[Ch. 17] A Gentlemen Caller

The Madame spoke, "Now come help this old lady grab some bags of rice."

Ryu nodded and stood up. He left with the Madame to go to the market. She purchased two bags, which he carried as if they were bags full of feathers. It was a bizarre sight to see such a small beauty holding two large bags of rice as if they were nothing. Everyone on the street couldn't help but scratch their heads at the strange scene.

The girls all watched the two leave and giggled over their new fantasy. As they prepared for another night of work, the door slid open. A tall and burly man bent down slightly to avoid hitting the top of the door and entered the main hall. He waited downstairs with a scowl on his face while he glanced around the establishment cautiously.

The girls poked their heads into the hallway, only halfway done with their makeup. They whispered to each other, "Why is a man here so early?"

"Shouldn't he know brothels don't operate during daytime hours?"

"Go ask him what he wants."

"Ai! Don't send me. He looks too scary."

"He does look like a brute. You can barely even see his face with his hair like that."

"He looks dirty too. Like he hasn't bathed in days."

"I definitely won't greet him."

"Send Su!"

"What?! Why me?"

"Because you're better with the scary guys!"

"I am not!"

"Just go!"

The girls pushed the one called Su out. She gulped and stuck her head over the railing in order to see downstairs. She called out to him, "What do you want? We aren't open yet."

His eyes raised looking ferocious and irritated. She subconsciously took a step back. He seemed to notice the woman was scared, so he attempted to soften his irritated expression. He muttered a single word, "Ryu."

She blinked in surprise. Then she gathered up the courage to question the man, "Ryu? You're looking for Ryu?"

He grunted with a nod.

She sized him up, "Why? What do you want from him?"

He crossed his arms feeling impatient, "To chat."

Another girl stuck her head out filled with curiosity, "Are you friend or foe?"

"Neither."

"Then how do you know him?"

He spoke in a mocking tone, "Prison."

"Prison!? As in, the one Ryu was working at?"

He grunted with another nod.

Suddenly, the girls all flocked downstairs uncaring about their appearance. They began to look at him as if he were an exotic animal. They chatted to each other casually, "Do you think that he is the one?"

"Oh, he is definitely the one."

"I told you he would come!"

"Ai! I didn't think Ryu would prefer rough men..."

"Or intimidating men."

"...Or the bad boys."

They all looked at each other then burst into a sea of laughter. "Of course he would! He definitely would!"

Panzram was completely surprised to have been surrounded by such women. Most women could sense that he was dangerous and would purposely avoid him. While these women were cautious of him before, now they were treating him like he was some kind of exotic treat. They grabbed his arms and led him upstairs. He didn't know whether to let them or to fight back. However, in the end he decided to let them.

"Ai! Ryu isn't here, but you can wait in his room."

"That's right. The fourth young master would love to be surprised by your presence."

"Shouldn't we let him bathe so that his natural beauty can shine?"

"No! He should wait and then take a bath with Ryu."

"Aiya! So scandalous!"

"So salacious!!!"

Panzram's scowl deepened when he imagined him and Ryu sharing a bath. That kind of thing was far too intimate for him.

"Don't worry, his bed is also very clean and comfortable."

Bed? Panzram was even more confused by their abnormal behavior. He had assumed he would cause trouble arriving unannounced, but instead he was instantly treated as a guest and was now being shown to Ryu's personal room.

It was very peculiar indeed.

They fawned over Panzram asking thousands of questions. However, he only glared and never once answered them. They served him tea, but he made no effort to drink it. They didn't care though. They were beyond excited to have met the person that Ryu had become obsessed with. After all, the fourth young master never took interest in others, let alone anything.

"Ai! It's getting late!"

"Madam will kill us if we aren't ready!"

They scrambled to the door before pausing. Then they gave Panzram lecherous grins, "Don't worry, young master. Ryu will be home soon to take care of you."

The girls broke out into giggles once more and rushed away from the door. Panzram just looked at the closed door in confusion. He wondered to himself: Why did they call me young master? And why did they make that sentence sound so misleading?

However, he didn't care to ask so he leaned back against the far wall and crossed his arms.

He waited patiently for Ryu to return.

A few hours later, Ryu finally arrived home with the rice bags in hand. He put down the bags in the storage room and headed up the stairs. The girls who weren't busy with customers giggled at Ryu in anticipation. He looked at them, curious as to why they were acting so suspicious, but then shrugged it off.

These girls were always strange to him.

When he opened his door, he closed it and collapsed onto the floor as if he was exhausted from a long day at work.

"Well if it isn't the Fourth Young Master." Panzram's cold voice spoke through the corner of the room.

Ryu's eyes opened abruptly. He immediately sat up and looked at the pair of yellow eyes staring at him in the dark corner of his room. Ryu had been too preoccupied with other thoughts that he hadn't even noticed another person in the room.

"P-Panzram?!" He came closer towards Panzram trying to figure out if he was a figment of his imagination, or if he was actually real. He poked Panzram's face, "Are you really here?"

Panzram got irritated and snatched his hand. He held it with an iron grip, squeezing it painfully. He spoke through clenched teeth, "Stop."

Ryu's eyebrows pinched together from the sudden pain, but then he realized that only Panzram loved to greet him in this way.

"It really is you! But why are you here?" He blushed and quickly stuttered out, "N-Not that I'm not happy about it! In fact, I'm overjoyed!"

Panzram just glared at him, "I couldn't get out of the city."

Ryu was surprised and scooted away from Panzram, noticing his hostility. Despite giving Panzram space, his eyes shimmered from unbridled enthusiasm. "Why couldn't you get out? That charm should have easily helped you leave."

Panzram glared at him, "I don't need help from Taira scum."

Ryu pouted, "But I'm only considered Taira in name only…" Then his face lit up, "Well since you have nowhere to go, why not stay here?"

"Haah?" Panzram was further confused. He came here with hostility and full intention of bullying Ryu because he was a Taira. So how come he keeps being distracted by this man's upbeat attitude?

Ryu stood up abruptly, "I will have Madame prepare you some clothes and a bath!"

Ryu turned his back to Panzram to run out of the room. But before he could leave, Panzram grabbed him, forced him on his knees, and slammed his head and upper body on the table. Ryu struggled, but Panzram had him completely pinned. Ryu turned his face so that only one of his cheeks was squished against the table.

Panzram leaned over him and breathed into his ears, causing a strange tingling sensation to creep across Ryu's skin.

His ear was set aflame from the hot, moist breath.

Ryu looked behind him, but couldn't see much due to the position of Panzram. However, his body tensed up when he realized his entire back was completely under Panzram.

In fact, there seemed to be another important location pressed against Ryu's backside.