Without a Chance by Sammi-Chan

Overtime

Without a Chance

By: Sammi-chan

Disclaimer: I hereby declare that I have no rights to the characters in this story. Inuyasha belongs solely to Rumiko Takahashi.

Sweat dripped down Soutas neck disappearing into his collar, The Kitchen he worked in was Buzzing with noise as others who worked there clambered around taking orders and preparing food and drinks. The servers dressed in plaid school girl uniforms high knee socks entertaining and serving the Pachinko parlor right outside the kitchens double doors.

“Higurashi! The trash is looking a little full!” he heard his portly boss shout over the chings and chimes of the pachinko machines and sound of giggling girls. Souta finished up his order an put on the rack where a red headed school girl picked it up. Running his arm across his forehead from the sweat he quickly strode over to the trash bin that was indeed overflowing.

With a grunt he pulled the ties and hauled the huge bag of trash out the back door into the alley. He welcomed the cool night air as it hit his skin. He could see the steam coming off from working in the hot kitchen. He took a deep breath and slung the trash into the dumpster against the wall, grimacing when a rat flew out. He checked his watch and figured it was about time he took his extremely late fifteen minute break.

Another deep breath helped him calm down enough to pull the pack of cigarettes he had in his back pocket out. Oh how his sister would kill him if she found out he smoked. The corner of his mouth quirked up as he put the cigarette in-between his lips. But then again she would kill him anyways just finding out he was working here. Souta lit his cigarette inhaling a deep calming plume of smoke.

He sighed thinking of this weeks hours and was calculating how much he would make by the end of the week if he doubled his shift. Kagome would murder him if she found he was ditching school early everyday to come here and work grueling hours for minimum pay. He exhaled with a sigh, he would definitely have to double his hours if he was going to even make a dent in helping his families debts.

You see everything was fine four years ago when Kagome returned home. She was upset for awhile after learning that since she completed her duties and quest in the feudal era she couldn’t return. But he commended his sister she was so strong, she ended up going to college and becoming a nurse. He was very proud of his big sis. Even if she had to take loans out for he education it was ok they could handle it, at least that’s what they thought.

Last year Gi-chan died, and so did his income. Unknown to his mother Gi-chan had a mountain of debt and bill collectors that she never knew of. He had to watch being 16 then as his mother had looked day and night to get a job and failed. Kagome ended up landing a job at a local woman and children’s hospital and that helped for a little while until her student loan debt started coming in, more and more frequent. She began working 12 sometimes 14 hour shift while still being on call, in an attempt to keep up with the shrine payments,Gi-chans debts and her loans.

He remembered stumbling in after a game of soccer ended, his mother was crying into Kagomes arms as she tried to quiet and reassure her. That was they day he quit playing, how could he knowing that it cost his family money they didn’t have to keep him in the league. That night he asked Kagome as she was heading to work if he should get a part time job.

She stopped and turned to him her face serious. She put her purse down and stepped in front of him putting her hand on his shoulder. “Stay in school, we are fine. I got this Souta, I’m your big sis.” she smiled half heartedly at him before turning and picking up the purse to swiftly head to work. He shook his head to clear the those thoughts away. He aflicked his cigarette away and stepped on it. He was about to turn and go back through the door when he heard the jingling of chains.

“hey man, you got a smoke?” he heard a guy behind him say. He turned swiftly noticing the voice was entirely to close. He ended u facing a guy had short choppy hair and bronze skin. He was dressed in dark washed jeans black boots and a black leather jacket with a grease stained shirt beneath. The guy had tattoos on his neck from what he could see.

“nah man, sorry” he lied and wiped his hands on his pants. Another guys suddenly appeared next to him.

“man, why you gotta be that way? We saw your pack.” the other guy who has a shaved head a dark glasses on chimed he had a rotted out tooth but was dressed basically the same. “c’mon man don’t make us hurt you over a cigarette” the bald guy said tilting his head while the other guy took a step forward. Souta clenched his fist but stood his ground. “give us the smokes man” they guy said lowly while pulling his glasses off. “we would want the kitchen bitch to get hurt now would we?” he said while putting his glasses in his pocket.

“no, go take someone else’s or better yet get a job” Souta glared at the man preparing for a fight when all of a sudden he felt a kick come from behind dropping him to his knees.

“you need to learn who your speaking too kid” said the guy with the shaggy cut. The bald guy stepped infront of him bringing his knee up into soutas jaw. That was the last voice he heard. Souta woke being shook. His boss was on his knees next tom him shaking him.

“wake up Higurashi! You stupid kid!” the fat man looked frantic as soutas blurry vision cleared. “listen Kid I really shouldn’t have let you work here. Your still 17 for pete sakes!” he grumbled out shaking his head his dirty shirt damp with sweat a oil stains. Souta sat up slowly clenching jaw when his head started punding and his stomach twisted. He grimaced and pulled up his shirt to see a yellowish discoloring in around his stomach.

“Bastards kicked me when I was down huh?” he stood up holding his jaw as he moved it back and fourth. He could taste blood in his mouth and wondered if he had lost some teeth as he explored with his tongue. “hey, im turning 18 soon boss don’t worry about it.” he said as the fat man started to pull him back towards the kitchen.

“I want you to get your shit and head out for the night, cant have you spittin blood in my kitchen.” He said pulling off Soutas apron by one string. “listen kid, I aint gonna fire ya, but you can’t be mouthin off to people around here. You never know who your gonna piss off.” he said trying to be kind. Souta looked at the man like he had grown two heads, who cares if he pisses someone off?

“thanks, well im going to be on my way see you tomorrow at 2” souta said going to his locker and pulling out his book bag. He headed to the bathrooms before he left and pulled on his school clothing , and washing his face free from the grime of work. He looked at his watch and went wide eyed! “shit!” he cried as he threw his back pack on his shoulders and took off back through the back door. He better not miss the last train at 11:15. He was almost to the street when I guy on a street bike that was blue and black screeched to a stop right in front of him. Souta stopped but didn’t run, he would never back down from anyone.

that’s what his hero had taught him after all. He hadn’t seen inuyasha in 4 years but he was still his hero. H watched the helmet clad biker step off his bike and unsnap his helmet. He took it off and placed it on top of the bike seat. The guy looked different from the other two more cleaned up. His hair was short but messy but with two braids on the side of his face that dangled to his shoulders. But what was startling bout this guy wasn’t his pale complexion or nice clothing, it was his startling bright green eyes.

“hey, you work here?” he asked in a short clipped out voice that was still very smooth. When he didn’t answer the guy looked at him. “you work here or not?” he nodded and the guy nodded. “your in school, yeah? What you doing workin here kid?” he questioned in a nonchalant manner as if they weren’t meeting in an alley behind a pachinko parlor at 11pm.

“I don’t think it’s any of your business” he said checking his watch, he really didn’t feel like calling a cab and wasting money when he had a perfectly good pass in his pocket. The guy in front of him chuckled again shocking souta with his pearly white teeth.

“I’m Zen, don’t worry I aint gonna spill your business or stalk you. I just like helping people out is all. You’re a kid working at a shady ass parlor there has to be a good reason your workin in a dump like this.” he sighed pulling out a cigarette and offering him one. Souta shook his head and reached in his back pocket to find it empty. Damn it.

“hey man I gotta go, I have a ride I cant miss” he went to walk past him but was stopped with an hand on his forearm.

“I’ll give you a ride, now you wanna let me help or what?” he said sharply. Looking him straight in the eye. Souta felt a tad uneasy at this. Whatever he was just a stranger right?

Souta told him why he worked leaving out all the time hopping sister junk, about 20mins later he finished and growled knowing he had missed his way home. This guy better make good on his end. “shit happens man. What if I told you I can give you that money you need?” he looked at him straight in the eyes as he spoke his emerald eyes locked on his dark brown ones.

Souta scoffed, wow this guys really is a nut job. “you’re a fuckin nut job. I don’t even know why I even said anything. Now if you’d excuse me, Zen. I gotta hail a cab.” he scoffed even more and went to step around him. When all of a sudden his hand was held out in front of his face. In that hand, was a shit load of yen. Soutas mouth dropped and his eyes went wide. He closed his mouth and looked at the guy. “no thanks I don’t take free money from whack jobs” Souta felt his gut twist at declining that money. But there was no such thing as free cash.

“I said help, bro. not be a savior. It aint free. Consider it a loan that you can pay me back.” Souta looked at him. He thought about it. Even if it was basically just another debt it would at least fix kagomes and he could stress out for her.

“It would be just between me and you right? No banks?” He asked staring at the money.

“No banks.” He smirked his brilliant white teeth sparkling in the street lamps rays.

“Ya, ill do it. Whats the terms?” Souta said staring at the guy who grinned wildly.