8 Curiosity kills the Dog

On the other side of the bustling commercial district, Katsu walked towards the station, a single coin clutched in his hand, anticipating a refreshing drink to quench his thirst on this hot summer day.

He couldn't help but think back to how he wouldn't have known about the vending machine near the station if it weren't for his friend Bon. He smiled to himself, feeling grateful for the small pleasures in life.

As he approached the station entrance, he began scanning the area for the vending machine.

"Now, if what Bon said was correct, then the vending machine should be around here," he muttered to himself.

After a moment of searching, he spotted it, tucked away in a corner.

"Ah, there it is!" he exclaimed, quickening his pace towards the machine.

With a cold can of lemon soda in his hand, Katsu took a refreshing sip, relishing the sweet and tangy taste. But just as he was about to take another sip, something caught his eye. A familiar figure in the distance, heading into a dark alleyway.

"Vin?" he muttered to himself, trying to discern whether he had really seen his friend or not.

"No, why would he be here? He said he was going to do some business." He shook his head, trying to rationalize the sight.

"Maybe his business is in a dark alleyway? No, no, no. Maybe I have just mistaken him for someone else…"

Despite his reservations, Katsu couldn't shake off the thought of Vin being in the alleyway. He began walking back and forth, mulling over his decision to follow the person he had seen.

"Tch, I guess I'll just satisfy my curiosity," he muttered to himself, determined to uncover the truth.

With a deep breath, Katsu stepped into the dark alleyway, the cool breeze from the nearby river sending shivers down his spine. He looked around, the darkness obscuring his vision, but he could make out several shadows moving in the distance.

"Eek, this is too scary for me, I should go back," he whispered to himself, his heart pounding in his chest. But as he turned to leave, he heard muffled voices coming from further down the alleyway.

"What? Why would you do that!? Our future is at stake here!" one of the voices exclaimed, sending chills down Katsu's spine.

He felt like he was intruding on something that he wasn't supposed to hear, but his curiosity got the best of him.

"Ehh… Yeah, looks like this was a bad idea after all," he thought to himself, but he still couldn't bring himself to leave.

Suddenly, he heard another voice, one that sent shivers down his spine. It was a voice he recognized all too well. Vin was surrounded by two burly men in black suits, and Katsu was trying to eavesdrop on their conversation.

"Vin, you know what will happen if we tell the boss about this," one of them said, his voice low and threatening.

Katsu's heart pounded in his chest as he realized Vin was in some kind of trouble.

"Come on guys. Take it easy on me, I just took a break, that's all. I'll pay you guys back in no time!" Vin's voice sounded desperate and pleading.

"You always say that, but the boss won't forgive you again," the other man said, his tone unsympathetic.

Katsu leaned harder against the wall, his curiosity piqued. He wanted to know more, but he didn't want to get caught eavesdropping.

"Don't worry about it! He and I are best buds!" Vin's voice was trying to sound confident, but there was a hint of fear underneath.

"If you don't pay your debt, he'll have to cut your head off for payment!" The words hit Katsu like a punch to the gut, and he gasped out loud in shock.

Vin heard him and quickly responded.

"Katsu, is that you? Come out! I know you're here!"

Katsu's heart skipped a beat. "

Wha!? How did he know!?" he thought, caught off guard.

Vin turned to the two men.

"Ah, yes sir. Katsu is just a friend. He's harmless."

The two men looked at Katsu suspiciously, their hands hovering near their holstered guns.

"Vin, who is this?" one of them demanded, his voice cold and menacing.

"Oh, he's none of your business," Vin said, trying to keep his tone light.

"Tch, how dare you to talk to us like that!" the other man snarled.

"Now, now, there's a child with me. You don't want to scare him and make him cry right? It will cause a scene," Vin said, his voice calm but firm.

"What a cowardice way to get out of this situation," the first man said, his eyes narrowing.

"Our business here is done, now scram," Vin said, ushering Katsu away from the alleyway.

"We'll tell the boss about this," the two men threatened as they walked away.

Vin turned to Katsu, a grateful smile on his face. "Thanks for getting me out of that sticky situation," he said.

"Huh? You're not mad at me?" Katsu asked, surprised.

"I would be, but since the situation would have escalated if I just didn't give them an answer, good thing you were here," Vin explained.

"Oh, is that right…" Katsu trailed off, feeling relieved. "Don't worry about it. I'm not mad," Vin reassured him.

"Ah, that's relieving," Katsu said, a weight lifted off his shoulders. As they walked back to Bon's store, Katsu was conflicted on whether he should ask Vin about what happened or not.

But once again, Katsu's insatiable curiosity got the best of him. He couldn't resist asking, "Umm, might I ask what just happened?"

Vin stopped in his tracks and took a deep breath before speaking. Katsu could sense the hesitation in his voice and knew that whatever Vin was about to reveal was serious.

"I guess I can't hide it anymore," Vin said finally. "I'm in debt. And I have a bounty on my head now."

Katsu's eyes widened in shock. In all the days they had spent together, Vin had never hinted at anything like this. "In debt? Why didn't you tell me?"

"It's a long story," Vin replied, avoiding Katsu's gaze. "I'll tell you later."

As they continued walking, Katsu couldn't shake off the feeling of unease. Every moment felt like they were being targeted. He was worried that the traumatizing incident might happen again.

"Tch, my heart is pumping fast, I need to calm down… Deep breaths, deep breaths," he muttered under his breath, trying to steady his nerves.

Vin noticed Katsu's anxiousness and turned to face him. "Katsu," he said, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry about it. I'll protect you. And I won't let them hurt you, trust me."

Katsu felt a surge of energy from Vin's words. It was as if Vin's words had a calming effect on him. But then, just as suddenly, Katsu felt a sharp pain in his head and everything went black.

End of chapter 8