DISCLAIMER: I don't own KnB.
Kagami sighed in relief the moment he set his feet on the grounds of Narita Airport.
His back had been aching because of the long term sitting, and his legs wanting nothing more than to stretch themselves. Airplane food tastes stale in comparison the daily thing he eats. No sort of entertainment even.
It was technically hell.
No matter how many time he had already went back and forth between America and Japan, he still couldn't quite get over easily from jet lags. Flights really make him sick.
If not only for his old man calling him back to Japan all of a sudden.
There wasn't much conversation on the phone as to why. It was simply 'the new kumicho wanting to meet you' or something along the lines.
His father was most likely talking about the Teiko group his family was deeply acquainted with, since he was once one of the kaikei of them. If his memory serves him correct, the previous head was someone named Nijimura Shuzo, a man looking no older than your average college student. Kagami would have been surprised, if not for the fact that Teiko was quite known for their young leaders. In fact, they were getting younger and younger in every new leadership.
"What now, they have a high school student?" he muttered to himself, snorting.
He wasn't really looking forward to the meeting. If anything, he was kind of dreading it. For his rank as a merely kumi-in, he wouldn't be of much importance.
He guessed he would be requested to transfer to serve as a new runner.
Glancing on his watch, he told himself there would be ten minutes more left for him. Timing the arrival of his flight, he was also informed he would be picked up by seven in the evening. Guessing the people who would pick him up were no slackers, perhaps they could have been there in any minute.
But then again he was already hungry.
His stomach will always be his first priority.
It was after twenty burgers, five family-sized fries, six triple layered sandwiches, and three large orders of cokes from the food court when his phone rang. Still munching his food, he answered it with the thought of his father perhaps phoning him to ask about his trip. "'Em still eating, Dad."
There was a chuckle from the other line. "I don't recall having a son."
Kagami almost choked on the smooth but unfamiliar voice. He retracted his cellphone for a second to look at the caller ID. It was an unknown number. "Uh, pardon," he said after swallowing. "Who is this?"
"I believe your father told you about us?"
"Wha－Oh. Sorry, are you the one who is going to fetch me? I'll be going outside in a few minutes."
"There's no need."
"Eh?"
"We're already here," the same voice on the phone came from Kagami's back.
When he whirled behind him, Kagami found four men in different hair colors and black suits standing. The height of two men where not far from him, and there was an incredibly tall guy. But out of the four of them, the smallest who also happened to be a redhead too was the one who was giving off the most intimidating vibe.
The smaller redhead's eyes of gold and red glinted dangerously. Snapping his phone shut, his other hand reached for his coat pocket.
Only to reveal a small, sharp pair of red scissors.
It happened for a fracture of a second, but right at the very moment, Kagami thanked whoever deity who made him instinctively side step, barely missing the blade that darted right on his face.
What.
The.
Hell.
The people around who happened to witness the exchange gasped collectively. Some had flew from the scene, while others stood in shock. Even the security who came approaching was frozen on their spot the instant the red devil threw a menacing dark glare at them. The other three he was with merely smirked.
"Pansy security," the dark-skinned man commented nonchalantly.
"I must agree." The bespectacled man adjusted his glasses with taped fingers.
The violet haired giant yawned.
Kagami's assailant looked down at him. He did not even realized he was half sitting on the cold floor.
He could feel it and it was creeping him out.
The dark and perilous aura the four was emitting.
The smaller redhead finally hid his scissors, thankfully, and offered a smile to Kagami.
Kagami didn't know why, but that made him feel like he was being stomped on.
And he did not like it one bit.
"I don't know what's the deal with you." He growled, straightening himself in front of his attacker, standing at full height. "But it will never happen again." He challenged him, although knowing himself he might not stand a chance against the guy despite the height difference.
No. It's not about the gap in their stature, because facing the man was like being in front of a lion.
But Kagami knew he was a tiger, and he was a man proudly carrying his pride everywhere. That was the kind of a person he is.
He would never ever back down against a challenge.
The smaller man smirked. "Congratulations. You passed the test, Taiga.
"From the new head himself, I, Akashi Seijuro, personally welcomes you to Teiko."
He smiled.
"Or should I say, Kiseki no Sedai?"
kumicho: overall boss in a Yakuza gang, if we're talking about a large group here
kaikei: accountant
kumi-in: working soldiers who do the driving, patrolling, cleaning, supervising, etc.
jun-kosei-in: yakuza apprentice, probably the lowest rank. They serve under kumi-in.
The phrase 'a tiger can beat a lion' is from the event about the fair fight Gaekwad of Baroda arranged at the end of 19th century between a Bengal Tiger and Asiatic Lion. The tiger won eventually.
TBC