Chapter Text
You're telling me she's from a prominent family within the Tojo Clan?” The voice asked incredulously. “Hinode Kazumi?”
“Yes. Her father is Hinode Hiroshi, he's the patriarch of the family, a Tojo Clan subsidiary. He's in prison for murder. I highly doubt you want to be associated with such a scandal. It might make people feel scared to learn your company has yakuza ties. I'd hate to have to go public with this knowledge.”
“I understand. Please know the matter will be dealt with, you won't have to resort to such drastic measures.”
“Thank you for your time.”
He hung up and felt satisfied that he’d done what he could. He hoped this would be the last time. How much longer could she hold out? How much longer could she fight the inevitable? She'd toughed it out for long enough, a fact that had irritated and impressed him.
He sat in his car, watching and waiting for the confirmation that his actions proved fruitful. He started feeling impatient as he waited, he shrugged his shoulders and moved his head around trying to stretch out his aching neck. “Come on my little bird, where are ya?”
After a few more agonising minutes, she rounded the corner coming into his view. His eyes widened as he caught sight of her, his chest felt heavy with excitement as he instinctively slid further down in his seat. “There ya are, beautiful. Ah, don't be too sad. Ya'll be right where I want ya before ya know it.” He murmured quietly.
He watched her intently, mesmerised, as she stalked towards her apartment, carrying a box of her belongings, the sure sign that she'd been fired. He managed to get a glimpse of her as the wind whipped her hair back off her face. His stomach tightened. “Holy fuck, little bird, still so damn beautiful.”
He watched her make her way up to the apartment before driving off, he felt hopeful and couldn’t wait to see what effect his intervention would have.
_______________________________________________________________________
“Yer gettin' out next week, ain't ya?”
“Yes.”
“Can ya do me a favour?”
“Depends.”
“Check on my daughter, Kazumi, fer me? She ain't been speakin' to me since I got sent down, her mother... ain't around. Kazumi... she moved away from the family, from Tokyo, she ain't got anyone to watch out for her. I worry.”
“Sure. I'll make sure she's alright. I'll come visit and let you know.”
“Thanks Kiryu, I owe ya one.”
Kiryu Kazuma thought about the conversation he had with Hinode Hiroshi of the Hinode family as he sat on the train on his way to Kamakura. He'd known Hinode for a long time before their reunion in prison. Hinode was the patriarch of his own family, a Tojo Clan subsidiary and had been given a life sentence a couple of years before Kiryu was released.
He felt a sense of duty to respect his elders, especially those in the Clan and hadn't hesitated to do a bit of digging to find out where his old friend's daughter was living. He’d visited Chairman Sera, his adoptive father Kazama and his adoptive brother Nishiki, caught up with the people in his life, his obligations, but then had gotten straight on with his task.
It gave him a sense of purpose to help someone. He wasn’t sure where he fitted in anymore, neither within the Clan or the lives of the people he used to be so close with. This task gave him something to focus on while trying to figure out where he stood, where his new place was and how he’d move forward after being away for so long.
He was pleasantly surprised as he got off the train in Kamakura, the place seemed busy and prosperous. It was a tourist destination; he could tell that right away and heard it was famous for its many shrines. He tried his best to tear his focus from the businesses, the vendors, the masses of people all going about their lives. He tried to quash the overwhelming feeling of being swallowed up by the hustle and bustle of the city.
He’d felt that way as soon as he got back to Kamurocho but at least that place, where he’d lived before his time in prison, felt familiar even if it was just as overwhelmingly chaotic. He eyed the address in his phone, before dodging his way through the throngs of people littering the streets. He felt his optimism dwindle the longer he journeyed on and by the time he stood outside of her apartment block, he was feeling dejected. He sighed and knocked on the shabby looking door.
“Fuck! Just gimme a minute, will ya?” He heard a voice shout out in response.
The door opened suddenly as a young woman spoke. “Ya said I had a day!”
Her face flashed confusion as she eyed Kiryu, clearly not who she expected. Immediately her face became hostile.
“Who are you!?”
“I'm Kiryu Kaz-”
“Which family ya from?”
“I-”
“Ya here about the money?” She eyed him suspiciously.
“Money?”
She sighed in irritation. “I haven't got time fer this!”
“Look, can you calm down?”
“Calm down!? Calm-” She ran her hand through her hair, breathing hard as she tried to keep her anger in check.
“Alright. I'm a bit stressed.” She admitted. “Ya here to fuck with me?”
“What? No, I-”
“Right. Well come in. Tell me what yer here for while I pack my shit.”
She left the door open as she turned and stalked back into the apartment. He felt confused as he slowly followed her, closing the door behind him. He turned and eyed the piles of clothes she had on the sofa as she went back to packing her suitcase.
“Hinode Kazumi?”
“Yeah?”
“Are you alright?”
“Jus' fuckin' dandy! Why?”
His brow furrowed in confusion. He followed Hinode’s request, but the situation didn't match what he expected or what she was saying.
“You... don't look alright.”
“Pfft... I lost my job because they found out I'm from a criminal family and nobody wants a yakuza princess fer an office lady, now I can't afford to pay fer this place and I ain't got any other place to go.” She explained, animated and over the top.
“Your dialect is a little muddled.”
“Huh? Oh... well I'm muddled... I'm originally from Osaka but I lived in Tokyo most of my life. I only came here to work, put my education to use. So, what d’ya expect?”
Kiryu just stared at her before he burst out laughing. He couldn't help it. The situation was absurd, the woman was absurd.
“Not that the education part helps, ya can go to the best schools in the country but if yer father is a patriarch in one of the biggest yakuza clans in Tokyo, apparently it don't mean shit!”
She continued to stuff clothes into her suitcase angrily.
“I don't speak like this at work.” She added as an afterthought.
“So, you’ve got nowhere else to go?”
She stopped then, letting her real feelings become apparent. She sunk down onto the sofa and buried her head in her hands. She shook her head.
“This place is.... well...” He tried but felt bad commenting. He looked around the tiny apartment, the décor had seen better days and it seemed run down.
“Yeah, it's a shithole. I know.”
“Why?”
She sighed again; she knew exactly what he was asking. “I wanted to distance myself from it all. I wanted to make it on my own. My father... he's... gone.”
“But the family is still active. You don't have to live like this.”
“Who are you? Who sent ya?”
He eyed her warily; he wasn’t sure how she’d react to what he had to say. “Don't get mad, alright?” He sighed. “Your father sent me to see how you were doing. I've been friends with him for a long time. I'm doing him a favour, I just got out.”
She glared at him. “He didn't care when he was busy doing… all the shit he did to get sent down! Why now?”
“He can still care about you. He still wants to know you're alright, Kazumi.”
She sighed. She missed him a lot. She'd been devastated when he got sent to prison, she felt abandoned and bitter about the whole thing and refused to see him. She’d lost him forever, just like her mother.
“What are you going to do?”
She shook her head. “I dunno. I ain't got any money left, ain't got anywhere to go. Suppose I'll either hostess, do sex work or-”
Kiryu choked at her comments, feeling his face burn with embarrassment.
“Calm down, I was only jokin’!”
He recovered and pulled out his cigarettes not looking at her.
“Can I smoke in here?”
“Do as ya please.”
“Want one?”
She smiled. “What were ya in prison for?”
“Murder.”
She nodded, unfazed.
“I didn't do it; I was covering for my... my brother.”
She nodded again, unfazed.
“Kazumi... your father, I've known him a long time. He'd be heartbroken if-”
“Yeah, I know. If he saw me livin' like this.” She finished his sentence.
“Why don't you come back with me?”
“To Tokyo?”
She sighed as she nodded to the pack of cigarettes. He passed them and waited as she lit one up. “Thank you.” She exhaled a long stream of smoke before speaking.
“Honestly, I dunno. I'm a woman, I can't be in the family. I wanted to work; I wanted a little taste of civilian life as a civilian. Ya know? I'm a civilian living a yakuza life when I'm home. I can't do most things, gotta have protection, can't get a job, can't be seen as normal, everyone’s scared of me and sickly sweet. I... hardly have any real friends, it's like a half in, half out existence, ya know?”
“Yes. I know what that feels like. I'm not currently in any family, I was in the Dojima family but now...” He shrugged and lowered his gaze to the floor.
She regarded him silently for a while. “Yer the Dragon, ain’t ya?”
He looked at her and slowly nodded.
“So, ya really didn't do it?”
He shook his head.
“Come back with me, Kazumi, you can come and stay with me. Your best chance of getting back on your feet is if you go back, you belong with the Clan, with your family. I don't want to have to tell your father about this place.”
She stared into space as she let his words sink in. Maybe she'd never be able to have a normal life. It clearly wasn't working out for her. She hadn’t exactly put down roots in Kamakura, she hadn’t exactly been happy.
“How come you weren't more guarded when I knocked at your door?” He asked curiously.
She shrugged. “I ain't afraid?... I'm used to the life? I know how to handle myself? Yakuza suits don't scare me? I could get someone offed with the click of my fingers?... I was raised by a patriarch?” She listed off. “Any one of those reasons, I guess.”
She smirked at him. “Ya have a kind face, ya don't feel like a scumbag.”
He laughed. “Well, I'm happy about that.”
“How come my father didn't send anyone before?”
He shrugged. “Maybe because he trusts me, I don't feel like a scumbag.”
She laughed. She suspected it was more to do with the fact that he was being discreet by sending someone outside of the family, someone less likely to gossip. She stared at Kiryu, she noted his grey suit with his dark red shirt underneath, he still looked very much like a family man. He was handsome and clearly the time spent behind bars hadn’t weathered his face nor his physique. He was obviously muscular under his suit, he was tall and broad, especially for a Japanese man.
He waited another minute before asking again. “So, what will you do?”
She slowly nodded. “I guess I'm goin’ back. Nothin' else fer me here, anyway. Suppose it's time I went back and saw the mess Nobu's made of my father's family.”
“You mentioned money?”
“Huh?”
“When I first came in?”
“Oh... yeah, I owe a month on this place.”
Kiryu took out his wallet and started counting.
“Ya don't gotta do that. S'real nice of ya but I can pay it when I get back to Tokyo.”
“I'll pay it now and then you can pay me back in Tokyo.”
She smiled. She'd been right about him; he was a decent guy.
_________________________________________________________________________
“Ya really don't haveta put me up here. I can get a hotel room or-”
“No, I'd feel better if you were here. I can keep an eye on you. I can let your father know you're fine. The second bedroom is empty, you're more than welcome to it.”
She nodded as she contemplated the situation. She knew she'd have to go and see her father at some point, but she wasn't sure she could face it just yet. She hadn't quite fully accepted that he was in prison forever. It hurt far too much and she'd been running from it since his sentencing. She was also furious over the whole thing. She quickly pushed away thoughts of him and turned to Kiryu.
“Thank you, Kiryu-San. Well, I'm goin' to my family’s headquarters tomorrow, I can get ya the money that ya paid back in Kamakura. How much is the rent on this place? I'll give ya half.”
“Like... roommates?”
“If... if ya want? I mean, I can get my own place, if yer wantin' yer own space?”
“No... I don't mind. You can stay as long as you want. I... come and go anyway. I go away for a few days now and then.”
“Oh. Ya got a girl.” She nodded.
“No... I... no. I just have things I need to do sometimes.”
She nodded; she was curious, but she didn't want to push. It was none of her business anyway.
She decided to go to her new room and unpack her things. She was pleasantly surprised, the room was clean and nicely decorated, just like the rest of the apartment. She'd have to add her own little touch, but she could be happy here. Things did still feel a little surreal, she hadn’t expected the Dragon of Dojima to come knocking at her door, to offer his help right when she needed it.
Kiryu was a good guy, she felt no shady intentions from him whatsoever. Maybe this could really be a fresh start back in her old world. Maybe she could make this work. The first thing she'd have to take care of was going to see Nobu, her father's captain. He'd be able to give her the money she was due, there were at least some perks of being a patriarch's daughter.
She would have to start looking for a job. She’d always found it difficult to find employment, especially in Kamurocho where her father’s name was more recognisable, although she hadn’t exactly been successful at keeping jobs in Kamakura either.
She still didn’t understand how they kept finding out about her ties to the yakuza all the way in Kamakura. She’d thought a new city would be a fresh start for her but it looked like she never really would be free from the yakuza life. Still, at least she felt familiar with Tokyo, with the people. She went to bed that night feeling more hopeful than she had in a while.
Meanwhile, outside in the cover of darkness a man slumped down in his car watching the apartment from across the street. He hadn't seen much in the time that he'd been there but even catching a slight glimpse of her would be worth the discomfort of being cooped up in his car.
He wasn't happy about the fact that she'd come back with Kiryu Kazuma, still she was back and that was the best news he'd had for a long time. Now he just needed to confirm that Kiryu wasn't trying anything with his little bird. He'd heard about him, the infamous Dragon of Dojima, and knew what he was capable of. He also recognised that the man was good looking and if she ended up in some sort of relationship with him, he'd have to take drastic measures to ensure it stopped. He hoped for their sake that they were only friends.
He watched as he saw a figure move around in the apartment and saw a glimpse of her before she closed the curtains. His heart skipped a beat at the sight of her and he gripped the steering wheel and breathed out a ragged breath, if only she knew what she did to him. He was consumed by his love for her. His all-powerful, unconditional love. He watched her window as the light turned off, that was her special signal for him, he knew it. She was sending him a subliminal message. Every single time her light went off, he knew she’d be dreaming of him. “I love ya too, my little bird.”
_____________________________________________________________________________
Kazumi woke up early, showered then dressed, she decided she would make some breakfast for herself and Kiryu and then head over to the Hinode family office. She was pottering around in the kitchen, trying to get her bearings and find what little food Kiryu had in the apartment while he was in the shower. She managed to cobble together a decent breakfast for them, noting she’d have to pick up some groceries and stock up their fridge. Kiryu didn’t seem the type to do a lot of home cooking. She was just setting the dishes down when she heard a knock at the door.
“I'll be right out, Kazumi! Can you answer that?” She heard Kiryu call out.
“Okay!” She called back.
She went to open the door and was surprised to see the handsome man standing there.
“Ki- ah... Is... Kiryu here?” He stuttered out, clearly surprised to see her.
“Yeah...”
“I... I'm his... brother... Nishikiyama.” She smirked; she knew exactly who he was.
“Ya comin' in to wait or...?”
“Yeah... sure.”
He stepped in and closed the door behind him.
“Ya eaten? I'm makin' some breakfast... if ya want some? Ain’t anythin’ fancy but there's plenty to go around.”
“Ah... I... sure. Thank you.”
She set another place for him, and he sat down at the table.
“Nishiki! Good to see you. This is Kazumi.”
He smiled up at her and quickly looked away.
“So... you got yourself a girl, Kiryu?”
“What? No! Kazumi is... she’s Hinode's daughter.”
“I met ya once at a Tojo dinner. I was only about nineteen at the time so ya probably don't remember me.” She offered as she poured them all some tea.
“Oh... right. Sorry. I...” Nishiki turned red and looked away.
“No worries. I was just a kid.” She smiled. She remembered him all too well. She had a little crush on him at the time, she guessed it must have just been after Kiryu went to prison. She remembered swooning over the older man who seemed moody and too cool to partake in the festivities of a Tojo dinner party. He hadn’t even noticed her at the time. They ate and made awkward small talk before she decided to leave them to it. Nishiki was clearly uncomfortable with her being there.
“Anyway, I gotta get movin'... gotta go and sort out some shit at my father's office.” She stood.
“Nice to meet ya properly Nishiki.”
He blushed and muttered, “Yeah. Nice to meet you too.” He tried to smile but just ended up cringing.
She left and immediately Nishiki's manner changed.
“What's the deal, Kiryu?”
“With what?”
“With what? She’s staying in your apartment! You going to ask her out... or...?”
Kiryu shook his head. “No. Nothing like that. I checked on her for Hinode. She wasn't doing too well so she's going to be staying here for a while. There's nothing between us like that.”
Nishiki's eyes widened and he laughed. “You serious? You got eyes, right? She's gorgeous!”
“Yes, she's pretty, but she's Hinode's daughter, Nishiki. It wouldn't be right and she’s too young.”
“Pfft. You're a weird one Kiryu! She looks old enough to me.”
“Oh, is that why you went bright red and turned into a stuttering fool? You like her.”
“You kidding!? I'd give my pinkie fingers gladly for a night with her.”
“Nishiki! Don't talk like that. She's a lady, not a piece of meat!”
“She's more than a lady.” He shook his head. “She's a yakuza princess.” He sighed.
“Alright, alright. Calm down. Don't fall in love with her.”
Nishiki put his hand over his heart, shook his head and smirked. “Too late Kiryu. Too late.”
_________________________________________________________________________
“Kazumi! What... what ya doin' here?” Nobu asked as he stood abruptly. “I ain't seen ya in ages!”
“Alright Nobu? Yep. I'm back.” She kept her face as neutral as possible, she needed to get in and get out. She hated even having to do this, she’d rather not have to interact with the man at all.
“How... how was... Kamakura? It was Kamakura, right? I thought ya'd settled down there?”
She shook her head. “Nah, my jobs, they ain't lastin' since they keep finding out 'bout my family.”
He frowned at her and motioned for her to sit down with him, but she ignored it. She wasn’t about to sit down here. “What the hell d’ya mean? How the fuck does anyone from Kamakura know about the Hinode family? What did they say?”
She sighed. “Got pulled into the boss's office and they said they'd heard about my 'involvement' with the Tojo Clan. They can't have associations like that at their company. Wouldn't be good for business. Been the same old story every time.”
“Bullshit. Ain't nobody who knows anythin' 'bout the Tojo Clan in Kamakura. That's some shady-ass shit right there.” He shook his head. He looked up at her, she was still standing next to the door and made no move to put her guard down around him.
“Anyway, yer father'll be happy 'bout ya bein' back... ya need money? I kept it all aside for ya. Jus' say the word.”
“Thanks Nobu, it'll be a big help. Get me back on my feet. I’m stayin’ with Kiryu Kazuma for now.” She made a point of telling him.
His head shot up but he didn’t comment. “No problem, Kazumi. I'll get ya the bankcard. Yer father'll want to see ya.”
She nodded. “I know. I'm goin', I'll see him soon.”
“Don't leave it too long! He misses ya.” He called out as he walked into the back.
She nodded to the empty room.
He came back looking pensive, like he wanted to say more but instead, he just took a few steps towards her.
“Yer... lookin' real good, Kazumi.” He reached his hand out to offer her the bankcard and let his eyes wander down to her chest.
She eyed him. He was taller than her but not by much, he had combed back short hair and a wide face with small shifty eyes. He was in his late forties but looked a lot older, time had not been kind to him and he had deep lines on his face. He'd been her father's captain since she was around eleven and always seemed nice, including her in 'grown up' talk, telling her jokes and bringing her gifts.
She'd developed a soft spot for him until things had changed. Things had changed when she was around thirteen, when she noticed him looking at her a little too much, in places a grown man's eyes shouldn't go. Her opinion of good old uncle Nobu had changed dramatically.
He started off with the inappropriate staring, the underhanded suggestive comments, the little awkward situations he managed to trap her in, he’d only gotten bolder and more disgusting as she’d grown older. Her father hadn't wanted to believe it; she'd mentioned it a few times, but he'd dismissed her. He wouldn't believe Nobu would ever put a toe out of line, so she must have been mistaken.
She kept her face poker-straight as she took the bankcard. She tried her best to suppress a shudder of disgust.
She gave a tight-lipped smile. “Thanks Nobu, ’ppreciate it. Better get back.”
She walked quickly out of the office to get away from Captain Creepy, the man who made her skin crawl.
____________________________________________________________________________
He sat across the street in his car until he saw Kiryu and his little bird leave the apartment. He waited for another ten minutes just to be sure the coast was clear before getting out of his car.
He compulsively patted the pocket in his jacket, feeling the small bulge of its contents. He had everything he needed, he wasn't stupid enough to come unprepared. He'd meticulously went over everything in his mind again and again, making sure he had all bases covered. Every single eventuality prepared for. He already had his gloves on, he had his lock picking equipment, his ski mask that he would put on when he was off the main street.
He knew their little routines off by heart and knew they wouldn't be back for a few hours at least. He’d been watching her every chance he got since she’d been back and luckily, she was pretty predictable. On Friday nights she liked to go out for food and then for some drinks, they wouldn't be back until after midnight.
His goal was to see their living situation, to ascertain whether she was sleeping with Kiryu or not. He needed to know if their arrangement was more than just roommates. He'd been watching them for some time now and their body language, their interactions gave no hint of there being anything romantic between them. Still, it nagged his brain constantly, like an itch that just had to be scratched, a compulsion. His life was ruled by compulsions, and they all had to do with his little bird.
He quietly made his way to the side of the building where their front door was, just off the main street. He was thankful for this, it gave him a chance to slip his ski mask over his head in the shadows of the building, out of sight from anyone on the main street. There weren't many people around at this time of night, but he wasn't stupid enough to take the chance. He didn’t think he’d really even need it, but he wasn’t about to risk everything in the eventuality that they came back. He could not afford to blow his cover; his plan was working and it was too important to mess up.
He slipped out his lock picking kit and crouched down out of sight. He got to work taking out the tools and positioned them in the lock. He began the task of twisting and turning gently, patiently feeling his way to his goal. He'd scoped out the apartment more than a few times very early in the morning when he knew they'd both been asleep.
He'd discovered there were two bedrooms in this apartment, but he was unable to gauge the set up properly since the curtains were always closed at night. He'd also recognised which lock was keeping him from the knowledge he was so desperate to learn, and much to his surprise, it was an old lock he was familiar with. He hadn't done any lock picking for a number of years, but he knew he could crack that particular lock easily enough.
He felt it give and applied pressure. A smile formed on his face as he felt the unmistakable snap of the door's latch retracting. He was in. He walked slowly around the apartment in the darkness, not daring to turn on a light. He could still see well enough, the light from the streetlamps outside illuminated the apartment enough to be able to see.
He looked around, it was a decent sized place and was pleasantly furnished. The kitchen was the first thing he came to, it was small and had an archway that led through to a larger dining area. Next, he came to the living area, he saw a kotatsu in front of a large television and two comfy looking sofas adjacent to one another. He dared to feel relief as he imagined her on one and Kiryu on the other, not touching.
He noted two doors to the back of the apartment and one to the side of the living area. He made his way to the side door first, he had a feeling that would be her room, if things were to go his way of course, if she wasn't sharing a room with Kiryu. He placed a trembling hand on the door handle and pushed through.
He instantly took in a sharp breath, inhaling deeply, taking in the scent of her, he recognised her instantly, her perfumes, her body lotions, the smell of her hair. This was his little bird's room, he was in her space, he felt his chest tighten with excitement, his breathing quickened, he felt a stir of arousal at being so close to her, to where she slept.
He stalked slowly around her room, taking off his gloves so he could touch. He began looking in her drawers, he opened her closet, feeling everything, her underwear, her clothes, all of her belongings. He made his way around her bed to where she had a nightstand. He slowly opened it, dreading what he might find inside. He peered in, noting a sleeping mask, a bottle of hand cream, a lip balm, a few pens.
When he was satisfied, he put everything back as he remembered it. He then sat down on her bed, he took one of her pillows and placed it over his face, breathing it in as hard as he could. It aroused him; he was tempted to touch himself, but he decided he needed to complete his mission before any of that. He placed her pillow back, stood and smoothed out her blankets. He put on his gloves again and made his way out of her room and moved to the last rooms to check. One was a generous sized bathroom with a bath and shower and the other was Kiryu's bedroom.
He again made his way around the room, looking in drawers and his closet. He found it interesting to look through the notorious Dragon of Dojima's private space, noting he had a variety of personal affects. A couple of pocket circuit cars, a few trophies for darts, pool and bowling, he had a fishing rod, and he noticed a photo. In it he saw an older man between a younger Kiryu and another young man. How sweet.
He was clearly a more complex man than he appeared. He opened his nightstand and found nothing but a pack of pocket tissues and some kind of novel. He smirked, there was no sign of her in his room. Everything pointed to them being just roommates, just friends. He felt his heart ache with happiness at the revelation and told himself he could stop worrying now. He could stop letting it consume his every waking thought. There was some part of his brain that was sceptical that he'd be able to though. He knew he'd always worry over what she was doing and who she was seeing.
He closed Kiryu's bedroom door and made his way through the living room, he checked over the apartment thoroughly, making sure everything was as he found it. He left and crouched down, he reverse-picked the lock so neither of them realised anyone had been in the apartment. Then he took off his ski mask and straightened himself up.
He breathed as the last of the adrenaline left his body making him feel a little jittery. Still, he was elated by the fact that all seemed to point to them having a completely platonic relationship. He slowly made his way back to his car and wondered if he should wait until they came back so he could get a glimpse of her, but he decided against it. He was tired and he'd see her soon enough anyway, his stomach flipped at the thought, not much longer to wait now.
____________________________________________________________________________
She'd been back in Tokyo for a month and had pretty much gotten all of her affairs in order. She had the money she was owed from the family; she was happy to see they were doing alright without her father. Nobu was still a creep but that would never change. She still hadn’t been to visit her father although Kiryu had been to see him a couple of times and kept asking when she was going to go.
She and Kiryu had found a nice rhythm in being roommates. She'd mentioned that she could move out a couple of times, but he always told her he was fine with her being there, so she decided to add her own personal touches and had made it her home.
She suspected he enjoyed the company. She didn't blame him, going from being in prison and having people around all the time to being alone must have been a shock to the system. She suspected that she would prefer to be alone after being in prison for ten years but that was her and she’d never been in that position.
They were similar in the way they lived, respecting each other's privacy, they were both neat and tidy and were both quiet. They even found an in-joke, calling each other ‘Kaz’. She'd come to think of him as a big brother figure and a really good friend. She was enjoying being back overall, catching up with her old acquaintances and friends and her best friend Mei.
The only things left to do were to get a job, visit her father and attend the meeting at headquarters she’d been avoiding for the last couple of years. She’d already been contacted about it and was dreading it. It was just a formality, a meeting for the chairman to offer his sympathies regarding her father’s fate and offer her his support, still it made her nervous to have to face the executives.
“Wanna go out fer some dinner?” She eyed Kiryu.
“Yes, I could eat. Where do you want to go?”
“Hmmm, you pick! I'll pick the bar fer after!”
He laughed, “I want meat... Kanrai?”
“Good choice!”
After they’d eaten, she dragged him to a bar nearby called Vincent for some drinks. They were seated at the bar, side by side as they sipped their drinks.
“Why ya not lookin' fer a woman?”
He felt his face burn and took a gulp of his drink.
“Come on, Kaz! Yer a catch! I could set ya up-”
“No! I don't want that. Please.”
“Ya gay?”
He seemed to implode in on himself with embarrassment.
“What’s the big deal if ya are? Ya should jus' do what makes ya happy! Ya only live once, and ya’ve been away fer so long!”
“I... I just... I'm not ready for any of that right now. I haven't been out of prison long. I want to... just be, for a while.”
She lifted her hands in surrender. “Alright, alright. Well, if ya decide ya wanna get back out there, I'll be yer wing woman!” She caught sight of a man behind Kiryu’s shoulder and frowned. He was staring at her intently as she chatted with Kiryu. She thought he was a horrible creep for staring at her so obviously when she was clearly far too young for him. An eerie feeling was just crawling its way up her spine when her thoughts were interrupted.
“Kiryu-Chan!”
They both jumped at the high-pitched voice. It was so loud it pierced through the chatter and the music. They both turned to see a lanky man in a snakeskin jacket, wearing an eyepatch. He strutted over to them with his arms outstretched and flung an arm around each of them, inserting himself between the pair.
“Am I interruptin’? I didn't know ya had a sweetheart, Kiryu-Chan!?”
Kiryu squirmed, feeling his face burn as he tried to shrug the arm off his shoulder.
“She isn't my sweetheart, Majima-San. She's my friend.”
“Aww! Don't go disappointin’ the lady now!” His attention turned to her.
“Oooh, yer a real treat, ain't ya? If he's not goin' fer it, I'd certainly be happy to-”
“Majima-no-niisan. Please. Don't. Just stop.”
“Haw? What'd I say!?” He cackled.
“Ah Yeah!” He smacked his forehead. “Ya know the Kazama family office is under attack?”
“What!?”
“Yeah, right now... Kashiwagi could do with yer help, Kiryu-Chan!” He taunted and then cackled.
“Right now!? You didn't help?”
“Nah, why should I? They wouldn't lend a helpin’ hand to ol' Majima, am I right?” He grinned widely and let out a maniacal cackle.
Kiryu turned to Kazumi, his serious expression became even more serious. “I have to go!”
He sighed. “Majima-San. This is Hinode's daughter, Kazumi, can you keep an eye on her?”
“Well, it'll have to be my good one, otherwise yer fucked!” He looked like he was enjoying himself, enjoying Kiryu’s panic. He looked her up and down as Kiryu got to his feet.
“I don't need-” Kazumi tried.
“Please, Majima, I'll owe you one, please just stay with her until I get back?”
“Well, she'll have to come with me... I ain't stayin' here.”
“I'm not-” She tried again.
“Fine!”
“I'll be at my office.”
“Okay, I'll come after I deal with this.” He said as he made his way to leave. “Sorry Kaz!” He shouted over his shoulder.
She blinked. “Nice to be heard.” She knocked back the rest of her drink and then turned to look at her new babysitter.
“Come on then, Dollface. If yer good, I'll give ya a whiskey when we get to my office.”
“Dollface? Ya kiddin'? What the hell’re you supposed to be?” She looked him up and down with exaggerated boredom which contradicted the intrigue she felt.
His eye widened as he grinned. She was a firecracker. “Whatever ya want me to be, sweetheart! Now, no stallin’! I gotta get back.”
She eyed him, unsure of whether to just go along with this clowning around or try fucking with him.
“If ya don't make a move in two seconds, I'll carry yer ass back with me. Look into my eye... tell me I wouldn't?”
She huffed and stood up. He was a caricature, an over-the-top nut job. She couldn't tell whether it was an act or if he was really this gone in the head. She’d heard about him, everyone had. He was infamous in the Clan for being vicious and unhinged, but she’d always just assumed it was exaggerated gossip. She didn't want to find out in the middle of a busy bar and decided she hadn’t been able to gauge him enough to push back so she began following as he strutted out without glancing back.
She was left in his office on her own. She paced for a while, feeling on edge before she lifted herself up and sat on his desk. She was dangling her legs over the edge, lost in thought, kicking back and forth when he entered.
“Ain't a fan o' chairs, darlin'?”
She scowled at him.
“So, yer Hinode's daughter, eh? Shit, what happened to him. Still, you'll be seen alright, won't ya?”
She stared at him as he slowly made his way over to her.
“Beautiful thing like ya… ya’ll want fer nothin’. Plenty o' family men lining up fer a rare thing like ya!”
“What d'ya mean?”
“Yer already in the life, ain't ya? Family man's dream, a woman raised in it, used to all the shit.”
She rolled her eyes. He leaned over her and got way too close. She stiffened; she didn't flinch, but she wanted to. She'd learned a long time ago that you never show you're scared, never flinch, when someone's trying to fuck with you. She stared hard back at him. He was so close she could feel his breath on her face. Then she heard him rummaging and realised he was leaning in to get something out of a drawer in the desk she was sitting on.
“There ya are! Come to ol' Majima!” He said to his prize. He pulled out a bottle of Hibiki and straightened up away from her. She felt her chest deflate in relief. He pulled the top off the bottle and took a swig.
“Ah, that's better!” He turned to her. “Ya want some?” He held out the bottle to her with a dark eye, waiting to see what she’d do.
She reached out and took it, nodding her thanks. She took a shot from the bottle and then handed it back to him. She then took her pack of cigarettes, lit one and then offered him one. It felt like a sort of bizarre ritual. They sized each other up and stared at each other. She felt like he was testing her, pushing her to work out her boundaries, trying to figure her out.
“So, yer not Kiryu-Chan's woman, then?” He asked as he leaned back on the wall opposite her.
She exhaled smoke as she shook her head. “Nah, just friends. Nothin' like that.”
Majima nodded. “Ya got a man?”
She again shook her head.
“Want one?”
She scowled at him. He smirked as he stretched his arm out to offer her the bottle again. She took it and drank, which earned her a nod of approval.
“How old are ya?” She shot at him.
He scowled at her as he took a drag of his cigarette.
He stood upright abruptly before stalking over to her. He again, stood way too close to her as he stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray next to her.
“How old d’ya think I am?” He whispered.
She didn't lean back from him but didn't turn her head to look at him either. “Old enough to know better?”
He cackled at that, she almost jumped, almost breaking her front. “Ain't never gonna be old enough fer that, gorgeous.”
He grabbed the bottle and took a swig, still standing close to her. He smiled darkly at her before shoving the bottle in her hand and stalking back to where he'd been standing a few feet away.
She knocked back a shot then took him in. He was older than her, but she couldn't tell by how much. His body was lean and muscular. He wore no shirt under his snakeskin jacket, his abs were to die for. She stared at his face; he was handsome, very handsome. His style was not like other yakuza, he was quirky. She supposed it suited his personality. He was exciting and unique and definitely playing with her. She felt her stomach tighten as she was hit with the feeling of attraction towards him and quickly looked away, hoping she didn't blush.
Too late. He'd seen it. It was all he needed.
“Ya like what ya see, darlin'?” His eye flashed excitement.
She didn't look up to meet his gaze. Instead, she placed the bottle down next to her, fumbled with her pack of cigarettes and lit one up. Again, she offered him one, trying to keep her face as neutral as possible.
She shrugged. “So?”
He pushed himself back off the wall and walked towards her slowly, his eye not leaving her face. Again, he leaned in close to her, this time he whispered in her ear “Ya crazy or just naïve?”
She felt his breath tickle her neck, her stomach clenched, she felt her face flush. A tingle in between her legs made her eyes close and she took a ragged breath.
He grabbed the bottle from the desk, took a swig and passed it back to her. She kept her face neutral as she knocked it back. He moved to stand directly in front of her with a menacing grin on his face, enjoying the back and forth, playing with her. She didn't know if it was him and what he'd been doing to her or the booze but when he took a step towards her, she automatically opened her legs, just a fraction, a micromovement, her body betraying her ploy for cool indifference. He saw it and smiled darkly, encouraged.
He quickly slipped his hands behind her knees, pulled her legs apart and yanked her forward so she slid towards him. Her legs were either side of him as she sat on the edge of the desk, their pelvises too close. He put his hands on the desk either side of her, towering over her. Leaning in he whispered, “Crazy then.”
She felt his breath on her neck again, it made her shudder and give her goosebumps. She couldn't look up at him. She couldn't pull away either. Couldn't tell him to stop, she didn’t want to. She breathed heavily and in between her legs ached. He looked down at her with a smirk on his face, he knew exactly what he was doing to her. His gloved finger moved to under her chin, she felt pressure as he lifted her head towards him. She stared into his eye, as he leaned down. His lips were inches away from hers, they both breathed heavily. Her gaze faltered as she lowered her eyes to his lips, willing him to act.
“Majima-San!? What the hell are you doing?”
The voice broke the spell. He stepped back and she quickly snapped her legs shut as they both turned to see Kiryu standing in the office doorway frowning more than usual.
“How much did you let her drink!?”
“Kiryu-Chan! What do ya mean? Why am I gettin' the blame!?”
“You said you'd keep an eye on her! Not get her drunk and take advantage of her!”
“Pfft take advantage... I wasn't takin’ advantage! Tell him, sweetheart!”
She looked guiltily up at Kiryu, she shook her head. “He wasn't. I'm not that drunk, no more than him anyway.” She laughed trying to ease the tension. “Calm down Kaz, yer like an old woman, ya know that?”
Majima cackled.
“God, I can't deal with you both at the same time. We're going home. Majima-no-niisan, don't do... whatever you were going to do there? Don't do that, please. Thank you for... keeping her safe?” He shook his head, frowning. “Come on Kaz, we're going.”
She swung her legs and jumped off his desk.
She turned to Majima and smirked. “Thanks, fer the booze, Dollface.”
His eye widened and his jaw dropped in exaggerated joy, he clutched his heart as he watched her go. When the door closed, he leaned on his desk and let out a breath. Fuck! She was something else. He didn't know what the hell had come over him. He'd been dangerously close to doing something he regretted, it wasn't like him at all. He reprimanded himself mentally and vowed never, ever to let himself get that way again.
He'd have to stay away from her. How would he? She was Kiryu-Chan's roommate. She was a Hinode. She might not be a real yakuza, but she was close enough. He'd definitely see her around. Now her father was out of the picture, she'd get special treatment, just like Yayoi Dojima; she was an honorary Dojima family member now. She was more involved in the family than when her husband, Sohei Dojima, was alive.
He'd definitely see Kazumi around, gatherings, some of the meetings at clan headquarters, even just out and about. He was going to have to keep his wits about him with that one. He couldn't afford to get himself in trouble. But damn, she was so beautiful. He winced as he thought it was about time to get home.