Night on the Wild Side

The lights and sounds of Shinjuku City created a familiar buzz as the clubs and karaoke rooms of the neon-lit nightlife filled the air as the crowds flowed between the izakayas, bars and clubs.

Chez Kooun was one of the hottest and most exciting clubs in the area. Featuring a mix of DJs and a light show that synchronized its movements with the thunderous rhythms of the music, the atmosphere was almost surreal with the crowds of people dancing as the drinks flowed.

Up in the VIP suites, the sounds were slightly more subdued, though no less decadent as top shelf liquor and beer flowed freely between the socialites while a handful of security kept watch. Many of the attendees were members of the social elite, sons and daughters of business tycoons, and their socially connected inner circle.

In the middle of the social circle was a young lady, still in her university years with her circle of wealthy elites. Her long black hair was tied in a ponytail with long straight bangs that framed her face. Her expression betrayed a sense of unfamiliarity in contrast to the rest of her entourage, who offered drinks all around. "Kyoko, have a drink!"

Kyoko took a sip and grimaced. While not her first adult beverage, the strength of the cocktail was immediately apparent as it went down her throat. She coughed and waved off the offer for a second. "Please, I don't think I'm ready for another one yet," she waved off.

"Come on, daddy's not watching," the partygoer pressed.

Kyoko stood up and refused again as the rest of the group looked visibly disappointed. Looking out into the balcony at the dance floor below, she took one last look at the rest of her group as the next round of drinks were being brought out. Yeah, no thanks, she thought; let's see what else there is in this place... 

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Out in the streets in front of the club districts, several black sedans pulled up as men from the security team got out and looked around in frustration. Unfortunately, they were already more than three blocks away from the target kill zone and well in the night club district of Shinjuku where the crowds almost guaranteed finding their suspect was going to be extremely remote, unless he made a huge mistake like keeping an obvious weapon. Nevertheless, they had a duty to try. "Fan out!" the team lead ordered, dividing his group into the surrounding occupied buildings. "If he hasn't already left the area, then he'll try to blend into the crowds until he can reach the train station."

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Kyoko Ikemoto stared at herself with uncertainty in the lady's room; what am I doing here? She had agreed to get out of the house for what was supposed to be a night on the town. She had envisioned something quiet, maybe a quick visit to quiet restaurant or cafe, but nothing like this. Normally an introvert, she was an only child to the family that ran an overseas imports enterprise that had grown to span three continents. Their success had been the talk of the business world in the past ten years, with her father, Isamu Ikemoto being declared the next wizard of the international markets with an unerring instinct of picking the right commodities with adroit timing.

With that success came the usual trappings of society, the invitations to the right social circles, interviews with the media about his company and even his family and even the outright of some local politicians asking about his interest in getting involved for political office. Over the years, Isamu had assembled a circle of financial and legal advisors who always give the skillfully crafted answers that kept the outsiders satisfied with stock answers.

None of this made Kyoko's life any better though; obviously, wealth made their lives easier in the material sense. What she wasn't expecting was the complete loss of privacy that came with becoming a minor celebrity. Granted, it was nothing like being a pop star or pro athlete, but she was still forced to leave friends from her previous school behind and relocated to a private school and have security personnel following her around when she went anywhere public. Part of the reason for this trip was just to try and get out from under her father's thumb, if only for one night to see what it was like out among the crowds, but this just didn't feel right being clustered up in some VIP booth.

She found herself in the lobby adjoining the dance floor. Stepping back into the crowd, Kyoko found herself jostled by an uncontrolled throng of people. Something up front in the lobby was causing a disturbance, but she couldn't see from her vantage point. Curiosity got the better of her, as she tried to push to the front. 

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"I'm going to need you to leave!" the Chez Kooun bouncer ordered, pointing to the men in black suits who had made their way to the front lobby unannounced.

"And I'm telling you that someone very dangerous may have made their way into your club tonight! You need to let us in!" the security man snarled.

The bouncer called his team, and they prepared to forcibly escort the unwanted guests off when suddenly the unmistakable sound of a pistol erupted, sending panic throughout the lobby. All at once, a surge of humanity headed towards every available exit. Kyoko lost her sense of direction as she was pushed against the wall, unable to move.

Panic spread almost at once as the sea of humanity surged in all directions. Kyoko found herself trapped in one corner of the lobby alcove. Almost immediately, a group of four men noticed her standing by herself; their eyes revealing far too much inebriation for good sense and Kyoko tried to move past then only to be grabbed.

"Oh sweet... got us a live one!" the first one declared, pulling Kyoko close, despite her attempts to pull back.

"Heh, come here..." the second man pulled a knife and brandished it.

Just as the knife came forward, another man came up, swatting the attack aside, following the momentum, dropping the man to the floor. The first man blinked with surprise before anger took over, attempting to lunge at the new presence only to be stopped immediately by a palm strike to the throat. The final attacker swung wide with a haymaker but was blocked and countered by a low kick to his knee. The new man then offered Kyoko a hand, "Come on, let's get you to safety..." 

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Kyoko's hands were shaking as the man purchased a pair of sweet teas from the Lawson's kombini attendant, before offering one to her. "Here, drink up, the shakes will calm down once the adrenaline passes," the man reassured in a calm soothing voice. He took a moment to assess the area before sitting back down next to her. "Is there someone we should call? You don't look like someone who travels without an escort."

"I... I got separated from my party," Kyoko admitted before offering her hand. "Thank you for saving me back there. I'm Kyoko... Kyoko Ikemoto."

The man offered his hand back, "Kyosuke Sakurai, pleasure's all mine."