Hello everyone,

Another chapter for you so spread the word and bring me lots of reviews, okay?

RxExR

Chapter 7: Numb

I actually worked up the nerve to come back to work today. I didn't want to, but the rumbling in my stomach brought me to my senses.

Youichi didn't speak for the rest of the day yesterday. We had some snacks from the gas station after walking back from where I dragged us when I sprinted out of Imai's. Kokoro, the cashier, tried to talk to me, but I couldn't be bothered. I just wanted to get Youichi some food and get some sleep. He didn't stop trembling the whole night. Lying next to me in apartment eleven, he didn't stop shaking. Not from the cold, but from realizing the same thing I did. Even though he's only five, Youichi knows that you can run from the hands of the devil, but that doesn't mean you're free or safe from what it leaves inside of you.

After what happened yesterday, I resolved to never come back. Rumors spread like wild fire and I didn't want Youichi being the victim of dirty looks while I waited tables all day. If Anna and that guy reported it to Hotaru I'd be fired anyway, so why bother? I guess having no options left gives you the courage and humility to return to the scene of the crime. I know Youichi feels terrible about what happened, but there's nothing that can be done now. When I walked into work after seven thirty, everyone carried on with their duties; setting tables, spraying lavender fragrance, and getting ready for a Thursday morning rush.

My paranoia led me to think that everyone knew about the incident that transpired yesterday and are ignoring my presence. I didn't see Nobara or Hoshio, but Luna was there. She just looked at us with her usual disinterest and went about her work, which didn't put me at ease. When I got to the employee lounge Hoshio came out of the back room and told me that Hotaru wanted to see me and Youichi. My throat got dry almost instantly and my heart sank more and more as we drew closer to Hotaru's office door.

I knocked hesitantly on the door and she called us in. We were told to sit as she continued to type. We watched her perform various task as we waited. Ten minutes have gone by and my stomach is swirling in more knots, while Youichi just stares blankly ahead. I'm more worried about him than my job. Our relationship was not formed under the most ideal circumstances and he's not the most pleasant boy to be around, but then again none of that is his fault.

Hotaru sighs and pushes a stack of papers from in front of her off to the side and takes a sip from her china tea cup. She sets it down carefully before speaking. I note that her hair and face are exactly the same since the last time I saw her only today she is wearing a white dress shirt and her lavender blazer is hung over the back of her chair.

"Well yesterday's incident has indeed been brought to my attention and although Anna assures me that she is fine and won't say anything, Ruka is concerned."

"Ruka?"

"The gentleman who stopped your brother from assaulting Anna yesterday."

I think back to yesterday's events and focus on trying to remember the boy's face. I was so concerned about Youichi and the look in his eyes it must have given me tunnel vision, but I manage to remember blue eyes, blonde hair, and the chiseled jaw line of a boy who couldn't be older than twenty. I can't remember what he was wearing, but under the circumstances I was otherwise preoccupied.

"Look, I know that it was a bad situation, but Youichi is really sorry for what happened yesterday." I explain.

"He doesn't look sorry." Hotaru comments.

"That's just how he always looks, but trust me he's sorry, really, really sorry." I plead.

"His demeanor is so similar to Natsume's, it's scary." She says more to herself than to us without taking her eyes off of Youichi.

He doesn't make eye contact, but I know he's listening and he's probably uncomfortable being compared to someone he's never even met.

"What about Natsume?" a voice says from behind me.

I turn around and come face to face with the guy from yesterday. His eyes are indeed ocean blue and his hair is like sunshine in the summer. His black button shirt has two buttons undone and the sleeves are rolled up to his elbows. He walks around to Hotaru's side of the desk and sits on the edge of it looking at Youichi and me with analytical eyes. It was like he was trying to get our entire backstory from just looking at us.

"I was remarking about the boy's demeanor." Hotaru clarified picking a file.

"Yeah the same blank eyes and uncaring tone in his gaze." He agreed.

"Look I said he was sorry, there is nothing else I can say."

"You can explain why you bring your brother to the work place. This isn't a day care center." Hotaru said over the top of the papers.

"I know, but if I don't take him out he would never leave the house. My grandparents are nice, but they're old and he has no friends his own age and we're both home-schooled. He's very attached to me as well. We're all each other have when our parents fly the coop, which is often."

"I believe I made it clear that I could care less about your life story." She replies not even bothering to look up.

"Come on Hotaru. You know how Natsume gets, this kid is no different." Ruka says nudging her with his elbow.

"Yeah and based on what you told me yesterday this kid is shaping up to be just like Natsume; violent, short-tempered, cynical, and a disappointment." She says.

"How dare you." I say before I can stop myself.

The two of them say nothing and just look at me.

"You don't know anything about him and you don't even have the decency to use his name. 'This kid'? What do you even know about him? You're so quick to compare him to this Natsume person who you talk about with disdain, but apparently he's one of your closest friends? I know what he did was wrong, but you have no idea what you're talking about when it comes to him. He is my family and I would appreciate it if you didn't talk about him as if he is a parasite. I don't know about this Natsume and what kind of person he is, but I will never let Youichi be like that. Ever. My job is to protect him and make sure that what happened yesterday never happens again."

They stare at me for a moment without saying anything. The silence is awkward and tense. After a short moment Hotaru lets out a sigh.

"Then it can't be helped. You can bring your brother here with you, but he needs to stay under my careful watch."

"You're going to watch him?" I ask incredulously.

"Don't be stupid. I just said he'll be under my careful watch. The incident was isolated and none of the other employees know about what happened."

She swivels the computer monitor around to show me a live streaming image of the employee lounge.

"So if there is another incident like yesterday, you're fired. Anna is a close associate of mine and she has worked here for a while. I cannot tolerate any behavior that makes her feel uneasy because it will reflect in her work."

"There won't be another incident and again I am very sorry." I tell her.

Ruka still looks skeptical and says nothing as I take Youichi's hand and we leave the room. I bring him into the employee lounge and set him on the couch.

"I know you're upset about yesterday and I promise that things will get easier. I won't let anything happen to you okay?"

He doesn't respond so I just hug and kiss his head, "You're safe." I whisper in case Hotaru's cameras also come with audio. I clock in at two minutes past eight and rush to find Misaki. 'Meeting with Hotaru' was all I needed to say and Misaki didn't ask me any questions. We go about the work day at our usual pace and it's like the whole 'incident' never happened. I learned more shorthand and shared my lunch with Youichi. When Anna came in and hurried past without even looking up, I knew I had to talk to her.

When I got to the back room she was putting her coat in her locker. Her back was towards me so she didn't notice I was standing in the doorway, which gave me some time to actually think about what I want to say. I was hoping to avoid the subject altogether, but she said we were friends and I didn't want to make her feel like Youichi was some crazy monster.

"Anna. . ." I called out.

She turned to me and looked a little concerned, "Oh Mikan, how are you?"

"I'm fine. How about you?" I reply.

"I'm good, just running a little late today." She explained unwrapping her scarf.

"Look Anna about yesterday-", I start.

"You don't have to say anything, okay?" she jumped in, turning back to her locker.

"No it's not okay and yes I do." I say walking to the other side of her.

She kept her eyes focused on her reflection in her locker mirror and started fixing her hair. I took a deep breath and decide to wing it.

"I know that you probably hate me because my brother freaked you out and I promise that we'll both stay away from you. I never meant from this to happen, but there are circumstances that you can't possibly understand and I can't even begin to explain to you."

"Mikan stop. You're the one who should hate me. I completely flew off the handle yesterday. He's a kid for God's sake how could I let him scare me so much? I knew that your brother was standoff-ish, but I still pushed him anyway. He was right to snap at me. I was just a little caught off guard, but when I thought about it, I realized how wrong I was. I was terrified that you would think that I was trying to get you fired. I would never do that, ever." She explained.

I wanted to cry. She thought I was mad at her for her overreaction. I guess anyone who lives in a normal household would perceive Youichi behavior as a tantrum. They have no reason to think that there is something seriously wrong with him. They couldn't feel the anger in his voice like I could or see Persona in his eyes. Maybe Anna got a glimpse of it, but she shrugged it off as easily as she takes off her coat. She pulled me into a hug and apologized. I felt awkward as I just stood there with Anna's arms wrapped around me. I've never been hugged by another girl before. I hug Youichi, but to be hugged by someone my own age is a completely new experience for me.

She pulled away and smiled and launched into a story about what happened in her Math class. Her mile a minute speech is a perfect distraction from how awkward I feel after being hugged. The closest thing I've had to a hug since the downfall of my life was supporting my mother who couldn't stand on her own. Trying to dress her and get her into bed was my hug. I push the morbid thoughts away and concentrate on Anna's words.

"So you got the job in the bar? That's awesome you'll be making some serious money down there. There are a lot more rules down there though. Hotaru likes to keep things classy without wanting to seem too uptight."

"Who would ever accuse Hotaru of being up tight?" I ask with evident sarcasm.

Anna just laughed and finished looping her hair through her white hair band. Despite the awkward start to the day, I manage to end my shift with Misaki's praise and not getting fired. Youichi sat glued to his seat the whole day. He ate lunch in silence and didn't even insult me when I asked him if he liked the chicken better than the fish. After eating he just went back on the couch and continued to stare disinterestedly at the television.

I was readjusting my bun when Luna stormed in with a black box with purple trimming. She thrust it into my chest and I had to cling for dear life just not to drop it. She turned on her heel and was heading for the door.

"Hey wait! What is this?" I call out to her.

"Are you retarded? It's your uniform." She replied looking over her shoulder.

"Uniform?" I repeated looking down at the box.

"God. Are going to keep this up much longer? Shouda is going to have a field day with you." she said with a smirk.

"Shouda?" I asked.

"You got off easy getting Misaki for a host, but Hotaru must have it out for you to make Sumire Shouda teach you the bar ropes."

I didn't reply and just stared at her. She scoffed and left the room. I stuck my tongue out at her back and opened the box. If the restaurant is for saints, then the bar is for sinners. A violet dress that I mistook for a skirt and black shorts occupied the box. The second compartment had black leather stilettos boots tucked neatly next to each other. I go into the employee bathroom to change, but after I zipped up the side of the leather boot I wanted to die. The dress revealed too much flesh. I'm way too pale to pull this look off. The door opens and I nearly jump out of my skin.

"Oh, Mikan-chan. Wow." Nobara said coming up to me.

"I feel like a prostitute." I say.

"Don't be ridiculous. I've seen girls wear shorter dresses to go to school dances. And besides it's very flattering on you."

"I've never worn anything like this before." I explain.

"I can tell. Your hair is all wrong. Let me help you."

Nobara pulled down my bun and pushed my hair over my shoulders. My hair is curly thanks to letting it air dry up in a bun. Nobara twist some of my locks around her finger and adjust my bangs.

"Your hair is so long Mikan-chan."

"Yeah I never do anything with it so all it does it grow." I admit.

"You should wear it down more often. It's really pretty."

"Thanks."

My cheeks feel a little warm, having female friends that hug you and fix your hair, and call you pretty is a lot better than TV shows suggest. Of course you have to worry about girls who become your friends just to fill an agenda, but I don't think Anna and Nobara are like that at all.

"You have really good skin too. You must never wear make-up or eat greasy foods."

"You got me." I reply.

I never thought about all the things I missed out on since my mom became a walking corpse. I spent a lot of time at school to get out of the house, but I knew I was different for the other girls. I've known most of them since I was young, but ever since I became 'that girl who's dad got shot' I started getting treated differently. Their moms would ask me where my mom has been, they don't see her at the market anymore. I had so many excuses that eventually they stopped asking. They could sense that something was off about my family, especially when Persona and Youichi got into the picture, but they had the decency not to ask. They prefer to whisper and make up their own stories as to what was going on in that house; none of them could even imagine the real truth.

I fantasized what my life would have been like if my dad didn't die or if my mom didn't get so sick. Maybe I would have a dream by now, a goal that went beyond basic survival. Would I have wanted to be a pastry chef like Anna, a scientist like Nonoko or maybe a writer or a freelance photographer? The list went on and on in my head. The endless potential they say every child has. I think of Youichi. Most five year olds talk about being firemen or superheroes. I can't even imagine Youichi saying anything like that and it makes me want to cry. The constant reminder that he and I are not 'normal' is painful. We don't have hopes and dreams, we just have survival. Running away just to have a chance at seeing tomorrow, that's what we strive for. Nothing in life is guaranteed, but if we can just do a little bit better every day it's good enough.

I excuse myself from the bathroom to go check on Youichi. Nobara stays to fix her hair in the mirror. I catch a glimpse or her as I leave; she has no idea how different we are. My bruises have faded which I am thankful for, but even if she had seen them, any excuse would pacify her because just like Anna, she wouldn't want to believe what's right in front of her. It must be nice on the other side.

Youichi is watching an anime movie that I recognize from when I was about ten or so. It's based off of the Cinderella fairytale with lots of drastic changes, but the basic plotline is intact. He doesn't look away from the screen or acknowledge me in anyway. I lean against him, nothing. So I keep leaning until I'm practically squishing him.

"What are you doing?" he says pushing at my face, "Get up."

"Not until you stop being pouty." I say leaning more.

"Oi old lady, get off of me."

"Not until you feel better."

"Because breaking my ribs will make me feel better? Move." He demands.

"Fine I'll just hug you instead." I say wrapping him in my arms before he can slip away.

He wiggles and squirms in my grasp, but of course I'm much strong than he is. He finally sighs after a minute and stops moving.

"Now was that so hard?" I say.

He grunts in response and I finally release him.

I sigh dramatically and tousle his hair, "You're so cute when you're grumpy."

He folds his arms over his chest and tries to sit further away from me. I slide closer to him so he's caught between me and a hard place. I rest my head on his.

"Oi hag, don't do anything sketchy for money." He says after a minute.

"Hm?" I reply popping my head up.

"Dressed like that, don't do anything weird for money." He repeats.

It crosses my mind that Youichi may know more about the adult world than a typical five year old. Having Persona as a guardian must have led to more exposure than what a kid his age should ever see.

I tousle his hair again and laugh, "Like I would ever do anything weird."

He doesn't reply, but I can tell the potential horrors of his past are crossing his mind.

"Hey Youichi?" I call out.

He doesn't respond, but I know he's listening.

"How did you end up with Persona? Do you remember?" I ask.

He doesn't say anything, but the tension in his eyes makes me wish I hadn't asked.

"It's alright if you don't remember, I was just-"

"I remember." He says quietly.

"Oh?"

"I remember a lot of things." He says.

The ominous tone in his voice gives me a chill. I'm beginning to wonder if the terrors that I assumed must be in his past are nowhere near as horrible as they actually were. When he doesn't say anything else I just sit there next to him, holding his hand. He has a little faith in me right now and I never want him to lose that. I want it to grow. I want him to tell me all the terrible things that happened to him so that I can cry for him, so that he can know that he doesn't have to do it alone.

"I don't have to work for a while, let's go for a walk." I say.

"Not dressed like that." He replies.

I laugh and go to my locker to get my clothes and change in the bathroom. I leave my hair down so I don't have to mess with it when I come back. After getting him into his coat and hat, I take his hand and we leave through the back entrance which Anna told me about and head down the street. It's not as cold today as it's been all week, which I'm thankful for. Warm weather would make my life a little bit better since I won't have to worry about either of us freezing to death in that old apartment.

We find our way to a small playground and sit on the bench overlooking the swing set. We always seem to find our way to a park of some kind. Like dramatic irony the one place we seek peace is a playground that neither of us have set foot on since happy times. Normal kids can come here and play and swing and laugh then run home when frostbite starts to nip at their fingers. I try to think of what to say, but if I've learned anything about talking to people it's that sometimes you just have to say what you're feeling and the words form by themselves.

"Youichi, you know you can tell me anything, right? I would never run away from you or leave your side, you know that right?"

"You say that." He replies stoically staring at the swings.

"I mean it. I have no intention of breaking any of my promises. You're older than you look. The things we've been through have aged us, but I don't even know what happened to you before I met you. I know Persona isn't your real dad, so how did you end up with him?"

Youichi says nothing and just stares off into the distance like he's remembering something he promised himself that we would forget. The ball of regret is starting to form in my stomach the longer he just stares at the scenery, not looking at anything or taking it in just staring blankly ahead.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." I tell him squeezing his hand in a comforting way.

"He killed my mom." He said after a minute.

My heart sank like a stone and I can't open my mouth to speak.

"What do you mean?" I ask hesitantly.

He sighed, "She owed him money, but she didn't have a job. He threatened to take me away. She fought him, but he was too strong. Her head leaned a funny way and she didn't move any more. I wasn't sad. I didn't know what happened."

"He broke her neck?" a part of me is in disbelief.

"She didn't get up, but her eyes were open. I don't know where he put her, but I never saw her again."

"Why did she owe him money?" I ask.

"She needed to pay rent so we wouldn't get kicked out, but she lost her job because she was sick all the time."

"I'm so sorry."

"Why? You didn't kill her." He replies in his usual cold tone.

"I know but you saw him kill your mother right in front of you."

"So did you." He replies not missing a beat.

"What?"

"Your mom is dead on the inside because of him. She was nice to me before, but now she's dead," He says, "Everybody dies. When doesn't really matter."

"Youichi . . ." I begin.

"She's not the only one he's killed. He choked someone and ran another person over. That's why he looks like that. The ghosts haunt him. I can feel them," he sighs again, "That's why he doesn't sleep. He's dead too."

My voice is barely a whisper, "I know."

I never thought Persona would kill someone, but apparently he's more than versed in homicide. Why is he allowed to tread so quietly? Where is God to smite him where he stands? Where is the cosmic energy of karma going to repay him tenfold for what he's done? If he'll kill and shoot up in front of a child who's to say that he hasn't done other things for Youichi to witness. I know that Persona is evil, but to kill Youichi's own mother in front of him? He's sick.

"He's going to kill us you know. If he ever finds us, he'll kill us. He told me if I ever ran away he'd find me and I'll wish I was dead."

I wrap my arm protectively around him, "That's not going to happen. I made you a promise and I'm not one for breaking promises."

We just sit like that for a while, not speaking. Persona is even more soulless and evil than I could ever have imagined. A chill runs down my spine at the thought of him ever finding where we are, but I can't keep running in fear of him taking the time to track us down. If it's one thing that Youichi needs its stability right now. I read that kids who are exposed to a negative environment are more likely to become criminal and the like. If it takes every bone in my body aching six ways from Sunday, I will never let Youichi go down that path. He'll have friends and a high school diploma, a job, a car, a wife and kids and all of this will be a distant memory if I have anything to say about it.

Much like the restaurant, a line forms outside of the bar way before it opens. Fire code regulations set a maximum occupancy of the bar lower than the amount of people who actually show up. One thing I've learned working here is that Hotaru is very money oriented and provides bar entrance according to what lines her wallet the thickest.

I leave Youichi in the break room with a bag of chips and a juice box from Anna. She does me a favor by leading me down the back stairway down the hall from Hotaru's office to get to the bar without having to go outside in my 'outfit'. We emerge into a smaller break room with one circular wooden table surrounded by three chairs, a leather love seat facing a television and a small kitchen area with a coffee maker. The walls are pale purple with black trimming matching perfectly with the rug in front of the loveseat. The table is a dark wood that I can't name just by looking at it, but it complements the room very well. There is no door enclosing the room just and archway that leads into the stock room where the refrigerators and wine rackets are kept.

The swinging door of the stock room leads to the back corner of the room next to the bar. It stretches down the entire back wall and is practically glowing with polish. The glass shelves mounted on the walls are fully loaded with alcoholic beverages that I've never even heard of before in fancy glass bottles. Below the shelves are beer dispensers that I've only ever seen in movies. Fruit mixers and actual slices of fruit are beneath the top counter of the bar where the customers can see or reach, but the bartenders can use to adorn drinks with. Below that surface are ice chests filled with beer bottles and other drinks I can't name.

Music is already pulsating through the air from a D.J. booth on the corner of the miniature stage on the opposite side of the bar. A sea of tables, chairs and a small dance floor separate the bar from the D.J. booth, but the music is loud as ever. A boy with round spectacles is tapping away at his laptop that is hooked into D.J. system. A pair of oversized headphones hung around his neck and the light from the computer screen reflected in his glasses.

Several girls dressed identical to me are already patrolling the room: fixing tables and wiping surfaces. Anna ushered me behind the bar where three out of the four girls were helping to set up: slicing fruit, wiping glasses and checking the ice chests. The fourth one is the on the phone talking in a very annoyed tone. She wears a black cocktail dress and leather and studded ankle boots. Her hair is short and very wavy and gives off a greenish tint. Her emerald eyes are narrowed in annoyance as she continues speaking.

"I don't care what it takes Yome, I need that paper done by tonight. Psychology is pointless and stupid and I need to be here tonight in case Natsume shows up." She says.

The person on the other end of the line is pleading a case of some sort that the girl couldn't be less interested in. She looks up at Anna and me and sizes me up with her eyes and then proceeds to roll them.

"Look either do it or don't speak to me ever again, your choice. Now if you'll excuse me I have something even more annoying that you to deal with."

She taps the screen of her phone to end the call and sighs looking back up at us crossing her arms over her chest.

"What's this?" she says with a pointed look.

Anna jumps in before I can open my mouth, "This is Mikan and starting today she is in your charge. Mikan this is Sumire Shouda."

"Sumire Shouda? I thought you're like mega rich with your future already planned out? Why are you working here?" I can't stop myself from saying.

She raises an eyebrow at me, but she's obviously pleased that I've heard of her.

"That is true, but I don't work here for money. I get paid, but I come here to see my boyfriend." She explains.

"You have to get a job in order to see your boyfriend?" I ask with a raised eyebrow.

She doesn't approve of my skepticism if her glare is any indication.

"Rule one: don't get on my nerves." She says strutting away.

Anna rolls her eyes as soon as Sumire's back is turned, "Don't listen to her. She's all talk and like Natsume would ever be her boyfriend. She works here because Hotaru said she couldn't stalk Natsume here anymore so they worked out a trade. As for Natsume, he likes to disappear sometimes and when he comes back in town this is usually this is the first place he comes to. He sits in that back corner over there." Anna says nodding to a circular couch in front of a coffee table in a dim corner of the room.

"Try not to seat anyone there, but that shouldn't be a problem since Sumire will probably work you like a dog behind the bar," she smiles and hugs me, "Good luck."

Again with this physical contact. Hugs are natural for most people I'm sure, but I'm still not quite use to them and Anna seems like a hugger. She disappears behind the swinging door with a last wave goodbye to me. I'm not technically on my shift till eight and it's barely six, but I was getting antsy just waiting around with nothing to do. So I came back, got dressed and now here I stand ready to witness another rush of customers into Imai's only this time the darker venue.

"Hey, new girl, if you're down here that means you're going to work." Sumire calls to me from another door entrance on the opposite end of the bar. I hurry over to her as fast as I can in my new shoes and follow her into a small tiled room filled with dish washers.

"This is where we wash all the glasses. You can load dishwashers today. Break anything it and it's your ass." She advises and disappears from the room.

I'm left alone in a room full of machines I don't know how to use and I'm not even getting paid. Guess this is what they mean when they say 'grunt work'. I walk up to one of the machines and inspect it. Buttons read 'Start', 'Super Wash', 'Delicate' and other machine washing related things I'm sure. They're chrome machine with a bright finish, shining as if they are cleaned regularly and knowing Hotaru they probably are.

I push both sides of my hair behind my ears and wonder around the room a bit. I hear the rush of people enter the bar. Their voices and laughter blended together with the pulsing music. I shut the door and sit on top of one of the machines. My legs crossed and my mind flinting about not really doing much for once. I haven't been alone by myself in the quiet for quiet so time. Youichi and I have been joined at the hip since our tragic story's beginning and when I'm not with him I'm being swallowed by a sea of people following Misaki around.

I let out a long sigh. I calculated my paycheck for this week and with the edition of my convenient second job, I'll definitely be able to have a place before the week is out. It may be empty and kind of crappy, but it will be ours and that's good enough.

Good enough. . .

When you have limited funds and an incomplete high school education 'good enough' is better than good enough. There's a mounting list of worries in my head about our security and safety, but what about the long run? In a perfect world I'll be able to finish high school, go to college, and live in a flat in Tokyo with a beautiful view of the skyline. Alas, the perfect world is elusive and flawed a dream that will remain just that. Confronting the fact we may never be free from the man that stalks our nightmares and lives inside us like a festering cancer.

I jump down from the machine a clack of my boots just in time for Sumire to come into the room with an annoyed look on her face.

"Are you going to stay here like a useless sack all day or are you going to clear tables?" she asked.

She didn't give me a chance to answer before throwing an apron at me and hauling me out by my arm.

This Sumire Shouda is going to be the death of me.

For the past four hours since Sumire hauled me out of the washing room I've been waiting tables. Wiping spilt alcohol from the tables with a bleach-soaked rag and putting empty glasses into a tub I'm carrying around and discarded used ice into the trash bins. Wouldn't be too bad up in the restaurant, but down here it's torturous. My heels are too high and my feet are killing me. I'm getting bumped around every which way and dodging the groping hands of the male patrons. I put my hair up into a messy ponytail seeing as my busgirl duties didn't require me to look like I'm in a shampoo commercial.

Sumire is more bar candy than an actual bartender. All she does is sit on the bar and maybe she'll pour one drink, but she mostly just does her makeup and flirt. I rolled my eyes as she takes a shot with an older man and laughs at what he says afterwards. I've been busting my hump and all the while she just sits there. I wipe another table and save my rear end from the reach of some guys whose still in high school.

"Newbie! Over here! Quick now!" a blonde girl shouts to me.

I maneuver the crowd to get to the table she gestured towards. It's overturned and as I pick it up my hands nearly stick to the surface. I wipe it clean on both sides and pick up the glasses off the floor and place them in my bucket. Getting up off the floor is rough business for my back, but I'm not one to moan and groan now that I'm on the clock. I lift the tub off the chair and turn to head back into the kitchen, but someone is in my way and I bump into his back. Broad shoulders, tall stature and dark hair in a messy toss from where he stood with his back to me. The dimness of the room and the flashing of the lights is getting to me and I just want to get this work done and check on Youichi. This job is working me to death.

As the person turns I ready my apology, but when I looked into his eyes I dropped my tub of glasses and shriek.

Everything I fear suddenly stood less than a foot in front of me making me numb to my core.

And now death doesn't sound like a bad idea.

Cliff hangers are by far the most interesting things to end a chapter with :)

Hopefully you can contain yourself till the next chapter.

I would like to remind you all that there is no outline to my stories so I kind of just read what I write and go with the flow. I will start on Chapter 8 today (hopefully)

So until then,

Lots of Love

Chi-chan :)