A/N:
Just a reminder though: I don't know how the succession of leadership in a Yakuza organization works, especially when the boss has many children (In Kurogane Shoji's case, he has four). But I do know that there is this division among the siblings, where each has their own faction that supports them and tries to persuade them to take the chief seat instead of any of the siblings or the eldest, cause usually it is the eldest that has the right to succeed the seat. Note that Tsuna is just someone who is there-and took the role-as an adjudicator (someone who presides, judges, and arbitrates during a formal dispute or competition) to help Kurogane Shoji.
I just want to clarify any misunderstanding.
Anyway, go on.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Miwa Ikakku, Hariko Dosei and Ota Akashi glanced among themselves after seeing Ueda's reaction to Tsunayoshi's request. It was that kind of glint that they'll only see when Ueda is in front of someone he greatly respects.
Ueda is one of the people that is hard to please. He judges people from mere interaction with them. He's the first to see the guests or anyone new and will deem them as what he thinks of them. Dangerous, normal, weak, stupid, etc. It's the reason why he's a guide. There is no specification of how he deems them. He just interacts. But with how Tsuna asked him that they call each other as how normal people do— with all the power equality and such, the brunet was able to give a good impression.
The brunet glanced back to them momentarily. It makes Ota snicker quietly behind them. It's not that Tsunayoshi wants to check that they're following. It's more of checking if they're gonna let him face the boss alone. Well, jobwise, they can't. They are there to keep him safe and report that they have come back momentarily (or temporarily). Personally, they prefer to watch him and converse with him— if possible, take him back to Tokyo, than anything else.
In the first place, the brunet is the reason why the three of them and some of their division men were deployed to Tokyo under the boss' orders and the amazing idea of Lady Shouyo. They weren't given much information, other than they then own some businesses they need to keep running. The only thing they got as a clue was they'll meet the one they need to protect once they start up.
Miwa was the first to meet that small boy who looked ready to bend. The seven years old Sawada Tsunayoshi who is trying to find a job that can take him in regardless of his age. Saying he wanted to work a job to buy the things he needed because he has no money to buy them. The kid was scrawny. Too innocent, too small, but he has this glint in his eyes that he wants to work to live. And a bundle of a whole different kind of joy. When he doesn't get something, he'll ask Miwa about it, even if it takes the other morning for him to ask. It makes Miwa laugh because the kid has his own list of things to ask most of the times.
What probably pained Miwa the most back then was when he discovered that the brunet has no parents. He will always remember how Tsunayoshi was glancing at the kids, who were in their uniforms and passing by the company, after returning the basket he needed to borrow to hold all of the newspapers he had to deliver that time. Miwa noticed the brunet's curiosity. The Yakuza Division Leader asked the kid about his living, but he was almost tight-lipped. He didn't say he has no parents and stuck to his reason. So, Miwa did a different approach. The Second Division Leader asked the brunet if he wants to go to school too. And when the brunet said 'yes', he took that as a 'go' sign.
He contacted Ota to make official papers for the brunet while he also asked Hariko to go to Lady Shouyo to get some elementary books appropriate for seven-year-old kids who are attending second grade. It made the two questions, but he didn't say anything. He only instructed Ota to pull up some rubbish details about Tsunayoshi's official birth certificate, just as long as the kid's name is 'Sawada Tsunayoshi'. After that, he was able to send the kid to school.
The next person to meet Tsunayoshi was Ota. The brunet was ten by then, at the last two years of his elementary schooling. It was an unexpected encounter where the brunet was arranging the whole shelves of items in the convenient store, when all he wanted to buy was milk and butter. What's so unexpected about it was when some of those who 'rough' up the brunet came in and started to pick on the kid after seeing him. Ota, the one manning the store at day, perked up after hearing the name 'Dame-Tsuna' and stood up. That was the first time he took a good look on the brunet that caught Miwa's attention, enough to help.
Ota's first impression was the kid needs to eat. A lot. Miwa had described the kid as someone who probably eats once a day since he was seven. He has fifty-fifty self-preservation with how hushed he is to those gangster-wannabes that are roughing him up. The fact that he lets them was a dangerous thing. So, he stepped up, raising his own hackles to intimidate the Yankees. And Ota saw it. That intelligent sparkle in those eyes that took advantage of the situation. The brunet denied being affiliated with those gangster-wannabes and went out of the store to let Ota take care of those students. The next morning, the first Division Leader posted a recruitment for a new cashier, rejected every single applicant and hired one Sawada Tsunayoshi.
By far, Ota was the closest to discover the brunet's lifestyle. He discovered that the brunet could lie with a straight face, not even glancing anywhere. He said he's an orphan (true) and a couple took him in (false). He lives alone in an apartment (true) and wants to help with the bills so he's applying for the cashier job (partly true; he's paying for his own bills). When asked how many works he has, he said none (false). When asked if he has any work experience, he said he had tried working in the library (partly true; he had a lot of experience). Right then, Ota knew not to pry when the brunet lies. It will make the kid close off.
During those times Ota leaves the store to the kid, the brunet will grumble of the misplaced things and the disordered shelves that Ota never arranges during the day. The store manager will relish the rare sight of emotions and watch until the brunet finishes up from arranging them in impeccable order. There were times that the brunet will come to work all beaten up and just went to sit on the cashier's spot, wiping away the blood and just sitting there, working. It will take Ota's initiative to pull the kid to the storage area to clean him up and give him a new shirt to change into. So far though, it's Ota who gets to be asked to accompany the kid to school for enrolment.
When Ota discovered that Tsunayoshi can cook, he passed the message to Hariko who put on a restaurant after calling up his wife to Tokyo eight years ago. Being the only one who hasn't met the brunet, Hariko put up a sign for vacant dish washer. It took days before the brunet applied with a few tricks under his sleeves. And Hariko was greatly impressed.
The restaurant owner (slash Third Division Leader) doesn't judge a person by first impression and appearance. It was more on how competent he is to do the assigned work for him. The brunet was quick with his work, available when someone needs him to do something and very respectful. He knows when to approach and be friendly. The turning point was when he saved everyone from a dish disaster, earning him the place for the reserved chef. Then later on, he earned the spot for pastry chef after impressing a demanding customer who wanted a surprise for dessert.
What Hariko liked about Tsunayoshi working for him is his professionalism and no-problem attitude. It's probably the years of experience the brunet had in his sleeves. The way he just slides into the available work so everything keeps running and the rhythm won't be interrupted. Other than those, it's his meek personality. It's the thing that made his wife so fond of Tsunayoshi, to the point that she established a bakery shop for the brunet's talents in making sweets.
And seeing the kid bring down Kaen with just a simple move, the three are dumbfound. The movements were so smooth, and the threat felt real even though he didn't make one of the heirs bleed. So, when he went inside the room, the three can't help looking among themselves and realized the changes by then. The Tsunayoshi they knew have grew.
He sat on the provided cushion just beside the old man's bed and looked around. "You look like a prisoner in a spacious room like this."
"I've tried asking for a smaller room, but they're quite stubborn." The old man sighed; eyes still closed.
"You're the boss, you can just tell them to butt off cause you want a small room." He huffed as he eyed the old man. "Do you want me to help you sit? You look uncomfortable."
"I'd love to." The old man answered.
Tsuna sighed through his nose and turned to the four people outside the room. 'Kaen' must have gone away. "Ota-san, the boss wants to sit. I need help here."
"He can't sit." Ueda informed.
"That's simple. Let someone sit behind him." He waved off and looked at Ota. "So?"
"Alright, alright." The store manager sighed, smirking though.
Tsuna and Ota made the old man sit slowly. Hariko immediately came to rescue and sat behind the old man, back-to-back, to make him sit after folding half of the futon. Unable to bear the smell of sweat, Tsuna asked Ueda to order someone to get the old man at least a shirt to freshen up. Ueda snappily complied. Miwa went and got them snacks so their boss can at least eat something.
Everything was so fast for the others that after the sudden orders, they found themselves besides the old man, drinking their own drinks and eating some snacks. By then, Kurogane Shoji had his eyes opened and watching the brunet silently eat.
"You've grown." The old man pointed out, eating his own mochi.
"It has been eight years." Tsuna said as he nibbled on his snack. "Things can happen by then."
"Except for your hair." The old man retorted with a small smirk. The brunet immediately reached out for his hair and patted it. "I bet you have friends now."
His mind went to Karma, Koro-sensei, Nagisa and the whole Class E. "Kinda. Misfits have to stay together."
"Kunugigaoka Junior High, was it?" The old man tried to verify. "You fell in Class E."
He waved off a hand, not minding those four more pairs of ears listening. "It was a mishap on one of my exams. It fell short from the calculated score I wanted to have. But I rather like my teacher in Class E. He's competent."
"It was that yellow octopus?" Shoji noticed how those small shoulders tensed. "The government wanted our help, but I refused." They relaxed little by little. "Is he someone important?"
Tsuna hesitated before nodding.
"Hm. Then I was right to reject them."
"It didn't put you in a tight spot, did it?" He asked.
"Not at all. The government of Japan won't be that stupid to go against us. Which reminds me, how did you know?"
Tsuna sighed at the inquisitive gaze. "Learned hacking, searched her name and your name then dug way too deep to even resurface."
"Didn't I tell you to be careful?" Shoji's face turned to that stern expression that Tsuna remembers when he was seven. "Tsunayoshi, regardless of how careful you are with things, you need to double check. Always. And digging way too deep in the underworld is equivalent to digging your own grave."
Tsuna nodded. "I'm sorry."
"Do you mean that?" Brown eyes looked to his left before shaking his head. Shoji frowned. "And why not?"
"I am sorry for digging my own grave. But I'm not sorry for knowing more things that I shouldn't. It makes me feel safer that I know who I'm dealing with if I suddenly got an opportunity to interact with them." He shrugged. "There were more or less ten assassins I served in the convenient store. If I didn't know that they were assassins, I could've done something obnoxious and got myself killed on the way home."
"Point taken." Ota agrees, earning glares from the other three. "What? At least he's cautious."
"Wait. If you knew, then why didn't you reach out?" Miwa asked, making the air in the room tense up.
Tsuna looked away as the old man's imploring eyes darted to him. "Tsunayoshi-"
They all perked up when the door slammed open. The brunet carefully caught the cup Shoji-jii-san lose gripped of and set it aside with his. He noticed how the four tensed up while the old man looked more aged with how he sighed. He sat up and looked back.
By the door are the five children of Shoji-jii-san. There is the thirty-five years old first born, Suoh; the second born who is thirty-one, Wakusei; the first daughter, Seina which is twenty-nine; the twenty-eight years old second daughter Kana; and twenty-five years old Kaen, the third son. All five of them are heirs of Shoji-jii-san who were taught by private tutors, business related things about their organization, and known to be the 'best' in their own world. They are quite merciless, as he had read, and hate each other's guts. Maybe because each of them has their own kind of 'party lists' among the family.
Tsuna can determine who is who since he was provided with pictures during his 'research'. He doesn't know since it has been three years since he did it, but if he guessed right, the heir with the most probability to get the boss place is none. Well, his conclusion is it depends on Shoji-jii-san's personality from the brunet's perspective. And they are the reason why Tsuna was never contacted by the old man for eight years. Because if they knew he existed back then, he'll be killed for being an official threat to their position.
"You five-! Have you never been taught of respect?!" Ueda yelled, raising from his seat. "Barging in like the boss is not here!"
"Quiet, Ueda." Seina hissed, eyeing Tsuna as if she owns the brunet's life. "I did not come here to see you nor Dad."
Tsuna eyed the old man's expression. "Hariko-san."
The tensed restaurant owner turned to him. "Yes, Sawada?"
"What-"
"What time do they eat dinner here?" He asked, not minding Kana's words.
Ota was the one who answered for him. "Between seven or eight."
He nodded, still watching the old man's crumpled expression. "I've been wandering, Shoji-jii-san." The old man turned to him. "Have you been taught of dining table manners?"
The room went quiet as the old man's face slowly relaxed with his curiosity rising up. "I have been, why?"
"I have eaten with Hariko-san and my co-workers during a vacation in the beach. What I know is before the subordinates take their seats, they have to wait for the boss to sit down first."
"That is right." Shoji-jii-san agrees.
"Then if you enter a room," He turned to the five. "shouldn't you wait for a signal to come in too?" Tsuna pulled out his gun as the five took stances. The room froze while staring at his gun. He saw Hariko pat the sides of his hips at his peripheral. Must have noticed that his gun was missing. "I have been up against a creature with mach-twenty speed. I can kill you in five seconds with a gun, and three seconds with my hands. Stand down, turn back around and close the door. Knock then wait for an answer."
Before they could even open their mouths, Tsuna pulled the trigger. A loud gunshot was heard, a smoking gun was seen and a hole on the doorjamb can be noticed, just between Suoh's and Kanna's heads. He moved the gun centimeter to the left, right at the first born.
"One word is enough for a wise man. Are you stupid or not? Did you hear my instructions or not? Do you want me to make you dance as I repeat what I said?" He moved the gun to the floor and pulled the trigger two times for emphasize to his next words. "Get. Out."
The five went out immediately, with Seina closing the door.
He turned on the safety and passed the gun to Hariko before eyeing the old man who was stunned. "That's how a boss should demand. Now, request for a smaller room."
"You do know I won't last long." Shoji-jii-san said, slowly grinning.
"I know. That's why I'm here." He answered with a sigh. "To help you decide which heir you'll crown."
Shoji-jii-san raised a weak hand and reached out. He softly patted Tsuna's head, smiling warmly. "I'm glad you've taken my teachings to heart. You've grown so much that I felt like I missed a lot even if I'm not your parent. Your parents threw away the brightest gem they should've kept."
"Isn't that nice?" He murmured, smiling a little. "If they didn't, we won't ever meet."
"I agree." Shoji-jii-san nodded. "I agree."
Tsuna pulled the overcoat of his yukata as he strode in the hallway with Ueda as his guide. It has been two hours since the spectacular debacle of meeting the core members of Kurogane. Not that he was dismissed. He was just asked if he wanted to rest, and he took the offer, bidding the old man a short 'see you later'. Shoji-jii-san chuckled and said the same greeting.
Those two hours were good. He slept for an hour and thirty minutes, took a shower in fifteen after waking up and put on the yukata that was provided for him. He had never worn one in his lifetime, but with his counterpart's memories, Tsuna was able to put on the clothing correctly and go out just in time for Ueda to knock. The man was quite surprised after seeing him finished. He even asked if he put it alone. Being respectful, he answered 'yes'. It wasn't that hard anyway.
They stopped in front of a door. Ueda knocked thrice before opening it. Brown eyes inspected the interior before stepping in. Inside were the five heirs and the old man sitting on a zaisu or a traditional Japanese sitting chair with no legs. The old man smiled at him when he came in, almost beaming as if he didn't look constipated before the brunet came in. Inspecting the table, Tsuna is 'forced' to sit beside Kaen since his left side was vacant. It was to possibly establish that he's younger than them. He didn't mind and took his seat.
Tsuna looked back to Ueda who perked up. "Where are they?"
"Ah. They went to their own divisions." Ueda responded.
The three did assure him that they'll be back. "Where are you going to eat?"
"I'll be with my division too." Ueda smiled a little. "Please don't worry about me."
Tsuna shrugged. "I don't like it when I'm eating, and someone is not. It's not practical."
"Fuuyu will go once we start eating, Tsunayoshi." The old man assured. "Let's eat."
"Itadakimasu." He softly whispered with hands together.
Checking the food discreetly, Tsuna took the rice bowl and took a little with his chopsticks. His intuition ticked him off for half of the side dish with possible poisons. He didn't dare touch them, just feigning to get one, only to move back to the safe dishes.
He kept on eating while they talked about business and activities. He glanced up sometimes, catching the five turning to him at different times. He eyed the old man who has some difficulty eating his porridge. Seriously...
"Enough of this." Kaen cut off Wakusei as he slammed his chopsticks down on the table.
Tsuna brought his rice up and kept an eye for any spill before sighing.
"I want to know who this kid is." Kaen gritted, turning to the brunet who continued to eat. "Why did he come here now? And move like he owns the house awhile ago!"
Silence.
"He is Sawada Tsunayoshi." The old man answered. "The child I had left in Tokyo eight years ago."
"Then what is he doing here?" Kanna questioned. "He's not your child."
"I wanted to see him." The old man's face was lax as he said his next words. "He's a good kid to be with back then."
"So what? You gave him the permission to point a gun on us?" Kanna snapped.
"Yes." The old man answered. "Is that a problem? Not like you don't wave your weapons around as well."
"That's not the point, Father." Suoh stated as he brought down his utensils with a soft click. "We want to know why he is here when you haven't named the next boss yet. The five of us have been waiting for you to make decisions and you're not giving us anything."
"You want me to announce now when I'm not dead yet? What if I want to declare my heir on my dying breath?"
"Then when will-"
Tsuna let his bowl of rice do a loud 'clunk' after putting it on the table. He put the chopsticks down and thanked for the food before glaring at Seina then turned to the old man. "Should I accompany you to the garden, Shoji-jii-san?"
"The garden? Which one?" The old man asked.
"Any garden you like. You should be the one touring me around here." He pointed out as he stood up and walked for the old man. "Can you stand?"
The old man sighed. "I can't."
"Then you can sit on the wheelchair, right?" He asked.
"Yes."
Just then, someone knocked, and the door opened. Hariko bowed with Ota and Miwa behind him. "Apologies for intruding."
"Kid, Akabane called me." Ota grumbled as he stood straighter. "He said you haven't called yet."
He grimaced. "I know. I am planning to do it. Can you help me with Jii-san? He said he'll tour me around."
"Since when did he say that?!" Watusei argues, standing up. "You demanded it, Bastard! You don't just say things like he said them!"
"It's better than asking when will he die, right Seina-san?" He retorted. Like awhile ago, it caused everyone to freeze. "You're praying for his death like he deserves it. I won't even be surprised that you poisoned his porridge like you did to half of my side dishes."
"What?!" Hariko bellowed, turning red.
"I want the wheelchair." He ordered to Hariko. "Here."
"Let me help you." Miwa volunteered, stepping in.
"Out of the way, Kid." Ota said, face expressionless. Tsuna gave way. "Even if you can overthrow a middle-aged man with those arms, you can't carry heavy things."
Hariko opened the wheelchair and helped the two other Division Leaders make their boss settle in.
"Comfy?" He asked Shoji-jii-san who tried to feel himself before nodding. "Then let's go."
"Wait! You can't just take away father like this!" Kaen shouted, standing up. "You're just an adopted! You don't have the rights to do this or even barge in like you're part of our family!"
Tsuna looked back to them. "So?"
Hariko pushed the wheelchair forward and he followed. It was either Miwa or Ota who closed the door, but Tsuna didn't dare look back to them. They aren't the ones who called him there. Keen brown eyes noticed how the old man's shoulders loosen from all the tension. He sighed quietly too.
Since Tsuna said something about the food, Hariko excused himself to make their boss a hearty meal and some snacks for the brunet. Miwa did the pushing for the wheelchair until they went for the gardens.
"There are five small gardens and one big garden in the middle of the compound." Shoji-jii-san informed as they walked through the outside hallways. "They are made and named by themes. There are the Fairy World, the Garden of Affection, the Safe Haven, Secret of Dreams and Arcadia. The big garden is known as the Jungle Park."
"Which one is your favorite garden?" The brunet asked as he reached out inside his nagagi to get his two phones. "That one place you won't mind sleeping in if you suddenly get tired."
"Arcadia." The old man answered. One word but sounded so nostalgic.
"Alright." Miwa saluted and they walked for the Arcadia Garden.
Shoji-jii-san pointed at him which way to what garden. There were so many turns and hallways that the brunet almost got dizzy trying to memorize them. Either way, he focused his attention on the path towards Arcadia.
The garden 'Arcadia' appeared like a big garden with this fountain at the center, a small pond at the right and a swing by the left. There are fifteen different plants in there, including flowers that Tsuna identified as calming flowers with the help of his counterpart's memories. There are Jasmine, Lavender, Gardenia, Valerian, Peace Lily, Passion Flower, Chamomile and Gerbera Daisies. It was a mixture of green, orange, violet, pink and white. Something that makes everything just... Calming. To the eyes, the nose and how the wind just feels cool enough.
Tsuna flopped on the floor with the old man still on his wheelchair. While waiting for Hariko and letting Shoji-jii-san to start calming down his fried nerves, he dialed Karma's number.
"Tsuna!" The redhead cheered from the other side. "I thought something happened to you!"
"I ate dinner first before I called." He said while unlocking the other phone and went for his and Xanxus' chatbox. "You ate, right?"
"Yup! I'm currently drinking strawberry milk."
"Which reminds me," He paused from mid-typing and sighed. "I need to drink one too."
"You sound stressed. Did something happen?"
"No. Nothing at all." He continued to type the things he needed to inform Xanxus about. "Well, except for some... People I can't help being... Uhm. How do you say this."
"Annoyed at?"
"That." He nodded as he clipped the phone between his ear and shoulder to type with both hands. "But it's fine. Nothing I can't handle."
"I know. You're the laziest person I know."
"Laziest?" He repeated. "I beg to differ. You're the laziest between us. It's probably that good to be a genius." Tsuna rolled his eyes, knowing the other is sporting a long nose. "Get over it. I'm gonna take the first spot again with Asano."
"And you argued that you aren't one of my rivals." A huff.
"Because I'm not." He jabbed back and hit send. He looked up to see Hariko placing a tray between him and the old man. Ota pulled Shoji-jii-san's desk and placed it on the arms of the chair before placing there the bowl of freshly cooked porridge that smelled divine. "My situation is different from the two of you."
"Oh shut up. You just want to get away after getting the top yourself."
He can't help his soft chuckle. Well, that's partly true. "Should I say you got it right?"
Karma laughed on the other line. "Damn right I did. You just like to deny it."
They talked a little more before Tsuna bid his farewell. He looked down to Xanxus message and replied then inspected what the old man is doing. "You're eating well, unlike awhile ago."
Shoji-jii-san smiled delicately as he spooned his porridge with a weak hand. "Being an old man makes me tense about a lot of things. My children are too volatile for me to handle these past years. Even when they handle the organization activities."
"You know, your children are children." He commented as he picked a wafer from the variety of snacks on his plate. "They all want the seat like they can't live a life without it. Why can't they just choose the eldest to inherit it, then kill him after a year so the second will be placed on the sit. Do the same thing until no heirs are left, then the nearest to power will be the boss. A simple and practical solution."
"That is a good solution." The old man agreed, humoring him.
The brunet looked at the old man who was gazing at him too before they grinned at each other then turned somber.
"Tsunayoshi, can you hold yourself against them? Until my last breath?" Shoji-jii-san queried worriedly. "I don't want you to get hurt because I'm unreasonable."
"They may be your children, but the organization is also your child. This came before them. If they don't care about it that much, then disregard them. They don't deserve the position."
"It's better I choose someone else than them if they aren't worth it." Shoji-jii-san nodded in understanding before smiling at him with a hand reached out. "Thank you for being my family's temporary boss, Tsunayoshi."
Tsuna reached out and took the back of the old man's hand to his forehead. "The least I could do to thank you, Shoji-jii-san."
That night, the word spread like wildfire. The only ones who didn't knew of this are the heirs.
