Draw Again

Chapter 5

With the darkening sky, and the streetlamps flickering on I managed to catch my breath. Leaning my head back against the building I gulped the cool air into my lungs hoping to clear my mind. For the last three years I had imagined thousands of scenarios of how it would be to see Totsuka again, or Yata and Fushimi, but never Totsuka and Yata. I hadn't prepared for this combo. Where was Fushimi when I needed a straight forward and extremely blunt answer.

"I forgot my bag," I groaned in recollection.

Rubbing my temples I looked out towards the street where cars passed and people hurried by. I didn't want to go back to Homra, but that backpack had everything I owned in it. If I had been a better student I could have finished high school and gotten a better job than all the part-times, and consulting gigs I had. I could have had my own apartment by now with no worries.

"Stop it," a tiny voice yelled.

I flinched when a set of red eyes impeded my vision of the street. Anna stood before me with her eyes narrowing at me. She stepped into the alley with her deep red eyes staring right at me like she could look right into my soul.

"Anna, you shouldn't be out this late," I said.

"Stop distorting your red. You're killing it," she ordered.

"I don't know what you mean," I said.

Stomping her foot she said, "Stop being so negative. It doesn't like your dark thoughts."

"So you found her," Mikoto appeared behind Anna. His hands were in the pockets of his black jacket, and a cigarette was pinched between his lips with a trail of smoke disappearing in the air over his head. "Ready to go?"

"Anna what color do you see when you look at Mikoto?" I asked.

The curiosity was getting to me. Mikoto was the leader of Homra, the gang that freely fought in the streets, that sent fear into the hearts of underground business men, that was known for having a bad temper. Red was the color of anger, and intensity, but was also used for warnings, and passion. Which best fit Mikoto?

"Mikoto has the prettiest red," she answered.

"Then why are you concerned about my red?" I asked.

"Reds belong together," was her reply.

I glanced up at Mikoto who released a puff of smoke into the night air. "And what are your thoughts?" I asked him.

He placed his cigarette back between his lips and the end flared up red with his inhale. "Ready to go?" he asked again.

"King?" someone called. "Did Anna find her?"

Mikoto looked off down the street at someone I couldn't see, and nodded. I looked back to Anna who still seemed to be upset with me, but had definitely calmed down. I must have stopped distorting my red.

"We're going back to Homra," Anna said.

"You're going back to the bar?" I inquired. Why were they out here if they were just going back to the bar?

"You too," panted Totsuka. A grin on his face though he looked exhausted. "Anna was really upset when you left." He stood at the mouth of the alley with Mikoto, his chest heaving like he had ran a marathon.

Mikoto shoved him slightly with his elbow as he removed his cigarette from his mouth. Totsuka chuckled as he scratched the back of his head.

"We were all kinda worried," Totsuka admitted.

Anna grabbed my arm trying to tug me to my feet. I stood like she wanted, and once I was up she nodded in approval before she trotted to Mikoto's side. He paid her no mind as she took hold of the hem of his jacket looking more like his daughter than just some girl. . . Was she his kid?