When I went home and had to pack, I realized I would have to do it all by myself. I took out my suitcase and opened it on the bed as I started taking some clothes from my closet, laying it down beside the suitcase as I started folding my clothes. I realized even more then how I missed Miya. How he would do this for me...or at least help me. He would sit beside my suitcase and take my shirts, fold them slowly and carefully as he smiled, telling me something about his day, or about how much he'll miss me. I haven't felt so lonely in a long time. I stood up, throwing everything aside as I went to the living room and opened up the stereo system there. I looked around for one of my CD's that I had burned as I finally got one. I stuck it in the player and pressed play as I turned up the volume, hearing Sel-fish from Due le Quartz. I backed away from my stereo as I then went back to my room and started packing again.

I went through the process slowly and when my cell phone rang every now and then, I looked at it only seeing it was Akio. I didn't feel like talking to him, so I didn't pick up. I was worried for a moment he might stop by again...and not like a locked door would stop him so after I finished packing, I set my suitcase aside and grabbed my things as I went out to find Hisoka. The two of us sat in a bar again, me still drinking as Hisoka said,

"Still down?"

"I'm going to Hong Kong in a few days."

"Have fun."

"I'm gonna go alone."

"Just you by yourself?"

"I mean without a partner. I asked Jia if I could tag along without Akio."

"You mad at him?"

"A little yeah. It's why I asked to go when nothing major was happening and with them now."

"Ah...good point. You know they say it's bad to mix personal feelings with work."

"I know. It's why I'm trying not to let this last too long."

"What Akio do anyway?"

"Long story."

I realized how many times I've heard that while in the syndicate and now I'm saying it too. It was a very polite way of saying, none of your fucking business. Hisoka understood that as he took a sip of his beer and then said,

"How long you staying in Hong Kong for?"

"I'm not sure. I'll have to ask Jia soon I guess."

I had another drink after I finished my beer. I was tired but not wanting to go home yet. Too many thoughts waited for me there and I had no one to turn to for comfort. I had to carry this on my own. I sighed, remembering I could always turn to Miya for comfort. He would listen to me and I would feel better knowing he was there. Now I was on my own. I guess it was about time I learned that I could only count on myself....I had to stop depending on everyone...because sometimes, not everyone would be there. Even those that said they would be.

After a few days, Jia let me know we were leaving for Hong Kong. I had avoided Akio as well only seeing him when we were in a meeting with everyone else and I stopped sitting in the lobby when I had nothing to do. I missed talking to people...I missed having conversation, but at least it gave me the chance to get my MP3 player back in use. I use to walk around with the earphones stuck in my ears all day long and now looks like I'm back to doing that for company. And that was my other way of avoiding talking to Akio, just having my earphones in my ear all day long. The day we left, I sat beside Jun and Mikkie, Jia and Toki in front of us as I stuck my earphone back in my ear. I pressed play on my player and listened to Luna Sea the whole way there.

Once we arrived in Hong Kong, Kenimin met up with Jia there. Lotus was also there. She bowed towards Jia first then smiled at him warmly. She looked so happy to see him. Jia on the other hand, nodded at her before he lit a cigarette. He then proceeded to talk to Kenimin, Toki on his side instead of Lotus. Jun, Mikkie and myself carried the luggage as we followed Jia outside and then stored all the things in a car. Kenimin allowed Jia to go in first, then himself and Toki. Lotus couldn't fit so she was escorted with the rest of us. As I sat beside her in the car she looked at her hands, the wedding band from her and Jia's ceremony still on her slender dainty fingers. I looked away from her as she tried to remain quiet...she was trying not to let Jia upset her.

A good wife would not be upset.

Kenimin allowed us to go to our apartments first before business was conducted. I went to my third empty and lonely apartment. I had paid for it to be redone while I was Tokyo and sure enough it was. I arrived to a beautiful but completely empty apartment with the only thing in it was a futon. I didn't have time to go do anything else to it so I settled all my things in the empty bedroom as I drug the futon from the living room to the bedroom. I sat down on it as I pulled it out to be my bed. I started unpacking something’s and set my MP3 player down beside the suitcase. I took out some of the CD's I didn't have time to burn as I then finished up. I looked at my cell phone, wondering what I should do now since I had finished. Jia didn't give us a time to regroup so I called him myself. His cell phone rang for a few moments before I heard a sigh and then Toki's deep voice.

"What you want?"

"Uh...is Jia there?"

"Hold up."

The phone was handled around for a moment before I heard Jia as he said,

"Yes?"

"Hey Jia."

"Hey Aka-chan. What can I do for you?"

"I was just wondering what time we had to meet up again. I guess I missed that."

"Shit...I guess I forgot to say it. Um...like around...nine or so. We'll have dinner then."

I checked my watch seeing it was just about six so I nodded and said,

"Hai. Where are we meeting?"

He laughed to himself as he said,

"Damn I'm just forgetting everything now. Um...just tell everyone meet me back at my place okay? You know where it is?"

"Um.."

I scrambled for a piece of paper and a pen as I said,

"Okay tell me."

He gave me an address and then we hung up as I kept my cell phone in hand. I had to think about what I was gonna do now. I had three hours to waste. I changed into some of my casual clothes as I stuck my MP3 player in my pocket as I placed the ear phone in my ear and went for a walk. I had to get something to eat. I was starving. I lit a cigarette on my way out and then walked into the city, my gun in the deep cargo pocket of my dark blue jeans, my white wifebeater keeping me cool as I walked. It was kinda hot that day, even though it was late afternoon. Anyway I stopped to get something to eat later, sitting down and listening to Dir en grey's Filth. After some light shopping around the district, I checked my watch and saw I had an hour left. It would take me about half an hour to get back home and I still had to change so I started on my way back. Almost an hour later, I was at Jia's apartment along with Jun and Mikkie. They looked sorta tired, Jun more annoyed then anything else, but I think he always had that look on his face. Anyway, we stood in the lobby of Jia's apartment building as we waited for him. Mikkie started looking around as Jun glanced down at his watch, giving an annoyed sigh as he said,

"I bet Toki's the reason we're late."

Mikkie looked over at him as he said,

"Not this time."

We both looked at him as Mikkie's hair fell over the shoulder of his black coat. He blinked softly as he said,

"Toki swore he wasn't going to fuck around with Jia because of Jia's marriage. You know how he's a stickler for loyalty."

He turned away as Jun scoffed and said,

"Yeah right. That fucker couldn't keep his dick in his pants if it really mattered."

"You underestimate him too much Jun."

Mikkie continued looking ahead at nothing, his eyes focused on nothing, his expression still the same. Jun then tucked the part of his hair that didn't cover his face as he turned around, looking at the elevator. Finally after ten minutes of waiting, Jia and Toki came out. Jia was adjusting his tie as he held a cigarette in his mouth, Toki lighting one not too far behind him. They walked up to both of us as Jia apologized for making us wait and then said,

"Okay, we have to meet Kenimin for dinner. We'll see what we do from there."

So we met Kenimin for dinner. Jia went on to discuss business with him for most of the time, only pausing as Kenimin ate. Jia lit a cigarette as he held his drink in the same as Keninim said,

"That's all your having?"

"I'm not hungry."

"I saw you didn't eat in Tokyo either."

"I'm just not hungry."

"But you smoke a lot."

"I blame that on him."

He pointed to Toki who was sitting beside him who was about to lit a cigarette. Everyone looked at him as Toki looked at us and said,

"What I do now?"

Jia shook his head as he then said,

"My doctor told me I have an eating disorder."

Kenimin looked a little surprised as he said,

"Oh? What kind of doctor is he?"

Jun then looked up from his food as he said,

"I was a licensed one. Medical degree from Tokyo University."

Kenimin looked at Jun for a moment as he said,

"How did you end up here?"

Jun looked at Toki and then back at Kenimin and said,

"I fucked up."

Everyone gave a slight laugh as Jun smiled and went back to eating. I didn't know Jun had gone to Tokyo University. Same school as Miya...how interesting. Anyway, before that train of thought lead me to the inevitable, Jia went back to speaking to Kenimin about business.

"Everything is basically set up here and I don't have to do anything, correct?"

"Exactly."

"It's almost too easy."

"Well Jia, you can't expect much right now. I've been handling Hong Kong since I was about your age. So everything is laid out. No one interferes with us since our hold is much greater nowadays. More then ever with you allied with us."

Jia nodded as he sipped his drink and said,

"This is just some time being spent here so I can learn this city better."

Kenimin nodded as we finished up dinner.

We had to learn Hong Kong better, inside and out, every spot in the city and what was outlined as the Black Hand. I learned police in Hong Kong were scared if the Black Hand. The Black Hand was known for going into the streets and in broad daylight, hunting down and shooting dead whoever had annoyed them. They didn't bother waiting for the cover of night. When I went out into the city, I was sent alone since I chose to come partnerless. I couldn't complain and whine about having to go alone since it was my choice in the first place. I did feel lonely though. I tried not to think about everything though it was one of my major issues at the moment. After some time out in the city, wandering the night life alone, I was called back to stand in as Jia's guard. I was glad to do so, but I wondered why since Toki was with him. When I got to Jia's apartment, I found out Toki had gone to work as well, so he needed someone to stay with him while he was at his apartment. Jia was strange like that sometimes. He didn't like to drink alone, so I assumed he didn't like to eat alone either. But even when he was with other people, he didn't eat anyway. Anyway, I stood by Jia's door as he walked around his apartment. I had never been invited in his apartment before...any of them so I took the chance to look around while I was there. I noticed Toki had his coats laying on the couch already, some sneakers and different color boots sitting by the door. There were glasses of different sizes sitting on the small dining room table, some still filled slightly. Jia lit a cigarette as he ignored all this and searched around for something. As I stood there, my hands behind my back, my earphone in one ear, I said,

"Can I help you look for something?"

"Hm? Oh no. I got it."

He held up his cell phone as he then went to the living room and sat down as he said,

"Aka-chan."

"Hm?"

"You never told me why you and Akio fought."

"We didn't."

"Then why are you mad at him?"

"No reason."

"The polite and proper way of saying stop fuckin asking."

He laughed a little as he leaned his head back on the couch and I looked down.

"Whatever this shit is with you and Akio, I don't care but don't let it get personal when you're working."

"I know."

"Good."

I looked back down at the floor as I then said,

"I thought you might like to know that I also took your other advice. About relationships."

"What do you mean?"

"Miya left me. So I don't have anymore distractions."

Jia didn't say anything so I looked up as I saw him looking at me. He had a sympathetic look on his face as he notioned me in. I toed off my shoes as I walked over to the living room, sitting down as he offered me a cigarette. He lit it for me as he said,

"How long ago?"

"Almost four months."

"Miss him?"

"Every day."

"That would explain what I saw."

"What did you see?"

"You changing. You got this manner about you that you turned into Aoki's sequel. You got quiet, closed up and you had this serious look on your face. If you didn't notice, Aoki's got the same thing."

"Oh...."

"Why did he leave?"

"The whole thing with the triads in Tokyo...when the drive by happened, it was the last straw for him. He couldn't take it anymore he said. And he packed his bags and left."

"I see. But at least he's alive. He still loves you right."

"He said he does."

"Then that's all that matters. I'll be blunt with you Aka-chan. Either you gave him up, or he was taken from you. Yakuza aren't really meant to be happy. Unless your a masochist."

He smiled slightly as I gave a slight laugh, knowing what he meant.

We stayed in Hong Kong for almost two weeks. The whole time I was learning to become independent, not wanting to, or having to rely on anyone but myself. I found I rather like keeping to myself.....talking is over rated. I would only speak to Jia when I had to and for the most part, Jun and Mikkie didn't talk much anyway so I was quiet regardlessly. Toki was either by Jia or Mikkie's side so I didn't have to worry about him. I started realizing that it didn't bother me not being able to talk to anyone. I didn't have to. By the time Jia was ready to go back to Tokyo, I didn't feel anything anymore. Tokyo...Hong Kong, New York...whatever it was all starting to become the same thing. The same empty apartment with nothing but the futon and my music to keep company. That and my refrigerator now stocked with liquor. I started packing the day before we left, trying to figure out what I should take and what should stay since I was going to be traveling back and forth between these places. As I started taking back my favorite pairs of jeans, my best suits and putting them in my suitcase, my cell phone beeped which meant someone was texting me. I picked it up and looked at it as I saw the message written.

Either come outside or I'm coming in

I looked at it strange for a moment before I realized it was Akio who was texting me. I thought for a moment, wait he's in Tokyo...it couldn't be. But then I realized there wasn't much stopping him from being here either. I ran out of my room and skidded to stop at my door as I slammed against it, holding my body weight to it as I dead bolted it. I sighed, listening carefully for any sound outside. It was hard to hear with Sugizo playing Lucifer in the background of my apartment, but I listened anyway. Then I heard,

"Wow Baby-chu, you're paranoid."

I turned around to see Akio sitting on my couch. He held his phone in his hand as I said,

"What do you want?"

"I figured this is the only way to get you to talk to me since I haven't spoken to you in damn well a couple of months."

"I figured if anyone would take a hint it'd be you."

"You mind telling me why you suddenly hate me?"

"I don't even remember anymore. It's not important anyway Akio."

"Oh so that's it? You're just brushing me off, just like that?"

"I thought you said you take rejection well."

He looked angry at me for a moment before his face softened and then he stood up and said,

"Okay. I'll accept that."

I wasn't sure if he really did accept it but I didn't want to be near him when he left. I moved back as I stood closer to my living room so he didn't have to pass me. He got to my door as he then turned and said,

"Oh..one thing. This is just personal shit. You're still my partner."

"I know."

"Good. As long as you know."

I nodded as he then looked at me, seduction in his eyes as he said,

"I know why you're mad."

"It doesn't matter."

"You're mad because I listened to Aoki. Nothing else."

I didn't say anything. I looked down and away as he gave a soft laugh and said,

"I'll talk to you later Baby-chu."

He opened door and I walked over to close it behind him. As he walked out, he turned again and surprised me by kissing my mouth softly. It was quick and sudden and then he left. I closed the door behind him, suddenly hating myself for feeling like I would forgive him any minute.