#cousin!choji | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

fervidgrey · 2 months ago

Text

Heavy in Your Arms

Disclaimers

Notes: This fic is Togame Jo-centric, not a huge fan of Choji so fans beware- Choji stays crazy, there will be original characters sprinkled in as needed, MC is on the thicker side (i've left this open to interpretation) Jo is nearly 200lbs he can handle some thicc thighs.

Fic wide TW: Aged Up Characters, No Characters Below 18, No Use of Y/N, Reader’s Body is MOSTLY Open to Interpretation- but leans thicc, Unhealthy Coping Skills, People Pleaser- Reader Has Some Spine, Established Family Dynamics, Unhealthy Relationship, Praise Kink, Light BDSM, Voyeurism ,Dead Dove: Read Warnings!, Graphic Depictions of Gang Violence, Sexual Content, Sexual Assault, Drug Use, Threats of Vilolence, Graphic Depictions of Torture, Xenophobia, Mentions of Drugs, Graphic Depictions of Drug Use, AU- Cannon Divergence.

Please do not read if this would harm you in any way, your mental health comes first!

Book: Heavy in Your Arms

Chapter: 5, My feet dragged across the ground

Chapter TW: General unhealthy relationships.

Word Count: 20,000~ (No beta, we die like men.)

Your eyes snapped open for reasons unknown. No dreams had lingered long enough to be remembered, and your phone hadn’t buzzed- you simply just woke up. With a loud groan you rolled over, wishing to return to the sweet, comfortable darkness. Today you had promised to talk about what had been bothering you with Togame.

Laying in bed, staring at the ceiling, your mind turned with thoughts of the upcoming conversation with Togame. The weight of everything you need to tell him makes your chest pull tight. How do you even begin to explain everything?

The clock sitting on your night stand reflected the time in big red mocking letters. It's only 6:23 AM - still hours before Togame is set to pick you up. With a sigh, you force yourself out of bed. A shower was the only way to handle being awake this early without freaking out from every fake conversation cycling in your head.

The hot water soothed every muscle and thankfully, slowed your mind. With closed eyes, you try to organize your thoughts. You needed to tell Togame about Toma and his friends, right? If he didn’t know them it was a pointless conversation. If he did- well, you didn’t know.

Deep urges to avoid dealing with personal turbulence makes your head roll back and forth under the water, mirroring your mind: avoid the situation or to come clean? Was it even /important you knew about them both being in different gangs? It wasn’t like you knew all their secrets. You frowned at the thought. You didn’t really know anything deep about any of them. Togame was like a magnet, your cousin was blood, and Kotoha was just amazing, and the others were protective- but you really didn’t know much.

After drying off and getting dressed, you catch sight of yourself in the mirror. The hickies on your neck look even darker today. With an arched eyebrow you stepped closer to the mirror, inspecting your body. You kinda liked the look of Togame’s handy work- his signature. The back of your thighs begin to tingle as you imagine Togame behind you, biting the already bruised flesh of your neck. Your fingers messaged the spots on your shoulder, your lip shifting between your teeth as you think of him adding more. While your fantasies had always been a bit more submissive, being in the position was very different but it felt so addictive. I swear. New heat traveled down your thighs as spectral hands roamed your body- his voice ghosting in your ear. Pinching your eyes closed you slowly pushed away the thoughts.

As much as you'd love to indulge in fantasies about Togame, you need to focus on the conversation ahead. Still, you can't help but smile at your reflection, a mixture of arousal and nervousness brewing in your stomach.

A quick glance at the clock showed you still have plenty of time before Togame was due to arrive. Working on your writing assignment would be a fantastic way to distract yourself, and it was due in three days. Opening your laptop, you pull up the document with your story draft.

While you type, you find yourself pouring your conflicted emotions into your protagonist's internal monologue. The words flow easily, your character's struggle to make sense of her situation mirroring your own inner turmoil. If speaking about your worries and fears came easily to you, today would be a walk in the park- but they don't.

Before you knew it, two hours had passed. You stretch wide, surprised at how much you've written. Upon checking the time you see it’s 9:08 AM, plenty of time to get ready for your breakfast date. Quickly you save the new work and close your laptop, feeling a sense of accomplishment but it's quickly snuffed out by anxiety about your upcoming conversation with Togame.

A look through your closet continues to remind you it's a bit sparse- something you needed to fix with Kotoha, but you settle on a pale green flowy sundress with a built-in petticoat, some white socks and ballet flats. The marks on your neck stand out vividly against the pale dress. You muse on them, without context it did look like you got into a brawl- which didn’t feel cute for breakfast. Chuckling to yourself you grab your makeup bag and get to work covering them up with mild reluctance- it did feel like shame to hide Togame’s affections.

Just as you finish up the final touches to your makeup, you hear a knock at the front door. Glancing at your phone, you see it's exactly 10 AM. Togame's punctuality both impresses and unnerves you considering how sluggish he seemed to move in person. Shuffling all your stuff to the side, you race to the window of your room. You slide the window up and poke your head out, eyes landing on the handsome Togame Jo.

“Hey! One second!” You nearly shout, a laugh follows the declaration just before you slap the window close and dash out of your room- shoes, phone and bag in hand. Glancing around you see your aunt in the garden, sitting on a mat relaxing in the morning sun.

“Auntie, I am going out for a bit. I’m gonna get some groceries today, do you need anything?”

Your aunt looks up at you, squinting against the morning sun. "Some daikon and carrots would be good," she says after a moment. "Eggs if they're on sale." She studies you for a moment, her eyes lingering on your neck where you've covered the marks

You nod, making a mental note. "Got it. I'll be back later!"

As you turn to leave, your aunt calls out, "And tell that young man waiting for you that he should come inside next time. It's rude to just wait at the door."

Your hand freezes on the doorknob. You force a smile more to yourself, hoping your nervousness doesn't reflect in your voice. "Of course, Auntie. I'll let him know”

With that, you quickly slip on your shoes, fluff your dress, then pop the door open. Togame stood there with a small smile, looking as handsome as ever in a crisp white shirt and black jeans, and oddly- no jacket. His green eyes light up when he sees you, a small smile playing on his lips. It seemed criminal for him to look this good wearing basic clothing.

"Good morning," his voice alone makes you smile. "Ready to go?"

You nod, stepping out and closing the door behind you. "Ready! Where are we going for breakfast?" Togame offers you his arm, which you take gratefully. "You keep asking that.” he says with a smirk.

“And you keep not answering!” you playfully chastised back. He hums, and as usual he does not provide any more information. As the two of you walked you noticed something, it was small, but it made you involuntary swallow. His fingers holding your arm on top of his were red, and slightly swollen. This was one of the first times you’ve seen his body reflect his work and selfishly- wishing you hadn’t noticed.

You focus instead on the warm morning sun and the comforting presence of Togame’s body beside you. The streets are relatively quiet at this hour, with just a few early risers going about their business making the silence even more pronounced in your head. After a few minutes of quiet walking, Togame leads you to a small, charming café tucked away on a side street. The sign above the door reads "Café Solar" in elegant script.

"Hope you like pancakes," Togame says as he holds the door open for you. "They opened last week, but I've heard good things."

The interior of the café is cozy and inviting, with soft lighting and the aroma of freshly baked pastries filling the air. Several other patrons are scattered at their tables, all taking pictures of their fancy display of sweets.

Your eyes went wide and a giggle slipped out upon seeing all the pancake themed decor, you loved pancakes. Waffles were good too, but pancakes with chocolate chips were in the dictionary next to the word perfection, in your mind anyways.

"I love pancakes," you say, beaming up at Togame. His choice of restaurant brings new warmth into your chest. This outing is such a normal, sweet gesture - taking you to a trendy new café for breakfast instead of a drinking spot. For a moment you forget about the complications in your life, and about his red knuckles.

A cheerful waitress leads you to a small table by the window. As you settle into your seats, you can't help but notice how Togame's large frame seems almost comically out of place in the dainty café setting.

"Something funny?" Togame asks, raising an eyebrow.

You shake your head, still smiling. "Nothing. It's just nice to be here with you."

Togame responds with a soundless chuckle, and he reaches across the table to take your hand. His touch sends a familiar spark through you, but you can't help but stare at the irritated skin on his knuckles. He looked down at his hands then back to you. His relaxed features didn’t shift as he worked out why you were looking at his hands so much.

“The redness is from a punching bag.” he paused with a flashy smile, “a literal punching bag.” he adds, reading your mind.

You let out a small laugh, relief washing over you. "A literal punching bag, huh? Rough workout?"

Togame shrugs, his smile still in place. "Something like that. Had some frustrations to work out."

“I know the feeling,” you quickly hush out before the waitress returns with menus. As you peruse the options, you can't help but sneak glances at Togame, he was so fine even while checking out a menu, it felt a bit unfair honestly. Your eyes land on his fingers again, now level with your eyes- despite his reassurance about the punching bag, you can't shake the feeling that there's more to the story. But for now, you decide to focus on enjoying this moment with him. The menu displayed vibrant pictures of massive stacks of packages, or some with tons of toppings but all of them were soufflé style which suited you just fine.

"The plain chocolate chip pancakes please," you say, setting down your menu.

Togame nods in agreement. “I'll go with blueberry." As the waitress takes your orders, you notice she is blushing at him, her smile far brighter with him than you.

As the waitress walks away, you feel a twinge of jealousy at her obvious attraction to Togame. She was cute in a way you could not pull off, which stung considering you had really tired to be cute this morning. With a tiny head shake you quickly push the feeling aside, reminding yourself that you're the one sitting across from him.

"So," Togame says, his green eyes focused intently on you. "You mentioned yesterday that you wanted to talk about something."

You take a deep breath, suddenly nervous. This is the moment you've been dreading and anticipating and you didn’t even have pancakes to stuff in your mouth yet. "Yeah, I... there's something I need to tell you. About my family.." you trailed off, your voice suddenly felt weak.

Togame's expression remains neutral, but you notice a slight tensing in his shoulders. "Go on," he says slowly.

You fidget with your napkin, trying to find the right words. "Well, yesterday at the cafe..cafe pothos..”

Togame flinched “Wait, one second.” He pulled his phone out from his pocket. He glared at the phone ringing in his palm with extreme disdain. He flipped it open.

“I’m busy.” he hissed out but listened to whoever was talking. “Give me 10 minutes.” His expression was interesting to behold- you had never seen it like that before. Pure rage, and disgust- you never wanted to be on the end of that look.

“I need to go, but I will make it up to you,” He is already standing, pulling his wallet from his back pocket. He takes a few large steps, bridging the cafe’s interior instantly. He beckons to the waitress before handing her cash then turns back to the table. Upon reaching you he places a firm kiss on the top of your head.

“Take those home, see if your aunt would enjoy them. I’ll call you later.” He tossed you a dazzling smile then rushed out the door.

You stare at the empty seat across from you, stunned by Togame's abrupt departure, then watch Togame's retreating figure through the cafe window. The cheerful atmosphere of the café suddenly feels hollow, and cold. You slump back in your chair, disappointment and frustration washing over you. After working up the courage to finally talk to him, he's gone in an instant.

The waitress approaches, looking a bit flustered herself. "Um, your pancakes will be ready soon. Would you like them to go?" she mumbles.

You nod, not trusting your voice at the moment. As she walks away, you pull out your phone, debating whether to text Togame a bitchy message but the conflict avoidant girl in you wins. You pull up Kotoha’s number.

“I know it's last minute but would you like to do a girls day? My treat?” Within 2 minutes she texts back.

“Yes! When are you free?” A big smile hits your face, the power of girl friendship is real and alive.

“Now if you can.”

You wait anxiously for Kotoha's reply, your disappointment from Togame's abrupt departure still weighing heavily on you, your knee bouncing from pent up annoyance. When your phone buzzes with her response, you feel a wave of relief wash over you.

"Perfect timing! Head over and I’ll start locking up."

You quickly type back a confirmation, grateful for Kotoha's enthusiasm. As you wait for your pancakes to be boxed up, you try to push thoughts of Togame to the back of your mind. Today was now about having fun with your friend, and forgetting your worries for a while.

The waitress returns with a neatly packaged box of pancakes. "Here you go," she says with a sympathetic smile. You nod a thank you, then head out of Café Solar. The walk to Cafe Pothos was too far with packages, so you hailed a cab and off you went.

As the taxi stopped in front of Cafe Pothos, you spotted Kotoha waiting outside, her face lighting up the moment you came into view. You pay the driver and step out, balancing the box of pancakes in one hand.

"Hey!" Kotoha calls, waving enthusiastically. "Ooh, what's in the box?"

You let out a sarcastic laugh, pushing away the lingering disappointment from your aborted breakfast with Togame. "Pancakes. It's dumb boy story."

Kotoha's eyes narrow slightly, picking up on your mood. "Well, we've got all day for dumb boy stories. Come on, let's drop those off inside and then we can start our girls' day!"

You follow Kotoha into the cafe, placing the pancakes in the small fridge behind the counter then popping back outside. As she finishes locking up, you take a deep breath, letting the sun warm your face. It was so nice outside, there was no way you were going to let your whole day get ruined by Tagome being busy.

Kotoha links her arm through yours while pocketing her keys. "So, what's the plan? Shopping? Movies? We could go to the onsen if you want to really relax."

You consider for a moment. "Shopping sounds great, actually. I need to expand my wardrobe a bit." You pause, remembering your aunt's request. "Oh, and I need to pick up some groceries for my aunt later, but I’ll do that on my way back."

Kotoha nods enthusiastically. "Perfect! I know just the place. There's this cute boutique that opened up recently, lots of clothes!"

As you start walking, Kotoha gives you a sidelong glance. "So... want to tell me about these pancakes and the dumb boy?"

You sigh. "It's Togame," you admit. "We were supposed to have a date but he got a call and ran off. Didn’t even say sorry, just left!” You exaggerate the end of your sentence with a silly face making Kotoha laugh.

“Just like a man!” She pushed herself into your side, a playful nudge to make you smile, and it worked.

“Right! Forget men for now, let's talk about fun stuff!” you counter back.

"Forget men!" Kotoha agrees with a laugh. "Today is all about us. No boy drama allowed!" You nod in full agreement.

As you walk arm-in-arm down the bustling street, you feel your spirits lifting. The warm sun on your face and Kotoha's cheerful chatter help push thoughts of Togame to the back of your mind.

"So tell me about this boutique," you say, genuinely curious. "What kind of styles do they have?"

Kotoha's eyes light up. "Oh, it's amazing! They have everything from cute sundresses to edgy street style. And the accessories are to die for. I got the cutest pair of earrings there last week."

As she chats about the shop, you find yourself getting excited. It's been a while since you've had a proper shopping trip, and the idea of refreshing your wardrobe made you extremely happy. Plus shopping with a friend made it all the better.

After several minutes you and Kotoha approach the boutique, your excitement building upon seeing the store. The storefront is charming, with a large display window showcasing mannequins in stylish outfits. A bell chimes softly as you enter, and you're immediately struck by the array of colors and textures surrounding you.

"Wow," you breathe, taking it all in. Racks of clothes line the walls, each section seemingly curated to a different style or mood. In the center of the store, tables display an assortment of accessories - jewelry, scarves, and handbags.

Kotoha grins, clearly pleased by your reaction. "Told you it was amazing. Come on, let's start browsing!"

You follow her lead, running your fingers over soft fabrics and admiring bold patterns. It's been so long since you've done something like this - even back home adult life pulled you away from friends. As you browse through the racks, you find yourself drawn to a section with draped dresses, romantic blouses, and lace. A short pale green dress immediately catches your eye, the fabric displayed delicate floral embroidery,a sweet heart necklace, and sheer sleeves making it look so darling- true princess vibes.

"Oh, this is so pretty," you say, pulling it out to get a better look.

Kotoha nods approvingly. "That would look great on you. The color would really bring out your eyes."

You hold the dress up to yourself, looking in a nearby mirror. The soft fabric and feminine cut make you feel instantly more graceful.

"You should try it on," Kotoha encourages. "And maybe pair it with..." She scans the accessories, then grabs a wide-brimmed straw hat. "This!"

You laugh, but take the hat. "Okay, okay. I'll give it a shot."

In the fitting room, you slip on the dress, admiring how the fabric falls around your body. The embroidered flowers add a delicate touch, and when you put on the straw hat, you can't help but smile at your reflection. You look like you're ready for a picnic in a meadow.

"How's it going in there?" Kotoha calls from the next stall over.

"I think I love it," you reply, twirling a bit to see how the skirt moves. "What about you? Find anything good?"

"Oh, you have no idea," Kotoha says with a laugh. "Come on, let's do a little fashion show!"

You step out of the fitting room just as Kotoha emerges from hers. She's wearing a bold red jumpsuit with wide-leg pants and a plunging neckline. A squeal leaves your mouth at the sight of her. She mimics your delight while moving her arms into different flashy poses- you muse how she could easily be a model.

"Oh my god, Kotoha!" you exclaim, your eyes wide. "You look incredible!"

Kotoha grins, striking a dramatic pose. "Right? I feel like I could conquer the world in this."

You circle around her, admiring how the jumpsuit hugs her curves. "You absolutely have to get it. It's perfect for you."

Kotoha turns to look at herself in the full-length mirror, her expression thoughtful. "You think so? It's not too much?"

"Not at all," you assure her. "It's bold and confident, just like you."

She beams at you, then turns her attention to your outfit. "And look at you! That dress is so pretty. You look like a summer fairy or something."

You blush slightly at the compliment, smoothing down the skirt of the dress. You did feel very pretty in this dress. It wasn’t like you didn’t have any confidence but it had been a long time since you got so many complaints, the change was nice- needed.

"Thanks," you say softly. "I really like it." The thought of Togame’s response did cross your mind, but you blew a quiet raspberry, pushing thoughts of him away.

"We're definitely getting both of these," Kotoha declares, breaking your internal monologue.

"No arguments!" She said with a matter of fact tone, not allowing a single second of argument to pass through your lips. You laugh at the steadfast look on her face.

"Okay, okay. But let's see what else they have first. I want to try on everything!" You were absolutely getting the dress, but there was so much to pick from and you still had a 40 minute walk home.

For the next hour, you and Kotoha take turns trying on different outfits, offering opinions and encouragement. You find yourself drawn to soft, feminine pieces - flowing skirts, delicate blouses, and dainty jewelry. Kotoha, on the other hand, gravitated towards bolder styles - vibrant colors, sleek lines, including the red jumpsuit and a leopard print midi skirt that looked incredibly chic on her.

As you browse, you come across a section of lingerie. Your eyes linger on a set of black lace underwear. The delicate fabric and intricate pattern make your pulse quicken slightly as you imagine wearing it for Togame. You quickly glance around, making sure Kotoha isn't nearby, before picking up the set to examine it more closely.

"Ooh, what have you got there?" Kotoha's voice makes you jump. You turn to see her grinning mischievously.

"Oh, um, nothing," you stammer, feeling your face flush. "Just looking."

Kotoha raises an eyebrow. "Uh-huh. Sure you were. That wouldn't happen to be for a certain someone, would it?"

You bite your lip, slowly smiling. "Maybe," you admit finally. "Do you think it's too much?”

“No! If he doesn't like it on you, he isn’t worth it!” You chuckle then double check for the right sizing, and the overall stretch of the material. With a nod you put them in your arms and smiled at Kotoha.

“What else do we need?” You questioned, your arms spilling over with fabric. She giggled, pulling you along to more of the store. With a mischievous grin she leads you to another area of the lingerie section. "Well, if we're shopping for sexy, we might as well go all out," she says with a wink.

You followed her,excitement clear on your face. Kotoha stops in front of a display of silky robes and negligees.

"Every girl needs a good robe," she says, running her hand over a deep burgundy silk robe. "It's perfect for those mornings after..." she trails off suggestively, wiggling her eyebrows at you.

You laugh, pushing her shoulder. "Kotoha!"

"What? I'm just saying," she giggles. "Plus, they're super comfortable. Here, try this one on."

She hands you a soft, pale pink robe but your eye catches a flash of orange. A soft pale orange robe reminds you of his jacket, and sherbert. “Hmm, I’m going to try the orange!”

“That’s a bold color.” You take the orange robe from the rack, admiring the soft, silky material. "I know, but I really like it," you say with a smile. "It reminds me of..." you trail off, not wanting to mention Togame explicitly.

Kotoha gives you a knowing look. "Of someone's favorite color perhaps?" she teases gently.

You blush but nod. "Something like that," you admit. "Is that weird?"

"Not at all," Kotoha reassures you. "It's cute that you want something that reminds you of him. Plus, orange is a great color on you."

You head to the fitting room to try on the robe. As you slip it on over your clothes, you can't help but admire how the soft fabric feels against your skin. The color is warm and flattering, and you can easily imagine lounging in this on a lazy morning.

You emerge from the fitting room, feeling a mix of shy and excited. "What do you think?" you ask Kotoha, doing a little twirl.

Kotoha's eyes widened appreciatively. "That looks amazing on you! Orange is hard to pull off, you make it look easy." She circles around you, examining the robe from all angles. "And the fit is perfect. You have to get it."

You smile, running your hands over the silky fabric. "I think I will. It feels so nice."

"He won't be able to keep his hands off you in that," Kotoha says with a wink.

You bite the inside of your cheek, but can't help grinning at the thought. "That's the plan," you admit sheepishly.

After shimming off the robe you scoop everything into your arms again, adding the robe to the large pile of purchases. As you and Kotoha make your way to the front. She didn’t know yet but the few items she had put back due to the price were stuffed under your other purchases. Today you were going to treat a friend!

As she placed her items down you also slapped your stuff down, nudging her aside. The sudden shift of all the items on the counter mixing together makes Kotoha's eyes widen in surprise.

"Wait, what are you doing?" she asks, looking confused. You smile, gently pushing her hand away as she reaches for her wallet. "It's my treat today, remember? I said I'd pay for everything."

Her rebuttal follows immediately, her arms flailing out to stop you. "But... that's too much! I can't let you do that."

"Yes, you can," you insist, already handing your credit card to the cashier. "You've been such an amazing friend since I got here. Let me do this for you."

Kotoha looks torn between gratitude and guilt. "Are you sure? It's really not necessary..."

"I'm absolutely sure," you say firmly. "Plus, I had too, you looked too amazing in some of these, it would have been a crime to leave them."

Kotoha still looks unsure, but a smile starts to spread across her face. "You're really something else, you know that?" she says, shaking her head in disbelief. "Thank you. Seriously."

You grin, feeling a warm glow of happiness at being able to do something nice for your friend. "You're welcome. Now, no more arguments. Let's finish up here and go get some lunch. I'm starving!"

As the cashier rings up your purchases, you can't help but feel a little thrill at the pile of new clothes and accessories. It's been ages since you've treated yourself like this, and doing it with a friend makes it even more special.

Once everything was bagged up correctly, you and Kotoha waddled out of the store, arms laden with shopping bags. The sun is high in the sky now, and the streets are bustling with lunchtime crowds.You stand at the side of the store, shifting your bags one last time with a smile. The weight of them reminds you of the fun morning you've had with Kotoha, trying on clothes and laughing together. It's been exactly what you needed today.

"So, where should we go for lunch?" Kotoha asks, also adjusting her grip on her bags. "There's a great little ramen place around the corner, or we could try that new fusion restaurant that just opened up."

You consider for a moment, then grin. "You know what? I'm in the mood for something indulgent. How about we go for dessert first? I saw a cute crepe stand a few blocks back."

Kotoha's eyes light up. "Ooh, I like the way you think!”

You and Kotoha make your way through the busy streets, chatting and laughing as you go. As you approach the crepe stand, the sweet aroma of freshly cooked batter fills the air. Your mouth waters at the sight of the colorful display of fruits, chocolates, and whipped cream.

"Oh my god, everything looks amazing," Kotoha groans, her eyes scanning the menu. "How are we supposed to choose?"

You laugh, feeling the same dilemma. "Maybe we should get two different ones and share?" you suggest.

Kotoha nods enthusiastically. "Perfect! I'm thinking... strawberry and chocolate for me. What about you?"

You ponder for a moment, then decide “Blueberry and tangerine looks amazing!”

Kotoha nods approvingly at your choice. "Ooh, that does sound good! I love how they combine flavors here."

You place your orders, watching in fascination as the crepe maker expertly spreads the batter on the hot circular griddle, then fills and folds each crepe with practiced ease. The finished crepes are works of art, piled high with fresh fruit, drizzled with sauce, and topped with a perfect swirl of whipped cream.

"These look almost too pretty to eat," you say as you accept your crepe, the paper wrapping warm in your hands.

Kotoha laughs, already taking a big bite of hers. "Almost," she agrees, her voice muffled. "But not quite!"

You find a nearby bench to sit on, carefully balancing your shopping bags at your feet. The first bite is heavenly - the crepe is perfectly crisp on the outside and soft on the inside, the fruit fresh and juicy, and the cream adds just the right amount of sweetness.

"Oh my god," Kotoha moans around a mouthful of strawberry and chocolate. "This is amazing."

You nod, unable to speak as you savor your own crepe. "So," Kotoha says as playing with a strawberry, "are you feeling better now? You seemed pretty down when you first arrived." You weren’t prepared for her question, but it made you so happy Kotoha had taken the first step to be friends- you needed her so much.

You nod, a small smile playing on your lips. "Yeah, I am. Thanks for dropping everything to hang out with me. I really needed this."

Kotoha bumps her shoulder against yours playfully. "That's what friends are for. And hey, retail therapy always helps, right?"

You laugh, nodding in agreement. "Definitely. Plus, it's nice to just have a normal day, you know? No drama, no complications. Just shopping and crepes." You both laugh in sync then dive back into the decadent desserts.

Upon scarfing down the last of the crepes, you realize the afternoon has slipped away. The sun is starting to dip in the sky, casting a warm glow over the bustling streets and longer shadows.

"I should probably head home soon," you say with a sigh, reluctant to end this carefree day. "I promised my aunt I'd pick up some groceries for her."

Kotoha nods, stretching her arms above her head. "Yeah, I should get going too. My brother will probably be wondering where I am." She gives you a warm smile. "Thanks again for today. It was really fun."

You stand up, gathering your shopping bags. "Thank you for coming out with me. We need to do it again!" As you hug goodbye, Kotoha gives you a knowing look. "And if you ever need to talk just message me! You don’t have to buy me things in order to hang out.”

You nod gratefully. "I will, thanks Kotoha."

With one final wave, you both part ways. As you make your way to the grocery store, you can't help but glance at your phone. You haven't received any texts throughout the day, even from your parents. It shouldn’t have made you feel instantly lonely- but it did. With a quick head shake you focused on the next task, grocery shopping. There was a store you didn’t get a chance to visit often because it was out of the way. Seemed ideal to just get your shopping done all at once before crossing under the tunnel.

At the store, you quickly gather the items your aunt requested - daikon, carrots, and eggs. As you browse the aisles, you pick up a few extra things, wanting to cook a nice dinner for your aunt. Once upon the candy aisle you struggled and failed to leave some chocolate bars behind.

With loaded shopping bags and groceries, you finally turn your body towards the direction of the tunnel.

Togame’s POV

Togame strode quickly through the streets, already annoyed with the information he had just received. The call had come from one of his men stationed near the border of Shishitoren territory. There had been another incident - this time, a direct confrontation between some of his men and someone claiming to be from Bofurin. If all reports were to be believed, a low ranked Bofurin had stolen drugs when he didn’t have money due to sudden increases.

As he approached the scene, Togame could see the tension in the air. A small crowd had gathered inside the tunnel, while a few civilians were urged away by some of his men. In the center, two groups faced off - his own men, one completely knocked out- it looked like Saruwatari, and a very familiar group of Bofurin men in green jackets.

"Boss," one of his men called out as Togame approached. "These guys showed up out of nowhere, started causing trouble. They're saying they're from Bofurin, but..."

Togame “Of course they are.” Togame paused, looking them all over. “Hiragi-chan, hey there.” He waved casually, his ramune marble clinking to the rhythm of his arm.

Hiragi stepped forward from the group of Bofurin men. Togame honestly respected Hiragi greatly, he would even go so far to say he liked him, but something about his current demeanor seemed off, making Togame suspicious of his presence.

"Togame-san," Hiragi said, his voice tight. "There seems to be some misunderstanding here. Your men are accusing us of theft."

Togame's eyes narrowed slightly, his casual demeanor not quite masking the sharpness of his gaze. "Is that so?” He shifted his glasses, removing the orange tint from his vision. He looked over them all: Hiragi Toma, Haruka Sakura, Hayato Suo, Akihiko Nirei, Kyotaro Sugishita, that left one he didn’t know- hiding behind Hayato along with Akihiko. Considering what he knew about them all he guessed the no name was the thief.

“What did he take?" Togame questioned, not looking back. “3’n half grams of rock.” Yukinari responded instantly.

Hiragi shifted uncomfortably, his eyes darting to the side for a moment. "Look, he is sick. We can make it right. "

"Wasn’t it a misunderstanding?" Togame bounced back, his tone laced with jest. "Yet now you're offering to 'make it right'? Which is it, Hiragi-chan?" A foul smile crept to his lips, it was fun fucking with Bofurin when ever he got the chance. Hiragi opened his mouth to respond, but Togame cut him off with a sudden gesture.

"Relax," Togame offered slowly- though it had a dangerous edge. His gaze swept over the group of Bofurin men, lingering on the unfamiliar face partially hidden behind Sou.

"Give it back,and I'll call it square." It was an incredibly generous offer all things considered, but he honestly didn’t want to get into a huge bawl over an 8 ball. This entire week had been filled with annoying shit, and he didn’t want another meeting about an insignificant amount of cocaine. He could practically hear Choji in his mind demanding a full gang brawl to settle the score and the thought made him exhausted. Hiragi nodded to Togame, relief washing over his features. Just as Hiragi turned to the thief, Saruwatari leapt to life- shattering the quiet Togame had worked so hard to get.

“Enough of the games punk! There are rules, you are not supposed to interfere on our turf!” Our turf? That was rich, this fucker had embarassed himself infront in serval people, and then had the adacity to talk like he was still allowed to stay.

The sound of shattering glass echoed through the tunnel as Togame brought the ramune bottle down on Saruwatari's head. The man crumpled to the ground wordlessly, blood beginning to seep through his thick hair. For a moment, Togame was curious about which broke first, the bottle or Saruwatari’s head, but it was a bit unclear due to all his hair.

"I hate interruptions," Togame said calmly, adjusting his glasses as he turned back to Hiragi.

"Please, continue." It was clearly an order, one that Hiragi bristled at. The tension in the air was palpable as everyone stared in shock at Saruwatari's motionless form. Hiragi swallowed hard, his eyes darting between Togame and his fallen man.

"Right," Hiragi said, his voice displaying discomfort. He turned to the unfamiliar man hiding behind Hayato- shaking. "Hand it over. Now."

“Hey Toma, what are you-” that was a voice Togame would recognize anywhere. He watched in confusion as his favorite person rounded the corner, saying Hiragi’s name with incredible familiarity.

Everything seemed to take on a red hue through his orange sunglasses.

Your POV

You heard the commotion before you saw it. Several of the Furin boys were much taller than you so you stood at Suo’s back wondering what was going on. You had hesitated, not wanting to get in the way of a shuffle but when you heard your cousin's voice you stepped around Suo who looked shocked to see you.

“Hey Toma, what are you-” Your body stilled, your eyes landing on Togame.

This wasn’t how it was supposed to happen.

This couldn’t be how it happened.

Why was this happening?

Your mind was breaking down, trying to rationalize the scene you stepped into. Your two worlds were colliding too fast, this wasn’t supposed to happen. So why were you staring into Togame’s eyes- drowning? The tide washed in around your feet, beckoning you to him even though no words had been spoken, the memory of his voice was enough. Swear. Only mine. They rang in your head, blocking out all noise.

If you could have heard anything, it would have been the shouting for you to stay back, your name, questions- but you couldn’t hear them. You couldn’t hear, or feel the bags in your hands slipping free, falling to the concrete- completely forgotten. All you could process was Togame’s hand outreached to you. The tide at your knees now pulling you into the depths. He hadn’t spoken, at least you didn’t think so. Your arm outreached to him, your fingered brushed against his. For a moment everything was serene but just as quick the lethal waters of Togame Jo pulled at you, dragging your under.

Togame’s hand pulled you into him hard, causing you to trip into his body, which he seemed to barely register. He held you in place firmly against his body- the position leaving you arched painfully, head tilted back- looking at only him. Your mind was completely hazy, it wasn’t for the lack of thinking, you were so deep in panicked thoughts that it felt impossible to even blink. Everything felt too hot, his heat was suffocating you, the shouting was blurry, but a few things broke through your fog.

“She has nothing to do with this” your cousin shouted, others echoing the sentiment.

“Nothing?” a humorless laugh filled the tunnel, while you stare up at him still shell shocked.

Togame drew out each word slowly. “She's mine.” More chaos erupted outside your view of Togame.

“Tell them,” Togame whispered, his finger gripping your chin then firmly turning your head to look at your cousin, and new friends. Your mouth opened, breaking Toma Hiragi’s heart.

“I’m his,” you breathed out, eyes glassy- unfocused.

“There you have it, Hiragi-chan,” Togame smiled. If it could be counted as such, it lacked any warmth you normally saw him carry on his lips. No this was a venom filled smile, daring Toma to act, begging him to knock over the first domino.

Your chin was still held in place, looking at your cousin’s face- burning his disbelieving stare into your mind. The look Toma gave you was one you’d never seen, on anyone. Was there a word stronger than anguish? Was he crying? No, maybe he was just red with anger. Your mind couldn’t translate Toma but one emotion was clear- pain.

Togame pulled your chin back to him roughly, his eyes locking with yours. Still no words had been spoken between the two of you. You didn’t even think it was possible to speak anymore, if your mouth opened only screams would come out.

“Time to go,” Togame looked back to your cousin, now frowning.

“Tunnel is closed,” he adjusted his lenses “Tell Hajime to call me.”

“Hey, wait! She is my cousin-” Togame held up a hand. “Tunnel is closed, make sure they leave.” Togame stated to the two beside him, tossing one of them the spare jacket ripped off earlier.

Togame dislodged you from his body, the space was more painful than his grip moments ago. He turned, not offering you his arm, and started to walk away. You choked a cry down and rushed after him, staying a step behind- not touching him. No one followed.

You trailed after Togame in tense silence, your mind reeling from everything that just happened. The shock of seeing him there, of your two worlds colliding so abruptly, left you feeling numb and disoriented. You could still see the look of betrayal on Toma's face, and hear the chaos that erupted when Togame claimed you as his in the front of your mind.

Togame's stride was purposeful, his back rigid as he led you through unfamiliar streets. His pace was a struggle to keep pace with, your legs shaky and your breath coming in short gasps. Part of you wanted to reach out, to grab his hand and make him slow down, to talk- maybe beg, but the cold fury radiating off him keeps you at a distance.

After what feels like an eternity, Togame stopped in front of a huge building. Some of the characters were missing from the building logo but you were able to read “Orion Stars”, it looked like an old opera theater.

You stand frozen, staring up at the imposing facade of the Orion Stars building. The faded grandeur of the old opera theater covered in graffiti feels oddly fitting for this surreal moment. Togame doesn't look back as he strides through the entrance, leaving you no choice but to follow quickly.

Inside, the lobby is dimly lit, with plush carpets muffling your footsteps. Ornate moldings and tarnished mirrors line the walls, giving glimpses of your ashen, shell-shocked face as you pass. Togame leads you down a long hallway rowed with several doors, with several doors closing as open upon seeing Togame coming.

Your mind races, trying to make sense of everything. Panic swirls in your head, making you dizzy. A voice in the back of your head begged you to run. You had a feeling that if you ran, he wouldn’t follow and that thought alone broke your heart.

Finally, Togame stops in front of a heavy wooden door. He opens the door, revealing a spacious office. Dark wood paneling lined the walls, while a large desk dominates the center of the room. He strides in, leaving you hovering uncertainty in the doorway.

"Close the door," he says, his voice low. You hesitate for a moment before stepping inside and shutting the door behind you with a soft click. The sound feels oddly final, trapping you in this tense moment. Togame moves to the front of a desk, leaning against it as he finally turns to face you. His green eyes are hard, filled with scrutiny as they scan you. The silence stretches between you, thick with unspoken words and accusations.

"Sit," he says at last, his tone somehow sounding casual- pointing to the chair in front of him.

You sluggishly shift forward, your legs feeling unsteady beneath you. You reach the chair in front of Togame's desk, sinking into it ungracefully. The plush leather feels painfully cold against your feverish skin.

Togame watches you silently, his gaze intense- a conversation brewing in his mind. You can feel the weight of his examination, and it takes all your willpower not to squirm under it. The silence stretches on, oppressive and suffocating. The waters raging around you, pulling warmth from your body.

Finally, Togame speaks, his voice cold. "How long have you known?"

You swallow hard, your mouth suddenly dry. "Known what?" you ask, your voice barely above a whisper.

Togame's eyes narrow slightly. "Don't play dumb.” you flinch away “How long have you known that your cousin was in Bofurin?" a dry laugh escaped him “Not only that, but one of the Four Kings.”

You take a shaky breath, trying to gather your strength. “I was trying to tell you this morning, at the cafe.”

Togame's face darkens, your words clearly agitating him. "This morning," he repeats, his voice uncomfortably soft. "And how long before that, did you know?"

You fidget in your seat, your heart racing. "When I met some of Toma's friends at the cafe a few days ago, but I don’t know what you mean by Fourth King." You hadn’t spoken to him about anything related to his affiliations, but now you were curious what that meant.

Togame watches you intently, his green eyes searching your face for any sign of deception.

"And you didn't think to mention this sooner?"

"I wanted to!" you exclaim, your voice cracking slightly. "But everything happened so fast, and I didn't know how to bring it up. I was going to tell you this morning at breakfast, but then you got called away..."

Togame's jaw clenches at the reminder of the interrupted breakfast. He pushes off from the desk, beginning to pace slowly in front of you.

"You've known for days that your cousin is part of Bofurin, and you said nothing," his nose flares as he thinks, "Do you have any idea how compromising that is?" nearly shouting.

You flinch at the anger in his tone. "I'm sorry," you whisper, tears pricking at your eyes. "I didn't mean to hide it from you. I was just... I was scared. I didn't know what to do or say."

Togame stops pacing, fixing you with an intense stare. "Scared of what, exactly? Of me? Or of losing your precious cousin?"

The accusation in his voice makes your chest tighten, but the question strikes you harder than a fist ever could. "No," you admit quietly. "I knew who I’d lose,” Tears began to flow over the apples of your cheek as you recalled Toma’s expression, the heartbreak.

Your admission hangs in the air between you. Something small shifts in his stance, a flicker of something - surprise, perhaps, or uncertainty but they pass. His features harden against the tears streaming down your face. It was a firm reminder that you were still in the raging tides of Togame Jo.

"Yet you kept it from me," he says, controlled but failing to fully mask the spite. "Never bothering to think of the risks." he fumed, feet beginning to pace in front of you again. For a short moment he looks nothing like the man who held you so close, but a tiger- plotting on a small stretch of dirt.

You nod, tears still flowing freely down your cheeks, your voice is gone. Your pleas stop on your tongue, afraid your desperation for forgiveness would disgust him further. Togame takes a moment to run a hand through his hair, a gesture of frustration makes him look suddenly more human, less like the intimidating yakuza boss he was.

"What exactly did you think was going to happen?" he asks, his tone slightly less harsh.

"Thought you could just keep these two parts of your life separate forever?" he follows up, sounding incredulous.

You shake your head, your voice struggling. "No, I..." you trail off, unsuccessfully finding the words needed to fix everything. "I guess I was hoping for more time. To figure things out, to find a way to tell you both without... without losing everything." you finally spill out- your heart doing the same. Togame's expression softens slightly at the raw vulnerability in your voice. He moves back in front of you, towering over your shaking frame.

"Look at me," he says, his tone closer to his normal pitch. Your tear-stained face meets his gaze. His green eyes are still intense, but some of the anger has faded, replaced by something more complex.

"You need to understand something," Togame says, his seriousness pulling your attention away from your woes. "This isn't just about you and me, or you and your cousin.The balance between Shishitoren and Bofurin is... delicate.”

You nod slowly, trying to process Togame's words through the haze of emotions swirling within you. "I understand," you say softly, your voice still shaky. "I never meant to complicate things."

Togame sighs, some of the tension leaving his shoulders. He reaches out, gently brushing a tear from your cheek with his thumb. The tender gesture makes your breath hitch and your head press into him, craving more of Togame- however he would give it.

"I know," he says, his voice back to normal. "But intentions don't matter in this world. Actions do. Keeping secrets is dangerous." his voice was flat, sounding tired- like someone struggling with conflicting emotions.

"What happens now?" you ask struggling to not break out into sobs. Suddenly the idea of an incoming rejection is enough to shatter the tentative stability you had found in his palm.

Togame's hand lingers on your face for a moment before he pulls it away, hands leaning on the desk. "Now, we need to be very careful," he says. "Your connection to both sides makes you valuable.”

You looked up confused- missing his touch. “What, why?” He stared down at you, his expression a mix of frustration and something softer- like he was finally remembering you were a normal civilian.

"Because now you're a part of two powerful factions. Many will see you as a potential weakness to exploit." he trails off, his jaw clenching.

Your eyes widen as the implications of his words sink in. "I would never betray you," you say quickly. "I chose..." you stop, heart aching at your own declaration.

A ghost of a smile flickers across Togame's face. "I know," he says softly. "That’s not it. You’re a weakness to exploit, for both groups. And my own people..." he sighs, the tense showing in his drooping shoulders. How much did he have to carry alone?

"Your own people what?" you ask, fear creeping into your voice.

Togame's eyes met yours, his stare was intense just like it was in the tunnel.

"Many will see you as a liability." he finally states, the implication was mind boggling to you. You didn’t know anything about either of them, and you certainly weren’t worth anything.

You swallow hard, trying to process everything. "What does that mean?"

Togame is quiet for a moment, his expression thoughtful. "It means we need to be careful," he says finally. "Your movements will need to be monitored, for your own safety. And we'll need to establish some ground rules about contact with your cousin."

Your heart sinks at his words. "You want to control who I see and talk to?" you ask, unable to keep the hurt from your voice. It also sounded insane- controlling in a way you couldn’t process at the moment.

“Yes.” Shocked, you stare at Togame, his response unreasonably blunt all things considered.

"But... Toma is my family, what about my friends?" you plead. "I can't just cut them out of my life completely." He reaches out, gently tilting your chin up to meet his eyes.

"Not entirely," he offers, like that would make you feel better. "But we need to be smart about this. Every interaction with them is a potential risk."

"For how long?" you ask, your voice small. You didn’t understand how you got to this point- how even now you wanted to do as he said.

"For as long as necessary," he says flatly. "Not ideal, but it's for their protection as well. People are likely already talking about today." He pinches the bridge of his nose, clearing trying to think over some grand plan. You nod slowly, tears welling up again as the reality of your situation sinks in. The weight of everything - the restrictions, the demands, the conflicting loyalties - it was crushing.

"I understand," you say softly, your voice shaky. "I'll do what you think is best." It felt like an automated response, but didn’t feel entirely uncomfortable despite your shaking body. You would do whatever he said, whatever it took to gain his trust again.

"You won't lose me," he says suddenly, clearly able to read your mind from the look on your face. "But you need to understand that things are different now. The rules have changed."

You nod, leaning into his touch. "I understand.” It's a whisper, but it's all you can manage while being so focused on his hand. Togame's hand lingers on your face for a moment before he pulls away. He moves to sit behind his desk, suddenly looking weary.

"We'll discuss the specifics of how to handle this situation," he says, his tone businesslike. "But not right now. It's been a long day." You nod, feeling emotionally drained.

"What happens now?" you ask hesitantly.

Togame regards you for a moment. "You’ll go to my room for now." Your eyes widen slightly.

"Here? In this building?"

He nods. "Yukinari." His voice was loud enough for someone outside the door to open it, though you still flinched at the volume- still raw from earlier. The man from the tunnel stood there, waiting.

“Take her to my room,” He gestures to you while moving several piles of papers in front of him.

You follow Yukinari out of Togame's office, your mind still reeling from everything that's happened. The hallways of the Orion Stars building feel like a maze. You struggle to keep track of the twists and turns as Yukinari leads you deeper into the building. It became clear they had renovated the interior while keeping the outside disheveled. It seemed odd on the surface but it was something you’d ask about later.

Finally, he stops in front of a door, producing a key from his pocket. "Togame-san's room," he says gruffly, unlocking the door and stepping aside to let you enter.

You step inside apprehensively, taking in your surroundings. The room is spacious but sparsely furnished, with a large bed covering one wall and a small sitting area near the window with a full length mirror, and bamboo clothing rack with several outfits hanging neatly, a book shelf- stuff to the brim, and a lone dresser. Everything is immaculately clean and organized, it almost felt bizarre to stand in considering the hallways run down appearance.

Yukinari clears his throat behind you. "Bathroom's through there," he says, gesturing to a door on the far wall.

"Togame-san will be in later." He states coldly leaving you to nod back, not trusting your voice. Yukinari gives you one last appraising look before stepping out, closing the door behind him. The soft click of the lock engaging makes your stomach drop, so this wasn’t a friendly room tour afterall.

Left alone, the events of the day come crashing down on you. You sink onto the edge of the bed, your legs suddenly unable to support you any longer. Tears well up in your eyes as the past few hours replay over and over again. Each time their voices get harsher, crueler, and louder.

Your cousin's face flashes in your mind - the look of betrayal and hurt when you admit to being with Togame. The thought of never seeing him again, of cutting ties with the friends you've made, filled you with an unbearable ache. But the thought of losing Togame had felt like an impossibility, it didn’t even cross your mind to not pick him in the moment. Despite his anger and the harsh reality he laid out, you couldn’t deny- you still wanted him above all else.

Your gaze drifts to the window, taking in the fading daylight. How long have you been here? It felt like forever since the confrontation in the tunnel, though it could have been a mere hour. Time had lost all meaning.

With shaking hands, you pull out your phone. No messages or missed calls. You wonder if Toma would even try to reach you, or if Kotoha had heard about the events- would she block you? The thought of her shocked face, wondering how much you lied about, sends a fresh wave of guilt through you. You should text her, let her know you're okay, but what would you even say?

Your fingers hover over the screen, but you can't find the energy to text anyone.

TOGAME’S POV

What a fucking terrible day. Togame sat at his desk, squeezing the bridge of his nose as he tried to process everything. The revelation about her connection to Hiragi Toma had thrown him completely off balance. He prided himself on always being a few steps ahead, on knowing every player in the game. But this he hadn't seen coming.

His mind replayed the scene in the tunnel over and over. The way she had looked at him, eyes wide with fear and something else - a touch of arousal, perhaps? The memory of her voice, soft but clear, as she declared herself “his” in front of everyone made his ego run wild- in a way he wasn't entirely comfortable with. While Togame wasn’t shy about his domineering personality, the devilish pleasure he had taken from humiliating the both of them in that moment was a bit out of step- even for him. Togame knew he shouldn't have humiliated her like that, or shouldn't have taken such immense pleasure in watching Hiragi's face crumple- but he did.

He also couldn't deny the possessive lust that had run through him when he claimed her in front of Hiragi and Bofurin’s top men. The way she had melted into him, submitting completely despite her obvious conflict. If he had focused on her body any longer in that moment, he fucked her against the vending machine- thrilled with the audience. It stirred something primal in him, a desire to mark her as his in every way possible. It wasn’t lost on him that she had covered up his markings- something to get fixed.

With a frustrated huff, Togame pushed his sexual frustrations aside. He needed to focus on the practical matters at hand. How to handle this situation without compromising Shishitoren's power or putting her at unnecessary risk. Togame's jaw clenched as he thought about the implications of her connection to Bofurin. She was a liability now, a potential weakness that could be exploited by both sides. And yet he’d be a fool to ignore his new found leverage- at least from a business perspective.

There would be those in his organization who would see her as a threat to be eliminated. He'd need to make it clear that she was valuable, and under his protection. But he also couldn't appear to dismiss Choji entirely if he was vocally against her being around. It was no secret that Togame practically ran the entire organization alone, but loyalty was not something he lacked, Choji was the leader.

Togame thought carefully on the delicate balancing act ahead. He'd need to assert his authority while still maintaining loyalty to Choji- who would likely disapprove. It was a dance he'd performed many times before, but never with such personal stakes.

His thoughts drifted back to her, sitting alone in his room. The vulnerability in her eyes as she looked up at him, tears streaming down her face had bothered him. He wasn't used to feeling protective over anyone but himself- it was exhausting.

With a sigh, Togame pushed back from his desk. He'd been sitting here long enough, turning the situation over in his mind. It was time to face her again, to start laying out the new rules of their relationship.

A knock at the door interrupted his thoughts. "Enter," he called out, straightening up in his chair.

Yukinari stepped into the office, his expression carefully neutral. "Boss, the Bofurin group has left the area as instructed.” He paused dread rolling off of him. “Choji-sama is headed this way.” Togame nodded his thanks without speaking.

He had seconds to settle back into his relaxed posture when the door burst open again, Choji striding in with barely contained hysterics. His eyes swept the room before landing on Togame, who remained seemingly unfazed behind his desk.

"What the hell is going on?" Choji demanded with a dangerous edge. "You let them walk away after stealing from us? And what's this I hear about some girl?"

Togame met Choji's enraged stare with unflinching casualness. "The situation was handled, Choji. Escalating things further would have been unless."

Choji's eyes narrowed. "Useless? Since when do we let thieves walk away without consequences?" He slammed his hands on the desk, leaning into Togame’s space. "And don't think I didn't notice you avoiding the question about the girl. Who is she?"

Togame remained steadfast, looking at Choji with unmasked menace. “She is mine.” He stated as though it was obvious as the weather.

Choji's eyes narrowed dangerously at Togame's casual response. "Yours?" he spat. "What the hell does that mean? And how does she fit into all this?"

Togame leaned back in his chair, his posture easy going but his eyes sharp. "It means exactly what I said. She's mine. And as it turns out, she's also Hiragi Toma's cousin."

Choji's face contorted in disbelief. "Hiragi's cousin?" a guttural laugh left Choji’s lips. "Are you kidding me? You've been fucking a Bofurin bitch this whole time?" Togame's expression shifted ever so slightly, a baneful glint filling his eyes.

"Don’t be unnecessary." Togame said coolly. "I've already taken steps to contain the situation."

Choji paced the room, running a hand through his hair in agitation. "Contain it? How?”

Togame's eyes followed Choji as he paced like a wild cat, a smile growing- he’d won even if Choji didn’t know it.

"She's here, in the building. Under my supervision." Togame chuckled loudly, the statement was just to annoy him, a small dig since his girl got called a bitch. It didn’t help him at all but he wanted Choji to know- there was a line, and Togame was on the other side waiting.

Choji whirled to face him. "Here? You brought her into our headquarters?" His voice rose in disbelief and anger.

"It's the safest place for her right now," Togame replied calmly. "And the best way to keep an eye on her."

Choji slammed his hands on the desk again, leaning in close to Togame's face. "Are you out of your mind? She's a liability, a potential spy for Bofurin. We should be eliminating the threat, not inviting it into our home!"

Togame's patience was at the brink of collapse, but his voice remained level. "She's not a spy, Choji. She's an asset."

"An asset?" echoed back, disbelief obvious in Choji’s tone.

“Yes.” Togame paused, he did not want this to be the only reason Choji bowed out of the fight, but it would have to do. “She is related to one of the Four Kings, we can use that to get better terms with Bofurin. Plus I didn’t demand blood from their thief. We have been wasting money having our runners go around their territory, if they can go through we can cut down on costs considerably.”

Choji's eyes narrowed as he considered Togame's words. The tension in the room was palpable as the two men stared each other down.

"An asset," Choji repeated slowly, his tone laced with skepticism. "And you think Bofurin will just roll over, and let us use their territory because we have Hiragi's cousin?"

Togame leaned back in his chair. "Not immediately, no. But it gives us leverage we didn't have before. A bargaining chip."

Choji scoffed. "A bargaining chip that could easily backfire. What's to stop her from feeding information back to Bofurin?"

"She won't," Togame said firmly. "She's chosen her side." Venom pooled in his stomach. The thought of you picking someone else nearly made his crafted calm demeanor fall away- he wanted to yell at Choji. Anyone would know her loyalties just upon looking at her in his arms- she was his.

Choji raised an eyebrow. "And you trust her word on that?”

“Yes, and I’m asking you to trust me. As you did when you took over.”

Choji's expression twisted oddly- a mixture of disdain and satisfaction. The reference to his ascension to leadership was a sore point for Choji- they both knew the driving force behind Choji taking over was a shallow desire for excitement, and that much of Shishitoren's current success was due to Togame's strategic mind.

"Fine," Choji said after a long moment, his voice tight with contained frustration. "She can stay for now. But I want her to be watched at all times. And if there's even a hint that she's feeding information to Bofurin..." Choji was now walking away, clearly tired of dealing with this situation.

"There won't be," Togame cut him off firmly.

Choji's eyes narrowed. "See to that. And Togame?" He paused at the door, fixing a hard stare in Togame’s direction. "Don't let your dick cloud your judgment. Shishitoren comes first.”

Togame's jaw clamped tight at Choji's parting words. "Of course," he said coolly. "Shishitoren always comes first." he added with practiced pitch.

As the door closed behind Choji, Togame let out a slow breath. The conversation had gone about as well as he could have hoped, but he knew this was far from over. Choji would be watching closely, looking for any sign of weakness or betrayal. Togame stood, straightening his jacket as he moved towards the door.

It was time to deal with the other half of this equation.

The walk to his room felt longer than usual, his mind racing with all the implications of the day's events. When he reached the door, he paused for a moment, steeling himself before entering. He had a lot of information to get out, rules to put in place. None of it would be fun to say, or for her to hear.

Togame entered the room, his full height ready to control every inch of space in the room until eyes red stained stared back at him. All words he was ready to brandish- even minor threats about disobedience evaporated instantly.She was so much trouble for him and didn’t even know it.

Your POV

You sat up quickly as Togame entered the room, hastily wiping at your tear-stained cheeks. The sight of him sends a confusing mix of emotions through you - relief, fear, longing. His silence fills you with panic but no words leave your open mouth.

Togame's eyes scan over you, taking in your disheveled appearance. His expression is unreadable as he moves further into the room, closing the door behind him.

"Have you been crying this whole time?" he asks, his tone softer than you expected.

You shake your head, unable to meet his gaze. "Not the whole time." you mumble.

You swallow, trying to voice out your fears without exposing your tender spots. "I don't know how to move forward," you admit honestly.

Togame nods slowly, moving to sit on the edge of the bed beside you. The closeness of him makes your heart race, but you resist the urge to lean into him, unsure of where you stand.

"I know," he says quietly. "This isn't an ideal" You nod without speaking, still staring at your hands in worry. Togame reaches out, gently tilting your chin up to meet his gaze. His green eyes are intense as ever while they search your face.

"I meant what I said," his voice low. "You won't lose me. But things are going to have to change."

You nod, leaning into his touch. "I understand," you nearly moan out. "I'll listen." the vow absentmindedly spills from your lips. A ghost of a smile flickers across Togame's face.

"That’s my girl," he murmurs, his thumb brushing your cheek. The praise sends a throb through you, despite everything.

"For now, you'll go home," Togame continues, his tone businesslike again. "It's safe enough with a guard."

You nod again, trying to ignore your growing desire for his touch . "A guard?” You ask, instantly wanting to protest something so silly, but you didn’t have the energy. He nods back before leaning back onto his bed, exhaling slowly.

“I have an idea already. He is loyal, quiet, and a good defensive fighter.” Togame’s eyes were closed but he popped one open with a sly smile. “And he isn’t partial to women.”

“You’re joking.” you deadpan. You didn’t mind he was gay at all, just weirded out that he would bring it up. He lets out a light laugh “Not at all, and I think you’ll get along. Kauro something or other.”

“Kaoru Something, you don’t even member his name but pick him as a guard for me?”

Togame chuckles softly at your indignation. "Aoyama Kaoru. I think." He laughs before speaking a touch more firmly "He's trustworthy, and he'll keep you safe without complicating things."

You nod slowly, processing his words. "So what exactly does having a guard mean? Will he follow me everywhere?" Having a guard sounded ridiculous, there was no way Togame thought you’d be in enough danger to need protection.

Togame props up on his elbows, his posture stiff as he explains. "Not everywhere, not inside your aunt's home, but any outings." Your eye arched, so he did mean everywhere.

You bite your lip, considering this. It feels strange to think about having someone watching over you constantly, but you wouldn’t fight him on it unless it became overbearing.

"Okay," you say softly- worried. "And when I visit Toma or Kotoha?" Togame's expression hardens slightly at the mention of Toma and Kotoha. "Those visits will need to be approved by me." he says not leaving any room for arguments. "Any interaction with Bofurin members needs to be approved by me, understood?"

You nod, trying to hide your disappointment. "I understand. But I can still see them sometimes, right?"

Togame is quiet for a moment, studying your face. "Yes," he says finally, falling back to the bed.

"But not often, and always with supervision. We'll need to establish some ground rules."

You let out a small sigh of relief. "Thank you," you say softly. "I’m sorry for all the trouble." Togame's body relaxes into the bed. His fingers reach out, brushing a strand of hair behind your ear humming in response, his energy clearly running out.

In a moment of boldness, and desperation you hook your leg over his wide waist. Your bottom nested comfortably on his groin, while his hands flew up to your hips automatically as his eyes snapped open in surprise. For a moment, he just stares up at you, his green eyes looking wild- intoxicated.

"What are you doing?" he asks, his voice sounding strained- even a bit tired.

You bite your lip, suddenly unsure of yourself. "I don't know," you admit slowly. "I just needed to be close to you."

His initial shock gives way to a smile, his thumbs rubbing small circles on your hips. The simple touch sends pleasure throughout your body, reminding you of how much you craved his touch.

“Is that so?” His grip tightened, his cock already hard- pressing firmly against your soft body.

“You need to be close to me?" his hips rolled up pressing into your warming thighs.

You nod, heat rising to your cheeks. "Yes," you moan back. "Please, Togame. I know I messed up today. Let me make it up to you." Something in him shifted, his eyes seeming further away than before- thinking.

His hips shift again, rolling for a second before he stills, his hands tightening on your hips. For a moment, you think he's going to pull you down to him, to claim your lips in a searing kiss. But then his expression changes yet again, becoming more guarded.

"Not tonight," he says, sounding unsure even to you. "It's been a long day. We both need rest." Disappointment and embarrassment wash over you. You scramble to remove yourself from his body, but his hands keep you in place firmly.

"Don't misunderstand," Togame demands loudly, his thumbs still tracing the curve of your thighs pressed against him. "I want you badly, but not like this.” He now sounded confident, a grin on full display.

“This is not the kind of begging I enjoy.” You nearly moan at those words, you were not above begging this man for anything at this point. However, a small part of you still felt cracked by the rejection.

"I understand," you manage out, your body still resting against him. He reaches up, pulling you down on top of him, then effortlessly rolling you to his side. His body shifts so he is on his side, pulling you as close as possible before closing his eyes.

You lay there in Togame's arms, your body pressed tightly against his. The warmth of his embrace and the steady rhythm of his breathing are comforting, despite the turmoil of the day. You want to savor this moment of closeness, but your mind wouldn’t stop pressing you to beg for forgiveness.

"Togame?" you whisper, unsure if he's still awake.

"Hmm?" he mumbles, his eyes remaining closed.

You hesitate, gathering your courage. "I'm sorry," you start "For everything. For not telling you sooner, for putting you in this position-"

Togame's arms tighten around you slightly. "Stop" he says, his voice hushed and tired. "We'll figure it out."

You nod against his chest, feeling tears prick at your eyes again. "I'm tired." you admit in a small voice. Togame's hand moves to stroke your hair. "Then sleep," he murmurs. "I’ll wake you in a bit."

You nod, letting your eyes drift closed as you nestle closer to him. Despite everything that's happened, despite the uncertainty of what's to come, you feel safe here in Togame's arms. His steady heartbeat and the warmth of his body lull you towards sleep.

As you hover on the edge of consciousness, you feel Togame press a soft kiss to the top of your head. "Sleep well," he whispers, so quietly you're not sure if you imagined it. With those words echoing in your mind, you finally succumb to exhaustion, slipping into a deep, dreamless sleep.

You wake slowly, consciousness creeping in bit by bit. The first thing you register is warmth - you're enveloped in a fluffy blanket- alone. Glancing around you notice a clock showing the time 7:24 PM. You weren’t fully sure when you had fallen asleep but the world felt confusing, the sun was still in the sky but far lower than when your eyes closed.

It took a while for your mind to clear, and the events of the day came rushing back - the confrontation in the tunnel, the tense conversation in Togame's office, falling asleep in his arms. You sit up slowly, trying to orient yourself. The room is dimly lit now, shadows stretching across the floor as the sun sets outside. A soft knock at the door makes you jump. "Come in," you call out hesitantly, pulling the blanket tighter around yourself.

The door opens to reveal a young man you don't recognize. He's tall and slender, with delicate features and stylishly messy black hair. His clothing is plain black and white with the now named Shishitoren jersey. His look reminded you of Togame, making you wonder if everyone dressed monochromatically in Shishitoren.

"Ah, you're awake,good!" His voice is quiet but melodic. "Togame-san asked me to check on you. I'm Aoyama Kaoru." You blinked, remembering Togame mentioning this name earlier.

"Oh, um, nice to meet you!” You look him over again, noticing the shopping bags you had earlier that day in his hands.

“Oh wow, I forgot about those.” You tried to recall when they got dropped but kept coming up blank.

Kaoru smiled softly, setting the shopping bags down near the bed. "Togame-san had these brought over for you. He thought you might want to freshen up."

You nod gratefully, suddenly very aware of your rumpled clothes and tear-stained face. "Thank you," you say, your voice still rough from sleep. "Um, where is Togame?"

"He's in a meeting," Kaoru replies carefully. "He asked me to escort you home when you're ready." leaving no option to see him before leaving. You stare at Kaoru, feeling waves of disappointment fill you, Togame sent someone else to wake you and it hurt.

"Okay. Just give me a few minutes?" You requested, wanting to be alone for a moment.

Kaoru bowed far too deep for your comfort. "Of course. I'll wait outside." He stepped away, closing the door behind him without a sound. He really was quiet, which was something you liked about him so far.

You climb out of bed, rummaging through the shopping bags. There was a dresser near his open clothing rack that caught your eye, perhaps you could fit a spare outfit in here. You were not just trying to peek, nope not at all. You padded over to the dresser, eyeing the bottom drawer first. Upon opening it you frowned, it was completely empty. The weight of the dresser shifted easily which was odd considering its size.

You hesitate for a moment, curiosity completely getting the better of you. Glancing at the door to make sure Kaoru isn't about to walk in, you carefully open the next drawer up. It's also empty.

Your brow furrows as you open the third drawer. Empty again. It seems strange that Togame would have a completely empty dresser in his room. You reach for the top drawer, your heart racing a little as you register the weight change. You stared in confusion for a moment then shifting to a look of bewilderment, after a few moments you stared in astonishment.

Unlike the others, this drawer is full - but not with clothes.

Inside are several knives, several phones, cash, roughly 6 passports, and some other items you can't quite identify. Your hand hovered over the contents in macabre fascination, not daring to touch anything.

You quickly close the drawer, afraid to get caught like this. You had enough trouble to deal with, snooping wasn’t going to be the next one. The sight of the weapons and mysterious items was a stark reminder of the dangerous world Togame inhabits - a world you're now inextricably linked to.

Shaking off your unease, you turn your attention back to the shopping bags. You pull out a fresh outfit - a simple graphic crop top and skirt - and head to the adjoining bathroom to change, and freshen up. As you wash your face, you study the reflection in the mirror. Your eyes are still puffy from crying, but overall you look more composed than you felt.

Once dressed, you gather a few things from the bag and walk back to the dresser. You select the next drawer down, placing a spare outfit and the orange robe inside then pop it closed. You gather the bags and open the door. Kaoru is waiting patiently in the hallway, his posture relaxed but alert. Kaoru gives you a polite nod as you emerge which you respond to in kind.

"Ready to go?" he asks softly.

You blink then quickly nod, clutching your shopping bags. "Yes, thank you."

Kaoru leads you through the winding hallways of the Orion Stars building. As you walk, you can't help but glance around, taking in more details now that you're not in such an emotional state. The building is a strange mix of faded grandeur, and modern practicality. You pass by ornate moldings and tarnished mirrors, but also see state-of-the-art security cameras and reinforced doors.

As you near the exit, you hear voices coming from a nearby room. One of them you recognize as Togame. Your steps slow involuntarily, straining to hear what's being said, wanting to pop in to say goodbye, but a gentle tug pulls you away from the room.

“We need to move along,” the look on Kaoru��s face is soft, but you could tell from the tone he wasn’t giving you an option. Looks like this was an order, it was time to leave.

You nod apologetically to Kaoru, picking up your pace for the sake of your new bodyguard. As you reach the lobby, Kaoru holds the door open for you. Nervousness fills you from his actions. You didn’t want him doing everything for you, but wondered what Togame told him needed to be done.

The cool evening air curled against your face the moment you stepped outside- it felt so nice. The sun has nearly set, painting the sky in vibrant oranges and pinks. For a moment, you're struck by how normal everything looks. People just walk by going about their evening, unaware of the turmoil you've just been through inside Orion Stars.

Kaoru leads you to a sleek black car parked nearby. As he opens the back door for you, you hesitate.

"Um, is it okay if we walk?" you ask. "It's not far, and I could use some fresh air."

Kaoru considers for a moment before nodding. "That should be fine. Togame-san just thought you’d be tired.”

“This is his car?” You were confused, he never mentioned being able to drive.

“More for work, but he has taken it out before.” he offered with a shrug. You nod, falling into step beside Kaoru as you begin the walk back to your aunt's house. It only takes five minutes for your mind to demand answers to questions bouncing around your skull.

"So..." you start, trying to break the awkward silence casually. "How long have you been in-" you trail off unsure if you should say Shishitoren outloud.

Kaoru glances at you, his expression neutral. "A few years now," he says simply- understand your incomplete question.

Already you realize he's not going to be very forthcoming. "And you'll be watching over me now?"

"Yes," Kaoru replies. "I'll be nearby when you're out of the house, just to ensure your safety."

You bite your lip, wondering how to phrase your next question. "Does that mean... reporting back to Togame about what I do?" Kaoru's steps falter slightly, and he turns to look at you more directly.

“Yes.”He says flatly. It was blunt but at least he was honest about it. The idea of being constantly monitored and reported on makes you uneasy, but you understand the necessity of it given the situation.

"I see," you say softly. "Well, I guess we'll be seeing a lot of each other then."

Kaoru gives you a small, reassuring smile. "Don't worry. I'm not here to interfere with your life, just to keep you safe. And I'm discreet."

You return his smile, feeling slightly more at ease. "Thank you, Kaoru. I appreciate that."

You walk in silence for a few moments, mulling over Kaoru's words. As you turn onto your street, a thought occurs to you.

"Kaoru," you start hesitantly. "What exactly did Togame tell you about me? About my... situation?" Kaoru's pace slows as he considers your question. His expression remains impartial, but you notice a slight hesitation before he speaks.

"Togame-san informed me of your connection to both Shishitoren and Bofurin," he says carefully. "He explained that you're under his protection, but that discretion is crucial."

You had figured that much, but you were curious what else he knew. "I see. And... what do you think about all this?"

Kaoru takes a moment to answer, his gaze thoughtful. "It's not my place to have an opinion," he says softly. "My job is to keep you safe and follow Togame-san's orders." You bite your lip, feeling a mix of frustration and understanding at his diplomatic response. As you approach your aunt's house, you decide to push a little further.

"But surely you must have some thoughts on it," you press. Kaoru is quiet for several moments, finally speaking as your aunt's house comes into view. When he speaks, his voice is measured and incredibly cautious.

"My personal opinion doesn't matter," he lingers for a moment "But if you're asking about the reality of your situation..." He pauses again, clearly getting uncomfortable. "It's complicated. Your connection to both sides makes you valuable, but also vulnerable."

You sighed- this was going nowhere. "Still not sure how." you admit.

Kaoru's expression softens slightly. "Just be careful," he advises. "And trust Togame-san. He knows what he's doing." You don’t bother to respond, you knew he would just repeat himself.

You reach the gate of your aunt's house, pausing before entering. "Thank you, Kaoru," you say sincerely. There was a good chance he only saw you as a job, but you couldn’t stand the thought of not getting to know him- a possible friend.

Kaoru nods, his posture straightening. "I'll be nearby for a bit until night patrol gets here, then back in the morning if you need to leave. Message me first. ” he pulled out his phone holding it up.

“Do you need my number?” You ask, starting to reach out for his phone. He smiled, shaking his head before you heard the sound of a picture snap.

“No, he gave it to me.” He pulled his phone back, not yet looking at you. You on the other hand- stare at Kaoru, extremely confused and frankly annoyed by the sudden picture without permission.

“Wait, why did you take my picture?” You squinted at him and the typing he was now doing on his phone.

“Drop off update.” He said simply. Drop off? Update? A drop off update was what he said but you had to say the words in your head several times to handle what he said.

“I’m not a child, he doesn’t need photo updates about my meals, and nap times.” Your anger only intensified as he shrugged with a soft chuckle.

“Well, those are my orders.” His stance shifted, a bit more guarded than seconds ago. You stare at him, frustration growing with his casual attitude about photographing you without asking until it bubbles over.

"Well, those may be your orders, but I don't appreciate being treated like a child who needs constant monitoring," you snap, your voice rising far too high for the sleepy neighborhood.

Kaoru's face shifts as well, becoming more serious. "I understand your frustration," he says calmly. "But this isn't about treating you like a child. It's about ensuring your safety and keeping Togame-san informed. That is my job, if I don’t do it- it's my head." His sentence ends in a slight hiss making you pull back the attitude quickly- you forgot, he didn’t have a choice.

You take a deep breath, calming yourself. "Sorry, I get that, I do. Just warn me next time, please?" Kaoru nods slowly, considering your words.

"You're right, I should have asked first. I apologize for that." he offered with a sheepish smile, you wondered how old he was. For a brief moment he reminded you of a younger cousin back in the states. Also getting away with mistakes by flashing a boyish smile.

You nod, accepting Kaoru's apology. "Thank you. I appreciate it." You pause, looking back at your aunt's house. "I should probably head inside. My aunt is probably worried."

Kaoru nods. "Of course. Remember, message me if you need to go out tomorrow."

You give him a small smile. "I will. Goodnight, Kaoru-kun."

As you turn to enter the gate, Kaoru's voice stops you. "One more thing," he says softly. You turn back to face him, an eyebrow raised questioningly.

"Togame-san asked me to remind you; no contact with your cousin or any Bofurin members without his approval first." It almost looked like it pained him to say those words to you, which was a small comfort.

You deflate upon being reminded. "Right. I remember." Kaoru's expression was hard to place, somewhere between pity and discomfort.

"It's for your own safety," He finishes with a wave before stepping out of view.You turn to enter your aunt's house, a pit forming in your stomach- your world felt so different from this morning.

You take a deep breath before entering your aunt's house, steeling yourself for the questions that are sure to come. As you step inside, you're immediately hit with the aroma of cooking food. Your stomach growls, reminding you that you haven't eaten since lunch.

"I'm home," you call out, your voice sounding small and uncertain even to your own ears.

There's a clatter from the kitchen, and then your aunt appears in the hallway, her face a mix of relief and annoyance. "There you are! Where have you been all day?"

You force a smile, trying to keep your voice steady. "I'm sorry, Auntie. I got caught up with friends and lost track of time." The lie tastes bitter on your tongue, but you push through. "I should have called."

Your aunt studies your face for a moment, her brow furrowed. “It's alright, ah the carrots!” She motioned to the bags in your hand.

You quickly hand over the grocery bag, grateful for the distraction. "Yes, I got the carrots and daikon you asked for. And some eggs too, plus a few extras" Your aunt takes the bags, still eyeing you with concern. "Thank you. Are you hungry? I've made some soup." she says.

The thought of food makes your stomach growl audibly. "That sounds wonderful, Auntie. Thank you." You walk into the kitchen first, you can feel her eyes on you, studying your appearance. You try to keep your expression neutral, but you know your aunt is perceptive. She's bound to notice something is off.

"So, these friends you were with all day," she says casually as she ladles soup into a bowl for you. "Was it that young man who picked you up this morning?"

You smile a bit bitterly. “No actually. I went to shop with Kotoha-chan and ran into Toma.” That was the biggest understatement of events you’ve ever told. Your aunt nods slowly as she sets the bowl of soup in front of you. "I see. And how is Toma doing? Will he be visiting us soon?"

You feel a pang in your chest at the mention of Toma visiting- since it wasn't possible anymore. The memory of his hurt and betrayed expression in the tunnel floods your mind forcing you to blink tears away.

"He's fine," you say, your voice tight. "Busy with his friends, not sure when he’ll find time to visit."

Your aunt hums thoughtfully as she sits across from you. "And Togame-kun? Will we be seeing more of him?"

You pause, your spoon halfway to your mouth. How much should you tell her? How much can you tell her? "Yeah, most likely" you say carefully. "We're still figuring things out."

Your aunt's eyes narrow slightly at your evasive answer. "I see," she says, her tone making it clear she was not impressed by any of your answers.

You take a few bites of the soup, trying to figure out how to navigate this conversation without revealing too much. The warmth of the broth is comforting, but does little to ease the knot in your stomach.

"Auntie," you start hesitantly, "I know I've been distant lately. A lot has been going on, and I'm still trying to sort through it all."

Your aunt's expression softens slightly. "I can see that something's troubling you."

You nod, fighting back the urge to spill everything. "Nothing serious, Auntie. Sorry. It's just... complicated." You take another spoonful of soup, buying yourself a moment to think. "Togame and I, we're getting more serious. But there are some... challenges we're working through."

Your aunt's expression softens slightly at your words. "I see," she says, her tone gentler now. "Relationships can be complicated, especially when you’re young."

You nod, grateful for her understanding. "Yes, exactly. We're just... figuring things out."

Your aunt reaches across the table, patting your hand gently. "Well, make sure to inform your father at some point."

A forced smile masks the guilt gnawing at you for not being able to tell her the whole truth. "Thank you, Auntie. I will. I’m sure he’ll be happy about me finally dating."

As you finish your soup, your aunt stands to clear the dishes. "Oh, by the way," she says casually, "A friend of yours stopped by earlier looking for you. Kotoha, I think her name was?"

Your heart skips a beat at the mention of Kotoha. "Kotoha came by?" you ask, trying to keep your voice casual. "Did she say what she wanted?"

She shakes her head as she rinses the dishes. "No, just that she was looking for you. She seemed worried. Said she'd been trying to reach you all day."

Guilt washes over you as you realize you never messaged Kotoha after leaving her. There was a strong chance she had heard about what happened with your cousin- with Togame.

"Oh," you say softly. "I should probably give her a call..." your mind coming to a halt as you realized you needed to reach out to Togame first. Your nerves began to fray at the seams- it was too much.

Your aunt turns to look at you, her expression concerned- which was rare. "Is everything alright between you two?"

You force a smile, nodding. "Everything's fine, Auntie. I just left her suddenly when Toma showed up.”

Your aunt nods, though she doesn't look entirely convinced. "Well, give her a call when you can. It's not nice to leave friends worried."

You nod, guilt eroding the will to eat your soup. "I will, Auntie. Thank you for the soup." You excuse yourself, heading up to your room. Once inside, you close the door and lean against it, letting out a long breath. The events of the day come crashing back, and you feel suddenly overwhelmed.

Pulling out your phone, you see several missed calls and messages from Kotoha. Your thumb hovers over her name, but you remember Kaoru's warning - no contact with anyone connected to Bofurin without Togame's approval first. If you opened her messages you knew your resolve would break entirely.

With a sigh, you open your messages with Togame instead- ignoring the “please call me” displayed in the most recent text from Kotoha.

"I'm home safe. Kaoru escorted me. Can I call Kotoha? She is worried.”

“Tomorrow with Kaoru,” Togame replies after a few minutes. You only stare at Togame's brief response, a mix of frustration and contempt washing over you. Needing Kaoru present for a simple phone call to Kotoha felt so invasive and unwarranted. There was no way you’d be able to keep this up for long.

With a sigh, you type out a reply: "Okay. Goodnight."

You wait a few moments, hoping he might say more, but no response comes and after 10 more minutes you give up. Feeling drained, you set your phone aside and flop onto your bed. You have class tomorrow and need to be awake for the pop quiz that always popped up around this time of the month. With one final frustrated groan you pull your blankets over your head and shut out the world.

Togame’s POV

Togame looked down at his ringing phone. He can't help but grin from ear to ear as he sees Hajime Umemiya's name on the caller ID. It had been several hours since he told Hiragi to have Hajime call but it was worth every second.

He nearly purred upon opening his phone “Yooooo Ume-chan,” It wasn’t surprising at all when a shallow reply reached back through the speaker.

“Togame Jo,” Hajime said flatly. A cheeky grin spread across his face as a chuckle rumbled in his chest, Hajime was so uptight when backed into a corner.

“So cold.” Togame mocked back, enjoying the silence that followed his jab.

“What can I do for you?” He finally stated, eager to hear Hajime bitch about what was right and wrong about his actions today. Plus, Togame knew exactly what Hajime wanted but he was going to make him work for everything in this conversation, nice and slow.

“You know why I am calling Togame.”

“Can’t say I do,” Togame grinned at the wall, enjoying the game already.

“Toma’s cousin,” The fact he couldn’t bother to say her name irked him in an odd way but he didn’t bother to speak on it.

“What about her?”

“Give her back.” Ah, there it was. The proclamation that she didn’t belong to him was absurd- something he would correct for everyone. Togame’s fingers gripped his phone a bit harder than planned, the hinges creaking under the strain.

“No.”

“You can’t hold her prisoner!” Hajime nearly shouted, making Togame smile widened. He had a sinking suspicion that Hiragi shared the events of the tunnel very differently. Togame was happy to explain in detail how you had bent into him, seeking only his hand.

“Oh? Did Toma not tell you?” a boastful laugh “She’s mine. She proclaimed it for all to hear.”

“Togame, I’ve seen them. The marks.” For a moment Togame’s mind went blank. If Hajime had been in front of him pulling that disrespectful tone he would have been unable to deal with the onslaught that would come from Togame. He didn’t give a shit what people thought, with a singular exception being the idea that he would beat his woman.

“Marks?” Togame teased “Oh, the ones from our date? I assure you, she begged for those. Beautifully, might I add. Never heard sounds like that honestly, so eager for me.” A muffled silence stretched across the line. In the background distant shouting and a door slamming signaled the forceful departure of someone. Togame relished in it, imagining the furious expression on the Bofurin leader's face as one of his commanders lost their temper.

“Togame, stop this. He is her family, you can’t keep them apart.” Hajime declared "Plus she's an innocent civilian. You can't drag her into our world like this."

“I can,” Togame's grin widened, his voice dripping with mock concern. "And didn't Hiragi do just that by involving her with Bofurin? Introducing her to your men?" Another beat of silence, Togame could practically hear Hajime grinding his teeth.

"That's different," Hajime insisted but Togame ignored him. “I’m sure we could arrange visits,”

“She is not a toy to be shared Togame Jo!” The sound of a fist hitting something solid was music to Togmae’s ears.

“Glad that’s clear, never planned to share.” While that wasn’t entirely true, it was fun to make Hajime fight tooth and nail to maintain his air of calm.

Hajime's voice grew cold. "This isn't a game, Togame. You're playing with people's lives."

"Oh come now, Hajime-chan." Togame replied, his tone still light and mocking. "When has our business ever been anything but a game? One we both play quite well."

"She's not part of this business," Hajime growled. "Let her go."

Togame's smile faded, his voice turning serious. "No. She's made her choice, Hajime. She's mine."

"And if she changes her mind?" Hajime challenged.

Togame was quiet for a moment, considering. "Then she's free to leave," he said finally. "But we both know she won't." Hajime let out a frustrated sigh.

“Stop these games Togame Jo, what do you want?” His voice was strained, sounding nearly defeated.

“You could've started with that, it would have saved you a lot of time.” Immense joy fills Togame at another frustrated silence from Hajime, he would recall this conversation again and again any time one of Hajime’s brats got lippy with him.

“I want what I have always wanted, quads 3 and 4 and since you rudely implied I beat her, I think you should throw in quad 5 as an apology.” Togame knew would never get quadranter 5, but he was pissed off about the comment on her beautiful neck being anything but consensual.

“Not quad 5, you know-” Togame cut him off, joy burning away leaving him tired. “Yes, I know it's where your rich donors live. And?”

"No," Hajime spat out after a short pause, his voice tight. "Quads 3 and 4. But only for transport, no dealing on our territory." Togame smirked, pleased with how easily Hajime had given in.

"Agreed. I'll have my men draw up the paperwork." Well shit, that was fucking easy. He had thought Hajime would only give him quad 3, considering 4 was where Furin High School was nestled but he wasn’t one to shoot a gift horse in the mouth.

“One other thing Hajime, I want something small tacked on. A flavor, just a simple one- but when I ask you oblige.”

“Why would I offer you such an advantage?” Hajime sounded confused by the question, Togame knew it was out of left field but something about dating someone so close to Bofurin’s top circle made him realize he would need personal leverage at some point.

“No advantage. Just a simple favor, nothing that would harm you or Bofurin.” He offered with complete honesty, it would not be something he cashed in lightly, and it certainly wasn’t going to be used for anything outside himself.

“No, you would use it-” Hajime started and was quickly interrupted. “Fine, looks like our chat is over. Have a good night.” Togame took the phone from his ear, slowly closing the phone when he heard a muffled response from Hajime.

“Fine- a small favor in exchange for Hiragi Toma being able to visit her whenever he likes.” Hajime demanded, but Togame chuckled, astonished by the limitless request, he shook his head even though no one could see him.

"He can visit his cousin at her aunt's house only- when he likes." he countered. "If she's not there, he leaves. No exceptions." For a moment Togame was certain Hajime would fight him on this but it seemed there were more pressing matters to worry about than cousins hanging out.

"Agreed," Hajime said after a moment of hesitation. "But I want assurances of her safety, and wellbeing."

Togame rolled his eyes, though his tone remained light. "Come now, Hajime. You know I take good care of what's mine."

"That's what concerns me," Hajime muttered. "She's not a possession, Togame."

"No, she's not," Togame agreed, his voice softening for the first time. "She's far more valuable than that."

A sigh left Hajime's throat as he pushed on. "She is allowed to visit us when she likes," That nearly got a genuine laugh from Togame, Hajime couldn’t possibly think that would ever happen now.

"No."

"She needs unrestricted access to her family!" Hajime pleaded.

"It will be approved visits, and she will have an escort," Togame countered, his patience wearing extremely thin.

"Approved visits with an escort?" Hajime's voice was incredulous. "You can't be serious. She's not a prisoner."

Togame's tone was now strained, filled with annoyed disbelief. "I'm very serious, Hajime. This is non-negotiable."

"For her safety or your control over her?" Hajime challenged.

Togame's grip on the phone tightened again. "Both," his tone became vicious. "You are no fool Hajime, so cut the fucking good boy act. They all will know by tomorrow that Bofurin has a princess that is connected with Shishitoren leadership.” The possibility that something like that slipped Hajime’s mind seemed impossible, which left willful ignorance. That irked Togame more than it should have, so using the information he had pulled from her phone- he poked Hajime right in a nerve.

“How you’ve kept your sister so well hidden is impressive, but she can’t be tucked away in a cafe, not after all the spectacle.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Something in Hajime’s voice shifted instantly, it was dangerous. There was a clear threat without a declaration even being uttered.

“More games Hajime. Don’t worry! I pieced it together from her texts, no one else knows.” Which was true, he had not bothered to share that information with Choji, it was something only for Hajime and himself.

Hajime's voice shook with barely controlled anger. "You've been reading her texts?"

Togame laughed loudly, completely dumbfounded by such a civilian question. "Of course. Did you really think I wouldn't take precautions?"

Hajime spoke after several moments, his voice was low and dangerous- very much the man Togame was familiar with. “Who else knows about Kotoha?” Togame frowned, quickly becoming exhausted by the long exchange.

“Just me- as I said already. It will stay that way. Despite what you think, I don’t hurt women.” The tension in Hajime's voice eased slightly, but his breathing still sounded short as he calmed down. "See that it does stay that way. And Togame? If I find out you've hurt her in any way..."

"Is that all?" Togame asked, his tone bored now.

Hajime sighed heavily. "For now. But this isn't over, Togame."

"It never is with us." Togame replied with a smirk. "Always a pleasure, Hajime-chan." He ended the call before Hajime could respond, leaning back in his chair with a satisfied grin. Things had gone better than he'd hoped. Not only had he secured access to key Bofurin territories, but he'd also managed to gain some level of control over Hajime Umemiya- an incredibly rare feat.

His phone buzzed with a new message. It read: "I'm home safe. Kaoru escorted me. Can I call Kotoha? She is worried."

Togame's brow furrowed slightly as he read the message. He knew she was likely feeling isolated and frustrated by the new restrictions, but he couldn't risk any unsupervised contact with Bofurin members just yet.

After a moment's consideration, he typed out a reply:"Tomorrow with Kaoru." Then cleared the notification from Kaoru’s chat as well, the photo had been cute but she clearly looked surprised- clear his loyal foot soldier forgot to mention that bit of information to her before taking a picture.

Togame stared at his phone, debating whether to add anything more to his message. Part of him wanted to offer some comfort, to reassure her that things would get easier. But he knew that would be a lie. The situation was complex and dangerous, and coddling her wouldn't do either of them any favors.

With a sigh, he hit send, leaving the message as it was. Short and to the point. He knew she'd be frustrated, maybe even angry, but it was necessary. Her safety - and by extension, the stability of his position - depended on maintaining control over her interactions with Bofurin.

Togame leaned back in his chair, fingers drumming thoughtfully on the armrest as he mulled over the conversation with Hajime. He'd achieved his immediate goals but he knew this was just the beginning of a complex dance.

Hajime's concern for her wellbeing wasn't entirely unfounded, Togame had to admit but that was why a guard was put in place- to avoid her getting hurt. Did anyone understand the position she was in? The situation they both pulled her into was dangerous, far more so than she likely realized. But Togame was confident in his ability to protect what was his. And make no mistake, she was his now - in ways that went beyond mere possession.

His phone buzzed again with her reply: "Okay. Goodnight." He frowned slightly at the curt response but figured tonight it was better left alone. They both needed to rest and deal with the consequences of the day alone.

Umemiya POV

Hajime Umemiya stared at his phone long after the call with Togame had ended, a mix of frustration and worry etched on his face. He'd known negotiating with Togame would be difficult, but the reality of the situation was even worse than he'd imagined. The concessions made for Hiragi’s family was more than he wanted to give, but the story recounted to him had made it difficult to think.

With a heavy sigh, he turned to face the others in the room. Toma Hiragi sat slumped in a chair, his face pale and drawn. The normally stern but energetic commander looked utterly defeated- eyes still red from his raging earlier. Beside him, Kotoha stood with her arms crossed, her expression a mix of anger and hurt.

"Well?" Kotoha demanded, breaking the tense silence. "What did he say?" While the conversation had started on speaker phone, the comment about her eagerness had sent Hiragi into a wild spiral, making Umemiya switch to a private chat.

Umemiya rubbed his temples, feeling the beginnings of a headache."It's complicated. But he's agreed to let Hiragi visit her at her aunt's house, but only there. And he's insisting on approved visits with an escort for any other contact."

"That's ridiculous!" Kotoha exclaimed, her voice rising in anger. "That’s just abuse- clear as day!" While he agreed, the declaration made Umemiya’s neck stiff- Togame was right, he wasn’t so different when it came to Kotoha. He wouldn’t say those thoughts out loud, but it was an all too familiar situation, even if his sister didn’t realize it.

Hiragi remained silent, his gaze fixed on the floor. Umemiya could see the pain and guilt on the commander's face, his eyes reflecting an unspoken conversation. While Hiragi’s tears had stopped before the call started, they were still glazed with a pained fury unseen since the formation of Bofurin.

"I know it's not ideal," Umemiya soothed, trying to keep his voice strong for everyone. "But it's a start. We have to be careful not to escalate things further."

"Careful?" Kotoha scoffed. "He's the one who's gone too far! We can't just let him control her like this!" The strength his sister had was impressive but in this moment, he needed her to stop.

He held up a hand, silencing Kotoha's outburst. "I understand your frustration, but we need to think strategically here. Togame holds all the cards right now."

"Because we let him take her." Hiragi said quietly, his head still cast down.

Umemiya's expression softened as he looked at Toma. "We didn't let him take her, Toma. She made her own choice."

Hiragi's head snapped up, his eyes flashing with anger. "She didn't know what she was choosing! He manipulated her, used her feelings against her." he paused, eyes beginning to water again. “She has always been like this, even as a kid. So easily taken advantage of, always trying to make friends- even with local bullies.” His recount of path events did pull on the heart strings but Umemiya couldn’t like his friend feed into the delusions any longer.

"Perhaps," Umemiya conceded. "But the fact remains, she chose to go with him. We can't force her to come back if she doesn't want to."

"So we just abandon her?" Kotoha demanded, her voice cracking.

Umemiya shook his head firmly. "No. We look out for her as best we can within the constraints Togame has set. And we wait for an opportunity to help her, if she wants it."

Hiragi stood up abruptly, pacing the roof. "This is my fault.”

"No, Toma." Umemiya warned. "This isn't your fault. None of us could have foreseen this."

"I should have known," Hiragi insisted, his voice tight with emotion. "I should have realized something was off when she started acting strange and that fucking scarf. I should have protected her better." Umemiya figured Toma had seen some of the marks, glad it was confirmed now.

Umemiya sighed, understanding Hiragi's guilt but knowing it wasn't productive. "Blaming yourself won't help her now. We need to focus on what we can do moving forward."

“Move forward?! You saw her neck. I let it go because she seemed to be confiding in Kotoha but that was wrong too! He is hurting her, I know it! That foul shit he said on the phone...” he trailed off.

He held up a hand, his expression grave. "Toma, I understand your anger. But we have to be careful about making assumptions. Togame was... explicit about the nature of those marks." He grimaced, recalling Togame's crude boasting. "As distasteful as it is to consider, we have to acknowledge the possibility that they were... consensual."

Hiragi's face contorted in disgust. "You can't be serious. She wouldn't..."

"We don't know what she would or wouldn't do," Hajime cut in firmly. "She's an adult, Toma. And right now, she's chosen to be with Togame."

Kotoha, who had been listening silently, finally spoke up. "But what if she wants to leave and can't? What if she's scared?" Umemiya glanced at his sister, while he loved her with every fiber of his being, she was not helping.

“You heard me ask that, he said she was free to leave at any time.” While he hadn’t meant to sound annoyed, he was getting really tired of repeating himself. A voice piped up from the back, offering more kindling to the blazing fire around him.

Suo looked casual, a charming smile in place. “People often defend their abusers, it’s so common that it can be hard to determine a person’s true feelings.” The edges of his temper were beginning to flare- his jaw starting to click together as his muscles strained.

"You're right, Suo. It's a complex situation. We can't rule out the possibility that she's being coerced or manipulated in some way."

It was impossible to know if Togame Jo’s word was genuine but in all their years of business dealings Togame had never allowed the arrangements to be undermined, and always transparent about his methods. If Umemiya was being honest, the entire conversation had seemed oddly truthful. If that was good or bad had yet to be decided.

He looked around at the concerned faces surrounding him. "We also wont jump to conclusions or take rash action. Togame was clear in his stance, and very capable of causing major damage. If we push too hard, we could make things worse for her."

Toma slammed his fist against the table, startling several people. Normally Umemiya would allow people to work out their frustration- this was becoming tedious- childish. Hajime Umemiya stood before Tome could begin ranting again, it was time to stop the roller coaster of emotions jumping from person to person.

“That’s enough. For now, the matter is settled.” he said to everyone then looked at his friend. “Go home, Toma. Take tomorrow off, I’ll call you later.” Umemiya made sure to look Toma in the eye, warning him to remain silent on the matter going forward. The room fell into an unstable silence. Toma's jaw clenched as he stared back at Umemiya, a storm of emotions swirling in his eyes. For a moment, it seemed like he might argue further, maybe even fight, but then his shoulders slumped in defeat- his body losing all its volume.

"Fine." Hiragi said, his voice tight with barely contained frustration. "But this isn't over. I won't abandon her."

Umemiya nodded, his expression back to normal. "I know, Toma. None of us will."

As Hiragi turned to leave, Kotoha stepped forward. "Wait, what about me? Can I still try to contact her?" Umemiya hesitated, weighing the risks.

"For now, it's best if you don't reach out directly. We don't want to give Togame any reason to tighten his control further." He didn’t feel much better than Togame as finished speaking. While he had no intention of looking at his sister’s phone, it had crossed his mind to have Kotoha block her friend's number for a bit. However the look at her face made him instantly put the idea aside.

Kotoha's face had fallen, water lines beginning to fill, but she nodded reluctantly. "I understand. But if she reaches out to me..."

"Then be careful," Umemiya warned. "Don't say anything that could be used against her or us. And let me know immediately." Kotoha looked over her brother's features, looking for something, but he was in no mood to provide more reassurances. With a final questioning stare Kotoha left, following after Hiragi. The rest of them stayed, waiting for more orders- a small reprieve.

Umemiya waited for a moment, making sure Hiragi and Kotoha had left completely before addressing the remaining members. His expression was grave as he surveyed the room.

"This situation with Togame and Hiragi's cousin is delicate," he began, his voice low and serious. "For now, no one is to approach or contact her without my explicit approval. Is that understood?"

There were nods of agreement around the room, though some looked uneasy.

Sakura spoke up "If she reaches out to one of us for help I’m not telling her no." his usually standoffish demeanor replaced by one of angry concern which Umemiya found a bit usual but smiled at nonetheless. Sakura had always had a soft spot for the broken, lost, and hopeless. It was one of the reasons Umemiya kept him so close, it reminded him of the early days when his days weren't about keeping a huge organization running- it was about helping others.

Umemiya took a breath, fully considering Sakura’s words."If that happens, inform me immediately." Was all he could offer. It wasn’t like he would leave her to the wolves, but when someone walks into the deep dark forest alone, there was only so much sympathy to be had.

"Look," he began, his voice firm but not unkind. "I know you're all worried about her. But we have to be smart about this. Togame isn't just some thug - he runs Shishitoren. If we make one wrong move, it could have serious consequences not just for her, but for all of Bofurin."

He paused, letting his words sink in. "Right now, our priority has to be maintaining the balance we've struck with them. We can't risk open conflict over one person, no matter who they are."

Sakura's brow furrowed. "So we just leave her with that bastard?”

Umemiya nodded slowly, using his remaining energy to maintain a level head. "Yes, Sakura, you do. And if there's genuine evidence that she's in immediate danger, then of course we act. But right now, we don't have that evidence. What we do have is a very delicate political situation."

He paused, choosing his next words carefully. "Shishitoren provides us with significant income, and stability at our largest border, plus several other things I don’t have time to explain."

Umemiya's words hung heavily in the air. The remaining Bofurin members exchanged uneasy glances, clearly torn between their loyalty to the organization and their concern for the lost princess of Bofurin. Sakura opened his mouth as if to argue again, but Suo placed a hand on his shoulder, shaking his head slightly. Sakura's jaw clenched, but he remained silent- taking a step back.

"I need all of you to trust me. ” Umemiya said with a small smile, still preening over the man Sakura was becoming. While he wanted his subordinates to listen, having a bunch of dead brain followers was never his goal. They all nodded allowing him the opportunity to prove he was a good judge of character- at least he hoped.

Once everyone was gone Umemiya walked to the edge roof, staring into the darkening skyline. The cool air was a welcome feeling after taking in everyone’s strong emotions. It wasn’t lost on Umemiya that he couldn’t properly comfort them, but false hope was incredibly dangerous.

Bofurin territory was huge, it had become a beast he needed to wrestle with constantly. The constant gnashing of hungry mouths, cries for protection from those outside his walls, and the start up gangs always poking at his borders was overwhelming at times. All that while maintaining a moral high ground was absurdly difficult, but he would carry it- so they didn’t have too.

#wind breaker #wind breaker anime #wind breaker manga #jo togame #togame jo x reader #shishitoren #togame jo #fanfic #jo togame wind breaker

4 notes · View notes