High & Low | Crystal Rain

Ep. 19 | Bargaining & Flirting

Crystal had tried to get information out of Rocky and the others about this Red Rum business, but was unsuccessful, but could tell they were all concerned with it being spread around the area.

She knew the dynamics of SWORD were slowly changing, a balance that already was always hanging by a thin thread. The effects of such change could be felt even inside the club.

Yearning for more independence, she wanted to learn to ride but Rocky had forbidden her from driving a bike. Knowing she wouldn't be able to drive in the presence of him or the other Rascals, she decided to get her own motorcycle license.

She had enterally laughed at the thought as the only way someone with her living situation could ride was a legal license, while many of the Rascals themselves didn't even have their license.

Having her own license meant she could ride unaccompanied without suspicion or even get her own bike without needed to obtain it illegally, which would just complicate things. She'd have to figure out how to hide a large bike from her brother, but that didn't stop her from pursuing her goal.

Under the facade that she was going shopping with Nabi, Asami, and Sakura she had left them at the market streets to sneak off and go test for her license, of course only after studying on the down low for a few months.

Three hours later she had passed her test. Waiting for them to print her temporary license in the lobby, her attention was drawn to the front doors when a man burst in. He was dressed all in black except for the white patches on the shoulders of his black leather jacket.

The man walked slowly up to the front desk but not before stopping in front of her, turning his head to face her, pulled his sunglasses down the bridge of his nose and gave her a charming wink and then continued on.

"Who does he think he is?" She wondered and with a little chuckle looked back at the magazine she was casually flipping through. Of course she wasn't really paying attention to what she was reading  but rather trying to discreetly ease drop on the man's conversation, only out of curiosity she meant no harm by it.

All she could pick up was that the man was trying to argue the release of his bike without having to pay the fee of 15,000 yen, but was failing to charm the receptionist.

His next tactic was turning to the room and asking in the best endearing voice if anyone could lend him some cash, again no response.

"Crystal?" The other women at the front desk called her up, "Here you go," she took the temporary license from the woman. Meeting the eyes of the man, he gave another cheeky smile, she ignored it the best she could and began to walk back out the door. She could feel his gaze watch her as she left. 

Looking back over at the man still trying to bargain with the front desk she looked down at her small clutch. When Rocky had heard she was going shopping with her girl friends, something they hadn't done in a long while, he'd given her some extra cash to spend.

"Women must be able to indulge themselves from time to time without having to worry about money hardships," he had said and not wanting to argue she had accepted the extra cash. Realizing if she was to return without spending a cent it may look suspicious and he'd ask questions she wouldn't want to answer.

She walked over to the man at the counter, "Here," she placed the cash on the counter in front of him with a small friendly smile. He looked at her with another confident grin, "Was that all he knew how to do?" She was thinking of rolling her eyes, but stopped herself .

She made to leave when the man grabbed her forearm, "Wait," he coughed up the rest of the fee, hastily placing it on the counter before turning back to face her, "How can I thank you... Dinner perhaps?" She gently grabbed his arm removing it from her own and in a flirtatious tone replied, "I'm sorry, but I don't think my brother would like that."

Hard to believe but this was one of the few times she was talking with a man outside of the club and without the watchful eye of the White Rascals or her friends. She of course was gonna have a little fun with it.

"Come on, we don't have to tell him," he started walking beside her as she continued towards the door. She gave him a sweet smile in return, "Believe me you wouldn't want to face him, he likes to fight and has a temper." "You know, I'm a pretty good fighter myself" "I'm sure you are. He is one of the White Rascals though, you do know who they are don't you?"

He stepped in front of her, "I've heard of them and," he leaned in a little closer to her, "I'm not afraid of your brother."  He shrugged both eyebrows in an almost condescending manner. "We'll see," knowing full well that Rocky wouldn't hesitate to put this man in a body cast if she asked him to, although she herself had yet realize who this man actually was and his fearsome reputation in SWORD as one of the best fighters.

She brushed past him out the door and down the steps. "At least give me your number?" She stopped at the bottom and turned to look up at him and cheekily replied, "Don't  have one." "Your name then?" "I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours."Without a moments pause the man replied, "Masaki," she nodded, "Crystal" and with one last smile turned and left to meet back up with her friends.

On the steps Masaki watched her leave then looked both ways, scratched the back of his neck and shook his head as he cursed to himself, "Today is not my day, Aniki isn't here, Hiroto is god knows where, my bike was towed and now I've struck out with two girls." He sighed, recovered from recounting his most unfortunate day, headed down the steps to collect his bike and then find his brother.