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XX Sato Jirouxx#836F6E
Some advice: if you come across someone with a number for a name, leave. The drug dealers around here get really pissed really easily, and you don't want to be near a fight between them.
Hikaru's voice echoes in Jirou's head- one of her "older-sister memos." She'd warned him about who to avoid and why, and yeah, he remembers numbers for names being near the top of the list.
Only problem is, he can't slip away quietly when the dude has him pinned against a wall.
Jirou doesn't pay much heed to the actual conversation happening- it's none of his business, and he's got enough on his plate without adding other people's bullshit to his life. The more he hears the men talk, however, the more familiar the unknown voice becomes, and it sets him on edge.
Then the alleyway lights up, just for a moment, and Jirou kinda wants to puke.
Kanayama Takashi. God fucking dammit.
Oddly enough, his brain doesn't immediately start listing every single thing that could possibly go wrong if Kanayama recognizes him. This moment, quite literally the most dangerous moment of all his time in Kabukichou, is utterly uncut by Jirou's paranoia, and that fact should be terrifying.
Instead, the thought flying through Jirou's mind is this: Kanayama is handsome here.
He's half-bathed in neon light from the street, dark shadows cast across the other half of him in all the strangest places. He's simultaneously glowing and hollow. He stands with power, confidence- but it's a different power and confidence than what he showed in the hallway of their school.
Here, Kanayama is a predator.
Leave.
Hikaru's warning flashes in bright red letters over top of Jirou's realization that hey, Kanayama's kinda hot, and it gives him the space to recognize that said realization makes no goddamn sense.
Unfortunately, he can't leave, because his customer- Nine? Whoever the fuck - has him pinned.
Of all the times to be stuck somewhere...
Jirou carefully avoids looking in Kanayama's direction, but his brain becomes suddenly incapable of minding its own business, and he finds himself eavesdropping. Not that he hears anything of interest- Kanayama's threats aren't particularly intimidating, not in Jirou's opinion, at least.
But Nine is intimidated nonetheless, almost pale with fear, and it lends credence to what Jirou's been told of the Golden Queen. If her name alone can instill this much anxiety...
Well, Jirou doesn't want to meet her. Ever.
The conversation comes to a close, shadows shifting like the uneasiness in Jirou's stomach. Nine disappears without paying for Jirou's time, and Jirou can't bring himself to be pissed about it.
Kanayama looks at him, but says nothing. Jirou doesn't look at Kanayama, and says nothing.
Then Kanayama leaves, and it's as if Jirou had been alone from the start.
XX â
It takes the entire night after seeing Kanayama in that alley for Jirou to fully process the situation. It isn't until he's crawling into bed at three am that it all comes crashing down on him.
Needless to say, Jirou doesn't sleep that morning.
The next few days of school would have been impossible to bear if Jirou had been anyone else. His paranoia, so strangely absent in the moment, comes back with a wretched vengeance and it's all Jirou can do to keep his focus on class instead of hispossible very likely impending doom.
Very likely, because unlike the first half a week he'd spent agonizing over Kanayama-related shit, there is absolutely no doubt in Jirou's mind that Kanayama's eyes are always on him.
And, unlike that first half a week, Jirou feels like he's crawling out of his skin with nerves.
He knows what will happen if Kanayama outs him. He'll be expelled, no question. Part-time jobs of the normal sort aren't allowed at this school, much less his part-time job. All Kanayama has to do is tell a single teacher and Jirou will lose everything. There won't even be an investigation- no one could possibly doubt the word of Kanayama Takashi. Not if they want to keep their job.
How ironic, that statement.
By the end of day four, even Hikaru has begun to notice the tension in his shoulders, the panicked glances behind him, the rush to get customers out of sight as soon as possible, lest he appear.
"You look like absolute shit." She says drily one night. "Why do you look like absolute shit?"
"None of your business." Jirou says, taking her cold stare with all the grace of a hardened soldier. Kanayama isn't something he wants to discuss with her. With anyone, actually.
Hikaru doesn't say anything for a long moment, and it puts Jirou even more on edge.
"Fine. But if you need someone dead, just say so. I'm sure one of the girls'll be willing."
"I'll keep it in mind." Jirou replies, needlessly. She already knows he will.
Hikaru slips into the crowd without another word, and Jirou tries not to feel nervous. He fails, but there's enough going on in Kabukichou to keep his thoughts from spiralling too far downward.
But the universe still hates Jirou, and because the universe has nothing better to do than torment him, the first alleyway Jirou slips into holds none other than fucking Kanayama Takashi.
I want to die.
Some advice: if you come across someone with a number for a name, leave. The drug dealers around here get really pissed really easily, and you don't want to be near a fight between them.
Hikaru's voice echoes in Jirou's head- one of her "older-sister memos." She'd warned him about who to avoid and why, and yeah, he remembers numbers for names being near the top of the list.
Only problem is, he can't slip away quietly when the dude has him pinned against a wall.
Jirou doesn't pay much heed to the actual conversation happening- it's none of his business, and he's got enough on his plate without adding other people's bullshit to his life. The more he hears the men talk, however, the more familiar the unknown voice becomes, and it sets him on edge.
Then the alleyway lights up, just for a moment, and Jirou kinda wants to puke.
Kanayama Takashi. God fucking dammit.
Oddly enough, his brain doesn't immediately start listing every single thing that could possibly go wrong if Kanayama recognizes him. This moment, quite literally the most dangerous moment of all his time in Kabukichou, is utterly uncut by Jirou's paranoia, and that fact should be terrifying.
Instead, the thought flying through Jirou's mind is this: Kanayama is handsome here.
He's half-bathed in neon light from the street, dark shadows cast across the other half of him in all the strangest places. He's simultaneously glowing and hollow. He stands with power, confidence- but it's a different power and confidence than what he showed in the hallway of their school.
Here, Kanayama is a predator.
Leave.
Hikaru's warning flashes in bright red letters over top of Jirou's realization that hey, Kanayama's kinda hot, and it gives him the space to recognize that said realization makes no goddamn sense.
Unfortunately, he can't leave, because his customer- Nine? Whoever the fuck - has him pinned.
Of all the times to be stuck somewhere...
Jirou carefully avoids looking in Kanayama's direction, but his brain becomes suddenly incapable of minding its own business, and he finds himself eavesdropping. Not that he hears anything of interest- Kanayama's threats aren't particularly intimidating, not in Jirou's opinion, at least.
But Nine is intimidated nonetheless, almost pale with fear, and it lends credence to what Jirou's been told of the Golden Queen. If her name alone can instill this much anxiety...
Well, Jirou doesn't want to meet her. Ever.
The conversation comes to a close, shadows shifting like the uneasiness in Jirou's stomach. Nine disappears without paying for Jirou's time, and Jirou can't bring himself to be pissed about it.
Kanayama looks at him, but says nothing. Jirou doesn't look at Kanayama, and says nothing.
Then Kanayama leaves, and it's as if Jirou had been alone from the start.
XX â
It takes the entire night after seeing Kanayama in that alley for Jirou to fully process the situation. It isn't until he's crawling into bed at three am that it all comes crashing down on him.
Needless to say, Jirou doesn't sleep that morning.
The next few days of school would have been impossible to bear if Jirou had been anyone else. His paranoia, so strangely absent in the moment, comes back with a wretched vengeance and it's all Jirou can do to keep his focus on class instead of his
Very likely, because unlike the first half a week he'd spent agonizing over Kanayama-related shit, there is absolutely no doubt in Jirou's mind that Kanayama's eyes are always on him.
And, unlike that first half a week, Jirou feels like he's crawling out of his skin with nerves.
He knows what will happen if Kanayama outs him. He'll be expelled, no question. Part-time jobs of the normal sort aren't allowed at this school, much less his part-time job. All Kanayama has to do is tell a single teacher and Jirou will lose everything. There won't even be an investigation- no one could possibly doubt the word of Kanayama Takashi. Not if they want to keep their job.
How ironic, that statement.
By the end of day four, even Hikaru has begun to notice the tension in his shoulders, the panicked glances behind him, the rush to get customers out of sight as soon as possible, lest he appear.
"You look like absolute shit." She says drily one night. "Why do you look like absolute shit?"
"None of your business." Jirou says, taking her cold stare with all the grace of a hardened soldier. Kanayama isn't something he wants to discuss with her. With anyone, actually.
Hikaru doesn't say anything for a long moment, and it puts Jirou even more on edge.
"Fine. But if you need someone dead, just say so. I'm sure one of the girls'll be willing."
"I'll keep it in mind." Jirou replies, needlessly. She already knows he will.
Hikaru slips into the crowd without another word, and Jirou tries not to feel nervous. He fails, but there's enough going on in Kabukichou to keep his thoughts from spiralling too far downward.
But the universe still hates Jirou, and because the universe has nothing better to do than torment him, the first alleyway Jirou slips into holds none other than fucking Kanayama Takashi.
I want to die.