Jeff “The Righteous” Yazaki was a fortunate man…
His ancestry line once herald from the most decorated of warriors, he was practically amongst the last of the member of a now defunct Kudō-Kai syndicate of the Yakuza.
Signs of the times wore down the seemingly invincible armor that once adorned the shoulders of the most powerful of Samurai’s.
According to the culture, only 1 out of 10 average Japanese citizen truly felt that organized criminal organizations were vital to the tapestry of todays Japanese society.
“One cannot know good, without knowing the bad.”
Jeff had seen the path of his destiny; and organized crime wasn’t in his cards anymore. With anti-organized crime laws that passed down throughout the decades that makes it virtually impossible to garner any tax-free income like his ancestors once did, he and many other former members were smart enough to venture into the legitimate businesses. Although it was the path he chose, it was ardent, it needed to be done…
And in his case, he saw New York as the most viable of opportunity. Jeff felt a draw for New York for an unknown reason, he felt it was instinctive as though it made perfect sense. After several years of his choice, he knew he would face much difficulty in assimilating legitimacy. He laid low, kept his finances and activities in a straight and narrow path, he had paid his dues.
Red Velvet started out as a little hole in the wall venue at the lower part of Manhattan.
It had once featured Japanese sweets predominantly. Then over the years, it evolved with other diverse varieties of foods including desserts. Over time, Jeff relied on his “gut feelings” to assemble a work crew that supported his vision in the culinary world. At the same time, he would occasionally travel back to Japan to tie up any loose ends before he virtually became a pariah to his birthplace…
Although Jeff had sworn off the life of crime, he felt ‘lost’ as though his life no longer had purpose. Many locals would test his resolve numerous times with simple acts of disrespect, even occasional hostility towards him. He would grit his teeth knowing that he was capable of causing much harm to them if he so chooses to. He had the fortitude to conduct irreversible damage to the human anatomy on a whim. The most gruesome acts he had done to another man were not far from his mind. Although he had sociopathic tendencies, he consciously chose to follow the Righteous Path, thus he named himself “The Righteous”. The turning point to his mentality was still unknown, perhaps his history of violence had finally caught up to his conscious. He’s now a walking weapon that’s no longer wanting to kill. However, during his last few visits in Japan, he had succumbed to his bloodthirsty ways as each “necessary” kill was his swan song as his methods were extra brutal knowing that they may be the last acts of violence he would have indulged in.
Quite the contrast as he realized that he has an insatiable attraction to Stephanie although he had no idea of her struggles of violence altogether. That’s what gave their chemistry a bit of an edge. The difference between him and Stephanie, it’s that Stephanie’s relationship with violence grew more entangled by the day, and she’s beginning to enjoy it. Almost like a toddler that has tasted sugar for the first time. Perhaps their dynamic could play a role as some sort of Inyo (A Japanese Yin and Yang.) a balance…
Wednesday has resumed like clockwork, Nevaeh and the kitchen crew cranked out another successful business day. The energy exchanges had shown a significant mood boost from yesterday’s exchanges between Scott and Nevaeh.
“Hey guys, I’ve followed up with the VA and so I am being partnered up with a compatible therapist to get this show on the road, I should be starting as early as a couple days.”, said Scott as they were wrapping up their brief meeting to close out the day.
“That’s good!”, exclaimed Jeff. “Now I don’t have to worry about burnt steaks for a long, long time.”, he added.
The staffed laughed as Scott gave everybody including Jeff the finger with the biggest smile on his face.
Jeff added, “Oh one more thing before I completely forget, please write down any suggestions you would want to potentially see on the menu and we can put it in the test kitchen and give it a go!”
Kitchen staff nodded as they collectively exited the main dining hall, as they herded like solemn sheep heading out to the concrete pastures.
All left except for the remaining 4…
Nevaeh, Scott, Stephanie and Jeff remained eerily calm and motionless as if they knew to stay behind instinctively. As the last staffer left as the door closed behind, Nevaeh immediately veered her attention toward Stephanie…
“What the hell did you do?!”, exclaimed Nevaeh.
“What…what are you talking about?”, said Stephanie as she had a look of shock.
Jeff added, “It’s all over the news, there were surveillance cameras, aren’t too many 5” 4’ red headed women with a bright orange coat taking on 3 grown ass men in New York City…”
“Ohhh… whoopsie.”, said Stephanie as her face winced.
Scott intervened, “I don’t even know where to begin, it’s the fact that you not only defended yourself, but you also literally kicked all their asses like nothing… without breaking a sweat!”
“I mean… what’s up with that?!”, he added.
“Not only did you lay them out on the ground, but you also left the scene, came back and have them laying next to each other with their pants down like they’re fucking each other.” Nevaeh added.
After Nevaeh had described the scene of Stephanie’s humiliating chaos of the 3 Latin King members, there was a pause. A long awkward pause…followed by random and synchronized movements amongst themselves. Pretty soon, the muffled sounds of stifled laughter came in spurts and abrupt inhales that came from Jeff as he tried to play the role of authority.
“Lead by example, lead by example, lead by example.”, Jeff thought.
*Fuck it*
“Pfft…pfft…snxxxx!”, Nevaeh snickered.
Her snickers broke the ice as the stifled air loosened as the laughters filled the room.
“I can’t believe you had them lay next each other with their pants down BWAHAHAHA!!!”, guffawed Scott.
“Yeah… PAUSE on that!”, Nevaeh added as she stepped down onto the ground from her cross-legged position. She dropped down with an audible thud and stood straight up.
As she stood erect, she caught a collective attention from the others
*She appeared taller than normal…. *
Nevaeh noticed their reactions and grew confused. They looked at her with great concern.
“Umm…Nevaeh.”, said Stephanie
“…. Yeahh.”, added Scott.
“What you guys? My shoes are right here…”, Nevaeh added.
“It’s not that… umm, Nevaeh… I think, well… we’ve noticed that you grew…”, Scott added.
“TALLER?!”, belted Stephanie.
“That’s impossible you guys, I’m 38 years old.”, said Nevaeh.
“Not only taller Nevaeh… you look… bigger, like proportionately bigger.”, added Jeff.
“Go step on the fish scale out back in the kitchen, you look at about 250 pounds or something.”, said Stephanie.
As Stephanie said it, everyone paused and glared at her as if she had said her last words.
Nevaeh stared into space; a stillness ensued as Jeff, Scott and Stephanie looked at each other wondering what was going through her mind.
After about another 30 seconds or so…
“Aight… Fuggit let’s do this as Nevaeh broke the tension as she skipped merrily barefoot towards the back of the kitchen, as her eager friends trailed behind her.
“Damn Nevaeh… 270 pounds and not a Goddamn ounce of fat on you!”, exclaimed Scott.
“How can that be? We need to see how tall you are.”, said Jeff.
“Hey, I got a tape measure in my drawer.”, Scott replied.
The crew looked at him suspiciously…
“Hey, it’s for the fresh catches you perverts, eyes on the prize.”, said Scott.
“Quick stand against the wall, and Scott… get a chair ha ha ha.”, chuckled Stephanie.
“Faaaaaaakyuuu!”, retorted Scott, as he gave her the finger.
Scott gestured to Nevaeh to stand flush against the corner kitchen wall as he thumbed to the top of her head. He penciled a line on top of her head and gestured her to move.
“Wow… you’re looking at about 6 foot 10 inches tall yo!”, Scott said. “You grew another…”
“Nine inches?!”, exclaimed Stephanie.
“Holy shit!”, gasped Jeff
“How… is that fucking even possible!?”, perplexed Nevaeh.
Serein Evergreen 