Part 59- Given Back

Unlike before, when Kazuki came back to try and reconcile, I didn't avoid him or brush him off before. I simple stood firmly planted and brought down the mask of ice I first wore around him. He first tried to speak to me when I was in the lobby of Jia's building. I was waiting for Jun after I checked in with Tai. Jun was finally getting himself organized which was why he was in his office in the first place. As I waited, sitting down on the sofa, reading the paper, I felt Kazuki's presence. I knew it was him because only that stupid fox would come in and sit across from me and not say a word. I played his game and didn't say a word either. I just disacknowledged his presence and continued reading. After a few moments, he lit a cigarette and smoked quietly. I turned the page. After about five minute and the last page of the paper, he finally said,

"How long do you plan on staying mad at me?"

"Who's mad? I'm reading the paper."

He sighed heavily as he said,

"You didn't call when you got back."

"Been busy."

"Doing what?"

"None of your business."

"You say you're not mad, yet you obviously are."

"Do you sense me being angry?"

"I don't sense anything."

"Then how would you know if I'm mad. Stop assuming things."

I finished the last page, but I refused to put down the paper and look at him. I just continued holding it up over my face, reading the same paragraph about the Diet and it's upcoming elections. The candidate was already in Jia's pocket so there was no need for concern. I felt Kazuki standing up as he walked over to me as he sat down and said,

"I know I haven't been around lately. And I apologize for that."

"No need for an apology. You were working. I understand. Just how I've been working."

"But...I shouldn't have acted the way I did last time I saw you."

"Oh that. I'm over that. I don't care."

"I care."

"That's wonderful. I'm happy for you."

He sighed, leaning back as he said,

"You don't have to be such a smart ass when I'm trying to apologize."

"I already told you. No need to apologize. Save your breath and your time for Jia. He'll need it more then me."

He was silent again as Jun finally came upstairs with a loud sigh, mumbling to himself about something as I put the paper down and folded it as I set it on the table in the middle of the sitting area as I got up and looked at Jun.

"Ready to go?" I asked him.

He broke from his train of thought as he said,

"Huh? Oh yeah, let's go. I'm hungry."

I then turned to Furukawa as I bowed my head slightly as I said,

"Furukawa. I'll see you later."

I then turned and left.

While we ate, Jun looked at me and said,

"You mad at him again?"

"What is it with everyone assuming my emotions today? As if I expressed them so well and vividly."

"I know your body language well enough. Why you mad at him?"

"I'm not. I just don't care."

"You don't care about him?"

"Not that I ever did. But whatever interest I had has greatly diminished."

"Any reason why?"

"I can't deal with him. Whenever he's angry or stressed or just pissed off he'll take it out on me. You think I want to be around someone like that?"

He thought about it for a moment, chewing thoughtfully as he said,

"Okay, good point."

"He may be all smooth and as cunning as a fox when it comes to business, but otherwise, he's....not."

Jun ate for a moment as he then said,

"So what you're just going to dismiss him?"

"Not going to. Already did."

Jun gave me a disappointed look before he went back to eating. I hated when he did that.

Furukawa didn't give up as easily as I'd hope. He still tried to talk to me, but I would just as coldly as the day I met him. I reasoned with myself, saying I was bored of him, that I was no longer interested after seeing all sides of him. I knew he had to have a bad side, but when what happened was, that it didn't occur to me that he would act out his bad side on me and since no one really acted badly towards me that I didn't put a bullet in, I was not use to it. Jun convinced me, somehow, to go out into the Shibuya district. I wasn't too fond of that district, mostly because it was such a huge shopping area where high school kids hung out. I looked like a high school kid but I didn't like being classified as one. Anyway I dressed down as much as I could without looking like I just got out of school, wearing khakis and a button down shirt, leaving my hair tied up half up, half down. Jun wore jeans and a white long sleeved shirt, a black leather cuff on his wrist with tied up boots. Usually he only wore dress shoes and now I got to see him casually dressed. I asked him a couple of times why we were going through Shibuya and he answered sort of casually as if avoiding my question. I hated when he did that. After we got some lunch, I asked him again.

"Jun, please tell me what we're doing here."

He took a sip of soda as he said,

"Okay, I need to shop."

"For what?"

"Clothes and shit."

I rolled my eyes as I said,

"I can't believe you dragged me out here for a shopping trip."

"Look, I didn't want to go by myself and plus, I needed to ask you something."

"What?"

"How do you think Jia would react to me leaving for a few days?"

"I don't know...why?"

"My aunt died. I wanted to go to the funeral."

"Sou ka."

"Anyway, out of all the things she's done for me I haven't been able to come through on much other then a few flimsy visits and money. I want to at least pay some final respects."

I nodded in understanding as I said,

"Jia wouldn't mind. Especially on downtime. If you don't want to tell him why you're leaving, just tell him it's personal. He won't pry."

Jun nodded as he went back to eating. We spent a good part of the afternoon shopping as Jun circled me through Shibuya, then through Ginza buying up expensive designer clothing. I grew bored by the hour, but I contented myself with window watching as Jun searched store after store looking for something perfect.

When I wasn't out with Jun, Toki was knocking at my door, always trying to take me out some place. I constantly asked him where his friends where and he always said the same thing.

"They busy."

I hated to give into him, but every now and then I did. He took me out to the movies a lot just to sit beside me and hold my hand. He would fall asleep through every show, but when he was woken up, he was always ready to go somewhere else. As we stepped out of the theater, him lighting a cigarette, I said,

"Why do you always have to take me to a movie?"

"You wanna do something else?"

"Sure. You always fall asleep in there anyway."

"It's because I can't sit still. I'll fall asleep. Unless it's important."

He looked around for a moment as he exhaled and then moved the cigarette from his mouth and said,

"So, what you wanna do?"

Usually after a movie I persuaded him to take me to lunch mostly so I can watch him eat. He doesn't like to eat so it's a big battle. He says eating is a waste of a time. An evil he can't afford to fight with. Every so often I convince him to eat though. I decided to try today.

"I'm hungry."

"I'm not."

"So? I am. If you don't want to come, I'll go alone."

"Nah, I know your game. Everytime we go eat somethin you always want me to eat. I hate eatin. It fuckin sucks."

"What's your hatred with food anyway?"

"Waste of time."

I shook my head as he then said,

"I'll have coffee with you."

I settled for that. We went to Bon, still my favorite cafe and had a cup of coffee. I ordered a small pastry which I saw Toki kept picking it when I was drinking. I ordered him a piece but he still picked at it, taking pieces of frosting and cake to his mouth as he sucked on his finger. I swept my hair aside as I said,

"What are you thinking about?"

"Puttin this stuff on you, lickin it off and seein if it would taste as good."

I rolled my eyes as I said,

"I'm sorry I asked."

"One track mind."

"I'm well aware of that."

He stopped for a moment as he drank his coffee as he said,

"Why you like coffee so much?"

"It's not really that. I'm usually thinking when I have coffee."

"So what you thinkin about?"

I looked at him as he stared back. He was slouched back in his chair, one arm on the back of the chair as he hung off it slightly. His hair was spiked up today, the blonde bangs falling around his face, a pair of jeans on, hanging from his hips and his white shirt with black lettering reading Bon in Bed on him. The heavy watch was on his wrist, his black circular tattoo of a flame around his bicep was visible along with a few scars from past troubles. He curled up the fingers of his right hand a lot so you couldn't tell his pinky finger tip was missing. I then looked back at his face, a fading scar still on his lip from when Jo broke it, the faded scar over his left eyebrow from time he was in jail, his clear skin, dark brown eyes still waiting for me to reply. I thought for a moment longer as I said,

"You."

"You're thinkin about me?"

I nodded as he raise an eyebrow and gave his trademark smirk. It was the kind of smirk that could either excite you or make your skin crawl. It was so full of mischief and trouble.

"So what am I doin in your mind?"

"Don't get excited. I'm just thinking about your features."

"Oh."

He sounded disappointed as I said,

"You're not all over ugly. Why don't you take better care of yourself?"

He laughed as I said that.

"What a fuckin compliment. I'm not all over ugly. Thanks Ghosto. You're not bad yourself."

"That's not what I meant."

"I know, I'm jus fuckin with ya."

"But why don't you?"

"Why should I? Nothing is horribly wrong with me. I got a couple of scars...I'm all tattooed up anyway...what's the difference if I start takin care of myself now? 'Sides my hygiene is perfect. I wear name brand clothes and I got platinum in my ears. What else do I need?"

I shrugged as he then sat up in his chair as he said,

"Been meanin to ask ya."

"What?"

"What's that on your arm?"

I looked at my arm as I turned it slightly and said,

"The tattoo?"

"Yeah."

"Nothing really. It depends on who's looking at it. It could be just a black flame laced with white. Other's say the see a demon, a dragon...whatever. It's just patterned ink though."

"Let me see it again."

I undid the cuff of my sleeve and pulled it up as I extended my arm to him. He took my wrist careful as he looked at it and said,

"What is it to you?"

"Just a tattoo."

He looked at it as he said,

"It's you."

I was quiet for a moment as I said,

"Why do you say that?"

He let go of my wrist as he picked up his cup of coffee and said,

"Because you can't tell what it is. It's just as complex, difficult to understand and beautiful as you are."

I didn't say anything as I sipped my coffee again and looked away. I didn't tell him he was right.

A few days later, Jun left for New York while the rest of us went on with our lives. I was on my way out around eight to meet Jo for a drink since it had been too long since he started bothering me and I was waiting for it. I picked up my coat and swung it around my shoulders as I was about to put my arms through it when I heard my phone. I answered as I said,

"I'm on my way Jo."

"I figured but we have to cancel."

"Any reason why?"

"Jia called a meeting."

"Sou ka. I'll be there soon."

"Nah, I'm on my way to get you. I should be there in like five minutes."

"Ah. Okay. Arigato."

"No problem."

He hung up as I then went to wait for him in the lobby. Once he arrived, I got in the car and we were on our way to Jia's building. We arrived a few moments later and gathered in his office with the exception of Jun who was currently absent. Jia looked a little distraught, upset and angry all at once as he sat in his chair, smoking, looking at a yellow envelope that was torn across the top. He smoked the last of his cigarette as he said,

"I have to tell you all something. And it's something of importance."

We were all a little worried about what Jia had to say. He never looked at us like he had been hiding something. Jia rubbed out the remains of the cigarette as he then picked up the large yellow envelope and said,

"With the exception of Jo, I know all of you remember the Ketto, the Kanpeki and the Jade. Jo, I know you don't know so I'll explain. Back in New York, when we first arrived and I started taking over, I started getting enemies crawling out of the woodwork including three triad syndicates that came to put a stop to me before I extended to California. They feared me and so tried to kill me. I was shot in the incident and I let those three thing I was dead while Tai took over. A little while later, I reappeared, it was a bloodbath and all of the Ketto, Kanpeki and Jade were dead. Except for the head of the Jade. I had personal rage against him since he was the one who tried to end my reign. I took him to a restaurant I owned and...I killed him."

Jo nodded, taking in the story as Jia then sighed and said,

"What I didn't tell anyone else except Toki, who was with me, was what Sung-Lo had told me before he died. He told me something very personal, very close to home...long story short, Sung-Lo Xia was not who he said he was. His name was Jia Xia...my father."

We were all surprised. Except Toki who had known all this time. Akio sighed as he pulled his hair back and said,

"That's heavy Jia."

"I know. Anyway, I tell you guys now because I just received this. Personal courier, from California. You know how I had to battle and slash my way through California and how Eirinsu has San Francisco and all that?"

We nodded as Jia opened the envelope and took out the thick packet of papers as he gave them to Tai. Jia also picked up a white sheet of paper on his desk as he said,

"To Jia Li, owner of Japan, oyabun of the 36 Moons. Recently unearthed were documents stating that the Jade, the once extended ruler of California and Hong Kong, was operated by Sung-Lo Xia, or better known to you as Jia Xia. You being his only heir, are here by entitled to his rights and properties."

Jia finished reading the note as Tai flipped through the papers, Gabriel looking on with him as Gabriel said,

"Oh my God...Jia...these are legal documents of almost all of California. Large plots of very pricey land...city after city listed...Jia, by this paperwork, you legally own San Francisco. This documents states that the Jade bought up large properties everywhere...it's how they made their money."

Jia nodded as he said,

"I know."

Tai looked up as he said,

"This means that...you're not only entitled to even more money since you could charge everyone what they owe you for living on your land but...Eirinsu is nothing but a figure head."

Jia nodded again as he said,

"Exactly. But what disturbs me is why now? Why wait until after I already conquered the city? Why even bother sending me the paperwork? And worse off, who knew of Sung-Lo's personal connection to me?"

"We could find out. Call up Keisuike and start a search." Said Aoki.

Jia thought about it for a moment as he said,

"It's a start. I would have to get Sozaburo to contact Keisuike."

"Anything we could do for now Jia?" Asked Jo.

"No...nothing much. Though I guess we might have to head out for California soon."

Toki sighed as he said,

"I hate Cali. It's fuckin hot there."

"Toki please don't start."

Toki got quiet as Jia reached up to his head and pulled his hair back. He then said,

"I know we were to have some downtime....but. I guess for now we'll be going back to work."

"It's nothing new Jia." Said Akio.

Jia gave a slight nod as he then allowed us to leave.

I went downstairs with my associates as they talked about the surprise of Sung-Lo really being Jia's father and the fact that Jia killed him. As we left the elevator, Akio said,

"That's surprising to me since Jia doesn't seem like the time to shoot his own father."

Toki lit a cigarette as he said,

"You don't know Li that well Playboy. Li does what he has to, no matter what."

Aoki agreed as he said,

"Yeah, he's full of emotions but Jia can control them when he has to."

Jo then said,

"So all this happened a long time ago?"

Toki nodded as he said,

"Yeah Baby. You were probably...what? Five, six? I don't know my math sucks."

Jo sighed as he said,

"Couldn't have been that long ago."

"It was." I said.

Jo tucked a stray strand of hair as he said,

"What's the weather like in Cali now?"

"Fuckin boilin!" Exclaimed Toki.

Akio laughed slightly as Aoki said,

"What you bitching about? Not like you have to wear a three piece suit Toki."

"Neither do you."

"I wear this coat all day don't I?"

"No one is tellin you to."

"It's a matter of professionalism."

Toki rolled his eyes as Jo shrugged and said,

"We just have to wait until Jia confirms stuff with Sozaburo and Keisuike right?"

Akio nodded as he said,

"Yeah...that should be a day or so."

Aya then came downstairs a while later as he said,

"Jia confirmed with Keisuike. He'll be starting to look in on who sent him those papers."

We nodded as Toki said,

"Hey, Pretty one, did Li say when we're gonna leave?"

"Not yet."

Aya then swayed his way over to Aoki as he sat down beside him and held his arm as Jo said,

"Ah..man better pack."

"So soon?" Asked Akio.

"It takes me forever. I have to fold everything and it gets tedious so I just walk away and leave it for a while."

Akio laughed as waved to Jo and Jo left. After a while, I left after a quick bye to everyone. Toki followed me outside as he said,

"Hey Ghosto."

"Hi."

"Goin home?"

"Yes."

"Want some company?"

"No thanks. Besides, right now is not a good time. Check with Jia."

Toki sighed as he said,

"I did. This morning. I can't watch him be all weird all day. Besides he's not as broken up as you think he is. I know him best."

"That's kind of fucked up you're willing to shaft your best friend for me."

"I'm not shaftin no body. I'm makin time for the both of you."

I sighed as I said,

"No, thanks anyway Toki."

"Can I get a kiss?"

"You can never walk away with just a word can you?"

"Words are no fun. Unless they're yes, please, fuck and deeper."

He smirked as I rolled my eyes as he said,

"So can I?"

"No."

I went to hail a cab as he said,

"Hey you're not still seein the stupid fox are you?"

"No. I was never seeing him to begin with."

"Cool. Good thing to know."

As a cab stopped near the curve he took my hand as I turned to face him. He kissed the top of my knuckles as he said,

"Call me later Ghosto."

I nodded as I got inside the cab and left.