Chapter 04
Sanzu I — Cheesecake
He is fucked.
Indefinitely, painfully, glamorously fucked.
Why didn't he listen to that smug idiot Ran Haitani when he warned him about not hurting anyone from Karasuda-kai? Why didn't he listen to Kakucho about putting his gun down even though an old man, who is better off saying his prayers on his deathbed, pointed a gun in his face?
Most of all, how did he not know that Yancy is the Shirakawa-kai boss?
He snarls as he scrubs himself raw in the shower, until his pale skin flushes red and almost stinging from the hot water. He could not forget the humiliating feeling of having to be reunited with Yancy like that—him being the main culprit of this conflict.
To make it more humiliating, Bonten's Number Two only got away from the severe punishment because he had 'childhood friendship' privileges.
He steps out of the shower and rubs a fluffy towel to his damp hair. Steam clouds his entire bathroom, and he walks towards the mirror and swipes a large hand over the surface.
The man he sees is the man he has always been. Scarred—figuratively and literally. He steps forward and leans one arm on the sink, while his other hand reaches out to scratch his nail over one diamond-shaped scar. It is rough towards the edges, sending a prickling sensation on his skin. He wrinkles his nose.
Ugly.
Yancy must have been horrified to see him like this.
Last time she saw him, he was still Haruchiyo Akashi—the sweet, timid little boy too shy and scared to talk to his classmates. One who brought storybooks to her and taught her easy Japanese words.
In contrast, Yancy seems to be the same as she was before—energetic, playful and mischievous, his first friend outside Mikey and Baji. Except that she is now the leading boss of a large yakuza family.
Sanzu groans and rubs a hand over his eyes. He still cannot believe all this. He cannot believe that he was such an impatient fool that led to this conflict. Then again, he pauses and reconsiders.
If it was not for his stupidity, Yancy wouldn't have gone to Tokyo to resolve the problem—she wouldn't have stooped low from the top of the food chain to mingle with a new organization such as Bonten.
So, once again, in his own reckless way, Sanzu saves the day.
He runs a hand through his damp pink locks and walks back into the living room.
His apartment is cold and empty, as always. He has minimal food and drinks, as he should. Living alone has its advantages, allowing him to be as flexible or lazy whenever he feels like it, without anyone telling him what to do. Smothering people—well—irritate him.
A notification dings on the glass coffee table. He perks up. That particular ringtone is reserved for his king.
07:36 Mikey: Can you get me dorayaki on the way to the office? Thanks.
He smiles to himself. What Mikey wants, Mikey gets.
07:36 Sanzu: Sure, boss.
It seems like a rather warm day. That's bad. He hates the sun. Moving towards the mirror, he notices his black face mask—one that he hasn't used in about six years now, ever since Mucho died.
Just to be sure, he grabs the mask and puts it in his pocket.
Sanzu walks down the street. It is so hot that he has to pull his long pink hair into a high ponytail above his head. He is wearing a simple dress shirt and black slacks. His hand is deep in his pocket, fingers twiddling with the mask's strings. He could hardly go around town without people staring at his scars—and it is hard to stop himself from committing murder in broad daylight.
He easily finds the convenience store and buys the boss a handful of dorayaki and even taiyaki packs to last the week. But knowing Mikey, he would go through the stock in less than two days.
Sanzu buys one more dorayaki pack in case of emergency.
As he steps out in the warm sunlight again, he sighs and walks back to where he parked his car. He checks his watch and purses his lips. He still has enough time for his own needs.
The Cozy Corner is not too far from the store. A two-minute drive, not even a hassle.
I could use some snacks myself.
He turns to the familiar street and slows his car to a stop. Not too far from where he is, he notices a short figure in a dress, accompanied by a tall man in a white suit. Sanzu blanches, eyes wide.
Of all places, it has to be here. He frowns again, now deciding whether to get a cheesecake or not. On one hand, he would get his dessert and enjoy eating irresponsibly in his apartment. On the other hand—
He sighs in defeat and climbs out of his car, smoothing his shirt and tightening his ponytail. He takes his mask out and adjusts it over his face, over his scars.
A waitress, wearing an over-the-top maid outfit with ribbons and white stockings, cheerfully welcomes him to their establishment. He ignores her and beelines towards the counter with the menu on the screen. The café is packed, so there's a good chance that she won't even—
"Oh! Haru-chin!"
Sanzu winces and turns to his left.
Yancy comes bounding towards him. She wears a short, off-the-shoulder pastel pink dress and doll shoes, her hair a wavy tumble over her shoulders and back. He catches a glimpse of some dark tattoos over her shoulder blades. Behind her, Volkner looms and trails at her shadow like any loyal dog, something that Sanzu himself could relate to.
"What are you doing here?" Yancy asks, her blue-and-gray eyes sparkling at him.
"Uh, to get food?" he mumbles, a strange lump in his throat constricting his breathing.
"Oh? What are you getting?" She tips her head up towards the menu, lips pursed at the wide selection.
"Probably just the usual," he says with a shrug. "The strawberry cheesecake."
"Oh, that sounds nice." She checks at the glass case with the sample cheesecakes on display. She bends down at the waist, her skirts lifting over the back of her thighs, showing off the smooth and pale skin.
Sanzu flushes and flinches, looking around at the other customers. He catches one man standing behind the line, eyes trying to sneak a peek beneath her skirts. Immediately upset, Sanzu steps in the man's line of sight, shielding Yancy from him, and throws a death glare at him.
The other man swallows and backs down, looking elsewhere.
He scoffs and turns around for Yancy, still shielding her. He glares at her as well, not knowing whether she is ignorant or careless or just plain brain dead. Knowing her, probably all of the above.
She straightens herself and beams at him. "What about an Oreo cheesecake?"
He shrinks from her overwhelming energy and shrugs. "Uh, sure."
Nodding, she chatters to the server, pointing at their choice and taking the liberty of choosing their drinks as well. That gives Sanzu another pause—he didn't mean to eat here. He meant to bring a box home so he could eat much later. But now, Yancy is holding her hand out and Volkner drops a black card on her palm.
"Wait—" But there is no waiting as she finishes the transaction, clings onto Sanzu's arm, and walks them towards the booth beside the glass windows. There is a single red rose in a clear vase on their table.
"Why are you out so early in the morning?" he asks suspiciously, seated across from her.
"I finished all my work for the day," she chirps.
Over her shoulder, Volkner shakes his head at Sanzu and mouths, 'No, she did not'.
Despite himself, Sanzu chuckles. Yancy blinks and pokes her tongue out at her lieutenant.
A waitress swoops in to deliver their food: Oreo cheesecake for Yancy, strawberry cheesecake for Sanzu, and two other large boxes with silk bows on top. There is lemon iced tea to accompany the desserts, with Yancy diving face first into the platter and humming at the sweetness.
He keeps his hands on his lap, content on watching her eat. He doesn't know any protocols when dealing with the country's leading yakuza boss. Sure, he knows how to deal with Yancy—but this woman in front of him is so much more than the Yancy that he cherished in childhood.
Is he supposed to address her with honorifics? Volkner doesn't seem to do so. Is he supposed to bow and walk ten steps away from her? Or much further than that? Is he even allowed to look her in the eyes, or to speak in such careless manner, or what about his appearance—god, he should have worn his other shirt—
Her head comes up from eating her pastry, the corners of her mouth stained with cookie crumbs. Now this sight, he remembers. Not so much different from little Yancy feasting on cookies during lunch breaks.
"What's wrong, Haru-chin?" she murmurs, tilting her head. "Something on my face?"
Yeah. Lots of cookie crumbs.
"Oh, did I order it wrong? I thought you liked the strawberry cheesecake?"
"I like it," he whispers against his mask. "But I'm not really hungry right now."
"Oh." Her eyes go down, the disappointment filling her once bright face.
"But I can take a bite or two," he says—and relaxes when her face lights up and her eyes sparkle.
Nervously, Sanzu reaches behind his ears and removes the straps of his mask. He holds his breath as the black fabric slips, the cold air conditioning spreading across his skin. He fights the persistent urge to hide his scars, to sneer and bare his teeth as a mechanism to defend himself from the gasps of horror and looks of pity from other people.
Bright blue eyes search for Yancy—she stares so softly into his face that she looks like dreaming, her lips curving into a gentle smile. She stares as though he is a painting, her mismatched eyes committing every rough edge and curve of his face, lingering on his hideous scars.
She smiles wider and goes back to her cheesecake.
He finally exhales, awkward fingers reaching out for the fork. He didn't expect such a reaction. He is used to being ridiculed and teased, or stared at like some circus freak. Nothing out of the ordinary. He has learned how to handle the judgemental looks on a daily basis.
"Are you going to work after this?" she hums against her food.
"Yes," he murmurs, popping a sliced strawberry into his mouth. "Meetings again."
"Will Manjiro-san be there?"
"Yes." It sounds strange to hear the boss' real name. "And you can call him Mikey."
"That's him?" She is surprised. All these years writing about Mikey and now he is there, in the flesh.
"Yes." He shrugs, unsure whether Mikey even realized that the Shirakawa boss and his Yancy are the same.
"Huh," she drawls, licking the cream off her spoon. "I thought he'd be taller."
Sanzu snorts ungracefully, dropping his fork to his platter. "Wow, rude," he gasps with a wheeze.
She giggles at his reaction, before parting a big glob of cheesecake and stuffing her face into it. She quite reminds him of Mikey whenever the boss eats more than his cheeks could take, faces puffing up as they take small bites and little swallows.
"So, how have you been, Haru?" She sits back and offers another friendly smile. The early morning sun is in her face, brightening her features all the more, revealing the flecks in her blue-and-gray eyes.
"I've been well," he answers, rather evasive. Unlike her—a daughter of a rich man and now a crime boss herself—Sanzu has nothing really worthy to boast about. "I joined Tokyo Manji Gang when I was in middle school, and from there, I followed Mikey's Kanto Manji Gang, and now Bonten."
"You and Manjiro come from a long way then," she realizes with a small nod. "That sounds good. It is hard to find constant and loyal men these days. Makes me grateful for Volkner here—"
She throws a mischievous grin over her shoulder. Her lieutenant just shakes his head.
Then she beams back to Sanzu. "So! Any girlfriends yet?"
He chokes on his cake, wheezing again. "What the hell," he coughs, glaring in her direction.
She laughs, flashing him an apologetic grin. "Sorry. Rin-Rin dared me to ask you," she says in her defense.
He has forgotten how everything is amusing for her. If nothing is, then she creates the amusement herself. Everything is a game to see what would be funny or not. No wonder she gets along with the Haitanis well.
He takes a few gulps of the lemon iced tea. "What a dumb question," he points out and she bites her lower lip, finding his reaction utterly hilarious perhaps. He pretends frowning at her, lips tugged downwards, but she just laughs and takes the opportunity to steal the remaining strawberry from his plate and eat it.
Sanzu lets out a gasp undignified from Bonten's Mad Dog—but that was his strawberry, from his plate, from his side of the table. He glowers as she snorts in laughter, but now he could not bring it to himself to be upset when she is bright and warm like this.
After eating, he clears the table and stands up. "I have to go to the office now."
Cue Yancy flashing him a sad puppy-eyed look, then she turns to Volkner and whines, "I wanna go, too."
"What would you even do there, Arianne?" he asks patiently. "You're not needed there."
"I can say hello to Ran and Rindou."
"And how will you get back to the hotel?" Volkner asks again.
"I'll walk," she huffs. "I can take a taxi or take the subway."
"You've never taken a taxi," he points out. "Or the subway. Do you even know what a rail pass is for?"
"It's to pass the rail—" she insists and he shakes his head at her.
"I can drive her back if you really need someone with her," Sanzu volunteers, earning a gasp of delight from her. "If Mikey spares me. If not, I'm sure one of the Haitani brothers can take her."
"See?" Yancy puffs out her chest in pride. "Haru-chin's gonna take care of me."
What? Sanzu blinks. No, I'm not.
"Very well," the lieutenant concedes, broad shoulders dropping in defeat.
Huh? Oh, shit.
He didn't expect to get this far with these two, but he just watches from the sidelines as Yancy giggles and tiptoes to pat the six-footer Volkner on his head. Sanzu fights the urge to smile. As far as he remembers, the master and servant are more like an exasperated father and a spoiled daughter.
Now that she has gotten her way, which is always, Yancy takes Sanzu's arm and steps out of the café with him, leaving Volkner. She carries the two large boxes in her left hand.
Then, her right hand slips from his arm down to his hand, their hands now clasped together. He tries not to act so surprised and awkward, lips pressed into a line and jaw set tightly, as Yancy lifts their hands and twirls from under the space, her pink skirts billowing around her legs.
"Where do you live, Haru?"
"I have an apartment here in Shibuya," he murmurs. "Just a small one," he adds as a humble afterthought.
"Oh, nice! You should hang out with me and the Haitanis one of these nights!"
Him, Yancy, with Ran and Rindou Haitani? That sounds like the perfect combination for chaos.
They continue down the road. Still hand-clasped, she makes another twirl, this time around Sanzu himself, and he has to slow down so she could make the full circle and stop right in front of him.
Face to face, eyes only on each other, the world around them feels like nothing. There is nothing Haruchiyo could see and feel in this very moment but her and her pretty little smile. Wordlessly, Yancy lifts her free hand and, drawn to some unknown enchantment, Haruchiyo mirrors her movement, offering his own hand.
Their fingers intertwine. She squeezes her palms together, the physical contact so early in the morning a little too overwhelming for Sanzu, setting a thousand of his nerves alive.
She tiptoes and closes the distance between their faces. Sanzu holds his breath, suddenly nervous.
"What do you say?" she is asking.
"Huh?" He blinks rapidly, caught off-guard. "Say to what?"
She giggles. "Going out with me and my brothers?"
Oh? Oh. They're doing this right now?
He looks away and shrugs. "Maybe."
Yancy turns around again and starts walking down the street ahead of him.
His eyes follow where her skirts are still bouncing off her thighs. What the fuck was that about?
He swallows and catches up behind her, waiting with the crowd for the light to go green.
In his peripheral vision, someone is staring at him. He glances sideways—a baby in its mother's carrier is babbling incoherently, a chubby fist shoved into its slobbering mouth. Its dark eyes are shimmering with wonder, that saliva-covered fist opening and reaching out to touch Sanzu's pink ponytail.
Despite himself, he softens at the little baby and smiles. Haruchiyo Sanzu smiles at the baby, even though he does step back a little so that it doesn't touch his hair.
The light turns green, and the crowd moves to cross the road. Sanzu immediately drops his smile and scowls. Once more, he feels another stare boring through him. Looking down, one slender eyebrow raised, he blinks at Yancy. She just smiles and nuzzles her nose against his bicep. He gulps.
He really needs to know the protocols on handling yakuza bosses.
He takes her to where his black Audi is parked. He feels a burst of pride when she hums in approval, trailing her fingertips over the bumper. "This is nice," she comments.
He drives them to Bonten's office, gathering Mikey's snacks in his arms while Yancy insists on carrying the two other boxes of whatever she bought from the Cozy Corner. A pair of guards bow to Sanzu. The woman in a tight black dress in the lobby smiles and greets him and his friend.
Reaching the conference room, Sanzu opens the door for Yancy, allowing her to step in first before he follows.
As usual, the other executives are already here. Ran and Rindou are in their seats, chatting with Kakucho and showing something from their phone. Kokonoi is typing away in his laptop while Takeomi is peering over his shoulder and whispering. Mochi is napping in the back, head resting against his chair.
And Mikey—his king and boss is brooding on his throne, looking none too pleased to see Yancy.
"Oh, hello, love." Ran stands up and pulls her into an embrace. "Is this for me?" he asks, making grabby hands to the boxes in her arms.
"Get off me, old man," she teases, lifting a leg and pushing him away with her shoe. Ran comes away with a very dramatic, very offended gasp at being referred to as an 'old man'.
"Did you get what I asked for, Sanzu?" Mikey's voice snaps, already displeased that Sanzu brought Yancy along without permission. Again, the executives are running like wild children because of her presence.
"Yes, I did." Sanzu moves forward and presents the packs upon packs of both dorayaki and taiyaki. Mikey nods in silent approval, and Sanzu goes to the nearest cabinet to refill the boss' stock.
"Are there any updates from our good friends, the Onimaru-kai?" Yancy singsongs as she presents the two black boxes on the table. At once, Ran and Rindou are standing on either side of her, like excited puppies.
"I thought I told you I'd let you know if there are updates," Mikey retorts, his tone far from friendly. Sanzu blinks at Kokonoi, who shrugs. The boss is making it too obvious that he doesn't like Arianne Shirakawa.
"It's been three days," she chirps, not perturbed by Mikey's harsh tone. "Although this sounds like a rather strange observation on my part, I'm guessing they'll move by Friday evening."
"What's your basis on that?" Mikey narrows his eyes.
"Hm." She purses her lips, looking at the ceiling for a second. "Just a change in wind, I think."
Then Yancy opens one box, pulling at the strings and the lid. The executives around her gasp. Curiously, Sanzu also approaches and checks over her shoulder—it is a crème brûlée cheesecake topped with small blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries. Even Mikey stops from brooding, face lighting up slowly.
She smiles at them. "Here, a little treat from me. I hope you like it, gentlemen."
Mochi is even awake now, mouth salivating. "God, I'm glad we're friends."
Takeomi chuckles, but then slaps Rin's hand from sneaking to steal a blueberry. "Wash your hands first!"
Everyone—except Mikey and Sanzu—rushes outside, racing to wash their hands and grab plates and forks from the cafeteria. Yancy laughs to herself to see them so excited.
"Haru-chin," she calls out, her voice forever soft. He steps in next to her. "This is all yours, m'kay?"
"Mine?" he repeats, confused. He removes the ribbon on the second box and peeks under the lid—a large strawberry cheesecake with copious amounts of fresh strawberries with thick strawberry syrup running and dripping down the sides. Holy shit, strawberry everything.
His blue eyes widen at the particular attention he is receiving from her today, and looks down at her.
She nudges him playfully on the shoulder. Allowing a quiet laugh of his own, Sanzu nudges her back.
Something dark and quiet moves in his peripheral vision. Sanzu stops playing around when he realizes that Mikey is still in the conference room with them, glaring.
That night, Sanzu goes home later than usual. Tired through and through, he kicks the door close and flops on the couch, arms and legs spread. As much as he loves his boss and his job, the meetings suck balls. If only they could run a criminal organization without dozens of meetings a day, he'd be grateful.
His entire day has been such a whirlwind, starting from that annoying Yancy to those stupidly annoying Haitanis that finally coming home at this late in the night, only does he realize how dark and empty and cold his apartment truly is.
Usually, he relishes the silence. He likes being alone with his thoughts. Now, he feels rather… lonely… While Ran and Rindou are probably out there hanging out with Yancy, Sanzu is right here… with no one to talk to.
No one to tell how his day went. No one to complain or vent about the meetings. Or to snitch about how Ran fell asleep five minutes before an important call. Not even a pet to greet him after a long day or work.
Literally nothing for one Haruchiyo Sanzu.
He sighs and forces himself up, trudging like a boneless zombie to the kitchen. His face lights up.
But hey! He has strawberry cheesecake. That counts for something, right?
He changes from his suit to his comfortable shirt and sweatpants, perches himself on the stool, and starts digging straight into the box, disregarding any decorum or modesty. Fuck you, I'm hungry.
As he is chewing on a strawberry, his phone dings. He cocks his eyebrow at the ungodly time.
00:36 Unknown number: What cheese can never be yours?
His lips curl upwards into an amused smirk. He takes his phone and replies.
00:36 Sanzu: Where did you get my number, Arianne?
00:37 Unknown number: Nacho cheese!
He rolls his eyes, trying to be cold, trying to bite back a growing smile.
00:38 Sanzu: Did Rindou put you up to this?
His phone dings again, echoing in the darkness and shattering the usual silence.
00:40 Unknown number: What do you call a small potato?
00:40 Sanzu: Yancy.
00:40 Unknown number: :O
00:41 Unknown number: Wrong!
He chuckles, his dessert completely forgotten.
00:41 Sanzu: Why are you still up at this time, *small fry*?
00:42 Unknown number: :O
00:42 Unknown number: You got it! Haru, you're a genius!
With a fond smile, Sanzu saves her number and changes the contact name to 'Yancy'.
00:43 Sanzu: It's late. Why are you still up?
00:46 Yancy: Hanging out with the bros! Come with us! [sent photo]
He narrows his eyes at the very blurry photo of Yancy in a bright place somewhere. She is clinging onto a very muscular arm of a tall male with blonde hair. Just from that, he already knows it's Rindou. And in the corner, Ran's long ass arm is outstretched as he points at something from a distance.
Always feeling the need to investigate, Sanzu checks every nook and cranny of the photo, coming to the conclusion that the three idiots are in one of Roppongi's clubs. Plus, he knows how Ran and Rindou are.
He is about to reply when he gets cut off by another loud notification. He starts to smile but then his lips twitch downwards in annoyance.
00:50 Yancy: Stop texting my sister, you stalker. [sent photo]
The photo attached shows Rindou, bathed in the neon red lights of the club, sticking his tongue out and flashing his middle finger to the camera. In the background, a blurry Yancy is offering a shot to Ran.
Sanzu scowls at Rindou's insinuation and replies:
00:52 Sanzu: Eat my ass, Haitani.
00:53 Yancy: Language! I'm gonna tell Yancy! :P
Sanzu panics, scrambling to delete the message when—
'Yancy is calling…'
Well. Shit.
Life as he knew it was good while it lasted. He is never gonna hear the end of it from Arianne, who'll most likely stand by Rindou's side. Bracing himself for a good scolding, Sanzu sighs and answers the call.
The voice on the other line is the painfully familiar voice of the yakuza boss.
"Haruuuu!" Yancy singsongs, no doubt beaming already. He could already imagine her bright smile. "Where are you? Come 'ere and join us! We're at this club and—Rin, stop poking me!—and we need another one!"
"Let me guess." Sanzu caresses his temple, trying to sound exasperated. He hears a little worried whimper coming from her. "You guys are doing games and you need a fourth person to even the teams out?"
"Mm-hmm," she drawls. "So, are you coming—ah, Ran, no!"
"Who is this?" Ran Haitani practically growls into the receiver. "Whoever you are, she's not interested and you will have to go through me first. So, fuck off—"
"It's me, you idiot," Sanzu hisses back.
"Oh? Haruchiyo!" Ran chirps for one second, then his tone sharpens again. "Yeah, so as I was saying, she's not interested and you need to go through me and Rindou first. So, fuck off—"
There's a sudden loud thudding noise, the club's music booming in the background. Yancy's voice makes a comeback, sounding so much better and sweeter than that annoying Haitani.
"Nii-chan, I love you, but respectfully fuck off," Yancy says with a laugh, before turning her attention back to Sanzu. She also sounds exasperated. "Sorry, Haru-chin. They're already drunk. I'll have to call Volkner to haul them back home. Let's hang out next time, okay? Good night!"
"Yeah." He couldn't help but smile at the thought of the spoiled Yancy babysitting the Haitani brothers. He could already imagine Volkner scolding them three. "I'll see you around. Good night, Yancy."
"Mhm. Nighty night, Ha—Rindou Haitani, stop poking me!"
Three nights later, on Friday, Bonten moves out.
Mikey assembles a hundred of their best fighters, all grinning like wild animals at the prospect of fighting tonight. As the second-in-command, Sanzu gathers the six other executives, nodding to each of them as they all put their guns in their holsters and carry a secret knife in their boots or behind their waists. Sanzu himself has his tanto dagger in its usual place behind his hips, hidden under his black coat.
His gun is a comfortable weight at his side as he drives through the streets of Shibuya. They are moving like a convoy, several dark cars in one file. He has Mikey in the front passenger seat, looking boredly out to the numerous shops ahead.
Almost an hour later, they arrive at their destination—the confrontation between Onimaru-kai and Bonten will take place at the old warehouse near Adachi City border, too far away from Shibuya for Bonten to even think of sending for reinforcements.
Sanzu frowns as he takes a lingering look across the dark area. The soil beneath his leather shoes feels mushy from the rain yesterday, and the air is damp and cold, smelling something of wet grass and algae.
The rest are scattered throughout the area. Some are smoking, the orange glow of their cigarettes blinking as though embers in the shadows. The executives are surrounding their boss, Mikey standing the shortest among them all, but his head is held high, his deep eyes observant.
"She's here," Rindou whispers, as his brother turns to the approaching car.
Volkner steps out first, always in a white suit, a bleached spot on a black canvas. He opens the door and there goes Yancy, in a short black dress, looking around the area, too.
Sanzu presses his lips. Gone is his face mask—the enemies have the right to see him smirk as he either cuts them down with his katana or shoots them in the head like animals.
Yancy touches Volkner's forearm, whispering something to him, before she smiles and approaches them. As in her usual way, she greets the Haitani brothers with a kiss on the cheek and an embrace.
To his surprise, she turns expectantly to Sanzu. He stares back, awkward and uncertain what she wants him to do. With a little laugh, she tiptoes and presses the softest kiss on his cheek as well.
"Are we ready?" she whispers, but her attention is on Mikey.
"Everyone's in position except your men," Mikey grumbles.
"They're on their way," she assures him, tucking her hand in Sanzu's elbow.
"Onimaru-kai will be here any minute now," Kakucho whispers, white smoke fanning his face.
"Then let's move into the warehouse," Takeomi suggests. He flicks his cigarette to the floor and puts it out with his boot. His smoky scent lingers irritably in Sanzu's nose. "We're more secure there."
Everyone moves in unison. Sanzu keeps his face neutral as Yancy slips from his grasp. In the corner of his eyes, she is now chattering to Mochi and Kokonoi, one hand on each arm. He frowns but says nothing.
Inside the warehouse, everyone finds a spot for themselves: up or behind the steel crates, leaning against the walls and still smoking their cigarettes, or lined up towards the back doors. Soldiers all standing behind their king—Mikey. Like a knight, Sanzu takes the king's right-hand side while Kakucho takes the left side, effectively flanking Bonten's most important figure.
He looks around again, this time not surprised to find her between the Haitanis. She is leaning against Rindou's left arm while he is busy with his phone, the light of his screen reflected in his glasses. Ran is doing all the talking with her, purple eyes flitting—and winking—at Sanzu.
This fucker, I swear. If Haitani didn't happen to be an executive, Sanzu would have stabbed him long ago.
A few minutes later, the always-calm Volkner rushes through the back doors and takes brisk steps to where Yancy is still chatting with the brothers. Sanzu, curious, tiptoes a little to eavesdrop.
"There's a change in plans," Volkner whispers hurriedly to her. "Your father is back from abroad."
"So?" Yancy hisses, her eyes darkening. "How does it change anything?"
"He found out about tonight's operation. He's ordered all Karasuda-kai men to stay in Shibuya."
Sanzu blanches while Yancy's face darkens even more. Well, shit.
"No one told me he's coming back tonight," she grinds out. "I didn't see him coming back so soon."
"It was a last-minute decision on his part," Volkner tries soothing her. "What should we do now?"
The next scene becomes like a blur to him. Yancy removes herself from Ran and Rindou, and crosses the warehouse in three swift strides. She passes by Sanzu without another glance—she heads straight to where Mikey stands, quite bored and turning his bored face when he senses her approach.
She heaves a deep sigh. "I'm afraid there are miscalculations on my part, Manjiro-san."
Mikey's eyebrows knit together in confusion. "What's going on?"
"The Karasuda-kai boss is back in Tokyo, and ordered everyone to stay out of this operation," she explains, loud enough for the benefit of the other executives. "There will be no one hundred men from Karasuda-kai as backups. This will be it—Bonten's two hundred men."
"What?" Mikey bristles, baring his teeth at her like an angry predator. "So you lied to us!"
"I'll fix it," she argues, hands up in defense. "But we all have to leave now—we have to evacuate."
"But we've already decided on this fight," Kokonoi exclaims, dark eyes wild. "We chose this for us!"
"Yes, but we can fight another day." She looks uncomfortably around the executives, the sense of urgency rising in her as they gather around her, vultures closing in on weaker prey. "I made a mistake. It was my miscalculation. And I will fix it, I swear on my name—"
"Your name means nothing to me!" Mikey shouts in her face, much to everyone's shock. The boss has never raised his voice like this, especially not to a woman. "You lied to us! You set us up!"
"Manjiro—no." Her voice quavers, but she doesn't shrink away from his outburst.
"You're a spy for Onimaru-kai, aren't you?" Mikey continues growling, jabbing a finger to her chest. He looms over her, his face so dangerously close to hers that their noses are almost brushing. "You liar!"
"We have to go now," Yancy insists. She turns on her heels, reaching out for the executives as though she is looking for something. Ran and Rindou, Kakucho then Mochi, Kokonoi and Takeomi. Her auburn hair whips in a dark red blur when she finds Sanzu, wrapping her small hand around his wrist.
He holds his breath, unsure what exactly she is looking for.
Somehow, she finds it and nods to him. "Good, we're all set. Let's go—"
Kokonoi steps in her line of sight. "We can't just leave minutes before the fight," he sputters, imploring for Mikey and the others. "We challenged them, we can't take off just because our men did not show up!"
Yancy shakes her head. "We are outnumbered," she explains in a calmer tone. "They have the manpower to go against Bonten. This is why we made an alliance in the first place, because right now, we are weaker."
"And we are even weaker now that your men failed to show up," Mikey rasps. "We are even weaker now because your leadership is lacking and your men are not as loyal as you think they are."
"You can insult me," she snarls, "but you cannot insult my men."
"Then you are an idiot," he snaps. "An idiot who thinks this is all but child's play."
"They're here!" Mochi shouts from where he peeks through the broken windows in the warehouse.
Everyone turns, gasping and looking at the long line of blinding lights in the horizon. Onimaru-kai comes thundering in with several cars and bikes, engines revving loudly in the evening. At once, Yancy grabs Ran and Rindou first, and pushes them towards the back doors.
She snaps her fingers, and Volkner steps forward in attention. "Get everyone out. NOW!"
Volkner shouts commands and gathers everyone, a dog shepherding his sheep, out towards the back. Ran and Rindou don't even try to argue, but they search over their shoulders and wait for the others to follow. Mochi, sneering and growling, ushers Kokonoi and the other soldiers out with him.
Mikey hisses under his breath. "Cowards."
Sanzu remains by his king's side. "What should we do, Mikey? Half of our forces are already out."
"This is all a mess," Mikey snorts. "And it's all her fault."
"Bonten will look weak after this," Sanzu murmurs. Outside, the cars have stopped.
"What are you waiting for?" Yancy snarls, rounding towards the two of them. She grabs Sanzu by the elbow and holds her hand out for Mikey. "It's dangerous here we have to go—"
The front doors clang loudly, as though large fists are bumping on the steel surface like drums. The light fades in Yancy's face as she forcefully pulls Mikey and Sanzu away, passing by Volkner who has been watching the back. Out in the fields, everyone is running to their cars, speeding away from the location.
An absolute chaos.
Yancy throws Mikey and herself into the car's passenger seat. Sanzu is about to climb in—this is not even his own car that he used to get here—and notices Kakucho.
"Kaku!" he shouts over the chaos. "Take my car!" He chucks the keys and Kakucho catches them deftly.
"We're leaving." Volkner slips into the driver's seat, reversing the shit out of the vehicle before Sanzu could even buckle up, almost sending him crashing over the windshield.
The tires screech, the rubber burning and making dark marks across the street. Even Sanzu smells the rubber and smoke combined. He glances at the rearview mirror. Mikey squishes himself on the other end of the seat, as if he doesn't want to look or even touch Yancy. On the other side, Yancy is frowning up ahead, staring at the back of Sanzu's head.
Mikey presses his cheek on the cool window. "This is so embarrassing for Bonten," he growls to himself. His eyes find Yancy's reflection and he sneers again. "You wasted our time."
She sighs exasperatedly. "Like I said, I'm sorry, Manjiro. It was my fault and I will fix—"
He pounces over to her side, bearing down on her and aiming to pin her against the seat. She gasps but manages to dodge, curling up on herself, knees tucked to her chest. Her left leg darts out, aiming for Mikey's chin, but he leans back, evading the attack with barely an inch.
Actually smirking, the Bonten leader braces himself on the surface and sends a half-roundhouse kick to her face. She catches his leg and wraps her fingers around his ankle. She gives one powerful pull, forcing Mikey towards her. Her free hand grabs him by the collar and pulls his face closer into hers.
His smirk widens, smashing his forehead to her nose, earning a sharp and pained wince from her. He takes her momentary distraction to snatch both her wrists and pin her on the seat, her arms on either side of her head. Not one to lose, Yancy hisses and brings her knee up, slamming it into Mikey's crotch.
Mikey groans, mouth falling open, his breaths heavy. "Th-That was… foul…" he grunts.
She sticks her tongue out. "Try me again, Manjiro."
Just when Sanzu thinks they're done, they start again. The car is so rowdy and rattles so wildly that he could not even hear what Volkner is shouting at them.
The car is on the verge of upturning with every punch or kick thrown at each other. Mikey manages to wrap his hand around her neck and squeezes. Yancy grimaces and scratches at his eyes. He dodges the futile attempt with a laugh, so she fights back by biting down on his wrist. He tackles her head-on, both of them tumbling to the car's floor with another series of hissing and kicking.
Sanzu, concerned, twists in his seat and looks down on them.
Mikey is on top, panting and straddling her hips, keeping her pinned. "I hate you."
Yancy laughs harshly, wheezing when his hand tightens around her windpipe. "I know."
"We're through," he rasps. "This alliance between our gangs is over. Don't ever show yourself to me again."
"Done," she pants, staring into his eyes, licking her lips. "You won't ever see me again."
For some odd reason, Sanzu's heart drops. He has only reunited with her, after a decade of not seeing her. It has only been less than a week—they have spoken only a few times since they met again. Now, everything is going to shit and he will not see her again. Never ever?
The car slows to a stop in front of the Bonten office. "We're here," says Volkner.
The two rivals are still on the floor, glaring each other to death. They are drowning in their own world, heavy breaths mingling into one rhythm, seeing no one but each other.
Mikey breaks the enchantment first. He scoffs and removes himself from her, as Sanzu scrambles out of the front seat to open the door for him. Mikey doesn't spare another glance at the Shirakawa-kai boss as he stomps towards the dark building.
Sanzu lingers near the car for a few more seconds. If this is the last time he'd ever see her, then—
"Good night, Haru-chin," she whispers so softly he could have missed it.
"Night… Yancy…" His voice hitches, breath caught in his throat.
Her hair is a mess, the straps of her dress pushed over her arms and falling over one shoulder. Her eyes are tired, devoid of their usual mischievousness, but she manages a smile for him.
As always.
And as always, she tiptoes for a kiss on the cheek. His skin positively heats up.
"Take care, yeah?" Her fingertips rub the spot on his cheek as she laughs tiredly to herself.
"You, too."
"Let's go, Volkner." She sits on Sanzu's previous place at the front. She waves one last time.
He remains standing in the same place even though the car is already gone from his sight. If this should be his last time seeing her, then he missed his chance. He had so many things to tell her, so many stories to share—from the last time they saw each other and all the fun and crazy stories in between.
Sanzu lets the breeze stir his long pink hair. "See you, Yancy," he whispers to the wind.
Everything is a disaster, but at least he's home now.
Mikey was in such a bad mood that he didn't even ask for a meeting. He just… told everyone to go home. He ordered everyone to relax and get some rest, so they could deal with whatever shitstorm they have to face tomorrow. Honestly, Sanzu is glad that he is home. He is too exhausted to murder people tonight.
Plus, he's fucking starving.
Sleepily, he stumbles around his apartment until he reaches the fridge. Bright blue eyes roam across the food and snacks he has at home. He spots the black box at the bottom level, pulls it out, and slams the fridge door without a care in the world.
He plucks a dessert fork from the drawer and eats straight from the box. The cheesecake is heaven-sent, his bad mood immediately melting as the strawberry sweetness spreads on his tongue.
Ah, god, I could eat this forever.
He looks around his cold apartment. Once more, he mourns that has no one to share anything with. He has no real friends outside Bonten—if he could even count those smug Haitani bastards as friends. He has no family—Takeomi is more like an irritating itch that he is stuck with. Just like he told Yancy the other day—no girlfriend, too emotionally inept to even understand his own feelings. That, and he has no time to properly romance anyone.
With a sigh, he finishes a small portion of the cheesecake and puts it back in the fridge.
He throws himself into his cold bed, equally cold sheets and pillows on his bare skin.
He looks at this phone. 01:46. No notifications.
Still, the deepest, most foolish part of his brain secretly wishes that she'd call him one last time. A one last 'Good night, Haru' before she is once again out of his life. Forever.
He waits, and waits, and nothing. Sanzu puts the phone down and rolls to his other side.
"Good night," he murmurs into the shadowy nothingness.
Author's Notes: Updating with this chapter because Sanzu showed up in the latest anime episode! We Sanzu stans are well-fed with these crumbs. God bless Liden Films for adding our pretty babygirl.
I really loved writing this from Sanzu's POV. He's such an interesting character and we sadly didn't get any chapters from his perspective before the manga ended. I really wanted Wakui to delve deeper into his psyche, especially after the Shinichiro and mouth scars reveal. Anyway, that's what fanfictions are for! Thank you all for reading! Now, let's celebrate our boy's cameo in the anime! 💮💗