Chapter Text
During typhoon season, the rain comes down in buckets, as if to cleanse the earth of its accumulated filth. The turbulence of the rainstorms of the summer into the early autumn season can also bring about change in one’s life. You can either experience change for the better, or for the worse.
On a night when the downpour struck the concrete floor of Tokyo particularly hard, two individuals in a back alley of Roppongi were having a frank discussion on their relationship.
From head to toe, one of these individuals donned an outfit that could not keep up with the rain water straining its special cotton count threads. The other individual wore a rough and thick uniform that became heavier as the rain seeped into its cloth.
Both of these individuals were clearly of different statuses and ultimately, lived in two different worlds.
The uniform-clad and soaked man stepped into the dim light of the alleyway and opened his mouth: “I don’t want to be associated with you anymore, Koko.”
All Koko could hear was the sound of the heavy rain and the distant sounds of cars and people on the main streets. He could feel himself falling short of breath as he uttered the words, “Why?”
Inupi pushed his wet blonde locks back. “Are you seriously asking me ‘why’? You killed a man right in front of me a few weeks ago. That was my last straw.”
Koko felt a twinge in his chest. Inupi had been by his side since they were young. His attempt to sever ties now was unreasonable. It’s the same as placing him in a room, locking the door, and setting it on fire.
“You promised we were ride or die.”
Inupi groaned. “I do not want to be associated with a killer like you, or Bonten. I’m trying to live a peaceful life.”
Koko felt anger, betrayal, and most of all, he felt his heart crushing under Inupi’s black leather boots. “You can still live peacefully. I don’t want to lose you.”
Inupi turned away and said, “You already lost me the day you pledged your loyalty to Bonten. I only stayed to hold onto the goodness in you. Goodbye, Koko.”
In that dimly lit alleyway stood a Bonten member and the individual who emerged as the rain dissipated was a new man, Inupi, who severed ties with his former lifelong partner.
Koko’s knees gave away and he lay on the ground, looking up at the sky as droplets touched the tears flowing out of him. He wanted to yell and shout and scream but he couldn’t.
He lay there, in shock, as he replayed the words that were told to him all those years ago. Were they loving yet false whispers? Did “I will always love you” truly lose its meaning in just one moment?
“Hey, get up,” said a dark figure with a large umbrella.
“Who…?”
“Me, you idiot,” said the man. Koko turned his head and muttered, “Ran?”
Ran knelt down and said, “Sheesh, who knew Inupi had such a hold over you. He even made you lay down on the ground.”
Koko scowled at Ran and stood up. “Fuck off, Ran. What are you doing here?”
Ran, wearing his usual three-piece striped suit, smirked at Koko. “What do you think I’m doing here? I own Roppongi with my little brother, so of course I’m here.” He motioned for the driver and handed a towel to Koko. “I also got a tip from one of my lackeys that you were meeting up with Inupi.”
Koko patted the towel on his hair. “So what?”
Ran whispered in Koko’s ears: “I was hoping to watch you two fuck in the alley but to my disappointment, all you did was cry. Although- that was sexy, too.”
Koko pushed Ran back in disgust and said, “You came here in a car, right? Drive me home.”
“No can do, Koko,” Ran said, spinning the umbrella in his hand. “We have a meeting.”
Patting his face dry, Koko mumbled, “Fuck.”
On the ride to the main offices, Koko’s semi-clammy body was forced to change into new clothes in front of Ran. Ran ogled his creamy skin and bit his lip, imagining his own marks indenting into the soft flesh.
As for his wet hair, Ran simply said this: “You always look like shit, so who cares.”
Koko was tempted to throttle Ran in the car, but he was bested by Ran a few times when arguing over the expenses that incurred during the last few “accidents,” so he decided not to. Of course, there was a mental throttle and that calmed Koko down a bit.
“Driver, please turn the heat on for a little bit,” Ran said. He leaned back in the seat and peered over at Koko, whose eyes were swollen. Ran opened his mouth and said: “You look like shit.”
“Do you want to start a fight before the meeting or something?”
Ran smiled. “Maybe.”
“Asshole.” Koko started to bite his thumb and couldn’t stop replaying how hurt Inupi looked. He couldn’t believe that Inupi would sever ties like that— He was alright before, so why now? What’s changed? Was it really because I killed someone? It’s not like it was something new. He knew what I was involved in.
“Hey, Koko,” Ran called.
“What?”
Ran’s finger tapped Koko’s forehead. “You’ll get wrinkles if you scrunch your face up like that.”
Koko swatted his finger away. “I have the money to get rid of the wrinkles I cause.”
“Ooo, can I have some? I need some work done.”
“You’ll need to make an appointment with me if you need something like that. I’m not up to discussing that right now.”
Ran leaned closer to Koko and said in a low voice, “Why not now? We’re in traffic anyways.”
“No.”
He leaned away and said, “Hmph, you’re no fun.”
“What’s the meeting about, anyways?”
“Takeomi got another girl pregnant,” Ran said as he lit a cigarette. He took one puff and then said, “If he was careful, or even had a strain of thought, he wouldn’t have to support seven women. Now, it’s lucky number eight.”
Koko rolled his eyes. “Now I know why I’m invited.”
Ran inhaled once more before exclaiming, “Fucker needs to get a vasectomy. What is he? Forty? He needs to control his own dick.”
“It’s not a matter of controlling one’s urges. It’s about being smart.”
“He’s smart, but I’m not sure if that’s the case when it comes to women. At least when I sleep with someone, I’m not an idiot,” said Ran. He peered over at Koko. “At least I use condoms, with both men and women.”
Koko coughed. “Good for you.”
Ran tapped his cigarette on the ashtray set up in the car and leaned over, once again. “Tell me, Koko. Did Inupi use a condom with you? Or, since you truly loved him, did you allow him to go in raw?”
Koko’s eyes widened. “I don’t have to share any of that information with you.”
Ran took a drag and blew the smoke in Koko’s face. “You’re right,” he said, “but I’m still oh-so curious.”
Before Koko could reply, the driver said, “Boss, looks like it’s raining again.”
A sudden downpour washed over the car. This time, the rain wasn’t as rough as it was just moments ago. This rain was much gentler, as if it was an omen to those that were bracing the storms.
As both Ran and Koko breathed in the leather and nicotine of the car, the delay the rain caused on their journey to Takeomi’s intervention caused a slight rift—be it positive or negative—on these two individuals’ associations with each other.