I arrive, and I see a hysterical Miki and what seems to be a police officer?

Miki was raging around the backroom. her wetish hair now all over her face, her uniform crinkled, and her shoes were off. Keeping her in check was Mr. Aoi who was holding her arm, while Aiden seemed to be talking to the cop. Clearly, this wasn’t a delivery incident.

Seeing me step into the room, the gaze of the officer and Aiden shifted to me.

A cold sweat dripped on my face, as Aiden slowly approached me.

I see they’re probably here for me. Well, I didn’t think I could run away from what I did and I can’t really betray Mr. Ernesto and Miki like this if I run away. I’ll just go quietly.

“Dex, there’s been an incident” Aiden slowly clasped his hand and slowly reached for my shoulder.

Is Aiden going to punch me? Fine I’ll be a man and accept it.

Suddenly, he clasped my shoulder with a firm squeeze and whispered in my ear.

“The Boss is dead. They found his corpse mangled, floating in the bay”

“Wha-”

My eyes shook and vision blurred. I had lost some strength in my legs, but it looks like Aiden half-expected that as he immediately pulled me back up when I started drooping down. I’ve been through my fair share of gruesome things, but this...this is the first time I actually wanted to vomit. I couldn’t breathe.

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. The bay? What would he be doing there? Did it have anything to do THAT? But after “that” everything should have been cleared up. Did I cause this? Did they somehow find out about me here? I was missing too many pieces of the puzzle.

My heart tightened and my eyes sunk. It may be stereotypical, but I really did see flashes of my interactions with Mr. Ernesto. The time he found me beaten on the streets, the times he was smacking me for messing up drinks, the times we ate out together with Miki. They were all such good times, and honestly, he was spoiling a runaway like me too much. It’s only been about two months since we got to know each other, but I thought of him like family, and I think he felt the same way too.

Coming from a family that I don’t think cared about what I thought and wanted to actually listen to me instead of forcing me to listen to what they had to say, leaving it as advice and “parental love”. They expected me to live the life they want for me, expecting me to carry their dreams of success and wealth. Even after the hell, I experienced, I still felt the same way. He had accepted me for who I am and what I had done. At least with Mr. Ernesto and Miki I can say what I want and they’d accept it, not smack me down. Those ears that would listen to what I had to say, they’re gone...Miki.

I glanced at Miki who was now lying down at the coach, tired from all the racket she caused. She was breathing heavily and was actively trying to close her eyes like she wanted to just sleep like she just wanted to wake up from this nightmare. Muttering words like “this can’t be true”, “there’s no way he’s dead”, “he can’t die” over and over again.

I think I actually prefer my looping through my nightmare than this.

Mr. Ernesto had been murdered and his corpse had been found floating in the bay area of the city.

The police officer, Mr. Stephen asked Miki to come to the station with him to confirm the details of Mr. Ernesto’s death. Mr. Aoi and I decided to go together with Miki to the station. Because Miki really wasn’t feeling up for it, Aoi who co-founded the bar along with Ernesto barked orders at the remaining bar staff, assigning Aiden to be head chef and another senior waitstaff, Mr. Brian to take over for my bartending job.

“Aiden, you get to be head chef until we get back. Brian, you have some experience with the simpler drinks right? I would’ve liked Dex to stay, but I think taking you along would lighten Miki’s mood. Brian and Aiden, we should be back by about 10PM. Hold out till then. If you have any questions, reach out to either of us.”

Surprisingly, Mr. Aoi was calm about the situation, he barked rational orders at the other waitstaff. No, I shouldn’t think like that, I’m sure he’s handling it in his own way. There’s no way your best friend of several decade’s death wouldn’t take a toll on you. For me though, I kept a calm somber personality outside, but I was anxious to know if I had anything to do with his death.

Damn, and here I thought I found a home for myself. I’m sorry Mr. Ernesto.

We departed from the bar and were escorted to a police car parked nearby. We were greeted by Brian’s partner, Mr Davis who introduced himself promptly. We were asked to sit in the back of the car, with me, Miki, and Mr Aoi seated in that order while the two officers were seated at the front.

“Sorry about this, I know you’d like more information with regards to the case, but I think it’s better if we talk in the office.” Officer Stephen said looking back at us, scratching his head.

“There’s no need to worry, we understand.” Mr. Aoi uncrossed his arms and put his hand over Miki’s. Miki put her head on Mr. Aoi’s shoulder and started crying immediately. Miki’s tears wouldn’t stop and Mr. Aoi couldn’t help but start crying too.

I knew it...He was just acting tough.

We reached the station twenty minutes later. The police station was bustling with people with police officers rushing in and out of the premises. It looked like your stereotypical police office with cubicles equipped with stacks of papers and a desktop computer side by side set with two chairs facing each other in case they were trying to get testimony from someone.

“Sorry about the ruckus, there was a recent development with the port incident from two months ago. Remnants from the gang that made their base there, Rising Feather were recently found so the task force in charge for that operation is in full swing.”

I held my breath when I heard that name. 『Rising Feather』. It was a criminal organization that ruled the criminal underworld here in Arasia. They were extensively into black market dealings, human and drug trafficking. Their organization was well known to the people of Arasia.

Could it really be my fault? Did I paint a big target on his back? This didn’t make any sense though, if they knew I worked for him, they would’ve just gone straight to me.

With a cracked voice, I asked Officer Stephen if they were related to Mr. Ernesto’s case. Mr. Aoi and Miki went pale with the suggestion, their eyes darkened, and I could feel that was a bit of a taboo topic.

“Dex! Watch your mouth. This isn’t the place to talk about these things!” Mr. Aoi shouted at me.

His shout was swallowed up by the police officer's noise, but it was the kind of tone of voice that would send Aiden flying out of fear. A trembling Miki held down Aoi’s arm to try and keep him calm.

“Well, as Mr. Aoi has said, I don’t think this is an appropriate place to ask that question, if you could please wait a moment.” Officer Stephen stepped out for a bit and Officer Davis was asked to look after us for a while.

I immediately apologized to both Miki and Mr. Aoi

“I’m sorry you guys, I said it without considering your positions.” Bowing my head a bit at them. I was too careless, I let my own fear overpower my concern for Mr. Ernesto. I should’ve just kept quiet with regards to the whole thing.

Miki just nodded slightly and kept quiet. While Mr. Aoi crossed his arms and in a sarcastic tone said

“Ahh, it’s because of shit like this that you were forced to leave your own home you know? Ahh to be a runaway that doesn’t give a single damn about the world, even to the person that took you in. Watch what you say and consider the time and the place.”

This old fart was going too far. Of course, I cared about Mr. Ernesto. He was the only goddamnit reason why I was still alive. What would an old fart like you know about that?

“I’m sorry if I offended you, Mr. Aoi, perhaps you should be the one to think about the time and place? It really isn’t the time to transfer your frustrations on me. Please save your kitchen talk when you’re actually in the kitchen, we’re in public.” Without missing a beat, I couldn’t stop myself from saying that to the old man.

As if I just spit on his mother’s grave, the old man roared back.

“What was that brat? How fucking-”

Before he could finish the sentence, Miki stopped Mr. Aoi from grabbing my collar.

“Both of you stop it! Jeez, Dex, you’re always so sarcastic and Uncle, stop it as well. What’s the point in this? Are you both trying to make me any sadder?” With tears rolling down her face, Miki was begging us to just shut up and wait.

Without further fights, both of us returned to our somber silent atmospheres.

As if Officer Brian was waiting for the spicy situation to die down a bit, he interrupted our brooding with news that the room was ready for us. We were escorted to a side room of the precinct. It looked like a small meeting room for the police officers to convene and talk about cases as there were a small tv and a whiteboard in the room along with a large desk and about 8 swivel chairs around it.

The three of us were seated side by side, while Officer Davis sat across from us. In front, Officer Stephen held a bunch of files and started distributing a folder of each of them to us.

“I’m sorry to say that usually, we do this one by one, but because the other booths and smaller rooms were taken, we would have to do it like this, would that be alright?”

Officer Stephen made sure we were on the same page as him. Having understood the terms and conditions, all three of us nodded our heads.

We were then given a rundown of what they found so far. I wasn’t sure if that was because they still lacked information about the incident or Officer Stephen was dialing down some details about it for our sakes. Either way, it wasn’t easy to hear. Mr. Ernesto’s body was found at about 6:14AM on the north-east side of the island by a trash collector in a small creek near the port of the city. His pale body was wounded with all wounds cut up vertically as if stripping away pieces of his flesh. He had several organs missing.

Pictures of his body were in the folders and I had warned Miki not to view them carelessly. Mr. Aoi was furious and was pounding on the table in a rage. Both of them were crying upon confirmation of the news and with each detail expunged a new wound in their heart grew. I was attached to Mr. Ernesto wanted to cry with them at the time, but all I could think about was the possibility that it was me that brought on the misfortune he was in.