Chapter 74

On a gloomy morning, on the first of November, Danuja was running towards Mr. Touma gym, Dad at her side panting happily. His strides were much wider than Danuja's but he wasn't straying to further away, their running looking more like a game for outsiders.

Laughing before breathing deeply in the crispy ear, the vague scent of rain being around them, Danuja stopped slowly before stretching her back and legs in front of the gym. Warming up outside the gym felt much better than doing it in the slightly dusty place.

Dad bark made her look behind, finding him waiting at the gym door most likely missing the makeshift bed that he had there.

'' Coming, coming.'' Danuja patted his head before opening the door, waving in greeting at a startled Mr. Touma that glared at her

'' How can you be so bright in the morning is beyond me.'' Mr. Touma remarked rolling his neck and shacking his head at her. 

'' You should be used to it already.'' Danuja said rolling her own neck, sighing relaxed when it cracked loudly, staying amused when seeing the man grimace '' When do we meet tonight?'' she asked excited, beginning to wrap her hands and fingers 

'' Think you can skip school today?'' Mr. Touma asked making her grit her teeth

'' Why is that you always answer a question with another question.''

'' I like to see you mad. Makes you look less soft.'' Mr. Touma said smirking when Danuja barked a laugh, biting her tongue in the process, least she messed it all ''We should leave for the Second Ring after twelve, somewhere in the afternoon anyway. It's a three hour drive.'' 

'' Three hours?'' Danuja asked surprised, frowning before slapping the last part of the bandages on her wrist, turning to the man fully 

'' The Rings are not in the same places. They vary from the type of crowd, the main fighting type, the police around the place and the quietness of the place it's located.'' Mr. Touma said bringing his legs up and crossing them easily for a man his age '' The First Ring, you saw for yourself that's located between abandoned buildings in a place forgotten by all. Underground, secure and unnoticeable. One hour drive from this district where we are.'' 

'' I can call sick today.'' Danuja said at the end, taking the jumping rope, ready to begin her second warm up 

'' Do that.'' Mr. Touma said wiping out a small stack of papers '' I write something for you till we leave.''

Not asking despite her curiosity, Danuja warmed up and trained at the punching bag before finishing everything with high kicks, training her aim better.

She needed to call at school, call Kana and go to her part-time job in the remained hours.

----

Talking with the school was easy, especially when your homeroom teacher is a man like Sasaki-sensei that just thanked her for her absences and wished her a good day in a choked tone.

The man was still a bastard.

Calling Kana was harder, the phone ringed and ringed but no one answered so in the end, with bitten lips and a heavy frown, Danuja send her a message that she was sick and couldn't make it that day.

So, after making sure that Dad drunk enough water and didn't want to eat, Danuja walked to Hitomi-san shop, the place half filled with elderly and a stray group of foreigners. The only motive Danuja focused on them more was because of the happy looking Pitbull at their feet, drinking from a water bowl.

It was true that Hitomi-san never cared if animals entered the place as well if they were behaved but that didn't mean anyone was rude enough to do so without knowing the woman personally.

'' Hitomi-san!'' Danuja entered the shop with wide steps, Dad remaining at the door waiting for her like usual

'' Oh? Danuja-chan? What's with you at this hour?'' the woman asked surprised before making sign for Danuja to come behind the counter 

'' I can't come around this afternoon, so I thought now is better than never.'' Danuja smiling when Hitomi-san patted her back before immediately giving her a few servings 

'' Well, good thing you did then.'' Hitomi-san checked her notebook, where she counted what every table ordered '' Those Americans with their dog over there have been ordering for over a hour. They don't look like they would stop anytime soon.'' she muttered pursing her lips

'' Ah.'' Danuja hummed before nodding and walking towards said table. A lot of plates, half finished or even whole were scattered over the table. It really was a good thing she come around now or else Hitomi-san will get robbed by those guys that thought a slightly old woman wouldn't have enough authority to make them pay.

Tourists, foreigners or even rich locals, were some of the best and worst costumers that a small shop like Hitomi-san's could have.

'' Hello.'' Danuja said in a smooth English making one of them choke on their food. They were four at number, two young woman and two men, the dog under the table looking the best from all of them. '' Enjoy your food.'' she put the dishes on the table, raising an eyebrow when one of them tried to talk in a broken Japanese with her

'' You can talk in English with me. That way it would be easier for all of us.'' Danuja smirked slightly looking at them. Their clothes blend well with the crowd around this part.

One of the girls smacked her lips before taking the last bites from her half finished bowl and getting up with a tight grip on the dog leash. She throw the pair of chopsticks on the table making Danuja grit her teeth, hackles rising.

'' Let's stop eating here. We better find another place.'' the woman said making the others get up as well, leaving their plates messy

'' You are forgetting something.'' Danuja said rolling her jaw looking at them up and down while they were obviously trying to walk directly out of the shop without paying. They didn't look like much, just self important and childish.

'' What did you say?'' one of the men talked confused, flinching when one of the girl squealed and jumped back inside the shop.

Dad superior height was guarding the door looking menacing at the group.

'' It-it was a joke?'' the girl that squealed said faintly laughing '' You know, dine and dash?''

'' Payment at the counter.'' Danuja stated emotionless before flashing a wide grin that made her fangs poke her under lip.