6 Sinner

(A month later)

Natsuo stood in front of Tokyo's Government Building and gazed at the massive grey skyscraper under frozen trees.

It was the day before Christmas Eve, and city officials had started their holiday vacation after work. The employees left the building happy and relieved, wishing their colleagues a Merry Christmas as they walked to their cars.

Noriko was working as a civil servant at the city council, so Natsuo had no doubt that she was still inside the building. He was just five years old when she took him to her workplace, and those bald trees were covered in pink cherry blossoms back then.

"My sweetheart..."

She whispered those words, her eyes moist with tears, as she tenderly hugged him close and admired the beauty that surrounded them.

The raspberry popsicle Natsuo was eating was almost gone. He turned to see his adoptive mother, who had long dark hair at the time. She smiled warmly, crinkles forming at the corners of her eyes.

"Having you in our lives is a precious gift. We are so lucky to have you," she said, her voice soft and full of emotion.

Natsuo's bottom lip trembled as he saw a tear droplet land on his mother's cheek.

"Oh, mommy didn't want you to cry!"

She tickled him for so long that he finally giggled. She then finished the gesture with a tender kiss on his forehead, demonstrating her love for him even more.

Natsuo was awoken from his memories when the skyscraper's large door opened. A woman with a bob haircut walked outside wearing a long coat and holding a leather briefcase.

Another woman was walking with her and they were talking joyfully. A warm smile spread across Noriko's face as she waved goodbye to her.

He couldn't recall her face looking that way when he was still at home. Her lips were only pointing downwards as she sobbed into her handkerchief.

Upon hearing they were sending him to boarding school, Natsuo said he wouldn't miss her or Masashi and that they had failed as parents. Masashi commanded him to keep quiet when she started to weep.

Now her smile was beaming and her joy seemed unmistakable, radiating from her entire being.

Natsuo looked up at the stars in the evening sky, before stepping away from the yard and returning to the shadows.

(A while later)

Natsuo felt sick as he walked through the streets, seeing the bright holiday decorations and the happy families doing their last-minute shopping. He was able to take refuge in the darkness, a corner of his own that he had created as a sanctuary from the overwhelming festive cheer.

Two older guys were hanging out in the same alley. It looked like they were pleased to see Natsuo approach.

"Well, look at what we have here," one of the guys said as he stepped closer to him.

"What do you want?" Natsuo asked with a heavy sigh.

The guys appeared to be low-class with their cheap face tattoos and greasy hair. They seemed to almost revel in their unkempt appearances as if their wildness was a badge of pride.

"Is this your place?" The other one laughed gruffly, flicking his eyes toward a corner filled with cardboard and blankets.

"Get to your point," Natsuo demanded boldly. His defiance only seemed to fuel the fires of the strangers' ill-will, as their faces twisted into sinister grins.

"Have you heard of our rules?"

"Well, I have never even heard of you."

They approached him familiarly and one of them circled behind him.

"You are invading our territory and intruding on it without our permission," the same guy said threateningly.

"We let you keep your private place if you join us," he added with a malicious sneer on his face.

"And what is the other option?" Natsuo asked calmly.

"You disappear."

"I would rather fuck a goat than join your goofy little group of peasants," Natsuo smirked.

The man behind him quickly grabbed hold of Natsuo's shoulders and locked him in place. The grip was strong and tight, making it clear that their victim was not free to leave.

"Two dudes against one - says a lot about how low scum you are - " Natsuo hissed, his voice dripping with disgust.

Warm blood dripped from his nostrils after the thug in front of him hit his face. His lips were coated with a metallic taste and he laughed despite the pain.

"Is that the best you can do?" He challenged, his eyes glowing as he stared at him.

His face came into contact with stone-like concrete after he was thrown to the ground. The merciless beating left him with no choice but to finally succumb to the pain.

(Later that night)

A dim room with wooden shoji panels surrounded Natsuo as he opened his bruised eyes. He blinked in confusion, trying to take in his unfamiliar surroundings.

A sudden wave of pain hit him and the throbbing in his bones reminded him of how he passed out on the street when lowlives came to pick a fight with him. His taste buds were tingling with some sort of strong chemical and he suspected that he had been drugged.

Despite the pain, he remained determined as he made his way towards the panel to get a better view of the room, which continued with a big space and large checkered windows. There was a stone path winding through the yard with big bare trees, leading to the torii gate that served as the entrance.

A man in his twenties caught Natsuo's eye and his presence filled the place with uncomfortable energy. He was standing in front of an elaborately designed shrine, surrounded by a plethora of candles and incense, his gaze fixed on the figure of a deity.

"Good evening," he greeted in a husky tone as he turned to look at Natsuo in the distance. He had black dreadlocks in a loose ponytail and dark yakuza tattoos that continued under his harem pants. His deep maroon-brown eyes pierced through the shadows as he spoke and a hint of an enigmatic smile formed on his lips.

"Who are you?" Natsuo queried, becoming increasingly suspicious as he glanced at the two black-suited guards at the main door.

"Why don't you sit down, so we can have a talk?" The guy asked, pointing to a cushion on the floor.

"Or maybe you should start by telling me who the fuck you are?" Natsuo snapped back. His scowl was firm, but the man seemed unfazed, calmly offering his invitation to a conversation once more.

The strict expressions on the guards' faces suggested that they were urging Natsuo to obey the stranger without hesitation.

His face was contorted with agony as he tried to settle into a comfortable position on the cushion. With a steady gaze, he studied the mysterious figure before him, uncertainty bubbling in the pit of his stomach.

"Are you content with the way things are in your life or do you feel like something needs to change?" The stranger asked as he stared intently at his guest.

"We weren't all born with golden spoons in our asses," Natsuo responded stiffly.

"That's true. But despite our backgrounds, we can all make a conscious effort to forge our own paths and blaze our own trails," the stranger finished with a motivational glint in his eye as if daring Natsuo to challenge this statement.

As if pushed by an unseen force, the sliding door flew open with a loud bang, reverberating throughout the room.

Natsuo's face suddenly lost all emotion as he sat there like a statue as Jiro barreled in. His eyes were wide and unblinking, reflecting the shock of the unexpected intrusion.

"What the hell?" Jiro asked in shock when he saw his old bully. He was so surprised that his mouth hung open in disbelief as his glance passed between the two.

The stranger nodded for the guards to leave. Natsuo shifted uneasily, his head down as Jiro continued to stare at him.

"What is he doing here?" Jiro asked with a frown.

"We were having a fruitful talk," the guy said giving Natsuo's shoulder a friendly pat despite the younger man's clear annoyance.

"He is my old friend from school. We've known each other for years," Jiro declared, emphasizing his point with a smirk.

Natsuo was completely stunned by Jiro's lie, his mind racing with trepidation as his heart thudded faster and faster.

"What the hell happened to him?" Jiro asked as he examined the dark, purple marks on Natsuo's face.

A suspicious look crossed the stranger's face. He narrowed his eyes, looking from one to the other with an uncertain look.

"I'll take him to my place," Jiro assured firmly as he extended his hand to pull the beaten Natsuo up.

"I don't need your help," he muttered, brushing aside the pain. He tried to act tough, but his injuries were still evident as he slowly stood up.

"To your earlier question - my name is Nichiro, but you can call me Nix," the stranger concluded and his face twisted into a cold smile.

(A while later)

As Jiro entered the living room of his penthouse, Natsuo maintained his unwavering gaze, silently following his every move from the entrance.

Jiro patted the seat cushion on his big couch and asked Natsuo to make himself comfortable.

"I didn't come here to be told what to do," he said with a sour look on his face.

"You might want to sit down for this. We'll chat for a while."

Natsuo rolled his eyes and slouched in the seat, wondering how he had ended up there once more.

"That guy you met there is Nichiro Kikiyo. Nix for short," Jiro said as he sat at a coffee table.

"Well, I figured that out when he said so," Natsuo answered.

"You don't want anything to do with him. Trust me," Jiro said, furrowing his brows in concern.

"Why?"

"Nix and his family - they are the Kikiyos. Have you heard of them?"

Natsuo shook his head, but it definitely piqued his curiosity.

"They're one of the most powerful families in all of Japan. They rule the underworld."

"So, they are yakuza?"

"Yeah. And more than that. They are fucking crazy."

Jiro cleared his throat before continuing and cast a heavy gaze to emphasize the significance of his words.

"I know they do these kinds of things. They hire gangs to help them find couriers, dealers, and members - people like you."

"Like me?" Natsuo snorted.

"People who aren't in the right place. They will offer them a better life if they join their empire - and trust me, you don't want to be a part of it."

"Are you involved in it?" Natsuo asked, trying to make sense of the situation.

"I am, but it's complicated," Jiro sighed, running a hand through his white hair.

"Explain," Natsuo demanded as he locked his focus on him.

"You are just an obstacle if you're not one of them. They might beat you again or worse," Jiro cautioned.

"What choices do I have then?" Natsuo asked frustratedly.

He knew that his options were few and far between, but he was determined to find a way to protect his freedom regardless of the options presented to him. His soul would never be enslaved by any force, including the yakuza.

"You can stay here," Jiro suggested confidently.

Natsuo laughed at his joke and grimaced as he thought about how weird that would be. He was well aware that Jiro didn't have the means to put him up; he was simply trying to lighten the mood.

"I am serious. You can figure things out and get everything in order. Money isn't a problem and I have extra guestrooms."

Natsuo noticed that his grayish-brown eyes were sincerely intense and he seemed to genuinely mean what he said.

"Who the fuck do you think you are?"

It was too overwhelming for Natsuo to handle the pain in his body, causing him to become angry and lash out with his words. Jiro blinked in surprise after his sudden outburst and watched as Natsuo abruptly got to his feet.

"Acting as my savior, advising me, helping me... you freak me out. Leave me alone," Natsuo growled.

"I want you to be safe, regardless of our past or what you think of me," Jiro assured.

Natsuo turned his back on Jiro, clenching his fists and biting his jaw. He remained motionless, his posture emitting palpable tension.

"Are you really serious?" He asked in a quiet voice, his eyes lowering as he waited for a response with a thundering heart.

"Yes. I'm confident we can make this work," Jiro replied, his voice low and steady.

"How? I don't get it," Natsuo muttered.

"Sure, we aren't the closest of friends. And being roommates would be weird at first. But if you go back there, you will probably get hurt again - and I am not Kikiyo's enemy. They don't hurt friends," Jiro sighed.

Natsuo covered his face while his inner chaos raged. He didn't know if the fear of being humiliated or the potential for a better life caused his chest to flutter. His emotions were a tangled web of anxiety and hope, but either way, he knew this was a moment that would change his life forever.

"Okay... but do I need to start treating you like a saint?" Natsuo asked, taking the final step forward to embrace his fate.

"No, I would rather be a sinner," Jiro grinned widely.