Do me right • Tokyo revengers

Chapter 1

The loud music, the money thrown my way, the hungry pairs of eyes I could feel traveling all over my body,... When I started working as a dancer in a club a few weeks ago, I was convinced I'd never get used to it. But I did.

Well, for the most part.

At 2pm on that Friday, I was walking to work. I liked getting there a few hours before the beginning of my shift so I could practice on the pole. 

The club looked much different in the day light. Without the music, the flickering neon lights at the entrance, and the gaggles of customers coming in and out, it looked just like any other bar.

Alexis, the club's barman, looked up from the tray he was cleaning behind the counter when I walked in. 

"Hey, Angel."

Being called by my stage name still felt a little weird, but using a stage name instead of your real name was basically a survival mechanism for a lot of strippers and exotic dancers. It was common knowledge that clubs were breeding grounds for creeps. Stories about dancers getting followed everywhere by stalkers abounded. So far, I had been careful to keep my private life as secret as possible. That included keeping my real name private, which was Mia.

"Hey." I greeted Alexis back.

"Someone's here for you," He informed me, nodding toward the back of the club. 

Following his line of sight, I saw that a man was sitting alone at a small round table. He was wearing a gray suit, a white shirt and a black tie. He was probably in his mid-twenties, but his furrowed eyebrows and guarded attitude made him look older.

I weaved my way through the sea of empty tables and stopped in front of him. "Hi, can I help you?"

Something sparked to life in his eyes when he looked up at me. 

"Yes." He reached inside of his jacket and pulled out a detective badge with his name on it. Naoto Tachibana. "I think you can." 

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"What?!" I whisper-yelled to avoid attracting Alexis's attention.

The idea Naoto had just proposed had my heart racing in my chest.

The detective needed someone to get close to gang members. Some kind of spy who would gather information on them should the possibility present itself, which most likely would. 

Because the club I worked at was located in one of the wealthiest part of Roppongi, its clientele was made up of a lot of very wealthy men, including gang members. They were pretty easy to spot in the crowd because, no matter how rich or important the other customers around them might be, they all preferred to keep a respectful distance with those criminals. 

I had only been working here for a few weeks so I hadn't met that many gang members but I had overheard a few conversations about them in the changing rooms.

"Why me?" I asked Naoto.

"You've been gaining in popularity, so i'm sure that if anyone can catch their attention, it's you."

The way the detective's eyes were flashing with determination almost convinced me. 

Almost.

"No." I shook my head. "I'm sorry. I really wish I could help you but it's too dangerous." I concluded, rising from my chair. 

I had already started to walk away when he spoke again. 

"I know about your brother."

My heart skipped a beat at the mention of my brother. 

Him and I had always been very close. We grew up without parents which meant we only had each other to lean on, both emotionally and financially. We often struggled to make ends meet so my brother started selling drugs. He must have eventually gotten mixed up with some bad apples because one fateful night, I got a call from the hospital. I was told that my brother had been shot by a group of thugs affiliated to Bonten, Tokyo's most feared criminal organization. I was holding his hand by his hospital bed when he died a few hours later. 

Never once did the fury I felt against those responsible for his death disappear. This anger still laid within me, buried deep inside.

I turned back around to face Naoto as he continued, "I know what it feels like. Seeing a member of your family get hurt and being unable to do anything about it."

People always said that. I understand, I know what it feels like,... but they rarely meant it. Yet for some reason, I could tell Naoto was being genuine.

"All I'm asking you to do is to tell me if you hear anything about them. That's it. So, what do you say? You're in?" He asked me.

My gaze dropped to his hand he had just extended towards me. I knew shaking it would change everything about my future. 

For better or worse, I didn't know yet.