Chapter Five

We were sitting in the waiting room, uneasy. I stared the wall blankly. I felt Makino squeeze her hand around mine. I looked at her. She gave a reassuring look. I smiled weakly back at her. Doctor Riku walked into the room. We stood up.

"How is she, Doc?" Makiko asked worriedly.

He looked to her and smiled. "We stabilized her. She's fine for now. All she needs is a week's rest." Liar.

Makiko lets out a sigh of relief. "Can we see her?"

"Only family members are allowed." He looked at me. Makiko opened her mouth to reply angrily.

"Okay." I calmly said. Makiko looked at me. I only shook my head. Her eyes softened and turned towards Makino.

"Come on Makino. We didn't close the bar. Someone will take advantage of the situation."

"What about Buggy?"

I smiled at her. "Don't worry about me. I will come to the bar as soon as possible. Protect the bar for me, will ya?" I ruffled her bandanna.

She pouted. "Fine. I'll be waiting for you."

Makiko took her hand and they both left the room. I regarded the doctor. "Lead the way."

He nodded. He directed me towards the room. We stood infront of the door. "Should I come with you?" Doc Riku asked me.

"No. Thank you for all troubles, Doc."

He left me alone. I sighted. I gathered my courage and pushed the door. Mum weakly turned her head towards me. She was lying on the bed, a breathing mask was attached to her face. IV drip was attached to a tube which was connected to mum's wrist. I slowly approached her.

"Hey, son. How are you?" a weak voice came from mom.

Me? You are the one who is clearly lying in bed.

"Shouldn't I be asking that?" she chucked.

"Hey, Buggy. I want you to promise me something."

"What?"

"Promise me." She held my eyes. "When I die, you won't blame yourself. And if you did, I swear to god I will come back to haunt your ass."

I stared at her. Even in her deathbed, she still remains a sarcastic batshit crazy woman.

"Oh almost forgot, live your life. Follow your dad steps or become a marine, I don't care as long as you're happy. Promise me that."

Ever since I was little, I promised myself to protect and cherish her. Even though dad left when I was little, she had a choice to abandon me. But she didn't. She sacrificed her everything. Her money. Her time. And now her life. God damn this woman. She deserved better than this.

"Buggy?"

I stared at her. She looked at me with so much hope and pride. I gulped.

"I promise."

I came to the bar after talking with mom. I saw Makiko shuffling around the bar, placing bottles. A green blur jumped towards me.

"BUGGY!" Makino wrapped her arms around my neck. I quickly grabbed her, steadying us.

"Careful, Makino. We could have fell down." I scolded her. She giggled.

"Your mom is okay, right." Makiko stated.

"Yeah, she's fine." I lied.

"I told you, mom. She's fine and In a week she'll came back and everything will be normal again." She chirped.

Makiko stared at me for a while. I refused to meet her eyes by talking to Makino. I knew if I looked, she would easily see through my lies.

Days went by. We visited mom every day. She looked better when we came to visit but I saw her flinch whenever she moved. She was hiding her pain from Makiko and Makino. Aside from visiting her, my routine was same. I helped Gyoru in the morning and Makiko in afternoon. I continued my training and sometimes visited Dadan with Makino.

"Buggy! Bring these bottles to table two." Makiko passed the bottles.

I grabbed the bottles and went towards the table. I was serving a group of friends. We got engaged in talking.

"HEY! LEAVE MY MOM ALONE."

Makino's shouting got me to react quickly. I twisted my head sharply to see two men harassing Makiko. Both looked pirates with swords tucked in their sashes. They were laughing together and one of them grabbed Makino.

"Hey, kid. Can't you see I'm busy here." He pushed her to the ground and grabbed Makiko's wrist. "Why don't we go somewhere else, sweetheart?" he suggested her.

"Leave her alone." I glowered at them, coldly.

"Oh whacha going to do, big nose? Glare at us to death." They laughed.

I grabbed my knifes and ran towards them. They showed surprise and had no time to react. I jumped and twisted my body and kicked one of them on the shin. He went flying toward the tables. I landed swiftly and took the advantage of the shock. I slide my leg to knock off his other friend. He slammed into the ground. A kick in the face took him out.

"I'm going to kill you, brat!" his crewmember snarled animalistically. He swung his sword towards me. I blocked it with my knife and grabbed his hand. Shocked eyes looked at me when I turned my back towards him and slammed him hardly on the ground. He gasped to breathe. I panted and pointed a knife towards his neck.

"Listen here, pal. If I ever see you guys here, I will kill you." Cold eyes stared him.

He nodded hurriedly. I let him go and watched him, picking his crewmember and leaving the bar. Adrenaline and exhilaration left my body. I slumped in exhaustion.

Silence surrounded the bar. Suddenly someone started to clap. Cheers and applaud filled my ears.

"ONI-SAN THAT WAS AWESOME!" Makino shaked my shoulders. "At first, you were like leave them alone and then bam. You were kicking their asses all over the place. And – and –and"

Makiko slammed our heads. "Oww!"

"Did you know how dangerous that was!? You both could have died." She shrieked.

"After that, this is what I get?" I mumbled.

"I HEARD THAT!" Slam.

"OWW!"

Away from the bar, a ship was docked. Its flag and sails held a pirate symbol. The crew surrounded their injured members.

"Who the hell did this?" the Captain asked his fellow associate.

He grabbed his nose to stop the blood. "It was a red nosed brat at the bar."

The Captain raised his eyebrow. "A brat?"

"He just surprised us that's all." He glared.

"I have worked years to raise our reputation as Iron Fist pirates. I'll not allow your silly mistake to tarnish the name." he scowled harshly. The crew flinched. "Tomorrow we'll pay the brat a visit." He smiled icily.