Chapter 0

Father’s life depends on this week’s pay.

 The thought was not surprising, just profound and unchanging, steroids were graded according to the amount of time they’d last, however Yasuke had been in the rat race for the past five years, at the age of 16 he should be finding someone to apprentice or looking for something better to do with his life, yet Yasuke found himself doing odd jobs, he was a labourer on the fields during the spring and summer and early autumn and he helped out with odd jobs during late autumn and winter. He had somehow managed to keep the family going till now but he knew that if he faltered once he wouldn’t be able to keep the family going, the highest grade of steroids he could buy while having enough money to run the family through the week were the weekly ones and—

This is way more than my pay

   Yasuke was left thinking, was this an accident? It didn’t seem like it. Mr Hoshina was the kind of person who would give a bonus but not one this large, Yasuke took a look into the bag, he estimated that what was there was about 5 times his pay, no employer was that kind.

“Yasuke-kun, looking for another job?”   “Hoshina-san, I’m grateful but this is far more than my pay” Yasuke said.  

Tch, I should have known it was a bonus.

Yasuke looked up, the sun was setting, his faced changed to worry as he started running, the steroid market would soon close and the last pack of steroids he bought would expire tonight.

I’ll get a monthly package this time.

Yasuke had already laid up plans.

The money I got as pay today would purchase a monthly grade steroid, and I’d still have enough to run the house for four weeks, so I’ll be able to save the money I would get during that time, because its considered as bulk a monthly steroid isn’t as expensive as four weekly ones meaning by the third week I’d have enough for a monthly steroid, three weeks of food and a little extra, I can’t buy food for too far in the future but I can stockpile the money and maybe one day I’ll be able to purchase a yearly package for father, I’ll work hard through that year as well to ensure I’ll be on the profit side by the end of the year.

Yasuke smiled.

At this rate I’ll be rich by forty-five or so.

He kept running.

 I need to tell Kaneki.

He finally got to the steroid market, some people had already closed, some were closing, some were still wide open, Yasuke finally found Kaneki locking up his shop.“Kaneki” he called.Kaneki turned to see him, Kaneki was the same age with Yasuke, but he had white hair and blue eyes, in contrast to yasuke’s black hair and brown eyes, he was also a steroid marketer and a very successful one at that, these qualities made him quite popular with the girls, he was also Yasuke’s best friend. They had both been trained by single parents, Yasuke had never seen Kaneki’s dad, Kaneki stayed with his mother, in contrast with Yasuke who only had his father. 

“What’s up idiot?” Kaneki said “you nearly missed me”.

“I’ve found a way” Yasuke said, clearly out of breath from running “I’ve found a way to be rich at forty-five”.

“Hmm. Wouldn’t you be too old then”.

“That’s seriously the first thing you say”.

“I kept your usual” Kaneki said.

“About that, I’ll be getting a monthly today” Yasuke said.

Kaneki turned 

“now that’s a surprise”.

“I told you I’d be rich by forty-five”.

“That still sounds too far into the future”.

“Just get it done”. 

“That’s going to be a problem” Kaneki said “I’m already sold out”.

“You can’t be serious, was business that good?” Yasuke asked.

“Well I am Kaneki Hogi so yeah business was good, the only reason your weekly is even here is because I remembered that you’d come for it” Kaneki said releasing a sigh “The problem now is that most other stores are closing if not already closed, it will be hard to find someone who’s open and has a monthly for sale” he turned to Yasuke “I’d like to say you should just go with the weekly, but I’m sure that would ruin your plans to get rich by forty-five" he smiled "so were going to find a way”.Kaneki took the weekly pack back into his shop and started walking to another shop where there seemed to be a number of people he turned to signal Yasuke to come. The two of them walked into the shop, it seemed that whoever had it also used it as a bar at night, the duo made their way to the counter where a guy Yasuke estimated to be in his twenties sat.

Is he the boss? Yasuke found himself thinking.“Ayanakoji-kun, I’ve got a deal for you” Kaneki said.

He is.

“What do you want, Hogi?” Ayanakoji asked.

“Well it has to do with my friend over here” Kaneki said “he needs a monthly steroid package but I’m all out of them so I brought him here”

“And why was I your first choice?” Ayanakoji asked “There are still quite a few shops that are still open between mine and yours”.Yasuke was wondering the same thing, it was as if every other person was also listening.

“Oh, that’s cause I knew you’d have one, it’s not like you’d make any sales anyways” Kaneki said.There was laughter from the crowd after he said that. Yasuke moved closer to Kaneki.

“Kaneki we came here to buy steroids”

“Yeah”

“So why the hell are you trying to piss him off?”

 “Just watch”.

Yasuke had lost hope.

There’s no way in…

“I’ll sell it…”

 It actually worked…  

“For two-fifty” Ayanakoji said.

Of course there’s a catch. 

“Ayanakoji-kun, that’s too much, two-fifty could get you two monthly steroids and give you enough for a week’s living expense” Kaneki said.

“Take it or leave it Hogi” Ayanakoji said “I’ve got a business to run”

“Ayanakogi-kun, don’t you think you should take the offer” Kaneki had gone into business man mode “It’s going to help you quite a lot, take your reputation for example”

“What’s going to change about it” Ayanakogi asked

“Oh that’s quite simple”

He’s about to say something stupid. Yasuke realised.

“You’re going to go from being the worst steroid marketer…” Kaneki said.

That’s actually quite sensible…

“To being the guy who helped out the best steroid marketer”.

Silence 

 Ayanakoji’s stare could bore holes through steel.

There’s the stupidity we’ve been missing.

"Hogi, I'll say it once" Ayanakoji said "take your friend and get off my property".

"Okay Ayanakoji-kun" Kaneki said, raising his hands in defeat, he walked down a bit, then...

"Let's go Yasuke. Oh! One more thing" he stopped in his tracks.

"Ayanakogi-kun don't be rude to customers".

Kaneki turned to him. 

"It’s the reason you don't have any".

Ayanakoji had had enough, he started walking to Kaneki, he pushed Yasuke who was in his way into a table, he had his fist in the air__

"Ayanakoji".

He stopped dead in his tracks, a middle aged man stood up.

"Problems with a fellow marketer are one thing" the man picked up Yasuke. "However the council frowns at any form violence to any customer".

"It's none of your business old man" 

"When it gets reported to the council it will be" the man said "when it gets to the council I'll testify what happened and you'll be thrown out of this shop".

He gestured to Yasuke.

 "It’s in your best interest to help the boys out".

The silence felt like you could touch it.

"I'll sell it".

Yasuke felt relief wash over him, few minutes later and steroid in hand Yasuke and Kaneki were walking out of the shop, a man beckoned Kaneki 

"If you still have the weekly, I'll buy it" he said quietly.

 "Sure thing" Kaneki responded "come over to my shop and get it". The man turned to meet Ayanakogi's stare.

  As Yasuke and Kaneki talked and headed back, they heard a thud, the man had been thrown out.  They got back to Kaneki’s shop and Yasuke helped take inventory while Kaneki checked if the back door was locked."Kaneki you'll need to get some..." Yasuke was saying when he heard a knock, again he heard it, this time louder he was about to open when Kaneki stopped him."No" Kaneki said "It’s Ayanakoji and some men" he sighed and looked at the door, the knocks had become bangs.

Yasuke realised.

It's trouble.