A game of hearts || Chishiya Shuntaro

Chapter 1: the disappearance||

Song: borderline-tame impala

"Goodbye, Sayako!" My co-worker, Aina, shouts to me from the back room. "Goodbye!" I shout as I open the door and walk out. I just finished a tiring shift at the café. Luckily my co-workers Aina and Kenji said that they could close, so that I could leave early.

Of course I took that opportunity. So now, I'm walking home to me and my brothers shitty apartment while listening to my also shitty cassette player.

My parents died when I was fifteen. My brother was nineteen at the time so legally he was an adult therefore we had to manage on our own. Yasu was an adult so didn't get help from any organization or anything.

My brother were legally an adult, but mentally? No. He didn't exactly make enough money so I had to start working at this stupid café.

We didn't get much money but, it was enough to survive. But it our life wasn't luxurious. For example I have to listen to music at this cassette player and we have a terrible apartment.

I'm completely lost in my thoughts as I look down at the ground and listen to a random song. It's only a ten minute walk from the Café to my apartment but, I'm already freezing. This morning when I left for work I took my thin jacket and now I regret it.

For the first time in months I'm actually excited to get home. Usually I would've been stressed about what sight I would've been met with.

Flashback

"Hey! Yasu, I'm home!" I shout as I close the door behind me and take off my shoes and jacket. I don't receive an answer. As I walk into the tiny living room I shout for him once more. Then I see him laying on the couch covered in blood.

"Yasu!" I shout as I run to him. "What happened?" I ask as I inspect his cuts and bruises. "You know. Just Kenzō and his gang again."

"Just? You're literally covered in cuts and bruises! Here let me help you" I say as I help him up and lead him towards the kitchen. He takes of his shirt while I go to the bathroom and get the few medical supplies we have.

I stand with my back against Yasu and hold the different bottles under the strongest light in out apartment. I try to read on the labels which bottle I should use to cleanse the wounds. "You sure you know what you're doing?" I hear Yasu's teasing voice from the bar stools right behind me.

"No, but like you knew what you were doing when you went to Kenzō and them again" I say still with my back against him. "I have to, you know that" Yasu sighs. "No, you don't" I say turning to him.

"Do you know what happens if I don't try to talk them out of this? They know where we live, who you are, where you work and the way you take to and from work. They aren't scared of anything so if I don't give them the money, something bad will happen" Yasu explains.

I get kinda shocked at his statement. How do they know so much about me? I've never even met them. I only look at him in concern. "But you know that I have the money to pay them, right?" I ask him.

"Yes but, if you're giving them that money, you have to work even more to work it back" Yasu says. "But I don't care. I'd rather work more than coming home to you laying unconscious and bloody on our couch!" I say.

That night I went to the place where Kenzō and his gang where usually at. It was a dark, big and a hella creepy house. That night one of my worst experiences happened.

I slightly shiver of the thought of the memory. I shake my head to think of something else. And that's when I realize that it's very quiet here. I stop and look around. It's dark. I look up at the lampposts and I can see that they doesn't light up.