Warnings: Spoilers for all of the manga.
Notes: Work in progress. To be linked with "Mizuki" fic when I get around to it.
Disclaimer: Yellow is owned by Makoto Tateno; I'm just borrowing it so I can make myself feel better about the plotholes...
Father/Son
My idiot son. I remember when Mizuki called me that day. He said, "there's some little boy at the drop site." I thought he meant some kid was dropping the payment for our job. On our smaller jobs we deal in cash, and it's always a hassle getting our money. Sometimes our clients like to pay us through people they can write off, like kids or street urchins.
When I got there Mizuki was talking to him. The "little boy" was about 6, older than Mizuki made him sound over the phone. I had to laugh. He didn't have the money, he didn't know anything about the job, and he didn't have anywhere to go home to. Kid's parents were probably drug addicts. OD-ed or abandoned him out there. Who knows? It was a pretty bad neighborhood.
I could see it in Mizuki's eyes right away. My partner. He wanted to take the kid. Like a stray dog or something. He pulled me aside, talking some nonsense about how we could use him as a cover story, and when he got older he could "join the organization," like we were running some kind of school for aspiring assassins. But I could see that Mizuki really wanted this, so I didn't argue. Taki came with us.
It was unnerving how Mizuki would light up around Taki. Not in a creepy sort of way, not early on, but all the same. I never knew my partner had such a soft side. That kid made him soft. He was a sweet kid, though. And bright; like a sponge. Of course, he'd say, "Sea sponges aren't bright, you know." Then I'd have to knock him one; little smartass. I was really surprised he didn't figure out what we did for a living sooner. I guess it was because Mizuki was so adamant about hiding it. Really, how did he expect Taki to "join us" if he wasn't allowed to be part of the world we lived in? I didn't argue, though. Arguing with Mizuki about things he wants, as few and far between as they are, is a waste of time, and I'm not bothering.
My partner was really hurting when Taki finally ran off for good. He'd run a few times before. After I'd gotten mad at him while Mizuki wasn't around, he'd run somewhere and hide, but he always came back before, crying to Mizuki, and he'd coddle the kid. Mizuki waited this time, too, but we both knew Taki wasn't coming back.
I decided we should take a break, so I took Mizuki out of the country for a few years. Out of sight, out of mind, right? Things didn't get better. Mizuki was pretty far gone at that point. That idiot son of ours. Look at the mess he made. Well, I figured as his father I was supposed to fix it, right? So, while Mizuki went off to do... That thing... I went hunting.
First, I had to figure out what exactly happened. I guess I always knew Taki wasn't cut out for our work. I could really tell that night. He did what he did out of fear, and when it was over he was torn apart with guilt. I think my partner made a pretty dumb move that night. Mizuki didn't want to talk about it, but I could see it in his eyes. That heartbroken look. Try so hard to get Taki to think you're a wonderful kind guy and don't make your move until after that illusion's been shattered? Come on. Of course the kid was going to run, especially that kid.
So, okay, Taki felt guilty and he ran because he was scared. So, how does a father fix this? I took a chance and looked through some old newspapers and I found something pretty interesting. Seemed a little girl was found washed up in a town nearby that night. No details of identity except a partial nametag in a very familiar torn piece of clothing. Interesting indeed.
It was only a matter of time after that. When Mizuki was done we decided it was about time to head back, but it's always a good idea to be cautious, so we decided to find out how "hot it still was back in Japan" after our last job, so we hired some kid to do our leg work. What a coincidence that was, huh? Yeah, right. I already knew where Taki was, I sent him there afterall, and I knew exactly who Kei was, too, but I couldn't be the one to tell Mizuki. He couldn't know what I was doing for him; for both of them, so this kid was the perfect go-between. The things a man does for his family, right?
Yeah, you heard right. I sent Taki to that cafe. Of course, no one but me knew I was the one who sent him, not even Taki, not even my partner. Taki could run and he could hide, but he could never stay hidden from me. A few times I think he felt the heat at his back and got up and would run again. He went through quite a few different professions, if you could call them that, over those 5 years. Sometime around his 21st birthday, or rather, the anniversary of the day we "adopted" him, Mizuki was finalizing the plans for his "operation," so I figured it was time to stick Taki somewhere that would make things, how should I say, more convenient for when we returned. Details aren't important, and they would ruin my trade secrets, but let's just say I directed his attentions to a certain cafe rumored in the underworld to be run by an ex-cop whose family had been murdered by Sandfish and was bent on revenge, under the pretext of a job that had recently been vacated.
Everything fell pretty much into place after that. The only variable I hadn't considered was this Goh kid. I never imagined Taki would turn out like that, but I guess there had been circumstances beyond anyone's control. The interesting bonds of partnerships, eh? I don't really know how I feel about that kid with my son, but I guess I missed my chance to express my parental disapproval, huh?
I know I went out on some limbs back there and we hit a few snags, but I think everyone came out better for it. Taki got his happy ending, that cop guy got his kid back, Mizuki learned an important lesson about love, and no one had to die. I'd say it was a pretty damn good ending indeed.
We have to lay low again, though. Not much to do when you're not working. But I find myself thinking back to that day when we took home our new, idiot son. We never did get our money. It's unfortunate when our clients have to be dealt with. Not only didn't we get paid, but we had to do even more work. Mizuki said he took care of it. I didn't ask for details.
Katsuro
7/25/06
1186 words