Disclaimer of Obligatorynessness: Now and forever, I do not own Street Fighter or any of its many, many characters.

Chapter Three

Days passed. Hayao sang in a different karaoke bar every night, wowing the crowd everywhere he went. For some strange reason, his thoughts often dwelled on the tall, blue-haired Remy, and he shuddered when this happened. Remy was so…so sad, so chilling in his mannerisms…so why did Hayao find him so alluring? Knowing how sad Remy seemed to be in life made Hayao realize that his problems weren't as lamentable as he originally thought…and that made Hayao feel better about himself. Was that kind of schadenfreude going to get him fucked one day? Oh well. No use worrying about it.

Hayao went back to the Rock and Sake six days after he had sang there and had met Remy. When he was a child, this little place was where he went for the best edamame and to watch the singers at the karaoke machine. It was they that had inspired Hayao to become a singer.

Hayao sat down in the same barstool he'd occupied the last time he was there, though he didn't know it. He sat there for a good twenty minutes, eating various forms of sushi and tempura, and was thoroughly full by the time he heard the door to the bar open. The man who walked in sat down at the bar next to Hayao. Hayao looked to his left, and quickly gasped and jerked his head back to his food.

It was Remy.

The two men sat side by side for about five or ten minutes without acknowledging each other's presence. It was almost eleven p.m. before Remy spoke.

"Don't you realize that the path you are taking will lead you nowhere?"

Hayao quickly looked away from Remy.

"I told you before…it doesn't matter what's good for me," he said in a voice barely above a whisper. "I mustn't be so self-centered…The world doesn't revolve around one person, blue."

"The world may not revolve around you, Hayao …but you still matter." Remy nursed a glass of whisky, caressing the edge of the glass with his lips.

Hayao looked at Remy, astonished. No one had ever told him that before.

"Who are you to say that?"

"Someone who knows that everyone matters." Remy said matter-of-factly. "When someone ceases to live, the whole world is affected…especially those close to them."

Hayao sighed. "Well, aren't those noble sentiments."

Remy rose and motioned for Hayao to follow. "Come on."

"Wh…where are we going?" Hayao asked, puzzled.

"My house. We really should talk…" Remy walked out of the bar nonchalantly. Hayao sighed and followed suit, not bothering to wonder what was going to happen.

Hayao caught up with Remy and they walked side by side, saying nothing. Hayao felt so small in comparison to this tall, morose man striding next to him, but he kept walking, looking up occasionally.

Remy's house was built into the side of a large building. Remy flipped a key from his pocket and deftly opened the door.

The house was drab, but had a homely touch to it that appealed to Hayao. The floors were made of a simple wood, and the walls were painted a plain shade of tan. Remy tossed his keys onto the table and motioned for Hayao to enter. The young student kicked off his shoes and entered with a bow. Remy smirked at this.
"So..." Hayao said tentatively. "You're...not Japanese, are you? Not with that name. Where are you from?"
"France, actually," came the reply. "I don't really live here. I'm a nomad. This house was given to me by someone..."
Hayao tilted his head to one side. "May I ask who?"
Remy chuckled. "Kicker is...I don't know. Some weird Lady with a crooked haircut gave me the deed one day. Just...out of the blue." He gestured to a hallway across the living room.
"First door on the left...you can stay there."
Hayao double-taked slightly.
"What did you say?"
"You can stay here if you want. I mean...it's cheaper than a hotel, isn't it?" Remy looked at Hayao, his teal eyes glowing a bit.
Hayao nodded. "...I'd like that, Remy...thank you."
"No problem. Make yourself at home." Remy walked out of the room without another word.
Hayao watched him leave, then looked all around him.
Who the hell IS this guy?