Truly Heaven

A dark cityscape stretched out before them. The two figures lay together in the open air, exposing their restless hearts to the impure world. She reached her hand out to touch his cold cheek, their bare skin too close for comfort. They both felt an aching, primal longing for each other, but there was nothing that could satisfy the feeling.

"You..." She looked into his dark eyes, so black they might suck her into them. "Do you know how long I've waited?"

He ignored her question, holding her close and kissing her neck. "A long time, was it?"

The man bit her pale skin, holding her tightly. Those were the feelings he'd been holding back; the urges he had suppressed for her sake. Her heartbeat could not be tamed.

- - -

Yoli sat up in bed, her eyes darting around the room. Holding herself, she calmed her ragged breathing and lay back down.

"Masao..." his name escaped her lips. She had a dream about him that night. It was a forbidden dream, something that she could not comprehend.

The heartache of her dream self carried over to the real world, and she began to cry. All she wanted was to be near him again. The days she spent with Masao in his small apartment were the happiest of all. That was her home now, the place she felt safest. Seeing him again, even if only in a dream, stirred up feelings she couldn't name.

His face was adorable, his voice comforting, and his touch familiar. Tears gushed from her eyes, which became redder with each passing moment. She whimpered his name over and over again like she would forget it if she stopped.

Her heart wavered, unreasonable questions swirling through her head.

Is he looking for me? Does he care that I am gone? Will he save me?

She stared at the ceiling for what seemed like hours, thinking about him and imagining the times they shared. The doorknob began to jiggle, breaking the silence in the room.

She sat up, staring at the door as the person on the other side tried to open it. The door swung open, and the light from a dim bulb outside cast a harsh shadow onto the new arrival. A man holding a gun stood in the doorway.

- - -

A group of men stalked down the street, kicking everyone and everything out of their way. The guns they held knew no mercy. They were on a mission to find something important to them. The blond boy leading them bit his lip nervously, looking around the area with uncertainty.

"Think like Masao! Where would he be...?" Kei said anxiously. The men behind him were getting impatient. They had been wandering around the city for hours, and still had no idea where their beloved ex-leader was.

A phone call from a particular older brother had informed them of Masao's situation, hinting that he might need some help. When Masao hadn't shown up at the gang's building for a while, they decided to go look for him. Now, in the dead of night, it was clear that something had gone wrong.

Hideo stepped up to help Kei lead the gang. He felt bad for the boy and was still helping him learn to be a leader.

A few minutes later, they found themselves on Dead Man's strip, a street notorious for being a crime central and a haven for addicts of all sorts. "My, my, what do we have here?" Hideo said smoothly, nearing a man lying on the street.

He placed his foot on top of the man's bloodied head. He slowly ground his foot against his skull, his dirty shoe rubbing grime into the man's wet hair. The surrounding area was covered in blood and vomit. The members of the gang grimaced, getting a good view of their pathetic ex-leader.

Masao groaned deeply, his hand twitching slightly. Not even Hideo's teasing could get him conscious. His body was motionless, and he looked so terrible that one might mistake him for dead. Hideo sighed and removed his foot from his head, bending down beside him to get a good look at his best friend's blood-covered face.

"What the hell happened to you?" he muttered. He lifted Masao off the ground and hoisted him onto his back. He was shocked at how light he was. Masao had truly been starved and malnourished after his accident, and was the furthest thing from how he was in his glory days.

The gang turned around, their ex-leader now in their protection. Nobody said a word as they went back to the apartment building they resided in. There was nothing to say that would lighten the mood. Masao had been defeated.

Masao was still out cold when they laid him down on his old bed in the gang's place. Kei slept in his old room now, but they left it basically the same as it was three years ago. They had bandaged up the wound on his head, but that was the most care they gave him. He was still a complete mess.

"So, are you going to go get the girl back?" Kaho asked the boys as they stood in the doorway, watching Masao sleep.

"I don't see what other choice we have. We can all tell how much he needs her," Kei whispered.

There was no denying that Masao had feelings for Yoli. It was obvious to anyone observing their relationship. It didn't help that, as his close friends, they were already well aware of what types of girls he was into.

"I'll go," Hideo finally spoke up. "I'll go get her."

Nodding in agreement, they shut the door to Masao's room and went back to their usual late-night activities. Hideo knew it would be impossible for them to all sneak into COT together. He was the only one of them who was intimately familiar with COT's headquarters. Being one of the only members who didn't fear death, he was often sent to break into COT's buildings to steal things. He could imagine the layout of each floor.

As he rode his motorcycle through Central City, he was lost in thought. Masao had always been his role model, the guy he admired and sought to impress.

In their younger days, Masao had been a player. He was constantly drooling over girls, messing around with women at parties, and acting like a fool in general. Outside of those moments, he was a mature and wise guy. Hideo never thought of Masao as the type to get seriously invested in a girl.

He knew that his best friend was still a virgin, and that was slightly confusing to him. Masao played with women's feelings, twisted them around his finger so he could have some simple fun, but never committed to anything seriously physical. Was he scared? Was he waiting for something?

Seeing Masao become suddenly so enamored with a girl stirred up painful feelings. He didn't know Yoli or what her intentions were. She'd suddenly come into Masao's life and become his most important, treasured person. That was what Hideo hated. He was being replaced by a small, fragile girl.

He cursed loudly as he rode through the black night, his anger echoing through the maze of tall buildings.

"Yoli...Yoli...who the hell does she think she is? If he had just let me help him after his accident, he wouldn't need her lame ass "wife" performance!"

That night flashed through his mind. He'd watched his best friend carry that girl to his motorcycle, holding her carefully like she was a priceless treasure. He saw his friend leave him again, but this time Masao had someone with him, someone who was capable of filling the emptiness in his heart.

It wasn't romantic, nor was it some twisted obsession. It was simply the desire to be important to Masao again. Just like when they were young, and Masao was the center of his world.

- - -

The man covered in shadow surveyed the room and slipped the gun into the front pocket of his pants. Yoli cowered in fear, covering her face with the bed sheets. He walked over to her, slowly and quietly. She was scared to even breathe.

He put his hand on her shoulder and whispered in her ear. "Be quiet, and walk quickly. I won't be coming back for you if you can't keep up."

"Wh...at?" she tilted her head. He didn't seem to have any malicious intent towards her; in fact, what he was saying made it seem like he might help her.

"Well, come on then," he hit her back lightly and stepped towards the door. She complied, following his lead. She was only wearing a nightgown, and she shivered when she got up.

When they stepped into the light, she could see who he was, and her fears were immediately calmed. She followed behind the blond man, a smile spreading across her face. She didn't dare say anything since he told her to be quiet, but she admired his helpfulness in silence.

Hideo led her through many staircases, hallways, and doors. They made their way through the headquarters, avoiding areas that could have employees in them. Since it was late at night, there weren't many people awake.

They still had to be careful not to trigger the security systems. Hideo was able to avoid most of the cameras that might catch them.

Once they got to the third floor, they entered a dark room. It was a mostly empty office. Boxes were stacked to the ceiling, and it seemed like nobody had used the room in a while.

"You're gonna have to climb down from here," he whispered.

One of many windows inside the office was propped open. Yoli peered out of it, butterflies forming in her stomach as she realized how far from the ground they still were. Hideo tied a rope to the window. She guessed that he had scaled the wall using the edges around the windows as a grip.

"I'll go first. Are you ready?" His voice sounded slightly annoyed. He could tell how scared she was, but he didn't make any attempt to calm her fears. She nodded, and he climbed out the window, carefully making his way down the rope. When there was enough room for her to start climbing down, he signaled for her to begin.

She was frozen in place. Her body wouldn't allow her to move. She knew that if she didn't hurry up, they could get caught, and she would never escape COT. However, seeing how far the fall would be terrified her. She had never climbed a rope before, and she wasn't very strong. She didn't know if she would be able to do it without falling off.

"What are you waiting for?" Hideo snapped.

She heard footsteps outside the room and knew she had no other choice. She climbed out of the window and took hold of the brown rope. Clutching it tightly, she used her legs to keep herself up. Hideo continued to make his way down, and Yoli slowly made progress. She wanted to cry, but she didn't want to look weak in front of Hideo.

He wasn't a person she felt safe being vulnerable around.

A while later, he made it to the ground. "Jump down," he instructed. She turned her head to look at him from above. She was still quite high off the ground, but not so far that she would die if she fell. Still, jumping from this high was scary for her, and she didn't think it was safe.

"Jump! I'll catch you!" he yelled with frustration. She immediately let go of the rope and fell backwards. For a second, the flame of her life felt like it could be blown out by even the weakest breeze.

"There you go," he said. She fell into his arms just as he said. Hideo's harsh words, his snappy attitude, all of it was scary to her, but knowing that he stayed true to his word comforted her. This was Masao's trusted companion and best friend. She smiled as he put her down, admiring his strength and courage to rescue her.

He risked his life for a girl he barely knew.

"Where's Masao?" she asked.

Hideo scowled, checking his watch. "He's at our place. Don't worry about it," he said. The way he spoke hinted to her that Masao was in rough condition. She choked back tears and followed after him.

They rode through the city, avoiding busy streets and walkways. COT could realize she was missing at any time, and that would spell trouble for them.

- - -

They entered the apartment together, members of the gang greeting them as they came in.

"Oh, you poor thing! How do you feel?" Kaho asked, immediately hugging her. She pressed her face against Yoli's, cooing about how worried they all were.

Hideo retreated to his bedroom, avoiding the antics surrounding Yoli's return.

"Where is Masao?" she asked. She looked around the living room, looking for any sign of her magenta-haired roommate.

"He's...in his old room," Kaho said, her voice mellow. "You can go see him if you'd like."

Yoli nodded and walked towards the bedroom that they pointed to. She held her hand on the doorknob, hesitant to open the door. What state was he in?

Her heart beat furiously, and the fear in her stomach only built as she anticipated seeing his face again.

"Why...do I feel this way?" she said out loud, though nobody heard it.

She stepped inside the room and closed the door behind her. It was completely dark apart from the faint rays of moonlight shining through the curtains that covered a small window.

The walls were covered in posters of girls in revealing outfits. The floor was littered with magazines, empty noodle cups, and other miscellaneous items. Whoever was living in this room was just as much of a pig as Masao was.

She felt tears build in her eyes as her gaze fell upon Masao's sleeping body. He was lying on his stomach, his hair wet and dirty. He looked like a mess. He wasn't even completely under the covers, and his leg was sticking out from under the dirty blankets.

Her mouth hung open slightly, a shiny glaze over her eyes. Even in his wrecked state, she could only find him beautiful. Masao's disgusting, beaten, and bruised body was breathtaking. Each step she took towards him only increased her anticipation. She couldn't believe that this was real.

The night without him felt so lonely, but here he was, the same Masao she'd known before. She sat down beside him, watching his restful face. She reached out her hand, placing it on his head and gliding her fingers through his long hair. Masao was truly the most pathetic man she'd ever met.

A burning desire had been lit within her. She felt drawn to him like a moth to a flame, unable to resist his boyish charms.

He was approaching a healthier weight because of the meals she was cooking for him. Even his overall hygiene had improved.

"Masao..." she whispered. She moved closer to him, her back touching the side of his body. She ran her hand down his back, rubbing him lovingly.

He grunted, shifting his body. He opened his eyes wearily, his hurting body reacting to her warm touch.

"Yo...li?" he stared at her in a half-asleep state, unable to believe that she was real.

"You've done a lot for me," she said simply. He grabbed her hand with his shaking arm. He was weak, weaker than usual. His tired eyes focused on her. "You've been a very good boy."

He opened his mouth, but words would not come out. His voice was caught in his throat. He wanted to grab her in fear that she might disappear if he didn't. His body was in so much pain that he could not summon the strength to make that reality.

"It's okay. I'm right here..." she smiled sweetly. "May I...spend the night with you?"

His eyes widened. He had to say yes, but he couldn't. Yoli got up, straightening out the blankets on the bed and covering him properly. He watched her with interest. Then she pulled up the blankets and got in next to him, snuggling up against his chest.

He brought his hand up to hold her head. She sighed, melting into his embrace.

"I thought I would never see you again," she said softly. "Please, never leave."

She knew she was out of her mind. A normal person would be disgusted by him. He was wet, dirty, and smelled terrible- not to mention how weak and pathetic he was. Masao was the definition of a slob, and on top of that, he was injured. Yet she wasn't disgusted even in the slightest.

This man meant more to her than any other. He was her world. She whimpered, wrapping her arms around him and pressing her body against his. She was only wearing the black nightgown that Wataru gave her, so she had been cold when making her escape. Now cuddled up with Masao, she was warm.

She could feel his hot breath against her neck. Something was stirring inside of him, and his right hand slowly trailed down her back to rest on her rear.

"I won't leave," he said once he had calmed down. "I said I would protect you, but I couldn't. I failed..."

Yoli pressed her hand to his chest, the spot above his heart. "You protected me the best you could. I've learned a lot from you, and I can't wait for you to teach me more," she said fondly.

"Guh- I guess that's true," he said. His thumb rubbed her skin, touching her mindlessly.

"I'll help you clean up tomorrow. For now...let's..." she drifted to sleep.

"Being so intimate like this with you," he smiled to himself. Yoli was adorable, and he knew it. He fell asleep with her in his arms, and that alone was enough to make all of his wounds hurt less.

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