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"So, our leader has been defeated," Koko says, sauntering into the room. He sits down on the couch and crosses his legs, the smirk present on his face showing how little he actually cares about the significant piece of information he just shared with Inupi.
"What?" Inupi asks, not quite believing it, because it's Shiba Taiju.
That man has not lost a single fight since they've known him.
Maybe if someone had a tranquilizer...
Koko's eyes glint with mirth, maybe Inupi should scold him about being way too amused about the situation but he can't find it in himself to because he already knows it'd be pointless. Koko's loyalty is with money, unlike Inupi who follows Taiju because he revived Black Dragon just the way he wanted him to, only lacking the spirit he yearned to see that the first generation had.
This is more serious than Koko is treating it though, because whoever defeats Taiju is taking the position of their leader. But since it obviously doesn't matter as much to Koko as it does to Inupi, he doesn't bother voicing his concern.
Inupi is just going to have to see who this other guy is; hopefully it's someone who at least has some sense with what he's doing.
He doesn't want Black Dragon to lose their regained reputation and credibility.
If this person defeated Taiju...then Inupi really has no chance if he wants to challenge him for the position himself so he doesn't even consider that option as a last ditch effort.
"Yeah," the other boy says with a wave of his hand, "he let down his guard and the pretty little thing kicked him in the dick."
Inupi winces sympathetically, and crosses his legs instinctively. A crotch shot of all things. He shakes his head with incredulity, but a win is a win.
Then he turns to stare at Koko. "Pretty little thing ?"
Koko leans in, and rubs his hands together, a devious look on his face. "Oh, very. Inupi, he's tiny compared to us, so he was like an angry kitten standing up to Taiju."
"What happened after?" He asks, choosing to focus on the more important details.
"Well, Taiju passed out from pain, some of the guys carried him away, and then the kitten, get this, he cries, bawling his eyes out while apologizing nonstop, thinking he killed Taiju or something, it was hilarious."
Inupi doesn't normally share Koko's humor, but here he cracks a tiny smile. "Where is he now?" He asks, straightening up as his anticipation grows, caught utterly by curiosity and fascination.
Koko gazes at him knowingly. "Waiting outside for his punishment."
"Koko," Inupi says indignantly before he can stop himself, and the other boy raises a brow but he's got that sly smirk on his face.
"Don't worry. I ordered them not to do anything to him until I talked to you, after all you're the one who calls the shots whenever Taiju is out of commission." Which rarely ever happens.
And Inupi stands up after that with a new purpose, and Koko follows suit, he assumes merely for pure entertainment.
~~~
The dubbed kitten is a black haired boy, with watery blue eyes, standing in the center of the semi-circle formed by the stationed members of the gang.
He's wearing plain blue shorts and a graphic t-shirt, an outfit Inupi would never leave the house dressed in, but somehow it's not so unflattering on the boy.
He is as Koko crudely put it, a pretty little thing.
But Inupi decides he likes kitten better.
The boy's shoulders are hunched up as he skittishly looks around, making himself appear smaller than he already is, and Inupi can't blame him for that since he's surrounded by a bunch of dangerous men all decked out the uniform of their gang, showing their affiliation. Most of them are looking at him furiously, offended and enraged on Taiju's behalf. Which Inupi feels the furthest from, not necessarily caring for Taiju right now. Even slightly wondering how anyone can actually take the man seriously after the stunt that just happened.
Also, the kitten has captured his interest.
"You're the one who hurt our leader," he says coldly, and even though he can't see him, he can almost hear Koko rolling his eyes.
But Inupi ignores that in favor of trying to get a range of the boy, to see if he's easily pressured.
"He d-deserved it!"
It's said with unwavering belief and bright eyes that burn passionately with his declaration but his body trembles in obvious fear, the boy even shrinks away when someone clicks their tongue and glares at him.
Inpui has the strange impulse to bring the boy closer to him, and also hit that man in the face for causing the boy to react that way. He refrains from doing either. However Koko surprises him by stepping out from behind him to approach the boy.
"Do you even know who you offended?" He asks softly, as he walks a circle around the trapped boy, giving him a cool look.
Inupi's brows furrow, wondering what Koko thinks he's doing, but decides to watch it play out since he's not likely to intimidate the boy into talking when he's already feeling bizarrely protective of him.
"Is he okay?" The boy asks dolefully instead, peering up at them with teary eyes.
Nobody expected that.
He can see from how Koko pauses in his steps, he himself falters, while everyone else just seems to radiate shock with their contorted expressions in the ensuing silence.
Then Koko cackles. "' Is he okay? ' He asks. You kicked him in the dick, what did you expect?"
The boy blanches. "I was aiming for his stomach!"
"And that's supposed to make it better?" Koko asks in amusement, and Inupi bites back a chuckle, finding it utterly ridiculous but endearing. He regrets not seeing the action happen the way Koko did, since the boy is obviously smaller than Taiju he might have miscalculated. But it was still a powerful enough kick to knock the man out.
As unprecedented as it is.
Now he needs to get to the bottom of the conflict and figure out why the boy targeted Taiju at all.
"No," the boy mutters, tugging anxiously on the hem of his shirt, "but to be honest I didn't think I hit him that hard. I mean, considering his size I didn't expect much, so I was just as surprised as you were. I think, because I saw you laughing." He casually calls out Koko, and the other members of the gang give Koko various judgey looks.
Koko ignores them all with ease. He looks at the boy with narrowed eyes. "You're not as frightened as you're making yourself out to be," he points out.
Inpui stares at the boy with new eyes in faint surprise, trying to notice what Koko did to perceive that.
The boy sighs, then his posture shifts to one of pure confidence and he gives them a mischievous smile, proving Koko right.
"I was just bored, you know. I wanted to see what became of Aniki's legacy. Too bad Izana-nii retired, huh."
Someone chokes, mutters break out.
Koko and Inpui share a look of surprise.
A lot has been revealed, but they only have more questions.
" Kurokawa Izana of Tenjiku is your brother?"
"You know Shinichiro-san?"
They both blurt out at the same time.
The boy nods, his smile growing brighter.
"They're both amazing, aren't they?" He asks eagerly.
What's amazing is your infiltration tactics! Inupi wants to scream, feeling his composure slipping away like it never has before, not to mention he took out the captain without meaning to, if he's speaking truthfully. But despite tricking them, the boy doesn't seem dishonest on that front.
But Inupi is on guard now. "What's your name?" He has to know.
"Sano Takemichi," the boy cheerfully says, and Inupi thinks the boy is more like a fox than a kitten.
He's even more fascinated.
Also, Sano?
That just opens a can of worms he didn't even know existed.