Reunion

Chapter 4
Reunion

“If I’m hit, I can’t come with you; your plans will go to waste.” Himura told. The look on his face made it seem like he had everything figured out. Like he'd finally one-upped her.

Gritting her teeth, the blonde’s eyes bulged. Spinning around, she crouched down in a rage. Snatching up something from the ground, she shot to her feet and propelled the weapon in the same motion. Cracking the windscreen of the fast approaching car with a small rock, the woman watched the vehicle shriek to a halt as it mounted the curb a few yards away. Turning to the man, she pointed viciously. “That was your fault.” Heaving a breath, she continued to walk across the dusty car park.

As soon as the car door opened to reveal a burly man shouting obscenities, Himura got out of dodge. Chasing the woman, leaping over the two-foot barrier and making up the distance in a couple of seconds, the police officer yelled at the back leading him. “You could have caused serious damage doing that!”

“You could have just made somebody a murderer.” She told flatly as she continued on her way across the dusty space. “So much for being an upholder of peace and justice.”

Distant yelling of a stranger grew in volume as another body advanced. It wasn’t a beat until the driver of the vandalized car was on the verge of catching up. “You crazy bitch! Are you trying to kill someone?” A beefy man in his mid thirties wearing a tank top that showcased his extensive inkwork was around ten yards away when he started yelling at the woman’s back. “Hey, I’m fuckin’ talkin’ to yo-”

Kujo turned around. Kohl lined eyes stared the cartoon Yakuza in the eye. “I heard you. And no, I wasn’t trying to kill you; I was trying to stop you from accidentally killing this moron.” She threw her arm out and pointed at Hiruma.

The officer’s eyes shot from the heavily tattooed man, to the blonde, and then back to the angry stranger. Lids stretching as he took in the sight of the bloke who was easily half a foot taller and fifty percent more of his body mass, Hiruma swallowed down the dry lump in his throat. Holding his hands up at the glare he was receiving, the Officer opened his mouth to speak. “This is all one big misunderst-”

“You broke my fuckin’ windscreen.”

“Erh, Kuj-” Himura looked to the woman for help, but she was nowhere to be seen. He turned his head and the stranger was much closer before. “Ah, fuck.”

“Ah, fuck is right, pretty-boy. How are you going to pay for the that?”

Heels crunched over grit and a waft of spiced perfume pilfered through the hot air as the blonde stepped between the pair. “I’ll write you a cheque for the damages.” Kujo told as she scribbled in a long pad. Tearing the slip off, she handed it to the imposing man with one of her business cards.

The stranger looked over the amount, and then the black card with silver print. “Yamazaki Kana. Imai’s Handyman Services…?” He glanced up and looked to the woman a couple of feet away. Eyes taking in every inch of the plump figure, the tattooed man leered with a smirk. “And what kind of handy services do you do, exactly?”

“All of them.” Kujo gave a quick smile and lit a cigarette. “If you’ll excuse us, we’re very busy; you can callmy office.” Exhaling a lungful of smoke, she bowed her head, turned on her heels, and walked away.

Brain restarting, Himura chased after the woman. Shaking with anger, he knew he couldn’t even come up with a legitimate reply that made himself seem superior. “Yamazaki Kana: Who the fuck is that? Any services: What is that supposed to mean?” His features twisted as he rambled on behind the woman.

Stopping once out of the way of her random victim, Kujo heaved a breath to calm herself before she had to look at the face which was growing more and more irritating. “Can we just get something straight right now?” Turning around, she prodded her nail at the air that separated them. “For starters, my job has nothing to do with you. Secondly, I know you don’t want to get back into what we used to do. You probably find it beneath you now that you’re a big-city cop - and that’s fine. Really, I couldn’t care less about your snobbish tendencies when it comes to other people at this point. But you will respect what Sho and Yuki are trying to do. It may seem like they’re being childish, but I can only see it as trying to find closure for what happened. And that…” Expression taut and muscles tense, the blonde snarled at her company. “That is something all of us are lacking.”

“I never thought of it like that.”

“No, you wouldn’t. It’s not you’re idea, after all.”

“Don’t make up my motives.”

“Then say yes or no clearly, right now, before I get in my car and go.” Panting from the heat and the string of issues, she waved her hands by her head like a crazy person. “I won’t stand for you pulling this shit around them.”

“I have a life now, Kujo.”

Recoiling at the wrong kind of weight his words held, the woman frowned in disgust. “And they don’t?” Clicking her tongue off her teeth, the woman started walking again, although this time much more slowly. “I don’t know so much about Sho and Yuki’s circumstances, but Rin took time off from her schooling in Nagoya. She has serious personal issues going on, so much so that she wouldn’t even go into detail with me. She has more responsibilities than all of us, but she could still find the time,” Throwing the end of her cigarette on the floor, she shrugged as she stepped on in. “so don’t tell me it’s because you’re too busy because busy is a word that doesn’t cut it in this instance.”

Himura felt as if he was struck by déjà vu. He was sure there had been a time like this before. With his emotions conflicting with a sense of duty, the man took a leap of faith for his own curiosity. “You think we can go back to how it was, don’t you?”

Almost laughing at the direct question, and even more-so because of its meaning, the blonde paused. “I wouldn’t even wish it.” Sniffing her nose clear of the harsh city fumes, she glanced around in search. “I loved the time we all spent together, no doubt. Even with all of the bickering and spats we all had, and the shitty ending to it, it was the best time of my life.” She told absent-mindedly as she looked around for her vehicle a second time.

Trailing a few paces behind, Himura spoke. “Maybe we should take my car?"

Glancing back over her shoulder, Kujo mocked. "Why, ‘don't wanna to be driven around by a woman?" She came to a grey van and patted the searing metal hood twice in quick succession. Rounding the vehicle, she stopped at the driver’s side and unlocked the door.

"I'm just weary of how you drive." He told honestly.

Bobbing her head confidently, the blonde noted as she climbed inside the scratched up van. "My driving is fine; I have a full, clean, real license." Leaning over the seat beside her, she unlocked the passenger door from the inside and was quickly greeted by a sceptical look.

"Then if it's not your license, maybe the vehicle?" Himura wondered seriously as he inspected both the exterior and what he could see through the open passenger door.

Furrowing her brows, Kujo huffed. "What are you trying to say?"

"Like I mentioned before, you haven't changed." He prodded the scuffed felted roof above his head.

Rolling her eyes, the female placed one hand on her hip as the other arm rested on top of the steering wheel. "You haven't let that go, have you? I only borrowed that car."

Pulling a comical face, the man remembered that specific incident. "Yeah, one that belonged to a friend of my family. I'm the one that got a beating for it after you caused its hood to come off." He tried to shake the traumatizing image out of his mind. “How did you even manage to do that?”

Puffing out her cheeks, Kujo recalled a little detail. "It only got beat up because someone jumped out in front of me." She prodded the dashboard with stern conviction.

“You were doing 95 down the high street-” Himura's expression dropped into a blank stare when he recalled his memory of it. "-They were on the sidewalk!"

"That was a long time ago." Also remembering that part of the story, the blonde flapped her hand as if it didn't matter any more. “And I got it that old bang’r to 99, thank you.” Receiving a shake of his head from her company, the blonde shrugged and rolled her eyes.

“You might of made a hundred if you didn’t make poor old Fujimura San dive off the pier with you’re inability to drive straight.”

“I always hated that fuckin’ peddle bike.” Kujo tilted her head as she took a sharp intake of breath and squinted ahead. “He really creeped me out with his squeaky back wheel and the stuffed dog he carried in the front basket.”

Himura snorted a laugh in remembrance. “He was a lonely old man.”

“He was a mentally skewed version of the Child Catcher from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.” Glancing to her passenger, the blonde screwed up her face. “He seriously bothered me.”

“Out of all the things to worry you, Fuji-Ojii San was it…” Tutting, Himura huffed and wobbled his head with a light chuckle.

Pouting with a scowl, the driver snipped. “Shut up and hurry inside before I run you off the road too.”

Heaving a breath, the Officer gave in. "Fine, I'll get in, but you better follow the road rules."

Wobbling her head madly, the blonde waited for the man to get in. "Yes, yes~" As soon as he had, she turned the key. The ignition started and the engine rumbled unstably. At the same time, the radio turned on and bleared a rock song. Glancing to the side, she smiled weakly at the passenger shutting the door behind him. “My bad.” Putting the volume down, she shifted the stiff gear stick into reverse only to have obnoxious coughing come from her left. Looking to the man, she asked. “What?”

“You didn’t check any of your mirrors, and you’re not wearing your belt.”

“I remember where the other cars are.” She told proudly before her features warped into an ugly frowning pout. “And the belt hurts me.” She cupped her breasts, her hands disappearing underneath the hindrance as she gave a jiggle.

Instantly turning away, Himura wound down his window by the crank on the inside of his door. “Going head first through the windscreen will hurt more. Please put it on.”

“You sound like a virgin talking about a condom,” she screwed her face up and mocked his remark in a higher pitch that sounded nothing like his. “Please put it on.”

“Safe intercourse is nothing to be laughed at.”

“At least call it how it is, Kae. It’s sex. Good ol’ fuckin’.” Her brow flickered as she continued to tease and the man next to her squirmed at the rough language.

Doing as she was told begrudgingly, yet hooking her arm over the upper strap so that the belt gathered at her middle, the blonde reversed before her company could make another comment. Narrowly missing the car behind, the blonde switched gears as if she was manoeuvring a compact vehicle built for drifting. Speeding towards the plastic arm which halted non-paying parkers from entering or exiting, the blonde hit the brake and her partner jolted forward. Scanning an odd shiny pass on the little machine just outside of her window, she waited for the barrier to rise before taking off like a bullet out of a gun.

Watching the packed city scenery speed past, Himura waited until the woman was out onto the main road which led towards the highway and at a steady speed. Her idea, not his. He had been white-knuckling it since he got in the van but at least she seemed in a good place as she mumbled the lyrics of the song playing on the radio.

“Who is Yamazaki Kana and what is Imai’s Handyman Services?”

He just had to go and ruin it.

 

4:45pm


Sitting at the very back of the establishment, the younger trio enjoyed the outdoor scenery through the orangery without baking. Sun shining in through the stained-glass windows as the wind chimes above their heads flittered softly, the small group were the most comfortable they had been in a long time. Conversing over their points of view on what was happening in their birth town at that very moment, the two redheads bickered. Picking at the starters they had order in wait for their seniors, Kurosawa munched happily as he watched the pair across from him argue about which store was the best when they were kids.

“Kuga San’s was the best!” Shibata told yet again. “Who can argue against comics and Gatcha machines?”

“Tachibana Obaa Chan’s by the sea front was better. She sold us sand buckets and dinghy’s.” Holding back from taking a bite out of the chicken wing in his hand, Tsukino gawped with wide eyes. “And she always gave Yuki and I free food.”

The female’s brows narrowed in fluster. “That’s because you both looked like pre-teen girls until the time you were in our second year of high school.”

“I did not!” Tsukino argued back.

Nose up as she chugged her drink, the taller redhead cooed into her glass. “Did too.”

The jingle of the bell above the front door notified the employees that more customers had arrived. Before they could badger said customers, the female of the pair held up her hand and went about scouring the place for the group she was looking for. It didn't take long to find the trio of stand-outs. In near enough the same moment that the blonde had found them, she turned back to the woman behind the counter as not to make eye contact with her past. Fishing her wallet from her inner vest pocket, Kujo stared the list of what she wanted.

“Holy shit.” Tsukino stopped his pointless jabbering to stare at the tall pair at the counter, almost obscured by the corner. “They actually came.”

“Wha-" Kurosawa turned his head to follow his friend’s line of sight. “Oh my.” Pale irises quickly found the pair that stuck out like saw thumbs.

“Kyuhahah, they almost stand out as much as me.” The woman with a vibrant red main cackled before snatching up the last of the spicy chicken skewers.

Grabbing the tray of drinks, the eldest male made his way over to the table whilst the woman paid. “Good afternoon.” He told flatly, not sure of how to behave after so long. “Your drin-”

Bustling past, the blonde threw herself down on the empty seat between the standing male to her right and the empty chair to her left. Noticing the ashtray in the corner between her and the redhead, she held up a cigarette. “It’s okay to smoke, right?”

Frowning, Himura stared at the woman to his left. “So, you can ask?”

“If I asked you, I’d be waiting all day for your wishy-washy reply.” The group chuckled, but it wasn’t even a beat before she continued. “You’re almost as bad as Sho.”

“Hey!” The addressed interrupted.

Sitting back, the woman slot right back into the swing of things. It felt so natural to be back. Holding out the carton of cigarettes to the woman across from her, the blonde lit her friend’s vice before doing the same to her own. Taking a deep breath on the pungent smoke, she examined each of the faces surrounding her. “Uwah, this takes me back.”

“You seem really at home with it, considering you left without a word.” Tsukino spoke. Being kicked under the table, the redhead grunted in pain.

Kurosawa tried to smile away the awkward comment as he held his hands up. “He didn’t mean it like that, Ku-Ta Senpai.”

“Yes he did.” Lowering her head, the blonde stared at the ash growing on the slim, white stick between her index and middle finger. Peering up with a small smile, she shook her head once. “You don’t need to stick up for him to me.”

“I wish someone would have stuck up for me.” Himura mumbled into his glass.

"I’m surprised she actually managed to convince you, Himura.”

Eyes shooting to the shortest, the tallest glowered. “Just because we’re adults, it doesn’t mean you get to address me informally.”

Receiving the piercing glare, the construction worker held his hands up in defence. “I’m not picking a fight,” He exhaled with a shrug. “it’s just that I’ve always referred to you that way to other people.”

“So, you talk badly about me behind my back?”

Sipping her drink, the taller of the two women cut in before a real seriousness could be exhorted. “Let’s just be glad that everybody who can be here is.” The woman’s lofty tone halted all activity – even the other regulars halted their own tasks to watch what was going to happen next.
 

Updated: 25th April 2018 - 22:38