Chapter Text
Kiwami Comics had way more than just what the name said. Video games, merch, CDs, and anime are all on top of comic books. Ichiban loved it so much; he got paid to be around, work with, and talk about his favorite media. Talk about a major score! It wasn’t like he had much going on in his personal life apart from school, the video game club, and helping out his mom at the nearby orphanage. He did his best academically and liked hanging out with Kiryu and Majima (granted, Majima didn’t care for him all that much; he tolerated him at best and loathed him at worst.), and he liked the video game club even though it was hard to make any friends due to everyone else being so introverted. But that was okay because he could always come to his job and have a blast.
When the shop was slow, Ichiban would catch up with his current fixation; Like A Dragon, a manga series created by Taichi Suzuki. It was about a low-ranking Yakuza grunt betrayed by his family’s patriarch, the man he trusted most. Now, having to team up with a kind homeless guy, a tired ex-detective, and a stubborn barmaid, the grunt-turned-hero has to bash some heads and save the day from a wicked governor! It was a manga with everything: action, adventure, romance, stakes, heart-warming friendships, and appearances by characters from other mangas Suzuki had created, such as the legendary Joryu Jazuma and the One-Eyed Demon. While Joryu Jazuma was cool, Ichiban really found himself connecting with the protagonist of Like A Dragon, Kenji Ichikawa. Kenji is a fiercely loyal, passionate, and optimistic guy with a big heart and a short temper. He makes the greatest enemies become his greatest allies with his charm and a few swings of his legendary baseball bat. Kenji also started out the series in his mid-40s while Joryu got to start out in his 20s, but that just made Kenji all the more inspiring in Ichiban’s eyes. The guy didn’t have to be young to go on cool adventures and do cool things! There are 15 chapters, but Ichiban always rereads chapter 5, where the stubborn barmaid, Miruka Sakai, first appeared.
She’s a shrewd woman, but she’s kind even if she can appear aggressive or hardened. Ichiban could reread the supplementary drink link side stories with the two of them forever; he’s read them so much he can recite the lines by heart. Kenji and Miruka’s chemistry was so electric and so real. They’re both passionate individuals with big aspirations, and…ashamedly so, Ichiban imagines himself with Saeko in those roles. Miruka reminded him of Saeko, but he couldn’t see himself as Kenji. Even though he’s as passionate as him, he always finds himself as someone a bit awkward. He couldn’t muster up the courage to get Saeko’s attention, let alone have meaningful conversations with her. He sits behind her in class, and at most, she’s asked to borrow a pencil from him, and he nods and hands one to her. But that was it.
What he wouldn’t give to be Kenji Ichikawa for a day. To be that confident, heroic, and strong for someone else. For Saeko.
It was a slow day at Kiwami Comics, but it was a weekend during exams; most RGG High students weren’t exactly rushing in to grab something to read that wasn’t a study guide. Ichiban hid underneath the counter with another issue of Like A Dragon. He immediately turned to the intermission pages featuring a drink-link conversation between Kenji and Miruka.
Kenji was always drawn so casual, yet attentive. He’s cool, but he cares.
“I already know your hair’s naturally curly, after all,” Kenji said.
Miruka put her hand to her bob. “Huh? How do you know that?” She was drawn simplistically, like a chibi, to emphasize her confusion.
“Some strands here and there look like they escaped your straightener.”
“Oh. Yeah. Well, lately, my hair hasn’t stayed straight as long as it used to.” She was drawn to Suzuki’s more natural style again.
Ichiban noticed the same thing about Saeko’s hair; he found it cute.
“Hello?” A voice called from above. Ichiban immediately jolted upwards, knocking his head against the counter.
“Ow!” He yelped, rubbing his head as he slid out from underneath the counter and stood up. He blinked a couple of times to ensure he was still seeing straight.
“Sorry, sorry, welcome to Kiwami Comics, how can I—”
His stomach dropped when he saw who was at the counter. Saeko Mukoda was holding a copy of the 10th installment of Like A Dragon.
“...help you?”
“Just this.” She slid the comic book to Ichiban, ignoring his earlier embarrassment from hitting his head.
“Right, right, yeah.”
He picked up the comic book and scanned its barcode.
“You look familiar,” she noted, “have we met before?”
“We’re in the same class, I sit behind you.”
“Oh! You’re that Dragon Quest nerd!”
Ouch.
“You’re…Ichibad, right?”
Double ouch.
“Ichiban…” He gently corrected her. “Kasuga Ichiban…”
He pushed the comic book back to her.
“That’ll be 500 yen.”
As she began rummaging through her bag for her wallet, his eyes were fixed on the comic she had chosen.
“What could Kenji Ichikawa do…” Ichiban tapped his finger nervously on the counter.
“I didn’t know you read Like A Dragon.”
She took out her wallet and laughed softly.
“I don’t, but my friend Seonhee does.”
“Of course…a girl like her wouldn’t be into something so lame…”
“My mistake then, heh. Sorry.”
She placed a few coins on the counter, picked up the comic book, and then left quickly.
“See you around, Ichiban!” She called out to him before she left the shop.
“Yeah, see you around, Saeko!” He called out, and when she was out of sight, he melted behind the counter and groaned.
He looked at his comic book and picked it up, staring at Kenji on the cover with a frown. He hit himself with the book, groaning with each impact.
“I looked like such a dweeb, Kenji. ‘I didn’t know you read Like A Dragon,’ why did I say that?! Of course, she doesn’t read LaD! She’s way too cool! She’s so cool she doesn’t even know my name…ugh.”
He glanced again at the cover featuring Kenji.
“I wish I was you, Kenji. You wouldn’t fumble this hard. If I was like you…maybe Saeko would notice me.”
Kiwami Comics Substory: TO BE CONTINUED