"Simon, this is my sister, Atsuko" Tom pointed to the girl standing slightly behind him "It's her birthday"
"Ah yes, little koneko! How old are you now?" Simon asked leaning down slightly
"Nineteen" She grinned happily
"You're a very beautiful woman to have Tom as your brother yes?" He asked while Tom looked offended
Atsuko grinned wide "Have you seen Shizuo-san? He's supposed to meet us here"
"I'm right here" The blond man came up from behind them, startling the young lady
"Oh! Shizuo-san! I'm so glad you could make it" Atsuko grinned
"You're welcome" Shizuo nodded flicking the ash from his cigarette
Tom shook his head "C'mon we've got work soon"
"Can I tag along?" The birthday girl pressed "I wanna see how Tom-nii supports us"
"It's not the safest job Suko-chan" Tom sighed using his sister's abridged name
"But- but I know how to fight!" She pressed "And I promise to stand back and let you do all the talking!"
Tom looked up at Shizuo for support, the man in question simply lit another cigarette. Simon stood a few feet away handing out flyers. Looking back down at his sister he found that she was giving him her trademark puppy dog eyes and extra pouty lip, how many times had she gotten her way using that look?
"Fine, but if you get into any trouble, it's not my fault." He nodded leading her into Russia Sushi
She skipped ahead and took a seat at the bar, merrily chatting up the staff. Hanging back, Shizuo held up two bags in his hand to Tom.
"You got it, thank god, I didn't want to have to explain that I forgot to pick up her present" Tom clapped his friend on the shoulder as he took notice the other bag in his hand "What's in that bag?"
"What's a birthday without cake?" Shizuo snorted "you wouldn't want to be a douche for a brother, would you?"
"You're a lifesaver Shizuo, a real lifesaver" Tom shook his head, his dark dreads swinging with the motion
"Excuse me, are you a member of the Yellow Scarves?" A detective asked from his place at the bar a few seats down from Atsuko
"The Yellow Scarves?" She asked, clearly confused as she looked down at her yellow scarf that was wrapped around her neck, why, her granny knitted her this scarf!
"Yes ma'am, they're a color gang" The detective nodded
Atsuko promptly clawed the scarf off her neck, screeching she did not want to be the victim of gang violence. This gained the attention of her brother and his friend.
"What's going on here?" Tom asked, now all business
"Tom-nii, this- this man said the scarf Granny kitted for me-" Atsuko was cut off
"I assumed she was part of the Yellow Scarves, I can now clearly see that she isn't" The detective bowed to Atsuko and then Tom "Please accept my sincerest apologies"
Atsuko then hauled off and smacked the man across the face before going off on a tirade on how no man was going to insult her dead grandmother, may her blessed soul rest in everlasting peace, and anyone who accused her of organized crime was going to get what they deserved. Tom and Shizuo stood back a distance and watched as the young woman continued to berate the now slightly cringing detective.
"I take it she has a bad temper?" Shizuo asked leaning towards Tom
Nodding, the man replied "I don't know how she thinks she'll ever become a teacher"
"She could be like Yamaguchi-sensei" The taller man reminded the other of their Math teacher who had been a ticking time bomb
Tom stared at his little sister, imaging her shouting at him instead of Yamaguchi-sensei from all those years ago. It was a pretty convincing image. He then decided that he needed to find his sister a better career path.
Meanwhile, Shizuo was watching Atsuko begin to smack the detective with her tiny hands. It was amusing, her battery of slaps would've been like an army of baby fists against him. He realized that she had changed clothes from earlier, now dressed in skin-tight grey jeans, it was revealed she had little twiggy legs. She wore a blue scoop-neck with a hoodie and a too big winter coat. And, the all worshipped yellow scarf that her granny had knitted her. It was then that he decided that this girl either had no fashion sense or didn't care what she wore.
"You're a monster! Disrespecting my Granny's love and hard work that she poured into this here yellow scarf!" She shrieked kicking the detective's shins "I am not just some juvenile delinquent that is a part of organized crime, I pay my taxes!"
"Atsuko-" Tom sighed trying to stop his sister only to have Shizuo hand him the two bags and pick his sister up
"I think ramen would be good" The man dressed as a bartender stated walking out the door with Atsuko thrown over his shoulder.
With a humph Atsuko resigned to being carried, her arms crossed. She glared daggers as people stopped to stare at the duo with Tom trailing behind them.
"You know Suko-chan, you can't just go around assaulting people" Tom tried his best to reprimand his sibling
"Well he shouldn't insult Granny! Do I even look like I'm a member of the Yellow Scarves? Hell, next people will assume I work for the Yakuza!" She humph-ed again and turned her head to look at the back of Shizuo's head "Shizuo-san, would you put me down please?"
Placing the stunningly feather light girl on the sidewalk he lit a cigarette "I don't like violence"
Nodding Atsuko sighed looking down "I'm sorry Shizuo-san, it's just that man made me really mad, I loved my Granny very much, and this here scarf is all I really have left of her"
Shizuo had never known his grandparents, nor had he ever put much thought into them. Now looking at the young woman who was staring down at scuffed shoes he wondered if his grandparents would've meant as much to him as they did to her. Patting her head like a small child he led them into a small ramen stand.
"Oh- oh- oohh! I'd like a miso ramen please" Atsuko smiled sitting between Tom and Shizuo
And the night became normal once more, the three of them eating their ramen in silence, occasionally answering questions that the youngest had.
"Now, Suko-chan, close your eyes, we've got a surprise for you" Tom held his hands over his sister's eyes.
"I'm not peeking" She whined "I swear!"
Tom's hands were removed a few moments later, her dark coal eyes fluttered open and settled on a large cupcake with a candle before her. Her mouth formed an 'O' as she looked from the cupcake to Tom to the cupcake to Shizuo and then back to the cupcake. It was a rather simple cupcake, Italian crème cake with cream cheese icing, pale yellow sprinkles, and a stout orange candle.
"Oh! It's so pretty!" She clapped her hands together before closing her eyes and blowing out her candle
"What'd you wish for?" Shizuo asked lighting his cigarette
Atsuko shook her head and the curvature of her lips going upwards a little more.