Drugs Are Hard To Come By

Part #2 [Life As A Dog]

Mika arose from her cardboard bed, letting out a strangled whimper as her limbs quivered from exhaustion. The sky overhead was blocked by the tall towers looming over the alley. She reached into her pocket, counting the pills she had stolen moments before her departure from the Bara-gumi. Six narcotics left. Mika knew she would have to pace herself if she wanted to make selling them last a while longer. Her stomach grumbled loudly, echoing off the stone walls surrounding her plastic tarp of a fortress. She had intrusive thoughts about rejoining the Bara-gumi, simply to indulge in a luxurious meal. She visited the red-light district on foot, a few hours of mind-numbing walking before she arrived.

The streets were bustling with activity, and she watched as shameless adults flirted and exchanged sexual innuendos in broad daylight. She wandered aimlessly, looking for the most troubled victims to whom she could sell a few pills to. Mika had something of a rule: never sell to the same client twice. She feared that she might become too emotionally attached to whomever wanted her stolen product, as she had a tendency to sympathize with people in similar positions to herself. Her eyes landed on a homeless couple, more than likely strung out on methamphetamine. She held two pills in each hand, much like Morpheus from The Matrix.

"Six-hundred yen per pill. Percocets, straight from America. Oxycodone..."
She avoided eye contact with the man and woman who had rotten teeth. Mika waited patiently for an answer.

"Huh?! Perco-what? Scram, kid!"
The man tossed a handful of litter at Mika, showering her in foul smelling garbage. She protected her product, and trudged away with her head hanging low. Her stomach felt as if it were eating itself, and she didn't even have enough water in her body to sweat. She could feel her dry mouth struggling to create saliva, leaving her panting like a dog.

Her eyes scanned the back alley of a familiar ramen shop, where she had taken a man's finger just weeks prior. Mika felt a strange surge in her mind to apologize. She waited outside the back entrance, letting her body slide down the wall as she took a seat. She waited for what seemed like hours, fading in and out of consciousness from lack of nutrition.

The door swung open, and a man with a bandage over his hand exited. He hadn't seen Mika sitting beside him, so he brought a cigarette to his lips, humming a soft tune to himself. Mika sat idly by, listening to the melody wash over her.
"That's a nice song."

The man smiled and nodded, gazing up at the sky. He continued his tune, not quite realizing who was sitting beside him. Once his gaze lowered, he let out a sharp gasp, falling flat on his bottom.
"The Bara-gumi! I paid Kazuya, you don't have to do this!"

"I'm not with the Bara-gumi anymore. In fact, I never was to begin with. I'm just a lowly vagrant."
Mika raised her hands in surrender, implying she wasn't a threat to the man she once caused a great deal of pain.

"You... what? But, you sliced my finger off. I saw you with Kazuya the other day."
The ramen shop owner shifted uncomfortably, bringing his cigarette back to his mouth with a shaky hand.

"I know... and I'm sorry. I didn't join them by choice. I haven't been able to get the image of your severed finger out of my mind. Please, forgive me."
Mika bowed her head low, tears threatening to escape her large, innocent eyes.

The man clicked his tongue, leaning his back against the wall next to Mika. He gave her a few pats on the head, causing her to flinch ever so slightly.
"It's nothing. You don't seem malicious, unlike that bitch, Charlotte. I forgive you, kid. You were just following orders. Kazuya would have done it if it weren't you, so no hard feelings."

Mika let out a shaky breath, leaning into his gentle caress. She could feel her lips beginning to quiver.
"I did something irreversible to you. I don't deserve to be alive."

The ramen shop owner wrapped his arm around Mika's shoulders, seemingly unbothered by her pungent odor.
"We all make mistakes. Take me for example, I'm a gambling addict. I claim to take loans from the Bara-gumi to try and win some funds to revamp my restaurant. The truth is, I just enjoy the thrill."

Mika sniffled, meeting his gaze with worried eyes.
"You... can't stop gambling? But, why bother with the Bara-gumi?! Look what they did to you!"

"What about it? It's just a finger; I can still make the best ramen in all of Japan."
He gave Mika a confident smirk, standing up and offering her a hand.
"Come inside and enjoy a bowl, on the house."

Mika took his hand, craning her neck up to meet his gaze. She didn't understand why he was being so nice to her.
"Why are you doing this? I don't deserve a bowl of ramen, sir."

The man gave her a playful slap on the back, leading her inside where a few other patrons were enjoying a meal.
"Then, how about you work for it? It gets lonely with just my daughter and I running the place. We could use another cute waitress around here."

Mika's eyes landed on a middle school student around her age, her arms juggling bowls of ramen and glasses of beer. The girl wore a sweet, carefree smile. She dashed around the restaurant, cutely chatting with customers as she took orders.

"Is that your daughter?"
Mika looked over at the restaurant owner, who was already slicing vegetables for her bowl.

"She sure is. My pride and joy. Come, little one, enjoy a bowl."

Mika took a seat at the bar, fidgeting with the hem of her torn skirt. She studied the dimly lit restaurant, posters of popular celebrities and album covers scattered around the walls. Mika watched as the man placed a steaming hot bowl of tonkatsu ramen before her, motioning for her to take a bite.

She slurped the noodles into her mouth, feeling the warm, salty broth explode against her taste buds. Tears spilled down her cheeks, landing against the cold, wooden countertop below her.
"It's... so incredibly good."

"My name is Hidaka Jin. Starting today, you'll be my employee."
The ramen shop owner, Jin, handed her a napkin for her eyes, watching as she shoveled large bites into her small mouth.
"Nozomi-chan, come introduce yourself to our new hire!"

Jin's daughter approached the bar, a small bead of sweat rolling down her unblemished face. She tilted her head to the side, giving Mika a very cute peace sign.
"I'm Hidaka Nozomi! I hope we get along!"

Mika immediately wiped her dirty face, feeling terribly out of place in front of the trendy girl known as Nozomi.
"I'm... Umeda Mika. I hope I'm not a nuisance..."

Nozomi's eyes lit up. She bent herself back into view, smiling adorably at Mika. She extended her hand for a handshake.
"Can I call you Mika-chan? Let's be friends."

Mika nodded frantically, her hair bobbing up and down. She took Nozomi's hand in her own, feeling the girl's silky smooth skin.
"Friends?! I... really want to be friends with you, Hidaka Nozomi!"

Nozomi giggled, squeezing Mika's hand even tighter.
"You can call me Nozomi-chan. No need to be formal."

Mika's mind started to race. She suddenly thought of Harumi. The familiar first encounter was being repeated with Nozomi, and she desperately wanted to see Harumi again. Mika wasn't sure as to why people were suddenly treating her like a normal human being, but she definitely wasn't complaining.
"Nozomi... chan... Nozomi-chan."

"I'll get her settled with a uniform, Papa. Follow me, Mika-chan; I'll show you my room!"
Nozomi grabbed Mika by the hand, leading her upstairs through the back of the kitchen. Mika felt as if her life was starting to change for the better.