nothing about the personality, but he knew it didn't matter. Ban already showed Ginji that he did want to "be" with Himiko, so what chance did he have? He didn't have all the stuff Himiko did, so how could he win? He was aware that his feelings would never be mutual since the very beginning, but he continued to hope. Why?
"You're right, Ban-chan," Ginji said. "You're completely right." This was killing him, literally. "Hey…she looks pissed over there. I think she wants to talk with you some more…" Hearing Ban go on and on about how wonderful Himiko was made him sick to his stomach. At this point, even if it meant making Ban hang out with Himiko some more, he was willing to do it. And as long as he didn't look at them, he was fine, or so he hoped he'd be.
"Yeah, you're right…," Ban said, looking back at her cross face. "Well, can't leave the hottie waiting and angry, now can I? See ya Ginji!" Ban grinned and walked over to the booth in a waythat made Ginji's stomach flutter. As soon as Shido saw Ban coming, he stomped in the other direction, towards Ginji. Ginji moaned and banged his head against the counter again.
"Is he purposely torturing me…?" Ginji whimpered pathetically. "Can't he just walk normally…?" Shido proceeded to sit down next to Ginji at the bar, again. He had heard a bit of what Ginji had said and was now confused.
"What are you talking about?" Shido questioned softly. Ginji waved his hand, indicating that it wasn't worth discussing.
"Nothing Shido," Ginji assured him. He took a sip of his coffee. Sadly, it failed to warm him up. Sulking became the best option right now. "Don't you want something before Hevn comes?" he added casually. He wanted Shido's to redirect Shido's attention now.
"Oh yeah…," Shido said, nodding. "Oi! Natsumi! Can I get some coffee, too?" Natsumi, who was cleaning dishes at the moment, looked up at Shido and nodded.
"Of course!" she said. "I'll be right on it!" She dried her hands with a towel and walked off to make some coffee. Within seconds, she came back with a cup of coffee and gave it to Shido.
"Thanks Natsumi," Shido said, handing her the correct amount of yen. The waitress grinned.
"You're welcome," she said. "Hope it warms you up some!" Then she went back to washing the dishes without protest, placing the coins beside her. Shido gratefully drank his coffee, awaiting Hevn's arrival.
Ginji, on the other hand, was in complete distress. He couldn't keep his eyes off of Ban and Himiko, who were being a bit too…intimate in public. Ginji was surprised that Paul hadn't mentioned anything. At least they weren't taking off their clothes…yet…
The thought of "that" caused Ginji to push his coffee away in disgust. He could imagine it, and sadly, it seemed they'd do it soon. The moans in the background clearly supported his suspicions. Ginji covered his ears, trying to block out the noises. Alas, they were still heard, loud and clear.
"You okay, Ginji?" Shido asked easily. "You look like you're upset…Still obsessed with Himiko?"
"I'm fine, Shido," Ginji lied. "Just...perfect…" He flashed Shido a smile in an attempt to ease Shido.
"Alright, if you say so…," Shido trailed off as the bell rang. Standing in the doorway was Hevn. She was wearing, as usual, a very skimpy-outfit that was sure to attract males. Her face was tinted as if she was frustrated over something, and her hair was drenched. "Hey Hevn, finally! I've been waiting here for you for quite some time." Ginji waved wearily but Hevn paid him no mind. Ginji didn't care, though.
"Ugh!" she growled. "Damn brats…Next time someone tries to soak my white T-shirt so they can see my chest, I'm gonna kill them. I had to change my outfit. And look what they did to my hair!" With a peeved expression, Hevn pointed to finger to her hair, which formed a puddle on the floor beneath her.
"Hey, how could they resist?" Shido said with a shrug. Hevn fumed and glared at Paul.
"You got a towel?" she demanded. Paul nodded and grabbed the towel next to the sink, handing it to Hevn. "Thank you…"
"Hello Hevn-san!" Natsumi said happily as she set the last dish on the counter. "I have a blow-dryer you could use, if you want… It's in the back. Want me to get it?" Hevn shook her head surly.
"I'm fine with a towel," she told her firmly, wringing the water out of her hair. Natsumi sweat-dropped. "Now, Shido, let's discuss the job I have for you. Let's sit over there." She indicated towards another booth, far from Ban and Himiko. Shido did what Hevn requested and scooted in on the other side of the booth.
"Talk," Shido ordered. Hevn rolled her eyes.
"Jeez," she mumbled. "I just got here. But of course, you don't care. Anyway, what I want you to do is…" Hevn's eyes moved towards Ban and Himiko. "Oh god…what are they doing?" She scrunched her nose.
"Haven't you heard?" Shido teased. "They're dating now. I never would've thought… It's weird, right?"
"Very…," Hevn agreed. "Ugh…Could they be a little bit quieter? Ah, never mind. Don't want to provoke them…On with the details: I want you to recover a glass ornament for the Kasept family. They'll be arriving soon with more information. I called them a minute ago to come here. Anyways, they'll tell you the rest."
"Okay," Shido said, leaning back to look at the ceiling. "Fine by me. I'm curious though, how much are they paying?" Hevn's eyes sparkled.
"Three million yen," Hevn said. "Ten percent will be given to you in advance. I'm taking 900,000 yen as handing fees, meaning you get two million, one hundred thousand yen."
"Good," Shido said. "I'll accept after I hear the conditions from them, though." Hevn nodded, understanding Shido completely.
Ginji was still sitting in the booth, trying to ignore the obvious activity going on behind him. Paul and Natsumi seemed not to notice what was going on. Could it be that Ginji was hearing and seeing things? No, it couldn't be…
"Oh, Gin-chan!" Hevn sang seductively. Ginji's eyes perked up. "I have a job for you and Ban, too. That is…when he isn't…busy. It pays well." Shido snorted.
"Ban will be happy to hear that," Ginji said. "We just ran out of cash today, too. Thanks Hevn." Hevn laughed and continued to chat with Shido. "I hope Ban doesn't bring Himiko along… He wouldn't do that, would he?"
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A/N: Well, hope you enjoyed it! Please review if you have the time. Thank you!
