Chapter 21 — “The Pleasure is Mine”

Chapter 21 — “The Pleasure is Mine”

It was as if Lemon just awoken from a long, restful night. He opens his eyes, feeling refreshed. His neck feels a little bit stiff when he raises his head. He found himself seated on the ground, on a fancy lobby. On his right, the ‘Sera-Domini-Princi Containment Foundation’ made of stone blocks sticked to the wall. As he regained his soul slowly, the memories pieces of the recent incidents fills his mind. In a blink of an eye, he widen his eyes, and pushes himself up.

He scans the lobby he has entered countless time. It was quiet. The receptionist desk which always occupied with workers are empty as a tomb. The chilly night becomes even more colder as Lemon searches the area. A fire door, that he never even realised was there appeared before his eyes, next to the grand exit. Without second thought, he rushes to the door, ready to kick it open —

“I wouldn’t, if I were you.” Lemon’s prances has been halted. His shirt being grabbed, and before he knows it, his whole body was thrown to the ground. Grunting, he found himself in the middle of the exit gate — opening to the vast world as Lemon’s body triggered its sensor. Within the moonlight, Lemon finds the man whom he trusted. He quickly pounces, and throws a punch toward that man face. As if it was nothing, Bitter evades it. Within the same move, Bitter grabbed Lemon’s back, and deliver a hard knee strike to Lemon’s stomach. Lemon can feel his unrecovered body’s screaming in pain, as he fell to the ground again.

Fighting against all the stings — Lemon pushes himself again, regaining his balance. He notices smoke comes from Bitter hands. A single lit cigarette hangs between his index and middle finger.

“Give it up, will you? It’s over —” Bitter pulls the cigarette closer to his mouth, and puffs it upwards. “— You’re free.”

Lemon launches himself at Bitter’s torso, who stand firm on his ground — unmoving from the force. Lemon tries to push him again and again, to no avail. At the end of his fruitless assault, Lemon yanks Bitter’s old collar.

“You betrayed us —!” Lemon yelped, “I trusted you, and you betrayed us — betrayed Lime!”

“No shit,” Bitter smokes another without any concern, “What did you think just happened?”

“You scum —! Lime trusted you!” Lemon’s delivering another punch to Bitter’s face. In the same instant, Bitter held Lemon’s hand that’s still on his collar — pushes it down as he dodges his punch. As he repositioned himself, he kicks Lemon in the stomach — throwing him outside the precinct.

“You should be grateful you’re still alive. Your value has plummeted ever since Lime’s skyrocketed. I have no use of you anymore. You’re fired. Without severance package.”

With inferno burning in his stomach, Lemon struggles to stand up, glaring at Bitter nonchalant behaviour.

“…Don’t look at me like that. Here —” Bitter grabbed something from his coat’s pocket, and throw it to the ground. It was a thin envelope. The envelope he just saw moments ago.

“Go far away like you’ve planned. Build a new life. Maybe go to a university or something. Study hard so you can be good in your career. And someday, maybe you’ll be successful in life.”

Lemon stamps his feet on the ground, tainting the already thin envelope with dirt beneath his shoes.

“You think you’ll get away with this? Give Lime back!”

“Oh please, don’t be such a child. You’re in your twenty already. At least take some accountability in your life.” Bitter huffs a longer one from his cigarette, before flicking it to the ground, “You’re weak. Not only in terms of strength, but willpower. I know you are reconsidering your option after seeing Lime’s new power. I know your heart falter after being confronted by Katsuo. Even with all your ‘acting tough’ play, I know what you are — a coward.”

Bitter stamps his feet, crushing the cigarettes embers in response, “Now, you’ve given a second chance. Grow up. Take responsibility. Or be haunted with your past mistakes for the rest of your life.”

Bitter kicks dirts along with what remains of the cigarettes to Lemon’s face, whom blocks it with his risen arms. Lemon tried to retort, but no words came out from his mouth. His eyes getting hot, knowing he has lost it all — the argument, the daily life, and Lime.

“…Think harder to my final advice here, and back when we’re still in the office. Maybe you’ll find the rest of your answer.”

Bitter scoffed, entering the building again with his hands in his pockets, leaving Lemon — grasping his fist tight in his powerlessness. Lemon’s knees giving up, as he falls to the ground — a sob escapes from his mouth.

From the distant darkness, a figure awaited Bitter next to lift. The button he pressed revealed part of his face.

“You should’ve just wait up there, Todachi.”

“And how do you think you’ll go up without my access card?” Todachi gruntled, “You sure being harsh for your farewell,”

“Not your problem. Just get me up there quick,” Bitter takes his lighter and a box of cigarette out. He knock on the box, pushing another stick of cigarette. The lift opened, and they enter the small box. Now, Lemon truly is left alone in the bask of moonlight

“Thought you stopped a while ago.” Todachi said, as the subtle sound of lift’s machinery fills the box.

“Yeah. Thought I should’ve have some nicotine in my system to relieve me some stress. And thought I missed it.” Bitter put one up in his mouth.

“Did you, then?”

“…Probably,” Bitter sparks the lighter, as fire formed on the tip of it.

“I see…” Todachi reaches for the lighter, “No smoking indoor, though”

“Did you really just wait until the very last moment?” Bitter grunted.

“Yeah, I did.”

“Now I remember why I left you, Todachi. You’re such a nuisance,”

“No, I left you, Bitter. You’re the nuisance.”

The lift opens, and the howls of wind enter the what should be an enclosed space. That is, until three days ago. The both of them walks out the box, as the view of Tokyo city has never been as immersive. If not for the yellow police line, level 37 of SCF headquarter could be open for tourist attraction. The wind blows, and the moonlight soaks in the building in shambles.

At the middle, Lime’s tied with her hands at the back. She’s as silent as the night, ‘admiring’ the scenery with Katsuo. Armed gunmen encircled the both of them, with their weapons aimed at the candidate. Katsuo holds some kind of a tablet on his hands, pulsating a rhythm out of it.

“I assumed dear Lemon rejected your invitation again?” Katsuo glanced toward the two individuals approaching him.

“Yamamoto-sama” Bitter gave him a bow, “I’m sorry if my ex-employee has failed to meet your expectation,”

“That’s fine. People come and go, people stab and sabotage. It’s unfortunate, but that’s how it is to be a leader.” Katsuo smiles, turning his body toward Bitter, “Moreover, I’m delighted for you to join us tonight, Bitter-san”

Bitter puts his hand on his chest, giving a light bow again as he raise his lips — imitating Katsuo’s expression, —