We stood outside a large studio apartment door. Outside his sister's apartment.
"Well, let's go in," he announced and opened the door.
I gasped, "Why is it not locked? Where are her parents?"
Fortune looked at me with confusion, "My mother and sister are back home, and I honestly have no idea where my father currently is..."
I locked the door once we were fully inside and set my suitcase by the doorway. There were pieces of fabric everywhere, scissors and dresses clearly newly made thrown on the floor. I found purses on the floor. Even designer!
"Who provides your sister with the money to buy designer brands?" I asked.
"Those are dupes," Fortune threw off his coat and set his duffle bag next to my suitcase.
I picked up his coat, "Stop making such a mess!"
"Have you seen this place?" he laughed and went to lay down on the small couch. "It's already a disaster."
"Anyway," he paused. "My sister should be here around two a.m."
I had a million questions but decided it was better to ask them later. I sat on Fortune's legs in order to signal him to sit up straight. He groaned, and now we sat next to each other, but soon he slipped down to the floor and I did too. We sat in silence, as we did before when he first mentioned the CDs to the large group of people. Fortune looked down at the floor, clearly deep in thought. He looked almost upset.
I was the older one here. I should be guiding him into doing something for the better. I have a full ride to a great college. I am getting my diploma. Fortune is getting his diploma too, as he said he is graduating early, but he's never mentioned college. I put my hand on his shoulder and he flinched. He looked into my eyes, and I looked into his.
"CD #7 will be ours, and surely it's not about the Holocaust," I laughed.
He laughed, "Surely."
The next two days we spent inside the apartment. His sister did not arrive like he said she would and now we were extremely bored. Or I was. It was Wednesday and I was not about to be inside New York and not do anything. This state is supposed to be the dream, is it not? Then why am I spending it with a loner who hasn't showered in two days? I have no idea. I put on a nice outfit I packed, well it was casual, but Fortune definitely gave his opinions on it.
"What are you wearing?" he asked.
"Clothes," I sighed. "I'm going out, I refuse to be stuck inside this cramped apartment with you."
He laughed, "Dressed like that?"
I glared at him and walked out of the apartment. I didn't want him to follow after me, so I rushed. Where in the world was I? I went into a Chinese restaurant, it was slightly run down as the outside had rusting. While walking in, a homeless man had told me that there were rats inside. I couldn't tell if he was being genuine or racist. I walked in and was bombarded by the waiter.
"Ah! Hello, welcome to Cheng Ming Liu, how many I help you?" a young boy asked.
I chuckled from nervousness, "I just came in to sit, I haven't any money."
"Oh..." the young waiter sighed and ran into the back of the restaurant.
I could hear the workers in the back along with the young boy speaking in a foreign language. Korean to be exact. A Chinese restaurant with Korean workers? That's new. The boy was pushed out of the back and walked back over to me.
"Sir... Our cook says that she knows you must have some money on you, even two dollars is fine!"
I hummed, "What is your name?"
"Hm?"
"Your name," I said.
"Ah... Yuu Takahashi," he said in almost a whisper.
I pulled out my checkbook and wrote a small check, only twenty dollars. I handed it to Yuu, "There."
"Thank you, Mister," he glanced at the check, "Mister Quinn!"
I sat there in silence as I heard them talking in the back again. A young girl walked out of the back with a frown on her face and stood looking at me. I had no idea who she was until she smiled. The grin they all shared.
Viola Paul.
"Where is my brother?" she yelled.
"He," I looked to the side. "He didn't come."
This small girl got very aggressive with me and tried to quite literally fight me! Yuu came running out from the back and grabbed Viola off of me.
"Leave this poor man be!" he ordered.
"You said you spied on them, but how come only this flamboyant, ugly, mugshot, zookeeper guy that my brother hangs out with came? Huh?!" she now yelled at Yuu.
He sighed, "They didn't make plans to come here! They only spoke about some CD Holocaust thing!"
My eyes widened. We weren't alone. Not everyone went to dinner on that train, I remember now. There was a young boy who was asleep in the booth next to us.
"They didn't..." she now teared up, "make plans to see me?"
Yuu shook his head, "Nuh uh."
She ran back into the restaurant and cried as loud as ever. She might as well have cried out here if she was going to be that loud. Yuu bowed repeatedly as an apology.
"Milady hasn't been home since," he paused, "Sunday because she misses her dear brother, but he refuses to acknowledge her! Once she heard that Fortune and Johan had spoken she was very upset, as you can see that is why she acts like this, please excuse her!"
Milady? I thought and sighed. Does Yuu take care of her? They look the same age, so that would be very confusing. Viola walked back out with her eyes very red.
"Viola," I smiled and said her name softly.
She sniffled, "Hm?"
"Fortune would love to see his beautiful, bright little sister. He's done nothing but speak of you this entire time!" I lied with an honest face.
Her face lit up, "Really?"
I nodded, "When you want to go home, I promise you he will be there today."
She jumped on Yuu's back and swung him around. My food was served shortly after this. I could not eat it all, so I took some inside of a to-go box to bring Fortune. Once I left, Yuu and Viola waved goodbye to me.
"See, I told you, nothing but rats and they have that poor girl hostage!" the homeless man from earlier announced.
I ignored him. So he was being racist. I walked to Viola's apartment, which was a short walk. The door was locked, so I knocked. Once. Then twice. I continuously knocked for thirty minutes yet nothing. He was either asleep, ignoring me, or wasn't home. I sat outside the door and sighed. An hour later the door was opened and Fortune had only a towel around his waist.
"I was showering," he said.
I yelled, "You could've opened the door!"
"Not really," he shrugged.
"Fortune!" a voice rang from the bathroom.
I looked at the bathroom door then at Fortune, "Who. Is. That?"
He laughed, "Don't fret, Fortune."
He laughed, but I was not in a laughing mood and stared at him with a neutral expression.