Chapter Text
Kagaya Ubuyashiki is many things: patient, kind, observant, a husband, a father, and a leader. He is also very sick and has been for most of his 24 years on Earth. He knows that his responsibilities have only increased the sicker he’s gotten, especially when organizing his members and their families.
The Slayer Corps yakuza used to consist of 5 significant families that served under the Ubuyashikis; now, it consists of 9. Each family manages a faction of the Corps’s territory, and their influence and skills are vital to the ongoing battle against the Demon Moons and Kibutsuji family. That being said, Kagaya is only one man, and with so many families to manage, including his own, one can understand how exhausted he is.
He couldn’t see how to solve this issue and planned to ride it out without complaint until his wife, Amane, in all her beautiful wisdom and grace, went above his head and brought up the issue with the heads of each family. The next time Kagaya and his Pillars were in a meeting, it took less than 5 seconds before each of his most trusted generals began shouting solutions. By the time he had calmed them down to a more coherent level, Mitsuri had ended her list of solutions by suggesting they combine families. It was at the tail-end of the mass of noise each pillar was making, and it rang through the sudden silence like a bull through a china shop.
The bright-haired girl blushed red as she felt all eyes turn to her, her hands subconsciously fixing themselves to her cheeks as they puffed up in embarrassment. The longer the silence stretched, the more she folded in on herself, hanging her head low, almost touching her forehead to the table. “It was only a suggestion…”
Kagaya cleared his throat, “What did you mean by ‘combining families’?”
“Well,” the girl looked up, “Most of us are single and have small factions, so combining factions would double the number of members under one family’s control while also maintaining the total area of control we have.” She unfolded the more she talked, sitting straight and holding her head high. “In essence, we arrange marriages to decrease the number of families without losing any power.”
The room was silent once more, and some pillars were more uncomfortable than not. To everyone’s surprise, Sanemi’s reluctant sigh cut through. The usually aggressive yet reserved Shinazugawa leader pinched the bridge of his nose before he looked at his master, “It’s not a terrible idea.” he crossed his arms over his scarred chest, “Logistically speaking, it checks out, but factoring human error,” he glanced at his colleagues, “And the fact that most of us are reckless idiots with a limited life expectancy, it’s not a permanent solution.”
Kanae perked up. “That’s where you’re wrong, Shinazugawa.” Her calm smile and kind eyes sparkled with a hint of mischief. “I think this is a perfect solution.” She turned to look directly at the white-haired man. “Whom better suited to marry into our short lives than someone who also shares that trait?” She poked his crossed arms and giggled at his deepening frown.
Each pillar started to debate the merits of Mitsuri’s idea, ending in an even divide between them all. Those who disagree with the concept (Sanemi, Kyojuro, Gyomei, Giyuu, and Shinobu) present solid evidence for their position only to be met with the determined and logical rebuttals of those who are for the idea (Mitsuri, Kanae, Obanai, Tengen, and surprisingly Muichiro). Ultimately, the pillars turned to their leader to settle the debate, and silence again reigned over the group. Kagaya observed each of his pillars and then reflected on each of their points.
On one hand, he thought that some of his pillars were too young to make such a life-altering decision, especially Muichiro, who is only 12. He had partially raised the boy, so he is reluctant to let him grow up so quickly despite all he has already experienced. The other pillars are all a respectable age for marriage, but he knows many do not wish to be married. Some because they feel too young, like Shinobu, and others because they don’t want to cause another person to experience the pain of loss, like Sanemi and Giyuu. On the other hand, he married Amane when he was 16, partially because of tradition and his short lifespan and because he was fond of the older girl. He remembers being told he would be getting married; he was a little surprised, given how ill he was. When he met Amane, he was shocked that she seemed to accept having to marry him, but upon spending more time with her, he understood that she was just very good at hiding her emotions and doing her duty. He had offered for her to reject the marriage, that he would take the blame for her so she could be free. She married him that Spring and their children were born 9 months later.
There is also the issue of his declining health and capabilities. Amane helps where she can, but managing such a large quantity of families is still too much for anyone. He knows his Pillars would sacrifice their lives for him in a heartbeat, but to ask them to sacrifice their futures and their families seems extreme. The Pillars who don’t have families are the only ones who stand to gain anything from the idea. Having made up his mind, Kagaya scans his pillars again, observing how Kanae and Sanemi subtly lean toward each other and how Obanai and Mitsuri converse with their eyes. He remembers moments when Shinobu would pester Giyuu, earning a reaction from the stoic man, the softness that Mitsuri inspired from Obanai, or the familiarity between Kanae and Sanemi forged through understandings he wasn’t privy to.
He stands from his seat at the head of the table, gaining the attention of his Pillars. His observations made him smile, “I have decided.”