Sleeping With Money (MewGulf AU)

🌻Chapter 2

🌻

Gulf worked as a lower-level boss for the Kantou Hinodegumi, a small gang that operated in the Ueno district of Tokyo.

Unlike in the past, present-day Yakuza managed respectable businesses, participated in finance and land speculations, and even played the stock market. But the violent Hinodegumi gang was different. Even if they wanted to fight, they had no real opponents. The police were cracking down on them more and more each day.

To make matters worse, their numbers were decreasing. That was why Gulf had managed to climb up the ladder while he was still in his 20s.

The Hinodegumi couldn't find a good way of making money these days. Lately, their main source of revenue was collecting bad loans for a financial company called "Lovely."

"G-good morning! Boss!" First said with a deep bow as Gulf entered the office.

"Yo," Gulf grunted. He quickly nodded and headed for his desk.

First was Gulf's foolish assistant. He was small, gangly and clumsy, but his face was full of youth, like a naughty teenager's. You might say that he was cute in a way, but he spent most of his free time admiring himself in the mirror. Whenever he went to eat lunch he would get in a bad mood after he finished, then pick a fight with the chef to avoid paying. This was partly because he was stingy, but mostly because he didn't earn enough money to actually pay.

Gulf noticed First was looking gloomily at him and raised an eyebrow.

"What?" he asked.

To his surprise, First's shoulders were shaking and his cheeks were bright pink. He looked as if he had just awakened from a dream.

"I'm not a proud man," First said, "but I am a real ladies' man."

"Hmm," Gulf said noncommitally.

"Men are usually out of the question for me. But I can't keep it in anymore." First suddenly exploded. "I love you! When I see you my heart goes---"

Gulf gave First a swift kick.

Yes, Gulf was slim and attractive for a Yakuza. Some people joked that he should be a gigolo, but few men could match his physical strength. Anyone who didn't show him the respect he deserved was asking to get beat up.

He calmly took a fax from Lovely off the table. Lovely had a very wholesome public image, mostly because of their cute TV commercial that featured kittens. But whenever they couldn't collect a debt, they called in the Yakuza.

Gulf took the cup of tea that First offered and picked up the phone.

"Hello, are you Chayan? My name is Gulf. Did you borrow money from Lovely?" he asked in a low voice tinged with menace.

He didn't mention who sent him. He didn't want people to alert the authorities. But the tone of his voice definitely cried Yakuza. He heard Chayan swallow nervously.

This tactic would probably be enough to finish the job. Most people immediately gave in when they got a call from the Yakuza. Even so, Gulf pushed on, making sure he'd only have to make one call.

"Looks like you've been having some problems. How about you pay it back without any more excuses?" he said in a softer tone.

Chayan breathed a sigh of relief.

"I can't pay now. But I can at the end of the month," he promised.

"Hmm. Interesting proposition, Mr. Chayan," Gulf said coldly. Then he bellowed from the pit of his stomach, "Don't give me excuses! PAY UP! Your home, your business, your wife and children, your relatives---I know all about them! If you don't pay up soon, we'll be paying you a visit!"

There was a squeak on the other end, then Chayan promised to pay sooner. Gulf made a note and hung up the phone.

Enough of this petty work, he thought. He turned to First.

"That's how you do it," he said. "You do the rest."

He passed the list to First, propped his legs up on the desk, and took out a cigarette. First immediately jumped up to light it for him. First stretched out and took a drag. He was in charge of this office, but few people worked here.

The phone rang.

Guld instantly picked up the receiver, since First was in the middle of another call. He needed another person to man the phones, but had no money to hire more people.

"Kantou Hinodegumi!" he yelled into the phone. Once, at the very beginning of his career, his boss had smashed an ashtray over his head for being too soft on the phone. That man no longer worked there, either.

"Gulf? It's me," the voice on the other line said.

As soon as he heard the man's voice, Gulf took his feet off his desk. It was the president of the Kantou Hinodegumi, calling from the main office.

"Sir," he snapped out.

"Come here now," the president said. "We've found a real gold mine."

That was the beginning of it all.

TBC