Not A Reunion

Taking Wang Xianshi's words to heart, I decided to lay low for the time being. I couldn't return to Takeshi and his crew empty-handed, as Kazuya said; I would either be punished or killed for losing such a large sum of money. I couldn't stay in Otomo Stitching either, since I had gone and made quite the violent scene earlier when I arrived. I was surprised the police hadn't already arrived while Xianshi and I were talking; or maybe they had and the woman downstairs, Xianshi's wife, had talked them out of conducting a search. With that in mind, I headed back toward the center of Akihabara, finding the man whose phone I had stolen earlier and slipping it back into his pocket before he noticed my presence.

* * *

I shacked myself inside Café Neko Neko Nya for over three hours, ordering the cheapest drink I could while the cute maid girls wiped the blood from my cheeks and offered me sympathy. When I told them that I only wanted one melon soda, they simply shook their heads and gave me free refills; more than likely due to my current state, having been beaten up and disheveled.

It was around five in the afternoon when I received a phone call from an unknown number. Thanks to Café Neko Neko Nya, I was able to fully charge my cellphone, which had been blowing up with messages from Kazuya, but I decided to ignore them. It was only when I received the call from the unknown number that I answered, feeling relief when the man on the other end called me, "Princess."

"Xianshi? You kept your promise..."
I smiled tiredly, paying the maid girls all the money in my pockets before stepping outside as not to disturb the customers with my voice.

"I'm a man of my word. I've gotten my wife on a plane to America, with my baby boy, Kai, nestled in her arms. They should have more than enough money to get by without me... I just wish I could see Kai grow up into a strong, young man."
Xianshi sighed,
"Ah... that was hard."

"I understand. Having grown up without parents, I know what it's like to not experience the warmth of a father's love. I'm sure when he grows up, he'll be left with lots of unanswered questions and anger."
I sighed as well, letting my back slide down the smooth surface of a building.

"Spare me the lecture, Princess. I get it; I'm a bad father. Now, where can I meet up with you? I'll accompany you back to the Bara-gumi and vouch for your safety. Hell, I'll even tell them what a good job you did trying to stop me, just so that Kazuya gives you your credit where it's due."

"I'm still in Akihabara. Somewhere called Chuo Dori, I think?"
I looked around, reading the first street name I could find.

"Yeah, I know where you are. I'll be there in about half an hour, so just stay put."
Xianshi hung up abruptly, and I decided not to move a single muscle until he came. I popped my earbuds into my ears and pressed play on one of the many albums Kazuya introduced me to a while back, savoring the sweet distortion as my long day began its descent into night.

* * *

When Xianshi arrived at my current location, he handed me a bike helmet that had been a size too big for my small head.

"What's this for?"
I asked with a tilt of my head.

"We're taking my motorbike back to your headquarters. If you think I'm letting you get on public transportation with me, with your face looking as beaten as it is, you must be begging for confrontation."
He fastened the strap around my chin before I could argue.

"I've never ridden a motorbike before. Isn't it dangerous?"
I followed Xianshi back to Otomo Stitching, watching him unveil a pristine Suzuki electric bike, its sleek forest-colored paint reflecting the setting sun.

"Not really. Just hold on tight and you'll be fine."
Xianshi sat on the seat, revving the engine before allowing me to hop on behind him. As instructed, I wrapped my slender arms around his waist, clinging to him and letting my head rest against his large back. We traversed the streets of Tokyo in record time, speeding and weaving through traffic with practiced ease. With the wind whipping through my hair, accompanied by the sight of neon lights morphing and trailing past my eyes, I had never felt such an exhilarating feeling. If not for having been exhausted, maybe I would've even let out an excited "Whoop!"
But I refrained, taking my time to enjoy the feeling of the engine vibrating beneath me.

We arrived at Ninagawa Charlotte's office in the heart of Arakawa-ku shortly after six in the afternoon. I was surprised to see Xianshi waltz inside like he owned the place. The secretary didn't even bat an eye nor ask him the reason for his visit, like she had for me in the past. We rode the elevator toward the top floor, and I could sense the malice emitting from his cold, narrowed eyes as the chime of doom sealed his upcoming fate.

We stepped into her office, and I was immediately greeted by the sight of Takeshi, sitting on his knees before Ninagawa Charlotte, who was cross-legged smoking her kiseru pipe.

"You! Do you even understand how much trouble you're in, loser dog?!"
Takeshi screamed at me, rising to his feet and storming over to me with clenched fists.

I immediately cowered, gripping Xianshi's trench coat and hiding behind it like a lifeline. Xianshi wrapped one arm around me, putting distance between himself and the approaching Takeshi.

"Don't touch her, Takeshi! She has nothing to do with what happened today!"
He retaliated with a shout of his own, which seemed to halt Takeshi's movements.

"Wang fucking Xianshi. The worst of the worst, defending a nobody like Umeda Mika. Is it because you feel bad for what happened to her mother that you-"
Takeshi was cut off immediately.

"Shut up! You have no right to mention Sora at a time like this! I'm the one who stole your money, and Princess Mika was brave enough to try and take it back! Whatever you plan to do to her, you'll have to get through me first!"
Xianshi spoke with venom in his voice.

There it is again... The Bara-gumi was mentioning this girl named Sora. And my mother?! Don't tell me that this Sora woman is somehow... my mother?! That makes no sense! How could the Bara-gumi know my mother?! She died thirteen years ago! Wait... thirteen years? Didn't Xianshi say the Bara-gumi was founded thirteen years ago?! No, there's absolutely no way! I refuse to believe my mother was involved in the Bara-gumi's crimes! That's simply way too convenient! They must have me confused for someone else.

I looked up at the woman who had been sitting all too silently in her leather-padded throne, Ninagawa Charlotte. She was wearing an amused smirk on her face, still puffing elegantly on her pipe while Takeshi and Xianshi argued.

"You think because you're all buddy-buddy with my boss that I'll just turn a blind eye to stealing half a billion yen?! Get real, Chinaman! Things don't work that simply in our country!"
Takeshi reached into his breast pocket, pulling out a pistol and resting it at his hip; his finger hovering over the trigger.

"That's enough, Takeshi. Xianshi may be in the wrong, but I won't allow you to splatter his brains until I hear him out. It's as you say, we go back quite a long time, but if you harm him, I'll see to it that you're executed by my hand."
Charlotte growled, finally standing from her chair to speak to Xianshi at eye level.

"Yes, boss!"
Like a sleeper agent, Takeshi immediately holstered his weapon and bowed, stepping back and giving me an unwelcoming side-eye.

"It's been a couple of years, old friend. Don't think I haven't been keeping an eye on you from the shadows."
Charlotte approached Xianshi with a smile, circling him as she admired his physique.
"Your debt of over two billion yen has been on my radar for quite some time. If not for your early contributions to my gang, I wouldn't have ever let you obtain such a large tab. By the way, I see you've met my puppy."

"Puppy? Are you referring to Princess Mika in such a vulgar way?"
Xianshi gently pushed me aside, now fully engaged in conversation with Charlotte.

"She's a princess, is she? Hardly. This mutt has caused me more trouble in just one month than anyone ever has before. She's a nuisance, but Kazuya swears up and down that she's one of the best loan sharks he's seen in ages. I'm at a bit of a crossroads with her."

"I can assure you, she's definitely a princess. She's a beautiful princess in full bloom; the spitting image of rebellious youth. If you see her as nothing more than a canine, then I truly feel sorry for you. Princess Mika is a perfect punk!"
Xianshi said those words positively, despite some folks perception that it could be taken as an insult.

It made me a little flustered.

"A perfect punk, you say? Yes, that's a fitting title, but to someone like me, her Oyabun, that's not necessarily a good thing. While I do reminisce about the punk spirit of my own youth, seeing firsthand how much of an annoyance it is, I can't help but be filled with anger. Perhaps I've grown into the exact kind of adult I used to despise. I have duties now, Xianshi, and I won't allow a punk princess to ruin that."

"I'm not asking that you like her, Charlotte. I'm asking you to spare her. You promised that Harumi would be the last child you would drag into this, yet here we are with Umeda Mika, a much younger girl than Harumi was when you forced her into this life. Since it's too late for you to disown her, I'm asking that you ensure today's punishment doesn't involve her, but me instead."
Xianshi finished his sentence with a slight bow of his head.

"What's this you say, Xianshi? You're speaking as if I was planning to punish her at all. Not only that, but you're speaking to me like a Kobun. Is this your way of finally relinquishing yourself to the Bara-gumi? Surely not. I've tried convincing you for thirteen years to join me, and all it took was a pathetic dog to protect to coerce you? You're either incredibly stupid or incredibly brave."
Charlotte's smirk twisted a bit grotesquely.

"That's the gist of it,"
Xianshi said.
"I'm hereby joining the Bara-gumi to pay off my debt... and to protect my princess. I won't allow another Umeda to be put in harm's way by your hand. Not ever again!"

Charlotte hummed softly,
"Hm?"
and extended her hand outward to grip Xianshi's.
"Say less, old friend. You belong to me now, and there's no take backs. Do your best to serve and protect your precious princess, but don't you dare forget who owns you now. I'll see to it that you finally don our signature rose-patterned suit."

Despite their conversation having ended, I was left with more questions than answers. I could feel my pulse exploding in my veins, and I wanted desperately to shout out with all my might.

Did Xianshi just say "another Umeda?!" What does that mean?! Was I right in thinking that this Sora girl was my mother after all?! No fucking way that's true! If it is, that means the Bara-gumi were the ones responsible for that gruesome crime scene that left my mother dead! My mentor, Sato-san, had explained that scene in such grave detail that it was engraved in my memory without having ever seen it! If they were responsible for my mother's death, I would have no choice but to kill Ninagawa Charlotte right here and now!

I began to hyperventilate at the thought alone. I could picture my faceless mother's dead body, drenched in a pool of her own blood as she tried to protect me. If the story that Sato-san told me was completely true, then these yakuza members had really been the ones who caused my life to spiral into hell.

Why did I allow Xianshi to pull me away from Charlotte's office? I'm not entirely sure. But I'm certain if I stayed even a second longer, I wouldn't be alive by now. I would have done something so drastic that Charlotte would have had no choice but to kill me on the spot. This was all purely speculation based on the few things I had heard. Until I had the facts straight, it would be better if I continued playing along as an aloof dog. Obtaining information about Sora would be my first official step toward my new goal. I knew it wouldn't be easy to ask, but I needed Xianshi to be completely honest with me, even if my speculation turned out to be the least favorable outcome.