"What the hell do you mean our sales are tanking?!?!?"
"Sir… our sales are 80% below projected values..."
"Anyone can see that, you moron. I'm asking you why!"
The man in question—Kichirou, just stood there with a troubled face. He could not answer, or rather, there was no proper answer.
Every aspect of this project was carefully calculated, from market evaluation to trial sales. From a varied sample, everything indicated that the product would be a financial success—even the early public reviews were very positive.
But of course, those facts were inconsequential to his superior—who saw only two things, a catastrophic failure and the dud who was responsible.
This was bad. His favorable standing with his boss was collapsing, and if he couldn't salvage the situation, the outcome would be calamitous.
"Sir, we just need to push for a stronger marketing campaign. Even with our limited sales, over 90% of our current customers have given overwhelmingly positive reviews. So if we can just…"
"That's enough out of you," his superior interjected, spinning his chair around to face the window as he continued: "We have a very tight budget, so with such weak sales, do you have any idea how difficult it would be for me to secure more marketing funds? I really expected better from you, what a shame. You're fired."
"Wait, sir please hold on a moment!"
"It's already too late, Shiro." It was a woman's voice, a familiar one at that. But before he could even begin to grasp the situation, the chair spun back.
"Mi….ku?!?! I…"
"It's too late... goodbye."
"Wait!!" Kichirou yelled, but no one was there, in front of him was nothing but a blank wall. It was just a dream, nothing more.
"Miku…" he muttered, as mawkish thoughts invaded his mind.
"You don't know her! You don't know her!" He repeated to himself.
Just repeat the mantra and everything will be fine.
As his heartbeat slowed to a normal rate, Kichirou realized that he had left the television on.
"At least twelve dead and over twenty injured after yesterday's terror incident at Setagaya Park. Little is known about the reason for this attack, in which police are still investigating the scene. Prime minister Shinzō Abe is meeting with the president of the United States to discuss further counter-terrorism measures. The nation is expected to see an increase in police presence after this horrific incident."
Time goes by, but people remain the same. No matter how many years we try to mend our differences the spawn of terror is eternal, for as long as it is bound by human nature. Needless to say, the world is a messed up place. To be frank, some things are just immutable.
Sigh…
Kichirou reached for his phone to check the time. It read 2:14 PM, quite late. Waking up late was pretty much a habit now, but Kichirou was unemployed, so what did he care? He was practically a neet at this point. But today was different, he actually had somewhere to be, a meetup with old friends.
In any case, he needed to take a shower and freshen up. Today's the first time he'll see his friends in a while, so it was time for a change, looks make the man after all.
Kichirou got up and walked lazily to the front of his bathroom mirror. As he stared blankly, he saw only the silhouette of a dark and broken figure he barely recognized. His messy black hair shined brightly, reflecting the grease that had accumulated. A goatee was also taking shape. Though, since he never had the genes for facial hair, it made him look quite preposterous—as if he was some kind of washed-up homeless man. He couldn't help but think of what his friends would say if they ever saw him like this.
They would never let me live it down. They'd laugh at me the entire night, those assholes.
He took a quick shower, shaved, then changed into his usual clothing—a hoodie, and jeans.
On the way back to his room, Kichirou remembered something.
Hopeful, he walked to the kitchen and looked in the fridge for his favorite snack.
Seeing the empty fridge, he couldn't help but voice his displeasure: "Ugh."
So he came home last night, of course, he would eat the last of it.
Kichirou has a roommate, Bokujo, a buddy from college. In the past, he and Bokujo would go around Japan and visit many great food joints. But after college, Bokujo got a job at a gaming company, and since then he hasn't really been around.
He would usually come home in the odd hours of the night and leave at erroneous times as well, Kichirou barely ever saw him.
But even though they rarely saw each other, Bokujo would still annoy Kichirou endlessly by eating all the food that he had saved for himself. Kichirou couldn't complain though, Bokujo was paying half the rent after all, and with him barely being around it was as if Kichirou owned the place himself.
Considering all the facts it really wasn't that bad, he just couldn't keep food around the house is all.
Regardless, the meet up was going to be at a fancy restaurant, all he had to do was endure the hunger for a few moments longer. In fact, he had already taken the liberty to check out the restaurant's menu and planned out his dinner accordingly.
Toro, tempura don, takoyaki, okonomiyaki, just thinking about the dishes that awaited him made his mouth water. And the best part, his old friend Calbi said everything would be on him. Even an unemployed man who was barely scraping by could finally get one of those fancy dinners he reminisced over so much the past few months.
Still, given the fact that the meet up was at 6 pm, there was some time to kill. So what to do until then?
Kichirou sat down in front of his personal work desk, sinking into the comforts of his favorite gaming chair.
For anyone other than Kichirou, his workspace would be considered a total mess, with books and personal belongings scattered about. It was all there, atop his table, old and new alike. Yet he would be able to locate every single object with ease—if he so desired.
In the center of all of this was his most prized possession—his computer, the true beauty, spotless and clearly overpriced. The specs on this puppy would make any geek's heart flare with avarice. After all, he did sink his entire bonus last year just to buy it.
Looking back now, maybe it wasn't the smartest choice he had ever made.
He turned it on and started up a computer game, a first-person shooter called Underwatch. Its fast-paced gameplay and teamwork elements were enough to keep Kichirou's mind occupied. Underwatch, like many other Lizzard titles, has been his favorite ever since the days of Gorpcraft III—a game Kichirou considers to be the highlight of his childhood.
Video games were something he always turned to. It could keep him busy for hours on end. Whenever he got into a new game, it would be extremely difficult for him to stop. Perhaps it was the fantasy realm that they created that drew him in, a world where he wasn't just a troubled soul looking for an escape—a place where he felt a sense of purpose and belonging.
Today is the day, I'm gonna kick some ass and finally reach diamond rank...
Kichirou isn't the best player by any stretch of the imagination, but compared to the average player he was still quite good.
Today, however, something just felt off. His aim was much worse than usual, and it was oddly notable. The shots he would always hit reliably turned into embarrassing whiffs. Frustration built up rampantly and was reflected upon each and every death. A combination of grunts and shouts followed with his fists slamming onto the table.
The very foundations of his desk shook with every intensifying blow, it didn't take long for the pile of books and other miscellaneous items on his desk to topple over.
Kichirou took several deep breaths and continued, trying his best to untilt. But there was still a sense of irritation nudging at his concentration. Come to think of it, something has been aggravating him ever since he awoke.
No, he was fine, Kichirou reassured himself.
Surely after a few drinks, accompanied by some delicious food, he would be able to forget it all and return to his normal self.
Who was going to the meetup? Now that's an important question. Calbi did say that he invited "everyone". Even though Kichirou did get along with almost everyone, knowing who would show up would help him prepare mentally to meet with people he hasn't seen in almost two years.
Sigh…
I wanna see them but…
In the pit of his stomach, there was this unexplainable unsavory feeling about today.
Kichirou sighed deeply, yet again at the "defeated" screen.
It's just a meet up with old friends, nothing more. They're still the same idiots he had grown to know and miss over the years. Yea, that's right, he'll just ride that positive momentum and get his life back in order.
He was just worrying needlessly over nothing, there was no way he would ever see "her" again anyway...
It was already 5:30 pm, about time to get a move on if he wanted to be on time. Being punctual was something that Kichirou always maintained, though sadly, he could not say the same about his friends. They were the embodiments of tardiness. But despite that, Kichirou would still show up early each and every time, and that wasn't gonna change today.
Kichirou put on his leather jacket and began to head towards the door.
"Oh, I almost forgot you Kurosho." He carefully picked up a mini plush of a black cat wearing a red unicorn hoodie. Contrary to everything else in his home—aside from his computer—the plush's delicate little fibres were clean as a whistle.
With one last look at the comfort of his home, he shut it all behind him.
As Kichirou stepped out of the apartment building, a small flake of white caressed his skin with a sensualizing cold touch. A whirling white dream danced before him, he'd never seen anything quite like it, it made him feel alive.
He looked up at the darkening sky, illuminated by street lights. He couldn't help but notice a smile had snuck its way onto his face.
The night was still young and the streets were filled with life. There were families and couples all around him, snug in their warm winter jackets and scarves, with smiles on all their innocent faces.
Just what made them so damn happy? Was it perhaps their lack of understanding of this shambolic world? He couldn't help but think of the old saying: Ignorance is bliss...
Hmph, they do say that the dumber ones are always the happiest somehow.
The more he saw those happy faces, the more irritated he became. Were they simply mocking him for his ineptitude? He always thought that to be the case, no matter where he looked those smiles seemed to sneer at him with dismay.
The very thought was enough to anger him. Kichirou thought to himself, If only they could all disappear.
A cynical realist, who turned everything into a cold-hearted calculation. The warmth in his eyes would vanish as if it were never there to begin with.
Reality is but a cruel mistress, tempting the soul with the sweet nectar of success before rearing its ugly head. For without hope, despair alone is quite distasteful.
That was the truth he had accepted, so long ago.
But his anger dissipated as quickly as it gathered. As he cleared his dark thoughts, Kichirou noticed that the smile had faded from his face. Quickly putting a new one in its place, he took a look at his phone.
"Crap, it's already 5:45 pm, I better hurry."
*************************************************************************************************************
Oma, a contemporary and ultra-modern restaurant inspired by the new ultra modern craze like many of the new restaurants springing up all over the world.
The outside looked very plain, yet it had a look of sophistication and elegance with the simple use of contrasting colors—black and white.
The doors were made of heavy glass, with golden handles inscribed with the restaurant logo. The sign that hung above it was also made of glass, with inscriptions carved over a night sky accented by a crescent moon, giving the place an extra touch of elegance.
Kichirou stood nervously at the entrance, pacing back and forth. He pulled out his phone and checked the time. It was 5:52 pm.
There's still a few minutes, I guess I'll just wait out here a little longer.
Even after coming all the way out here, he was still hesitant. Kichirou was never the confident type. In fact, he would be considered type B, the passive type that goes with the flow and tends to avoid confrontations. Meeting with people he hasn't seen in almost two years was just outside of his comfort zone.
With each passing moment, his heart beat faster, like a boy's just before confessing to his crush.
I could just go home, it's not like I told anyone I would come.. Nononono I'm already here... I'm going to catch up with my friends. Come to think of it, would they even recognize me after all these years? Would I even recognize them?
Kichirou looked up at his reflection in the glass window.
Since he last saw them he's put on a few pounds and even got a different haircut. But still, with the same old face, even after two long years he hasn't changed much.
Sigh…
Time sure flew by after high school, it seemed only yesterday...
"Shiro!" a voice called out.
There were only a few people who would call him by that name, and with that voice, he knew exactly who it was, Furuya Toshihiro or Hiro for short, as his friends would call him.
As Kichirou turned to face his old friend, a smile grew on his face. The whole time he had hoped that someone he knew would show up, to calm his anxiety and go in together.
"It's been a while."
"It sure has."
Kichirou could barely recognize the man before him, what happened to the old chap that he once knew?
Furuya was always the athletic type, partaking in many sports clubs as well as kendo classes together with Kichirou during their school years. Back then, despite all the training and exercise Furuya always retained his thin frame, but now that thin frame was replaced by a fit and well-toned figure.
"You sure have changed, looks like you've really been hitting the gym. How've you been?"
"I've been great, just been working mostly. But you, you look like you haven't aged a single day since I last saw you. How've you been?"
"Not so good."
Kichirou sighed in defeat.
"I was in charge of a pretty important project, made some foolish decisions, and ended up with some less than desired results. A permanent vacation," Kichirou said with a smile.
There was no point in hiding anything from Furuya, he could always see through the lies regardless. Even behind all the smoke and mirrors, Furuya could read Kichirou like an open book.
"Remember what you always used to say?" Furuya said, wearing that same reassuring smile that Kichirou remembered so well.
"The sun will rise again, isn't that right Shiro?"
"Hah, I guess so."
Kichirou could only laugh it off. Those words brought back some bittersweet memories, those that are better off forgotten. But learning how to deal with and move past them remains to be a part of life.
"Feels different now though, doesn't it? Can't just go to sleep and wake up trouble free anymore…"
"It's all part of growing up, you'll find your own way sooner or later, we all do."
Of course, he would say something mature like an adult, he was always the more responsible one after all. He just had the personality that everyone could always rely on.
"Enough about me, what about you? Still working at the same place?"
"Oh no, I don't work there anymore, I quit and started my own game company a little while back actually."
"Your own company!?!?!?"
The courage to go for something so daring, that's why he was always the one ahead. With his future all planned out carefully and meticulously during his high school years, he got into his college of choice, and now even started his own company. All while Kichirou just winged it every step of the way.
"Yea, it's nothing special though, we're only creating small app games right now, nothing too crazy. We do have one bigger project that we're currently working on, but it still has a ways to go."
"Hoo, what's the bigger project?"
"It's still too far away to say, but it's going to be a story driven game. That's all I can say for now," Furuya said with a smile.
That's Hiro for you…
No matter what he could not best him. Whether it be sports, grades, or job status, Kichirou always ended up as the second fiddle. But he also knew that no one worked as hard as Furuya.
Back in high school, when they took kendo lessons together. Every time Kichirou would leave after his daily practice, Furuya would stay behind to continue. When Kichirou played video games during exam weeks, Furuya would study for the exams instead. So how could he be envious of a man's hard work and dedication? The difference between them only grew as time passed, and now it's manifested into a great chasm.
But the innocent and full-hearted smile Furuya wore always put out the flames of jealousy in his heart. No, the feeling wasn't jealousy, it was anger.
Needless to say, this in itself presented an excellent opportunity.
"Story driven game huh? Maybe I can apply for a job."
"Hah why not, we could most certainly utilize that crazy imagination of yours."
"Haha, for real though? Because I can actually use a job right now..."
Furuya reached into his pocket and pulled out a business card. "Yea, I don't see why not, here's our card, just show up at the office at 8:00 am on Monday and we'll take it from there."
Even though they had hardly any interactions in the past two years, Furuya words were spoken without even the slightest bit of hesitation. Pausing at the sentiment, Kichirou couldn't think of what to say.
"Thank you..." Kichirou whispered, as he reached out and took the business card.
"Don't worry about it."
There was no need for any more words, with one look they both understood each other well enough.
*Buzzzz*
"Hey, yea we're right outside. Haha, yea don't worry, we were just catching up, we'll be right there."
"Was that Calbi?"
"Yea, I guess we kept them waiting too long, let's go."
The two pushed past the heavy glass door and entered the lobby.
The interior gave the same ultra-modern and minimalist feel as the exterior suggested, keeping the same black and white color patterns. The floor consisted of uniform black and white lines over opposing color tiles that ran across the entire lobby. The walls were also separated into two styles, half was white, containing black accentuated paintings with an emphasis on the usage of white colors embedded within the darkness. The other half was black, with white paintings that underlined the different shades of black. The walls and floors alike created this sense of surrealism, making this space beyond the glass doors feel like another world entirely.
There wasn't much else in the lobby aside from a small waiting area and the front desk situated on the opposite end of the room. Yet, with just a simple use of contrasting colors, the room felt full to the eye. Whoever designed this must have been rather talented, it's no wonder this place was featured in the Hitosara magazine.
As they walked up to the front desk, they saw just one hostess. She appeared to be in her twenties, with long black hair and glasses. Her uniform had small amounts of white that danced within the deep ebony. Even the employees' uniforms were sharp to the eye—just another piece of this world.
The hostess welcomed the pair with a bright smile: "Good evening, welcome to Oma, how can I help you?"
Seeing how Kichirou wasn't making any attempts to reply, Furuya couldn't help but smile as he spoke to the hostess: "Good evening, we are with the Calbi party, I believe they are already seated."
"Oh yes Mr.Calbi's party, please follow me this way."
She led them to a very dark doorway and continued forwards, the use of black and white was consistent in these halls, but there was something distinctly different here.
Dimly lit lanterns were the only source of illumination, which made it hard to tell at first, but as they progressed down the dark hall it became apparent. The walls were entirely white, and so was the floor, with a single stream of black that flowed out of sight.
Led by a few dim lights in the distance, they passed several doors along the way, each of them presumably leading to a private party room. Surprisingly, the doors were also white, with each of them decorated by a single black symbol. Kichirou was only able to make out a few of them as he passed, a flower, maybe a butterfly, and some sort of a pillar. It was strange, that's for certain. But still, it was interestingly unique, unlike any restaurant Kichirou had ever seen.
But why were the doors white? Following the simplistic pattern so far, these doors should be black, so why weren't they?
The thought dwelled in his mind until Furuya interrupted: "Come on Shiro, you're falling behind."
"Huh?" Kichirou looked to Furuya and quickly rushed towards him.
"Oh sorry, I was a little lost in the decor."
"Ha yeah, you have an eye for these things don't cha? Funny thing is, I didn't think you'd come today."
"What do you mean by that?"
It's true that the last time he was invited he didn't show up, but it was because of work, not some arbitrary reason. So why wouldn't he be here this time? Given that it's Furuya, there must be a reason.
"Oh, no reason in particular, I just didn't think you had time is all," Furuya answered, dismissively.
What's he hiding? Did something happen that I should know about??
There's definitely something going on given Furuya's response. His eyes slowly shifted towards his friend, but Furuya turned his head ever so slightly as if sensing the intention.
"This place is pretty neat isn't it?"
Sigh.
"Yea this place is pretty unique."
Furuya clearly had no intention of revealing anything. There was no point in prying any further, the only result would be a massive headache.
Come to think of it, how big is this place? On the way here we passed at least a dozen rooms.
And this was just the private area, there's still another full dining room.
It was hard to tell in this dark hall, but the path created by the soft glow of the lanterns came to an end, signifying the end of the hall.
The hostess slowed down to a halt as a white wall with a single door appeared before them.
This door was a bit different than the rest, it was as black as a starless night, adorned with their signature white crescent moon.
This must be the VIP room.
Calbi must be rolling in cash to pay for something like this.
"It's this room here. If you guys need anything just press the service button."
"Thank you very much."
"You're welcome."
And with a parting smile, she turned towards the dark and empty halls.
"After you Shiro."
With one last sigh, Kichirou pushed the door, letting out a blinding light.
God this is stupid, why would you make the lights so bright if the halls are designed to be that dark?
Before his eyes could adjust, a familiar voice welcomed them.
"Well, what do you know, it's Shiro and Hiro."
Kichirou's eyes slowly adjusted as he took in all the familiar faces that sat around the table before them.
The old gang was back together.
There was Calbi Maher, who welcomed them in with his full head of curly orange hair and light blue eyes. He was half Irish, half Japanese. His mother was studying abroad in Japan and ended up marrying a Japanese man, giving Calbi quite the unique appearance. Back in high school, everyone used to call him spaghetti head, but he thrived in all that attention with his jovial and upbeat personality.
Recently, Kichirou heard that he had started to work at his parents firm, and was doing very well for himself, even buying his own apartment.
Next to Calbi were the Takahashi Twins, Akira and Aoi, the youngest two of the group.
The twins were both very good looking, with their light grey eyes, soft skin, and silky black hair. Akira used to tease Kichirou endlessly for the crush he had on Aoi. Those were the days, how close everyone was...
In fact, Kichirou was practically family. After the twins lost their mother halfway through their high school years, Kichirou spent a lot of his time helping out at their family ramen shop. Furuya as well, he and Kichirou would work alongside the father, while the twins worked in the front of the house. But after graduation, everyone went their own separate ways. Kichirou still visited the restaurant every once and a while, but after the twins left to manage the two new restaurants that were opened, he hadn't seen them since.
On the other side of the table sat Ryuta Nagata, with the same cocky smile Kichirou always remembered. He was very fit just like during high school, which wasn't surprising since he was the type that never stopped working out. In fact, he took pride in his well-built frame and had a tendency to show it off whenever he had the chance.
That was one thing about him that always bugged Kichirou, the "douchebag mentality", an obnoxious behavior that was quite distasteful. Though despite that front he puts up, he was an okay guy once people got to know him.
To Ryuta's side was the slim and delicate figure of Karin Fujima. She seemed to have changed her look quite a bit, but still, Kichirou recognized those familiar sharp eyes. Her hair was dyed bright red, a vibrant ember that would set many hearts ablaze.
A vibrant smile and lively personality matched her looks. She would be considered the type of girl that almost all guys would chase for. Even Kichirou had fancied her for a bit, though he never showed it anyways.
There was a time when they got along well, but everything changed after the incident. He hasn't spoken to her since, but just seeing her invoked a sense of hatred that he'd rather not like to think about.
There was one last person next to Karin, but who is that?
Kichirou knew the look, that smile and those eyes. But somehow his brain could not comprehend what he saw. He had to do a double take before it finally dawned on him.
This whole time he knew exactly who she was but he had simply refused to accept that reality.
It was Miku Tsuji.
That's impossible.
It had to be impossible, she moved to the United States two years ago for her new job, why would she be back here? Even if she did come back, someone surely would have told Kichirou. Yet there she was, sitting right before him.
The hand in his right pocket grasped so tightly onto Kurosho that it was as if he was holding on to dear life.
"What the hell is she doing here?" he whispered under his breath.
Kichirou froze, his heart pounded away as he struggled to make sense of the situation before him. His right hand trembled uncontrollably, so much so that he had to clench his hands tightly behind him to hide that very fact. Still, he couldn't just stand at the doorway, it would arouse too much attention, too much of her attention.
"What's going on guys?" said Furuya, as he casually strolled in. Kichirou, who couldn't let this opportunity slip by, followed closely behind Furuya, hoping that no one would notice his shaken demeanor.
There were just two seats left open, one next to Calbi and the other was next to her.
Oh God. Please... Please don't make me sit next to her.
And of course, as if everything was staged Hiro would take the seat next to Calbi, leaving the last seat next to Miku.
Son of a...
This must have been the reason why Furuya would ask that question earlier, he must have known that she would be here today.
Everyone else must have known about it too and kept him in the dark on purpose.
However, this was not the time for Kichirou to let that anger get the better of him. He had to remain calm and collected or else it would only make things worse off.
I just need to take a seat and calm down, this is nothing. Crap, I'm taking too long, everyone must be thinking that something is up.
Without any further delays, Kichirou sat down, suppressing the stress he felt from all his anxiety.
Poker face... Poker face... Or else it's only going to get worse.
With a quick surveillance of everyone here aside from Miku, it appeared that no one had picked up on his inner turmoil.
Good, let's keep it that way.
"Now that everyone's here, let's get things started. WOOOO!"
"Calm down Ryuta. We've already ordered for everyone, here's the menu if you guys want to add anything later on."
"Awe Calbi, don't be a stick in the mud, let's just have a good time. Here, guys, we got whiskey, I'll get you guys a glass."
He must be drunk already, seeing how he poured nearly just as much whiskey on the table as he poured in the glass. They couldn't have been here for more than half an hour. How much had he drank already?
"You know what, he's right Calbi. We rarely see each other, and now that the whole gang's together, we have to celebrate with some drinks."
"Here guys, a toast! To our friendship, good health, and for the years to come."
"Cheers!!"
With the toast, the room burst into celebration, and laughter rang all around Kichirou.
"Drink up everyone, we gon have a party tonight, WOOO!" Ryuta yelled, as he picked up the entire bottle of Yamazaki and began chugging it down with everyone else cheering him on.
"Hey Karin, turn up the music, let's get this party on the dance floor."
Come to think of it, Kichirou had never gotten a good look at the room. There was a DJ station at one of the corners, and they were at the couch area with a small table in the middle. Beside them was the dance floor area, and on the other side was a formal dining table.
The lights dimmed down as drunken laughter and obnoxiously loud music filled the air.
"Wooooo let's go Aoi, you and me girl!"
Kichirou sank into the couch, closed his eyes, and thought to himself: This was a mistake, I should have stayed home…
This was supposed to be a casual day out to relax with some old friends, yet her very presence taxed his rational mind. How tiring it's become to just sit still on this couch.
"Hey, Shiro let's go."
He opened his eyes slowly and saw Hiro standing over him. With a sigh, he motioned for his friend to sit beside him.
"Why didn't you tell me?" As much as he would have loved to yell at his friend at the top of his lungs, it came out without so much as a whisper.
"She came back from the states like two weeks ago, I thought someone would have told you already."
The two just sat and looked at each other.
Without so much as a word spoken from his friend, Furuya must have known exactly what Kichirou was trying to convey—that if he had known she had returned to Japan, and if there was even the slightest chance of her showing up here, he would have opted out and stayed home no matter what.
And in the same sense, Kichirou saw the response on his friend's face: Get over it.
"Of course I wasn't going to tell you when you're already here. Here, just have a few more drinks and try to have some fun, you haven't seen any of them in so many years."
Initially, that was the plan, to just come out, have some fun, and catch up with old friends.
However...
As if I could just forget about her and try to have fun. It's been two years, I know that, but I can't do it. Even if I had ten more years I'd still feel the same way.
To begin with, fun was out of the question.
He would love nothing more than to leave immediately, but that would be terribly rude and would draw a lot of unnecessary attention. But not only that, she would see just how much she affected him, and that would be the worst possible outcome.
Furuya handed him another shot glass, presumably filled with more whiskey.
"You're gonna need a lot more of this."
Sigh.
Furuya was right, if Kichirou was going to be miserable the whole time he's here, then he might as well drink till the night fades away. It wasn't like there was anything else to do.
"What could you two be talking about?" a voice called from behind.
"Let me guess, it must be about Miku."
Kichirou's right hand twitched ever so slightly by the sudden intrusion.
He looked up, trying his best to keep his nerves in check. It was Karin, she smiled as she saw Kichirou turn around so stiffly as if he was expecting to see a ghost.
"Uh no, Hiro was just offering me a job, and uh there were just some slight issues."
After hearing those words, she just couldn't contain herself and burst out with laughter: "Hahahahaha, you really are a bad liar, you know that?"
Judging by her jovial tone, it was easy to tell that she just wanted to tease him. However, this still placed him in an awkward pickle, if Karin was easily able to pick up his mood then so would the others, including "her".
No, it couldn't be everyone, they're wasted anyways. Given that it's Karin, it could've been just her.
Being a veterinarian was a lifelong goal that she always spoke of. Before graduation, she always volunteered at her local vet. Working with animals was not the easiest of tasks. Given that animals can't speak, a job like that required a sharp eye to detect even the most mundane details in order to properly diagnose the animals.
Although comparing himself to a sick animal is a bit of a stretch, it was probably only Karin, with her undaunting ability to perceive other's thoughts, that had caught on to his inner turmoil.
Kichirou furrowed his brows in annoyance, even if Karin had caught on with what's happening, how could she just speak of such sensitive topics with ease.
"What do you want, Karin?"
"Oh there's no need to be so hostile, you know, it's not cute. I just wanted to ask you something."
Kichirou answered with a sigh: "Fine, what is it?"
"How do you feel about her?"
Are you just trying to piss me off?
Kichirou's cold gaze turned to Karin. If there was any shred of warmth in his eyes, they would have surely vanished by now.
"I don't know her, and she doesn't know me."
"Well if you say so... You know, she broke up with her boyfriend last month."
She did...? Is she ok?
…
Why would I care, why are you even telling me this!?
However, before Kichirou even had a chance to reply, she continued speaking.
"She came just to see you, you know?"
…
"Not another word out of you..."
That was a blatant lie, Kichirou was sure of it.
This lying bitch.
Yet for some reason unbeknownst to him, his heart was like a small boat being tossed around in a raging sea.
A tear flowed from his right eye as a single memory flashed before his eyes: "I'll always love you."
It was so vivid, he could still hear that very voice.
"Hey Shiro, snap out of it, let's dance!"
All the emotions that stirred within his heart died as he heard Karin's voice again. It wasn't a face he could display in public, Kichirou could no longer tolerate such weakness.
"There isn't enough alcohol in the world for me to get up and dance with you guys," he said, downing a shot glass, struggling to pour himself another.
"Fine, you just sit there and be miserable. Come on Hiro!"
"Well if you leave before the party is over, you can forget about the offer I gave earlier," Furuya said jokingly as he joined the dance floor.
He was serious.
Kichirou sighed in defeat and took the second shot. He closed his eyes as he laid back to let the whiskey settle in.
Parties like these were never Kichirou's cup of tea, whenever he got dragged into one, he would just sit there and drink away. It was much more entertaining to observe everything around him rather than be a part of it.
However, today he felt as if he was the one being observed, and that feeling alone made him sick to his stomach. No, it was just a combination of Karin and anxiety playing tricks on his mind, it had to be.
There was no way she would…
"Hey," spoke a familiar voice, interrupting his internal monologue.
That voice, it couldn't be. Those two shots must be kicking in pretty fast.
Kichirou opened his eyes once more half expecting Hiro, or maybe even Karin, but to his surprise, it was Miku.
It wasn't the whiskey that was playing tricks on his mind, but rather it was his mind that simply refused to believe that it was indeed Miku.
Why would she speak to me? Why is she here? What does she want? Those voices in his head screamed all at once. His thoughts muddled as he froze, unable to conjure up an appropriate answer to any of those questions raised in his head.
SHUT UP! I just need to keep it cool, it's just one night, and I'll never see her again… never again...
"Hey."
"How have you been?" she said, with her golden smile.
"I've been great, how about you?"
"I'm doing pretty well, you remember the company that hired me in the U.S? They opened a new branch in Japan, and they needed people who are fluent in both languages. It was a good job opportunity, it came with a raise, benefits, and even company housing."
"That's... great."
Keeping his composure for those words took all he had. Even though he meant those words with every fiber of his being, somehow saying them was much harder than expected.
"What about you? Still chasing that dream of yours?"
You crushed that dream.
Kichirou swallowed those words and smiled.
There was no point in mincing such useless words, not anymore anyways.
"Haha, that silly dream was just a whim, can't live off of dreams after all. I'm just working at this programming firm nowadays. Just your average day job, it pays well enough. Maybe I can afford that glass loft one day."
"Is that so… great to hear."
It was the first time that Kichirou had a good look at her, all this time he had avoided looking in her direction and never really noticed. She was just as beautiful as he remembered, her long and vibrant onyx hair, and that full-bodied smile that radiated her angelic feature. No, she was actually more beautiful than he remembered, her innocent beauty has matured into more of a seductive temptation.
But there was something else behind her smile today, something that rarely ever lingered within, a trace of sadness. And from the look in her eyes, Kichirou had no doubt this was true.
Why was she upset? Could she still be troubled over... that? Perhaps she re-lived that moment in her head over and over again.
Just as I have? No, no, no!
Kichirou was rather annoyed at the very thought, but he suppressed himself and didn't show any sign of it. Instead, he looked right at her and forced a smile on his face.
"Excuse me for a moment."
As he stood up, he saw that look on her face. The look where she wanted to say something but wouldn't.
It's better off that way.
But before he could even take a single step out of the room, he was bombarded with a string of: "Where are you going?!"
So everyone was in on this after all, or perhaps they felt the sense of irritation in the air.
"Relax guys, I'm not going anywhere. I just need a smoke."
That was a lie, in truth Kichirou isn't even a smoker. But nevertheless, he always held onto a pack just to use as an excuse to step out for situations like these. The outcome of his actions was irrelevant now, all he wanted to do was run.
"Alright, but you better not vanish. They should be bringing the first course soon."
A weak laugh was all Kichirou could offer.
There was a moment of slight hesitation at the door, he just stood there and stared into the void. He felt the need to run away, to never turn back and face the memories that they had created.
The days they spent, each and every moment after school, laughing and crying together.
The forlorn days of past.
He squeezed Kurosho and closed his eyes.
Adieu.
Kichirou pushed past the black door and headed down the dark hall.
"I'll never see her again..."
While he would love nothing more than to leave it all behind, this was just too complicated. After seeing her again after all these years, a number of emotions grew in him, so much so that he couldn't find the words to describe the feeling.
Hiro isn't going to let me live this one down. I'll just have to find a job on my own. The others will probably never invite me again.
He sighed deeply for what felt like the 100th time of the day.
That was a headache for another day.
"Sir, you must leave immediately, if, if you come any closer I'll call the police!" a woman shouted with a panic stricken voice.
The hell's going on??
Kichirou stood near the entrance to the private hall and peered out for a look. There was a man standing in front of the host desk, arguing with the hostess from before. He wore a long raincoat that covered him entirely.
He was probably just a homeless man. Over the last couple of years, unemployment and homelessness had risen to an all-time high. Some experts blamed the new immigration laws, while others blamed the government for its poor economic interference.
Crime statistics were also on the rise, and certain areas of Japan have effectively become ghettos. On the web, people have begun posting videos of heinous crimes, even in the heart of Tokyo. Still, Kichirou had never seen any issue with the crime firsthand.
"Bitch, you listen here. Call your boss Fujimoto and tell that fucker to show his face this instant!"
Upon closer inspection, the man was well-kempt and his coat was from Gucci, indicating that he wasn't a homeless man. So then what was he doing? Something was clearly wrong with him, but what did he want with the restaurant owner?
"I'm calling the police."
The hostess, who was clearly distraught, reached for the phone.
Kichirou wasn't the white knight type that would come to the rescue of any damsel in distress, in fact, he hated those types of people that would just rush in to defend the women regardless of the situation. Still, in this case, he might actually have to step in. The man was taking it a bit far, and he clearly wasn't in the right mind either.
"Hello…"
Her words were stopped short, the deranged man had produced a knife from his coat and plunged it into her chest.
"Huh?" The hostess and Kichirou exclaimed in unison.
"That's what you get for playing games."
"Wha... " only a whisper escaped her throat.
The white crescent moon was now colored blood red.
All she saw with her fading vision was the attacker's blossoming smile. As he retracted the blade from her chest, she collapsed to the ground like a puppet whose strings had been cut.
Kichirou couldn't comprehend what he was seeing, his mind went blank as it froze, uncertain on any course of action.
"Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!"
The scream of another employee brought him back to his senses, and he saw the tears that flowed down from her face as she looked at her fallen colleague with a petrified expression.
She turned for the door beside her, which probably led to some employee facility, and ran for her life.
The man just stood there, looking over his victim with a ghoulish smile. "Now, who can help me find that BASTARD FUJIMOTO!?"
With the knife in hand, he followed the hostess through the same door.
What on earth just happened?
Kichirou struggled to answer that question.
Recently there was a string of abnormal crimes reported in this area, all of them involving some crazed person attacking civilians. The police stated that the culprit was still at large. Could it all be related to this guy?
This doesn't make any sense, given what he said, he's clearly after this Fujimoto guy. Even if he had a few screws loose, why would he just attack a random employee? Is he an idiot..? If anything, that just made his chances of finding Fujimoto even less...
"Hyaaah!"
A loud scream came from behind the door, this time from a man, probably another employee.
This wasn't the time to mock the moron for his poor decisions.
After taking a few steps out of cover, he saw the hostess's body, motionless, laying in a puddle of blood. Her lifeless face was still warped with horror, trapped by the eternal embrace of death.
"Hello? Is anyone there?"
The police! The line never disconnected!
Kichirou quickly rushed over to the front desk and spoke frantically on the phone.
"There's an emergency! I'm at the restaurant "Oma" in Chūō. A man just stabbed someone, and he's still attacking other people nearby. Please send help!"
A female operator answered: "Are you and the other person in a safe place?"
"Yes, I'm fine, but the hostess is... dead. The man went chasing after someone. Can you please send someone already?"
"I need you to remain calm sir, we have officers en route. How many people are hurt?"
"I don't know. I think the man went into the employee lounge, there's someone shouting in there."
"Can you describe the assailant?"
"He's a middle-aged man, probably in his late forties, wearing a brown raincoat."
"We have a police car in the area heading over now. Please stay put and stay hidden."
"DIE you son of a bitch!!" Another shout erupted from beyond that door, followed by a crash.
Someone was trying to stop him.
The police should be here soon, should I wait for help? No, what if whoever is trying to stop that madman needs help? I should go take a look right? But the police said to stay put, things could get out of hand.
Kichirou shook his head in frustration.
"Fucking hell..." His voice was overlapped by another voice that said: "What the hell?" Kichirou's whole body jolted instinctively towards the direction of the voice. He was visibly fazed, even the sudden intrusion of a familiar voice was enough to make his heart skip a beat.
It was Furuya, standing where he was just moments ago.
"Are you okay?"
In an instant the fear and doubt vanished from his mind, Furuya's presence alone brought clarity to Kichirou's mind. No matter what situation Kichirou found himself in, as long as Hiro was by his side he felt strangely at ease.
"Yea I'm fine," Kichirou answered in a hushed tone.
"What the hell happened here?" Furuya asked, slightly shaky in his voice.
Before he could even reply, another shout could be heard coming from that door.
"Get the fuck off me!!!"
It didn't take much to put two and two together at this point. Hiro continued with a different question.
"What does he have?"
"Just a kitchen knife."
Furuya paused for a single moment before continuing: "We need to stop him, just the two of us. We can do it," offering a reassuring smile.
He didn't need to speak those words for Kichirou to understand his intentions. Of course, where most would falter at the very thought of risking their own lives, Furuya didn't hesitate. Was it strength or foolhardiness? That question he could not answer.
Whatever the reason, his friend's smile alone vaporized the indecisive fool. It was as if Kichirou received a physical injection of confidence.
"Yeah, it's just one crazed man."
"Okay, I'll go first and distract him. Don't worry, I still practice kendo to this day you know."
"Alright, let's go."
There wasn't any point in arguing over it. It was Furuya, someone who sharpened his mind and body alike with kendo. There was no doubt that he could handle himself even in this situation. Kichirou on the other hand, was dull by every definition of the word, living the life of a couch potato over the last six years.
"Just follow my lead."
With the sound of a nearing police siren, both of them looked towards the door.
One police car had pulled up. Kichirou breathed a sigh of relief, despite the surge of confidence that radiated from his friend, being involved in something that could potentially risk their lives was something that Kichirou would avoid if possible.
After all, life is the single most important thing that each person holds, for there is nothing but darkness in death.
"Let's just leave it to the officers."
Furuya nodded in agreement.
The two officers burst onto the scene and saw the horror that befell the innocent hostess. The younger officer, who could have been fresh out of the academy, turned away squeamishly, unable to look at the crime scene. His senior partner just stared, his face frozen like an iron mask, furrowing his brow at the pair standing before them.
He spoke calmly yet with absolute authority: "Where is the bastard?"
"He's still in there." Kichirou pointed.
The senior officer turned to his junior and spoke: "Hey! Rookie, get a grip. This isn't the academy anymore, people's lives are in danger, let's go!"
"Ye—Yes sir!" his junior replied with a shaky voice.
"Can we help?"
All eyes fell on Furuya with disbelief.
God damn it, what about what we just agreed on? Kichirou thought to himself.
"This is police work, just make sure no one else comes in here."
Without even waiting for Furuya's reply, the officer rushed through the door with his hand around the pistol on his waist. The younger one followed suit.
"For once just do as you're told, Hiro. Let's just wait it out here."
"How could someone do something so heinous?" There was a different look on Furuya's face, a look that Kichirou had only ever seen once before, a hatred that burned from his very being.
"It's just human nature, a part of life, something that will exist till the end of mankind."
"No, it's something that we can fix, something that we have to change."
You can't live in a dream forever... He couldn't bring himself to say those words. Perhaps he wanted to believe in it for a while longer himself.
Before he could think of something else to say, a loud noise exploded in his ears, and there was nothing but a flash of white.
Kichirou slowly opened his eyes, but his mind struggled to make sense of what he saw.
"Huh?"
He was sitting on an open grass field.