In Cold Blood [Ash Lynx] - Banana Fish

Twenty-Three - Burning On

Holding his beer bottle up, Ash nods at Tora from across the wooden table. "Cheers."

She raises her bottle, shaking her head. "In Japan, we say, 'kampai'."

"Kampai," Ash corrects himself, clinking their drinks together before taking a swig and placing the bottle down. "I guess this is the real Tokyo night-out experience then."

The pair are sitting on benches outside a small restaurant in the market district of Tokyo. The street is bustling with locals, most tourists not venturing to such a discreetly located area and especially not at night. Various market stalls are dotted around, canopies hung over the front of each stall with rows of strung bulbs to light up the district. Large beer glasses are scattered on tables, as well as empty plates and chopsticks with people sitting around chatting and upbeat rock and pop-punk music playing from the various stalls.

Flicking open her lighter, Tora holds it to the end of her cigarette and inhales deeply, resting her chin in her palm with her elbow on the table. She purses her lips and exhales away from their table. "It certainly is. Not a world away from the nightlife in New York though."

Ash shrugs. "I'm so used to life in New York that to me it's unlike anything else."

"Well," Tora flicks the spent ashes into the ashtray. "This is the coolest place in Tokyo. Here you're free to drink, eat and party until the sun rises. No one knows who you are, you're just yourself here."

"Yuri?"

Eyebrows raised and a cigarette between her lips, Tora spins around on the bench to see a young woman rushing over to her and they begin to converse in Japanese. "Katsumi, didn't expect to see you here."

She reaches down and hugs Tora. Her hair is long and peachy orange in colour, loosely flowing down her back. She's wearing a black button-up shirt —cleavage on show— with a bright red latex skirt, black tights and black boots. A black dragon design is tattooed on the side of her neck and a kanji symbol on the back of her hand. Her aura is assertive, yet friendly.

Behind her is a taller guy, his aura plenty different —mysterious, yet angry. Dark-haired with an undercut, tattoos cover his exposed skin and on side of his head, dressed in a full black outfit.

"It's Friday night! Of course we're in the city!" She pulls away, turning to the guy. "Isn't that right, Ito?"

He simply hums in response and Katsumi turns back.

"Got a light?"

Tora holds out her lighter flame to Katsumi, who stands closer to her and takes a drag from her cigarette.

"How've you been, Yuri? Life treating you well?"

Squishing her finished cigarette into the tray, Tora nods. "I've just come back from New York for work."

"Wow!" Katsumi nudges her playfully. "You lucky girl. I've missed partying with you since you disappeared."

"Well, I'm back for the time being," Tora tells her.

Katsumi leans down, tucking Tora's hair behind her ear. "Maybe I'll see you out again at some point."

Tora plasters a smile on her face. "Don't hold your breath."

"Playing hard to get," Katsumi straightens up, hand on her hip as she takes a drag from her cigarette. "I guess I'll see you around."

Sending each other a wave goodbye, Tora turns back to their table and sips more beer. "Sorry about that."

"Even without knowing what she was saying it seems that you two are more than just acquaintances." Ash raises a brow as he grabs a dumpling from their plate with chopsticks and shoves it in his mouth.