Venture

[Word Count: 1458]

----------

After a few additional weeks had passed since Leo had become a chauffeur, a significant shift occurred as the Yakuza factions outside of Tokyo finally conceded and withdrew from the territory. Their repeated losses and lack of progress forced them to reassess their strategies.

With this positive development, Leo found himself with ample free time on his hands, a situation he wasn't accustomed to. Determined to make use of his newfound freedom, Leo made a rather unconventional decision: he bought a laundromat.

Investing his hard-earned money, Leo acquired an old laundromat situated in an inconvenient location. It was a place that would only attract customers who were desperate or preferred to keep their laundry endeavors discreet.

Standing proudly in front of his newly acquired laundromat, Leo placed his hands on his hips and took in the distinct scent that enveloped the air—an amalgamation of detergent, cleanliness, and a hint of age.

In the distance, Shouzou stepped out of his car and approached Leo, leaving his accompanying guard behind. As he drew nearer, Shouzou couldn't help but crinkle his nose, fighting back an impending sneeze.

"The hell is this?" Shouzou inquired, standing next to Leo.

"It's my business," Leo responded a hint of excitement in his voice. "Ya like it?"

Shouzou struggled to find the right words, his nose still twitching. "How old is this place? You can practically smell the bunnies living in there from outside."

"It does have a few years behind it," Leo admitted, "but I plan to replace all the equipment once I've cleaned it thoroughly."

Shouzou, still trying to adjust to the aroma, asked curiously, "And what exactly is it?"

"It's a laundromat," Leo explained, a touch of pride in his voice.

Shouzou appeared dumbfounded. "Why'd you buy a laundromat?"

Leo chuckled, his pride undeterred. "I had a lot of money sitting around. So, I figured why not buy something that would take up my time and drain my money."

Shouzou raised an eyebrow, looking concerned. "Are you sure you're okay? You didn't hit your head or anything, did you?"

"I'm preachy, Shouzou," Leo replied. "It would take more than a little head damage to mess with my judgment."

Shouzou's skepticism lingered as he averted his gaze from Leo and back to the aging laundromat. His eyes caught sight of the name displayed on the front, and he couldn't help but cringe inwardly.

"What do you think of the name?" Leo asked eagerly. "I came up with it myself. Plus, the laundromat has neon lights that make it glow at night."

Shouzou continued to scrutinize the sign and imagined the letters, neon purple, illuminating the darkness.

"Why does it need neon lights?" Shouzou questioned.

Leo grinned. "Well, it's open 24 hours, so we need some eye-catching advertisement."

"Still," Shouzou eyed the building once again. "Could use a better name."

"Hey! DOOMSHOP is a great name," Leo protested.

Shouzou fought back any further criticism with a weary sigh. Leo's intelligence was undeniable, and trying to talk him out of his endeavors had proven fruitless thus far. Perhaps it was better to let him learn from his own experiences, even if it meant witnessing the potential downfall of this ill-advised venture.

"I also plan on using this place to launder money," Leo suddenly disclosed, catching Shouzou off guard.

"Launder money?" Shouzou questioned, his brows furrowing. Leo nodded in affirmation. "Where would you even get money to launder?"

Leo admitted, crossing his arms, "I haven't figured out all the details yet, but I'll work it out eventually."

Shouzou looked at Leo and then back at the building before releasing another sigh. On paper, Leo didn't have a middle name, but it might as well be ambitious with all the ideas he's contributed and brought to life.

Patting Leo on the shoulder, Shouzou decided to shift the topic. "By the way, why has your school been calling me?"

"Cause I haven't been in like a month," Leo replied matter-of-factly.

"I see," Shouzou acknowledged.

A moment of comfortable silence enveloped the two as they gazed at the aging laundromat.

"You should consider going back," Shouzou suddenly interjected, breaking the silence. "Tests will be coming up soon."

"Sure," Leo responded nonchalantly.

Shouzou turned to head back to his car, giving Leo a pat on the back before doing so.

"That's probably why that girl wanted me to go back," Leo murmured to himself.

Shouzou abruptly stopped in his tracks, his eyes widening. "Girl?"

"Mhm," Leo nodded.

Returning to Leo's side, Shouzou grabbed him by the shoulders.

"Listen, Leo," Shouzou spoke with unexpected seriousness, surprising Leo. "You the smartest motherfucker I know. You could read a book once and fully understand it, but if there's one thing you're bad at, it's reading the room."

Leo felt insulted by that last part, in his humble opinion, he's great at reading the room. How else would he make everyone in it feel awkward?

Before Leo could voice his protest, Shouzou continued.

"Don't deny it. I've seen you turn a room upside down with just a few words," Shouzou added.

Leo wanted to argue that it was intentional, but Shouzou wasn't interested in hearing it and kept talking.

"I may not look it now but I used to pull all the bitches," Shouzou boasted. "Now, at my age and position, I don't think I'm cut out for starting a family. But you, Leo, you're in the prime position to carry on the Tsukumo legacy. So, don't worry. Your cousin Shouzou will help you out."

Leo narrowed his eyes at Shouzou, disliking every word that spilled from his mouth, except for the initial compliment from earlier.

"Now, I've got places to be, so let's make this quick," Shouzou said, adjusting his suit. "Puff out your chest."

Leo didn't move a muscle on Shouzou's command.

"Puff out your chest," Shouzou repeated, slightly exasperated.

Leo kept staring with narrowed eyes. You can't insult a man and expect him to follow your directions unless you have some sort of advantage.

Glancing at his watch, Shouzou cursed under his breath, realizing he had limited time to impart his wisdom. He summarized his advice succinctly.

"All you need to know is that you need to breathe a little deeper and watch your tone," Shouzou imparted as he walked away toward his car.

"Remember that," Shouzou called out before stepping into his car.

Leo watched as Shouzou's car pulled away and drove off.

"Prick," Leo muttered under his breath, a mixture of annoyance and determination fueling his words. He picked up a gas mask and a leaf blower, ready to tackle the task at hand. "I'm great at reading the room."

Entering the laundromat, Leo spent the remainder of the day diligently removing the majority of the dust from the building. However, he knew a deep clean was necessary to eliminate every last speck.

While using the leaf blower to clear dust through a window, Leo's thoughts drifted to school. He would be returning tomorrow to catch up on his missing assignments. The image of the purple-haired girl and her bag lingered in his mind, teasing him with a sense of familiarity. Why did it seem so familiar?

As Leo engaged his mind in solving the mystery, the leaf blower suddenly sputtered and ceased blowing air, jolting him out of his thoughts. Following the cord with his gaze, he realized it was still plugged in.

"Must be the fuse box," Leo muttered, momentarily setting aside the leaf blower and securing the trigger with tape.

Descending to the back office, Leo opened the fuse box and toggled the switch off and on. Not hearing the hum of the leaf blower upstairs, he clicked his tongue in mild frustration. He briefly contemplated giving it a firm smack but thought better of it.

Emerging outside, Leo retrieved his tool bag and brought it inside. Opening the fuse box once more, he was met with a sight that posed the greatest hazard he had ever witnessed.

"How this building hasn't gone down to an electrical fire is beyond me," Leo remarked to himself, a mix of concern and disbelief evident in his voice.

Taking a step back, Leo switched off all the breakers in the fuse box, realizing that it was time to upgrade to an electrical panel. A thought crossed his mind – if the entire place was in a similar state, it might be more prudent to rebuild everything from the ground up.

Grabbing a notepad, Leo began jotting down the final tasks he needed to accomplish. However, his gaze wandered to his tool bag, and a sudden realization struck him.

Tool bag. Tool bag.

My Toolbag.

Bag.

My bag...

"Holy shit, that girl stole my school bag," Leo finally connected the dots, understanding why the girl's bag had seemed so familiar. He smacked his forehead in frustration for not realizing it sooner. A groan escaped his lips as he vividly remembered the little details like the adorable keychains adorning the side.

"That poor fuckin' bastard," Leo muttered. "I'll have to apologize for forgetting it and subjecting it to whatever cutesy shit she did to it."