Chapter 7
A Promise Kept
"I'm sorry — could you repeat that? You're doing what tomorrow?"
"I said… We're having a fight, Majima-san and I," Tsuki said without raising her eyes. With another night of work coming to an end, she was now wiping the surface of the counter clean for the final time before they would close up.
Aki stared at her, mouth open in disbelief at what she was hearing.
"Have you gone completely insane?! He's gonna freakin' kill you!"
"Oh, come on, we're not fighting to the death. It's just a friendly match, that's all."
"A friendly match. With the Mad Dog of Shimano," Aki enunciated, her shoulders sagging in resignation. "You know what? I give up. You've lost your mind."
"I can assure you that I know what I'm doing," Tsuki smiled at her friend's comment. "Seeing as there's a good chance our problems with those yakuza punks are a thing of the past now, this might be my last chance at a decent fight for who knows how long. Also, I made a promise I'd fight him, and I intend to keep it."
"Yeah, that's another thing. Why the hell did I find out about that little detail just today? You could have mentioned it at some point, you know?"
"And what exactly would that have changed? Besides, I actually managed to forget about it myself along the way."
"Well, for one, it would've given me some time to process it. Also, to try to dissuade you from doing it."
"And I wouldn't have changed my mind back then either, so everything would play out exactly the same as it is now."
Knowing all too well that her boss had the right of it and there was no changing her mind at this point, Aki covered her face with her hand.
"You know… Normal people choose to go out for dinner, or to see a movie, when they go on a date. They don't pick beating each other up for fun as their first option. Then again, it is you we're talking about."
"Now, hold on for a moment — when did I ever say this was a date?" Tsuki objected with a restrained grin. "We both like fighting — and when two fighters meet, it's normal they want to know what the other can do, isn't it? That's all this is."
"Uh-huh. Well, it seems we have a very different definition of normal, you and I."
It was one of those things Tsuki was certain someone like Aki would never understand. To her, trading blows with another could prove a much more meaningful method of getting to know them than hours of peaceful conversation.
"That we do," Tsuki summed up with a light-hearted chuckle.
Still unconvinced, Aki furrowed her brow, a look of genuine concern on her face.
"Listen… I know I said I'd trust you on this," she shook her head, "but this is getting ridiculous. Don't you think that… if he cared about you at all, even as a friend, he never would've made you keep that promise?"
"Whether or not he cares about me doesn't matter. All I want is a good fight. Heavens know it's been years since I was able to let loose against someone."
"That's all well and good, but he's not some two-bit thug. You remember the shit that went down here four years ago? This guy can take on a small army by himself and walk away breathing. He's out of your league."
Tsuki swirled around and stared at the other girl, starry-eyed.
"That was him? That's… amazing, actually. Now I simply have to see what he can do!"
"...If that's your only takeaway from what I said, then there's no helping you, after all." Aki sighed in defeat. "At the very least, let me know if you're okay afterwards. If you're gonna do it anyway no matter what I tell you, then at least make sure you don't die — I wouldn't want to see some jackass take over Stray when you're gone."
"Not a chance." Laughing, Tsuki went into the back room to pick up her jacket and bag. Ready to take her leave, she stopped on the other side of the counter, and flashed her friend a confident grin. "I'll be fine, you'll see. Actually, I'll raise you: if I manage to win, you'll owe me dinner at Kanrai. Deal?"
"Sure, whatever, but I think my money's pretty safe," Aki gave her boss a pitiful smile.
"Great. One more reason for me to give it my all tomorrow. You good to lock up for the night on your own? I want to get home as fast as I can so I can get a good rest before tomorrow… Well, later today, technically."
"Yeah, leave it to me," Aki confirmed, watching the other girl make her way towards the exit. "And, Tsuki?..."
"Hm?" Tsuki stopped and turned around, eyebrows raised.
"Give him hell out there."
With a determined grin, Tsuki raised her arm and clenched her fist.
"You know it."
Aki followed her friend with her gaze until she disappeared up the stairs, praying with all her might that this had not been the last time she would see her.
The sun had already begun to dip towards the horizon when Majima stepped out of the Yoshida Batting Center. Having taken over from the owner for the two hours they had made a deal for, he planted himself on the stairs at the entrance, fairly certain that his presence alone would discourage people from trying to make their way inside.
Taking out his cell phone, he checked the time — it was nearly four in the afternoon. Not long now, he thought. His eyebrows came down in a frown when he noticed the hand he was holding his phone in was trembling slightly. Was it excitement? Certainly, he had been waiting for this day with such anticipation that it felt like he was going to burst. But, he could sense there was something else underneath, like a subtle aftertaste, which he had become aware of only after he had focused his mind on it — a nervousness bordering on uncertainty that was so unexpected it left him stumped. Now that he thought about it, he realized he had felt it before, when he had found himself hesitating whether or not to reply to her message a few days earlier. He put the phone back in his pocket, and clenched his fist.
"Sorry, did I keep you waiting?"
He whirled around when he heard her voice, and saw her approach, her stride as confident as ever.
"Naw, s'all good. Just got here myself," he smiled.
Somehow, seeing her seemed to always lift his spirits.
"So, where're we going?"
With a sly grin, Majima pointed at the door behind him.
"We're already here."
"Huh?" Tsuki glanced at the entrance to the Batting Center with evident confusion. "You want us to do it here?"
"That's right. C'mon — we can talk more inside."
The silence inside the venue, with no customers in sight and the usual sounds of pitching machines and bat strikes absent, was not something Tsuki had expected.
"Wow, it really is deserted. Did you rent the whole place out just for us?"
"Yep. The owner knows me pretty well by now, so it wasn't much of a problem," he smiled, locking the doors behind them.
"You do that often, then? Bring people here to fight?"
"Not that often, naw…" He pointed at the glass doors separating the hallway from the cages proper and the open area beyond them. "Through there. Go on, I'll be right behind ya."
When he joined her, she was pacing around, hands in her pockets, taking in her surroundings. He found it odd.
"This yer first time here?"
His question brought her attention back to him.
"It is, actually. Somehow, I never had a reason to come here."
"Oh? Ya don't like baseball?"
"Couldn't say either way. Haven't really had the time to learn how to play properly."
"That so? I could teach ya, if ya want," he offered.
She gave him a long look before speaking again.
"One thing at a time. That's not why we're here today, is it?"
"True," he chuckled, realizing that he had been trying to make small talk to mask his growing nervousness.
"I was wondering why you'd chosen this place, but I think I get it now — solid footing, fresh air, and lots of space. It's perfect."
He observed her as she began stretching and skipping in place, trying to get in as much of a warm-up as she could. She really seemed to be taking this seriously. It excited him, but also made him hesitate.
"Ya sure ya wanna do this?"
She stopped and straightened. Crossing her arms, she gave him an incredulous look.
"What, are you getting cold feet all of a sudden?"
"Naw, that ain't it." He scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "It's just that… Now that I think 'bout it, hittin' ya don't sit right with me, even if it's consensual."
"Really? That's the reason?" she heaved an exasperated sigh. "Then, what are we even doing here? And after all that talk about giving me a fight whenever I wanted one, too?"
"To be totally honest with ya, I didn't think you'd actually agree to go through with it. An' then, I got so excited I kinda forgot 'bout some things 'til just now," he answered, hands on his hips, gaze fixed at the floor near her feet. "Once I get goin', I can't promise I won't do somethin' reckless in the heat of the moment. I don't wanna hurt ya."
Her response to his reasoning was a frustrated frown.
"Are you trying to insult me? I can take a few hits, even if I don't look like it. Besides, you might learn I'm not that easy to hit in the first place. So stop being such a buzzkill and let's finally do this."
Majima felt torn. Half of him was raring to go — the thought of witnessing what she was capable of first-hand was making his senses tingle with anticipation. It did not help that she seemed to be as fired up about it as he was. The other half, however, recoiled at the thought of potentially causing her harm. The fact that she was a woman was one thing, but he was genuinely worried about her. She was special to him; he did not want to accidentally do something he would regret later.
"Is it because I'm a woman?" she threw the question at him, pulling him out of his thoughts. "If you think you've guilt-tripped me into doing this, then stop. I'm doing it because I want to. If I didn't, I would've told you a long time ago. I could sense you were strong from the start, so I want to see what you can do. I haven't had a chance to fight anyone half-decent in ages, so let me have my fun, alright?"
"Ya really are somethin' else, y'know?" Majima smirked, shaking his head. "An' I admit, I don't think I ever met another woman quite like ya."
"Well then, this could be the chance of a lifetime, no? Come on — or I'll start whether you like it or not."
It appeared there was no changing her mind. If he did not know she was good at brawling, he probably would not have considered holding her to the promise they had made in the first place. But if he backed out of it now, not only would he disappoint and anger her, but also leave his curiosity unsated.
"Alright already, I give," he ceded. "But, since we ain't out to kill each other, let's agree on the win condition. Say… The first one to put the other on the ground wins. How's that sound?"
"Sounds like fun to me," she grinned, taking her stance.
Something about it felt oddly familiar, yet different at the same time. Brushing off the thought, he followed suit. This was it.
"Ready when ya are."
It was all she needed to hear. She came at him with lightning speed, catching him completely off guard. His eye went wide in disbelief as he felt her fist make contact with his stomach, and he staggered backwards from the impact. By the time he had recovered, she was already at a safe distance, out of his reach, rhythmically hopping from one foot to the other. Her eyes betrayed a hint of confusion.
"I'm sorry, I thought you said you were ready?"
A wide grin spread across his face. Perhaps he had been worried for no reason. The flame of battle burning bright inside him now, he decided he would give her what she wished for. Planting his feet against the ground, he leaped in her direction, closing the distance separating them in a flash. No further words necessary, they began their violent dance in earnest. Initially restrained blows gradually grew in force and intensity as they gauged how far they could push one another.
After taking her initial sucker-punch, unsurprisingly to him, Majima appeared to have the upper hand. Tsuki continued blocking and parrying his punches for some time, while dodging out of the way of his kicks. It was impressive, actually, that she could withstand his assault for this long. He knew exactly what she was doing — by playing more defensively, she was buying herself time to study his movements. With no prior knowledge of his fighting style, she was trying to learn as much as she could as quickly as possible. Smart, he thought. It did not bother him in the slightest — if anything, it told him she treated him with the respect one would give an opponent of equal or greater strength. But, if his gut feeling was correct, she was probably already formulating some kind of plan of attack, and would go on the offensive soon.
Just as the thought crossed his mind, she knocked his fists back, going from blocking to a counterattack in the blink of an eye. He sent another kick her way, but she swiveled out of its way, instantly going for his other leg with a low sweep, aiming to trip him up. Catching on to her plan, he quickly recovered and avoided it narrowly with a well-timed sidestep. Undaunted by this, she shot back up, trying to surprise him with an uppercut, but to no avail. Her subsequent attacks, he noticed, were focused on his left side. He smirked, realizing that she was attempting to gauge if she could exploit his blind spot. Unfortunately for her, it would not work, and he made sure to let her know. She promptly dropped the idea, returning to an all-out assault from all sides, searching for any gap in his defenses.
He deflected as many attacks as he could, but each one that managed to slip through left a robust sting. Her feminine frame belied the power behind her strikes, while her speed and cat-like reflexes left him baffled. She was slippery as an eel, but had the bite speed of a viper, he mused. It was almost surreal that someone like her could be such a menace. That said, he had expected her to come at him with the fury of a storm, but, instead, she was patient and calculating. She did not take many risks, choosing to wait for an opening — and once she noticed one, she made sure to capitalize on it.
Unwilling to let her catch a break, he closed the gap between them, and took a swing, but it appeared that was exactly what she had been waiting for. Before his punch had a chance to connect, she countered with a force that sent him flying backwards. He managed to regain his footing, a single thought flashing through his mind like a bolt of lightning against the night sky. There was no doubt about it — he had seen that move before, felt its impact first-hand. What in the world was going on?
She did not leave him much time for reflection, already back within arm's length. Her previous move lingering at the back of his mind caused a momentary lapse in his focus. She used it to break his guard with an incessant flurry of blows, and her fist connected with his jaw. He staggered backwards, flinching. Although it had taken him but a moment to recover, he had been sure she would take advantage of it and press her attack. Instead, it appeared she had chosen to retreat to a safe distance, like she had done earlier.
"Are you finally going to stop pussyfooting around — or is the Mad Dog all bark and no bite?" she challenged him.
He wiped the corner of his mouth with the back of his gloved hand and straightened. Reaching behind, he produced his trusty tanto, notoriously known as the Demonfire Dagger. He was grinning from ear to ear now, his heart racing. In recent memory, there had only been one other person who could make him feel this way. Life sure was proving to be full of surprises.
"Now you're in for it. A pity — it'd be a cryin' shame to ruin that pretty face o' yers, but ya leave me no choice, it looks like," he taunted.
He slid the blade out and threw away the sheath. Putting its hilt between his teeth to hold, he quickly shook off his snakeskin blazer, and readied himself. She eyed both his slender but muscular frame and the blade which was now back in his hand. The intricate patterns and the vibrant colors of his irezumi, now on full display for her to see, caught her eye for a moment.
"Fighting dirty, huh? That's your answer?"
His answer was an outburst of high-pitched laughter. He had completely forgotten about any misgivings he might have had before. She was better than he would have ever expected — much, much better.
"Hasn't failed me yet. Don't go gettin' distracted now!"
"You wish!" She frowned, but the corners of her mouth arched up in excitement. "In that case… There's no need for me to play nice anymore, either."
Majima watched as she reached into the inner pocket of her leather jacket. He knew what was coming — it was only fair. She then shuffled out of it, throwing it to the floor some distance away. Putting on her padded fingerless gloves, she took her stance once more, the sharp, metal studs lining the knuckle ridge shining as bright as the steel of his blade in the dying sunlight.
"Now we're talkin'! Ya ready to let loose?" Majima grinned, chomping at the bit.
"Bring it," she growled, determination burning bright in her eyes.
It was as though a brand-new aura had ignited around her. The way she looked at him now, he could tell she would hold nothing back. If he was to compare it to something, she was like a wolf baring its fangs, snarling, ready to sink its teeth into his flesh and rip him to shreds. With glee, he lunged headlong into its slavering maw.
Whereas before her attacks had been calculated, reserved even, they had now transformed into a relentless, brutal assault of a beast unleashed. As absurd as it seemed, it made him believe that what she had shown him up to that point was her calm, collected side. It was taking all of his cunning to read her movements fast enough not to let her fists connect directly with his body, while still trying to land a hit whenever he could. Similarly, she seemed to be doing her utmost to stay out of his blade's way, at times avoiding its bite by mere inches.
Their intense battle was now a feast of glancing blows, neither able to land a true hit on the other, each waiting for the other to make what they were certain would be the deciding mistake. It was terrifying — and absolutely exhilarating. She kept him on his toes, made him dig deep, and he relished every second of it. Speed had always been what gave him the edge. The fact that she could even keep up with his movements like this was extraordinary. Being able to exploit the few openings he had left her on top of that, however, put her a cut above what he would have ever expected of her. He had fully anticipated her to give him a decent fight, but what he was getting was above and beyond what he had imagined she was capable of. There was no way a bar owner like her could have developed such martial prowess simply by beating up third-tier family yakuza every now and then and training at a gym in the meantime. Deep down, he could sense there was something else there, something unspoken that fueled the fury and rage behind her blows.
But, in spite of the new-found respect he now had for her, there was no doubt in his mind that she would not be able to keep this dance up for much longer. They had already been fighting for longer than he would have wagered. Given the intensity of the latter part of their brawl, he could feel the delightful burn in his muscles, and he was sure she must have, too.
Not much longer now.
He knew that if only he could land a single true hit, it would be over. He waited for his chance like a predator looking for the right moment to go for the throat of its prey. Finally, it had come. She had just dodged his last swing; his relentless strikes had put her back on the defensive. This was it. He planted his feet on the ground and pushed as hard as his legs allowed him, lunging forward with his blade. It was now or never. He could almost taste the sweetness of victory, certain he had at last taken her by surprise.
But even this was not enough — she swiveled out of his blade's way at the very last second. In what felt like an eternity, their eyes locked — his disbelief met by a triumphant grin on her face. The next thing he knew, his body hit the floor so hard it knocked the wind out of him. He had put all his force into that last attack, yet she still managed to use it against him.
As he lay motionless on his back, eye wide open, he found himself lost for words. When he came to his senses a moment later, he tightened his grip, but found his hand grasping air. Immediately after, he felt the cold of steel against his skin. She was kneeling over him, thighs straddling his torso, the keen edge of his own tanto a hair's breadth away from his throat. Looking up at her — the flame of battle still blazing in her eyes — he was mesmerized. Their bodies glistening with sweat, breaths quick and sharp from the exertion — there was something erotic about it, and his body was already beginning to react to it. In that moment, if she decided to end him, he would die happy.
"Marry me," he blurted out.
She burst out laughing, but watched him closely all the same in case this was his idea of a ruse to make her let her guard down.
"That… must've been the lamest proposal I've ever heard." Throwing the dagger to the ground next to him, she stood up. "Anyway… Looks like I win."
Majima gathered himself up, sheathed his dagger, and picked up his blazer from where he had tossed it.
"Ya pack a serious punch, babe," he complimented her.
"You thought I'd been bluffing all this time?"
"Naw… I stopped doubtin' that when I saw ya trounce those lame-ass excuses for yakuza."
"Then… Why'd you still want to fight me?"
"I wanted to see what ya could really do for myself. An' now I have. Those chumps the other day didn't even make ya break a sweat, did they?"
Tsuki nodded, smiling.
"That's true. I haven't had this much fun fighting someone in, like, forever. You're really good — so good it's actually kind of scary."
"See? Told ya I was nothin' like yer usual punchin' bags."
"Well, technically, you still lost, so…"
"Eh, that's 'cause I was holdin' back, y'know."
"Sure you were," she giggled. "That's what losers always say."
"Oi, no need to be like that. It's not like I was tryin' to kill ya, after all."
"Could've fooled me with that blade," she eyed him.
"Aw, c'mon. I knew ya could handle that much. It spiced things up, didn't it?"
"Pfft. That's one way to put it."
To his surprise, she sat down on the floor and, propping herself up on her arms, stretched out her legs. Majima furrowed his brow in concern.
"Ya alright there?"
"Yeah, just need a moment to cool down. Can't remember the last time I had to push myself this hard."
He walked over to where she was and sat down cross-legged in front of her, placing his blazer down next to him on the floor. As they sat there in silence, he noticed her gaze wandering around his body. It was beginning to make him nervous.
"What is it?"
"That's some sick ink you've got," she said out of the blue. "Must've taken ages, though."
He scratched his head bashfully in response.
"Ya like it? Didn't think ya were into tattoos."
"I'm not, but I can appreciate good art when I see it."
"Well…" Seizing the opportunity, he flashed her a lewd grin. "If ya wanna appreciate it in its entirety, then that can be arranged…"
She laughed out loud.
"Do you ever stop with that kind of thing?"
"...Do ya want me to?"
"Pfft, whatever. It's not going to get you anywhere anyway, so do what you want," she chuckled, and he joined in shortly after. "If you want to arrange something, how about you arrange some water for us? I'm parched. Mind grabbing a bottle from the vending machine outside? I'll join you there in a sec."
"Yeah, yeah, I'm on it."
He got to his feet, but she stopped him before he made a move to leave.
"Before you go… Don't know about you, but I'm starving. Want to grab a bite on the way back?"
"...Now that ya mention it, I could do with some grub. Fightin' always works up an appetite, don't it?"
"That it does."
Watching him walk away, Tsuki secretly admired the intricate imagery of the irezumi on his back before he once again covered it up with his blazer. His teasing comment still on her mind, she shook her head with a resigned sigh, scolding herself for what her imagination was all too eager to present to her.
She met him outside the batting cages not long after, just as Majima was taking out the second bottle of water from inside the vending machine's pick-up box. Handing her a bottle, he noted that she was holding her jacket in her hand, but made no move to put it on.
"Thanks," she smiled, and Majima eyed her curiously. "Do they have showers here?"
"Showers? Uh…"
"I'll go check. Feels really bad to go out all sweaty like this. On second thought, even a bathroom will do."
Another sly smile appeared on Majima's face.
"Want me to join ya?"
She gave him an exasperated look.
"Definitely not. Okay, I'll try to be quick, so don't go anywhere."
"Jokes aside, I'm gonna go, too," he chuckled. "Ain't 'bout to let myself end up the stinky one."
Refreshed, they lingered in front of the Batting Center, smoking. Their promise fulfilled, the mood had shifted to one reminiscent of the serene calm after the passing of a storm.
"Damn. Why is it that a smoke always feels so good after a workout?" Tsuki broke the content silence.
"Ain't that right."
"I've been trying to quit, you know? But there's always something that makes me go back to it, sooner or later."
"Now you're makin' me feel bad 'bout smokin' 'round ya. Makes me look like an enabler."
"Nah, don't worry, it's got nothing to do with you. If I really put my mind to it, I'd have already quit. Guess I'll have to settle for cutting down, for now."
"By the way, have ya made yer mind up 'bout where ya wanna go eat?"
"Hmm… Don't know about you, but I feel like a beef bowl right now."
"Sounds like a plan. Lead the way."
"What about this place?" Tsuki gestured at the Batting Center's doors. "We can't just leave it like this, what with the owner still out."
"Fair point. We can kill time 'til he comes back," Majima said, taking out his cell phone to check the time. "He should be here soon anyway. There're some arcade machines inside, ain't there? Wanna give 'em a try?"
"Why not," she grinned at the idea. "It's been a while since I've done that kind of thing, but we might as well. You any good at video games?"
"Dunno 'bout now, but I did set some high scores back in the day."
"Alright! Time for another round, then — in the virtual world, for a change! Just know that I won't go easy on you this time, either," she gave him a challenging look, planting her fist in her palm as a sign of determination.
It was not long before the owner returned to re-open the facility to the public. Even so, the two had still managed to get their fill of fighting games for the day before that. Emerging from the building for the final time, Majima looked dejected — the exact opposite of his female companion.
"This really ain't my day, is it…" he slumped forward, sighing heavily.
"Well, that's two for two," Tsuki gloated, making him give her an annoyed side-eye.
"I ain't leavin' it like this," he grumbled. "Ya said ya haven't been to an arcade in a while, right? There's gotta be somethin' there I can beat ya at."
"We were supposed to go eat, remember?"
"Yeah, yeah. But the arcade's on the way, ain't it? One last chance to redeem myself is all I'm askin'. C'mon, it won't take long."
Stifling a laugh, she considered it for a moment.
"Okay, fine. I don't suppose the machines over there will be much different to those here, though."
"What 'bout UFO catchers?"
Suddenly, her earlier confidence vanished without a trace.
"Oh, um… Actually… I'm pretty horrible at those, believe it or not."
Reinvigorated, Majima clapped his hands.
"That's what we're doin', then! At least I won't go down without a single win today!"
"In that case, let's get going. I'm giving you one shot at this, so you'd better impress me with your skills," she smiled.
"One's all I'll need, you'll see."
Walking side by side, they leisurely made their way towards Club Sega next to Theater Square.
By the time they eventually reached Matsuya, the sun had already set, the town illuminated now by its myriad colorful neon signs and billboards. Having ordered a large beef rice bowl each, they sat down at a table at the back of the restaurant.
"Gotta say, seein' ya with that thing feels hella weird," Majima commented, looking at the stuffed monkey doll that Tsuki was now holding in her lap.
"You won it for me, so what do you expect me to do, throw it in the trash?" she smiled. "Besides, maybe I've got a soft spot for plush animals — you never know."
"So, basically, what you're sayin' is there's a girl hidin' under that tough exterior, after all."
"Who knows?" she chuckled as she examined the doll one more time, then played with its tiny paws. "It is kind of cute, isn't it?"
Majima shook his head resignedly, but a hint of a smile lifted the corners of his mouth nonetheless. Her giving him a glimpse of another side of who she really was made a pleasant warmth spread through his chest.
Their orders arrived shortly after. Having sated their initial hunger, they enjoyed the rest of their meal without hurry.
"Real talk, now. Where'd ya learn to fight like that?" Majima spoke up, giving voice to the question that had been at the back of his mind ever since the conclusion of their bout.
She did not reply for a short while, making him wonder if she had even heard him.
"The streets can be a rough place when you're a nobody, you know," she finally said without looking up from her bowl. "It's a dog-eat-dog world out there when you're fighting for scraps at the bottom of the food chain. And if you're a woman, you have to work twice as hard to get what you want."
"Hold on a darn minute," he interjected. "Ya lived out on the streets?" he asked, taken aback by the revelation. "How'd that happen?"
"It's a long story. Back to your question, though… All you need to know right now is that I was a troubled kid who found herself in a sink-or-swim kind of situation, so I had to learn how to fight for everything. Literally, at times. Luckily, it turned out that I was good at brawling — it was actually one of the few things I was good at back then — so I focused on it and got better, in time."
He mulled her words over in his head. Instead of the answer he had been hoping for, what she had said only made him have more questions. Slowly, he was getting used to the feeling.
"Alright, I get ya. But what ya showed me today was more than just street brawlin', wasn't it? Swear I've seen some of yer moves before somewhere…"
"Oh? Good eye. I should've expected as much from someone who knows how to fight," she complimented him. "Much later, I actually spent some time getting pointers from a martial artist I met. I guess he saw something in me, because he agreed to teach me a few things. After that, I kept training on my own, but there's only so much you can do at a gym when you have a full-time job."
"This martial arts guy… Ya remember his name, by any chance?"
"I don't remember his last name… but I would sometimes call him 'grandpa Sotaro'. He might have been an old man in some funny clothes, but his fighting skills were the real deal," Tsuki said, a nostalgic sparkle in her eyes.
Majima could not believe what he was hearing — and yet, it made perfect sense. The pieces of this particular puzzle were falling into place. There was only one person he could think of who fit the description she had given him.
"...Komaki Sotaro?"
Hearing the full name, Tsuki's eyes lit up. It seemed she had to remind herself to swallow her food before responding.
"That's it! Wait — you know him?!"
"Uh… I used to. Haven't seen him in a few years now."
"I can't believe this! Did he train you, too?"
"Err… In a way. He was searchin' for an apprentice back when I met him. Didn't find what he was lookin' for in me, but he did end up teachin' me some stuff along the way."
"To think that we're talking about the same guy! The world really is a small place, isn't it?" she mused.
"Ain't that right…"
It almost seemed like, in this case, the world was too small of a place.
"How'd ya meet the old man, anyway?"
"Oh, um… It happened by pure chance. I found myself in a bit of a bind, and he helped me out," she smiled, but, to Majima's eye, it seemed almost forced. She lowered her eyes. "Truth be told… I owe him far more than him teaching me a few moves… But that's neither here nor there. I wonder how he's doing nowadays?" she added with the nostalgia of someone fondly reminiscing about a long-lost friend.
"Didn't he open a dojo somewhere 'round here? Coulda sworn I heard somethin' 'bout it…" Majima furrowed his brow, thinking.
"Did he, now? Last I saw him, he was still living out on the streets. But, if he indeed has a dojo of his own now… Maybe I could pay him a visit. Although… He'd probably turn me away at the door."
"Haw? An' why'd he do that?"
"Well… He can be a little old-fashioned at times, as you probably already know. When I first approached him, he was reluctant to even consider teaching me. I figured the reason was because I'm a woman. But I was adamant, and, eventually, he agreed to train me on-and-off. His disciples always came first, of course, but I was a quick learner. That said, I think he took a shine to me after a while, but the amount of complaining it took for him to get there was something else. No idea how he'd react if he saw me again."
"Heh. I think it'd be just fine. But, if I happen to meet him again before ya do, I'll be sure to tell him his teachin' didn't go to waste," Majima smirked.
Chuckling lightly, Tsuki mumbled something under her breath, then returned her focus to her food. She was full of surprises, Majima thought, and even though their fight had provided him with an opportunity to gain some fresh bits of insight into who she was, there was still more he wanted to find out. Her fists and the way she fought certainly told a story, but he suspected that what she had revealed to him that day was just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. He wondered if she would ever let him get close enough for him to learn the nature of the darkness he could sense lurking under the smile that was now lighting up her face. Perhaps it was not his place to try to dig that deep. The kinship they seemed to have formed was enough of a good thing as it was. He would cherish it even if she decided never to tell him about her past — he had pretty much accepted that fact the moment he had decided to tear Nishida's report to pieces.
While they were quietly enjoying the rest of their meal, Majima noticed Tsuki had been secretly studying him for some time, but he could only guess as to the reason. The longer it dragged on, however, the more self-conscious he was beginning to feel.
"Alright, what's with that look? There somethin' on yer mind?" he decided to broach the subject.
She did not seem surprised by his question — it was almost as though she had been anticipating it.
"I might have been wrong when I said I hadn't ever seen you before that day we met in the street."
"Haw? An' ya just realized that now?" he raised an eyebrow at her.
"Actually, it's been at the back of my mind for a while now. I feel like I'd seen you somewhere, but I just can't put my finger on where that could have been…" she frowned, racking her brain, but coming up empty.
Majima tilted his head, intrigued, while she kept staring at him.
"Damn, there's definitely something there… It feels like my head's about to explode," she groaned. He opened his mouth to speak, but she was faster. "Wait, I think I got it! Humor me for a sec, will you?"
"Oh, uh… Sure?"
"Put your index finger against your mouth as if you're shushing me."
He had no clue where this was going, but he obliged her eccentric request. The moment he did it, her eyes immediately lit up, a grin painting itself on her face.
"Holy… That's it! I remember now!"
"...Do tell."
"So, five years ago, I was working part-time at one of the restaurants here," she began. "One evening, I was taking out the trash like any other day, but when I took the lid off one of the big trash cans, to my surprise, there was a guy inside! Before I could react, he gestured for me to be quiet, so I just put the lid back on and pushed the whole thing out of my mind. I remember thinking the guy was some perv or a madman and not wanting to have anything to do with him. That was you, wasn't it?"
When he thought about it, her story made more sense than he cared to admit. He could not recall the encounter she was referring to in particular, but it was entirely possible, seeing as Kamurocho's trash cans were one of the hiding spots he used to lie in wait for Kiryu five years earlier.
"It… coulda been."
She laughed out loud, hearing him practically confirm it.
"The universe really does have a screwed up sense of humor, doesn't it? What the hell were you sitting inside a trash can for, anyway?"
"It's… a long story. I, uh… I was actually tryin' to get a jump on an old friend."
"From a trash can? Seriously?"
"Told ya — it's a long story."
"You have to tell me all about it some other time. It really is one surprise after another with you, isn't it?"
"From the way you're grinnin' right now, I'd say ya like it that way," he smirked.
"You know what? Yeah, I like it. You keeping me on my toes like you have is actually the most fun I've had in a long, long time. There, I said it."
He gave her a toothy grin. Her honest admission made him as happy as a clam.
"Well, if that's the case, then there's more where that came from."
"I'm looking forward to it, then," she balled her fist to show how eager she was to accept that.
It was so silly that it made Majima guffaw, and she joined him shortly after. They laughed as if they had not a single care in the world, paying no mind to the confused looks some of the other customers gave them.
Crisp night air enveloped them when they had stepped out into the street again once they had finished their meal.
"That definitely hit the spot! I'm stuffed," Tsuki stretched her arms gleefully. "Today was a great day — and I have you to thank for it."
Standing next to her, hands in his hip pockets, Majima chuckled.
"Glad ya had fun."
"...You didn't?" she tilted her head, her face falling.
"Oi, don't go puttin' words in my mouth. 'Course I did."
"Phew. Good. You had me worried there for a second," she sighed in relief. "Well, anyway… I think I should head back. I'm still hanging on, but I get the impression I'll feel today in my bones in the morning," she giggled, looking out at the bright, colorful neons of Tenkaichi Street stretching in front of them. "Not long now until Christmas decorations start going up again, is it?"
"...Huh? Oh. Yeah, guess you're right."
"Hard to believe another year's already coming to a close…"
The sudden change of subject and in the tone of her voice seemed somewhat odd. Majima had a feeling there was something else going through her head and she was trying to make small talk before voicing what was actually on her mind. He decided to remain silent and wait until she did.
"So, um… Would you be willing to fight me again some time?"
He raised an eyebrow at her timid question.
"Ya still gotta ask?"
She reacted with a somewhat nervous smile.
"Thanks. It's a little embarrassing, but… It's been a while since I had a sparring partner. It feels really good to again be able to push myself even when there's nothing at stake. To be able to fight just for the fun of it."
"Think I know exactly what ya mean. And, sure, I'll dance with ya anytime ya want," he chuckled, and watched as her eyes lit up with joy.
She was beaming. He realized that, at that moment, he would probably agree to anything she asked of him just to see her as happy as she was now. Looking at her, the stuffed monkey doll held fast in her arms, it seemed as though there was an aura of warmth emanating from her. It drew him in, made him want to bask in it whenever and for as long as he could.
"Alright! In that case, we have a deal!" She flashed him an excited grin. "I'm off, then. Thanks again for today. And, don't be a stranger!"
Bidding him farewell with the wave of a hand, Tsuki was gone before Majima could utter another word. He watched her until she disappeared into the crowd of Kamurocho's bustling main street.
"Sparring partner, eh?" he smiled to himself.
Directing his steps east towards the Millennium Tower, he felt the chill of the autumn night on his skin more keenly than ever before.
