Conducting Business

1 - Opening Secret Doors (Literally)

 - Setting: Restaurant, All Blue in The Big City (made up city)

  It was late in the evening. The streets were dark and quiet in The Big City. A couple street lamps flickered, the wind blew a newspaper around, and a cat yowled in the night.


  Down one street, one single place was still opened. A restaurant named, All Blue. The inside was nicely done; warm lighting came from a few chandelier and some beautiful wall lights, the chairs were done in dark wood with aegean blue cushions and the tables were clothed in cream table clothes. The benches were wrapped in the same blue the chair were but with a floral pattern mixed in and the walls were a golden color. There was a bar on one side and on the other a small stage where a band sometimes played. In the back was the kitchen and a secret room.


  The owner of this restaurant was a young man named Sanji Black. He was only 24 years old, but he already owned his own restaurant and ran it well. It was very popular, especially with it's seafood dishes. His father owned and ran it but when he retired he gave it to Sanji, who was more than willing to take it.


  There was an...extra that came with the restaurant, though. Sanji's father was a tough man in his younger days. So tough, in fact, he was in a mob before he decided to settle down. Sanji could remember being a child and being in the restaurant at night, 12 in the morning till 3, only his dad and one other waiter there. His father not only ran the restaurant but also cooked on certain days of the week. He cooked on these nights, though. Always. 

  He would be playing or coloring at a table, then see his father disappear. It took Sanji a couple years to figure out there was a door hidden among the lattice wall decorations and fake ivy laced through. He tried to sneak in, but the waiter, Julian, would catch him and scoop him up saying, " 'ight lil man...let's get you a snack." A few years would pass, Sanji trying to sneak in and failing, but one day when he was 11, he finally snuck in. 


  Julian had dozed off, it had been a busy day for him, and Sanji took the opportunity. He slipped off his seat and quietly dashed to the door and quickly and quietly slipped in. Inside, he heard laughter. One of the booming laughs was his father, the other three were new. 


  People...? How did people get in here? He didn't see anyone go through the front door. He crouched and crept down a concrete hall, amazed and confused how this was hiding behind that secret door all this time. He knew he was getting closer because the laughter and talking was getting louder. He turned a slight corner, peeked, and saw a small replica of the restaurant. It had 3 tables at one side of the wall and 2 benches against the other side of the wall.  Sitting that the middle table was his father and another man, and at the table to the right of them the other two men he had heard.


  The man with his father was talking to wasn't exactly tall or big or threatening. He was about average, pale, and had a smile on his face. He wore glasses and had long black hair pulled into a low pony-tail. He was wearing a suit and sat very formally. Sanji's father and the man were talking and drinking wine, boring stuff to an 11 year old boy. 


  Sanji sighed, this wasn't at all as exciting as he thought it was going to be. He peeked around the corner a little more, he saw a boy. He was wearing a gray shirt, the top few buttons undone, the tie gone and the sleeves rolled up. What really caught Sanji's attention was his green hair. Why would a kid have green hair...was it natural? He was pulled from his thoughts by the odd feeling someone staring. When his eyes focused, the boy was staring at him. His eyes were dark and unemotional as he stared at Sanji. 


  Sanji quickly ducked back behind the wall, hoping the boy wouldn't rat on him to his dad.
"Oi."
Sanji almost jumped out of his skin as the boy appeared beside him. Oh no...he could almost sense his dad coming and grabbing him and sending him to bed...
"Hey...are the lights on in there..." whispered the green-haired boy.
"Y-yes, stupid..!" Sanji whispered, fiercely. "Shut up before my old man hears you!" He grabbed the boy's arm and dragged him farther down the hall so they could talk. 


  "Old man...you mean Zeff...?" asked the boy.
Sanji nodded, "Yea, he doesn't know I'm in here."
"So...you snuck in..." Sanji nodded again.
"Why are you here...?" asked Sanji, "Who are those people in there...?" Suddenly, the green haired boy's stomach growled loudly. "Um...want something to eat...?" The boy nodded. Sanji put a finger to his lip and motioned the boy to follow him as he opened the secret door back into the normal restaurant. He led the boy to the kitchen and started pulling out some cheese and meat from the fridge. The green haired boy ate greedily.
"So...what's your name...?" asked Sanji.
"Zowo." the boy said, with a full mouth.
"Zowo...?"
The boy swallowed then growled, "Zoro. My name is Zoro."
"Oh...alright. I'm Sanji." The boy nodded.


  Sanji nibbled on some meat while Zoro scarfed most of it down.
"Why are you and those guys in a secret room in my old man's restaurant...?"
"Well...you dad and my dad go way back."
"You're dad...?"
Zoro wiped his mouth with his arm. "Yea, he was at the table with Old Man Zeff."
"The smiling man...? That's you're dad?" Zoro nodded and Sanji laughed. "You two don't even look alike!!"
Zoro growled again, "He adopted me, stupid..." Sanji felt bad now, he didn't mean to laugh but then again...he didn't know!
"Oh...I'm sorry..."
"Whatever..."
"I am!! I didn't know!!"
Zoro smirked, "I'll forgive you...if you'll get me a piece of cake."
"Oh...alright...but a question first." Zoro nodded, agreeing. "Why does your dad and my dad know each other?"
"My dad is in the mob."
"Mob...?"
"Yea...like the mafia."


  Sanji sat there, stunned. There were...mafia members...in the restaurant...and his dad was ok with that?!
"M-Mafia...? But why does my dad...."
"Old Zeff use to be in the mob." Zoro said, casually. Sanji just stared at him, eyes wide. 
"My dad...? No way!! I mean...he's tough and can be mean but I mean..."
"Nah...it's true. You're old man use to be in a mob with my dad. His signature move was his kicks." Zoro grinned. "My dad tells me awesome stories of some of the fights they use to get in and the stuff they use to do. Your dad was one of the best around!" Sanji just sat there, absorbing it all in. "Then one day, he left the mob. He paid off whatever he needed to pay off so they wouldn't try and contact him for jobs, and left. Course...he told a couple people where he would be going and what he'd be doing. My dad was one. They talked and talked all this time and such, and after a while my dad became the new boss of the mafia. My dad asked yours if they could use the restaurant for a meeting place and like...their own special place. Your dad agreed and...well here we are!"


  Sanji was just staring at the tiled floor. His dad was in a mob...? He was...one of the best? He left...? Why did he leave...?
"Can I have that cake now?" asked Zoro. 
"Wait..." Sanji asked. "why did my dad leave...?" 
Zoro looked at the ceiling, "Hmm...I dunno....was never told that part of the story....cake?"
"Yea, yea...I'll get the cake." Sanji got off the floor and rummaged around another fridge. He grabbed a slice of vanilla cake and handed it to Zoro. "So...you guys just meet here...?"
Zoro nodded, "Yea, my dad pays for the back room's lights and furniture and stuff, and your dad lets us come and hang out and talk and eat."
"Oh...well...that sounds ok I guess." Sanji said, slowly. He thought of one more thing, which made him a little paler. "H-has your dad...every hurt or...killed someone...in that room...?"
"If he has he won't tell me..." grumbled Zoro as he ate half his cake in one bite. "He says I'm too young for 'all the details'...."
"Oh..." Sanji just sat there, watching Zoro eating. As shocking as all the news he had just heard was...he was glad to have another kid here. These late hours were long and boring, especially with Julian. 


  "Oh no...Julian!!"
"Who...who's Julian...?" asked Zoro.
"Julian is a waiter that works here and...watches me while my dad talks with yours. He was dozing off when I snuck away but..."
Zoro nodded and finished the cake, then stood up. "C'mon, let's get back then." He grabbed Sanji's arm, same as Sanji had done to him, and they quietly snuck back to the hidden door. Luckily, Julian was still dozed off. 
Zoro and Sanji stood at the door.
"So...when do you guys usually come back...?" asked Sanji.
"Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays."
"Huh...those are the days the old man cooks..."
Zoro grinned, "Ya think that was on accident...?"
Sanji huffed, "My whole life has just been frickin flipped...and you're grinning!"
"It really hasn't, you just learned about a secret."
"Yes it has!!"
"Listen, cooky...." Zoro said with a smile, "you don't have to join a mob, or are in one, and you're dad doesn't know you know. All that happened is you know stuff. You're precious life will continue."
Sanji growled, "Don't call me that, moss head!" He sighed, "I guess you're right..."
"See...?" Zoro said, sounding slightly nicer than he had when he called Sanji, "cooky". Sanji nodded.
Zoro stood still for a second, listening. "I should get goin back in there. We'll be back Saturday and I'll bring some toys and stuff."
"Alright." said Sanji.


  Zoro grinned, "Cool! You're my first friend! This is going to be awesome!" He opened the door and slipped in, then poked his head out. "Hey...next time lets draw on Julian's face!"
Sanji held back a laugh and nodded, then held out his pinky. "Promise?"
Zoro smiled and hooked his pink with Sanjis. "Promise, cooky!"
"Stupid, moss head...."

----------------------------------------------

This was going to be a One-Shot story, but I like where this is heading so I'm just going to keep it going.