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This is a journey where Ginji tries hard to learn driving but Ban wouldn’t let him.
It’s another fine day in Shinjuku, the weather is nice, the economy’s getting better, crime rate decreasing, the people are getting easier lives; everything seems to be better.
Except for the Get Backers.
Without exception, they were thrown out by the owner of certain coffee shop after they spend a couple of weeks eating and drinking for free; Paul warned them about their tabs and that they won’t be getting another cup of coffee if they don’t pay their tabs already.
And so, the duo is now trying their best to give out flyers, advertising as much as they can if they don’t want to spend another week with water only.
They tried dumpster diving, but it seems like they’re out of their luck.
Due to the increasing rats incident, the government had been working hard to make the place clean; encouraging people not to throw blindly and that no food remainder should be simply disposed to the rubbish bin without proper cleaning or they’ll have to pay fines if found out.
That’s why.
Shouted for the entire morning, Ginji felt his throat dry, his voice becoming deeper and hoarse due to the lack of hydration.
He turned to look at Ban, who is also trying his best to sell their service while using the chance to spend some talks with girls.
Letting out a breath, Ginji decided to stop and begins walking to the white Subaru 360. Under the seats, they had spared a few empty bottles for times like this. He took them out and went to the park nearby.
Luckily, there is a park and there is a big fountain where they had set up some colourful LED lights. At night, the lights are on and it reflects through the crystal clear water, making it a must-visit place for the visitors.
As one of the tourist attention in Shinjuku, the park owner had spent quite some money in keeping the waters clean; and they are fortunate enough that no one actually stops them from stealing the waters.
Ginji crouch down, twisting the cap open and let the water flows into the bottle.
Feeling satisfied looking at the fully stored bottes, he walked away while humming his favourite song.
From afar, he can see Ban is still happily chit-chatting with the group of girls. A smile appeared on his face, ‘Ban-chan seems in a good mood today’, he thinks.
He then put back the bottles under the covers, before he heard a loud honk.
“!”
He turned to look for the source of the sound, his eyes immediately locked on a black-coloured car which he couldn’t remember the name.
The window’s down,and the driver is looking at him. He had one of his arms on the steering wheel, another draped over the opened window, wearing formal black suit.
But Ginji’s gaze focused on the face, he finds the driver’s face familiar.
“Yo, Ginji.”
His eyes widen, “Shido?”
“How’s day? Snake bastard brought you passing around the flyers again?” At the corner of Shido’s eyes, he can see the said man wearing a perverted smile on his face flirting with some high school girls.
“How’s business?”
“Hmm, like usual though. But I never knew you can drive?”
Shido shrugged. “Madoka insisted that I should accompany her to her violin classes, so I learnt it.”
“Oh.”
“By the way,” Shido head back to the back seat of the car, “Have you eaten, Ginji?”
“Um, not yet…” Ginji looked down at his stomach; he had been ravenous since yesterday, and he’s sure Ban felt the same too.
“Here.” A pizza box shoved in front of Ginji, “Madoka had wanted to eat pizza this morning, but she had eaten lunch, so this is extra. Just take it.”
Ginji’s eyes glowed at the pizza, he happily -like a child never seen a pizza before- take over the box, thanking Shido, “You’re really a life saver!”
Holding it in his hands, he literally can smell the pizza; there is a big picture printed on the box just for illustration purposes, but he knows the inside looks just as delicious as he thought it would be.
It may not seem like it, but Shido has always been there when he needs him. ‘It's probably just another excuse he made up just to give me food.’ Ginji believes, but he know so much not to say it out loud.
Shido laughed, “Don’t sweat it. Just take care okay?”
“Sure! You too!”
“Well, I’m going then, see you around.” With that, Shido went in the car and drove off.
Ginji stood there, watching as his friend put on the signal lights, moving to the opposite direction.
---
It didn’t take Ban long to realize something was wrong.
“What’s wrong, Ginji? Y’still mad at me for eating the pizza?”
“Huh? Uh...No, not really.”
Ban eyed him wearily; he can’t really seem to get what the idiot is thinking again.
“I can get a better one, better than what that Monkey trainer gave you, I promise, Ginji.”
“Eh? You know it was given by him?”
“F’course! Saw him talkin’ to you.”
“So you know.” Ginji now looked at his eyes, “So you saw he drive?”
“Mmm.”
Ban turned away from him as he noticed the red lights turned green, he put his hands on the metal lever and changing to the first gear, then he pressed on the pedal.
“What, wait. So this is what you’re thinking?”
“Huh?”
“You’ve been eyeing me for the whole time, y’wanna learn how to drive?” Ban glanced back at him for a second, before shifting his eyes to the front again. “We don’t have the money to get you a driving license. You need to attend classes for that.”
“Driving without a license is an offence, right?”
“Of course, you idiot.”
Ginji sighed, leaning back to his seat, “Hmm. I see. Thanks to Makubex, we all knew about cars ever since we were in the Infinity Fortress, but never had a chance to try it. Now that we have left, everyone moved on, even Shido went to learn driving for Madoka-chan’s sake”
“I bet he’s just wanna be cool in front of her, but why? You really want to learn it?”
“But we don’t have the money, right?” He paused, “Maybe I can learn from Shido first.”
“I can teach if you want, but I’m not teaching you free though.”
“Really, Ban-chan?!” Ginji asked, in eager anticipation. “But…”
“Heh.” Ban smirked.
The car was put on a stop when they reach one of the far-off they used to reside in the night, Ban let a hand pull on the handbrake, turning the engine off, burying his body in the seats; a series of acts Ginji would see everyday like a running tape.
He tilted his head to face Ginji. “Let me think. You obviously don’t have money, what can you offer me for teaching you how to drive?”
Ginji rose from his seat, “I can wash the car for the whole year!”
“No.” Ban shakes his head in disagreement, “That’s too easy.”
“Hmmm, is there anything else you wanted?” Ginji asked. He looked at the darkened sky as he thinks, windows and the roof’s open so they can breath in natural air while enjoying the view. Ban knows just what he likes, and he’s grateful for that.
But the reply never comes.
Feeling curious, Ginji turned just to find his partner had fallen asleep. Soft snores could be heard as Ban’s chest rise up and down in a rhythm.
He smiled, “Good night, Ban-chan.” He returned to his position in his seat, watching the glowing stars as he too, slowly drifts into darkness.
But what he never realize is that a pair of eyes watched him amidst the darkness through the blue tinted glasses.
---
The next morning they spend it like usual, went to the streets giving out flyers; just that Amano Ginji seems to be happier as he smiled to everyone he passes by.
Not that he keeps on a gloomy face on the other day, but today the smile seems to be a lot wider than usual.
‘Ban-chan said he will give it a thought if I can find a customer today, I need to work hard!’ He thinks as he passes the flyer to a man who wore a black business suit with a formal tie. “I hope you have a great day, Sir. Please contact us if you need retrieval service.”
Everything went smoothly, except the business seems not booming in popularity every now and then. He failed to find them a customer, again.
“Sorry, Ban-chan.” Ginji rests his body in the car, had been standing and walking around the town the whole day. “No customer again today.”
It's another day they spent on the streets but no one seems to approach them for their service. Though it's not the first time they experienced this, but now they are jobless again, they can’t help but to feel depressed.
Spending the night in the car is the last thing they wanted to do.
Exhausted, they went back to their car, intending to stop whatever they’re doing before. Ginji watched as Ban fetch his pocket; after a few tries, he only managed to fish out a pack of crumpled cigarette box, and a lighter.
“...” He looked at Ginji and the blond immediately get the hidden message.
‘Rustle, rustle.’
It is now Ginji’s turn to look for his own pocket.
Nothing but folded GB flyers.
But he’s not worry though, knowing Ban-chan, Ginji is sure that he will come up with ideas; something Ginji is always envious about.
Although most of the ideas are somewhat crazy, but he’s happy to cooperate. He did complain at first, still, for some reason, everything turns out well in the end.
Something he can’t comprehend in his little brain but is quick to accept, that Ban really is amazing.
Blessed, a smile quickly find its way to his lips, he just couldn’t help but to let out a chuckle.
‘It’s really great that I met Ban-chan.’ Ginji thinks. If only he hadn’t....
Smack!
A sharp pain in the head stopped his thinking."Ow!"
“Idiot, what’re you thinking again!”
Ginji rubbed his head with his palm, trying to ease some of the pain, his eyes become watery. “Hmm, nothing, just wondering when you’ll teach me how to drive.”
He pulled the rear-view mirror towards him, used it to check on his fuming head. His hair protected his head from more damage, but he’s beginning to feel a bump there.
From the background, he could hear the clicking sound, soon the familiar smell of cigarettes now reached his nose.
“Ban-chan?”
The noirette is facing out the window, blowing out a smoke as lazily placed his arms on top of the open window to support his body weight.
“Ginji.” The cigarette in between his lips moved up and down as he speaks.
“What?”
“I don’t think I’m going to teach you soon.”
“Huh?” The blond shot up from his seat, “Why?!”
“Well, you didn’t manage to get a customer today.”
“But it's only noon, maybe I can get one later?” The blond took the remaining flyers on top of the dashboard, his fingers reached out for the door. “I’ll be going now!”
Just before he could step out, a hand took his. “Stay, Ginji. The weather’s too hot now, you’ll get heatstroke.”
“But!” He tried to move but the grip on his arm wouldn’t budge. Giving up, he settled back to his seat, closing the door while doing so. “But why, Ban-chan? You promised!”
“I regretted.”
“Ah??”
Finally he released his arms, “I said, I regretted.”
“WHY?!”
---
The conversation seems to leave at that. He tried and tried and no matter how Ginji would bring up the topic again, the great Midou Ban’s answer would only be a “No.”
After a couple of weeks, for some reason, the two part-timer in Honky Tonk knew about this. In one of the days, Hevn visited and they told her about that.
“I wonder why Ban-san would say ‘regret’? I mean, it’s really odd for him to say that.”
Sitting at the counter, Hevn eyed the only man who was standing at the corner with a newspaper in his hand; even with his glasses on, Hevn knows he’s not interested in the topic.
She took a sip of the hot chocolate she just ordered, putting down the cup as she licks her lips clean. She watches as the two girls continued their discussion.
“We learned a new term for that! What is it again? OC?”
“It’s OOC, Rena-chan. Out-of-character.”
“Right. That’s so OOC of Ban-san.” The younger snapped her fingers as she says. “Why don’t Ginji-san just ask Shido-san? I’m sure he can teach him!”
“Ehem.” Out of a sudden, Paul Wan cleared his throat, stopping the discussion. “I think it’s better if we don’t get our asses involved in their business.”
“Why, Master?”
“Natsumi-chan.” Hevn begins. “You probably wouldn’t understand yet, but the person who sits behind the wheel showed authority. Just like how men wouldn’t let his girlfriend to drive.”
“But that's a misconception, I wouldn’t ever think like that.”
“Well, someone’s too cocky to move from the seat.”
Being young, the two little girls had not yet reached the age to catch what they’re talking about, but they’ve come to a conclusion that they should be talking about Ban always claiming he is the Number 1 in the Get Backers.