Page 4 of Bound By the Yakuza

I revved the engine of my motorcycle. I muttered, but my words were lost to the surrounding noise. “Sometimes I wish somebody would.”

-

I woke up the next day well after noon. My head was pounding. When I opened my eyes, the ceiling began to spin. I choked back the nausea and closed my eyes again.

After our rounds, we headed to the hostess club as usual. It was rebuilt and operating in record time since the devastating shootout with the Shimazu-kai. Kaoru and I were equally drunk as the night stretched into the morning. We drank and ate and talked until the sun came up. I drowned my worries in expensive liquor, surrounded by the best-looking girls of the hostess club.

Another night, the same bad habits.

Another morning, an even worse hangover.

I rolled over on my futon mattress, expecting to see whatever drunken girl I hypnotized into coming home with me, but the sheets were cold. Now that was unexpected.

I made women’s panties drop like no other man could. The ultimate yakuza bad boy - ruthless killer with a silver tongue and a chiseled body of lean muscle, my entire torso covered with irezumi tattoos of demons and dragons. Hell, if I were a girl, I’d want me too.

I sighed and looked at my phone. No messages or calls while the battery hovered at 5%. After plugging in my phone, I lit a cigarette and turned on the television. I’d rest for a bit longer, grab breakfast at a 7/11 and then see where the day led me. As one of the Himura-gumi’s lead kyodai, I was an intimidating soldier and the one they always called when someone needed to be snuffed out. Hopefully, today would be an interesting one.

??

TATSUYA

“We have reason to believe that our informant Kawasaki has been compromised.” Masaru explained, shooting a quick glance in my direction.

Kenichi eased back in his chair, knitting his fingers together in thought. Only a few months as our Kumicho had left him hardened. He carefully calculated our every move, determined to gain as much ground as possible and turn his father’s gang into a formidable force. I had heard he and his brother talking about partnerships in San Fransisco and Vancouver. He was gaining momentum - fast.

“Are you sure?” Kenichi said after a moment.

Masaru nodded and gestured to me.

“It’s true, Himura-sama,” I said, adding the honorific for extra emphasis. The relationship between Kenichi and us kyodai had been shifting lately. “When I spoke to him a few nights ago he seemed very nervous. I believe he is being watched by the Shimazu-kai. If they capture him, no doubt they will torture him.”

“If they wanted him, they would have taken him by now.” Kaoru said.

“Maybe they already have,” I countered. “I don’t trust that rat. He is probably two-timing us as we speak.”

“So what to do?” Kenichi sighed. He looked over across the office to his younger brother, Tadao, who was working away on his computer, ignoring our conversation. “Tadao, how much does Kawasaki owe us?”

Tadao messed around on his computer for a few minutes. “500,000 yen.” He said without looking up.

I knew that tension in his shoulders. Tadao’s first kill had been his last and he knew that the rest of us were trying to determine if his life was worth paying off the debt. I knew where my stance was. “Kill him. Cut the losses.” I ignored Tadao’s sound of disgust over the clicking of the keyboard.

Kenichi considered my words.

“If we don’t kill him, the Shimazu will and only after he squeals or betrays us. It’s not worth risking the safety of our men.”

“You’re right.” Kenichi looked at me hard. “I trust you to take care of it.”

I bowed my head. “Yes, Himura-sama.”

-

Kaoru and I sat outside a rundown apartment building. The streets were quiet and empty. The lights were off on the second-floor corner apartment, which we knew to be Kawasaki’s small and depressing bachelor pad.

Kaoru shifted against his bike. “Where is that bastard? We’ve been waiting for hours.”

I checked the time on my phone. It was past ten o’clock. He was probably off drinking with his friends from work. An unmarried salary man like him didn’t exactly rush home when all he knew was waiting for him was a few stained tatami mats, a swarm of cockroaches and cheap instant noodles.

I didn’t give him a warning that we would be waiting. We would snuff him quick like a candle and be on our way. No one would miss a loser like that anyway.

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