1 The City

"This is your midnight news with me, Julia! It's a great night just as it always is in the city today! I hope you have your umbrella out, the rain sure is strong today, but it makes the city shine ever so brightly! In today's news, the beautiful and talented young idol Leah has arrived at the airport! The entrance was filled with her fans as she walked out of the departure hall, she's popular, isn't she! She'll be singing at the Million Garden Hall on Wednesday so make sure you have your tickets ready! In other news, the mayor is hosting a party to celebrate the opening of a new skyscraper!"

The only light in the dark one-room apartment was the television as the voice of the news anchor was mixed in with the sound of the rain relentlessly knocking on the window.

"Oh, that idol is having a concert. Sweet, I love her music! Hey, let's get tickets for it!" A young man with spiky hair dressed in a white singlet with a black jacket, sweatpants and converse shoes shouted.

"Think about that later; we still have a job to do." Another man who was taller with slicked-back hair that wore a white business shirt, black suit pants and black leather shoes replied as he pressed his foot down onto a middle-aged man's stomach.

"P-Please argh! Stop! I already told you I got nothing! Just let me go!" said the middle-aged man as he groaned in pain from being stepped on.

"Hey, come on and spit it out already! We already told ya a bunch of times about it yet you still wanna act like you got nothing huh?!" The man with the jacket kicked the middle-aged man in anger.

"Mike, don't injure him too much. We don't need the man dead." The man with the button up shirt said with a frown.

"Aight, don't be so serious! Anyways a piece of shit like this guy deserves all the beating we can dish out! Ain't that right Mr.Pine?" Mike said as he tried to intimidate the middle-aged man by staring at him menacingly

Mr.Pine coughed and tried to catch his breath after being kicked by Mike. His nervous sweat soaked his face as he finally gave up.

"F-fine the money I owe you is in the safe behind the TV! That's all I have I swear! Please leave me alone! I don't want any part of this anymore!"

"Finally! Hey Ken, grab the money behind the nice TV. I still wanna have some more fun with this asshole!"

"Don't kill him."

"Yeah, Yeah go already! Let me have my fun!"

Ken walked to the flat screen TV and removed it from the wall to open up the safe behind it while Mike started beating up the terrified Mr.Pine.

"Think you can leave without paying huh?! Did you think you're better than our girls huh?! Come here!" Mike shouted as he kept wailing punches onto Mr.Pine who was crying his heart out while trying to crawl away.

"The safe is locked. Mike, ask him the password for the safe!"

"Hey, you heard him say it before I start beating you harder!"

"I-it's 789134!"

"Nope, not it."

"Hah?! Well then, you do have guts!"

"AHHH!! OK, OK it's 858344!!

"Ah, that worked."

"See it wasn't that hard was it you bastard! Now time to deliver some punishment for lying to Ken!"

Ken opened up the safe as the sounds of fist to flesh kept on going, inside was a few stacks of a hundred dollars and a small box.

"Found the money yet?"

"Yeah, and a box."

"Well take everything and dump it in the bag. Mr.Pine seems to have lost consciousness. What a weak bastard."

Mike stood up and cleaned his hands with a towel; Ken then walked over with a black bag.

"So how much?"

"Ask the boss later."

"Hey come on man at least slide me a hundred or 2!"

"No."

"Tch, you gotta relax more!"

"Let's just go."

The both of them finally got down from the rundown apartment building into an alleyway and started walking out towards the street while holding umbrellas above their heads.

"Man I wish we get to be promoted! I don't want to keep being in shitty alleyways like these!"

"This is business Mike, bare with it."

"You are such a company man Ken. Hey, maybe you should join MMA, and I be your manager! I bet we'd score big time!"

"Keep dreaming Mike. Let's pick up the pace; the boss won't be happy if we're late."

"Boss this, Boss that. Seriously, you got to be more independent!"

The two of them kept talking as they got out of the alleyway and into the bright streets of the city. Cars zoomed by as the street lights and buildings brighten up the city. The signs showed all kinds of advertisement and business names making the place look lively. On the sidewalks, people kept moving up and down as they either were heading home or to work.

"See this? This is what life is! People, living their lives! Man shit makes me so hyped!"

"You say that every time we come out to the streets."

"Exactly Ken! Because coming out to the streets is magical! I tell you, Ken, I'm gonna make this street, no this city mine! It'll be a dream come true!"

Ken smiled as he heard Mike shouted happily.

Though it sounded like a stupid dream at least, it was bright as the city. Unlike everyone else, with souls dull and grey as can be.

"Alright, I'm all pumped up! Let's go, Ken!"

"Yeah, let's go."

After walking down a few blocks, they finally reached the red-light district of the city. Though the streets were huge, it was crowded with people walking on them as they traveled through the district. People from all walks of life from business workers to students walk by this district to either go somewhere or have some fun.

"Home sweet home!"

"We don't own this place, Mike."

"But it still feels like home! Ah, I bet Emma is waiting for me with her sweet smile! I'm gonna run ahead; I'll meet you later for drinks!"

"Huh?! Hey, wait!... Damn it; he better be paying."

Ken grumbled as he saw Mike rushing through the crowd.

But what he said was true, this place felt like home because there was nowhere else but here. But enough thinking, the boss is waiting for me. I should start walking to the club.

After walking past a few streets, Ken finally stopped at the Club.

"Starway Club" The sign showed.

"Hmm? Oh, Ken! The boss is waiting for you inside." The guard spoke as he noticed Ken arriving.

"Thanks"

"Where is Mike? Ain't he suppose to accompany you today?" The guard asked as he looked around.

"He ran away after we reached here, I'll meet him later. Anyways have a good night."

"You too man."

Ken closed the umbrella he was holding and placed it at the side of the entrance as he walked into the club. The first thing you see when you enter the Starway Club is a beautiful shining place filled with seats where the club's girls were chatting with customers.

A hostess club is what Starway Club is, where men get to talk with beautiful girls and drink the night away. For a cost of course. Mr.Pine was a frequent customer but had always asked that we put the bill on his tab. Though that debt finally got too big, so Mike and I had to be sent out, to think he had so much money, he could have avoided all of this if he just paid. Anyways the boss is upstairs; I should give him the bag already.

Ken walked up the stairs and arrived in front of the door that had the words manager written on a plaque on the door. Ken straightened his shirt checked his hair before knocking. After knocking a man's voice was heard.

"Come in."

"Excuse me."

"Ah Ken, I see you have something good to tell me?"

"Yes, Mike and I have talked to Mr.Pine, and this is what we have collected."

"Wonderful, Wonderful! You have done well! Though where is Mike?"

"His finding a bar for us to eat at later. I apologize on his behalf."

"It's fine, that boy never likes to come into the office. But at least he does his job well. You can go join him now; I will send the money to your account as you leave."

"Understood, have a good night boss."

"As do you, Ken."

Ken closed the door behind him and sighed, the job is over, and he now had the whole night for himself!

I should go and meet Mike at Emma's bar, at least it's somewhat close to here. Though Mike better is paying for my drinks, to think he ran off again leaving me to talk with the boss. I need to teach him a lesson someday. Well then let's go to Emma's bar.