Stephanie & Xander

Chapter 23

Coco found us a place to stay. It wasn't a friend's house or an inn. It was a Manga café. It was the same as Karaoke because we can have a booth for us which we can rent per hour just to read Manga.

They have available Tankoubons and also newly released Jump magazine but we didn't come here for that. We just need a place to stay. And luckily, the food is cheap.

We're only there to sleep. You see, we still pay per hour of stay. Imagine, if I couldn't sleep for an hour, I'll be wasting money. It's making me more restless so I really couldn't sleep at all. But Stephanie can sleep well. I feel assured.

I woke up at six. Normally, Stephanie gets to wake up first. But he seems to be awfully comfortable in a leather couch even with all the red marks it's making on his skin. Coco is preparing, he looks handsome. He seems very drawn towards his work as a butler.

It feels like I haven't spoken to Coco in ages so I might as well say something right now before it goes on for another week and it'll be more awkward, "Um... good luck... in your work."

His face lights up, "Okay." He says, "You can use the blue bike outside. I won't be running an errand today. The manager's out so..."

"Thanks." I say. He said so much right after I just wished him luck. I guess, he's been holding out for long. He wanted to talk to me. Gawd, when did I become such an asshole?

And I use the blue bike. I don't know how many years it's been since the last time I've used a mommy bike. It's weird but I'm still good at it. I can maybe perform a few tricks but I wouldn't get too cocky and destroy my last resort.

I get back to the riverbank, carrying my backpack filled with repair tools. I doubt I can repair this but I'm crossing my fingers. Maybe I just need to replace some wires. Maybe the sparks wasn't serious after all. I know it's serious but there's nothing wrong hoping.

At 8, I think Stephanie's already awake and has already paid for our stay. If he wants to find me, he can just call. He has memorized my number; he can just use some payphones. But I doubt he would. He knows that I do nothing else but to ask around for Emily. He'll probably do the same too. I just wish he wouldn't run against the biker gangs or else he's fucked.

But at 8:30, I know he's safe because the biker gang has come for me.

They slide down the riverbank. There are about 14 of them who went for me. They don't smell like fight so I go on trying to put the bike together.

Mou dame da." He says. He's telling me it's impossible.

"Shitterun da yo." I know.

"Ja doushite?" then, why?

"Emily wa sagashite nakereba dakara." I need to find Emily that's why.

"Emiri no basho ga shitteru." I know where Emily is.

I look at him and stops fumbling on the bike. He said it was the reason why they were chasing us because their boss likes Emily and we seem to be looking for Emily so their boss assumed we're his rivals. And he's not wrong.

If I wanted to know more, I should drop by tomorrow in West Gate Park I'll find him there at 9 a.m. and he'll take me to their boss for a good talk.

That was screaming 'TRAP!!!!!' oh my god. What am I even supposed to do?

And they leave me peacefully. Yeah, I want it that way and they wouldn't have gotten away unscathed. I'm still a little violent despite a little too wounded. I hate gangsters. To know that gangsters still roam Ikebukuro in this time and age, it's annoying.