Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

KAMUROCHO, 1984.

Two men sat facing each other in the Arakawa Family office. One of them was dressed in a snakeskin-patterned dress shirt and slacks that matched the colour of his shirt, complete with matching leather oxfords. The other, a long-sleeved, white coloured button-up shirt, khaki pants and black loafers.

“So, we’re really doing this after all, huh?” Arakawa Masumi mused.

“Looks like it, though I guess one could say it’s the least I can do for an old friend,” replied Maruoka Koji, calmly sipping his tea.

“Even one from a yakuza?”

“What do you mean by that? We came from the same family!”

“True, but you managed to get out and eventually become a doctor, didn’t you?” 

“Nah, I’m pretty sure oya-san only let me do it ‘cause they needed someone to patch things up quickly between jobs,” replied Maruoka, waving his hand dismissively. “But despite that, I’m glad I managed to do some actual good out there by helping others. Never was one for fighting or brutal assassinations, unfortunately.”

“Indeed, helping others was always more of your thing, even back then. Heh, I remember you’d even get beaten up for it too by the other family members,’” Arakawa paused for a moment, a more serious thought crossing his mind. 

“Though, I’m glad things turned out the way they did. I still don’t know what I’d do if you weren’t there that day.”

Arakawa would never forget the events that transpired that day. How could he? Akane was nowhere to be found, worry ripping through him as he desperately carried his barely breathing newborn to the hospital Maruoka was working at, hoping that the man would be on duty that night.

Multiple organ failures from hypothermia. That was Maruoka’s diagnosis. The outcome wasn’t very optimistic either; while he’d managed to get things under control, Arakawa’s son would most likely need to be wheelchair-bound for the rest of his life due to the extent of the damage to his system, particularly in one of his lungs. If he’d arrived maybe a minute or two earlier, perhaps the young child would have had better chances.

“Oi Masumi, what’s with that face? Even if I wasn’t, I would’ve come in a heartbeat!” Maruoka bellowed in disbelief, the sudden boom in his voice causing Arakawa to snap back to the present. “I can’t just turn away patients who need me, especially when their kid’s father is basically my aniki , you know? It’s only natural I’d want to help him out any way I can, cold-blooded assassin or not.”

“Still,  I really can’t thank you enough for that,” Arakawa replied gratefully. “Koji, you’ve really taken care of him after all these years.”

“But you know, it’s funny,” Maruoka chortled, downing the rest of his tea and allowing a refill from Arakawa. “Wouldn’t have figured a man who’d been in an arranged marriage would end up discussing one for his only son.”

“I know, but we’ve got a good few years to see how things go before we decide to have a proper discussion about it. They’re still kids after all,” replied the other man, closing his eyes with a sigh. “Anyway, you said it yourself: Masato is probably going to be this way for the rest of his life. It’ll be difficult for him to secure a good partner.” 

“He’ll need someone to help care for him as he grows up, Koji. Neither I nor Sawashiro are gonna be around forever. The way I see it, it’ll at least mean he’ll have proper company in the long run if things work out,” He leaned back further in his seat. “Besides, it’ll do Masato some good to have a friend his age, for once.”

“Same here. It’s been tough,” Maruoka shook his head dejectedly.

“What do you mean? Things haven’t been good on your end either?” Intrigued by what his friend had failed to tell him since they last met, Arakawa leaned forward to find out more.

“Hardly,” Maruoka moved his head from side to side. “She’s already eight years old like your young boy, but it seems like Hiromi hasn’t been able to make friends at all in school. To tell you the truth Masami, I don’t think I’m quite cut out for this.”

“Are any of us?” Arakawa responded, taking the opportunity to light a cigarette.

“True. But it’s been two years since she came into my life, Masumi,” Maruoka sighed, sinking down on the sofa. “Two years since I finally saw my own child for the first time, and I still don’t know how to be a good father. I mean how are we supposed to know if we’re doing a good job? I even barely get to spend time with her as it is because of my job!”

“Trust me, my friend. I wonder the same thing every day,” said Arakawa, taking a contemplative drag from his cigarette as he thought about his son.

“Hey, Masumi?” said Maruoka, eyes still fixated on the ceiling, clearly lost in thought himself.

“Yes?”

“Promise me you’ll take good care of her when I’m not around.”

Arakawa couldn’t help but chuckle at his friend’s dramatics. It wasn’t like they were going to be separated from each other completely; the man was just going to take her in as his ward on Maruoka’s behalf and as a proper companion for his son. Maruoka would still visit when he’d have time, and with the possibility of their two families eventually joining, it wouldn’t be out of the ordinary to celebrate certain holidays together.

Still, it was strangely endearing to see him care so much about her, despite the fact that he was willing to let her go. The least he could do was give the doctor some reassurance.

“I’ll certainly try my best.”

Chapter Text

About a week later, the doctor found himself outside the Arakawa Family office once more. Next to him, his daughter, holding his hand as she gazed upon the building curiously, wondering why her dad had brought her all the way out here. Maruoka took a deep breath, giving his daughter’s hand a squeeze.

“This is it, Hiromi-chan. The people inside, they’re going to be your family from today onwards. You’ll be staying with them from now on,” he spoke, although it sounded more like he was talking to himself rather than to her.

Nevertheless, the young girl’s eyes widened in fear hearing her father’s words. 

“Papa, don’t tell me you’re leaving me too! You can’t, you can’t!” Hiromi exclaimed, shaking her head furiously as tears burst from her eyes. She tried to pull away from her father, but his grasp proved to be too strong to break away from.

“Listen, it’s not been an easy decision to make,” Maruoka consoled his daughter by stroking her head lovingly as he tried to fight back his own tears. He smiled wistfully hearing his own words, but the doctor reassured his only daughter that he’d visit whenever he’d have the chance to. It wasn’t like he was going away forever, he added.

Still sobbing, the little girl wiped her tears and nodded her head. “Y- You’re not going away forever like Mama?” she hiccupped.

“No, it’s nothing like that. See, there’s a boy inside that’s your age that I’ve been helping to treat. You’re an important person in his life now, so I need you to take good care of him too.”

“Take care? What do you mean? Why? Is he lonely?”

“Well, you could say that. See, he’s been very sick since he was young, so he hasn’t had much of a chance to socialize with other children, so his father is worried about him,” Maruoka explained. He paused for a moment to let his thoughts process the best way to tell Hiromi what was going on without giving too much away. “Listen, I can’t say much right now about why we’re doing this, but just try to get along with him for the time being, okay? I would at least like the both of you to be friends.”

Hiromi nodded her head understandingly, earning a relieved smile from her father. He stood back up and offered his hand out for her to take as they entered the building together.

———

Inside the office, Hiromi scanned her unfamiliar surroundings. She saw a man paying no attention to their entrance, being preoccupied with running what looked like large sums of yen through a machine. Her eyes eventually fell upon a certain individual that looked about her age. She tugged on her dad’s hand, beckoning him to come down to her level so she could speak with him privately.

“Papa, that boy’s in a wheelchair,” the little girl whispered into her dad’s ear.

“Yes he is, my dear, but you mustn’t ever say anything about it, okay?” Maruoka whispered back as another strange figure walked towards them.

“Ah, you must be Hiromi-chan,” Arakawa knelt down in front of her, giving her a warm smile. Hiromi immediately rushed to hide behind her father, earning a chuckle from the unknown man in front of her. From his pocket, Arakawa procured a piece of candy, offering it to the girl as a sign that he meant no harm.

Hiromi shyly accepted the offering, yet remained rooted to her spot; her eyes still fixated on the surly-looking boy from across the room who’d refused to acknowledge their presence.

Arakawa then introduced the other older individual as Sawashiro Jo, who merely nodded his head in acknowledgment, before finally turning to his son. “Masato, aren’t you going to greet Koji and his daughter? This is Hiromi. She’ll be your new friend from now on.”

“Hello, doctor,” the boy grumbled under his breath, crossing his arms. He merely glanced over Hiromi quickly before refusing to greet her, nor make any more eye contact.

“My apologies. He’s been in a temper all day,” Arakawa profusely apologized, looking at his son with worry.

Maruoka seemed unfazed at the boy’s behaviour, cheerfully brushing it off as something normal kids his age go through.

Time passed by painfully slowly. The two of them sat in uncomfortable silence, the sound of the yens being processed through the counting machine being the only noise to fill their air. Hiromi remained seated on her chair, her only source of entertainment being Sawashiro counting money.

“You aren’t going to ask me why I’m in a wheelchair?” Masato suddenly asked at some point.

Hiromi gulped at the sudden comment. She wanted to, badly, but she remembered her father’s words never to bring the matter up. Instead, she chose to remain silent, as though she hadn’t heard the question, but her actions weren’t fooling Masato anytime soon.

“I was born like this, you know. Didn’t your father tell you? That there was a pitiful boy in a wheelchair who’d never be able to walk because of the way he was born?”

Hiromi kept silent. Something told her speaking up then would only make matters worse.

“And now my father is forcing me to make friends thinking I’m lonely. How stupid. They’re only doing this because they feel sorry for me.”

This boy’s scary , Hiromi thought. Scary, but there was something sad about him that she couldn’t quite figure out yet. Maybe he really was lonely and didn’t want to admit it, maybe he was angry at the world for being born as he was, and the way people treated him because of it, be it good or ill-intentioned. Remembering her father’s words, Hiromi decided she would treat him just like any other person, so it wouldn’t feel like she was being with him completely out of pity for his condition.

She was just going to have to try her best. Besides, it would be nice to have a proper friend, for once. Yet at this point, Hiromi could only hope the young boy would come around somehow.

———

Unfortunately, getting to know Masato proved to be difficult for Hiromi. No matter what she tried, he’d only rebuffed her attempts, once even going as far as to chastise her for treating him nicely out of pity. This particular incident caused Hiromi to scold Masato back, calling him ‘selfish and stupid for thinking everyone wants to be nice to you just because they feel sorry for you!’. The two children ended up bickering with each other, and it was only when Sawashiro had found and managed to separate them did they both calm down after he’d promised to buy them ice cream if they’d apologized.

One day, the two of them ended up having to spend some time by themselves at the Children’s Park while their parents had some business to attend to nearby. Still stubborn to open up, Masato had rejected Hiromi’s offer to check out the Pocket Circuit stadium next door, leaving the two to mind their own business in the park: Masato sitting quietly to himself, although he quietly observed Hiromi trying to customise her Pocket Circuit cars.

“Look, it’s Maruoka!” One of the girls exclaimed intentionally loud enough for them to hear.

“Ah, it’s Morita-san and her friends,” Hiromi’s body tensed up at the sight of the three girls standing at the entrance to the park. She immediately stood up and stashed her Pocket Circuit cars away.

“Who are they? Your friends?” asked Masato.

“No, not really,” Hiromi’s voice grew softer, turning away as though to try and pretend like they weren’t there. 

“Ew, who’s that she’s with? He’s in a wheelchair!” 

“That desperate for friends, huh?”

“Hey, Maruoka-san, is it true? That your mom abandoned you because your dad was part of the yakuza?” Morita asked mockingly. The two girls on either side snickered along.

The bullies’ harsh words ripped through her. Still refusing to look their way, Hiromi clenched her fists tightly, unable to stop her body from shaking angrily as she tried to fight back her tears. She muttered through her teeth to herself, but loud enough for Masato to hear: “T- That’s not true at all! M- Mama, she… she loved me, didn’t she?”

“Just admit it! Your mom left you because she didn’t love you anymore!”

Could what the girls have said be true, after all? She wondered. 

Hiromi could still remember it clearly. How it happened. How a life she thought was filled with love was torn away within just a few hours. 

For the longest time, it had just been the two of them, until her mother had eventually met another man. The longer they stayed together, the more it felt like her mother was beginning to distance herself, opting to spend most evenings out with her new lover.  Eventually, there were talks about getting married. It was a particularly cold winter’s afternoon when her mother brought her into the Poppo at Tenkaichi Street. She instructed Hiromi to stay put, claiming that she'd needed to make a quick call to someone before returning for her. Minutes turned into hours, and even when Hiromi stepped outside for any sign of her mother's presence, the latter was no where to be found. The only thing the little girl could do was wait.

Mama would come back, right?

As Kamurocho fell into night, a man finally appeared in front of her. Although she’d never seen him before, it seemed like he’d already known her. His face was white as a sheet as he looked at her, hands shaking as they reached out to touch her face.

Hiromi, Hiromi! The man suddenly cried out in an equally shaky voice. He pulled her into a deep hug, crying uncontrollably as he repeatedly called her name while apologizing profusely ‘for not being able to be with her sooner’.

This was the moment Hiromi realized that Mama was not coming back after all. She’d left her and ordered her father to take her in so she could start her new life without past ties, just like that.

“My dad says it’s not surprising something like that would happen!” one of the voices brought her back to reality. They were still going at it.

“My parents were saying the same thing.”

“Scary, do you think he’s killed a lot of people? And he’s supposed to be a doctor too, isn’t he?”

Hiromi closed her eyes and covered her ears, desperate for them to just go away. “Stop it, stop it! Papa’s a good man! He’d never hurt anyone!” she exclaimed, which only served to earn more laughs and verbal jabs from the girls.

Seeing the look on Hiromi’s tear-filled face fired up an inexplicable rage within Masato. He looked to the ground, picking the biggest stone he could find. Without hesitation, threw it with all his might right towards the girl in the middle.

“Hey, UGLY!”

The stone made direct contact with Morita’s nose with a snap. She immediately covered her hands over it as blood began to seep, bursting into loud tears as her friends began to panic at the sight they saw, but the boy didn’t even care about that. He had a bone to pick, and he was going to give them a piece of his mind regardless.

“Does that annoying mouth of yours ever shut up?! You’re so ugly already, it’s a wonder your parents even love you at all! Maybe you’re the ones who should’ve been abandoned!” Masato yelled, bending over to pick up another stone. This time, however, Masato tried to get up from his wheelchair, only to immediately fall onto the ground due to his legs. It wasn’t long before he burst into tears as well.

“Masato-kun!” cried Hiromi, immediately kneeling down to check on him. Fully overcome with emotions of her own, the girl continued to bawl herself as she called out to her father.

Soon, the Kamurocho Children’s Park was filled with children loudly crying for different reasons, confusing and worrying its passers-by.

———

That evening, the two fathers and their children sat in the Arakawa family office together. The air was sullen.

“So,” Arakawa spoke up in a serious tone. “Does anyone want to explain to me what happened?”

Hiromi and Masato merely glanced at each other guiltily, neither refusing to say a word.

“Kids, you need to tell us what happened. We just had a meeting with the girl’s parents. They’re demanding some kind of compensation for what happened,” Maruoka added. “They even threatened to make this a bullying case.”

“What?! But it’s not our fault!” Masato fervently declared. “How were we the bullies?! Those girls were making fun of Hiromi, saying how her mom abandoned her and how her dad’s a bad guy! They made her cry too!”

“Masato, the girl ended up with a broken nose and her parents are demanding some kind of compensation from us. We can’t exactly let this situation go just like that,” Arakawa sighed, pinching his brows together.

Maruoka turned to look at his daughter with concern. “Hiromi-chan? Is it true? What they said?”

Hiromi nodded her head, though she was quick to step up in Masato’s defense. “Yes. B- But Arakawa-san, papa, please don’t be angry at Masato-kun! He was only trying to help!”

From the corner of his eye, Arakawa caught the way his friend’s expression switched from worry to crestfallen as Hiromi filled them in on what happened. So, this is what Maruoka meant when he said his daughter was struggling to make friends at school; because her mother had abandoned her, and because there were talks her father had a yakuza background, despite his profession. 

Still, those revelations didn’t detract from the situation at hand. Arakawa told the children that while he appreciated that Masato tried to defend Hiromi, they still needed to reach some kind of settlement with the girls’ parents, internally contemplating on whether having an upper hand going into negotiations might work to their advantage. He made a mental note to see what they could find out, just in case.

It was just then that Sawashiro came into the room, apologising for the intrusion before informing Arakawa that there was something that needed his immediate attention. With a dreary sigh, Arakawa had no choice but to excuse himself. While he and Maruoka would see what the matter was (just like old times, he joked), Sawashiro was instructed to take the children home for the evening.

“I didn’t know your mom left you,” said Masato once they were in the car.

Or rather, those were the words he wanted to say. Yet somehow, the words never came, and Masato knew it was a topic he didn’t want to push onto her. Although she appeared to have calmed down, he knew she was still feeling the effects of what had happened earlier.

A friend, huh? Masato thought, recalling his father’s words when he’d first told the young boy about her. He remembered being told she’d been struggling to make friends, and now, he finally knew why. While their situations were different, it seemed like they did have something in common after all: being treated differently because of their circumstances. 

Masato didn’t know what their fathers had planned for them in the future, but for now, he was willing to try befriending her.

“Hey, Hiromi?” he spoke in a low voice, not wanting Sawashiro to overhear their conversation.

“Yes?”

The young boy bashfully cast his gaze downwards to his shoes. “Show me your Pocket Circuit collection again when we’re home, okay? I wanna know more.”

Chapter Text

One night when they were still children, Hiromi snuck into Masato’s room — a habit she’d formed whenever she couldn’t sleep.

The first time she did it completely took Masato by surprise. It happened just a few weeks after the incident at the Children’s Park. Hearing the sound of his bedroom door slowly creaking open in the dead of the night caused Masato to immediately sit up and pull his blanket closer to him for safety, thinking it was a ghost. 

“ Psst , Masato-kun, are you awake?” a familiar voice whispered.

Once recognized the figure standing in the doorway, his emotions quickly changed from fear to a mix of panic and annoyance.

“Hiromi?! Wh- what are you doing?! You can’t be here!” the 8-year-old boy whispered, though the girl pretended not to hear him as she quietly closed the door. “Oi, did you hear what I just said?! If Sawashiro catches you, we’re dead!”

Hiromi admitted she was starting to feel a little homesick, saying her room was too big and lonely for her. She promised she wouldn’t stay long; only to have some company for a few minutes. Although still initially reluctant for fear of getting in trouble, Masato didn’t mind her presence every now and then, providing a good distraction to tire him out whenever he’d have sleepless nights of his own. Besides, he found it nice to have someone his age to talk to about things with, such as the show they’d watched earlier, how awful their store-bought sandwiches for lunch were, or even commenting on how rough one of his dad’s guys looked after coming back from a job.

Tonight was just like any other one. It was way past their bedtime when she’d snuck in and as usual, Masato couldn’t help but remind her that they’d get into trouble for being up so late, with Hiromi promising she’d leave as soon as she felt tired. She took her usual position on the floor, staring at the ceiling.

“Hey, Masato-kun? Have you ever seen ‘Heidi’ before?” Hiromi brought the topic up at some point. 

“Not really,” Masato idly shook his head. Eyes also fixated on the ceiling, his hands were positioned comfortably behind his head, half-lost in his own thoughts to pay full attention. “I’ve seen parts of it on TV before, but I’ve never bothered past that.”

An old show she’d only seen as reruns while waiting for her father to return from work, Hiromi immediately got to describing its story about a young girl from the Swiss Alps. She explained how she’d realized that there was a character just like Masato named Clara.

“She can’t walk either and she needs help getting around, but when Clara eventually visits Heidi in the mountains, she manages to get better and actually walks again by the end of the show!” Hiromi said with a sense of excitement building in her voice. “You know? I think, maybe, someday, Masato-kun will be able to walk again too!”

“Hmph. What are you saying?” Masato scoffed in amusement at her last sentence. “You know that story isn’t actually real, right? There’s no way anyone could suddenly be able to start walking again just because they went to the mountains!”

“Even so!” Hiromi sat up from her position on the floor to move closer to the bed. In the darkness, she looked at Masato with an innocent determination. “I’m sure there must be something we can do! We’ll find the solution together, okay? I promise we will! And then you’ll be walking in no time, I know it!”

Masato admired her optimism. The moment was short-lived, however, when the sound of his door creaked open once more, causing the both of them to jump, thinking they were about to get in trouble with one of Arakawa’s most trusted men. Their worst nightmare looked like it was about to come true.

“Ah, Hiromi. There you are. You weren’t in your room when I came to check on you,” Sawashiro spoke nonchalantly, as though he’d expected her to be here.

“Sawashiro!” Masato immediately sat up. The two children exchanged guilty glances at each other for still being awake at such an hour. 

"We're sorry for being up so late. Hiromi couldn’t sleep tonight, so she came here, that's all. We were just talking!"

“Is that so?” Sawashiro turned to Hiromi to confirm the young master’s story. Gulping, she gave a small nod, casting her gaze downwards in fear. There was something about him that absolutely terrified the young child. Always serious and militant in his work, he wasn’t the most friendly person around after all, even when he’d somewhat soften his aggressive stance around the children, especially Masato.

Fully entering the room, he knelt down in front of her with a frown. “You know, you’ve caused quite a spectacle, young lady. There are people thinking you were a ghost wandering the halls at night.”

Hiromi turned red with embarrassment and guilt. She didn’t know such a small action had been such a cause for inconvenience, or that Sawashiro had figured out where she’d been at all this time, but chose not to say anything about it until the rumors started swirling. He figured it was better for him to handle the situation now, rather than when Arakawa was home.

“O- Oh, is that so?” her lips quivered. “A- Am I in trouble, Sawashiro-san?”

Sawashiro let out a sigh, his usually rigid expression softening slightly at the girl’s terrified face. He always knew how much he unintentionally scared her despite his best efforts to treat her as best as he could - for both Arakawa and Masato’s sake. He was worried that she might actually faint on the spot this time. “Of course not. I guess it can’t be helped being in a completely new environment with people you hardly know, after all.” 

“Even so, I’m afraid it’s not very appropriate for a young girl like yourself to be hanging around in other people’s rooms so late, especially since the young master has an early appointment tomorrow,” Sawashiro held out his hand for the young girl to take. “Come now, Hiromi, let’s go back to your room. 

Even though he obviously meant no harm, Hiromi couldn’t help but shrink back in fear. Noticing her reluctance to go with him, Sawashiro let out a defeated sigh. “Listen. If you come nicely, I’ll even send someone to bring up some warm milk for you if it’ll help you sleep, how does that sound?”

Much to his relief, Hiromi’s eyes brightened at his incentive and she finally accepted Sawashiro’s hand and allowed him to return her to her room. Before leaving, Hiromi turned around one last time to wish Masato good night, promising to see him bright and early in the morning before his visit to the doctor. 

Left completely alone to himself once more, Masato couldn’t help but think back to what Hiromi had told him about that particular character.

“There’s just no way, right?” he chuckled to himself in disbelief, throwing himself back down onto the bed with a huff. Although he’d hoped to be able to recover the use of his legs when he was younger, reality unfortunately made the thought of being able to eventually walk again become nothing more than a distant dream. 

Honestly, it frustrated him, watching how everyone else seemed to manage just fine, yet he was the only one he knew who was the way he is. 

“No way… ever walk again…” Masato trailed off, eyes getting heavier with each second, before finally lulling off into sleep.

As the months turned into years, the conversation they had that night eventually went forgotten. It was, after all, one of the many stories children tended to share with each other, soon to be replaced by other, more interesting and more memorable conversations and situations as they grew up. 

Neither of them would ever know just how close to home Clara’s story would hit in the distant future.

Chapter Text

ARAKAWA RESIDENCE,1993.

“Hey, Kasuga-san, have you ever kissed someone before?”

It had been about a year since he was sworn into the Arakawa family after stalking outside their office for a hundred days. Hiromi recalled noticing a boy about her age standing outside the Arakawa family office, sporting a blue and white varsity jacket over a white shirt and baggy jeans. Being a particularly cold day, he was hunched over, rubbing his arms in an effort to stay warm. Hiromi thought nothing of it, entering the building to wait for the father and son to arrive.

That same day, Kasuga Ichiban was formally introduced to Hiromi and Masato, being tasked to help Hiromi in taking care of the young master from then on. For Hiromi and Masato, it was an unexpected addition, having been just them for the longest time, though Hiromi wasn’t opposed to the idea of Masato finally making a new friend. On the other hand, something about this new stranger immediately put him off. Somehow, his attitude and manners immediately reminded him of someone, though he could not put a finger on it just yet. Still, it was too early to judge; he would simply put up with him for the time being for his father’s sake. 

For Ichiban, he was just happy to be able to follow the man who’d saved his life, and was more than ready to do his part in looking after Masato and keeping Hiromi company whenever he needed to.

They weren’t exactly close, with Hiromi referring to Ichiban by his surname throughout the time she’d known him, but they still considered themselves friends, getting along well enough even when Masato wasn’t around.

Today, it was just the two of them hanging out in the living room of the Arakawa household. Arakawa had taken Masato out for some quality father-son time after being away on business in Yokohama, while Hiromi herself was currently waiting for her own father to pick her up after his shift to finally spend a well-deserved dinner together.

Nevertheless, Hiromi’s sudden question took the boy by surprise. Ichiban blinked at her, taking a good moment to think about his answer.

“Well, I guess you could say I’ve been with many ladies growing up,” Ichiban joked, scratching the back of his head with a grin. 

“Eh, really?”

“Oh yeah, getting my diapers changed, being brought milk. Once in a while, I’d even get a nice peck on the cheek if I ran errands like a good boy back when I lived at Shangri-La,” he added, although was quick to backtrack once he’d realised how weird he must’ve sounded. “B- But, that’s it, I swear! I haven’t done anything else!”

“Oh, so you’ve never actually been kissed before,” replied a disappointed Hiromi, going back to her reading. She wondered what it was like to be kissed by someone she liked. Her thoughts quickly drifted to a certain individual, but she’d quickly dismissed them feeling silly that he’d ever entertain the thought of being her first kiss.

Hearing her words, Ichiban could only hang his head in defeat. “Oi, you didn’t have to say it like that, you know?” he mumbled with a sigh, earning a giggle and an apology from Hiromi in response.

“But wait, why are you asking this all of a sudden? Could it be…? Don’t tell me!” Ichiban suddenly exclaimed, noticing her cheeks turn red the moment he’d asked. Like a lightbulb just went off inside his head, he scrambled towards Hiromi into a distance that was too close for her comfort. 

“Is it… the young master?!”

“What?! No, it’s not like that! You’re getting the wrong idea,” Hiromi quickly shook her head, bringing the manga she was reading up to cover her blushing face. She was unable to look Ichiban truthfully in the eye. It didn’t help that his face was mere inches away from hers either.

“Then… someone who isn’t the young master?!”

“No, I mean — it’s not like that at all! Kasuga-san, it’s nothing, really!” Hiromi sputtered, pushing the boy away. She looked the other way, face still covered in shame.“P- Please forget I said anything. I was just curious, that’s all!”

Noting that her face was beet red even while she tried hiding it behind her book, Ichiban, worrying that he’d overstepped his boundary, started apologising profusely if he’d said anything to offend her. She reassured him she was fine, making up an excuse that it was just the heater in the room making her feel a bit warmer than usual.

———

When Masato returned later that evening, Hiromi was nowhere to be found, still out with her dad. Ichiban too had been dismissed for the evening. As he was brought into the living room to wait upon his father once more, Masato let out a deep sigh.

Arakawa had brought up an interesting topic earlier which took the young master by complete surprise. Marriage, his father had said. That was the goal. They still had a ways to go before officially tabling the discussion together with her and Maruoka, but Arakawa was hopeful that if everything went well, at least he wouldn’t have to worry about his own son not being able to find someone to settle down with.

He didn’t say why, but he didn’t have to either. Masato already knew the reason. At that moment, he’d once again cursed himself. He refused to touch his dinner for the rest of the evening.

In truth, Masato had a feeling their relationship would eventually be heading in that direction as they grew older, but to hear it come straight from his father’s mouth, especially knowing that was their father’s plan from the start, still caught him off-guard. He wondered if Hiromi’s father was currently having the same conversation with her as well.

Masato soon noticed the manga Hiromi had on the coffee table. She was always reluctant to share what she’d read with him, claiming that it probably wasn’t within his interests, unlike the action-packed ones Ichiban would frequently rave about. Still, he was curious, picking up the book to see what the fuss was all about. 

Right off the bat, he had to admit, she was right. Being a story about five friends with codenames to match the planets who managed to acquire magical powers, it wasn’t his cup of tea at all, although he could definitely see the appeal. Eventually, however, he stopped flipping as his eyes landed on a certain panel. A moment between the heroine and her lover. Although the scene was confined to just one page, the build-up was enough to make any girl her age blush.

Suddenly, it was as though everything made sense. The way she’d hide from him when he’d asked her why she acted the way she did while reading. How lately, whenever he’d come into her classroom, she’d turn red when her classmates would whisper something into her ear while looking directly at him.

Hearing his father’s voice enter the room, Masato immediately shut the manga and stashed it away, feigning ignorance when Arakawa had asked him if something was the matter. Masato merely replied that he was tired and ready to retire for the night, all while an idea sprang to mind.

All he needed was to find the right time.

———

“Hey, Ichi, have you ever kissed someone before?”

Masato’s sudden question took the boy by surprise, causing Ichiban to spit out the burger he’d been busy wharfing down. It was just the two of them that day at Smile Burger, and with Hiromi still at school, Masato saw this as a chance for a proper one-on-one with Ichiban on a topic that had been on his mind for some time now.

“Oi, what’s with that look? It’s not like I’m asking about something illegal. And wipe your face, you look repulsive,” Masato eyed Ichiban up and down in disgust, quickly throwing a napkin his way. The other boy took it gratefully, cleaning up the mess he’d created.

“Well,” Ichiban swallowed his food before continuing. “You could say I was pretty popular among the ladies who helped take care of me when I was little…”

“What, by changing your diapers and toilet training? Basically, you’re still a complete virgin then,” Masato nonchalantly replied, though he couldn’t hold back a smirk at his own comments.

“Come on, man! You didn’t have to put it that way,” Ichiban forced an uncomfortable laugh, unsure if he was truly joking or not. Sometimes it was hard to tell, but it was instances like these that Ichiban would usually brush it off, even when it hurt a little too much.

Eager to move the topic away from him to save himself from further embarrassment and curious to know, he quickly shifted the question to Masato: “Well, what about you? I’m sure a man as handsome as the young master would have the girls flocking!”

“Me? Heh, you’re fooling yourself if you think anyone would want to waste their first kiss on someone like me,” Masato couldn’t help but laugh, albeit pitifully at himself. He had to admit, as much as it rubbed him the wrong way at times, Ichiban’s optimism and simpleness had their own way of brightening the mood at times.

“But you know, it’s funny,” Ichiban casually commented while stuffing a handful of friends into his mouth, as though suddenly remembering something.

“What, wanting to know if you’ve kissed someone before?” Masato scoffed.

“No, not that. Actually, Hiromi-chan asked me the same question a few days ago,” Ichiban admitted without so much as a second thought. “Heh, what a coincidence, huh? I guess there must be something in the air at school. Not that I’d know, of course.”

“Hmph. Is that so?” Masato leaned a hand against his cheek in contemplation, looking out the window and down towards the Kamurocho crowd.

Would it be so selfish of him to admit he wanted to be her first kiss?

———

Hiromi returned to the Arakawa residence later that evening, completely exhausted from her after-school activities. She had planned to crash on the living room couch for a while before properly settling down for the evening, but a certain presence as she walked in completely caught her off-guard. She thought he’d still be out with Ichiban, but apparently not.

“Oh, Masato! I didn’t know you were home already.”

He didn’t even look up despite clearly hearing her. She noticed he was flipping through pages of the manga she’d been reading the day she had her conversation with Ichiban, realising that it had fallen into his possession. Suddenly, he stopped at one particular page. She gulped, noting the serious expression on his face as he studied the panels carefully.

“So, this is what you’ve been fussing about?” he nonchalantly commented, proceeding to quickly flip through the rest of its contents. He closed the manga before neatly setting it aside where he’d originally found it the first time, meeting Hiromi’s eyes with such a piercing gaze it sent shivers down her spine.

“Shall we try it then?”

Hiromi’s face turned bright red, her eyes widening at his suggestion. “Wh- What?”

“There’s no use trying to deny it. Ichiban told me you asked him about it a few days ago,” Masato replied, leaning back in his wheelchair. “Anyway, we’re both at that age where we might as well get some practice in now, don’t you agree?”

Was he talking about what she thought he was talking about? Her father had mentioned the topic the last time they’d met, although he’d reassure her it would still be a while before anything would be made official. She didn’t know if these were connected, but the determined look on Masato’s face mixed with the butterflies in her stomach made it hard to refuse his offer. Besides, he had a point: They might as well get it out of the way now instead of fumbling through it later.

“Well, I mean…” Hiromi stuttered, shyly casting her gaze downwards. “I guess we could, if- if you’d like that. I won’t say no.”

Masato beckoned her to come closer, and she instinctively did as she was told. Just like in the comics, right? He said it as a half-joke.

One of his hands made a grab for her wrist, another on her shoulder for stability, slowly pulling her towards him as she bent over to close the gap between them. She couldn’t believe he’d actually wanted to have his first kiss with her, and that she actually was agreeing to this. Her heart was beating a million times per second, and she couldn’t help but wonder if he was feeling the same way underneath the cool exterior he’d been putting on this whole time.

Hiromi squeezed her eyes shut, trembling in anticipation at what was about to happen. Soon enough, their lips softly found each other. Immediately, it felt like her body had been set ablaze, ready to collapse if it wasn’t for Masato holding on to her. 

He knew he could never do it like the comics, but he still wanted to make it count. The hand that was previously on her shoulder eventually moved up to cup her face, attempting to bring her closer to him. Hiromi’s body seemed to naturally comply with the gesture, leaning in further as Masato tried his best to pull himself upwards towards Hiromi as much as possible. Neither of them could find it in themselves to pull away, but unfortunately, the moment itself wouldn’t last long, as the couple was soon interrupted by the booming sound of their friend carelessly barging into the room.

“Young master, my apologies! I think I left my wall — whoah!”

Immediately, Hiromi pulled away from Masato, completely facing the other way. Overcome with an unbearable self-consciousness, she was unable to look at neither Ichiban nor Masato directly. On the other hand, the expression the young master wore made it obvious he was annoyed at the disturbance, but this went unnoticed by poor Ichiban, who, in his own right, was in a state of panic for barging in.

“Aah, I’m sorry! W- Was I interrupting something? Please, just carry on like I’m not here! Ah, m- maybe you guys need me to get some stuff in the meantime? Would snacks work? Actually, you know what? I’ll just grab my wallet right now and run to the store!”

“That’s enough, Ichi,” Masato sternly commanded. His incoherent blubbering was starting to give him a headache. “It’s just a kiss. We just wanted to see what the big deal was all about, that’s all. Right, Hiromi?”

Hearing her name caused Hiromi to jump a little. Slowly, she turned back around, shyly nodding her head in response. “Y- Yes, that’s right,” she said.

“Ichi, do me a favour while you’re here and get the bath ready, will you?” said Masato, eyes still fixated on Hiromi as though it was still just the two of them in the room. She knew he was just giving an excuse to give her some time alone to process what happened, managing to mouth a grateful ‘thank you’ to Masato right after who returned the gesture with a small smile.

“Right away, young master!” Ichiban bowed, immediately jogging over to where Masato was to start wheeling him out of the room, quickly excusing himself to Hiromi as he stepped in between them. Although he had a million questions about what he’d just witnessed, Ichiban knew it was beneath his position to be prying into their business.

Masato peered over his shoulder for a last glance at Hiromi on his way out with a pleased grin.

“You know, that wasn’t unpleasant. We should do it again sometime.”

Chapter Text

KAMUROCHO, 1995.

Hiromi had gone out with Ichiban to Kamurocho to pick a gift for her father’s upcoming birthday. Masato wasn’t with them, having skipped school for a scheduled doctor’s appointment. 

The two of them were on their way to the area’s entrance to catch a taxi home when Ichiban stopped in his tracks. A moment of realization crossed his face when he saw a sign in front of a bookstore as they passed by.

“Wait, what day is it today!? Shit, I totally forgot the new volume should be out by now!” he exclaimed, excitedly turning to face Hiromi. “Wait here, Hiromi! I won’t take long, I promise!”

Before Hiromi could even utter a word, Ichiban had already bolted off into the store, leaving the girl all on her own. She didn’t expect him to take long, but after what felt like half an hour his prolonged absence and the quickening sundown meant it was only a matter of time before trouble came their way.

And it did. Hiromi spotted three men approaching her. She knew her first instinct should have been to run inside and seek Ichiban, but feeling them draw nearer, fear caused her to remain rooted to her spot. She hoped they'd turned out to be merely passing by, and not looking for trouble. She was wrong.

“Hey, kitten? You lost or sumthin’? This isn’t a place for schoolgirls like you to be hanging out alone, you know,” the man in the middle (who she assumed was their leader) said with a sly smile.

“I’m waiting for someone,” Hiromi curtly replied, her posture stiffening as he brought her walls up.

“Aw, she’s kind of cute, isn’t she?” One of the other men reached out, attempting to touch her face.

“Don’t touch me!” she aggressively swatted the man’s hand away in retaliation before he could come any closer.

“Ooh, and she’s got some kick too! I like that!” The third man laughed, stepping closer in an attempt to get a better look at Hiromi, who could only squeeze her eyes tightly and look away, hoping this whole ordeal would be over soon.

“What do you say, eh? How ‘bout you let us show you a good time? We’ll be good, we promise!” the leader grinned, the tone of his voice serving as a warning that he wouldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer.

Hiromi knew Ichiban wouldn’t be able to save her in time. Even if she were to scream now, these guys would ensure she’d be swiftly kept silent. If she tried to run in, they’d just catch her from behind. She was left with no choice. Using whatever strength she had, Hiromi chucked the gift bag directly at one of her harassers before immediately trying to make a dash for it.

By the time Ichiban finally managed to leave the store, Hiromi was missing. He didn’t intend to leave her hanging, he just got distracted by other volumes of manga he’d been wanting to catch up on. Ichiban wondered if she’d simply decided to head off first, but something didn’t sit right with him, especially once his eyes landed on the familiar, abandoned gift bag on the ground.

Oh shit… Ichiban gulped.

Running through Kamurocho, Ichiban finally managed to track her all the way to a back lot near Tenkaichi Street. She’d been cornered by a group of three men; one of them had a tight grasp on her, holding her face in place as she struggled to break free. Another stood next to her main captive, roaring with laughter as they continued their threats. The last guy stood in front of her, and Ichiban noticed he’d pulled out a pocket knife. He had to act now, and fast.

“Hey, didn’t you know it’s rude to harass girls on the streets?”

“Kasuga-san!” Hiromi exclaimed upon seeing him.

“Huh, who’re you? Her boyfriend?”

“Let’s just say I’m in charge of making sure losers like you stay far away from her. And as her personal bodyguard, it’s my duty to protect the princess!”

The thug holding Hiromi hostage let out a mere grunt before roughly throwing Hiromi towards the ground.

“You just wait, you punk! I’ll wipe that snotty grin off your face!”

Ichiban managed to put up a good fight considering he was going up against three grown men. He would've won the fight too, if it wasn’t for one of the guys grabbing him from behind to deliver a sucker punch, causing him to fall to the ground right next to Hiromi. The ruffians took their turns taking their anger out on him, before declaring that he and Hiromi were no longer worth their time and promptly retreating from the scene.

Immediately, Hiromi shifted her focus to Ichiban, helping him into an upright position.

“Kasuga-san! You’re bleeding!” she exclaimed, pointing out the blood that had started to pool from his nose. “I’m sorry! I tried to run and fight back once they’d caught up but one of them suddenly pulled out a knife and I—“

“Ahh, don’t worry about it. Trust me, I’ve taken worse beatings,” Ichiban laughed, casually wiping away the blood with his sleeve. “What about you though, you okay? Looks like you’ve got some bruising,” he added, pointing out her own “battle scars,” and he called them.

“I’ll be fine, I think. Mostly a little shaken, that’s all,” Hiromi replied, still trying to steady her breathing. Slowly, she stood up, wincing at the pain from the wound on her knees from the fall. Giving herself a moment for the pain to subside, she held out her hand towards Ichiban, who gratefully accepted the help to get back on his feet. He’d be feeling this one in the morning for sure.

“Um, I think… we probably shouldn’t tell Masato about what happened today,” Hiromi sighed, looking at Ichiban’s beat-up state against her own bruises. “Or well, maybe we should try to come up with an excuse as to why we look like this once we get back.”

“Eh, you sure?” Ichiban scratched the back of his head. “I mean it’s not like I’d willingly tell him that we got into some serious trouble today, but the young master’s pretty sharp, you know. There’s no way we’re going to get away looking like this.”

———

“Where have you two been? I’m already almost done with dinner,” said Masato as the both of them entered the dining room, both looking like they had something to hide, although it had gone unnoticed at first.

“What happened to your face? You look awful,” he continued, scoffing at Ichiban’s beat-up face. His amusement turned into confusion, however, when he looked over to Hiromi. He glanced at her from top to bottom, noticing the discolouration on certain areas of her body.

Realizing he’d seen her current state, Hiromi quickly tried to hide the evidence, quickly pulling her school’s blazer further over her wrist, though there was no hiding the scrapes on her knees she’d gotten when she was pushed onto the ground.

“Kasuga-san had a bad fall!” Hiromi said. “O- on the way down some flights of stairs! Didn’t you?”

“Huh?” Ichiban blinked, his thoughts elsewhere. “Ah, yeah. I guess I kinda did.”

“Oh? Well then, why don’t you explain those bruises on your wrist and knees to me?”

Neither of them said anything at first, merely exchanging glances with each other. Masato was getting impatient.

“Well?” the young master said, his face darkening as he looked back and forth between the guilty parties.

“It was my fault, young master,” Ichiban spoke up in defeat. He cast an apologetic look to Hiromi, who looked at him with an expression that he knew was telling him to say no more, but he was unable to hide the truth any longer. He knew he was guilty, whether he liked it or not. “Some guys came after Hiromi today while I wasn’t around. ”

“What?!” Masato angrily responded. This grip on his armrests tightened.

“I went into the bookstore while Hiromi was waiting outside. I didn’t mean to take long but I got distracted while they came and harassed her! By the time I’d come out she was gone and—”

“Are you stupid, Ichi?! How could you let her out of your sight just like that?! You can’t even do a simple task of accompanying her without getting sidetracked on the job?”

“Masato, please!” Hiromi interjected, but her pleas fell on deaf ears as though she was nothing but an observer between the two boys.

“My apologies, young master! I promise it won’t happen again!” Ichiban apologised with a deep bow, but it was clear that Masato was having none of it.

“Is that really the best you can come up with? What if something happened to her before you found her?!”

Hiromi pleaded with Masato to calm down, trying to reassure him that at the end of the day, Ichiban did come to the rescue and that she was safe, but he was having none of it. The only thing that had stopped the young master from continuing to unleash his anger on Ichiban was the sharp, stabbing pain that suddenly pierced through his body. He let out a loud groan, folding over in pain as he clutched his sides. 

Sweat had started to break from his pale face and it was like every breath only brought more discomfort. Hiromi immediately rushed to his side, calling the housekeepers for help. Ichiban too tried to approach the young master to help, but it was clear Masato didn’t want him anywhere near.

“Get out of my sight!” he hissed, glaring at Ichiban with such venom that the latter had no choice but to back off and leave the room while help arrived.

It took nearly an hour before Masato’s body managed to calm down a little from the pain after taking his medication. Hiromi took this opportunity to slip away momentarily, temporarily leaving him in the care of one of the housekeepers intending to look for Ichiban to see how he was holding up after what had happened. If he was still around, that is.

Combing the house for any leads, she finally spotted Ichiban outside the Arakawa residence, having a smoke. Noticing her approach, Ichiban quickly made sure to finish his cigarette before forcing a big smile as though what had happened earlier was no big deal.

“Kasuga-san…”

“Hey, come on now. What’s with that look?” Ichiban managed a chuckle in an attempt to lighten the situation. “Is my face no longer that handsome that you feel sorry for me?”

Hiromi couldn’t help but softly giggle. Ichiban raised an eyebrow, asking what she was laughing about.

“You really don’t hold anything against Masato, do you?”

“Nah, of course not. I gotta admit, I probably deserved it,” Ichiban shrugged. “Besides, he’s practically my first friend. I gotta admit, sometimes the things he says do sting a lil’, but there’s no way I could get angry at him, even if he’s mad at me, yeah? I guess knowing that the young master’s already going through a lot, I can kinda understand his frustration sometimes.”

Taking in Ichiban’s words, Hiromi looked up at the cloudy night sky, exhaling deeply. Ichiban soon joined her, a moment of mutual understanding passing between them. At the end of the day, they were one of the few people he had who’d willingly stick by him through his ups and downs. Ichiban from his fierce loyalty to his patriarch that had extended to the young master, Hiromi from their shared childhood and now, a blossom that had begun to grow within, although it would be a long time before she’d come to terms with what these feelings were.

“Hey, Kasuga-san?”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks for being my hero today, and for being a good friend - to both of us. I mean it.”

Without a second thought, she moved closer to Ichiban, leaning in to peck Ichiban on the cheek. There was no romantic inclination in her action except gratitude, but her actions still caught him by surprise.

“There, now you can finally say you’ve gotten a kiss from someone who isn’t one of your caretakers,” she joked, grinning widely as she took a step back.

“Oi oi, you don’t have to make it sound like a real tragedy, you know?” Ichiban sighed, though he was grinning in appreciation. “Heh, but I guess being a hero has its perks after all, huh?”

“Uh-huh. And now you can even say you’ve got two friends!” Hiromi nodded her head, holding up two fingers to Ichiban, earning a proud grin from the latter, who commented that it felt like was getting a new party member.

Their moment of friendship was soon interrupted by the sound of Masato’s voice calling Hiromi from the home’s entrance. His tone was stern, but there was no malice in seeing the two together alone. “When you’re done talking to Ichi, come to my room. I want you in bed with me tonight.”

Hiromi turned around to acknowledge his request with an affirmative nod. Satisfied with her answer, Masato disappeared back into the house, the front door closing behind him.

“B- Bed?” Ichiban sputtered, trying to make sense of what he just heard, recalling their earlier conversation and how she’d vehemently denied any feelings for Masato. “You sharin’ a bed with the young master now?”

Instantly catching on to Ichiban’s confusion, Hiromi made sure she was quick to quell any suspicions. “It’s not what you think it is,” she immediately pointed out, although her cheeks had begun to turn red once more. 

Ichiban could only understand half of what she’d explain, and the still confused expression on his face made it obvious. Seeing this, Hiromi couldn’t help but laugh.

“Sometimes he needs some extra help after going to the doctor’s and asks for me, that’s all. He doesn’t mean it literally,” she explained. “If it makes you feel any better, sometimes Sawashiro gets put in charge too,” she added, although consciously chose not to mention that he’d usually spend the night outside the young master’s room, lest Ichiban started getting even more wrong ideas about them.

———

Masato observed in silence as Hiromi entered his room to roll out the futon across the floor next to his bed. Although no longer seething, his annoyance with Ichiban’s actions was still there, but seeing Hiromi managed to calm him down just a little bit. He was just happy she’d still agreed to spend the night in his room despite his earlier outburst, though he’d be the last person to openly admit such a thing.

“Hiromi,” Masato spoke once the lights were off, managing to turn his body to the side to face her. His voice was unusually softer than usual. “Are you sure you’re alright?”

From her spot on the floor, Hiromi nodded her head. “What about you?” She propped herself up so that she’d be facing him as well.

“I’m still in a bit of pain despite the medication, but I should be fine by morning.”

Masato paused, as though there was something else he wanted to say. Something that had been weighing on his mind since she’d returned home.

“Listen, I refuse to allow what happened to you today to happen again.”

“Masato, please. You really should go easier on Kasuga-san. He did save me in the end, after all,” Hiromi sighed. “Besides, aren’t you guys friends? Friends don’t usually stay angry at each other, you know.”

“Friends? Please, he’s basically a stranger forced into following us around because of my dad,” Masato scoffed, shifting positions so that he was lying down once more. “That careless idiot. And those street punks too. I’ll make them pay.”

Hiromi wished she could have defended Ichiban more, but it was clear Masato still had a bone to pick with him, and decided it was best to just let his feelings simmer down on their own. She could only hope his temper towards their friend would subside in the morning as they normally did: Ichiban would cheerfully come to greet them, and Masato would assume his usual manner as though nothing had happened.

“But how? They’re just what you called them, street punks. There’s probably plenty more like them out there, how would you know who to go for?” she asked instead, proceeding to lie down on her back as well.

“I don’t know, but I’ll find a way,” Masato spoke with determination. “They think they can do whatever they want to others just because they’re yakuza, when in reality they’re just bottom feeding even within their own family. It doesn’t matter who they are, I can’t stand them!”

Wasn’t Arakawa a yakuza too? Did this mean he hated him just as much? And what about Sawashiro, whom she’d noticed Masato was beginning to favour more compared to his real father?

A million questions sprung up in Hiromi’s mind as she heard his words, but she was too exhausted to try to make sense of any of it. Soon enough, sleep had taken over, her last thoughts clinging to his ambitious words, wondering where her place by his side would be if he’d ever achieved his goals.

Next to her, Masato lay awake for a while longer. Turning to face her sleeping figure, he reached out, fingers barely brushing against the side of her face. Hiromi shifted in her slumber, as though reacting to his touch, causing him to instinctively retract his hand in case he’d wake her up.

Heart racing, he breathed a sigh of relief as she simply curled up in her position even more. Watching her, he couldn’t help but wonder how she must’ve felt during her ordeal, dreading to think what might have happened if Ichiban didn’t intervene in time. She was right on one thing: Ichiban did manage to save her in the end. He supposed he could give Ichiban credit for that. However, thinking about her perpetrators made Masato’s disdain rise inside again. 

It didn’t matter that he was a part of this world. One day, he’d rise above his status. He’d get out, become untouchable, powerful. He wouldn’t have to rely on Ichiban to protect him or Hiromi anymore, and no one would be able to shun him for being a part of society he never asked to be born in. He’d make sure of it.

Chapter Text

MASATO’S APARTMENT, 1996.

The first time Hiromi met Masato’s girlfriend, things couldn’t have gone any worse. She’d already known about her, but meeting her in person? The now 20-year-old was completely taken by surprise when she saw her walk out of Masato’s room one morning, causing her to almost completely drop the breakfast tray she was bringing to the table.

“Masato! You didn’t tell me you were living with another girl!” Yumeno teased, glancing over her shoulder to the man who’d appeared behind her in his wheelchair.

Hiromi and Masato exchanged an uncomfortable look at each other for a moment before the latter cleared his throat, speaking the first excuse that came to mind.

“She’s… my housekeeper,” Masato avoided looking directly at Hiromi as he said those words. “Can’t keep this whole place clean in my current state, after all.”

“Ah, is that so?” replied Yumeno, completely buying the story.

He didn’t have the courage to look up after what he’d said. He didn’t have to; the glare Hiromi cast at Masato sent shivers down his spine even without him looking. He knew he’d messed up, and things were about to spiral out of control.

“My apologies. I didn’t know you were having people over, young master ,” Hiromi cooly said before turning to Yumeno, smiling through gritted teeth as she seethed with anger. “Would you like me to prepare breakfast for you as well, ma’am?”

“No, I should probably get going,” Yumeno shook her head. “I’ll see you soon at the club?” She turned to face Masato, who could only nod his head in response. Pleased with his answer, Yumeno reached down to happily kiss him on the cheek, completely oblivious to what the other woman felt at the sight she saw.

The tension in the air once the front door closed was so heavy one could cut it with a knife. This was probably one of the only times Masato truly wished Ichiban, Sawashiro or literally anyone else from the family would walk in on them. At least then they’d be able to pull an act together so it would seem like everything was fine. Unfortunately, nothing of that sort would happen. It was going to be just them and the situation he’d made himself.

“Hiromi… You’re not angry are you?”

Hiromi didn’t respond straight away, but the way she slammed the breakfast tray on the dining table told him all he needed to know.

“What, after you basically called me your ‘housekeeper’ in front of your girlfriend? I don’t know Masato, what do you think?!”

“Really! It’s one thing to tell me you’re seeing someone, and it’s another to bring them home. I suppose I can’t stop you from pursuing another relationship because I know you’re only marrying me to make your father happy, but would it hurt to care about my feelings for once?!” Hiromi shouted, brimming with tears. Realizing the words that had just come out of her lips, Hiromi’s eyes widened as she immediately covered her mouth. 

Embarrassed that he’d seen her in such a state, Hiromi quickly excused herself and rushed into her room, slamming the door shut.

———

Hiromi didn’t come out of the room for the rest of the day. They had a dinner appointment with their family that evening, and seeing how it was soon time to leave, he wanted to make sure she was alright before they had to go. Or rather, that’s what he tried to tell himself anyway. In truth, he was worried about not just about her, but also the potential hurt he’d done to their current relationship.

Her door was unlocked, and Masato let himself in without much thought — a habit of his whenever he would go to her room. Initially surprised, Hiromi immediately stood up, fixed her hair and smoothened her dress. However, upon realizing who her surprise guest was, she quickly sat back on the edge of the bed, as though relieved that it was just him and not anyone else seeing her the way she was. Hiromi had already changed her outfit and done up her face, but her puffy eyes made it clear she’d been crying the whole time.

Masato took a deep breath. Where could he begin?

“Hiromi, what I said earlier,” he paused, chewing his bottom lip as he tried to think of the right words to say. “... Listen, I didn’t mean it. I panicked and I said something without thinking about how you’d feel. I’m sorry.”

“I guess it was only a natural response. I mean, you can’t let her know you’re technically taken, right?” she forced a chuckle, shaking her head with a sniff. “Maybe I should be the one apologising for getting so offended.”

No, that’s not true at all. Why aren’t you more angry at me? I’m the one who’s been the fool. Masato thought to himself, but the words wouldn’t come.

He wanted so badly to reach out and touch her, to let her know he still wanted her to be with him, but both his pride and self-loathing wouldn’t let him. It seemed like Hiromi was expecting him to make some move too, based on the disappointment that appeared on her face as Masato was rooted to his spot. 

“You know,” he said instead, knowing he was about to regret what was coming next. “You could always start seeing someone else if you wanted to. I mean, it’s only fair, isn’t it? I wouldn’t hold it against you.”

Hiromi couldn’t help but chuckle at his words. “Even if I wanted to, I already missed my chance a long time ago.”

Both of them knew exactly what Hiromi was talking about. 

There was a boy a year above them while they were in school who’d taken a fancy to Hiromi. Yes, Masato remembered his name now: Toyama Jun. He never explicitly made his feelings known, but it was obvious from the way he’d treated her that he harboured romantic feelings. 

While Masato didn't know if the feelings were mutual, Hiromi didn’t seem to mind the boy much whenever he came to see them. He wasn’t particularly rude to Masato either, so Masato knew didn’t have any reason to dislike the guy, he just did. Every time he’d catch Toyama with Hiromi, his blood would boil. Masato would always try to find an excuse to cut their conversation short when the latter would extend his politeness. He hated seeing them together. 

He remembered the day it happened. It was a few months after they’d turned 19. Over the New Year, their fathers officially brought up their intentions to see their children eventually married after ages of individual, casual mentions. 

That particular day he, Hiromi, and Ichiban were at Café Alps for coffee when Hiromi had gotten a sudden call from Toyama to meet, claiming he had something important he’d wanted to talk about for a while now, asking if she was free at the moment. 

Noticing the change of expression as she hurriedly put her phone away and how she’d quickly excused herself raised eyebrows from both the boys. Hiromi claimed that she’d forgotten about a prior appointment with a friend, but Masato could tell she was lying. Even when he’d asked Ichiban to accompany her, she’d adamantly refused, telling them that she wasn’t going very far and would be fine on their own. 

“That’s strange. I’ve never seen her rush off so quickly before,” Ichiban commented.

“Ichi. Let’s follow her.”

“Huh? But young master, are you sure that’s a good idea?” Ichiban said, surprised that Masato had suggested such a thing so casually. “I mean, maybe she really did forget about meeting her friends!”

“Even so, aren’t you curious to see why she’s behaving like that? You said so yourself that this was unusual for her. We’re going. I won’t ask a second time.”

Left with no other choice, Ichiban did as he was told, wheeling his young master out of the café to start tailing her. It took a while to catch up, especially with the crowd, but they’d eventually ended up finding her near Nakamichi Alley.

“I really like you Hiromi! I’ve liked you ever since high school! I know I haven’t been able to fully admit it, but my feelings for you are still the same as they were then, so please go out with me!”

“Toyama-san, I’m flattered but…” Hiromi paused for a moment. “I can’t! Even if you’d asked me in school, I wouldn’t be able to accept your feelings, I’m sorry,” she bowed apologetically to the man in front of her, who was clearly stunned at the rejection.

“Wait, why not?!”

Masato had heard enough. Just great, he thought. They’d only just gotten engaged, and now he’d probably ruined her chances of getting with someone else who’d be better than him in every other aspect. Someone who wouldn’t have to depend on her the way he did. Someone who could make her happier than he ever could. Someone who wouldn’t be a burden the way he’d be.

Strange, Masato thought. What was this thing he’d begun feeling?

No, there was no use feeling this way now. It didn’t matter that he’d been her first kiss, or that classmates would tease them about getting together in the past. He was a fool to even think she’d like him that way to begin with, even when it seemed like something was starting to blossom between them. Not wanting to hang around any longer for his own sake, Masato signalled Ichiban to take him away.

Now that he thought about it, it was shortly after that incident that he and Ichiban would start going to hostess clubs, where he’d eventually meet Yumeno. Unfortunately for him, his decision to leave early would leave him in the dark for the longest time about the conversation that followed after. 

“Eh, don’t tell me. Is it because of Arakawa-san?” Toyama inquired. “Hiromi, could it be that you actually like him?”

Hiromi chewed her bottom lip, looking at the ground. While their engagement was one of the reasons why she’d rejected his feelings, Toyama wasn’t completely wrong either. As she heard his confession, Hiromi could only think of Masato. Over the years, she’d grown to care about him, appreciating him for who he was; faults, temper and all. 

She didn’t know what exactly Masato thought of her, but she was surprised that he’d agreed to their arranged marriage. A part of her couldn’t help but feel like he was only agreeing because it looked like there wasn’t any other option. After all, this was what their parents had been working for this whole time, right? What was doing one thing to please the father you’d started to resent going to change for his already settled future?

Strange, Hiromi thought. What was this thing she’d begun feeling?

Hiromi looked to the ground, unable to admit the truth: “Honestly, I don’t know. I can’t say for sure, but I just know abandoning Masato is something I don’t want to do.” 

“Well, it’s obvious you care about him enough to reject me. Man, I’m jealous! Masato-san is so lucky to have a girl like you!” Toyama laughed the whole thing off like it was no big deal, though Hiromi knew he was probably feeling a little sad about it. She apologised to him, bowing deeply before heading back to Café Alps, where she found Masato and Ichiban seated in their original seats, actively pretending as though nothing was wrong; Ichiban had welcomed her back in his usual cheer, while Masato merely asked where she’d been all this time.

That event with Toyama was now nothing but a memory for her. Although promising to still be friends, they fell out of contact shortly after that, which Hiromi concluded couldn’t be helped considering how she’d rejected him. But that didn’t matter anymore. She’d already made her decision.

Their relationship began to take a downturn after that day. Perhaps it was partly the pressure of duty that caused them to put their guards up around each other, each thinking that neither was fully willing to initially accept the commitment. 

For the next four years, they would continue to remain engaged, and even willingly be intimate at times whenever they needed to get it out of their system, but their true feelings for each other would continue to remain repressed, only showing themselves, however subtly, during certain moments.

———

Back in the present, Hiromi noticed Masato lost in his thoughts. Worried, she attempted to reach out to him. The action of her hand lightly brushing against his managed to startle him back to reality, causing her to immediately pull back and apologise.

“Oh, I’m sorry! You just looked a little lost in thought,” Hiromi said. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Masato shook his head apologetically. “Just a little tired all of a sudden, that’s all.”

Judging by the look on his face, Hiromi didn’t seem convinced, still observing him with worry. Masato insisted he was fine, hiding his heated face from her view. He coughed into his hand, quickly shifting the topic to the evening’s agenda, suggesting that it was probably best to start making a move. He asked her to check on Ichiban’s whereabouts, since he was the one who was supposed to be accompanying them out. Hiromi agreed to his request, grateful that the topic had seemed to move on.

Yet, there was still one question on his mind.

“Hiromi,” Masato said, stopping Hiromi in her tracks midway by making a grab for her hand. 

“Just answer me one thing: Why did you agree to marry me?”

Hiromi didn’t give an immediate response. His grip never relented, each passing second caused his heart to beat faster in anticipation. A wistful smile finally appeared on her face as she pried herself away from Masato, gently placing his hand back on its armrest.

“For the same reasons as you. We didn’t want to disappoint our fathers after years of matchmaking, right?”

It hurt her to say as much as it was disappointing for him to hear her say it so casually. Masato hung his head low, half-heartedly agreeing with her statement with a mumbled: “Yeah, I guess you’re right”. Knowing she’d start crying again if she stayed in the room any longer, she excused herself once more.

Whatever feelings she had for Masato now didn’t matter. He’d found someone he liked. There was nothing more Hiromi could do except support him, no matter how painful it was. After all, who was she to get in the way of his happiness? Besides, at the end of the day, it looked as though they were still going to marry. That should be enough for her, right? Who cared if he felt the same way, as long as she could still keep him for herself?

If only she knew how far from the truth that was.

He wished he could be more upfront about how he felt. He wanted nothing more than to reach for her once more, bringing her towards him. Forget about tonight , he’d say, holding her tightly. Let’s just stay here like this. The both of us. 

Yet, something held him back. Fear, logic, or a mixture of both, it was too late to do anything now. Masato could only look on longingly as she left the room, cursing himself for the way things had turned out.

When their fathers sat them down to talk about why they’d initially introduced the couple to each other, Masato was also surprised to hear Hiromi was willing to continue the arrangement. But now,  hearing her answer to his question, it would seem she only accepted out of responsibility. It irked him to no end, how it felt like she was being pressured into it, deciding to stay with him only for the sake of it. He knew she didn’t deserve this kind of life — one unwillingly bound to him forever.

Despite that, he knew he was being selfish by wanting to have her all for himself, hoping she’d somehow feel the same way he did someday. After all, it wasn’t unusual to hear stories about people in arranged marriages eventually growing to care for each other. He wanted to be her source of comfort, the person she could turn to for support; a person she could rely on just as much as he’d rely on her. The thought of losing her now or of letting her go to another was unbearable. If only he had the power to protect her the way he wanted to, to care for her the way she deserved to. Perhaps if he wasn’t bound to a wheelchair, he’d have a better chance of doing that.

At least for now, he had Yumeno. He wouldn’t be lying if he admitted that she was a nice girl and he did actually like her to an extent. Despite his conflicting feelings, Masato continued pursuing a relationship with her over the next few years, even going as far as eventually asking Hiromi for gift ideas. He thought that maybe focusing on Yumeno more would eventually help him forget about his feelings for Hiromi. 

Maybe then, things wouldn’t hurt so much.

Masato closed his eyes trying to make sense of the many thoughts running through his head. A deep exhale escaped his lips.

Hiromi peeped into her room, noticing that he’d yet to come out. She was beginning to worry that their earlier conversation had tired him out too much.  “Masato, are you sure you’re okay? We can always cancel if you’re not feeling up to it.”

“No, I’m fine, really. Besides, there’s no point cancelling now when everyone’s waiting for us, right?” Masato dismissively shook his head once more, forcing a smile. “What about you? You feeling okay?”

“Don’t worry, I probably just need a change of scenery. I’ll be alright by the time we arrive,” she smiled back in an attempt to lighten the mood. “Now come on, Kasuga-san says he’s waiting for us downstairs.”

“Wait, Ichi’s downstairs already? That’s a first,” Masato joked, earning a laugh from Hiromi that let him know he was no longer completely angry at him, calming any anxiety he’d previously had over his potentially damaged reputation.

Besides, the both of them thought separately, secretly enjoying the last of their private moments together in the elevator before finally meeting Ichiban in the lobby as their ‘usual’ selves, who’d greeted them in his usual cheerful tone, blissfully ignorant of the events of the day.

Even if you never feel the same way about me, there’s no place I’d rather be.

———

Both of them would run into Toyama again just a few years later. Masato was completely unrecognizable to Toyama when he’d greeted them, mistaking him for a completely new person, commenting that he was surprised Hiromi had ended up with a guy like him. Toyama even went as far as to compliment him for landing such a catch, citing his missed opportunity when they were younger. In response, they could only be as polite as possible about the whole thing, neither making a move to correct his ignorance.

Yumeno herself was also completely out of the picture by then, although it was only a matter of time before Masato and Hiromi would have a reunion of their own with his former flame.

Chapter Text

MASATO’S APARTMENT, 2000.

“I can’t believe you’re going out with my old man for Christmas Eve,” Masato grumbled.

“What does it matter? You’re going out to spend the evening with your girl and Kasuga-san anyway,” Hiromi replied. “Besides, it’s only because dad’s busy at the hospital, that’s all. People spend time with their families during this time too, you know.”

Usually, Christmas Eve was the day Hiromi would always spend with her dad while Masato went off to do his own thing with Ichiban, but unfortunately, today had proved to be a particularly busy day for the former. In response, Koji had requested his close friend to be his substitute, regretting that he’d have to miss out on spending quality time with his daughter.

Initially, Hiromi was surprised at the offer and was inclined to reject it, saying she didn’t want to take up his evening just because of her father’s schedule. Still, Arakawa insisted on meeting anyway, commenting that it had been a while since they’d properly been able to sit down for a meal together.

“I see. It’s unfortunate Masato can’t join us. Would have been nice to see you two together,” was all he said when Hiromi informed Arakawa that it would be just them.

Back in the present, Masato could only laugh at her response. “And?” he said. “You’re basically going to look like you’re his escort, you know.”

“How can you say that?! Your dad happens to be a very nice man! It wouldn’t hurt to properly say ‘hi’ to him sometimes on your own instead of ignoring his calls like you’ve been doing lately either!”

“He’s a yakuza, how nice can he be?” retorted Masato with a scoff.

“That’s not what I— !” Hiromi huffed, deciding to immediately drop the subject. Masato had already made up his mind about his dad years ago; there was no use trying to reason with him about this. Instead, Hiromi disappeared into her room, re-emerging with a gift in hand.

“Here,” she nonchalantly said, holding it out to him. “Your Christmas present. You can open it whenever.”

Not wanting to be in the apartment any longer with him continuing to sour the mood, Hiromi immediately turned to leave without so much as a goodbye the moment Masato took the present from her, fighting the urge to cry in anger on the way out. 

The young man closed his eyes and sighed defeatedly. How did it come to this? He wondered. Lately, there seemed to be something in the air between the two, he just couldn’t figure it out. Maybe she’d finally started to dislike him fully? He wouldn’t be surprised if that was the case. She wouldn’t be the first. After a good few minutes of contemplation, Masato finally decided to open up her present. Inside was a tan crocodile skin clutch and a handwritten note from Hiromi:

Masato, Merry Christmas!

To be honest, I didn’t quite know what to get you this year, but when I saw this in the store I instantly thought of you. It matches your current style, doesn’t it? That’s what I think, at least. I hope it’ll be useful, especially when you’re out and about.

- Hiromi

“Damn it!” Masato sighed in frustration, shoving the present back into its wrapper and tossing it aside angrily.

He knew he should have at least tried to apologize before she stormed off, but it was too late. Masato checked the time. Ichiban would be here soon. It wasn’t like he could simply chase after her either in his condition. At this point, he could only hope was more than enough to make up for what he said earlier.

———

A familiar figure stood out in the crowd as Hiromi arrived at their meeting spot in Kamurocho. With his usual grey snakeskin-patterned dress shirt, dark double-breasted trench coat, black fedora, and a noticeable scar on his right face, spotting Arakawa Masumi from afar wasn’t an issue.

“Hiromi. Long time no see,” the older gentleman said with a smile the moment he saw her come up to him, promptly disposing of the cigarette he’d just finished smoking.

“Thank you for coming out to see me,” Hiromi politely bowed. “Again, I’m sorry about papa troubling you to take me out in his place. You really didn’t have to do this!”

“There’s no need to keep apologizing. Like I’ve said, it’s been a while since we’ve had a proper meal together, no?” Arakawa reassured her with a polite smile. “Besides, your dad sounded pretty desperate on the phone when he called this morning. It was hard to say no.”

Hearing this, Hiromi blushed in embarrassment, earning a hearty chuckle from the older gentleman. They both understood the importance of the day for Hiromi’s father as the day he’d finally reunited with his daughter. One could only imagine how forlorn he must’ve felt when the hospital told him they’d need extra hands on standby for the evening.

Changing the subject to the main event of the evening, Arakawa suggested an izakaya not far from where they were. The place was cosy, and there were already quite a number of people seated by the time they arrived. They managed to get a seat by the counter, with Arakawa commenting how unusually crowded it was due to the occasion.

“Ichi came to take Masato out, I assume?” inquired Arakawa right as they finished placing their orders.

“Yes, although he was still in the apartment when I left. I’m not quite sure where they plan on going, though. I think he said he wanted to go shopping,” Hiromi lied through her teeth.

“Is that so?” Arakawa merely shook his head with a sigh. Something told Hiromi that he knew what they were actually up to, he just didn’t have the heart to say anything about it directly. Neither decided to say anything else about Masato's whereabouts, lest it led to an unsavoury conversation.

Once their orders of kushikatsu and yakitori arrived alongside their drinks and a few other dishes, dinner was a relatively quiet event for the two of them. It wasn’t awkward by any means, with the occasional small talk taking place, but for the most part, there was little to talk about. At least, that’s what it seemed like until Arakawa chose to break the silence.

“Are things going alright between you and Masato?” Arakawa spoke out of the blue in a serious tone, without looking up from his food.

Arakawa’s sudden question caught Hiromi off-guard. With their little spat earlier still fresh on her mind, she tried her best to feign a smile, trying to bury the sting she felt in her heart when she recalled what happened. “O- Of course!”

“That’s good to hear. I was beginning to worry.”

He didn’t add-on anything else to that sentence. Instead, Arakawa pensively stared into his sake cup for a long time, deep in thought. Hiromi wondered what he was thinking about.

Her own mind began to think about Masato, wondering what he was up to at the moment. Had Ichiban finally shown up on time for once? What did he get Yumeno for Christmas? And why did she feel the way she does whenever the hostess was mentioned? She knew she had no right to do so; Masato could see anyone he pleased. In contrast, she was merely a family obligation he had to fulfil.

“You know, I was in an arranged marriage once too. In fact, I was your age when it happened. Didn’t end up too well though,” he finally spoke, downing his drink. His voice pulled her back to reality. “See, I was in love with another woman at the time. She was Masato’s mother. My boss didn’t take too kindly to it. Basically beat me to a pulp and sent out a death warrant for her and the child.”

“Oh, I didn’t know that,” was all Hiromi could reply, looking down somberly. At that moment, she could only feel pity for the way things turned out. 

“In the end, my son ended up being born the way he was because I was too little too late. Heh, ironic, isn’t it? I fought my way out of an arranged marriage only to put my own son and a friend’s daughter into another,” Arakawa chuckled, pausing for a moment to refill his drink. “Thinking about it, I suppose I decided to accept your father’s request this evening because I wanted to make sure you were still willing to go through with the marriage. I won’t hold it against you if you ever change your mind, though. I’m not like my old patriarch.”

“No, I don’t mind it at all! In fact, I’m grateful for the opportunity in the first place. Although, truth be told…” Hiromi’s trailed off, thinking of the hostess that Masato had been seeing. “I don’t want to end up becoming a burden if he isn’t willing either. It would be unfair to force him to marry me if he didn’t want to, so I understand if he decides to change his mind.”

“Don’t worry, Masato told me you were a good marriage candidate the last time we spoke. Just between you and me, I think he’s actually quite fond of you, even if he might not express it often,” Arakawa reassured Hiromi, who turned red at what she’d just heard. 

Looks like it goes both ways after all. The yakuza thought, catching the blush on her cheeks. Her expression at his words told him enough; a sense of relief washed over him knowing that their feelings, however unspoken, were mutual.

Hiromi tilted her head to the side, noticing the older gentleman fall into contemplative silence once more. “Arakawa-san? Is everything okay?”

Arakawa chuckled again, shaking his head dismissively. He turned to look at Hiromi with a warm smile as he raised his cup to her. 

“It’s nothing, my dear. Just got lost in my thoughts for a moment.”

———

Hiromi. Please, take care of him.

Those were Arakawa’s parting words to Hiromi as he dropped her back at the apartment. She acknowledged his request, telling him she’d keep trying her best. Satisfied with her answer, the older man rolled up the windows and gave his driver the signal to drive off. His prior remarks about Masato’s comments were still fresh on her mind; she was relieved to know he didn’t completely dislike her despite all that’s happened in the last few years, but at the same time, the way things felt lately made it hard for her to truly believe his words.

Hiromi sighed loudly to herself as she got into the elevator, deciding to try and forget as much as she could on the matter.

The apartment was dark when she entered, with the outside neighbourhood being her only source of light. Masato’s door was closed, and there was no indication of him being in the apartment either. While she felt relief that she didn’t have to face him directly, there was also slight disappointment that he wasn’t there to greet her as usual. Oh well , she thought. She was exhausted anyway, and still being slightly upset with the young master, welcomed the opportunity to turn in early.

Entering her room, she noticed a wrapped, medium-sized box on her bed. There was no note to indicate who the sender was, but there wasn’t a need for one anyway; she already knew who it was from. Sitting down at the edge of the bed, Hiromi carefully unwrapped her present, her heart beating faster in anticipation to see what was inside.

She gasped at the sight she saw; it was the silver necklace she’d always stopped to admire whenever they passed by Le Marche. Each time, Masato would ask her if she wanted it, but Hiromi would always decline, claiming that she couldn’t possibly rely on his money for something as expensive as that. Besides, she’d add jokingly, such an accessory would be more suitable for him to spend on his actual girlfriend, rather than someone he’d been expected to marry. 

As she held the necklace up towards the moonlight, tears welled up in her eyes. Immediately, any grudge she’d held for him that evening melted away. Clutching the gift close to her, Hiromi promised to cherish this gift forever.

That night, overcome with both happiness and hurt, Hiromi couldn’t help but cry alone in her room. Unbeknownst to her, Masato had already returned shortly after she did. He sat quietly outside her door, somehow washed with regret that he wasn’t even there to give her the gift in person.

The next day, it was as though nothing ever happened. Hiromi merely thanked Masato for the generous gift after the both of them briefly apologized for their remarks last night. Life went on as usual for the next week, except for the necklace she now wore around her neck she’d pause every now and then to gently admire, as Masato could only look on longingly in silence.

Chapter Text

MASATO’S APARTMENT, 2000.

“Thanks for your suggestion the other day, by the way. Thought it’d only be fair for you to see it yourself before I gave it away,” Masato handed Hiromi the gift box meant for his hostess girl a few days later on New Year’s Eve, urging her to open and see its contents as she was helping him get dressed for the evening. 

“W- What?! No way! Masato, I can’t believe you actually went and bought this!” Hiromi exclaimed, eyes going wide at the watch she saw. 

“Impressive, isn’t it?” he chuckled in response, feeling proud of himself. “Truth be told, I’m also thinking of getting her a condo next, just the two of us. Not just some average commoner one either; I’m thinking of somewhere like Ebisu, perhaps even Azabu if there’s a good deal,” Masato mused out loud, stroking the bottom of his chin in contemplation.

Hearing this, an all-too-familiar feeling came crawling back, one she still couldn’t admit to calling ‘jealousy’. And why should she be? It was none of her business whom he felt like seeing outside what was expected of them. Besides, she was the one who suggested the watch in the first place; she had no one to blame but herself.

Hiromi said nothing as she closed the box and rewrapped it to place it in the clutch she’d gotten him during Christmas for safekeeping. Her heart skipped a beat, flattered that he’d already started using it, although she refrained from making any comments about it. 

Despite her best efforts to hide her displeasure at his plans for the evening, Masato could read the room enough to tell how she was feeling at that moment.

“There’s nothing to be jealous about,” Masato commented dismissively. “We’re still getting married, aren’t we? We’ll be legally bound by law, I’ll still come by to visit, and we can still make sure our fathers get the grandkids they’ll inevitably be asking for,” he added, though his words did nothing to remedy the gap he’d just widened between them. Immediately, he felt a pang of guilt, but it still wasn’t enough to change his thoughts on the matter.

“There’s something else,” Hiromi coolly changed the subject, bringing out a box that was placed near the entrance. “Papa sent these this morning. It’s the medical shipment you asked for.”

She placed the ‘FRAGILE’ labelled box on the dining table, holding up the medication that Masato had been looking forward to for months — a self-administered injection that would allow him the use of his legs, even if for a few hours. He hoped it would arrive on time for Yumeno’s birthday, and was relieved to know that it actually did.

Initially, Hiromi hesitated to give him the syringe, pulling back a little as he held out his hand to receive the gift, but the insistent look in his eyes caused her to relent. She could only tell him to be careful and whatever additional information her father told her about the dose.

“He says it won’t last long, but you should be good for a few hours.”

“A few hours is more than enough,” Masato replied, looking at the syringe like it was precious cargo, excitement building up within. 

“Masato…”

“I won’t be a burden on Yumeno’s birthday,” Masato cut Hiromi off with a frustrated tone, promptly stashing the Ephedrine into his clutch.

“Of course, I understand. I suppose it’s only natural you’d want to be in your best form on a special day like this,” Hiromi immediately averted her gaze, biting her bottom lip to stop herself from saying anything more on the matter. 

She continued to avoid eye contact, even as Masato looked at his watch and informed her it was about time for him to meet Ichiban in the lobby. The young man could only sigh at the way she was acting. He knew where she was coming from and why she felt the way she did, but Yumeno was still his girlfriend. He cared about her all the same, no matter how much Hiromi or his father disapproved. On her special day, he wasn’t going to let her down.

Besides, it’s not like Hiromi actually cared for him, right? She was just continuing to go along with their arranged marriage because that’s what was expected of her, playing her role as any good fiancé would. In truth, he’d found it admirable she’d stuck around for so long. Surely, Masato thought. Surely, there were better things out there for her without him holding her back.

But now was no time to get melancholic. He had people waiting for him. Masato excused himself, telling Hiromi she didn’t have to take him all the way down. As he passed by her, Masato stopped for a moment, the both of them finally making eye contact. They both looked like they wanted to say something, but the words wouldn’t come. Disappointed, Masato left the apartment after mumbling a ‘goodbye’.

Hiromi immediately closed her eyes in regret as she heard the front door closing behind her. God, why didn’t she say something? It was then something suddenly welled up inside Hiromi — a feeling of urgency that she couldn’t shake off. It seemed like she didn’t want to leave things hanging without saying anything after all.

She rushed out the door and down the corridor, only to find Masato had already gotten into the elevator.

“Masato, wait!” Hiromi called loudly after him.

He turned his wheelchair around, surprised to see Hiromi standing there. He could see from the look on her face that she was struggling to find the right words to say.  Should he try and hold the door open? Even if he wanted to, he somehow found himself rooted on the spot, unable to move in anticipation. 

Take care. Don’t do anything stupid. Forget about trying so hard to impress Yumeno, you’re only making yourself look desperate. Even if you decide to move out, I’ll happily wait for you to visit. Masato, I think you’ve become someone important to me after all, so please continue to let me be by your side!

These were among the many things she wanted to say to wish him off. Instead, the only words that managed to slip out of her lips were: “I’ll see you when you’re home. Please give Kasuga-san my regards too!”

And yet, that was enough for him. Feeling a strange sense of relief wash over him, Masato beamed at her, nodding his head in acknowledgement just as the elevator doors closed between them.

———

“HAPPY NEW YEAR!”

Loud cheers and celebrations erupted to ring in the New Year. As Hiromi made her way past the crowded theatre square, she peered into the bag she held in her hand as she continued walking — a strawberry shortcake cutely moulded into the shape of a bear’s head that she’d gotten to celebrate Masato’s birthday. She was lucky enough to find a bakery shop open late during New Year’s Eve, and Hiromi was unable to resist buying it based on its outward appearance alone the moment she laid eyes on it.

Her excitement, however, soon died down once she realized neither he nor Ichiban would probably be coming home for the night, especially if they were still with the hostesses. She wondered what they were up to now. Were they still at the club? Had Masato’s Ephedrine dose already worn off? She hoped Ichiban was taking proper care of him.

Making a turn along Shichifuku Street, Hiromi suddenly spotted a familiar sight from the corner of her eye that stopped her dead in her tracks.

Hey, isn't that…?

There was no mistake whose wheelchair that belonged to, currently piled with other bags of trash, a warning sticker plastered on its back. Plus, the distance between where she was and the hostess club they usually frequented felt more than just a coincidence. But it was something else that caught her attention just as she pulled the wheelchair from the garbage pile.

Just like how curiosity killed the cat, what she saw next upon closer inspection almost made her scream in horror.

A man with a bullet hole through his head, blood scattered all over the wall. In front of him, the owner of the wheelchair was in a slumped position, his face completely covered by his hands. In between the two, the weapon and his mobile phone. 

“Masato?! Wh- what happened? Weren’t you supposed to be with Yumeno? Where’s Ichiban?” she exclaimed, quickly rushing to his side.

Head still buried in his hands, Masato said nothing, save for the sound of his sobs. Seeing him in such a state, Hiromi’s expression immediately softened. Despite how ghastly the sight in front of her still made her feel like throwing up, she knew that she would just have to suck it up for now for his sake. It was like a switch flipped inside her; right now, the only thing Maruoka Hiromi cared about was getting Arakawa Masato home safely.

“This won’t do,” she calmly sat herself down next to him and pulled out her handkerchief to clean up wherever she could. The other man said nothing all the while, allowing her to do as she pleased with little resistance.

“There, all better. Let’s get you home to take care of the rest, shall we?” she gently smiled once she’d finished wiping away what she could to make things seem less obvious before they went out into the public, tucking the now blood-stained handkerchief away.

“Look, I even managed to buy a cake for your birthday. We can have it later,” she lifted up the plastic bag she’d set aside.

Masato could only nod his head quietly in response, allowing her to sling his arm over her shoulder as she supported him back to his wheelchair, making sure she’d also picked up his mobile that had dropped nearby in case anyone were to call.

Here and there, Hiromi kept making small talk throughout the evening to keep Masato’s spirit going. 

“I’m sorry,” she even apologized at one point while helping him get dressed into fresh clothes. “It seems like I’m in a strangely talkative mood this evening, doesn’t it?”

Masato knew what she was doing trying to cheer him up and distract him from the evening’s disastrous events. Deep down, despite his current outward indifference, he appreciated the gesture; the words just wouldn’t come out even if he tried.

It wasn’t until she was about to retire for the night that he managed to utter a soft ‘thank you’. Hiromi smiled in response, telling him that she’d be in her room if he needed anything. Impulsively, Hiromi suddenly bent down to kiss him on the cheek, catching him off-guard. She blushed modestly as she pulled away, quickly wishing the young master ‘good night’ before parting.

Finally left alone with his thoughts, Masato tried to tell himself that it was about time for him to wind down for the night and yet, he just couldn’t seem to sit still. Something had been bothering him all night; a combination of Yumeno’s ruthless rejection and what transpired after stirring something within. His hands traced the cheek Hiromi’s lips touched, his heart fluttering as he recalled its feeling. 

Masato looked in the direction of Hiromi’s room. Quietly pushing the door that had been left slightly ajar, he made his way to her side of the bed where she slept.

At that moment, Masato felt nothing but absolute disgust for being born the way he was — not just as a disabled man, but also as the son of a yakuza, and as a person whose only purpose felt like was to be looked down upon by the privileged. Hiromi deserved better than being forced into marrying someone of his stature.

Perhaps if he’d been born different, or perhaps if there was a way for him to change himself completely, maybe then would he finally be accepted for who he was. Maybe then it would have felt like their relationship was built on something more than just a pity party by their parents that he’d have no one to properly look after his needs as he grew older.

Masato kicked himself for having such thoughts, and for overstaying his welcome in her room — he’d just wanted to quickly check on her. He began to make his way back to the living room when a voice stopped him midway, catching him by surprise.

“Masato?” Hiromi called out.

He turned his wheelchair around, guilt plastered on his face as he avoided direct eye contact with her for coming into her room uninvited. 

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you,” he apologized, turning red.

From the corner of his eye, he saw Hiromi scoot a little more to the edge of her bed to make space, inviting him to join her for the night.

Masato didn’t know if it was the alcohol, the heartbreak, the side-effect of the meds, or a combination of everything that happened within the last few hours, but seeing her silhouette illuminated by the moonlight, her face looking at him with concern — an indescribable feeling was building up that tugged at his heart; a longing for her warmth to keep him company tonight.

Closing the door behind him, Masato travelled to the other side of the bed, slipping under the covers with some assistance from her. They both lay together in silence, her head resting against his chest while he had an arm around her, instinctively rubbing her shoulders comfortingly. 

“Masato,” Hiromi eventually whispered, catching his attention. 

“Masato, I’m sorry,” She whispered again, burying her face into his chest, clutching his shirt tightly. “I’m sorry about what happened. With Yumeno, with tonight… with everything.”

“Hiromi,” he gently tucked a hand under her chin so she’d fully face him.

Without another word, and unable to hold himself back any longer, Masato pulled her closer to him into a soft kiss. She instinctively closed her eyes with a soft sigh, wrapping her arms around him in response. While wasn’t their first time being intimate, tonight was the first time they truly allowed themselves to be vulnerable with each other.

The two of them broke away for a moment to exchange a knowing look. Stroking his cheek, she muttered his name again ever-so-gently, giving him the green light. Completely overcome by his desire to finally show her his true feelings, Masato proceeded to embrace her passionately, both entirely uncaring for the world outside that was still celebrating the New Year.

Sawashiro found them together the next morning, sound asleep in each other’s arms. It was hard not to crack a smile at the sight he saw, deciding to come back a few hours later once he was sure they were awake; them acting like nothing was out of the ordinary as he walked back into the apartment, and Sawashiro himself pretending nothing happened as he informed them about their schedule for New Year’s.

———

After their visit to the shrine together, Hiromi and Masato made their way to her father’s house to eat osechi just as they did every year alongside Masato’s father, Sawashiro and more recently, Ichiban (whom Hiromi noticed was missing in action today). Arakawa Masumi joined the party shortly after, apologizing for his lateness as he’d been caught up in an urgent family matter.

“Kasuga-san isn’t joining?” Hiromi inquired as the Arakawa patriarch took his seat.

A heavy atmosphere suddenly filled the air. Judging by the way Arakawa’s body stiffened at her question, Hiromi had a feeling she shouldn’t have asked about him at all. Even her father had uncomfortably shifted in his seat. From the corner of her eye, she noticed Masato’s head hanging low, picking at his food. Now that she thought about it, Ichiban was nowhere to be found when she stumbled across Masato last night. She wondered if something happened between them, making a mental note to try get in contact with him later; it was his birthday too, after all.

“I’m afraid not,” Arakawa cooly replied, setting his fedora aside on the table. “He’s… well, let’s just say he’s indisposed for the time being. It’s going to be a while before he’ll be able to join us for something like this again.”

Noticing his daughter about to speak up again, Maruoka loudly cleared his throat in an effort to start pivoting the subject.

“Ah, that’s right! Masato, I’ve got some very good news to share,” Maruoka spoke up, forcing a wide smile as though nothing was wrong.

Hiromi’s father glanced over at Arakawa on the other side of the table. The latter nodded his head as both Hiromi and Masato exchanged curious looks at each other, wondering what their fathers had planned. 

Maruoka clapped his hands together, grinning wider. “A transplant, my dear boy! It took a while, but we managed to finally, well… ‘secure’ a spot for you. Right now, we’ve got it scheduled for March. I guess you could take it as a belated birthday present from me and your father.”

“What?” Masato replied in utter disbelief.

Maruoka looked over once more at Arakawa, who gave another nod as a sign for him to continue. 

“A lung transplant, to be specific. It’s a new kind of treatment that’s yet to be approved here, but as you know, there are things you can easily get done in America without any trouble,” he explained. “If things go well, you’ll be able to start walking again in no time with some physical therapy. Although, there is one problem…”

“What is it?”

“We’ve got a spot for your surgery, and money isn’t the issue, but leaving the country itself might be difficult. You are the son of a yakuza boss, after all,” Arakawa said in a curt, yet pensive manner.

Masato could feel his blood begin to boil hearing his father’s words. Of course his father’s background would be an obstacle. Why wouldn’t it be?

“Well, we do have a situation for that, but let’s just say it involves… ah, some ‘identity theft’, as one might call it,” Maruoka continued scratching his chin casually, as though the idea didn’t bother him at all.

“Papa, are you really suggesting stealing someone else’s entire profile?! You can’t be serious!” Hiromi exclaimed, though her words fell on deaf ears.

“Now now, hear me out. See, it just so happens I’ve got a shut-in patient that’s in a similar situation as our young man here. Recently passed but no known contacts. Replacing Masato’s family registry with his shouldn’t be too much of a problem. But only if the young master is willing, of course.”

Something clicked in Masato’s mind as he heard the entirety of the doctor’s opportunity. Finally, this was his chance.

A chance to get out of his situation and make a new name for himself; a new identity where he didn’t have to be ‘born’ as the son of a yakuza, a life where he could live as he pleased where his disabilities robbed him, a chance to seize something more. He’d be able to get back not just at those that shunned him his whole life, but also at the society that he’d grown to hate being a part of.

He glanced at Hiromi, who was in the midst of reprimanding her father for even proposing such a thing, while Maruoka merely pointed out that despite being a doctor, he still came from an underground background; he was just putting his ‘other’ skills to good use as the situation saw fit. He even told Hiromi he'd teach her how to do it 'just in case'; a suggestion which only caused Hiromi to further chastise him, but Masato's attentions were too focused on something else to pay full attention to their bickering.

Besides, if I could start anew, Masato thought to himself.

Maybe, maybe then…

“Masato, say something!” Hiromi pleaded upon noticing his gaze.

If I can truly change things… If I can become a man worthy of success… Maybe then, I can finally feel like I deserve her.

He’d made up his mind. Masato decided he was going to do it, and no one could tell him otherwise.

“Alright, I’ll do it.”

“O- Oi, Masato! You can't be serious. Are you really sure this is a good idea?!” Hiromi exclaimed.

“Don’t you think it’s worth a try?!” Masato faced her, eyes full of desperation. “What other choice do I have?! Hiromi, please! You know I can’t keep living like this!”

While Hiromi still couldn’t bring herself to be fully on board right then, seeing the despair he was going through caused her to reluctantly relent. Slowly, she nodded her head, forcing a smile to let him know she accepted his decision. Gratefully, Masato smiled back, a wave of relief washing over him.

“So, you’ve already made up your mind, have you? We’ll do what we can to get your new identity as soon as possible before you leave,” Arakawa said, casually lighting up a cigarette. 

“I understand, father,” Masato replied. “But, I have one request.”

“What is it?”

“I want Hiromi to follow me to America,” Masato said matter-of-factly. “New person or not, she’s still my fiancée, and I could use the extra help getting around before the surgery since Ichi’s no longer around,” he added, though his voice lowered a little at his next sentence, hinting at shyness: “And I would like to continue keeping her by my side for as long as I can.”

Arakawa couldn’t help but chuckle, hearing his son’s words. Seeing his son expressing his feelings openly like that was a welcome surprise, but despite the request, the final decision was not for him to decide. 

“What about you, Hiromi? Is following my son to America what you want?”

“Hiromi,” her father spoke up encouragingly. “It’s up to you. Are you still willing? Remember, this is an important decision we’re making. There’s no going back after this.”

Hiromi and Masato looked at each other. He looked at her nervously, as though expecting her to outright reject the offer after her obvious hesitance to the entire plan, but his worries were put to rest when he felt her reach out to hold his hand, squeezing it reassuringly.

Hiromi swallowed the lump in her throat. As much as she disliked the idea of Masato completely changing his identity, something inside her still wanted to support him, no matter what. Besides, this was a big step he was about to take; she didn’t want him to go through it alone. Hiromi looked at Masato with renewed determination, taking a deep breath before affirming her decision:

“Yes, of course I’ll go with him. We’ve come this far together, after all,” she admitted. “It would be a shame to let it all go to waste, wouldn’t it?”

“Then it’s settled. We’ll start making the necessary arrangements right away,” smiled Arakawa, exhaling a puff of smoke. “As for Ichi… well, there’s no point in him knowing about any of this. He turned himself in this morning for last night’s murder.”

Later that day, Masato confessed to Hiromi the whole story of what happened to Ichiban. Although she didn’t quite know what to make of Arakawa's decision, it was one that she ultimately decided to accept as part of his plan for his son’s future. Her only regret was that she wasn’t able to see a friend off one last time, especially on his birthday. 

It would be a long time before either of them would see each other again.

———

Two months had passed since the conversation at New Year’s and Ichiban’s incarceration had happened, and it was finally time for Masato to leave Japan for his surgery.

At first, although reminiscent of the style he used to sport in his younger days, Hiromi could barely recognise the man who’d come up to meet her at the airport. The young master had completely discarded his old look — his previous short black hair was now trimmed and styled into a clean side part, his goatee completely shaved off. Even his attire had changed from his pinstripe suit to a more conservative, business-like outfit.

“Don’t worry. I’m still the same person I’ve been your whole life, aren’t I?” he managed to joke as she commented on his sudden change.

While there was truth to his words, Hiromi couldn’t help but feel a little uneasy. She observed him pulling out a small gift box, holding it out to her with a hopeful smile.

“A present,” he chuckled, looking on with excitement as he observed her reaction to the ring that was inside. “Well, I guess you could also take it as a symbol of starting a new life together with me as a new man.”

As she allowed him to slip the ring onto her finger, Hiromi knew that from this point, every decision he took would mean there was no turning back. He’d told her about his ambitions once. A quest for power to set things right on his terms — frontal power, he’d call it. It would take years to see his dreams come to fruition, but he was determined to make it happen. And, like he’d made up his mind to go through with this plan that New Year’s day, so did she. 

Wherever he went, Hiromi would be there for him.

Arakawa Masato or Aoki Ryo, it didn’t matter. She’d remain loyal to him, right to the very end.

Chapter Text

MASSACHUSETTS, 2004.

Roughly three years after their initial departure to the states, the Arakawa family would eventually claim that Masato had passed away, citing his failing health as the main reason for his death. To the public eye, Arakawa Masato was gone, his death even being cited by some as the reason his father would eventually turn against the Tojo Clan.

In reality, his surgery in the States had been successful. However, despite his doctor’s confirmation that he’d be able to start walking eventually, it would still take some time before he’d be able to do so normally. To say the pain was nothing would be a lie; in fact, it was the opposite. Getting used to the feeling of having sensations in his legs was weird enough, but having to learn how to physically walk from scratch was something else. It was during those difficult days that Masato was all the more glad he at least had Hiromi with him for support, especially when he needed extra help getting around.

As the months passed during his initial recovery, Masato knew that taking on a new name would mean an opportunity to build his identity as he saw fit. That included moulding himself into an ideal civilian, someone with impressive credentials the public would want to follow should he ever step into a leadership role, someone even his superiors would look at his respect and envy his success. It was only natural, then, that he’d aim for one of the top universities in the country as part of his goals.

Getting into Harvard was by no means easy for both of them, but Masato was lucky enough to find out that the real Aoki Ryo had been working on his application for a degree in economics and politics prior to his death. All Masato had to do was finish what he started.

Much to her relief, Hiromi had also managed to get accepted for her degree of choice through the skin of her teeth. Although not getting in would still mean a comfortable life, Hiromi dreaded to think how boring the years would pass if she were to be mostly confined to their home, constantly waiting on him to come home from school.

Of course, a little monetary persuasion may or may not have boosted their chances of getting in, but the truth of whether any bribery was really involved was something only Masato, his father, and Hiromi’s father would know. Before they knew it, it was nearly time for them to graduate. Everything seemed to be going well, but unbeknownst to them, tragedy was imminent.

———

Masato had just returned from his meeting with Ogasawara. After a full afternoon of discussing some coursework that was due and bouncing off ideas on potential future plans after graduation, he was exhausted, to say the least.

Hiromi had opted out of joining them that day. Now that Masato was more mobile with the occasional crutches when things got troublesome, he didn’t always require Hiromi to follow him everywhere he went, so her absence wasn’t a problem. Masato also knew she’d never been fully fond of Ogasawara anyway, enough that she would only occasionally meet with him out of courtesy.

Masato remembered the first time Ogasawara Hajime approached them on the university lawn, claiming to be happy he’d recognized his fellow Japanese classmates from their shared classes. Of course, he wasn’t completely lying when he said that; being one of the few international students in his course was a lonely experience, but that wasn’t the only reason.

From the get-go, Ogasawara could tell that Masato was well-off. If it wasn’t from the way he’d outwardly presented himself, then it was certainly the places Ogasawara would see him frequent with a lady he assumed at the time was his girlfriend. He knew it wouldn’t hurt his chances to try getting close to them, especially if it meant opportunities to use them as potential connections in the future.

Masato seemed friendly enough when he finally came up to talk to them, welcoming him as a friend in no time, but the person he’d introduced as his fiancée would continue to treat him indifferently throughout the rest of their time at Harvard despite Ogasawara’s best efforts to get on her good side.

“That Ogasawara. I don’t like him. He’s clearly trying to get close to you because he thinks you’re rich,” Hiromi commented out of the blue one day after class.

“Hiromi, I didn’t know you were such an elitist against the common folk,” Masato joked. “Besides, he’s not completely wrong. Our family’s money has been more than enough to maintain an ideal lifestyle here.”

“I’m not!” Hiromi vehemently denied. “I’m just stating the obvious. It’s not like he’s trying to hide it either. I’ve seen the way he insists on constantly hanging out with us, blindly agreeing with your every opinion.”

It wasn’t like she was wrong. From the first time they met, Masato knew Ogasawara’s intentions. Still, Masato found it amusing to see just how much sway money could have on certain people. Imagine how easier it would be to control those larger figures in their lofty castles if he managed to play his cards right! But Masato knew there was still a long way to go. For now, he’d just have to carefully take his small steps as they came.

“Don’t worry. It’s not like I haven’t noticed either,” Masato chuckled in reassurance. “Even so, I think I’d like to keep him around for a while. Never hurts to have such a person like him in the grand scheme of things. He’s a harmless one.”

———

As Masato stood at the entrance of their apartment, something suddenly felt off. There seemed to be an awfully heavy air emitting from within, but he couldn’t put a finger on what it was. Slowly, he opened the door.

Inside, it was dark. Masato reached for the lights. On the sofa, he saw Hiromi’s figure leaning against the armrest, face covered by her arms. She was sobbing. In her hands was a crumpled piece of paper. Immediately, panic began to set in.

“Hiromi? What’s wrong?!” he made his way as fast as he could towards her.

“Masato,” Hiromi looked up tearfully, calling him by a name reserved only for private moments. “It’s- It’s papa.” 

She held out the piece of paper she’d been re-reading while Masato was out. Each time she went over the details felt more surreal than ever. It felt like a bad dream; she wished it was one, but she knew it wasn’t.

Masato took the letter from her, unfolding its crumpled contents. His heart dropped.

Hiromi

I’m not sure how often you’ve been keeping up with the local news back home, but recently, there was a murder in Kamurocho. Although we know crime is nothing new in this area, it’s only right for you to know as soon as possible that, unfortunately, the victim was your father.

I know what it’s like for a loved one to be unfairly ripped away. I’ve already been through it twice. This makes it the third time. The pain never gets easier, but we must continue to grow stronger from it. Koji was truly like a brother to me, even when he’d left the yakuza for a chance at a better future. He was always worried about being unable to be a good father, which is partly why he left you in my care so young. But never doubt that your father still loved you very much, even while it was difficult for him to show it.

It was Koji’s last wish that I ensure you finish your studies, and to see you live a fulfilling life. So there is no need to make haste in returning when you both are already so close to completing your degree. 

We’ll take care of all the necessary arrangements here. In the meantime, please continue to watch over my son in America, as you always have.

I will be waiting for you when you return. I know I’m no replacement for him, but I hope you’ll do me the honour of letting me continue being a father to you.

— Arakawa Masumi

“So, that article we read that day…” Masato trailed off, recalling the news they’d come across just a few weeks ago.

A cold-blooded murder, the news called it. An altercation between a random group of thugs and a doctor at a well-known hospital. According to the news, they’d demanded the victim hand over all his belongings, but things quickly turned violent when the doctor refused to yield to their threats. The loud sound of shots firing was heard through the streets, the victim left to bleed out. He’d apparently been found with his phone next to him, presumably to make one last call, but authorities couldn’t get through to the number when they tried calling it themselves. 

At the time, the victim’s identity had yet to be revealed, but it looks like they finally had their answer.

Inside, Hiromi was conflicted. Would it be right for her to abandon everything they had right now to go home? What would happen then? She knew Masato wouldn’t hold it against her if she decided to leave, but a part of her didn’t want to simply abandon him as he was, nor give up the hard work she’d put in her studies. Besides, didn’t Arakawa mention that one of her father’s last wishes was for her to complete her studies?

“What… what should I do now?” Hiromi asked, although the question sounded more like it was meant for herself, rather than targeted towards Masato.

“What do you want to do?” Masato sat down next to her. “Do you wish to return to Japan?”

“I don’t know. It’s not like I could simply leave you on your own either, even if you’ve got your legs working. That wouldn’t be fair,” Hiromi admitted, wiping away some loose tears. “I know going home is probably the right thing to do, and yet doing so would only go against his last wishes, wouldn’t it? Besides, you’re father’s right. We’ve already come so far, to give up my dream of graduating now… ”

“Then it’s simple. Keep staying by my side, Hiromi,” Masato said, clasping Hiromi’s hand firmly within his. “Your father’s life, I’ll ensure he gets the justice he deserves. These people will no longer be allowed to do as they please once I step into power.”

There was a hunger in his eyes as he said those words. While she’d seen that look many times before this was one of those that burned brighter than usual. Filled with a desire for greatness, they were always frightening to look at whenever it happened.

And yet, she could see that there was a different side to his gaze, as though offering himself to her for comfort. Hiromi found it hard to pull away. She shuddered slightly as she felt his hand gently brush itself against her cheek. 

With his body no longer confining him to a passive role, he could finally do it. Just as she’d always been there for him, it was his turn to do the same. He’d protect her no matter who, or what it was. 

“Lean on me, Hiromi,” Masato whispered. “Let me be your strength.”

Right now, Masato was all she had, and for Hiromi, that was enough. She didn’t need anyone else, so long as he was here with her.

“Masato,” Hiromi teared up once more, allowing her lover to bring her into his arms.

Masato continued to hold on tightly throughout the night, although his mind was elsewhere, running through the different ideas he’d been frequently discussing with Ogasawara as of late. The tragedy only fuelled his resolve. Although this new friend didn’t need to know about his grand plans for now, Masato still found him to be a crucial ally he’d need to get there.

His eyes were set on the governor’s seat, and Arakawa Masato would make sure he’d do anything to get exactly what he wanted.

Chapter Text

As soon as they returned to Japan upon graduation, Masato finally set out to put his political aspirations to work by choosing Ogasawara as his business partner. This meant trusting him with the truth about his past, a revelation that initially came as a shock to Ogasawara. Of course, it wasn’t like he could complain about it, nor did he feel like he had any right to - given the power that Masato had behind the scenes from being connected so closely to the underground to bolster their cause.

Ogasawara found the relationship between Masato and his father uneasy, to say the least. The man seemed to want little to do with the family patriarch, only contacting him strictly for business matters. His father, on the other hand, was always more than willing to spare any resource he could to aid his son, as though trying to make penance for whatever it was he felt he did to his son.

Being around the actual family made him uncomfortable, especially whenever he had to visit their office. He felt like an outsider. No, he knew he was. Even Hiromi, who he initially thought of as an unsuspecting civilian like himself, was eventually revealed to be a part of them to an extent, having been a part of Masato’s life since they were young.

Sometimes, it felt like Ogasawara was just a pawn in the grand scheme of things. Yet, he couldn’t deny that the Arakawa family money was crucial in funding Bleach Japan during their early days. He also couldn’t deny that it was Masato that helped move him up in society, giving Ogasawara the opportunity to make a name for himself campaigning for a “fair and equal” society.

In truth, whatever appeal Bleach Japan had was nothing more than a front, using gullible, uneducated trend-chasers who didn’t know any better in their ‘fight’ against the gray zones — a mere ruse to dig up any dirt on local politicians and exploit weaknesses as Masato saw fit. 

Behind the public persona of a charismatic leader, Ogasawara saw a man ruthlessly hungry for power, but it was already too late for him to back out. As time went on, he eventually learned to accept his role as nothing more than a puppet.

———

Hiromi and Masato were wed soon after his success in running for the House of Councillors. While it was a private occasion with only the Arakawa family present, that didn’t stop the media from getting their headlines once Masato made the announcement official, boosting his image even further.

“Aoki-san, congratulations on your recent win at the House of Councillors. According to news outlets, it was a landslide victory. My my, you’ve really come a long way since Bleach Japan, haven’t you?” commented Matsumoto, one of the hosts for the talk show Masato had agreed to appear on at one point after their marriage.

“Yes, it’s been quite a journey, if I do say so myself. In fact, I was surprised when I saw the outcome as well,” Masato nodded his head. “Of course, I owe it all to the Citizens’ Liberal Party for believing in me. Without them, I probably wouldn’t have made it as far as I did.”

“That’s right. By the way, we also heard you recently got married, correct? Congratulations on that too! The headlines were something to see, wasn’t it? I recall one of them being something like: ‘Bleach Japan founder rides on political success by announcing marriage’,” interjected Satoshi, the second host. She indicated the selected headlines that flashed on the screen behind them for the audience to see.

“Thank you. Yes, you could say it was a long time coming. My wife has always been there for me since we were children, so getting married was only natural. In fact, it was her father who helped me with my treatment when I was younger,” Masato chuckled good-heartedly. “If I’m being honest, I probably wouldn’t be the man I am today if it wasn’t for her.”

“From what I understand, she’s also involved with some social work to improve what Aoki-san calls ‘grey zones’ as well, correct? But with the directions you’ve steered Bleach Japan prior to your departure into politics, it seems like you two have different ways of approaching the subject,” Matsumoto said, glancing at his cue card for the next question. “How do you deal with your differentiating opinions at home then? Are heated arguments a regular occurrence?”

“Well, work and home are two different things, no?” Masato replied with a smile. “Besides, as you’re aware, I’m no longer officially part of Bleach Japan, so I’m afraid I can’t quite comment on their recent endeavours against grey zones. However, I can say that although our methods may differ, both of us, and even Bleach Japan, all share the same desire to improve the lives of our people for the better.”

“As expected, a spectacular answer from one of Tokyo’s youngest political trailblazers. I must say, looking at the two of you side-by-side makes you really look like a power couple,” Satoshi commented, now turning her attention to their other seated guest. “What about you? What was your reaction like when you found Aoki-san won?”

“Me? Ah, well…” Hiromi stuttered, glancing over to Masato who gave her an approving nod in response. “I always knew politics was something he was interested in. He’s worked very hard to get where he is today, so I was very happy about the results. The least I could do is continue to support him as best as I can as he continues working towards his goals, whatever they may be.”

“A professional answer, as expected from someone who’d be Aoki-san’s wife,” said Matsumoto, nodding his head enthusiastically before turning to the camera. “Unfortunately, it’s almost time to move on to our next guest, so I’m afraid time’s up for our little chat here.” 

“Shame! And just when we were getting to really know the both of you!” Satoshi added with a slight bow alongside her co-host. “Thank you so much for joining us today. We hope to see you on our show again soon!”

———

“You did well back there.”

“What? That was embarrassing! Why’d you agree on including me in the interview?!”

“Because it’s about time the people knew about you too; I can’t help it if I’d like to show off my spectacular wife sometimes. Besides, your work is starting to gain traction, isn’t it? You could think of it as practice for all those future interviews I won’t be involved in.”

“Well… I suppose you’re right. I mean, interviews for written articles aren’t so bad, but doing live filming is a different thing altogether,” Hiromi sighed, still reeling from the nervousness she’d felt on set earlier. “I seriously felt like I could throw up at any moment back there.”

Masato couldn’t help but burst into laughter, amused at her words, commenting that he’d never seen her so bashful before until that evening. Hiromi blushed in response, smiling shyly but pleased to see him in such genuinely good spirits.

It was a crisp, autumn evening. The weather was ideal for outdoors after a bout of rain, and seeing a number of couples out that evening, the both of them had decided to walk the remainder of the way home halfway through their ride. With Masato getting busy in his new position, and Hiromi occupied with her own work, being on the show was the first time in a while they’d actually got to spend time together, and both welcomed the chance to finally be able to do so.

“Hiromi,” Masato spoke as they continued their quiet stroll along the park’s path. “I don’t think I’ve ever expressed this before, but…”

He paused, trying to find a way to put his gratefulness into words. “I literally owe you and your father my life. I’ve only managed to get this far because of both of you. I just wish he was still alive so that I could properly express my gratitude.”

“What? You don’t think you would’ve found the same success if you’d stuck with Yumeno instead?” Hiromi couldn’t help but tease. Masato noted that camera shyness aside, she’d been in remarkably good spirits that evening, a welcome sight he was grateful for in the midst of his chaotic schedule.

“Considering you’d still be my wife in public, that’s highly unlikely,” Masato chuckled. “Besides, even if I’d ended up choosing her over you, it wouldn’t matter. In the end, all she ever did was hold me back.”

“What do you mean?”

Masato stopped walking, taking the opportunity to look up at the clear, night sky. The previously jovial air had suddenly shifted slightly to a more serious one. “I never told you what happened that night between Yumeno and me that New Year’s Eve, have I?”

“Not really,” Hiromi shook her head. “I mean I knew something had happened for me to find you the way I did, but with the way everything else happened that night, it just… never came up.”

“When I arrived at the club she worked at, she’d already been serving another customer. Heh , would you believe that I even threw a wad of cash to get him to back off, only for him to go all high-and-mighty about who he could accept ‘gifts’ from because of his job?” Masato paused for a moment, the recollection of events causing a familiar resentment to rise when he remembered the face of that police officer.

“That night, I discovered the truth. Turned out she never did appreciate me, just the gifts I brought that she’d pawn off for money. You know what else?” Masato continued with a dark laugh. “She had even had the gall to say I was reckless and that she was terrified of me! Can you believe that? After everything I did for her?! All because I was the son of a yakuza. I bet she only put up with me because then she felt sorry for my condition too.”

“Masato,” Hiromi said comfortingly, unable to feel nothing but pity at what he’d gone through. “Whatever happened all those years ago, it’s not your fault, you know. It was never your fault.”

Masato turned to her inquisitively. “What do you mean by that?”

“I can’t say much about the police officer, but being born the way you were, both with your condition and as Arakawa’s son… It’s not like you asked for that life, right? If Yumeno wasn’t able to accept that, and care about you all the same… Then that’s on her, isn’t it? That’s what I think, at least.”

“Hmph, you may be right. But even so,” Masato replied, looking up at the sky once more. “It would be a lie not to admit everything changed that night because of her. Both that police officer and Yumeno made me realize how important it is to be ‘presentable’ in order to be accepted by the public; to have the power to bring others who are above being controlled by people like the yakuza to heel. Now, as Aoki Ryo, I can do that. I can prove myself to everyone who’s looked down on me for so long.”

He turned to look at Hiromi with determination in his eyes. “Your father gave me the chance of a lifetime, Hiromi. I won’t waste it. I won’t allow my past to get in the way of the future I want to create.”

Hiromi could only nod her head in acknowledgement at his comment, and they spent a few minutes in thoughtful silence as they continued walking. Observing how the other couples were spending their evening, something crossed his mind.

“What about you and that guy from high school? What was his name again?” Masato slightly pivoted the subject.

“Oh, Toyama-san?” Hiromi blinked, suddenly remembering the face of the man she hadn’t seen in nearly 20 years. She wondered if he still looked the same. “What about him?”

“Do you think you would have been happy if you’d chosen him over me instead?” Masato quietly asked, his eyes shifting away from hers.

“Honestly, I don’t know,” Hiromi admitted. “But I know that even if I’d accepted I probably wouldn’t have been happy, especially if it meant I couldn’t be with you anymore. When I think about it, that was probably one of the reasons I rejected him. I think I’d already fallen for you then, I just didn’t know it.”

“Hiromi,” Masato whispered. So, the truth of that day had finally come to light. Choosing him over Toyama wasn’t simply out of duty. All these years, after all this time, she’d always cared about him. Masato felt a swell of emotions rise within, enough to make his tears slightly well up.

Next to him, Hiromi laughed lightly at the nostalgia she felt for the days gone by. “But that’s all in the past. There’s no use thinking about how things might have been different when I never really felt anything for him to begin with. I already decided a long time ago that I just want to look forward to the future by Masato’s side,” she turned to him with a warm smile. “Or rather… should I say Aoki Ryo’s?”

“Supporting me in my goals, whatever they may be, was it?” Masato couldn’t help but smirk, recalling her earlier comment during filming.

“I meant what I said, you know!” Hiromi exclaimed with a blush, earning another laugh from Masato who then offered his arm out to her as they continued to make their way home.

It doesn’t matter which name you choose. You’re still that same boy who stood up for me all those years ago when we were just kids. The one who’d given me many first-time experiences, who was there for me when papa passed. The person I want to stand by, no matter what. Hiromi thought quietly to herself.

Instinctively, Hiromi leaned her body as close as possible against his as they continued their stroll home, causing him to inquire if she was alright. In response, she merely smiled up at him, reassuring Masato that she was just happy to finally be in his company after a long time.

Chapter Text

It was only natural that Masato’s political success at the House of Councillors didn’t go unnoticed. It was only a matter of time before he decided to set his sights on bigger things. Something bigger than whatever he had when he’d founded Bleach Japan or his current position in the lower house.

Shortly before his election as governor, he’d received an invitation to celebrate Horinouchi Juro’s recent promotion to Police Commissioner. Masato recognised his face the moment he saw him. It wasn’t one he’d forget. After all, how could he? Not when he’d publicly made a fool of him at the hostess club all those years ago, calling him an idiot for ‘thinking money can buy anything.’ Not when he found out the truth about them.

He knew he needed to plan his next steps carefully and, thanks to the pressure he’d managed to put on his father to start selling out the Tojo Clan, all the pieces were starting to fall into place. Soon, he’d be hailed as a hero by the public who’d begun to find them a nuisance, doing what the police supposedly couldn’t for years. 

Masato saw this as a chance to start bringing this poor excuse of a police officer to heel. As a politician, Masato also knew that establishing a connection with him would be crucial in getting his foot in the door to better opportunities. He’d just have to wait for the perfect moment to strike.

The invitation was indeed a welcome surprise. How could he reject such a generous offer that had neatly presented itself in front of him?

———

“Finally, a chance to meet Aoki Ryo in the flesh. I’ve been looking forward to this, you know,” a deep voice spoke behind the couple as they were busy conversing with some of the other guests.

Masato noted his hair had even more grey streaks compared to when they originally met years ago, although it was obvious Horinouchi had no idea this wasn’t their first meeting. Oh well, Masato thought. It wasn’t like he was expecting otherwise, though he did find it both amusing and absurd at his complete unfamiliarity with who standing in front of him. Masato found it bittersweet, to say the least.

“Horinouchi-san. Yes, I could say the feeling’s mutual,” Masato replied, putting on the most polite smile he could muster. “Congratulations on your promotion, sir. We’re both… pleasantly surprised by the invite,” he added, wrapping an arm around Hiromi’s waist.

“When I heard about the upstart who’d won a seat at the House of Councillors by a landslide with big grand plans for the future, I knew I had to see him for myself,” Horinouchi chuckled. 

“ Heh , an upstart, is it? Is that what they’re calling me now?”

“Well, lots of folks don’t take kindly to a man half the age of the people in this room coming out of nowhere and rising to the top in no time, you know. But I wouldn’t take it as a bad thing if I were you,” Horinouchi replied with a grin. “I hear you’re also planning to run for governor soon, yes? Between you and me, using the power you have and seizing opportunities to get what you want is the way to go. And if that’s already the norm in the police force, then I bet it’s even more prevalent in politics.”

“Well you wouldn’t be completely wrong,” Masato couldn’t help but chuckle in reply. “But I appreciate the sound advice, officer. It’s something I’ll definitely keep in mind.”

Giving the young man a nod of approval, Horinouchi turned his attention to the lady next to him. “And you must be the young lady I’ve also heard about. All good things, of course. I believe we met very briefly a few weeks ago, right before my promotion, though I don’t think we had enough time for a proper introduction.”

“Ah, y- yes, we did,” Hiromi gave a slight nod. “I must thank you for your assistance the other day in setting up the security for our public event.”

“All in a day’s work, especially in an area as busy as Theatre Square,” Horinouchi replied. Before he could further add to the conversation, however, someone else had found the opportunity to interrupt them.

“Honey, are you really going to go off on your own without introducing me to your guests?”

That voice , Masato thought, eyes widening.

It sounded all too familiar to him. He hoped that it was just a coincidence that this person sounded the same, but unfortunately, this was just the tip of the iceberg. A female figure came up next to Horinouchi. Despite sporting a slightly different style compared to her older days, her features hadn’t aged one bit. Recognising who it was, both Masato and Hiromi stood in shock at the person in front of them.

“Yumeno,” Masato muttered under his breath, soft enough for only Hiromi to hear.

“Of course not, my dear. You just happened to be busy entertaining the others on your own, so I didn’t want to intrude. Please, allow me to introduce you to my wife, Yumeno. She’s been… ah, well, you could say an important figure in my life. I consider myself lucky to have someone like her, despite my age.”

“Oh, stop it! I’m the one who should consider myself lucky to have a man like you for a husband,” she giggled in response.

Their interaction made him nauseous. Turning to look at Masato with a smile, the confused politician went into a further rage at her obliviousness. “Oh, I know you! Aoki Ryo, correct? I’ve seen you all over the news lately! My husband has been talking about wanting to meet you for so long.”

This has to be a joke, right? Masato thought to himself.

“Now, now, Yumeno. Let’s not say anything too embarrassing about me in front of our new friends, shall we?”

“Oh, I wouldn’t worry about your wife’s comment either, Horinouchi-san. It’s always reassuring to find I’ve got some genuine admirers within the government. A pleasure to meet your acquaintance, Yumeno-san,” Masato said through his teeth with a forced smile, giving Yumeno a polite bow with Hiromi following suit.

“Oh my, I can certainly see why everyone’s talking about you. You’re clearly very bright and sophisticated! Not to mention humorous too,” Yumeno giggled again. While her comment was clearly meant to come across as a compliment, it had the opposite effect on Masato.

Seeing her face and hearing her nonchalant comment, without even a faint recognition on her end of the man he used to be, seemed to snap something within him. Next to him, Hiromi could feel Masato already losing his temper. Glancing up, she saw his eyebrow twitch as he did his best to maintain his cool, composed exterior, but she could tell it was already too late.

“This is your wife, correct? Ah, I’ve seen you on the news too!” Yumeno turned beamingly towards Hiromi. “You look kind of familiar, though. Have we met before?”

Her question slightly startled Hiromi, who had now begun to worry that she herself would eventually be recognised by the former hostess. 

“N- No, I don’t believe we have,” Hiromi quickly shook her head.

“Oh, really? That’s strange. I could have sworn you look just like the housekeeper of a guy I used to date. You two look so similar, you know!”

“Is that so? Well, I’m afraid I really have no idea who, or what you’re referring to,” Hiromi shifted uncomfortably, wishing for an end to the uncomfortable conversation.

“Though I guess it makes sense, doesn’t it? It’s highly unlikely a highly-esteemed person like Aoki-san would end up with a housekeeper, after all. I’m sure something like that would cause quite a scandal.”

“If I may,” Masato stepped in, having had enough of this humiliating spectacle. He placed a protective arm around Hiromi’s waist, though the venomous tone of his voice coupled with his painfully tight grip did nothing to alleviate the tense situation.

“I’m not sure who this woman you’re referring to is, but I can assure you, my wife has never been a housekeeper for anyone in her life. I would prefer if you’d keep such comments to yourself in the future.”

Horinouchi roared with laughter, amused at the situation. It was obvious neither he nor his wife had no inkling of what was actually going on. “You must excuse my wife’s comments. Sometimes she says things she doesn’t mean. I’m sure she didn’t mean to offend you.”

The officer’s attempt to lighten the situation only left a bitter taste in Masato’s mouth. There was no salvaging the mood that had been set for the rest of the party. The damage had already been done.

———

Masato was rougher than usual that night. It wasn’t unusual for him to really go at it on particularly stressful days, and their intimate sessions were still pleasurable, but tonight was different, as though the years of pent-up resentment had finally spilt out. This was the first time things actually felt painful.

“M- Masato, you’re hurting me,” Hiromi whimpered, her words seemingly snapping Masato back to reality, as though he’d been in a daze this whole time. 

Becoming all too aware of his actions, he immediately pried himself away from his lover, finally snapping out of the thoughts that had been preoccupying him all night since dinner. He moved to sit on the edge of the bed, as though he was ashamed of himself for losing control the way he did. 

“I’m sorry. I didn’t realise I was being that rough,” he sighed, running a hand through his hair.

Hiromi sat up so she could better face him. 

“You’re still thinking about what happened earlier, aren’t you?”

Letting out another sigh, Masato slowly nodded his head. “After what happened, it’s hard not to. I mean, finally meeting the man that humiliated me all those years ago again is one thing, but to find out he’d basically married your ex? It was like a real punch in the gut,” Masato chuckled pathetically. “Neither of them even had an inkling of who I was either! How shallow and pathetic.”

Hiromi couldn’t help but feel sorry for him at that moment. She understood why it was difficult for him to let go of the past. After all, it was one of the main driving factors in his ambitions. She’d just have to do what she could to ease his tensions wherever she could.

Slowly, Hiromi scooted closer towards Masato. She wrapped her arms around him from behind, burying her face into his back.

“Hey, Masato. Let’s go again,” she shyly mumbled after a while, heat rising in her cheeks.

Caught by surprise at her request, Masato felt his cheeks flare up as well. More than that, however, he was worried that he might lose control again. “A- Are you sure? I don’t want to end up causing you any further pain,” he asked, adjusting his body so they were now completely facing each other.

“I’ll be fine. I- I still want to keep going anyway,” Hiromi admitted, blushing even more at hearing her own words. “Besides, we both know it won’t do you any good to keep it in like this. Just promise me you’ll take it slower this time. Like that mark you left on my neck… I’m going to have to wear a scarf just to cover it up, you know!” she playfully huffed in an attempt to lighten the mood, pointing to the exact spot he’d left his mark.

Masato couldn’t help but chuckle at her comment, apologising once more for getting carried away. As he sat there looking at his lover, a thought crossed his mind. Catching his expression, Hiromi tilted her head to the side inquisitively as though to ask what was on his mind. In response, Masato simply brought a hand to her cheek, gently caressing it.

“Hiromi, do you trust me?”

Hiromi knew he wasn’t just talking about what they were about to do. Even in the dark, she could tell through his eyes that he was desperate for acceptance, desperate to be reassured that whatever it was he was working towards was justified, desperate to know that at the very least, she’d still be by his side no matter what.

“Masato, you know I could never doubt you,” she replied confidently, giving him a warm smile.

She didn’t have to say anything else. The understanding look on her face told him all he needed to know. Feeling a sense of relief at her loyalty, he couldn’t help but break into a smile. Gently, he laid her back down on the sheets, promising that he’d make sure he was more careful this time.

Chapter Text

“‘Keep them poor, keep them hungry, keep them out’. That was the manifesto I promised when I first announced my intention to run for governor. The Tojo clan has always had its roots deep in the city, and while they may have had their fair share of popularity in the past, it’s now time for them to acknowledge that their way of life is a thing of the past. Unfortunately, their refusal to acknowledge the changing times has become their own downfall. Their will to uphold the status quo is admirable, but I cannot turn a blind eye to what the people are asking for.”

“That’s why, as the newly-elected governor of Tokyo, I have decided to enact the Kamurocho 3K Plan, effective immediately. No longer will the people of Kamurocho live their lives in fear of them ever again. I give my thanks not only to my colleagues and superiors who’ve given me their unwavering support but also to the public for believing in me and my vision to make our city safer than ever before; a promise I intend to keep. I, Aoki Ryo, humbly continue to ask for your support throughout my term.”

Tokyo’s new governor deeply bowed as the crowd erupted into approving applause. He then allowed himself to be escorted away, straightening his signature blue blazer as he disappeared from the public’s view.

“How did I look back there?” Masato beamed at Hiromi as he walked off the stage to greet his wife who’d been watching from the sides. He hoped his nervousness wasn’t too apparent; speaking in parliament, talk shows and the occasional campaign appearances was one thing, but addressing an entire city was now something he’d have to learn to get used to as well.

“Never seen you more confident. You’ve really learned to have a way with words, haven’t you?” Hiromi smiled back, helping him to smoothen out the rest of his outfit. 

“The people hear what they want to hear. I’m merely playing my part,” Masato chuckled, acknowledging the schedule his secretary had just handed out to him as they made their way back to their vehicle, giving him a rough overview of the day’s events.

Meeting with party members, press conferences, interviews… and what was this at the end of the day? A celebratory party with the CLP? Masato sighed at the itinerary. Barely his first week in and his schedule was already packed. It was going to be a long day.

“Are all of these events really necessary?” he grumbled, handing back the sheet of paper to her.

“I’m afraid so,” his secretary, Rie, nodded her head apologetically. “We’ve already got the vehicle on standby to take you to your next appointment as soon as you’re ready.”

“And here I was, hoping to have a quiet hour or two to spend with my wife this morning before duty calls. But I guess it can’t be helped,” Masato forced himself to put on a good-natured smile to hide his displeasure. “Very well. At least let me make the necessary arrangements for her to get home. Would you mind giving us a moment alone?”

“Of course, sir. Take your time,” Rie smiled, excusing herself from the couple.

“I guess this is something we’ll just have to get used to,” Hiromi mused, noting the disappointed look on his face. She couldn’t blame him entirely — his new position would mean even less time as a family, especially with the big promises he made during his manifesto. The only thing Hiromi could do in the meantime was to support him as best as she could, within her own capacity.

“Looks like it,” Masato sighed again, shaking his head. “Hopefully we’ll have more time together again when things’ll start to settle a little, especially once the Kamurocho 3K Plan fully rolls out.”

“So, what exactly happens with the Tojo Clan now that you’ve made your stance on them clear? I’m guessing the police are already on it, aren’t they?” asked Hiromi, taking the opportunity to ask what was on her mind since he’d told her about the plan.

“They'll be as good as gone, I expect. At least on the surface level. I’ve already got Horinouchi-san going after the big names as we speak,” explained Masato. “Today’s speech was just an officiation. After they’re done, we’ll move to clean out the smaller families, until none of them are virtually present in Kamurocho.”

“And what about those who oppose you? Now that you’re actually governor, you don’t think they’ll try and dig up something on you, would they?”

“My support from the general public is assured thanks to the plan’s implementation. Those old-fashioned thinkers in the government would start thinking twice before questioning my decisions. Besides, I hardly see how it’s a bad thing to finally take action against a known public nuisance,” Masato replied nonchalantly. 

“I’m not just talking about your political opponents,” Hiromi sighed. “I’m talking about the Tojo Clan remnants. I mean, what if someone ends up finding out the truth about who you are? Your father’s a part of them after all, isn’t he? Surely someone in there knew you were his son, despite your new identity.”

“What’s got you so concerned with them all of a sudden? Nobody’s going to try and search for Masato Arakawa,” Masato shook his head dismissively with an amused laugh. “Even if they did, they wouldn’t get too far. To the public, that man is long dead. They see me as Aoki Ryo now. My current background up to this point matches that. That’s what’s important.”

“I- I guess you’re right,” Hiromi cast her eyes downward in defeat. “So what happens to the Arakawa family? You basically dismantled the clan that gave your father his livelihood, after all.”

“My father? Hmph,” Masato scoffed. “It doesn’t matter what he thinks now. He was the one single-handedly responsible for the Tojo Clan’s fall, after all.”

“What?” Hiromi blinked. Her husband’s comment had caught her completely off-guard. What did he mean by ‘responsible’? Was Arakawa-san in on this too? No, he couldn’t have been. Why would he?

“Are you really that surprised?” Masato chortled. “In fact, he was more than willing to agree to my plans when I brought it up the first time. I guess it’s only natural for any parent to want to see their child succeed, even when you’re in different worlds. Of course, a little pressure might have had a helping, but thanks to his cooperation, the police won’t be touching the Arakawa family for now. In fact, he should be grateful I allowed him to keep his family in the first place.”

Something didn’t right with Hiromi. Why would her father-in-law willingly sell out the Tojo Clan to the law? It was all a little too hard to believe. And yet even if she wanted to, she wouldn’t have had the means to ask him about it — it had been a long time since she last saw or spoke to Arakawa in person, a motion Masato had implemented as soon as his popularity started growing to ‘safeguard their reputation’, as he called it.

Noting the troubled look on her face, Masato reached out to lightly brush his hand against her cheek to get her attention. 

“Don’t give me that look, my dear. I’m just trying to change this country for the better. You know that, right? I mean, look at everything I managed to achieve so far! If I’d stuck around being a yakuza’s son, if I’d been stuck in my old body, I would never be able to make those things happen! Everything I’ve worked for has led up to this point; this is where my ambitions can truly start to take shape.”

Moving to cup both her cheeks, Masato gave Hiromi an encouraging smile. “I’m going to turn this country around, and I want you to be by my side when it happens, Hiromi. I want you to look upon the new future I’ve created together with you. Do you understand?”

Hiromi quietly nodded her head in response, his touch causing the heat to rise in her cheeks. Her silent affirmation was all he needed to reassure himself. Unable to hold himself back, Masato brought her face close to his into a deep kiss, grateful for the fact that there wasn’t anyone else around to see this display of affection.

“That’s my girl,” Masato murmured against her lips before pulling away to compose himself before things went any further. He was still on the clock, after all. 

“I’ll get Sawashiro to come and take you home,” he added in a professional manner, clearing his throat. “In the meantime, I’ll try again and see if I can get out of some of these appearances. We did make plans, after all.”

Sawashiro arrived just a few minutes after they’d parted outside the building. However, just as she approached the car door he held open for her, Hiromi couldn’t help but feel like she was being watched. Quickly, she turned to look. There was no visible sign of anyone nearby, but the feeling remained.

“Something wrong, miss?” inquired Sawashiro, noticing Hiromi’s uneasiness. He craned his neck to see what she was focused on but like her, found nothing.

With her gaze still fixed on the spot for a while longer, Hiromi eventually shook her head, forcing a smile at Sawashiro as she reassured him that she was fine, adding that she’d just gotten lost in her thoughts for a moment. 

Getting into the car, Hiromi immediately let out a sigh and closed her eyes, allowing her exhaustion to take over on the way home. Was she imagining things? Maybe she was, and it was just the exhaustion starting to play tricks on her. It had been a long morning, after all.

———

“Horinouchi-san. What’s the update on the plan’s progress? Good news, I hope?” said Masato as the police commissioner entered the office, his eyes still focused on the reports he’d been working with prior to Horinouchi’s arrival.

About six months had passed since Masato enacted the Kamurocho 3K Plan as the Governor of Tokyo. It was a big success from the get-go, with the three biggest figures within the Tojo Clan seemingly disappearing overnight. No one knows where they went, but it didn’t matter, especially not to him. In fact, their absence made the rest of them easier to catch; an effort that only served to boost Masato — or rather, Aoki Ryo’s popularity.

“Yes, sir. With most of the bigger Tojo Clan families gone, they’re basically on their last legs,” reported Horinouchi, bowing politely as he stepped in. “The smaller ones are still scattered about, but it’s only a matter of time before they disband as well, be it from our end or their own internal fighting. However, it seems like we’ve got another problem on our hands in the wake of all this.”

“What is it?” Masato looked up.

“It seems the power vacuum left by the Tojo Clan has attracted some unsavoury characters to town. There’s been cases of more opportunistic crimes, and even non-yakuza gangs springing up here and there. To be honest, we’re beginning to struggle to get them under control.”

Masato let out a chuckle, resuming his work once more. “Don’t worry, we’ll let those small fry continue their attempts, for now. I’ve got just the right people to come in to put them in their place soon enough.”

“The ‘right people’? I’m not sure I follow, sir.”

“You’re aware of the Omi Alliance, correct?”

“Of course. They’ve always had their sights on Kamurocho for the longest time, even before I even joined the force. But what does that have to do with our current problem?”

Seeing the look on the governor’s face at his question, something clicked in his head. Soon, Horionuchi’s expression changed from confusion to surprise, as though he couldn’t believe what this man was insinuating. “Hold on sir, don’t tell me you’re going to let them march in here and replace the Tojo Clan’s seat!”

“You’re sharper than you look, I’ll give you that,” Masato grinned smugly, leaning back in his seat.

“So, after getting rid of one of the nation’s biggest yakuza families, you’re suggesting we simply allow another one to make themselves at home in Kamurocho? If I may, governor, I don’t know if that’s such a good idea, especially with the public watching us so closely,” replied Horinouchi.

“The public won't even notice,” Masato replied dismissively.  “Besides, as long as it's not the Tojo themselves, I doubt there’ll be much resistance. You just need to… how do I put it? Look the other way when the time comes.”

“A bribe, sir? I don’t think a man in your position should be even suggesting such a thing.”

“Horinouchi-san, are you really going to start lecturing me about this? Please, don’t think I’m not aware of your own deals just to keep your own position,” Masato casually replied. “Besides, weren’t you the one telling me something about… ah yes, ‘seizing opportunities’ to get what you want all those years ago? Don’t you think this is a fine time for you to do so yourself? Looking like the hero who helped bring Kamurocho back into control?”

“ Tch ,” grunted Horinouchi, furrowing his eyebrows like someone trapped in a corner with no way out.

Masato couldn’t help but smirk seeing Horinouchi’s face, turning away to hide his expression from the police commissioner. It was amusing how easily these men were swayed and willing when you’ve got front-facing power. And to think this was the same man who’d refused his money back then, simply because he thought Masato was beneath his status! 

So, this was what it was like to have others finally show some form of respect, Masato gleefully thought. Sure, it was a small taste of what could be, but it still felt good.

“If it makes you feel any better, I’m not the one involved with the money. It would be the Arakawa-san you’d be dealing with, so my hands are still as clean as they come in that regard. Heh. I guess you could say I’m merely a messenger in this case,” Masato noted. He turned to face Horinouchi once more with his offer.

“So, how about it, Horinouchi-san? You take up Arakawa’s proposition to allow the Omi Alliance to fill in the current power vacuum, and they’ll help take care of your little pest problem. You’ll even get to keep all the credit for keeping the streets clean from those petty crimes. Though, if I’m being honest, with the way your department is looking right now to the public despite your success with the 3K plan, I doubt refusing is an option.”

At this point, Horinouchi knew he had no choice but to agree. It also didn’t help that the governor was giving him an opportunity that was hard to resist and, if the money was good enough, it might even be a chance for him to make a profit. Besides, once you’re as high up as he is on the status chart, who’s really keeping tabs? Still, there was one thing bugging Horinouchi throughout the conversation.

“I guess there isn’t much of a choice, is there? But, before we proceed any further, answer me this,” Horinouchi narrowed his eyes suspiciously. “What is your exact relationship to the Arakawa family, sir? You seem to be quite well-connected to them to bring them into our business like this; a little too much, if I’m being honest.”

Hearing Horinouchi’s accusations, Masato broke into a roaring laugh, much to the former’s confusion. He remembered what Hiromi had said to him before, concerned that someone might find the truth about him. Even in the event that someone might in the future, Masato knew that Horinouchi would never be one of them. Their reunion all those years ago made it clear. Seeing the look on his face right then made it even more obvious. 

What an idiot , Masato thought. And now, he had the fool right where he wanted him.

Masato waved a dismissive hand, turning his chair around so its back was facing the commissioner. “You don’t have to worry about what my relationship with the Arakawa family is, Horinouchi-san. After all, it’s nothing personal. Just business.”

Chapter Text

An unfamiliar voice called her name as she stepped out of the meeting she’d just wrapped up. Turning to its source, Hiromi found herself approached by an older woman who seemed to be in her early 60s. Although a complete stranger to herself, that didn’t seem to be the case with the woman, whose expression immediately brightened upon fully recognising her.

“I thought it was you! My goodness, it’s been too long. You’ve grown so much!”

“I’m sorry, do I know you?” Hiromi blinked, unable to recognize the woman in front of her. Plus, the use of her original surname instead of her current one only added to the confusion. Had they met before?

“Oh, silly! Don’t you recognise me? I’m your mother!”

Hiromi froze at the mere mention of the word ‘mother’, memories she’d more or less managed to move on from suddenly rushing back in. Her initial shock soon turned into confusion, then anger, offended at this person’s audacity to show up at her office, of all places. She was lucky there weren’t many people around to draw attention.

“What do you want? How did you even find me here?!” Hiromi demanded to know, regarding her with suspicion.

“What’s wrong with wanting to reconnect with my own daughter?” Hiromi’s mother laughed dismissively, oblivious to the displeased look on Hiromi’s face. 

“The moment I saw you during one of your appearances on TV, I knew you were my daughter! Having a chance to come up to you has been difficult, though… Then there was even that day when your husband was giving his victory speech at the … I thought of approaching you, but didn’t manage to either,” she continued, beaming proudly.

So, someone was watching me that day after all. Hiromi thought to herself. Why show herself now, of all times? Hiromi didn’t like this one bit.

“Speaking of which, Aoki-sama isn’t here with you today?” the older woman mused aloud. “What a shame, I would have loved to be introduced to him too!”

Hiromi’s eyes narrowed. Had this person no tact? She thought. Not only did she have the gall to suddenly show herself after all this time, but to casually converse with her like nothing had happened and immediately ask about her husband’s whereabouts? It was as though her mother was only trying to do this because of her daughter’s current status. She knew she had every right to be suspicious of this sudden reappearance.

“No. I’m afraid the governor is not with me today,” Hiromi cooly said. “Though I don’t understand why you’re suddenly attempting to reconcile with me after thirty years. After all, weren’t you the one who abandoned me outside the convenience store on Christmas Eve in the first place?”

“You knew I only did it for your own good didn’t you, my dear? And look how that turned out! You even managed to get married to the governor of Tokyo! I couldn’t be more proud knowing that it all paid off!!”

“My own good? Don’t you mean yours?” Hiromi scoffed; memories of that particular winter’s day suddenly flooding back after years of acceptance. The worst part was knowing her mother’s words had some truth to them — that she wouldn’t be where she was now if it wasn’t for being abandoned, and yet the resentment remained.

“How’s your father doing these days anyway? I haven’t actually seen him since the day I left, you know.”

“Papa… father is dead,” Hiromi replied, clenching her fists as she felt nothing but anger rising. “But you wouldn’t know that, would you? Of course not, because from the report I’d gotten, his co-workers and close friends were the only people who showed up to his funeral. No indication of any family members, and certainly no sign of any ex-wife.”

“Oh, I had no idea he passed away,” was all Hiromi’s mother could muster in a careless tone. At that moment, Hiromi couldn’t help but think about how unfair the world was — how her father’s untimely demise meant he never got to see Masato finally be able to walk nor see them married just like he’d wanted, how the only ‘family member’ she was left with was someone who wanted nothing to do with her until now.

Fortunately for Hiromi, Sawashiro, who had been standing watch nearby, couldn’t help but overhear parts of their conversation. Instinctively, he took this as his cue to step in before her mother had a chance to say anything else - an action Hiromi was more than grateful for, unwilling to continue the conversation any longer.

“Pardon the interruption, but our next appointment is quite a drive away. I suggest we waste no time in leaving,”

“Of course, Sawashiro,” Hiromi nodded her head, grateful that he’d stepped in. “I’m sorry, I have to go. Please, if you have any worth left, I ask that you do not come near me again.”

“You think that woman really who she said she was? Your ‘mother’?” Sawashiro spoke as he led Hiromi away from the area, advising that that circle around the block to make sure the area was completely clear before heading home, lest they continued to be followed.

“You heard all that?” Hiromi glanced at Sawashiro with a frown, though the expression wasn’t directed at him at all.

“Forgive me. I just happened to be close enough that I could pick up bits and pieces of the conversation,” the older man apologised. 

“If she’s truly going to be a bother, I’ll handle it. Only say the word and I’ll see to it that she’s taken care of. Nothing too bad of course, just a little threat to make sure she doesn’t dare approach you again.”

Hiromi immediately shook her head. “You don’t have to go that far! I’ll be fine, really. But please, Sawashiro, not a word of this to my husband. I don’t want him getting involved in whatever she’s trying to do.”

“Are you sure that’s wise?” Sawashiro blinked.

“Please, we both know he already has enough on his plate with his new position and having to deal with the father he despises,” Hiromi forced a chuckle. “This is hardly the time for more family drama.”

———

Hiromi felt an immediate sense of relief as she stepped out of her office building. It seemed as though her mother had decided not to try talking to her that particular day, leaving Hiromi free to meet up with Masato at their usual spot in Kamurocho without worries, hoping it would stay that way. 

After the initial ‘reunion’, Hiromi’s mother would frequently make attempts to try and approach her daughter. Eventually, the older woman did come clean and admit that part of her intentions was due to financial troubles, which only irritated Hiromi further, cementing her insistence that she wanted nothing more to do with her estranged mother.

At some point, Masato, noticing a change in Hiromi’s behaviour asked her if there was something she wanted to talk about with him, but Hiromi merely brushed it off as a hectic work week. Hiromi just hoped that the old woman would eventually get the message and eventually leave her alone.

Unfortunately, a familiar figure within the establishment would tell her otherwise.

Outside Café Alps, Hiromi’s eyes widened as she saw Masato conversing with another figure inside. Her shock quickly turned into anger as she stormed into the place to confront the stranger.

“Why are you here? I thought I told you to leave me alone!” she angrily exclaimed as she approached the table; the volume of her voice catching the attention of some customers.

“Oh, Hiromi! I promise you, today was a complete coincidence! I was already here earlier when the governor walked in, and I thought I’d introduce myself,” Hiromi’s mother beamed. “I was just telling Aoki-san here what a great job he’s been doing to get the yakuza out of Kamurocho. They’ve really become such a menace over the years, I’m glad someone finally decided to actually do something about it!”

“Let me make this clear: I want nothing to do with you, so stop following me around. If you don’t, I’m afraid I’ll have no choice but to report this to the police!”

“Hiromi! That’s no way to talk to your mother, especially in front of your own husband!”

“‘Mother’? So, you’re Hiromi’s mother?”

“Yes, I am. My apologies, I should have said so sooner during introductions,” Hiromi’s mother nodded her head enthusiastically. “I’ve been trying to explain to her my intentions to reconnect after all this time, but she refuses to listen.”

“Hmph. Is that so? Well, for someone full of high praise for my work, it seems you had no problems stooping to their level of trash,” Masato scoffed, an air of hostility suddenly enveloping their table. His whole demeanour had instantly changed, earning a look of surprise from Hiromi’s mother.

“E- Excuse me?”

“Maruoka-sensei was your ex-husband, wasn’t he? And when you found out his background, you made the decision to run away, taking your daughter with you only to leave her back in his care without a second thought once you decided to remarry.”

“I only did what I thought was right!” Hiromi’s mother protested. “Her father was a yakuza, you know? Having her around only served as a reminder of that. Marrying my current husband was a chance for a clean slate… a chance to really start fresh. I couldn’t afford any loose ends.”

“And now that she’s married to a successful politician, you thought it would be a good idea to come crawling back into her good graces,” Masato coolly replied.

“Well, it’s only appropriate now that she’s also managed to get herself a proper life away from the yakuza, no? We’ve both managed to get out of that life, so to speak. Now I can proudly tell all my friends about my daughter’s achievements.”

Hearing her mother’s unhinged words, Hiromi and Masato exchanged looks. It was clear to him that Hiromi was doing her absolute best not to lose her temper in such a public space. His eyes then glanced over to where Sawashiro was observing the events unfold from a safe distance, signalling him with a small nod to take care of this disturbance.

“You really have no shame, do you?” Hiromi muttered through her teeth. Her body was trembling, but it was too late for her to stop her telling her ‘mother’ exactly what was on her mind. From the corner of her eye, she saw Sawashiro appear next to her, his presence giving her a little extra courage.

“I have nothing more to say to someone who’d willingly abandon their child for their own selfish reasons. As far as I’m concerned, I don’t have a mother. Maruoka-sensei was the only family member I had.”

“How dare you!” Hiromi’s mother angrily exclaimed, turning to the governor as though expecting him to step in and take her side. It was a mistake for her to expect otherwise.

“I’m afraid my wife makes a valid point,” Masato coolly chimed, nodding in Sawashiro’s direction as a signal for him to take over the situation.

“It’s simple, really. Without proof, we have no reason to believe you’re actually her mother. I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to ask you to leave before things get out of hand. My assistant will see you out.”

“What?” Hiromi’s mother blinked.

“Oh, and one more thing,” Masato quickly called out just as Hiromi’s mother was forced to get up. “If I ever find out you’ve approached my wife again, I will take action myself, and it won’t be pretty. Is that clear?”

Taken aback by such a cold-hearted threat from someone so well-esteemed, Hiromi’s mother could say nothing in response, save for a look of disbelief and she was forced out of the premise by Sawashiro. 

Masato immediately wasted no time diffusing the situation. He stood up to address the café’s patrons, apologising for the commotion. The lady that was led out was a ‘fervent supporter’ of his wife’s work, whose frequent unsolicited interactions caused her a great deal of stress, he explained. Masato went on to say that she’d be dealt with accordingly, and would not be a bother anymore.

Whatever Masato was saying to reassure the crowd, Hiromi’s mind was too tired to listen. Simply glad that the whole ordeal was finally over, Hiromi let out a sigh as she slid into her seat, apologising to Masato for what just happened. 

“I’m sorry about this. She suddenly showed herself a few weeks ago.”

“No, the fault is mine for not recognising her face sooner,” Masato replied, pulling out his phone as he sat back down. Hiromi looked on curiously as he typed away, wondering what he was up to based on the seriousness of his expression.

“I’ve just instructed Ishioda-san to take care of her,” Masato casually replied without looking up, as though reading her mind. “Nothing too serious, of course, save for a few harmless threats. I can guarantee that she won’t dare to show her face around us anymore.”

She recognised his name as one of the officers from the Omi Alliance that had recently begun working with Masato and some higher-up members of the police behind the public eye. They briefly met once in Masato’s office, but that meeting told her all she needed to know about what type of person he was.

In the back of her mind, Hiromi had a feeling Ishioda’s threats would be anything but harmless. 

“However, I want you to let me know immediately when something like this happens next time, got it?” Masato continued. “If you’d told me about this sooner, I would have it all sorted out in an instant.”

“Sawashiro told you about this?” Hiromi said, surprised. Her heart skipped a beat nervously.

“Yes, though I had no idea she was the one he was talking about. I was under the impression she was a civilian the whole time until you showed up,” Masato downed the rest of his lukewarm coffee in a single gulp, allowing a moment of silence to pass between them before continuing.

Opposite him, Hiromi was overcome with embarrassment, ashamed that she was unable to stop their meeting from happening. In response, she merely cast her eyes downwards. Perhaps she should have taken Sawashiro’s offer to help the first time. Masato would have found out about her either way, but at least he wouldn’t have had to step in directly.

Sensing her conflict, his expression softened. Masato let out a sigh. While he understood why she did it, he still wished she’d spoken to him about it when he indirectly asked the first time.

“My personal issues aside, we’ve known each other since we were children. Knowing what happened between you and your mother was one of the first things I knew about you. If this had happened at some point back then, sure, I might not have been able to do much, but now…”

Masato leaned forward, gently beckoning Hiromi to look at him. 

“I’m no longer the worthless man I was once before getting this body, Hiromi. Now, I’ve got the power to actually help you, both physically and politically. Please, if not as the city’s governor, then at least let me do so as your husband.”

As their eyes caught each other, Hiromi was met with the face of her husband smiling at her comfortingly, causing her to feel a huge relief wash over her instantly.

“I understand. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to worry you,” she nodded, returning his smile gratefully.

“Let’s not hide these kinds of things from each other from now on, okay? We’re married, after all,” he said, reaching out to take her hands into his and giving them a gentle squeeze.

There was a bitter taste in his mouth as he said those words. In the back of his mind, Masato knew that this was a promise he wouldn’t be fully able to keep. It was regrettable and ironic, but ultimately was for her own good.

Chapter Text

“Hiromi, do you remember the first night we spent together?”

“Huh?” Hiromi blinked, the sudden question taking her by surprise.

Back towards him, she peered over her shoulder. Masato gave no further reply, his eyes fixated on the ceiling as though completely lost in thought. 

It seemed like this had become a somewhat normal occurrence lately: his mind going elsewhere when they’d managed to spend time together, or his brow furrowing over whatever it was he saw on his phone while saying it was work-related. The increased absence in making time for each other wasn’t helping either.

“Our first night,” Masato casually repeated himself. “Do you still remember?”

———

How long ago had it been by now? About two to three years before the New Year’s Eve incident? Hiromi couldn’t put an exact number to it, but it was still very much a time when Ichiban was still very much a part of their ‘group’ (for lack of better word); a time where things seemed so much more simpler, despite its challenges.

It was late winter when Arakawa had commented how it had been a while since the family had taken a trip out of town, suggesting that it might be a good idea to get out of Tokyo for a few days for Kyoto. 

While Masato seemed indifferent about it, Ichiban was particularly excited about it, being his first excursion since he’d joined the family. Hiromi too, would’ve been lying if she said she wasn’t looking forward to the trip — Arakawa had informed her that her father would be joining them, even though it involved ‘discussing a matter of certain importance’, as the family head put it.

They lodged at a hotel near Kiyomizu-dera. This was less than ideal when it came to navigating the slopes due to Masato’s condition at the time, but the location and prestige of the hotel were enough to ensure some degree of privacy where it mattered, especially after sundown. 

Of course, when Arakawa had mentioned the word ‘family’, it should’ve been obvious from the get-go that it wasn’t just limited to them either. Sawashiro, as usual, was in charge of being their chaperone for much of the trip, much to the chagrin of Masato, who found it even more difficult to do as he pleased — Ichiban would insist on pushing him everywhere (even in places where Masato could traverse perfectly fine) while Sawashiro almost always insisted Masato to refrain over-exerting himself outdoors.

It didn’t help Masato either that it seemed hard to catch Hiromi on her own, as when both fathers weren’t occupied with business meetings at night, the daytime was spent with Maruoka making up for lost time with his daughter. While Masato understood how much their limited time together meant to Hiromi, he’d still feel a tinge of annoyance that he’d barely had any time for her to himself. Rarely being allowed to approach them on his own accord, all Masato could do was observe from afar.

Always near, but never quite within reach. A feeling he’d grown all too familiar with throughout the years they’d been together. But, even for just one night, even if the feeling wasn’t completely mutual; to be able to experience his first time with someone he cared about, in a place where they could at least be guaranteed complete privacy from prying eyes…

Masato was quick to shake off the thought. Unrequited feelings aside, this would be a good chance for him to get some practice in. At least, that’s the excuse he’d try to convince himself with.

Finally, after days of planning, waiting and missed chances, the opportunity came.

That particular evening, Masato, who’d barely eaten his dinner, suddenly asked Ichiban to take him out to the nearest convenience store ‘to find something remotely edible’, as he called it, adding that he’d grown sick of the meals being served at the hotel. Hiromi was told she didn’t need to accompany them, much to her and Ichiban’s surprise, but Masato did beckon her to come closer, instructing her in a low voice to come to his and Ichiban’s room once everyone else had retired for the night.

“I’ll be waiting for you,” he murmured, swiftly pulling away from her.

Hiromi looked at him questioningly as he did so, but he would not meet her eye, instead motioning Ichiban to wheel him out of the place.

Ichiban gave her an apologetic look, promising he’d get her something from the store to make up for it, but Hiromi, after days of barely talking to him herself, was too caught up in wondering what he could have possibly wanted at such a late hour. In fact, she could have sworn she saw Masato’s cheeks flush at his own request.

———

“Let’s do it,” Masato simply said later that night when Hiromi had stopped by the room as instructed.

Caught off-guard, Hiromi’s cheeks turned bright red. “Wh- what?!” she hissed, mindful of the figure sleeping on the bed next to Masato’s.

“Keep it down!” Masato whispered sternly with a finger to his lips. He, too, cast a quick glance at the sleeping figure in the twin bed beside him before looking back at Hiromi with a serious look in his eyes. “You heard me: I want to do it tonight.”

Hiromi peered over again to where Ichiban was as well, cheeks turning even redder with embarrassment at the mere thought of it. Surely he wasn’t actually considering doing it with someone else in the room!

“Y- You don’t actually mean to do it here, right?!”

“Are you crazy? Of course not! We’ll do it in your room, obviously. Why else would I ask you to come by?” Masato casually replied, as though he’d been planning this for some time. “I’m sure it’ll be over before we know it. Then, you can bring me back here after like nothing happened; if anyone’s awake we’ll just tell them I needed some fresh air. How’s that?”

Reaching for a plastic bag from his side table and sifting through its contents, Masato eventually pulled out a small box; Hiromi now understood why he didn’t want her following him to the convenience store; she would’ve done the same in his place.

“Don’t worry. He doesn’t know. I told him to pick out some other stuff while I browsed and paid for my things before he caught on,” said Masato, trying to bury his nervousness.

The expression on his face was enough to tell Hiromi that he was absolutely determined to see things through. She exhaled deeply, as though to shake off her own nerves.

With a nod and an ever-reddening face, she agreed to his request. “Okay. Let’s do it.”

At the insistence not to waste any more time and with his private purchase in tow, Hiromi moved to assist Masato out of his bed as quietly as possible so as not to wake the sleeping Ichiban before wheeling him to her room just a few doors away down the hall.

Masato, despite the brave front he’d been putting on the whole time, was glad the near-darkness of the room, save for the light coming from the bedside light, was able to hide the redness of his cheeks. He could only hope his nerves wouldn’t be too obvious as well. 

Hiromi helped him sit up in a comfortable position inside her room, taking the liberty to remove her yukata to save Masato the hassle of having to do it himself. Heart racing like never before, she climbed on top of him. 

You have no idea how long I’ve waited for this. To have you with me this way , he thought as he ran a hand through her hair, which soon trailed down to trace the side of her body.

“Hiromi,” Masato murmured, his hand finally finding its way back up to her face.

Hiromi shuddered hearing her name being called coupled with the warmth of his touch. With a nervous, shaky breath, Hiromi got to work as well by helping him undo his yukata, trying her best to make their time together as pleasurable and comfortable for him as she could.

Despite the physical intimacy between them, it felt like there was an invisible wall that stopped each other from letting themselves get too close to revealing their feelings, even though it was the perfect opportunity to do so — the same invisible wall that’s been preventing them from being too open or honest about how they felt towards each other.

Masato eventually found himself overthinking about how she was probably only going along with it because he asked her to, while Hiromi thought he’d only asked her because he was bored and needed time away from his adoptive brother. And yet, even then…

“Masato? Is something the matter?” asked Hiromi as she readied herself to take him back, noting how quiet he’d become once they were done. Did he not enjoy himself? Hiromi wondered, starting to feel self-conscious that maybe she hadn’t done a good job.

Masato didn’t say a word. The truth was, he didn’t feel like returning to his room: he didn’t want to. Something about the encounter left him wanting more. The thought of returning to his own filled him with dread. All he wanted was to stay in her room for the rest of the night, even if it meant just lying down in the same bed.

He wanted so badly to tell her what he wanted to do, but the words wouldn’t come. How she looked at him with worry didn’t help in mustering up any courage either.

Besides, it was probably for the best that he returned anyway, Masato thought. 

Not only would there be unwanted questions from his own family if they were to be found out, but he didn’t want to have to deal with Ichiban’s reaction either. Sure, he could just lie and say nothing happened, make up an excuse about him needing medication that he wanted her to administer, but that would be more trouble than it’s worth; it was probably better to pretend that nothing had happened at all.

“I…” Masato began, quickly biting his tongue. He then shook his head, looking towards the window to avoid her gaze. “It’s nothing. I was just thinking about how we should be going soon, that’s all.”

“You’re right,” Hiromi replied. “We wouldn’t want Kasuga-san to get in trouble just because you went ‘missing’, do we?” 

Hearing such a remark, Masato couldn’t help but let out a chuckle. Knowing how things would likely play out if Ichiban woke up and panicked at the sight of the young master gone if they delayed any further, Hiromi and Masato wasted no time in tidying themselves up and returning the latter to his room, laying him back down just as she found him.

“Goodnight, Hiromi,” replied Masato, fighting every urge he had to just grab her and pull her back down into bed with him. “I enjoyed myself. Thank you for tonight.”

His words brought much-needed reassurance to Hiromi, causing her to slip into a smile. 

“Goodnight, Masato,” Hiromi whispered, pulling the blanket over his body to keep him warm.

Unfortunately the next day, despite the previous night's memory still fresh on their minds, the both of them carried on outwardly as though nothing had happened. Neither of them would ever speak to anyone else about that night. Things would continue to carry on as they were, as usual.

———

“We got caught by some of father's men heading back to my room too, if I recall correctly,” Masato sighed, remembering the group they unexpectedly ran into as the latter was returning from the hotel’s spa. The problem wasn’t that his father’s men were there; the problem was Sawashiro had been among them.

“That was a close one! I can still remember the lecturing he gave us in the middle of the hallway too,” Hiromi chuckled, the image of a much younger, yet ever-serious Sawashiro appearing in her mind, disappointment written across his face as he commented he’d expected better behaviour from her than this.

“Yeah. Went off about how the cold air wasn’t going to do me any good so late too. I remember telling him to stop treating me like I was still some child,” Masato furrowed his brows in annoyance. Sawashiro still did that sometimes, even though Masato was well beyond an age where he needed, or wanted, to be treated that way, much to his displeasure.

“But you know… your request honestly took me by surprise,” Hiromi sighed. “Don’t get me wrong, it’s not like I minded! I just didn’t think you’d be so upfront about it.”

“I suppose I wanted to get some practice in case anything happened along the way. I’d just met my ex a few weeks before at the club after all. And I figured if it was with you, it wouldn’t be as bad seeing as we were getting married anyways,” Masato half-lied, cheeks turning slightly heated from his embarrassing confession. “It was selfish of me, I know. Yet even then… the whole time, I couldn’t stop thinking— wishing— I did more to show you my feelings back then, but I could never bring myself to do it.”

“I suppose I’m guilty of that too,” Hiromi sat up on the bed, hugging her knees close to her chest. “Even when we’d got together after that, I didn’t want to let anything slip, not when I didn’t know if you actually felt anything for me or not. I suppose I was selfish too, wanting you for my own even when you’d started seeing someone else. Whenever you’d call me into your room I’d be so happy inside.”

Hearing her own words, Hiromi couldn't help but let out a chuckle at how silly it all sounded. She had to admit it was almost surreal to see just how far they'd come when discussing it like this, how everything between them did change that New Year’s Eve, all because he’d been spurned by that hostess.

“All those years before that spent causing you nothing but pain just because I couldn't be more honest,” Masato said in a regretful tone. “I don’t know how, or why you put up with me when I clearly didn’t deserve it.”

“I think the answer to that is simple, isn’t it?” Hiromi replied, unable to hide another chuckle that escaped her lips. “I think it’s quite normal to want to stick with someone you care about, even when it's tough, and sometimes painful but even so, I’ve never once regretted my decision to stay by your side, even now.”

Still, it was strange, Hiromi thought to herself; Masato usually hated discussing the distant past in such detail. And when he did, it usually came with an air of bitterness at his previous circumstances, but seemed different, but Hiromi couldn’t seem to figure out why.

“You seem awfully nostalgic tonight though,” Hiromi looked at her husband with an air of concern. “Did something happen?”

“Hard to say. Just feeling a little sentimental since it’s winter, I guess,” Masato shrugged. Unwilling to openly admit what his troubles were, he tried to shift the topic into a different direction: “It’s a pity we haven’t been able to do anything like that since, though. It certainly would be nice to do something like that again someday.”

“What do you mean ‘someday’? How about we just make the trip next weekend instead?” Hiromi suggested with a hopeful smile. “I know it’s a little abrupt, but I’m sure we can find a room somewhere at the same place. Besides, at the pace you've been working lately—”

“Hiromi, elections are right around the corner, you know that. There’s far too many things at stake, and it doesn’t help that I’ve got all eyes on me either. I can’t afford to slip up now,” Masato bluntly cut her off, his tone coming across as more frustrated than he’d like.

He then let out a soft sigh, sitting up as he reached out to gently place a hand on her shoulder as a way to apologise for his sudden outburst.

“Forgive me. It’s just,” he paused, knowing he’d have to choose his next words carefully. “There’s been a lot happening, and not everything has been going as smoothly as I’d like.”

Masato put on his best comforting smile before continuing: “Though I must admit taking some proper time off would be something to look forward to once this is all over if I do say so myself. So, how about it? Let’s make that trip over the New Year’s, just us.”

Seeing Hiromi’s face light up at his words brought relief into his heart; a much-needed reprieve from what he’d been feeling these past few weeks, and the anticipation of what was to come from it.

“Promise?”

Masato reassuringly nodded his head in response. Satisfied with his answer, Hiromi reached over to kiss him good night, adding that it was best that they both got as much rest as they could before the long day tomorrow, including plans to book their much-anticipated New Year’s trip.

Yet, even after she’d fallen asleep, Masato remained wide awake. It was in the quietest hours of the night when Masato heard his phone buzz. Next to him, Hiromi stirred. He held his breath, pausing momentarily to ensure she hadn’t been completely woken up by the sound. Slowly, Masato sat up and reached for his phone.

A message all the way from Yokohama, followed by a video of a district set on fire. Masato gripped his phone tightly as he replayed the footage, his eyebrows furrowed in anger at what he was seeing.

The instructions were simple: cause just enough ruckus to weed the vermin out and find evidence against his political opponent. How did it come to this? How did everything go wrong?

No, Masato thought, quickly dispelling any semblance of doubt that dared to show itself. He had to keep a cool head. He was a politician. Admitting regrets wasn’t going to change anything. There was no use dwelling too much about what could have been if things were different. His resolve must be absolute for things to work. 

Tomorrow, it will be all over the news. Tomorrow, without a doubt, that man and his merry band of miscreants would continue playing hero, as they’ve been doing lately. He’d have to make sure the situation came under control before things got out of hand.

Before he gets out of hand.

Chapter Text

Masato had just arrived at his next event the next day: a newspaper reception to celebrate the launch of a new learning centre aimed at underprivileged children. It had been a long day for him. Between justifying the planned construction budget cuts to the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly and actively keeping up with what was happening in Ijincho, he was completely wiped from the day’s events.

Despite his initial assurance that he’d be able to quickly close the deal with ‘those old fossils’ (as he called them), everything ended up running overtime, much to his annoyance. His secretary had again offered to cancel his appearance, but Masato was adamant about attending. Besides, he added, his wife would be there, and letting her down at such an important event was the last thing he wanted to do.

Masato’s phone rang in his pocket before he could even enter the building. Excusing himself from his bodyguards to move to a more secluded area, the unexpected call from his former business partner only added to his irritation. How dare he try to show his face to him now, after letting himself get caught by Ichiban and his band of miscreants!

“Ogasawara, why are you video-calling me, of all things? This is hardly the time to be doing so,” said Masato, not even bothering to hide his annoyance.

“I know, I just thought it would be better if I did it this way,” Ogasawara sighed. “I’m sure you might have already heard the news, but we managed to find the counterfeit bills the Geomijul were generating.”

“Yes, Ishioda has already informed me all about it. I’ve also been informed that you went and got yourself captured by Ichi and his gang after your little scuffle, but it looks like you managed to escape in one piece.”

“Well, about that…” Ogasawara swallowed. “Y- Yes, it’s true that I managed to get caught, but-” 

“Is that so? And you’re sure you didn't let anything slip to the enemy while they had you kidnapped?”

“W- What? No, of course not! I didn’t tell them anything, I promise!”

Although Ogasawara continued to insist that he was telling the truth, his eyes told a different story. The governor could see right through it; showing Masato his face was going to be Ogasawara’s biggest mistake.

Fool. You’ve always been a terrible liar, ever since the day we met.

Despite his irritation, Masato managed to fake a friendly smile. “Don’t worry, I believe you. Just try to stay out of the spotlight for now until I settle things on my end. That means avoiding even your own home for the time being. Understand?”

On the screen, a look of relief washed over Ogasawara’s face, happy to know that he still seemed to be on his friend’s good side. Unfortunately for him, this appreciation was a one-sided affair.

“Y- yes. Thank you!” he nodded his head enthusiastically.

“Oh, and Ogasawara-kun? Don’t ever call me like this again. From now on, if you need something, contact my secretary directly.”

Immediately hanging up the call, Masato quickly sent out his next instructions. Taking a moment to fully compose himself, he combed a hand through his hair, properly neatening his blazer of any creases and finally allowed himself to be escorted to the event area.

Inside, his eyes immediately fell on where Hiromi currently was, busy interacting with the kids. A small smile unconsciously appeared on his face, relieved to know that she had the event under control in his absence. His gaze didn’t go unnoticed, either; feeling his eyes on hers, Hiromi faced him cheerfully with a wave, completely oblivious to the current conversation he’d just had. 

It was unlikely that he could hide his actions from her forever. Yes, they did ‘promise’ not to keep things from each other, but there were just some things she was better off not knowing about. When the time came, he’d just have to make her understand that everything he was doing was justified. Whether she ultimately agreed with his methods was irrelevant; he was doing this for their own good. For now, continuing to keep her in the dark as best as he could was for the best. 

Plus, if Ogasawara couldn’t keep his mouth shut now, who’s to say he won’t do it again to save his own skin?

I just can’t take that risk, Masato thought, bringing his attention back to the person on the other line. He’d have to nip things in the bud before the man could cause any more trouble. Risk management, that’s all there was to it. No hard feelings.

———

Despite their uneasy relationship, Ogasawara’s death still came as a shock to Hiromi. Yet, she couldn’t help but feel like something wasn’t adding up. The news said he’d died in a fire set by the Geomijul after Bleach Japan had exposed their operations, but something else had happened in between for her to doubt what she’d heard from public sources.

It was the only thing she could think about throughout the funeral.

From her seat, she noticed Sawashiro approach Masato just as he’d wrapped up his tearful eulogy, whispering something into his ear that turned his supposed anguish into discontent. It happened in a flash, as Masato quickly resumed his previous disposition as a man mourning for a friend, but it was enough to make her wonder what had happened.

He merely told her it was the presence of the media outside when she’d asked if everything was alright, suggesting that it would be better to separate for the time being. He instructed Sawashiro to take Hiromi through the back exit, telling her that he’d meet up with her at the underground parking lot as soon as he could.

If Masato wasn’t going to tell her the full story, perhaps Sawashiro would tell her what she wanted to know, but it was highly unlikely. The man was a fierce loyalist to the young master, after all. Keeping the family’s biggest secrets, even from Hiromi herself, was a part of his job. She knew confronting him was a shot in the dark, but it was worth trying anyway.

“Sawashiro-san,” Hiromi said as they stepped outside the funeral building, cautiously wondering how to approach the subject. “You don’t think Masato would… hide things from me, would you?”

Sawashiro, who had been a good few steps ahead, turned to look at Hiromi questioningly. “What do you mean?”

Hiromi gulped. “I- I mean about Ogasawara-san. What happened with him and the Geomijul… whatever it is the news outlets are reporting, it’s really the truth, isn’t it? He really died then?”

“That Ogasawara…” Sawashiro paused, knowing he, too, had to choose his next words very carefully. “Whatever happened to him was an unfortunate accident. I’m afraid that’s all I can say. Why? Has anyone told you otherwise?”

“Oh no, it’s nothing like that. I was just wondering if there was more to the story, that’s all,” Hiromi quickly shook her head, casting her gaze downwards in disappointment.

Seeing the discontented look on her face, Sawashiro couldn’t help but sigh, wondering if she actually knew something about what had actually happened to Ogasawara. 

“If anyone has approached you with different information about what happened, I highly suggest you ignore them,” Sawashiro curtly added. He felt sorry to see her so troubled, yet there was nothing he could say to her without compromising information that was sure to upset the young master if he ever found out.

“Listen Hiromi,” he continued. “The young master cares a great deal about you. You know that, don’t you? So if he refuses to disclose something to you, it’s because he’s trying to protect you. In this way of life, there are some things you’re better off not knowing about. You’d do well to remember that.”

———

“Code red! We’ve got trespassers!” one of the guards shouted, just as Masato arrived at their designated meeting spot. At first, Hiromi could barely make out what was going on, but from the way the voices were getting increasingly loud and aggressive, it couldn’t have been good.

“Mr. Governor! This way!” yelled another, promptly escorting him to the van.

“Trespassers? What is he talking about? What’s going out there” Hiromi asked as Masato entered the van.

“Don’t worry, everything’s under control,” Masato replied without a second glance towards Hiromi as he gave orders for the driver to move. Not only was he more focused on the scene happening in front of them, but his tone also made it clear he wasn’t in a good mood. Whoever these people were, he wasn’t pleased with their disturbance.

As the vehicle pulled away, Hiromi managed to get a glimpse of the altercation that was happening. There was something familiar about one of the people the guards were fighting. Upon closer inspection, her eyes widened, recognising his face. Sporting a maroon suit over a white shirt, his hair was now a huge afro as opposed to the punch perm he frequently sported from the old days but still, there was no mistaking his identity.

That’s… ! 

“Kasuga-san!” Hiromi exclaimed, just as one of the bodyguards fighting him delivered a blow to the back of his head when he tried chasing after their vehicle.

Hiromi immediately turned to look at Masato, who’d been watching the entire incident through the rearview mirror angrily as he debated his next move. She observed as he let out an annoyed ‘tch’ while shaking his head, instructing the driver to turn the car around as they neared the exit barrier.

“Stay inside. Don’t come out,” Masato firmly said once the vehicle came to a complete halt to where Ichiban was, still bent over in pain at the bruising he’d gotten.

Even if it was for a second, both Hiromi and Ichiban’s eyes had locked as the door opened., However, before either party could even react, Ichiban’s former young master stepped out to completely obstruct the former’s view.

“What were you thinking?! Can’t you tell the difference between thugs and citizens? You’re a disgrace!” Hiromi heard him loudly chide the two security personnel, who could only apologise for their mistake. She watched as Masato bent over to help Ichiban back on his feet, whispering into his ear. As he did so, Ichiban and Hiromi’s eyes met once more. This time, Hiromi found it hard to maintain contact. He’d looked at her as though to ask ‘What is going on?! Tell me what you know!’, causing her to promptly turn to hide her face from his view.

Ichiban’s look didn’t go unnoticed. Momentarily tightening his grip as though it was a warning after instructing Ichiban to come meet him at Otohime Land alone, Masato promptly shoved Ichiban backwards, resuming his outward charisma in no time.  

“I’m so relieved to see you’re unharmed!” Masato publicly declared, clapping his hands together with a smile. He then gave his word that he’d discuss the matter with them later, excusing himself for a prior engagement that he needed to attend to.

That charming politician’s smile quickly faded into a scowl once he’d returned to the vehicle. Slamming the door shut, he immediately demanded the driver to get them out. Next to him, however, Hiromi’s thoughts were too preoccupied to fully notice the rising tension. She was still in disbelief. Only once when they managed to finally get out of the parking lot did Hiromi allow herself to slump against her seat, utterly exhausted from their very brief glimpse of each other. 

So, he was alive, after all.

———

“Oh, Masato. You’re back already,” Hiromi said, noticing Masato enter the hotel room later that same evening. He informed her earlier that he was going to have a little ‘chat’ with Ichiban, and she could already tell from his face that things didn’t quite go as planned. In fact, he looked about ready to throw a tantrum, a habit he’d formed since young whenever things didn’t go his way. Her guess wasn’t too far off either.

“Hmph, that idiot,” Masato angrily murmured, promptly taking off his blazer to throw on the ground. As he started to undo his tie, he began to pace restlessly around the room in an effort to let his irritation out.

Must he be so difficult to deal with? Masato thought. His terms were simple enough: leave him and his father alone. He was even willing to let Ichiban walk away unharmed for nostalgia’s sake, yet Ichiban was stupid enough to come up with his own counteroffer. Masato hoped that Sawashiro managed to get the job done in the meantime.

“Hiromi. Stay away from Ichi,” Masato sternly instructed. The way his voice changed sent a chill down her spine. “I don’t want you anywhere near him, you hear me?” 

“Doesn’t matter why. I don’t want you getting involved with whatever it is the fool’s plotting. If he ever approaches you, I expect you to immediately tell me or Sawashiro, is that clear? It’s for your own good.”

Hiromi said nothing in response, turning to look outside the hotel window to resume watching the dwindling crowd at Hamakita Park.

For my own good, huh?

Remembering Sawashiro’s words of advice that echoed the same, Hiromi merely nodded her head, reluctantly heeding his orders. Something must have happened at Otohime Land to get such a reaction out of him, but she didn’t dare ask in his current mood. Behind her, she heard Masato let out an exhausted sigh. It seemed her compliance had calmed him down a little.

“Tell me,” Hiromi spoke up, finding the courage in the moment to bring up the subject plaguing her mind. Her heart was beating nervously. “What really happened to Ogasawara-san?”

The man, who’d still been pacing around the room in an effort to cool off, finally stopped halfway in his tracks with his back towards her. He furrowed his eyebrows, glancing over his shoulder. “What do you mean?”

“Was it really as the news said? That it was the Geomijul's fault?”

Hearing her words, Masato’s posture immediately stiffened. He was lucky she hadn’t turned around to catch his expression.

“Yes, I only received the report as it hit the news myself. It was quite a shock,” he replied, the tone of his voice just as stiff as his body. “But that’s as much as I know. Why do you ask? Did somebody say anything else about him?”

Just like Sawashiro, Hiromi wasn’t satisfied with his answer. She knew he was purposely hiding the truth from her. Not just him, but Sawashiro too. She didn’t care that they thought what they were doing was for her own good, not after what had happened.

After all, if he’d died in the fire as the headlines and Masato were claiming, then how did that explain the call she’d gotten from him after his supposed demise?

She recalled his plea for help, the tone of desperation still fresh in her mind. He sounded breathless, as though he’d been running non-stop.

“Hiromi, you’ve got to help me, please!”

“Ogasawara-san?! What are you talking about? Where are you?!”

“I’m at the Bleach Japan office in Yokohama, but there isn’t much time,” said Ogasawara. “Listen Hiromi, you’ve got to help me. The people who saved me, they’ve been following me around all day. I can see them outside the building now. I think… I think they’re coming to kill me!”

“Wait, I don’t understand what you’re talking about! What happened?!”

“Please, you have to believe me, I didn’t do anything wrong! Tell Aoki-san… tell him I never said a word to them, I promise!”

Did he also call Masato, pleading for his life? It was clear he always wanted to be in their good graces, even from the start. If he did expose secrets, she figured Masato would simply leave Ogasawara with a stern warning about keeping his mouth shut — but was it beyond him to completely dispose of Ogasawara like he didn’t matter at all? She didn’t know who, or what to believe.

Hiromi unconsciously chewed her bottom lip, knowing that mentioning what happened would only bring nothing but trouble. She didn’t want that, certainly not now. The only thing she could do was feign ignorance; Masato must never know she suspected him of foul play.

“Hiromi,” Masato’s voice snapped Hiromi out of her train of thought, the sudden proximity of his face so close startling her slightly. The man’s face was full of genuine concern. Her heart skipped a beat.

“Are you alright? You look pale,” he asked, brushing away some loose strands of hair away from her face.

“I- I’m fine. I’m sorry,” Hiromi nodded her head, forcing a smile as she reassuringly wrapped her arms around him, resting her head against his chest with a small sigh. “I guess it’s still hard to believe he’s actually gone, even if we weren’t close. The fire must have been terrible.”

“So I’ve heard. How cowardly of them, to try and destroy their evidence once exposed. Ogasawara truly proved himself a hero to bring the truth to light. Now, it’s up to me to ensure his dream to change Ijincho for the better carries on through Kume.”

Initially, Hiromi gave no reply; there was nothing more to be said. She felt Masato bring a hand under her chin, lifting it up so that she was facing him.

“Hiromi, do you trust me?”

Those eyes again. Hiromi thought, noting the sudden change back to his previous mood. Hungry, ambitious, frightening. 

He’d asked this question once before, years ago. Back then, she’d given her answer with confidence. Now, however, those same words of affirmation struggled to come easily, like doubt had started creeping in. And yet…

Even if the world turns against you…

“Masato. Anywhere you go, I’ll follow. Even if it’s across the ocean,” Hiromi replied, gently placing a hand on his cheek.

I still want to be by your side, no matter what. That’s why…

Hearing her words, Masato closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, leaning into her touch like someone starved for affection and validation. Satisfied with her answer, he wrapped an arm around his lover’s waist, pulling her into a passionate kiss, promising that things would finally be better once his goals were realised.

After what happened with the Geomijul and his promotion to party chair, Masato was beginning to head down a dangerous path, and Hiromi knew that. She could only hope it wouldn’t be too late to stop him if the time ever came.