Chivalry of a Dark Knight [Batman x Rakudai Kishi no Cavalry]

CH15: A Game and a Stage (prt 4)

"Kyahahahaha! Not that I'm against having so many cute men having their eyes on me, but two's company and you guys are starting to be a crowd!" Nene laughed dramatically with her unfurled fan by her face.

He grunted with grit teeth. The woman had pretty much made a mess of things and now he had change the course his plans: once word gets in about the commotion outside, they'll probably cease operations and disperse. This meant the only options left to him were either getting him and Nene out of here or him barging in and subduing as many of them as possible. Neither felt ideal to him but it was all he had to work with and so, he steeled himself for a fight.

"Is that you, Nene-chan?"

Whatever event would take place had paused at that point and everyone attention was diverted towards the man who walked out of the building's entrance. There wasn't a peep from any of the yakuza foot soldiers as the soles of his fine leather shoes scrunched against the pavement outside.

The person was middle-aged smarmy looking with black hair slicked to the side, a fuzz of facial hair and prominent mole at the corner of his left eye. From the way he dressed and walked around like he owned the place, Bruce could only assume that he actually did.

"Hm? Am I supposed to know you?" Nene asked in annoyance.

He gave a forced toothy smile, the kind one would see from a salesman, and gestured to himself with open palms.

"Why Nene-chan, surely you haven't forgotten your dear friend, Kono-sama, have you?"

Nene tapped her closed fan against her chin a few times before responding in a snide tone.

"Oh right, 'Kono-yarou'. I should've recognized you with that mole."

From the way he slightly flinched, it was apparent that Kono didn't take too kindly to the insulting nickname Nene had given him but in a greasy motion, the man laughed and his expression morphed back into his amicable mask.

"Ahaha. Same charming Nene-chan, I really missed that sharp tongue of yours. So, do what do I owe the pleasure? Am I too bold in hoping you've come to rejoin the competition?"

That last part piqued Bruce's curiosity and made him wonder about Kono's connection to the Yaksha Princess. With his shades still obscuring his eyes, he glanced towards the small-statured woman to find her sporting an exasperated expression.

"You know I got bored of that crap a long time ago. I'm only here cause my date promised me a good time." she said while pointing her fan at Bruce's direction.

Kono swerved a scrutinizing gaze towards him.

"Ah, one of Nene-chan's boy-toys no doubt. You are...?" he asked.

Despite feeling being put on the spot, Bruce cleared his throat while straighten himself with a tug on the fronts of his jacket.

"Matches Malone." he replied calmly.

But comically, his composed demeanor nearly broke again when Nene suddenly rushed at him and latched on to his arm, snuggling against him.

"But I like to call him Machii-kun!" she cried out affectionately.

"I see." Kono uttered, his brows angled straight with doubt.

The gangster pondered for a moment before speaking again.

"Well,...Mister Malone, there are places around here where you and your date can have a 'good time' but this establishment isn't one of them...Unless, of course, what you really mean is that your here to make some money."