An attack from the past

Months later….

Tokyo seemed to be the right place for him to be. No one knew his name, no one knew what he had done, and no one knew what he was capable off. He had stopped being bothered about what he did. Ever since he left and days went by, day by day the guilt lessened until it was nonexistent.

But he wouldn’t forget about Geiru.

He found a decent job and he didn’t have to worry about gangs anymore.

“Can I get something to eat?” he looked up at the woman that had ordered.

“What do you want?” he asked.

“Are you on the menu?” she flirted leaning close.

“No I am not. Please order something off the menu” he said. As a worker, he couldn’t be rude to the customers.

He had received compliments, but she was different. She was really….how would he say? Forward. And she looked different anyway.

“No need to be a spoilsport. I’ll have some pancakes” and she winked walking to her table.

“Yeah Takashi don’t be a spoilsport. Maybe you wouldn’t be so stiff if you got with someone” his boss said.

“I don’t see the need for relationships. I’ve been doing fine on my own all my life”.

“Have you ever been with a woman before?” he asked.

“No” he replied.

“You must be asexual then….”

He looked away and thought about it. “No” he shook his head.

“Then don’t talk about what you don’t know. Having a woman could do some good in your boring life, and she seems to be interested in your dismissive personality. Serve her some pancakes”.

Takashi looked back to the woman who seemed to be looking at him, but he brushed her off. Too much work.

He liked girls. He had gone through his fair share of girls during his teens. Kissed and gone on dates, but he stopped there. Didn’t want to get too attached. He didn’t feel like he could take care of anyone now.

He dropped her plate before her.

“Thank you” she smiled appreciatively,

VVVVV

He found it weird that she left when it was closing time.

“How many signs do you need before you know she’s interested?” his coworker and friend asked.

“Until she’s carrying a sign” their boss supplied.

“I don’t just want a relationship now and she should understand. I clearly ignored all her advances”.

“She might think you’re playing hard to get” his friend teased.

“I don’t want to argue with you guys. I’m going to work see you guys tomorrow”.

“See you” they waved.

He had a morning job and a night job as a bartender.

Brought in a lot of money due to the tips. Life was going great.

Getting there and beginning his shift, they were a lot today. Well a lot of people meant they wanted to party, and people who partied wanted to get drunk and talk to him. Most times when they were done telling their stories, they would tip him handsomely.

So he got to his station and got to arranging his glasses, drinks and cleaning them.

“Give me a shot”.

That voice sounded familiar. The same forward and cocky voice.

He looked up and it was the girl from work.

“Stalking me?”

“No” she gasped a hand on her heart. “That would make me a weirdo. I just came to hang out with some friends from work. Can I get a shot please?”

“Shouldn’t you get for your friends?”

“They already got something. This is to fire me up so I can dance” she smiled at him. “Shot please” she slapped her money down on the counter and he slid her drink to her.

“So when you’re done I think I might still be here. Will you dance with me?” she asked.

“No” he replied.

“It’s just dancing. Nothing more” she said.

“And why would I dance with you?”

“Because….just because” and she downed her shot, a deep breath escaping from her mouth and she headed for the dance floor.

For the rest of the night, she didn’t bother him. It was weird running into her again. He just hoped he wouldn’t have to see her tomorrow. If he did, he’d start getting suspicious. Well time rolled by and it was the end of his shift.

“Takashi…” his replacement called.

“Yeah” he said already changed.

“Can you just help me with this before you go?”

“I’m done” he stated. “And I don’t usually take the customer side out. I take the employee’s way out” he sighed.

“Please” he begged.

“No I’m done for the night” he said.

“Please Takashi” he whined louder.

“Fine just stop!” he waved his hands annoyed and took the tray, and waited for the directions.

“Just at the end of the room. All boys table”.

“Sure” and he left with the tray making sure his bag didn’t bother him and he dropped the tray at the table, and he wasn’t even sure if they saw him.

He turned around. He’d just use the door since he was closer, but he was dragged strongly. Surprisingly easily and he was in the middle of the dance floor, a girl still holding his hand and was now against him. He was trying to get free, but now another one was behind him grinding against him.

He was trying to get out of the sandwich innocently and easily, but the girls were relentless.

His hands went to the arms round his neck and his waist, and tried prying them away.

“What’s wrong?” the girl in front asked.

“You don’t want to dance with us?” she pouted against his ear.

“No” he replied. “And please let go” he said finally removing their hands.

“Why are you hurting us?” the one behind asked.

“Do you love to hurt people?” the one in front asked holding onto his wrist with her other hand. “Do you Takashi?” she asked.

“I don’t know how…..how do you know my name?” he asked confused.

“I know many things Fujiwara” she whispered and let go of his wrist and turned away like a ballerina, and her friend kissed just below his ear before she followed after her.

He had to go now.

“Hey you….” The pesky girl of earlier came back. “You own me a dance” she held onto him and tried to make him move with her, but he wasn’t in the mood.

“Not today. I have to go” he pushed her away gently.

“But why?” she tried following him, but got caught by the other dancers.

Takashi took the employee’s way out and clutched onto his bag tighter. A girl, no two girls knew who he was. He had to get home before another thing could happen.

He walked past all the cars and the garbage and the silence was really noisy. He kept looking over his shoulder discreetly.

Should he take the bus? He thought. Take longer routes and throw off who might be following. That was a good idea and he stopped. So wrapped up in his thoughts he didn’t know he was getting sneaked up on.

“Hey” a hand touched his shoulder.

He spun around and again it was that girl. She was definitely stalking him.

“What do you want?” he removed her hand.

“We were meant to dance and you ran off like you’d seen a ghost. And….I was worried about you” she said putting both hands in her pockets.

“Thanks for that, but you should stop following people you don’t know”.

“Then let me get to know you” she smiled.

“I think not. Go home”.

Following someone you don’t know. Who could be a murderer, or something else wasn’t normal at all. This girl was out of her mind. Insane, crazy and why was she still here?

“Why not? Is there something from your past you don’t want me to know about?”

Now that got his attention.

“What do you mean?”

“We have something we are all running away from. The question though. What are you running away from?” she leaned closer.

This was a little bit too close to home. There was something about this girl.

“So I guess that’s a yes” she said.

“You read minds?” he asked.

“I’m just a good guesser. I’m right aren’t I?”

“You’re not” and he turned around. “It isn’t safe for you to be out here on your own at night”.

“And it’s okay for you Takashi?” she asked.

He stopped walking. “I didn’t tell you my name”.

“I heard your boss and your coworkers call your name”.

“Who are you?” Takashi asked.

“Maya” she replied. “But you still haven’t answered my question”.

“Which is?” he asked her not liking where this was going.

“What is in your past that had you run away? What are you running away from? And why are you still running away?”

“Did you do something so bad?”

“Did you kill someone?”

“Make some enemies?”

All her questions were accompanied by her moving closer and him moving back, and into a quiet alleyway.

“Maya….” He gulped.

“Tell me Takashi. Do you still have that thing against fighting women?”

How did….

She threw a fist and he caught it, but she backed it up with her other fist which he ducked underneath. But his victory was short lived when her sneaker met his face, and he met the dirty floor.

“So tell me Takashi, what did you do?”

He groaned and he tried to sit up, but her shin hit him before he could sit straight.

“Who sent you?” he asked from his position on the floor.

“You’ll see soon enough” she replied.

He rolled back before she could drop her foot on him, and he was on his feet and she went for a punch which he evaded, but turned at the last minute and he kissed her elbow, also getting his eyes hit with her hair.

She turned to look at him and smiled at his sorry sight. She was about to attack again when her vision blurred, and she couldn’t carry herself anymore.

“What…..” she dragged losing feeling in the right side of her body and she fell.

He stood over her and cleaned his lip. “Muscle relaxant. Your skin must be so strong for you not to feel a sting”.

“Pou...passhole….” she drooled onto the dirty ground.

“Yeah” and he picked her up a little bit hard. The relaxant made her really heavy, and he dropped her onto the dumpster to stretch his back.

There was no sound of approaching footsteps before he was tackled to the ground. And before he could react a cloth was over his nose and he was out.

His assailant stood up and looked to Maya on the dumpster.

“I thought you said you were good”.

She only sputtered.

“Fix yourself and then we can go”.

VVVVV

He woke up groggy. There was a dull pain on his left side, but he was okay. Only problem he was bound to an uncomfortable chair under a blinking bulb. It hurt his eyes, and also the insects currently climbing him.

Where was he?

Why was he here?

How did he get here?

He closed his eyes and relaxed, and now he could hear soft movement and when he opened his eyes someone was approaching.

“Glad to see you’re awake” Maya said.

“Your face is better” he smiled.

He didn’t have any protection with him. Best to keep his mouth shut.

“Glad to see that your smart mouth still works” she massaged her face that was still numb.

“How long have I been out?”

“A long time. Two hours. When does this wear off?”

“Soon” he replied. “Who sent you?”

“You’ll see soon enough” and the door opened.

“Just on time”.

Maya stood up and Takashi held his breath as the person approached. Just a body. He couldn’t see the face of who was approaching, but he had been through a lot so there was no nervousness. That had been taken away a long time ago. He’d get through this one way or another.

The person stopped before him and they leaned forward, and he was presented with a face that had his eyes almost falling out of their sockets.

“Y-y-….”

“Hello Takashi”.

He could never forget that face. Those distrustful eyes and expression which was always full of contempt. The face that had always watched his every move, and had no problem beating him up and treating him like she liked.

“Karou” he said.

“Funny that I’d see you again, right?”

“I don’t find it that funny” he smiled.

“Forgot I wasn’t there didn’t you?” she asked.

“I didn’t. I just didn’t think you’d be a problem”.

Maya smiled turning to look at Karou.

“I like how confident you are. Just keep smiling” she told him.

“Like I’d stop” he chuckled. “So now that you have me, what are you going to do? Kill me?”

“Not yet” Karou said. “Unfortunately there’s use for you” and the lights came on stunning him for a while.

“So how did you feel walking in there and seeing everyone dead?”

She looked at him and placed a hand on his head and pulled on his hair very hard. “How do you think I felt?” she grit her teeth. “To go back home after somehow seeing that who you claimed to have died was alive, and then getting home to see my gang dead. Were you proud of yourself?!” she demanded.

“Very proud. You guys killed on a daily and you all got what you deserved. You were in a gang, how did you think you would all go down?”

“Megumi put faith in you….”

“That was her mistake” he completed and groaned as she pulled on his hair harder, and he could feel strands coming out.

She let go of him and stepped back.

The door opened and this time and they were more footsteps, and Maya left his side. This time he could see clearly and he was able to pick up the girl from the club due to the face cap. And she took it off.

It couldn’t be.

“Set him free” she instructed.

And he was set free, and pushed out of the chair with a foot to the back. He fell on his face looking up at the face of a real ghost.

Sachi was looking down at him. Sachi who he had killed along with the rest was over his head looking down at him blankly. Okay he was not getting out of this.

“Why so scared Fujiwara?” she taunted.

He was silent.

“Do you have any questions?” she grinned looking into his eyes.

“H-how are you…..”

“Alive?” she asked.

“All that would be explained later, but for now…”

Maya was by her side.

“She won’t like this” she sang.

“Where is she?” Sachi inquired.

“I don’t know” Maya shrugged.

“Funny you don’t know where your own girlfriend is” Karou said dryly.

“Don’t be jealous” Maya said. “What are we going to do to him?” Maya asked. “I really want to get even as soon as I can feel my face”.

“Should have warned you about that pesky talent” Sachi said.

“Now is a little bit too late” Maya groaned.

Takashi looked at the people behind and he was screwed. He had no protection, unarmed, and had no way out. Even with what he had learnt he wouldn’t be able to fight out of it.

“Don’t you want to have fun?” Maya asked.

“Oh I do…..” Karou was moving forward, but Sachi raised her hand.

“We’ve spent a long time planning for this, and I don’t even get to hurt him for what he did. I’m not going to stand and wait here….”

“You will stand and….”

“I do not answer to you!” Karou boomed.

There were murmurs and whistles as the drama unfolded. Were they going to fight?

The door opened.

“This just got interesting” Maya whispered to herself her voice changing.

“What is going on here?”

He wanted to die right now. His poisons were always effective. He made no mistakes. He always double checked, and he ran tests. How were these two sisters alive?!

Megumi pushed through the crowds and groaned.

“Why are you all…?” Her voice died down as she saw what the small circle was all about. She didn’t focus on her sister that looked like she was about to blow up, and Karou seething.

“How did this happen?” Megumi asked.

“I got him” Maya replied. “You’re welcome” she bowed.

“Leave all of you!” she ordered.

They still stood there watching. “Didn’t I just say something? All of you out!”

Maya was the first to move, and slowly the rest followed and when the door banged shut she removed her jacket.

“Miss me?” she asked.

He was silent.

“Get up!” she ordered and she was already in a stance.

He wasn’t even on his feet before he got hit in the face for like the third time tonight. She was on him and she was hitting nonstop. Without the gloves the hit really hurt and he couldn’t even cover himself because his arms were under her legs pinned down.

“Bet you weren’t expecting to see me” a hit accompanied every word.

He couldn’t breathe and he was sure his nose was broken.

“Come on get up. If you don’t you’ll make this too easy” she stood up and this time was stomping on his legs.

“No poison to help you now?” she circled him like a predator.

“Where did all that gusto go that night that you killed us? Killed me? Killed my family, where is it?” she taunted giving little kicks just playing with him.

“Tell me!” she yelled delivering a kick to the back of his head.

“Nothing to say?” she asked. “Get him up” she told Karou.

Karou picked him up harshly and he stood up on wobbly legs. And she shot her leg back. A kick to his chin and that had him falling back, but Karou had him up again and a kick to the side of his head, and Karou caught him making him stand.

Sachi wouldn’t step in. She was way still angry at everything, and Karou’s insolence. She had been told not to fight. That’s why she only permitted herself to use a gun. Unless she would seriously hurt and kill someone, even when she didn’t want to.

She was there.

She was there with her sister when everything had crumbled. Their father’s legacy, a business and empire just gone. Everything they had worked for disappeared. Destroyed due to what?

Megumi had screamed that night. The same scream she had released fourteen years ago. The one of deep loss. She wasn’t even bothered that she was in the splash zone. She could get everything out.

“Any longer and you’ll kill him” Karou said as he pushed him forward, and he was teetering between consciousness and unconsciousness.

Megumi stopped reluctantly and looked at her handiwork.

“You’ve gone soft” Sachi commented.

Karou stepped away and let him fall hard on his back on the concrete, and she looked down at him in disgust.

“I’ve not” she denied. “I’ve gotten smarter. I will kill him, but later. We need him”.

“You need him” Sachi corrected her.

“Even if you don’t accept it or say it out loud, you know the truth”.

“Karou you know what to do” Megumi said observing her knuckles.

“You really trust me enough to be left alone with him?” she asked.

“Yes. You are likely less to kill him. Now you know what to do” and she left.

Both women stood in the room with an unconscious, almost dead? Takashi. Sachi gave her a look, one filled with a lot of warning and she left too.

Karou screamed and kicked the already unconscious body.