Satsutaba no Bed de Nemure - Chapter 1.1

You Gotta Be Kidding!

Mounted atop Tatsurou Yamamoto, Yoshiaki Sagami whispered in his soft coaxing voice, “Are you ready?”
Tatsurou’s wrists were tied up and secured to the headboard. It didn’t matter how ready he was, he would never get over the humiliation of being tied down by another man. He was breaking out into a cold sweat and things hadn’t even started yet.
Idiot! he screamed inside as he glared at Sagami. This is bullshit! I’m a Yakuza! A Yakuza boss. When I walk down the street, people leap out of my way!
He had eyes like a ravenous beast’s, a long slender nose, and thin lips. His body wasn’t all that muscular, but his physique was as smooth as a drawn sword. He still couldn’t understand why another man would covet his body.
“N-n-n-no, I’m not!” he yelled.
He pushed Sagami back and tried to stand up. Rut with his hands tied and Sagami’s more powerful body mounted on top of him, Tatsurou couldn’t move an 'nch. He was a sitting duck, plain and simple.
“Come on, behave yourself. I'll be gentle.” Sagami pushed down Tatsurou’s jaw with his finger and sPoke to him like a child.
Sagami had an unusual mix of facial features.

His face was a strange balance of wildness and nobility masculine, yet delicate. His features had managed to captivate even Tatsurou when they had first met.
Sagami fixed an irreverent gaze on Tatsurou. then skillfully unbuttoned his shirt with one hand.
“Get off me, you bastard!” Tatsurou screamed as Sagami's hand touched his bare skin.
He struggled with all his might to throw off Sagami, but Sagami didn’t budge. Tatsurou only managed to kick up his knees. He had no effective means of resistance left.
Bastard!
“You’re a lively one,” Sagami said. “I'm liking you more and more.'’
His breath tickled Tatsurou’s neck. The tip of his tongue slithered across Tatsurou's jaw, giving the helpless man goosebumps. Tatsurou felt weak and powerless.
“No!” he yelled again.
Despite his desperate struggling, Tatsurou couldn't change the situation he was in. To make matters worse, Sagami's lips had found his own.
“Ngh...no...ah...” he mumbled.
He tried to bite down, but Sagami’s finger firmh held his jaw in place. Sagami must have known he would try to bite him.
Their lips locked. Tatsurou found it hard to drau breath. He could feel a bead of saliva slowly drip from the comer of his mouth.
This can't be happening, he thought.
Ever since he had participated in the sake-sharing ceremony, the initiation ritual of the Kantou Hinodegumi, he had been treated with respect. Yet this man wasn’t scared of him, and even dared to subject him to this.
Bastard'. You bastard! Get off of me!
Once Tatsurou might have agreed to this, but now he was screaming for Sagami to stop. The most embarrassing part was that he was powerless to resist.
“Ngh.”
Each time Sagami’s tongue moved in his mouth, Tatsurou felt more and more confused. He shivered and he was dripping with sweat. He was beginning to understand what it must feel like to be a girl. The little shockwaves of passion that he felt whenever Sagami’s tongue moved seemed all too enjoyable.
Get off me!
Disturbed by his own feelings, Tatsurou closed his eyes and recalled the chain of events that had brought him here.
Tatsurou worked as a lower-level boss for the Kantou Hinodegumi, a small gang that operated in the IJeno district of Tokyo.
Unlike in the past, present-day Yakuza managed respectable businesses, participated in finance and land speculations, and even played the stock market. But the v>olent Hinodegumi gang was different. Even if they wanted to fight, they had no real opponents. The police vvere cracking down on them more and more each day.
To make matters worse, their numbers were decreasing. That was why Tatsurou had managed tc climb up the ladder while he was still in his 20s.
The Hinodegumi couldn’t find a good way of making money these days. Lately, their main source of revenue was collecting bad loans for a financial compam called “Lovely.”
“G-good morning! Boss!” Hachi said with a deep bow as Tatsurou entered the office.
“Yo,” Tatsurou grunted. He quickly nodded and headed for his desk.
Hachi was Tatsurou’s foolish assistant. He was tall, gangly and clumsy, but his face was full of youth, like a naughty teenager’s. You might say that he was cute in a way, but he spent most of his free time admiring himself in the mirror. Whenever he went to eat lunch, he would get in a bad mood after he finished, then pick a fight with the chef to avoid paying. This was partis because he was stingy, but mostly because he didn’t earn enough money to actually pay.
Tatsurou noticed Hachi was looking gloomily at him and raised an eyebrow.
“What?” he asked.
To his surprise, Hachi’s shoulders were shaking and his cheeks were bright pink. He looked as if he had just awakened from a dream.
“I’m not a proud man.” Hachi said, “but I am a real ladies’ man.”
“Hmm,” Tatsurou said noncommittally.
“Men are usually out of the question for me. But I can’t keep it in anymore.” Hachi suddenly exploded. “I love you! When I see you my heart goes—”

Tatsurou gave Hachi a swift kick.
Yes, Tatsurou was slim and attractive for a Yakuza. Some people joked that he should be a gigolo, but few men could match his physical strength. Anyone who didn’t show him the respect he deserved was asking to get beat up.
He calmly took a fax from Lovely off the table. Lovely had a very wholesome public image, mostly because of their cute TV commercial that featured kittens. But whenever they couldn’t collect a debt, they called in the Yakuza.
Tatsurou took the cup of tea that Hachi offered and picked up the phone.
“Hello, are you Satou? My name is Yamamoto. Did you borrow money from Lovely?” he asked in a low voice tinged with menace.
He didn’t mention who sent him. He didn't want people to alert the authorities. But the tone of his voice definitely cried Yakuza. He heard Satou swallow nervously.
This tactic would probably be enough to finish the job. Most people immediately gave in when they got 3 call from the Yakuza. Even so, Tatsurou pushed on, making sure he’d only have to make one call.
“Looks like you've been having some problems. How about you pay it back without any more excuses?” he said in a softer tone.
Satou breathed a sigh of relief.
“I can’t pay now. But I can at the end of the month," he promised.
“Hmm. Interesting proposition, Mr. Satou,”

Tatsurou said coldly. Then he bellowed from the pit ol his stomach, “Don’t give me excuses! PAY UP! Your home, your business, your wife and children, your relatives—I know all about them! If you don’t pay up soon, we’ll be paying you a visit!”
There was a squeak on the other end, then Satou promised to pay sooner. Tatsurou made a note and hung up the phone.
Enough of this petty work, he thought. He turned to Hachi.
“That’s how you do it,” he said. “You do the
rest.”
He passed the list to Hachi, propped his legs up on the desk, and took out a cigarette. Hachi immediate!) jumped up to light it for him. Tatsurou stretched out and took a drag. He was in charge of this office, but few people worked here.
The phone rang.
Tatsurou instantly picked up the receiver, since Hachi was in the middle of another call. He needed another person to man the phones, but had no money to hire more people.
“Kantou Hinodegumi!” he yelled into the phone Once, at the very beginning of his career, his boss had smashed an ashtray over his head for being too soft on the phone. That man no longer worked there, either.
“Tatsurou? It’s me,” the voice on the other line said.
As soon as he heard the man’s voice, Tatsurou took his feet off his desk. It was the president of the Kantou Hinodegumi, calling from the main office.

“Sir,” he snapped out.
“Come here now,” the president said. “We’ve found a real gold mine.”
That was the beginning of it all.
The job from the president regarded a delinquent promissory note.
Tatsurou drove down the bank alongside the backstreet factory in a Benz S-Class. Though he had no money, he still wore a fine Italian-made suit, so people would instantly recognize him as a Yakuza.
He got out of the car and put a cigarette between his lips. Hachi again offered a light. Taking a puff, Tatsurou surveyed the factory.
Hmph.
He was in a foul mood. He never thought he'd have to come back here like this. His vision clouded by tobacco smoke, he looked around feeling a little sick inside.
I ve just gotta forget it.
It was just an old car factory near a residential neighborhood. There was nothing special about it.
He strode towards the building looking cocky. When he got to the fence, he saw a big crowd of men.
“Outta the way!” he growled, stubbing his cigarette out with his shoe.
Just like what the Dead Sea had done for Moses, the crowd parted to let him through. They nilght have also been debt-collecting thugs, but Tatsurou was a real Yakuza, a step-up from them. He kicked open the door and stepped inside.
The factory was spacious, but he didn’t see am employees. He looked around, hoping to spot something of value.
“Argh!” he suddenly cried out as freezing cold water splashed over his head. Getting soaked to the skin on a chilly October day was more than a little unpleasant.
“GET OUT!” yelled an old man in a uniform.
Tatsurou squinted at him. He didn’t expect to see him here.
It s you.
“I’m gonna get you!” Hachi snarled, lunging at the old man.
“Hachi, stop!” Tatsurou commanded.
Hachi instantly did as told.
“We're not here to pick fights,” Tatsurou warned. “He’ll go to the police and make trouble. Then we won’t get what we came here for.”
He pushed back his wet hair. Water dripped from the edge of his sleeve.
“Are you Mr. Uchida?” he asked, not making eye contact. He had avoided this place for such a long time. What would Uchida do when he realized that Tatsurou was Yakuza? But Uchida was less cooperative than expected.
“Get out!” the old man howled.
That scream was his only reaction. Tatsurou's mouth twisted. The only one here who cared that Tatsurou was Yakuza was Tatsurou himself. As far as Uchida was concerned, Yakuza were on the same level as dog shit.

No matter. That would just make it easier for Tatsurou.
He snorted and glared at Uchida.
“Stop messing around. Let's be adult about this,” he ordered, folding his arms across his drenched suit.
Uchida picked up the bucket and started refilling it with water.
“Hey, wait!” Tatsurou pleaded.
Uchida threw the bucket at him again.
This time the water felt even colder.
“Dammit!” Tatsurou cursed as he left the factory.
He was the only one who got wet. Lucky Hachi didn’t get a drop on him.
As Tatsurou glared, the crowd at the entrance quickly made way for him.
He walked towards the Benz. His entire body was wet. This was not something a Yakuza could let pass.
“Are you all right? Please dry yourself, boss. You’ll catch a cold,” Hachi pleaded, handing him a towel.
Tatsurou wiped the water from his hair, which now looked like seaweed, then blotted his wet suit. He 'vas soaked through to his underwear.
Hachi watched Tatsurou with fascination, his cheeks turning pink.
“Boss,” he began.

“Hmm?” Tatsurou said, still trying to dry himself off.
“You're such a great guy,” Hachi continued “Even while soaked from head to toe, no one could look as good as you do.”
Though it was supposed to be a compliment, ii felt a little creepy. Hachi’s intense gaze made Tatsurou feel a little queasy.
“Shut the fuck up,” he grunted, hitting Hachi over the head. As he peeled off his dripping suit, cold air cut through his wet shirt.
“Ugh, it's cold,” he muttered.
Rubbing his sore head, Hachi glanced ai Tatsurou. “Uh, this is kinda hard to ask, boss,” he said
“What?” Tatsurou growled.
“Can you leave the shirt on? You’re kinda turning me on,” Hachi mumbled.
“Huh?” Tatsurou sputtered, then gave Hachi a sharp kick.
“Ooof!” Hachi groaned, rolling on the ground in agony.
Tatsurou climbed into the driver’s seat and sot the heat on high. He couldn't think about Hachi right now. His head was full of thoughts of Uchida.
What's his problem? he wondered, resting his elbows on the steering wheel.
He really thought he could do this. He hadn't been in that place for so long. He figured he could just collect the money and feel no pain. But seeing Uchida's face brought back all the old memories.
Ten long years ago. The days when young Tatsurou spent his time caught up in gang violence.
“That’s why. I have duties and obligations, too,” Tatsurou mumbled dninkenly to a stranger at the bar.
He’d gone home to change and then headed out to the town. By now, he'd tossed back enough drinks that he barely knew where he was. He just needed someone to listen to him. Now he was telling this stranger his life story.
“Being a Yakuza means cutting ties with your real family,” he went on. “It's really for the best. Otherwise, you'd first fuck over your brothers. Then you'd fuck over your friends. You'd take all their money and chew them down to their bones. That’s what it's like to be Yakuza. Hey, are you listening to me? You bastard!”
The man next to him stayed calm. “I’m listening,” he said. “So you cut yourself off, huh?”
Tatsurou smiled and poured the glass of brandy down his throat. No longer able to sit upright, he rested his head on the bar and continued to talk.
“I didn’t really have anyone to cut ties with. I had already left home. When I went back, some stranger was living there instead of my family. Guess my old lady hooked up with some boyfriend and took off. My old man wasn’t around either. Money troubles or something.”
He screwed up his face. It had been a dark time, a Past he didn’t care to remember.
“He owed something like a million yen. No way could a kid pay that back. I tried to ignore the Yakuza who came to collect, but they just beat me up. Later they took me to their office. And from then on, their boss was my new dad. Only one other person tried to help me."
“Really? Who was that?” the stranger asked calmly.
He sounded like he came from a better class of people. Tatsurou was delighted to have such a patient listener. It felt cathartic to spill his guts this way.
“When I was messing around in the streets. I used to fight at the dry river bed. I probably fougln several hundred people,” Tatsurou continued.
True, he had been in a gang during school. But no way was that number correct. It was probably more like 20 people, but Tatsurou loved to embellish the facts.
“Once we wound up facing a huge crowd. These guys just wanted to beat the shit out of us. I ran into some factory while covered in blood. I tried to hide, but this old guy saw me. The rival gang was beating on the shutters, yelling for me to come out. I was stuck between a rock and a hard place. I thought they’d burst in any second and beat me half to death, or even kill me I figured I was a goner. In those days, it was kill or be killed. But the old man offered me a job if I left my gang Promised to help me.”
Tatsurou had always remembered the old man's words.
“He said I reminded him of his son. ‘Is he a bad ass like me?’ I asked. Then he dragged me to the family altar. His son had died in an accident. The old man looked at me with tears in his eyes. ‘Do you want me to chase you outside? Or will you become an honest man?’”
“So? What did you choose?” the stranger asked.
Tatsurou rubbed his chin on the bar.
“I’d been beat up pretty badly,” he said. “And I didn’t wanna die like a loser. So I started wondering if I should get a real job. I actually felt kinda happy. It was the first time someone had ever said stuff like that to me and actually meant it. That stubborn old man. So, yeah, I made him a promise. He chased away the thugs who were banging on the shutters and looked after me.”
“Sounds like you broke your promise,” the stranger said in a teasing voice.
Even in his drunken state, Tatsurou noticed and looked up. Yakuza hated being made fun of more than anything. Disrespect isn't good for business.
“Shut up! I said I had a debt to pay!” he growled.
He suddenly looked around. He was in an unfamiliar, high-class club, sitting at one end of the dark stone bar. It was a small place, only four tables and a bar. The hostesses didn’t even approach the two men.
He turned to squint at the stranger, who was still relaxing next to him. The stranger, who had a noble- looking nose, was an attractive man that even a man could fall for.
Have I met him before?
The stranger wore a fine British-made suit, I erent from typical Yakuza wear. His legs were crossed in an ostentatious way.

The man calmly returned Tatsurou’s gaze. He didn’t seem to be at all afraid of Yakuza, which made Tatsurou mad.
“You don’t look like an honest man,” the man commented.
The alcohol had made Tatsurou volatile.
“Are you making fun of me?!” he screamed. He grabbed the man’s head and was about to slam it on the bar when an arm reached out to stop him.
What?
Now he recognized the man’s face. Only one person had ever been better than him. Only one person had ever made him taste bitter defeat. Only one person had beaten him in the regional school finals, I0 long years ago.
As soon as he realized who it was, Tatsurou It'll acid rise from the pit of his stomach.
“You’re Yoshiaki Sagami!” he yelled.
Sagami calmly lifted his whisky glass to his lips and took a slow sip, glancing seductively at Tatsurou.
“Yep,” he said. “Been a long time, Tatsurou. Bui when we met at Uchida’s you totally ignored me.”
“Uchida’s?” Tatsurou echoed.
Did Uchida owe money to Sagami, too?
“After all these years, you still look at me with such complete disgust. I feel hurt,” Sagami went on.
“Huh, what are you saying?! You bastard! Tatsurou snarled.
They had always talked to each other like this- from the very first moment they’d met. Now Sagan’I seemed to be enjoying Tatsurou’s foul mood.
“Glad I came back to Japan because I got to see you again, Tatsurou,” Sagami said. “I still dream about your eyes. Meeting you again like this, after so long. Is it a gift from the heavens or the whim of the gods?”
“Hah?!” Tatsurou croaked, looking suspiciously at Sagami.
They hadn’t seen each other since high school graduation. After that, Tatsurou had never known, nor even cared, where Sagami was.
Now he was trying to crack Sagami’s skull open. It was a fitting reunion, at least. But when Tatsurou tried to stand up, his knees gave out from under him. He let Sagami put him back on the stool, all the while telling himself this jerk would be running home to mommy right now. If only he wasn’t drunk, that is.
“You okay?” Sagami asked, his hands still around Tatsurou’s waist. “Your body’s as fit as ever.”
Tatsurou felt uneasy. It wasn’t right for a man to touch him like that.
Sagami kept on smiling. Tatsurou wondered how he could be so calm in the presence of a Yakuza.
Bastard!
During their school days, Sagami was Tatsurou’s Kendo rival, but they had only met at regional competitions. Tatsurou went to a bad school, while Sagami attended a top prep academy, guaranteed to get him lnto a good university. Tatsurou had instantly hated e excellent students and their privileged upbringings.
Why couldn't I beat this guy?
Thinking back, Tatsurou recalled his anger as if it had been yesterday.

Sagami returned Tatsurou’s glare with an inviting smile, like one you might give a girl you were interested in.
What the hell is this guy thinking?
Just as Tatsurou was about to unleash another round of expletives, Sagami started to talk.
“I don’t mind you looking at me like that. Bui continue your story if you want. I’m interested. I can tell just by looking that you didn’t become an honest man What happened to your promise to Uchida?”
He looked eager to hear more, but Tatsurou cut the conversation short with a sullen look and a curt reply. “Nothing happened.”
Sagami looked confused. “Huh?”
“That’s it,” Tatsurou said. “My body got better, and so did my mind. I forgot all about my promise to that old man.”
The truth was he would never forget Uchida's parting words:
"If you ever have no place to go, you can always come to me. I ’II train you. ”
Today he went to Uchida's factory.
Tatsurou had no home and no family, so the factory had been somewhere he could always go to. an emotional means of support. Whatever happened, whatever he lost, at least he had a place that would always welcome him, no questions asked. Knowing that, he had felt he could do anything. And he kept on believing that, even after he started his Yakuza life.
But, truth be told, the honest part of his life had been just an illusion. As he dove deeper and deeper into the underground world, his soul became dirtier and dirtier. Before he knew it, he had stopped going to Uchida’s factory. Respectable people lived there. It was no longer a haven for him.
Uchida had completely forgotten about Tatsurou. That should have been a relief, but instead he was annoyed. It really pissed him off. He couldn’t help but feel lonely, like the world had rejected him. Something was still left in his heart.
“So you felt sad and turned to the bottle, huh? It won’t help you, but it’s kinda cute,” Sagami said.
“Huh? I never said I was depressed!” Tatsurou protested.
“That’s what you wanted to say, though,’’ Sagami retorted. “You’re drunk and emotional, just longing for someone to listen to you.”
Not mocking him anymore, Sagami poured some expensive Hennessey into Tatsurou’s glass in an attempt to humor him.
Sagami was definitely making him mad. But the alcohol was free, and it’d be a shame to waste it.
Tatsurou chugged down his glass. The warm ''quid burned his belly. He felt his consciousness dipping even further away.
“So what did you do?” Sagami prompted. “Finish ’he story. What will you do about the collection?”
Sagami's voice sounded far away. Though le world was furiously spinning around him, he still Ranted to talk. And as if the alcohol was a truth serum, atsurou obediently answered.

“I can’t tell the president I couldn’t get it. The big shots expect us to obey. You can’t get caught up it your own feelings, or they’ll chop off a finger.”
“A finger?” Sagami echoed.
Tatsurou held up his hands. He still had all In fingers. And he didn’t have a tattoo. Still, going agains: a Yakuza boss was not a good idea. He had already been beaten up a number of times.
Sagami smiled down at him. “So why don't you leave? I’ll help you out. Do you have the note from Uchida’s place?”
Tatsurou pulled out the promissory note from his pocket. He hated to betray someone who had helped him. If there was any way out of this mess, he wanted to hear it.
Sagami instantly touched his lighter to the note as Tatsurou held it. Tatsurou watched with astonishment as the paper caught fire.
Huuuuh?
Finally wrenched out of his dream-like state. Tatsurou gaped at his burning fingers.
“OUCH!” he yelled. He’d let go of the note just a second too late. It quickly turned to ashes.
“There you go,” Sagami said. “All gone no" Here, drink.”
While Tatsurou looked bewildered, Sagami just laughed and shrugged his shoulders. Tatsurou tell himself melt when he gazed at Sagami’s profile, but that handsome face couldn’t deceive him.
Dammit! That was worth six million. Without it they wouldn't get a single penny.

Tatsurou felt like screaming, but Sagann chuckled again. His laugh must have been contagion; for Tatsurou also started to cackle.
It s gone.
One simple act had completely wiped out hi- problem. It was so weird. He couldn’t stop laughing lik; an idiot.
That was the last thing he remembered from that night.
“Urrrghh,” Tatsurou groaned. He was sprawled on the sofa, his head pounding. He had been throwing up all night. Finally, it was morning.
Hachi was now cleaning up the mess. The bo; had even opened the curtains.
“Hachi,” Tatsurou muttered, squinting.
“What is it, boss?”
“Get me some Tylenol.”
Changing positions made him feel even worse Why did he drink so much?
He rolled up his sleeves and started thinking about last night. Maybe it had all been just a dream Meeting his old high school rival. Burning the valuable promissory note.
It was a dream. It had to be a dream.
What a nightmare. He just had to stop drinking so much. He dug into his pockets. He was still wearing yesterday’s suit, so the note should still be there.
But it wasn’t.
In a panic, he pulled all of his pockets inside out, but he still found nothing. Just then, he felt a twinge from his burned fingertips.
It wasn't a dream!
Tatsurou’s mind blanked out in despair. Hachi shook his shoulders, bringing him back to reality.
“Hey, stop that!” he barked, glaring at Hachi.
Hachi passed him the cordless phone.
“It’s the president,” he whispered.
Tatsurou instantly came to attention—and felt an overwhelming desire to puke. He sat up as straight as he could and put the phone to his ear.
“Ah, how was it? Did it go well?” the president asked immediately.
Tatsurou broke out in a cold sweat. Did the president already know about the burned note?
“Ah, yes, that. I’m, uh, getting there.” he replied meekly.
Why was the president calling so soon? He’d given the job to Tatsurou just yesterday.
“You have until the day after tomorrow,” the president said gravely.
“Huh?” Tatsurou replied blankly.
“Don’t speak to me like that, Tatsurou,” the President said. “You have the note. I want that six million the day after tomorrow. Make that ten million, for all the hassle. I expect cash, okay?”
Ten million?
Tatsurou knew right off that that would be "upossible. No way could he pull that off. But he V“ildn't teH the president that. His hangover quickly Appeared as he desperately considered what to do next. He was dripping with sweat, though his mouth was bone dry.
“Uh, sir, we checked out the factory yesterday,' he frantically said. “Found nothing of value, just scrap iron, tools, and a worn out old man.”
“He has land, though, so no excuses,” the president replied. “Make him sign over the deeds. Ignore anyone who says there’s a repossession order. We need to sell the land for ten million.”
“B-but the old man is stubborn,” Tatsurou insisted. “I don’t think he’ll sign—”
He had never thought to ask Uchida to simph sell the land. Even if he still had the promissory note, convincing the old man would not be easy. Now that the note was history, it was completely out of the question He was at even less of an advantage than before.
“If you can’t do it, bring me the note now," the president said crisply. “You’re useless. I’ll send someone else. I want that ten million the day after tomorrow. It better happen. You have the note, just force the old man Make him sign. It’s simple enough.”
Tatsurou didn't dare tell him what had happened to the note. But what else could he do? He sadly curled his fingers. Which one of them would he lose?
His mind went completely blank. If another gang member took over, who knew what they would do to Uchida. He couldn’t risk the old man’s safety. Even his shaky morals wouldn’t allow it.
“Uh, no problem. It’s, uh, fine. Leave it to me I’ll have the ten million the day after tomorrow,'' he managed to say, though his face looked deathly pale.

The president laughed, satisfied. ‘Good! I’m relying on you, Tatsurou. Don’t let me down.”
“Sir.”
Tatsurou hung up, but still gripped the phone. He couldn’t move. It was now or never time. He’d been given his orders.
Ten million in two days?
He felt more cold sweat dripping down his back.
Getting money from Uchida without a note would be even harder. If the old man contacted the police, that would be it.
That bastard!
“Hachi! Do you know how to make money?” Tatsurou groaned.
“I do,” Hachi said calmly, handing over the
Tylenol.
“How do you do it?” Tatsurou asked.
“Used girls’ panties are a great source of income,” Hachi replied. “I buy cheap panties, wear them myself, then sell them on the Internet with some good Pictures. You can make three million in a month. Wanna try it, sir?”
Tatsurou eyed Hachi with suspicion. Hachi had been flashing cash around recently. Tatsurou had definitely wondered where it came from, but never I °ught Hachi would stoop that low.
“With your resources, you could really get it going, Hachi said excitedly.
Tatsurou whacked him over the head. Hachi Sank to the floor and crawled out of the office.

First things first. Tatsurou needed to find the jerl who had burned the note. Sagami looked like someom with some cash. Maybe not a full ten million, bu Tatsurou could at least get the six back. Seeing Sagair again didn’t exactly thrill him, though. He racked hi brains, trying to remember the bar from last night.
He glanced at his watch. It was still early He decided to collect money elsewhere until the bar opened.
“I found you, bastard! Think I’d let you get away with that?” Tatsurou yelled. When he had finally found the bar, Sagami was sitting there, just as he’d hoped.
He stormed inside, itching to start a fight. The group of girls hovering around Sagami took one look at Tatsurou and fled. Tatsurou lunged at Sagami, who deftly dodged away.
Huh?
Tatsurou looked down at his arm, which hail again been stopped in midair. He had forgotten all aboui last night. His desire to punch Sagami’s lights out was not entirely due to alcohol.
“Pretty popular with the ladies, eh?” he sneered. “No surprise, I guess. You are rich, young, and handsome.”
He was trying to distract Sagami, but the man calmly nodded.
“Thanks. Take a seat, Tatsurou.”
Sagami looked like a millionaire. Feeling man’s fierce sexual energy, Tatsurou crashed down the stool next to him. He leaned back with his arms crossed, spread his legs wide, and glowered at Sagami.
“You know what happened yesterday,” he growled. “How are you gonna fix things?”
“Fix things?” Sagami echoed.
“You burned my note,” Tatsurou hissed. “The six million. That was as good as money. You’d better fucking pay it back, with some interest added for my time.”
Making threats. Raising issues over the amount. Getting aggressive. This was how the Yakuza operated.
But Sagami's reply was amazingly calm. “No.”
“WHAT?” Tatsurou howled.
“No. It was dishonored. It was totally worthless. It can’t be used or considered as money,” Sagami said firmly, perfectly clear about where he stood on the matter.
It infuriated Tatsurou that Sagami wasn’t the least bit intimidated by him. So he lost it.
“Hey, pretty boy! Outside, now!” he jeered, kicking over a table and lunging at the man’s neck again.
Sagami easily evaded him, then grabbed his tie and pulled him closer.
“Let’s talk about this reasonably, Tatsurou,” he gently cooed.
Tatsurou noticed a sadistic glint in Sagami's <->es and choked. Who the hell was this guy?
“Ba-bastard!” he yelled.
He knew every gang around here. But he’d seen Sagami among them. The man looked honest, but he was definitely not an ordinary guy.
Sagami pushed Tatsurou away and pointed to quiet area.
“Let’s talk back there,” he said. “Then we u on disturb the other customers.”
“If you insist,” Tatsurou muttered, trying to look tough.
Sagami stood up. He was a good head taller thai Tatsurou. Tatsurou shivered a little, remembering ho« tough Sagami had been during competition.
They settled down in the back of the room After a hostess brought them drinks and snacks, they were left looking at each other. Tatsurou got right dow: to business.
“Pay up,” he growled.
“Why?” Sagami said coolly.
He looked like he was enjoying himself, art poured more sake into Tatsurou’s glass.
“Don’t give me this shit,” Tatsurou said. "Pay up now!”
“If you need money, then sell your car,” Saganmi suggested. “A Benz S-Class should fetch a decent price.”
How does he know what I drive?
Tatsurou raised an eyebrow. When did he st“ talking to him last night? He had been too drunk to remember. He decided to tell the truth, hoping to get Sagami’s sympathy.
“It’s not mine,” he admitted.
“Huh?”
“My gang’s dirt poor,” Tatsurou explain.
further. “It’s not my car. I’m borrowing it. If I sold it, God knows what would happen to me.”
“Huh? Not in a good financial position then?”
Sagami said.
“Shut up,” Tatsurou snapped.
He was getting tired of this game. Sagami could care less that he was a Yakuza.
Tatsurou sulked and lit a cigarette. Sagami's eyes oozed sexual attraction. Tatsurou was even more irritated that the other man was using that power on him.
“Tatsurou,” Sagami said.
“Yeah?”
Sagami moved closer to Tatsurou, who instantly froze. Suddenly Sagami touched his thigh.
“Do you like being a Yakuza, even though nobody cares anymore?” Sagami asked.
Tatsurou gasped and quickly moved away.
What the fuck is wrong with this guy?
But secretly, he understood. Tatsurou himself was more interested in men’s legs, too.
Suddenly he knew why this guy bothered him so much. If he played it up now, maybe Sagami wouldn't laugh it off so easily.
He let out a creepy laugh. “It’s fun. Beating up another person, arguing, the intense moments. So exciting. Your head goes blank, and the ecstasy is almost as good as an orgasm.”
He really wanted a good showdown now'.
Sagami must have sensed it, but he didn’t flinch sPoke calmly. “Yes, I know what you mean. When you glare at me like that, I feel little shivers, too. How can I get a man like you to have me?”
Tatsurou didn’t understand him for a minute.
“Huh?” he croaked.
But when he grasped what Sagami was saying he went ballistic. How dare he mock him! Tatsuroc glared at Sagami, his almond eyes gleaming with pur; hatred.
“Stop mocking me!” he yelled. “Just pay me I need ten million! It’s all your fault for burning that note!”
He didn’t expect screaming would do any good.
Sagami just shrugged his shoulders, a habit he must have picked up from dealing with foreigners. "Bu: you said it had been dishonored,” he said. “You couldn': get any money from it. We’ll have to settle in court. I can recommend a good lawyer.”
Sagami knew what he was talking about. But for good or for bad, extracting money was a Yakuza’s job They couldn’t let themselves be talked down.
“You’d better take responsibility!” Tatsurou insisted. “If I can’t get the money out of that old man you 'II have to pay!”
“I said no,” Sagami said.
“Bullshit! If I tell you to pay, then you damn well better pay. I need ten million by tomorrow Tatsurou screamed.
“Why do you need money that bad?” Sagami asked.
“Shut up,” Tatsurou said.

“I just have to get it, somehow.”
“Somehow?” Sagami's eyes sparkled. He smiled like a little kid about to pull a prank.
Now Tatsurou grabbed Sagami’s tie and pulled tight. This time he would make things crystal clear.
“Come with me,” he said. “You did this and you’re gonna end it. I’ll make sure of that.”
“Good,” Sagami agreed almost gleefully. “Let’s go.”
He still wasn’t perturbed in the least. Even after Tatsurou decided that they would go to Uchida's together.
At the factory, Tatsurou and Sagami were greeted by another water hose.
“Don’t come here again! I have no money to give maggots like you!” Uchida snapped.
Tatsurou wanted to yell back, but a cop car was parked nearby. Shady loan sharks were a real problem in this part of town.
Yakuza always avoided the police as much as Possible. They would have to try to collect again later that night, when the cops were not around.
When they left the factory, it was even colder outside than it was yesterday. They both felt chilled to the bone. Tatsurou's teeth chattered. Sagami had gotten doused, too, leaving little puddles of water in his wake.
“Maggots!” Tatsurou snarled.
Sagami laughed at him, looking like a happy boy who'd just been swimming.

“He was talking to you, too!” Tatsurou screaming as they reached the street where he’d parked the Ben He had a change of clothes inside. But when he got there] his car had been towed away, replaced by a telephon number written on the road in chalk.
Don't give me this shit, Tatsurou thought, sid| with rage and frustration.
He kicked the wall and stormed off, teeth still chattering. Even if he tried to flag a taxi to get home, driver would pick up a wet Yakuza rat. They’d be afraid to get caught up in something dangerous.
“Hmph. Yakuza have it pretty rough, huh?"
Sagami was following him down the sidewalk He’d whispered those words, sounding almost impressed.
“Just shut the fuck up,” Tatsurou snarled. "This is all your goddamn fault.”
“So! What are you gonna do now?” Sagami asked.
“What?” Tatsurou questioned back.
Sagami checked his Rolex. “You told me thisg was all my fault. Are you gonna leave me now'.’ You need ten million by the day after tomorrow. It’s II$ p.m. now. One day left. Got any ideas?”
“If I don’t, will you lend me the money?" Tatsurou said, looking surly. Nothing was going right. Another taxi passed him by.
“You could try a loan shark,” Sagami said.
How did Sagami know about that?
“Already did,” Tatsurou told him. “All I could get was two million.”

He’d spent the entire day looking for money. Now the cold and his frustration released themselves, it a long, drawn-out sigh. He lost all desire to pretend, He was convinced that nobody understood how broke and how miserable a Yakuza could actually be.
I can't do this.
No way could he get the money now. Nowadays Yakuza needed more than muscle, they needed business savvy. Tatsurou had the muscle but not the business sense. In this modem world, physical strength was simply obsolete.
He sneezed. He had no hope. He just wanted to disappear.
“Wow. Usually you’re so cheerful. Right now you look like a lost puppy,” Sagami commented.
“Just shut the fuck up,” Tatsurou said.
Sagami was as persistent as ever. Tatsurou raisei an eyebrow. Did nothing intimidate this guy?
“Wanna come to my place? We can walk then from here. You can take a bath and I’ll lend you some clothes,” Sagami suggested.
“Who the hell wants your help?” Tatsuro grouched.
He pulled out his cell phone to call Hachi. but the stupid thing was waterlogged and wouldn’t work
“No use?” Sagami said dryly.
Frustrated yet again, Tatsurou threw the phone to the ground.
Would this living hell never stop?
Despite all this, Sagami was still smiling.
“Come on. You’ll catch a cold,” he said kindly grabbing Tatsurou’s wrist to pull him along.
“Let go of me,” Tatsurou protested.
He pulled away, but Sagami continued walking, leaving him behind. The man almost looked like he enjoyed being soaked clear through.
Why him?
Tatsurou glared at Sagami’s back, but could feel his rage subsiding.
It was strange.
Why wasn’t Sagami scared of him? What could Tatsurou do to someone he didn’t understand?
And then...
He didn’t even know why he followed Sagami.
Because it’s cold.
That was the excuse he told himself.
No taxi would stop, and his cell was D.O.A. He sneezed again and turned the comer. Sagami waited at the crosswalk and pulled something from his pocket.
“I forgot to give you my business card.” he said, holding out a card that was damp around the edges.
Tatsurou looked down at it.
Lovely (Ltd) Kantou Assistant to the Branch Manager.
Lovely?
He’d been had.
“You work for Lovely?” Tatsurou frowned.
“My grandfather founded the company.” Sagami admitted “I'll be the third person to inherit it I've been off training in New York. Finally got back to Japan last
“What?” Tatsurou muttered. He twitched nervously.

Now he knew why Sagami looked like money. Last year, Lovely had made the “top I0 richest companies” list. But behind closed doors, they had a secret business relationship with the Kantoi Hinodegumi.
Of course, that didn’t mean that Tatsurou would back down. He couldn’t.
“If you need money, we can lend it to you." Sagami said, hurrying across the crosswalk.
“Huh?” Tatsurou blinked.
“Officially, we can’t lend to crooks,” Sagami said. “This will be a special case. We’d need some collateral, of course.”
“Really?” Tatsurou squeaked. His voice had raised a whole octave at Sagami’s offer to help. If he could just gather enough money now, he could sort it all out later. The knot in his stomach started to unravel.
“Really,” Sagami assured him.
“But I don’t have any collateral,” Tatsurou said “This will have to be a secret from the gang. I have no house. Even my car is borrowed.”
“Your body is fine,” Sagami said.
Tatsurou exited the crosswalk and stopped. He turned to see Sagami looking at him with piercing eyes
“Your body will do fine, I said,” Sagami repeated.
“Hah?” Tatsurou gaped at Sagami astonishment. He couldn’t form any other words.
Sagami wasn’t joking. Tatsurou knew the oftet was genuine.
“Sleep with me,” Sagami said. “You said it.” remember? That you loved that moment of ecstasy where nothing matters. I think I could give you that.” “Fuck you!” Tatsurou snarled.
He hated being toyed with like this. He swiftly raised his knee to Sagami’s crotch. Sagami blocked to avoid him. but Tatsurou swung back and kicked Sagami’s face.
It hit cleanly this time.
Tatsurou wanted to hit him again, but his eyes caught the beam of a patrol car coming down the street. He left Sagami and ran into the night.
Fucking jerk.
Tatsurou drank heavily until morning.
When Hachi woke him it was past noon. The president was calling again.
“Ah, Tatsurou. How’s it going?” the president greeted.
Tatsurou couldn’t tell him the truth—that he 'vas n°where near the ten million, and, in fact, had only managed two million.
“Well, getting there,” Tatsurou mumbled.
‘I see. Good,” the president said, his voice ning a little. His own superiors were probably Naming at him, too.
“I’ll have at least five million to you first thing tomorrow morning,” Tatsurou promised. 
He hung up the phone, then didn't move for five minutes.
Things get worse and worse...

He had always been really bad with money. nf was also really bad at figuring out people’s weak points In so many ways, he was totally unsuited for this job.
What am I gonna do?
He sat up on the sofa. After two nights of hard drinking, his body felt like crap. How could he find more money today? His head felt ready to explode. He could never persuade anyone feeling like this.
“Hachi,” he groaned.
“Yes, sir. Tylenol?” Hachi offered.
“How much money you got?” Tatsurou asked.
“About 8,000.”
Suddenly, Hachi’s three-million-a-month usd panty business didn’t seem quite so funny anymore. Tatsurou sighed. Taking money from Hachi would no: make things better. He sprawled out on the sofa affli soon fell asleep again. When he woke up, it was eight at night.
He had wasted the whole day, but it didn’t really matter. He would have spent hours looking for money that just wasn't there. There was only one way to get out of this now.
1 have to sell my body.
He let out a deep, deep sigh.
He’d rather sell his body than betray that old man again. He’d surely lose his pride, but maybe ke*P all of his fingers.
There was only one person who could give hi"1 enough money—the future president of Lovely.

When the phone call came from Tatsurou, Sagami smiled.
“Oh! What do you want with me today?” he said innocently, though he knew it was about the money. Tatsurou had kicked him last night, but Sagami definitely had planted a seed in Tatsurou’s brain.
You 're so cute, Tatsurou.
To Sagami, Tatsurou was like a wild dog who just needed some good training. Then he would be all Sagami’s.
Sagami told Tatsurou what time to come to his apartment, then spent the rest of the day in eager anticipation.
As soon as the work day was over, Sagami burst out of the office and waited in his room. He had never waited for someone like this. It felt like a dream.
He had first met Tatsurou in high school, at a regional Kendo competition. People had always told him about another freshman who was as good as he was. When he finally saw Tatsurou, it was like an arrow shot to his heart.
He had also heard that Tatsurou attended one of the worst schools in the prefecture. So he was surprised to see his rival's rather small, innocent-looking face. The boy's appearance actually seemed to be in stark contrast the stories told about him. As soon as their eyes met, he    had felt something snap inside him. He just couldn't look away. Never before had someone had such an impact on him.
He had been so stunned by these strange new feelings, he didn’t even acknowledge Tatsurou. Tatsurou had quickly looked away, completely uninterested in him. In Tatsurou’s eyes, Sagami was nothing. The only way for Sagami to get Tatsurou’s attention was to beat him. That was their first meeting.

When we were sophomores, something even more memorable happened.

Sagami remembered it vividly.

Tatsurou had been totally shocked when he has lost to Sagami the previous year. The next time he saw him, he yelled “This year, scum!”

Sagami’s body had been filled with the excitement of that challenge. He felt that defeating Tatsurou was their special courtship, and gave his all to win that tournament. Tatsurou was good, as usual, and there were plenty of tense moments. It wasn’t easy, but in the end, Sagami won.

Later, in the locker room, Sagami had glanced in Tatsurou’s direction, but had no idea how to start a conversation. His mouth had dried up and he'd felt far too tense to make the words come out.

“Umm...” he’d mumbled nervously.

Tatsurou instantly turned around, looking humiliated and biting his lip. Sagami saw tears in Tatsurou’s eyes.

Then Tatsurou took off without a word. But the boy had left a huge impression on Sagami, one he would never, ever forget.

At that precise moment, Sagami fell in love.

Tatsurou didn't

But no matter. Whenever Sagami thought about that look on Tatsurou’s face, his heart always beat a little faster. He was still immersed in his fantasy when the doorbell rang.

Sagami opened the door to find Tatsurou standing there. He wore a pure white suit, a red silk shirt, and a silver tie. Typically Yakuza, but that was what made Tatsurou sexy. He must have picked up the fierce expression from living with criminals.

I'm going to enjoy this so much.

Sagami had never met anyone as stimulating as Tatsurou. The man simply fascinated him.

“I thought you said this was walking distance from the factory,” Tatsurou snapped, breaking the silence between them.

“Yeah,” Sagami agreed. "This is Takanawa. But I    have another place near the factory.”

“Ah,” Tatsurou said, looking unimpressed. The apartment was clearly not cheap, but hardly enough to excite him.

“Well, come in,” Sagami said.

He had Tatsurou sit next to the piano. The man kerned bored by the piano, too. He just scowled at everything.

This isn’t going to work.

Sagami pushed a contract he'd prepared toward Tatsurou.

“How much do you need?” he asked, staring at urou s profile. He softly ran his fingers down his own face, feeling the bandage at the side of his mouth. The cut from where Tatsurou had kicked him last night throbbed.