It Began on the Streets
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Part 5
Kaori and Satoshi were exhausted. They were still trying to find Ryoma, their boss, who'd been missing for a week. They were also trying to keep Atobe-san at bay. Though they suspected he knew that their boss was missing. Kaori thought she saw one of his spies here and there. But she didn't mind for they were not a threat. Atobe-san was a good person despite the big ego. She sighed.
They needed to find Ryoma and fast.
-X-
Ryoma stared at his bandaged hand. His mind drifted off to yesterday's events. He fought to keep his embarrassment from showing. Being around Tezuka, he was having mixed feelings. After knowing the man for about a week, he was confused. He sighed dropping his hand to the side. He had to think about getting his memory back.
His thoughts drifted to the conversation he heard from Atobe and Tezuka. The name Tatsuha made him angry for some reason, though he'd never show it. Tatsuha brought many images but they were blurry and he couldn't make anything out. He remembered that Tezuka kept an office here. He was sure that he probably got the files on them. But he had to make sure that Tezuka didn't know. That meant he had to do a little spying on Tezuka's schedule.
"Ryoma-san!"
Yuki came in the room. He really liked the kid. She was good company. He couldn't help but let out a small, almost untraceable, smile. Yuki came in with the maid; he forgot her name since he wasn't good with names unless he saw the person everyday. The maid was carrying something. It seemed to be heavy for her despite its small size.
"Ryoma-san, look, there a box for you. It was out the door. Shiori saw it," Yuki said glancing at the maid.
"Hai, Ryoma-san, someone door belled a minute ago and left this package for you," Shiori said giving it to him. Ryoma took it and thanked her as she left. Yuki stayed behind wanting to see what was in it. Ryoma opened it. There was a suit jacket on top with a note.
'You're going to need this. They're on the move.' The note said. He didn't get it. Who was on the move?
"Ryoma-san, look, there more!" Yuki said getting something under. When he saw what she grabbed he immediately snatched it out of her hands putting it back in the box and shutting it.
"Remember Yuki-chan don't ever touch one of those. They're very dangerous. I doubt your dad would want you even seeing one. So don't tell your dad I have these okay?" Ryoma educated her on the things she shouldn't touch, which were mostly the dangerous weapons in the box sent to him.
"Okay," Yuki said understandingly, somewhat.
"Go downstairs, I'll be making lunch soon."
"Yay!" Yuki got off and walked to the kitchens. She really liked his cooking.
Ryoma quickly sealed the package and hid it under the bed. He didn't want Tori, another maid, to find out about this. He'd figure it out later. It was lunch anyways.
-X-
Tezuka couldn't concentrate on these documents. His mind kept drifting towards yesterday. Though he was thinking more of what he was doing than the imminent doom that was meant for him later on today. Letting Ryoma stay around gave him 'mixed' feelings. He seemed to be drifting from what his real intentions were. He wanted to know if this really was Echizen, since the mannerisms were identical except with a bit of danger to them. He could ask one of the maids to get a hair sample he could have the doctors test it out.
He shook his head. He couldn't do that. He knew Ryoma would notice if someone tampered with the room he was staying in. He couldn't ask Yuki since she'd probably tell who asked her to do it. It's so complicated. He just had to hope that Echizen got his memory back.
Tezuka opened a drawer filled with old newspaper clippings. It was about Echizen's disappearance. But shouldn't someone have seen it and informed whoever found him? Or maybe Echizen was just torturing them by doing this, but it wasn't like him. Maybe Echizen didn't want to return. He sighed before closing the drawer.
A knock came at the door. Ryoma peeked his head in.
"What is it?" Tezuka asked.
"Ah, there are people here to see you. And lunch is ready," Ryoma said before exiting. Tezuka let out another sigh. That meant Fuji was here. He mentally cursed himself for not thinking of what to tell the others. He exited his office, joining the others in the dinning room.
He was relieved that they were all chatting with Yuki or into their own conversations. Ryoma was nowhere to be found, probably in the kitchen. Fuji, Oishi, Eiji, Inui, Kaidou, and Momoshiro were there; Kawamura couldn't make it. It was another planned get together by Fuji. Tezuka was unlucky that that smiling face looked in his direction.
"Ah, Tezuka, you made it," Fuji said in greeting. Though there was that sly smile that made him think twice about speaking. Fuji was up to something. Everyone then greeted him. He joined them at the table. Momoshiro was stuffing his face along with Eiji.
"Oi, Tezuka," Momoshiro spoke. It took him awhile to get out of calling him captain. "Which restaurant did you hire to make all this? I've got to go there sometime." He finished. Tezuka was about to speak but Fuji beat him to it.
"Ah, Tezuka, I heard from Keigo that you hired an interesting cook that pelted him with knives yesterday. He wouldn't tell me who it was, so I had to find out for myself," Fuji said. Under that smiling façade, Tezuka could tell that that sadistic mind was cooking some underhand scheme or something. The rest of the group looked at him in confusion.
"Yes, I did, somewhat," Tezuka answered a bit nervously.
"So where is he?"
"He's-"
"Ah, Yuki-chan! Don't touch that!" a loud voice exclaimed followed by a small crash. Tezuka quickly rushed in the kitchen, the others stood outside watching through the counter window.
Tezuka sighed as he noticed that there wasn't any permanent damage or anything too messy. He saw Ryoma's sprawled out form on the floor with his daughter on top. Yuki got off and ran to him.
"Papa, Ryoma-san save me from those sharp things," Yuki said as Tezuka picked her up. His expression was far from its usual indifference. Ryoma feared that gaze. He tried to sit up but it was painful. Yuki landed on his stomach, which was still hurting. He hoped there wasn't another bruise though she wasn't that heavy to probably cause one.
"What did you do?" Tezuka asked close to yelling. This voice he couldn't disobey for some reason.
"I was just cooking some more food for the food processor over there," Ryoma answered pointing to Momoshiro who was as shocked as the rest of the group, save for Oishi.
"No, I meant what happened?" Tezuka asked a bit more patiently this time.
"Oh, I looked away for one second and it started raining knives." Ryoma wasn't exactly lying. Tezuka just sighed. He should've thought twice about this. Now he had to explain some things.
"Ii data," Inui said taking out his notebook, bad habit, and wrote some notes. Ryoma twitched at that phrase. It was annoying. His hand reached for a knife hidden.
"Don't even try," Tezuka stated sternly. Ryoma stopped and sighed. Tezuka seemed to know him very well. Maybe he didn't want him to kill one of his friends 'accidentally'. He sighed in relief as the crowd left, most likely to talk about him. He saw their looks at him. It was the same one Atobe had yesterday. He couldn't hang around the kitchen; he had a conversation to spy on again.
-X-
"So, Tezuka where did you find him?" Fuji asked amused. Tezuka could see the gears running his head.
"I found him unconscious in some bushes. Apparently someone had it in for him. I brought him in and offered a place to stay until he got his memory back," Tezuka answered.
"You seem to have a thing for strays, Tezuka," Fuji said with that ever-present smile on his face. Tezuka was a bit ticked at that.
"Is it really Ochibi?" Eiji asked hopefully.
Ryoma frowned and twitched angrily.
"If he is, when did he learn to cook?" Momoshiro spoke next.
"Fsh…baka, is your stomach all you think about?" Kaidou baited him.
"What was that Mamushi?" Momoshiro got in his face as they had another spat. Everyone continued, ignoring the two arguing.
"I'm sure of it. Though he is a bit different as you have noticed." Tezuka said.
"According to my data, if it was him, Echizen lost his memory twelve years ago after something happened. For him to survive these past twelve years, one of two things could've happened. First someone found him and picked him up raising him in their home, or he joined one of the three gangs in this region. The person didn't bother reporting to the police," Inui explained on what he thought had happened. "Since you brought him in, Tezuka, he's been displaying cautious actions. My guess is he joined one of the three gangs."
Ryoma walked away not wanting to listen to any more. He wondered how that data man could figure that out. His hand lied on his right shoulder.
'You're the leader of the Double-edge gang!'
That cashier in that store knew him, yet he couldn't remember. He could be in the gang like she said. It did make sense. He sighed. He needed to think. Maybe open the other package that came this morning. He walked up to the room and pulled it out. He took out his knife and cut it open. Inside were more 'dangerous' items along with another note.
'You might need these. Word on the streets, Tatsuha is after his company.' It simply said. Ryoma wondered if it meant this Tatsuha person was after Tezuka's company. After all, it was grossing in millions. The guy was practically a billionaire. Ryoma glanced at the items: a .44 magnum with reloads along with a silencer, an M16, collectable pocketknives, kunais, a couple bottles of battery acid, and aluminum foil. He wondered about the last one. He picked up another note.
'Roll pieces of aluminum foil and place into acid, shake well, throw, and run you may get caught.' It said.
Ryoma sighed. Now he really didn't want anyone to find this. He placed it under the bed. A knock at the door startled him. Shiori just came in.
"Ryoma-san, Tezuka-san was wondering if you're going to join them," she said.
"I will. I'll be down in a sec." Ryoma answered. Ryoma took out the first package he received. He grabbed a couple of the knives placing them in his pocket before joining the others downstairs where they introduced themselves to him.
-X-
Ryoma found this group to be particularly weird. First he labeled Fuji as dangerous, Eiji and Momoshiro as hyperactive, Inui was all around way too observant, and Oishi and Kaidou were okay. The other, Kawamura, couldn't attend. Right now he was currently trying to avoid Eiji's glomp attacks and Momoshiro's constant ranting. Unfortunately they were unavoidable.
"Ochibi! Whom did you learn from to cook like that?" Eiji asked. (A/N: Kikumaru is too long to type up and will only be typed if someone is speaking his name.)
"I just do," Ryoma answered.
"C'mon Ech-Ryoma," Momoshiro corrected himself, "tell us!" he begged. Ryoma was losing his patients as he gripped the knife tempting to take it out and silence them both but restrained from doing so. He didn't want to anger Tezuka or show any violence in front of Yuki who was holding onto his other hand. He sighed.
"A pig." The two stared at him incredulously.
"What?" they chorused. Ryoma rolled his eyes and walked ahead.
Fuji chuckled a little. It was amusing. This Ryoma turned out to be more interesting than before.
"Ne Tezuka, isn't he interesting?" Fuji said. Tezuka looked at him calculatingly though showing no expression.
"Don't try anything Fuji," Tezuka said to him. Fuji just kept smiling.
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
The group made it to the public tennis courts. Ryoma was relieved then panicked as he felt Fuji's presence behind him. His hand stayed in his pocket in case he needed it.
"So Ryoma, do you know how to play tennis?" Fuji asked with that ever-present smiling face. Ryoma just looked at him with hidden annoyance.
"No," he answered. Before Fuji could say anything more, Inui spoke.
"We'll be split into two groups of four. It'll be singles tournament. Those who lose have to drink this," Inui pulled out a pitcher of colored, semi-boiling liquid, "It's my vegetable juice combined with Akozu." Four faces paled. Tezuka and Ryoma didn't outwardly show their discomfort and Fuji was just excited in seeing other people suffer. Come on, this guy is a sadist. He's been plotting to kill Mizuki for years now!
"Inui! Why did you have to bring that into this!" Eiji complained, as did Momo. Ryoma rolled his eyes before turning around. There was no way in heaven he was going to drink 'that'. For some reason he knew it wasn't as good as it's supposed to be. He sighed. As much as he didn't want to participate he knew he didn't have a choice. He glanced down as he felt Yuki gripping his leg a bit tight.
"Is something wrong Yuki-chan?" he asked. Yuki pointed to a group of shady looking people outside the fence. A big group, mind you.
"They look scary Ryoma-san. They the people who visit Kaori-san when she watched me while Papa was working," Yuki answered, "Kaori-san call him Tatsuha-san. She told me to stay away." Ryoma took another good look at the group. He could tell they were a gang with the extra hidden precautions. He had to drift them away. He kneeled down next to her.
"Kaori-san is right Yuki-chan. Stay away from them especially Tatsuha-san. Stay here okay? If anyone asks I'll be taking a short walk," Ryoma said as he left her there while he took a walk towards the group. He didn't know why but he had to find out about this Tatsuha guy. The guy just made him angry. He walked by them looking to the ground at the same time observing them. He noticed they stopped but he kept walking. He could feel their eyes on him.
"So, you're still alive."
TBC---------------
BLK Angel of Destruction: Sorry for the delayed update! I keep forgetting to do it. Anyways, I appreciate your reviews! Thanks!
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