This is my longest writing yet sitting around 6-7k words. It was difficult writing this, because at the end of the day making Shizuka a good hearted character while not glorifying the Yakuza is a hard line to tread. Honestly, least I can ask for is that it all makes sense. I've been sitting on this idea pretty much since the beginning.
I'd like to warn my readers. This is quite different in tone than what I usually write. Tbh, this might even be a terrible idea.
It's mostly angst, with little bits of comedy in between.
I hope you guys enjoy this! Comments and Thank you's are greatly appreciated! Don't be shy!
16. Fukuoka Sunset (Oya Shizuka backstory)
A/N: TW for bullying, blood, violence.
The word Yakuza comes from the losing hand in the card game Oichi-ka.
8-9-3. The worst possible hand that can be dealt.
Shizuka grew up around the Yakuza, practically born in it.
Her first birthdays were celebrated by debt collectors, extortionists, hitmen, and other sorts of hired muscle. Many of those men didn't live to be around for her 10th.
The Yakuza attracted men who were dealt a bad hand at life.
Shizuka had already lost right from the start.
Growing up around the Yakuza didn’t allow her to have the proper life of a regular girl, high school was the only thing in her life that was particularly… normal.
Shizuka walked off campus and pulled a cigarette out of her bag. She bit down on the filter as she reached into her pockets to find her lighter, only to find them empty. Shizuka let out a sigh and put the cigarette away before continuing on her journey.
Around the halfway point, Shizuka stopped and stared down the alleyway bringing back memories of the last times she was there.
This alley reminded her of years of torment from two girls.
Aimi, a sociopath rich girl from Tokyo. Never got her hands dirty, yet still loved to watch others bleed.
Kaede, a psychopath also from Tokyo who averaged 12 words a year. Always letting her victim's screams make up for the talking she never did.
When those girls found out about Shizuka's family ties in middle school, it was all over for her.
“The world is better off without girls like you.”
“I wish some rival gang would gun you and your family down already.”
“You’d think a thug like her wouldn’t be such a fucking pussy.” Anytime she’d pass that familiar location, she’d taste the blood in her mouth and feel the bruises on her skin forming again. She hated this alley. But the fact that she wasn’t in there getting her ass beaten, meant that some poor girl was getting thrashed in her place. Shizuka paused and considered her options, before making her way in.
---
“Look at her Kaede! She’s crying. Ugh, she’s so fucking ugly when she cries.” Aimi spat at her victim.
Kaede brandished her battered umbrella, which trickled more blood than it did rainwater. She smiled as she walked closer to the cowering freshman girl, before raising the weapon above her head and slamming the wooden handle onto the crying girl’s knee.
The girl screamed and begged the monsters to stop only for her cries to be responded to with laughter.
“Leave that girl alone. Just beat on me like you girls usually do.”
Aimi groaned when she saw Shizuka, “You know it gets boring beating your ass all the time. Just get outta here, I don’t wanna look at you.”
Shizuka ignored Aimi and stepped between Kaede and the crying girl.
The two girls exchanged glares only for a second before the Yakuza girl spat on Kaede’s face.
“What about now, huh? Still in the mood for the other girl?”
Kaede growled as the grip on her umbrella grew tighter.
“Kaede… just do what you’re gonna do. Make it quick.”
---
Shizuka grit her teeth as the umbrella slammed into her ribs for the final time, bringing her down to her knees.
“You’d think a thug like her would put up a fight. But I guess not.” Aimi grabbed her bag and prepared to leave.
The freshman girl scrambled over to Shizuka, “are you alright?”
“Don’t worry about me, I can take it.” Shizuka said, while clutching at her side.
“Oh new girl, don’t make friends with Shiichan over here…” Aimi walked back to the victims with Kaede at her side giggling at her handiwork.
“Don’t you know? Oya is the daughter of a Yakuza patriarch. C’mon Oya, show her your tattoos.”
Shizuka glared at the bully, refusing to follow her orders.
“Honestly, I bet she was planning to put you up for sale so some creep could have their way with you. She probably didn’t want us damaging the merchandise. Hm…” The bully put a finger to her lips, “she’s underage isn’t she? Maybe she planned to sell her mom instead? That ought to fetch some sort of price. Eh, I don’t know how you stupid Yakuza work. Just watch yourself, new girl. Oya isn’t your friend.”
The girl backed away from Shizuka wide-eyed. It wasn’t the beatings that bothered Shizuka, but rather the same wide-eyed look everyone gave her when they would expose her relations to a criminal organization. How they’d scurry back to the corner as if she was the bully. It never failed to make her feel like a monster. It’d be so damn easy for Shizuka to cave Aimi and Kaede’s faces in. But the day she does, would be the day she justifies everyone who fears her and her family.
“See you tomorrow.” Aimi stuck her tongue out and left with Kaede following shortly afterwards, dragging the tip of her umbrella along the concrete while she cackled to herself.
Shizuka stood up and extended her hand to the freshman girl, “Do ya need help getting up-”
“GET AWAY FROM ME!”
That’s what they say every time.
They bite Aimi’s bait. Every. Single. Time.
Shizuka hung her head and bit her tongue before leaving the alley, “Loud an’ clear. You’ll never see me again.”
---
Shizuka limped all the way down to the seedy part of town where she lived. A place littered with punks, gangsters, and other ruffians. The kind of place where walking alone at night makes you a ‘target’.
She heard her name being called from the balcony of a dingy apartment, “Shizuka. Did those girls get you again?”
A familiar voice.
Her name was Maria. A foreign sex-worker that used that job to pay for her college classes. The world looked down on a girl like her, but that’s what she and Shizuka had in common.
She was the only non-yakuza in her life that treated her like she was human.
“How could you tell? Is it the way I’m limping or the fact that there’s blood dripping down from my eyebrow?” Shizuka smiled at the lady who called her.
“C’mon in here, let me patch you up.” Maria sighed, “Again.”
Shizuka had time to kill anyway, her work started in two hours. And if she was late… What were they gonna do? Fire their patriarch’s daughter?
---
“How’s work goin’ Maria?” Shizuka spoke casually as Maria applied several bandages onto her body.
“Actually Shizuka, I got hired to be a nurse recently. All those classes paid off and I can move away from this dump. So I get to retire from this sex-work stuff.”
“Regarding the retiring from sex work part, I bet lotsa your loyal customers are gonna real sad about that. I wouldn’t know myself, but the testimonials rave about ya.” The two shared a laugh together before Shizuka softened, “really though, I'm happy for ya. I’m sure gonna miss ya too. I’m probably trapped in this shitty town forever.”
“I doubt that. And if you are, at least I know where to find you if I ever need some ink done.”
“Hey hey, it isn’t just ink-”
“Yeah, yeah. It’s an Irezumi… blah blah, centuries of tradition.”
Shizuka and Maria laughed as the final bandages and treatments were being applied onto her skin.
“How much longer till you start your shift?”
“A little under 40 minutes. So once I'm gone, this is goodbye?.”
“Yeah. Looks that way.”
Shizuka pulled her bag over her shoulder, “I’m glad at least I gotta see ya for one last time. Now I gotta find a new nursing student to patch me up when I get my ass kicked.”
Maria nodded and smiled as Shizuka bit her lip and turned away, leaving her friend behind for the final time.
Two steps from the door, Shizuka was pulled into an embrace.
“I ain’t gonna be here if those girls hurt you again. Promise me you’ll stay safe.”
“...yeah. I promise.”
“Let it out.”
“...”
“You’re not some tough yakuza girl right now. Those girls have been hurting you for years. You're hurting. Don’t hide anything from me.”
First, Maria noticed a slight shaking. Then, she felt a portion of her shirt becoming damp. And only seconds after, Shizuka finally broke down.
The girl's chest poorly muffled the sound of Shizuka's tortured wails.
It was only around Maria that she could bare her heart like this and be allowed to be a normal high school girl instead of the monster she was perceived as.
And by the time she left that apartment, she would lose the last person that had ever understood her.
---
There usually weren't any words exchanged when Shizuka was tattooing a client. It was completely silent besides the buzz of the electric pen that needled ink underneath the man's skin. Every single line was decisive, whether it was detailing the elegant feathers of a crane that was dancing in the sky, or the gnarled fangs of a roaring oni as it smashed through a mountain. Watching her art become immortalized was the highlight of her day.
Believe it or not, despite all the avalanches of shit she had to suffer growing up, Shizuka wasn't ashamed of her Yakuza ties. It’s not like she chose this life. This life chose her. There really is no use running from it.
Shizuka got lost drawing in the colors of the flowers that adorned the snake on her client's back.
An older, burly man with wiry facial hair tapped on Shizuka's shoulder.
"Oya. Boss is calling ya. Wouldn't wanna keep your dad waitin', would ya? There's a car waitin' for you outside."
"Can't ya see I'm in the middle of a tattoo? Who's gonna color this shit in if I'm gone?"
"I know the design, I can do it."
The two casually argued on each side of a half naked man with an unfinished Irezumi.
Shizuka huffed, "Whatever, ya know I'm real particular 'bout the colors. If I see that ya fucked it up, I'm cuttin' your asscheeks off!"
The burly man released a small rush of air from his nostrils before taking the tattoo needle from Shizuka.
Shizuka began walking out of the tattoo parlor, "And don't ya even think about not payin' me for a full shift. If I don't get full pay, not only am I cuttin' your asscheeks off, I'm telling dad to chop a pinky off your hand!"
As she made her exit, she was greeted with the sight of several suited men lined up at both sides of her making a sort of path on the way to an open car door. Each of them bowed as she walked past. Pausing midway, she tapped on one of their shoulders.
"Do ya happen to have a light?" Shizuka said while pulling out a cigarette from her bag and pinching the filter down with her teeth.
The man straightened up and flicked open his lighter. Shizuka smiled and lowered her face and toward the dancing flame. The cigarette tip glowed a bright orange at her first puff, a small cloud of smoke escaped her lips.
With a lit cigarette in mouth, Shizuka sat down in the backseat. The assigned driver shut Shizuka's door before returning to his position at the front.
And soon enough the engine roared to life.
Destination: Oya Estate.
---
To those who lived in this run-down countryside, it was easy to hate the Yakuza when they laid eyes on the Oya Estate.
The residents of the town lived in dusty apartments, or neighborhoods that were dangerously close to criminal turf. Everyone who lived here were people who were dealt a shit hand of cards in life and very few ever made it out.
At least Maria was lucky.
Shizuka could imagine how maddening it must be to be a typical struggling salary man and seeing the only luxurious house for miles over the horizon.
Shizuka entered through the front door of the estate, and was immediately greeted with glass cases full of her father's accomplishments at both sides.
Accomplishments not from being a Yakuza patriarch.
But from being Oya Takumi, the Fukuoka Asura. 3x boxing heavyweight champion.
Shizuka never got tired looking at them though. The trophies, newspaper article cutouts, match cards, boxing gloves he wore during his famous bouts, and even a can of her dad's branded Asura-Power Energy Drink. (Which in Shizuka's words, tasted like monkey shit.)
"We've become so busy with work that we hardly get to spend time together anymore."
At the end of the hallway stood a tall, muscular man. His long graying hair was tied into a ponytail, with the same graying seasoned his beard. Despite being a little faded, his tattoos peeked out from his tank top.
That man was a Yakuza boss, a boxing legend, and Shizuka's father.
"Well dad, if you convinced your boys to increase my pay maybe I'd take more days off from tattooing." Shizuka chuckled.
"Are you willing to fight for that raise?"
"If you're telling me we're taking this to the ring, then you're on old man!" Shizuka excitedly fired off a few practice punches into the air before running past her father.
"You smell like cigarettes, Shizuka! I told you to stop smoking!"
Shizuka's dad had a massive garage to fit as many luxury vehicles as he wanted, but instead chose to model it as a boxer's paradise filled with state of the art excercise equipment, an assortment of heavy bags, speedbags, and a fully set-up ring as the cherry on top.
It had been a while since Shizuka stepped foot into the ring, leg alone tested her abilities in them.
"Are you ready Shizuka?" Takumi said as he put a fist into a glove.
"Don't go easy on me, old man!" Shizuka said with a smirk.
"Same rules as usual, you get one minute on the timer to land a good hit on my face. It's been a while, I hope you're not too rusty."
As soon as Shizuka put the gloves on and set the timer, the sparring session began.
The two fighters touched gloves before the man started off with a flurry of blindingly quick fists at his daughter.
Shizuka constantly changed the level of her head to dodge each blow, and attempted a counter-punch which unsurprisingly was blocked.
Her dad earned the Asura nickname when commentators made the remark that Takumi's hands moved so fast, that it was like entering the ring with a man with six arms.
Shizuka's father rolled his head to deflect his daughter's jabs. His veteran senses detected an opening, in which he closed in and fired off another barrage of strikes.
Shizuka put her guard up just in time before any of them landed on her, once she felt the pace slow down, her head weaved in between her father's hands and primed her fist for an uppercut.
She launched her fist upward, but it barely grazed her father's chin. It wasn't the hit she needed, but it gave her space.
"Predictable, Shizuka. You got 30 seconds left."
She advanced forward, but unfortunately Takumi's jabs forced her back into the corner.
Shizuka immediately tucked in her chin and put her guard up as she felt herself being buried in her father's swift precision strikes. Any part of her body that wasn't guarded properly was punished.
Strike to the right side of the temple.
Body blow left into her abdomen.
Hard left hand to the temple.
The retired boxer's footwork moved him swiftly side to side, constantly shifting positions to where his opponent's guard fell weak.
It must’ve been a nightmare to fight the Asura in his prime, Shizuka thought. The way her dad moved at an inhuman speed for his size, it was damn near impossible to escape his pressure.
She had fifteen seconds left on the clock.
Shizuka desperately slipped out of the corner and tried to stay at her maximum range. Her dad was one flurry away from defeating her.
Ten seconds left.
As predicted, the Asura went for a blitz, and fired off multiple strikes. Shizuka ducked, weaved, rolled, and slipped through the raining blows.
Five seconds.
Shizuka feinted a counter punch, causing her dad to dodge on-reaction. As she noticed his hand going for a counter of his own, she put half of her guard up, and parried with a right cross flush against the mouth of the Asura.
Victory goes to the challenger.
Time was up.
Her dad rolled out of the ring and took his gloves off before toweling off his fists, "Not bad. The way you weave through my strikes is impressive. You've developed those techniques on your own."
Shizuka fell to a knee panting, drenched in sweat, "Holy shit, if we were in it for real, you woulda KOed in seconds." She laid on her back and ripped the gloves off with her teeth.
"Well, you're not KOed and now you can tell everyone you outboxed a heavyweight champion." He chuckled as he handed a towel to his daughter. She accepted and immediately began to wipe the sweat off her face.
"You move and strike like a fighter, you effortlessly slipped my last flurry. Some professionals out there couldn't even manage. So tell me..." Her father peered between the ropes of the ring.
"What girl could possibly be beating you up after school?"
Shizuka dropped the towel and sat up, "w-what? How do you-"
"My boys saw you limping out of the alleyway, busted open." Takumi rolled back onto the ring and sat down next to his daughter, "Tell me what's going on and don't lie."
It's never recommended to lie to a father. Especially when they're a retired heavyweight boxer and Yakuza.
"There's two of em. Aimi and Kaede."
"And they best you every time?"
"I don't fight back."
"Why's that? You allow yourself to get hurt?"
Shizuka paused, there really isn't an easy way to explain a situation like this.
"The other students think I'm some sorta criminal even though I've done nothin' wrong. If I break those girls' jaws… everyone would be right about bein' afraid of me. I just want the rest of the kids to see me as a normal girl y'know." Shizuka sighed, "tired of bein seen just as a damn Yakuza."
"You're left with no choice but to fight Shizuka."
It wasn't the response she wanted to hear, she remained quiet.
Her father scooted closer to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, "the outcasts never get a fair shake in this world. It's unfair, really. No matter how you play the cards, it always seems that you always end up losing."
"...tell me about it."
"Do those girls bully other people too?"
"Yeah."
"When I lived in the streets… Nothing was more inspiring than seeing the outcast fight back and win. It always reminded me that no one deserves to be treated as lesser than anyone. You fill that role, Shizuka. Even though they villainize you, you have to clean up the streets and inspire the other victims that they can fight back."
Shizuka still didn't want to fight, but unfortunately that's just the hand that was dealt to her.
It's not like she wasn't used to losing hands.
Her father continued, "The key is the restraint behind your fists. It's about teaching a lesson. If you go too far, you simply replace that monster with yourself."
---
Shizuka had a dream that night.
A crystal clear river underneath a waterfall.
She watched her own body move and submerge underneath the surface.
And once she re-emerged, she found herself at the top of the waterfall, looking down at the still pool.
The water turned red. ---
It was the first time she ever ditched class. Shizuka sat on a wooden bench located at her school's rooftop.
With a pocket knife, she carved a message into the backrest.
'Aimi and Kaede are stupid bitches.'
Was it immature and juvenile? Yes.
Was it true? Also yes.
After appreciating her handiwork, Shizuka stuffed the pocket knife into her jacket and pulled out her carton of cigarettes.
She looked down and sighed when she saw she was on the last one. Bringing it up to her lips with one hand, she looked for a lighter with the other.
"Who said you were allowed up here, Oya?"
Shizuka threw her head back when she heard her voice followed shortly by the familiar sound of an umbrella being dragged along the ground.
Shizuka put the cigarette away and slowly turned around.
"Aren't ya girls supposed to be in class or somethin?"
"Same could be said for you. Now, we'll be nice this time." Aimi and Kaede stepped closer to the Yakuza, "Leave or else we fucking kill you."
From 1 to fucking 100.
Shizuka stood her ground, "because you've roughed me up a few times, ya think you can just make a threat at my life and get away with it?"
Aimi had a smug grin on her face, "my dad is chief of police, and you have criminal ties. They'll sweep your corpse under a rug and say it was mere gang violence. In this city? Gang violence runs wild, but I bet you know that."
Kaede stepped face to face with Shizuka with a maniacal glare, her eyes belonging to an animal.
"What are you waiting for Oya, didn't I tell you to fuck off?" Aimi spat.
While still squaring up with Kaede, Shizuka spoke, "I ain't goin anywhere. If I send your ass to the hospital, I know for a fact your pussy police dad wouldn't wanna stick his nose in a Yakuza's business." Shizuka turned her back on Kaede and stepped face to face with Aimi, "Have you walked alone at night where we live? People can't even grab a drink at a vending machine without getting their purse snatched...
...Your dad must be a fuckin idiot to do a job this shitty."
Aimi snarled, "You cocky fucking-"
"Hey don't worry though at least I ain't ever gonna kill ya." Shizuka laughed, "Can't imagine the pain your dad would go through putting your murder case at the bottom of the stack."
Aimi took a swing at Shizuka, but she dodged it.
"Did I take it too far? Sorry. I'll just take my leave." Shizuka turned on her heels.
"No, Oya. You're not going anywhere now."
Kaede dropped her umbrella and picked up a steel pipe that was laying on the floor, she gripped it tightly and began to cackle.
"Hell no. Put the damn pipe down and let this be a fair fight." Oya shouted, "at least give the fight some respect and try to earn your victory!"
"Yakuza deserve to die. They don't deserve a fair fight." The bully sneered, "and besides, I'll never show respect to a dirty, backwater animal like you."
These were insults she had heard countless times. But her life was being threatened, and she knew Kaede didn't have the restraint to only hit her once with that pipe.
Shizuka had to fight for her life. If she died, these girls would just find some other girl to torment and she couldn't allow that.
"Ya know what? Fuck it! Go ahead, double team me and use that pipe! Try to kill me for all I care! I'm kickin' both your asses anyway!" Shizuka relaxed her shoulders and tied her hair into a ponytail, "Despite all the years of shit you two put me through! This whole time, you've mistaken me for a girl you could fuck with!"
She saw Kaede make the first approach, rushing at her with her pipe.
There was no room for error against a weapon, Shizuka ducked under Kaede’s swing and immediately homed in on Aimi.
Haymakers weren't Shizuka's style, but they deserved it. A devastating sucker punch landed flush against Aimi's mouth, sending her flying backwards. The look on her face told Shizuka that this was the first time she'd ever been punched in the face. She better get used to it.
Yeah… how's that taste? Fucking bitch.
The sound of quick footsteps alerted Shizuka to Kaede’s attack. She narrowly dodged the wild swings of her pipe, weaving between a mixture of vertical and horizontal slashes.
Shizuka landed a counter-punch on Kaede, but she didn't go down quite as easily as the other one. Kaede continued forth swinging violently at Shizuka, only to strike at the air against Shizuka's evasive outboxing style.
Shizuka used her footwork aggressively in order to get Kaede to back herself up into the chain link fence of the roof. Once she heard the clinking sound of her opponent's back against the wall, Shizuka cut loose.
Her eyes scanned for an opening to strike before rushing in with a rapid flurry of fists. She wanted to bury this girl in punches.
Strike to the right side of the temple.
Body blow left into her abdomen.
Hard left hand to the temple.
Shizuka's knuckles were beginning to bleed, but she continued to fight through the pain.
Kaede’s head opened up like a tomato can, a trickle of blood spilled down from her hairline. Her beating left her battered and dazed, the pipe dropped to the ground a loud clang when it hit the floor.
Shizuka charged up an uppercut for the knockout.
But was pulled away when Aimi’s arms wrapped around Shizuka's neck in a chokehold and felt her hand pushing her head forward, adding leverage to maximize airflow restriction.
Kaede returned to form and began landing body blows to Shizuka, increasing the pace at which she lost air.
Shizuka swung her fist in desperation and luckily caught Kaede on the chin, effectively ringing her bell causing her to fall back onto the fence and stumble for balance.
Time was running out for Shizuka as her vision began to fade and her face started to change colors.
She traced her hands up Aimi’s forearm until she felt her attacker's fingers. Shizuka grabbed a hold of her pinky and ring finger and pulled down as hard as she could until she heard a sickening snapping sound.
Aimi instinctively released the chokehold and screamed as she clutched onto her newly broken fingers. Shizuka let her knuckles fly into Aimi's jaw before going down to catch her breath.
She fell to her hands and knees, a small splash as she caught herself on the wet rooftop. Light pounding against the surfaces as droplets crashed down on them.
Was it always raining? Shizuka quickly tried to get back to her feet.
CLUNKKaede’s steel pipe cracked Shizuka's head wide open. Her face was covered in a crimson mask as blood rushed downwards from the impact site. She stumbled back and swung her hands into the air before falling face first into a puddle. The rain poured harder, as the blood began to mix with the rainwater.
Aside from the falling water drops hitting the ground, it was completely silent.
Kaede shuffled towards Aimi and brought her to her feet. The two struggled to walk as they tried to exit the scene.
"AND WHO THE FUCK ALLOWED YOU GIRLS TO LEAVE?"
Shizuka roared as she peeled herself off the ground. A waterfall of blood falling from her head into the puddle where head used to lay. Shizuka held her pocket knife tightly into her fist, before taking her jacket off and quickly slipping out of her uniform top.
Her chest was bound by wrappings and bandages to remind them what they've done to her. The tattoo of the red dragon roaring above the koi's waterfall adorned her skin to remind them who she was.
"THERE AIN'T NO TEN COUNT IN A STREET FIGHT, LADIES! FUCKIN OWN UP TO YOUR WORDS AND KILL ME!"
Shizuka's eyes belonged to a mad dog.
Kaede wasted no time trying to put Shizuka down again, another violent slash of her pipe made contact with her head. But Shizuka didn't go down.
Shizuka smashed her head into Kaede’s nose. Blood began to gush out of her nostrils as she stumbled back onto her ass.
Aimi dove for Shizuka's midsection and rammed her spine into the fence. Shizuka countered, throwing Aimi into the chainlink and began to work her like a heavy bag.
The boxer's footwork moved her swiftly side to side, constantly shifting positions to where her opponent's guard fell weak. Battering her abdomen with a storm, she stomped on her victim's foot, keeping her in place so she had no place to run.
Landing blow after blow, Shizuka released a tortured scream as she released every last bit of her bottled rage upon her enemy's body.
She heard Kaede rushing back in with her pipe, she turned around only to feel Aimi pull her ponytail to keep her head in place as her partner went in for a home run swing at the Yakuza's skull.
Shizuka flipped her pocket knife open and slashed her ponytail off just in time to dodge the pipe.
CLUNKAimi’s body fell limp to the floor. Her fist clutching a handful of Shizuka's hair.
Kaede stumbled forward as she threw herself off balance in the rain during her swing.
Arms wrapped around Kaede’s neck and Shizuka squeezed as hard as she could. Kaede made an attempt to copy Shizuka's earlier escape. Once the Yakuza felt her fingers being touched, she immediately pulled her up off her feet, dangling her in the air by her neck.
Shizuka spun around before falling with her to the floor, wrapping her legs around the bully's abdomen to squeeze more air out. Kaede made harsh choking sounds as she reached for ropes that weren't there. Soon enough she felt her struggles grow weak as her arms fell listlessly at both sides.
Shizuka released her after she was put to sleep and got up to finally smoke her last cigarette. Pulling her wet jacket off the floor, she grabbed her lighter and cigarette.
It took a few tries for the lighter to spark the flame in the rain, but managed to get the cig in her mouth lit. After exhaling a smoke cloud, she noticed Aimi crawling towards the exit.
The waterfall on Shizuka's irezumi was red in her blood. She approached the beaten girl who also bled from her head.
"Leave me alone Oya!" She cried, "Aren't you satisfied already?!"
Shizuka spoke no words as she straddled her waist and pushed her head into the ground with one hand, forcing her eye open with her fingers. Aimi screamed as Shizuka pulled the cigarette out of her mouth and lowered the burning end down to her iris.
The smoke made the girl's eye water as the distance began to grow close between eye and flame. Shizuka stopped inches away from her target.
The girl screamed as tears began to rush from her eyes. She shouted unintelligible words as she begged for her to stop.
It hit her.
They were right about her.
She was a monster.
This is what she's capable of.
She was so fucking ashamed of herself.
Trying to stuff a cigarette into the eye of a girl who was trying to escape.
How fucking depraved.
She looked over to Kaede’s unconscious body, who she couldn't even tell with confidence was alive or not.
Shizuka put the cigarette back into her mouth and blew smoke into Aimi's face. "You're probably never gonna see me again. But if I hear about you fucking with other girls again, I'll be back to finish my work." The monster dismounted Aimi.
She left her to lie there and think about her sins. Shizuka put on her drenched jacket and uniform top before leaving the roof.
---
"Hello class! I am Oshima Mai. The principal and representative of the 48 Art Academy. Unfortunately for all the boys in the classroom, this is an all girls school. I had made it that way so girls don't let romance get in the way of their art, but I could've never anticipated every single student being gay..." Mai paused and caught her breath, "Anyway for the artist girls that are intere-"
The classroom sliding door was forcefully thrown open as Shizuka dragged herself inside.
She was drenched, her uniform had obvious bloodstains, and her chopped up hair was matted.
The class was silent as she stumbled to the back of the class.
She kicked the table leg of a student's desk, "You're in my seat."
The student stared in a mix of confusion and terror.
"GET THE FUCK OUTTA MY SEAT!" She shouted and the boy scrambled away. Shizuka plopped into the chair and stared off into space. "Sorry for interruptin' your speech. Continue with whatever you were doin."
Mai stared curiously, before continuing promoting the art school.
Wouldn't want a girl like that in my school.
---
Shizuka got herself as clean as she could. Showered off the blood on her head, wrapped up her knuckles, got a change of clothes, and even cut her short hair to make it more even.
To be honest, she might just continue rocking the short hair.
She winced as she tattooed a Kirin on a client's back. Holding her hand in a single position as her knuckles were slightly swollen from punching.
"What happened, Shizuka?" She heard her father's voice from across the tattoo parlor.
"Taught those girls a lesson. Ended up takin a lot more outta me than I thought, but I took even more from them."
"Take the week off Shizuka, it seems you've been through a lot."
"Nah, this has been the only thing that's made me happy today. Probably gonna drop out of school too and start tattooing full time. I'm just not cut out for normal life I guess." Shizuka didn't lift her head from her work.
Takumi frowned, seeing his daughter drained of her fight. It broke his heart to see another person join the Yakuza full time because they didn't manage to fit into a world that didn't accept them.
This was his fault too. He encouraged her to fight. He just never knew how much hate she had in her.
Just outside the tattoo shop, Oshima Mai and her assistant walked down the alley leading her to cross paths with Shizuka once more.
"Oshima! We have to get outta here! This is Yakuza territory!" Fujie Reina, Oshima's assistant, panicked in a scream-whisper.
"Let's check out this tattoo place, maybe we can scout ourselves a new student here?" Mai said playfully, ignoring the warning signs of gang territory.
"The only thing you'll find here is a bullet to the head!"
"Last stop, then we're done. Promise."
Reina huffed as she opened the door to the shop for her boss.
Shizuka looked up from her work and saw the two ladies walk in, "you ladies don't look like clients. Did ya have an appointment with me?"
Mai composed herself, "Actually I'm a representative of 48 Art Academy. I think you were the girl who came to class late… covered in blood."
Reina's face went pale.
Mai walked forward and looked at the detailed tattoo Shizuka was applying on the man's skin, "Is this your design? You're an amazing artist."
Shizuka raised an eyebrow, "If you're here to scoop me up to your little school, I ain't interested. I'm employed by the Yakuza and that's gonna last a lifetime. You don't want a girl like me in your school anyway." She put the pen down and gestured towards the door, "shouldn't stay here too long either. Pretty ladies like you aren't safe 'round these parts at night."
"Well look at that, Mai! She isn't interested! Let's go!" Reina immediately turned on her heels.
Shizuka's father dusted off his suit and stood up, "Ladies! Wait please!"
As he got closer, his intimidating stature became clear.
Reina fell to her knees, "P-please don't kill us! We don't owe any money!"
Mai turned her head to the intimidating man ignoring Reina begging for her life, "Oya Takumi? The boxer?"
The recognition flustered him a bit.
"Y-yes. Anyway, I'd be glad to enroll Shizuka into your school."
Shizuka shot up out of her seat, once again leaving a half naked man in the middle of an awkward situation, "Hey dad, WHAT THE FUCK?! You're making some big group decisions without me!"
After reassuring Reina of her safety, Shizuka's father offered them a seat in the waiting area, "May I have a moment with my daughter?" He tapped on Shizuka's client's shoulder and gestured for him to leave the parlor before taking the conversation with his daughter to the privacy of his office.
Shizuka immediately fired off, "what the fuck, dad?! I don't wanna go to that stupid school! I finally fuckin get it. I was born a Yakuza, and that's not gonna change!"
"Your father was a firefighter, and your mother was a librarian." Her father said without any hesitation.
"What? You're not a firefighter."
Once again ignoring her words he explained the story,
"My last match as a professional boxer, I was up against another Yakuza of a rival family. They had paid my boss off to pick up the win against me. It was rigged, and I was supposed to throw the match.
There's nothing that boils my blood more than match rigging. So I didn't listen, I won by knockout. And when I saw the promoters… They were furious.
I knew I was in trouble, so me and my boys rushed me to the car to leave the arena… And they caught up and they opened fire on us in the parking lot. Luckily none of us got hurt, but in the crossfire…"
Shizuka stayed silent and waited for her father to finish.
"A young couple caught the strays." His words were stained in shame.
"I saw the woman crawling to me when the shooters left, her husband dropped immediately. She was holding a baby in her bloody hands. I couldn't leave her to die alone, so I comforted her in her final moments, then when she handed the baby to me. Her final words were...
'Her name… is Shizuka.'
I didn't even bother to check her ID to see your real surname."
Shizuka was speechless. This whole time…
"I took your life away!" Takumi couldn't even look his daughter in the eye, "you never got a fair shot at life. It's my fault everyone sees you as a monster. Please, attend that art school. Forget about me! Forget about the Yakuza! Please live a happy life!"
It was silent between the two before Shizuka softly responded.
"I bet that firefighter and librarian were good people. But… I'm an Oya. You're always gonna be my real father." She embraced him, "Ya taught me how to fight. Ya taught me how the streets work, ya taught me everything! I don't think I'll ever have a normal life, but… I'll go to that school and give it a fair shot. If it doesn’t work out, then I’m comin back here."
“Of course Shizuka…” He held Shizuka tight in his arms, “Remember that part where I said to forget me? I was lyin’ ‘bout that.”
“Dad, your accents comin back out.”
---
“You think they’re in that office to pull out weapons and kill us?”
“Reina please, they seem like nice people.”
The two Yakuza stepped out of the office and greeted the two ladies once again. Shizuka’s father set a briefcase down onto the counter.
“Hm? What’s in that briefcase?” Mai raised her brow.
“This is my tuition. We’re paying upfront and in cash. Probably a couple thousand extra too just because you're pretty.” Shizuka smirked.
Reina hesitantly stepped forward and took the briefcase with trembling hands.
"You've made a wise choice. There are plenty of girls just like you at the academy." Mai placed a hand on Shizuka's shoulder.
Shizuka snorted, "Ya got other Yakuza students over there?"
"Well, no."
"Good. I'm a Yakuza. I'm nothing like those other girls." Shizuka turned to her dad, "Can you call one of your boys to give us a ride home so I can pack my stuff?" Shizuka also had one last question.
"Do any of you need nurses at your school? Because I might have a good recommendation."
This school is her last shot to live a normal life.
Not everyone gets a fresh start.
Now she's the one in charge of what kind of dragon she becomes.
Topic: Adventures in Art School: Minis (WMatsui+) (07/31/22) (Read 67135 times)