XAI

“It’s about Love and Vengeance”

Chapter1

Tokyo-shi, 1500 PM

An hour had passed since I started walking around Tokyo City and though I’m used to it; my tattered sneakers gave up on me anyhow.

“Ugh! why do I need to do this everyday?! my poor feet…” I sighed anxiously.

Forthwith, I sat down heavily in the grass though the park bench was deserted but I couldn’t raise my legs anymore to move there and sit comfortably. I took my sneakers off and stared at my pale red barefoot that was started to sore. It felt like I had splinter on it but I had no choice but to deal with the pain, anger and frustration.

My name is Hanami Xai, I was only sixteen when my father left without saying goodbye to me and though I caught him carrying a briefcase that night; I never thought he wouldn’t comeback ’cause he was in a room with me where he was busy engraving a peculiar traditional Japanese tattoo on my back.

This is what he told me while getting tattooed,“My daughter… this will tell people to take good care of you ’cause you’re my precious blossom,”

I thought it was unfinished yet my father made an incredible art —the most beautiful Irezumi —I wore under my clothes.

Next morning, my mother came to my room and cried but without saying a word.I got nervous when she looked at me in the eyes.

“Okaasan… why did my father leave? please tell me…” I asked softly in shaky voice.

She suddenly gave me a hug that lasted a lot longer and said, ” Xai, my lovely daughter, please don’t get mad at your chichioya… this is for your own good.

“What do you mean Okaasan? and why it’s for my own good?!” I was shocked, confused.

“You’ll know one day…” she prompted and just walked out of the room, tears still running down her cheek.

I got mad at my mother for not telling me the truth. I knew my mother was hurt and she also missed my father everyday but then she won’t tell me anything.

It’s been three years and I just turned eighteen yet I didn’t stopped searching for my father everyday. My mother didn’t knew about it—that sometimes I skipped few classes, asked everyone I’ve met along the road, I even tried to visit hospitals and police stations—still I couldn’t find his name.

Meanwhile, I stayed at the park to rest my tired feet. A young man came and sat quietly on a bench near me with a cigarette clipped between his finger. I immediately looked for a ‘no smoking’ warning sign ’cause cigarette smoke suffocates me but though it was placed right in front of us, he puffed on his cigar occasionally and blew smoke rings closer to my face.

[coughs] my lungs started to feel its bitterness. I gave him a threatening look, my eyes widened and beamed— to warn him.

He only grinned and winked at me but It didn’t made me feel good so I tied my shoelaces and stood up angrily to show him the warning sign but when I turned around again, he already left his seat.

“What the! where did the guy go? ugh… what a prick! never mind why would I waste my time! I’m not even a tour guide!” I exclaimed.

I suddenly felt embarrassed; somewhat ashamed of my childish action and ’cause all the attention was on me then I heard giggles from men and women who were also at the park.

Anyway, I left and tried to forget what happened that hour but I just can’t.

“HA-HA… yeah right laugh at me! who cares,” I whispered to myself while walking to the grocery store.

“I need to buy a bottle of water, find a bus and go home.” I added with a sigh of regret.

Alas, When I stood at the entrance a hungry teen boy snatched my bag.

“Tasukete! help me get my knapsack please!” I screamed to attract people around me.

Of course, I wasn’t expected that someone will appear like a super hero. He immediately ran after the snatcher and caught him just like that. I was so happy ’cause my things were returned to me untouched and complete.

“Arigatou guzaimasu! thank you so much mister!” I shouted with excitement while checking my bag.

I was thanking the man who helped me with all my heart but he responded, ” You don’t have to yell… I can hear you just fine.”

He was arrogant, rude, evil! I stopped bowing and frowned at him ’cause I was annoyed— I took a deep breath and tilted my head to see his whole face.

“What the… its you?!” I was shocked.

“What miss? are you still going to yell at me?” he said, grabbing the boy’s collar.

I couldn’t control my anger anymore so I also grabbed his collar and pulled his head down close to me.

“I didn’t yell at you! well… now yeah? I was just trying to tell you that, there’s a ‘no smoking’ warning sign over there! but you left without saying sorry!” I opposed.

He listened quietly but honestly I was scared, what if he was armed? for sure I’ll be dead.

I was expecting a war between us but he only laughed at me, “HA-HA-HA such a brave woman, I like it very much.”

When he said it to me, his eyes crinkled with a smirk, his serious expression gone and I begin to blush. When he stared at me I turned into a mute ’cause I noticed how handsome he was.

We ended staring at each others face but it was interrupted ’cause the boy who snatched my bag screamed helplessly, “Please put me down! I’m sorry! I’m just hungry!”

“alright now put him down! ugh… my head! I think it’s going to explode soon, ” I nagged.

“Promise me not to snatch someone’s bag again? or else I’ll send you to jail.” I added and gave him some money.

The boy cried and took the money and responded in low voice, ” Okay…”

I knelled down and wiped away his tears, “Don’t cry… boy’s don’t cry ’cause they are stronger than girls! now hurry up and get something to eat.”

As expected, this tall man in full black suit burst out laughing .”HA-HA-HA Impressive, I think you’ll be a great leader… you talk like someone I knew.” He took another cigarette out his pocket and placed it on his mouth.

“Oh well, I knew you’ll laugh at good things ’cause you’re an evil and who was that? you? just stop trying to pretend like you came up with words like candy ’cause no!” I replied angrily.

Quickly I turned around to hide my blushing and covered my face with my cold palm.

“Darn it… my heart is racing,” I whispered to myself.

He puffed on his cigar continuously and giggled, ” Are you embarrassed now? I thought you’re hard as steel but look at you… you look great.”

I knew he was only flattering me so I could finally leave and forget what happened.

“Oh really! thank you mister?” I growled ferociously, raised my right brow a little.

He bowed and grinned maliciously while saying, ” Dooitashi mashite… you’re welcome miss annoying.”

“Wow? so now I’m annoying? F…Y…I mister arrogant! I came at the park first and you was smoking and I was there and you don’t even care…”

He immediately covered his ears, ” Ouch! are you trying to give me ear infection?

An old lady found us yelling at each other; she walked toward us ’cause she thought were couple, “ Hello there! please allow me to say something… you look good together as koibito… you both need to calm down and give each other a kiss.”

“No! no! no! grandmother… this guy is worthless and he is not my boyfriend,” it made my cheeks turned really red.

“HA-HA-HA what made you think I’m worthless? I even ran after that boy for you,” He laughed, bowed respectfully at the old woman.

“Oh… she’s having an affair with another boy?” The old woman responded as if she was interested to know the whole story.

“No…O bachan you heard it wrong, ” I objected.

“Alright I should go but always remember…the first duty of love is to listen,” She just left us a love quote and I was really shocked.

” Ah… she was saying that you should learn how to love not just hate, “ he answered in different mood, slightly tilting his head in other direction.

He puffed on his cigar continuously and seriously; I couldn’t help myself but to stare at his perfectly shaped face.

“just like a clone of a good looking action star Tamayama Tetsuji…” I whispered to myself, giggling.

My hazel eyes grew bigger and started to glow like glitters ’cause he looked like my favorite Japanese actor. I had his posters covered my entire bedroom wall that almost hid my windows except the door.

“You can call me Tetsuji…” he uttered confidently.

“Huh? did I even asked your name Mister Arrogant.”

“I said my name is Tetsuji and not Arrogant, ” He added.

I exclaimed and raised an eyebrow in contempt, “What? you kidding me right!”

“What’s wrong with my name lady? my mother named me Yamada Tetsuji before she died giving birth to me.” he responded in low toned voice.

I felt a slight twinge of worry inside me “Alright? sorry? it’s just ’cause… it sounded weird at first ’cause your look… your first name…though I’m not a fan of Tamayama Tesuji but I think you’re twins… well I guess no!” I protested as if I’m not a die-hard fan.

“Anyway, Mister Tetsuji…I need to go ’cause I don’t have time for this foolishness anymore…” I added nervously.

His charming wink made me flush pink: made me feel more awkward. I’ve decided to finally leave him alone but before I could walked out the conversation; a tall masculine man who was also wearing a black tuxedo like he was wearing suddenly appeared.

In a very loud angry voice, he called out his five heavily armed and fully tattooed apprentices to attack us.

“ Kill them! kill them! Sorera o korosu!” he growled like a lion that seemed wanted to eat us alive.

I panicked looking at the huge men who slowly walking towards us. The crowded pedestrians were soon in the middle of a battleground; people were screaming and running away from the sounds of guns firing and clashing blades.

“ What the hell is happening you?! I didn’t do anything you brat kids!” I screamed and hid at Tesuji’s.

I was surprised he didn’t ran away from the attackers ’cause he only pulled me close to him while also walking closer to them.

“Orokana otoko! Are you out of your mind?! ” I yelled at him and pulled his arm to run away with me but he’s not even moving a muscle to agree with my exit plan.

“Don’t run, stay close. Let me handle this.” he replied with a smile.

“Why are you so calm? hey kid this is not a movie! can we just run that way?!” I pointed at a different direction but again he forcefully grabbed my left hand to stay with him. I felt a high bolt starts crawling in my veins as our palm touched closely.

My heart beats goes faster and faster as we held each other’s hand while the tattooed men were seemed ready to use their high caliber rifles and sharp katana on us.

While were running here and there, I felt like I was riding in a black stallion and everything was in slow motion just like in a scene from a movie.

After minutes of swaying back and forth with him, another group of young men came, they’re all wearing this white short sleeves. colorful tattoos were engraved on their both arms which was an image of a green dragon with a detailed cherry blossom carved before it as a background. I looked at them one by on and begun to recognized them since Yakuza gangsters were well known in Japan.

” Tetsuji! were in trouble its just two of us here and they’re five! and these ugly men surrounding us now… they’re more than ten and bad news…they are all members of crime syndicates! we should run now…” I whispered to him but he can’t barely hear my words because I was shaking in fear.

I felt how tight he held me but I wasn’t sure if I’ll be okay only with him. I started to remember what my father told me when I was a kid: he told me that the Arashi (Storm) and Kokuryu (Black Dragon) were mortal enemies for a very long time. The group was composed of men and women who were notorious— pitiless yakuza members— also known as gokudo.

“Watashi o korosu shinaide kudasai! please don’t kill me! everyone calm down!” I exclaimed.

“What are you doing?” Tetsuji pulled me close to him.

“Can’t you see? they’re going to kill us? bu-but I think it’s a mistake!”

I was still talking when suddenly the bullets where fired in my direction but Tetsuji grabbed me out of the line of fire. I fainted because I tripped while fleeing and hit my head hard on the pavement, I could still hear the sounds of the guns firing from all directions until I heard a thump.

I was slowly coming to my senses as the noises of swords clashing against each other where louder than before until I realized the swords where clashing right next to me. It was a bloody battle but all I could listen to where grunts and the sound of a man screaming end with someone falling to the ground. The guns going off started going softer indicating that people were either dying or running away as I felt myself get picked back up and fell back to unconsciousness .

It was already morning when I woke up from laying in someone’s bed. I quickly checked my body to see if I’m wounded. Luckily, I didn’t find any or even blood stain on my white camisole.

“I’m alive! thanks goodness I didn’t die.” I happily jumped off the bed but I was still worried bout ‘what was happened when I fainted.

“oh no… where is Tetsuji! is he alive?”

I hurriedly opened the wooden bedroom door and started searching for him.

“Woah… what is this place?” I said in astonishment.

I found out that I was inside an alluring mansion decorated with expensive antiques.

I can almost see my reflection on the floor. ” Wow… it is well polished…”

I was looking down when a man-made leather black shoes came into my sight. I slowly lifted my head and saw a large green dragon tattoo on his chest surround by cherry blossoms and below it was a word Arashi.

I trembled and screamed, ” please don’t kill me!”

My palm was cold as ice. I thought the bad guys captured me and they killed Tetsuji. I also thought that they will turn me into a geisha for fun.

“Mister! I will do anything! yes anything! please don’t kill me masuta!” I said it in a purposely way ’cause a topless Yakuza was standing before me.

While waiting for a word, I got overwrought; I tripped off the floor. However, l fell into his muscled arms and our eyes met.

“What the?! It’s you!”

I was really surprised because it was Tetsuji, topless and staring at me.

” Stop fooling around! What is this now? a revenge?!are you playing on me? come on!” I yelled while hitting his head with my fist yet he was just laughing.

“Know what? you have a nice porcelain skin and a great body…. would you like to be my geisha HA-HA-HA!”

I tried to kick and hit him as hard as I could ’cause his evil laugh annoyed me but he trapped me in his arms.

“Let go of me! what are you trying to do now?!” I responded with a hard slap on his face.

“Hey…hey calm down lady. you should thank me first for letting you sleep in my bed.”

“ For so you know, my name is Xai! don’t call me lady you perv! and wow… thank you for saving me yesterday, I owe you one.” I idiotically bowed my head.

“Don’t worry Xai, I’m not a p*****t… “ he answered me with a cute smirk.

I immediately stood up from the couch where I fell from hitting his head and caressed the door handle to escape.

“Ugh…I’m not rich to pay you for saving me? Tetsuji or whoever you are…”

“Please let me leave so I can find my father? and my okaasan is waiting for me don’t you have a mother?” I added.

“Xai, if you will leave now. You’ll die out there because the Kokuryu members are all looking for you now.”

I slapped his face again, “What?! I’m not your apprentice! are you out of your mind.”

“Ouch… this is the reason why I don’t date anymore! women were born to slap men,” he said while rubbing his left cheek.

“Just stay put and you’ll be fine… I will take good care of your mother while you’re here. It’s a promise,” he added.

I felt comforted when Tetsuji gave his word to me but I want to make a deal since he put me in trouble.

“Alright, I’ll stay here… you’ll take good care of my mother and help me find my mother.”

“Ackh! this woman…Daijyoubu desu! no problem!” he bowed and giggled.

On that day, I found out that he was a leader of Arashi also known as the Inferno Shogun.