One week later…
Poppy music was coming from a small portable speaker, the little led lights on it glowing to match the rhythm of the beat.
The morning sun rays shone into the room, illuminating the empty space and reflecting off the polished wooden floor.
On the bed was a neatly ironed dress shirt and blue jeans, as well as a golden watch.
There was a sound of splashing water accompanied by the voice of a rather untalented singer who was cursing the world with his tunes.
"Hey, I'm not that terrible! Also stop monologing, it's weird."
Kyle stepped out of the bathroom, his hair damp from his bath and a towel wrapped around his waist.
"You sound terrible enough, and I'm just doing my job." Daisy said, resting by the speaker. "By the way—"
Kyle raised his hands to silence her. "Shhhh, this is the best part."
He began slowly nodding his head and tapping his foot on the floor. Then he spun, his legs moving from place to place as he executed the dance step in perfect motion.
The speaker boomed, rocking from place to place as the bass intensified.
Kyle slid closer to his clothes, his head still moving, and his eyes only partly open as the song filled him with euphoria.
He grabbed his shirt and unbuttoned it, slipping into the cool Cotton and then wore his pants.
His hands reached for his watch but he paused and took it back, rocking his waist back and forth, his lips pressed thin.
"Just take the damn watch, you are going to kill me with all that terrible dancing!"
Kyle glared at her and picked up the accessory, just as the music came to an end.
"You should really learn to appreciate good art, Daisy."
She slowly shook her head, massaging her temples with her tiny thumbs. "Forgive me, I don't think south Mongolian funk is artistic."
Kyle smiled as he looked himself over in his mirror.
"What has gotten you excited?" Daisy asked, jumping from the bed and climbing up the dresser.
"Would you prefer if I was miserable?" He asked, pointing at his hair cream.
Daisy picked it up with both hands, and lifted it up to him.
"We'll, if you must know. We are at the end of the month…"
She watched him blankly, "And??"
"What is the one thing that happens at the end of the month? The event that makes a lot of adults happy?"
Daisy leaned on a perfume bottle and stared at him, trying to figure it out.
"Pay day—"
"Exactly!" Kyle said, cutting her off. "Today is pay day, and guess what, I am the boss!"
In order to get a proper account of how much money the cafe was making, Kyle had chosen to leave the cafe earnings untouched.
Although cash was never a problem for him, the thought of finally seeing how much he made excited him.
It was like cracking open a piggy bank at the end of the year.
"Alright, have fun with that." She said, just before she vanished.
After he was done dressing up, Klye left the room and went down stairs where his Tsumi was.
She too was fully dressed and ready for work in a black power suit and heels so sharp that they could substitute for daggers.
Tsumi was already on her way out when Kyle arrived, but when she noticed him, she folded her arms, a curious expression on her face.
"Hmm? Are you going out?" She asked, clearly surprised that he was up that early.
"I want to check out the café, I'm thinking of taking it more seriously…"
"Is that so…" she smiled and nodded. "Okay, call if you are going to be late."
"Wait." Kyle called out. He couldn't let her leave just yet…
"…?"
"Can you give me a ride?"
He could have just taken a bus, or even flown there if he wanted to, but since the day Tsumi dropped him off in her Bentley…
Kyle had been having dreams, bad dreams.
In those dreams, he would see himself standing on the street only to be run over by a big white truck.
Whenever it would happen, he would always hear a voice in his head whispering.
'Stay away from public transport!'
Kyle figured out it was just his inner mind trying to goad him into hitching another ride in her car…
Seating on the soft leather chair, inhaling the new car smell, getting lulled to sleep by the sound of its twin turbo charged W12 engin—
"Kyle? Kyle?!"
"Oh sorry, I was lost in thought for a moment there."
Tsumi placed her palm on his forehead and leaned closer. "Are you sick?"
He sighed. "No, I'm perfectly fine."
She watched him for a few more seconds before pacing something cold in his hands.
"I was going to give you before I left. I hope you haven't forgotten how to drive your own car?"
Kyle's mouth hung open the moment he saw the logo. It was a Beamer, he had a freaking Beamer!
Tsumi smiled and opened the door. "Shall we?"
Just like last time, they both went down to the parking lot, but unlike before, while Tsumi got into her car, Kyle strolrd towards his.
He did not enter at first, he just watched the car with a faint smile on his face.
It was a dark blue BMW M5 with lights that shone like crystals, black out tinted windows and a thin black streak like lighting tuning from headlamps right down to the tail lights.
Kyle pressed the button of his key, and heard the satisfying pop as the doors clicked open.
He got into the car and started the engine, hearing the exhilarating roar as it came to life.
"Maybe the past me wasn't that bad…"
•••
A man with dark grey hair and rounded spectacles walked into a shop, cautiously looking around.
There was a cigar between his lips, the White smoke waffling up into the air as the tip burned crimson.
Giran took one last drag of the cigar and pressed the butt against the wall before pocketing it.
There was a girl organising the shelf not too far from him, her blonde hair tied up in a pony tail. Immediately Giran noticed her, he smiled and pulled out a card from his pocket.
"Himiko Toga—"
"?!"
Just as the words left his lips, the girl moved, rushing up to him faster than he could react.
His card fell, sliding underneath the shelf as he fell back, landing hard on the floor.
He did not know how he had happened, all he knew was that now the girl was atop him, her dagger pressed against his throat.
And yet, this only made his smile broaden as he raised his hands in surrender.
"Himiko toga… How would you like to join the League of Villains?"