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The glaring red light outside of Yuki’s window shined in her eyes. 12am. The vibrations of the booming music downstairs shook the floorboards, waking her up. She turned around to where Yori was still laying naked and snoring in bed. “Hey sleepy head, get up. We’re going to be late for work.” She found her fishnet stockings and skirt thrown about on the floor. “I’m serious. Do you want Sara yelling at us?”
Yori finally stirred, kissing Yuki good morning before washing up in the bathroom.
The show had already started by the time the two finished dressing and headed downstairs. “Sara wants to talk to you after your shift,” Sharon yelled over the music. She handed Yuki a tray with drinks.
“Great, just what I needed this week. Who knows how much money she’s going to say I cost her now?” Yuki cursed while Sharon laughed. She’d already been yelled at this week by a customer who got too drunk and broke all the alcohol bottles after being told to leave. The damage came out of Yuki’s tab. And then yesterday she got kicked in the face by a dancer on accident. She didn’t blame her. Yuki got too close to the stage to collect the empty glasses of saki when the girl spun around on the pole, legs flying.
The men kept coming in, celebrities with disguises hoping to not get caught, politicians paying for secret rooms, yakuza members who saw this place as their second home, and men who went in secret while their wives thought they were at work.
“Head’s up! Those creeps are back again,” Yori said.
She pointed her chin toward the far corner. Yuki recognized them as yakuza members. She wasn’t too sure about the ins and outs of these syndicates–she just knew they meant bad business. They came here every so often, but more so lately. Last time they came, they harassed the dancers on stage. They always paid so Sara never kicked them out, but she had warned them that if the behavior continued, they’d be banned.
If Yuki served them as quickly as she could, maybe they’d get the hint and leave. She began her walk towards them when Yori blocked her path.
“Hey, what do you think you’re doing? I think we should call Sara, have her deal with it,” Yori said.
“Oh, c’mon and then have her take that out of my tab again. She keeps adding to our debt with the flimsiest excuses. She’s just going to come over here, cause a big fuss and then charge us again.”
“She’ll charge us no matter what. Might as well have an actual reason this time,” Yori said.
The lip gloss on Yori’s lips sparkled in the dark light. Several of her hairs got caught in the sticky mess as she blew them away from her face. Yori’s debt was worse than Yuki’s. Although Sara didn’t make them pay for the dorms because they worked out a deal to clean all the bathrooms in exchange, they still didn’t have a penny to their names. If they wanted out of here, they’d have to start being smart about their choices. She’d been hoping the rich kid who fancied her would be her ticket out of here, but so far he was all talk.
“I’ll be quick, don’t worry.”
“With you, all I do is worry.” Yori gave her a quick kiss on the lips and moved out of her way.
A chill ran down Yuki’s spine sending goosebumps to run across her arms as she neared the group of rowdy young men. With a notepad in hand and a pen in the other she stared at the paper, hoping if she didn’t make eye contact with them, they wouldn’t notice her. “What can I get for all of you today?”
“Oh, she’s hot,” one of them said. Even though they hadn’t ordered, they already smelled of booze.
“What are you supposed to be dressed as? A sexy vampire? I got something here you can suck,” another said. The table bursted out into laughter.
Clearly, they were in the mood to fool around. Yuki rolled her eyes and turned around to walk away when a hand yanked at her wrist and pulled her down into a stranger’s lap. She screamed when a pair of random lips attempted to cover hers.
Before it could, a beer bottle smashed against his head with a resounding thud. Yori stood atop, beer bottle in one hand and extended arm to Yuki with the other. Yuki leaped out of the man’s hold, taking an empty glass behind her as a weapon. “Stay back,” Yori shouted.
Instead, the men stood and pointed several guns at them. The man who had grabbed Yuki was now holding his bloody head as he pointed his gun. “You fucking bitches are going to pay.”
Yuki held onto Yori, unsure whether the trembling came from herself or from her girlfriend. What could a beer bottle and a glass do to a gun? She only now hoped that the group solely focused on her, which would give enough time for Yori to run.
“Killing them fast would be a shame, let’s have fun with them first,” a man at the back of the table said.
All the breath in Yuki’s lungs disappeared at the mere thought of the “fun” they wanted to subject them to. She clung onto her girlfriend, hugging her tight and wrapping her body around her in case one of them was trigger-happy.
“Put those fucking guns away before you scare the rest of my customers, you imbeciles,” Sara said. She stepped in between the group of yakuza and them, shielding Yuki and Yori with her body.
“You can’t talk to us like that!”
“I can and I will.” Sara said.
The confidence in her voice made Yuki proud of her. Without a single weapon in Sara’s hands, just the assuredness of her voice was enough for these young men to question their own strength.
“Get this through your thick skulls. You bringing violence into a neutral zone means you all are now banned here. Leave now before I tell your leader just how horrible you treated these fine young girls at this establishment and you’ll see cruelty like no other.”
Whether she bluffed or told the truth didn’t matter. These guys believed it and one by one put their guns down and headed for the exit. A group of Sara’s security followed them outside.
“Are you girls okay?” She cupped Yuki’s cheek and turned her chin to the side as if checking for bruises.
“You’re a lifesaver, Sara.” It wouldn’t have been the first time, either. When Yori and Yuki were living off the streets, it was Sara who took them in. Not for free, of course. She took on their debts with the promise they’d pay her back and any food, clothes or living expenses would be added on. They’d be servers, so they wouldn’t need to take off their clothes for money. Sara said she never made such young girls strip, but it didn’t hurt to put them to work. Even if the job was gruelling, it beat living in a shelter or on the street any day.
Sara only frowned in response. “Come with me, girls. I need to speak to you in private.”
Yori squeezed Yuki’s hand, and she squeezed back. They followed Sara down the carpeted hallway to her office, where the young, rich fellow who’d been trying to woo Yuki the past several weeks sat.
“Yuki,” he said. He smiled at her in the only way rich kids could, without a single worry weighing down on their shoulders.
She wanted to know what a smile like that would feel gracing across her own lips. Would it feel natural? Would she wake up with that smile instead of a groan from a hard day at work? Instead, she smiled a forced customer service one back. One she practiced in the mirror that showed all her teeth and got her to de-escalate a bar fight. “What are you doing here?”
“He said he’s come to pay off your debt. Yori’s as well. That you and him discussed this last time he was here? Is this true?”
A genuine surprise made Yuki’s eyes go wide. Wasn’t that just useless chatter from a rich client who visits the Pink House, gets drunk and says nonsensical things to the servers? She had heard so many stories from the dancers and escorts of rich men who claimed they’d leave their wives for them, but never did. Yuki herself had dealt with clients saying the same things to her, but it never amounted to anything. Except now. “Yes.”
“Hey, don’t I get any say in this?” Yori asked. She furrowed her brows. “Shouldn’t we discuss this first?”
The thought of being debt-free rang in Yuki’s ears. “What’s there to discuss?”
“How come this is the first time I’m hearing this?”
Sara laid a hand on Yuki’s shoulder, a move she did often when she wanted you to shut up. “Excuse us Kaname. Will you allow us a few minutes alone?”
“Of course.” He left the room.
“Yori’s right you now, this isn’t a decision you should make alone.”
Who was Sara to preach? The second they turned eighteen, which was right around the corner,
there was no way Sara wouldn’t pressure them to swing around a pole. Once they started, Yuki knew that there’d be no out anymore. They’d be stuck there until Sara thought they became too old and sent to the back. She’d seen it before, too. There’d been a dancer here named Mai. She’d cook for them and teach the recipes to Yori, who loved spending hours in the kitchen. On her fortieth birthday, Sara told her to pack up her heels. She was done. The rest of the girls convinced Sara to keep her as a dance instructor, but begrudgingly so. How many dance instructors would she be willing to keep? “Respectfully, this isn’t your decision to make,” Yuki said to Sara.
“No, but it is mine,” Yori said.
“What you want to stay here all your life,” She pointed to Sara’s office. Okay, bad example. Sara wrapped herself in the most luxurious products on the market. Brands Yuki didn’t know by name. “I mean our roach infested dorm, cleaning messes on the bathroom floors and being harassed by the drunk of the week.”
“Of course not, but couldn’t we have discussed this first.” She held Yuki’s hand in hers, rubbing her thumb across her palm. “What does he want you to do for him in return? He’s not asking you to be his girlfriend is he?”
Yuki sighed. Is this what this was all about? “As if I’d accept something like that. You’re the only one I want, honest.” She kissed her on the nose and eyelids, something she liked doing when Yori would rest her head on her lap while watching tv.
“Then what does he want? They always want something?” Yori wrapped her hands around Yuki’s waist.
“Nothing. He just felt bad. He knew my dad and wanted to help. Something about school girls, should be in school and not in a place like this.”
“Your dad?”
“I don’t know who the fuck my father was, but who cares. He’s the reason we’re getting out of here!”
Sara walked over to the two, putting an arm on Yuki’s shoulder. “You remind me so much of myself.” She winced as she said those words, like being her wasn’t good. “Very well, if that’s what you want, I’ll call Kaname back in and end your contracts.” Yuki jumped up and down, squealing in her girlfriend's arms. “But listen to me. If it ever goes south, know you have a home here...with a price of course.”
They left the Pink palace free women, but as they walked out those front doors the group of yakuza men who harassed them waited for them outside. Before she could yell at them to get lost, Kaname spoke to them. “Men, this is Yuki, she’ll be living with me from this day onwards. Treat her well. Oh and that’s her friend.”
Kaname was a yakuza member, and an important one at that. Just what had she done?
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Yuki hummed an old nursery rhyme to herself to calm her nerves. She double-checked the hall. Not a person in sight. All she needed to do was grab her books from her locker.
“Well, someone’s in quite a rush...”
“Yori!” Yuki practically jumped. That last person Yuki wanted to see right now. Yori ruffled her strawberry blond bangs and grabbed the book from Yuki’s hand. The way she stuck her tongue out as she scanned the pages of Yuki’s homework made Yuki’s heart ache. “I’m a busy bee. What can I tell you... I have a quiz I need to study for, so see you later.” She walked away, slamming her locker closed.
“Busy bee?” Yori asked catching up, “I’ve never even seen you study for a test in my life,” she laughed. Yuki yanked her book back and ignored her. “Hey Yuki, wait up! What’s going on? Yuki!” She grabbed her shoulder, and like an accordion, Yuki folded over. She moaned in pain and jerked her shoulder back.
Yori scrunched her brows together, her eyes growing wide. “I’m sorry, Yuki, I didn’t mean to hurt you I-”
“No, it’s nothing. It’s not you...volleyball practice has me sore that’s all.” Yuki pushed herself up and skipped ahead.
“Please stop,” Yori said. “You’ve never gone to volleyball practice, not even once.” Yuki forced herself to stare anywhere but Yori’s eyes. They pulled her in and made her want to indulge Yori in anything she wanted. “We need to go to the nurse's office,” Yori’s voice turned calm and softer now. She reached down and caressed Yuki’s hand. “Please, Yuki. Here, let me hold your backpack.” Yuki’s head stayed down, far from making eye contact.
“Hello, Nurse?” Yori waited for a response, but no one shouted back, “must be her lunch break,” she said. Yuki watched as Yori walked around the office, fetching the first aid kit like a common occurrence. How many times had she put Yori in this position? “Can you sit down on the bed,” she patted the area in front of her, “and unbutton your shirt, please?.”
Yuki’s hair hung heavy in front of her face while she undid the buttons one by one. Yori’s body stood snugly between Yuki’s legs. Yuki moved her hands out of the way, a now familiar ritual. Her friend pulled down her shirt to reveal large black and purple bruises and cuts covering her whole shoulder and a few more down the back of her ribs. The mere sight of the bruises made the memories flood her vision. Kaname had flipped out. Getting caught sneaking out with drugs from a different gang had her expecting the yelling, the frustration, the hitting, but it didn’t stop the pain, the fear, and the dread. The only saving grace was that Kaname hadn’t figured out why she’d been getting drugs from another syndicate. No, that's not accurate. He figured out one reason she had drugs on her, but not the other. It wasn’t a surprise to anyone who knew her how much she sniffed lines at parties. But selling drugs, this was new, and it proved to be a fast way to make money too–her little nest egg for her and Yori. She convinced some dummy in Kaito’s group to give her drugs with the promise she’d sleep with him. The most they’d done was a few kisses, and she didn’t plan on it going any farther. She’d tried the same ruse on Zero, but to no success.
Yuki waited for the sting of disinfectant, the ointment spread across her skin, the replacement of bandages, but Yori failed to move. “Earth to Yori.” She turned and waved a hand in front of her face—big mistake. Yori’s tears pooled at the waterline before leaking out.
Yuki froze.
“He’s getting worse,” Yori whispered.
Yuki lifted Yori’s chin, her voice going low and threatening, “Hey, that’s not your problem.” She lifted her shirt back up.
“No, please, at least let me finish this.”
Yuki didn’t want to listen. She didn’t want Yori to keep looking at her painted skin as a reminder of the life Yuki thought they escaped. She winced when the alcohol wipe touched her body. The ointment came next, and then the bandaids. She flinched every time Yori’s fingers slid down her body.
Yori’s soft, warm breath tickled her skin. “I miss touching you.”
Yuki closed her eyes and sank into Yori’s touch. Why are you so gentle with me?
Yori’s fingers trembled against her skin. She leaned in close to her ear. “You're beautiful.”
Liar, she thought.
Yori’s lips found hers. She tasted like cherry gloss and syrup.
Yuki buttoned her shirt and reached for her backpack, already on the verge of leaving.
“Lunch together?” Yori asked. She washed her hands in the sink.
Yuki sighed. “Yori, you know I can’t.” She held the office door open.
“I packed too much in my bento today. I made too many mini octopi wieners.” Yori twisted her sleeves in knots.
When did Yori pick up that habit? The sleeves to her button up were all tattered and wrinkly, as if she did this often. The last thing she wanted on this earth was to make Yori worry. “You better have seaweed chips then.”
Yori grinned, “Mm-hmm. The big size too.”
They picked the area behind the gym. Yuki opened a fresh cigarette pack—she loved the feel of sliding the first cig out of the box, ruining the perfect formation by simply removing one insignificant piece. Rubbing her nose, she covered a sniffle as she placed the pack back in her pocket.
“So,” Yori said, grabbing some rice with her chopsticks, “Did you hear about Zero?”
“You mean the shoot out at Sara’s, ya. Sharon told me.”
Yori shivered. “Sharon changed her shift. I didn’t see her there the last time I went. Although I don’t know when I’m going back. The last ‘burlesque’ show ended in a brawl amongst yakuza.”
Yuki hated the smell of the place. The groping hands, the old perverts... the only reason she kept visiting was to collect information. Kaname kept her in the dark about most things. Yuki winced. Her savior, Kaname, ended up being her oppressor. Yuki almost laughed at her naivety then. She shook her head and stole the chopsticks in Yori’s mouth to scoop some rice for herself.
Kaname could have been a prison guard in another life and Yuki would have believed it. The night she got to her new home, he presented her with two birth certificates, hers right next to his. They had the same last name. What could have been a fun family reunion became a nightmare.
Yori kept talking. “No, I meant the news about Cross.” She picked at one of the side dishes, “he met with Isayama when a bomb went off.” She scuffed her shoes against the pavement. “That’s why the vice principal has been making the daily announcements now.” Yori pulled out a juice box and gulped down the whole container.
Yuki understood bits and pieces of the animosity between the three major yakuza syndicates. She’d gathered enough info and saved enough money to plan an exit plan. The Kurans, Hios, and Kojima syndicates began a war after Kyo Shoto died. Yuki knew the casualties would start piling up soon if Cross was any example. She needed to get Yori out of here. The cigarette Yuki smoked fell to the floor as she bit her nails to the nub. She swore and lit another one, snagging a bag of seaweed chips to munch. “Ya, I was in the living room when Sieren told Kaname.”
“Ugh, gross, we’ve talked about this. Don’t bring up your creepy brother’s name when I’m around.” Yori pulled out some pocky sticks and snapped a few in half before eating them. “Speaking of that man, did you get permission to come to the carnival with me?” Her weary smile made Yuki’s heart ache.
“Half brother.” He threw that part in her face anytime he saw her. It was exactly that other half of her he despised. While they had the same mother, her father turned out to be Rido Kuran, brother of Haruka Kuran. Yuki couldn't care less who her biological father was. She never met either of her parents and had no desire to either.
“Half brother full time dickwad, what did he say?”
“He’s thinking about it.”
“I don’t see what us being together has to do with him. It’s supposed to be fake dating between you two. Unless… is he?”
“God no.” She grabbed the pocky stick out of Yori’s mouth. “We’re not even faking anything. It’s everyone else who saw us together and just assumed we were dating.”
“Not like he’s doing anything to clear up the rumors, though...”
“He just can’t let people know we’re related. That’s why me and you going on a date would be...”
“So that’s a no then. Shit. Are you sure that creep isn’t in love with you? Does he do anything when you two are alone?”
“Ew no, don’t even say that. He can’t even stand being in the same room with me. More than a few minutes and he-”
“Hits you.”
Yuki’s stomach dropped. “Are we done here?” She spat out the bits of seaweed between her teeth and dusted off her skirt. She stood up to leave when a hand reached out.
“You’ve been getting drugs from Kaito’s friends, helping Zero’s mission at Sara’s place, asking the ‘burlesque’ girls for information. You’re playing the Kurans and the Kojimas, and I want in.”
Yuki’s voice went wobbly. “You can’t even take care of yourself. Getting involved could kill you.”
“You think I can just sit here and wait while that man hurts you?” It’s painful, isn’t it?” Yori’s voice dropped to a whisper. “You think I don’t notice how many colds or nosebleeds you have? I’m not stupid. You’re using again.” Yori’s hands pressed against Yuki’s cheeks, her warmth sinking into Yuki’s bones. “I just want to help you.” She kissed Yuki’s cheek. “I want to be with you.” Yori’s voice broke as she blinked back tears. “Please stop pushing me away.”
Yuki smiled, but brushed Yori’s hands away. “We tried it once already. We ran from the foster house and ended up in a whorehouse.” She didn’t add the part where Yuki’s last attempt at freedom ended with her under house arrest, but it went without saying among them. It’s not like she didn’t want Yori’s help. But if Yori died because of her, how could she move on? Yori was the last piece of happiness in her life, her little safe place away from the psychopath known as Kaname or the guns, or the drugs. Yori could still join the volleyball club and be class president. She could go to sleep in a quiet apartment and worry about what latest hairstyle was trending. Yuki stood up and patted her skirt down. “Stay out of it. Trust me, Yori, please.” Yuki’s shoulders slumped. “Let's go to class.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Yuki’s breath came in shaky, just like the rest of her body at the moment. She gripped her right hand in her left, clenching it until red marks appeared. Her skin felt tight, like any sudden movement would rip her apart.
It’s okay, Sara likes you. She can’t just say no to your request.
Plus, it wasn’t that much of a request when you looked at it. She didn’t need that much money, she made a decent amount from selling what Kaito’s group gave to her. It was a good run, that was until the stress of living with a monster built up and she kept the rest of the product for herself. She already secured a car, thanks in part to Kaito again. She’d cashed in on the favor from tipping them off about Sara, albeit with her life on the line. The only place Kaname let her roam was Sara’s, otherwise she was homebound. She’d risked everything to pick up that rundown car and hide it in a large parking lot, almost dying at the pickup location in a shootout. But better her, than Yori. She knew Yori wanted to help, but she couldn’t bring herself to ask her. What if she had, and then Yori was killed by a stray bullet, or a bomb? She’d never forgive herself.
Her legs moved forward like a glass, and she bit the inside of her cheek when her lips threatened to quiver. Before she could enter Sara’s office, silver strands of hair filled her vision. Shizuka Hio. What was she doing here?
“I’m sorry things didn’t go as planned last time. I just thought, if I brought him to you, maybe he’d understand,” Sara said. She walked over to Shizuka and gently ran her fingers through Shizuka's silver locks. “Forgive me?”
“I wasn’t angry to begin with. I’m just happy to see you again after all this time.” Shizuka said. She smiled back and leaned in for a kiss. They held onto each other in a desperate attempt to never separate again.
Yuki gasped. Who knew the pair had been intimate? Is this why Sara had attempted to steal Zero? Sara wouldn’t have any interest in him, but the woman who killed his family might. They continued to kiss, now reaching for each other's clothes. Yuki’s face grew hot from embarrassment–this scene was much too intimate for prying eyes to be witnessing. She stepped back ready to leave when something bumped up against her.
“Still not time to go in yet?” Yori asked.
“No, we should leave and wait till- Yori!” Yuki jumped back and hit her head on against the wall. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“Shh! Following you of course. You’re not getting rid of me that easily.” Yori let a smug smile spread across her face. Yuki didn’t know whether to smack it or kiss it.
“Yuki, Yori. To what do I owe the honor?” Sara asked.
Damnit
. Yuki must have been too loud and ended Shizuka’s meeting sooner than they expected.
“I’m sorry Sara, we didn’t mean to intrude. We just were on our way out.”
“No please, come in,” Shizuka said. Her voice was smooth and calming. “Sara’s talked about you. She’s fond of you girls.” Shizuka turned her gaze towards Sara. “When did we become so similar?” she smiled. She kissed Sara once more on the lips before leaving.
“What makes you two so similar?” Yori asked. She stepped right in and sat on Sara’s couch. Yuki gave her the stink eye and elbowed her in the ribs. It’s not like Yuki didn’t want to know either, but if Yuki was about to drop a list of demands, they should at least be respectful.
Sara answered anyway. “We both took in some pests. And now we’re responsible for them. What do you want? If it’s something trivial I’m calling security to escort you out.”
Sara was already holding the door open for them to leave when Yuki blurted out. “We need money. We...we’re going somewhere no one can find us. We need money, new phones, fake identities...a job reference maybe...”
“Actually forget the job recs, That’s already taken care of,” Yori said.
Yuki turned around in surprise. “How did you-”
“I have my ways...”
Yuki gave her a deadpan stare until the secretive smile wiped off of Yori’s face and she caved. “I spoke to Kaito, he let me know that they’d owed you big time. And then I spoke to Sasha and put two and two together. I figured I beat you to it and cash in a few favors of my own.”
Who knew Kaito was such a blabbermouth?
Sara laughed in their faces, but Yuki held her gaze. She looked her dead in the eye, refusing to even blink. Eventually Sara’s laugh died out, and she returned her icy stare with an equally cold one. “I don’t run a charity here. Did you truly think you could waltz in here and have demands and I would simply hand them over to you?”
“I have information I know you’ll want.”
“I doubt that.”
“Trust me, this kind of secret, you’ll want. You’d regret it the rest of your life turning me away now. Hating yourself for walking away from the scoop of a lifetime.”
“Oh really? And what could I possibly want to know that is so earth shattering that I just can’t live without?”
“I know who killed Kaname’s father.”
At that, Sara froze. Bam, there it was. She knew she had Sara, hook, line, and sinker. Sara’s movements slowed down, a stark difference from her rushed self just moments ago. She stopped her attempts at kicking Yuki and Yori out of her office and instead poured herself a drink.
“Do tell.”
“I need you to make a contract first. And have the money prepared for us, in cash.” Sara snapped her finger and man with a contract and a pen in hand waltzed over to her at once. Sara filled in spaces and marked down a few words before handing it off for Yuki to sign. “And the cash?”
“Can be here in half an hour.”
At that Yuki nodded and signed it. They sat there in silence, waiting for the money to come. Yuki’s fingers curled into her palms, digging into the flesh with her nails. But the Yori didn’t seem to mind the tension, breaking through it every so often with a little hum or soft sigh. Yuki recognized the hums as commercial jingles. The familiar tune made the stiffness in her shoulders melt. When they lived together, Yori would hum a soft tune when Yuki would wake up in cold sweats from nightmares. But then Yori would always hold her tight and hum a quiet melody which gave Yuki something to focus on.
Sarah smiled in Yori’s direction, an endearing smile. How she could smile at a time like this was beyond her. Then again, Sara always smiled. Whether it was a wicked smile, a gentle smile, or an amused smile, they were all genuine. Yuki wondered if Sara took pride in that.
“Thank you Asa. Okay, as promised here’s the money. You can wait here for your IDs. They’ll be ready in a couple hours. Now hold up your end of the deal. Who killed Kaname’s father?”
“Mr.Kojima killed Haruka.”
“That’s not possible,” Sara said. Her face scrunched up and her hair fluttered in front of her face.
“I don’t know why he did it, but he did do it. I was sneaking out to see Yori when someone brushed past me. My first thought was Kaname was pacing again, so I hid. But then I saw it. Mr.Kojima injected something in Haruka’s IV bag and killed him.”
Sara let her jaw drop, not far enough to see the back of her throat, but enough to notice she was stunned. She quickly regained her composure, her eyes now squinting as something in her head clicked. With a single nod, she handed off the money and stood up. “Wait here for those IDs, in the meantime, here,” she handed them two cell phones, “I always have burners on hand.”
Yuki wasted no time. She dialed a number she memorized after only seeing it once. After three rings, the person picked up. “Rido. I’m escaping. Do with Kaname what you must.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
“I left it over here,” Yuki said. They walked out in the darkness into an unused parking lot. The car still sat there, beat up and lonely. Yuki reached for the door when Yori bumped her with her hip to move aside.
“Nu-uh. You’re a terrible driver. Hand me the keys. I’ll drive.”
“I’m a decent driver. I parked Sara’s car once.”
Yori laughed. “Ya, and you crashed it, she never let you do errands again. Now come on, we’re running out of time.” She held out her hand, waiting for the keys.
“Hey, we found them,” a man at the front of the parking lot said. Crap. One of Kaname’s yakuza guys. A few men followed behind him. She threw the keys into Yori’s palm and ran over to the other seat.
Yori rammed the keys in the ignition, and a low hum purred out of the car. The thing was on it’s last leg, but it would have to do. The men ran over to their location but Yori slammed the pedal, not a single care if she ran these men over or not. They hadn’t figured out why Yuki was there the other day. They didn’t expect them to have a car, so they came here on foot looking for them. Yuki could almost laugh if it weren’t for the fact they pulled out their guns.
Bam! Bam! Bam!
“Yori! Look out!” Glass from the back windshield shattered and sounds of metal puncturing filled Yuki’s ears.
“Hold on!” Yori yelled. She swerved into the other direction, not bothering to stop at a single stoplight or pedestrian–lucky for her, there weren’t any out at this time of day. Soon the gunshots sounded like fireworks in the far distance, and two lifted their heads. “Are you okay?”
Yuki patted herself down, checking for injuries, then she did the same to Yori. “Ya, I’m fine.” Her heart beat faster than ever.
Yori reached her hand out and Yuki met her halfway, pulling her hand into a tight grip. “We did it, Yuki. We did it.” She smiled. A tear escaped her eye.
“Ya, we did.”
__________
1 year later...
Yuki popped the plastic top back onto the a/c and flipped the switch. Cool air flowed out at once, hitting Yuki’s cheeks and blowing away the sweat from her forehead. “See I told you I could get it working again,” she laughed.
Yori wiped the sweat off her brow as she brought over the zaru soba noodles and sauce for them to eat. “Finally, I was two minutes away from being a melted popsicle on the ground.” They both sat on the cold hardwood floor in their underwear, too hot to put on pants. “Don’t hog the sauce, I made enough for both of us.” They sat in front of the TV while an old rerun played, too lazy to find the remote and change the channel.
The air conditioner still hadn’t cooled down their tiny apartment yet, so the mini fan in front of the table distorted their voice every time one of them spoke. Yori tried yodeling right into it which made Yuki burst into a fit of laughter. “Okay, stop, my ribs hurt.”
“What do you think? Would I make it as an Idol?” Yori stood up to fetch them both two cans of ice cold beer.
Yuki made an “ahh” noise after the fizzy drink passed her lips. The perfect drink on a hot day. “You’d make the best idol. I’d be your number one fan at all your concerts and lead all the fan chants.” She put her arms in the air. “Yori-chan is the best! Yori-chan is a winner! Yori-chan is the best! Yori-chan makes... the best dinner!” she laughed.
Yori sat down and giggled. “Your chanting needs some work, but I’m flattered.” She placed more noodles onto Yuki’s plate and poured the last bit of sauce left onto them. “But why not? Let’s sneak into a company try-outs next weekend and make complete asses of ourselves. Sounds like a fun way to waste an hour.”
These were the dumb things the two planned and talked about now. Not about ways to escape abusive guardians or how to pay off Yori’s dead father’s gambling debt. Nothing about stupid yakuza wars or even drug dealers. Sure the first few months were rough, especially when Yori couldn’t trust leaving Yuki alone anywhere in fear she might relapse. But away from Kaname, there was less of a reason to numb herself to her reality. “Ya, why not? Let’s do it!”
Yuki stared at their cramped apartment, their tiny tv stacked on top of books, and their table they picked up from a cafe closing down and giggled. They’d have to go back to work tomorrow, but for now she could sit in this hole in the wall that they called home. She wanted to feel this, to be present during these moments next to her.
“Now what are you giggling about over there?”
“For the longest time, I didn’t think I deserved to feel this way...”
“Feel what?” Yori asked.
“Happiness. But here I am with you, and that’s all I feel.” She kissed Yori who kissed her right back.
“That’s all I feel too.”