Choromatsu X Reader - Tumblr Posts - Page 2

Chapter 3

A cold beer can was pressed against your cheek, the cool water droplets smearing across your skin as you sighed blissfully. Ozo released his hold on you as you settled down onto the back seats of his taxi, leaning against the door frame as he brushed away the hair from his eyes.

"The AC doesn't work in here, so this is all I can do for you." You nodded, quietly thanking him before he shut the door, moving towards the driver's seat and strapping in. "You were headed for Iriabi, right?"

You paused, glancing at the back of his head.

"Iriabi...?"

"Yeah. That's where this road leads to. Want me to drop you off?"

"Uh.. N-No, I live in Akatsuka, so..." You were too embarrassed to say out loud that you had never heard of Iriabi before, and you shrunk down a little into your seat to try and avoid his gaze in the rear view mirror. Ozo raised a brow at your reaction but shrugged nonetheless, starting up the car and getting it into gear as it began rolling slowly down the uneven road, gradually picking up speed.

"Akatsuka, huh?" he continued, not wasting the opportunity to start some small talk with a pretty girl, "I've never seen you around before! And I never forget cute faces like yours once I've seen 'em." He winked back at you through the mirror, chuckling at how your mouth feel agape at his obvious flirting.

"Maybe a name for your face might help me remember?"

The sensible side of your brain was already screaming at the man for being so shameless with those dumb and cringe-worthy pickup lines, as if he had the audacity to think that they were good. But after being alone for so long, after having virtually no one to talk to like this for months on end, and especially after being complimented so nicely for the first time in who knows how long, as sad as it may sound, your heart jumped for joy and craved for more.

"It's [L/N] [Y/N]."

"[Y/N]..." he murmured, as if tasting the word in his tongue curiously, his lips twisting into a cheeky grin, "Suits you! Pretty name for a pretty girl!"

You stammered out another word of thanks, pinching the skin of your arm as a reminder to not to get ahead of yourself. You pushed away the hopeful thoughts from your mind, knowing that he wasn't serious. No one had ever been serious before, and this wasn't any different. Right?

The car ride back to Akatsuka village was a lot shorter then the walk would have been, and you found yourself re-entering the town after around ten minutes. Ozo had filled that small silence with gentle hums of a song you didn't recognise and tapping his fingers against the steering wheel, his demeanour a lot more relaxed and slack compared to your tense form.

"What's your address? I'll drop you off!" His sudden question startled you out of your quiet stupor, and you quickly gave him the street name.

"Do you need directions?"

"Nah! I know this town like the back of my hand," he bragged, making a quick right turn as he rubbed his index finger under the bridge of his noise. True to his word, he managed to navigate his way through the wide and empty streets until he finally pulled the car to a halt outside your front door.

"Here's your stop!" He chuckled to himself, watching as you began to clamber out of the car, beer can still in your grasp. You came up to his window, too busy taking out your purse to notice him eye the meter momentarily before turning to you with the same curved smile.

"Did I forget to tell you? First timers get a free ride!"

You paused, staring at him wide eyed. Surely that wasn't a real thing?

"A-Are you sure? I have money--"

"Don't worry about it! You don't need to pay me a single yen."

"I... Well, thank you," was all you could say. You barely had enough energy to continue interacting anymore. You just wanted to go inside and lie down in front of your fan for the rest of the day. The air was stifling.

"It's nothing..!" Ozo's mind flew to his boss, knowing he wouldn't approve of him doing this, but then again there were many things his boss didn't approve of. This one would just have to be swept under the rug.

"Have a nice day," you bowed hastily, turning on your heel and heading to your front door, keys already grasped tightly between your fingers. Ozo flailed for words, not wanting to let you go just yet, but you were already halfway through the door, your face obscured by your strands of hair.

"You too, sweetheart! Maybe I'll see you again sometime!"

»»-----　♔　-----««

He never got a verbal response, only the sound of your door shutting behind you, the noise bouncing off the walls of nearby buildings and echoing around him. He sat back in his seat, rubbing his finger once again under his nose, grinning to himself.

"Nailed it."

Ozo began manoeuvring his car away from your home, sending one final glance back to your house through the side mirror before it disappeared from view.

Now that he was alone again, the quietness in his car and the town was really starting to bore him. It hadn't even been that long since he finished his break over at Iriabi with his youngest brother, but he felt as if he deserved another. It wasn't like there were going to be many people who needed a lift around here, anyway.

With a soft hum, Ozo diverted his car from the main road and set off down a smooth stone pathway instead, the grass on the edges of the road now becoming more clean cut and less wild and untamed.

Over the line of trees that were bunched together in the distance, he could make out two large and familiar houses, the sun glinting off of their grey tiled roofs. His eyes drifted over to the one on the right, with the roof being slightly lower and flatter compared to the other.

A smirk spread across his face as a thought drifted through his mind, and he pressed his foot down further onto the gas.

Rolling up in front of white stone fencing with the entrance carefully carved into a large circular shape, Ozo wasted no time in driving the car through the entrance and parking it in front of the wooden sliding doors at the front of the house. He left the car to sit in the gravelled driveway, whistling as he swung his keys around his index finger before allowing it to slip into his pocket.

He knocked loudly on the door, rocking back and forth on his heels as his brown orbs wandered around his surroundings, noticing the same coloured flowers and neatly cut hedges that were there the last time he was there, which seemed like such a long time ago. The sign with the words 'Midorito Estate' carved into it looked as if it had just been freshly polished, the wood surface shining smoothly under the sun.

The heat was starting to really irritate him by the time the door was slid open, revealing a man dressed in a grey yukata, whose eyes were narrowed and lips pulled into a scowl at the sight of Ozo on the other side of the door.

"Chorosuke! Long time no see!" Ozo cheerily greeted with a lazy wave of his hand.

"You were literally here just last night, Ozo," Chorosuke growled, his words turning into a strained yelp as Ozo simply walked past him.

"Well, it's been a long day for me." Kicking his shoes off with little grace or care for where they landed, Ozo swiftly evaded the angered hands of Chorosuke as they attempted to throttle him, easily navigating his way to the main sitting room and flopping himself down onto the tatami flooring in front of a large fan.

"Who said you could come in here?!" Ozo grumbled lowly, ignoring the man as he shut his eyes and relished in the cold wind as it breezed across his face, sifting through his hair and traversing down his neck. The collar of his shirt flapped noisily under the fan's wind, the whirring of its many hands almost enough to drown out Chorosuke's berating.

Almost.

"You're lucky I don't call the police on you! Do you have any idea what that would do to my family name?!"

"Yeah yeah, I heard ya' the last time you told me. Just relax.... We're brothers, anyway, aren't we?" Ozo's voice was already groggy with sleepiness, the whole ambiance of the room very close to lulling him to sleep.

Chorosuke stood by the door, a tense look in his eyes as he registered Ozo's words.

The word 'brother' was still foreign to him. It left an odd taste on his tongue whenever he spoke the word, and an equally odd ring in his ear when he heard it. All his life he had been brought up with his one and only younger sister, but now over the past two years, a handful of men show up with the same face as him, and one of them claiming them all to be long lost brothers.

It might not be far from the truth, especially with the fair bits of evidence he had seen, but even so...

"Hey, you got any beer? My stash ran out."

...Even so, how could he be related to such an idiot?

"Is that all you ever come here for?" Chorosuke grumbled, reluctantly moving over to a door on the far left wall which lead to the kitchen and grabbing a beer can from the fridge. He shut the fridge door, only to open it a moment later to grab a can for himself. He was going to need it if he was now forced to deal with that in his living room.

"If it's free, I'll take it," Ozo chuckled as the other returned, gladly taking the beverage and briefly pressing it to his warm neck before cracking it open.

"Then I'll charge you next time."

"You're already rich enough!"

Chorosuke hid the small smile threatening to break onto his lips behind his drink, turning his head away to peer outside of the opened doors revealing his vast and beautifully decorated back garden. It was the same blue sky, he noted, and it looked just as serene as it did when he saw it last.

"I'm surprised Toshio isn't with you today. Actually, that's probably a good thing..." Chorosuke began. He was more used to the two menaces storming his house at the same time instead of on separate occasions.

Ozo shrugged, "I haven't seen him all day. Who knows what he's doing..." A stretch of silence passed before Ozo suddenly snapped his fingers, his eyes lighting up. "Oh yeah! Did you make the call yet?"

"I managed to reach them this morning," Chorosuke nodded. "They'll be here by tomorrow night, if they're not swamped with work."

"That quick? I thought they'd be here by the end of the week!"

"Well, Hajime is unemployed, so he has plenty of time on his hands, and Karatsugu is barely paid attention to in his office. I'm not too surprised."

Ozo made a small noise of agreement. A soft smile stretched across his lips as he gazed at the fully grown maple tree sat in the centre of Chorosuke's garden. It had been a while since he and his brothers had gotten together, and he would be lying if he said he wasn't excited. The memories of the last time they gathered together under the same roof made him giddy with anticipation as to what havoc they would wreak this time around.

His thoughts swirled back and forth through his mind for a while before one particular thought lingered in front of his mind, allowing his smile to morph into an impish grin. He elbowed Chorosuke beside him to garner his attention, who only stared at him with an unimpressed grimace.

"Guess what, guess what?" He was already snickering. Chorosuke knew he didn't want to hear whatever this story was going to be, but he had no other choice, unfortunately.

"....What?" He sighed.

"I'm pretty sure I picked up a hitch hiker off the road today," Ozo began, "and she was super pretty. Like, gorgeous."

"And why are you telling me this?"

"Because! Don't you wanna hear about how big her boo-"

"Shut up!" Chorosuke hissed, grabbing a newspaper from nearby and smacking the roll over his target's head. Ozo only chuckled, barely moving away from his attacker. "What if Dayoko was to hear you?! You have no manners whatsoever, you dolt!"

"You say that, but your face is so red!" Ozo began to cackle with laughter, his free hand smacking his knee. Chorosuke stammered, a sweat now breaking out on his temple as he attempted to right himself.

"I-It is not! Just stop talking about it!"

"Aww, but I'm serious! It's been so long since I've seen a new face as cute as hers," Ozo sighed dreamily, his gaze now distant as he remembered your features, your voice, the little ticks of nervousness throughout the whole taxi ride... "And I know where she lives, too! So I can visit her whenever!"

"Please don't. That's just creepy. Borderline stalking," Chorosuke shook his head. He went to take another sip of his beer, only to find the can already empty. Ozo shook his, also finding it devoid of his favourite alcoholic drink. He gave Chorosuke a pointed look, eliciting a groan from him.

He stood up to fetch another beer. Maybe something stronger this time.

[ 3. ]

You were left physically and emotionally drained by the time you had relayed your living nightmare to the three brothers. You had answered Laamcung's questions as accurately as you could, barely managing to avoid the urges to breakdown into tears every time the memories resurfaced to your mind.

The man had thanked you kindly for your cooperation, taking your hand gingerly into his larger one and rubbing his thumb over your knuckles with a smile as a grateful gesture before stepping away. His brothers rolled their eyes at his antics, but refrained from saying anything else to him, nor to you.

They parted with the promise of a warm meal arriving soon, and with Zicung coming in every now and then to check up on your injuries. You would be lying if you said you weren't afraid of being alone in a room with the silent and intimidating man, however you held your tongue. The last thing you wanted was to get on the bad side of this unknown trio.

You couldn't bring yourself to trust that they wouldn't inflict further harm onto you. Not when you were so vulnerable, and weak, and terrified.

Meanwhile, the three brothers stood in the other room, glancing towards each other warily as the door closed shut.

"..that son of a bitch.." Ichimatsu snarled under his breath, glaring hotly at the wall.

"It's obvious that it was all just a scheme to kill us off back at that building," Karamatsu mused, "But why drag in the innocent?"

"'Cuz he's a psychopath, that's why." Choromatsu's hands curled into tight fists by his sides, the anger that Ichimatsu held now rubbing off onto him, too. "As if he gives two shits about who gets dragged into this mess."

"...I'll inform Osomatsu," Karamatsu sighed. "Maybe the both of you should cool off before going back into her room. You must understand that she is sensitive, and the last thing we want to do is frighten her further."

The two younger brothers flinched at Karamatsu's stern tone, his furrowed gaze letting them know that he was deadly serious. They briefly nodded towards him and watched as he left the room.

Choromatsu huffed, flexing his fingers from his tense grip. He really needed to let the stress out of his system. As he stood silently, he began to list off the many ways he could do so, ranging from throwing knives to shooting off his pistols, maybe even a sparring match with Jyushimatsu.

"I'm going. You take care of the food."

"I — what?!" Choromatsu spun on his heel, a bewildered frown playing on his pointed lips as his brother shuffled away with his hands in his pockets.

"You heard me. I've got stuff to do first, so you do it."

"Wha—? Why me?!"

"Why not?" Ichimatsu sent a warning glare over his shoulder, leaving no room for discussion as he left, abandoning Choromatsu. The lone man withheld the urge to scream at his brother, opting instead to rub a heavy hand down the length of his face with a muffled groan.

He muttered violently under his breath as he stomped down to the kitchen, a tray of freshly-made, steaming food already waiting for him when he entered. He couldn't help but give the cooks the stink eye, seeing as he wasn't in the best of moods. Maybe he would apologise later, if he remembered.

As he walked back to your temporary room, he forced his anger and annoyance to simmer down. Karamatsu was right; you were already scared enough as it was. If he walked in there with the attitude he had, he would probably push you to tears again.

...He paused outside your room, brows furrowing further as a dangerous thought crossed his mind.

His hands tightened their hold around the tray between his fingers, the grip becoming stronger the more he stood and thought about it, surges of confusion mingling with his annoyance.

You jolted in your seat when the door suddenly burst open without a knock. You eyed the man who had called himself Ceoicung as he walked into the room, kicking the door shut behind him with the heel of his foot.

Despite the food in his hands making your stomach rumble in pain, the tense look on his face made you hesitant to do much of anything, other than follow his movements with your eyes as he sat in the chair beside you. The tray was placed onto your lap, the heat of the food seeping into your thighs.

He sat back in his seat, eyeing you expectantly. You felt small under his gaze, and you fidgeted slightly in your seat, the awkwardly silent air almost suffocating you as you tore your eyes away from him and down to your meal. It was a simple chicken stir-fry, a healthy mix of chicken and salad with plenty of lemon juice so that it wasn't too dry for your already sore throat. It smelt divine, and your mouth began to water just by looking.

You were still very much aware of the pair of eyes burning into your skin, and it made you all the more hesitant to eat anything. As if reading your mind, Ceoicung spoke up quite suddenly.

"The food's not poisoned or anything. Just eat it."

You jumped once again, whipping your head over to the man who's foot was bouncing rapidly against the tiled floor, his cheek resting against his palm with a bored look on his face.

Thinking you were very close to making him snap, you turned back to your food and, swallowing thickly, you picked up the knife and fork set out for you.

Well... you tried to pick them up.

Your left hand was immovable, with it being wrapped up in a cast, and your right hand was still trembling as you clutched the fork as tightly as you could, only for it to slip out of your grasp and fall against the tray with a loud clatter.

The silence in the room seemed to ring louder than the noise you had just made. Your cheeks burned in embarrassment as you sat stock still with your empty hand still hung in the air, your brain short circuiting as you were unsure of what to do.

After a moment of listening to the clock tick away on the wall, Ceoicung sighed heavily. You heard the chair scrape along the floor until you could see his knees push against your mattress, and you hesitantly looked over to him.

He took your tray and moved it closer to him, picking up the knife and fork and gathering a small portion of food to hold up to your mouth. You could only stare at him wide eyed, the behaviour catching you off guard.

The both of you continued to stare at each other like a pair of deer in headlights before he finally broke away, and you swore you could see a tinge of red dusting the tips of his ears.

"Look, I'm sorry, okay? I didn't realise you wouldn't be able to do anything like that, so I'm just trying to help you out."

"...O-Oh..!" You quickly shook your head, "No, it's not your fault! You didn't do anything wrong there... But, you don't have to do this. I think I'll be able to manage."

He gave you a flat look, raising his brow.

"Yeah. Sure."

He pushed the morsel of food towards you once more, staring you down all the while. You felt a little humiliated, having to be fed by some stranger because you were too weak to do it yourself, but there wasn't anything else you could do. The hunger in your stomach was telling you to just eat now and worry later.

You chose to stare down at Ceoicung's calloused fingers that held the metal utensils as you opened your mouth, taking the chicken and pieces of salad into your mouth. You chewed experimentally, your furrowed brows slowly rising in pleasant surprise at the wonderful flavours that began to overwhelm your taste buds.

You immediately took the next bite that Ceoicung brought up to you, chewing quickly as all thoughts of the food being poisoned were promptly thrown out the window. Ceoicung watched you with slight amusement, the corners of his lips twitching upwards as a spark of life was slowly brought back into those previously dull eyes of yours.

"Oi, slow down," he mumbled warningly, and you did as he said, taking the time to truly savour your food before swallowing.

Eventually, your plate became empty. A second glass of water was carefully pushed against your lips, and you gladly guzzled the drink, sighing softly as your mouth and throat no longer felt parched.

"Thank you." Your quiet voice cut through the empty air as Ceoicung moved the tray away from you and onto the bedside table to be picked up later. He rolled his eyes over to you, leaning back into his chair, arms crossing over his chest.

"It's nothing." His short answers didn't make it any easier for you to converse with him, leaving you to sit in an awkward silence, fiddling with the bedsheet beneath your fingers as you tried to think of something to say. Ceoicung was simply waiting for his younger brother to come in and check up on you so that he could leave this stiflingly atmosphere. He wasn't a babysitter — he had things to do.

Your eyes darted around the room timidly until they landed on the man sat beside you. You couldn't help but take the time to truly take in his appearance, remembering how you couldn't even look any of them in the eyes before.

Ceoicung's pale face was round and soft looking; a stark contrast to the narrowed and harsh look in his eyes. His lips were thin and pointed, the light pink skin looking delicate, although slightly chapped. Multiple earrings hung from his ears, two studs lining the tips and a single square shaped ring on his left ear. His brown hair, dark and short, was styled upwards with clear signs of fingers having run through them in messy trails, which suited him, you thought.

"What is it?"

The sudden sound of his voice made you jump, your face once more directed down at your lap in a quick attempt at covering up the flustered and embarrassed look on your face after being caught staring.

"N-Nothing..! Sorry..."

He raised a brow, unconvinced that you didn't need something from him, but he didn't press on any further. It was probably better if neither of you spoke, anyway. It was unnecessary.

Time seemed to stretch by slower and slower, and Ceoicung's irritation was increasing every time he looked at the door and saw that no one was behind it yet. Whatever his little brother was doing, he needed to hurry up and get it done with before he went berserk.

"Um..."

His head suddenly snapped towards you, the look on his face making you flinch. You started to regret speaking up at all, but now that you'd done it, you supposed there was no going back.

"I was just wondering... Where exactly.. am I?"

"You're in our house," came his short response, his eyes instantly turning back to the door, "specifically, in Zicung's operating room."

"Oh... is he a doctor?"

"Not exactly."

An uncertain feeling began to bubble in your stomach at that. If he wasn't a doctor, then what was he planning to do when he came to check up on you? Your face began to pale, your lips setting into a firm line as you hesitantly glanced at Ceoicung.

"What... What does he do, then?"

Ceoicung stared at you, a look passing his eyes that you couldn't identify, his mouth parting to form some kind of sentence, only to be abruptly pulled from his thoughts as the door suddenly creaked open. The both of you looked over to the doorway, seeing Zicung lazily shuffle into the room with his hands tucked into his pockets.

He passively dragged his gaze over the both of you before making his way over towards a large cabinet at the other end of the room. Behind its glass doors were shelved stacked with brown pill bottles and liquids that seemed to be medicine, but now you weren't so sure.

"It's about time you showed up," Ceoicung growled, standing up from his seat. He ran a hand through his hair briefly, finally settling his arms to cross over his chest, the tight material of his shirt sleeved t-shirt pulling taut against his biceps.

"I told you, I had stuff to do." Zicung replied, busy rifling through the cabinet before he seemed to find the bottle he was looking for and taking it out with a slight shake. He turned to you with the same tired and half-lidded eyes, coming closer until he stood right beside you. You felt yourself begin to sweat under his deadpan stare, unable to lift your eyes up from the bedsheets and only wanting to shrink into yourself until you disappeared.

"...Stop being a creep," Ceoicung sighed, nudging his brother. Zicung only rolled his eyes, snatching your empty glass and leaving the room to go and fill it back up.

"Zicung will be taking care of you, now," the man spoke to you with a nod. He began to leave the room, and you panicked.

"Wait!" The moment the word left your lips you felt mortified, staring wide eyed at the man who slowly turned back to you with a raised brow. "I-I mean... uh..."

"He's not gonna hurt you, if that's what you're worried about," You flinched at his words, confirming your thoughts out loud. "We may be Yakuza, but we aren't like this other scumbags out there. Just relax."

With that, he nonchalantly left the room, the idea of finally being able to get a break for a short while sounding very appealing.

Zicung reentered your room, his steps faltering for barely a second when he saw you. You were staring blankly at thin air, your skin looking paler than usual, as if you had seen a ghost.

"...These pain killers will ease the pain. You have to take them three times a day for your injuries." He proceeded to instruct, mistaking your utter shock for a sudden bout of pain. He cracked open the lid and shook out two pills onto his palm, holding them out to you along with the glass of water. When you didn't respond, he frowned, pushing closer.

"Hey," he snapped. You blinked, shakily taking a deep breath before taking the pills and glass, bringing them to your mouth. You hesitated as you pressed your palm to your mouth, then squeezed your eyes shut and popped them into your mouth, quickly washing them down.

Seemingly satisfied, Zicung glanced towards the clock on the wall, taking note of the time being close to midnight, and began making his way out of the room.

"Sleep for now. I'll wake you up in the morning so that you can take them again."

"...How long do I have to stay here?" Your voice was hushed, trembling. Zicung peered at you from over his shoulder for a moment before answering.

"With your injuries, probably a month or so."

"A month?!" You shook your head, eyes pleading to him. "No, I can't stay for a month! I need to go as soon as possible! My bakery— my business won't last if I don't get back soon!"

"Even if I let you out now, what could you possibly do when you open up your little shop again?" Zicung raised a brow. "You can barely move your arms, and I bet you wouldn't be able to stand up straight for a good few weeks."

"I-I know that, but please, isn't there something you can do? Anything!" You pressed, leaning forward on your bed as your eyes glistened with tears. Zicung turned away from you, hunching his shoulders higher towards his ears.

"No. I can't help you anymore than this, so stop asking."

The door shut violently, leaving you alone again. You slowly sat back against your pillows, the tears finally falling down your cheeks once more as you sat helplessly. You bit your lip, choking back your whimpers as you desperately begged yourself to stop crying.

Your mind began to concoct a series of downward spiralling thoughts. Your business failing, your bakery no longer being owned by you, your small and cosy flat above the shop being taken away, your whole life falling to pieces whilst you were stuck who-knows-where with a bunch of men you didn't know.

Not just any bunch of men, you reminded yourself with a shudder. Yakuza.

You were stuck with Yakuza.

Chapter 4

The train journey was excruciatingly long, just as they remembered it to be. Karatsugu peered out the window beside him, his eyes stuck to the darkening sky above, which was also tinted a slight shade darker due to him wearing his large aviator sunglasses. He watched as the scenery outside gradually changed from strictly endless waves of tall green grass and trees to small buildings in the far distance and flat earth.

Across from him, Hajime sat silently, slouching in his seat as he clutched his large backpack to his chest to rest his chin atop it, his eyes shut as he slept quietly. A small smile came to Karatsugu's lips before he yawned, covering his mouth with the back of his hand whilst his other arm stretched up above his head. He let it fall down onto his lap lazily as he went back to staring out the window, his leg jumping up and down lightly as he inwardly became impatient.

It had been quite a while since he had last come to Akashika District; a year, to be exact. He still remembered the first time he had visited that place like it was only yesterday, as well as the interesting adventure he and his newfound brothers took part in. Karatsugu smiled fondly at the memory, wondering just what else they would be getting up to this time.

He was quickly snapped out of his daydreams as a voice spoke over the intercom, and although it sounded very fuzzy and full of static, he could just about make out what the voice said:

'We are now arriving at Akashika Station. This is the train's final stop. Please ensure you have all your items of belonging before leaving the train. We are now arriving at...'

The voice repeated itself several more times before it fell silent, and Karatsugu could feel the train begin to slow down. He carefully, and very cautiously, leaned forward to nudge Hajime's knee, attempting to rouse him from his nap.

"Hajime... You need to wake up now, we're here..." he mumbled, gently calling for his younger brother. He could feel a bead of sweat beginning to accumulate on his temple as Hajime didn't stir, prompting him to nudge a tad bit harder whilst also bearing in mind to not push his own luck, lest he want a fist to the face.

Thankfully, that didn't happen, and Hajime grumbled against his backpack as his eyes sluggishly cracked open. His dark gaze landed on Karatsugu for a moment before it wandered around the train compartment, shifting slightly in his seat and raising his head. He rubbed a hand against the back of his neck, wincing at the soreness from the awkward position he had fallen asleep in.

"... We're here?" he mumbled, barely audible over the ruckus of the train still moving against the tracks. Karatsugu nodded, taking his phone out of his pocket whilst Hajime stretched his arms. Karatsugu swiped through the group chat one of his brothers had created, skimming over his unread messages from hours ago to begin tapping away at his screen.

── SEX🤤🍆tuplets

12:24

[Chorosuke💐🌹] Who changed the group chat name?

[Takashi🍰🍬🍭] Who do u think lol

[Ozo🍺🚖] its gr8 right! sexxxxxxxxxxxx tuplets HAHAH

[Chorosuke💐🌹] Please shut up.

[Ozo🍺🚖] ur alwas so booooooring chorosuk e lolol anyway! karatsugu n hajime! wya?

[Hajime🐈‍⬛🐾] train

That is correct burazzas!~~😎😎✨✨ Our travels have only barely just begun!💫💫 We will be arriving later tonight! I'm sure you are all very excited for our arrival, hmm~~? 🥀🥀🥀🥀😎😎😎😎

[Takashi🍰🍬🍭] We get it plz stop with those ugly ass emojis

[Jyushimatsu🌻🌼☀️] KARAMATSU NIISAN ICHIMATSU NIISAN HIHHIHUHIHUU!!!!! HIRRY UP I WANNA PLAY!!!!!!

[Chorosuke💐🌹] I don't want to kick you out again, Jyushimatsu. Please don't spam.

── SEX🤤🍆tuplets 19:03

[72 unread messages]

We are arriving at the station!✨✨ Ozo, burazza, would you be so kind as to give us a lift?😎😎😎

[Ozo🍺🚖] sureeee its abt time u guys got here!

[Jyushimatsu🌻🌼☀️] YAYYYYAYA!!! YOUR HERE YOURH ERE!!! OSOMATSU NIISAN CAN I CUM A SWELL????!!!!

[Takashi🍰🍬🍭] oh my god eww

[Ozo🍺🚖] Yh! the more the happier as they say

[Chorosuke💐🌹] It's: 'The more, the merrier.' Honestly, how do you not know?

[Ozo🍺🚖] I ain't no nerd anyway ill be there in 10!

──

Satisfied with Ozo's response, Karatsugu put away his phone and stood up, reaching up to the overhang and carefully sliding his suitcase out and onto the floor. He also did the same for Hajime's suitcase, having a sneaking suspicion that the man wouldn't get it himself, but he wasn't bothered by it.

They waited for the train to pull to a stop, the metal wheels against the tracks squeaking and groaning loudly into the air. The voice over the intercom spoke again, signalling that all passengers were now allowed to leave.

So, with their suitcases in hand and their backpacks slung over their shoulders, the two brothers exited the train and stepped onto the same barren and quiet platform. The warm evening air pushed into their faces, the heat a lot tamer than it would be during the day. Hajime looked up towards the sky for a moment, witnessing the final shreds of sunlight melt away into the night as a dark blanket covered the sky.

"We should head outside," Karatsugu spoke up, his baritone voice echoing around the area, "they could be here any minute, now." He had already begun walking towards the exit, and after a few seconds, he heard his brother's footsteps shuffling along the concrete ground, following him from behind.

Karatsugu stepped out first, taking a deep breath of fresh air as a soft breeze picked up around him briefly before it died down. He smiled at the scenery, already feeling at home with his excitement growing by the second.

"Karamatsu-niisan."

The man screamed, jumping on the spot and tripping over his own feet as he tumbled to the ground, his mouth agape and sunglasses askew on his face, eyes darting around to see where that sudden voice came from, only to find a man standing to his right with a brown paper bag over his head and the roughly cut holes where his eyes should be dark and devoid of life.

Hajime stepped out next, taking one good look at Karatsugu on the ground and raising his brow before looking over to the paper bag man. He barely reacted, only giving a slight nod and saying:

"Long time no see, Jyushimatsu."

"Aha! Same here, Ichimatsu-niisan!" Jyushimatsu laughed, rocking back and forth on his heels giddily. Karatsugu, still on the ground, gradually collected himself and cupped his chin with this thumb and forefinger, smirking as if he hadn't just screamed like he had seen a ghost.

"Heh! Jyushimatsu! It has been some time since we last spoke in person!" Unsurprisingly, Karatsugu went ignored as the other headed towards a car that was parked a little further down the road, with the engine still running and the lights beaming down onto the gravelled path. Karatsugu only hummed amusedly, standing up and brushing himself off, making sure to readjust his glasses before grabbing his things and following behind them, listening in on their conversation.

"A lot of things have changed around here since you last visited, you know!" Jyushimatsu swung his arms back and forth as he walked, the smile in his voice heard through his words.

"Yeah? Like what?" Hajime readjusted his backpack on his shoulder, throwing a side glance towards Jyushimatsu. The paper bag man only giggled, his head now swaying side to side, as if nodding along to some unheard tune.

"Things!" Was all he said as they reached the car. The trio paused as the driver's door opened, and out clambered a grinning Ozo with a beer can in hand.

"Finally! I thought you guys were never gonna show up!" He complained, though there was no bite behind his words. Hajime shook his head as he watched Ozo take a large swig from his can.

"You couldn't wait until we got to that otaku's house to start drinking? I don't want to die because of your shitty driving..." he shuffled over to the car, opening the trunk and pushing his suitcase in there as Jyushimatsu sat in the back seats.

"I'm not a lightweight! I can handle more than one can, y'know!" Ozo sat back down in his seat, and Karatsugu also went over to place his suitcase in the trunk before closing it. Hajime sat in the back with Jyushimatsu, leaving the passenger seat up front available. Once they were all settled in the car, Ozo manoeuvred the car out of its parked position and back onto the road.

"Let's chuck your stuff at that guy's place, and then we can go drinking!" Ozo cheered, Jyushimatsu matching his excitement. Karatsugu couldn't help but laugh, and even Hajime couldn't control the small smirk that crept its way onto his face, which he quickly hid behind his backpack.

It was nice to be back.

»»-----　♔　-----««

You sighed softly as you wiped down the bar top with the slightly damp cloth in your palm. Glancing at the small clock on the wall behind you, you took note of how it had been just over an hour since your shift at Bang Bang Chicken Bar had started and, as per usual, barely anyone had entered the bar. There was that one regular customer who had already came and went — a man with very large front teeth who asked for the same drink every other night, attempted to flirt with you, then would leave with the promise of coming back as a rich French man... whatever that means.

Another sigh escaped you. It was now just past nine o'clock, and you had a strong feeling that the hours were going to slip by a lot slower than you would like. That, and coupled with the fact that you would be the only one working at the bar at this hour (aside from your boss, who would be cooped up in his office until early hours of the morning), you knew it would be yet another boring night ahead.

Well, maybe not entirely boring.

The sound of drums suddenly filled the silence in the bar, which was soon followed by the sound of heavy strums of electric guitars and keyboards. A woman's voice began belting lyrics into the microphone. You watched the band, Killer Fish, perform on the raised platform in the centre of the room, the seven women on stage lost in their own world of death metal music as their heads nodded along violently to the beat.

When you had first started working at Bang Bang Chicken Bar — an obscure bar at the end of a long, winding and empty road on the outskirts of Akatsuka Village — you did not expect the seven quiet and well-dressed women on the stage to start singing death metal. It scared you half to death the first time you heard the screech of guitar strings echoing through the desolate bar. Even the lead singer, Totoko, dressed in a formal Japanese yukata with her hair styled up in an old-fashioned bun, her face stoic and serious, shocked you with her booming voice and scratchy vocals of a true death metal singer.

It was all so unexpected, and the tremors of the music had left you slightly shaky once the first performance was over. Now, though, you had become used to the music, and although it wasn't your preferred choice of music, you began to enjoy the performances. It made the whole bar feel so much more alive.

By the time you snapped out of your thoughts, the performance was over and the group was setting themselves up for another song. You, with nothing better to do, decided you would turn to the shelves stacked with all kinds of alcoholic drinks behind you and sort through them again, making sure they were presented with their labels faced towards the patrons and that they were organised neatly, despite the fact that you had already done this. Three times.

Whilst you mindlessly traced your fingers along the glass bottles, the music started up again, drowning out the sound of the door to the bar opening.

In walked six men, each dressed in black suits, and each of them boisterous and excited to begin their night of drinking. They awed at the group on stage for a moment before one of them took charge and pushed them over to an empty table in the middle of the room. They took their seats and began conversing with each other, laughing at some joke someone made or at another's crazy antics.

Eventually, two of them stood up from their seats, one seemingly more casual with his hands tucked into his pockets whilst the other, donning a black yukata, seemed more uptight with an annoyed frown pressed onto his upturned lips. The two began making their way over to the bar, where you were stood with your back still turned, oblivious of what was happening behind you until your ears picked up the sound of two men conversing.

You tilted your head slightly, squinting your eyes as if it would help with figuring out whether you were hearing things or not, but as the voices grew closer, your eyes widened as you realised no, this wasn't your imagination, and there were actually other customers in the bar.

Turning on your heel, you physically felt your brain fizzle and pop like an old lightbulb at the sight of the two men coming closer towards you, their faces still fresh in your mind from the first time you had encountered them on separate occasions.

"Come on, Chorosuke! You're loaded! A couple of drinks with your money won't hurt anyone!" It was that taxi driver from the other day who was talking, that same sleazy grin displayed proudly on his face as he poked fun at the man next time him; that man from the store who had given you that watermelon, which actually was sweet.

"You and I both know you won't be having 'a couple of drinks!' And you have your own money! Pay for yourself!" He shouted over the music, his eyes narrowing in frustration as he knew all too well that he would inevitably be paying for the drinks. You could only stand in silence as they grew closer and closer, neither of them truly paying attention to your presence as they continued to bicker back and forth until they were stood right in front of you.

Ozo turned to you first, his mouth opening to make his request until his half-lidded eyes locked onto your face. He frowned for a split-second before his eyes widened, the smirk on his lips stretching into an excited grin as he instantly recognised you. Chorosuke, confused by his brother's odd reaction, turned to you as well, only for his expression to fall into a look of horror, his pale cheeks flushing a bright crimson.

"It's you!" They exclaimed together, their tones completely opposite to one another. Pausing, they whipped their heads to look at each other confusedly. "Wait, what?" they questioned in unison.

"How do you know her?" Chorosuke quickly demanded, his eyes flitting between your nervous form and the man beside him.

"I told you, I met a pretty girl yesterday!" Ozo reminded him, "And what about you?"

"I-I, well... We bumped into each other at the market the other day..." Chorosuke's voice trailed off, secretly hoping you would remember him so that he wouldn't be humiliated in front of the one man who wouldn't let something like this go. Lucky for him, you did remember. You remembered that interaction all too well.

"Really?! Wow! Small world, right?" Ozo turned to you, leaning against the bar top with one arm as he gave you a quick once over, a flirtatious look in his eyes that only served to make you shrink into yourself. "Do you remember me? I dropped you off yesterday! Man, if I knew you worked here, I would come by more often!"

They seemed to be waiting for some kind of reaction from you, so you took a minute step back from the countertop and chuckled nervously, an odd smile on your face that probably didn't look like a smile at all.

"Aha... Yeah! Hi... again..."

This was going to be a long, long night.