A.N.: I think an apology is in order after I labeled Kiseki no Sedai as high school students in the summary before. Already corrected it, though.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own KnB.
For some reason, Kagami couldn't relax his back on the car's seat.
Maybe because it was too freaking silent it was almost suffocating? Or maybe he just couldn't shake the feeling he was riding in an illegally owned vehicle? It's a Yakuza thing to steal stuff occasionally, after all. Or perhaps it was because he was seated at the back between this violet haired giant and this redhead who attacked him earlier?
Kagami thought that it was probably because of all.
It had only been for about half an hour since he found himself being with them, but it felt like forever.
The green haired man was the one driving, while the blue haired one was at the passenger seat, already snoring. Kagami kind of envied him; if it wasn't for his current situation, he was most likely fast asleep.
Nobody could sleep like a baby with the fear of your neck highly possible to be slit open.
The three of them were cramped at the backseat and he was purposely placed in the middle most likely to avoid him from escaping. Sensing his distress, the man on his left smirked. "Relax, Taiga. We meant no harm."
"No harm, my ass. You almost killed me earlier!" Is what he wanted to say, but he grunted instead.
"We still have an hour more on the road."
"What?!"
Akashi dismissed his reaction. "You can ask us anything you want to know for the meantime."
Knowing it was the most useful idea, Kagami decided to ask the first thing that was bugging his mind. "Who the hell are you people?"
The bespectacled man who was driving looked at Kagami for a brief moment through the front mirror.
"I told you, we are the Kiseki no Sedai," Akashi replied flatly. "As I mentioned before, I am the leader, Akashi Seijuro. The person on your right is Murasakibara Atsushi. The one driving us is Midorima Shintaro and the other is Aomine Daiki."
Kagami found it easy to memorize given their family names resemble the Japanese names of the colors of their hair. "O-Okay? And I presume you are taking me to the new kumicho?" He scratched his head. "Uh, that's what my father said on the phone," he added.
"Are you stupid?" Midorima suddenly said with distaste. "Akashi is the kumicho. He had been since he was in high school."
Kagami gaped at the person in front of him. His hunch was right then. "Tell me that's not true."
"Unfortunately for you, it is the truth." Akashi crossed his legs.
"Argh, I don't really understand it! You just said you're the leader of Kiseki no Sedai. But I was told it was the head of Teiko who called for me!" Kagami exclaimed loudly. "Now I don't know where you're taking me, dammit!"
"Will you keep your voice down?" An awake Aomine barked, very irritated.
"I am not talking to you. Go back to sleep," Kagami snapped back.
"What did you say, you idiot?"
"You shut up too, Mine-chin," Murasakibara drawled.
"Stay out of this, Murasakibara. Go eat you snack or something."
Midorima sighed when he heard them banter. "Kids."
Though when Akashi cleared his throat not too quietly, they piped down.
"To answer your question earlier, Taiga," Akashi began. "I am the head of both groups."
Kagami thought he should have felt guilty for talking back quite rudely to someone of the higher rank. Although Akashi makes him feel this air of a formidable leader and all, somehow, the taller redhead did not regret his actions one bit. Even though the said leader is the head of two organizations at that.
"How the fuck is that even possible?"
"Let me explain the difference of the two. Teiko, the one your father served under once, is a large group. I had taken the position from Nijimura Shuzo when he had given it up due to personal reasons after two and a half years he reigned. Everyone else here with you are also active members of Teiko.
Kiseki no Sedai is the little organization in the higher ranks that I formed with only the members of Teiko I deemed the best. Unfortunately, not a single one was added since."
Kagami kind of get the gist of it. But still, he was confused. He knew Teiko is known throughout the country; known for their men and leaders. Then there, with him, are the best members Akashi himself picked. Kagami doesn't doubt that.
What he doesn't get is why Kiseki no Sedai had to be founded.
"Kiseki no Sedai is different from those lowly cretins who call themselves Yakuzas for the sake of greed," Akashi replied after Kagami asked him about it. "Human trafficking, prostitution, and spreading of illegal drugs are rampant among our kind nowadays. War among groups are becoming more and more senseless and often involving civilians. As if we're almost no different from black syndicates.
"The Yakuzas way back have more code and honor than that."
"Hey." Kagami's split brows furrowed , dread at the pit of his stomach. "Don't tell me..."
Akashi broke the eye contact, gazing at the night sky through the car's window. "You do know that no matter how low your rank is, being part of a Yakuza group alone, already puts you in danger. But us, the Kiseki no Sedai, takes ten times more of that hazard.
"Our aim is to eliminate all of the 'trash' polluting this country.
"It is what makes us the enemies of almost everyone. The authorities, syndicates, ringleaders, or even fellow Yakuzas.
"And most likely, we'll be one of the receiving end of the citizens' loathing."
Everyone was silent as Akashi continued. "We're prepared for the worst. Ties with one's family are already cut, the same with acquaintances and colleagues. Unlike you, Taiga, we're from common families who have nothing to do or even related with any group. We even have to go as far as to send them across other countries to avoid them getting involved with our movements.
"Being part of this organization has been everyone's independent decision."
The atmosphere began to get heavy again, much thicker than earlier. No one was uttering a word since then. Midorima was simply focused on the road; Murasakibara leaning against the door, staring outside. Kagami wasn't sure whether Aomine went back to his fitful slumber, and then there was Akashi who was looking straight ahead.
"Tell me then," Kagami began, addressing the leader. "Where do I fit in this?"
The question pulled Akashi from his own musing. "Are you telling me, Taiga, that after that explanation, you still have no idea why I wanted to meet you personally?"
The latter gulped when he noticed the former's eyes glinting dangerously in the dark.
"It should be obvious by now that you're going to be part of us."
Kagami's eyes snapped open at the unfamiliar ceiling.
He had hoped it was all a dream, really. From the moment he landed at the country and then being attacked by a pair of scissors, until he was recruited as one of the Kiseki no Sedai.
Kiseki no Sedai, a group known for their notoriety. But after he heard everything from the leader himself last night, he began to think they are anything but that.
He draped an arm against his eyes. Going as far as to cut ties with families... I wonder if I can even do that.
You do not have to do the same is what he was told by Akashi. He pointed out that most of Kagami's relatives are living in States anyway. That and his father was most likely to be well trained in self defense, knowing the risks and everything (being an accountant of a group), that he could protect himself in worst case scenarios. Akashi said they sent their families away mainly for precautions and overall safety.
It wasn't because Kagami feared for his life. Heck, he didn't practice Vale Tudo and made himself familiar at least in handling small weapons for nothing. But now that he pondered on it, he has yet to use his aforementioned skills, given that he hasn't faced such danger that required him to do so.
He would survive.
Not in a sense where he would not be scared of throwing his life for unreasonable riots and wars.
But if anyone could take care of him the most, it would be himself.
Stretching, he stood up to head for the kitchen after fixing the futon.
The headquarters of the other four was a large rest house once owned by the Akashi's. Its structure was of typical Japanese style with rice paper doors. Outside was a well-tended garden and a koi pond, both located at the back, and at the front was where the black Bentley Mulsanne was parked (he was assured it isn't stolen from some filthy rich owner). The place is nice with an ambiance of peacefulness.
Totally the opposite of the life leading by the people currently living there.
Kagami found the kitchen at the far west wing of the house. The cupboards were dusty when he opened it. Except for the utensils, cups, and plates, it seems that everything else were untouched. He briefly wondered if they even bothered to cook for themselves.
"How did they manage to survive this long?" he mumbled to himself as he put on the maroon apron hanging near the door. Kagami proceeded to crack the eggs he found in the fridge, frowning in disapproval as he mentally noted that a restocking had to be done. Well, maybe he could do that later.
He maneuvered himself around the room with ease. Chopping onion stalks while waiting for the toasts and for the water to boil. He did not prepare the coffee immediately, taking into consideration all of them may not have the same preference. He set aside the canisters of coffee and tea leaves just in case.
Kagami added the chopped stalks at the bowl containing the beaten egg, mixing them together with a fork. He then heated the pan and melted some butter instead of putting oil. The eggs were easily cooked and so he had them plated after five minutes.
Toasts, scrambled eggs, and hot beverages were the only thing Kagami could prepare with very limited ingredients.
"I see you are doing well." He heard someone speak. It was Akashi leaning against the doorway, groomed already and seems ready to go. "Good morning, Taiga."
"Ah, 'morning." The taller man watched the other get a red cup. Now that he noticed it, there were also identical but of different colors. Kagami held up the thermos. "So... coffee or tea?"
"I prefer the latter, please. Thank you."
The clock ticked at exactly seven. Akashi wakes up at this hour then, Kagami mused while sipping his own drink, deciding to join the leader. "Are the others usually, you know, late riser or something?"
"Shintaro and I gets up around the same time. Although he might be a few minutes late due to his daily ritual."
Midorima's everyday ritual, as Akashi labeled it, sounds suspicious to Kagami.
"Not the same can be said about the other two. They will never budge from sleep unless I deal with them myself."
Kagami guessed dealing with them also involves unidentified, flying deadly objects.
"Ah."
Akashi went for a toast with the least burnt sides. "It was a surprise to find you up first. I was expecting you resemble Daiki, personality speaking. Though my assumptions about you are not exactly accurate, they are not entirely wrong."
"My biological clock is not working properly yet." The former groaned. "Besides, what makes you think I'm identical to that bastard?"
"You both have the same mental capacity, and a certain level of stupidity."
If being compared to Aomine (who Kagami has an impression of being a dickhead, after being called an idiot when he was one himself) wasn't bad enough, Akashi even dare measure his idiocy. He knew he isn't the smartest of person out there, but damn, he isn't at the bottom of the chain either.
Kagami did not like it whenever Akashi smiled the way he was doing right then. It's like he knows whatever Kagami is currently thinking, which should not be supposedly possible because Akashi wasn't a psychic- or maybe he is now? And if he isn't Kagami Taiga, he might have cowered before the man after being simply stared at with those different colored eyes.
"They must be tired," Akashi commented as he settled down his empty cup. "The last decent rest they had was seven days ago."
Seven days...The piece of egg Kagami swallowed was stuck in his throat. "You," he pointed with his finger; addressing his leader in a crude way was the least of his priorities. "After all the explanation crap you put me up about wanting to clean this country from people no better than garbage, and bearing several times the danger for that duty that any moment could be your final, you people sure are reckless about your own well-being. I don't know how you even function fine enough to intimidate others with the way you lived off of take out foods and not having an ounce of tiredness for a week!" He practically yelled.
Kagami continued when he received no response. "You'll all die before teaching those fucking bastards a lesson. And－what's funny?"
The smaller man waved a hand dismissively, after composing himself. "It's nothing." He had no idea that for someone as large as Kagami (perhaps the same as his ego) could sound like a nagging mother. "I find your concern rather amusing."
Said man blushed in embarrassment.
Not pushing the topic further, the leader stood up, straightening himself. "The others will surely be here in any minute." He turned his back from the exit. "Tonight will be the sakazukigoto. The day is yours until then. I will be taking care of some business for the meantime."
"Maybe I'll check up on Dad. Haven't heard a word from him."
"Oh, about that," Akashi said, suddenly remembering something. "I already sent your father back to States the other day."
Vale Tudo: means 'anything goes'. A full contact combat sport that is very popular in Brazil. The techniques are from different martial arts.
sakazukigoto: initiation for the new recruits, involves drinking sake in the same cup.
A.N.: As you can see, I incorporated the personality of the two Akashi(s). I used the emperor Akashi's eyes (for intimidation), his scissors throwing tendencies, and his first name basis to others. Then the 'normal' Akashi being a conversationalist without the excessive superiority complex, but not losing the bluntness. He might appear out of character to your likeness.
TBC