The smell of tonkatsu bathed in panko filled the air, sizzling as it was being fried to golden perfection. A side of miso soup and rice made the dish complete.
Eren prepared for dinner. Something he has done countless times before; however, this time, stares of scorn put him on edge.
*Giiiii~*
Emi's eyes were glued to the man in the kitchen.
She made no secret of her dislike of her brother's date, the way she acted around Eren, and how she was already acting like she would be part of the family.
The guile of that woman should not stand.
"Is there something wrong Emi?" Eren looked to the girl sitting at the kitchen counter.
"No..." He knew the girl was lying; her words were curt and the look in her eye it spoke all.
'I hate your girlfriend. I hate your girlfriend.' Was the phrase that could be seen on her face. Even though she was jumping the gun with the girlfriend part.
A plate of freshly made tonkatsu was served in front of the young girl.
A little bit of fun Eren decided to have.
"So, what do you think of Kaori?" He asked already knowing the answer.
"Mmmm, She's okay." Another obvious lie. Emi was not good at hiding her emotions, wearing them on her sleeve.
"Right, well. I'm thinking about asking her to move in." This got an interesting reaction.
The girl's eyes grew wider than her dinner plate, a piece of pork fell from her mouth.
"W... what!? No way! She can't!"
"Dear sister, you need to work on that poker face." Planting a kiss on her forehead. It was quite amusing for Eren to watch her get worked up over nothing.
"You want to tell me what you really think of her?"
"I dunno. She's... smart. She knows how to read people and use that to her advantage. Like a master manipulator. She could trick you; I'm worried she's going to use you..." A little bit closer to the truth.
Although she failed to see the hidden qualities the pair shared.
Emi had been trying to use Eren since the day she was born. Getting the big brother to do what she wants; treating her like the princess she was. Like what any little sister would do.
*Bzzt* *Bzzt*
"Who on earth is calling me?" Eren hated answering phones; but it was rare that anyone called.
"Yes, Eren speaking."
"Mr. Heart. Its Sora... I'm in trouble can you come get me. The police are here…" The boy on the other end of the line was obviously distressed; with hints of shame in the voice as he spoke.
"Have you done-"
"Yes sir. I haven't said a word, and called you straight away. Please, come and get me."
It sounded quite busy behind him. A holding area? Had the police already booked him?
"Yeah, I'm coming. Keep your mouth shut until I get there." Eren hung up, grabbed his keys and coat.
"I'll be back. Emi stay out of trouble please."
---
It was an awful snowy evening with grey overcast skies outside. The streets were already covered in a thick blanket of white; the constant snowfall and icy winds had left many of the road's empty.
Thankfully, Sora was yet to be booked. In fact, he was not even in ward 4. Eren's journey had taken him to ward 7. A middle-class ward that reminded him of old Japan before the advent of the gates.
Traditional minkas of the old suburbs. Brown and blacks' roofs with spacious areas in an otherwise scare market that was Japanese real estate.
But the harsh winters night did not do any favours for the dreary atmosphere here.
The lone green gate that swirled under the park canopy was a bustle of activity. Boys and girls in blue rushing around to collect their evidence as they so often did.
All the eyes were drawn to the loud revs of the motorbike that came to a screeching halt on the outskirts of the police perimeter.
A young officer approached Eren with an almost sneering pose.
"Excuse me sir, this is a restricted area. We ask that you-"
"I am looking for Sora… He is underage and needs his guardian present."
The sneer of the young officer grew wider, not liking the tone of the Reaper. She had already made up her mind without ever meeting the man.
"So, he did call you..." Mori approached from behind his junior officer. A smug look on to match his junior's appearance.
"What did he do?" Seeing all these men and women acting so high and mighty about what ever had occurred
"He got caught with crimson spice; enough kilos we can get him for intent to distribute. He'll be looking at a ten-year sentence at least." His smile only grew bigger, knowing that the reaper wouldn't have a way to help the boy in such a predicament.
"Take me to him." Eren demanded firmly; Mori was quick to comply.
Leading him under the police tape and deeper into the crime scene. Passing shared looks of scorn and frustration, they all had an idea of what he was
'That monster… Dares to walk here…' 'We know what you are…'
Directly under the glowing light of the green gate were several rough looking rankers. Some Japanese, others far more tanned than the Japanese sun could offer; foreigners, caught in whatever trap the RCU had placed. All of whom shared the same trait of not wanting to owe them any money at all. Or fear having your legs beaten inwards with any manner of blunt object.
Though there was one that stuck out like a sore thumb. Or in this case he stuck out like a solitary, bright flower among other lowly, withering flowers just at the doorstep of death.
Sora sat with his arms behind his back. Away from the others.
Detective Akiko already had kneeling in front of him, grilling him.
Though Eren did see a very disgruntled look on her face at the boy's lack of talking. At least he did something right…
"Eren. What brings you here?" She said in a false friendliness, a fake smile as she asked the question.
Eren didn't respond. He didn't want to play whatever little game they had in store. Taking a tall stance over sora.
"Sir... I'm sorry... I'm so sorry… But I didn't say anything-"
"Stop it. Wait until the Silvermane send over legal representation." Eren advised to the boy.
The detectives exchanged a look with each other, Mori leaving them. The promptly returning with a large satchel from an evidence table.
"Here."
A crimson red powder. Sora's face grew pale at the sight of that bag.
"Your student got caught in the middle of a drug deal between the blood tooth cartel and some of the locals. It will be in everyone's best interest if he spills it." Mori revealed to the Reaper, wanting to see that same defeated look in the reaper's eyes that Sora now held.
"I-"
"Sora, shut up." Eren eyed down the boy; who quickly fell quiet. The spice was like a brick made from blood; a fine powder that could be eaten, snorted, injected, or otherwise consumed in any other way the human mind could conjure.
Crimson Spice was the new top dog in the cartel world and one of the most insidious drugs around; no longer were cocaine and heroin the moneymakers.
Used to enhance performance in gate clearing, keeping energy up and power levels high. With the side-effects too numerous to count.
Dangerous was versatility and the guise of need.
"Mr. Heart. Your student is a lot of trouble. Muling for any drug would land him in prison no questions asked… But brining crimson spice. And here I thought you were some hot shot teacher…"
The more the incessant boasting of detective Mori got onto the nerves of Eren, the greater that smile grew.
"However, we are willing to let him go for the low low price of naming these gentlemen to your right... As well as any other names involved in this operation." Akiko made an offer to Sora, but Eren stopped the boy from answering.
"Sora... Mouth shut."
"Mr. Heart, I must remind you that your student's best interest is to tell the truth."
"Didn't your mother ever teach you to tell the truth." Mori mocked.
Both had been at the bottom of the Reapers foot before, and now they had some form of leverage for the first time. They were most certainly not going to let this chance slip by.
"Detectives. A man is here claiming to represent the Silverman guild is here." A junior officer poked her head in between the standoff.
"That's fine. He has nothing else to say. We leave him for the time being." Aki got up from her kneeling position and left with the officer.
Mori stayed for a few moments; a look of smug satisfaction on his face at Eren. Before he trailed after the leaving officers.
Mr. Jiro. The man of few words; joined with no greetings. Eyeing down the crimson packet next to Sora.
"Sora. Yes or no. Is this yours?" Straight to the point. No room for small chat, the Silvermane lawyer wanted a simple answer.
"...N-No." A hesitant lie. He was trying to hide something from the man, it was easy enough to see. And incredibly dumb to think he could get away with it.
"OI! Don't you dare think of lying. If you aren't going to answer truthful, then we'll leave you with the actual criminals. Yeah?!" Eren snapped at the boy; not of the rings anger, his own.
"Once more Sora. Is it yours?" Jiro asked once more.
"Yes..." He lowly replied.
"Who?"
"I-I Uh, I don't think I should-"
"Dammit Sora. You're in enough trouble as is. If you want me to help you, who got you into this mess?"
"Ryu, Ryu Masaru. H-he gave me a backpack of the stuff and told me to take it here... And then..." He finally answered; the lawyer and teacher exchanging looks with each other.
"Why?" Jiro asked. His blank expression remaining the same.
"I needed money. My mum has been in trouble for ages and owed a lot to Ryu. We were going to get kicked out of our home and worse if we didn't pay him back. I'm sorry, sir. I was desperate. Please forgive me." Getting on his hands and knees; placing his head deep into the wet ground.
What stung more for Eren at his student's betrayal. Not that his student had been caught with drugs, that burst another part of his heart. It was that his student felt he couldn't come to him and ask for help.
A teacher's job was to help; beyond school work and how to function in society. Eren thought himself fully on the outside of the stringent practices his old teachers followed.
It stung the most that he misunderstood his relationships with his boys.
And the only person he could blame was himself.
"The Silvermane will be able to get you out on probation. In exchange you will inform the police of everything you know." Jiro proposed. Although it was my way or the highway sort of deal.
"We're going to tell them? Are you sure-"
"Yes Eren. Baelor has already decided on the matter."
Although reluctant, Eren wasn't one to accept deals made by the police. One way or another it will come back to bite them. More surprising is that Baelor had agreed to the terms.
The detectives returned to their side to listen to Sora spill his guts.
---
"I'm sorry..." Sora bowed to his teacher. One of many that had taken place during and after Sora spilt his guts.
The pair were outside of the police perimeter as the caught rankers and dealers were escorted away, waiting for Jiro to bring the car around.
Cold was the approaching night; colder was a glare from a demon scorned.
"..."
"I know what you must think off me. I betrayed everything that you taught me. Lying and... Doing such awful things behind your back... But what I said about my mother, losing our house. All of that is true... I thought I could get money quick enough to fix it. To clear the debt…"
Eren remained silent. He was disappointed with Sora. A boy who had shown such promise and potential, now sitting at the bottom. Even deeper than when he first laid eyes on him.
*Vroooooom*
A black car drove up; Jiro rolled down the window from the driver's seat. Sora opened the back door and climbed inside.
"Once more I am sorry Mr-"
*Slam*
Eren didn't want to hear anything else from the boy. Not yet at least, the anger and betrayal were too fresh. He couldn't bear to listen to another word from Sora's mouth. Nor could he bare to speak without lashing out at the young man and further adding to the pain of all.
Watching as the car drove off; footsteps from the station caught Eren's attention.
"Make sure you stay warm Eren." Aki with a smug smile on her face commented as she left the scene.
"..."
"Seeing justice served..." Aki stood by the irritated reaper.
"A young man gets a second chance; too be a better person. And another scumbag has his drug peddling racket torn down... Feels quite good, doesn't it? One up for the good guys, isn't it?"
Still no response. Eren turned to leave.
"What would the Reaper think? Seeing true justice take place... Or would he leave a pile of bodies like he always does?"
The winds grew cold at those words, the temperature dropping to a biting chill.
"I don't know what he would think." Eren kept walking into the shadows of ward 7.
"Stay safe Eren, you don't know what monsters lurk in those shadows…"
Aki was satisfied. She had won against the reaper for once. Months and months of playing catch up. For once she got in front of the Reaper. Physically and ideologically.
Although, Eren didn't ever want to play games like that. Tonight was a loss.
Of the humiliating kind.
End chapter 103