Part 17- Home
I spent a restful week at home. Not getting up at the sound of a cell phone in the middle of the night, not having to stop sleeping all together because I'm working, eating at normal hours rather then the evening AM's as the yakuza are accustomed to. I was relaxed and I was home and best off, Miya was with me. I got to talk to him and get all caught up on what he had been doing. He even told me how he started getting this place more broken in.
"It was too cold when I moved in. I hope you don't mind."
"Nah...I love it."
And I did. I never realized how much I missed him until he was back at my side. I took every chance I got to hold or touch him, just because I missed that human contact. My arm hurt the whole time though. I didn't tense it but anytime I did, it just hurt like hell. Miya was careful with me when we slept or hung out, he didn't want to hurt me. My week was so peaceful. By the end of the second week, I was still home, watching Miya get all pretty. Now that he wasn't in high school anymore, it just seemed like nothing was holding him back from doing whatever he wanted. Plus he lived on his own so he just dyed his hair a soft shade of brown, wore more fitting clothes...he was so pretty. He and I also got closer. Some moments of our close encounters left me with flashbacks of Toki and how he suddenly kissed me. The memory only lingered before Miya's face appeared before me in an even sweeter memory. I sighed, looking at him, glad I was here and not working despite everything. That afternoon, we shared our first kiss. It happened so naturally we weren't even surprised. He laughed afterwards, falling beside me on the bed as he covered his mouth. I looked at him as he said,
"That was weird."
"Sorta." I said in return.
He smiled at me though. I felt so happy with him. I held his hand as we looked at each other. I then remembered what Hisoka and Mikkie told me about everything dealing with emotion was a taboo. Miya was now a taboo. I kissed the back of his hand as my cell phone went off. I sighed as I sat up, letting go of his hand as I answered. It was Jun asking how my arm was. I told him it was about the same and he said he would like to see it. I asked him where he was and he said on his way inside Tokyo. They had gotten back last night. I sighed and said okay. When I hung up, Miya looked at me as I said,
"I just have to see my doctor."
"Oh...okay. Want some company?"
I couldn't imagine taking Miya to the 36 Moons building. Especially if Toki was there. I smiled as I shook my head as I looked for my keys and said,
"No, it's okay.. I'll only be gone for like...half an hour...hour at the most."
"Okay. See you later then."
I nodded as I kissed him once more, just as gentle as the first time before I left.
At the building, Jun took me to his make shift doctor's office as he pulled on some latex gloves. He made me take off my shirt as he then made me raise my arm. I flinched in pain as he said,
"That's not good. The pain should have calmed down some by two weeks. But it's almost as if the wound is still fresh."
As he started to remove my bandages I said,
"You're like a real doctor sometimes."
"I was once."
"Honto ni?"
"Hai."
"Can I ask what happened?"
He nodded, the bandage coming off my arm as he wrapped them in his hands.
"Toki did. I was friends with him. I was practicing medicine and he was a patient. I didn't report a wound he received. Surveillance tapes showed I had treated him so they took away my license and that was that."
"Is that why you two don't get along?"
He shook his head the bandages finally came off as he was about to lift the gauze on my arm as he said,
"Actually we don't get along because I'm an over achiever and he's a slacker and I'm better then him and he knows it and hates it."
"Oh..."
He lifted up the gauze as he threw it aside and said,
"Just as I thought."
"What?"
"It didn't heal right. The muscle area is swollen and it's not letting the stitches close correctly."
"What does that mean?"
"Means I gotta cut you open again, make the swelling go down and sew you back up. You're lucky you haven't caught an infection."
I sighed as he said,
"So...you want it done now?"
"I guess."
I laid back down, my arm out to the side as Jun went over to table as he prepared something. I sighed, annoyed with having to do this again. He came back with a syringe and a rubber string as he tied it around my arm tightly and tapped my arm making a vein rise. He injected the liquid in my arm and soon I couldn't feel it anymore. As he performed this minor surgery on my arm, Jia came in. He looked down at me as he said,
"Hey Joryu."
"Hi Jia."
"What happened?"
"Muscle swell. Stitches wouldn't heal." Said Jun.
"Ah. Sounds painful. Oh my God Jun that's disgusting."
Jun looked up at him as he said,
"Jia I have his arm cut open...it's not a more pleasant sight."
Jia nodded as he said,
"So...Joryu...other then this how's your time off?"
"Pretty good."
He nodded as he said,
"When you're done, Hisoka is outside. He wanted to see you."
"Oh okay. Arigato."
He gave a nod as he then left.
Almost an hour later, Jun finished wrapping my arm back up, putting it in a sling. He peeled back the now blood stained gloves as he said,
"Same orders as before okay. I'll check it again in two weeks."
I nodded, getting back up, taking advantage that my arm was still asleep. I got off the table and went to see Hisoka in the lobby. He looked at me as he said,
"Hey you."
"Hi. How you been?"
He shrugged as he said,
"Working a little here and there. How's New York?"
"Pretty good. I learned more English."
"That's always a good thing. What happened to your arm?"
"Took a gun shot in the arm."
"Ouch."
"You're telling me."
"Yeah I'm out for a while."
"As long as it's for a while and not forever."
I nodded as he flipped back his blonde hair that fell around his eyes as he said,
"Want to get some lunch?"
"Oh I can't my arm is gonna be killing me once the numbing wears off."
"Okay. Later then."
"Sure."
"Take care of yourself kid."
"Thanks. You too."
I then turned and walked away and went back home.
Miya took care of me the whole week. He cared for me, made me happy the entire time I was back in Tokyo. I also realized how he made me feel. He's such a big part of my life, for him not to be there every day like before, it felt so strange. I suddenly felt so normal around him. My pretty Miya now laying beside me when I slept, the first thing I saw when I woke up, the one who would go out of his way to get dressed and look nice for me. My pretty tsuki that would glow just for me. I was falling and there was nothing worse then that. I stayed out of action for the next two weeks. A month total in recovery. After the two week mark, I had Jun check my arm since it was no longer hurting as I moved it. As he took the bandage off and lifted up the gauze, he made me raise my arm and then tense it. It hurt when I tensed but not as much as if did the first time. Jun then put fresh gauze back over the stitches as he said,
"You're better. You don't need the sling. But the gauze stays on for another week or so depending on how fast you heal. I'll remove the stitches soon afterwards. Use the arm now. If not it'll get weak."
I nodded as he finished up putting the gauze on me as he then let me go. I had lunch with Hisoka since I still owed him one. He could tell by looking at me something was different.
"You're so happy."
"I'm home."
"Miya right?"
"Hm?"
"Miya....your Miya. He's the one that's got you all strung out on this happiness."
"I guess."
He shook his head in his disapproving manner as he said,
"We talked about this."
"I know."
"You should be careful about that."
"I know. I can't help it. Miya's just such a part of me."
"I can't say anything to anyone about how they feel. It's something you'll learn about. One way or another."
He took a sip of his drink as I looked down. It was true. I didn't want to loose Miya because of this job. But I did care a lot about him and that was enough to put him at risk. I finished up my lunch as Hisoka and I then went for a walk.
"I heard about you advancing."
"Oh..."
"It's rare someone that just started rising so fast."
"I wasn't even expecting it."
"It happens."
"You're still a higher rank then I am."
"By the end of the year, you'll be higher up then me. Watch. Jia likes you. He's knows you're capable of doing everything you have to. That's what gonna make you advance."
"I don't feel I deserve it."
"How come?"
"You've been working here a lot longer then I have."
"A lot of the lower heads don't advance. Some of us never do. The rare few that can is always good."
"It's almost like special treatment because of who my father is."
"It's more like a connection rather then special treatment. Don't worry about it. Take the opportunities you can."
I nodded as I crossed my arm in front of me. He then said,
"So what are you going to do for now?"
"Go back home."
"I'll see you later then."
"Bye Hisoka."
"Bye Joryu."
And I walked the rest of the way home, thinking about everything Hisoka and I talked about.
I never felt so confused. I would get home and be with Miya, holding him close to me especially now that I could move my arm again. I would hold him with both arms, touching him with both hands but at the same time I would think about what problems I was drawing myself into. I would be slightly relieved to know I was nothing special in the syndicate. Now that a month had passed, Jia called me back to his office. At the time that I got the call I was walking through Tokyo with Miya. Since my tsuki had dolled himself so beautifully and looked more like a girl, we held hands, our fingers linked as the cooling summer weather forced us both to wear coats. My phone rang and I went in my coat pocket to get it.
"Moshi moshi."
"Joryu, need you to come in."
It was Jia.
"Is it something urgent?"
"Busy?"
"I'm taking a walk."
"How close by are you?"
I looked around as I saw I was close by the building. I sighed and said,
"I'm close."
"Stop in. It'll be just for a few minutes."
"Okay."
I hung up as I turned to Miya and said,
"We have to go to my job for a minute."
"What for?"
"My boss wants to see me. It'll be for a minute."
He sighed as he agreed and we went.
Before we walked in, I made sure that no one was around...namely Toki. Once everything was clear, I walked Miya over to the lobby and he sat down. He set his slender hands on his lap as I said,
"I'll only be here for a few minutes."
He nodded as I then went upstairs. At Jia's office everyone was there already. Jia explained how everything in New York was once again settled but it brought upon new problems.
"Seoul's pissed."
We all looked at him as he paused to light a cigarette.
"Seoul lost it's overlord. The boss is gone and dead. So they are without a reign of power. I doubt this will be left alone. Plus, Alexandra is still somewhere. She's got his kid which could lead to further problems if it's a boy."
I accidentally spoke,
"Why if it's a boy?"
Everyone looked at me, Toki exhaling smoke as he sat on the corner of Jia's desk as he said,
"Only men can be yakuza. The occasional woman that was an oyabun got raped and shot."
He smirked as he finished. Jia nodded as he said,
"Hai, so if Alexandra's kid is a boy, he could be following in his father's footsteps. Especially if Alexandra encourages him."
Tai nodded as he said,
"Hai, when the Koreans are organized this will be far from over. And if they come after us, we have to move this out of Japan."
Jia nodded as he said,
"Yeah...we should. Joryu how's your arm."
"Jia...I just got home."
"You've been home a month. Jun how's his arm."
"Fine. I just have to remove the stitches."
Jia nodded as he looked back at me and said,
"We're going back to New York. Time to call in some favors from California and bring Nishiki in on this. I'm taking Seoul."
Everyone nodded and once Jia dismissed everyone, they all began making plans. I was only left with my thought of Miya sitting downstairs waiting for me. I would now have to leave him again.
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Definitions
tsuki- Moon
Moshi moshi- Japanese greeting for answering the phone