Work Text:
Mine quietly closes his phone, keeping his composure for some invisible audience for a moment longer before dragging a slow hand down his face and sighing. He lets his tired eyes stay shut for a moment before glancing at the window and trying to approximate the time. Kamurocho may be a city that never sleeps, but it's still common courtesy in the business world not to make calls in the middle of the night for no reason, no matter the city. Thank god.
It was another day like any other, full of people putting on fake faces just for him, just because they know he has money. He has to wonder why people aren't humiliated, betraying themselves and pretending to be someone else just to sate their greed. Mine has long been too sickened by it to exempt people who are just trying to live from his disgust. All money does is corrupt and make people ugly, and Mine thought for a long time that those men whose loyalties can't be bought were only a myth.
Daigo is different, genuinely. He doesn't blink at any amount of money-- not because he's the chairman and has more than he knows what to do with, but because it simply holds no value to him. Daigo mentioned to him once that it took repeated lessons for Daigo to realize everyone only cares about money, that he should always open up a discussion with a bribe and then try to talk things through. Words can be powerful things, but they end up going nowhere when there isn't any currency involved.
His phone is ringing. He glares at the caller ID and relaxes slightly when he sees it's only Katase. Right, she'd tried to call him just before his last call, which ended up lasting... it felt like hours, but was probably closer to fifteen minutes.
"Yes?" he answers, tries to keep the edge out of his voice. He wants to be done with talking for the day.
"Sir-- um... okay. There's someone here to see you," she informs him, somewhat wavering. "Is it alright if I walk him up?"
She must be talking to his visitor at the same time.
"Please tell my guest that they'll have to wait until tomorrow," he says.
"Ah... th-- I don't..."
What is she so nervous for? It's not like she isn't used to declining visits for him. He never wants to be bothered at night. Unless she's being threatened?
"If they're going to be persistent... I'll come down to speak to them myself."
"Yes, please do. Sorry."
He hangs up with another sigh and pulls himself up from his chair. He takes a moment to stretch, and then he makes his way to the lobby of his office.
Who else is waiting down there for him but Daigo? Mine can't fight the smile that urges its way onto his face.
"Sorry, sir, he told me not to say who it is. It's also 9 o'clock, so can I..?" She points tentatively to the door.
"Go ahead," Mine nods. "Good work today."
It's not until she's left that he addresses Daigo.
"To what do I owe this visit?"
"Hm... well, I forgot to eat dinner earlier and was hoping I could bother you for some company," Daigo says, light and friendly. He always has this strange sprinkling of melancholy to his voice, and Mine has never really stopped noticing it, but he's gotten good at picking up on how Daigo truly feels.
"You forgot, or you were too busy?"
"A little of both. Technically, I had the opportunity a few hours ago, but I squandered it..."
He has a sheepish hand on the back of his neck, head slightly bowed and eyes wandering like he's remembering something embarrassing. The sight of him has all the tension fleeing from Mine's body.
The offer of dinner would normally send social strategies flitting through Mine's mind, trying to ascertain the ulterior motive behind such an offer. He hates participating in such rituals. But for Daigo...
"Who am I to decline the sixth chairman?" he decides as easily as ever.
"It's not really a chairman thing... I thought I told you to just call me by my name?"
That's right, he did. Daigo isn't currently dressed like he's the chairman, anyway; he has a questionable habit of going out in casual clothes when he doesn't want to be bothered. Mine supposes he is harder to recognize like this, but not impossible. He thinks to advise Daigo to care a bit more about his image, but he holds his tongue. Seeing him in clothes he's comfortable in, with no care for the impression he gives off, it's like a secret little joy for Mine, like a show of trust.
"Where are we off to, then, Daigo-san?"
"Better," Daigo smiles softly. "Can you believe I'm craving fast food? It's been years since I've gone out in the middle of the night for it. Feels kind of irresponsible."
"But we're doing it anyway?"
"If you'll have me," he says mildly, hands in the pockets of his jacket.
If he'll have him. Mine would easily burn the city down if it meant eliminating any distractions from Daigo's casual dinner plans.
"I can't say I've ever had late night fast food cravings, but I don't see a reason why I shouldn't let your bad habits rub off on me," Mine accepts, quickly moving to hold the door open for Daigo and fighting the instinctive bow that threatens to come with.
"My bad habits, huh? I think I deserve to keep at least one."
Mine lets Daigo take the lead, walking almost perfectly at his side, paying little mind to his surroundings. The neon lacing the city doesn't light up the night nearly as well as the sight of Daigo beside him, and he finds it difficult to pull his eyes away.
"And this is the one? Does that mean you'll be dressing nicer next time?" Mine lightly teases.
"Wh... what? Is this a bad habit?" Daigo looks down at his casual clothes, at his jacket. "You can't tell me you never take that suit off, right?"
"When I'm going out? Of course I don't."
"At all? It's just Smile Burger..."
"Yes... but you have to go outside to get there. People will see."
It's another lesson that Daigo will need drilled into his head, probably, but Mine quietly hopes it continues bouncing right off. He hopes Daigo never truly suppresses himself. He sits across from Daigo, watches him pick the tomato out from his burger, watches his hands get greasy, watches him get an itch on his cheek with the heel of his palm in an effort to stay clean only to get grease on his face anyway. He stares so intently his own food goes cold, untouched, and he lets those hopes bounce around in his head, coming back stronger each time they echo.
"I hope he never changes."
Daigo looks up at Mine, pausing in mild confusion.
"Sorry, did you say something? And isn't your food getting cold?"
He'd whispered it out loud, barely audible even to himself. It doesn't matter that nobody heard it, so long as his wish makes it into the wind.
"I said you look hungry. If you want more, it can be my treat."
Daigo shakes his head before Mine even finishes that sentence. The sixth chairman of the Tojo clan inviting somebody out to a private dinner is a huge deal. One would expect it to take place at a quiet, expensive restaurant, stunning and professional. Daigo just drops by Mine's office in casual clothes and takes him out for trashy fast food. Maybe he could be insulted by that.
He laughs to himself, ignoring Daigo asking him what's so funny. Don't ever let him change.