Chapter Text
Mine couldn’t tell you the weather on the dim night that separated his life into Before and After. The details quickly left him, but he could never forget how that night cracked his carefully maintain armor and allowed hope and light to seep in for the first time since the death of his adoptive father decades ago.
Before, Mine had achieved all he ever set out to. Chairman of a venture capital firm he had built from truly nothing, enjoying the knowledge that he would never again be poor and alone, his security left to the whims of the heartless masses. By all accounts, Mine had won. He even convinced himself that after a lifetime of solitude, he had learned to prefer it.
The fallacy of Mine’s contentment was quickly shattered the day the Board of Directors casually entered his office to inform him of a coup. They had already decided to make him a mere figurehead in his own company to prevent Mine from taking exactly the kinds of risks that gave them all jobs in the first place. That event, though infuriating in a way that got the Board members screamed out of the room, not for the first time, did nothing to shift Mine’s concept of himself and the world. Loyalty is an illusion and people care only for money. This had always been true and the events of the afternoon just confirmed that Mine was fooling himself to think any of his subordinates had real affection for him. These were lessons he learned young and never forgot.
However, Mine happened upon a scene on his thunderous walk back to his perpetually empty penthouse that illuminated a new path he had never considered. A screeching of tires became angry shouts, then gunfire, followed by the groans of pains and finally, silence.
The solitary figure left standing was a man around Mine’s age with blood splattered across his tailored grey suit. His hair black and shiny, slicked back and reaching the top of his collar. The strands that had come loose in the chaos fell to frame deep brown eyes glimmering with unshed tears. Upset, but not angry, the man stood silently as the police arrive and began to summarize the scene. A yakuza assassination attempt leaving 9 men dead: 5 attacking and 4 defending the tragic figure left behind.
Watching four men willingly sacrifice themselves for someone who seemed to genuinely mourn them reawakened a primal need to connection in Mine’s chest. He had to meet this man, face to face, and determine if he really was worthy of dying for. His self-protective instincts, acquired and reinforced over a lifetime, slackened just enough to let a tentative bit of hope root in Mine’s soul. Now, he must find out if this hope should be destroyed or allowed to grow. And to do that, Mine would need to gain the attention of one of the most dangerous men in the country: Dojima Daigo, Chairman of the Tojo Clan.
-
Mine’s ascension in the yakuza was fast and no more painful than other business he’d conducted. All business is the same once you learn how to get people what they want, which is almost always money.
Now, several weeks after joining the Nishikiyama family, Mine would rather be doing just about anything other than drinking with these brutish, uninspired men. The worst of them, the archetypical brute, is unfortunately the one Mine has agreed to bind himself to. While Kanda has somehow acquired status in the clan, likely through taking credit for the work as others (as he’s doing to Mine at this very moment), he has few admirable qualities. The first Mine saw him, Kanda was bellowing at employees about the increased cost of soaplands and putting his perpetually grabby hands on a woman unfortunate enough to cross his path. Mine had to dodge clumsy blows and offer a ‘gift’ of half a million yen to even get the man to listen to his proposal. With an introduction to the family secured and the Second Acting Patriarch met, crafting a mutually beneficial strategy was straightforward. Acquire financially struggling Families, sell the buildings they failed to properly monetize, and repeat until they all gained enough wealth and power to secure Mine a meeting with the Chairman.
With the sounds of hedonism and club music thick in the air, Mine sits quietly while his new kyodai takes responsibility for Mine’s skills. What the lower-level members of the Family think of Mine is of little consequence, so he sits with his drink and suitcase weighted down by 50 million yen from his most recent deal and sets his mind to figuring out the one, minor hitch in his plan. Mine had been attacked multiple times by low-ranking members of newly acquired families, despite his generous financial offers and legitimate agreements with their patriarchs. Perhaps it was the honor among yakuza he has heard rumors of, maybe even witnessed when the Chairman was attacked, but that seemed… naïve.
His mental distance from the activity around them must have been obvious; it’s enough for Kanda of all people to take notice. “You don’t look good. Ya feelin’ sick?”
Mine quickly reacquaints himself to the room before responding. With no convincing lie ready, he defaults to the truth. “No, it’s not that. I have been wondering why we have been receiving stronger than expected opposition from our acquisition partners. We are offering them ideal conditions.”
Kanda looks a Mine like he just asked him why bars serve alcohol. “It’s all about honor. The bond between parent organization and their children is absolute, stronger than blood. We’re willin’ to give up our lives for the Clan. That’s just how it is.”
Mine is intensely skeptical that Kanda of all people would give up his life for anything. He presses him further. “So you’d throw your life away?”
Kanda’s response is immediate and disconcerting. “Yes. But it’s not just organizations. Kyodai are important too. That’s why when I’m really in danger, you’ll have to put your life on the line for me.” Mine freezes as his mind catches up to what is expected of him. He rouses himself enough to utter a quick agreement before excusing himself.
Mine is still rolling his eyes at Kanda’s transparent manipulation as he walks into the comparatively cool night air. Kanda is certainly more knowledgeable about the yakuza than Mine, but his explanation is too neat, too pure to be valid.
Wasting no more time on Kanda, Mine returns his attention to the next acquisition on his ladder to the Chairman’s notice. One very promising building is unfortunately under the notoriously violent Myogi Family. Whatever the reason for the pattern Mine has seen, this family is sure to repeat it.
As if summoned by the thought of their name, Mine is suddenly confronted by men proclaiming their allegiance to the Myogi Family. The first man who rushes to strike Mine is no challenge, his eagerness quickly extinguished with a few targeted punches. However, he’s far from the only opponent Mine will need to eliminate.
Time continues to tick on as Mine feels his punches becoming duller, looser as fatigue and accumulating injuries begin to impact his form. One of the thugs swears they will leave Mine alone in exchange for his briefcase. While Mine is generally happy to solve problems with money, the rage pulsing in his skull has left no room for negotiation. “Unfortunately, this is too much money to waste on thugs like you.” He’ll beat them all into unconsciousness if he has to.
For the second time in as many months, Mine is distracted from his own fury by the screeching of tires. However, this time he is very much a participant in the action, as evidenced by Kanda’s abrasive voice shouting his name. As the vehicle skids to a stop after hitting several yakuza, Mine pauses, like the screen detailing his response hasn’t loaded yet.
“Mine! Are you okay?!”
Mine struggles to process his rescue at the hands of Kanda, of all people. He would have bet most of his money that this loud, aggressive, sexual predator of a man would sooner let him die than risk any sliver of his safety. Mine’s confusion must have been clear, as Kanda continues to yell at him to get in the car until the sound of approaching aggressors rouses Mine enough to comply.
Once in the car, Kanda continues to seem curiously concerned about Mine’s wellbeing. “Mine, are you hurt?!”
“N, no. Thank you.”
“Okay, good. I was worried because ya weren’t comin’ back for so long.”
Was Kanda telling the truth? They had known each other for only a few weeks. Has Mine already stumbled into evidence of genuine bonds among yakuza? Did Kanda really just risk his life for Mine? He turns to study the man, as if his expression might provide the answer.
Kanda surpasses Mine’s expectations again when he notices and asks, “What are you looking at, Mine?”
“Nothing. I’m just a little surprised.” No better time to lay it out. “I didn’t expect you to come.”
“What are you talking about? I told you, the bond between kyodai is absolute. I’m not a guy who’s all talk, alright?” Kanda sounds certain, with the plain conviction he usually saves for speeches about his own greatness.
“Thank you very much.” Mine is shocked that he sincerely means it. While Kanda has generally made a poor impression, it’s deeply touching that he took their bond seriously enough to place himself in danger for Mine’s safe. Perhaps he had been foolish to insist that he knew better than anyone that there was no genuine loyalty in the world. Mine feels emotion build and threaten to burst through a dam in his heart when Kanda breaks the silence.
“Hey. Mine, can I ask you something?”
“Yes?”
“Is the money safe?” The wave of emotion pauses and drops anticlimactically as Mine returns to his rational self. Of course Kanda was aware of the amount of money in the briefcase. Mine’s face falls as the inevitable conclusion that Kanda only arrived to protect the money grows in his mind. Kanda must have noticed, though his immediate reassurance falls short of being convincing. Still, Mine does owe Kanda, and what he’s done tonight is more than anyone else has ever done for Mine. Perhaps it’s enough? Certainly enough to begin referring to him as ‘Kanda-no-aniki’ at the man’s insistence.
But is it enough to support his kyodai in his newly revealed ambition to usurp the current Chairman?