"Kiyomi it's time for school." Hoshi said as he watched his sister bounce on the huge trampoline in Kazuko's home gym.
"Hoshi look! I'm flying!" She said happily as she kept bouncing. Kazuko walked into the gym.
"Now now Kiyomi, you can't be late for school." Kazuko said. Kiyomi stopped jumping and looked at her feet sadly.
"No reason for sadness Kiyomi. You can jump on it as much as you want after school." Kazuko smiled. She lit up with a huge smile.
"Really?!" She exclaimed.
"Yes really. You can play in here as much as you want as long as your grades and behavior are good." Kiyomi got off the trampoline and gave Kazuko a hug. "I'll do my very best!" She said cheerfully before running to get her shoes on.
"You're really good with kids Kazuko." Hoshi mused. "You should be a teacher or something."
"Nonsense Hoshi. The only job I'll have is being head of the Yoshikawa empire." He said solemnly.
"You say that like it's a bad thing..." Hoshi said.
"I honestly don't even know what my dad does. In all honesty I think he's involved in illegal activities. I don't want to be anything like him. I'm expected to take his place...If he doesn't lose everything first." Kazuko sighed.
"Do you have control over any money? Like I know you live in this awesome house. But do you have any access to actual cash? Or is it all credit cards?" Hoshi inquired.
"Well I'm expected to keep up appearances. Also I have dirt on my father. So I get $20,000 a month."
"Are you fucking serious?!" Hoshi screamed.
"Will you calm down Hoshi." Kazuko rolled his eyes.
"You spend all that in a month?" Hoshi asked still shocked.
"Of course not! I just leave it in the bank account. He started doing that six years ago after mom died. I have about 1.4 million in there. It's my account but it's connected to my dad's account."
"Well if you're worried about your pops running the business into the ground you should put the money somewhere else."
"Oh? Like open my own account?" Kazuko asked, intrigued.
"I'd go a step further. Put it in someone else's name. If your dad goes under they would seize all his assets. Even if you open a separate account they could take that money because you're his son. But it should be someone you trust. Someone that wouldn't be greedy and try to take the money for themselves. You could even use the credit cards to buy a little insurance. Like buy expensive jewelry and put it in a P.O box. That way if shit hits the fan you'll have money and you can resell the jewelry."
"Hoshi. You're a genius." Kazuko smiled.
"NII-SAN WE'RE GONNA BE LATE FOR SCHOOL!" Kiyomi yelled into the gym.
"C-coming!" Kazuko and Hoshi said in unison.
xXx
In New York City
"Fuck!" Hatsuo Yoshikawa yelled as he slammed his phone into his desk. Ritsu just stood there watching her boss in disgust.
"I'm down 20 million! This isn't fair!" He screamed. "Why is this happening?!"
"Maybe because you're a drug addict that can't go five minutes without getting his dick wet."
"Careful bitch. I've had people killed for less." Ritsu rolled her eyes at him.
"You look a mess. You've lost your charm and you ooze desperation. No one is going to invest in your company because it's gone to shit. This is what happens when a common criminal tries to play boss man. I'm surprised you lasted this long." She walked toward him and sat on his desk.
"You have no pull and you're hemorrhaging money. You're a sad man that's losing his mind because he has thousands of dollars going up his nose every week." She sighed.
"I'll have you know that I own half of Karakura!" He sneered.
"You own half of a small town in Japan. Big whoop. There's more people that live on this New York City block than there are in Karakura. Face it, you're a failure. The captain of a sinking ship." Ritsu smiled.
"Shall I sell another house? You have a home in Vegas that you haven't been to in 3 years." Hatsuo looked at her in anger before nodding his head.
"Very well." She said before hopping off his desk and walking toward the door. "Once the money is gone so am I. But, I'm sure you knew that." She said before walking out.
"Bitch!" He yelled as she slammed the door.
xXx
A week and a half later the gang are hanging out in their favorite maid cafe, joined by Hoshi, Kiyomi, and Kazuko.
"I'm really sorry I kept winning Chad. Really I just smash buttons." Kazuko apologized. Chad sulked into his curry making everyone laugh.
"You know what?" Keigo said. Everyone turned to him.
"It's been really chill ever since Chad healed up. We haven't heard from that admirer in over a month!" Kazuko bristled and Hoshi gulped.
"Oh yeah." Love said. "I completely forgot about that."
"I have some friends helping us out." Ichigo chimed in. They're probably keeping the guy away." Hoshi started to sweat. Suddenly he lost interest in his food. Only Kazuko noticed.
"They really beefed up security since Chad got stabbed. I wouldn't be surprised if we're being watched right now." Ichigo mused. Everyone trailed off into thought.
"Nii-saaaaaaaaaaan. This is boring! I want to bounce on the trampoline!" Kiyomi whined making everyone laugh.
"Okay Kiyomi we can go now." Kazuko said.
"Your leaving too Kazuko?" Orihime asked. Kiyomi turned to them as she put on her jacket. "Of course he is! We live together!" She said happily.
"Really?" Love said surprised. Hoshi started getting nervous. "Well uh, you see, what happened, is uh uhhhhh." Hoshi stammered.
"Yes they live with me now." Kazuko said. "We both have absentee parents and we decided living together would be better for the both of us."
"Are you guys doing okay? Do you have enough food? Are the bills okay?" Love asked causing Kazuko to chuckle.
"We're fine. Really Love."
"Yeah Love relax." Ichigo said. "Stop being a mother hen."
"I'm not a mother hen!" Love defended.
"Says the girl who started making Chad's breakfast, lunch, and dinner the day after meeting him..." Ichigo scoffed.
"You looking for a fight strawberry?!" Love said as she poked him in his chest. Kazuko, Hoshi, and Kiyomi quietly slipped away during the argument.
"Your friends are weird Nii-san." Kiyomi said as they got into a cab. During the ride Hoshi was quiet. He kept fidgeting in his seat. This did not go unnoticed by Kazuko. They all walked into the mansion silently.
"Okay Kiyomi homework before trampoline." Kazuko said. "Aww man do I have to!" She said to Hoshi.
"Yes you do, now go." Hoshi said with a smile. She reluctantly went into her room. Hoshi's smile faded as she walked away. Kazuko looked at him with concern.
"Is there something you wanna tell me Hoshi?" Kazuko said quietly. Hoshi gulped and looked at him with sadness in his eyes.
"I'm so sorry. I- I didn't have choice. They broke my nose, I thought they'd kill me." He said sadly. "I'll pack our things." Hoshi tried to walk away but Kazuko put a hand on his shoulder.
"I'm not angry. I was acting crazy. Chad almost died because of me." Kazuko looked at the ground in shame. "Just tell me what happened."
"Well, I was doing surveillance of Love like you asked on a roof top. Then some crazy chick punched me in my nose and hung me off the roof. Threatened to drop me if I didn't give her info. She took me to this seedy motel. They told me to tell them everything you told me to do before I do it. I told them about the gang, but they didn't show up. They had a guy follow me too. His name was Rose. He was in my house and everything. They have people that follow Chad and Love and probably you too..." Hoshi trailed off. Kazuko looked at his feet.
"I'm gonna have to come clean soon." Kazuko said.
"You've changed! No one has to know!"
"They already know who I am. It would be better if I come clean myself." Kazuko said sadly.
"I'm so sorry Kazuko."
"It's no one's fault but my own. Don't worry, I'll make sure you and Kiyomi are okay before I do it. My dad is pretty powerful so I might get off without jail time. But I want to make sure you guys are okay just in case." Hoshi pulled Kazuko into a bear hug. Kazuko was shocked at first but eventually returned the hug.
xXx
Back at the Maid Cafe
"You got a lot of damn nerve Kurosaki!" Love scolded. "And another thing!" She started before she got cut off by Rukia.
"They left already..."
"Oh..." Love said before she giggled and sat down. As she took a seat she noticed a card on the floor. She picked it up and flipped it over.
"Oh Kazuko's student ID. Oh my goodness!" Love shrieked.
"What?" Everyone said in unison.
"It says his birthday is next week! He didn't even tell us!"
"Well maybe he doesn't celebrate his birthday." Uryuu said.
"Nonsense! Everyone needs to celebrate their birthday!" Love said sadly. "I got it! We'll throw a surprise party! It can be at our house and I can bake a cake, make snacks, music, games..." Love trailed off getting excited as she planned the party in her head.
"Mother hen..." Ichigo whispered under her breath making everyone laugh.
"What's so funny?" Love asked surprised, making everyone laugh harder.
xXx
"So what do you want to do Shinji?" Rose asked from the corner of the room. "Nothing has been happening and they're all friends now. Maybe we should let by gones be by gones."
Shinji looked at Rose and thought it over.
"I'd love to do that. But we don't know if this kid is laying low for something more sinister. If he's anything like his father he's a dangerous little weirdo. I hate to do this to the kid but we have to air him out." Shinji said firmly.
"Oh these poor kids..." Rose trailed off as he had a seat.