Chapter Text
When Kaiji still worked in the convenience store, he remembered the little ritual that used to happen between him and Sahara.
In the quiet hum of the neon sign, not a soul existed in the husky, humid summer dusk outside his workplace.
It started when he was making the storefront immaculate, scrubbing furiously as he can before that damn manager can chew his ear off.
Why did he always get fucking window washing duty? Well, he knew why. Didn’t mean it sucked any less.
Sahara got small handfuls of eye contact, stationed at the counter and he waved, blonde hair shining like the sun. Kaiji hesitated for a moment before he waved back, even reciprocated with a worn out smile.
The small interaction created a connection between two people who knew just about nothing about each other, aside from their names.
It had been 3 or so weeks since they started this, the dark haired man thought.
Finished, Kaiji headed back into the prison made of fluorescent lighting, cheap snacks and trashy magazines. He worked for nothing more an a pittance that couldn’t hope to pay off his debt to the Yakuza. A thought that often filled him with enough emotion to spill out of his eyes. But not today thankfully.
The older man hurled the bucket and mop back into the supply closet, then left with the boxcutter and trudged toward the box of magazines under the shelf.
Before Kaiji carried out the next task in a robotic fashion as usual, Sahara leaned over the counter and caught his attention. “Hey, little tip for you. When you wipe from side to side, it makes your ass shake. Up and down is the way to go if you wanna save some dignity .”
“You’ve been watching my ass?” Kaiji raised an eyebrow, dropping the old magazines with a thump.
“Cause you’ve been putting on a little show every night for me and Nishio here and it’s painful to watch.”
Risky to say to a man with a box cutter in his hand, but Sahara let out a dangerous peal of laughter that echoed through the empty store. Nishio, who had been stocking the chips in the rack behind him loosed a furtive snicker.
The shadows from outside crept onto his back, Kaiji knit his brow, his lanky form looking quite eerie for a long moment, hovering over his coworker’s crouched laughing form. But just rolled his eyes and shuffled out of the dark gets onto the next phase of the night.
Time under the artificial flowed like an icicle made of honey.
He is... just pushing through. Yeah I’m pushing through. The phrase like a mantra.
The days spent here strung together like a rosary, albeit one made of cement. Maybe if enough days pass he’d have his prayers answered.
It felt as though each step upon the white tiled floor seemed more like he was sleepwalking in a nightmare. Only one of Teiai’s goons could come and give him a rude awakening, but he shoved that thought away.
The lean older man started unfolding this week’s magazines. They’re mostly just tabloids, and Kaiji was uninterested in the Golden lives of celebrities as much anyone else was interested in trash like him.
He counted again when all the magazines don’t fit the shelf like usualt, there’s supposed to be 12 colorful volumes of some bikini clad model but there’s only 11.
However, he thinks he knows where it is.
“Hand it over.” He marched over to the younger man and put his hand out like his mother when she found him taking candy from the pantry.
His guilty coworker put his hands up in surrender. “Alright alright Kaiji san you caught me.” He pulled the concealed volume onto the counter.
Kaiji gets face to face and scolds him. “You’re going to get in trouble for stealing magazines like that.”
“I’m pretty sure we all know whose throat the manager is going to jump down instead of mine, Kaiji san .” The blonde replied darkly.
Kaiji’s ensuing glower stabs into Sahara, hatred gleaming like a blade.
“I’m kidding! You’re so serious!” Sahara pulled back in defeat. He rubbed the back of his neck trying to laugh it off.
Kaiji leaned over and snatched the magazine with a growl. (resisting the urge to take it, roll it up and smack Sahara with it)
He tossed it on the shelf so he can move onto his next task, but not before the younger man changed the subject in an attempt not to leave the other in a sour mood.
“Hey I was looking at the magazine and did you know about that movie called Justin Time: Saving the World Yesterday ?”Kaiji stopped reluctantly as the blonde continued, a small smile appeared on his face that his senpai isn’t going to ignore him.
“The critics love it! Next week, we get paid so I can finally get around to seeing it. Ever heard of it, Kaiji? Justin Time: traveling superhero, cooler than the Terminator ? ” Sahara made a broad gesture with his hands
“I’ve heard of it, because I own it actually. It was a birthday gift from my sister.” Kaiji said flatly with a half turn.
“Holy shit, really? You have got to let me borrow it!” Sahara eyes glimmering, nearly leapt over the counter.
“How do I know I can trust you?” Kaiji’s voice lowered. Those little quips of his weren’t funny, so the long haired man isn’t exactly feeling generous tonight.
“I promise, I’ll return it in tip top shape!” The blonde pleaded, resorting to bowing his head. He must really want to see this thing badly.
“ Well, okay. Sure if you want.” Kaiji relented this time, giving up his grudge.
“Yes!” Sahara fist pumped. Regaining his composure, he brought out a notepad.
“ Hey do you mind giving me your address? I have to drop off some stuff but then I can come over.” Kaiji wordlessly scribbled it down, then with that the older coworker really needs to get back to work.
Withdrawing the pad, Sahara slipped into the back room, the clock just struck the next hour freeing him. “See you later, Kaiji San!”
An hour or so later, Kaiji stepped out of the open summer night into his suffocating 20 meter rathole. He shrugged off his work uniform and the dim blue light of the tv fills the place, all done in one motion.
As he stared into space waiting for the ramen to cook ,the tape sat next on the table in front of him. Kaiji was sure when Sahara arrived, he could just give him the movie, slam the door in his face and fester in his apartment like usual.
Let his mind run like a hamster on a wheel, ruminating on the thoughts of his new debt until he was too tired to even think of that.
But of course, Sahara and fate weren’t going to let him off that easy, and for better or for worse that was up to Kaiji to decide.