Gangster Cinderella

Chapter Twenty One: Rogues' Gallery

The following day, I decide to go hang out with Shikha and Baji at Valhalla's hideout...unfortunately that came with the sleazy company of Hanma.

"Princess! I knew you couldn't stay away from me!" Hanma immediately hugs onto me before I've even stepped two feet into his hideout.

"Let me go before I decide to use my taser on you..." I grumble. 

He begrudgingly let's me go, "You're so cold Princess...ah the little doe and the newbie are here too." He regards the couple. "Shikha, you should come over here and play one of my guys a round of mahjong."

"Oh...um I-I don't know." She stutters.

"Don't worry, it'll be fun." He says as he leads her to a group of men surrounding a mahjong set up with bets going on.

Before Baji could follow after, I grab his arm, "We need to talk."

He's silent for a moment before he relents, "Fine." He motions for me to follow him outside. Before I follow him, I look over at Hanma and use my finger to mimic slicing my throat. He just smirks and laughs...thinking it was a joke. After I get outside, I light up a cigarette and stand next to Baji, "So what do you wanna talk about?"

"First things first, I need to know whether you are going to protect my sister while all this chaos with the gangs are going on. Especially with Valhalla..."

"Don't worry, I won't ever let anything happen to her."

"If you fail to do so...I will hit you with my motorcycle." I take another puff of smoke, "Another thing...come back to Toman."

"Sorry but that's one thing I can't do, Cinderella."

"Why not?"

"I have my reasons and they're important...more importantly who put you up to this? Mikey?" His gaze turns hostile.

"Nope. Mikey doesn't even know I'm here but I'll gladly let you continue guessing until you get it right."

"Nah, that would be a waste of time. Just like asking me to come back is." He stalks off back inside.

I finish off my cigarette and put it out with the heel of my school shoe. I go back inside to find Shikha holding a ton of cash and looking very nervous.

I rush over to her and ask, "Shikha, what happened? Are you ok?"

"I...I beat them at mahjong and won all this money...but I have no idea what to do with it..."

Hanma ruffles her hair, "You did great out there though. I mean, you won despite everyone cheating. Use the money to buy something nice Bambi."

Suddenly, Baji grabs my arm and pulls me away, "I need you to take Shikha home."

I notice more than just simple concern for her safety in his continence...almost like he is hiding something from even her, "Why?"

"Look...I don't want her to see what's about to happen..." 

"What's going to happen?" As soon as the question leaves my lips the doors swing open to reveal an incapacitated Matsuno. I grab Baji by the collar of his jacket, "What the fuck is going on?!"

But all Baji does is look through me, almost as though I wasn't even there. Hanma comes over and gently takes my hand off of his jacket, "He has to prove himself...you didn't think I was just gonna take a Toman member without any proof of loyalty, now did you?"

"What do you mean prove himself? What does Matsuno have to do with that?"

His lupine eyes grows sinister as he says, "Princess, you're a smart girl. You must know where this is going."

Baji follows the men dragging Matsuno to the back of the room. Shikha and I follow after them, fearing for Matsuno's safety. The men push Matsuno to the ground as some of the men gather around Matsuno and Baji in a circle.

Hanma sits on top of a table and snaps his fingers, "Let's get this show on the road, 'ay Baji?"

Baji punches Matsuno in the gut and he falls to the ground. It all happens so fast that I could barely see that first strike. Once he collapses on the ground, Baji straddles him and starts viciously punching him the face. He kept raising his fist and striking down upon the defenseless boy as all of Valhalla watched on...and while Shikha starts to cry.

I feel her hand clutch onto the sleeve of my school uniform's shirt, "This...this can't be happening...this has to be a bad dream, right Chieko?"

I hold her against me, "Sadly I don't think this is a dream."

"Keisuke! Why're you hurting Matsuno?! He's your friend for God's sake!!" She cries out to her boyfriend. But her question is only answered by the sounds of Baji's fists striking the young boy's face and Matsuno's pained groans. "Why...why is this happening?" She chokes out quietly.

"What the fuck Baji?! What happened to you protecting my sister and doing the right thing?! You dirty rotten traitor!!!" I shout at the boy devoid of emotion.

Baji just remains silent and emotionless as he continues to assault his former vice captain. Just as I'm about to jump in and do something, Shikha tugs on my sleeve, "Please...get me out of here...I want to go home. I can't watch him do this..."

Throwing my life away and doing something impulsive is one thing...but I can't leave Shikha alone to defend herself against Valhalla in case I get killed. "Come on, let's go. I'll get you out of here."

As I'm leading her out of the building, Hanma calls out to me, "Leaving so soon? The fun has just gotten started~"

I glare at him with all the disdain and vitriol in my soul before shouting, "Shut the fuck up Hanma!"

He simply looks on with amusement in his eyes as he watches Shikha and I leave. As we're leaving I see Takemitchy and my ex student walking in. Just as Takemitchy looks like he's about to say something I signal to him to keep quiet; to which he thankfully does. We get on my bike and ride towards the subway station; all the while Shikha is clutching on tightly to me as she sobs and shakes against my back. 

After I drop her off I tell her, "I have to go back...I can't leave Matsuno and Takemitchy alone in that den of wolves. Do you have your train pass?"

She nods and says, "Please...be careful."

"I will...don't worry." I tell her before riding back to the hell I just got out of.