You were lost in the city of Kamurocho, yes, exactly, we started like that. After a simple invitation from your friends to meet at a host club at short notice, you started to prepare as quickly as possible, however, unfortunately, your preparation only considered your appearance and money, but not your location. You were new there, so you practically didn't know the city, not even the street you lived on. If you were asked your address, it would be easier to take the person to your house than to be able to say the name of the street. Yes, that's your level of confusion about this crazy city.
Well, now it was too late to research where to go. You had already walked three blocks – even though you didn't know where you were or where you were going – and, honestly, it seemed a lot easier to just beg for information from strangers. You also didn't want to be late for a meeting that happened once 3 months, the last time you saw your friends all together somewhere was last year, to be more exact. Furthermore, you then continue down the street aimlessly, until you find some people you could try to ask for help. But unfortunately, luck was not on your side. The street was emptier than ever, completely deserted, despite being normally busy. You then decided to turn the corner and go to a busier street, stopping on a street that appeared to be Shichif*cku on the east side. You could recognize this street, as it was part of the way to your new job.
And, as expected, there were several people there. You began his search by asking a couple, but they couldn't give exact directions, you just thanked them and looked for someone who seemed to know more about the city's entertainment spots. And this strategy worked, in a certain way. In a short time, you've already made a lot of progress in terms of where you started on this journey, you've even learned the names of some streets. It wouldn’t be long before you arrived (at least that's what you thought) and you were on schedule, and it didn't look like you would be a single minute late. Until something extremely unexpected. You have just been involved in a robbery—as a victim—and had your bag taken by a boy who appeared to be younger than you. Obviously, you were not going to let that just happen, so you ran as hard as you could after him. Just as you were about to give up and your feet were sore from running in high heels, a man suddenly appears and just knocks the boy out.
The man was a bit peculiar, but in your opinion that gave him a certain charm. An undercut, a goatee, a blazer with a snake pattern (without a shirt underneath), pants and a leather belt. He was clearly from the yakuza—although he didn't look scary, but maybe that was just you—and his huge tattoo on his chest only confirmed his impression. He grabs your bag and walks over, you quickly compose yourself and make yourself a little more presentable by fixing your hair and dress.
“Here. Don’t miss it again.” he says, handing you the bag. You pick it up and check that everything is inside, and luckily it was all there. You were internally grateful that your day hadn't gotten any worse than it already was, and then you thanked the man with the greatest and purest kindness you could find in your heart.
“Thank you very much, really! I’ll keep it safe, don’t worry.” you smile adorably, and immediately see something changing in the other's expression. “I’m y/n, nice to meet you!”
“Goro Majima.” he introduces himself friendly. This surprises you, considering he just passed out someone in front of you without the slightest mercy.
“Well, I need to go now, or I'll end up being late. Once again, thank you!” just as you're about to turn around to go back to find the street you needed to be on, he speaks again.
“Where yer going? Maybe I can keep up and stop some idiot from getting in yer way.”
“It’s a club called Stardust, do you know it? It would be a great help if you came along, perhaps more to show me the way than to protect me.”
“Of course I know, let’s go.” He starts to walk ahead, but with just a slight push, you're already beside him.
You walk side by side as you walk down the street, exchanging a few words here and there. You watched Majima from a glance, noticing some details that had previously gone unnoticed. Does he wear earrings? What about that eye patch? It shouldn't just be about style, right? You thought. He really was quite peculiar, and everything about him highlighted that even more. It could just be your imagination, but even the way he walked seemed different.
Trying to get his focus off of him before he notices he's being watched, you start to notice your surroundings, hoping to learn a little more about the city. There were delinquents on every corner, people fighting in alleys, groups of sexy women leaving clubs, salaryman reflecting on their lives, and restaurant workers returning home after a long day of work. Really, it wasn't just he who was peculiar. Everyone in this place is equally exotic, and you could just accept it and try to adapt quickly. Actually, deep down, you found it all quite amusing and wished you could fit in.
“Do ya usually go to clubs like this?” he asks, breaking through your thought bubble.
“No, to be honest, that’s not really my thing. I’m only going because my friends ask me, and we rarely get to meet.”
“You'll have fun either way. This club has a great reputation among young women. The hosts there seem to be well managed too.”
“Hmmm… I’m not that young anymore, but I’ll trust you.”
“Huh? Ya isn’t? How old are ya?” he appears confused by your comment, and he really should be. You may be too modest to brag about it, but you must admit that you do look like a teenager. He's not the first to get confused when you point out your age, it happens all the time, and thanks to that you'll probably never be able to leave the house without documents.
“How many would you give me?”
“Twenty-five…”
“Haha, thanks for the low kick, but unfortunately you missed. I’m already thirty-eight.”
“I’ll take that as a lie.”
“As you wish. Changing the subject… Majima-san, you seem to know a lot about host clubs.”
“I was a manager at a kabakura before.”
“Seriously? I bet you were pretty popular.”
“Heh, not much!”
You're almost at your destination, you can see the club's sign in the middle of the street. It seemed to be crowded and there was a huge queue next door, you hoped this reputation lived up to your expectations. Even though you managed to arrive without delay, you still wanted to talk to Majima for a while longer. The short time you spent together had been quite fun, and you didn't want to part so soon, nor did you know if you could meet him again.
“I've been wanting to ask ya this for a while now. Yer new here?”
“Yes, I just moved, I still don’t know any streets other than my own.”
“If ya had more time right now, I could even tour the city as yer personal tour guide.”
“Haha, maybe another day? This tour would really go down well now.”
“Better book the guide then” his playful personality appeased any intimidation that his appearance might convey, not that it was relevant to you, as you had chosen to ignore it from the beginning.
“And where should I make an appointment?”
“Give me yer number, I can give ya a big discount that way.”
“Are you sure it’s not a scam?”
“Our service is certified.” you take a small notepad out of your bag and a pen, and write down his number for him, handing him the piece of paper with a light smile on your face. “I’ll see ya another day then.”
“You better not forget, okay?”
“‘Kay. See ya!”
He turns around saying goodbye and heads towards the street entrance. You watch him disappear into the crowd on the horizon, and then turn to look for your friends near the club. She could barely contain herself thinking about the next time she would meet that exotic man again.
