Working the Street~ Episode 17
TITLE : Working the Street~ Episode 17
AUTHOR : My dear Senpai in other fandom, and me for some revision.
PAIRING(S) : ChiiTaro (main), TakaChii (One-sided) and some random pairings.
RATING : R or above, I’m not sure.
WORD COUNT : 3194.
WARNING : An extremely-foul-mouth Chii, mentions of abuse, massive sexual contents, some of adult issues, OOC-ness.
SUMMARY : It’s a story about two kids, yeah, two young boys trying to make some sense of a world that has lost it long ago...
DISCLAIMER : I don’t own any of the people portrayed in this fanfiction (I’d love to, though), however, I do own the story...
A/N : (1). Mina-san, I’m always excited to see comments. As you can imagine, it’s the readers feedback what makes an online author keep going. So please, tell me what do you think about my fic...
(2). LOTS OF VIOLENCE, BLOOD, AND ANGST IN THIS EPISODE.
************************************************************************************************************
Episode 17 ~Crushed~
Ryutaro leaned over the door once again, and repeated his speech. That he was Chinen’s friend, he was the boy who was there when everything happened. That he hadn’t been sent by kachou, he didn’t know kachou, he didn’t want to use any service, he didn’t want to ask indiscrete questions... he wasn’t... he didn’t... he wouldn’t...
Finally Lily opened the door.
“Well... what do you know... the little beggar that almost gets Yuuri-kun killed...”
“No... no... it’s not like that.” Ryutaro began by apologizing. “May I come in? I would like to have a few words with you.”
“No, you can’t.” Lily answered harshly. “What do you want?”
“Well... Chinen isn’t at home. I came to see him... came to see how he’s doing... but he isn’t at home... and since you are his friend... I thought maybe you’d know....”
“I know nothing.” Lily answered in the same previous tone and turned on her heels about to close the door.
“Please... please... I never meant to hurt him. I had just come for a visit... because we are friends. And he pushed me inside the closet. I didn’t want to hurt him. I had no choice... I didn’t even have time to think of...”
“Next time speed up the grinds in your head, boy. Or more people will get hurt.”
“I wanna help him... he’s my best friend. And I think... I think I’m his best friend too. I think he needs me, and I also need him. Please... please, help me find him.”
“Look boy. Cut it out already... I mean... stop being a nuisance, OK? You have already caused enough damage. You are handsome, cute and young. Get yourself another friend. Chinen can’t be anybody’s friend, got it? Not yours, not mine, not anyone’s. That’s the way this job is. When you are into this, you know you can’t trust anyone, because when you do, these things happen. When you grow fond of someone, these things happen. You don’t know because you have never been into anything like this, so better shut up and go back to the hole you crept out of.”
“Please...” Ryutaro insisted stopping the door with his skinny hand. “Please... I gotta see him... I gotta help him. He saved my life, and I... I need to help him.”
“Ah...” Lily sighed annoyed. “I suppose he went to talk to kachou. Wait for him at his door. I don’t think he’ll take long.”
“Ah... OK... I’ll do that! I’ll do just that! Thanks! Thanks for believing me...”
“Who said I believe you? You are simply too annoying.” Lily answered and slammed the door shut. Deep inside Lily didn’t dislike Ryutaro. But life had toughened her, and she couldn’t trust anyone any more.
*******************
Ryutaro sat down on the floor in front of Chinen’s door and took out his magic stone. “Chii... we’re gonna wait for you. Me and the stone. We’ll wait for you patiently... And when you’re back, I’m gonna invite you to the park. We’ll talk, and I’m always gonna be with you. Every day from now on. Because we are friends, because we have a magic stone and because our angels want to team up... Hehe...”
“Hey! Ya speaking to yourself?” The sudden voice startled Ryutaro, and the little kick on his left leg ended up by riling him.
“Chinen-kun!”
“That is correct. We got a winner!” Chinen exclaimed sarcastically. “What are you doing here, man?”
“Was waiting for you.” Ryutaro replied smiling broadly.
“Ah... good. I thought you were begging at my door. You’d do something like that.” Chinen answered narrowing his eyes.
“Don’t be stupid!”
“You know my clients have plenty of cash...” Chinen said and shrugged, putting his key to the lock while Ryutaro stood up.
“I came to be with you because...”
“Go away.” Chinen interrupted him.
“Eh?”
“Go away and don’t come back.” Chinen snapped again.
“Hey! Come on...” Ryutaro protested.
I wanna be alone, got it? Alone. I got a lot to do and a lot to think about. I’ve got work. Life goes on, sex too, and sex is my business. You go take care of yours, or maybe another cute kid will take you place and gather all your charities.”
“Chinen-kun!” Ryutaro was aghast.
“Go away. Leave me alone. I wanna be alone. I’m not blaming you for anything. I know it’s not your fault. But I want to be alone. I wanna lie in bed... and read manga... and watch TV.”
“I can keep you company.”
“No. I want to be alone. Go away and don’t come back asking about me.”
“But... but... we are friends...” Ryutaro wailed.
“OK. But the time to play friends is over. Now I wanna be alone.”
“But... Chii... I wanna be with you.”
“Well, you got any money? My company costs money. If you don’t have any just go away and leave me alone.”
“Are you going to hospital tomorrow?”
“If you show up at the hospital, I swear I’ll beat the crap out of you.” Chinen warned pointing at Ryutaro with an angry finger.
“You are so mean! I’m worried about you!” Ryutaro kept protesting.
“Worry about yourself. You have more problems than I do. At least I have food and a warm bed. You don’t even have a place to go pee in private.”
“I have one. The station’s restrooms.”
“Well... go live in the station’s restrooms and leave me to shit happily at home. Goodbye, Ryutaro.”
“Chii... Will I see you again?”
“Maybe... I don’t know.” Chinen answered and shrugged. “Hey, do beggars go to hell?”
“I don’t know.”
“If you ever go there... ask around about me. I’ll most likely be giving the devil a blowjob.”
Chinen closed the door in Ryutaro’s face, and with these words he considered their conversation ended. He had a lot to think about... too much to think about... and he was feeling vulnerable... too vulnerable to allow anyone, even Ryutaro, see it. Without turning on the lights, he crawled onto his bed, and began weeping in silence
*****************************
“And that is it.” Chinen said in a nasal voice while letting the smoke out of his nostrils and crushed the butt of his cigarette against the stone ashtray.
“I see.” Lily snapped looking at him pensively.
“The burning process was really... disgusting, you know... But they used this laser thing... All in all it felt like Darth Vader was messing with my butt.”
“Yes, I know how it feels. I’ve had those too.” Lily granted in a dull voice and strayed her eyes towards the rays of daylight permeating the voile curtain of her apartment.
“Ah... sou ka. Ja... all in all, I was lucky the results were negative again. Anyway, I won’t be at ease until the re-check in five months.”
“How are you going to survive these five months, Yuuri-kun? You have reserves? I hope you are not coming here for a loan...”
“Yeah, yeah... I have reserves. I was saving those for the time when I leave child services, but I suppose I’ll have to use them now... such a drag.”
“Well, it’s necessary.” Lily said and shrugged.
“Yeah. Lucky I’ve been foresighted.”
“Indeed. Or you’d be on your ass begging along with your bum friend.”
“Uh... yeah... that’d be bad.” Chinen replied in a grave tone.
“By the way, have you seen him lately?”
“Uh... no. Actually, I haven’t seen him ever since that day he came here bugging.”
“Woo-hoo... I told you not to trust would-be friends... Nobody is your friend when you’re in this business, Yuuri-kun.”
“In fact, it’s not his fault... I asked him not to come see me...” Chinen hurried to reply.
“Oh?” Lily said distractedly.
“Well... because... I could feel his pity for me. I can’t stand that. I don’t like being pitied.”
“Proud boy... tough you are for such a young age.”
“Well... streets make you wiser and tougher, I suppose.”
“I suppose...” Lily consented and looked away. “You miss him?”
“Hmm... well... kinda... not much, actually.”
“Sonny is lying to mommy again?”
The sly grin on Lily’s doll face was impossible to ignore.
“Ah...” Chinen smiled nervously and sighed. “Well, mommy... you are right. Yes, I do miss him. I’ve been all by myself since the...er... incident.”
“You know it’s happened because of Ryutaro...”
“No, actually... it’s not fair to blame him. It was my own fault and bad timing. Bad luck and bad timing and my own idiocy. Ryutaro is innocent.”
“If he hadn’t been there...”
“If the client was in a mood for violence, anything could have triggered it...” Chinen interrupted and sighed.
“Yeah... maybe you are right. By the way, is this guy still on the customer list?”
“Kachou said the guy hasn’t called again. He probably lost the client.”
“I suppose he did. He must be sore about that.”
“Oh, he is... you know how he caters for the clients.”
“Yeah... So... right now it’s sorta vacation for you, right Yuuri-kun?”
“Hmm... well, for vacation it really sucks.” Chinen answered, his voice tinted of discomfort.
“Maybe you should go and meet your friend, the beggar, since you have nothing productive to do...” Lily suggested and winked at Chinen.
“Yeah... well, I don’t know... I mean, I asked him not to meet me, but... fuck, I never thought he’d be so obedient about it...”
“And your pride prevents you from going to see him, right?”
“It’s not pride... Maybe he’s mad at me... maybe he doesn’t want to see me... or maybe he’s afraid of me now... I don’t know.”
“Why don’t you try to find out?”
“Uh... hmm... how should I...?”
“Go look for him. You sure know his usual hang-abouts. Ask him to join you for coffee or something... give him a present thanking him for his support... Be a friend, boy!”
“Uh... yeah... sounds like good advice...” Chinen muttered scratching his head.
“It is.” Lily said and smiled condescendingly.
“I’m gonna get him a present... but... that isn’t as easy as you think it is... He doesn’t want anything I’ve bought with my so-called indecent money.”
“I’m sure there is something you can give him.” Lily said. Her cell phone had started ringing, and Chinen knew the cue.
“Should I get going, Rii-chan?” He asked in a low voice.
“OK, kachou. Half an hour...” Lily answered over the phone and then turned to Chinen and nodded.
“Well, see you at some other time, then.” Chinen said smiling and got up from his chair.
“Ganbatte ne, Yuuri-kun.” Lily greeted him with a sad smile.
“Rii-chan mo, ganbatte.” Chinen nodded from the door and left.
********************
The atmosphere surrounding Shibuya station invited to stay there and enjoy the last weeks of spring.
Temperature was slowly rising, day after day, and people were cheerfully coming and going from one shop to another.
Chinen walked in a strained slow march, his fashionable backpack hanging from his left shoulder and his eyes hidden by stylish sunglasses. He carried his head high, defiant to the world that was, by all means, too hard on him. Surely harder than he was ready to admit.
He crossed the street with the rest of the crowd without losing the rhythm of his overconfident strut, and took a look around from behind his dark shades. Children running and screaming louder than crows... girls carrying assorted bags of gaudy colors and uncertain taste in design. Shibuya sang the melody of life... and Chinen tried not to think about it, not to consider how he was cut out from the music the city and its inhabitants played together like the most perfectly synchronized orchestra.
He knew where he was going to.
He was determined even if the notion of success was precarious. He pulled his backpack a little forward and taunted it from the outside. Everything was in its place... yes... he could proceed.
The stroll led him to the well-known building he was aiming to. The train station was there, but he had seen no signs of any acquaintance so far. He had walked past the restaurants in vogue in Shibuya, the large temple gate... all the usual places... and he had found no sign of the person he was looking for: Ryutaro. His only option now was resorting to the beggar’s very lair... his friend’s so-called home... the abode of the homeless.
The idea sent shivers down his spine... Poverty was something he had always despised. But there he was, but a few meters from the station entrance. The gray, tiled-floor and the people coming and going told him there was no mistake. He was at the right place. Chinen looked around trying to control a rising feeling of anxiety... A child crying under his mother’s scolding... a couple bookstands, people coming and going and someone sitting on a stone bench reading manga... The livelihood of places where everyone is in constant motion, in a continuous migratory wave... and the characteristic smell of train stations. He didn’t even have an idea of where exactly Ryutaro could be inside the guts of the iron monster’s cave. But he could ask around, he figured... He was sure he would come up with some good idea.
He took a deep breath, taunted his backpack hanging under his left armpit again, and got going. Determined he was, indeed. Scared also.
“To the bums’ hangout?” Chinen asked a guard nonchalantly.
“I beg your pardon?”
“You know... smelly guys with an awful sense of fashion.” Chinen explained rapidly and pulled out a box of cigarettes.
“Young man, you shouldn’t smoke here.” The guard warned.
“Oh... well, OK. The bum’s hangout, please?”
“I’m afraid I don’t understand, young man...”
“Aw, come on! The beggars... where do they hang out?”
“Er...” The guard stared at Chinen incredulous of what he was hearing.
Suddenly a strong arm pulled from Chinen and dragged him along.
“Sa... I think I’ve found them, or I’m gonna get fucked... either way is just fine. Thank you!” Chinen added screaming to the guard who observed how a poorly dressed man pulled from the boy into another section of the station.
“Who the hell are you? Another high-school journalist wanna-be? Another one of those self-proclaimed benefactors from charity organizations?”
“What?!” Chinen asked almost laughing. “Hell, no. I don’t do charities.”
“Then who are you and what do you want?”“I’m nobody special, and I want Ryutaro.”
“Ryutaro?”
“Yeah... guy with cute-eyes, skinny, smiles a lot, stupid, hangs around sewers and has a thing for passing out on the street.”
“I know who Ryutaro is, moron. Why are you looking for him?”
“Oh. I’m his friend. Came for a visit and maybe a cup of tea.” Chinen answered scornfully.
“Are you fucking with me?”
“You wish...”
“Ryutaro is not here, what do you want from him?”
“What is it?! I’m gone for a month and suddenly Ryuu-chan has become some sort of Godfather?”
“Listen to me boy!” The older man screamed shaking Chinen by the shoulders. “I know who you are...”
“Then why did you fucking ask?”
“Uruse!” The man screamed and Chinen was unable to answer back to that menacing tone.
“You are the hooker boy... the one that wants to drag Ryutaro into the world of prostitution and...”
“No, I don’t wanna do anything like that.” Chinen interrupted.
“Shut up, I said!” The man screamed again and shook Chinen harder. “You better get the hell out of here and you better stop stalking Ryutaro! Did’ya hear me?!”
“I should be deaf not to hear you, man. However, I beg to differ. I’m not stalking Ryutaro! He’s my friend and I have a present for him and...”
“Your presents won’t buy a clean, decent boy like Ryutaro!”
“Decent, maybe... clean... I doubt...” Chinen answered and chuckled.
“Get the hell out of here before I get you beaten up.” The man hissed between his teeth.
“No. I wanna find Ryutaro and I’m not leaving until you take me to him. If you are gonna beat me up, so be it. It wouldn’t be the first beating up of my life.”
“It’s probably gonna be the toughest...”
“Ha! And what do you know about tough, man? I can give you a lecture about tough, you poor jerk! You just think you are a lot more than me because of your sacred decency... please... give me a break. You are probably just a lazy dude that was too stupid to give himself a normal life and...” Before Chinen could finish his argument, a strong slap shook his face violently.
“Ah... good... we are beginning to warm things up...” Chinen hissed squinting his eyes and painfully turning his head back to its former position. “You need training, bum... my old man used to hit harder than that...”
“I can train with you.”
“I doubt it.” Chinen said and yanking his knee up he delivered a dry blow to the older man, causing him to bend down to the floor.
“Now are you gonna tell me where my friend is, or I’ll have to keep beating you up and wipe the dirty station floor with your butt?”
“Son of a...”
Before the older man could finish the curse, Chinen delivered a sure kick to his jaw, causing the man to fall backward spitting blood.
“Oops... I hope you have dental insurance... Nah... you are a bum... you probably don’t.” Chinen said and shrugged.
“Ryutaro? Where is he? Are you gonna die to hide the godfather’s whereabouts? How stupid...”
The older man entangled Chinen’s legs in his and caused him to fall down. In no time he was over the boy trying to strangle him and hitting his head against the floor.
“Who’s the idiot, now, slut?! Huh? Tell me! Who’s got the upper hand now?! You think you are Bruce Lee, eh?”
Chinen gasped holding on to the big, callused hands constraining his neck. He kicked and tried to set himself free uselessly. Trying to breathe was almost impossible.
“I’m gonna kill you! I’m gonna kill you cuz after all, nobody is gonna give a damn about you, and erasing you from the face of this world will do so much good to everyone... especially to Ryutaro.” The man hissed in uncontrollable frenzy while hitting Chinen’s head against the floor and tightening his grip on the boy’s neck.
“I’ll break your neck!”
Chinen tried to kick his assailant to set himself free, and he felt everything around the spot where he was getting choked along with him. Sounds became fendered, distantly near, oppressive, almost as if in a closed chamber. Lights began to fade like the diaphragm of a slow photo camera and tears welled up in his eyes as darkness and silence loomed... He couldn’t die... not now... He had to keep fighting... he couldn’t let this beggar kill him... not before seeing Ryutaro... not before accomplishing his mission... not before giving his beloved friend the present he had brought. Definitely not in this way...
Lights out.
Like an old movie, the scene gradually faded to black before his wet eyes.
Black... Like the night sky. All black. A starless sky. A complete void.
AUTHOR : My dear Senpai in other fandom, and me for some revision.
PAIRING(S) : ChiiTaro (main), TakaChii (One-sided) and some random pairings.
RATING : R or above, I’m not sure.
WORD COUNT : 3194.
WARNING : An extremely-foul-mouth Chii, mentions of abuse, massive sexual contents, some of adult issues, OOC-ness.
SUMMARY : It’s a story about two kids, yeah, two young boys trying to make some sense of a world that has lost it long ago...
DISCLAIMER : I don’t own any of the people portrayed in this fanfiction (I’d love to, though), however, I do own the story...
A/N : (1). Mina-san, I’m always excited to see comments. As you can imagine, it’s the readers feedback what makes an online author keep going. So please, tell me what do you think about my fic...
(2). LOTS OF VIOLENCE, BLOOD, AND ANGST IN THIS EPISODE.
************************************************************************************************************
Episode 17 ~Crushed~
Ryutaro leaned over the door once again, and repeated his speech. That he was Chinen’s friend, he was the boy who was there when everything happened. That he hadn’t been sent by kachou, he didn’t know kachou, he didn’t want to use any service, he didn’t want to ask indiscrete questions... he wasn’t... he didn’t... he wouldn’t...
Finally Lily opened the door.
“Well... what do you know... the little beggar that almost gets Yuuri-kun killed...”
“No... no... it’s not like that.” Ryutaro began by apologizing. “May I come in? I would like to have a few words with you.”
“No, you can’t.” Lily answered harshly. “What do you want?”
“Well... Chinen isn’t at home. I came to see him... came to see how he’s doing... but he isn’t at home... and since you are his friend... I thought maybe you’d know....”
“I know nothing.” Lily answered in the same previous tone and turned on her heels about to close the door.
“Please... please... I never meant to hurt him. I had just come for a visit... because we are friends. And he pushed me inside the closet. I didn’t want to hurt him. I had no choice... I didn’t even have time to think of...”
“Next time speed up the grinds in your head, boy. Or more people will get hurt.”
“I wanna help him... he’s my best friend. And I think... I think I’m his best friend too. I think he needs me, and I also need him. Please... please, help me find him.”
“Look boy. Cut it out already... I mean... stop being a nuisance, OK? You have already caused enough damage. You are handsome, cute and young. Get yourself another friend. Chinen can’t be anybody’s friend, got it? Not yours, not mine, not anyone’s. That’s the way this job is. When you are into this, you know you can’t trust anyone, because when you do, these things happen. When you grow fond of someone, these things happen. You don’t know because you have never been into anything like this, so better shut up and go back to the hole you crept out of.”
“Please...” Ryutaro insisted stopping the door with his skinny hand. “Please... I gotta see him... I gotta help him. He saved my life, and I... I need to help him.”
“Ah...” Lily sighed annoyed. “I suppose he went to talk to kachou. Wait for him at his door. I don’t think he’ll take long.”
“Ah... OK... I’ll do that! I’ll do just that! Thanks! Thanks for believing me...”
“Who said I believe you? You are simply too annoying.” Lily answered and slammed the door shut. Deep inside Lily didn’t dislike Ryutaro. But life had toughened her, and she couldn’t trust anyone any more.
*******************
Ryutaro sat down on the floor in front of Chinen’s door and took out his magic stone. “Chii... we’re gonna wait for you. Me and the stone. We’ll wait for you patiently... And when you’re back, I’m gonna invite you to the park. We’ll talk, and I’m always gonna be with you. Every day from now on. Because we are friends, because we have a magic stone and because our angels want to team up... Hehe...”
“Hey! Ya speaking to yourself?” The sudden voice startled Ryutaro, and the little kick on his left leg ended up by riling him.
“Chinen-kun!”
“That is correct. We got a winner!” Chinen exclaimed sarcastically. “What are you doing here, man?”
“Was waiting for you.” Ryutaro replied smiling broadly.
“Ah... good. I thought you were begging at my door. You’d do something like that.” Chinen answered narrowing his eyes.
“Don’t be stupid!”
“You know my clients have plenty of cash...” Chinen said and shrugged, putting his key to the lock while Ryutaro stood up.
“I came to be with you because...”
“Go away.” Chinen interrupted him.
“Eh?”
“Go away and don’t come back.” Chinen snapped again.
“Hey! Come on...” Ryutaro protested.
I wanna be alone, got it? Alone. I got a lot to do and a lot to think about. I’ve got work. Life goes on, sex too, and sex is my business. You go take care of yours, or maybe another cute kid will take you place and gather all your charities.”
“Chinen-kun!” Ryutaro was aghast.
“Go away. Leave me alone. I wanna be alone. I’m not blaming you for anything. I know it’s not your fault. But I want to be alone. I wanna lie in bed... and read manga... and watch TV.”
“I can keep you company.”
“No. I want to be alone. Go away and don’t come back asking about me.”
“But... but... we are friends...” Ryutaro wailed.
“OK. But the time to play friends is over. Now I wanna be alone.”
“But... Chii... I wanna be with you.”
“Well, you got any money? My company costs money. If you don’t have any just go away and leave me alone.”
“Are you going to hospital tomorrow?”
“If you show up at the hospital, I swear I’ll beat the crap out of you.” Chinen warned pointing at Ryutaro with an angry finger.
“You are so mean! I’m worried about you!” Ryutaro kept protesting.
“Worry about yourself. You have more problems than I do. At least I have food and a warm bed. You don’t even have a place to go pee in private.”
“I have one. The station’s restrooms.”
“Well... go live in the station’s restrooms and leave me to shit happily at home. Goodbye, Ryutaro.”
“Chii... Will I see you again?”
“Maybe... I don’t know.” Chinen answered and shrugged. “Hey, do beggars go to hell?”
“I don’t know.”
“If you ever go there... ask around about me. I’ll most likely be giving the devil a blowjob.”
Chinen closed the door in Ryutaro’s face, and with these words he considered their conversation ended. He had a lot to think about... too much to think about... and he was feeling vulnerable... too vulnerable to allow anyone, even Ryutaro, see it. Without turning on the lights, he crawled onto his bed, and began weeping in silence
*****************************
“And that is it.” Chinen said in a nasal voice while letting the smoke out of his nostrils and crushed the butt of his cigarette against the stone ashtray.
“I see.” Lily snapped looking at him pensively.
“The burning process was really... disgusting, you know... But they used this laser thing... All in all it felt like Darth Vader was messing with my butt.”
“Yes, I know how it feels. I’ve had those too.” Lily granted in a dull voice and strayed her eyes towards the rays of daylight permeating the voile curtain of her apartment.
“Ah... sou ka. Ja... all in all, I was lucky the results were negative again. Anyway, I won’t be at ease until the re-check in five months.”
“How are you going to survive these five months, Yuuri-kun? You have reserves? I hope you are not coming here for a loan...”
“Yeah, yeah... I have reserves. I was saving those for the time when I leave child services, but I suppose I’ll have to use them now... such a drag.”
“Well, it’s necessary.” Lily said and shrugged.
“Yeah. Lucky I’ve been foresighted.”
“Indeed. Or you’d be on your ass begging along with your bum friend.”
“Uh... yeah... that’d be bad.” Chinen replied in a grave tone.
“By the way, have you seen him lately?”
“Uh... no. Actually, I haven’t seen him ever since that day he came here bugging.”
“Woo-hoo... I told you not to trust would-be friends... Nobody is your friend when you’re in this business, Yuuri-kun.”
“In fact, it’s not his fault... I asked him not to come see me...” Chinen hurried to reply.
“Oh?” Lily said distractedly.
“Well... because... I could feel his pity for me. I can’t stand that. I don’t like being pitied.”
“Proud boy... tough you are for such a young age.”
“Well... streets make you wiser and tougher, I suppose.”
“I suppose...” Lily consented and looked away. “You miss him?”
“Hmm... well... kinda... not much, actually.”
“Sonny is lying to mommy again?”
The sly grin on Lily’s doll face was impossible to ignore.
“Ah...” Chinen smiled nervously and sighed. “Well, mommy... you are right. Yes, I do miss him. I’ve been all by myself since the...er... incident.”
“You know it’s happened because of Ryutaro...”
“No, actually... it’s not fair to blame him. It was my own fault and bad timing. Bad luck and bad timing and my own idiocy. Ryutaro is innocent.”
“If he hadn’t been there...”
“If the client was in a mood for violence, anything could have triggered it...” Chinen interrupted and sighed.
“Yeah... maybe you are right. By the way, is this guy still on the customer list?”
“Kachou said the guy hasn’t called again. He probably lost the client.”
“I suppose he did. He must be sore about that.”
“Oh, he is... you know how he caters for the clients.”
“Yeah... So... right now it’s sorta vacation for you, right Yuuri-kun?”
“Hmm... well, for vacation it really sucks.” Chinen answered, his voice tinted of discomfort.
“Maybe you should go and meet your friend, the beggar, since you have nothing productive to do...” Lily suggested and winked at Chinen.
“Yeah... well, I don’t know... I mean, I asked him not to meet me, but... fuck, I never thought he’d be so obedient about it...”
“And your pride prevents you from going to see him, right?”
“It’s not pride... Maybe he’s mad at me... maybe he doesn’t want to see me... or maybe he’s afraid of me now... I don’t know.”
“Why don’t you try to find out?”
“Uh... hmm... how should I...?”
“Go look for him. You sure know his usual hang-abouts. Ask him to join you for coffee or something... give him a present thanking him for his support... Be a friend, boy!”
“Uh... yeah... sounds like good advice...” Chinen muttered scratching his head.
“It is.” Lily said and smiled condescendingly.
“I’m gonna get him a present... but... that isn’t as easy as you think it is... He doesn’t want anything I’ve bought with my so-called indecent money.”
“I’m sure there is something you can give him.” Lily said. Her cell phone had started ringing, and Chinen knew the cue.
“Should I get going, Rii-chan?” He asked in a low voice.
“OK, kachou. Half an hour...” Lily answered over the phone and then turned to Chinen and nodded.
“Well, see you at some other time, then.” Chinen said smiling and got up from his chair.
“Ganbatte ne, Yuuri-kun.” Lily greeted him with a sad smile.
“Rii-chan mo, ganbatte.” Chinen nodded from the door and left.
********************
The atmosphere surrounding Shibuya station invited to stay there and enjoy the last weeks of spring.
Temperature was slowly rising, day after day, and people were cheerfully coming and going from one shop to another.
Chinen walked in a strained slow march, his fashionable backpack hanging from his left shoulder and his eyes hidden by stylish sunglasses. He carried his head high, defiant to the world that was, by all means, too hard on him. Surely harder than he was ready to admit.
He crossed the street with the rest of the crowd without losing the rhythm of his overconfident strut, and took a look around from behind his dark shades. Children running and screaming louder than crows... girls carrying assorted bags of gaudy colors and uncertain taste in design. Shibuya sang the melody of life... and Chinen tried not to think about it, not to consider how he was cut out from the music the city and its inhabitants played together like the most perfectly synchronized orchestra.
He knew where he was going to.
He was determined even if the notion of success was precarious. He pulled his backpack a little forward and taunted it from the outside. Everything was in its place... yes... he could proceed.
The stroll led him to the well-known building he was aiming to. The train station was there, but he had seen no signs of any acquaintance so far. He had walked past the restaurants in vogue in Shibuya, the large temple gate... all the usual places... and he had found no sign of the person he was looking for: Ryutaro. His only option now was resorting to the beggar’s very lair... his friend’s so-called home... the abode of the homeless.
The idea sent shivers down his spine... Poverty was something he had always despised. But there he was, but a few meters from the station entrance. The gray, tiled-floor and the people coming and going told him there was no mistake. He was at the right place. Chinen looked around trying to control a rising feeling of anxiety... A child crying under his mother’s scolding... a couple bookstands, people coming and going and someone sitting on a stone bench reading manga... The livelihood of places where everyone is in constant motion, in a continuous migratory wave... and the characteristic smell of train stations. He didn’t even have an idea of where exactly Ryutaro could be inside the guts of the iron monster’s cave. But he could ask around, he figured... He was sure he would come up with some good idea.
He took a deep breath, taunted his backpack hanging under his left armpit again, and got going. Determined he was, indeed. Scared also.
“To the bums’ hangout?” Chinen asked a guard nonchalantly.
“I beg your pardon?”
“You know... smelly guys with an awful sense of fashion.” Chinen explained rapidly and pulled out a box of cigarettes.
“Young man, you shouldn’t smoke here.” The guard warned.
“Oh... well, OK. The bum’s hangout, please?”
“I’m afraid I don’t understand, young man...”
“Aw, come on! The beggars... where do they hang out?”
“Er...” The guard stared at Chinen incredulous of what he was hearing.
Suddenly a strong arm pulled from Chinen and dragged him along.
“Sa... I think I’ve found them, or I’m gonna get fucked... either way is just fine. Thank you!” Chinen added screaming to the guard who observed how a poorly dressed man pulled from the boy into another section of the station.
“Who the hell are you? Another high-school journalist wanna-be? Another one of those self-proclaimed benefactors from charity organizations?”
“What?!” Chinen asked almost laughing. “Hell, no. I don’t do charities.”
“Then who are you and what do you want?”“I’m nobody special, and I want Ryutaro.”
“Ryutaro?”
“Yeah... guy with cute-eyes, skinny, smiles a lot, stupid, hangs around sewers and has a thing for passing out on the street.”
“I know who Ryutaro is, moron. Why are you looking for him?”
“Oh. I’m his friend. Came for a visit and maybe a cup of tea.” Chinen answered scornfully.
“Are you fucking with me?”
“You wish...”
“Ryutaro is not here, what do you want from him?”
“What is it?! I’m gone for a month and suddenly Ryuu-chan has become some sort of Godfather?”
“Listen to me boy!” The older man screamed shaking Chinen by the shoulders. “I know who you are...”
“Then why did you fucking ask?”
“Uruse!” The man screamed and Chinen was unable to answer back to that menacing tone.
“You are the hooker boy... the one that wants to drag Ryutaro into the world of prostitution and...”
“No, I don’t wanna do anything like that.” Chinen interrupted.
“Shut up, I said!” The man screamed again and shook Chinen harder. “You better get the hell out of here and you better stop stalking Ryutaro! Did’ya hear me?!”
“I should be deaf not to hear you, man. However, I beg to differ. I’m not stalking Ryutaro! He’s my friend and I have a present for him and...”
“Your presents won’t buy a clean, decent boy like Ryutaro!”
“Decent, maybe... clean... I doubt...” Chinen answered and chuckled.
“Get the hell out of here before I get you beaten up.” The man hissed between his teeth.
“No. I wanna find Ryutaro and I’m not leaving until you take me to him. If you are gonna beat me up, so be it. It wouldn’t be the first beating up of my life.”
“It’s probably gonna be the toughest...”
“Ha! And what do you know about tough, man? I can give you a lecture about tough, you poor jerk! You just think you are a lot more than me because of your sacred decency... please... give me a break. You are probably just a lazy dude that was too stupid to give himself a normal life and...” Before Chinen could finish his argument, a strong slap shook his face violently.
“Ah... good... we are beginning to warm things up...” Chinen hissed squinting his eyes and painfully turning his head back to its former position. “You need training, bum... my old man used to hit harder than that...”
“I can train with you.”
“I doubt it.” Chinen said and yanking his knee up he delivered a dry blow to the older man, causing him to bend down to the floor.
“Now are you gonna tell me where my friend is, or I’ll have to keep beating you up and wipe the dirty station floor with your butt?”
“Son of a...”
Before the older man could finish the curse, Chinen delivered a sure kick to his jaw, causing the man to fall backward spitting blood.
“Oops... I hope you have dental insurance... Nah... you are a bum... you probably don’t.” Chinen said and shrugged.
“Ryutaro? Where is he? Are you gonna die to hide the godfather’s whereabouts? How stupid...”
The older man entangled Chinen’s legs in his and caused him to fall down. In no time he was over the boy trying to strangle him and hitting his head against the floor.
“Who’s the idiot, now, slut?! Huh? Tell me! Who’s got the upper hand now?! You think you are Bruce Lee, eh?”
Chinen gasped holding on to the big, callused hands constraining his neck. He kicked and tried to set himself free uselessly. Trying to breathe was almost impossible.
“I’m gonna kill you! I’m gonna kill you cuz after all, nobody is gonna give a damn about you, and erasing you from the face of this world will do so much good to everyone... especially to Ryutaro.” The man hissed in uncontrollable frenzy while hitting Chinen’s head against the floor and tightening his grip on the boy’s neck.
“I’ll break your neck!”
Chinen tried to kick his assailant to set himself free, and he felt everything around the spot where he was getting choked along with him. Sounds became fendered, distantly near, oppressive, almost as if in a closed chamber. Lights began to fade like the diaphragm of a slow photo camera and tears welled up in his eyes as darkness and silence loomed... He couldn’t die... not now... He had to keep fighting... he couldn’t let this beggar kill him... not before seeing Ryutaro... not before accomplishing his mission... not before giving his beloved friend the present he had brought. Definitely not in this way...
Lights out.
Like an old movie, the scene gradually faded to black before his wet eyes.
Black... Like the night sky. All black. A starless sky. A complete void.