Beastars: A Symphony of Life

Chapter 68: Meetings For The Future

"Now it's starting to make a bit more sense," the hybrid said, scratching the space in between his two, angular gazelle horns. "I wasn't entirely sure who he was talking about. But now I get it. You were there with him that night. I had seen your face before on the news and heard your name. I always wondered why you of all people had shown up to that wolf's aid. Maybe it wasn't for his aid though. Perhaps it was for personal retaliation, for taking your pets from you. Either way, it's good to meet you in calmer circumstances...Louis, was it? I almost didn't recognise you with the glasses."

Melon stood talking distance from the deer. He was taller than him, though not as tall as Legoshi. Probably on account of his leopard genetics giving him an edge in that aspect. Louis wasn't afraid of this animal, though he was warry.

"How do you know about that?" Louis inquired. "I've never told anyone about my history with the lions."

"Our mutual friend mentioned it," Melon sneered. "It was just your name, but that was all I needed. A socially awkward wolf like him probably has little in the way of friends. So I thought, 'Louis? Couldn't possibly be the CEO of the Horns Conglomerate, could it?' Then I thought to myself, 'well you were there on Meat Loving Day', so it made sense in my mind. You should consider upping your security. It was unbelievably easy to find you."

Louis cursed the wolf in his mind. It was just like him to let something like that slip and complicate things. He looked down at the letter and back to the hybrid.

"Know anything about this?" Louis asked.

Melon squinted at the envelope.

"That another mutual 'friend' wants your attention," he said.

Louis stared back at him. Melon had no reaction.

"If you think I'm the delivery boy," the hybrid added. "I left that group a few weeks ago. Not really my style to take orders."

"No, you'd rather give them and then torture your followers," Louis said, breaking off when a couple walked into the building. He pocketed the envelope and waited for the two animals to enter the elevator before speaking again.

"You have a lot of nerve coming here," the deer continued. "If you had met me in an alley I'd have no issue beating you to a pulp."

"I'd like to see you try, rich-boy," Melon said, stepping closer to look down on him more.

Louis looked up at the hybrid and kept himself calm. Now wasn't the time to fight, or risk Adler coming out. He looked up into the hybrid's pupils and bored into his eyes. Melon was expressionless for a few seconds before losing his composure and breaking into a giggle. He backed up and leaned on the wall again, looking at his nails ever so briefly.

"I'm here on an alliance request," he said.

Louis didn't react.

"Look," the hybrid started. "To make a short story even shorter, I don't like Razor. You may not agree with the way I run things, but the way he works makes me seem sane. See what he did to me?"

Melon rolled up his sleeve and revealed two cuts on his arm.

"You deserved it," Louis said. "The way you treated the Shishigumi is no different to what appears to have happened to you. He had a reason for hurting you, a strike. He didn't stab you in the hand with a fork for fun, or mentally abuse you."

"And I've seen the error of my ways," the hybrid said, sing-songy.

"Have you?" Louis snapped. "Actions speak louder than any words that'll come from your mouth-"

"Funny you say actions," he interluded.

"-and I haven't seen you do anything different," the herbivore finished.

"Then let me prove to you I've changed," Melon insisted. "Let's join together and take down Razor."

"The answer is no," Louis said, turning away. "Good day."

"My offer will still stand if you change your mind," he called after him.

"Unlikely," Louis answered, turning back. "Even if we had men to work for us, there would be differences of opinion and it wouldn't end well. Any organization with two definitive leaders is bound to break up and there will be another gang war. Don't insult my intelligence, I know that's exactly what you want."

"In terms of men," Melon eased in, a bit more humbled. "What of the Shishigumi?"

Louis laughed.

"You're not serious?" he jeered. "I would never, in a million years, let you near them again."

Louis pressed the button and waited for the elevator. He stepped into the box and watched Melon from across the building. He remembered the days he served as the Shishigumi's boss. Those days, he couldn't explain, just felt different from his time afterwards. They had, in a way, formed him into who he was today. At the last minute, he stuck out his arm and stopped the door from closing. Melon looked up with a raised eyebrow.

"I'll consider your offer," he said. "With conditions. I'll let you know what they are."

Melon nodded, putting his sunglasses back on and turning out the doors.

Louis stood in the silent elevator.

Working with the enemy? Adler asked in his mind. You've lost your mind.

"Or maybe not," he said. "It's a tactical advantage. He knows the inner workings of Razor's little group. He knows how they operate and we can use him that way to bring him down. Patience is all I need."

The elevator opened and he walked back down the hallway towards his apartment. He pulled out the envelope and looked at it. He was afraid to open it. He entered his room and placed the letter on a table, staring at it. He hadn't felt anything other than paper or the metal razor blade. He looked up at Azuki, who was on a call. He looked down once more before grabbing a pair of scissors and using them like a letter opener to cut through the crease in the top. He dumped the contents onto the counter. A razor blade, a note, and two tickets. He picked up the two tickets. They were for a concert at the Gem of The Ocean stage by a band called 'Evil Grief'. He unfolded the little note and read it.

See you there...

P.S. Come alone. You are only allowed one guest. Don't make me regret it.

He looked back at Azuki and stuffed everything back into the envelope. He grabbed his jacket and moved to her. She held up a finger, stopping him in his tracks. He slowly backed away. He quickly scrawled a note on a post-it and stuck it on the fridge. He stuffed the envelope into his pocket and grabbed his coat, throwing it on. He walked back outside and locked the door behind him. He pulled out his phone to text Yuta where he was going, and to check in on Azuki in an hour or so. The sheep was out seeing a friend who was visiting for a day or two on a road-trip through the country. He exited the building and hailed a cab to the police station. In his haste, he didn't notice the black SUV parked in an alley across the street.