Days passed since Kurumi's visit.
Ever since then, we've been spending more time together.
She was at my place more often now.
Sometimes we'd spend the night together. Other times, she'd be away on tour and I'd have the apartment all to myself.
It was SIX STAR's tour, and Kurumi was still on the setlist, despite all the rumors about her leaving the group.
For now, at least.
I wasn't going to milk winter break like the girls and my boys were. But I wasn't going to pretend school mattered that much anymore, either.
The year was almost over.
I had enough credits to pass.
That was all that mattered.
MTB was on a break. Kurogane, Sora, and Rei were touring solo.
And me?
The cold air of mid-February hit my face as I opened the door of the white Corolla I spent so many hours driving around in.
Yeah.
I've been working on my license.
Written exam? Passed.
Driving hours? Done.
All those boring lessons? Over.
Hell, the license wasn't even the point.
It was just the first step.
I could already see myself behind the wheel of something a lot better than this.
A fancy car.
I'll get one eventually.
The instructor closed the door and adjusted his seat.
"Ready?"
"Yeah."
I started the Corolla and pulled away from the driving school.
The streets of Matsumoto looked exactly the same as they always did.
Convenience stores. Residential blocks. Snow lingering along the roadsides. The mountains sitting in the distance, barely changing no matter how much everything else did.
I've spent enough hours driving around here that none of it felt unfamiliar anymore.
The instructor gave me directions while I drove through the city.
Nothing complicated.
A few turns. A lane change. Some intersections.
He barely spoke otherwise.
Honestly, that was better.
I didn't need someone talking in my ear while I drove.
We passed through the center of Matsumoto, and I caught myself looking at the streets I grew up around.
It's weird.
I spent all of my life here.
And somehow, I already felt like I was looking at it from the outside.
"Pull over here."
I followed the instruction and parked beside the road.
The instructor checked his clipboard.
Then looked at me.
"You passed."
I blinked.
"That's it?"
He nodded.
I shrugged.
"Cool."
After all those hours, all those lessons, and all that paperwork, I finally got my license.
Nice.
I looked back at the white Corolla.
I've spent enough time in that thing to know every little noise it made.
But I wasn't thinking about the Corolla anymore.
I was thinking about what came next.
Something better.
Something faster.
Something actually mine.
Later that day, I came by the bar to celebrate.
The moment they saw me, all those scary-ass yakuza started chanting my name.
"Forsaken! Forsaken!"
Then the whole lot of them came over.
"Oi, kid," a bald, built guy called out. "You finally come to settle your debt for the month?"
He cracked up before I could even answer.
Cobra.
That was what they called him.
"Knock it off, Cobra," Tetsu said, giving him a pat on the shoulder. "You'll scare the kid away."
Cobra grinned.
"Scare him? If he's gonna be hanging around here, he better get used to it."
Another guy stepped forward.
Johnny.
Red punk crest. Heavy jacket. The kind of face that looked like he's been involved in all the shady stuff possible.
"So the kid finally got his license, huh?"
"Yeah."
Johnny slapped a hand against the counter.
"Then he's buying."
I stared at him.
"What?"
"You heard me." He grinned. "Kid gets his license, kid buys the drinks. That's how we celebrate."
Cobra laughed.
"That's right. Don't embarrass yourself now."
Yeah.
I was apparently making friends with the others too.
And...
That's technically extortion, bro.
Tetsu shook his head, laughing.
"Enough. Don't squeeze him too hard."
He looked over at Cobra and Johnny.
"You two are supposed to be welcoming him, not shaking him down."
Johnny raised both hands.
"Hey, I'm just congratulating the kid."
"By emptying his wallet?"
"It's tradition."
"Your tradition is bullshit."
Cobra laughed again.
Tetsu turned toward me and gave me a small grin.
"Come on, kid."
He put a hand on my shoulder and guided me toward the bar.
"Congrats on passing. Let's get you something to drink."
I followed him.
"Thanks."
"Don't thank me yet," Cobra called from behind us. "We're still discussing that debt."
"Shut the fuck up, Cobra."
The whole bar broke into laughter.
I couldn't help smiling.
Yeah.
Maybe I've actually started fitting in here.
The manager and Maestro were talking at the counter while Sayori poured drinks.
They noticed me as Tetsu and I took the available seats.
The manager looked me over for a moment, then gave a small grunt.
"Feels like yesterday you were working behind that counter."
He nodded toward the bar.
"Now you're walking in here with a driver's license."
A thin smile appeared on his face.
"Small step toward that bigger goal of yours. Congratulations, kid."
I blinked.
"Thanks, Manager."
"Don't get used to it."
Of course.
Maestro chuckled from beside him.
"Congratulations on the license, kid."
He took a slow sip of his drink before continuing.
"And if you're thinking about getting yourself a new car, I can arrange one for you."
I raised an eyebrow.
"Arrange?"
"Several installments."
He said it like he was offering me a completely normal favor.
"No interest."
I stared at him.
"Seriously?"
Maestro shrugged.
"Consider it a personal gift to my niece's boyfriend."
He gave me a knowing look.
"Don't make me regret being generous."
I stared at him for another second.
I didn't even want to think about what this man's normal interest rate looked like.
Probably enough to buy the fucking car twice.
"Not extorting the kid counts as generosity now?" the manager muttered. "Christ. Look at the people I surround myself with."
"I am generous," Maestro replied calmly. "As long as he doesn't do anything stupid to hurt my niece."
Tetsu immediately spat out his drink.
"More like your niece is gonna hurt him."
Maestro slowly adjusted his sunglasses.
"...Yeah."
A brief pause.
"That is considerably more likely."
Tetsu started laughing.
The manager shook his head, wiping down the counter.
"Poor kid doesn't stand a chance."
Sayori, who up until now was quietly listening to the conversation, looked increasingly overwhelmed.
She decided it was probably safer to change the subject.
She turned toward me with a bright smile.
"Takumi-senpai, congratulations on getting your driver's license!"
She gestured toward the bottles behind the counter.
"We should celebrate. What would you like to drink?"
"Sup, Sayori. I'll take a whiskey."
She poured me a glass and slid it across the counter.
"So, you getting used to the job yet?" I asked.
Sayori's expression shifted into one of serene calm.
"Yeah. Surprisingly well, actually."
She rested her hands on the counter.
"I thought I'd be terrified when I first started working here. You know... the whole yakuza thing."
She glanced toward the manager and Maestro.
"But they're actually pretty nice once you get used to them."
A small smile appeared on her face.
"Mostly."
I let out a small laugh.
"Yeah. I know what that feels like. And you're doing pretty well."
Memories of how all this started flashed through my head.
"You know I freestyled here when Maestro played one of his beats?"
Sayori nodded.
"Yeah, I know! Tetsu told me about it. I thought it was cool. I don't think I would've had the courage to do something like that!"
"Of course he did."
I shook my head.
"That guy tells everyone everything."
Then I rubbed the back of my head.
"And, uh... thanks."
Sayori smiled at me.
In the meantime, Tetsu, who's been quietly sipping his drink beside me, suddenly chuckled.
"Man, I still remember that night."
He looked at me with a grin.
"Kid walked in here looking like he didn't know what he'd gotten himself into. Then suddenly he's standing there rapping over Maestro's beat."
He laughed under his breath.
"And somehow, I ended up giving you some weed that night too."
I stared at him.
"Yeah. That was a weird night."
"Damn right it was."
The manager continued wiping down the counter, listening to us with an amused expression.
Then he glanced at Sayori.
"So you're worried about her, huh?"
I raised an eyebrow.
"Who said I was worried?"
"You've been asking if she's adjusted to the job."
He shrugged.
"If you're that concerned, there's an easy solution."
I looked at him.
"What?"
"You can come back."
I blinked.
"Part-time."
He pointed the rag at me.
"Whenever you've got time. Same pay as before. You don't have to commit to regular shifts."
He nodded toward Sayori.
"Help the girl out. Show her the ropes when she's working. Make a little extra cash while you're at it."
I leaned back in my chair.
"So basically, you're trying to lure me back."
The manager snorted.
"I'm offering you money for work. Don't make it sound sentimental."
Tetsu laughed.
"That's about as close as you're getting to a heartfelt invitation from him, kid."
The manager clicked his tongue.
"Shut up."
I looked around the bar.
Then at Sayori.
Then back at the manager.
"...I'll think about it."
The manager chuckled.
"Whether you come back or not, you'll always have a place here, kid."
He paused, giving me a shit-eating grin.
"Besides... you still have a debt to this place."
He turned toward the rest of the bar.
"Which reminds me."
His eyes landed on Cobra.
"Yes, Cobra. We got his monthly contribution."
Cobra gave a satisfied nod from across the room.
"Aight, boss."
"Good. Then stop looking at the kid like you're about to collect it yourself."
Cobra laughed.
"Can't blame me for checking."
The manager shook his head.
"Yeah, yeah. Go bother someone else."
Ever since I stopped working at the bar, these people started paying a lot more attention to me.
Before that, I was mostly just part of the furniture whenever they weren't asking me for a freestyle or making small talk while I worked the counter.
Now that I finally got my freedom back, I was suddenly interesting.
Sayori turned toward me, a small smile on her face.
"I'm not gonna lie... I could probably use some help every now and then."
The manager chuckled.
"See? Even the new girl knows you were useful."
I raised an eyebrow.
"I'm not coming back to work regular shifts."
The manager waved his hand dismissively.
"Didn't ask you to."
He looked at me with that annoying grin.
"You worked your ass off for seven months. You earned your way out."
Tetsu nodded from beside me.
"Yeah, kid. Don't let the old man guilt you into coming back."
The manager clicked his tongue.
"I'm offering him the occasional shift, not putting a chain around his ankle."
Sayori laughed softly.
"I think I'd just appreciate the help when you're actually around."
I shrugged.
"Yeah. If I'm free, I'll help."
"That's all I'm asking," she said.
The manager gave an approving grunt.
"Good. Now drink your whiskey before it gets warm."
I downed the whiskey in one shot.
It didn't even feel rough going down.
We kept laughing and drinking until late. Honestly, it felt nice having the apartment to myself again for a while, with Kurumi away on tour.
Eventually, Tetsu leaned back in his chair and grinned.
"Come on, bro. Party's not over."
I raised an eyebrow.
"Where?"
"My place."
He gave me a look that immediately made me suspicious.
"I got some fresh stuff."
I stared at him.
"I've been laying off all that shit while I was learning to drive."
"Exactly. And now you've got your license."
"That's not how it works."
Tetsu laughed.
"Come on. I got acid, shrooms. It'll be fun."
Holy shit.
I shook my head.
"You're fucking insane."
He grinned.
"So, you wanna come?"
I paused.
Then I smiled.
"Damn right."
We said our goodbyes to the others and got ready to leave.
I was halfway toward the door when I noticed Sayori walking over.
I stopped.
My eyes moved from her to Tetsu.
Then back to her.
My brain crashed.
Sayori tilted her head.
"What's wrong?"
Tetsu looked at me, then at her.
"Oh."
He scratched the back of his head.
"I guess I never told you."
I frowned.
"Told me what?"
Tetsu pointed at Sayori.
"She's my cousin."
I stared at him.
Then at Sayori.
Then back at Tetsu.
"You're fucking kidding me."
Sayori laughed awkwardly.
"Yeah... I probably should've mentioned that earlier."
"Damn right you should have," I said.
A couple of minutes later, we were at Tetsu's new place.
The house was a lot nicer than I expected.
"Damn," I muttered, looking around. "You really upgraded."
Tetsu grinned as he kicked his shoes off.
"Told you. Finally got tired of living like a fucking rat. Welcome to my new crib, kid."
Sayori slipped her shoes off as well, then stretched her arms above her head.
"I'm gonna go to bed."
Tetsu looked over.
"Already?"
"I'm tired," she said, yawning. "I've been working all day."
She glanced at the two of us.
"And, uh... I'm not really into whatever you guys are planning to do tonight."
I shrugged.
"Fair enough."
Tetsu nodded.
"Yeah, go get some sleep."
Sayori smiled.
"Night, Tetsu-nii. Night, Takumi-senpai."
"Night."
She started walking down the hallway before stopping for a second.
"Oh, and don't be too loud."
Tetsu scoffed.
"When am I ever loud?"
Sayori slowly turned around and looked at him.
I stared at him too.
He sighed.
"...Okay. Fair."
Sayori laughed quietly before disappearing into her room.
I looked at Tetsu.
"She always this responsible?"
"Unfortunately."
He shook his head with a grin.
"Come on. She's asleep in five minutes."
I followed him further into the house.
And for the first time that night, I realized this was probably going to be the most fucked up party of my life.
"Ready?" he asked.
"Ready."
I placed the tab on my tongue. It tasted like nothing, which somehow felt appropriate. Twenty minutes later, the edges of the room started breathing.
Patterns emerged in the ceiling—first geometric, then organic. The wall didn't have dogs or cats or lions on it, but the shadows suggested them, and my brain committed to the hallucination.
Colors separated into their constituent parts. Sound gained texture; I could feel the bass in my teeth.
This was nothing like weed.
I don't remember sleeping that night. I remember watching the sunrise through a window that seemed to be melting, and thinking...
Well. That happened.