Obsession with Fragility

Three things I noticed throughout my night in the warehouse made everything I needed to know very clear. First, despite the building having been used as an old textile factory, as the faded lettering on the walls had stated, the interior was all brand new; expensive furniture and carpets lined the barren surface of the floor. Second, the Bara-gumi seemed to operate here temporarily, mainly focusing on the drug trading and loan sharking activities as to avoid the public eye. Third, I had definitely not been the first, second, nor twentieth person to have been locked in this cage. The metal walls had what seemed like years' worth of unique handwriting from past victims. Of course, I couldn't read more than a few sentences with my limited knowledge of literacy.

What I could make out in the scribbles were,
"I miss my family."
"She broke my..."
"I've been sold."
"... stealing her keys..."
The rest were either too faded or too complex for me to understand.

* * *

The sun had begun to peek through the windows near the ceiling. For now, the typhoon had seemed to have passed, but for once in my life, I dreaded the sight of the sunshine. Today, it felt ominous.

I could see a few younger members, or Kobun, entering from the front door, yawning and sipping coffee as who I presumed to be Kyoudai, or higher ranking members, shuffled around talking to them about breakfast.

It was as if I were invisible, or they had been desensitized to seeing folks in my position too many times to count. Other than the few moments of eye contact from the Kobun members, nobody acknowledged the tiny girl helplessly shivering under a blanket in the corner. It wasn't sympathy I was craving, nor was it a hero; I simply wanted answers.

"Nobu, go ahead and take the puppy out for a bathroom break."
A commanding voice spoke with firm authority from atop the one and only staircase that resided straight ahead. It was Ninagawa Charlotte, still smoking her kiseru pipe elegantly, her red lipstick glistening in the morning rays.

The man, who I assumed was going by the name Nobu, bowed his head and shouted,
"Yes, boss!"
before catching a pair of keys she had tossed from atop her office steps.

The old, rusted door creaked open with a deafening shrill, a large hand extending toward me, but daring not to enter such a pitiful excuse for a living space.

"Hurry up. You only get three bathroom breaks a day unless you're sold, so make this one count."
The man known as Nobu gestured for my hand to grab his. He was very obviously one of the Kyoudai members, as his face showed signs of aging and years of small scars that more than likely came with the job or a rough upbringing. One thing was for certain; it was that this man was a bonafide loan shark, through and through.

I swatted his extended hand away, still showing my usual defiance even after having endured last night's beatings and 'bath.'

"Three a day? How generous of you guys."
I sneered as I stepped out of the cage, my bottom stiff and sore as I kept the blanket wrapped around my naked torso.
"I suppose my meals will be served in metal bowls with the name 'Hachiko' plastered on the sides?"
I snickered softly, recalling the tale of the famous Japanese dog by the same name.

"Meals?"
Nobu laughed.
"You'll be lucky if the boss doesn't starve you to death before sending you off to the brothel."

My smirk instantly faded at the word 'brothel.'

"Here, I thought the Bara-gumi had a bit more class. Sending underage girls into prostitution rings? Seems a little old-school."
I followed behind Nobu, taking note of his salt-and-pepper colored hair and the way his Hawaiian shirt fit snugly against his toned body under his blazer.

"Old-school? No, I assure you that prostitution is still our biggest revenue generator."
His hand gestured toward my chest.
"Especially if our products are on the younger side. You'll probably be a top seller until some old geezer's condom breaks inside you and renders your body useless for nine months."

You sick fuck! Even if that wasn't a joke, you don't just casually say that to a teenage girl! I swear, I'll rip this guy's fucking head off!

Nobu shoved me forward into a small, putrid-smelling restroom. I had expected to have at least five minutes of alone time to relieve myself, but I was dead wrong. Nobu entered behind me, shutting the door and staring directly down at my face.

"Hurry up, sit down."
His cocky grin was starting to get under my skin.

"N-no way! I'm not going while you watch!"
My voice came out sounding a bit more fragile than intended, but any girl in my situation would probably have a hard time keeping her emotions in check.

"Yes, you will. I've got to make sure you don't try to escape. Time's ticking, little puppy."
Nobu brought an unlit cigarette to his lips, his eyes never leaving mine.

Letting out a huff of pure anger, I had no choice but to plop down onto the cold plastic seat, using the musky blanket to cover my lower half as I began to relieve my bladder.

This is so humiliating! He's watching and listening to me pee! I'm used to going outdoors, but I've never had any onlookers before. I can't even look this guy in the eyes.

Moments after wiping myself clean, I rose from my porcelain throne, pulling the blanket around my body extra tight. I was beginning to feel dirty again, even though my filth had literally been shredded from my body the night before.

"All done? Good. Follow me."
Nobu began his confident stride once again, this time leaving a trail of smoke in his wake. I hadn't even heard him light his cigarette, since my mind was racing so loudly during our encounter moments ago.

The Bara-gumi's rumors were starting to become increasingly true. Everything I had heard about their ruthless, carefree yet calculated style of performance was becoming very evident the longer I spent in their company. This wasn't just conspiracy anymore; I was witnessing firsthand just how cruel these wannabe gangsters truly were.

Now, I say "wannabe" because I still have yet to see any proof that these people are real yakuza. They have money, and that is very clear given their expensive suits and high-end warehouse decor, and I had witnessed a shakedown just last night, but until I had my body for sale on the black market, I would continue to believe that just maybe Charlotte was a rich girl trying to flaunt her authority as a hot shot in this world of top dogs.

* * *

Nobu led me outside, but not before forcing me to change into an exotic black dress and attaching a literal collar and leash to my soft neck. It was one of those dog collars with the spikes facing inside the loop, used to press firmly against a dog's neck during training. If I did something that went against their teachings, I was sure Nobu would yank hard against the leash, forcing the spikes to pinch my tender flesh.

I stayed quiet, watching as Nobu puffed his cigarette, staring blankly ahead at the raggedy parking lot, which had been lined with five black Lexus sedans and one SUV. In the moments that followed, one more black Lexus pulled into the parking lot, stopping just a few feet in front of me. The driver side door swung open, and a man of about six feet stepped out, already examining my face and body with a nonchalant frown.

"What?"
I said, with a frown of my own.
"Are you supposed to be my new pimp or something?"

"Relax, little girl. I'm simply here to discuss your new sleeping arrangements with Charlotte."
The man's lips curled into a sinister smirk around the corners. It was then that I realized this man wasn't a pimp, but a potential buyer. No sooner than three steps toward me, that six-foot tall man wearing a tiger-print shirt, groped my chest with the intent to rattle me. I could feel his long fingers pinching through the fabric in an attempt to erect my nipples, which caused a quiet whine to slip from my slightly parted lips. I hadn't meant to keep letting these noises escape, but when you're being sexually assaulted by someone more than twice your age and size, it's quite difficult to keep your emotions in check.

I had to endure this torture until he was satisfied. By that point, he had succeeded in causing my body to quiver in disgust, goosebumps visible on my pale skin.

I can't believe I'm letting him see the exact thing he wanted to see. I'm supposed to be tougher than this!

It was then that Nobu decided to make full use of my collar and leash, tugging firmly against my neck and making me gasp with both pain and fear. My body jerked backward, landing directly next to Nobu, who was still puffing that disgusting cigarette.

"Your free trial is up. No more touching until you buy, got it?"
Nobu's eyes glared with something fierce. For someone who had just watched me urinate, and made comments about how easy it would be to sell my petite body, his voice seemed slightly defensive.

I can't believe I want to thank him for tugging me away.

I knew it was probably just business, but for an instant, I felt secure.

"Fine, fine. You always drive a hard bargain, Nobuyuki-kun."
The tiger shirt man raised his hands in mock defense, a crooked smirk still plastered on his stubbly face.
"I'll ask Charlotte about it directly. Though I must say, she's already better than the last one."

The last one? So, this man is a returning customer? I can't imagine how many girls my age or younger this awful man had already had his way with, or worse, killed.

Nobu kept me glued to his side as the man slipped past us and headed inside the warehouse. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I was praying to as many gods as I could think of that Charlotte would keep me in that rusted cage for just a bit longer. For now, I would simply enjoy the company of Nobu for as long as he held my bindings.