XIX: Man In Purple

The streets weren't busy in the slightest, probably because the moon was high in the sky and it was past midnight. So everyone was either on their way to bed or already asleep.

But I wasn't, I was running down the streets in soaked cheap sandals, a hospital gown, and a black trench coat. The very few people left on the streets gave me concerned and odd looks of displeasure. It was because I probably looked like an escapee from a mental hospital.

My [h/c] hair was disheveled and knotted, my sandals were falling apart, I had sitches and excessive eye bags, and lastly my hospital gown was ripping because I was running the fastest I could.

I didn't want to waist time, I wanted to see the person who was supposedly watching me from the shadows and making sure I was okay. They probably watched me quite often without me knowing, they watched every breakdown I had or every time I was about to give up. They had to have, it was impossible not too.

The sketchy laundromat came into view, it was only a block away. It was falling apart in the inside and out side, the sign on the outside was broken and flickered excessively.

For some reason my heart began to ache and my lungs too, my eyes stung and I felt tears stream down my cheeks. I don't know why I was crying, was I finally breaking down? Was this it?

I was aware of every bone in my body, the creaking of bones, and when they rubbed together. My ankles ached and so did my knees. I was skinner and lost a lot of muscle, I wasn't the same girl from eight years ago. I was weak, afraid, starved, and desperately chasing after a mysterious man.

I reached the door and threw it open in panic, the bell rang and the door shut behind me. I tried to move forward but was stopped when I felt my coat get caught in the door frame.

Frustrated I pulled on the coat and the door slammed shut. I looked around frantically to see if anyone was there, and indeed there was.

A man I recognized all too well, once my enemy, and was now a man I respected. My breath hitched as I continued to look at him, he held a cigarette in his one hand and his other was placed at his waist.

He was a man of purple, tall, muscular, and incredibly skilled when it came to the baton.

•••

"Ran..." I huffed out, it felt like someone just took all of the air out of my lungs. It wasn't comfortable.

I calmed my heart to a slow steady beat and I began taking deep breaths. It made sense, he was always there in some way, shape, or form. From beginning and now to the end.

He threw his cigarette to the floor and squashed it like a bug beneath his feet. "I was sacred for a second that Dostoevsky wasn't going to get the letter to you. He is like am empty shell of a person, totally boring." He held a sweet smile on his face, his hair slightly covering one eye.

I walked toward him calmly, but my heart thumping at the same time. I could feel it in my head and the tips of my fingers.

I stood two feet from him and didn't say a word, I wanted him to speak first. "You still look the same, the scar hasn't healed and the bruises Sanzu gave you are still there. Your collar bone recover weirdly quick."

His words made you shudder in distaste, "My bones were always quick to heal, and it's only been a couple of weeks. So it's not like it'll all be gone, I will permanently be left with physical and mental scars. That's what my doctor said anyways." I said casually pretending like his words didn't effect me and his face seemed to change. He seemed truly sorry.

There was a silence but it wasn't awkward at all, but rather a calm and comforting silence. It was just Ran and I in the laundry mat, no one else.

I gulped nervously and locked eyes with the purple haired individual. "Ran tell me everything please? I am beyond confused and entirely lost, I have no idea what's been going on or why no one has visited me." My voice sounded desperate which made me cringe internally. Well, technically, I was desperate for answers. I didn't want to be in the dark any more.

An amused smile spread across his face and he took a step closer, closing the gap between you.

"When Sanzu caught you in the beginning and brought you to Mikey, everyone was surprised. But Mikey wasn't interested in you at all, he was only worried about you going to the authorities. So he made you feel like you were apart of the gang and we were to play that part too. But some of us began to take a liking to you, we hoped Mikey wouldn't really notice and he would continue thinking that we were just playing our parts. But of course he didn't, he's too smart for that."

"When we went to New Orleans, Mikey sent us along just to get you away from official business. So that Bonten tattoo on your breast bone is practically meaningless. Mikey only started hurting you when he found out that some of up took a liking to you, some of us blamed ourselves and some of us went crazy." His face twisted with despair, "Sanzu was one of those who went crazy, he felt terrible while he watched you and Mikey fight. He loves you desperately because he claims that you're the only one that had ever truly made him feel sane."

His words shocked me, I truly didn't think Sanzu saw me like that anymore. I would never forgive him for what he did to me and to my face, but it set my mind at ease knowing how he truly felt. He is drowning and self destructing just as I am. Someone once told us that we were folds of one another and that we were like two missing puzzle pieces that needed to find each other.

Maybe we were, but fate didn't want us to find out.

"Tell me about Fyodor and you." I requested, from what Fyodor told me, Ran had been watching out for me.

"Well ever since you "became" apart of the gang I've been watching you to make sure you were safe. But I failed at that because my own cowardice made me unable to stand up to Mikey. I was never out drinking with that Russian bastards white haired friend, I watched Sanzu throw you out the window and watched Fyodor take you away. The morning you suddenly reappeared I dug into research on Fyodor Dostoevsky and found all sorts of terrible things. But he saved you in a way I couldn't," He paused to take a deep breath. "After Kakucho and Kokonoi took you to the hospital Mikey told us that we weren't allowed go see you again or visit you. The excuse Mikey used was that you were a liability and a distraction, none of us would dare disobey Mikey so we went in like normal. We moved back to Shibuya and left you behind in the dust with a pile of medical bills. I am so sorry for that."

Before Ran could speak again I cut him off, my words confused and unconfident. "Ran you and I used to be enemies, we used to hate each other with every fiber of our body. Why help me?"

He paused for a moment and lit another cigarette, he inhaled and blew a cloud of smoke from his mouth. "You were once strong enough to beat me and my brother, and you were so close to beating Mikey. Watching someone fall apart and weaken in front of you changes your perspective of things. And yeah I wasn't necessarily kind to you throughout this, but I still watched and cared. Probably not more than Kokonoi thought, he cares for you on a whole other level that is incomprehensible."

His words melted my heart and I immediately understood, it felt good to know someone was looking out for me this entire time. Even when I slept with him and his brother on a plane, I will never again bring that up again. I'm too ashamed.

"So why're your here? Why the duffle bag and the secret note?" I asked confused.

I wasn't sure if he'd give me an answer because he seemed entirely silent, he seemed solely focused on the laundromat doors.

As if it was a sign, the doors to the laundromat rung and you could hear two sets of footsteps walk in. You looked at Ran first but he was still focused on the people who walked through the door. Before you could turn to see who these mysterious people where, Ran spoke in an annoyed manner, "You assholes are late, but I'm glad you came."

His words confused me, who was he talking too?

I turned my heel and the two people came into view. My eyes widened, my hands trembled, and my eyes began to burn again from the tears. My heart dropped upon seeing the two shocked men by the door. When their eyes locked with yours their faces smothered in shock, they seemed lost for words.

Why were Chifuyu and Takemitchi standing in front of my very eyes? None of this made sense.

I felt like I needed the story told to me over again.