After stashing his riding gear in the video store’s office, Zach had brought Yuki home and now found himself wandering home in the rising morning sun.

He yawned, stretched out and tried to put his hands in his pockets, only to be reminded he didn’t have any.

Clutching the invitation to Riders tightly in his hand, he put them both behind his back and started to walk faster, occasionally finding himself compelled to skip, mostly at the sheer elation of the night he’d had with Yuki.

Yawning, he turned when he heard something approach. A heavy truck slowly coming to a halt next to him.

“Where are those sexy legs going, sweet cheeks?” the driver yelled.

Zach ignored him.

“Cat got your tongue, babe?”

Zach continued walk.

“It’s rude to ignore people, bitch…”

Zach flipped the man off.

“Stuck up slut,” the trucker yelled, “Was just gonna offer you a ride.”

The truck picked up again, rumbling past Zach. It slowed down for a moment to let the driver stick his head out the window.

“Fat attitude for a streetwalker!” he yelled.

Zach raised his eyebrows and watched the truck recede into the distance, shrugged and continued on his way.

Zach was still in the best of moods when he came home, barely noticing the black car passing by the house as he headed into the garage.

He took a moment to take his shoes off and heard the doorbell right when he was about to enter the scullery. For a moment he wondered if he should get it, decided it wasn’t his problem and headed into the house. On his socks he slid across the scullery floor then threw open the door to the kitchen.

Mrs Brooks was at the stove, making pancakes and cocked her head in confusion at the unannounced visitor. Sawyer pointed an accusing finger, dropping a pancake from his fork and Tara rushed out of the kitchen as soon as she saw him, racing up the stairs and slamming the door to her room.

The noise was what Mrs Brooks needed to get out of her trance.

“I think you have the wrong house, honey,” she said gently, “You moving in to the place across the road?”

Zach grinned sheepishly, put his hand to his head and pulled off the wig.

Mrs Brooks dropped her spatula, the pancake on top of which sliding to the edge of the pan and flopped down to the floor.

Sawyer responded first, bursting into loud laughter.

“Oh my god, Zach,” he said through the tears of laughter, “Is this how you and Yuki…”

“Something like that,” Zach said, hiding an embarrassed grin by looking down at the kitchen tiles.

“Sit, Zach,” Mrs Brooks said when she’d recovered, “I want to hear all about this.”

She bent down to pick up the dropped, half-baked, pancake.

“I’ll eat it,” Sawyer offered.

“Patience,” Mrs Brooks sighed, dropping the half cooked batter into the trash, “Have a seat Zach, have a seat. I’ll get you some ...tea?”

“Coffee.”

“Coffee. And start at the beginning.”

“Didn’t dad tell you?” he asked, heading for the kitchen table.

“Tell her what?” Mister Brooks asked as he pushed the kitchen door open. Zach froze in pulling out the chair. His father’s guest, Vinnie, also froze mid-step.

There was a moment of tense silence, then the mafioso frowned.

“...Twisted sister?” he asked, not recognizing the boy without his wig. Zach blankly nodded and sat down.

“You have a cup of Joe for me, Cherry?” Vinnie asked, taking the seat next to Sawyer, then suddenly...it clicked.

“Holy shit. You’re the Nip bitch…”

Mister Brooks frowned at the two, then sighed deep.

“Zach, Explain.”

Zach offered his family a grin, took the cup of steaming from his mother and started his story at the night of Tara’s sleepover...

When he was done talking, his mother and brother had trouble keeping their faces straight. Vinnie mostly looked shocked, but seemed relieved that Zach had left his part in the affair with Tara out, and mister Brooks just looked furious.

“Vincent,” he said calmly, “I think you can tell Paul that we’re not going to have a gang war… It looks like I’m dealing with the Yakuza girl…”

Sawyer bit his lip, looking pointedly at the kitchen floor. Vinnie simply nodded and got up.

“Thank you for breakfast, Cherry,” he said, “And sorry for bothering you at this hour…”

“No problem,” Mrs Brooks giggled, hiding her mouth behind her hands.

“Zach,” Mister Brooks rumbled, “Shower, normal clothes. My office. ASAP.”

“Yes, sir…” Zach mumbled, getting up to do as told.

“Hey, boy...girl...girl...boy, Zach? A word?”

Zach shrugged, “If you must.”

The gangster took Zach to his own living room, where he put his hand in his pocket. Zach paled. Vinnie grinned.

Instead of the expected gun, he pulled out his wallet and produced a crisp hundred dollar bill, which he pushed in Zach’s hand.

“Between us, alright?”

“Stay away from my sister and we have a deal,” Zach replied, letting the money disappear in his sleeve.

“Fine,” the man said, “Oh and kid. I’ll make sure you and your little friend can ride where you want, even if you want to….”

He gestured vaguely to Zach’s school uniform.

“No trouble for you on our turf… If you can keep your shoes away from my boys’ balls.”

“No promises,” Zach grinned.

As Vinnie put his wallet back, Vinnie flashed him the gun hiding under his jacket.

“A promise them,” Zach said, “I’m probably grounded for the rest of summer anyway.”

“Good way to keep out of trouble,” Vinnie agreed, “I went to juvie and see how that worked out..”

“Zach!” Mister Brooks roared from the kitchen, “Shower! NOW!”

“You heard the man,” Zach said to Vinnie and without saying goodbye rushed up the stairs.

When he reached the upstairs hallway, he spotted Tara peeking out from her room. Her expression went from surprise to rabid anger.

“Zach!” she yelled, “It was you!”

“It was,” Zach agreed.

“Why….? How…? What…?”

“Long story. I’ll tell you later. ...Before dad kills me.”

Tara nodded and the door to her room closed softly. Zach was sure he heard a soft sniffling. Well, he’d just have to explain later.

Once again Zach found himself in the uncomfortable seat of his father’s home office. Papers were spread around and Mister Brooks ashtray had filled up quickly.

“Son,” Mister Brooks said softly, “I don’t know what the ever loving fuck has gotten into you lately. ...maybe it’s my fault for letting you skip church… but can you explain to me why you insist on pretending you’re a Japanese girl?”

“No, sir…”

“What do you mean ‘no’? You’re the one doing it, aren’t you?”

“I just… do it,” Zach shrugged.

“You’re a weird kid, son, you know that? ...Is it that Yuki girl’s influence?”

Zach shrugged again, remaining quiet.

“It doesn’t really matter,” Mister Brooks mumbled, lighting a cigarette. “The whys the hows and the whats. It happened and now I have to deal with the fallout.”

“Fallout?”

“I had to pull some strings with Paul Sonetti, who is, lucky for you, a good friend of mine. Might’ve been your godfather even, but your mother was against it…”

Zach waited for his father to return back to the matter at hand, which lasted half a cigarette.

“Mister Sonetti wants you out of the way for a bit… Not concrete shoes out of the way, but just out of state while he fixes the mess you made.”

“I did that much?”

“You practically started a turf war between him, the Greymalkins and the Yakuza, who turned out not to even be here…Don’t look so proud…”

Mister Brooks pushed out his cigarette, lit another one and looked at the ceiling, “It was going to be your birthday present, but I guess it works out this way…”

“Dad, it’s nowhere near my birthday…”

Mister Brooks ignored him, “You’re definitely not getting anything else though, so think carefully.”

“About…”

Mister Brooks turned on the computer screen and showed Zach a list of cars, each marked for export.

“I have a bike dad…”

“You’ve been learning Japanese right?”

“Chotto,” Zach grinned.

“Not the tie, son. Look at these cars…”

“They’re cars,” Zach agreed, recognizing a few of the models.

“I sold them a production company in Japan… I need to make sure my business partner there doesn’t split town with the money. I need someone I can trust, but I don’t have anyone there, so If you want the job….”

“My birthday present is work?”

“Your birthday present is a trip to Japan…”

“I don’t think my Japanese is that great, dad.”

“Take your little girlfriend along if you want. As I said, I have a man there, so your Japanese skills are unimportant.”

“Great…” Zach mumbled.

“Think about it, son… I want to know by next week.”

“You got it, dad,” Zach agreed, “Can I go though. I’ve been up all night…”

“I should take you over my knee for that, but enjoy your nap, Zach…”

“Heh,” Zach mumbled, “Knapsack…”

“What?”

“Nothing dad,” Zach said, excusing himself from the office.

“Oh,” Mister Brooks said when Zach was about to leave the room, “Son…?”

“Yeah, dad?”

“You’re grounded for a week.”

“Shorter than I expected,” Zach grinned, “Thanks, dad.”

A little over a week later, Zach was packing for his trip to Japan, when his sister entered the room.

“Hey,” she said, dropping down on his bed without further ado.

“Hey, Tara,’ he mumbled, picking the shirts he wanted to take along, “Ever hear of knocking.”

“Oh hush,” Tara bit back, “It’s not like you care about my privacy either…”

“Touche,” Zach mumbled, struggling to fold a dress shirt, “You and Lucy talking yet?”

Tara shrugged, “Little bit.”

For a time, It was quiet, save for the radio that played some pop tune neither payed attention to.

“So, what brings you here?” Zach asked, tossing some socks into his suitcase.

“Well, before you go to Japan…”

“Miss me already? It’s two weeks, Tara. I’ve been at camp longer than that.”

“Before you, go,” Tara reiterated, “I just wanted to say… Thanks.”

“For?”

“For the whole Vinnie thing…”

“Ah.”

“Your methods are weird, but I’m glad you’re looking out for me, Zach…”

“That’s what I’m your brother for, Tara. Stay out of trouble when I’m gone, okay?”

“I don’t want to hear that from you,” she grinned, got up and gave him an awkward hug before slipping out of the room as quickly as she’d come.

Zach laughed and studied his dresser, making sure he had everything for his trip. A blue fold of fabric peeked out from one the drawers. The Seifuku, which his mother had dutifully washed.

He shrugged, opened the drawer, pulling the garments out.

“You got me a girl and a trip to Japan,” he said to it, “Definitely can’t leave you behind.”

He hid it carefully under his other clothes, in case his parents would check the luggage, then shut it and got ready for bed.

A long trip awaited him in the morning…