Come live with me

Natsuo slowly opened his eyes, which felt like they were glued shut. He found himself in a bare room with bamboo panels lining the walls. A row of decorative paper lamps hangs above them, lighting up the small space with a warm glow.

His gaze slowly adjusted to his surroundings as his scalp pounded with pain. He looked at the timber frames and elegant patterns all around him, thinking about where he could have ended up.

His body felt sluggish, but he forced himself to stand up from the tatami, making him to feel lightheaded as he tried to balance himself. He mustered all of his strength to limp toward the shoji door, and carefully pushed it open.

Natsuo stepped into a large room with checkered windows. Strong, aromatic smoke lingered in the air, filling his nostrils with the scent of herbs and spices.

A man in his thirties caught Natsuo's eye, causing him to feel somehow uncomfortable by his presence. He stood in front of an elaborately designed shrine, which was surrounded by various candles and incense sticks.

"Good evening," the man greeted in a deep voice and turned to look at Natsuo in the distance. He had black dreadlocks in a loose ponytail, and his whole body was covered with symbolic yakuza tattoos that showed under his black robe. His maroon-brown irises pierced through the shadows as he spoke, and a hint of an enigmatic smile formed on his thin lips.

"Who are you?" Natsuo asked, becoming more uneasy as he glanced at the two black-suited guards at the door nearby.

"Why don't you sit down, so we can talk?" the tattooed man suggested, pointing to a cushion on the floor.

The strict expressions on the guards' faces made it clear that they urged Natsuo to obey the man without hesitation, so he complied. His face contorted in discomfort as he lowered himself and tried to settle into a comfortable position.

Uncertainty pounded in Natsuo's stomach as he focused on the mysterious figure before him, thinking back to what the thugs had said about the oyabun - getting involved with the yakuza was the last thing he wanted.

"Are you content with the current state of your life, or do you feel like something needs to change?" the stranger asked, keeping his voice absent of emotion.

"Not everyone was born with a golden spoon," Natsuo responded stiffly.

"That is true. But despite our backgrounds, we can all make a conscious effort to forge our own paths and blaze our own trails," the stranger replied with a motivational glint in his eye, as if daring the younger man to challenge his statement.

Then, as the sliding doors flew open, a loud noise reverberated throughout the room.

Natsuo's expression vanished as his former classmate Jiro made his entrance. His eyes were wide with shock and disbelief, as he couldn't comprehend what was happening.

"I apologize if I interrupted," Jiro frowned as he straightened his bow.

"We were just beginning to have a productive conversation," the other man said and gave Natsuo's shoulder a friendly pat. Natsuo shot at him a sharp glare, feeling his anxiety spike in response.

"Oyassan, I believe there has been a misunderstanding. I know this person. I don't think he is what you are looking for," Jiro acknowledged, keeping his tone respectful, and bowed a second time.

Natsuo was stunned by his statement. His head hurt as he tried to understand what was going on, but the more he thought about it, the more questions he had.

A skeptical look crossed the man's face as he narrowed his eyes, but he eventually waved his hand, signaling that they were free to leave.

Jiro stepped closer and reached his hand out to help Natsuo stand up, but he declined his offer, and got up on his own. For the third time, Jiro humbled himself before the tattooed figure and gave him a deep bow, before gesturing for his former classmate to follow him.

(A while later)

The two of them walked out of the grand mansion, with Natsuo trying to catch up to Jiro. They passed through a traditional garden and under a majestic torii gate, until they reached the street, with nothing else in sight. More suited men loomed in the shadows and observed their way out of the residence, never taking their eyes off them.

A charcoal gray sports car with tinted windows waited in the yard, parked a bit carelessly, as if in a hurry. Jiro opened the driver's seat, turning to see his acquaintance, who hesitated in his steps.

"Have a seat. I can drive us back to the city," he said, motioning for him to get into the car.

"With... you?" Natsuo muttered, feeling awkward just thinking about it.

"Well, unless you want to walk back, but it might take awhile," Jiro answered amusingly, glancing at the empty landscape and distant mountains. He gave his former schoolmate a friendly smile, but it did little to encourage him.

Natsuo swallowed as he remembered the kittens left behind, so he brushed aside his nervousness. With a deep breath, he slid into the passenger seat, and fastened his seatbelt, trying to calm himself.

"That man was Aoi Kamiwara. He is the oyabun of the largest yakuza clan here in Tokyo," Jiro stated as he drove away, with one hand on the wheel and the other lightly tapping the door. His eyes were fixed on the road ahead with a relaxed, yet alert gaze.

The atmosphere between them felt intense as Natsuo kept his attention firmly on the window. He chose to concentrate on the tree patches that passed by them.

"And you were probably attacked by their freelancers. They are not actual members, but hired to do jobs that the yakuza don't want to be associated with," he added with a sigh.

"So... are you one of them?" Natsuo asked, glancing at Jiro's wrists where a faint tattoo peeked out from under his sleeves.

"I am a member," he admitted without hesitation.

Never in a million years would Natsuo have guessed that the little ghost from school would become part of society's most feared criminal group. The timid and bullied boy had truly vanished, and in his place now sat a hardened man. It didn't feel real at all.

"How did you know I was there?" Natsuo asked, still reluctant to look at him directly.

Jiro cleared his throat, and took a moment before responding.

"I promised to train new members, so I was summoned, but I had no idea it would be you. I just thought... perhaps this lifestyle isn't for you."

Natsuo agreed with him, but didn't say so. He was becoming increasingly aware of the other man's presence, causing his heart to race. Suddenly, he was overcome with a strange sensation, and he couldn't tell if it was stress or something else, but it made him sweat and his hands tremble.

"They do this sort of thing. In short, they recruit new members from the streets and lure them into their empire," Jiro explained.

Natsuo listened as his voice deepened with each word. He caught a hint of his earthy cologne as it wafted through the car, adding to the tingle in his head.

"I will take you to my place, so you can rest and - "

"Just drop me off in the north," Natsuo said, thinking that he needed to get to the kittens as soon as possible.

Jiro glanced at Natsuo, as he clutched his ripped jeans tightly, but said nothing in response.

(A while later)

Natsuo was relieved to be out of the car and free from the confusing emotions that had sparked within him. He bolted away from the vehicle, almost losing his balance from the sudden movement, but he managed to stay upright and make it to his hiding place.

There were no signs of the two kittens, but their mother was still there, lying on the ground. For a moment, Natsuo only stared at the small, lifeless body, feeling a sting in his eyes.

He kicked a can of cat food and cursed in frustration. That small feline had been his only friend for so long, the only being on the entire planet who had cared for him in some way. She had brought him warmth and comfort on the coldest nights, snuggling and purring next to him. She had been the reason for him to act and look after himself, so he could take good care of her and her babies - without her, he probably wouldn't even be around anymore.

Natsuo knelt beside her corpse, draped one of the donated blankets around her, and whispered an apology for not being able to help her. He was about to let his tears spill out, feeling vulnerable, when a sudden step behind him startled him.

"Do you live here?"

Natsuo froze in shock as he heard Jiro's voice behind him. He didn't want to turn around and show him the tears that had formed on his eyes, so he quickly wiped them away and stood up, still holding the bundle in his arms.

"W-why would you follow me?" he asked in a shaky voice. He quickly glanced at him behind his messy hair, seeing that he scanned his makeshift shelter and moth-eaten sheets with a slight frown.

"I saw you stumble and figured you might need some help," Jiro explained.

Natsuo sighed. He didn't want anyone to witness his fragile state or the sadness, that clung to him like a second skin. Even though he appreciated his thoughtfulness, he still wished to be left alone.

"You didn't have to," he muttered, hoping it would be enough to send the man on his way.

Jiro seemed to notice what Natsuo clutched in his arms. He approached him, but the other one just flinched further away.

"I am sorry this happened. And about your... pet."

Natsuo glanced at the dead cat he was holding. He stroked her head, her favorite spot behind her ear, and swallowed the knot in his throat.

"You died protecting your kids, didn't you... if only all mothers were like you..." he murmured quietly.

A sad smile formed on Jiro's face, almost as if he was agreeing with the other man, before his expression turned serious again.

"Come live with me," he said.