4th Strike: Moving On

Somethin' 4 tha Mood

Hit the spot and bell' but I don't step in the mud,
Walk up in the living room and it's smellin' like bud,
In the kitchen where it ain't no drinks, but a gang a food,
Ahh, let me pop the trunk, 'cause I brought a little somethin' for tha mood.

DJ Quik - "Somethin' 4 tha Mood"

Some time later, Sean and his group had migrated over to the steakhouse Garlend had mentioned earlier. The mood was cheery as Enzo drove into the parking lot, with Garlend and his entourage tailgating not far behind. Pulling up in a row of free spots next to the restaurant, everyone filed out of their respective cars, and made their way towards the restaurant's entrance, idly chatting along the way.

"Man, this has got to be the wildest twenty-four hours I've ever had in my life!" Sean remarked, walking in-between Sakura and Enzo. "I'm still having trouble wrapping my head around everything."

"It's been a wild ride for sure," Enzo agreed. "I'm just glad we didn't get arrested again."

"True," Sean admitted. "That fight with the Gracie school could've ended a lot worse if the cops showed up."

"Ay, y'all got nothin' to worry about," Garlend reassured, walking arm-in-arm with Menat. "You're rollin' with me, now; don't worry about any trife crap for the rest of the night."

"Yeah, let's just enjoy ourselves!" Elena said with a smile. "That Hogen guy aside, it's been a great night! Let's enjoy it!"

"Speaking of, I wonder if that clown will keep his word?" Sakura wondered. "$400,000 is pretty good money for anyone."

Sean snorted. "I'm not holding my breath. Besides, knocking him out was payment enough."

Soon, the group made it inside, and made their way to the reception area. Brazilian pop music filed the area as all the guests dined around them. Sean felt a nostalgic smile tug at his lips as he looked around the restaurant. It was classy, but not to the point where it would be considered "bourgeois." His family would to come here anytime they had big events like a fighting tournament; though Sean had gradually withdrew from going to the dinners, unless Laura literally dragged him along. His smile quickly morphed into a frown once he realized just how much he disconnected himself from his family over the last few years. He knew it was selfish, but he was - and still is - too deep in a bad place to truly be himself.

Sean's shift in demeanor didn't go unnoticed by Enzo. "You 'ight?" he asked his cousin gently, tapping him on the arm.

Sean jolts, and blinks rapidly as he comes back to reality. "Uhhh! Yeah, I'm good," Sean quickly replies, waving a hand. "I was just zoning for a sec."

Enzo didn't seem convinced, but decided not to pry, simply nodding at him. They were here for a good time; now wasn't the best time to be asking the hard questions. He took a quick glance over at Garlend, who seemed to be on the verge of drooling at the sight of the various slabs of meats being carried around on spits by the restaurant's servers. He couldn't blame him; the food here was really good.

It took a bit of coordination, because of the increased size added by Garlend's team, but everyone had made their way to a pair of tables near the back of the restaurant. The Matsudas and their friends sat near a window, while the rest of Garlend's team sat directly across from them. Aside from the two native Brazilians, none of them had been to a Brazilian steakhouse before, and were curious how things compared to their respective steakhouses back home. Elena who had been taking in everything inside the restaurant, noticed a red card lying on the table.

"What's this for?" she asked Enzo, pointing at the card.

"That's how we get served," Enzo explained, picking the card up. "Most steakhouses like this one are all-you-can eat, so there's no menus. The cooks prepare the meat fresh, and the waiters come over with giant skewers of meat to slice the cuts you want onto your plate."