The official eviction notice came before YF could even board the ferry back to Maehama. He knew that Eiji would provide him with a place to stay if he asked; but YF would rather sleep on the street than disturb Eiji and Kaede during their wedding planning time. In the end, YF decided to show up at the doorstep of the groomsman he was closest with: Kitase Satoru, or “Saru”, owing to his large size. After YF knocked there was a pause, followed by a string of expletives from the other side of the door.

“It’s me!” YF shouted during a brief pause in the threats.

“Who?” the voice demanded.

“Sakai Yasufumi! Open the damn door!”

The door swung open, revealing a large, tall man wearing a white shirt with a few small holes in it throughout and long grey boxers. “Come on in,” Saru beckoned.

YF stepped through the door, looking toward the living room where the news was playing on a wide television set. Multiple beer cans were strewn all over the floor. YF then followed Saru to the living room, sitting down at the floor table in the center. Saru pulled the tab on a new can of beer. “Was wondering when you’d say something,” said Saru before draining a fourth of the beer.

“What do you mean?” YF pulled the tab on a nearby can of beer without asking and took a sip.

“The bachelor party man, weren’t you going to talk it over with us?”

“Yeah…” YF looked away and scratched his forehead with a thumb. “Some stuff came up.”

“Could’ve at least made a group chat.”

“You’re right,” YF replied.

“You talk to Mohan, Shabu, or Ken?”

An image of the dark skinned Nishinomiya Masaki, a.k.a “Mohan” entered YF’s mind. Mohan was very dark, like an Ardan, earning him the nickname of one of Ard’s more well known ancient tribes. Sato Takeshi, or “Shabu” had an on and off again meth habit, hence “shabu”. Ken met most problems with the surface of his four right knuckles, hence “ken”. YF knew that Ken’s last name was Sanada, but never learned his real first name; he doubted if Saru, Mohan, or Shabu knew either. Only Eiji never had a nickname, as he was the natural leader of the group and no one felt the need to give him one. Eiji was the one who assigned Yasufumi the moniker “YF”. The logic was that YF always wanted to leave Itsugo for anywhere else, but mostly to the capital. Eiji said that there were more foreigners in Nishida City and the capital, foreigners who might have trouble pronouncing YF’s full name. He should therefore call himself YF: easier to remember.

YF slowly drank half of his can, then put it down next to him “Shabu…is Shabu…?”

“No. Not last I checked.”

“I was thinking we could rent a cabin out in the mountains or something for Eiji’s thing. Onsen, booze, you know what I’m saying,” said YF.

“Women?” asked Saru.

YF shook his head. “No, not this time.”

Saru frowned. “You had them for yours, you’re gonna deny him for his?”

“Nah man I just think times are different. We’re older now. Think we all need something calmer. Booze is fine, but I think Eiji would like a chill party.”

Saru shrugged. “Your job, not mine. Problem is none of us can help much with the planning. We don’t own cabins or really know where to go. Not sure camping and shit was ever anyone’s thing. You get into it?”

“Not really.”

“See?”

YF held his hands up in protest. “I think I know someone who might help, but I have to ask her more about it.”

Saru raised an eyebrow. “Erika? You want us all to go back to the homeland for an onsen?”

“No no, someone else,” said YF.

“Another girl…?” Saru asked slowly.

“It’s not like that.”

“Okay…” Saru trailed off.

YF decided to change the subject. “I’ll get it done. So how are the guys doing?”

Saru finished his beer and made a hissing sound, crumpling the can like a ball of paper and tossing it into the recycling bin. He missed. “Dammit.” Saru turned to YF. “Shabu isn’t using but I don’t know where he is exactly. Could be staying under a bridge, near those tennis courts in Yonchome. Not sure. He went through job core and started building shit though. He’ll be all right.”

“Mohan?”

“Still selling used cars."

"Huh."

Before YF could ask, Saru started talking about Ken. "Ken found a lady crazier than him, name's Risa."

"She throw a mean cross?"

"Actually, she does."

YF raised both eyebrows. "Oh? Tell me more."

Saru shrugged. "Ken walked in on some dispute late one night. Saw her whack a guy hard in the jaw. The hit dude backed up dazed; man’s buddy tried to separate the two. Took a few moments but when he came to, the guy charged Risa. Ken stepped in and I'm sure you can imagine the rest."

"How does that make her crazy?"

"You'll see. She's a stripper. One of the more famous senpais at her club. Has the stereotypical personality."

"What personality’s that?"

"Outgoing, funny, open, possessive."

"Sounds like the opposite of Ken. The man doesn't wind up much before the punch."

"They look funny together but it makes sense after a while."

"Saru," YF started, staring out the window. "When do you think we all drifted apart?"

Saru shook his head, pulling the tab on another beer. "Not something that could be helped. Life happened. We were all swept off our feet. Things might seem hard in the hood as kids but even then, mama cooks, mama cleans, mama pays the bills. You got time for friends when mama wipes your ass. None of that anymore."

"Point taken," said YF.

"I'm getting kicked out of this dump in a week," said Saru, draining half his beer. "I'll find something. Worst case I'll go under the bridge with Shabu."

YF lowered his beer. "Don't say that man."

"Well I figured you'd be going back to Ikusayama, seeing as your building’s going down tomorrow."

"Can't go to Ikusayama. It's complicated," said YF.

“Fight?”

“Something like that.”

Saru laughed out loud. "You wanna come under the bridge too?"

"What about Ken and Mohan? Think they can put us up" asked YF.

"Ken moved in with Risa and Mohan moved to a lot in Nishida. Has like twenty roommates."

YF nodded, then paused. "Wait Ken moved in with Risa? She doesn't live in a demo neighborhood?"

"She doesn't live in a hood at all," said Saru. "Think she lives at the club."

YF thought for a long few seconds before his eyes widened. "I have an idea."

***

Lydia looked more irritated than usual, missing her usual scent of cigarettes with perfume. The cigarette in her mouth was unlit. YF had forgotten that Lydia typically worked when most people were asleep, and slept when most people were at work. She was wearing an expensive, long beige jacket with black leggings, a sharp contrast from Saru's grey sweatpants and shabby grey coat with faux fur lining his hood.

Lydia looked the large man up and down, her cigarette flicking up and down as she spoke. “I need more details than your text. What do you want exactly? Couldn’t this wait till the daytime?”

YF noted that he had never heard Lydia curse, no matter how angry she looked. Saru pulled a small, retro square lighter from his jacket, placing his hand carefully in front of her chin and lighting her cigarette just so before pulling back.

Lydia took a drag and blew out, seeming to calm down instantaneously. She smiled a fake smile. "He seems solid enough. Both of you can stay. I don’t know how long I can allow it, but I’m sure you’ll find the timeline satisfactory. I might help you with further arrangements after."

Before Saru could express his thanks, Lydia lifted a perfectly manicured finger, pointing it at him. "If you touch any of the girls inside the club, I will impale this finger through your scrotum. If you and one of the ladies get along, you take that outside my establishment. Are we clear?"

"Yes ma'am. Thank you ma'am," Saru replied quickly.

"Good."

Saru glanced at YF.

"Don't worry about him," said Lydia with a wink. "If he steps out of line he will be met with much worse than me. I wouldn't have to do a thing."

YF smiled uneasily.

"I have a bit of space in the front,” said Lydia. “It'll be a bit loud during business hours. Small too. But you can use the communal showers at night when we're working."

YF and Saru followed her down the path to the Black Hat Bar, then across the hall to the right about halfway. When they reached their quarters, Lydia slammed the door shut.

YF waited a few minutes before speaking up. "Why would anyone live in a strip club?"

"Not cause they want to," said Saru. "Usually the ones who can't make a normal rent. Risa is wired a bit different though. Heard she just didn't feel like moving out."

"So we just shut ourselves in here till we hear the loud music," said YF.

"Think that's what the boss lady meant."

The rest of the day the two of men day-drank until the first couple of loud house-music tracks indicated the start of the work day. In their drunken state of mind, YF and Saru decided it was best to call Shabu, Ken, and Mohan over to get more drinks at one of the smaller bars down the street. YF was surprised that Mohan agreed to make the long trip from Nishida out to Itsugo. The used car salesman was going to be late, but that didn’t matter. A skinny man with a short ponytail walked through the door to the bar not long after the two had ordered, taking a seat next to Saru.

“Yooo…Shabu…” Saru started.

The man shook his head. “Kicked the habit. Don’t call me that anymore. I go by Beef now.”

Saru burst out laughing. “Beef? Like actual hotpot shabu beef?”

“Something like that yeah. Give me an Ardan Ale!”

“Ardan Ale coming up.”

Beef turned to YF. “Hey man, heard we’re planning the party for Eiji.”

YF tried to remember how many beers he had as he downed the one in front of him. “Y-yeah…won’t be anything crazy though. Probably a mountain cabin.”

“We’re getting old,” Beef sighed as he plopped his hands on the counter.

“Tell me about it,” said Saru as he swirled the contents of his mug.

Saru’s receiver vibrated. He removed it and scrolled a few times with his thumb. “Ken said he can’t find the place but he sees the Don Riazola. I’ll go out to him.” Saru slid his stool out and popped off, walking out from the bar without another word.

“How long will you give Mohan?” asked YF.

“I say an hour and a half,” Beef chuckled.

The two of them sat in silence for a few minutes before Beef spoke up. “I’m sorry about that time.”

YF shook his head. “I was too idealistic. Should’ve just let you be.”

YF thought back to the time he threatened to detain Shabu if the latter didn’t kick his meth habit. Sentinels could only detain individuals for twenty four hours before Ward Police could transfer them to a jail near Ichome. YF had intended to run the clock down, only using the threat to help his friend. But the incident ended in a brawl, where the two reconciled much later but had not spoken much since.

Beef smirked. “I’m sure you figured through the years things ain’t as simple as they tell you in Sentinel orientation.

“I sure did,” said YF.

Beef raised an eyebrow, seeming to want to ask something before deciding against it. “But I’m still sorry man. Didn’t have to swing at you.”

“I think you did. Anyway let’s not talk about it. Sumimasen! Two more Ardan Ales, one for both of us.”

YF turned to Beef, who still hadn’t touched his first ale.

Beef nodded. “I’ll take it.”

At that moment, Saru and a muscular man of average height walked in through the door.

“Irasshaimase!”

Saru sat in his original seat between YF and Beef. The muscular man sat next to Beef. The man nodded once to the others before taking up the menu. YF noted that the man’s eyes were somewhat glazed over, as if he had just woken up from a nap.

“Nama beer. Give me three,” said Ken before slapping the menu on the counter.

“Long day?” asked Saru with a side eye.

Ken didn’t reply, as he typically didn’t, grabbing a pair of chopsticks. After breaking the chopsticks and staring at them a few seconds, he looked up. “Miso ramen, futsuu-de.”

“Hai!”

“Mountain cabin?” asked Ken, looking toward YF.

“Yeah,” YF replied.

“Fine by me,” said Ken.

“Sumimasen! Same order,” said Beef, looking toward Ken.

“Hai!”

There was much awkward silence for ten or fifteen minutes interspersed with little conversation until the ramen bowls arrived. Seconds after Beef and Ken dug into their meals, the conversation began to flow as normal. The four of them reminisced on growing up in subsidized housing in Itsugo. YF had been the latest arrival, having lived in his father’s shop before the loan sharks came after their family. He felt left out when they recalled the stories from before he had arrived, but decided to just wait it out as they spoke. There was a stigma to joining the Sentinels that enlisting never had, for reasons YF could easily understand. He and Eiji had a short period of time in their youth when they both vied for the leadership position of their clique. Eiji had won of course, though the issue was resolved long before the six graduated from high school. After high school, YF’s career choice sealed the fact that he would always have an unbridgeable distance between him and the others.

The more beer he consumed the more hungry he became, and so he also ordered a hot ramen.

“We put up at a club,” said Saru in the middle of the conversation, looking at Beef.

Beef raised his bowl and drank the last of the soup. He plopped the bowl down and breathed out loudly. “You mean a club club? Or a club?”

“The latter,” said Saru. “You want to come?”

“Oh ho.”

“Three people living at the titty bar,” said Ken tersely.

Saru burst out laughing.

“Thanks guys but I’m good,” said Beef.

YF could see in Beef’s face that he was not “good”. But Beef had always been a proud person. He was the type that would rather be homeless than take charity from others. YF suspected Beef had never checked into rehab either. He must have kicked his shabu habit on his own.

“You sure?” asked Saru.

“Yeah.”

At that moment, the door burst open, a wild eyed, tall dark skinned man filling the doorway. He looked extremely frightened, eyes darting about until they rested on Saru.

“Run,” his eyes seemed to say.

Saru got the message, standing up and dashing toward the back of the bar. As soon as he reached the door, it burst open, two heavily armored men standing to the side of a man with a long, navy blue trenchcoat.

“Kitase Satoru?” asked the man in the middle.

Saru froze.

“You’re under arrest on suspicion of involvement in the National Road 5 incident.”