We Both Deserved Better

A Menace To Society

May, 2003

It's not like Ryūguji Ken was ashamed of the 'seedy' work he was brought up around - not even in the slightest - but if those morons had to be loud and cause a scene, could they not do it outside of the 'massage parlour' that he lived in. He had told them half a dozen times not to loiter there due to a report to the police about minors hanging around the water-trade establishment; the last thing he needed was having the people who took him in and raise him lose their jobs due to his buddies cackling at crude jokes and making sexual gestures which scared off any potential customers. Hell, those five just waiting in line at a fast-food joint was enough to scare most people away, let alone a few lonely men trying to get their jollies in the middle of the afternoon without their wives finding out.

Coming from the foyer of the establishment with its windows blacked out with unobtrusive pastels and a pretty font stating the business name and contact details, Ryūguji scowled at his friends waiting for him. "I thought I told you lot to stop screwing around out here?"

"If you didn't dilly, they wouldn't have had the time to start up," the boy with lilac hair sat on a low wall beside a set of lewd vending machines told without looking up from the fashion magazine in his grasp.

"My bad, one of the girls forgot her wallet and has asked me to pick it up but I didn't have the keys."

"Maybe you should have given her some money."

The tallest boy scoffed with a scowl. "Yeah, because I'm a money tree."

The stout boy looking at the lewd flier in their leader's grasp asked without looking up, "I thought there was cash on that guy who tried to start a fight with you this morning?"

"There was - I spent it getting our lunch, you punk. Spending what I earned on a bunch of guys - lame." Running his hand over the side of his head, Ryūguji made a mental note of needing a haircut.

"But you didn't really earn it, did'ya?"

"Punching costs calories, asshole."

Peering up from looking at the erotic poster the size of an A5 piece of paper, Hanemiya cooed as he wriggled his fingers. "Every time you come out of there, you're always wound a little more tightly. Maybe you should take those Onee Chan's up on their offer for a tug."

Snapping his head around, Ryūguji gnashed at the air as he advanced for the boy with clipped sides and a perm nestled atop of his crown with his fists balled up. Hissing at the aggression, the slim boy dashed behind Hayashida and Sano looking through the R18 ads in the back of a pinched motor magazine. Waving his hands, Hanemiya laughed from his gut while he used his heavier friends as a bridge between him and the tallest threatening something that would definitely leave a mark.

A commotion from around the next street over halted the offset of play fighting. Women yelped and a man could be heard yelling, "get that damn thing on a leash!"

A maniacal cackle the tallest was way more than familiar with was followed by a curt, "piss off! My dog is just fine."

"Oh, no." Ryūguji's eyes went wide as he gathered the members closest to him in his wide wing-span and began ushering the group in the opposite direction of the incoming threat. Glancing to the boy sat on the wall, he jut his head, "Mitsu, it's time to go-"

"Why are you going this way, Ken-Chin? I thought we were going over there," Mikey pointed in the direction of where the disturbance was growing louder from.

Large back to the T-junction of side-streets, Ryūguji clenched his jaw and scrunched his eyes at the failing attempt to escape. Unfortunately for him, a giant black hound bound around the corner, its tongue hanging from the side of its mouth and large bat-ears flopping in its sprint. And no sooner had it, it had set its sight on the group of six.