Successful Crow

Chapter 5

A Glimpse Into a Playboy's Past: The Tip

"Kyo!" Shuuichi exclaimed, examining the battered human barricade. "Kyo?" Checking for a pulse, stirring him from his post.

"…Ugh…hehaha…Either, I'm still alive or angels have red hair."

Dirty, ripe with bruises, one eye violently purple and shut. Shuuichi inspected him further; his left side seemed off, the right shoulder possibly dislocated. The damage wasn't life threatening, but enough to give a battled-hardened demon a shock.

"Idiot."

"Cellphone …taken. Three men, in suits."

"Limit your movement, help's on the way."

"Yes, surely all angels have red hair."

"Kyo, try to stay awake! Kyo!"

Still blackness, speckled red, soon an entire spectrum took its place in the photographer's mind and assembled visions of the past.

"Kyo…Kyo…Kyo…"

A sharp unknown pain severed the first dream and replaced it with a more uncomfortable one. Now in a compact room, blurred faces of forlorn peers and the personage of an incompetent manager focused.

"Kyo…Kyo…Kyo! Accomplish this task! You can do it!"

"Do it!" Chorused back with great enthusiasm.

"Be strong!" A man shouted.

"What's life without a little deception?" A woman humored.

"Deception is why this club's doomed."

"Please! For the sake of this establishment; for our futures!" The first man declared, blocking the only exit, presenting an aged photograph. "Dress up like this woman!"

"Hell no!" Kyo retorted, trying to wedge the desperate off, ignoring the persuasion behind him. "Everybody knows about the relationship you had with Yui. Her embezzlement? I won't degrade myself because you're over-sexed."

"Just one month! I'll consider this a personal favor. We have a whole month to turn things around!"

"Do it without me!"

"Wait!" A strong hand demanded. "This special request might just save our necks and you're just going to abandon us?!"

"I've got a new gig to get to."

"Why work your way up elsewhere when you can stay on top? Just think, if all goes well our reputation will get a boost from this! Not to mention more customers…"

"Fuck off, Shin."

"We, the hosts of the 'Green Daemon' were recommended personally by the hotel's owner to a prominent client. Even if we're in our last days of operation, we cannot refuse. Besides, aren't you having money problems? This job could pay out big!"

O-Oi! That's personal and I'm not at fault!"

"Not at fault or simply can't be a true professional? It's our job as hosts to make the customers' fantasy materialize. We cosplay here all the time, what if the job this time around is a little odd?"

"You really want to see me in a dress, don't you?"

"No! What I want is, what everybody in this room wants is the continuation of this place! Their survival! The stone cold truth is that we were betrayed and left for dead by one of our colleagues. Have a heart man."

Kyo remembered, he remembered the awkward wave of guilt that swept over him and why Shin was so determined. Unknown to their peers a love triangle with a homoerotic keynote had formed between them and the hostess named Yui. Leaving her lovelorn and undoubtedly bitter.

"The Green Daemon is dying, and you're telling us you can't do your job, because you're insecure and afraid to wear a damn dress for thirty days!"

"Let one of the girls handle this assignment."

"We've already been through this." The door barnacle injected. "You and the deceased share similar features. Also, you wouldn't be wearing a dress but a kimono."

"With flowers?" Shin asked suddenly.

"I knew it!" Kyo snapped.

'Idiot' quickly echoed throughout the gloom. Infectious depression and hopelessness spread among the blurred faces Kyo couldn't attach names to. Picking up the vibe of the room, slowly giving into the present peer-pressure but pushed on by his guilt to state: "Tsk. This assignment is distasteful to say the least. Still, among all the atrocities a person could commit for the sake of money, a ruse of this nature is only a median."

"Does that mean–!? Kyo…Kyo…Kyo…"

"Kyo…Kyo…Kyo…" A familiar voice spoke, merging with dream interrupting from above. Dismantling the dreamscape the photographer's field of vision focused upon the owner.

"Yoshi? Where's Shuuichi?"

"…"

TBC