Realistic or Modern City of Sins

[Greedy]

(All Dialogue, unless otherwise stated, spoken in Japanese)


(Introduction)


April 12th, 2015


~06:00am


In the skies over Japan, in a Private Jet...

Yawning, the regal man in the suit and tie removed his neck-pillow from behind his head. Looking out the window, he could distinguish the entire Kyushu Island from such a height.

"Fetch me a glass of water, Ohara-san..."


"Yes, Tanaka-sensei."

Kazuma spoke his first words of the day. He could see that the sun had risen far into the sky, despite it being just 6:00 AM. Perhaps this illusion of a sunrise was due to the planes height.


He could tell that they were descending. Perhaps only an hour was remaining before he would have to get off the plane. He knew he had business to attend to, so quickened his physical preparation. He fixed his tie, and combed his hair, ready to talk to a client via video-call.

"Here is your water, Tanaka-sensei."


"Thank you. You know, you do a fine job taking care of me Ohara-san." The smartly dressed man responded.


"It's truly my pleasure to serve you, sir. If not for you, I'd most certainly be rotting away in the gutter of some Chinese whore house."


"Ah yes... I must admit that when I found you, I had never imagined you would be accompanying me back to Japan. But I can also admit that had I not decided to take you with me, I would later regret it. Anyways, I have a call to attend to."


"Yes Sir. Thank you, Sir!" The young woman responded.

Ohara Tanshi, who was originally known as Lam Chi, was a twenty-something woman from Beijing. She had not been a stranger to the criminal underworld, and was one of many 'ladies of the night' in a brutal Triad Prostitution ring. Luckily for her, boss Tanaka would come across her in one of the Triads many whorehouses when conducted business with Triad leaders.





The Boss doubled checked his appearance in the reflection of the monitor, and after making himself presentable, turned on the device. He navigated through the screens to reach the contacts page, and called the name "Taro Yamouchi."


After a few seconds the video call started.

" Ah, Tanaka-Sama. You are late."


" Is that a problem, Yamouchi-San?"


" Not at all. So, I suppose you called for the information you had requested?"


" Of course."


" Well, then i'll get started...

 

[Vii]

Yeon Jae could not help but feel slightly bemused by the crew's reaction to her arrival, even when being picked on for leaving the quarters. Such appraisal was show in her face, where the apparition of a slight smile took place. She felt, strangely enough, a sense of "home, sweet home" whenever she walked among these people. Like a family. Well, look at that, it even sounded corny in her head. But still, she could not deny the truth. Not to herself at least. She greeted the other members with a few nods of her head before drawing her attention towards Daichi, whom she graced with a polite bow, as it was costum, as well as thanking him for the warm welcome. "...It's good to be back." She even surprised herself with such a honest statement.


But she tried to shake it off, instead focusing her attention on how the senior member blend in within the halls of the compound, as if a spirit who lived there, knowing it like the back of his hand. It was quite the sight for her, much to her surprise. Then again, Yeon Jaw always had bizarre tastes ever since she could remember. Driving her focus back to Daichi, she found herself letting a soft laughter escape her lips of all things. "You make it sound like I am some kind of monster to be feared..." She replied back to the older man in a somewhat hushed voice, finding it hard to believe that she had that much impact on said youngsters. Sure, she had her fair share of occasions where she had showed them that she was not someone to think lightly, that she was a dominant personality among them. But this? Perhaps he was just exaggerating...after all Daichi was a man that imposed respect no matter where he went. At his request, however, Yeon Jae seemed to grow seemingly uncomfortable despite her ever so slight smile. It was not that she did not wish to return but...the current circumstances made it impossible for her to do so. No matter how she looked at it, her conclusion was definitive. She had their protection but they did not own her. And the small apartment she owned was the proof of that. She remained silent, as one would expect of her, only opening her mouth again to thank Daichi for taking her boots away. She patiently awaited for the compound and gang's leader to finally make his appearance, though her curiosity was strictly visible to what was the exact occasion of this "tea".


She joined Tenshi inside the room in quiet steps, bowing her head at him silently with a smile before elegantly sitting down at the table with him. She was left momentarily lost at his words though, blinking in clear confusion. She failed to understand what was going on in front of her. Well, it wouldn't be the first time and certainly not the last, from her perspective. Instead of inquiring what they were talking about, she picked up her bag, rummaging through in search of something in particular...


While doing so, her ears were able to catch a glimpse over what the two men were talking about. It seemed to be concerning a bet, from what she gathered, about someone else coming as well. Just like her. Only in this case it was a he. Such mystery...they did not seem the least eager to tell her what was going on. And asking would just be a waste of time at this point.


So, she waited. As much impatient as she was, she couldn't afford to start demanding Tenshi answers. It was probably just another guest joining them, right? There was no need to made a deal put of it. Yeon Jae was pulled away from these thoughts thanks to her boss's voice, who interestingly enough seemed to be trying to set her at ease despite the scenario that they were in. She shook her head, as if saying "It's fine". She was just curious of why the secrecy surrounding this guest. And his identity, of course. No wariness nor restlessness had flowered within her.


She finally opened the black case that she had taken just a few minutes ago, taking out a pair of glasses. Something told her that she would be needing them...


@killerlung

 

[killerlung]

Kota sighed as Daichi led him through the halls, regaling him with stories of the good old days. Really did this have anything to do with him? He'd wonder, his eyes glancing at the walls, just outside there was a storm, a reckoning of sorts. He'd grow restless listening to the subtle pitter patter of the rain drops as they hit the rooftop and glance back at Daichi with that same uncaring gaze that he'd by now become known for. As if on cue Daichi, would hit him with a simple "Settle down Kota", somehow reading him like a book despite his lack of outward expression.


Kota would look at the man with an almost puzzled expression before settling back into his apathy, truth be told he really didn't feel much now. Without chemical intervention Kota felt for the most part mechanical, going through the motions without much thought, his instincts alone carrying him through just about anything that really mattered.


All the same Kota felt a significant sense of something as he neared the tea room, what was it? Dread? Admiration? Fear? Love? No loyalty wasn't the same thing, or was it? He couldn't be sure, and he'd shake the thoughts away not much in the mood to burden himself with such existential debate. Before he knew it Daichi chimed with, "We're here" and Kota would shake his own thoughts away, giving his boots to Daichi and smiling ever so slightly. "Thank you" he'd mutter before sliding the door open and coming face to face with Tenshi.


"Ah! Kota my boy! How the hell have you been!?" Tenshi would chime, his stance formal but his demeanor anything but. Kota would bow, and move forward, noting Yeon Jae. He'd look down at her, standing beside her as she sat opposite to Tenshi on the tatami mat floor. He'd smile slightly bringing his hand down on her head and ruffling her hair ever so before sitting down himself. Kota would think back to their first meeting, despite her technically being his senior he'd think her his junior, especially given her naivete to the dynamics of the organized underworld upon their first meeting. All things considered she'd adapted faster than anyone could ever have anticipated, and Kota himself had to respect her, even if he never let her live down that first meeting.


Kota would glance over, noting the faint traces of Yeon Jae's Satsuma Yakuza tattoo as it peeked out from her conservative garb. He'd glance away almost immediately not really giving any outward sign of recognition or emotion as he turned his gaze toward Tenshi. To be honest his heart twinged with something, what was it? Jealously? Whatever it was it pissed him off, why was Yeon Jae able to join Tenshi while he was outcast? While he took the shit jobs for every family from here to Taiwan.


Kota's eye winced ever so slightly as the room remained quiet, his patience was waning but he'd hold his tongue and hold still. After all that was what a dog was supposed to do, and at the end of the day that was what he was, right?


Tenshi would break Kota's brooding with an almost loud smile, "Well look at us! One big happy family! You know I don't think we've been in the same room for months." Tenshi would start, breaking the subtle ambiance of the rainfall outside the house. Tenshi would beam brightly, and for a moment despite his graying hair and age defining lines look rather childish. "So Yeon Jae I told you we had some things to discuss, and Kota I told you I had a job" Tenshi would say getting right to the point as he poured the three some tea.


Kota would take the clay cup of scalding liquid, looking down at it and bringing it to his lips rather quickly. He'd feel the warm liquid burn down his throat and slightly regret being so eager to drink, with a sigh he'd try to play it off coolly and place the cup back onto the table. Tenshi would laugh, making note of it. "A little out of it eh Kota? So eager though, gotta respect that in a man!" he'd boast before bringing a prescription bottle out from his kimono and sliding it towards Kota. "You're probably still a little dull...16 hours no sleep on guard duty, and a bust to boot. You're probably out of you're supply after that, am I right?" he'd ask knowing full well Kota had used uppers to get him through the highlights.


Kota would grab the pill bottle and bring it up to read the label, American drugs he'd note not really sure what the damned things were or what they did.


"Those are low level stims from the US, they'll get you a few more hours, and maybe just liven you up a bit more." Tenshi would remark with a slight grin before turning toward Yeon Jae. "Or at least we can hope right?" he'd say with a wink as he watched Kota pop a few of the pills into his mouth, chewing them and washing them down with the still scalding tea without much of a reaction.


Tenshi would smile waiting to bring the reason for the two's visit to light.


@Mine

 

[Vii]

The sound of raindrops hitting the window as was enough to make Yeon Jae's body stiffen slightly. It did not seem to be ending any time soon. Not that she found rain to be a nuisance in particular. But she could not deny her preference for sunlight to invade her room, especially these days. As silly as it sounded, it made her feel just a tad brighter. Guess her mood really was that easy to manipulate...


The sound of a voice just outside the door drove her attention back to the meeting ahead. Shifting in her seat, she hurriedly tried to arrange her bun. She would like to avoid giving Tenshi any embarrassments for this meeting, from her appearant to her manners, as she was still not aware of the identity guest arriving now. Adjusting her clothes properly, Yeon Jae braced herself for the door to open, eagerly awaiting to see him.


She was left visibly surprised by the sight of Kota of all people. It had been a while since she had seen the one many labeled as "Satsuma's dog". But even so, Yeon Jae could not help but find him in the exact way the last time they had crossed paths. Giving him a silent nod with a smile, she discreetly moved aside She would not call him her friend, she was sure that he did not think of her as one. But she would not describe them as casual acquaintances either. What would you call someone who had brought you into a life you never thought you would find yourself happy...? A tough question. Kota was Kota, there were no two ways about it. A dog, a hitman but above all, he was Kota. Caught in her own thoughts, the blonde hacker was left slightly surprised by the male's approach. A pat on the head? What was she, a little girl? Perhaps it was just his way of greeting her but for goodness sake. It was vexing. A grown woman being treated like a high school junior. Sometimes, she could not help but feel like he saw her as just another Ume when she was around him....Wait, what was this, was she really acting like a teenager now? Shaking her head in denial, yet discretely while she did so, Yeon Jae dismissed such petty thoughts, instead focusing her attention on Tenshi once again.


Things never seem to change, no matter how many years had passed.


Out of nowhere, however, something had caught her eye. A glance over her figure...more specifically the nape of her neck and a visible part of her back. She immediately avoided his eyes, feeling the tension, the discomfort. Why would he look? He could've had just ignore it. But no matter how hard he tried, his reaction had not come unnoticed. The tattoo across her neck and back was always there, signifying her status as a member of the "family". But it seemed to be nothing by today's appearance standards. It was jusr a tattoo. Could it be that...he thought of her as a intruder? Someone who did not have a full body tattoo...could she really be out of place there? And the flowers on her back reminded her of that everyday.


"A-Ah." Yeon Jae could not stop herself from drowning in her convoluted thoughts. This was getting just plain ridiculous... She nodded her head in approval at Tenshi's comment. "You did express those same circumstances, in our exchange earlier..." Nodding in approval, Yeon Jae began to take sips of the cup placed in front of her, savoring the hot combination of aromatic leaves and water spread within her system. While observing the two Yakuza engange in a exchange of words and pills of all things. She simply stood there, quiet as she always was. Who was she to meddle herself with his issues? Hypocrisy at its finest level if that was the case. Instead, she solely observed him, making sure to not draw any attention towards herself.


But when it was time, she stop rubbing her fingers, trying to clean off the lipstick left in her cup. "Boss." She spoke up at last. "...Might telling us the gist of this meeting. 7."

Spoiler

@killerlung

 

[Austin Marie Arlein]

Someone behind her, a male voice was calling out,"Oi, miss!" Stephanie stopped in her tracks, as she heard footsteps coming toward her. She turned around, just in case she was the one being addressed. "Miss! Do you have a lighter by any chance? Mine wasn't working and I'd rather light my cigarette now."





'What does this guy want?' Steph recognized him as the guy she ran into. 'Oh. Wait what?' She faced the tall male, and hesitated to talk to him. He held up a cigarette, and wore a stupid little grin on his face. What was with him? Stephanie was obviously younger than him, and she would've never acted like that around here. Realizing that she hesitated for one whole minute with a half glare, half suspicious expression, she blinked out of her train of thought and mumbled, "O-Oh, right. You're talking to me." Stephanie shook her head at how stupid she sounded. It put the man's grin to shame. Trying her best to hide her thoughts, she handed him her lighter and smiled like nothing was wrong. "Here. Don't thank me. I know the struggle." Steph smirked. "Uh, you're the guy I bumped into earlier, correct? Sorry about that, I wasn't looking where I was going." She paused to take her hood off. "My name's Stephanie. You're name is..?" Stephanie decided it'd be best to step back a bit, since her neck was starting to ache from looking up.


@Jacob Berry

 

[Iskandar]

Shinji looked at the girl as she wore the half suspicious look and glared at him, cynically grinning for half a second before smiling and nodding, "Yes, I am talking to you, Miss." He replied, chuckling lightly at her and taking the lighter. Lighting his cigarette and putting it in between his lips, his smile was still there, "Ah, yes, it is alright. Just be careful next time, in this neighborhood you could bump into much worse. Like Wilson, well he'd just annoy you not kill you." Talking with the cigarette, he took a large puff then took it out and blew out the smoke in the opposite direction of her, and looked back at the girl, taking off his sunglasses, "Shinji Kagawa. I'm sure you don't know who I am. Well, thanks for letting me use your lighter." Shinji said before turning on his heel and putting his sunglasses back on. He grinned again, "I'm sure we will see each other very soon Miss Stephanie." Walking for a few steps he stopped midway and looked back, lashing his cynical grin at her, "Actually. Follow me. I have a job for you if you are interested." He walked to the nightclub and wondered if she would actually follow him. He pulled out his phone, dialed in a number and sent a text to someone.


"Yeon Jae. I have a Job for you. Where are you? If you have time meet me at The Dirty Moose, Wilson's club." The text said, Shinji hit send and put the phone back into his pocket.


@Austin Marie Arlein and @Mine

 

[BloodThunder27]

Most of Jessica's day has been spent at her home. She was inside her Garage, working on her Nissan Skyline, placing in new parts, upgrades and refilling the Nitrous in her car. Her bike was also scratched during her getaway, something that really annoyed her. Because her hit was a botch, she really was much more annoyed then usual. That meant not getting paid and not getting paid would be an issue. Once she's done modifying her Skyline, she was probably gonna go race. Street Racing was definitely a thing here in Japan, especially Tokyo. Just don't fantasize it as if its Tokyo Drift. While putting her engine back together, Jessica turned on her laptop, in case anyone in her gang wanted to contact her in case anyone wanted to hire her for a hit. Sadly, the Crimson Fangs were nothing much of a Security Detail for their Leader because she got to do all the good stuff. However, they did run drugs, illegal weapons, extortions and most of her other activities that she cannot do herself. The group was often described as...Mercenaries on Bikes. As the leader of course, she would receive 50% of the Income from all the other activities ran by the gang. Lately though, they have been having a lot of skirmishes with the Triad. Because her Laptop was not ringing or anything, she slid under her car to install some new neon lights.

 

[killerlung]

Tenshi smiled wide as Yeon Jae urged him to the point, to say he liked that would be an understatement, heck he really liked it. The aging Yakuza would stop taking a low breath before addressing Yeon Jae, "Straight to the point! I love it!" he'd exclaim, making his feelings known. That was the thing you could count on with Tenshi, seldom was it that he kept anything bottled in.


Kota would turn toward Yeon Jae, nodding his head as if to reaffirm Tenshi's approval before turning back toward Tenshi with that same blank stare. "What is the job?" he'd mutter in a low voice, his own feelings rather clouded in his tone.


Tenshi would sigh, "You too, eh Kota?" he'd ask softly before settling into a serious face, "Well...if you insist" he'd say solemnly. "As a boss, I have to set an example to my men, and as a father I have to set one for my daughter." Tenshi would pause the room going quiet as he took a sip of tea. "That being said, I think I need to address the question on all of our minds." Tenshi would start, placing his clay mug down.


"So..." Tenshi would pause again looking seriously back and forth between Yeon Jae and Kota, he'd take a deep sigh, his face still stern as if caught in deep thought. ".....When are you two kids getting married?" he'd ask, breaking the silence of the room with what could only be considered unexpected and even ludicrous.


"I mean, you're young, and we could do with a wedding! Think of the spirits you'll raise!" Tenshi would say proudly, grinning from ear to ear with his proud proposal.


Kota would cock an eyebrow to it all his posture otherwise unaffected by the absurdity, "Is that an order?" he'd ask unfazed.


Tenshi would recoil, but not losing a beat smile, "...erm....no....umm...wait yeah sure, why not?" he'd say with sly grin.


Kota would merely sigh before beginning to shuffle around in his pockets, checking each and everyone in his jacket before digging into his jeans. Eventually he'd pluck a large gold band, the kind that looked like it belonged on a thuggish club owner's hand. Without hesitation he'd reach his hand out toward Yeon Jae, turning to face her only slightly as he offered her the ring. "Here, you're my wife now" he'd say in a dull, hushed voice.


Tenshi would burst into laughter at Kota's display, "Bwahahahah! Kota you're too much! Too much! hahaha, that's brilliant!" he'd cry, falling back a bit from his fits of laughter. Kota would looked puzzled at Tenshi's words, cocking his head to the side, "What?" he'd ask unsure if he had misunderstood the order.


Tenshi continued to laugh, before finally coming to his senses, "I....I wasn't serious! Heck, even if I was, that was awful, just tragic!" Tenshi would cry before regaining a modicum of his composure.


"No...you're not getting married, but you are going on a job....together no less, Daichi will fill you in with all those boring details. Just try to get along okay?" he'd ask before turning toward Yeon Jae. "And try to teach him a thing or two about women while you're at it, chivalry's not dead you know" he'd say slyly before sipping another glass of tea and dismissing the two.


@Mine

 

[Vii]

It was quite a sight to behold a small smile form in Yeon Jae's face as she brought her tea cup towards her lips, filling her body with a pleasant warmth. It felt good to be appreciated, especially when such words came from none other than your boss, but in this case, the blonde hacker simply felt taken by the man's comment. It had brought back a certain feeling of dejá-vu to it, to the events of many ears before, reminding her that no matter how much time had passed, Tenshi would always be Tenshi. And she could not resist to smile at that. But returning to the topic at hand, it was no surprise for her to see that Kota agreed with her for once. As much as she respected and admire Tenshi, she felt a bit put off by his habit of beating around the bush at times like this.


She shifted on her seat slightly as she saw his face grew serious, feeling her body tense ever so slightly. For the first part, she solely gazed at him with a straigh face. It was a common understanding between them of such a statement. No matter how playful and carefree Tenshi could come across, he was and he always had been both a fine head and father to his family. There was never doubt about it. His second sentence seem to come off as slightly confusing for her, however. What could he mean by such a...familiar expression? Her hand absent-mindlessly brought the cup up again, touching her lips gently.


What happened next was something she had never thought it would happen outside one of those movies she would fall asleep to during late Sunday nights. She felt ashamed the immediate second after it, of how ridiculous her body had reacted to the question. Perhaps it was his choice of words, perhaps just the mind-bogging idea of marriage, perhaps it was the fact that the arrangement was between her and Kota of all people. Yeon Jae started coughing violently at first, choking on the tea arriving at her throat. It died quickly, thankfully, leading her to stare wide-eyed at the head of the Satsuma family, the only sound coming from her being her cup being placed back onto the table.


Or so she assumed at first. Buzzing on her pocket incessantly, a new message to be demanding her message at this crucial time. "Excuse me..." So baffled she was by all this, so much that her mind was what she could she only describe as a complete blank, her hands hurriedly searched through the small device, only able to caught Tenshi's argument before drawing her attention to Shinji. Young? Raising spirits? What was this, a marriage interview?


Reading the text as quickly as she would always do, it was a matter of seconds before her fingers began to type down her reply. "I'm busy at the moment. I'll give you a call when I'm done. Don't be late." Short and simple. Hitting "send", she saved her phone back into its place, now slightly more composed. Definitely not prepared for what she was about to face when coming back to the conversation.


If someone were to look at Yeon Jae's expression as she was proposed, one would say it was the perfect depiction of shock. Various thoughts seem to flash through her mind while her wide eyes stared at Kota's, as if frozen in time. She could not even so much as open her mouth. Not even a sarcastic "And they say romanticism is dead". She was not angry, not even embarrassed . She was just...completely at loss. It was only when Tenshi's loud laughter reached her ears that she broke out of her state of mindless shock.


While Kota expressed his confusion, Yeon Jae instead avoided looking at both the men in the room, brushing a lock of hair from her face to her ear. Her boss's further commentary only made her grow more and more embarrassed of how she had handled this whole situation, now only awaiting her cheeks to flush like a high school girl's. How could she had even remotely considered his words to be true? It had been years since she had met him, for crying out loud, wans't she supposed to be used to it?! Not even Kota had batted an eyelid!


Nodding slightly at his subtle request at the end, she stood up in silence at his sign of dismissal, bowing politely before leaving the room in a slightly quicker pace than usual. If only she could bang her head against the wall...But that would give too much away. When Kota joined her outside, she glanced over him with a somewhat shy look on her adult face, smiling wrily. "Guess you're already used to his jokes...I can't say I'm not envious..." She spoke in a hushed voice.


@Jacob Berry @killerlung

 

[killerlung]

Kota would sigh as they exited the room, sliding the door closed behind Yeon Jae and muffling Tenshi's faint laughter. He'd turn toward Yeon Jae, his eyes no more alive nor vibrant, his demeanor no more lively, as he stood considering Yeon Jae's sly words. He'd pause, looking up and away as if thinking before ultimately turning back with that same blank stare. His look could only be described as somewhere between puzzled and contented, and yet somehow something seemed off, as if Kota felt something else, as if he had a hard time showing it. Without a word he'd reach an arm out towards Jae, ruffling her hair once more as if she were a familiar child.


He'd retract his hand, looking ahead to see Daichi heading down the hall towards them. "Jokes?" he'd ask sincerely, "I don't think he fully jokes" he'd start his eyes glancing towards the walls as the sound of rain still echoed faintly around them. He'd face the hallway, his eyes glancing toward Yeon Jae, "If it was an order I would follow through" he'd start again allowing a slight pause as Daichi halted to address another member whom had stumbled into the hall. A quiet would decend on the two before he'd speak again.


"...Dogs don't get wives" he'd start, his eyes glancing away from Yeon Jae, "If he offered me one, then I'm not a dog to him." Kota would say plainly. He'd sigh, running a hand up through his hair and scratching the back of his head with a bored sort of expression. Course dogs don't get families either he'd think to himself, his eyes glancing first at the spot where Yeon Jae's Satsuma tattoo lay and then back towards his own arm. He'd look at his arm, his eyes capturing every detail of the intricate sleeve tattoo that marked him a member of an extinct family, a family of monsters, one that he ended no less. He'd break his impromptu staring session as Daichi finally reached the two, stopping before them and offering a slight apology for being delayed.


"Well I trust the boss had nice things to say?" Daichi would start somewhat awkwardly, sensing the tension in the air. Despite Kota's outward apathy, and less than emotional demeanor, the seasoned Yakuza picked up on his silent frustration, or was it sulking? Knowing Kota the latter seemed the least likely, but all the same Daichi preceded with a less gruff tone, something that almost seemed like a chore for the grey beard gangster.


"Either way, I'm sure you're wanting to know what you're doing here....unfortunately Tenshi pushed the task of filling you in on me, that bum." Daichi would say the last bit almost affectionately, and Kota would note it, letting his already balled up fist go loose. Daichi was after all the boss's oldest supporter, a chief lieutenant no less in operations, Kota would sigh a loudly as if to rush Daichi to the point, to which the old man would respond in kind with an uneasy laugh.


"So...recently a couple of our boys got arrested, usually that's not a big deal, we get em out or they sit on the bench for a while but...." Daichi would pause his eyes locking with Yeon Jae, "Well...they happen to know a few things we'd rather not get out, and they happen to have pretty stacked evidence against them....Our boys don't snitch, we train that in em, but word is if they get the book thrown at em, some money's changed hands and they're going to be sent to a prison out of our territories, even worse they're going to be sent to the Russians main extradition block. Y'know the place they send those Northern bastards, when they get out of line."


Daichi would pause anger swelling in his gut, "The Russians have been trying to get a hold of our docks for some time now,they own that prison, heck they walk in and out of it like a friggin bank so we're worried. They get the right info, they could cripple some our supply lines, maybe disrupt the workers unions enough to get a stake of the docks" Daichi would pause again, glancing back at Kota to make sure he was still listening. "So we were hoping you could hack into the DA's files, maybe erase their data, clear the evidence archives, help get our boys out." Daichi would say to Yeon Jae before turning toward Kota, "As for you, well we can't be implicated in this, our boys accidentally killed some Russians in the crossfire on their last gig, and Tenshi already talked them down from war, any moves to outright save them will look like we support their actions, and escalate things again. For one you're gonna make it ambiguous as to who ordered this whole deal, sad as it is, you're not one of us Kota, and Tenshi can claim deniability as long as you're involved." Daichi would pause noting that much to his shock Kota didn't budge at the proposition of him playing the scapegoat should all things go wrong.


"Besides all the evidence isn't data, and while Yeon Jae's skill as a hacker or identity as one of us isn't exactly common knowledge, we need something else to cover our tracks. It just so happens that DA is working a couple of cases against some other shady folks, Tenshi already called you're broker to have him reach out to em. Right about now there should be a message at your office, and a rather sizable check written from them in your name to take him out." Daichi would smile, "also Yeon Jae's work will no doubt take some time, and there's a chance some of the Russians might know about her. She's a target, so you're on guard duty too okay?" Daichi would ask, to which Kota would nod.


"Well that's about it then, it's a fuckin handful I know but if anyone can get it done it's you two" Daichi would say with a tired sigh, and a slightly warm smile. He'd lead the two toward the door, only to be stopped as Ume approached.


"awww leaving already?" She'd say seeing Kota from her vantage point in the hallway, as she got closer she'd spot Yeon Jae on the other side of Daichi and Kota and grow even more disappointed. "not Jae Jae too!" she'd cry, puffing her cheeks out and stopping her foot childishly. "Why do you have to go so soon?" she'd demand to which Daichi would respond with some poor explanation. Ume would grow angry, wanting desperately to see Yeon Jae or play with her dream future boyfriend Kota.


The teenage girl would argue with Daichi for a moment before Kota sighed and walked over to her, he'd look down at her and reach his hand out to ruffle her hair like he'd done to Yeon Jae earlier. Ume would stop, going quiet as Kota reached into his pockets, looking for something. Eventually he'd find it, a small stuffed dog keychain he'd been given with a meal at some stand. He'd give it to Ume, smiling faintly, "I'll come back, take care of this, be nice to Dai-San" he'd say with what could only be considered an awkward mix of warm words and cold tones.


He'd pat her on the head, "...I'll bring a better thing next time" he'd say as he stood up straight turning to walk away only to be stopped as Ume pulled on his jacket. Her eye's locked on the few specks of blood that lay on it's sleeves she'd glance down at the dog keychain in her other hand, and look up at Kota's back.


She'd pause unable to think of anything to say, her young mind a flutter of joy and lovesick fantasy. At the moment it'd seem this was where the truth in Tenshi's jest of the marriage proposal lay, after all he couldn't have Kota married to Ume, and Ume being as headstrong as her father wasn't the type to give up on things easily.


Kota would smile, he had no thoughts on Ume, certainly none that even remotely passed as romantic, and even so he'd smile as she grabbed onto his jacket and told him in a hushed tone to be careful. If only he had a tail to wag, one might think noting his awkward smile, She's a good master Kota would think to himself noting his loyalty not only to Tenshi but to Ume as well.


He'd step forward, sliding open the door to the rain outside before Ume spoke up again, "Jae Jae, you too! you come back and try my cooking okay?" she'd say with a beaming smile, waving goodbye to the two as Daichi ushered her back towards her room to study for tomorrow's test


@Mine

 

[Vii]

There it was again. It was if he could penetrating his defenses with those eyes, leaving her at loss. She could not even read him through his gazes or actions. Kota was always a mystery for Yeon Jae, someone she could never fully grasp as an individual. Every time she thought she had managed to do so, she would find herself proven wrong as, once again, the dark haired male would say or do something else to confuse her further. She could not describe it as something that thrilled her. But at the same time, it left room for discovery. It was, oddly, enough, interesting to see what he would do or say next, if she were to be honest. Not that she would admit that, of course. As she felt his hand ruffle her wavy blonde locks, her eyes traveled to his face, trying effortlessly to capture the one thing that she always searched for…What did that look mean? Why did he ruffle her hair like that? Did he thought of her as a child or something? The questions only kept piling up.


His comment struck her enough to not even let her notice Daichi approaching them. He did not fully joke? “What do you mean…?” She impulsively said in a hushed voice. But deep down, she feels as if he won’t answer her, as if the words echo within herself. At his next statement, she simply gives out a soft sigh. He had left that very clear when he offered that bangle and asked her to be his wife right here and there. No hesitation, no doubt.


There he was again, saying that of all things. So surely, without any suggestion of anger or pride in his words. It felt so…bizarre to her to hear such things coming out of his mouth. But at the same time, she could not help but realize how convincing they sounded, even if she refused to admit it. Kota was no dog, he was just like any other member of the family. He followed Tenshi’s orders and always fulfilled his tasks, without even asking for help of any kind. If something, he was the most promising person among the Satsuma family. But even so, he was still treated as an outcast. Just seeing Kota observe his own tattoo felt awkward to her, as if she was…intruding. Not to mention when he looked at hers, even for just a split second.


Even if he did not consider her an ally to begin with, even if she had no right to get involved in this matter, the Korean woman felt guilty fill her body. She couldn’t even do something to change this situation, not even speak of it. She was just another member of the family, who cared about what she thought? “…Guess something good would come out of it then.” She spoke up with no hesitation this time, even accompanied with a smile. None of her words were sly, not even a bit. And that left room for embarrassment to fill in. What was this, she had never been this…frank? Was that the right word? No, bold, it had to be that one. Before she can correct or explain her reasoning, Daichi arrives, taking away the chance of preventing herself from making things more awkward for them. Or maybe just her, who knows…


Yeon Jae clears her throat without saying any word. She has already said enough as it is. No need to further make her case any more vexing. A simple nod would do. It was best just to listen the details of the task Tenshi had meant to give them. She can’t help but smile ever so slightly at Daichi’s words at his boss at first though.


She remains quiet through the whole explanation, eyeing both Daichi and Kota with an attentive gaze, making sure not to miss out any detail. Her mind clouds at the mere mention of the words “not one of us” concerning Kota. But she presses her lips together. Not a word, not a word, remember? You have to stay quiet. She returns the smile, trying her best to stay “in character”. She just has to complete the task while staying out of trouble, that’s it.


Her efforts soon go to waste as she sees most probably the face she loves to see the most in the Satsuma headquarters, as well as the one that she misses the most from the days she had spent there living. Her smile becomes genuine, though it is accompanied by a somewhat guilty look on her eyes as she gazes at the younger female. She feels happy that the girl wished to see her but on the other hand she feels bad for having to crush her hopes like that. But a job is a job. She could not go against Tenshi or Daichi’s command.


Yeon Jae could not help but stare the interaction between her and Kota. It was if the veil covering him at all times would rise ever so slightly. It was…quite the sight. Warms your heart. A soft giggle would leave her lips as she watched them. But one thing stroke her as something…odd. Deja-vu would be the right word to describe it. More specifically when she saw Kota ruffle Ume’s head. So…did that mean Kota saw her as the same as Ume? As a child? Huh…


Yeon Jae was brought back from her thoughts as Ume called out her name, to which she returned with a smile and a silent wave, slightly absent-mindedly. As Ume vanished from sight, her feet brought her to the entrance of the headquarters, not sure of what to go. Perhaps her house? She needed to get her task started as fast as she could…Then again, didn’t Kota have to guard her? Forcing him to go to her small apartment was unfair. “Hmm…” She hummed under her breath her back, still turned at Kota.


@killerlung


at long last....