January 3 Tuesday -- Around 3:45am
The later the night became, the more vacant the streets became. Ryo was walking home, pulling his coat closer to his body. His senses were becoming alert as he was sobering up. He wasn’t worried though; he grew up in a not so good neighborhood. He knew how to avoid trouble and for the most part, could handle what trouble found him.
He had been out drinking and playing video games with coworkers. There were only a few days left of break, and Ryo was intent on enjoying each day to its fullest. If he couldn’t be with Rika, then he spent his day with friends. His coworkers were mostly older, out of high school already, but because they had a few underagers with them, they stuck to drinking at a friend’s place. Ryo had spent most of the day there drinking, until the girls showed up. They were attention seekers, looking for a hook up and a free drink. One was quite fond of Ryo. He ignored the flirting and the playful touching, laughing it off. That is, until her touching became intimate. Caught in the moment, Ryo didn’t stop her, until he remembered his current quest with Rika. Turning this girl down was one of the hardest things he had to do. To make sure he wasn’t tempted, he called it a night and left.
The sound of an aluminum can being crushed under a foot startled Ryo. He adjusted his cap as he looked around. The source of the noise came from a small road that cut across the path Ryo was on. Four punks with obscure haircuts dyed all sorts of colors, who were covered in leather and studs, and all smoking Wild Seven cigarettes were walking towards him. Ryo’s eyes narrowed at their appearance. They weren’t the typical thugs out here, but they were in a group and that could prove dangerous. Ryo noted a baseball bat that one guy held, and something smaller like a pocketknife or an ink pen in another guy’s hand. There was no way he was going to challenge them.
He slowed to a stop and waited for them to approach, hands in his pockets. “I ain’t got nothin’ ya want, bros. Don’t waste yer time.” They sneered, but didn’t turn away. “I’m sure you have something. Cash, MP3, phone?” one spoke, as they fanned out around him.
“If I live out here, den obviously, I’m brokeass.” Ryo said pulling out a wallet from his pocket, He opened it, took a few yen out and threw them on the ground. He never carried much with him. He was smart enough to know that. One of the guys went forward and collected with spare change. “Bullshit. Give me your phone,” the guy urged. Ryo’s phone was in his pocket. He considered it but didn’t move. The guy with the bat shifted so the bat was resting on his shoulder, so that Ryo could clearly see it. “Don’t make us have to check to make sure ya ain’t lying.”
Ryo closed his eye, sighing in frustration. He knew they weren’t kidding. Even if he really didn’t have a phone, they would beat him unconscious just to make sure. He pulled out his phone from his pocket, holding it out to them. They sneered again as one snatched it from his hand. Ryo got to practice self control for a second time today as he kept from attacking the guy closest to him. His breathing was heavy as he fought to keep himself from lashing out.
He could see that the small thing in the guy’s hand was a knife. They were talking amongst themselves, satisfied in their new toy. One of the guys swung his fist towards Ryo but stopped, only feinting and trying to get Ryo to flinch. His intentions were easily read, and Ryo held his ground. If the guy were to take an actual swing, it’d be different. He did not.
They were gone as quickly as they came. Ryo was back on his way phone, even more irritated than he had been earlier. Looks like the next paycheck was going towards a new phone. Hopefully Rika wouldn’t think he was ignoring her.
He had been out drinking and playing video games with coworkers. There were only a few days left of break, and Ryo was intent on enjoying each day to its fullest. If he couldn’t be with Rika, then he spent his day with friends. His coworkers were mostly older, out of high school already, but because they had a few underagers with them, they stuck to drinking at a friend’s place. Ryo had spent most of the day there drinking, until the girls showed up. They were attention seekers, looking for a hook up and a free drink. One was quite fond of Ryo. He ignored the flirting and the playful touching, laughing it off. That is, until her touching became intimate. Caught in the moment, Ryo didn’t stop her, until he remembered his current quest with Rika. Turning this girl down was one of the hardest things he had to do. To make sure he wasn’t tempted, he called it a night and left.
The sound of an aluminum can being crushed under a foot startled Ryo. He adjusted his cap as he looked around. The source of the noise came from a small road that cut across the path Ryo was on. Four punks with obscure haircuts dyed all sorts of colors, who were covered in leather and studs, and all smoking Wild Seven cigarettes were walking towards him. Ryo’s eyes narrowed at their appearance. They weren’t the typical thugs out here, but they were in a group and that could prove dangerous. Ryo noted a baseball bat that one guy held, and something smaller like a pocketknife or an ink pen in another guy’s hand. There was no way he was going to challenge them.
He slowed to a stop and waited for them to approach, hands in his pockets. “I ain’t got nothin’ ya want, bros. Don’t waste yer time.” They sneered, but didn’t turn away. “I’m sure you have something. Cash, MP3, phone?” one spoke, as they fanned out around him.
“If I live out here, den obviously, I’m brokeass.” Ryo said pulling out a wallet from his pocket, He opened it, took a few yen out and threw them on the ground. He never carried much with him. He was smart enough to know that. One of the guys went forward and collected with spare change. “Bullshit. Give me your phone,” the guy urged. Ryo’s phone was in his pocket. He considered it but didn’t move. The guy with the bat shifted so the bat was resting on his shoulder, so that Ryo could clearly see it. “Don’t make us have to check to make sure ya ain’t lying.”
Ryo closed his eye, sighing in frustration. He knew they weren’t kidding. Even if he really didn’t have a phone, they would beat him unconscious just to make sure. He pulled out his phone from his pocket, holding it out to them. They sneered again as one snatched it from his hand. Ryo got to practice self control for a second time today as he kept from attacking the guy closest to him. His breathing was heavy as he fought to keep himself from lashing out.
He could see that the small thing in the guy’s hand was a knife. They were talking amongst themselves, satisfied in their new toy. One of the guys swung his fist towards Ryo but stopped, only feinting and trying to get Ryo to flinch. His intentions were easily read, and Ryo held his ground. If the guy were to take an actual swing, it’d be different. He did not.
They were gone as quickly as they came. Ryo was back on his way phone, even more irritated than he had been earlier. Looks like the next paycheck was going towards a new phone. Hopefully Rika wouldn’t think he was ignoring her.