Chapter 13
After leaving the academy, I stood near the street, leaning against a lamp post as I waited for the bus. The sun was low on the horizon, casting an orange glow over the quiet street. I adjusted my sunglasses and tugged at the collar of my leather jacket.
The air was cool, carrying the faint scent of the nearby sea. I pulled a file from my jacket
Yanagi, the ruler of Yoshiwara Paradise.
I read the information in the file. Yoshiwara—an area sustained by corrupt government officials, a place ignored by the authorities and untouched by law. In short, An underground red-light district where Yanagi reigned unchecked, a self-proclaimed king of a lawless empire.
I shook my head, trying to shrug off the weight of the mission. The thought lingered regardless. He's just a pimp. What could go wrong?
I flicked open a lighter, letting the small flame lick the edges of the file until it crumbled into ash. "Should've came back sooner," I muttered to myself, watching the remnants disintegrate. "Eradicating a cult would've been fun." No point in regrets now, though.
Beep. Beep.
A loud honk startled me. I turned to see a bus rolling up, the driver leaning out of the window. "Oiii, oiii... brother, you the guy we're supposed to take to Yoshiwara?"
I pocketed the lighter and nodded. "Ah... yeah, that's me." Opening the bus door and going inside
The moment I stepped inside, the atmosphere shifted. The bus was packed with tough-looking guys, their eyes narrowing as they took me in. The weight of their glares was palpable, but I met them with a casual glance, unfazed. If they wanted to intimidate me, they'd have to do better.
At the far end of the bus, on the right side, sat a guy with long blond hair, his gaze fixed on the ocean through the window. There was something about him—a quiet confidence that reminded me of Sakamoto. Or maybe it was the noticeable "emo energy" that made me think of that four-eyed nerd
Ignoring the subtle tension in the air, I moved down the aisle and found an empty seat. The moment I sat down, I felt it— everyone's stares shifting toward me again.
Huff... Give me a break. Why's everyone been antagonizing me lately? Did I unknowingly sleep with their mothers or something? I snorted internally. Nah. I'm still a virgin.
_________
As the bus approached the gate leading underground, it suddenly came to a halt.
"Halt!" one of the guards commanded, stepping forward with a scanner in hand. He began methodically scanning the bus, likely checking for any concealed weapons, or another harmful stuff like bombs
The driver chuckled nervously, raising his hands in surrender. "Haha, please don't worry, sir. I've just brought my men here to blow off some steam... you know work took a toll on them"
The guard narrowed his eyes, his scanner pausing mid-sweep. "Blow off some steam?" he repeated, clearly skeptical.
"Yeah, yeah!" the driver said hastily. "You know, just some fun. No trouble, I swear."
The guard's gaze swept over the passengers, his expression unreadable. Finally, he gestured for the scanner to be passed over the passengers.
It beeped erratically when it stopped over me' but I didn't even bring anything! Did it react to my explosive personality??? '
"Hey, you," the guard said sharply, his hand resting on his holstered weapon. "Step off the bus."
I stayed still, meeting his gaze. "Why? "
" cause i said so ? " the guard tilted his head
"R..Relax" the driver chimed in, a bead of sweat visible on his brow. "The kid's clean. Probably just picked up interference from the bus ,its a pretty old piece of junk after all"
The guard hesitated before signaling me to sit back down. "Keep moving," he ordered the driver.
The bus engine rumbled to life, the gate creaking open as we descended further into the underground.
And there it was—Yoshiwara Paradise. The scene was a surreal blend of beauty and ugliness of this place, an entire town of old Japanese-style houses packed so tightly there wasn't even space for the bus to park. Lanterns hung everywhere, casting warm, flickering light in the absence of both the sun and the moon. It was a world of its own, isolated and vibrant, thriving in its underground sanctuary.
The driver stepped out of the bus, his voice sharp and commanding as he addressed us. "Alright, gooners, here's the plan. Each of you will go to a different location and find a whore. Don't get any ideas—most of you are minors. Your job is to knock her unconscious and wait for my signal. Make sure you're spread out as far as possible from each other. Tomorrow morning, we'll regroup and head to the castle where our target is currently located."
The air felt heavy, his words teetering between unsettling and absurd.
I raised my hand.
The driver's gaze flicked to me. "Yes?"
"Uh… I'm broke," I said with a half-hearted laugh.
The driver's sharp gaze landed on me, his face a mixture of irritation and disbelief. "Broke?" he repeated, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "What does that have to do with anything?"
I shrugged, smirking faintly. "I mean, buying a sex worker isn't exactly free, is it?."
A few of the others chuckled nervously, but the driver was far from amused. He pinched the bridge of his nose, muttering something under his breath. "I'll see what I can do..."
"Sir, I prefer older women—big boobs, big ass. Make sure she's over 30," I said, holding my chin as if deep in thought. "Oh, and she's gotta have... you know ...a vagina ."
The room fell silent, save for a few poorly stifled snickers. I turned to the driver, whose face was red with throbbing veins of barely-contained rage. "Also, mister, I get that we're not supposed to mess around and all, but maybe you should blow off some steam. You look like a dog in heat."
"Oi... someone stop that idiot," someone muttered behind me.
"Is he trying to get himself killed?" another whispered
" Alright everyone " the driver ignored me and then called for everyone attention " as I said before make sure we're separated as far as possible... so we don't look suspicious and blend in with the crowed " he said walking away " and you brokie ... follow me " he pointed at me
I raised an eyebrow, pointing at myself. "Me?"
"Yeah, you heard me. Let's go," he said without bothering to glance back.
I smiled and called after him, "Oh, just as I told ya make sure she's over 30. I like—"
He didn't wait for me to finish, already walking away, clearly done with the conversation.