What Is A Real Family Anyway?

Xianshi assumed the same posture as he had moments before, using his fingers to stroke the stubble on his chin before leaning in and dropping his voice to just barely above a whisper.
"When I was eighteen or so, I took a plane from Hong Kong to Japan, deciding to never look back on the days I was forced to spend with my strict parents. You see, I come from a family of vast wealth and status. Unless you've been living under a rock in China, there aren't many folks who don't know the name Xianshi from at least one member of my family's accomplishments."

I nodded softly, imagining a crowded country like China, and how its massive population could be familiar with the Xianshi family's products and services, the way Japan had worldwide companies like Toyota or Suntory Whiskey.
"So, you came to Japan to escape? But you had an entire life of success ahead of you!"
I said, puzzled.

"Patience, Princess."
Xianshi turned his gaze toward the window, as if reminiscing on something long forgotten.
"I'm assuming you of all people understand how suffocating it is to have your parents force their expectations and pressure onto you. That's how you ended up in the Bara-gumi, right? To escape."

I frowned.
"You couldn't be more wrong, I'm afraid. I've never met my parents. I wish I had someone in my life to push some sort of expectation onto me!"

Xianshi rubbed his neck, looking almost embarrassed at his slip-up.
"My apologies for my assumption, Princess. My question is still a valid one regardless. I can sense that rebellious spark deep inside you. You want to rebel against the world that's brought you so much pain. I'm sure if circumstances were different, you would have done the same thing I did."

I froze, biting my tongue before continuing to speak.
He is making a valid point, I suppose. I've never met my parents, but depending on what kind of people they were, perhaps I would have turned out similar to Xianshi.

"Sorry... continue."
I said.

Xianshi nodded, continuing his speech after a hit of nicotine.
"Before I left for Japan, my mother and father had already grown to despise me. While my brothers and sister were already training to inherit my father's company, I was running amok causing trouble with a local gang. It was thrilling just to feel something other than despair. There, in those noisy streets, I could be someone other than Mr. Perfect. I had no college exams to worry about, no pressure to make my bloodline proud, and certainly no father to whip me around when I didn't comply with his teachings."

"But coming to Japan to escape? Surely there had to have been somewhere for you in China where you could disappear?"
I added, trying to wrap my head around this bizarre situation.

"Nah, I was done with China. I needed somewhere nobody knew my name or face. In fact, I'm what you Japanese folks would refer to as an Otaku. I learned the language when I was young, so I spent a lot of time watching anime tapes that I would buy with my father's money late at night. Why do you think I live in Akihabara, Princess?"
Xianshi laughed softly.
"Anyway, I had grown sick of the abuse to the point that I was now spending all of my free time with the local gang I mentioned earlier. With no rules, I ended up getting into trouble with some shady characters. They learned all about my family's achievements, and saw me as a target to steal from."

Xianshi froze for a moment, as if recalling something frightful before returning his gaze to me.
"I did some things I wasn't proud of. I raped a woman who had been walking home from work late one evening. I didn't want to do it; in fact, I had been a virgin up until then. The guys I was with told me that gang banging was a cool thing to do, and that the woman they were targeting in particular was someone much like me, a wealthy lady with status and a reputation. They said that if I wanted to be part of the gang, I would have to rape her as part of my initiation."

My blood ran cold. I stared absent-mindedly ahead at Xianshi, unsure if I should kill him on the spot for being the lowest of the low, or sympathize with the idea that he had practically been forced into that unfavorable situation. Having been a victim of sexual assault myself, I felt an unspoken duty to chop Xianshi's penis off right then and there for just the admission alone, but decided to stay quiet until he could answer my incoming question.

"I'm going to stop you there, Wang Xianshi. Consider your next words carefully."

He nodded.

"Did you like it?"
I asked.

"No,"
he responded immediately.

"Did you consider the woman's feelings before you raped her?"

"No..."

"Did you... impregnate her?"

Xianshi went silent.

I let out a shaky breath.

"Probably not. It's been thirteen or fourteen years since then, and I have yet to hear anything about her having a child."
He hung his head low.

"Okay... continue."
I leaned back, loosening my fist into an open hand.

"Like I said, I was a total virgin otaku. I had no interest in harming a woman in such a way, but when I was pressured on the spot, I felt like I was finally being accepted somewhere I belonged. If all it took was to have unwanted sex with a woman of high status, I would do it in order to break the shackles of my life. Not a single day goes by that I don't regret my actions. I mean, my frontal lobe hadn't even fully developed; of course, I couldn't think about how she was feeling in that moment."
Xianshi sighed, leaning his head back against the wall and staring up at the ceiling.

"Her name was Qing Lian... and she was, at the time, about to close a deal with my father's company. It turns out, the boys in my gang knew all of that and orchestrated the situation perfectly. They snapped pictures and videos of me, Wang Xianshi, son of Yìchén Xianshi, raping his most precious client. Word on the news spread faster than wildfire, and not only was my father trying to kill me, but Qing Lian's father as well as the mafia all had a hit out on my head."

"Rightfully so, Xianshi. If that had been me beneath you that night, I wouldn't have let you live either."
I muttered, venom spitting from my voice.

"Rightfully so, indeed. Sometimes I wish maybe I would have just let them kill me. But alas, I used my fortune to fly to Japan, escaping the Chinese mafia and my father's wrath along with it. Nothing of note happened here in Japan. I became a gambler because it reminded me of that high I was chasing when I ran around causing trouble with my gang. I gambled and drank alcohol because I wanted to hate myself desperately."
Xianshi finally looked at me again, remorse evident in his wrinkles.

"So that's how you became a client of the Bara-gumi? You gambled so much that you needed a loan? You said you raped that woman thirteen years ago, which is how old I am, by the way, so the Bara-gumi has been around for thirteen years or more?"
I casually included my age, just so we would be on the same page.

"Oh, so you work for them but don't even know their history? You're an odd one, Princess."
Xianshi let out a soft chuckle.
"Charlotte and I are actually the same age. The Bara-gumi started out as a high school gang, run by Charlotte and a few friends. They rose to popularity for their courage among real yakuza factions, even going so far as to destroy an entire organization themselves and claim their money and status, ultimately turning them into who they are today."

I shuddered, imagining what sort of events had transpired in the early days of the Bara-gumi.
"How do you even know that? You grew up in China, not Japan."

Xianshi smirked.
"Because, I arrived just around the time they were rising to power. Charlotte killed Kawaguchi Harumi's father and stole his fortune, as well as taking the young Harumi into custody. Charlotte was the first to offer me a loan, so naturally, I wanted to be her friend, often buying her drinks and chatting with her late at night."

My eyes widened, and I nearly screamed upon hearing that information.

You've got to be kidding! Charlotte killed Harumi's father?!

"Why would she do something like that?! Harumi lost her parent because of Charlotte?! Is that why Charlotte forces herself onto her as her lover?! That's beyond despicable!"
I shouted.

"Whoa! You really don't know anything, do you? Kawaguchi Harumi's father wasn't just some guy; he was a yakuza boss himself. Rather than the kind of yakuza that helps citizens after a natural disaster, Harumi's father was violent and terrifying. You think Charlotte is scary with her yubitsume policy? Try killing someone just for missing a single yen in their payment."
Xianshi began to stand up, walking over to the infant boy who was cooing softly in his cradle. He wrapped his arms around the boy, holding him close to his chest.

"I've been talking too long, Princess. I'll answer one final question, but if I don't leave soon, the Bara-gumi will be on my ass, much like you were earlier."

My head was spinning with the massive influx of information I had received in only a few minutes. I have so many questions for Xianshi. What prompted him to steal the money from me earlier? Why did Harumi love Charlotte despite what happened in the past? How much has Xianshi changed since he left China after raping that poor woman?

Despite my endless supply of questions, I stood up and grabbed my tanto blade, blocking the door and staring him directly in the eyes.

"One question, huh? Why did you, someone so horrible, decide to procreate? That boy is your son, which means even after what you've done, you still used your disgusting meat pole to pleasure a woman."

Xianshi grimaced slightly at my choice of words, but respected my question enough to answer honestly.
"It wasn't just any woman. It was that beautiful goddess you held at knifepoint downstairs earlier. Don't think I've forgotten what you did to this boy's mother's poor heart when you arrived. I'll forgive you if you forgive my past sins."

It was true that I felt bad for threatening the woman downstairs when I broke through her door. It was only fair for me to apologize. I stuffed my pride to the back of my mind, accepting the fact that no matter what I said or did, I could never erase Xianshi's past mistakes. It felt like I was being forced to accept it; an eye for an eye.

"I still can't let you have that money. Takeshi will kill me if I don't return with it. I told you earlier, I can't die until I kill Ninagawa Charlotte! If you care about destroying the Bara-gumi as much as you say you do, then I need to be sure of just one thing."
I gripped my tanto blade harder, unsure of if I would be able to handle another brawl with him if it came down to it.

"What might that be, Princess?"
Xianshi nodded, stepping closer with his infant son in his arms.

"I need you to promise me you'll take responsibility for your actions. You need to tell Takeshi yourself that you stole the money, and you need to ensure I don't suffer for your mistakes."
I extended my hand outward, awaiting a handshake to seal our promise.

Xianshi, without a moment's hesitation, thrust his hand into mine, gripping it with the strength of a seasoned warrior.
"Deal. Once I get my wife and son out of the country and to safety, I'll come back to the Bara-gumi with my head held high. I'm sure you understand by now, but the Bara-gumi have eyes everywhere. Even if I wanted to keep my family in the country, who's to say they'll be safe after the stunt I pulled today? I'll work off my debt, plus what I stole today. You don't have to worry about them accepting or not. Charlotte's been trying to recruit me for thirteen years after all."
He ended his sentence with a cocky grin.

"Your debt? Just how much do you owe them anyway?"
I pulled my hand back, feeling a weight lift from my shoulders when I realized I had been spared another fight.

"Let's see... combined with what I stole today, I would say around... two and a half billion?"
He said this with a laughing smile.

I felt my jaw drop wide open.
"T-two and a half- Xianshi! That's completely unacceptable!"

"Spare me the lecture, Princess. We can talk more in depth back at the headquarters in a couple of hours. Until then try to lay low somewhere, okay? I'll give you a call when I've gotten my family on a plane."
Xianshi handed me his phone, waiting expectantly.

I typed my number and email address into his contacts, not realizing I had typed out my full name instead of Makeinu.

Xianshi stared at his phone as if he had seen a ghost, but quickly forced a smile and said,
"Umeda... Mika? Your name is Umeda Mika, Princess?"

I could feel myself blushing. I nodded shyly and took a step back, allowing him access to the door.
"Yeah. I'm Umeda Mika. But I kind of like it when you call me Princess."

"Princess Mika it is, then. I'll be seeing you soon, your highness."
Without a second glance, Xianshi grabbed the duffel bag full of cash from the corner of the room and headed downstairs, leaving the dry cleaning store Otomo Stitching frozen in time forever.