Story time!
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"Regular character speech"
"Differently inflectioned character speech" (Whispering, hissing, etc)
"Powerful character speech" (Backed by killing intent, pressure, sheer raw power, etc)
'Regular character thoughts'
'Mind Reading/Telepathic conversation'
[Ddraig talking out loud]
[Ddraig telepathically speaking with Issei]
'Ddraig/Powerful being talking'
Clack-click!
Andre's focus was taken away from the cup of coffee he had been nursing by the sound of someone trying to open the doors to the bar.
"We're closed right now, please try again later!"
Clack!
His focus snapped towards the door at the sound of the lock disengaging from the outside despite the fact that Daichi was still asleep and that no-one else had a key. The threat that he had been about to make died on his lips, his eyes widening at the sight of a tall, leggy auburn-haired woman with striking blue eyes, soft, round face, and slim build.
"Aww come on, Red~" She purred dangerously, her painted lips quirked into a smirk. "Are you really going to leave an old friend out in the cold?"
"Okay, you can stop now."
Lilith and Aika all but sagged to their knees in exhaustion, while Motohama threw himself onto a park bench.
"Alright people, now take a water break, then we run the rest of the way back at double the pace."
Lilith and Motohama stared at Issei in shock, while AIka spoke up incredulously.
"Twice the pace? You can't be serious! You've pushed us so hard that even Matsuda is tired!"
"I'm... Perfectly... Fine..." Matsuda said between deep gulps of air, all the while flashing Issei with a trembling thumbs up. "I... Can... Keep... Going..."
"LIKE HELL-" Lilith begun.
"-YOU CAN!" Only for Motohama to finish.
Lilith turned a wide-eyed tear-filled gaze upon Issei, a pout on her lips as she spoke.
"Ise~, you're gonna have pity on your girlfriends, won't you~?"
"OI!" Motohama shouted from his prone position on a bench, "What about ME!? Don't I deserve a break as well?"
"Hah..."
They all focused on Issei at his uncharacteristic sigh, watching the brunet scratch the back of his head as he spoke.
"You're right, I'm pushing too hard today, sorry. You guys can rest."
The four other traded looks, before Matsuda spoke up, finally having regained his breath.
"Are you okay, dude? You're looking kinda tense."
"..."
Issei crossed his arms over his chest, his face taking up a grave mien that had the others gulping in nervousness.
"I'm meeting Aika's parents today."
"Oh, that's it?" Lilith said lightly. "That's no problem, Ise! You can rela-"
"I see." Motohama said with a sagely nod.
"A true crisis." Matsuda added with one of his own, before turning towards Aika. "Does your father own any sort of firearm?"
The glasses-wearing girl rubbed her chin as she thought, before shaking her head.
"No, no firearms. He does own a few swords, though. They're used as ornamental pieces, but they're actually live steel."
"Mhm." Motohama and Matsuda nodded at the new info, before Motohama chimed in. "Then there is potential for trouble."
"Indeed." Matsuda agreed. "This is a complicated situation."
"Oh come on," Lilith said while waving her hand. "I'm sure everything will be alright! There's no reason for you to worry over meeting Aika's parents when you managed to impress mother!"
"The first thing your mother did when we met was test my resolve."
"Guh!" Lilith flinched at Issei's words, her tone sheepish as she spoke. "Well, she all but adores you now, and isn't that what matters?"
"I'm sure I won't be able to convince Aika's parents to like me via sex."
Motohama and Matsuda simultaneously choked at the nonchalant words, while Aika stared at Issei blankly.
"You had sex with her mother?"
"Yup."
"I see..." Aika's gaze stretched on for a while, with Issei stoically staring back, before she finally spoke again. "Kinky. I'll want to know more later, to add to my research, but keep in mind that that isn't an option when dealing with my parents."
"WE'RE NOT WORTHY!"
"WE'RE NOT WORTHY!"
Motohama and Matsuda prostrated themselves in front of Issei before bowing repeatedly, their foreheads all but smashing into the ground as they did, drawing the gaze of joggers and other people present, who were already paying attention due to the amusement this group's scandalous conversations had been causing them on the daily.
Tuning them out, Lilith spoke.
"Well, I'm sure everything will be alright. Aika's parents are probably reasonable people, who will try to be welcoming towards their daughter's boyfriend, who is building himself a harem... And is shamelessly honest about his sexual exploits..."
Lilith, Aika and Issei traded looks, before Lilith spoke in a serious tone.
"Try your absolute best to always remain calm."
"If they insult you," Motohama spoke up. "Just remind yourself of the fact that you've had sex with their daughter, and nothing they say or do will change that."
The others nodded in agreement at that, before Aika added.
"One last thing, Ise. They may do things that are annoying, insulting, or something of the sort. When they do, you'll likely feel like punching either of them in the face. Please don't. It may be cathartic, and feel good in the moment, but it won't be worth the long term implications."
Issei nodded at that.
"Alright, so based on your instructions I should try to always stay calm, constantly remind myself of the fact that I've had sex with Aika, and not punch them in the face. Is that it?"
"Yeah."
"Mhm!"
"Yup."
"Sounds about right."
"Alright guys, thanks for the tips. And feel free to head back home. Drink lots of water, get bed rest and ice yourselves if you're feeling excessively sore."
A series of relieved noises reached Issei, before each of his exercise partners split up.
He himself took a moment to look out the corner of his eye, spotting an almost imperceptible flash of white hair. His eyes narrowed, shoulders tensing and then relaxing in an imperceptible manner, before he too made his way back home in order to prepare to meet Aika's parents.
Andre took a sip of his coffee before putting the mug down, allowing his gaze to fall on the visitor seated across him, her own steaming mug still untouched as she busied herself with staring at him.
"I've been waiting for this moment for a long time, you know. In my mind, the moment I spotted you, we'd engage in a bloody battle to the death, fueled by years and years of baggage and unresolved issues." The woman said while twirling a strand of her long, straight hair with her index finger. "Well, either that, or a long session of passionate, angry hate-fucking. Never expected our meeting to result in something as mundane as a conversation over a cup of coffee. You've mellowed out."
Andre chuckled mirthlessly.
"Yeah, life will do it to you."
"Life? You mean parenthood, right? After all, while you might not be it's father, you have taken in that woman's child and raised it as your own, haven't you?"
Andre's gaze sharpened at that, his tone dangerous as he spoke.
"Choose your next words carefully."
The woman gave Andre a self-indulgent smile as she spoke.
"Aww come now Red, the child must've grown quite a bit by now. Surely he's ready to have some fun with me? I'll just eat him up real good~"
"Faith."
A sudden wind rose up within the bar, despite the fact that all of the doors and windows were closed. A heavy feeling filled the room, as well as a sound very much akin to the growling of a tiger. The now named Faith met Andre's gaze, finding within it a very heavy animosity tinged with steadily increasing murderous intent, prompting her to raise her hands while a wry smile came over her face.
"Just kidding~"
The moment those words were said, the feeling of a toothy maw around her neck vanished altogether, though she still felt as if she were facing a dangerous beast that hadn't decided quite just yet whether or not to pounce.
Andre's previous stormy expression lessened, though the air around him still wavered unnaturally.
"What the hell did you come here for, Faith?"
The previous jocosity that the woman was displaying vanished, her mien and tone serious in a way that Andre had rarely seen before as she spoke.
"They are active again."
Andre's eyes widened to the extreme.
"Impossible! We-... She dealt them a devastating blow! They should've never been able to recover from it!"
"They wouldn't... At least, not normally. But... They're making allies. I came here to warn you directly for two reasons, Andre. One was to let you know that they're active again. The second one... Was to let you know that they're currently in Japan."
Andre sagged into his seat, his face conveying tiredness in a manner that was very uncharacteristic of him.
"Shit."
He rubbed a hand down his face, before taking a deep breath and straightening his posture, his tone strong.
"Can you give me some sort of extra information? Who their allies are? What they're doing right now?"
Faith shook her head at that.
"I've given you everything I could. Now, let me give you something more, a piece of advice: Leave. Pack up your stuff, pick up the kid and come with me, far away from all this madness. Let someone else deal with the problem."
"I can't, Faith. You know that. And you know why."
"Can't, Andre, or won't? There is nothing keeping you from staying away, other than yourself."
"She sacrificed herself to take down the Order and save our lives! How do you expect me to just sit and stare while her deeds are undone, and they rise back into power?"
Faith glared at Andre, her gaze a mix of anger and something else as she spoke.
"Alright, fine then! Throw your life away for the memory of a dead woman! I'm sure that is the example she'd want you passing onto her son! Teach him to be a co-dependent child, so focused on hugging another's skirts that they're blind to the things that are staring them right in the face, and willing to foolishly throw their lives away!"
Faith knew that she had gone too far by the hurt she saw in Andre's gaze for a moment, and she instantly regretted her words. However, there is no cure for regret, and once said, words cannot be taken back.
"Out."
"Andre, don't! I'm sorry, I didn't mean that, I swear-"
"I... I don't care, Faith," Andre's tone changed from angry to tired in a moment, causing Faith to feel a guilty twist in her gut. "Just leave. Please."
The woman bit her lip and nodded, standing up without having even touched her coffee, and making her way to the door. She opened it, and, before leaving, turned around to face Andre again.
"I'm... Sorry, for having said that, but... I still meant the part about it being foolish. Please, Andre, don't fight them. They'll kill you."
"They'll try."
She shook her head at that.
"I see that I can't change your mind. Goodbye, Andre."
The door closed behind her, killing the small cold breeze that had flowed into the bar for an instant.
As soon as the door closed behind Faith, Andre reached for the cup of coffee he had served her, only for it to crumble completely, alongside the table it had been resting on.
"Tch. I can't even control my own power right now... There's no way I can even try to fight the Order right now. I'll need to get back in shape before that."
Decision made, Andre left the bar...
Only to re-enter it with a broom and a dustpan, before sweeping up the dust resulting from his short burst of magical incontinence.
He never noticed the fact that Daichi had been watching for the entirety of the conversation.
"You know, Aika, you really should put this sort of effort into taking care of your appearance more often! Freeing and brushing your hair, and trading your glasses for contact lenses allows more of your beauty to visibly shine."
"You know why I usually don't, nee-san. If a 'plain' girl has my tastes and temperament, then stupid, lecherous boys won't try to take a shot at me or try to make me into a notch on their bedpost, since dealing with my unabashed perversion would be 'troublesome', and would 'rub off on them and stain their image'. If I looked like this all the time, all these same boys would be hounding me non-stop."
"Oh? And what about this Issei boy, then?"
"Ise is different. He appreciates a pretty girl, but he's not so shallow as to see that as the only important thing! He loves me and my quirks, accepts me fully, but he tries to push me to improve myself as well!"
"Love... Isn't something like that too intense, and too... Serious, for your first relationship? How can you even be sure he loves you?"
Aika stared at Mira as if she had missed something completely obvious, her tone a deadpan as she spoke.
"He told me, duh."
"Oh, Aika... Boys, well... They're usually willing to say or do anything to try to get girls to have sex with them. After they do, well..."
"Ise wouldn't ever do something like that. He takes his word very seriously."
Mira just stared at Aika, prompting the girl to sigh.
"I know you're skeptical, nee-san, but you'll see it after meeting him."
DING DONG!
"Pardon me for the intrusion."
"Oh, that's him!" Aika panicked lightly, looking herself over in the mirror. "Does my hair look alright? Is my make-up done properly? Do I look good?"
Mira watched Aika scrutinizing herself in front of the mirror with a wry smile, a bitter-sweet feeling welling up in her chest.
'Ah... My younger sister is growing up, and I don't know whether to be happy about it, or sad that it's happening this fast.'
Pushing those thoughts aside, Mira followed the fretting Aika down the stairs into the entrance hall.
"Pardon me for the intrusion."
Those were Issei's first words towards Aika's parents, and they were said with not a deep, formal bow as would be expected of him in his current situation, but with a move of the head that was barely a bow, and was arguably a nod more than anything else.
Yohei and Hokkyoku responded in kind, giving Issei the barest nod possible out of protocol and propriety rather than respect or appreciation, while the looked him up and down, registering the full details of his appearance.
The brunet was wearing a red, long-sleeved, button-up shirt, with a black blazer over it, a pair of navy-colored jeans, and a pair of dress shoes in a brown that matched his belt, both in leather.
Yohei gave a small nod of grudging appreciation. For a teenage boy that hadn't grown up in their world where image is everything, the young man had dressed... Adequately, even if he lacked in accessories such as a watch.
While Yohei showed a certain level of appreciation for Issei's getup, Hokkyoku's face showed no reaction to it.
"Welcome to our home, Issen-san."
"Issei, actually. Hyoudou Issei. And thank you for receiving me."
'Hoh... So he is not too intimidated to correct me, and while he responded politely to my welcome, he chose to thank us for the reception, rather than apologizing for troubling us, meaning both that he isn't willing a particularly apologetic person, and that the amount of thankfulness he is conveying is directly proportional to the amount of good-will we show him as hosts, meaning that he is only ever willing to play on our level, and never put himself at a disadvantage by giving out more esteem and respect that he is willing to receive. No, Yohei, you're over-analyzing things. You're talking to a teenage boy, not a business competitor.'
Yohei pushed those thoughts aside for the moment, intent on probing the young man further, only for his wife's gasp to draw his attention. Hokkyoku was staring open-mouthed at the top of the staircase, prompting him to look as well, only for the sight of a fully done-up Aika to almost floor him.
He watched jealously as Aika's face bloomed into a wide smile at the sight of the Issei boy that her parents had not seen since her early childhood years, the pride of watching his daughter bloom warring with the pain of watching her grow up even more.
"So..." Aika's smile gained a nervous edge to it, a small blush tinting her cheeks as she pushed a strand of hair over her ear. "What do you think, Ise?"
Issei, whose face had also bloomed into a wide smile the moment Aika appeared at the top of the stairs, nodded at her as he spoke.
"I think that you're absolutely gorgeous, as always, but, in a different manner than usual."
"W-what do you mean?"
The brunet's smile deepened.
"Usually you have this raw appeal, a beauty that shows in the simplicity you present yourself with, like an uncut gem. Right now I'd say you look like a gem that has already been worked on: Cut, polished, and treated by the hands of a professional, but only ever as beautiful as the base material has the potential to be."
Aika's blush intensified to the point that she almost looked the color of a boiled lobster, while Yohei and Hokkyoku turned their focus back towards Issei, both of them giving him inscrutable looks.
"Ahem"
Everybody's gaze moved to the older girl who was very obviously Aika's sister, who spoke with a smile.
"Aika, how about some introductions?"
"Ah!"
Aika dashed down the stairs - surprising Mira with her unwavering balance - and stopped right in front of Issei. She took Issei's hands into her own, before speaking.
"Mom, Dad, Mira, this is my boyfriend, Issei. Ise, these are my parents, Kiryu Yohei," Aika waved a hand towards her father, "Kiryu Hokkyoku," she then nodded towards her mother, "And my older sister, Kiryu Mira."
The stood there in silence, Issei and Aika making googly eyes at one-another, while Yohei's patience visibly decreased, Hokkyoku kept an inscrutable stare fixed on Issei, and Mira prayed inwardly for her parents not to screw things up.
"Maybe," Mira spoke up, "We should make ourselves more comfortable in the sitting room?"
"Yes," Yohei said with a nod, "Let's."
"So, Issei-san..." Mira began, "Tell us a little bit about yourself."
Aika squeezed Issei's hands comfortingly, drawing a smile from him, before he spoke.
"My full name's Hyoudou Issei, and I'm 15 years old. I like working out, my precious people, and my first job."
"How interesting!" Mira said with a smile, before Hokkyoku spoke up, addressing Issei for the first time.
"Tell us about your job."
Issei's eyebrow raised at the barely-veiled order, while Aika's eyes narrowed. Yohei cringed inwardly at his wife's brusqueness, though his face did not at all show it.
Issei opened his mouth, before closing it again, closing his eyes and taking a deep, focusing breath. After he opened his eyes, his gaze glided towards Aika, before a smug smile made its way to his face. When he answered, his tone showed none of the irritation that would be expected from him.
"I worked at a bar every day a few hours after school ended."
"Oh!" Mira said enthusiastically. "What sort of bar? A dessert bar? Sushi bar?"
His smile widened further at that.
"Nothing of the sort. It was actually a dive bar. A lot of rough people, bikers, yakuza, free-flowing booze and the occasional fight breaking out. I had to break apart these fights, or at least minimize the collateral damage. It was a great place to work at."
A pin could've dropped in that room and the sound would've been heard at mainland China.
Yohei and Hokkyoku stared at Issei in wide-mouthed shock, while Aika's mouth spread into a smile akin to Issei's at her parents' obvious shock.
"I... See..." Mira said with a slow nod, trying her absolute best to keep the whole meeting from resulting in a massive mess, "You said it was your first job. Does that mean you currently have a different one?"
Issei's smile wilted at that, changing into a stern frown, his tone losing all of the fondness as he spoke.
"Yeah, I'm an independent contractor."
"That's interesting! Wh-"
Hokkyoku interrupted Mira once again.
"Who do you work with, and what sort of services do you provide them?"
Issei considered giving a sarcastic or acerbic answer, but he ultimately decided to actually try to play nice.
"I'm currently working with Hageshi Katagi, the head of Hageshi Enterprises. The services I provide," 'Alright, how the hell do I re-word "go fight and investigate stuff to save Japan?' "Are security and Fieldwork. I research subjects that are of interest for my employer that others are incapable of, and I protect people and places that he wants protected."
Hokkyoku and Yohei's eyes widened at that again, before Yohei spoke.
"Hageshi Katagi? He is one of the most prolific entrepreneurs of modern Japan, with a net worth of over 3.5 billion US Dollars!"
"That's very impressive, Issei-san!" Mira said with a genuine smile before turning towards Hokkyoku. "Is it not, mother?"
The woman pursed her lips before giving a reluctant nod.
"That was very interesting, Issei-san!" Mira said. "Is there anything else notable about you that you that you'd like to talk about?"
"I really like breasts."
"...Eh? Excuse me, what did you-"
"Small, medium or large, perky or slightly droopy, round or teardrop shaped, symmetrical or asymmetrical, with nipples that are light or dark, large or small, inverted or not, as long as the woman behind them is beautiful, then so are her breasts. Aika's breasts are very beautiful, by the way."
Yohei choked on air, while Hokkyoku's hardened so much that it could've been sculpted out of marble. Seeing that her mother was about to explode, Mira interjected, again.
"What if father and Issei-san go out and spend some 'man' time together, while the three of us get to talking amongst ourselves, mhm?"
"Yes," Yohei said decisively, surprising Mira, Hokkyoku and Aika alike. "Follow me, Issei-san."
The moment the two men left the sitting room, Aika turned towards her mother.
"Go on, mother. Say whatever it is you've been wishing to say this whole time."
"Mother, Aika, how about we all calm-"
"That boy is a no-good miscreant that will ruin your future if you let him. Don't."
"I knew it! You never intended to give Issei the benefit of the doubt! You've been silently judging him from the start, and no matter what happened, you would have found something to criticize, and some reason to claim that he wasn't good enough. Newsflash, mother, you don't get to choose who is or isn't good enough for me to date, I do!"
"Don't be ridiculous, daughter. That boy is a lowborn brute, luxuriating in violence and lust, and little more! He has no future prospects. He has no future."
"Sure, just ignore the part about how he was hired by someone so prolific that the mere mention of his name had you and father genuinely impressed."
"He was lying, Aika. Hageshi Katagi has enough money to hire whomever he wishes for whatever endeavors he wishes to undertake! If he wants security he could have hired large goons, fighters, or even ex-special forces operatives, and if he wanted field work he could have had private investigators or scientists, depending on the type of field work he wanted. With all of his company resources, he would have absolutely no need to hire an untested, unproven, inexperienced teenaged boy."
"Issei. Doesn't. Lie. Hell, you watched him talk about his first job as his appreciation of breasts with no hesitation, despite him knowing that those subjects would have passed a poor impression of him."
"He is a wannabe-rebel provocateur. He says things that he knows will elicit intense responses from authority figures, and derives personal satisfaction from knowing that he managed to annoy and irritate them. There is no real substance to him, only hollow teen rebellion. He is no good for you."
"YOU DON'T GET TO DECIDE THAT! You barely even know who I am! You didn't know about my school matters up until a few years ago, you don't know my habits, my likes and dislikes, my hopes and dreams, or my goals for the future! You don't know me, but you feel entitled to make major decisions about my life without even considering what I want!"
"Aika, I just want what's best for you, can't you see that?"
"Do you want what is best for me, or what is best for you? It's very convenient for you to have me live in an environment that is generally the same in terms of company, friends and daily activities, since that means you have some basic knowledge of my life, gotten from Nee-san or inferred or estimated by you, and can then pretend that you are actually involved in my life! You're doing this not for my future, but out of selfishness and insecurity!"
Aika was glaring hotly at her mother, and Hokkyoku met said glare with gaze so cool that it was borderline arctic, all the while Mira watched from the background, incapable of doing a thing.
'I hope Issei-san and father are getting along better than this.'
"So, Issei-san, you said that you are usually contracted by Hageshi Katagi-san as security?"
"Yes."
Yohei, who had been walking and talking with Issei, stopped in front of a pair of paper doors before sliding them open, revealing a large, wide dojo, with a couple of mannequins fully clad in edo-era samurai armor.
The man took off his shoes before stepping into the dojo, an act that Issei mirrored.
Issei watched as Yohei rolled up his sleeves while walking towards the armored mannequins.
"Did you know that I used to practice kendo?"
"No, you did not."
"Funny story. I had been practicing kendo since grade school and, without intending to brag, I got pretty good. I'd been representing whichever school or academy I studied at whenever there was any sort of competition. I won a few national competitions, a few dozen regional competitions, and I lost count of how many district tournaments I won.
"I could've gotten a full ride into university on kendo alone, and the coach was even grooming me for the World Kendo Championship."
Despite everything else that had happened so far, Issei found himself genuinely curious about this story.
"What happened?"
Yohei dragged a finger down the spotless helmet of one of the armors, his tone half-nostalgic as he spoke.
"Life happened. My father suddenly passed away, and I found myself saddled with the responsibility of taking care of the company as an 18 year old barely out of high school. I had to sacrifice almost everything else in life in order to be able to be able to pick up the skills and knowledge needed to make sure the company at least survived, all the while keeping the shareholders from swallowing it up."
"Sounds hard."
"It was very difficult. I was forced to take the position of effective company head, which meant working my way back my father's files in order to figure out what deals he was making, with whom, and why; I had years and years of business deals to go over, all the while trying my best to make the most profitable and sustainable deals of my own, and learning business management, all the while inserting myself into the company dynamics in a more prominent manner and doing my best to persuade the majority of the staff into becoming 'my faction', rather than backing the shareholders."
"Damn."
Despite the somewhat judgemental nature of Yohei, listening to his life story fostered a sense of grudging respect, no matter how small, within Issei.
"Damn indeed. But... It all turned out for the better. The high-pressure environment pushed me in ways that I had never been pushed before. I found myself discovering new facets of myself, acquiring a suite of business-related skills, and I saw myself in a position to push the company higher and further than my father had been able to. From one day to the next, KoRyu(Yellow dragon) corporation had risen from a middle-level stagnant company, to one of the regional big boys.
"I started rubbing shoulders with the big boys, appearing in magazines and talk shows, and showing up to all sort of events. It was in one of these events that I ended up meeting the love of my life, Hitomi Hokkyoku, the heiress of an also steadily rising Hitomi family.
"I somehow managed to attract her attention, and we ended up falling in love. We got married and had our children, first Mira, then Aika, and we decided that we wanted to make sure that our daughters never had to struggle the way we did, so we're building up as much wealth and strengthening our company as much as possible to ensure that they get to have their you in a way we did not have."
"That's... Genuinely impressive. What does that have to do with me working with Hageshi Enterprises, though?"
"Well, while I went on a bit of a tangent, the point that I wanted to make was that I was extremely good at Kendo. A mixture of talent, hard work and dedication allowed me to be considered by the All Japan Kendo Federation as the most promising candidate for an international gold medal; and while I did have to give up pro kendo, and kendo in general for quite a few years, when myself and my wife joined the companies and split our responsibilities, I had the time to get some rust off."
The man reached into a wooden chest and withdrew a pair of Bokken (wooden swords), before tossing one of them towards Issei, who snatched it out of the air and curiously looked it over.
"Let me be quite honest with you, boy. I am not sure what to think of you. Our interactions so far gave me a few mixed feelings about you, some of them positive, others negative, and while the 'Breast' comment would have usually resulted in me instantly rejecting you as a suitor for my daughter, I am still aware of some of her interests, as marginally as said awareness might be.
"It was extremely likely that any partner my daughter chose shared in her interests. I choose to believe in both her judgement, and my gut feeling about people, two things that tell me that you're at least decent, if not a good person. Despite that, there is still a large part of me that sees Aika as my baby girl, and you as the Lothario trying to take advantage of her; that is without mentioning the part of me that resents the fact that you bond with Aika is deeper and much more solid than mine and my wife's. It is not fair, it is not your fault, but these parts are there nonetheless, and pretending that they're not won't change a thing."
"So what, you're going to beat me up with a wooden sword in order to make yourself feel better?"
"No. I am not a child abuser, or an idiot."
"Then what is this about?"
"This is me offering you the opportunity to prove your worth to me. To prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that Hageshi Katagi-san had a reason to hire you that validated your words, and, in case it turns out to be the truth, which I am leaning towards believing it is, then perhaps you could learn something that keeps you alive for longer, since my daughter seems to have fallen for you quite deeply, and your death would more than likely devastate her.
"So, Hyoudou Issei, the 'problem-solver' for Hageshi Katagi, the Yakuza boss, will you cross swords with me, or not?"
Issei flashed a dangerous smirk towards Yohei, his right hand loosely holding the Bokken to his side, while the older man positioned himself properly, his feet spaced and his blade held in front of him with two hands.
Issei's eyes widened when Yohei suddenly appeared within his guard, sword already halfway through a swing that would result in him getting struck right on the crown of the head.
Clack!
A swift swing from Issei managed to deflect the older man's blade, resulting in it just barely missing his shoulder before he could hop back to create space between them.
Yohei nodded at that.
"You've got good reflexes, you don't freeze or panic when faced with possible pain, and you automatically disengaged when you felt at a disadvantage. Even though you may not be trained in the path of the blade, you at least have good basics.
"However..."
Yohei moved again, his speed able to marginally outpace Matsuda without Tantric Energy usage despite the fact that he was only taking what amounted to short, shuffling steps, before his blade went for another hit at the crown.
Issei brought his blade up to block it again, only for Yohei to shift his strike so that the two ended in a blade lock, before moving his bokken in a swift horizontal arc that slid along Issei's stomach.
"You may have an advantage in speed, strength and reflexes, but I am very skilled and experienced in swordplay, something that, if used properly, can nullify your advantage. By shifting up my grip at the moment we clash I can force us into a blade lock, with the leverage I have over you allowing me to keep your blade trapped for free in terms of energy expenditure.
"From that position I simply needed a swift slash to an unguarded region, and the fight was mine to win. Do you wish to procc-"
"Fight, you say."
Yohei blinked at Issei's tone of voice, his own strong and steady as he spoke.
"Yes, we have been fighting so far. Or will you say that our previous bouts didn't count?"
"Nah, none of that. I'm ready, let's go again."
"Very well."
Yohei adopted his stance again, while Issei changed things up by placing both hands behind his back, the bokken held vertically so that it was hidden behind his body.
Issei then proceeded to dash towards Yohei, prompting the man to shift his stance slightly into a more defensive one.
Issei's right arm started a heavy swing from the shoulder, causing Yohei to angle his sword to quickly block or parry the heavy blow that was to follow.
"WRONG SIDE!"
Yohei's eyes widened at the sight of an empty right hand coming into view, before a blur of wood came into his field of view from the opposite direction.
Crack!
He barely managed to block the surprisingly swift left-handed attack, resulting in both blades being deflected in opposite directions hard.
'I managed to block the blow and redirect the majority of the energy towards him, meaning that my return swing will be arriving faster than hi-'
Yohei's eyes widened when he felt Issei's right arm wrapping itself around his right elbow and squeeze, forcing it to hyperextend, resulting in said arm releasing the hilt of the bokken. A rising knee to the Kashira had the wooden katana flying off of Yohei's other hand.
He had an instant to see Issei's smirk, before he was taken down by a rapid sequence starting on a kick to one of his inner thighs that sent him down to one knee, before a leg hooked itself around the back of his good leg and, with the grip on his arm, resulted in a clean takedown.
By the end of it all the two men were bare-handed, with Issei kneeling atop Yohei, one of his hands on Yohei's own arm, while the other one wrapped around his neck.
Their gazes met for a prolonged moment, before Issei released Yohei and stood up, holding out a hand for the older man.
Yohei accepted the extended hand with little hesitation, blinking at the ease with which the younger man hauled him back to his feet. He walked up to the bokken he had been using and picked it up, noticing the crack in the wood at the point of impact of the last clash.
Issei picked up the other bokken, the two remaining silent for a moment, before Yohei spoke up.
"Issei-san... What in the hell was that?"
"That was me learning my lesson. You told me from the start that this was a fight for something important, for your acknowledgement and acceptance of me as your son-in-law, but because of the wooden sword you gave me, I ended up limiting myself, thinking of it as a duel rather than as a fight, and going at it in the way that gave you the most advantage.
"When I duel I may follow 'rules' and 'regulations', but in a fight, everything goes. The important part is that you make it out alright in the end, and the other guy doesn't."
Yohei found himself nodding in agreement.
"A rather ruthless stance for one your age to take, but a correct one nonetheless. It is a train of thought we follow in the cutthroat world of business as well. You set the moral boundaries that you are unwilling to ever cross, and then everything else is fair game."
"Life-and-Death situations sort of make this mindset second-nature."
'Heh, so this is a man I'm dealing with right now, rather than a boy...'
Yohei smiled ruefully, his tone wry as he spoke.
"It seems that my assumptions about you were wholly incorrect..."
His smile turned into a serious frown.
"Promise me that you'll protect Aika."
Issei's own mien was serious as the grave as he responded.
"With my very life."
"Promise that you won't hurt her."
"I'll chop off an arm before I needlessly make the choice to hurt Aika."
"...I guess that is all I can reasonably ask for."
"Mhm."
"This spar really opened up my appetite, let's go check if lunch is served already."
"Alright."
Aika stared proudly, Mira stared in surprise and Hokkyoku stared blankly at the stream of easy conversation going back and forth between the two men, a stark contrast to their early interactions.
"So, Issei-san, tell me about your parents!"
Issei took a moment to swallow his food, an extremely delicious A5 grade Wagyu Beef Filet Mignon, with a side of Caesar salad, before responding.
"My father is Hyoudou Gorou, and he works as an accountant for XXXX company. My mother is Hyoudou Miki, and she's a housewife. She is the one that made sure me and my father were well fed, full of energy and presentable as I grew up. Without her there, we'd more than likely be completely lost in all things domestic. "
"A housewife!" Yohei exclaimed. "An often overlooked and underestimated role. I speak from personal experience when I say that a homecooked meal by someone that loves you feeds and energizes you much better than any restaurant meal."
"Yeah! You're completely right, old man!"
Mira gasped at Issei's form of address of her father, expecting some sort of correction, scolding, or something of the kind, only for her eyes to widen at the sight of her father nodding in agreement, not caring about the informal form of address in the least.
"I know, right?"
Aika smiled at the interaction between her father and Issei. She didn't know what happened between the two of them, whatever it is they talked about or did that resulted in them at least trying as they were at the moment, but she considered it good. Great, even. That meant that her father was choosing to push aside his own issues and preconceived notions about Issei, and trusting in her judgement in picking Issei as her boyfriend. That showed that he was willing to actually listen to her and take her words into consideration, rather than just steamrolling over her life and hijacking her control over each and every one of its aspects.
"An accountant and a housewife, huh..."
Her mother, on the other hand, seemed to have her heart set on being an absolute Bee with an itch at every step of the way, no matter what.
"Growing up in such background, and then finding yourself surrounded by particularly wealthy classmates in Kuoh must be difficult, no? Emotions are much more intense when you're a teen than during any other time in your life, up to and including envy."
"It's not difficult at all. My parents always did their absolute best to ensure that I grew up with everything that I could ever need and want. I had a roof over my head, clothes on my back, food in my stomach, good schools, transportation, electronics, an allowance and the occasional trip.
"I have no need to envy anyone."
"So that's how you want to play it, then?" Hokkyoku begun, "Fine then."
She snapped her fingers, prompting one of the nearby maids to bow politely before leaving the room. After that, she spoke.
"Hyoudou Issei. I don't know exactly what you desire from my daughter, though I can surmise the whatever those things may be. My daughter, Aika, is a naive girl though, and she hasn't caught on at all, so she's going to be caught up in this crush for you she has, meaning that no matter what I say she won't change her opinion. That means that the best course of action is to make her witness the truth first hand."
The maid that had left the room returned with a briefcase that she paced right in front of Issei, before turning it towards him and popping it open, causing Mira and Yohei's eyes to widen in alarm, Aika's in surprise, and Issei's to narrow in honest confusion.
The brunet young man turned a heavily focused gaze towards Hokkyoku before speaking up.
"What is this?"
The woman linked her fingers together in front of her mouth, her voice frigid as she spoke.
"Inside that briefcase there are 10,000,000 Yen, and a contract that stipulates that you'll receive a 5,000,000 yen stipend every three months for the rest of your life... As long as you stay away from Aika."
Yohei's eyes widened in panic at that, while Mira stared in shock, and Issei silently met Hokkyoku's gaze.
"W-what the hell, mother! What are you playing at here!?"
Hokkyoku turned towards Aika, her tone clinical as she spoke.
"Simple. This young man is chasing after you for your wealth and status, and you fell for his sweet words like the teenage schoolgirl you are. If he does remain attached to you, not only will that prove a future risk for the corporation and the legacy we wish to leave you and your sister, his low status will also reflect poorly on you. The fact that one of the daughters of the legendary Yellow Dragon leadership was incapable of attracting a proper partner with a proper background will be constantly brought up as a weapon against in any and every social gathering you participate in.
"This lowborn young man is nothing more than an anchor for you, Aika. Me? I am simply trying to detach him from you. If it is wealth that he desires, then we simply grant it to him. 5 million per trimester won't even put a dent in our personal accounts, and should keep him in the comfortably hedonistic lifestyle he wishes to have."
She turned her focus back towards Issei.
"So, what do you say, boy?" Yohei winced hard when Hokkyoku said that particular word. "Will you try attaching yourself to someone that may lose her interest in you in the future or not even be the heiress, risking your shot at the best lifestyle you could have, or will you take the good deal that will set you up for life?"
Everybody's eyes turned towards Issei as soon as those words were said.
A smirk appeared on his face as his hand stretched towards the briefcase, said smirk causing Yohei to cringe hard, before the brunet grabbed the briefcase's handle.
Hokkyoku's turned towards Aika at that, her face showing slight sorrow mixed with a decisive drive as she spoke.
"See, daughter? It was as I sai-"
"Ha..."
A chill ran down the spines of every present individual at the mere sound of Issei's sigh, forcing them all to turn their focus towards him.
BAM!
They all jumped in place when Issei suddenly slammed the briefcase closed, before he simply threw it on the ground.
He leaned back into his chair in a relaxed, indolent manner that he hadn't displayed for the entire day; despite that, everybody staring at the young man could feel an instinctive fear from the bottom of their very souls; this fear was aided by the very large, seemingly friendly looking smile that spread his face, completely at odds with the blazing gaze that he alternatively placed upon Hakkyoku and the briefcase itself.
He ultimately sighed again, his form so relaxed that his shoulders slumped slightly as he stood up from his seat, his tone voice perfectly civil and conversational as he spoke.
"You know, I thought that things were going alright by now, and that if anything else occurred, it would be at best a minor annoyance. Never would I think that you would choose to imply that I'd abandon any of my precious people for money. That made me real mad. So, in order to not have to punch you, I am simply going to leave, and never set foot in this home again."
Having said that, Issei slowly walked out of the mansion.
"HOW COULD YOU!?"
Aika's near-shrieks after Issei's deathly calm words caused them all to jump in surprise, with the brunette getting up to her feet and pointing an accusing finger at her mother, said finger trembling from the sheer amount of anger she felt.
"HOW DARE YOU TREAT ISSEI LIKE THAT! BELITTLE HIM, HIS FAMILY, IS BACKGROUND, AND ESPECIALLY IMPLY THAT HE'D ABANDON SOMEONE FOR MONEY!?"
Hokkyoku seemed to be ready to answer, only for Aika to wave a hand in front of herself, her tone having cooled to an arctic degree comparable to her mother's.
"Don't answer. Don't talk to me again, and don't expect to see me set foot in this home unless Issei chooses to willingly do so as well. "
Having said that, Aika turned around and ran after Issei.
Hokkyoku stood up, ready to shout, and bark orders, only for Yohei's hand on her shoulder to stop her. She turned a confused gaze towards her husband, only for him to respond with a shake of his head.
"You just deeply offended and drove away the best shot we have at rekindling our relationship with our daughter. "
"What do you mean?"
"What I mean is that you just caused the person dearest to Aika at this point in time such great offense that it is unlikely they will ever choose to set foot in our home, and with him, left our daughter."
"This is ludicrous! There is no need for all this drama, we can simply transfer Aika over to an all-girl's academy far away from this boy, and give her time to get over it. She'll likely even thank us in the future!"
"If you do that," Mari spoke up, "Then Aika will hate you forever. Nothing you ever say or do will ever be enough to change that. Even if she ultimately ends up getting together with Isse again, the sheer fact that you ignored all of her wishes and acted will be enough."
"Plus," Yohei spoke up somberly, "Issei-san works with Hageshi Katagi. Hageshi-san knows people. If you gave the order to have Aika transferred from Kuoh, how long do you think it would take for the paperwork for the transference of guardianship over Aika to make its way to our hands?"
Hokkyoku blanched at that, her tone showing some trepidation for the first time that day as she spoke.
"Y-you truly believe that that boy is working with Hageshi Enterprises?"
Yohei simply nodded, causing Hokkyoku's legs to lose their strength.
"I... I miscalculated. But I can fix it! I just need to go talk to th-"
"No, mother," Mira said with a shake of her head, "Not today. Not tomorrow. Not anytime soon, even. Give the two of them time to cool off first, then try to make amends."
The three then elapsed into silence, each of them lost in their thoughts.
"Ise! Wait for me, Ise!"
Issei turned around, only to receive a facefull of Aika breasts as the girl jump-hugged him, her arms wrapped around the back of his head and pressin him deeper into her chest, while her legs wrapped around his torso.
"I'm... Sorry, for mother's... Everything, basically."
The brunet wiggled free of the clinch, giving himself the space to speak audibly.
"It's not your fault, Ai-chan. I won't blame you for something that you're not guilty of."
"Thanks, Ise. I... I love you, Ise."
"I love you, my Ai-chan."
The two fell into a comfortable silence, before Aika spoke up in a sheepish tone.
"Hey, Ise... I kind of ran away from home, so I'd appreciate it if-"
"You're always welcome to come and stay with me, my Ai-chan."
The girl climbed down from Issei's lap in order to give him a proper hug, wrapping her arms around his torso and burying her face in his chest.
"I kind of left without anything of mine, since I wanted to leave direclty with you, sooooo..."
"Sure," He said in fond exasperation, a hand patting the top of her head, "We'll get you whatever it is you need."
"I have the best boyfriend ever."
While the day wasn't as good as it could have been, Issei ultimately decided to just put the bad parts away from his mind and focus on the good.
Live-in Girlfriend x1 - Get!
Edited for money reasons. People have pointed out that my smol brain money scaling made Hageshi not all that impressive, so I had to fix that to fit in with my view of the man and his company.
Also, if you enjoy fanfiction of all types and fandoms, and would like to have a way to directly communicate with me and other prolific authors, you can do so by joining the Extalia discord server at " discord -dot- gg -slash- V54pcwA "
Anyways, have a good day!