The Yakuza's flower

New friend

Ume's POV

I was sitting on the porch, the sun warming my legs through a pair of old sweatpants Maribel had let me steal. The quiet hum of the neighborhood was strangely comforting. No noise. No violence. No men yelling. Just a bird on a power line, chirping like it had something important to say.

I sipped my tea slowly.

It felt... good.

Not perfect. But good.

Then I heard the gravel crunch under tires. A truck pulling up.

Maribel was at work. Rey was supposed to be at work but he stayed home.

So when I stood and peeked around the corner, I wasn't expecting him.

Diego stepped out of a big pickup truck, wearing jeans and a plain white T-shirt, holding something in his hand—looked like a smoothie and a brown paper bag.

"Hey," he said, lifting the drink with a warm smile. "Thought you might want breakfast. Figured I'd trade it for your name this time."

I blinked at him, startled—but a little amused.

"You knew where I live?"

"You kind of danced into my memory," he shrugged, then grinned. "Actually , Maribel gave me the address."

Of course she did. That little snake

I took one step down toward him—only one—when I heard it.

The slam of the front door.

Heavy Footsteps behind me.

Fast and Angry.

"Who the fuck is this?"

Rey.

His voice was cold enough to freeze the sun.

I turned slowly. He was storming up behind me, eyes locked on Diego, jaw clenched, fists already balled.

Diego stood straighter, hands still holding the drink and bag. "Just a friend. I mean no harm. Brought her something."

Rey didn't stop. He came up right next to me, his chest practically brushing my shoulder as he got in Diego's face.

"You think you can just show up here?" he growled. "Like this is your girl? Like you're welcome?"

Diego didn't flinch, but his voice was calm, measured. "It's not like that."

"No? Then what the fuck is it like?" Rey snapped. "Because from where I'm standing, it looks like you're trying to get close to someone you don't even know."

"Rey." I moved to step between them, placing a hand on his chest. He was stone. Breathing hard. "Back off Rey!"

He looked down at me, nostrils flaring. "You think this is safe? Letting strangers show up like this?"

"He's not a stranger," I said firmly. "And he's not a threat."

Rey's eyes shot back to Diego. "You don't get to decide that!" He turns back to Diego "And you leave!"

"I'm not trying to fight," Diego said. "I just brought breakfast. That's it."

Rey took a step forward, eyes narrowed, low and dangerous now. "Yeah? You think I give a shit about your intentions? You think I don't see the way you look at her?"

"Rey!" I shoved his chest. "Enough! Leave him alone! "

He turned to me and it was worse. The anger in his face wasn't just about Diego—it was about me. About what I was doing. About what he couldn't control.