Late that night, long after the headlights of the cars on the road have stopped tracing rays of light through the blinds of your bedroom window, after the low drone of the late-night talk shows have subsided, and after the sound of your mom's muffled crying has died away for the third night in a row, you find yourself struggling to sleep.
Your phone casts its blue light over your face, chasing away the shadows in the corners of your room as you check your messages once again. Still nothing. Again, you're tempted to just send Rin a message like any normal person, but you're frozen by the worry that she might find it overbearing. Nevertheless, as the hour grows later and later, it becomes more and more difficult to stem your concern.
Why do you care? She can take care of herself.
That's what you want to tell yourself, but keeping her out of your head is proving to be impossible. Her coy smile and devil-may-care attitude, that candy coating surrounding a soft center you've only glimpsed a scant few times – she's more like a capricious spirit than a girl, a firework exploding across the sky in vibrant color before fizzling away into nothing.
And that's what worries you, that dangerous something that flashes in almost everything she does or says, leaving you with the fear that if you blink, you'll be left with only an afterimage in the dark of your eyelids.
Your heartbeat accelerates, and you breathe deep in an effort to preserve your composure and reassure yourself that you're above the embarrassing grip of fantastic affection. After all, there are more pressing things to deal with. Can't be distracted.
As you think this, you're immediately distracted by a rhythmic rapping sound coming from outside, too regular to be an animal or debris pushed around by the wind. Pushing yourself to your feet, you creep towards the window and cautiously pry the blinds apart with two fingers. In a turn of fate that sends your heart springing into your throat, Rin is standing there tossing rocks at your parents' window.
Dear lord.
Taking a brief moment to compose yourself into what you feel is an appropriately disinterested state of mind, you pull the blinds up and slide the window open.
"What are you doing, idiot? That's my parents' room!" you hiss. Rin flinches and drops her armful of pebbles.
"Oh shit, whoops. Are they awake?"
"I dunno, better hope not. Why didn't you let me know you were back?" you ask despite yourself. Sure enough, the question appears to irritate her.
"C'mon, it's bad enough Gin won't leave me alone. Things just took longer than I thought. Hey, can I come in?" she asks while clambering through the window anyways.
"Uhh…well…I'm not really dressed," you stammer, suddenly aware of the fact that you're only wearing boxers beneath the windowsill.
"Yeah, I know," she answers with a sly grin as she slides her hips over the sill. She gives you a quick once-over and frowns.
"Hmm. Yeah, I guess you wouldn't be the type to sleep in the buff, huh? Bummer."
Thankful that the darkness is hiding the redness creeping across your face, you cross the room to your dresser.
"I'm gonna put some pants on."
"Better hold off on that."
You freeze. "I-I-I'm sorry…?"
An expression of cat-like mirth spreads across her lips as she delights in your discomfort.
"Settle down, tiger. I mean we're gonna need to dress you up properly."
"What for? It's-" you glance back at your phone "-almost nine-thirty."
Rin opens your closet and starts rifling through your shirts. Without looking back, she says, "What, got a curfew or something? Don't you don't wanna go on a date?"
Feeling a bit fed up with her bait, you flop back on your futon with your arms crossed.
"Oh, is that what's going on here?"
Rin whisks a teal, paisley button-down shirt off its hanger and holds it up to you with a forced pout.
"What's the matter, Tetsuo? You don't think I'm being genuine?" She then shakes her head as her train of thought switches rails and puts the shirt back in the closet. "Nah, that one's trying too hard…"
"You know, sometimes it's hard to tell," you answer truthfully.
Rin pulls out a striped shirt you haven't worn in forever and gets closer than before, her face hovering centimeters from yours. A snowy coil of hair droops over her eye, and you have to resist the urge to reach out and brush it aside for her.
"Oh yeah? How about now?"
She's holding your gaze so intently that you almost expect to start seeing hidden pictures in her pupils. You want to swallow your heart back into your chest, but you know she'd hear it.
"Your breath smells like street food."
Snorting with laughter, she scoots back and puts the striped shirt away.
"Tetsuo, you're kinda terrible at this. But yeah, I was in a hurry, so I ate on the way over. So go easy on me, unless you're gonna lend me your toothbrush." Then, wolfishly, she adds, "Ooh, would that be an indirect kiss?"
"Am I gonna have to start carrying a spray bottle?" you say, even though inwardly you'd really like to know if she's being serious about even half the stuff she's saying.
"Don't tease me, I might like it," she replies while considering a plain, light-blue dress shirt.
"Okay, but really, what's the plan here? Are you gonna tell me the reason why you're going through my wardrobe, or…?"
"Like I said, we're going on a date. You know, experience the night life, have a little fun, that kinda thing. Here, let's go with this," she says, laying the shirt across the foot of your futon.
"Uh huh. Does this place have a dress code or something?" you ask, still unconvinced.
"Something like that, yeah. At the very least, we don't wanna stand out too much. Which drawer's your pants?"
"Uh, second from the bottom." At this point, it's not even worth protesting.
Rin selects a pair of gray slacks and lays them across the shirt.
"Yeah, that'll do. Stick those in your bag and let's go."
She tosses the bag into your lap, and as she crosses the room towards the window, you notice she's brought her own.
"Wait, why can't we just change here?" you ask. Her aversion to being straightforward is getting a little concerning.
"Well, it's not exactly around the corner. Better to wear something comfy to travel in. Besides, it's also probably a good idea not to look too nice on the way over. So find something light to wear and let's head to the station."
With that, she vaults back out the window before you can ask any more questions. Against your better judgment, you heave a sigh, pull on a pair of sweats and a t-shirt, and follow her out.
• • • • •
At this hour, the trains are mostly empty save for a few straggling salarymen on their way home after hours. You've only ridden the lines this late a few times before – all the unusually vacant seats are a bit spooky, sure, but otherwise, it's quite pleasant to not have to jockey for space among dozens of other bodies. You and Rin take advantage of the extra room by splaying yourselves out across several seats, laying shoulder to shoulder and passing the time by showing each other dumb videos on your phones.
Although this puts you more at ease, you can't help but keep one eye on the stops you've passed as the train barrels south. After a while, it becomes clear that you're not stopping anywhere in Toshima as you pass the last station without Rin making any indication of getting up to disembark.
Then, just when you're about to ask her where you're getting off, the chime signaling the next stop goes off and the PA system announces your destination.
"Shinjuku. This is Shinjuku."
At that, Rin leaps to her feet, dropping your face onto the barely-cushioned seat.
"Here's our stop! C'mon!"
Chasing her out onto the platform, you clasp a hand on her shoulder before she can get much farther ahead.
"H-Hold on, where exactly are we going again?"
She pivots about to face you, looking utterly nonplussed as if hanging around this part of town was the most natural thing in the world.
"What's the matter?"
"What are we really doing?"
You know how to put two and two together, and it doesn't seem like a coincidence that she's dragged you out here after spending all day tailing a couple of yakuza. Her face falls, and she plops down on a nearby bench.
"Sorry. I figured that if I told you the plan, you'd just say it was a bad idea and wouldn't wanna come."
"I-" you start, but then you realize that she's right. Is that really what she thinks of you? That you're just another obnoxious worrywart like Gin? A sigh rolls off your tongue.
"Let's be real here, if I'm thinking what you're thinking, this is pretty insane, y'know."
She puffs out her cheeks in frustration. "I haven't even told you what I'm thinking yet. Why not put yourself out there every once in a while and live a little?"
"It's the living part that I'd like to keep doing," you reply, sitting down next to her. "No offense, but some of your ideas are a little…uh…rough around the edges."
Rin stares after your train as it rattles away down the tracks, idly playing with a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
"Well…that's why I wanted you to come with me. You seem to be pretty good at keeping me out of trouble."
"O-Oh."
With the way your face is warming, you're glad that she's turned the other way.
"A-All right then, I'll bite: what did you have in mind?"
With a quick wink, she easily slips back into her usual self.
"So glad you asked! I'll be honest – it is pretty risky. But if we're going to turn Saito on his head, we're going to need to try some stuff he won't expect.
"Anyhow, I had a feeling that we weren't going to find his Cloud using easily available information. Guys like him aren't going to assume that their enemies won't do their homework – they like to make sure that the only way you're going to learn their secrets is by sticking your neck out far enough to get cut."
"And that's why we're in the heart of mob territory in the middle of the night?"
"Precisely. I'm thinking his yakuza connections might be able to shed a little light on the side of him that he doesn't want the public to see. Maybe that'll be enough to let us perceive his Cloud."
"You still think maybe we're not able to see it? But Hoga pretty much told us it was him."
"True," she says with a shrug. "But you heard the others talking, right? About how it's still kinda hard to believe that he might be behind all this? It's possible that even that little bit of doubt might be throwing us off."
"Okay, so…is the plan to get these Kurogawa guys to tell us what they know? I'm trying to keep an open mind here, but I can't imagine them telling a couple high school students anything. They'd have us wrapped up in a dozen trash bags at the bottom of a dumpster before the end of the night."
Rin winces. "Yeesh. When you put it that way, you're making me have second thoughts. But don't worry, Tetsuo. I wouldn't have us come all the way out here if I wasn't at least a little confident in our success. Let's get going – they won't wait around all night."
As you get farther from the station, the streets get greasier, the air grows noiser, and the crowds become thicker. Before long, the din reaches a fever pitch, and you find yourself staring down a gaudy hallway of light and sound straddled by a tall, red arch looming overhead like a neon sentinel.
"Kabukicho, Ichibangai Street," says Rin. "I know it kinda looks sketchy, but it's really not all that bad. Just stick close to me, and obviously don't talk to any strangers. Actually, might just be better to keep your eyes forward."
Despite her advice, it's awfully hard not to keep your eyes from wandering to and fro as your senses get assaulted from all sides. Crowded signage illuminated in every color of bright neon wrestle for your attention, while endless electronic warbling and the rattle of pachinko balls blare from the various parlors along the street with such intensity that you can hardly imagine what it must sound like on the inside. People from every walk of life surge up and down the street around you – loose and carefree college students out for a night free of inhibitions, shifty-eyed gamblers seeking their next hit, exhausted office workers looking to unwind.
Of course, there are a few obvious grifters lining the edges of the streets urging random passersby into the nearby bars and clubs, but they're simple enough to avoid by following Rin's advice and pretending that they're not there. They don't have the time to waste pursuing you, and quickly move on to the next potential sucker.
The street ends at a wide intersection, and Rin steers you off to the right towards a row of coin lockers at the foot of a towering skyscraper that dwarfs the rest of the city.
"All right, let's get changed," she says, jerking her head towards some nearby restrooms. "We can leave our casual clothes here."
"You think they're gonna be safe?"
"Safe enough. Just don't lose your key," she replies before ducking into the women's room. She seems so at ease that you have to wonder just how many times she's been here.
It doesn't take long to change into the shirt and slacks, so you take a seat on the edge of a planter filled with stubby little shrubs while you wait for Rin and watch people pass by.
You have to admit, for all the stories you'd heard about Kabukicho, watching it like this, it doesn't seem all that different from Toshima after dark. You'd expected the place to be crawling with teams of scarred, rough mobsters looking to shake down anyone stupid enough to be wandering around the streets, but you're hard pressed to pick out anyone that fits that description. That said, if Rin really trailed those two Kurogawa yakuza here, they must be around somewhere.
"Ready?" comes Rin's voice from behind you. You swivel around to meet her, and you can feel your pupils dilating.
The emerald dress is elegant, yet provocative, plunging at the neckline and cutting generously up her thighs. At her neck, there's a lighter, pistachio scarf that covers her tattoo and drapes down her back. For a girl that usually prefers pants instead of a skirt, the effect is giving your brain whiplash.
"Pfft," she snorts at your reaction. "Not bad, huh?"
"There's a lot going on here," you manage, and Rin gives herself a quick once-over.
"Yeah, that's fair," she says with a grimace. "Probably shoulda tried it on before I left the shop, but I was in a hurry. But I guess as long as nothing falls out, it'll do."
"Y-Yeah, right," you stammer while trying to keep your head on straight. "So where're we headed to next, now that we're all dressed up?"
"Hmm."
Without answering your question, Rin walks over and examines you from head to toe.
"Not bad. You still look real young, but I think we can make this work. You bring a tie?"
"No? Didn't know I needed one."
Rin thoughtfully chews her lower lip, then holds up a finger for you to wait. "I'll be right back."
She totters off into the crowd on the street for a minute or two, then returns with a grey silk tie clutched in her hand.
"Here, put this on, but wear it real loose. You're tired, after all."
"Where'd you get this?" you ask, even though you're already sliding it up under your collar.
"Ah, you know…" she replies without meeting your eyes.
"Rin."
"Relax, Tetsuo. He was so blasted that he'll be lucky if that's the only thing he loses tonight. Besides, we need it more than him. Now, let's get going."
Taking you by the hand, Rin leads you past the giant tower and down a narrow street where the businesses are practically piled on top of each other in a cramped orgy of clubs, love hotels, and restaurants leaking delicious, oily scents into the night air. You sidle past a group of tittering, loudly-dressed women and come to a stop at the intersection of the street and another avenue that's barely more than an alley. The property there has the corner all to itself – a cabaret club named Diamond Dust. The entrance is plastered with photos of gorgeous women in flattering makeup wearing smiles that are too earnest to be real.
"Here we are," says Rin. "This is where I tracked those guys down. I hung around down here for a while this afternoon, and it seems like one of the Kurogawa captains owns the place. If what I heard is true, he should be here tonight."
"A captain?" You think back to the yakuza with the commanding presence from earlier that afternoon. "Was that the guy we saw coming out of the G-Net offices?"
"Yup. Ota Murozono. If anyone's gonna be able to tell us about the skeletons in Saito's closet, it's him. Sounds like he's a guy that enjoys his women and his drinks, so hopefully we can catch him with his guard down tonight."
You study the clientele entering and leaving the club. "How d'you figure they're gonna let us in? We're obviously high school students."
"That's why we're wearing the nice duds, duh. I think we can fudge it well enough. You're going to be an intern at…I dunno, let's say an accounting firm. Something boring so people won't ask too many questions. I'll pretend to be one of the hostesses, hence this," Rin explains, gesturing to her dress.
"You think that'll work?"
"Pretty sure. These places rope in more than their fair share of girls my age, and they don't bat an eye so long as they bring in good money. Speaking of which, here's your allowance."
Rin pulls a slim wallet out of…somewhere and stuffs a modest stack of ten-thousand yen notes in your hand. It seems like an awful lot of money for someone without a job.
"I guess I shouldn't ask where this came from, either," you say.
"C'mon, gimme a little credit here. I can't say where it came from, but I promise that this is all mine. Don't worry about using it, either, we're going to have to if we don't wanna look suspicious. Now let's go in."
Before you step inside, Rin puts something in her hand and slaps the wall with the pictures of the girls on it. When she removes it, her smiling face beams back at you amidst the dozens of others.
Inside, there's a small vestibule furnished with some low benches for customers waiting for their girl of choice. Tonight, there's a couple of impatient-looking guys hanging around that give you dirty looks as you pass. Past them, the vestibule opens up into a modest lounge bathed in low, blue light, dotted with a couple dozen low, black leather booths, and a wide stage up front. Tonight, a small jazz ensemble is performing a set of light swing numbers.
Although you don't want to seem like too much of a fish out of water, you can't help subversively scanning the room to get a handle on clientele. Surprisingly, most of the customers are either youngish, gawky salarymen (like you're supposed to be) or lecherous middle-aged men whose leering gazes are making you feel for the women who work here. It actually seems like a legitimate, albeit skeevy, establishment.
But then, even before Rin can point him out, you spot the man you'd come here to find. Splayed out at one of the booths closest to the stage, and with a couple of raucous girls on each arm, Murozono stands out amongst the other patrons. As if surrounded by some kind of force field, every booth surrounding his is conspicuously empty. Black-vested manager-types are constantly darting to and fro from his booth to wait on him and his girls while the hostesses at the other booths send pleading looks their way for service.
"Kinda hard to miss, huh?" says Rin. "We'll take the booth behind him since no one else seems interested in it."
"You sure that won't piss him off?"
"I guess we'll just have to find out. Gotta get his attention one way or the other anyhow."
As you approach the host stand, one of the black vests steps up to you with his palm out.
"Hold up. This isn't a place for kids. You two need to leave."
Rin steps forward and shoots him a wilting glare.
"Are you freakin' kidding me?"
She pulls the guy aside, but not so far that you can't hear what she's hissing into his ear.
"I just spent half my night trying to drag this guy down here! He's friggin' loaded - you are not kicking him out."
The man stares at her, bewildered. "I'm sorry, who are you? I don't remember seeing you around here."
Before he can reach for a clipboard resting on the host stand, Rin steps in his way and presses a finger into his chest.
"I'm new, I just got brought on just this morning. Ran me through the orientation and everything, even got my picture put up outside. You can check if you don't believe me," she rants, pointing towards the door. The host gives her a skeptical glance as he sidles past her to check the wall outside. While he's doing that, Rin snatches up the clipboard and flips through it before hastily scribbling something down. She tosses it back on the stand just as he comes back inside, somehow looking even more upset.
"Well?" she asks, expectantly. The host crosses behind the stand and picks up the clipboard.
"What did you say your name was again?"
"Yuki Kiritani, keep up," she lies without missing a beat. The man's eyes wander up and down the clipboard over and over again, searching for a mistake. When he realizes there isn't one to be found, he swallows hard and sets the clipboard down with a sigh of resignation.
"My…deepest apologies, Kiritani-san," he says with a bow, his entire attitude having shifted completely. "Things are moving so quickly around here; I suppose I'm having difficulty keeping up." Then, with a nod in your direction, he adds, "Have a wonderful evening, sir."
"Yeah, so you're gonna have to call me 'Yuki-chan' tonight," Rin mutters in your ear as she hooks her arm around yours and leads you towards the floor. "Right this way, sir!"
As you slide into the booth behind Murozono, another black-vested host swoops in to hand you a couple of menus. No wonder Rin had given you so much money – everything on here looks incredibly overpriced. The host bobs impatiently beside the table, but you're not sure what to order. So much of the menu is alcohol, but would it be suspicious if you ordered something non-alcoholic? Fortunately, Rin notices your unease and speaks up for you.
"Sir, if you don't mind me saying, why don't we go for a bottle of champagne and a fruit platter? They're beautiful. Of course, it is your choice, though."
The ease at which she falls into the cadence of an eager hostess is impressive.
"Yeah, that sounds good, Ri - er, Yuki-chan," you say, nodding to the host who swiftly retreats to the bar. Within minutes, he's back with a large bucket of ice, two glasses, a tall bottle, and a massive tray piled high with all sorts of exotic and colorful-looking fruit.
"If there's anything else you need, please don't hesitate to ask," he says before gliding over to the next table.
Rin leans over the table and pops a piece of starfruit into her mouth.
"Y'know, even if you're not gonna drink, you should at least try some of this. It's expensive for a reason," she says around a mouth full of pulp.
Feeling adventurous, you reach for a wedge of some soft, white fruit you've never seen before. She's not kidding – the taste is something like a cross between a pineapple and a banana, and it's so creamy that it practically melts in your mouth.
"No kidding. Good choice," you say. "Still, it's not gonna look weird if we don't have any of the champagne?" Inwardly, you'd kind of hoped to at least try some.
Rin waves a dismissive hand across her face. "Nah. Lots of guys come into these clubs just to blow money and show off. Besides, it's probably not the best idea to drink tonight. Not for me, anyways."
"That's surprisingly cautious of you," you remark.
"Well…maybe I wanna take this one seriously."
"Yeah? Really?"
Rin huffs and crosses her arms. "Really! I mean, you're always telling me I should, right? Honestly, Tetsuo, you really can be a bit thick-headed sometimes."
But before you can say anything, she stands up and jerks her head towards Murozono's booth. The two hostesses with him are also getting up.
"They're rotating the girls so the customers don't get bored. I'm gonna go see what I can get him to tell me. I might really have to lay it on thick, but no matter what it looks like, just let it ride. I'll let you know if I need you to step in, but hopefully it won't come to that."
"All right," you reply, somewhat sheepishly. "Good luck," you add for good measure.
With a quick wink, she bounces over to Murozono's table and gives a cutesy little half-wave hello. Murozono quickly waves her over next to him and wraps his arm around her waist, pulling her closer. As Rin proceeds to drape herself over his shoulder and make conversation, you find yourself wishing that you had brought your earpieces and mics. You trust Rin, but you'd still kill to know what they were saying. As it is, the music is just loud enough, and their booth is just far enough away to make eavesdropping unfeasible.
Now alone at your table, you wonder what exactly you're supposed to do besides eat fruit and watch Rin flirt with a yakuza. With nothing but your thoughts as company, you wonder if she was really upset by what you'd said. You hadn't meant to be insensitive, but how were you supposed to know she wasn't joking?
Your fault or not, any further thought about the matter grinds to a halt as an attractive girl with tanned skin and dyed blonde hair slides into your booth.
"Hi there! Is this seat taken?"
"Huh? N-No?" you stammer before realizing that one of the hosts must have sent her over so that you wouldn't be by yourself. The girl leans over and gently places her hand on your shoulder.
"Hey, no need to be so nervous, handsome," she says with a warm smile. "You…you don't look like the sort of guy that comes to these clubs very often, huh? Are you a cabaret club virgin?"
"Uh…you got me?" you say, trying to take things in stride.
"I thought so! Don't worry, I totally get it. When I started working here, I wasn't sure about the whole thing, either. But once you get used to it, it's like, totally normal, trust me."
She pauses for a moment, then gasps.
"Ohmygod, I'm so sorry! I always forget about the introductions. I'm, like, Ayumi. Nice to meet you!"
"I'm…um…Hayate. Nice to meet you, too," you say, using the first name that springs to mind.
"Hayate-san! Cute name! But I bet you get that a lot, huh?"
"…Definitely. All the time."
Ayumi's certainly a nice enough girl, but you kind of wish she'd go away so you could concentrate on what's going on over at Murozono's booth.
"Y'know, there's no need to be nervous, Hayate-san. Why don't we break into this champagne and take the edge off? You paid for it, after all, and I'd hate to see your hard-earned money go to waste."
"Huh? Oh, sorry, but I don't drink."
Ayumi regards you with utter confusion.
"Really? Then why'd you buy it?"
The gears in your head begin to whir so fast that you're afraid Ayumi will see the smoke pluming out of your ears.
"Well, uh…I mean, I'm not drinking tonight. I thought I wanted to – you know, hard day at the office - but once they brought it to the table, I wasn't feeling it."
Ayumi nods slowly and shrugs.
"Well, it's up to you, after all. Still, it is pretty expensive stuff. What do you do for a living, Hayate-san?"
Shit, what did Rin say again? You didn't think anyone would actually ask. At any rate, it must've been something that pays generously.
"I'm…a dentist?" you say. Hopefully she won't want to ask for any details about your adventures in people's mouths.
However, because God is cruel, her eyes light up.
"For real? No kidding, that's so weird! I was gonna be a dentist, too! I mean, at least before I saw how many years of school you had to do and all that. I dunno about everyone else, but like, I think teeth are so neat! Like, the stuff in your mouth is so gross and all, but that's also what's cool about it? You know what I mean?"
"…Yeah," you answer dumbly. How do you reply to that? It's like this girl will blabber on about anything…
That gives you an idea. You just need to try and pivot the conversation in the right direction.
"You know whose teeth I really wanna work on?" you say, sitting up straight.
"No, whose?"
"You know Yuya Saito? The G-Net guy?"
Ayumi thinks for a moment, then slaps her fist into her palm.
"Oh yeah, totally! I've seen him on TV a couple of times. He does have really nice teeth, doesn't he? All those famous people do. But wouldn't that be kinda boring, though? Like, what would you even clean?"
You shake your head and help yourself to more fruit.
"It's not really about the teeth, actually. I just wanna know more about the guy himself. To just…pick his mind about stuff. Find out how he got started, things like that."
Ayumi's eyebrows shoot up, and she leans in closer. Her perfume is awfully strong.
"You know, this is just what I heard, but apparently he used to hang around Kabukicho. Can you imagine? A guy like him?"
Bingo.
"I really can't. Tell me more."
Ayumi giggles and waves her hand. "I dunno, it's just this thing I heard once. Really funny to think about, though, isn't it?"
"That's a shame. Sounded like a really interesting story. Do you remember where you heard it from?"
Ayumi presses a finger to her lips as she searches her memory.
"Ooh, good question. Like, I really don't remember; I hear lots of stuff every night. But you know who would? Mako-chan. She's been around way longer than I have."
She glances down at a thin watch on her wrist.
"Like, I know our time's not up yet, but if you want, I can call her over. She's, like, really sweet. You'd like her."
"You'd do that?"
"For sure! Like, don't tell anyone else, but you're the nicest guy I've had all night. It's literally no big deal. Lemme go get her for you."
"Thanks so much, Ayumi-chan," you say, trying not to think about how weird it is to say that to an older woman. "Oh, and before you go…"
You dig around in your wallet for a tip. It seems like the right thing to do seeing as she's being so accommodating. You're unsure what would be appropriate, so you hand her a couple of the ten-thousand yen notes, just to be on the safe side. Ayumi's eyes go wide, and she bows deeply. Seems like that might've been a touch on the generous side.
"Thank you so much, Hayate-san! I'll send Mako-chan right over, I know she clocked in tonight…"
As Ayumi disappears behind a door in back, you glance back towards Rin and Murozono. They're deep in conversation about…something. She traces his bicep muscles with a single coquettish finger as they chat, while his giant mitt of a hand travels down her slender, exposed shoulder. The way she's listening to him with rapt attention, her attention fixed on that smug, greasy face, makes your stomach turn. You know it's an act, but you wish she wasn't so good at it.
Fortunately, you're spared from having to watch much more when a much older woman than you were expecting plops down next you.
"Helllooo~! You're Hayate-chan, right?" squeals the plump, wizened lady. With her short, curly hair dyed a deep nut brown and deep wrinkles that crease her face when she smiles, Mako reminds you an awful lot of your late grandmother, a fact which is fixing to give you a stroke. These clubs sure have a little something for all kinds of…tastes.
As if reading your mind, Mako lets out a raspy cackle and slaps you on the shoulder.
"Gyeheheh! Close your mouth, you'll let the flies in! Let me guess, you're wondering who let an old bat like me in here, eh?"
"N-Not exactly, ma'am…" you stammer, trying to remember your manners.
Mako's expression sours like you'd flipped a switch.
"Ma'am? Do I look like your teacher or your mother? Just call me Mako-chan, honey, it's all right," she says, scooching in closer.
"Sure thing…Mako-chan," you reply, swallowing your pride.
She shivers and lets out a contented sigh, and you really wish she hadn't.
"Oooh~! It's young things like you that make me feel like a girl again. Now, let's see…that air-headed bimbo Ayumi told me you asked for my company specifically, so…what is it I can do for you?"
'Really sweet', huh? Poor Ayumi.
"Well, it's kind of embarrassing, but I'm actually a fiend for gossip, and Ayumi said you know a lot of rumors about Kabukicho."
Mako clamps a shriveled hand on your thigh and wiggles up even closer. She smells like black licorice.
"Oh ho! Then you're talking to the right girl! What do you wanna hear about? Torrid affairs? One-night-stands? Salacious rendezvous?" she bubbles.
"All…very…interesting and different topics, Mako-chan, but I was wondering if you ever knew Yuya Saito when he used to come around here?"
Mako (mercifully) sits back and scrunches up her face in thought. Quickly, you pull up a picture of him on your phone.
"Him?"
That does the trick.
"Ohh! Him! You know, I almost forgot that he's a big hotshot now. He's in computers or something or other, right? I wouldn't know, all that's so far beyond a simple girl like me."
"But he did hang out around here at one point?"
"Oh, for certain. Used to be a host back when the boys' clubs were just starting to get big. I never had time to visit, myself – the management usually frowns upon us girls having that sort of fun – but he worked at a little hole in the wall on Ichibangai."
You can hardly believe your ears – this is it! Mentally steeling yourself for what you'll need to do, you lean in closer to Mako and take her hand in yours. Putting on what you hope is a suave expression, you push forward.
"Is that so? Women with your kind of experience are so fascinating, Mako-chan. Tell me more – I want to hear every last juicy detail."
Mako titters, blushing from ear to ear.
"Hayate-chan! You certainly know how to make a girl hot under the collar!"
Internally, you are screaming. Mako takes a minute or two to regain her composure and wrack her memory, but the more she thinks, the more frustrated she becomes.
"What's the matter?"
"I'm…I'm not sure. I was certain there was something going on with Yuya-chan back then, but for some reason, I can't seem to remember what it was. I wanna say that there was some kind of trouble following him around, but that doesn't sound right. He was such a nice boy."
You curse inwardly. Saito's Shadow is messing with her memories of the real person. Maybe if you just give her an extra push…
"Did it have anything to do with any of the…families that work around here?" you ask, choosing your words carefully.
"Hmm…no, no. Yuya…Yuya was a good boy. He always kept his nose down and worked hard. I can't imagine him being tangled up in…in…"
Mako trails off as her gaze drifts back over your shoulder. Following it, you find Murozono staring down his long nose at you, one hand firmly latched onto Rin's shoulder.
"Mako-chan," he says. His voice is startlingly rich and smooth for a man with such a hard appearance, like a dark brandy. "You know better than that. You haven't been drinking tonight, have you?"
Mako's eyes go wide, and she stumbles out of the booth.
"O-Of course, not Murozono-sama! I...I…well, I haven't been requested in such a long time, and…"
Sighing and cradling his forehead in his palm, Murozono hooks a thumb towards the back room.
"Why don't you take the rest of the night off, Mako-chan? I'll see to it that you're paid for the session."
Once Mako-chan has scampered off, Murozono turns his attention to you. Instead of furious, he wears the expression of a disappointed father, which is somehow even more disconcerting. At his side, Rin stares at the floor, wringing her hands with her brows tightly knitted together.
"Interested in Saito, are you? Then I take it you two came in together?"
He nods at Rin beside him. You stare back at him, frozen.
"I see. Personally, I thought he was being a little overly paranoid, but what do you know? I guess there was something to it."
Wordlessly, he slides into the seat on the other side of the booth. He gestures for Rin to follow, and she takes a seat next to him like an obedient puppy.
Turning to Rin, he says, "You're clever enough for a couple kids, but this was never going to work. Saito may not be one of us, but he's practically an oath brother to me. You think a couple drinks is all it takes to get me talking? You fucked up the second you brought up his name."
Murozono yawns, pulls a pack of cigs from his breast pocket, and hands Rin a lighter. Making eye contact the entire time, he sticks one in his mouth, and holds his face up close to hers for her to light it. After a long drag, he focuses his attention on you.
"At least you had the brains to try someone else. But y'know what would've been smarter? Not trying at all. 'Cause now, I gotta be the one to deal with Saito's horseshit. You do understand that you're responsible for that, right?"
The implications of answering either way are heavy, but in the end, the most you can do is crank your head into a slow nod as your brain begins to frantically formulate an escape of any kind.
That seems to have to been right answer, or at least the one Murozono wanted to hear, as he cracks a wide grin.
"Good. Gets harder and harder all the time to find men who understand the concept of owning up to your mistakes. So long as you really mean that, we can settle this smoothly."
Something about Murozono's demeanor is deeply unnerving. For how level-headed and polite he's being, Rin's mortified grimace beside him says that she understands the situation differently.
"What's going to happen to us?" you say once you've found the strength to speak. Murozono chuckles and rolls his eyes.
"Relax kid. I'm not here to make a scene during operating hours. The last thing I need is to deal with the cops, especially now. You came in here pretending to be adults, so we'll handle this like adults."
"…What does that mean?"
Murozono's lips curl back into a toothy, scheming smirk.
"I want to make a deal. You give me what I want, I give you what you want, and we go about our business. Sound reasonable?"
"I don't understand. You said Saito was-"
Murozono cuts you off. "Practically my oath brother. But he's not. It's true that without him, I'd never have gotten to experience all the wonders your world has to offer." He pauses, and although it's difficult to tell in the low light, you could swear you saw his eyes flash gold.
"But, as I'm sure you know, things have been a bit rough lately. Some of us felt like abandoning this city so he could cozy up to the cops was a bit too heavy-handed of a favor. And now-" he takes another long drag of the cigarette – "it turns out that was all for nothing. So as far as I'm concerned, if these…boogeymen he's so worried about happen to turn up on his doorstep, he can sort it out on his own. If you take my meaning."
You take a deep breath to calm your nerves. Somehow, there might be a slight chance that you'll walk out of here alive.
"All right, then what are you suggesting?"
Murozono doesn't answer straight away, instead taking a couple more puffs of the cigarette as he studies you.
"You know," he says, leering at Rin, "it really broke my heart to find out you weren't one of my girls. You've got a real knack for this kind of work. Makes me wonder what a girl like you gets up to, to be able to talk to a guy the way you do."
Rin clenches her jaw and stares resolutely at her knees, but Murozono wrenches her face upwards so that she can't avoid his gaze.
"Come on, now. Can't tell me you're going shy, not after the stuff you were saying earlier. Like I said, you'd do well around here. I'd probably drop by every night for a session…maybe more."
"Hey! The hell are you saying?"
The words leap out of your mouth without thinking. Murozono's eyes flash back towards you, and a sneer spreads across his face from ear to ear.
"What? Am I not being clear enough? This slut starts working for me, and in return, you get to ask whatever questions you want about Saito. Those are the conditions, kid. Take 'em or leave 'em."
"There's no wa-" you begin, but Rin interrupts.
"Take the deal, Tetsuo."
"What?!"
"Take the fucking deal!" she shouts. A few of the other patrons look up to see what the commotion is all about, but quickly avert their eyes once they notice Murozono.
"I…I'll be fine," she continues, more quietly this time. "This won't be the first time. And it won't be the last. Just focus on Saito – that's the most important thing."
"No."
Taking the bottle of champagne out of the bucket, you slam it down on the edge of the table, sending a spray of bubbly liquid arcing to the floor as the glass shatters. Before you know it, you're on your feet with the jagged edge of the bottle's neck pointed at Murozono. The jazz music stops.
"What are you doing?" breathes Rin. Murozono stares at you wearily in silence.
"I can't listen to this. What makes any of this fine?!"
"Tetsuo, you can't do this to guys like him. Just let it go – I'm not worth the trouble."
Locking eyes with her, you reply, "You're worth it to me."
Turning your attention back to Murozono, you pull a handful of notes out of your wallet and toss them on the table.
"That oughta cover the bill. Sorry, but we're leaving."
Unmoving, Murozono's eyes flit between you and the cash.
"Go right on ahead, then. I'm not about to stop you."
Still clutching the neck of the champagne bottle, you walk around to the other side of the booth and extend your hand towards Rin. To your relief, she takes it, prying herself out of Murozono's grip.
With a slight twitch in his eye, he says, "Be careful on your way home, kids. The streets get pretty rough if you're out too late. It's a shame we couldn't see eye to eye though; I could've asked my boys to watch your back on the way to the station. That's the nice thing about having the connections I do – no matter where you are, the Kurogawa family's never too far away."
Then, with one last smirk, he adds, "Be safe now."
Ignoring the dozens of eyes trained on you, you drop the remnants of the bottle and whisk Rin out of the club. Once you're outside, Rin doubles over and sucks in a gasping breath like a diver breaching the surface. You're about to ask her if everything's all right when she straightens up and delivers a stinging slap right across your cheek.
"What the hell is wrong with you?"
Stunned, you run a hand gingerly over the tender skin.
"I...I was just telling the truth. I couldn't stand to hear you say those things about yourself. Don't you ever tell yourself you're not worth it, Rin. That's such bullshit."
Now it's her turn to look stunned. "Wh-Wha…?"
Just then, the sound of gruff voices drifts towards you from the end of street. Snapping out of her reverie, Rin takes you by the hand.
"We need to make ourselves scarce. Let's go!"
Pulling you along behind her, Rin breaks into a headlong dash the other way, leaving a trail of scattered, upset pedestrians in your wake. Flying through Kabukicho with reckless and wild abandon, its streets blend together into scattered glimpses of color, a rainbow soul that worms its way down into your heart and, like a mad alchemist, transforms your terror and apprehension into whooping, joyous laughter that bounces off the sides of crowded buildings until it escapes into the night overhead. The men attached to footsteps that dog your every move lose their form as the thrill of the chase overtakes your senses, making you bold and free.
"In here!" Rin cries out with a poorly stifled giggle, pulling you into the entrance of an adult video store. Facedown in a pool of his own drool, the man behind the counter is in no state to protest as you dart down the hall beside him and hurtle yourselves into an empty viewing booth. Unbearably close and silent save for the faint squeals coming from the 'films' in the other booths, it takes all your strength to remain still as the sound of your pursuers arguing with the man at the counter makes its way into the tiny little room. Eventually, convinced that the poor fellow doesn't know what they're talking about, they leave, allowing you and Rin to tumble out of the room in a fit of laughter.
"I can't believe we got away with that," you wheeze.
"For now. Come on, let's catch a cab back home. The train station's probably not safe," says Rin.
It doesn't take long to flag down a taxi, and before long, you're huddled in the back seat together on your way back to Toshima. After a while, Rin, who's been looking out the window at the city passing by, says, "Tetsuo?"
"Hmm?"
"When you told me I was worth something…that really made me happy, you know."
In the window's reflection, her face is beet red.
"I meant it."
"I know. And I'm sorry I slapped you."
"I'd already forgotten."
"Good," she says. Without looking, one of her hands wanders across the seat, her fingers intertwining with yours. Then, to herself, she whispers, "No more running."
