Volume 3 - CH 2

The next day was filled with chaos everywhere. The arson incident at the art store, first and foremost. It was played over the news again and again. They suspect it was a terrorist attack, but also stated that the culprit was still on the run, as they kept on repeating the pictures and footage of the burning store. Thankfully, nobody was hurt other than Aeon. But thanks to all of that, the university gave a public announcement and told the students to stay inside as much as possible. According to my friends at uni, some believed this to be the work of a terrorist organization, whereas others doubted that this was set up, and others cursed that the university library was closed due to these circumstances.

And yet, to me, those thoughts and impressions sounded like they came from a different world. Or rather, the people who aren’t involved with graffiti probably are the ones who couldn’t even hope to imagine the situation I was in. And no matter how much I tried to wash it away, my hands were still sullied with Aeon’s blood. At the very least, my phone survived that whole mess, and once I got a call, I left my dorm room.

I opened the electric lock from the inside and heard a loud motor turn. This in turn opened a large but old wooden door, where Boudicia stood. Seeing her bite her lip in silence, I didn’t say a word and just beckoned her inside. We walked through several doors again and finally made it back to my room. Immediately after, Boudicia sacked on my bed, like she was completely out of energy. I sat down on the sofa facing her, and then carefully asked.

“Boo-san, how is Aeon-san?”

“…He’s alive. For now.”

“Thank god…”

I sighed in relief, hearing that we avoided the worst-case scenario.

“The doctor said it was a miracle. If his muscles had been any thinner, his organs would have popped.” Boudicia gently ran her fingers along her sides, like she was the one who was stabbed.

I don’t blame her. They’ve known each other for such a long time, this must be an even greater shock for her. And it was weird, to begin with. Seeing Aeon falter like that, only to be stabbed by Liquorice…Something was off about him that day. He spoke of regret…So, maybe he had known that Sugar would eventually come to him.

“His name was Sugar-san, right? He was scary. And I had no idea what he was thinking.”

I just blurted out what I was thinking. I couldn’t comprehend a word that Sugar was saying. And it wasn’t a problem of my lack of English skill, but rather that…a part deep down within me denied his words.

“I heard rumors that he’s getting involved in some weird stuff…But he wasn’t the type of person to do that.” Boudicia formed fists on her lap.

“What…kind of person was he?”

“All we did was write together, really. No way we’ve been best friends as he likes to call me. One day, he just ran off to London, and that’s it. He hasn’t even contacted us since then, and yet, why now…”

I could clearly tell Boudicia was shaken by this. It was clear how much Sugar has changed. If he was the type of dangerous person who wouldn’t hesitate to burn down a store, I doubt she would have spent time with him.

“Do you know that Liquorice-san person that was with him?”

“No clue. But, she probably belongs to a gang. Rumors said that Sugar was involved with some gang.”

I remembered Liquorice once more. And looking at her gaze, it was clear that she didn’t live an upright life.

“The news said it was an explosion, but…”

More accurately, they said the bomb was a TATP. TATP is short for triacetone triperoxide, which is a material that is very unstable but relatively easy to acquire. That’s why most bomb incidents and scenarios usually start with one of those. However, I had no idea how Sugar even placed a bomb like that inside the store.

“A spray can.” She tightly formed fists on her lap.

“A spray…can?”

We were facing Sugar and Liquorice that entire time. There was only a moment where we didn’t have a clear vision of them, namely when Sugar walked between the shelves. It must have been then. He probably placed the bomb right then and there. And since he was wearing that big hoodie, we had no way of telling him that he carried something with him. And as they say, if you want to hide a tree, then do it inside a forest. He simply set it to blow up once everything was set and done.

I felt a shiver run down my spine. He planned on blowing up Aeon’s store from the very beginning. And someone as dangerous as that…was now walking around Bristol. I looked at Boudicia, who still sat on the bed. Her long eyelashes cast a shadow on her face, as I couldn’t clearly see her expression.

“What will happen from now on?”

“Why are you asking me?! I…I don’t know, either!” She shot up from the bed, grabbing my collar.

“Boo-san…”

Her blue eyes were filled with countless emotions, mixed together, and then disappeared. Seeing that, I regretted saying anything at all. Surely, she must want to know what exactly we should do now, too.

“…I’m sorry.”

“No, that’s my bad.”

She must have regained her composure, as she let go of me. It felt like she might fall into the depths of hell if she lowered her hand, so I grabbed it immediately.

“Yoshi…”

“Let’s go. Lara-san is waiting for us.”

*

Boudicia and I arrived at the Bearpit, where the crew had already gathered. So many people were talking at the same time that I struggled to pick up any coherent conversation, but it was clear they were riddled with worry and anxiety. Finally, the tall JF spotted us in the distance and spoke to Lara next to him. Her bluish-green sparkled in the sunlight. Her eyes were even sharper than usual, vividly reflecting us.

“So you’re here.”

Lara jogged over toward us, grabbing Boudicia’s arm. She then pulled her in front of the crew, which I watched in silence. Surely, there is something she must do right now.

“Boo, you explain everything first.”

“Me?”

“Please. You know more than we do.”

Lara’s tone was as heavy as Boudicia’s. That’s all she said, as she stood next to Boudicia and crossed her arms. Boudicia stuffed her hands into her pockets, looking at Lara’s face. Lara nodded once, and Boudicia realized that any arguing was futile.

“…It’s Sugar.”

Even that name had the whole crew gasping. From that alone, I guess that Sugar was very influential and famous.

“That’s the guy who’s done in Aeon.”

“So that means…”

“Yeah, of course. He’s not alone. He had some wench called Liquorice with him. I bet people from the gang are going around town right now.”

I didn’t miss the second Lara formed a fist. She sighed, raised her head, and then faced the writers.

“Listen up, everyone. Sugar is a writer from London. He was supposedly here in Bristol, but he teamed up with a gang to do as he pleases. The gang’s name is Sweet Tooth. What a ridiculous name.”

The crew listened to what Lara had to say. And hearing the name of the gang, I remembered Sugar’s fetish for sweet food.

“Sweet Tooth has reigned over London for a long time. Nobody could hope to compete against them. And eventually, they got tired of just London. Brighton, Portsmouth, Reading, Southampton, Oxford…They slowly started swallowing up all the cities around London. And now, it’s probably Bristol’s time. We heard reports that they already moved on to Bath, but they were a lot faster than we anticipated.”

“Um, Captain? What happened to the cities that got conquered by Sugar and the others?” Peni asked timidly, only to have his question answered by JF.

“I went to Southampton the other day, and it was no easy sight. The entire town was messed up with graffiti everywhere. I thought I walked into Mexico or Johannesburg.”

“Was it because of the gang?”

Hearing my question, Lara nodded and raised her index finger.

“Yes. They are using graffiti to make everything their own area. And wherever you see that graffiti, it means that it’s their turf.”

“But that’s so one-sided…”

“If you touch their graffiti, the gang will come after you. And thoroughly, no less. Whether you’re an average citizen, a writer, a member of another gang, or even the police, they make sure to thoroughly crush you and every resistance. What do you think that means?”

“Nobody will approach places with graffiti…”

“Exactly. And once that happens, they are free to do as they please. It turns into a breeding ground for drugs, prostitution…and, I don’t think you need to hear more than that.”

By growing the area of graffiti, they obtain a wider area of their turf. And then, they can choose whatever illegal method to earn money, which then turns into an expendable fortune to make the gang flourish more. It’s an endless circle of growth.

“But that’s not just any gang beef…It’s a genuine invasion, right?”

All places with graffiti are their territory. It was utterly selfish to even say that. No matter how much you value graffiti and appreciate its cultural value, it still is just art drawn on walls. But, by adding violence and attacks in the mix, the graffiti holds genuine power. And that’s what Lara was saying. But then, there’s something else on my mind.

“If the gang wishes to grow their territory…then what is Sugar’s goal?”

He said they were working together because their interests aligned. If so, there must be a goal only he has.

“Honestly, we don’t know a thing about him. I never once met him directly myself…” Lara glanced over at Boudicia.

She is the one person right now who knows the most about Sugar. However, she kept her head low, not sharing Lara’s gaze. Meanwhile, the other writers were feeling anxious because the name of another gang popped up. The way I saw it, two main emotions filled their expressions—Confusion and fear. And needless to say, Lara picked up on this.

“This isn’t anything to falter over. Sure, the other cities might have gotten done in, but…we are different. This is Bristol. What’s important is that we don’t allow them to write their graffiti. We cannot let them grow their turf. So, if we band together and overwrite their work, we can make it through this.”

Her words, originating from such a small body, turn into shockwaves that passed through the rows of people. It allowed the gang to calm down and find a connected cause.

“Right now, the fate of Bristol lies within our hands. That’s why…let us fight. Let us rebel. To protect…our town!”

And yet, Boudicia stood at the outside of this ring. While Lara was talking, she had her head cast low, biting her lips. Naturally so, I’d wager. Someone important to her arrived in her town to cause havoc. I could barely even hope to understand the pain she must feel. I felt like no matter what I could say it would all sound like empty lies. That’s why I gently placed my hand on her back. Even if that didn’t save us from this predicament.

“With that decided, it’s time for a strategy meeting. JF.”

“Aye aye, Captain. First, take a look at this map.”

Under the orders of the Captain, JF placed a tablet on the table in front of me, as the rest of the crew moved closer. Shown on there were several pins.

“Right now, Sweet Tooth’s is focussing around the Bristol Temple Meads station. And from then, it’s slowly spreading toward the Bearpit.”

“Are these numbers correct?” Peni gazed down at the display, as he asked.

“Yeah. We split up and counted. The graffiti is everywhere, and we have no way of knowing how much manpower they have on them.” JF operated the tablet, showing pictures.

Shown on there was graffiti in the shape of rotten candy, emitting a poisonous aura. Staring at it for a while, I was feeling dizzy. Even if it wasn’t related to any graffiti, I doubted most people would be willing to approach graffiti like that.

“As you can see, they may have the numbers, but their work is sloppy. So unethical, I swear.” JF sighed and shook his head.

“Yes. We’ve definitely got greater skill than them, so we should work on overwriting them with confidence.”

“Um, Lara-san?”

“What’s wrong, Yoshi?”

“But this is…dangerous, right?”

Lara didn’t answer. That attitude itself acted as plenty of a response, but I struggled to accept it and asked again.

“You said that everybody who dared to lay their hands on the graffiti will be punished, right? And they are supposed to be thorough with that. I mean, we’re talking about the people who stabbed Aeon-san and blew up his store. What will happen if you dare to overwrite their graffiti…”

This wasn’t just a war fought with graffiti. Yet, they’re supposed to be fighting back against people using explosives…by spraying graffiti on walls? That’s what it sounded like to me, at least. But Lara seemingly saw right through my worries and smiled gently.

“Yoshi, you’re correct. A bloody war like this does not fit our Bristol.” She sighed, as JF tapped me on the shoulder.

“I get how you feel, Yoshi. But, that’s all we can do about it.”

“JF-san…”

“The police are strictly against graffiti. So if they get mixed up in this, we’ll all get sacked up.”

“I get that, but even so…”

Lara continued after JF.

“Personally, I’d love for the police to handle this, myself. However, both the city council and police will see this as a struggle between graffiti gangs. Sooner or later, they will give out orders for public safety, and they don’t care if they are writers who came from London or have been from Bristol this entire time. The decay of public safety will be pinned on graffiti. That’s why they’ll purge it all. But, we have to protect our culture.”

“But!”

Before I realized it, I had begun screaming already. I knew that nothing good would come from clashing with Lara’s determination. Because I’m not the one who is hit hardest by this. It’s Lara herself. But even so, I couldn’t let this stand.

“Being lumped into the same box with the gang only because you’re writing graffiti…Not even being saved by the city council or the police…Yet you’re not even at fault! How could this be okay?”

“It’s not okay, of course.” Lara narrowed her eyes, as she saw right through my half-baked determination. “But even so, we chose graffiti. Or rather, we made this decision without even being fully aware. We stand here, holding the spray paint in our hands. That’s all we need. We can only live like this. And we’ve already made up our minds.”

In truth, I had felt it in my heart. The tension runs through the Bearpit. Everyone realized a war was approaching. And then, I felt it in my own heart. What I am fearing, and what I am trying to fight against.

“Captain, overwriting is one thing…But how long do we have to fight? I don’t think they’ll just call it quits right away.”

“Good question, JF. All we can do is buy time. We have to make Sugar give up, and satisfy him with graffiti that cannot be overwritten no matter what. We have to make him give up in Bristol. And the only one who can do that…”

I immediately realized why I felt so anxious. Lara’s gaze moved over to Boudica. Following that, everyone looked at her.

“…Boo, it’s you.”

Boudicia kept her head hanging low. That’s not it. She doesn’t know what to write. She doesn’t know where to turn to. She shouldn’t have to carry such a heavy burden right now. But, I had to suppress my urge to say that out loud. I can’t mistake this. It’s her problem. Or rather, it will turn into a problem for the whole town, but that doesn’t involve me. Boudicia had closed her eyes, thought about it for what felt like an eternity, and then opened them again.

“…Got it. Either way, I have to bring things to a conclusion. I’ll do it.”

I could tell that all the writers in the Bearpit sighed in relief in unison. Everyone believed that things could be saved with the Ghost by their side. I closed my eyes, in hopes that nobody would notice. Is this really okay? No, it must be. She’ll inherit it all. And the meeting proceeded under the assumption that she would face Sugar, unrelated to my feelings.

“But, Aeon’s shop got done in. We do have a lot of spray on stock, but there’s no way that won’t be enough to overwrite all of that.”

“You don’t have to worry about that, then.” Lara laughed off Peni’s worries, snapping her fingers once.

Immediately after, JF brought a trolley, taking off the vinyl cover. This revealed a mountain of cardboard boxes, all stacked up. What stood out the most was the one box that had a 94 cut into it, allowing you to see inside. And there were many others exactly like that.

“Did you think I haven’t learned from the time they proceeded to purge the Bearpit? I prepared for any possibility of us being able to acquire spray again.”

“As expected of the Captain!”

“If our city were to get swallowed up by their graffiti, then the gang will run us over. We can’t let them do as they please. If we find anyone from London, then have at it. Tell them that this city is the holy ground of graffiti!” Lara raised one fist into the air, as her beryl-green hair shook.

“All on board! We will not let them have Bristol! We are Bristol!”

The whole crew raised cheers, as they grabbed a can of spray.

“Hey, Yoshi.”

Watching this, Lara called out to me with an expression completely different from before.

“It might be better if you don’t come here anymore.”

“…Why?”

“You should know that better than anybody else.” Her green eyes looked at me, acting as a reflective mirror to show me my true feelings. “As a friend, I want you to get home safely. That’s my duty as a citizen of Bristol.”

I couldn’t say anything.

“It’s okay. This is our problem, and we’ll handle it.” Lara placed one hand on my shoulder.

I couldn’t argue with her. Just by calling me her friend, I could feel the warmth.

“Lara, are you being serious?”

That is why Boudicia’s anger surprised me.

“Serious? Boo, you must feel the same way, no?”

“No, I don’t. Not at all. Lara, you’re scared, right?” Boudicia asked with a serious expression.

“What was that? Come on, say that again, Boo.”

“Aren’t I right? You’re scared. You’re worried that you might actually lose. That’s why you’re trying to keep Yoshi away.”

Lara remained silent, looking at Boudicia. And she continued.

“Sure, he’s not a writer. Nor is he a citizen here in Bristol. He has no reason to put his life on the line. But…if not for Yoshi, I wouldn’t be writing anymore. And Gabriel may have succeeded in crushing the graffiti in Bristol. Am I wrong?”

I grit on her words. So that my heart wouldn’t burn away, I gently placed my hand on my chest. I didn’t know she felt that way.

“That’s why…Now, he’s one of us.”

Lara closed her eyes, sighed once, and then apologized.

“…You’re right. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. I’m happy you were worried about me.”

Before I realized it, I had already formed a fist with my hand.

“But, I want to help you. As a friend.”

Lara narrowed her eyes and smiled.

“Thank you, Yoshi.”

“That being said, I don’t have any idea what I should do…”

“Nobody knows that. I’m no exception.”

Boudicia grinned. I knew she was forcing herself to smile. Even so, she was trying to stay positive.

“Then you can have this, Yoshi.” Lara took something out of her bag, handing it to me.

At first glance, it looked like a metallic, black pen. But it must be aluminum because it didn’t feel as heavy once it was in my hand.

“What is this?”

“A self-protection type of pen. Use it if the need ever arises.”

“Quite unsettling.”

“Not being prepared at all is even more unsettling.”

I thanked Lara and then stuffed the pen into my pocket.

“Hmph, I don’t need some nonsense like that. I’ll just beat up whoever comes too close to me.”

“Personally, I would prefer if you beat Sugar through your graffiti, and not violence.”

“Shut up! I know that!”

Lara only poked fun at Boudicia for a moment, as a pleasant air drifted between us. It’s almost like we weren’t in such a dire situation, to begin with.

“…You know, Boo. I’m aware that you’re in a bit of a predicament.” Lara said, albeit hesitating. “But, this is something only you can do. After Sugar left, you became the king of Bristol, right?”

“Lara…”

“That’s why we have to rely on you…Ghost of Bristol.”

“…Got it, Captain Lara.”

The two shook hands and then embraced each other. I felt the back of my throat growing hot, as I suppressed the tears that were on the verge of coming out. If possible, I wanted to watch their bonds deepen even more. But not in an emergency situation like this, and rather when everything was peaceful.

I want things to return to that state. I want Bristol to be peaceful…Even if that doesn’t include me in the picture.

*

At night, we gathered at the Christmas Steps. The ancient stairs made of stone looked even older because of the orange street lights shining down on them. Today, Boudicia and I planned to walk around Bristol and look for Sugar’s graffiti. We hesitated if we shouldn’t go around during the day, but both options were about as dangerous, so we chose to meet up at night to at least avoid the police. We headed southeast of Bristol, crossing the small Bristol Bridge across River Avon, and then walked alongside Victoria Street.

Just as JF stated, we didn’t run into any graffiti from Sweet Tooth over here. Understandably so, as we were quite a bit away from Temple Meads station. They probably would reach this area soon at their current speed.

“Yoshi, I said what I said back then, but…Are you sure about this?” Boudicia showed a weak and fragile expression, presumably not just because it was dark out.

She had calmed down quite a lot compared to her heated discussion during the day.

“That’s my line. You’re in danger just as much as me, Boo-san.”

“That’s why I’m saying it.”

“And I’m here to ensure that nothing bad will happen. If you’re cornered or if anything else happens, you’ll be all alone. I’m prepared for whatever could come to face us, but let’s avoid any unnecessary risks.”

“Unnecessary risks…” Boudicia muttered and then grimaced. “Is being with me an unnecessary risk?”

“Would you have preferred if you had a stronger man by your side?”

“That’s not what I meant…”

“I know, I know. I was just kidding. I’ve gotten better, haven’t I?”

Boudicia gave me a sideways glare and snorted.

“I swear. You’re so stubborn.”

“Who of us?”

“Both, maybe.”

We then looked at each other and laughed. Why do we keep getting wrapped up in messy situations? I swear, graffiti keeps bringing such a cruel fate with it.

“Hey, look.”

Then, Boudicia suddenly stopped.

“That’s…”

We immediately knew that the graffiti belonged to Sweet Tooth. It resembles exactly what JF showed us on his phone. But looking at it in reality, it was even more grotesque, and it really didn’t seem like it took up much time and effort. Looking over at Boudicia, she glanced at the vicinity, spotting several other graffiti.

“So this is the battlefront, eh?”

With this sight in front of us, it really felt like the invasion was upon us.

“This is different…And this, too. I swear, they’re all wastes of garbage, filling the wall.” Boudicia checked each graffiti she could see.

You could tell it wasn’t done by the same person, but the overall style was similar. It must have been done under Sugar’s orders.

“Are the graffiti from Bristol and London’s graffiti different?”

With so much graffiti in front of me, I had to ask. However, the resulting answer surprised me.

“Mmm, no clue.”

“Huh? You don’t know?” I couldn’t hold that question.

It was rare to hear that from Boudicia of all people. However, her following explanation shed light on it.

“London’s a big city. It’s gathering people from all over the world, so there’s no real ‘London Style’ in that sense. Of course, in the great scheme of things, there are differences. Like comparing New York to Europe, and so on.”

“And what style does Bristol have?”

“It’s a bit more old school if I had to say. Lara’s a lot like that, right? The rest is just split between the other writers.”

Boudicia once explained that old school is a style that has remained for a longer time. Probably the style you’d often see in the 80s when graffiti exploded. Plus, writing in London can’t take too long because of how massive the town is. And, Bristol has become famous for its graffiti, with many citizens understanding that it was like holy ground. Plus, it was an eerie sight to see an entire location buried in graffiti like this.

“Are you not going to overwrite the graffiti here?”

“I’ll be here all night just to slow them down. I’ll leave this to Lara and the folks from Queen Bear’s Revenge. I can only focus on what I have to do.”

Something only Boudicia could do…Naturally, that was to win against Sugar. And not just win normally, she will have to make Sugar stop his attack on Bristol. Remembering his confident attitude and innocent smile…And then there’s Liquorice. That sharp glare and absolute composure. Is this really something that we could win? I glanced over at Boudicia, who observed the graffiti on the wall. Her blue eyes were illuminated by the street lamp, shining brightly in the night. Just what were the things she had seen before I met her? It must be a scenery I can’t even imagine.

“Um…what happened between Sugar-san and Aeon-san?”

For a moment, Boudicia tightly put her lips together, which made me regret asking this question. I shouldn’t probe through her past like this. And I’m aware of that. But when she’s in front of me, I lose sight of what is obvious. She closed her eyes for a moment, attempting to suppress the pain, as she raised her head.

“When Sugar was still here, he was seen as the king of Bristol. He was so damn good at graffiti. No matter what graffiti you’d see, he’d easily overwrite it. So cool, seriously. I always wanted to be like him. But, nobody in Bristol could beat him…so he suddenly wandered off to London.”

“I wonder what Aeon-san told Sugar-san.”

Sugar said he remembered what he was told that day.

“I don’t know, either.”

Something was odd this entire time. The reason Boudicia started writing graffiti was Aeon. However, her wild and aggressive style didn’t fit Aeon’s stoic and logical approach. Her style was focused on victory, driven by momentum and hefty strokes, so it would make sense that Sugar acted as a strong influence. That being said, I wonder how Boudicia really feels about Sugar. While suppressing the uneasiness that grew in my heart, I continued.

“So then, when the Ghost and the Captain…When you and Lara-san fought for the seat of the king, that was…”

“After Sugar left, yeah. And I haven’t won against him even once.” Boudicia looked at both her hands.

These words felt heavy. After all, this meant she couldn’t win against Sugar even with her dominant right hand.

“…Aeon felt responsible, you know. That he didn’t properly stop Sugar when he said he’d go to London. He wasn’t like this back then. Sure, Aeon might have seen the danger, but there was no sight of him getting involved with gangs. That’s why…I have no idea what could have happened to Sugar while he was in London.”

Behind her closed eyes, she must be going through the memories she lived through with Sugar. Fun memories that I don’t know about.

“Anyway, there’s something I wanna ask you, Yoshi.”

“Huh? Um, yes?”

I was bewildered when she suddenly said that. Is there anything she could even ask me now?

“You’re going back to Japan, yeah?”

“…That’s right.”

I regretted my naivety, and the fact that it took me a few seconds to respond, despite the question being this simple. However, I also felt relieved that she knew.

“So…once you go back. Are you gonna play in that band again?”

“Yes, most likely.”

“With that fox…With Nelina?”

Hearing that name felt like I was stabbed in the chest. I paused for a moment and then responded.

“Yes…In fact, Nelina-san told me to come home. That she can’t stretch out the contract any longer.”

In a lot of ways, I couldn’t run away any longer. That’s what I told Boudicia. And after a brief pause, she then spoke up with a nonchalant tone.

“Hm, I see. Good for you.”

“Good…”

I didn’t understand. How did she feel while saying this? Because of the streetlamp’s light, I could not see her expression. The nights in the UK are dark, leaving me unable to see anything, in fact. Why…am I even here again? Why am I with her right now? But then, Boudicia turned around and ran. She melted into the night, and I almost lost her.

“W-Wait for me!”

I chased after her, as she stopped at a wall a bit further ahead, staring at it.

“No mistaking it. I can tell at a glance.” She rubbed her hand along the wall, muttering to herself.

Personally, I couldn’t tell how this graffiti was different from the one before. It didn’t look that much better than the ones before.

“Look at this part.” Boudicia touched the side of the graffiti.

There, I could see red painting material, sprayed on the wall like blood.

“That’s a needle cap. The part where the spray comes out looks like a small narrow pipe.

I remembered something along those lines.

“I think I used this before when I was taking care of my guitar…”

“When you use that, it turns the nozzle into a sharp spray. Like you’re spraying water with a hose. This one’s super difficult to do, and it’s also what Sugat excels at.”

I looked at the wall again. Just as she said, the normal graffiti with the regular spray didn’t stand out much, but I could see small red parts everywhere that looked like blood splatters, and it gave me the creeps.

“Anyway, I’m doing this.”

Boudicia put down her backpack, as the sound of a spray can being shaken resounded through the night. I continued to watch in silence as she overwrote the graffiti. There was no hesitation, no backwater in her movement. She said she became able to draw what she thought up in her head. I could already see the finished shape, as the procedure moved on quickly. It really felt like work, because it went so smoothly.

“All right…”

The finished product was graffiti written in red and black.

“Red Hot…”

So said the rectangular letters that covered the whole work.

“Sugar’s graffiti wasn’t like this. I’m sure he must have gotten influenced by the people around him, but I’m different. I’m…red hot.”

It almost sounded like she was telling herself, as she stuffed the spray can back into her bag and put it on her shoulder. Immediately after, we heard someone clapping. Boudicia and I instantly turned around. Then, we heard a voice coming from the shadows.

“Not bad, not bad. You’ve regained some of your intuition, I see. That’s it. That’s the spirit.”

That irregular outfit stood out amidst this pitch-black darkness. And of course, Liquorice followed after him.

“Sugar…Why are you here?!”

“Because I wanted to see the graffiti you’d write, of course.”

“You…You did this on purpose…?”

Sugar grinned.

“Yup. If you don’t beat me, the graffiti won’t stop…Or so you think. But the only ones who can do that… are you, Boo-chan. You knew which graffiti would belong to me, and then proceed to overwrite it if you think you can do better…just as you did.”

Sugar ran his hand along the wall Boudicia had just painted with her graffiti. Despite not much time has passed, it had already dried fully, not dirtying his finger.

“And that’s why I was waiting here.”

Sugar met eyes with Liquorice, as he gave her a signal. She then looked around into the darkness. As a result, several tall people appeared, wearing black and torn-up clothes. And, they were hiding their faces behind black bandanas. I only needed one glance to tell…They were gang members. I instinctively stepped in front of Boudicia.

“Hm? Did we meet before?” Sugar looked at me in confusion.

It’s probably because I was never truly in his sight from the very beginning.

“My name is Yoshi. I am Boo-san’s…friend.”

“Hm, really? Ah, do you belong to those bear people?

“No…”

Even now, I didn’t have the right answer.

“You know, I really hate that stuff. The salt.”

“Salt…?”

He moved his fingers like he squeezed salt between them.

“That’s right. There’s sweet food that has salt mixed with it, right? Like salty caramel. I really can’t stand that, you know. It’s total disrespect toward anything that is sweet.

Sugar slowly but steadily walked in my direction. He then twisted his body to look up at me. Our noses were about to touch, and I could pick up a sweet scent from him.

“You’re different, right? You won’t disrespect me.” He was smiling, but the darkness in his eyes felt like it could kill me. “Don’t make that kind of face now. You’re like a deer caught in the headlights.”

He moved his head away, as he put on the top part of his hoodie and danced. In a way, it reminded me of Boudicia. Though, I bet she learned it from him.

“Liquorice-chan, if you would.” Sugar gave a brief order, using a tone as if he had just finished his dinner.

Liquorice moved right after. A black shadow moved through the darkness, standing in front of me. The shadow grabbed my arm and pushed it up. My body was pulled after this, as I could hear the air gush out of my throat.

“Ugh…!”

Liquorice stared me in the face, lacking any expression as always. I could not tell what she was thinking.

“Stop it.”

But then, Boudicia grabbed Liquorice’s arm with her left hand.

“Get your hands off him. He’s one of us.”

For a moment, Sugar’s eyes opened wide. But then, he burst out laughing.

“So he really is a friend of that bear whatever thing! To think I’d witness the day when Boo-chan teams up with others. Hmm…I guess that’s that, then.”

“Sugar-san, what do we do?”

“Do with him as you please. He’s not what I’m looking for.”

What exactly could he be looking for? But before I finished my thought, Liquorice twisted her body and threw me at Boudicia.

“Yoshi!”

She managed to lessen the impact, but still backward. Sugar saw this and let out a satisfied laugh, as he stretched both his arms, cracking his neck.

“Now then, guess it’s time. Give me that.”

“Yes, Sugar-san.”

Liquorice turned toward Sugar, as she took out an object with purple wrapping from her pocket. It was the same chocolate he ate at Aeon’s store. Liquorice carefully unwrapped the package, and then offered it to Sugar. He bit into it and then held his cheeks as he moaned.

“Ahh…this sweetness. I’m feeling great. But, I need more. This isn’t enough.”

He put his open hands together, pushing them towards Liquorice. Seeing this, Liquorice took off the backpack she carried and handed Sugar two spray cans, which he held in both his hands. He then trotted toward the wall, moving his hands as a trail of colors was born. Despite his nonchalant movement, like he was a dancer on stage, the graffiti born from this was utterly grotesque. And while I was in awe at this gap, the graffiti was already done.

“Not yet.” Sugar said and threw the spray cans at Liquorice.

As if to answer that, she now gave him one in return. The cans spiraled through the air and passed by the other. It was like a circus act of sorts.

“Time to wrap this up.”

There was a small straw that came out from the top part of the spray can he held. It must be the needle cap that Boudicia mentioned just now. When he pressed that down, the paint came out of it, but with an unreliable trail. Even so, Sugar directed this at the wall. And in such a relaxed way, it was like he controlled what was about to be written on the wall.

Okay, done.”

The letters that appeared from that were rotten. The five letters spelling SUGAR were cut up here and there, making the bubble letters look like flesh. From those wounds, you could see the organs, as well as white maggots crawling out of them. At the same time, he had used the needle cap to create blood splatters everywhere. It was such eerie graffiti, I had to suppress the urge to throw up.

“Applause,” said Liquorice.

Immediately after, the crew around us applauded. As a musician, I knew how valuable applause was. It is the greatest reward to receive for your performance. However, the applause I heard just now was unlike anything I had ever heard. Put simply, it was like there was no emotion packed into it. It was dull, like sand being scattered on top of a concrete floor. And yet, Sugar didn’t mind that in the slightest, as he opened both his arms, walking around like a star.

At the same time, Liquorice placed one hand on Sugar’s shoulder, gently cleaning his face with a small towel. It was all messed up. And yet, neither Boudicia nor I could say anything. After all, the emotion coming from the graffiti was overwhelming. It wasn’t the skill with which the trails of graffiti were drawn on the wall. Nor was it the experience we witnessed during this process. It’s because we could directly feel it coming out of the graffiti…the absolute and profound dread and terrier.

“I really like those sorts of faces, you know?”

As always, Sugar showed a warm and friendly smile. And even now, he had graffiti stuck to his face.

“Boo-chan, can’t you stop writing already? Doing something like this is just utterly boring, don’t you think?”

“Th-That’s not…”

“Really? Then why are you even writing, Boo-chan?” Sugar opened his arms, waiting for her response.

However, she couldn’t continue and just kept her mouth closed.

“She’s writing for the sake of Bristol.”

My mouth moved before I could think, as I filled the silence.

“And nobody has the right to make fun of her for that.”

“For the sake of Bristol…huh? Yeah, that’s why this town is too far gone.” Sugar sighed and then rumbled with a shrug of his shoulders. “Leaving London, I realized one thing…That Bristol is far too peaceful. Everyone’s accepting the fact that graffiti is part of the culture here.”

“Because Bristol is the holy ground of graffiti.”

“That isn’t quite true.” Sugar smiled as he narrowed his eyes. “Graffiti is a crime.”

“But…”

“No matter how much sweet-talk you throw after it, it doesn’t change the fact that graffiti is vandalism. It’s destruction. Everyone writes while they’re terrified of being caught. They accept the damage they cause as they write. And then, their finished work immediately vanishes. Dying, killing, being killed, nothing of this is right. That’s why it’s beautiful.” Midway through his sentence, Sugar bit on the chocolate he got from Liquorice. “Yet, look at this town. Everyone’s drawing on the walls. They forget it’s graffiti…And it’s not just that. People are forgetting their destiny as a whole.”

He gulped down the chocolate, now stuffing a candy he got from Liquorice. I could hear his teeth hitting the candy with each move of his tongue. And then, he continued.

“Listen up. People die. If you aren’t aware of that at all times, you can’t live properly. If you don’t witness the destruction, you can’t create anything. Only those who know the beauty of all things ending can live a fulfilled life. That’s why I’m going to make sure everyone remembers.” He threw away the wrapping paper. “Right, Liquorice-chan?”

And then, he rammed his knee into Liquorice’s stomach.

“Argh…!”

Her slender body immediately bent and fell to the ground. The crew seemingly wanted to move to help, but Liquorice pointed her palm at them, urging them to stop. Sugar then forced Liquorice up to stand by grabbing her collar. And then—he kissed her. I could see how the red candy moved from his lips into hers.

“Is it delicious?”

“Koff…Y-Yes…”

And then, he rammed his fist right into her face. Liquorice immediately lost her balance again but managed to stand. Her nose started bleeding, as she wiped that with her palm. Normally, you would be utterly furious. And yet, I realized something…that Liquorice’s gaze was weird. I wouldn’t think that she had just gotten punched in the face. There was no fury or even terror. Instead, her gaze was full of…affection.

“My motto is simple. I told you before, right?”

He must be referring to the fact that he inherited Aeon’s words and teaching. But, it was hard to believe that Aeon would teach him something like this.

“Sugar…I don’t get it. What happened to you?”

“Of course you don’t, Boo-chan. That’s the problem.” Sugar said with a cold voice. “Both the people as well as this whole world…the more they are hurt, the closer they are to death, the more beautiful. And I create beautiful works. I tell people the truth. This is the duty of a true artist. I make the world a better place.”

I was utterly baffled. Rather than being afraid or annoyed, I just knew that we couldn’t win. Sugar believed he was in the right. And my values can’t accept that. But if that was the beauty of his graffiti, then it was beautiful in its own right. And to show how right he was, he relied on the help of a gang. How could we win?

“Humans are foolish. Nobody is determined to open their eyes to the fate that is life. I will make you understand. That is my duty.” Sugar winked at Boudicia, stood next to Liquorice, and then disappeared into the darkness, the gang members following.

While watching them off, Boudicia showed an expression I had never seen before. And to me, that was incredibly painful.