Riichi's POV
Kyouta and I were playing video games when we heard my mom screech. We both ran into the kitchen almost knocking into my little sister Sakurako who was also running to see what was wrong. When we walked in we saw my mom had her hands clasped together and a broad grin on her face. "Mom? Everything ok?" I asked, she squealed "Your father got the job! They want him right away, he starts tomorrow!" she exclaimed. My dad is a glass maker and the people he worked for didn't have enough money to pay everyone so they let some people go. My dad being one of them. "Yeah!" Sakurako yelled fist bumping the air. "I want you to go tell your uncle, quick before he closes shop and it gets dark!" My mom demanded shooing Kyouta and I away.
My uncle's bread shop was only five blocks away so we arrived within a short amount of time. The front door was locked, but we heard movement inside and decided to use the back door, but that was locked also. "What now?" Kyouta asked "We use the spare key." I said reaching under the mat feeling for a cold piece of metal. Once I got hold of it I unlocked the door, but let me tell you when we walked in we saw the unexpected. A girl dressed in black was pointing a gun and my uncle and he was smiling about it. "Uh, sorry for... interrupting" Kyouta said and the girl turned toward us and both our jaws dropped. It was Michiyo, a girl that goes to the same high school as Kyouta, Sakurako and I go to. "Why are you pointing a gun at Riichi's uncle?" Kyouta asked. I couldn't seem to understand why Kyouta was so calm about this. She's pointing a freaking gun at my uncle. Michiyo looked back to Uncle Okita, who was still grinning from ear to ear, and looked back at us. Then surprisingly she dropped the gun and banged her head on the nearest table. "Now why don't you sit down and tell me your problems." My uncle suggested puling a chair out for her to sit in.
She looked up at my uncle "You're not going to call the police?" She asked "Well it was quite obvious you weren't going to shoot me and it must be the first time you've even held a gun from how much your hands were shaking." My uncle explained. He gestured for us to sit and we did so. "Now don't think she won't hurt you she broke a guys nose at school." Kyouta said. "He was being a pervert!" she shouted, Kyouta raised his hands in defense. "So what would make someone like you come into a small shop pointing a gun at the owner?" Uncle Okita asked sitting. She sighed "My dad died a month ago and he was a gambler. So basically somehow he got himself killed like the idiot he is and has left me to pay off his gambling debt. Only one thing." she said "What's that?" I asked she sighed again "I refused to give the owner of the club the yen and he took my seven year old sister Mitsuko. He told me if I didn't pay him the yen my dad owed him in a month he'd kill her. The deadline's tomorrow and no doubt he's already hurt her she's stubborn like I am and likes to fight back." She finished speaking "I have one tiny little question." Kyouta said "What?" she said irritably "Wouldn't he go after your mom before you to pay the yen?" Kyouta asked. "My mom died after Mitsuko was born." She said.
"Wait. then where have you been living this past month?" I asked "On the street, but technically I've lived on the street for six years and Mitsuko three years. Lets just say after my mom died my dad went sorta kinda crazy wacko. So when I thought Mitsuko was old enough I took her with me." She explained "How much yen is it?" My uncle asked "512650 (5000 U.S. dollars and 3004.09 Pound Sterling)" she replied. Uncle Okita was quiet for a moment with his head down. "I'll tell you what" he looked up "I can give you the yen, but in return you have to work here until you can pay me back and get good grades in school." Mitchiyo smiled "Deal." "Haven't you guys missed something?" Kyouta asked. Everyone gave him a confused look. "You said this guy has probably hurt your sister. Do you really think the people at the hospital won't ask you where your parents are?" Mitchiyo hit her head on the table again. "Don't be so depressed, I'm sure if you explain the situation to Takane she'll help. Maybe she'll even let you live in her home for a while." My uncle said optomistically. "Who's Takane?" Mitchiyo asked "My mother" I said. She squinted her eyes at both Kyouta and I. Uncle Okita laughed "You can trust them, they won't repeat a word of this to anyone outside of the family." She crossed her arms and hesitantly agreed.
