Author's Note: A part of this chapter works best when aligned to the right. However, as FanFiction doesn't allow to align the text to the right, the best solution I was able to come up with was to center the text. Sorry if it looks weird :(

Chapter 6

Hero of the Hour

Making his way through the bustling city streets with newfound determination, Majima found himself reminiscing about the night Tsuki and he met. When he accepted her invitation to her bar, he thought it would be a one-time thing. He would probably have ridiculed anyone who told him back then that more than a month later he would still be frequenting the place on the regular. While, at the start, he had been treating it merely as a stepping stone to feeding what he had considered a passing fancy, over time it had become so much more to him.

Even with the Tojo Clan the most stable it had been in the last few years and the final phase of construction of Kamurocho Hills proceeding apace once again despite the events that had taken place at the beginning of the year, Majima knew he could not let himself become complacent — nor did he intend to. It did not mean, however, that he could not enjoy himself every now and then — and, right now, he was having the time of his life trying to figure out the mystery that his newest acquaintance was. The weeks since their fateful meeting had flown by in the blink of an eye. He felt he was making progress, but every answer he got seemed to beckon even more questions than he had had before. Having no definitive end-goal to speak of so far, he simply let himself be swept away by the thrill of their next meeting. Not knowing what he would find out this time, if anything at all, was part of the fun, after all. That evening, he again let his feet lead him down a route he had come to know all too well by now.

As he was about to make the turn into the alley where Stray was, he heard angry voices from around the corner. One of them he recognized in an instant. Coming to a halt, he hid behind the nearest wall, then took a peek into the alley, careful not to give away his presence. Just as he had expected, it was Tsuki, and she was not alone — three men, whose clothes and demeanor immediately gave them away as yakuza, stood in a half circle in front of her. He did not recognize them, nor could he tell from that distance which family they belonged to. A part of him wanted to intervene, but he decided to observe silently instead, at least for the time being. He wasn't going to let anything happen to his favorite new bartender, but he was curious to see how the situation would play out on its own.

"I'll tell you what I told your buddies last time: I'm not paying you a single yen, so you can shove that protection offer up your asses."

Majima had to stifle a giggle. As expected, she did not appear scared in the slightest — on the contrary, her voice betrayed her rising anger. From his hiding spot, he could tell she was fed up and was having none of what the men were selling. Her defiant attitude was what had drawn him to her in the first place, and something was telling him he would soon find out whether or not she could indeed put her money where her mouth was. He had made the right choice to conceal his presence — this was bound to be entertaining.

"Ooh, so the kitten has claws, eh?" one of the men jeered. "I like my women feisty. Say… How about we hook up for a while and consider that payment for us leaving your little bar alone, huh? At least until we get bored of you."

All three of them burst into derisive laughter. Arms crossed, Tsuki remained unfazed.

"In your dreams, asshole," she smirked. "I have a different suggestion for you: how about you come back and try again when you've found your balls and become a man, hm? Or is spouting empty threats all that you can manage?"

At first, the man was taken aback, but then his face twisted into a fierce scowl. Meanwhile, Majima was having the time of his life secretly observing their altercation.

"Shit, they weren't kidding when they said you were a tough nut to crack, lady. If only you had the brains to match that pretty face of yours, maybe you'd think twice before insulting a yakuza."

"And why's that? Have I hurt your feelings?" Tsuki continued mocking him. "I'd apologize — if I gave two shits about you and your fellow asswipes, that is. Now get the hell out of here before I make you."

It seemed that the leader of the group had reached his boiling point.

"Bitch! Have it your way — I'll teach you some manners yet!" the man hissed through his teeth, absolutely furious.

He swung his fist in her direction. With lightning speed, she dodged his swing and grabbed his arm; twisting it, she sent her knee to connect with his elbow. A shriek of pain filled the alley and the man staggered backwards, gripping his arm, while the two others watched on in disbelief.

"What the fuck are you staring at, idiots?! Get her!"

Their leader's yell seemed to have brought them back to their senses. They took their stances, one now brandishing a knife he had kept concealed up until that point, and threw themselves at her.

Tsuki watched their movements closely, waiting for an opening. The man with the knife was already on her, his buddy hanging back, perhaps confident in the other's ability. He swung the knife at her once, twice, but his movements were frantic and easy to read. She dodged each strike with cat-like reflexes, then grabbed his wrist when the opportunity presented itself. Immediately after, she struck the man's throat with her elbow. Her aim true, the man yelped in pain, then started wheezing, trying to catch his breath. Both of his hands flew up to his throat, the knife clattering to the ground.

Taking it as his chance, the second man hurled himself at her, attempting to tackle her from the side. She swiveled just out of his way, and he came to a halt a few steps later, his back to her. She used this turn of events to give him a powerful kick from behind, making him crash face-first to the ground. Before he could recover, she stomped his face into the concrete with her boot.

Their leader watched on in pure rage and frustration — not being able to do much with just one arm, he resorted to spouting obscenities. Tsuki turned to him, fire blazing in her eyes. Reaching into her jacket, she pulled out a pair of leather gloves and put them on with ceremony. The yakuza's eyes went wide when he noticed the metal studs lining the knuckle ridge. He staggered backwards, tripped, and fell on his behind.

"No more! Please!"

"Then get the fuck away from my bar if you don't want me to beat you to a bloody pulp!"

At the entrance to the alley, Majima was awestruck. He was almost disappointed that the show was already over; he felt like he could watch her fight forever. His instincts had been correct — she was no ordinary woman indeed. Where the hell did she learn to move like that? Looking at her, one would never think she could be so deadly, yet there she was, standing over three grown men writhing in pain on the ground. Something was telling him she had gone easy on them, too — it was a tantalizing thought. He had underestimated her, but now he wanted to have the fight she had promised him even more.

Leaving his hiding spot, he approached her quietly from behind. Sensing another presence or, perhaps, having heard the sound of his footsteps against the pavement, Tsuki whirled around with a punch aimed at whoever was approaching, probably expecting it to be backup for the goons she had just fought. Majima caught her fist in his own, the cone-shaped metal studs digging into his gloved palm.

"Yo," he greeted her casually.

Her eyes went wide when she saw him.

"Majima-san? What are you doing here?"

He let go of her fist and she relaxed a little, but her eyes were full of suspicion now.

"Bad time for me to drop by? Ya seem busy," he said, glancing at the three yakuza nearby trying to pick themselves up from the pavement. One was covered in blood from his broken nose; the second was still blue in the face from not being able to breathe for a while, while the third's arm hung limp from his shoulder.

"It's trash day, as you can see. These boys yours, by any chance?"

His light-hearted comment seemed to have done nothing to remove the frown from her face. He raised his eyebrows at her indirect accusation.

"Mine? Naw. I already told ya that, didn't I? 'Sides, I'd never send shitstains like that after ya."

The leader of the group seemed to have found his voice, a look of even greater terror than before in his eyes.

"I-It's the Mad Dog! What is he doing here?!"

Majima glared at him.

"Oi, listen up, ya shits. Ya leave this lady an' her bar alone from now on, ya hear me?" he growled, his voice cold as ice. "If I hear so much as a peep 'bout any of ya showin' yer ugly mugs 'round here again, you'll wish you'd never stepped foot in this town."

"Y-Yes, sir!" one of the two other goons yelped, bowing frantically. "We're sorry! We didn't know this place was under the protection of the Majima Family!"

"Well, it is now. So, ya run along to yer boss, whoever the hell he may be, an' tell him that if he has any complaints, he can come straight to me. Now fuck off before I finish what the lady has started."

The men scrambled to their feet and ran away as fast as their aching bodies allowed them. Tsuki had been observing the exchange with her arms crossed and her eyebrows raised.

"Huh… Talk about having friends in high places," she said, impressed, her eyes following the men's frantic escape all the way until they were out of sight. "Never seen any of them piss themselves this much. Here's hoping that this time the message will finally stick." She turned to Majima. "Thank you."

"Ain't nothin'," he dismissed it with a wave of his hand, a somewhat bashful smile lifting the corners of his mouth.

"About what you said, though... Does that mean I'll now have to pay you instead?"

"Pfft. Forget 'bout that, 'course ya don't need to pay me anythin'. An' their boss won't do shit when he hears my name, either. If he wasn't some bottom-rung trash, ya would've already found out by now."

Aki's words suddenly popped into Tsuki's head. What if she was right? Maybe they had been playing with fire all this time, after all.

"That... I'm not sure I want to think about that too much." She took off her studded gloves and tucked them back into a pocket inside her jacket. "Anyway, I need to head back. See you downstairs? I owe you a drink — or a dozen, for that matter."

Majima followed her inside, noticing it was a lot quieter than usual despite the large number of customers. He hung back on the stairs for a bit, letting her get a lead on him. When she entered, everyone's eyes immediately turned to her.

"She's back!" An older fellow with a long gray beard called out. "Another successful bout of headbustin' done, I take it?"

"You know it. They're long gone," she answered with a grin.

The patrons erupted into cheers. Amid the ruckus, the old-timer raised his glass in a toast.

"I'll drink to that!"

The cheering was deafening — they really loved her here, Majima thought. Stepping off the stairs, he stopped a few feet behind her, taking in the sheer scope of their elation.

"I'd like to say something, if I may," Tsuki motioned for everyone to settle down. "This time, thanks to Majima-san here, there's a big chance they won't be coming back!"

For a moment, there was a tense silence.

"Wait, Majima? Isn't he one of them?" A doubt-filled voice sounded from the back. "You're gonna pay him instead?"

"No, no! Majima-san kindly stepped in because he, too, wants Stray to be left in peace — no compensation involved. I say tonight we drink to him!"

Grins reappeared on everyone's faces and the cheers that followed were even louder than before. This time, they were also meant for him. Being on the receiving end was somewhat embarrassing, but not unwelcome. It made him feel a small pang of nostalgia, reminding him of when customers would applaud him whenever he would settle a dispute back at Cabaret Grand in Sotenbori more than twenty years ago. A little flustered, Majima scratched the back of his head as he turned to Tsuki.

"Looks like tonight I'll be gettin' wasted in no time flat."

"And for free, to boot," she added. "Knowing them, they'll each want to buy you a round now. Don't worry, though, we've got a private couch in the back, in case you need it. Enjoy."

In truth, he had not been planning on drinking much that night. He had only wanted to come see her, the drinks more of an excuse than not, but it seemed like this place was one surprise after another. Wading through a throng of patrons raising their glasses to him — some even going as far as patting him on the shoulder — he slowly made his way towards the lit-up bar. One of them even freed up a spot for him at the counter. It happened to be right next to the bearded old man from before.

"You might be a yakuza," he said, out of the blue, once Majima had taken a seat, "but if you've helped Tsuki out, then you're alright in my book."

"Er, yeah... Thanks," Majima mumbled, somewhat unsure how to respond. "It was nothin', really…"

"If what she said is true, then I wouldn't call it nothing." Before Majima could respond, the older fellow raised his glass one more time. "To Tsuki! And to Majima!" he shouted.

Everyone that was still gathered around them followed suit, cheering and shouting their names. Majima had not experienced praise like this in decades, so to say that he was not used to it was an understatement. He knew he did not deserve this much of it, but, glancing at the overjoyed, slightly tipsy, faces, he could not stop a grin from lighting up his face. This place really was something else.

Returning his gaze to the front, he noticed Tsuki some distance away from where he was, leaning against the refrigerator with soft drinks. She grinned when their eyes met. The smile faded from Majima's face. There it was — a grin from the heart he had wanted to see on her face for so long and, this time, it was meant just for him. His heart skipped a beat. She was a diamond in the rough, perhaps, but a diamond all the same, and her eyes were so full of warmth now that he found himself unable to look away. She was the first one to lower her gaze — at that moment, she looked almost shy. Could it be…? Or was he reading too much into it? He wasn't sure either way, but the air in the room suddenly seemed to have become much warmer, his heartbeat picking up pace.

It appeared that his gawking had not escaped the old-timer's notice.

"She's something, ain't she?" he said, bringing Majima back down to earth. "If only I was thirty years younger, I'd be the first in line to try my chances with a girl like her."

"Haw?" Majima gave the man a sheepish stare. By the time he glanced again at where she had been, Tsuki was already gone, making rounds.

"Trust me, I know that look," the older man pointed a finger at Majima. "I've been coming here long enough to have seen my fair share of eager guys," he went on, and Majima could not help feeling like he was in for another lecture. "Before you go and get your hopes up, know that many have tried to charm their way into her heart already, and each and every one of them walked away disappointed."

Conversations like these seemed to be becoming an unsettling trend, and Majima was starting to get peeved. Why did everyone instantly assume that he was interested in her? And what even was 'that look' they were referring to? Even he wasn't sure yet what exactly it was that he was feeling, and other people claiming to know it better than him irritated him to no end.

"Hmph. Maybe they were all just a buncha punks," Majima smirked.

The old guy burst into rambunctious laughter.

"Maybe so! I'd imagine it would take something special to impress our Tsuki. She's a tough nut to crack, that's for sure, so you can see why some of the younger guys would start racking their brains trying to figure out how to win her over."

"It ever occurred to 'em she might already have someone?"

The old man furrowed his brow, thinking.

"Well, there were rumors floating around that she had someone… But that was supposedly before this place was even a thing. Nobody's ever seen her with anyone since she opened up shop here, though. Heard some overzealous folks even tried to secretly find out on their own, but all they ended up finding was a bloody nose and quite a few bruises."

"That so? Serves 'em right for stalkin' her," Majima commented, the irony of that statement occurring to him only after the words had left his mouth.

"Yeah, you don't wanna fuck with her if you know what's good for you. She can really go medieval on your ass if you piss her off well enough."

The man's words reminded Majima of what he had seen outside not so long ago.

"Think I got a glimpse of that out front. Everythin' was over 'fore she got serious, though, so it was a bit disappointin'."

"That's her alright. Doesn't mess around, that one."

While they were talking, Tsuki approached them, her sudden appearance catching Majima off guard. She took out a glass, put it in front of him and poured him a drink. The chunky, intricate bottle in her hand suggested it was Courvoisier XO French cognac. He shot her a puzzled stare.

"Compliments of the gentleman on the far right," she said with a smile. "What were you two gossiping about, by the way? Looked like something interesting. Or is it a no-girls-allowed kind of thing?"

Majima considered it a stroke of luck that she seemed not to have overheard anything of their earlier conversation.

"Nah, no such thing. Majima-san was just telling me how you dealt with those goons outside," the older man explained, skillfully concealing the actual subject of their chat. "Makes me wish I was there to see it. Next time, I want front-row seats!" he laughed.

Tsuki responded with a small sigh, reaching for a fresh glass to start preparing new orders.

"I wonder if there'll even be a next time after today…"

"Oh, yeah, true. Isn't that a good thing, though?" the man asked. "You and Aki will finally be able to get some peace of mind with those fools out of your hair."

"That's true, of course, but… I can't say I won't miss the exercise every now and then. I'll have to start spending more on gyms from now on."

It was as if her words had suddenly lit a lightbulb in Majima's head. This was the perfect chance to remind her of something that had been at the back of his head ever since the night they met.

"If it's a fight ya want, I'll gladly give ya one," he swiftly inserted himself into the exchange. "Whenever ya wanna have a go, just lemme know an' I'll be there."

"I appreciate your enthusiasm, but I can't just go around beating up my patrons, you know," she scoffed.

Taking a sip of the cognac, Majima raised an eyebrow.

"Oh? Would ya fight me if I stopped comin' 'round, then?"

"Only if you started causing problems for me and mine."

"Duly noted," he smirked, eyeing her curiously. "Good thing that won't be necessary for us to get at least one bout in, right? Or did ya forget?"

"Forget…? Oh!" she gasped, having realized what he was getting at. "Shit, you're right. I did promise you a fight."

He reacted with a sly, one-sided smile, gesturing towards her with his raised glass.

"Bingo. That ya did."

"What in the world? You really did that, Tsuki?" The older man, who had been listening to them intently, appeared astounded by the revelation.

"I… did, actually," she gave him an embarrassed smile. "It's a long story, but, technically, Majima-san wasn't a patron yet when it happened."

"A promise is a promise, though, ain't it?" Majima was adamant to make her acknowledge his victory in the argument.

"Yeah, yeah, you're right. Guess I have no choice now."

"Ya can still back out, y'know. It'd be hella disappointin', but—"

She shot him a challenging look.

"Oh, no way am I backing out now. I'd never turn down a good fight."

Her answer was music to his ears. Everything was going just as he had hoped it would.

"If you're seriously considering going through with it, you could probably make a small fortune selling tickets, you know," the old-timer proposed. "I'm sure most of the bar would show up to cheer you on."

"Nice try, but I'm not doing that," she chuckled.

"Why? Ya afraid of losin' in front of everyone?" Majima taunted her.

"I did not say that! I'm just not as greedy as you two seem to think I am."

"Sounds like a wasted opportunity to me," the old man shrugged.

"Say what you will, but I'm not doing it, even if it was legal — which it's not. And I don't need that kind of heat."

"Actually… I know someone who could take care of organizin' it somewhere ya wouldn't hafta worry 'bout the cops," Majima mused. "Entrance fees could be a pain in the ass, but I'm pretty sure I could pull some strings to make 'em a lil' bit more affordable…"

She listened to what he was saying with her mouth slightly agape.

"Why am I not surprised you'd say something like that?" she rolled her eyes. "Still, I have to respectfully decline. If you're as good as you claim to be, then I'll have to put all of my focus and skills into it. If we're doing this, then we're making it a private affair, and that's that."

"Alright, if you're gonna be so stubborn 'bout it," he relented. At this point, it did not matter how they did it, as long as they actually did. It had been fun, however, to tempt her like he had. "So, when do ya wanna throw down?"

"Not sure yet," she furrowed her brow, mentally going through her schedule for the nearest future. "If I can be picky about the date, I'd prefer it to be one of my days off. So, Wednesday or Thursday, if that's alright with you. I don't think I have anything planned for this week, but I'd have to double-check and then get back to you."

"Fine with me. Been waitin' this long, what difference will a couple more days make? As long as ya don't forget again."

"I won't. A lot's happened since we made that deal, so it simply slipped my mind, somehow. We're back on track, though, so it's all good."

"I won't let ya forget again, anyway, even if it takes me comin' here every night from now on for ya to gimme an answer."

"Noted. Now, if you'll excuse me for a sec."

Noticing patrons at the back of the room required her attention, she placed fresh drinks on the tray which Aki usually used, and made her way to deliver them, then take any new orders that might come in along the way.

"I gotta say, you're full of surprises, Majima-san," the older man said once they were alone again.

"Hmph," Majima replied with a satisfied smirk.

"Congratulations are in order. Never thought I'd see the day."

"...What?" The smirk gone from his face in a flash, he turned to the man sitting next to him with a confused frown.

"She likes you. For whatever reason, you seem to have caught her eye."

Majima could not help noticing the tightness in his chest return the moment he heard the other man say that.

"How do ya figure?"

The old-timer responded with a light-hearted chuckle.

"For one, I don't think I've ever seen anyone outright ask her for a fight like that. And the fact that she's keen on accepting is even more impressive. If she didn't see something in you, she wouldn't give you the time of day. Some of the guys here would rip you to shreds if it meant they could be in your shoes right now, you know?"

"Hah. They sure as hell can try," Majima responded with a determined grin.

"What I mean to say is… Don't waste it. I'm not saying you will, but if you hurt her in any way — your fight aside — then her wrath's not the only thing you'll have to worry about. The whole bar's gonna be on your ass, so you can forget about ever coming here again."

"No offense, but aintcha jumpin' to conclusions here a lil' bit? There ain't nothin' between her an' me, y'know. 'Cept for the fight we agreed on, I mean."

"Sure there isn't," the man chuckled again. "Anyhow, sorry to leave you like this, but there are some folks I still want to catch up with while I'm here. I'll be back later. You have fun, yeah?"

"Ah. Thanks for the company."

With that, the man sauntered off, glass in hand, leaving Majima alone with his thoughts. Trying not to dwell on his former drinking companion's words overlong, he focused instead on the prospect of finally getting a taste of Tsuki's abilities. Merely thinking about it made him giddy, and he hoped with all his being that he would not need to wait too long now that the chance was right at his fingertips.

The atmosphere of revelry persisted for most of the evening. With everyone's thirst renewed after her victorious return, Tsuki found herself as busy as ever. Every now and then, however, she would come back to Majima's spot at the counter to deliver him a fresh glass of liquor, courtesy of the other patrons. At the rate the drinks were coming, he was beginning to wonder if he would even be able to stomach all of them in one night — not to mention the state he would be in by the end.

"Ya actively tryin' to get me drunk?" he gave her a resigned smile when she slid yet another glass his way.

"Nope, I've got nothing to do with it," she answered gleefully. "But, be sure to hang in there, 'cause I still have some five more orders with your name on them after this one. And that's as of right now — no telling how many more will come in before the night is done."

He stared at her, concern plain on his face.

"I… I don't wanna be the guy who turns down free booze, but I'm quite sure I've gone through at least half of what ya got on that shelf behind ya by now…"

"And there's still more to come. Isn't that great?"

"Ugh…" he groaned, looking down at the glass in front of him. The way things were going, he wondered how he would ever get up the next morning.

"Tell you what," Tsuki said, seeing his struggle. "I'll keep the list, so you can order whatever's left the next time you visit. How's that sound?"

It sounded to him like admitting defeat.

"Naw, I'll manage. Ya got a bathroom here, by the way?"

"Other room, door on the left. Don't fall in."

"Hilarious," he smirked, leaving his chair.

Only once he had started making his way to the other room did the amount of alcohol he had imbibed make itself apparent. With this many rounds of strong liquor in him, the world around him was beginning to sway. He hoped against hope that relieving himself, and maybe washing his face with cold water afterwards, would at least somewhat clear the fog that was threatening to cloud his mind. He did not want it to come to that, but crashing on the couch in the back room for a few hours was quickly becoming more and more appealing.

"You okay?" Tsuki gave him a concerned stare when he returned to his seat.

He looked at her with determination in his eye.

"Yeah. Hit me up — let's get that list done."

She observed him for a few moments, trying to make sure he was well enough to still know what he was saying.

"Alright… Just don't overdo it, yeah?"

"I'll be fine," he flashed her a confident smile. "Now, chop, chop, time's a wastin'."

She shrugged, and proceeded to fix him yet another drink. Some part of her buckled at the idea of allowing him to go through with his plan, but, then again, who was she to deny him? As incredible as it was, even after this many rounds, he seemed fine enough to continue. In fact, she was beginning to wonder if it was even possible to get him drunk.

The next few hours flew by in the blink of an eye. The rush hour was over, and the bar was growing quieter as more and more patrons called it a night. Whenever Tsuki returned behind the counter, she and Majima would engage in casual chatter about nothing in particular. However, she noticed that the more time passed and the further down the list of orders they were, the quieter he became. It was becoming clear that he was nearing his limit. Although the end was now in sight, she decided she would refuse to pour him another glass if he asked for it once he was done with his current one. Keeping this in mind, she left the counter to make the rounds one more time.

When she returned after a while with a tray of glasses, she noticed Majima was no longer in his seat. Suddenly overcome with worry, she looked around the room, trying to locate him.

"What happened to Majima-san?" she asked the old-timer, who had returned to his spot at the counter at some point while she had been gone.

"Said he needed some fresh air," he said in reply. "The man can drink like a fish, but it seems he's still human, after all."

Tsuki frowned; Majima leaving without a word like that could mean that something was wrong, and she could not help feeling partially responsible for it.

"I'll go check up on him, just in case. Be back in a few."

Leaving the glasses she had brought back with her on the counter, she climbed the stairs leading to the exit with haste. As he watched her leave, the old man smiled warmly to himself.

"Mm, yeah… Nothing, indeed."

She found him right next to the entrance, leaning against the wall underneath the bar's sign, smoking. Seeing he was alright, relief washed over her.

"There you are. I was beginning to wonder where you'd gone off to."

He gave her a quick glance when he heard her voice.

"Mind if I join you?"

"Naw, 'course not."

She produced a pack of cigarettes and a lighter of her own from inside her jacket, then leaned against the wall next to him.

"How are you holding up?" she made small talk, having taken a single long drag of her cigarette.

"I can still stand up straight, as ya can see, so it could be worse…"

Contrary to his answer, she noted there had been no real confidence in his voice. That said, for someone who had downed so many drinks in just a couple of hours, it was impressive he could even still keep up a conversation.

"I've seen guys drink themselves under the table with less. You can hold your liquor, I'll give you that."

"Used to be a lot easier twenty years ago, ain't gonna lie…" he smiled bitterly in reply.

"Hah, after what I've seen tonight, I can believe that. But… Even at the cost of one hell of a hangover, there's one good thing that came out of it."

"An' that is…?"

"I think you've made a new friend back there. It looked like you and Shige-san really hit it off."

"The older fellow, ya mean? I wouldn't go that far, but… he seems alright. He one of yer regulars?"

"Yeah. He's actually one of the first patrons to visit after I opened Stray. Hasn't been coming around as much nowadays as back then, but he still drops by when he can. He's a gentle soul, even if he doesn't look like it at first glance."

"Well… If he's really that special to ya, then I'm glad I got to meet him."

Majima tossed the butt of his cigarette to the ground and put it out, then shifted to the side to lean on his arm. Tsuki gave him only a cursory glance before looking away again. In the cool night air devoid of the scent of liquor, tobacco, and baize that permeated the bar, she was close enough for him to be able to smell her perfume clearly. Inebriated as he was, it was making his thoughts run wild. All of a sudden, he felt an urge to take her somewhere — a fancy restaurant, an arcade, bowling… Even just to stroll around town together. He wanted them to have all the dumb fun they could, just the two of them. He yearned to again see that bright, yet a little shy, smile which she had given him earlier that night — merely recalling it made his pulse quicken. Languidly tracing the lines of her face and body with his eye, he could not stop himself from imagining how soft her skin would feel under his fingers. How warm and electrifying her touch would be against his body… How exhilarating it would be to experience the sensation of her lips on his own—

The hell's wrong with ya?

He shook his head, forcing himself to snap out of it. Noticing him do this, Tsuki turned to him with worried eyes.

"You sure you're okay? You should probably call it a night," she said, looking him up and down. "And, I'm not saying this as a bartender… but as a friend."

He blinked a few times at her sheepishly.

"I… Yeah, I s'ppose you're right. I better get goin'."

"The couch offer still stands, you know, so if you need to crash for a few, then by all means. I can wake you before I close up for the night."

"Naw, don't worry. Fresh air's already done me good an' I'll walk off the rest in no time." He straightened, ready to take his leave. "Think 'bout when ya wanna do the thing. I'll see ya soon."

"Oh yeah, I nearly forgot," she stopped him, reaching into her pocket. "Here."

She extended her arm towards him, a folded note between her fingertips. He cautiously took the piece of paper from her, and unfolded it.

"Haw?... What's this?"

"My number, what else? I figured it would be easier to agree on a date for that fight of ours if we could talk outside of the bar, too," she smiled. "Just don't start calling me at weird hours or when I'm at work, or I will block you."

He stared at the note for a few moments, unsure what to say. Having a brand-new means of reaching her beyond their usual meetings at Stray opened up a whole new realm of possibilities. Possibilities which he was too afraid to even think about right now.

"I won't," he replied, stashing the note inside his blazer. "Thanks…"

"Seeing how fired up you seem to be about it, I expect you to show me a real good time. Don't disappoint me."

He crossed his arms; coupled with the smug smile on his face, he was the picture of confidence.

"Oh, ya don't hafta worry 'bout that. If a good time's what ya want, then that's what you'll get."

"I'll keep you to that," she giggled. "Alright, time for me to get back. Take care out there, and drop me a line later so I can save your number."

Majima could not help chuckling.

"An' whaddya want me to write? 'I'm home'? 'Goodnight'?"

"You can just write 'It's me.' It'll be enough," she smirked.

"Gotcha. By the way, pass my apologies to ol' man Shige for my disappearin' like that."

"Will do. I'm sure he won't hold it against you."

He bid her farewell with a wave of the hand. Tsuki watched him amble away, his stride somewhat wobbly, but nowhere near adequate to the amount of liquor he had poured into himself throughout the night. It was impressive, really; perhaps she had been worried for no reason. With her mind thus put at ease, she returned downstairs, wondering what new shenanigans she was in for now that he had her phone number.

The following day around noon, Nishida stepped into the Family office, looking for Majima. It was quiet — he must have missed him again. As he was considering simply calling his boss, hoping that he would eventually pick up, a sound he had not been expecting to hear tore through the midday silence. He walked around the partition that separated the reception from the office proper, and found his boss passed out on the leather sofa in the center of the room. It was rare for Majima to be snoring away like that in the office at this hour. Even so, waking him up would probably be a poor decision, Nishida thought. Judging by how deserted it was, anyone who had come by the office before him must have reached the same conclusion. He would just have to try again in an hour or so.

Just as he was about to make his exit, Majima let out another loud snore, but then his head jerked up from the sofa's backrest. He cleared his throat, looking around the room drowsily until his bloodshot eye focused on his subordinate.

"I'm terribly sorry, boss, I didn't mean to wake you," Nishida said nervously. "Rough night, sir?"

Majima leaned forward and rubbed his face with one hand.

"Ya could say that," he answered, his voice hoarse. "What is it?"

"Oh, I… I just wanted to make sure you remembered about the officers meeting today, sir."

Majima cursed under his breath. In truth, he had completely forgotten. The memory of how he had made his way back to the office remained hazy, at best; he must have passed out the moment his body hit the sofa the night before. It served him right for trying to prove… whatever it even was that he had been trying to prove.

"When is it?"

"Today at seven, sir," Nishida promptly informed him, evoking an exasperated groan from his boss.

"Anythin' else?"

"Uh… I brought some documents that require your attention, sir, but that can wait. Do you want me to get you anything in the meantime?" Nishida eyed his boss with concern.

"Naw, no need. An' gimme those papers, I'll go through 'em when I got the time."

His thoughts still jumbled, the events of the previous evening were slowly starting to come back to him. Once Nishida had left, he rummaged through his pockets until he found the piece of paper with Tsuki's phone number. He recalled the details of how it had happened as if through a fog, but the note in his hand proved that he had not dreamt it up. Taking out his cell phone, he added the number to his contact list, then opened the text messages menu. It took him a few minutes of staring at the screen, and the throbbing headache growing worse, before he remembered what he was supposed to write. It would probably not make much difference whether he stuck to it or not, but he wanted to show her that he had been paying attention. He typed the message exactly as she had told him to, and sent it.

It's me.

Vacantly staring at the screen, he waited, wondering what she was doing at this hour. Was she even awake yet? Out of the blue, he pictured her asleep in his mind's eye, his imagination dressing her in a tight t-shirt and bikini underwear, the midday sun flooding in through a window caressing her exposed skin.

Fuckin' hell, stop. He flipped the phone shut and, closing his eye, pinched the bridge of his nose. Forcing his body to move, he shuffled over to the niche in the partition where the office coffee maker was, and poured himself an espresso. It would probably be a better idea to get some water instead, he realized, but, right now, he needed to shake off the drowsiness.

His cell phone vibrated as he was making his way back to the sofa. Opening the message, he saw that it consisted of a single thumbs-up emoji. He was unsure what he had been expecting, but still felt disappointed. Should he even reply to it? Would she find it weird if he did? What should his reply even be? While he was struggling to find the answer, a new line appeared under the emoji.

How are you feeling?

It put a smile on his face, making his mounting self-doubt vanish without a trace. She could have very well left it at the confirmation that she had received his message, but she had chosen not to. Maybe it was purely out of courtesy — but, maybe, just maybe…

My head's killin' me.

No surprise there.

Take it easy today, okay?

He chuckled as he typed his response.

Why?

Ya that worried 'bout me?

Sure, let's call it that.

I just wouldn't want to have you on

my conscience if something happened

to you because you helped me.

Don't worry.

It'll take more than a lil'

hangover to bring me down.

Glad to hear that!

In that case, feel free to drop by again

when you're feeling better.

Not tonight.

Busy.

That's fine.

I'll see you when I see you, then.

Caught up in exchanging messages with her, he had nearly forgotten the reason she had given him her number in the first place.

Didya manage to

check yer schedule yet?

This time, there was a slightly longer pause before he got a reply.

Oh, right. I did.

How's Wednesday sound?

Seeing as it was Monday already, it did not leave him much time, but he was certain he would be able to make the necessary preparations. As far as he was concerned, the sooner it was, the better. He already had the perfect venue in mind, and, even with only two days left, he should have no problems reserving it for a couple of hours.

Works for me.

What time?

I should be in town around 4 —

that OK? Where should I meet you?

4 sounds fine.

Yoshida Batting Center.

The Batting Center?

Yeah.

Trust me on this one.

Okay…

See you there, then.

Their brief exchange finished, he leaned back on the sofa and took a deep breath. The date was set, as was the place, for their long-overdue contest of martial prowess. Finally, it was happening, and there was nothing he could do to stop the mounting excitement within his ever-battle-hungry heart. It had been a while since the last time he had found himself looking forward to something like this — the mere thought of trading blows with her at last was making his body tingle with sweet anticipation. At that moment, the documents that Nishida had left on the table for him to review, as important as they probably were, could not be further from his mind. It would seem that he was in for the slowest two days in a long, long time.