Ryo finally came. He sat down in front of me and grabbed the cigarette on the table and lit it up. He looked at me without saying anything.
"Erii and I broke up this evening."
Ryo is shocked that the ashes from the cigarette fall into his jeans.
"What happened?"
I told him what happened today and he couldn't react since it shocked him deeply. I told him that Erii was devastated and cried. Ryo jolted from his chair and grabbed my shirt. When he was about to punch me, I grabbed his hand and he saw my knuckles are swollen and some of them even still have a trace of blood. He removed his hand from my shirt and sat down and calmed down.
"It's not just her that's hurting, Ryo."
Ryo grabs another cigarette and lights it up.
"If you asked me which side I will be on, I will definitely choose Erii's side."
I nod and raise my eyebrows.
"I know, and I want you to do that."
I stand up and look at the convenience store's logo on top of the building.
"Stay by her side. Cheer her up and make her happy. If can, just ignore me from now on and show her that you're really on her side."
Ryo nods.
"If that's what you want. Then I will do that."
I'm showing my empty smile to Ryo.
"Thanks..."
Ryo is humming with understanding. He stands up and stands beside me and gives me a cigarette.
"What are you going to do?"
I grab the cigarette from his hand and he lights it up for me.
"I don't know... I think I'm going to do something stupid and start to make a move with Ren towards the Sakurai clan. If they're threatening me by using you or Erii, I'll beat them up. So please protect her."
Ryo chuckles.
"You think you can handle those people? They're not the same as us bunch of highschooler. Who knows nothing but pretending to be tough."
I raise my eyebrows and shrug.
"Maybe you're right, but you would do the same if Erii gets involved, right?"
Ryo nods with an agreement.
"Yeah, you right. She's precious to both of us."
I'm humming with an agreement. Then I pat his shoulder and look at him.
"Thanks for coming. I'll have to go home now. Aunt Lisa might be worried about me."
Ryo nods.
"Yeah, well then. I'll see you on Monday and start to ignore you."
I nodded and then we both left.
I'm home and aunt Lisa is crossing her arms while staring at me from the living room.
"Where have you been?"
I scratch my head.
"I went to the gym and then stopped by at the convenience store to smoke and bought these snacks."
Aunt Lisa sits on the couch.
"Come here. I heard about what happened to both of you from Erii."
I'm surprised. I approach her and sit beside her.
"She came here?"
Aunt Lisa nods.
"Yes, with her swollen eyes. I comforted her and she was crying for almost an hour. Thanks to my daughter's cuteness, Erii stopped crying and played with her until they both fell asleep."
I stand up and pointing at aunt Lisa's bedroom.
"Wait, she's still here?"
Aunt Lisa nods. She sighs and rests her arms on her waist.
"Do you want to see her?"
I shake my head.
"No, I want to go to bed. I'm exhausted."
I went to my bedroom while aunt Lisa watches me walked upstairs.
I woke up early in the morning and everyone is still asleep. I left the house for a jog. Then I stopped by the convenience store to buy onigiri to fill my stomach. I grabbed my phone and messaged Ritsu. I asked her for Ren's contact and she gave it to me immediately.
I exhale deeply and call Ren. Then he answers.
"Is there something you need, Norl-Kun?"
I'm humming with an agreement.
"Yeah, can I see you today? I think I want to do this now."
Ren is humming with understanding.
"Okay. go to this address in two hours because I also have something to show you."
Ren hangs up the phone and I'm on my way home.
"I'm home."
I look up and I see Erii with aunt Lisa are having breakfast together. I look at Erii and smile for a split second and then go upstairs. I don't know what is her expression when I walk past her. But I hope that she's doing fine.
I wash my face and change my clothes. I go downstairs and Erii and aunt Lisa is still there in the living room. Aunt Lisa furrows her forehead while looking at me.
"You're leaving again?"
I nod.
"Yeah, I'm planning to meet a friend. I have some business to take care of."
I look at Erii and she shows her worried expression since she knows with whom I'm going to meet. Aunt Lisa is tilting her head.
"Are you going to be home late again?"
I shake my head.
"I'm not sure. I might be staying at my friend's house."
I'm on my way out of my house. Aunt Lisa stands up.
"Hey, where are you going? Aze!"
Erii is standing next to aunt Lisa and holds her hand.
I'm on my way to the address that Ren told me this morning. I know where it is and what kind of place is that. It's mostly a place where adults are spending their night at. Love hotels, karaokes, and hostess clubs. I heard that it's a place where Yakuza spent most of their time there. Either getting some extra cash by blackmailing those people or just straight beat them up and take their wallets. But it's still 10 a.m. so it's pretty much empty at this hour.
I'm arrived at the alley and waiting for Ren. I grab my phone and messaged him.
"I'm here."
Ren replies.
"I'll be there in a few minutes."
I put my phone in my pocket and light my cigarette. Then a guy who looks like a thug approaches me.
"Hey kid, can I have a cigarette?"
I shrug and offer him my cigarette, He grabs it and I give him the lighter. He lights up the cigarette.
"Thanks, kid."
He's enjoying the cigarette and I'm looking at him from top to bottom. He looks so messy. His light brown hair is messy and his shirt is full of stain and the sleeves are ripped. He's rubbing his right ribs and groans quietly. I believe he just woke up after a rough night.
"Rough night?"
He chuckles and smirks while nodding.
"Yeah, you can say that."
He looks at me and raises his eyebrow.
"By the way, what are you doing here, kid? I believe you're not supposed to hang out in this kind of place."
I shrug.
"I'm going to meet a friend here."
He's curious and when he's about to say something, a couple of thugs approach us. He clicks his tongue.
"Fucking hell. Can I just have a peaceful time for once..."
He drops his cigarette and steps on it. Then he approaches those guys and starts fighting. one versus six.
He punched one of the guys and knocked him out instantly. The rest of them ganked him up and punched him mercilessly. He endured all that punches and kicks and freed himself out from them. He tackled one of the guys and slammed his head to the ground.
One of the guys pulls a knife from his pants and about to stabs him on the back. I run and immediately hook his face from behind. He turns around and shows his knife.
"You made a bad decision, boy."
I shrug and smirk mockingly. He runs towards me and slashes the air since I dodge him. I grab his arm and slam him to the ground. I grab the knife from his hand and throw it away. I clench my fist with all my might and punch his face over and over. Cracking sounds are coming from his face. I break his nose and some of his teeth just fell off. I punch him one last time and the back of his head hit the ground so hard.
I look back and the rest of them are still ganking up on him. I stand up and pull one of them and headbutt his forehead. He collapses and before he hits the ground, I pull his shirt and grab his head then slam it to the ground. I immediately run toward the rest of them and fly-kick one of the guys on the chest. Without letting him recover I run toward him and kick him again, but he grabs my leg and pulls me. Before I lose my balance. I use my other leg to kick him on the face. We both fall to the ground. When I'm about to stand up, he pulls my leg and jumps on top of me. He throws his punches and I block them with my arms. He's not stopping and it's pissing me off. I'm not blocking his punches anymore and just dodge his punches while looking for an opening. Then I punch him on the nose and push him off of my body. I stand up and clench my fists.
"So annoying."
I look at the light brown hair guy and he's still busy with the last guy. Then I'm approaching the thug and knock him out with my tornado roundhouse kick him on the jaw. He hits his face to the ground so hard. The light brown hair guy screams.
"Look out! Behind you!"
The guy with the knife is about to stab me on the back but then...
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Three gunshots hit the guy with a knife from the back. He fell on his knees and I saw Ren is holding a gun with a cloud of smoke coming out from the barrel with a blank expression. He gave the gun to one of his underlings.
"Who are these people?"
One of his underlings' replies.
"They're just the local thugs."
Ren nods and is pointing at the guy who just got shot.
"Finish him off, and do the rest."
The underling who's holding Ren's pistol approaches the guy and pointing the gun on the back of his head then shot him without hesitation. In just a split second, I can see a hole in the guy's forehead. I fall on my butt and my hands are trembling. This is the first time I hear a gunshot and someone gets killed by a bullet in the head.