High Rise Apartment

 

Namida was sitting on the large U-shaped couch as she had both her feet on the coffee table while wearing her sports shoes. She was staring at the flatscreen TV that was resting on a custom-made bookcase as she reached for the remote and turned it off, Namida said. “Can I throw a few knives at the target dummy?” She turned her head to the right and saw Sachi who was standing behind the couch along with a few kitchen knives that were enveloped in a thin layer of light blue mana floating in mid-air.

 

Sachi reached for one of the knives in the air and threw it at a man wearing a suit who was tied to an armchair while gagged with a piece of cloth in his mouth. The knife stabbed the backrest of the chair landing near the man's throat as he let out muffled grunts, Sachi said. “Sure…” She let out a sigh while Namida vaulted over the couch, grabbed a couple of knives, and threw one of them at the man. The knife flew in the air as its trajectory was aimed at the man’s lower abdomen cutting through his suit and lodging itself into the armchair.

 

Namida said. “What’s wrong?” She held the knife by the handle and aimed it at the man tied to the chair while Sachi placed a hand on her hip and said. “When this mission was requested for us, I made sure to prepare my toolbox and gloves.” Namida let out a chuckle and said. “Dishwashing gloves.” She threw the knife at the man as it landed near his crotch which made his legs visibly tremble. Sachi used her free hand to move some hair behind her ear, she said. “They’re made of rubber, easy to clean and dispose of.”

 

Namida grabbed another knife that was floating in mid-air, she said. “I can see that being useful.” She threw another knife as it landed beside the previous knife she had thrown near the man's crotch. The man started to make wide movements to shake on the chair trying to loosen the knots that tied him to the chair, his muffled shouts started getting louder while he glared at them. Sachi nodded at her and said. “It is…” She moved her gaze onto the man who was gagged and tied to the armchair, Sachi continued. “When the client asked for us, I expected to-.”

 

Namida interrupted her and said. “Spill blood, burn a few layers of skin? Sachi, you can be honest with me. Boobs and I know that you like torturing others.” Sachi’s eyes widened in disbelief as she turned her head to her friend, she said. “I don’t like inflicting pain on others, I’m doing it so I can pay my rent..” She saw Namida slightly lower her black glasses to give her a side-eye glance. Sachi continued. “... And maybe buy a few imported brands of clothing…” Namida put her glasses back on as the two of them heard their friend's voice deeper into the apartment.

 

Ketsueki said. “I found it!” Sachi and Namida turned their head in the direction of the sound as they saw Ketsueki making her way toward them while carrying a bottle of champagne in one hand along with three champagne crystal flute glasses in her other hand. Namida’s pinched the bridge of her nose, she said. “You search the apartment to steal champagne?...” Sachi’s eyes were glued onto the bottle of champagne, she said. “Is that imperial vintage?!” Ketsueki handed her friend a glass and said. “Maybe.”

 

The man saw Ketsueki as he started eyeing her up while she used her thumb to remove the cork, with a loud pop the cork flew off and landed somewhere in the room. Ketsueki poured herself and Sachi a glass of champagne revealing the yellow-goldish liquid while Namida shook her head sideways in disapproval. Namida said. “What happened to being professional?” Ketsueki offered a glass to her and said. “Do you want a glass?” Namida raised her hand, she said. “I’ll take one of the glasses off your hands so you can drink easier. But no thanks, I prefer beer.” Sachi took a small whiff of it and said. “I smelt some apple and pear.”

 

Ketsueki gently swirled her glass as she inhaled the scent, she said. “That and some hint of nuttiness.” Sachi moved her glass closer to Ketsueki as the two of them softly clinked them together, the two of them spoke in unison and said. “Cheers.” The two of them took a sip of it while Ketsueki nodded in approval while Sachi stared at the beautiful color in her glass, she said. “Fruity, yet a complex taste.” Namida rolled her eyes at her friend and said. “Oh great, she went to a couple of wine and champagne-tasting venues a couple of times and she’s suddenly a pro.”

 

Sachi moved her gaze onto her friend, she said. “Are you sure you don’t want any Namida? This bottle cost at least a million yen-.” Before she could finish Namida took the bottle from Ketsueki’s hand and filled the glass she was holding. Namida said. “You two need to stop hogging all the good stuff for yourself.” Ketsueki glanced at her from the corner of her eye and said. “I thought you preferred beer?” Sachi let out a chuckle while Namida poured champagne into her glass.

 

Namida took a small whiff of it and said. “Have you heard of a can of beer going for a million yen?” She took a sip of it while Sachi’s gaze wandered onto Namida’s hand that was holding onto the bowl of the glass instead of the stem. Sachi raised her hand showing the glass she held by the stem and said. “Namida, you’re holding the glass wrong.” Ketsueki finished the champagne in her glass as she took the bottle from her friend. Namida moved her gaze onto Sachi’s hand the correct way to hold the glass.

 

Namida copied her friend and held the glass by the stem, she said. “Like this?” Namida smiled at her and said. “Yeah-.” Before she could get out another word she watched Namida press her entire palm on the bowl. The corner of Sachi’s eye twitched while Namida smiled at her friend and said. “Thanks for the tip, I just don’t care.” Ketsueki passed the champagne bottle back to Namida as she took it out of her hands. Namida noticed the man tied up in the armchair was blatantly staring at her friend's butt and said. “How long has he been staring at your ass?”

 

Ketsueki took a sip of champagne from her glass, she said. “The moment he laid eyes on me.” Sachi took the bottle from Namida’s hands and said. “I’m surprised you’re fine with that.” She filled her glass with more champagne while Ketsueki shook her head sideways, she said. “I’m not, the client told us we can’t physically hurt him. If she hadn’t, I would’ve gouged his eyes out.” The man felt his blood run cold from what she said while Namida emptied her glass in one go. She let out a satisfied sigh and said. “Yet you took that as a sign it’s ok that we steal from her?”

 

Namida held out her empty glass at Sachi who filled her glass all the way to the top with champagne. Ketsueki gestured at the large apartment and said. “She lives in an apartment that’s three times the size I live in.” She raised her glass showing her friend the golden liquid in it, Ketsueki continued. “If she has this kind of champagne lying around in the cabinets, she can afford to lose a bottle or two.” She took another sip of her champagne while Sachi filled Namida’s glass to the brim with champagne.

 

She used the glass in her hand to point at the man tied to the chair, Sachi said. “What are we supposed to do with him?” Ketsueki drank the last bit of champagne in her glass while Sachi let go of the bottle as it floated in mid-air beside her hand. Namida said. “Why are you asking us? Aren’t you the one that’s supposed to be knowledgeable about torture and the human body?” Ketsueki waved her hand as the floating bottle flew toward the palm of her hand and filled her glass halfway, she thought. This should be enough for one more glass for each of us.

 

Sachi glanced at the man who was trying to escape while repeatedly stealing glances at Ketsueki’s butt. Sachi moved her gaze back to her friend and said. “I am, but the client had a stick up so far up her ass that she didn’t allow any physical wounds. Only psychological torture.” Sachi took a sip of her champagne while Ketsueki used her glass to point at the knives floating in mid-air. Ketsueki said. “Then can I use those?” 

 

Sachi gave her a nod and said. “Sure, Namida and I have just been using the chair he's sitting on as a dartboard.” Ketsueki emptied her glass as she threw it over her shoulder and shattered on the ground. She said. “This should be enough to kill some of my boredom.” Ketsueki snapped her fingers as a dozen knives flew toward the man as he panicked and started jumping on the chair he was tied to, causing it to move slightly to the side. A few knives flew past him while most of them outlined him on the chair and stretched the suit he was wearing.

 

Sachi emptied her glass as she poured half of what was in the bottle of champagne into her cup, she glanced to her left and saw a knife floating next to her. Sachi said. “You forgot one.” She passed the bottle to Namida as she poured what was left into her glass. Namida threw the glass over her shoulder while Sachi glanced at the shattered bottle. Sachi said. “Really?” Namida lazily waved her hand and said. “It’s fine, I managed to bypass the password on his phone and learned that a maid is going to drop by today to clean the apartment.”

 

Ketsueki waved her hand as the last knife floating in mid-air flew toward her hand as she grabbed it by the handle. Sachi took a sip of her champagne and said. “What time?” Namida took out a sleek black smartphone, entered the password on it, tapped on the screen a couple of times, and said. “Half an hour before noon.” Ketsueki used the tip of the knife to aim at the man tied to the armchair, she said. “How long have we been here?” Sachi emptied her glass of champagne and threw it over her shoulder as it shattered on the ground. She said. “Give or take fifteen minutes.”

 

Ketsueki stopped aiming the knife at the man and said. “Really? Has it been that long?” Namida pointed at the shattered bottle of champagne on the floor, she said. “What do you think?” Ketsueki went back to aiming the knife at the man tied up in the armchair, she said. “We went through that in five minutes.” Sachi was leaning toward Namida who was holding onto the man’s phone, she said. “That’s because you spent the last ten minutes searching for that bottle.” Ketsueki threw the knife at the man as it landed near his inner thigh next to a couple of knives.

 

The man visibly flinched as he reflexively closed his eyes and opened one of them to peek at where the knife was thrown at while letting out a sigh of relief. Ketsueki placed her hands in her pocket and said. “Did she need to go this far for him?” Sachi had a pondering look on her face, she said. “Maybe he’s good in bed?” Ketsueki started laughing while Namida raised a brow, she said. “I doubt he knows how to turn a woman on.”

 

Ketsueki wiped a tear from the corner of her eye as she ignored the glare the man was giving them. She said. “Jokes aside, in his lounge coat he has a breast pocket on the inside with a flip phone.” A hint of panic could be seen in the man’s eyes while Namida placed the smartphone in her pocket as she waved her hand as something flew out of the man’s suit coat. Namida stared at the flip phone in her hand and said. “Someone other than your boy uses these?” Ketsueki’s brows furrowed as she gave her friend an odd look, she said. “How do you know he has this kind of phone?”

 

Namida flipped the phone open and started going through its texts, she said. “On my way out I saw him playing that snake game on his commute back home.” Sachi raised a brow in interest and said. “This is one long conversation with your secretary.” Ketsueki made her way deeper into the apartment, she said. “Sachi, you can start torturing him now.” Sachi turned her head toward her, she said. “We’ll get fined if the client brings this up with the leader.” Ketsueki’s voice got further away as she reached the kitchen and started rummaging through the cabinets.

 

She said. “It’s fine, we have proof of his infidelity, and even if she did complain we’ll only lose ten percent of the commission.” Namida was still going through the texts while Sachi moved her gaze onto her friend. Sachi said. “Are you really snooping through their love talk?” Namida kept her eyes on the flip phone and said. “I am, mostly because there’s nothing to watch despite having a giant flatscreen here.” Sachi made her way to the man tied onto the armchair and said. “A bit short on time so I have to use magic.”

 

Namida used her thumb to feel the buttons on the flip phone, she said. “I’ll clean the residue mana… No wonder we switched to touch screens, the buttons on this thing feel terrible.” She randomly tapped on the buttons a few times while Sachi firmly grabbed the top of the man’s head to keep it in place. Sachi said. “That and the design looks clunky, at least some of them.” Namida folded the flip phone and stared at the metallic color, she said. “The color isn’t too bad.”

 

Sachi turned her upper body sideways to look behind her and said. “The color could be better, that shape on the other hand is worse than some of them.” Namida held onto the flip phone and took out her smartphone as she started tapping on the screen. Sachi positioned her right hand near the man’s eye as she extended her index finger and said. “Ever wondered what snuffing a cigarette bud in your eye felt like?” On the tip of her finger, a small ball of flame formed as she slowly moved it closer to his eye while he desperately tried to move his head back.

 

Namida was staring at flip phone designs on her phone, she thought. She’s right, some of the designs of flip phones make this thing look like a metal brick. The man tied to the armchair let out a muffled scream as he violently shook on the chair as a hint of smoke started to rise above the man. Namida turned her phone off, pocketed it, and covered her nose with her hand. She said. “Couldn’t you have smashed open one of the window walls? That smells terrible.” Sachi moved her index finger away from the man’s eye as he closed his right eye while crying some tears with some blood.

 

Sachi shook her head sideways and said. “That would undo the spell Ketsueki casted on every window so that we don’t get caught.” She extended her index finger and moved it closer to the guy’s other eye as he leaned back to the point the backrest of the armchair started to creak. Sachi said. “Do you want a potion so you can have both your eyes again?” The man’s expression had a hint of surprise on them as he quickly nodded his head. Sachi moved her index finger away from his eye and said. “Give me the password for your stock account.”

 

The man hesitated as he didn’t answer while Namida’s eyes had a hint of cruelty in her eyes, she said. “Burn his pants, I wanna see if he doesn’t want the potion after the fact he can’t get his dick to point up anymore.” She let out a chuckle as Sachi turned her head to the side and said. “... Sure, why not? I’m bored anyway.” Namida had surprise all over her face, she said. “Really?” Sachi snapped her fingers as a small spark landed on the man's pants near the area of his knees.

 

A small flame started to grow bigger as it spread to the other side of his pants and started to climb up his thighs. The man immediately went into a panic as he gave the two girls pleading looks while letting out muffled screams. Namida ignored him by opening the flip phone while Sachi stood beside her and stared at the screen. Sachi said. “Got an interesting message to show me?” The flame on him grew bigger as it started to spread to his suit coat while the smell of burnt flesh started to become more prominent.

 

Namida was repeatedly pressing the same button, she said. “I’ve read a couple, let me see if I can find them again.” The man’s muffled screaming became louder as he looked around the ceiling of the apartment and thought. Why isn’t the fire alarm detecting all this smoke?! He saw the fire alarm surrounded in a cloud of smoke as a hint of hope appeared in his eyes. Sachi kept her gaze on the flip phone and said. “You turned off the fire alarm, which program did you use?” Namida found the message on the flip phone as she moved it closer to her friend.

 

She said. “Nothing special, the model this apartment uses has an app that can turn it off.” The two of them ignored the man’s muffled screaming at the top of his lungs while Sachi gave her friend an odd look. Sachi said. “You’re telling me, that a fire alarm connected to the internet has a dedicated app, and that very same app has an option to turn it off?” Namida gave her friend a nod and showed her the screen of the flip phone, she said. “Yeah, here’s something interesting to read.”

 

The smell of burnt flesh started to fill the apartment as the man was making such large movements that the armchair started tipping as it fell to its side. The flame started to spread onto the wooden floor as Sachi let out a sigh and waved her hand as the fire instantly vanished revealing the man’s burnt pants along with most of his thighs were completely charred with bits of his fabric sticking to his burnt skin. Sachi made his way to the man and said. “Give me a minute.” She snapped her fingers as the fallen chair was lifted into the air and propped itself correctly.

 

The man quickly let out frightened muffled screams while Sachi’s eyes glowed with mana, she spoke in a calm tone and said. “About that password-.” Before she could even finish her sentence the man frantically nodded his head. Sachi gathered some mana on the tip of her finger and cut the thin piece of fabric that was keeping a large piece of cloth in his mouth, the man spat the cloth from his mouth. He said. “T-The potion! Give me the goddamn potio-.” He instantly stopped when there was a small ball of flame floating above Sachi’s fingertips.

 

She slowly moved the fireball to his eye as he kept leaning back, Sachi said. “You’ll get the potion after we make sure the password works. Ok?” She glanced at his other eye which was completely red along with the area near the pupil having a small bubble. The man’s vision was half white as Sachi moved her hand away from his face while he looked at his thighs to which he couldn’t feel any sensation. He said. “N-Nineteen ninety-eight, nineteen ninety-nine.” Namida glanced at the direction Ketsueki was in and said. “Hey, boobs. You heard that?”

 

The two of them heard the sound of footsteps as Ketsueki reached the living room, she said. “No need to shout, I’m right here.” She held her phone with her right hand while typing on the screen, in her left hand was a bottle of wine and tossed it at her friend. Sachi caught the bottle mid-air as she stared at the label while Namida let out a sigh and said. “Really? You’ve already stolen champagne and that wasn’t enough-.” She stopped when Ketsueki took out an unopened bottle of vodka from her pocket and said. “Then I’m guessing you-.” 

 

Before she could finish her sentence Namida turned into a blur as she appeared standing next to her friend while holding onto the bottle. Namida gave her friend a pat on the shoulder, she said. “We’re a team, so we’re stuck with each other whether we like it or not.” She pocketed the bottle of vodka while Sachi snapped her fingers as the bottle of wine vanished. Sachi said. “Did the password work?” The phone Ketsueki was holding let out a soft chime, she tapped on the screen a couple of times and said. “It did.”

 

Ketsueki pocketed her phone while Sachi rummaged in her pocket as Namida threw the flip phone at her friend. Namida said. “Finally, we can go home. Boobs, I have an interesting message for you to read.” Sachi took out a vial with red liquid in it as she threw it toward the man tied to the chair, the vial bounced a couple of times as it landed near the armchair. He said. “Y-You said, you’d give me a potion!” Sachi glanced at him from the corner of her eye and said. “I did give you one, helping you on the other hand.”

 

Ketsueki read the message on the flip phone, she said. “This is a lot of sexting.” Sachi placed a hand on her hip and said. “Can we go now? I want my fashion magazine back.” Ketsueki passed the flip phone to Sachi as all three of them disappeared from the room.