Chapter Text
May 14, 1989
A man traded a yellow packet to another in a dark alleyway. His jacket was adorned by a gold pin from the Omi Alliance while the latter opened the envelope revealing cash. Both were unaware that from a distance someone was watching them.
Through the binoculars Chizure continued to watch the interaction, taking notes on the encounter. As the man left, Chizure set down her binoculars sending a page to another on the movement. She would have continued to follow him, but she had a different shift to get to. Heading down from a building’s roof she made her way to the streets of Sotenbori. On her way to Sunshine, the light from a store caught her attention.
A bell rang along with a worker yelling, “Welcome!”
Looking through the glass cabinets, she scanned the choices before her. She stopped at one.
“I think he should like this one,” Chizure thought.
“Excuse me, could I take this one,”
“Sure, would you like it wrapped?”
“Yes, thank you!”
The worker handed her a small wrapped box in a few minutes, and Chizure was on her way.
As she opened the door, the beat of slow jazz music filled the room. Youda came from one of the side, “Welcome, Chizure-san,”
“Good evening Youda” Chizure walked behind the bar, putting the box in the small fridge,”I’m just going to leave my snack in here!”
“No problem, as long as you have your name on it, no one will eat it.”
Chizure laughed,”Are you still holding Yuki up to that from last week?”
“From that rush of people last week all I wanted was some of that chocolate that my daughter sent me from Tokyo,” Youda sighed,”But then the box was found next to Yuki’s mirror eaten with nothing left.”
Youda returned to reach for a towel,”But besides that, you’ve been holding up okay?”
“Yeah, having all the extra help from the hostesses now is not bad, so I can’t really complain.”
“Speaking of that, they are probably looking for you right now. I’ll talk to you later to wrap up for the night”
Chizure nodded as she walked back to the dressing room. Once she opened the door she was met with a full house of girls.
Chika ran up to her, holding a curling iron. “Chizure-chan! You’re finally here, can you help me with my hair!”
Chizure nodded as she followed Chika to her vanity. She plugged in the iron, waiting for it to heat up.
“Chizure-chan, if you can’t find a tourniquet to stop the bleeding, what can you use?” Saki asked, looking through review cards.
“Hmm actually makeshift ones aren’t that effective, so the best bet would be to apply direct pressure.” Chizure hovered her hand over the curling iron. She took a piece of Chika’s hair and wrapped it around.
“Man can you guys pick another time to review those medical cards. I don’t need to hear about bleeding right before a shift.” Hibiki picked up a mascara wand, pointing it at Saki. “Or at least pick something not as gross.”
“Sorry, I got a test coming up and with Chizure-chan here we can bounce off each other.” Saki said as she put her cards down.
“Bleeding isn’t that bad when you compare it to what happened last week at your table last week Hibiki.” said Mana.
Hibiki shivered as she finished with her makeup. “Ugh don’t remind me.”
“Poor Youda, had to clean up that mess.” Ai mentioned as she put in her earrings.
“I keep replaying the scene in my head. I think I could see whatever that guys’ dinner was.” Yuki shook her head.
“Well so much for picking a topic that wasn’t gross,” Hibiki sighed as she sank into her chair.
The room filled with laughter from all the hostesses. It had been a few months since Majima’s return to Osaka. Mainly staying in Tokyo to help with the Shimano family, he would occasionally drop by to tie up loose ends from Sagawa or in his terms “let loose”. In those instances, Majima had helped train Chizure behind the scenes as new hostesses from other clubs joined from Four Stars. With the defeat came Saki, Hibiki, Chika, and Mana to add to the roster. Despite Majima’s change in appearance, all the girls had regarded him with respect, despite the occasional remarks from Yuki and Chizure.
Ai raised her hand. “I’ll pick a topic then, romance! Anyone going on dates outside of work.”
No one raised their hands.
“Eh! Really! Man, we're so boring!” Ai yelled.
Ai walked up next to Chizure. “Not even you Chizure-chan? You’re always ready to hop out of here sometimes. Do you have a secret lover that you're hiding from us?”
“Don’t be silly, If I did you guys would know.” Chizure dropped a done curl to the side.
“Wait, don't tell me it’s Majima-san?”
“No,”
“You answered that really fast. Sounds suspicious,”
“No, definitely not Majima”
“You sure, you’re the only one that drops the formalities.”
“Well Chizure-chan has known Majima-san the longest.” said Saki
“Does he have someone special?”
Chizure paused at a section of Chika’s hair, enough time for Ai to realize something was up.
“Omg he does!” Ai yelled, clasping her hands to her mouth.
“No, he doesn’t.”
Ai pointed her nail to Chizure, “Then why did you hesitate?”
“Because…it’s complicated,”
Though Majima hadn’t said it out loud, she could tell that he still thought about Makoto frequently. She would often find him shift his attention to a takoyaki stand when they passed by or look lost in thought when he even heard a name similar to hers. He still cared so much, despite him trying to make it seem like he didn’t.
He had told her one night after dinner what had happened. That she didn't recognize him, despite everything. The doctor who took care of her, told him that he loved her and that was it.
-
“If I was there I would have stopped you, maybe I should have stayed,” said Chizure.
“And do what?” asked Majima.
“I would have grabbed your arm and made you march over there, and I'd say ‘hey this is the guy who saved you! Then I’d hold back the doctor from trying to ruin the moment.”
Majima burst out laughing, “What is this an anime?”
“No, but it would be a great confession scene wouldn’t it?”
“Hmm, but then I would have stopped you.” Majima paused, “Cause I would have still made the same decision. I couldn’t do that to her.”
“Spoken like a man in love”
“Would ya quit it. You know what I told ya about-”
“This isn’t hostess training, this is me talking to you as a friend. And that’s how I see it,”
Majima sighed in defeat, “Just finish yer noodles, cause we still have more ta’ do after this,”
-
“What kind of an answer is that? Did his girlfriend break up with him or something.” Ai asked.
“No comment.”
“C’mon Chizure tell us something!”
Chizure took her fingers to her mouth making a zipper motion across.
“Uhhhhh, the secret grows.” Ai grunted as she plopped down to a seat.
Chika looked up from her chair, “Is he coming today?”
“Don’t know that guy makes his own schedule sometimes. I mean you’ll hear him when he comes,” Chizure said.
“And you’ll see his wacky haircut from a mile away,” Yuki said.
Chizure chuckled as she dropped the last of Chika’s curls. “Hey it’s not that bad,”
“Chizure-chan you’re saying that with a grin, you know it is!” Yuki said,
“But his hair doesn’t affect his face, y'know? It’s still handsome” Mana interjected.
Yuki gagged at her comment, standing up to the door.
Chizure laughed,”Just don’t let him hear that, it will go straight to his head,”
Looking up to the clock, she signaled the girls to go to the door, “It’s time,”
Chizure weaved through the tables, offering assistance with Youda when needed. It was another busy night that did not seem to be stopping anytime soon. The door chimed from the entrance.
“Welcome to Sunshine,” Chizure said from a distance.
A laugh
Majima.
Youda went up to him at the front. “Majima-san, Didn’t think you’d be here!.”
“Was ‘round the area and decided to drop by. Might as well get these guys some drinks y’know, Captain’s orders!” Majima laughed as he pointed to some of his most trusted individuals.
“Of course right this way.” Youda let them in, leading them to a VIP table.
Ai excused herself from a table and walked over to sit down, “Majima-san you’re here! We were just talking about you!”
“Really? Good things I hope Ai-chan?”
“Not really ust your wacky haircut,” Yuki said as she walked over to sit.
“Ahh I missed you too Yuki,” Majima chuckled. Majima pulled a cigarette from his pocket as one of his men lit the cigarette. Blowing out smoke, he looked around and locked his eye in. “Chi-chan!”
Chizure walked over to them, “I know I hear you, your laugh gave it away. What will it be, the usual?”
“Nah, if we are here we might as well get the good stuff.”
“You sure?”
“What? A manager thinking of my finances, thought I taught you better than that Chi-chan”
Chizure smirked, “Alright whatever you say, y’know that’s gonna cost you,”. Chizure shifted her gaze to someone new. A man with a buzz cut, blue long polo shirt, and someone that looked more like a civilian than a yakuza. “I haven’t seen you before, you’re?”
“Nishida, ma’am”
Chizure gave a small snort, “Ma’am, that’s a first. But then again I deal with your boss all the time and it can get a bit tough.”
“No!-I mean Yes? Or no! No to the Ma’am and yes to the tough?” Nishida blundered.
“Ya think I’m going too rough on ya Nishida?” Majima interjected.
“No or yes, I don’t know boss,”
“Don’t worry about it, Nishida. Just teasing you, that's all,” Chizure said to him.
Nishida let out an awkward laugh, not knowing how to respond.
“It’s all good, the drinks are on Nishida anyways!” Majima yelled. The table cheered in response.
“What!” Nishida exclaimed, “I mean–”
Majima sighed, slapping the back of his head, “Of course they aren’t, lighten up Nishida,”
Nishida sank down in his chair, going pale from the exhaustion. Chizure went to the bar to grab the top item for the day. As she held the bottle, she heard a yelp come from the side.
“Hey! Hands off,” yelled Chika.
Next to her a clearly drunk businessman who had his hands on her thigh. “Cmon, please?”
Chizure walked over to Youda to hand him the bottle, with Youda giving a small nod. She stood in front of the table. “Excuse me sir, I’m going to have to ask you to leave. We have a strict no touching policy here.”
The man looked up and scoffed,”Huh, what are you going to do about it?”
“Now sir, I’m warning you so that no one gets hurt-”
The man stood up, going in front of Chizure,”Sure little lady, so that you don’t get hurt.”
From the distance Majima and his table were watching. Nishida stood up from the table. Majima grabbed his arm. “What in the hells ya think you’re doin?”
“Helping, she’s in trouble-”Nishida stopped and looked around. Not one of his family members stood up,”Are we just going to stand here and watch,”
“Well yes, and we have the best seats in the house!”
“But sir!”
Majima laughed, “Yer new here Nishida so let me tell ya something. That lady there can handle herself, if anything that guy is gonna wish that he had just left,”
Nishida looked back at the two in the distance.
Chizure stood her ground, the man still staring at her,”So? Are you going to hit me or not?”
The man huffed, “Are you provoking me? Cause I ain’t afraid to hit a woman!” He raised his arm, pulling it back to hit. Chizure dodged his hit, grabbing his arm and twisting\ it behind his back. The man let out a yelp, with Chizure twisting his arm deeper and deeper. “If you want it to stop I suggest taking your stuff and leaving.”
The man shook his head. Chizure let go as the man shaked his arm to get feeling back into it.
“Chika, are you ok?” asked Chizure.
“Im fine-” Chika was cut off as she moved back deeper into the booth. Chizure had caught the man’s punch, the man letting out a tight breath.
“Ha, so predictable,” Chizure twisted his arm causing the man to go to the floor. She used her hand to tap the side of his neck. The man immediately fell down, knocked out. Two regulars of the club excused themselves from their seats to take the guy outside. Chizure mouthed a small thank you as the club seemed to go back as usual. Chizure went back to Youda to grab the bottle, walking over to Majima’s table.
Chizure sighed,”Sorry about that, but here you go.”
Nishida plopped down to his seat, slinking down, going pale. “What was that?”
“Good night everyone! Make sure to have a safe trip back home!” Chizure exclaimed. The hostesses waved goodbye as Youda walked out to ensure everyone got into their taxis.
Chizure gave one look around to make sure everything was set for the next shift. She walked to the fridge, grabbing the untouched box, putting it in a bag. Locking up, she made her way to the Bishamon bridge. Though it was 1 am, the city was still alive with many people making their way to open bars and other nightlife.
As Chizure reached the bridge underpass, she saw a figure hunched over the railing, cigarette in hand.
She walked next to the figure, ”So what do I owe the surprise?”
Flicking the cigarette smoke down and turning his head,” Don’t wanna see me? I see how it is Chi-chan,”
“Yeah totally,” Chizure said. “What did Shimano put you up to now, secret deals with the Omi?”
“Nosy are we?” Majima let out a puff of smoke, “What if I told you I just wanted to visit?”
Chizure crossed her arms, “Hm, really?”
“Yes, really. I told ya I’d be bothering ya whenever I was in town.”
“Where are the others?”
“Off, I think they took poor Nishida to Pachinko or some shit like that to cool off.”
“He seems nice, hope you don’t scare him off,”
Majima laughed,” Me? I think ya already did that, Was out there at Sunshine pale as a ghost!”
Chizure sighed, “Honestly, it’s been a while since that kind of thing has happened and of course, it’s the day you decide to come,”
“What can I say, people just find me irresistible,”
“Did Ai tell you that, I told her it would just inflate your ego.”
Majima laughed, turning back to the water.
Chizure looked at him, reaching for the box in the bag. “Could I borrow your lighter?”
Majima shifted to get the lighter from his pocket, “Didn’t know yer were so stressed at Sunshine that ya started to smoke-”
He paused with his mouth slightly agape as he stared at the small cupcake in Chizure’s hands.”What’s this?”
“A cupcake? I know that at least one of your eyes works.”
“But-”
“I figured that you probably didn’t want to make it a big deal and let your men or the girls know that it was your birthday.”
“How did ya know?”
She grabbed the lighter with one hand and lit the candle perched on top. “I had to watch you back at the Grand of course I’d know”
“You didn’t have to remember it.”
“But I did, now make a wish before the wax melts.”
“I’m turning 25 and I only get one candle?”
“Majima.”
“Ok ok, I get ya,” Majima said as he blew the candle.
Chizure took the candle out and placed it back in the bag. She handed the small cupcake to Majima “Here you go,”
“You got me it, I need to at least split it.” Majima split the cupcake in half, strawberry filling coming out of the sides.
Chizure took it in her hands and they both faced the river, lights reflecting onto the water.
“A cupcake and that show earlier, man it must have been my lucky day!” Majima took a bite of his piece, “Ya want to know what my wish was?”
“Don’t tell me.”
“Why?”
“Because then it won’t come true,”
“Ya believe in that kinda of stuff?”
“Not really, but better to be safe than sorry, you know,”
“Fine have it yer way,”
Majima relaxed his shoulders over the railing. Though he made big talk about telling her, he was relieved that she had said no. He didn’t want to say his wish out loud, because at that moment all he could think about was wishing for her happiness because she had remembered.
Majima’s voice lowered an octave,”Thank you by the way, ya didn’t have to.”
“It’s no problem besides you came all the way here. Whether it be unplanned or intentional,”
“I owe ya,” Majima finished his bite,”When’s your birthday?”
“November 30th”
Majima tapped his finger to his head “I got a couple of months then to plan. A truck full of balloons and a champagne tower at Sunshine,”
“You better not, after I kept yours a secret!”
Majima laughed, “I guess ya will find out in about 6 months”
“If you do, I'm kicking you out of Sunshine like that guy!”
“Is that supposed to scare me, because that sounds fun? I mean I’ve been sparring with Kiryu-chan, but you know, I haven’t with you in a while,”
“Who would have thought you know that some kind of friendship would have happened between you two,”
“I mean the same could go for us,” Majima clasped his hands together. ”The night is still young, so how about some karaoke to pay ya back?”
Chizure put her hand on her mouth, yawning, “Suddenly, I’m starting to get sleepy.”
“Ya ain’t fooling me, Chi-chan come on, it’s my birthday,”
“You sure ya want me to come? Wouldn’t you want the other guys to be with you?”
“You saw them at Sunshine, they were all drunk out of their minds. The only one sober enough was Nishida,”
“I don’t see the problem with singing plastered? I’ve seen you do it and try to sing,”
Majima gasped, pretending to grasp his necklace,”Try? I’ll have you know that I sing like an angel! But also I’d rather not be clean up duty,”
“Fine, have it your way, but don’t come for me if I get a higher score than you,”
“Sounds like a challenge,” Majima laughed.
