A/N: This is the third last chapter, so there's actually two more chapter after this. Sorry for the misinformation.
"Oh hey, Takku-kun. What's up?" Ryu asked when he opened the door.
"I was gonna ask you out for lunch, actually. Seems like it's a bad time though?" He looked at Ryu all dressed up.
"Yeah, I'm going out for lunch, but you can come with me if you want. It's Yamato's birthday, and Ren is on duty at the Oedo house; so we're heading over there to keep Yamato company. It'll just be Shin and one of his henchmen Tetsu, Ren and Yamato, and Hayato and I. Shin and Ren don't like other people hanging out there."
"Umm. Is it okay for me to go then?" Takku asked uncertainly. All of them had assured him repeatedly that Shin was a really nice person, but Takku still had his reservations. He was the biggest Yakuza boss in Japan, for goodness sake!
"I'll vouch for you." Ryu joked. "Okay, promise me that you won't drink, won't pick a fight with anyone, and will run away if any of us tell you to."
Takku made a face at the last part. He hated sounding like a coward, but he would never dare to disobey Kuroda Shin or Kuroda Ren. "Uh, okay. I promise."
"Well, come on then."
Shin shot Ryu an amused look when the latter entered the house followed by his younger plus one. Ryu was quietly whispering to Takku about how to place his shoes when visiting a Yakuza home, while Takku was nodding obediently at his every word. They looked like a pair of father and son, despite only an 8 year age difference. He was glad, though; to see Ryu passing on the baton to someone else.
"I bring sincere greetings, Kumichou Kuroda-sama." Takku greeted Shin formally as per Ryu's instructions. He stole a look at Shin's face. The man looked a lot less scary than Takku had imagined him to be. He looked a bit like Ren, stern but approachable.
"Thank you, Takuya-san. You may address me informally within the walls of my humble abode." Shin replied with equal formality. 'Ryu must be giving the boy etiquette training.' He chuckled internally. He didn't blame Ryu. They had been brought up to believe that social etiquette was as essential as fresh air, which was why Shin made sure that it was the first thing he drilled into Ren as well.
"Thank you for bestowing me the honour, Shin-senpai. I pray that you too will find it in your heart to address me in a similar manner."
Shin gave Ryu a discerning smile. His young protégé was doing a great job. "Of course, Takku-kun. Please, come in."
Ren held out a hand to stop Takku before the boy could open his mouth to greet the second host. "I think Aniki has already passed you. Unlike him and Ryu, I wasn't brought up to speak like that. So, spare me the torment, please."
"Umm…" Takku started before quickly taking it back when he saw Ryu shooting him a sharp look. Informal speak didn't mean that he should be stuttering. He cleared his throat. "I mean, alright. Hi, Ren-senpai. Happy birthday, Yamato-senpai."
Ren and Yamato shared an amused smile at Ryu's blatant smothering. Funnily though, the young delinquent did not seem to mind the least. "Hi Takku-kun." "Thanks, Takku-kun."
Hayato dragged Takku to sit beside him. "Come here, we need to separate you from the mother hen. So, where did everyone else go?" He asked Shin.
"I've sent Koisuke and Minoru on an errand down south. They'll be back in a couple of days. Makoto has a family emergency, so I allowed him to go home for the rest of the week. Ojiisan and Kumiko are attending some distant relatives' full moon celebration. I didn't go because there was no one else to stand guard at home."
"Ren and I could have done it, Oyasan." Tetsu said quietly.
Shin shook his head firmly. He was not taking any chances after what happened to Wakamatsu. "You're still recovering, Tetsu. I don't want you back in service until your doctor gives you the clear."
Tetsu looked at Yamato hopefully. Yamato snorted. "Not a chance. Ben-sensei is one of the bitchiest men on the planet. I'm not going to tell him what to do with his patients."
Ren nudged Tetsu playfully. "No harassing my boyfriend on his birthday, Tetsu."
Tetsu hung his head in disappointment.
Shin watched their interactions fondly. "Alright, let's eat. We give thanks for all life." He started.
"Itadakimasu." Everybody chorused.
As per Oedo family tradition, their meal consisted of hotpot. Yamato took one taste of the soup and narrowed his eyes at Ren. He turned to Tetsu. "Thanks for cooking, Tetsu."
"Eh, I thought Ren said that he cooked this?" Hayato asked confusedly.
Ren looked sheepish.
Yamato shrugged. "That's what he told me too. But seeing as this is edible, I believe Tetsu had intervened at some point."
"Hey!" Ren protested feebly, before giving up the charade. "Well, I did try. It just didn't work."
Shin laughed. "He left out the part where he almost burned down the kitchen. I must say that that's one area I have failed as a mentor. But no matter what I do, he just can't seem to get it."
All of them laughed while Ren pouted. He looked so adorable that Yamato couldn't resist kissing the pouty lips, despite being in the presence of company. "Thanks for trying, love. I appreciate that."
In the midst of their teasing and taunting, however, Shin stiffened visibly.
Sensing the sudden change in his Aniki's mood; Ren, too, tensed up. He shot Shin a questioning look.
Shin did not say a word but looked straight at Ren. Without further ado, Ren got up and left the room.
"What's going on, Shin?" Yamato asked worriedly.
Shin's expression was grave. "I'm sorry, Yamato." That was all he said.
Yamato felt his heart sink. Nevertheless he put up a brave face and nodded.
Ren came back to the room, looking no different than when he left; but Yamato knew that under his kimono was now a midnight black katana and a row of matching tantōs.
Shin grabbed his own golden katana from the mantel and stood up. "Tetsu, stay out of this and protect all of them. This is an order."
"Hee, Oyasan." Tetsu knew that when Shin's tone brooked no argument. It meant to obey or suffer at the pain of death.
Ren drew Yamato into a hasty kiss. "I'll be back."
Tetsu looked at the pale faces around the table. Yamato was practically falling apart. He didn't blame the man. The last time his boyfriend had gone out for a fight in the middle of a meal, he had come back at the brink of death. Tetsu knew that the young doctor was worried that Ren would be on the wrong side of that brink this time.
"Don't worry, Yamato. Last time it was because we were seriously outnumbered. Oyasan did not call for back-up, so it must be a number that he thinks they can handle."
Yamato didn't look convinced.
Tetsu sighed. Yamato had to learn how to let Ren go. "There's an observation deck upstairs. If the fight takes place in the Oedo compound – which I suspect is so – you'll be able to see it from there. Even if it is not, you'll still be able to see them come back at the earliest point in time." He sincerely hoped that he would not regret this decision.
All of them rose from their seats immediately. Tetsu led the way to the attic that doubled as an observation deck. Tetsu felt a pang of sorrow in his heart. The last time he had been up here was with Wakamatsu and Minoru, when they were spying on Shin and Yankumi sparring. Eight years seemed to have flown by without him realising.
He shook himself out of the thoughts of the past and focused on the present. His suspicion was right. The fight was, indeed, occurring in the Oedo house's external compound. He could tell from Shin and Ren's haste, coupled with the fact that Shin gave him orders to 'protect them' rather than 'escape with them'. He mentally thanked all the gods in the universe for Shin's sensitive senses. Another few more minutes and the attackers would have come crashing through the doors.
Yamato looked down in numb disbelief. Surrounding Shin and Ren… was a katana-wielding battalion of more than 20 men.