Chapter 4 - At the end of the day (II)

*Eiji

"tck… Why can't Ayaka be the one going around begging?" I clicked my tongue and says underneath my breathe as I knocked on the apartment door right before ours.

"GO AWAY!" A voice warned with a badly-formed tone of aggression, from behind the door.

'Even a 3-years-old would sound more intimidating' I thought, then gave my response.

"It's Eiji" I said, loud enough for her to hear from the other side.

Bolts and keeps could be heard turn, then the door itself opened revealing a young woman; a few years older than Oniisan (Shitsubo), holding a hammer while wearing singlet and a white short.

'What does she think she could do with a freaking hammer around here?' I couldn't help but sigh aloud; while thinking why the hell she took up space in this neighbourhood.

"Ohh… Eiji-kun, S…Sorry, I thought it was some punk pretending to be you" She declares trying to hide the hammer, and her panic with a smile.

"Then why the hell did you open up (sigh) and what do you think you would do with a fucking hammer around here?" I asked, still wondering why I hadn't come back home one day and to hear some punks broke in; stole shit, raped her and possibly killed her.

The worst thing is she barely even talks to anyone on this block besides us; which is not my choice, because she helps my mom out and I have to show her back - 'kindness' (according to my mother) but we aren't freaking safe ourselves, that's why we roll well with the others on this block.

All of us except Oniisan; he doesn't roll with anyone apart from his 'friend' – Daigo, but the rest of us (including mom) know you don't survive here alone, tuck inside your crib all day.

"If I were taller…bigger and came here to really harm you, I would have had my way and that hammer wouldn't do a damn thing to stop me…" I had to tell her matter-of-factly; she looked pitiful even with the way she held the hammer.

I continued "Just do yourself a favour- get yourself some iron. you got the coins for a small piece… Don't die stupidly."

"Some iron?" She asked with so annoyingly innocently.

"A gun…a freaking pistol" I couldn't help but blunt out with a bit of annoyance and frustration.

I mean, I came here to beg from someone that doesn't know her left from her freaking right.

She just stared blankly like a fucking moth, before muttering something like 'Ok… I've heard…. Thanks'.

"W…What brings here, I know you didn't just come here to lecture me." She asked trying to mask whatever the hell she was feeling with a smile.

"We need some water" I asked, averting her gaze while stretching out my hand with the pail in it.

She hesitated before asking with concern "Is everything ok? I heard yelling and…"

I cut her saying "Everything is freaking great, luckily the bastard left. Now, do you have some water or not", I irritably asked; I don't know why she wants to getting all mushy-feeling about everything.

I'm not goin' lie I was freaking scared though, immediately I heard the old man shouting at Oniisan, I knew he would likely get the shit beaten out of him.

Father hated him, more than he did any of us.

"Ok, I will some water for you" Fuyuko replied, not attempting to press me for more answers or something.

She closed the door, without taking the pail from my hand and I just stood there wondering where she's put the water in, without any intention of calling her back.

After some minutes, she opened the door again with a jug of water and a bottle of herbs on each hand.

"Here's some water, and… This is some pain-relief herb… in… in case you need it" she said sleepily as handed me the jug of water and the herb.

I didn't know why I bother bringing the freaking pail, Fuyuko does stuffs like this all the time; she is too good… too soft.

She still screams tush-Conquest District gal; possibly even Silver-District even after months of staying her, but no matter how weird it seems, no one looks inside a fucking gift horse's mouth.

I don't know what the hell happened to her, to force her to live in this shit-hole in Sumiyoshi, she's miles away from her natural habitat. It had to some really scarring shit.

Well, she can continue being all naïve and nice to us, it's a freaking boon.

I quietly collected it and walk straight to our apartment room.

Immediately I stepped inside the room, Oniisan asked with his usual coldness while his back faced me "Did you thank her?"

'Shit, I always forget', I couldn't help but cussed in my mind and had no way of respond to that.

I could just lie, but he might stand up right away and go ask her; he does shit like that sometimes.

As my mind raced, I forgot that reality isn't and Onnisan took my silence as a 'no'.

"I have told you to always say a fucking 'thank you', anytime you take things from 'her'!" Oniisan tone was low but anyone can literally feel the anger in it.

He's as fucking scary as father, only that he doesn't have to be drunk or too loud.

"Get your ass back there!" He commanded me.

Ayaka collected the pail, jug of water and bottle of herb from me, then give it to my brother while I walk back outside to knock on Fuyuko's door 'again'.

"Who's that?" She yelled with a bit of caution than poor constructed fright this time.

"It's me…Eiji…again" I couldn't help but muttered that last word silently.

She opened without much drama this time.

"Yes, do you need anything else?" She asked with the desire to help writing all over her fucking eyes.

'The nerve of this woman! How can one be so nice?' I seriously pondered.

"Thank you, Fuyuko-senpai… For the water… and the medicine" I said as humbly as I could, while bowing my head a bit (a very freaking tiny bit, because that's all the respect I can muster).

"No need, I'm always here if you need anything that's within my capability" she says smiling, as she leans on the side of her door entrance.

I have done what I was told to do, time to leave.

"…Also, because I said a hammer won't do anything, does it mean you should come out here bare-handed, without a fucking weapon" I just had to reproach her, leaving her in front of her door.

"I… I was sure it was you… I… I heard your voice" She tried to defend her silly action as I walked away.

"Right… and you confirmed it was me since you can see through wall or knew I was not force by some crack-heads to draw you out" I said mockingly, loud enough for her to hear.

"Well…" She sounded like she was trying to cook up something to say but couldn't.

Even her naïve-ass knew she had no way of defending herself.

"Right…" I uttered, opening our apartment door and stepped in.

I hurried to help my older brother and sister in any way I can to tend to our mom.

*Shitsubo

2 hours or so had passed before front door opened and a teenager in rumpled school uniform entered.

"Where have you been?" I asked from the corner where I sat, resting my back on the thin damp wall while looking straight at my right feet, instead at my other brother who just walked in.

"Oniisan… I…I just got caught up with something, that's all" He flustered a bit as he answered my question.

He was definitely shocked to hear me suddenly ask him a question as soon as he walked in, when I haven't home in days.

"Father and mom had a fight, again…not too long ago, luckily I arrived just in time before he started beating the living shit out of her… again" I said, still staring at my foot.

Then I continued "You should have been here with them when I am not around, you should be watching after 'em when I am away, not doing what the hell you were doing."

"Bro, I and some of my guys brought down a Tower drone. So, we were trying to sell it off" Genji (my brother) said with an earnest vibe; trying to defend himself but I just raise my voice after hearing what his excuse actually is.

"You did what?!…" I yelled with an intense degree of fright and anger.

This fucker is out there fucking with the Towers, when I'm out there dodging bullets for 'em.

If Enforcers comes knocking, it's me that's definitely getting dragged out of here and throw straight into jail before getting forced to fight in some fucking Gate against Aggressors for God knows how long– Everyone knows that's what happens to any Evolve arrested for any reason… any reason at all.

Just coughing the wrong way is enough reason for them to lock any Evolve from places like Sumiyoshi, yet this dumbass still went ahead to fuck with 'em.

'Before I get dragged out of here, I will make you wish you came to this world as a cripple because I will make you one now' I said internal as I stared at him, with my anger increasing by the second.

"Bro, it's fine… there was no…" He tried to calming me down as I stood up immediately and walked towards him, causing him to flinch and move back a bit.

The door of the other room slowly as I angrily walked up to Genji, I could guess who it is: my mom.

She had fallen asleep few minutes after I massaged her face with a rag soaked in water and gave her the bottle of herb Fuyuko handed to Eiji.

She was quite knocked out by it like ten seconds ago but she must have woken up when hearing raise my voice angrily at Genji and feebly came out to intercede for my brother.

I knew what she would say I should just 'let' whatever Genji did wrong go, without caring what exactly he did to make fire me up like this.

It doesn't matter what stupid shit any of them do, as long as it's vexing enough for to make me want to smack sense into them – she always wants to stop me.

Knowing this, I changed the direction of my fast pacing from Genji, back to the inner room door; using my shoulder and arm to stop it from being pushed open, then slowly trying to close it without hurting her as she too pushed from the other side.

"My son… My son, what's going on out there? Let me out…Is that Genji? Don't touch him" she protested weakly, trying to force the door open.

"Go back to sleep, mom… Nothing is happening…" I replied softly, lazily trying to relieve her of the thoughts that is driving her to come to Genji's rescue, but I don't think I can win this one with her adamantly trying to get into this room.

"… My son, let me enter..." She still demands as she continually tried to push the door but resisting her is freaking easy; I was an E-Grade Evolved, making me at least 6 times stronger than her.

"(Signed)… Mom, I promise nothing is happening and nothing will happen, please just go back to sleep" I said in a softer tone, reassuring her and it isn't a lie; because I chilled out a bit and considered that shit might not go down like might I think with Enforcers.

If those bastards were tracking him, they would probably have been here long before he got home and if they decide to pop up later, there will definitely be lots of commotion outside; lots of people in this building have loads of reason to split immediately the cops or Enforcers come around.

I just have to get the hell out of here without looking back, if I hear so much as a fucking whistle.

Genji just stood there watching us, while my mom finally relent and backed off. I slowly turn my face to Genji and said in low tone, not wanting my mother to come (try to come to be exact) outside again.

"Are you fucking crazy, what made going after a tower drone look like a good idea?"

"Oni-san, it is fine, we covered our face" he says, reaffirming me like he actually thought everything through.

"Ohh… ohh, you wore a mask, you wore a mask" I said mockingly, as I pointed a finger at his school uniform, then continues "... You had your fucking uniform on, do you think because you wore a mask, you are fucking invisible?

All they have to do is find your school, interrogate every one of those fuckers, then you will see how loyal those 'guys' of yours are when they start threatening and cuffing people… Fucking..." I yelled bitterly as soon as I stopped talking, looking up to the ceiling before return my vexed gaze to Genji; who swiftly averted his own eyes.

"I should have thought about the uniform" He admitted, with an expression that show he regretted his carelessness.

"You should fucking have!" I barked, reaffirming his induction, before asking "Why did you do something like that, really? You don't tend to do stupid shit, just for the sake of it"; I didn't really want to ask this kind of question, but was to tired and angry to shut down my weak curiosity.

"…The thing just popped out of a corner; all banged up and flying like it was boozed out, so we just decided to knock it down… Oni-san, you were gone for three whole days. No one knew when you will be back and father hasn't drop shit in weeks, so I had to do this" He replies with a tone mixed of different emotions.

A bit of concern, irritation, fear, solemnness and other shit I couldn't deal with now.

I couldn't say anything because my mind trailed back to what happened a few hours ago and I could not refute the words of my brother. I just walked back to the corner and sat back down resting on the wall; taking up my previous position. I released a deep exhale while closing my eyes as I sat down.

"Oniisan…I did not mean…" Genji was speaking in a low tone, probably because of my reaction when he explained and defended himself.

"How much did you get?" I asked, trying to put my shit together in that clammy corner for now and look at the bright side of things.

"Get? …Oh, I got 7,000 yen out of it" He answered with a so much disappointment.

"7,000… What tower crest was on it and how did you and your 'guys' split it?" I asked extremely confused, the fact that a flying machine has a Tower crest on it should naturally make that machine cost at least two arms.

Get 7000 yen was basically rat shit compared to what the I imagine it is worth, even if I don't have an exact value or know what the drone looks like.

"It had Tower of Thor crest on it and we split it six ways…. We actually sold it for 84,600 yen since it was a bit damaged even before we brought it down but some dickheads cornered us, immediately we exited the place we sold it and asked for their 'cut'. We were outnumbered and they looked like the 'beat-up-to-kill' type, so they ended up taking more than half of our coins" Genji explained, with his eyes clouded with vexation.

"That explains it, but you might have to lay low for some days… Tell those friends of yours to avoid school as well" I signed silently and advice.

"Aihe, Oniisan" He responded.

"When last did you guys chow?" I asked.

"Two days ago, I think" He answered care freely.

"Give me the 7,000 yen…" I outright demanded and he gave it to me without a fuss.

I brought out what I made tonight and added the dirty old notes together; adding my 5,460 yen to Genji's 7,000 yen, we had 12,460 yen but we couldn't spend this money the way we would like to; we have debt to pay and pretty soon those collectors will show up.

"Take 720 yen, get some slug-maggots for everyone tomorrow" I said, giving Genji some coins and tucked the remaining ones in my pocket.

My brother then took a sit next to me and asked "So the bastard left again", I barely nodded because a lot of thought were running in my head and I couldn't really lend him an ear.

"How long do you think he will be gone?" He asked and I replied with clean silence, we were staring the other side of the room with an unfocused gaze.

"You can't hold up to the demands of those bloodhounds when they come…" Genji said, bringing the reality of our position to words.

"It is not like I got any choice… Someone has to take the beating and provide the coins" I reluctantly said; I could not shake the foreboding feeling, even when I knew what will happen in about 2 hours.

I and my brother didn't doze off; we should be falling sleep after a long day but we couldn't; guess we felt our day wasn't over yet.