Tochi no Beeru (Land of the Veils)

III

III

Shinji paces back and forth in front of the window. He takes out some tobacco and his pipe and sets up his smoke session. Continuing without words, he takes the matches off my desk and lights his pipe. A few minutes go by as he takes his first few drags. Seeing that he hasn't spoken since he first got here, I was growing annoyed with the bullshit and wanted to know what was up.

"Yo, what's good with you?" I ask. Shinji leans against the windowsill and looks at me.

"Got some news the other day," he responds. I blink. What kind of vague-ass answer is that?

"Ok, and what type of news was it?" He takes another drag. Two more minutes go by.

"Rei is pregnant," he says blankly. Ok. I'm done. This nigga comes from ALL the way across town just to tell me this?

"Shinji, you really came all the way out here to tell me this shit? You and Rei have been married since I don't even know how long, and Rei been pregnant three times already. This is some bull-"

"I was supposed to go on a mission for SDR. They asked me to go to The Kingdom of Sanzu to kill the Ueda royal family. The princess, Kaoru Ueda, is promised to marry Hideo Yoshido, the leader of the Kuroi Neko organization, our rivals. If this marriage were to occur we not only lose our footing in Seikei prefecture but also we would be entering a long, large and unnecessary war with the Nekos." I'm confused now. I thought he was completely done with SDR just like I am.

"Ji, I'm lost. I thought you were completely done with SDR." He sighs and turns his head towards the window.

"I thought so as well until I had to borrow money from them to pay for Dad's business debts. They want blood or my head in exchange for what I borrowed. However, knowing now the circumstances and Rei's pregnancy, I don't want to leave her stranded with the kids. Shiro, you and I both know that I don't ask you for much, and I know that you're tired of being on the road but I need you to do this for me." Shinji's appearance, which initially seemed calm and collected was now completely desperate and disheveled. How is it that one of the niggas I looked up to my whole life was now before me in need of my assistance? I don't know if I should be flattered or embarrassed.

"To be honest, I'm mad as hell that you waited this long to tell me this shit. You supposed to be the one that's got it together out of the two of us, Shinji. Now you want me to fix up your mess? Shiet. Yo why couldn't you have come to me if you needed money? You know I would have spotted you." I respond. Shinji recollects himself and takes a drag from his pipe.

"Toshiro, you know how I feel about taking money from yo-"

"Yo, just cut the shit. Why the fuck would you even go back to them knowing how hard it was to even leave them?! Not only are they after your ass they probably gonna be after me, too! Listen, I'm going to do this shit for you because you're my brother, and I don't want you to lose your life over some petty street shit. At the same time, I'm mad as hell that I gotta leave again and risk my damn life," Shinji looks down while I take a breath from my enraged state. "Shinji I need you to pack up your family and shit tonight and go somewhere that no one can find you. I need you to play "dead" while I go settle this score. Send a telegraph under an alias to the main postal area in Sanzu capitol so that I know you and your family are good." Shinji nods at me and gets up. He bows to me and leaves the office. I sink back into my chair and pack my pipe. Fuck, how am I even going to break it to Nana that I have to leave again? Looking out into the snow-covered world I sigh, lowkey afraid of what the future holds but even more afraid of how to go about the situation. We gotta get it together, Shiro. We gotta get it together.