Chakra Wizard
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The climax is nearing! I shifted back to third-person perspective for these final chapters, that way I can fit in a few important things that Aito won’t be around for. Anyways, enjoy
Previous Chapter:
With the plan to assassinate Koi Iona in place, all that was needed was to ascertain a date and location. Fortunately for Mao and the rest of the yakuza, the naïve congressman had already announced a press conference in front of the Aliʻiōlani Hale set for the 23rd of February, only five days after he revealed his intention to run for governor. They wasted no time after this announcement preparing for the hit, leading to Mao, Hei, and the five men who would accompanying Seishin standing around the former’s desk, a layout of the city landmark spread out over top of it.
“We’ll have the assassin team positioned here in this building, second to top floor. That puts them roughly two-thousand meters away, which is well within our sniper’s shot range.” Hei explained as he traced a line across the paper with his finger. At the same time, Roku waved his hand over the area in front of the building, where Koi’s spectators would be gathered.
“We’re gonna need another guy in the crowd to cause a scene. That’ll draw the security detail’s attention away from us when the oaf takes the shot.” he said bluntly, earning a blow to the back of his head from the handle of Aito’s pistol. As he turned around in a fury, Aito proceeded to wave it in his face until he finally looked back at the table, at which point he returned the gun to his pants and slowly walked around the group to Mao’s left side.
“Don’t get too ahead of yourselves. None of this shit matters anyways unless Sesshoku manages to **** up the negotiations with Iona.”
As he took his new spot beside his brother, everyone around the table began glaring maliciously at this lone wolf among them, who stared back at them in kind. It went without saying, but none of them were particularly pleased to have Aito among their group, and as much as he could say the same, he had no intention of letting Mao’s plans take root under anyone’s watch but his own.
“Do you have any preferences, Roku? It’s best if we choose someone all of us would rather do without, …just in case this entire setup fails.” Mao interrupted their staring contest, prompting everyone’s eyes to shift back towards him except for Roku, who instead looked up towards the ceiling in thought.
“I was thinkin’ Otori. That ****er’s been gettin’ on my nerves for awhile now, so if it does go down, I at least get somethin’ good out of it.” he finally answered, earning a satisfied nod from his young leader.
“Perfect. Let him know of this next job sometime today. Promise him a hefty paycheck if he manages to weasel out of it. That should satisfy him.” Mao suggested, prompting the others to comment or nod in agreement. The only one who didn’t seem fully content with this was Aito, who was now leaning against the wall behind Mao’s desk, a freshly lit cigarette tucked between his lips.
“It’s always about money with you ****in’ convicts. More importantly, I wanna know how you plan to get Seishin where he needs to be without any issues. Iona publicly challenged the yakuza, after all. Just cause the building’s over a mile away doesn’t mean they won’t overlook the chance of us using it for the shot.” he warned them, though none of them showed any real worries about this matter. Roku eventually answered his concerns with a sadistic grin, pulling out his pistol and twirling it around on his finger as he spoke.
“Oh, we can fix that quick and easy. …Few extra stiffs never hurt anybody, did they?”
Aito would’ve spat in his face had he been close enough to do it, but another puff on his cigarette and a smug remark were a good enough replacement in his mind.
“That’s all you’re good for, isn’t it, you ****in’ douchebag?” he said to him, holding up his own gun to ensure Roku did nothing with his. They kept this stance for the longest time, no one around them making a sound until finally, Aito’s cigarette reached too short a length to take another puff, prompting him to flick it into the ashtray sitting on the desk.
“**** it. I ain’t stickin’ around for this shit. Mao, you just make sure to inform me if any sudden changes come up.”
He kept his gun fixed on Roku until he was finally out of the room, at which point the seasoned hitman spun around and threw his gun at a large vase sitting by the door, smashing it into pieces.
“That little ******! I swear, I wanna kill him more every goddamn day!” he shouted as he slammed his fists on top of the desk, looking up to meet Mao’s menacing gaze when the latter snapped his fingers.
“That’s enough from you, Roku. He’s still my brother, whether you dislike him or not, …and I do not take it lightly when you offend my family name.” he said, not blinking even once until Roku’s heavy breathing ceased and he lowered his head in shame.
“Apologies, boss.” he replied, which Mao quickly waved off.
“Forget about it. Just clear out of here already. We’re done for now.”
All six participants, with Hei’s obvious exception, immediately followed his orders, the last of them closing the double doors as he went through. Exhausted, Mao leaned back in his chair and looked up at Hei, who was unwrapping another lollipop after placing the stick of the previous one in the ashtray.
“Where’s Kyōgi now, Hei?” he asked him.
“He left nearly three hours ago, sir, so he should be speaking with Iona right now.” Hei answered, earning a nod of understanding from his young leader who stood up and turned around, staring jadedly at the grassy knoll just outside the window as he looked on.
“Do you have a preference as to how the negotiations transpire?”
Mao was slow to respond, closing his eyes and inhaling deeply for several seconds before exhaling and opening them once again.
“…No. …Not really.”
Several miles from Hanauma Bay, in the Hawaiian statehouse in downtown Honolulu, Koa Iona was sitting idly in his office, going over paperwork that his campaign for governor had forced him to hold off on. He was in the midst of signing the very last form when an assistant walked in a brand new stack – not enormous, but big enough to sprout a few veins on his forehead.
“Mr. Iona.” the man said after setting the papers on Koa’s desk.
“What is it?” he asked in a disgruntled tone.
“There’s someone right outside hoping to have a word with you.” he answered. The information didn’t seem to faze Koa, who took the first few papers off of the new stack and began signing away, prompting the assistant to lean in closer.
“He claims he was sent by the Ryokudan family.”
He was halfway through writing the last letter of his surname, but Koa still proceeded to stop dead in his tracks upon hearing this. He sat there for a moment in dead silence, letting the news sink in, before finishing the signature and setting his pen down.
“Send him in.” he requested, at which point the assistant quickly exited the office, replaced shortly afterwards by a man he was unfamiliar with. The overall shape of Kyōgi’s face was still intact, but everything from his complexion, hair color, and hair style to even his waistline had been significantly altered to the point where no one with prior knowledge could’ve guessed it was him. His spiky and graying hair was now dark-brown and combed back, while his unshaven and slightly pimpled face was now clean and free of any blemishes. Overall, he looked barely half his real age, but such was the magic of this master of disguise’s skills – in a job such as his, they were essential.
“Ah, Senator Iona! It’s a real pleasure to meet you, sir.” he exclaimed as he walked up to the desk – even his voice was disguised to appear younger. He held his hand out for him to shake, but Koa made no attempt to return the gesture and continued to glare at him from the confines of his seat.
“What’s your name?” he asked bluntly, to Kyōgi’s slight surprise.
“Oh, I’m terribly sorry! Here, this is my business card.” he replied as he reached into the pocket on the left side of his suit for a small stack of cards, peeling one off and handing it to Koa. He scanned its contents for the longest time, during which Kyōgi decided to help himself to the chair positioned in front of the desk, carefully setting the briefcase he brought with him down beside his right foot.
“Sora Zorashii. …Japanese, I presume?” Koa asked after he finished looking at the card.
“By ancestry, yes. My family’s lived here for two generations.” Kyōgi answered with a smile, yet another kind gesture that Koa failed to return.
“So, how much were you planning to offer me?”
Kyōgi’s smile, however forced it might have been already, vanished almost immediately after hearing this. It wasn’t so much the question itself that disturbed him – he would’ve thought the man a fool had he not known what to expect from a mob negotiator – but the tone he used as he said it that sent a feeling of unease coursing through his body.
“I’m sorry, sir?” he asked, nearly fumbling over his own words.
“Don’t play dumb with me, Sora. You came in holding that briefcase and you work for the mob. What else would be in there if not bribe money?” Koa asked, the anger in his voice becoming more audible with every word. Kyōgi did his best to maintain his hitherto friendly persona, though anyone who knew him could tell that both fear and aggravation were quickly beginning to well up inside him.
“Actually, these are merely credentials, sir, hehe. …We try our best to use words to convince rather than money.” he joked, again spurring no reaction from Koa.
“And violence, too, correct?” he responded. His image of where this exchange was leading gradually becoming more and more negative, Kyōgi made one more attempt to joke his way out of this tight space.
“Iiiii’m not very familiar with that side of my employers’ affairs, Senator. And I do my best to stick to my own field, you know?” he explained with a half-hearted smirk, one which Koa finally answered with a smile, albeit one that was unnervingly sinister.
“I’m sure you do.”
He snapped his finger after saying this, at which point two particularly large men stepped into the room and stopped directly behind Kyōgi, followed shortly by the assistant from before.
“Uhhh, Senator? May I ask what these men are doing?” Kyōgi asked nervously as he gazed back-and-forth between the two men behind him. Koa stood up as he answered his concerns.
“What does it look like, Mr. Zorashii? They’re taking you out, you goddamn criminal.” he said before tilting his head upwards, prompting each of them to slide one arm beneath Kyōgi’s shoulders.
“Sir, I can assure you I came here merely to speak with you about your campaign! Neither I nor my employers have any ulterior motives behind our meeting today!” Kyōgi shouted as they forced him out of his seat. Koa gritted his teeth in response before slamming his fist on the desk.
“Like hell you don’t! You think you can just walk in here to try and negotiate to save your asses? **** that! Come spring, I WILL be governor of this state, and after that, I’m taking all you bastards out! …Now get this piece of shit out of my sight!”
He turned around and gazed out the large window behind his desk as his guards complied with the order, Kyōgi calling out to him all the while kicking his feet, his fake voice slipping more and more with each plea. Once his cries were out of ear’s reach, Koa heaved a sigh of relief and exhaustion, provoking some feelings of concern from his assistant.
“Are you alright, sir?” he asked. Koa paused a moment before turning and sitting back down in his seat, quickly returning to his paperwork.
“Just fine. …Call up law enforcement again. I want security at my press conference to be quadrupled, you understand?” he requested, not looking up from his desk as he spoke.
“Very good, sir.” the young man complied before exiting the room, closing the doors behind him.
Several miles away, on the outskirts of Honolulu’s borders, Aito strolled leisurely along the side of the road towards the Saimin Shop, trying his best to waste as much time as possible before he was forced to return home. After walking for about two hours, he finally found himself at the entrance to the restaurant, though what he saw waiting for him inside only made him that much more hesitant to go in.
“Shit.” he muttered as he slowly walked up to the counter, where Mahina was sitting as she conversed with Susume. Both of them looked up with a smile as they saw him come in, but recent events made it difficult for him to return the gesture.
“Afternoon, Aito. You doin’ alright today?” Susume asked with an almost conniving grin, which Aito answered with a scowl as he sat down next to Mahina.
“Doin’ just fine, Susume. …Hey, Mahina.” he greeted her, managing a small smile which she returned in kind.
“Hey.”
They could only manage a few more seconds of eye contact before blushing and looking away, a sight that Susume couldn’t resist chuckling at. He stopped once he noticed that Aito was glaring at him, speaking up again after realizing that his reasons included more than just his laughter.
“I was talking to her for a little bit before you showed up. …I saved you some trouble and let her know why you neglected to call her yesterday.”
Aito’s eyes expanded when he heard this, turning to Mahina with an expression that closely resembled fear to see if his assumptions about what he told her were true.
“He said it was preparations for a trip to the mainland?” Mahina said, causing Aito to gasp as relief overcame him, though it was almost immediately replaced by yet another fierce look directed towards Susume.
“Yeah. …I gotta leave for California in a couple days. I’ll be gone for about a week, maybe less. …It’s a family issue, nothing too serious.” he answered, putting some thought in between each sentence. He turned to Mahina to see her reaction, quickly staggering to rephrase his answer upon seeing the worried look in her eyes.
“Not THAT family, Mahina. Believe me, I try to distance myself from them as much as possible.” he added with a joking expression, bringing Mahina that same feeling of relief he had felt just seconds ago.
“Oh! Oh, okay. …I guess we can go do something when you get back, then.” she replied, bringing a small smile to Aito’s face.
“Sounds great.”
She got up to leave after that, clasping her hand over Aito’s closed fist as she stood up and running it again over his shoulders as she walked past him, causing him to shudder in embarrassment, yet another sight that brought Susume great amusement.
“Things seem to be going smoothly for you.” he said jokingly, though his remark was met shortly after by Aito’s cold stare.
“Rōjin ore o kamu. …Naze anata wa sore ga shimashita ka?” (“Bite me, old man. …Why did you do that?”)
“Anata wa kanojo no jibun jishin ni sore o setsumei suru suishō shite iru nodeshou ka?” (“Would you have preferred explaining it to her yourself?”)
“Hai. Ore wa chōdo kanojo wa nani mo itte inaishi, hanarete watashinokazoku no jigyō kara no taizai ni tsuite no ore no hanashi o fumae-jō de ito sa rete imasuga, yuiitsu no nochi ni monogoto ga fukuzatsu ni narimasu detarame no ikutsu ka no katamari o sakusei suru hitsuyō ga arimashita.” (“Yes. I intended on just telling her nothing and keeping with my story about staying away from my family’s business, but you had to create some hunk of bullshit that will only complicate things later on.”)
“Dakara anata no keikaku wa, sonogo, kankei naku, kanojo ni usowotsuku kotodatta.” (“So your plan was to lie to her regardless, then.”)
Aito stopped and closed his eyes, taking a moment to release all the tension in his body upon realizing that Susume had just backed him into a corner. After taking a deep breath, he opened them again and resumed their argument from a different standpoint.
“Naze anata wa Mahina rōjin to, kono koto ni tsuite no ore no o shiri ni aru? Sore ga ore ga to anata, kanojo to issho ni inai kyōyū suru koto wa arimasendeshou ore no ketteida.” (“Why are you on my ass about this thing with Mahina, old man? It’s my decision what I will and will not share with her, not yours.”)
“So no baai wa, sonogo, jissai ni kanojo to kyōyū o kaishi.” (“If that’s the case, then start actually sharing with her.”)
“Seinaru fakku, Susume! Watashitachi wa san-kakan, aitemu kita! Otagai no sekai o tanken suru koto ni wa sukoshi hayai, sōde wa arimasen! … Soshite, dono yō ni seikō anata wa, kanojo ga ore no sekai o mitai to omotte shitte, tonikaku, kanojo wa ore ga motte iru haikei no shurui o shitte iru toki?” (“Holy ****, Susume! We’ve been an item for only three days! A little early to be exploring each other’s worlds, isn’t it!? …And how the **** do you know she wants to see my world, anyways, when she knows the kind of background I have?”)
“…Anata ga tōchaku suru mae ni, kanojo wa chōdo watashi ni ittanode.” (“…Because she just told me before you arrived.”)
The pause that followed this revelation was not one of strategic intent as the previous one had been, but one of astonishment. Until this point, Aito had considered Mahina a perfect saint, one who would never look upon the criminal underworld with anything besides distaste, much less curiosity, and the fact that this disclosure almost tarnished his image of her only served to rekindle his anger, though Susume cut in before he could express it vocally.
“It may come as a big shock to you, Aito, but Mahina is just as committed to keeping this relationship going as you are, going off my assumptions about your long-term plans, that is. …I heard that you both shared things about your mothers and I applaud that, really, but if you truly want to win her heart, you’re gonna have to start digging deeper and letting her in on the stuff that really troubles you…and I would bet dollars to donuts that will do anything but drive her away. the old man explained, hoping his words might encourage Aito to come out of his shell, if only for a brief moment. The look on his face assured him that he was honestly considering it, though there was clearly something else still holding him back – exactly what was hardly a mystery.
“Shikashi, …soreha, Susume yakuzada.” (“But, …it’s the yakuza, Susume.”)
“So what? She’s a smart girl, Aito. She knows what’ll get her in trouble. …Hehehehe, perhaps that’s why she enjoys being with you so much. The thrill of dating a mob child, as it were.” Susume replied jokingly. Aito would’ve cursed at him for reverting back to English for that somewhat revealing remark, but by that point, he had already ran out the door of the café. Scanning the streets, he found to his relief that Mahina was still within view and called out to her.
“MAHINA!!”
He quickly realized that screaming at just half that volume probably would’ve caught her attention, as well, a fact which caused him to hide his blushing face as he ran up to her.
“Y-yeah?” she clumsily replied, her face also red from being at the center of this eye-catching spectacle. Still catching his breath, Aito waited until all the bystanders who heard his outburst had resumed their prior activities before explaining himself.
“Ore wa uso o tsuita. Shitsureishimashita. Ore wa…” (“I lied. I’m sorry. I…”)
He nearly choked as he stumbled to get the next word out, still not entirely sure that he wanted to share this information with her. The look of anticipation on her face hinted that she already had some idea as to what he was going to tell her, but that only made him hesitate further. In all, it took him nearly a full minute to brace himself for whatever response she might give him.
“…Watakushiha ni shusseki suru tame ikutsu ka no bijinesu o motte iru...kazoku ni kansuru. Ore wa chikau, ore no otōto kan'yo shite inaiga, ore wa hanarete shukuhaku shite irudarou shite ita ka sae, karera wa sore o shiyō shite tsūka suru yō ni rakutan...shikashi, ore wa sore o okonau koto wa dekimasen. Shitsureishimashita.” (“…I have some business to attend to…regarding the family. I swear, had my brother not been involved, I would have stayed away or even discouraged them to go through with it, …but I just can’t. I’m sorry.”)
He shut his eyes and lowered his head as he waited for her to reply, half of him expecting her to walk away in sadness or disgust, while the other half expected she might try to convince him not to go through with whatever business he was referring to. Needless to say, what she actually said caught him completely by surprise.
“Does it have to do with Koa Iona?” she asked, subtle hints of melancholy and understanding in her voice, the latter of which prompted him to raise his head and widen his eyes.
“You…how-”
“I’ve watched his campaign, too, Aito. I know the kinds of promises he’s been making…and I know that whoever’s in charge of your family’s business now isn’t taking his threats very lightly.”
Mao’s image came into his mind as she said this, invoking fury at the idea of him actually being concerned by the yakuza’s longevity despite his previous statement that he intended to cease all of its functions one day. Before he could clench his fist in anger, though, Mahina slipped her fingers in between his own, prompting him to look up in surprise just as she reached in to plant a gentle kiss on his cheek.
“But I also know the kind of person you are, and I know that you would never try to help with their crimes unless it was for a good reason.”
His mind and heart were racing too fast for Aito to catch every word that came out of her mouth, but he got her message nonetheless. The combination of both immense relief and the feeling of luck he felt at having found Mahina before anyone else might have brought tears to his eyes had he not been so mad just a moment earlier. He was half a second away from reaching in and kissing her back, but he hadn’t quite overcome his shyness enough to do so, and instead tightened the grip he had on her hand.
“I’ll call you the day after it’s over. I swear to God I will.” he blurted out impulsively, turning his head in embarrassment and disappointment at his own choice of words. To his relief, though, when he turned back, he was met with one of Mahina’s gentle smiles.
“Sounds good.”
She began walking away after she said this, leaving Aito standing there in the middle of the sidewalk. He could only guess what expression she was wearing now that he could no longer see her face, but for the time being, he assumed her smile was still there. He was about to start walking home when he realized he’d just left the Saimin Shop without tasting a mystery-flavored Ramune, the first time he’d done so since he was ten years old. He smirked at the idea, but at the same time, he found it difficult to simply walk away and pretend that Susume hadn’t noticed it either.
“**** me for being so nice.” he said aloud before turning around and heading back towards the café, flexing his jaw in preparation for what was sure to be a terrible flavor.
Later that day, Aito returned to the Ryokudan manor, deciding to spend the next hour or two smoking in the main office while he, Hei, Roku, and Mao awaited Kyōgi’s return – and the verdict on whether or not they would go through with Koa Iona’s assassination. To their collective surprise, though, it was well over three hours until they finally received word that he was approaching the estate, a bad sign that Aito was quick to recognize.
“Goddamn it.” he muttered as he extinguished his third cigarette in the ashtray sitting on the windowsill. Mao and Hei glanced over at him, but neither responded to his remark and returned their gaze to the doorway in front of them, through which Kyōgi entered the room after a few more minutes of waiting. Much of his disguise had already been removed as he trampled through the hallways of the manor towards the office, including the corset that hid his gut and the wafer-thin face mask that covered his many blemishes, and he was currently brushing his fingers through his hair to rid it of its refined style.
“Well?” Mao asked him, his hands intertwined in front of his face as he leaned his elbows on the desk.
“THAT ****IN’ ASS****!! I hadn’t even started negotiating with the prick before he had me dragged out and put in the back of a goddamn patrol car! Thank God it was one of your rats, otherwise I would’ve been ****ed!” Kyōgi shouted as he undid his necktie and threw it on the ground. Mao paid little heed to his antics and turned to Roku, who was patiently awaiting his orders as he leaned his glutes against the corner of the desk.
“It would seem our next course of action is assassination, then. Start packing your credentials, cause you leave for the city tonight. …It won’t be long before they start putting this mansion under 24-hour surveillance.” he instructed him, prompting Roku to stand up and gesture his head over to Aito as he exited the room. Aito wasn’t so quick to follow him out, though, reaching into his pocket for one more cigarette and he leaned his head against the wall.
“Is there a problem, Brother?”
He didn’t move his head, but he lowered his gaze to bring Mao into his line of sight. He wanted to tell him that he had a huge problem with this. He wanted to tell him that he thought this entire outcome was bullshit and that he deliberately paid off Kyōgi to lie about seeing Koa earlier that day. He wanted to tell him that he was having second thoughts about letting him carry out this assassination at all, regardless of whether Seishin was involved or not. He considered telling him all these things as he placed a cigarette in his mouth and returned the half-empty pack to his pocket, then pulled out his lighter and ignited it before returning that to his pocket, as well. He took one long puff on the small device and exhaled, allowing the cloud of fumes that emerged to dissolve completely before finally giving Mao his answer.
“No…no problem at all, Mao.” he said, placing the cigarette back between his lips and walking out of the office.
To Be Continued…
Previous Chapter:
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- Preparations -
With the plan to assassinate Koi Iona in place, all that was needed was to ascertain a date and location. Fortunately for Mao and the rest of the yakuza, the naïve congressman had already announced a press conference in front of the Aliʻiōlani Hale set for the 23rd of February, only five days after he revealed his intention to run for governor. They wasted no time after this announcement preparing for the hit, leading to Mao, Hei, and the five men who would accompanying Seishin standing around the former’s desk, a layout of the city landmark spread out over top of it.
“We’ll have the assassin team positioned here in this building, second to top floor. That puts them roughly two-thousand meters away, which is well within our sniper’s shot range.” Hei explained as he traced a line across the paper with his finger. At the same time, Roku waved his hand over the area in front of the building, where Koi’s spectators would be gathered.
“We’re gonna need another guy in the crowd to cause a scene. That’ll draw the security detail’s attention away from us when the oaf takes the shot.” he said bluntly, earning a blow to the back of his head from the handle of Aito’s pistol. As he turned around in a fury, Aito proceeded to wave it in his face until he finally looked back at the table, at which point he returned the gun to his pants and slowly walked around the group to Mao’s left side.
“Don’t get too ahead of yourselves. None of this shit matters anyways unless Sesshoku manages to **** up the negotiations with Iona.”
As he took his new spot beside his brother, everyone around the table began glaring maliciously at this lone wolf among them, who stared back at them in kind. It went without saying, but none of them were particularly pleased to have Aito among their group, and as much as he could say the same, he had no intention of letting Mao’s plans take root under anyone’s watch but his own.
“Do you have any preferences, Roku? It’s best if we choose someone all of us would rather do without, …just in case this entire setup fails.” Mao interrupted their staring contest, prompting everyone’s eyes to shift back towards him except for Roku, who instead looked up towards the ceiling in thought.
“I was thinkin’ Otori. That ****er’s been gettin’ on my nerves for awhile now, so if it does go down, I at least get somethin’ good out of it.” he finally answered, earning a satisfied nod from his young leader.
“Perfect. Let him know of this next job sometime today. Promise him a hefty paycheck if he manages to weasel out of it. That should satisfy him.” Mao suggested, prompting the others to comment or nod in agreement. The only one who didn’t seem fully content with this was Aito, who was now leaning against the wall behind Mao’s desk, a freshly lit cigarette tucked between his lips.
“It’s always about money with you ****in’ convicts. More importantly, I wanna know how you plan to get Seishin where he needs to be without any issues. Iona publicly challenged the yakuza, after all. Just cause the building’s over a mile away doesn’t mean they won’t overlook the chance of us using it for the shot.” he warned them, though none of them showed any real worries about this matter. Roku eventually answered his concerns with a sadistic grin, pulling out his pistol and twirling it around on his finger as he spoke.
“Oh, we can fix that quick and easy. …Few extra stiffs never hurt anybody, did they?”
Aito would’ve spat in his face had he been close enough to do it, but another puff on his cigarette and a smug remark were a good enough replacement in his mind.
“That’s all you’re good for, isn’t it, you ****in’ douchebag?” he said to him, holding up his own gun to ensure Roku did nothing with his. They kept this stance for the longest time, no one around them making a sound until finally, Aito’s cigarette reached too short a length to take another puff, prompting him to flick it into the ashtray sitting on the desk.
“**** it. I ain’t stickin’ around for this shit. Mao, you just make sure to inform me if any sudden changes come up.”
He kept his gun fixed on Roku until he was finally out of the room, at which point the seasoned hitman spun around and threw his gun at a large vase sitting by the door, smashing it into pieces.
“That little ******! I swear, I wanna kill him more every goddamn day!” he shouted as he slammed his fists on top of the desk, looking up to meet Mao’s menacing gaze when the latter snapped his fingers.
“That’s enough from you, Roku. He’s still my brother, whether you dislike him or not, …and I do not take it lightly when you offend my family name.” he said, not blinking even once until Roku’s heavy breathing ceased and he lowered his head in shame.
“Apologies, boss.” he replied, which Mao quickly waved off.
“Forget about it. Just clear out of here already. We’re done for now.”
All six participants, with Hei’s obvious exception, immediately followed his orders, the last of them closing the double doors as he went through. Exhausted, Mao leaned back in his chair and looked up at Hei, who was unwrapping another lollipop after placing the stick of the previous one in the ashtray.
“Where’s Kyōgi now, Hei?” he asked him.
“He left nearly three hours ago, sir, so he should be speaking with Iona right now.” Hei answered, earning a nod of understanding from his young leader who stood up and turned around, staring jadedly at the grassy knoll just outside the window as he looked on.
“Do you have a preference as to how the negotiations transpire?”
Mao was slow to respond, closing his eyes and inhaling deeply for several seconds before exhaling and opening them once again.
“…No. …Not really.”
Several miles from Hanauma Bay, in the Hawaiian statehouse in downtown Honolulu, Koa Iona was sitting idly in his office, going over paperwork that his campaign for governor had forced him to hold off on. He was in the midst of signing the very last form when an assistant walked in a brand new stack – not enormous, but big enough to sprout a few veins on his forehead.
“Mr. Iona.” the man said after setting the papers on Koa’s desk.
“What is it?” he asked in a disgruntled tone.
“There’s someone right outside hoping to have a word with you.” he answered. The information didn’t seem to faze Koa, who took the first few papers off of the new stack and began signing away, prompting the assistant to lean in closer.
“He claims he was sent by the Ryokudan family.”
He was halfway through writing the last letter of his surname, but Koa still proceeded to stop dead in his tracks upon hearing this. He sat there for a moment in dead silence, letting the news sink in, before finishing the signature and setting his pen down.
“Send him in.” he requested, at which point the assistant quickly exited the office, replaced shortly afterwards by a man he was unfamiliar with. The overall shape of Kyōgi’s face was still intact, but everything from his complexion, hair color, and hair style to even his waistline had been significantly altered to the point where no one with prior knowledge could’ve guessed it was him. His spiky and graying hair was now dark-brown and combed back, while his unshaven and slightly pimpled face was now clean and free of any blemishes. Overall, he looked barely half his real age, but such was the magic of this master of disguise’s skills – in a job such as his, they were essential.
“Ah, Senator Iona! It’s a real pleasure to meet you, sir.” he exclaimed as he walked up to the desk – even his voice was disguised to appear younger. He held his hand out for him to shake, but Koa made no attempt to return the gesture and continued to glare at him from the confines of his seat.
“What’s your name?” he asked bluntly, to Kyōgi’s slight surprise.
“Oh, I’m terribly sorry! Here, this is my business card.” he replied as he reached into the pocket on the left side of his suit for a small stack of cards, peeling one off and handing it to Koa. He scanned its contents for the longest time, during which Kyōgi decided to help himself to the chair positioned in front of the desk, carefully setting the briefcase he brought with him down beside his right foot.
“Sora Zorashii. …Japanese, I presume?” Koa asked after he finished looking at the card.
“By ancestry, yes. My family’s lived here for two generations.” Kyōgi answered with a smile, yet another kind gesture that Koa failed to return.
“So, how much were you planning to offer me?”
Kyōgi’s smile, however forced it might have been already, vanished almost immediately after hearing this. It wasn’t so much the question itself that disturbed him – he would’ve thought the man a fool had he not known what to expect from a mob negotiator – but the tone he used as he said it that sent a feeling of unease coursing through his body.
“I’m sorry, sir?” he asked, nearly fumbling over his own words.
“Don’t play dumb with me, Sora. You came in holding that briefcase and you work for the mob. What else would be in there if not bribe money?” Koa asked, the anger in his voice becoming more audible with every word. Kyōgi did his best to maintain his hitherto friendly persona, though anyone who knew him could tell that both fear and aggravation were quickly beginning to well up inside him.
“Actually, these are merely credentials, sir, hehe. …We try our best to use words to convince rather than money.” he joked, again spurring no reaction from Koa.
“And violence, too, correct?” he responded. His image of where this exchange was leading gradually becoming more and more negative, Kyōgi made one more attempt to joke his way out of this tight space.
“Iiiii’m not very familiar with that side of my employers’ affairs, Senator. And I do my best to stick to my own field, you know?” he explained with a half-hearted smirk, one which Koa finally answered with a smile, albeit one that was unnervingly sinister.
“I’m sure you do.”
He snapped his finger after saying this, at which point two particularly large men stepped into the room and stopped directly behind Kyōgi, followed shortly by the assistant from before.
“Uhhh, Senator? May I ask what these men are doing?” Kyōgi asked nervously as he gazed back-and-forth between the two men behind him. Koa stood up as he answered his concerns.
“What does it look like, Mr. Zorashii? They’re taking you out, you goddamn criminal.” he said before tilting his head upwards, prompting each of them to slide one arm beneath Kyōgi’s shoulders.
“Sir, I can assure you I came here merely to speak with you about your campaign! Neither I nor my employers have any ulterior motives behind our meeting today!” Kyōgi shouted as they forced him out of his seat. Koa gritted his teeth in response before slamming his fist on the desk.
“Like hell you don’t! You think you can just walk in here to try and negotiate to save your asses? **** that! Come spring, I WILL be governor of this state, and after that, I’m taking all you bastards out! …Now get this piece of shit out of my sight!”
He turned around and gazed out the large window behind his desk as his guards complied with the order, Kyōgi calling out to him all the while kicking his feet, his fake voice slipping more and more with each plea. Once his cries were out of ear’s reach, Koa heaved a sigh of relief and exhaustion, provoking some feelings of concern from his assistant.
“Are you alright, sir?” he asked. Koa paused a moment before turning and sitting back down in his seat, quickly returning to his paperwork.
“Just fine. …Call up law enforcement again. I want security at my press conference to be quadrupled, you understand?” he requested, not looking up from his desk as he spoke.
“Very good, sir.” the young man complied before exiting the room, closing the doors behind him.
Several miles away, on the outskirts of Honolulu’s borders, Aito strolled leisurely along the side of the road towards the Saimin Shop, trying his best to waste as much time as possible before he was forced to return home. After walking for about two hours, he finally found himself at the entrance to the restaurant, though what he saw waiting for him inside only made him that much more hesitant to go in.
“Shit.” he muttered as he slowly walked up to the counter, where Mahina was sitting as she conversed with Susume. Both of them looked up with a smile as they saw him come in, but recent events made it difficult for him to return the gesture.
“Afternoon, Aito. You doin’ alright today?” Susume asked with an almost conniving grin, which Aito answered with a scowl as he sat down next to Mahina.
“Doin’ just fine, Susume. …Hey, Mahina.” he greeted her, managing a small smile which she returned in kind.
“Hey.”
They could only manage a few more seconds of eye contact before blushing and looking away, a sight that Susume couldn’t resist chuckling at. He stopped once he noticed that Aito was glaring at him, speaking up again after realizing that his reasons included more than just his laughter.
“I was talking to her for a little bit before you showed up. …I saved you some trouble and let her know why you neglected to call her yesterday.”
Aito’s eyes expanded when he heard this, turning to Mahina with an expression that closely resembled fear to see if his assumptions about what he told her were true.
“He said it was preparations for a trip to the mainland?” Mahina said, causing Aito to gasp as relief overcame him, though it was almost immediately replaced by yet another fierce look directed towards Susume.
“Yeah. …I gotta leave for California in a couple days. I’ll be gone for about a week, maybe less. …It’s a family issue, nothing too serious.” he answered, putting some thought in between each sentence. He turned to Mahina to see her reaction, quickly staggering to rephrase his answer upon seeing the worried look in her eyes.
“Not THAT family, Mahina. Believe me, I try to distance myself from them as much as possible.” he added with a joking expression, bringing Mahina that same feeling of relief he had felt just seconds ago.
“Oh! Oh, okay. …I guess we can go do something when you get back, then.” she replied, bringing a small smile to Aito’s face.
“Sounds great.”
She got up to leave after that, clasping her hand over Aito’s closed fist as she stood up and running it again over his shoulders as she walked past him, causing him to shudder in embarrassment, yet another sight that brought Susume great amusement.
“Things seem to be going smoothly for you.” he said jokingly, though his remark was met shortly after by Aito’s cold stare.
“Rōjin ore o kamu. …Naze anata wa sore ga shimashita ka?” (“Bite me, old man. …Why did you do that?”)
“Anata wa kanojo no jibun jishin ni sore o setsumei suru suishō shite iru nodeshou ka?” (“Would you have preferred explaining it to her yourself?”)
“Hai. Ore wa chōdo kanojo wa nani mo itte inaishi, hanarete watashinokazoku no jigyō kara no taizai ni tsuite no ore no hanashi o fumae-jō de ito sa rete imasuga, yuiitsu no nochi ni monogoto ga fukuzatsu ni narimasu detarame no ikutsu ka no katamari o sakusei suru hitsuyō ga arimashita.” (“Yes. I intended on just telling her nothing and keeping with my story about staying away from my family’s business, but you had to create some hunk of bullshit that will only complicate things later on.”)
“Dakara anata no keikaku wa, sonogo, kankei naku, kanojo ni usowotsuku kotodatta.” (“So your plan was to lie to her regardless, then.”)
Aito stopped and closed his eyes, taking a moment to release all the tension in his body upon realizing that Susume had just backed him into a corner. After taking a deep breath, he opened them again and resumed their argument from a different standpoint.
“Naze anata wa Mahina rōjin to, kono koto ni tsuite no ore no o shiri ni aru? Sore ga ore ga to anata, kanojo to issho ni inai kyōyū suru koto wa arimasendeshou ore no ketteida.” (“Why are you on my ass about this thing with Mahina, old man? It’s my decision what I will and will not share with her, not yours.”)
“So no baai wa, sonogo, jissai ni kanojo to kyōyū o kaishi.” (“If that’s the case, then start actually sharing with her.”)
“Seinaru fakku, Susume! Watashitachi wa san-kakan, aitemu kita! Otagai no sekai o tanken suru koto ni wa sukoshi hayai, sōde wa arimasen! … Soshite, dono yō ni seikō anata wa, kanojo ga ore no sekai o mitai to omotte shitte, tonikaku, kanojo wa ore ga motte iru haikei no shurui o shitte iru toki?” (“Holy ****, Susume! We’ve been an item for only three days! A little early to be exploring each other’s worlds, isn’t it!? …And how the **** do you know she wants to see my world, anyways, when she knows the kind of background I have?”)
“…Anata ga tōchaku suru mae ni, kanojo wa chōdo watashi ni ittanode.” (“…Because she just told me before you arrived.”)
The pause that followed this revelation was not one of strategic intent as the previous one had been, but one of astonishment. Until this point, Aito had considered Mahina a perfect saint, one who would never look upon the criminal underworld with anything besides distaste, much less curiosity, and the fact that this disclosure almost tarnished his image of her only served to rekindle his anger, though Susume cut in before he could express it vocally.
“It may come as a big shock to you, Aito, but Mahina is just as committed to keeping this relationship going as you are, going off my assumptions about your long-term plans, that is. …I heard that you both shared things about your mothers and I applaud that, really, but if you truly want to win her heart, you’re gonna have to start digging deeper and letting her in on the stuff that really troubles you…and I would bet dollars to donuts that will do anything but drive her away. the old man explained, hoping his words might encourage Aito to come out of his shell, if only for a brief moment. The look on his face assured him that he was honestly considering it, though there was clearly something else still holding him back – exactly what was hardly a mystery.
“Shikashi, …soreha, Susume yakuzada.” (“But, …it’s the yakuza, Susume.”)
“So what? She’s a smart girl, Aito. She knows what’ll get her in trouble. …Hehehehe, perhaps that’s why she enjoys being with you so much. The thrill of dating a mob child, as it were.” Susume replied jokingly. Aito would’ve cursed at him for reverting back to English for that somewhat revealing remark, but by that point, he had already ran out the door of the café. Scanning the streets, he found to his relief that Mahina was still within view and called out to her.
“MAHINA!!”
He quickly realized that screaming at just half that volume probably would’ve caught her attention, as well, a fact which caused him to hide his blushing face as he ran up to her.
“Y-yeah?” she clumsily replied, her face also red from being at the center of this eye-catching spectacle. Still catching his breath, Aito waited until all the bystanders who heard his outburst had resumed their prior activities before explaining himself.
“Ore wa uso o tsuita. Shitsureishimashita. Ore wa…” (“I lied. I’m sorry. I…”)
He nearly choked as he stumbled to get the next word out, still not entirely sure that he wanted to share this information with her. The look of anticipation on her face hinted that she already had some idea as to what he was going to tell her, but that only made him hesitate further. In all, it took him nearly a full minute to brace himself for whatever response she might give him.
“…Watakushiha ni shusseki suru tame ikutsu ka no bijinesu o motte iru...kazoku ni kansuru. Ore wa chikau, ore no otōto kan'yo shite inaiga, ore wa hanarete shukuhaku shite irudarou shite ita ka sae, karera wa sore o shiyō shite tsūka suru yō ni rakutan...shikashi, ore wa sore o okonau koto wa dekimasen. Shitsureishimashita.” (“…I have some business to attend to…regarding the family. I swear, had my brother not been involved, I would have stayed away or even discouraged them to go through with it, …but I just can’t. I’m sorry.”)
He shut his eyes and lowered his head as he waited for her to reply, half of him expecting her to walk away in sadness or disgust, while the other half expected she might try to convince him not to go through with whatever business he was referring to. Needless to say, what she actually said caught him completely by surprise.
“Does it have to do with Koa Iona?” she asked, subtle hints of melancholy and understanding in her voice, the latter of which prompted him to raise his head and widen his eyes.
“You…how-”
“I’ve watched his campaign, too, Aito. I know the kinds of promises he’s been making…and I know that whoever’s in charge of your family’s business now isn’t taking his threats very lightly.”
Mao’s image came into his mind as she said this, invoking fury at the idea of him actually being concerned by the yakuza’s longevity despite his previous statement that he intended to cease all of its functions one day. Before he could clench his fist in anger, though, Mahina slipped her fingers in between his own, prompting him to look up in surprise just as she reached in to plant a gentle kiss on his cheek.
“But I also know the kind of person you are, and I know that you would never try to help with their crimes unless it was for a good reason.”
His mind and heart were racing too fast for Aito to catch every word that came out of her mouth, but he got her message nonetheless. The combination of both immense relief and the feeling of luck he felt at having found Mahina before anyone else might have brought tears to his eyes had he not been so mad just a moment earlier. He was half a second away from reaching in and kissing her back, but he hadn’t quite overcome his shyness enough to do so, and instead tightened the grip he had on her hand.
“I’ll call you the day after it’s over. I swear to God I will.” he blurted out impulsively, turning his head in embarrassment and disappointment at his own choice of words. To his relief, though, when he turned back, he was met with one of Mahina’s gentle smiles.
“Sounds good.”
She began walking away after she said this, leaving Aito standing there in the middle of the sidewalk. He could only guess what expression she was wearing now that he could no longer see her face, but for the time being, he assumed her smile was still there. He was about to start walking home when he realized he’d just left the Saimin Shop without tasting a mystery-flavored Ramune, the first time he’d done so since he was ten years old. He smirked at the idea, but at the same time, he found it difficult to simply walk away and pretend that Susume hadn’t noticed it either.
“**** me for being so nice.” he said aloud before turning around and heading back towards the café, flexing his jaw in preparation for what was sure to be a terrible flavor.
Later that day, Aito returned to the Ryokudan manor, deciding to spend the next hour or two smoking in the main office while he, Hei, Roku, and Mao awaited Kyōgi’s return – and the verdict on whether or not they would go through with Koa Iona’s assassination. To their collective surprise, though, it was well over three hours until they finally received word that he was approaching the estate, a bad sign that Aito was quick to recognize.
“Goddamn it.” he muttered as he extinguished his third cigarette in the ashtray sitting on the windowsill. Mao and Hei glanced over at him, but neither responded to his remark and returned their gaze to the doorway in front of them, through which Kyōgi entered the room after a few more minutes of waiting. Much of his disguise had already been removed as he trampled through the hallways of the manor towards the office, including the corset that hid his gut and the wafer-thin face mask that covered his many blemishes, and he was currently brushing his fingers through his hair to rid it of its refined style.
“Well?” Mao asked him, his hands intertwined in front of his face as he leaned his elbows on the desk.
“THAT ****IN’ ASS****!! I hadn’t even started negotiating with the prick before he had me dragged out and put in the back of a goddamn patrol car! Thank God it was one of your rats, otherwise I would’ve been ****ed!” Kyōgi shouted as he undid his necktie and threw it on the ground. Mao paid little heed to his antics and turned to Roku, who was patiently awaiting his orders as he leaned his glutes against the corner of the desk.
“It would seem our next course of action is assassination, then. Start packing your credentials, cause you leave for the city tonight. …It won’t be long before they start putting this mansion under 24-hour surveillance.” he instructed him, prompting Roku to stand up and gesture his head over to Aito as he exited the room. Aito wasn’t so quick to follow him out, though, reaching into his pocket for one more cigarette and he leaned his head against the wall.
“Is there a problem, Brother?”
He didn’t move his head, but he lowered his gaze to bring Mao into his line of sight. He wanted to tell him that he had a huge problem with this. He wanted to tell him that he thought this entire outcome was bullshit and that he deliberately paid off Kyōgi to lie about seeing Koa earlier that day. He wanted to tell him that he was having second thoughts about letting him carry out this assassination at all, regardless of whether Seishin was involved or not. He considered telling him all these things as he placed a cigarette in his mouth and returned the half-empty pack to his pocket, then pulled out his lighter and ignited it before returning that to his pocket, as well. He took one long puff on the small device and exhaled, allowing the cloud of fumes that emerged to dissolve completely before finally giving Mao his answer.
“No…no problem at all, Mao.” he said, placing the cigarette back between his lips and walking out of the office.
To Be Continued…
