Love of a Lifetime

“I think someone found us! They're trying to break through the
door!” Baba heard a crash on the other line. Soon after, Yuta's voice
said something urgently, and Baba could hear them rushing to safety.

“I'll be back as soon as I can!” Baba swore. “Just hold on,
Sawamura-chan! I'm coming now!”

“Hurry—!” The sound of gunshots echoed on the other line. Baba
shut his phone closed, now operating on a code red.

“They found them,” Baba said to Saejima. “I don't know how
many there were.”

“Then we'll have to be quick.” Saejima scanned the ground and
landed on Yoichi, who was currently nursing a black eye with a frozen
back of peas. Saejima leaned down and yanked him up to his feet by
his collar. “Keys,” he demanded. Yoichi floundered, and Saejima
slammed his back into the avalanche of destroyed ice cream from the
broken freezer. “Keys!” Saejima barked.

With trembling hands, Yoichi pulled out his car keys, and Saejima
swiped them. He clicked the button to quickly identify which hot rod
was which, and he and Baba raced to the matching Jeep. No regard
to the utter chaos in their wake, Baba and Saejima jumped into the
car, brought the engine to life, and roared into the night, racing to get
back to the hotel before it was too late.

◈◈◈
Haruka's night began quietly. After rushing to get her family to
safety under Baba's watch, she and Yuta were able to stop and
breathe and focus on getting Haruto comfortable. Fortunately, the

601

hotel had a cot that they wheeled up for them, and Haruka set up a
make-shift baby bed for their son. After creating a nest of blankets
and pillows, Haruto was nestled in the center. He fit easily, and
almost immediately began to sleep. Haruka knelt next to him,
watching her child gum in his dreams. She didn't even notice Yuta
behind her until she felt a bathrobe go over her shoulders. She
looked up to see Yuta smiling.

“I sent Baba-san out for groceries,” he said quietly. “Why don't
you take a bath? I can order us some food.” Haruka smiled and
glanced back at Haruto. Gently, Yuta tucked a strand of hair behind
her ear. “I'll be right next to him. You don't have to worry. Relax. Take
a minute to yourself.”

Haruka smiled warmer, and with a gentle kiss, went to the
bathroom. To her delight, Yuta had already got the tub mostly filled
with fresh, hot water. After a quick rinse, Haruka filled the rest and
settled in for a long, well deserved soak. She was just wetting her
hair when she heard a knock.

“Haruka-chan?” came Yuta's voice through the door. “Do you feel
like burgers? There's a quick place not far from here. I can call it in
and Baba-san can go get it for us.”

Haruka rubbed a bit of soap up her arm. “Burgers sound good,”
she said. Her hand slowed, and a thought came to her. “Do they have
french fries...?” Her eyes lingered on the shadows beneath the
bathroom door.

“I think so. I'll ask.”

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“Ok...” Haruka saw Yuta shift as he stood. Her heart hit her chest.
She wrapped her arms around her knees and rested her cheek
between them. “Yuta-kun... you can come in... if you'd like.” Yuta
didn't respond right away. He lingered at the door, and Haruka didn't
notice how long she held her breath in anticipation. But finally,
slowly, the bathroom door opened, and Yuta poked his head inside.
Though he smiled, he kept his eyes averted.

“Do you um... do you want something to drink or...?”
“Yuta-kun.”
“Hm?”
“Come here.”
Yuta's eyes flickered up to Haruka. Slowly, he stepped inside,
leaving the door cracked just in case Haruto woke up cranky. He knelt
down next to her, his eyes now with hers. Haruka felt her smile grow
wider. “You know I wasn't kidding, right? About getting married.”
“I know that.”
Haruka lifted her head and gently laid her palm on Yuta's cheek.
“Yuta-kun... I want you to know something.” She leaned forward,
making sure his eyes stayed on her. With unabashed bravery, she
kissed him, and spoke in no uncertain terms: “I want you to see me. I
don't want you shying away anymore. I'm not so delicate. You won't
break me.”
Yuta hesitated. His eyes, timid as they were, trailed down her
neck and stopped at the water. Haruka leaned in, and they shared
another kiss. One that was firm, and deliberate. There was no ifs,

603

ands, or buts about it. Haruka wasn't the child Kiryu found all those
years ago, scared, alone, and afraid. She was a woman. A mother,
even. And as she kissed Yuta, she did so with the distinct purpose of
letting him know that this... this intimacy, this physicality between
them... was okay. It was more than okay, in fact. Lifting the veil of
embarrassment and shame, that kiss between them opened the door
to a more honest love. One that Haruka hoped would last them for
years to come.

Tragically, it was interrupted by the caterwauling of their son,
who no doubt had started stirring due to a need of a diaper change.
Yuta broke the kiss and stood, but before he went to attend to
Haruto, he leaned down and kissed Haruka's forehead. “I
understand,” he said quietly. “And I see you. Haruka.” Their shared
smile held new meaning now. Yuta left to deal with Haruto, and as he
did, Haruka laid further into the bath, sighing in deep satisfaction. As
shaky as everything was right now, she could take solace in Yuta's
presence.

She had just been losing herself to her thoughts when Yuta
returned to the bathroom. Only he wasn't there to flirt. Holding
Haruto close to him, his face was strapped with panic, and he knelt
down by the bath tub. “Haruka,” he hushed. “Outside. Cars.”

“Cars?” Haruka sat up, on high alert. “What do you mean?”
“Yakuza. They found us.”

604

“What?” Haruka was already getting out of the bathtub. She
threw on the hotel robe and took Haruto into her arms. “Are you
sure?”

“No mistake. They found us.” Beneath their feet, they could hear
voices. Their room just so happened to be a few floors above the
inn's lobby. And with the lack of other guests, it was easy to hear any
distinct noise through the paper thin walls. The voices were
becoming increasingly demanding, and Haruka could hear footsteps
stomp their way up to the first floor.

“We need to call Baba-san,” said Haruka. The footsteps beneath
them were starting to grow louder, as harsh voices barked orders on
every floor.

“Here.” Yuta laid his phone on the counter. “I have his number
saved. Call him quick.” With that, Yuta hurried out of the bathroom
and started shoving furniture around. Haruka watched from the
hallway, Haruto pressed to her heart.

“Wait, what are you doing?”
“I'm going to barricade the door.” Once he got an end table at the
end of the entry way, he pressed it up beneath the door handle,
making sure it couldn't turn properly. He rounded to Haruka. “Take
Haruto back into the bathroom and lock it behind you.”
“But what about—?”
“Just do it, Haruka—”
The footsteps were louder and faster now. They must have been
just down the hall. Haruka hurried back into the bathroom, and

605

despite her fear for Yuta, shut and locked the door promptly
thereafter. Haruto was starting to fuss as Haruka drained the tub.
Once it was empty enough, she grabbed Yuta's phone and got into
the bath, drawing the curtains closed.

Bangbangbangbang! A fist hammered at their door, and Haruka
heard a cacophony of shouts, demanding Yuta open it. Her hands
shaking violently, Haruka found Baba's phone number and hit call. It
rang three times before Baba picked up on the other line.

“Yeah?”
“Baba-san! Come back! Quickly!”
“Sawamura-chan? What's going on?”
“I think someone found us! They're trying to break through the
door!”
Crash! Something big and heavy broke through the wood.
Although she knew she should stay where she was, Haruka couldn't
help herself. She flung herself out of the tub and hurried to the
bathroom door. Undoing the latch, she looked out. The door was
splintering from the force of a large knife wiggling its way inside.
“I'll be back as soon as I can! Just hold on, Sawamura-chan! I'm
coming now!”
“Hurry—!”
“Haruka! This way!” Reaching out, Yuta took Haruka's wrist and
pulled her deeper into the hotel room. They raced for the adjoining
door to Baba's room, and Yuta kicked it open. Once inside, Yuta took
them into another room beyond Baba's, and into the third bathroom.

606

There, Yuta lead Haruka in the tub and took her hand. “I'll draw them
away,” he whispered. “Promise me you won't leave this spot.”

Haruka's heart was slamming against her rib cage. “Yuta...!”
“Please!” Yuta begged. “Please swear to me you won't leave it!”
Haruka held Haruto tighter, her eyes watering over. “I swear,” she
breathed. Yuta leaned in, and with one last kiss, he was gone again,
turning off the bathroom light and closing the door behind him.
Alone in the dark, Haruka curled up against the edge of the tub,
trying desperately to calm Haruto's helpless whimpering. She
shushed him softly, silently pleading for Haruto to stay quiet. “It's
okay... it's okay, Haruto. Daddy will be back...” She closed her eyes
tightly and pressed her lips to Haruto's crown. “Daddy will be back...”

◈◈◈
Saejima tore through the quiet streets of Okinawa, never
dropping below 120km/h. Fortunately, traffic was almost non
existent, and they had a very short drive back to the inn. By the time
Saejima skid the Jeep into the lot, the property was already crawling
with yakuza thugs. Without even bothering to shut the vehicle off,
Saejima leapt out of the Jeep the minute it was parked, Baba right
behind him. They were met by at least ten yakuza, wielding
everything from chains to iron knuckles to straight up guns. Saejima
dug his heels into the asphalt, fists at the ready.
“Jesus,” said Baba, “how many guys do you need to abduct
woman and a baby?”

607

“Who are they, Baba-chan?” As Saejima and Baba crept forward,
the yakuza fanned out around them, looking for an opportunity to
strike.

“No idea,” Baba admitted. “Kiryu-san never told me who might
be after them, just to not trust anyone I didn't know.”

“Pretty sound advice.”
“Oy!” One of the thugs cocked a gun, baring his teeth at the pair
of them. “Who's the old fart and his fairy!?”
“Who cares?” said another. He turned to Saejima and mugged,
flashing his knife threateningly. “All we got is our orders. Get the girl,
the brat, and kill anyone who tries to stop us.”
“Orders...” Saejima narrowed his eyes. “Who?” he demanded.
“Who gave you those orders? What family are you from?”
“Sorry old man!” A scrawny thug slapped his iron chain to the
ground, making the metal spark. “But we don't answer to you.”
“Fine.” Saejima cracked his neck with a smirk. “Then I guess we
do this old school.” He widened his stance, and with Baba at his side,
smacked his knuckles into his open palm. “Let's fuckin' go!” With
that, the flood gates opened.
The entire semi-circle of assailants descended upon the pair of
them like locusts. Granted, these were no school yard punks, like
back at the convenience store, but whether it was a delinquent or a
career criminal, Saejima and Baba were ready. As the mob closed in,
Saejima took a quick tally of their opponents. Five in the front, two
on the left, three on the right. Out of the ten, three guns in play.

608

Those were going to have to be dealt with first if they wanted a
fighting chance.

Saejima launched himself forward, barreling head first into the
gun closest to him. When they collided, Saejima was quick to twist
his arm, making the pistol fall from his opened hand. Grabbing it
quickly, Saejima sent the butt into the thug's nose, breaking it
instantly. He flailed to the ground just in time to make way for one of
his cohorts to come at Saejima with a sword in hand. Saejima ducked,
missing the blade entirely, Saejima fired into the man's feet, sending
him howling into the assailant next to him. Saejima knocked their
heads together like coconuts and round-house kicked them into the
glass windshield of one of the fancy, parked cars.

Discarding the gun, Saejima focused on gunman number two. The
yakuza fired, point blank, but Saejima dropped just in time, only to
spring forward and rugby tackle the yakuza to the ground. Wrestling
the gun from his hands, Saejima blasted the yakuza's kneecaps,
making him howl in pain and curl into a fetal position, clutching his
now bleeding legs. Standing quickly, Saejima clicked the magazine
release and tossed the empty gun aside. He was just rounding to the
third gunman when he saw something that made his nerves freeze
over.

The third armed thug was not pointing his weapon at Saejima.
Rather, he had Baba in a headlock from behind, the barrel of his gun
pressed into his neck. Saejima stalled, faced with a horrible, sinking
feeling in his gut. “Back off!” the yakuza demanded. Saejima snarled,

609

but remained where he was. “Turn around and walk away... and I
won't blow your boyfriend's head clean off.” Even at gunpoint, Baba
shook his head.

“Don't, Saejima-aniki!” he pleaded. “We have to save Sawamura-
chan!”

“I ain't goin' nowhere,” Saejima said firmly. “Now let Baba-chan
go before I break every goddamn bone in your body.”

“You take one more step and I pull this trigger!”
Surprisingly, that made Baba laugh. “If that's the case,” he said,
straining his neck to look back at his would-be assassin. “...then you
better pray you kill me.”
Kssh—! Shattering glass rained down on them, and everyone in
the lot collectively protected their faces with their forearms. Taking
the momentary distraction, Baba ducked beneath the gun and
launched his leg backwards, sending the gunman flying into a car
behind them. Saejima turned from the scene to see another thug
dangle from the now broken third story window. Above him, hitting
him relentlessly with the butt of an empty gun, was Yuta.
From the hotel lights, Saejima could see a bloody face and split
lip, but the boy was fighting tooth and nail despite his injuries. With
one last, massive swing, the yakuza finally lost his grip and fell onto a
car, bending the roof like tinfoil. Gasping for breath, Yuta looked up
to see Saejima down below, witness to the whole thing. Yuta's face lit
up.

610

“S-Saejima-san—!” That brief moment of hope was dashed as
one of the thugs within kicked Yuta squarely in the back, toppling him
over the edge of the broken window.

“Yuta-kun—!” Saejima raced forward and, using a crumpled
yakuza as a spring-board to jump, managed to grab Yuta just before
he hit the pavement. The pair of them, still following Saejima's
trajectory, crashed through the doors of the lobby, and Saejima
turned just enough to break their fall on the bare carpet. Yuta barely
had time to situate himself before he was up.

“Haruka!” he screamed, woozy and fumbling. “W-we have to—!
They're going f-for—!”

Saejima brought them both to their feet, and noticed
immediately that Yuta was limping. He had a pretty gnarly knife
wound to his leg, and it was bleeding through. Fortunately, however,
nothing looked lethal. “Where?” Saejima asked. “Where is she?”

“Upstairs—third floor... Inna safe place. We have to hurry—!”
“Yeah. You're not gettin' anywhere on that leg, kid.” Saejima
flopped Yuta over his shoulder and turned. “Oy! Baba-chan!” Baba
looked up from the pile of men he had writhing at his feet. “Can you
hold 'em?!” Baba gave Saejima a grin and a thumbs up, which was all
Saejima needed for now.
With Yuta bouncing on his massive shoulder, Saejima took the
stairs two by two until he was on the third floor. Men were breaking
down doors, guns at the ready, looking for Haruka. Only one door

611

remained closed. The one at the very end. And one of the least
injured yakuza was going for it.

“Haruka...!” Yuta cried. Saejima set him down as the thugs turned
their attention to the newest player in this performance. Saejima
took stock of what he was looking at. Four men, all armed, ready to
gut him.

“Right. Stay out of the way, eh?” Saejima unbuttoned his blazer,
letting it drop to the ground. His tie followed, and soon, Saejima was
rolling up his sleeves, bending his knees in preparation. The thugs
were now swarming towards Saejima, their weapons brandished.

Saejima began to run.
Like a tsunami wave, Saejima hit the men with his massive frame,
knocking them back effortlessly. Two of them managed to cling to
Saejima, but he just kept going. He might as well have been a train
for how little it mattered. By the time he got to the end of the
hallway, Saejima hurled the thugs through the end window and out
into the night. But there was no time to celebrate.
Turning to the last, unopened room, Saejima busted it down with
his massive heel and stomped inside. Through the darkness, he saw
the bathroom door closed. Saejima yanked it open, only to spot
Haruka clinging to her baby in the shadows. Saejima stepped forward
and knelt next to her. Carefully, Haruka cracked open her eyes.
“Haruka-chan,” Saejima said softly. “It's ok... You're safe now. We
got you.”

612

With a cry of relief, Haruka clung to Saejima's shoulders, Haruto
between them, and let her stress and fear was away in her tears.

613

Chapter 9: Promise Me

◈◈◈21:23pm ◈◈◈

It was a beautiful night in Okinawa. One that demanded
appreciation for its clear skies and endless stars. Sitting on the porch
of her father's home, Saki sketched and hummed beneath the
moonlight. It'd been seven years since she'd found herself
permanently in the care of Nakahara Shigeru. Seven years since she
was abandoned by the woman who was supposed to be her mother.
And seven years since the kindness of a stranger helped bridge the
bond between her and her new family.

Since those seven years had passed, Saki had grown into a lovely
young woman. She was still quiet, still always with drawing paper in
reach. Nakahara didn't like the idea of putting Saki in a public school,
and so she received most of her tutoring through private teachers in
the comfort of their home. Saki never felt trapped, however. In fact,
in the near decade that she'd lived in the Ryudo family home, never
once had she felt the fear, uncertainty, or loneliness that was so
common in her early life.

Saki tucked a long strand of hair behind her ear, and leaned
further down to her drawing pad. Currently, she was studying the
details of a beetle which had so graciously landed on the edge of her
paper. It was a shiny black, with hues of green in the starlight. It
loitered, giving Saki enough time to sketch it easily, capturing its bold

614

and noble details. Nakahara often talked up the idea of sending Saki
to an art school. Saki would agree, of course, on the condition that it
wouldn't put her father in debt. So far, they'd hit a happy stalemate.

Saki was just finishing up the shading on the beetle's wings when
it opened them and flew off into the night sky. Saki watched, setting
her pencil aside with a smile. "You couldn't have waited a little
longer...?"

Movement caught the corner of her eye and she lifted her head.
Out on the front road, a van had pulled up to the gates of Nakahara's
home. Saki stood immediately and peered through the darkness. It'd
been a while since anything dangerous had walked its way into their
life, but Saki never quite shook off that paranoid instinct. Quickly, she
walked inside and put her drawing pad on the table.

"Papa?" Saki craned her neck around the corner to see Nakahara
sipping a beer as he watched TV. The old patriarch was certainly
getting on in years, proven by the cane that leaned up against the
table, its handle worn from use. "There's a van outside."

"A van?" Nakahara looked up from his can of beer, frowning
beneath his mustache. "What kind? A utility van?"

"I don't know. It doesn't have a company logo or anything."
"Hm." Setting his drink down, Nakahara took his cane and hoisted
himself to his feet. Saki was quick to help him, and once he was
upright, Nakahara hobbled his way to the front of the house and
peered through the windows. Saki tried looking too, but couldn't
quite get the angle to see who was leaving the van.

615

Suddenly, Nakahara's face split in to surprise, and he turned to his
daughter. "Get the door! Quick, Saki!" She did so without question,
and looking outside, recognized the faces coming towards the door.

Along came Sawamura Haruka, clutching her baby boy, with Yuta
nursing a bloody leg, and two men helping him to Nakahara's front
door. "Come in, bring him here." Nakahara pointed the two men to
the couch, where Yuta was laid immediately, his pant leg hoisted up
to reveal the injury. It was a gnarly one. It looked like he had suffered
some kind of deep cut, and not with anything too sharp, either.

"Kid fell on a pile of splintered wood," the bigger of the two men
explained. "Got the pieces out, but he's gonna need some stitches."

Nakahara eyed the man up and down. "And how exactly did Yuta-
kun get that nasty cut, mister?"

"Nakahara-san." Haruka stepped forward, bowing her head
slightly. "Don't worry. Saejima-san is Uncle Kaz's old friend. Same
with Baba-san. They saved us from some horrible men just now."

Nakahara's face softened. "Well... I guess that changes things."
Nakahara turned to Saki. "The medical kit by my bed. Fetch it for me,
Saki." With a nod, Saki hurried to the master bedroom, only to return
with a white box, a red cross on its lid. Handing it to her father,
Nakahara leaned on his cane as he spoke. "You and Haruka-chan
should wait in the other room. This might take a minute."

"Ok..." Saki took Haruka's wrist and walked her into the TV room.
There, she poured her a cup of tea, and helped prepare some
formula for Haruto. Sitting catty-corner to each other at the kotatsu

616

(Nakahara hadn't bothered putting it away after Christmas), Saki
leaned forward, her eyes pleading. "What happened, Haruka-
oneechan?" she asked quietly. "Was it a rival family? Papa hasn't
heard of any new names claiming Okinawa..."

Haruka shook her head. Currently, Haruto was resting in the crux
of her arm as she fed him. "No. This was deliberate."

"Deliberate?" Saki's face fell further. "Is it because of Uncle Kaz?"
Haruka nodded. Saki stared at her hands, rubbing the graphite
between the tips of her fingers. "I'm sorry... It must have been scary."

"I'm just lucky I had Yuta-kun with me," Haruka explained. "If he
didn't act when he did, I might not be here." Saki offered Haruka a
gentle smile, and with that, the girls went quiet, waiting for the men
to finish in the other room. When they finally did, it was nearly
midnight. Haruto was fast asleep by then, and Haruka had placed him
down in a nest of blankets, so as not to disturb him. Yuta was helped
into the TV room and given a comfortable cushion to rest his leg.
Saejima and Baba, considerably less wounded, sat across from he
and Haruka, with Nakahara and Saki sharing a side facing both
parties.

"Your friends told me what went down," Nakahara said to
Haruka. "Of course, you and your family are welcome as long as you
need to stay here."

Haruka smiled weakly. "Thank you, Nakahara-san."
"But." Nakahara held up a finger. "I need to know what's
happening. Who were the yakuza who were after you? And why?

617

What did they want?" Haruka and Baba shared a look. Saki, who
remained at Nakahara's side, saw silent questions asked between the
two. Questions to which, surprisingly enough, Saejima did not seem
privy. Despite this fact, Saejima was the first to speak.

"Well... I can't answer everything, but I can tell you who they
were." Saejima dug out a small yakuza pin and laid it on the table.
Nakahara squinted at it. "They're subordinates of the Yomei family
out in Hiroshima."

"Hiroshima?" Nakahara blinked. "What in the world would
Hiroshima yakuza be doing out here?"

Saejima's brow furrowed. "That I couldn't say. All I know is that
these are the same men who put a bullet in Kiryu-han three months
ago. My best guess is that they're here to finish the job." He scoffed.
"Though if that is the case, they sure as hell dug their own grave.
Their patriarch came to Tojo HQ earlier this week asking for a treaty.
So either they're a family of idiots, or the men we fought tonight are
deserters. Either way, this shoots them in the foot." Saejima folded
his burly arms. "As for why..." He glanced at Baba, who stared at the
center at the table. "That I can't answer..."

Baba timidly looked up, hands cupping his ankles. All eyes were
on him. Baba's eyes snapped between each one, as he himself grew
increasingly more skittish. "I... I can't... I swore that I—"

"Baba-san." Haruka's voice cut through his nervousness, and he
looked to her, helplessly. "It's all right. You can trust everyone in this
room."

618

Baba's expression strained. "Are you sure about that, Sawamura-
chan?"

Haruka nodded. Rather than force Baba to speak, she turned to
the others with conviction. Beneath the table, she took Yuta's hand
for strength. "Uncle Kaz is alive," she announced. "He's alive... but
he's hidden away." Of all the shocked faces, Saejima seemed the
most blindsided. Haruka, however, pushed on. "Baba-san told me
what Uncle Kaz told him. That he made some kind of deal to try and
keep us all safe." She frowned at the table, and Yuta squeezed her
hand. "But it's not exactly working out."

"Kiryu-han..." They turned to Saejima, who was still processing it.
"He's alive? He's alive and he...?" Saejima turned to Baba. Red faced,
Baba couldn't stand to look Saejima in the eye. But he didn't have to.

"Uncle Kaz has been paying Baba-san to keep an eye on us here,"
she explained to Saejima. "He made Baba-san swore not to tell
anyone or reveal himself to us. He's been keeping that promise for
months now."

"How did you find out?" Nakahara asked.
Haruka's face fell. "Uncle Kaz told Baba-san to come get us after
we heard about Uncle Maji."
Breaking out of his disbelief, Saejima straightened up. "What?" he
said. "What happened to Majima?"
"He was shot," said Yuta. "Probably by someone from the Yomei
trying to kill Kiryu-aniki."

619

Saejima's eyes narrowed. In his face was a desperate struggle not
to divert his anger to Baba. "How bad?" he asked, seriously. "Is it
critical?"

"We don't know," Haruka said. "He hasn't called Baba-san since
he told him to come get us."

"Well why not call him back?" Saejima asked. This time, Baba had
the courage to speak.

"He... uses a scrambler. Every time he calls, it's always some kind
of random phone number. I couldn't call him back if I wanted to."

"Baba-san has been doing everything he can to protect us,"
Haruka told Saejima quickly. "And I'm sure Uncle Kaz is doing
everything he can to help protect Uncle Maji." Haruka sighed and
laced her fingers through Yuta's. "All we can really do is sit and wait
for the phone to ring."

Riiiiiiing.
Every single person jumped as Baba's ringtone went off from his
back pocket. Quickly, he pulled out his burner and flipped it open. On
the screen was, as always, an unfamiliar number. Baba looked up to
Haruka. "It's him," he said. Haruka nodded.
"Put it on speaker."
Baba did as she asked. The room was so silent, you could have
heard a pin drop. "Hello...? Baba-san?" Kiryu's voice rang loud and
clear. Immediately, Haruka's eyes welled with tears, and her breath
caught in her throat. Baba spoke carefully.
"Hello, Kiryu-san."

620

"Where's Haruka? Is she safe?"
"She's fine."
"And Haruto? Yuta?"
"They're all fine... Well... Yuta got a little injured, but we patched
him up."
"Injured? Injured how?"
Before Baba could answer, Yuta spoke up. "Don't worry about it,
Aniki. I'm not dying any time soon." Haruka and Yuta looked at each
other, and Yuta offered a small, timid smile. On the other line, Kiryu
was silent a moment.
"Yuta. Good to hear from you."
"You too," said Yuta.
"So who's this 'we' who patched you up?"
"That'd be me, Kiryu-han." Saejima unfolded his arms and put his
hands on his wide knees. He looked almost like an old, Edo samurai
for how stiff he was. "The hell were you thinking, faking your death
like that? Tell you what, I got half a mind to find you and knock you
back into an early grave after this shit."
Kiryu laughed softly. "Sorry. I think you're going to have to get in
line for that, Saejima-san."
"Yeah, right behind me."
"Nakahara-san? Is that you?"
"Who else?" said Nakahara. "Your girl is fine. After they got
jumped tonight, she took 'em all right here for safe keeping."
"So you were attacked?"

621

"Yeah," said Baba. "I don't know how they found us. I swear, I did
everything I could to keep eyes off the orphanage. I have no idea—"

"If I had to guess," said Saejima, "they've probably been tracking
Haruka-chan this entire time through her phone or something. I don't
think it's your fault, Baba-chan."

"Shit... I should have seen that coming."
"I guess we're finding out a lot tonight, aren't we?" said
Nakahara. "And here I thought I was in for another boring Sunday..."
"Sorry," Kiryu said again. "And thank you for taking them. I'm
sorry if this is imposing..."
"After everything you've done for me and mine?" Nakahara
asked. "It's not even a question. Of course I'd take them in, Kiryu-
san."
"Still..." A pause hung in the air. With the pleasantries over with,
it was time to address the elephant in the room. "Is... she there...?"
Haruka felt a knot in her throat. "I'm here..."
Through the phone, the table could almost feel Kiryu's relief at
her voice. "Haruka... It's so good to hear you..."
Haruka's breath was choppy. She blinked faster, with more and
more tears bubbling up, threatening to spill. "Uncle Kaz..." Baba
leaned forward, tenderly, as if silently asking if she'd like privacy. But
Haruka didn't acknowledge him. She didn't have the energy. Every
ounce of herself was focused on what she'd been wanting to say all
week. "Are you okay...? You and Uncle Maji...?"
"Aa. We're fine. We're both fine."

622

"Good." Haruka took a deep breath. "Because I... have so much to
say to you. And I need you to listen to every word of it." Kiryu
remained silent. Closing her eyes, Haruka pushed on. "I am... so
angry with you. I've never been this angry about anything in my
entire life. I can't believe that you'd... that you'd lie to everyone. I
can't believe that you'd lie to me. This isn't like when Park-san gave
me my career. You were dead. You were dead. Those first few weeks,
I didn't get a wink of sleep. Because every time I closed my eyes, all I
saw was that bullet in your chest. How dare you make me feel those
things? How dare you make me believe that Haruto was going to
grow up without his Ojīchan? When you found me in the hospital... I
was so ashamed because of how much I made you worry. But you
can't begin to understand how I feel right now. You were gone. That
alone made me sick to my stomach every single day. But now? Now I
know you lied? Now I know the truth, that you're back? I feel worse.
Because in the end..." Haruka squeezed her eyes shut, curling her
head forward.

"In the end, you didn't trust me enough to let me know. You
didn't trust me enough to save me from my hurt. If I didn't love you
so much... Uncle Kaz, if I didn't love you, I would hate you for this. Do
you know...? Do you understand how much pain I have to feel for me
to even consider..." Her pain finally winning out, Haruka pressed the
heels of her palms into her eyes, and her whole body shuddered.
Once again, the room fell into silence as Haruka did her best to reign

623

in her tears with haggard breath. A whole minute passed before Kiryu
spoke again.

"Haruka... I am... so sorry. I wish I could make this better. I'd give
anything for you not to feel like you do. I am so, so sorry."

Haruka sniffed and wiped her face on her sleeve. "If you're sorry,"
she said, "then come home. Please, Uncle Kaz. Come home to your
family."

"Haruka..."
"Promise me!" Haruka suddenly snapped. "If you can't tell me
that you're going to do everything you can to come home, I don't
want to hear another word!" The silence was tense now. All eyes
were locked on the phone in the center of the table. In her chest,
Haruka's heart pounded like a rapid drum. But finally, Kiryu's voice
spoke again:
"I'm coming home. I promise."
Relief hit Haruka like a ten ton truck. She nearly collapsed with
how tense her muscles had been through that entire exchange, and
she would have, if both Yuta and Saki didn't take her arms quickly.
Haruka gently sobbed, rolling her tired body into Yuta's arms. A few
moments more, and Saejima cleared his throat.
"Kiryu-han," he said firmly. "I... realize this might not be a good
time, but we have a pressing issue with the Yomei. They approached
Dojima-han with talk of some kind of alliance. I'm worried if we don't
act fast, the Tojo might be in for it. For good this time."
"That's not my business anymore, Saejima-san."

624

"It is if you ever want peace for your family again," Saejima said.
"Like it or not, the Yomei are going to keep trying unless you step
back into the light. With you out of the picture, they have the
confidence to do what they're doing."

"But what difference does one man make?"
"All the difference in the world, Kiryu-han." He leaned forward on
the table. "I'm not askin' you to come back to the life. But they're
actin' on the pretense that you're dead as a doornail. We take that
away from them, on top of the fact that they're still gunnin' for ya,
they don't got a leg to stand on."
"And if I come back and my family pays the price? I'm sorry. I'm
not willing to take that chance."
"You already are taking it," said Saejima. "Right now, they're
operatin' like they don't got no blood on their hands. With the old
guard locked up or dead, they're technically right. And with you
leavin' that note tellin' Dojima-han not to march on their territory, it's
likely he'll give in, just to honor your memory."
"...Shit."
"Yeah. Real big fuck up with that one, bud." Saejima ran his hand
back and forth on his shaved head. "Look... I'll cut to the quick. You
want that peace you bargained for? You're gonna have to fight for it.
One last time." The silence on the other side implied Kiryu thinking it
over.
"Haruka?"
"Yes...?"

625

"I'm going to keep my word... but... Not yet. Saejima-san's right. I
have to handle this, or it never stops. I'm sorry, but I need you to be
patient just a little bit more."

Haruka wiped her face. "So long as you swear that you'll come
back. No matter what."

"I promise, Haruka. No matter what."

◈◈◈8:12am ◈◈◈

The rain let up sometime around seven in the morning. From that
early hour onward, the world remained cold, wet, and gray. At Tojo
HQ, the unsettling quiet, which had temporarily been disrupted by
the Yomei's presence, had returned to the premises. Daigo wished he
could say that he woke up to the peaceful scene well rested and
restored. But, in order for one to be well-rested, one must have
rested in the first place.

Laying flat in bed, Daigo rubbed his eyes, feeling the bags
beneath them. They felt heavier and heavier with each passing day.
Granted, he didn't get much sleep before, but now, with such a
weighty decision on his shoulders, Daigo wasn't sure if he'd ever get
a decent eight hours again. Realizing there'd be no point staring at
the ceiling forever, Daigo rolled out of bed and cracked his back. He
supposed he should get breakfast, but his apatite wasn't what it used
to be, either. Eating too much in the morning honestly made his

626

stomach queasy, and so lately, he'd settled for a cup of tea or even
some simple toast.

Lord he was getting old.
Changing for the day, Daigo looked at himself in the mirror. Desk
work hadn't done his body many favors these past few years. Where
once he took pride in his figure, now, those hours and hours of
meetings and paperwork lead to a chubby tummy and softer arms.
Daigo wondered if he could hold his own in a fight anymore. He
doubted it. It was only a matter of time before he started losing his
hair, if his father's genes were any indication. At least he had his
mother's bone structure.
Daigo finished buttoning up his suit and did up his tie, after
which, he gave his reflection one last once-over, and realizing nothing
more could be done, he left his room and walked down the hall,
headed for the kitchen.
"Good morning, Sixth Chairman!" Echoes of his subordinates rang
out in greeting as he passed. Daigo would either nod his head or
wave, but say nothing in return. To be totally honest, he'd been in a
mental fog ever since news of Kiryu's death. His meeting with the
Yomei didn't make it any better. Daigo arrived at the dining hall with
his standard tea already waiting for him. And, sitting adjacent from
his own chair, was Tashiro Katsu. He stood as Daigo took his seat, and
returned to his chair thereafter.
"Mornin', Dojima-san," Tashiro said. "Sleep well?" Daigo grunted
and took a sip of his tea. It was a little bitter today. It must have

627

steeped too long. "You given any more thought to the Yomei's
proposal?"

"It's early, Tashiro-san," Daigo grunted. "You mind if I wake up a
little before we start talking business?" Tashiro soured but said
nothing. Daigo glanced around the dining hall, sipping more of his
bitter tea. "Where's Patriarch Saejima?"

"Saejima-san?" Tashiro also looked around, as if to try and find
him. "Honestly, I don't know. I haven't seen him in a couple of days. I
think he's out of town somewhere."

"Did he mention?"
"Not to me."
"Hm." Daigo wasn't sure if that was usual for him or not. In all
honesty, he hadn't been around Saejima long enough to judge. "Well,
I'm sure he'll be back soon." He was about ready to finish his tea,
when he heard the shifting under the table. Like a dog on a leash,
Tashiro was anxiously bouncing his leg in his seat, his hands laced
together. Daigo cocked an eyebrow and took a slow sip of his
beverage. The longer he took, the more strained Tashiro seemed.
Finally, Daigo set his tea mug down and leaned back.
"You're really foaming at the mouth, Tashiro-san. Fine. What do
you need to talk to me about?"
"It's about Chairman Koshimizu," said Tashiro.
"What about him?"
"I gave it some thought myself. After all, Patriarch Someya was in
dealings with the Yomei for a while before things went south, right?"

628

"And?"
"And I think you should take them up on their offer."
Daigo put one leg over the other, hands now threaded in his lap.
"Do you now?”
"Yes. I've given it a lot of thought."
"Please, enlighten me."
"You can't give up the opportunity to box in the Omi," Tashiro
continued. "With you on one side and allies on the other, you'll
squeeze out the Omi scum that's starting to rise to the surface in
Kamurocho. More than that, Hiroshima had been a fortress for years.
Climbing up the ladder in this business, I always heard that no one
should ever go up against them because of how air tight their
defenses were. You don't think we could use that kind of mentality
now and again?"
"Unfortunately, Tashiro-san, we're a little bit bigger than the
Yomei Alliance. That kind of synchronization is indicative of a smaller
clan. The bigger you are, the harder it is to get that kind of
impenetrable defense."
"So you don't think it's possible?"
"It's just... not likely."
"So you won't even try?"
Daigo hesitated. His brow furrowed, he tilted his head to the side.
"You realize I haven't given my decision yet, Tashiro-san? You're
acting like I'm about to say no. Why are you so gun ho all the
sudden?"

629

Tashiro pulled back. "I just... think it would be best for the family,"
Tashiro concluded. "The Omi are creeping in more and more every
day. I even heard some smaller families are defecting to their side.
Soon enough, we might lose Kamurocho to them. Hell, we might lose
all of Kanto if we don't play it smart."

"And you think, without influence, I can't play it smart?" Tashiro
choked. After floundering a moment or two, he turned away. Daigo
pressed on. "Do I need to remind you that I've been Chairman of the
Tojo Clan since I was thirty one years old? This isn't an easy job,
Patriarch Tashiro, but despite its challenges, I've had a little practice
by now."

"Yes, Sixth Chairman. I didn't mean to imply..."
Daigo held up his hand. "Listen. This is a pretty touchy subject for
first thing in the morning, yeah? Why don't you take a walk? We'll
talk about it more later, if you like."
But Tashiro wasn't placated. Rather than graciously bow out,
Tashiro stood, fixing his blazer. "Just keep in mind, sir... the Yomei
won't wait forever. And the longer you hold off, the more likely they'll
turn to our enemies."
"I'm aware, thank you, Patriarch." Tashiro bowed stiffly, and with
a turn of his heel, he walked out, leaving Daigo to his thoughts.

◈◈◈11:45am ◈◈◈

630

"You understand that by signing him out now, you take the risk of
the wound opening again?"

"Yes, sir. We understand."
"And you're going to do it anyway?"
"Yes."
The doctor rubbed his eyes with a deep sigh. The past seventy
two hours hadn't exactly been a cake walk. Majima was a textbook
example of an uncooperative patient on his best days, and an
absolute horror on his worst. Normally, visiting hours would have
forced Kiryu to leave the hospital at night, but Majima was such an
unruly customer that an exception was made just so Kiryu could keep
him in bed. So when Kiryu made the sudden decision to check
Majima out early, the relief felt by the staff was utterly palpable,
despite their professional reservations. Still, Kiryu was sure that their
code of ethics forced them to protest.
Reluctantly, the doctor handed Kiryu the paperwork, and he
signed it without delay. To be honest, he wasn't thrilled about taking
Majima out of medical care, himself. But after last night's phone call,
he knew that they needed to act fast. And there was no way Kiryu
was going to leave Majima behind again. So, finishing his signature,
Kiryu made a silent commitment to tend to Majima's care with
caution and vigor. After all, the days following a gunshot wound were
the most critical.
"Kiryu-chan!" Kiryu looked over his shoulder to see Majima pop a
wheelie in his wheelchair, and balance on the back treads with his

631

feet level with his head. "Look!" He let go of his rims. "No hands--!
Huurgh!" Majima fell to his back with a hallow thunk. At this point,
the nurses didn't even bother fretting. Kiryu, shook his head and
turned back to the doctor.

All right. Maybe the situation wasn't that dire.
"Thank you, Sensei. For everything." Kiryu bowed his head. "If it
wasn't for you, he might not be here today."
The doctor smiled meekly. "I don't know how much credit I can
take," he said. "Your friend there is one tough customer. I don't think
a normal man would have healed as well." Kiryu could definitely
agree with that. With one last bow to the staff, Kiryu rolled Majima
out to a waiting taxi. Neither one of them had much luggage, and
once Majima was out of his wheelchair, they piled into the back of
the taxi and headed for the airport. Kiryu leaned back in his seat,
eyes closed. He hadn't exactly been getting great sleep...
"Booooy am I glad to be outta there!" Grinning, Majima slapped
his knees like drums. "Stale hospital food, that antiseptic smell. Uch.
Tell you what, you gimme some back ally piss and the smell of beer
vomit over hospital smell any day." Majima glanced at Kiryu, who
remained quiet. Majima's glee subsided, and he stared out the
window next to him. They rode in silence for a few blocks before
Majima spoke again. "You gotta knock it off, Kiryu-chan."
Kiryu opened his eyes and turned to Majima. "What? Knock what
off?"

632

"This." Majima turned to Kiryu with a frown. "I know what's goin'
on through that thick head of yours. You're blamin' yourself for them
Yomei fucks movin' in on Haruka-chan."

"Majima-san..."
"Am I wrong?"
Kiryu turned away. "How can I not?"
"Jesus..." Majima shook his head and turned to Kiryu, glaring.
"Lemme ask you somethin'. Where are we right now?"
Kiryu blinked. "Huh?"
"Just answer the question."
"We're... in Kyoto?"
"M'kay. Now where's Haruka-chan and her lil crotch goblin?"
"Okinawa."
"Who's the family who attacked them last night?"
"The Yomei."
"Remind me again what family you were a part of, Kiryu-chan?"
"Majima, what does this have to do with—?"
"What family?"
Kiryu huffed. "Tojo Clan. Dojima family."
"Mhm. So then let's do a lil' tally here." Majima began to count
on his fingers. "Your girl got jumped in a city you weren't in, by
fuckers who ain't from your family, while you were stuck caring for
my sorry ass making sure I didn't die. Not to mention the fact that if
you hadn't sounded the alarm with Baba-chan, it woulda been ten
times the mess. We're doubly lucky that Saejima was there to pick up

633

the slack, weren't we?" Majima turned to Kiryu. "You see what I'm
gettin' at?" When Kiryu didn't answer, Majima turned back to his
window, his lanky arms folded.

"I'm gettin' at the fact that you can't control everything, Kiryu-
chan. No matter how much you want to keep everyone safe, truth of
the matter is, there's always gonna be some assholes who throw a
monkey wrench in everything. And from where I'm sitting? You don't
got no right to blame yourself for what happened." Majima paused.
"Well except for the whole pretending to die thing. That I absolutely
blame you for."

"Majima-san..."
Majima turned to him. Reaching up, he put his hand on the back
of Kiryu's head, and the two leaned in. With their brows touching,
Majima gave Kiryu a deep and meaningful look. "You can't be perfect,
y'know. And hell, nobody expects you to be. Nobody who matters,
anyway. You didn't pull no triggers, and you didn't give the orders for
your girl to be kidnapped."
Kiryu's expression strained. "But if I can't protect them... what
good am I?"
A smile twinged on Majima's lips. "You're plenty good. Trust me."
The car turned into the Kyoto train station, and Kiryu helped Majima
out of the taxi. From there, they went through the gates and
managed to board the next line for Tokyo. Kiryu helped Majima get
comfortable in his seat, and did his best to relax. The train took off,

634

and they settled in for a few peaceful hours on their way to
Kamurocho. Or at least they tried to.

Kiryu first tried taking a nap on the train, though he couldn't quite
get comfortable. There was never enough room for his long ass legs
on train cars. After about an hour, Kiryu decided to take a walk up
and down the cars, if only to alleviate his cramped thighs. With a
stretch of his back, he turned, wondering where the food cart was,
when something caught his eye. More accurately, the lack of
something.

Now, when they got to their seats, there were a good handful of
tourists and families that joined them on their train car. Kiryu hadn't
noticed that one by one, those innocent passengers filtered out. The
young couple snuggling in the top corner, or the elderly grandmother
reading a book a few rows down, even the wily child that had spent
the last half hour hopping up and down on his seat were all gone
from their car. He and Majima were the only ones left. And that fact
sent a chill down Kiryu's spine.

"Majima-san." He turned and shook Majima's shoulder. Majima
jerked from a doze and turned up to him. "Look."

"Eh? At what?" Majima poked his head up from the seat and
scanned the area. Instantly, the same worries on Kiryu's mind were
on Majima's. You don't spend decades of your life in the yakuza
without getting a sixth sense for trouble. "Shit." Majima stood, and
he and Kiryu stepped out into the aisle. "You think it's...?"

635

The doors on either end of the train car opened. Before Majima
could finish his question, men flooded in. Ten on each side. Each and
every one of them sported Yomei pins on their lapels. From their
jackets, they removed switch blades, iron knuckles, batons and
chains. Slowly, they advanced on the pair of them. Kiryu and Majima
stood back to back, ready for a fight. "Well ain't this pretty," Majima
growled. "You fuckers just don't know when to give up, do ya?"

One of their ranks stepped forward, muscling through the rest of
their sworn brothers. The Yomei was about a man and a half wide
and a head taller than most on the train. The brute had no weapon of
his own, and from the size of those massive hands, Kiryu guessed
that he wouldn't need one. He tilted his head, and Kiryu heard cracks
echo from his neck.

"Excuse us, Fourth Chairman," the big boy boomed. "But I'm
afraid this is where your train gets off." Kiryu widened his stance,
squared his shoulders, and held his fists at the ready. They wanted a
fight?

Fine. They'd get their fight.

◈◈◈12:32pm ◈◈◈

Dog and Dragon on train.
Cars secured. Moving in now.

Koshimizu glanced down at the most welcome message on his
screen as he walked the halls of Tojo HQ. From what his subordinates

636

reported back to him, the plan to kidnap Kiryu's daughter and
grandchild was an utter bust. Which meant that they were going to
need to do some major damage control and fast if this was ever
going to get contained. His expression soured and he pocketed his
phone. He knew that Kiryu was going to be a problem. But if he knew
just how much of a problem, he would have sent a second assassin as
backup.

As much as he wanted to believe that this next effort would be
the nail in the coffin, the Dragon of Dojima was a resilient bastard.
And with Patriarch Saejima involved, this was going to get a whole lot
messier. Koshimizu gnawed at his thumb, turning a corner. All he
needed was Dojima's approval on the treaty, and if he needed,
Koshimizu could distance himself from his underlings, claim he had
no idea that they were going after Kiryu or that he was even alive.
Yes, if he was going to manage this, he was going to need backup
plan after backup plan.

But first thing was first. He needed ink on paper. Dojima's ink.
Once that contract was signed, and the bond was made, Koshimizu
would have boots on the ground in Kamurocho in no time. Boots that
could turn a profit. Despite all his setbacks, that sweet taste of
money kept him going. Hiroshima was a puddle next to the ocean of
Kamurocho.

With the Yomei in Tokyo, they'd be in the big leagues. No more
hiding out in that shit-stain of a city, scrounging up scraps from the

637

stubborn locals. No. Koshimizu had his eyes on the prize. He wanted
that big, Tokyo payday.

All he needed was a yes from Chairman Dojima, and everything
else would fall into place.

When Koshimizu approached the doors of the dining hall, a
couple of Tojo men bowed in greeting before opening those doors.
There, sitting at the head of the table, was Dojima Daigo. And to
Koshimizu's delight, to Daigo's left, was Tashiro Katsu. Saejima Taiga
was nowhere in sight. Daigo looked up as Koshimizu bowed his head.
"Good morning, Sixth Chairman."

"Good morning, Third Chairman," Daigo returned. He gestured to
a chair adjacent to his own. Between them was a lazy Susan of
appetizers, and a couple glasses of fine whiskey. Koshimizu took his
seat and relaxed. "As you know, I said I'd give you your answer in a
week."

"You did," said Koshimizu. "Are you giving it to me early, Dojima-
san?"

Daigo smiled slightly. "Perhaps I am. After considering your offer,
and getting some sage advice from one of my Patriarchs, I'm willing
to consider it."

Koshimizu leaned forward. "That's great news, Sixth Chairman,"
he said brightly. "How do you want to proceed? I like to have things
in writing if that's okay with you."

"Of course," said Daigo. "But before we make anything official,
why don't we discuss the details."

638

"Details, sir?"
"Yes." Daigo threaded his fingers on the table. "After all, what's
the rush? We have plenty of time to make this a seamless and
effortless merger, don't we, Koshimizu-san?"
Koshimizu's smile strained, but he nodded. "Of course, Dojima-
san."
"But first." Daigo took a sip of his whiskey. "How did you sleep,
Chairman?"

◈◈◈11:25am ◈◈◈

"Okinawa? Saejima-san, what in the world are you doing all the
way out there?"

"I went to check on Haruka-chan and the other kids at the
orphanage. That's when it all went screwy, if I'm being honest."

Daigo leaned back in his office chair, frowning at the closed door.
He had just been on his daily constitutional with Yayoi when Saejima
called him, insisting that he go somewhere private for the rest of the
chat. Excusing himself from his mother, Daigo made a beeline for his
office and had a guard stationed outside. Once they were alone,
Saejima revealed where he'd been for the past couple of days. The
answer wasn't what Daigo was expecting. "So? What's the
emergency, Saejima-san?"

"Have you had your meeting with Koshimizu yet?"

639

"No. I was going to wait until you and Majima-san returned to
make my final decision. Though I haven't heard from him, either."

"Well you wouldn't have. He's been shot."
"Shot?" Daigo leaned forward, his eyes serious. "Where is he?
What happened?"
"All I can tell you is that he's fine. That, and that he's comin'
home today."
"What do you mean, 'all you can tell me'? What the hell is
happening?"
"Dojima-han, listen to me. There's only so much I can say because
I don't know who might be listening. Or even if everyone in HQ is
trustworthy. But everything's comin' to light real soon, I can promise
ya that."
"Saejima-san..."
"Lemme ask you somethin'. What's Tashiro-han up to?"
"Tashiro?" Daigo furrowed his brow. "He... actually came to see
me this morning. Said I should consider taking the Yomei up on their
offer."
"Had a feelin'..."
"What makes you say that?"
"One of Majima's boys saw them buddy buddy in Bacchus the
other night. I think he might have some ulterior motives."
"I see. Well that's disappointing. I'll have a talk with him—"
"No. I don't think that's wise, Sixth Chairman."
"Oh?"

640

"Aa. Here's what I think. Call that meeting between the to a'ya.
You and Koshimizu. Hell, throw Tashiro in there for the hell of it. Tell
him you accept."

"What?"
"But don't sign nothin'. Don't move the process along. If you can
stall till tonight, long enough for Majima to get there, I promise it'll
all make sense."
"What about you, Saejima-san? Are you on your way back?"
"Can't. Truth of it is, Haruka-chan and her lil one nearly got
nabbed last night. So I'm sittin' tight till this is all over. Keepin' 'em
safe."
Daigo ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. "Saejima... I
need to know what's happening."
"You will, Dojima-han. I promise you will. Just hold out for a little
bit longer. Yeah?"
Daigo rested his forehead in his hand for a moment, and finally,
sighed through his nose. "Fine. I'll stall for as long as I can."
"Thank you."
"Saejima-san."
"Yes?"
"If this is all some wild goose chase, I'm not above breaking your
nose."
Saejima laughed on the other line. "Trust me, Dojima-han. If I'm
wrong about all this, I'll lean in for ya."

641

◈◈◈16:01pm ◈◈◈

"Hungry?"
"Ah. Yeah. Thank you."
Saki handed Baba an onigiri from her tray. There were a few
storm clouds rolling up from the horizon, which chilled the air and
urged them to close their windows. But Baba, ever on duty, remained
stationed on his post: sitting on Nakahara's roof top, on the lookout
for any trouble. Saki, who was no stranger to roof top star gazing,
climbed the ladder, a tray of rice balls in hand, to make her delivery.
She clamored onto the tiles and sat next to Baba, taking one for
herself. "See anyone yet?"
Baba shook his head, taking a bite of his rice. "No. Fortunately."
Saki wrapped her arms around her knees, bringing them to her
chest. "I can't imagine anyone trying to kidnap Haruka-oneechan or
Haruto-kun in broad daylight."
"I can," said Baba. "Seen it happen, too."
"That's horrible."
"Yeah." They sat in silence for a moment, eating their snacks.
Baba was just finishing his up when he finally looked over to catch
Saki staring at him. "What's up?"
"Just wondering how old you are," she said, innocently.
Baba smiled. "How old do I look?"
"Mmm." Saki tilted her head back and forth in thought. "Older
than Haruka-oneechan. But younger than Uncle Kaz. Mmm... thirty?"

642

"Close," said Baba. "I'm thirty six."
"No way! That's so much older than I would have thought."
"No kidding?"
"Yeah." Saki finished up her onigiri and toyed with the hem of her
dress. "I guess that's better though."
"Why is it better?"
"Well." She turned back to him, and with no hint of irony, said
plainly: "Saejima-san is like, really old, right? Uncle Kaz's age? So it's
better that he's not dating someone too young."
Baba nearly choked on his rice. Face red, he wiped away his
mouth with a rapid hand. Saki stared, surprised. She waited patiently
until Baba managed to breathe properly again and whipped around
to her. "Dating!?" he exclaimed. "What do you mean dating someone
'too young'!?"
"Hm?" Saki lifted her head. "You mean you and Saejima-san
aren't together?"
"What makes you think that we are?!"
Saki folded her legs into a butterfly pose and held her ankles.
"You and Saejima-san act a lot like Uncle Kaz and his boyfriend. So I
just assumed."
"D-do we...?" Baba cleared his throat. "I... I see... Well we're...
not... together."
"Oh. Okay." Saki laid her cheek on her knee, still staring at Baba
with that strange, endless gaze of hers. "Do you want to be with
Saejima-san?"

643

Baba, if at all possible, got even redder. "What's with all these
weird questions?"

Saki shrugged. "Just asking, that's all. I've never really had a crush
on anybody, so I guess I'm just curious."

"Oh." They sat in silence for a moment. "Do you... think that I act
like we're together more than he does or...?" Baba stared at his feet.
"Just trying to see which one of us made you think that is all..."

"Hm. Well if I had to say..." Saki smiled. "It definitely looks like
you're in love with Saejima-san. But this morning at breakfast, he
kept making sure you were eating enough. And he asked you how
you slept and everything. He was acting like your husband."

"W...was he...?"
"I guess. Though I've never had a husband, so I wouldn't know."
"Ha... yeah..." Baba picked at his pant leg in though. "Saki-chan...
Is it better to act on something that you're not sure about... or play it
safe and stay the course?" He paused and turned to her. "Er, sorry.
You're what, sixteen? That's a bit of a big question—"
"It's all right," said Saki with a smile. "And I'm nineteen." She
looked out into the horizon, thoughtfully. "If I had to say... I'd rather
take the chance."
"You would?"
Saki nodded. "If Uncle Kaz never took a chance to help me, I
wouldn't be with Papa today. And if I never took a chance with
Haruka-oneechan and the others, I wouldn't have so many friends."

644

She turned back to him. "Even if it doesn't end the way you want it,
at least you can say you tried. Right?"

Baba smiled softly. "Right... You're pretty smart, you know."
Saki giggled. "Yeah. I know."
Down below, the house was calm and quiet, but busier than it
had been in a good while. Nakahara hadn't had this many guests in
the Ryudo family home since Kiryu was running Morning Glory, and
eagerly made them a big breakfast, to be followed up with an equally
big dinner that night. Haruka and Yuta were certainly thankful that
there were more eyes to watch Haruto than just their own. And in
fact, after their show-stopper breakfast, both decided to take a nap.
It had been a stressful few days, and it would be nice to get a little
extra sleep. Haruto was even put to bed in the other room to avoid
waking his parents up. Nakahara insisted that they watch over baby
Haruto in their stead. And for a while, Haruto slept as peacefully as
his parents in Saki's bedroom, and as the storm clouds rolled in, it
was shaping up to be a cozy evening inside.
Saejima, for his part, had done a few perimeter walks around the
property. So far, nothing jumped out to alert his suspicions. He
returned to the Ryudo family home and took off his shoes upon
entering. Nakahara was busy in the kitchen, humming as he prepped
dinner early. Saki had just left the roof and delivered her empty tray
to the sink. Through the door, Saejima saw Saki flash a genuine smile
at her father, and he returned the favor. It warmed Saejima's heart.
With how harsh the world could be, seeing something that pure

645

acted as a constant reminder that there was still beauty among the
ugliness.

From down the hall, the faint squeak of a floorboard caught
Saejima's attention. His ears perked, and he turned to look. It had
come from Saki's bedroom door. He took a few steps forward,
listening carefully. By the sounds of it, Haruto was still fast asleep.
Perhaps Saejima was hearing things? But there it was again. The soft
creak of someone carefully distributing their weight from foot to
foot. Saejima narrowed his eyes and approached the door, quietly as
he could. He pressed his ear to the shoji paper and listened. Inside
was a shifting of clothes, and the soft grunts as someone lifted
something from the bed.

Saejima threw the door open and stepped inside. Over the bed,
clutching sleeping Haruto, was a man dressed in black, complete with
ski mask and gloves. Unfortunately, Saejima didn't get that long of a
look. Because just as he opened his mouth to call out to the others,
something cold and hard hit him in the back of his head, and he
collapsed onto the floor, unconscious.

646

Final chapter: One last fight

People watching on a train platform was always a good way to
pass the time. The impatient businessman who were just a bit late
for everything. The high school girls who laughed and giggled in their
little corner. The university student who was asleep on their feet,
despite the coffee in their hands. As well as the hordes and hordes of
other colorful characters that filled the station on a daily basis.
Currently, it was nearing 3pm. The next train would be coming in any
moment now. Considering that its final destination was Tokyo, it was
a popular commuter for all sorts of people, no matter what time of
day it was.

Bing...bong...bing... "The eastbound train is arriving on platform
2. Major stops include Yokohama and Tokyo station. Please wait
behind the yellow line. The eastbound train is arriving."

The lines of waiting passengers stood up a little straighter, while a
few rushing late-comers hurried to the end of the ques. Down the
long tunnel, a rushing of train wheels echoed, and a glaring light
pierced through the shadows. At the front of one of the ques, a
sweet old lady leaned on her wheeled, upright wire cart full of
shopping bags and knickknacks. As the head of the train came
around the bend, that same old lady's smile began to fade into a
curious frown.

647

"Hmmm...?" she muttered. "Shouldn't it be slowing down?"
Within seconds, the eastbound train flew past its perspective
passengers, kicking up a hurricane of wind. That same sweet lady
flailed backwards into a small pile of young salarymen, who bowled
over into a heap. Dizzy and confused, the commuters all looked at
one another, as if to verify that they had all seen the same thing.

As the eastbound train exited the tunnel, sunshine broke through
the front windshield on the engine, and the terrified conductor
behind it. He was an older man, unremarkable in neither size nor
stature. And currently, he was sweating nonstop as a gun muzzle was
affixed permanently to his temple.

"I saw you reaching for that break, old man." The growling voice
behind the gun was a gnarly looking yakuza thug, a Yomei pin proudly
on his left lapel. "This train doesn't stop until we get to Tokyo."

The conductor shivered. "B-but if we don't slow down, we'll crash
into the trains ahead of us—!" The yakuza shoved his gun further into
the conductor's head, making him jump in terror.

"Yeah, and then the cops catch up to us, don't they?"
"No, I swear—!"
"Just keep us movin'!"
"Yes!"
Gunfire echoed from a train further back. Both the conductor and
his yakuza kidnapper looked over their shoulders. Just then, the door
to the engine room slid open, and in came a sweaty and bloody thug,
pressing his back against the door as he slammed it closed and

648

locked it tight. The first yakuza balked. "The hell happened to you?"
he asked.

Gasping for breath, the wounded thug shook his head, cradling
what one could only assume were several broken ribs. "Those two...
are fuckin' monsters."

And monsters they were indeed.
From the moment the Yomei cornered Kiryu and Majima on their
car, the two Tojo legends put up one hell of a fight. Each of them took
a side, and mowed down enemies in spectacular style. Kiryu, the
Hercules that he was, managed to fend off his onslaught of enemies
with his fists alone. But eventually, he noticed that one of his
opponents had knocked one of the train seats loose. Yanking it from
its foundation, Kiryu wielded the chair as though it weighed next to
nothing, launching the Yomei back into glass windows and metal
bars.
For Majima's part, he was having far too much fun for his own
good. Kiryu was almost certain that bullet wound was going to open
back up any minute now. Grabbing either side of the overhead
luggage compartments, Majima hoisted his lower body and sent his
feet into a frenzy, knocking in face after face with the heels of his
pointed boots. Even though more men swarmed in to replace those
that fell like flies, Kiryu and Majima had found their rhythm. The
Yomei were lucky to get so much as a punch through their defenses,
and when they did, it was returned to them at ten times the power
and ferocity.

649

Finally, the last man was sent flying, and Kiryu and Majima stood
back to back, catching their breath. They looked at one another, a
silent questioning as to whether or not the other was okay. The
answer was obvious; there was barely a scratch between them.
"How's the scar?" Kiryu asked.

"Eh." Majima pulled up his shirt to reveal his bandages. There
was a bit of blood spotting, but not much else. "I've had worse."

A sudden jostling of the train nearly sent them off their feet, and
they shared another look. This time, one of more urgency. "We've
got to stop this thing," said Kiryu. Majima agreed, and with no
thought to the piles of moaning bodies at their feet, Kiryu and
Majima raced forward to the engine car.

There, they spotted a handful of Yomei guarding the door with
guns. Upon noticing the pair, they opened fire. Both Kiryu and
Majima dove behind seats on either side of the aisle. "Damn," Kiryu
swore. "We should have grabbed some of their guns..."

"You mean you didn't?" Majima pulled a couple choice pistols
from his tourist's fanny pack with a grin. "Here. You get the .45. Make
sure the safety's off, ya boyscout." He slid the gun over to Kiryu's
foot, and Kiryus wiped it easily. Once they both made sure their
magazines were loaded, they nodded directly at each other, popped
up, and started firing.

While Kiryu was sure to be direct, shooting more non-lethal areas
of the body like shoulders and legs, Majima fired without care,
cackling madly as their enemies dispersed. Eventually, they were left

650