#morinaga yu

[kulemiwrites]

Masato Aizawa | Cardinal

[Art commission by @fabylp]

Genre: Grief/Angst Rating: Gen Word count: 6.6K Character(s): Masato Aizawa, Yu Morinaga, Enzo Ruiz (OC), mentions of Maria da Silva, Sayori Morinaga, & Misaki Morinaga (OCs)

Warning: This fic is heavily centered around mourning the loss of a parent after supporting them through illness and angst/anger that comes with questioning faith/religion. I understand these are not topics that everyone can handle. So, I am mentioning it clearly to prevent causing any unintentional harm.

Note: This story was built upon years worth of headcanons I've come up with for Aizawa. It is pre-canon. There are details that, if you're not familiar with me and my Aizawa shenanigans, it may confuse you, such as; him being half-Brazilian, his Catholic upbringing, his first language being Portuguese. If you aren't a fan of people taking liberties like that, please steer clear of this fic! Thank you! <3

Read on AO3

It's Aizawa's first birthday since his mother's passing and he faces pushback about how he'd like to spend it.

[All purple dialogue represents dialogue spoken in BR-Portuguese.]

May 10, 2009 Aizawa Residence

The image was as clear as the blue sky she’d been admiring through the window, sitting in the usual chair and sipping the usual morning coffee. No other words could describe her expression better than ‘perfectly content’- there in her white dress bathed in warm sunlight and the occasional shadow when a bird would pass by. The sheen of her salt and pepper side braid only added to how much healthier she appeared– happier. She lowered the mug from her lips, turning to him with a sweet smile and beckoned him to join her. 

Cautious, he stepped forward, worried that sudden movement would send this perfect illusion away before he was ready. Following her index finger, he spotted a red bird hovering at the window as if to observe them, the same way they’d been observing it. She opened her mouth to laugh but no sound would follow.

Unlike his mother, he’d never been any good with birds. His descriptions of them didn’t go any further than simple descriptors of size, shape and color, but there was something familiar about this bird that tugged at his heart and once it flew away, he felt almost overcome with a sense of grief. 

When he turned his attention back to her, the sunlight that kissed her tan skin shone ever bright, nearly blinding him until he was forced to take a step back. Masato did his best to shield his vision from the beaming rays, desperate to see more of her peaceful state just a while longer but the moment his vision cleared, the chair was empty.

“Ma…” he felt himself saying. 

And as if she was aware of the need for just a second more with her, the words, “Happy birthday, my dear, sweet Marcos.” were heard so crisp and clear.

Warmth caressed the side of his face while a harsh pang tugged at his chest and the conflict of those sensations forced him to jolt awake.

Masato quickly snatched the damp pillow he’d been resting his head on and hugged it taut against his slick chest, sliding back to rest against the cool wall. Unsure of why he felt so startled to begin with, he fought to regulate his breathing and squeezed his eyes to alleviate the tightness behind them. Sweat had been trickling down the sides of his face and back, he’d even felt it between his thighs.

Warm light peeked through the blinds he never bothered to close and cast a spotlight on the disarray that was his room: empty bottles, dresser drawers half opened with his clothes hanging out, an overflowing trash bin and a similarly overflowing laundry hamper. Thanks to him sweating through his sheets, he’d have no choice but to at least do some laundry today. 

Though, truthfully, he still wasn’t sure if he could manage it.  

Why did he feel this way? Shouldn’t he have been thrilled to have a dream like that on today of all days? Why did he wake up feeling as though he’d just had an awful nightmare?

Tears stung his eyes but refused to fall and it frustrated him. Who the hell was he holding back for? He’s never had anything against crying. In fact, he was of the belief that it did good for the soul! Who’s ever reached their full potential by constantly holding everything in? 

At least… That’s what he’s always preached to other people. 

He was a bit of a hypocrite in that way. 

If someone else needed to cry because they were still in mourning– who cared? The body needs what it needs. But, when it was himself? Wasn’t 11 months and 17 days more than enough time to get over the loss of a loved one?

Should he have been over this by now? 

Gotten used to it at least?

His gaze drifted to the grey sweatshorts hanging on a hook that he nailed into the wall next to his mother’s favorite rosary. They were the final gift she’d given him before she sadly passed away just 13 days after his 28th. Each time he looked at them, he was reminded of her hiding them whenever he’d appear before expected. Those memories made him smile, considering toward the end, she could barely even recognize him as her son most days. 

She remembered his birthday, though.

It was bittersweet. He was so proud of her for getting up and tackling a project every day. He’d deluded himself into believing that it was progress, proof that her condition could indeed improve despite what the doctors had to say about it. 

He’d gotten it honest– she was a fighter!

However, she never did get to finish the shorts. 

Despite her embarrassment, she presented the gift to him in tears- ashamed that she ‘couldn’t even do that much on her own’. He reminded her that they’d live together forever and so, she could take as much time as she needed because the fact that she wanted to make him anything despite the pain was enough of a gift to last him 100 birthdays. She hated the pity though. It made her break down and the harder she broke down, the further it broke his heart. 

He could practically still feel her frail body shuddering in his embrace as he attempted to calmly console her, fighting back his own wail because he knew that no matter how much pain he’d been feeling, it was nothing compared to what she went through day in and day out. He kissed the top of his mother’s head, her hair brittle even against his lips as he muttered in her native tongue how grateful he was for her efforts and he swore to treasure them no matter what.

Masato could even recall the final prayer he’d offered that day verbatim: ‘Dear God, if you love my Ma as much as she loves you, you’ll be kinder to her. Take away her pain. Please, just take it away– even if you have to give it to me instead...’

Then, just 13 days later, she was gone. 

For so long, he was downright furious! He wasn’t sure where to direct his anger but he knew that no matter what, God– if the bastard even existed in the first place, was now on his shitlist. 

After his mother was cremated, he lit his belly with a few shots of cachaça to help numb the guilt about what he was going to do next. For the entirety of the taxi ride, he begged his mother’s forgiveness and understanding. He hoped that if she tried her best, she’d be able to acknowledge how much more painful it would’ve been to sit around their lonely house, twiddling his thumbs while he felt so much aimless rage.

Staggering his way along that narrow alley and down those rickety stairs to visit that old haunt was his way of preventing himself from doing something far more stupid and misguided. 

At least, that was the excuse he’d given himself. 

Though, the heat settled solely on his right cheek as he passed over his crumbled notes to gain entry into The Fray, made him wonder if that was his mother slapping him once again for this foolishness– that time from the afterlife. 

It would have suited him right. Hell, he didn’t even have enough respect to wait until dust began to settle on her fucking urn before brazenly defying her.

It was anyone’s guess how he managed to remember exactly where to find the place after 8 years. How the place managed to survive for that long was another mystery considering the lifespan of spots like that and with a name like ‘The Fray’, he sometimes wondered if they were daring the cops to bust them. 

Perhaps they would have, if not for the funny part, that some of the most prolific competitors and betting men were corrupt lawmen themselves.

It was there that he wound up running into a face he never could have forgotten, the man that may have very well saved his life in an alleyway when he was sideswiped and jumped by 5 disgruntled opponents– Yu Morinaga.

8 years prior, Morinaga had only been a croupier but a lot could change in that amount of time. The business, if one could even call it that, certainly had changed hands a number of times before the key landed in his hands and he had a different way of doing things. 

A way that made men like Masato, horrible for his bottom line and he wasn’t afraid to do anything about it. 

He must have been watching him since he staggered in, taking more shots than he clearly needed and rampaging through a freestyle tournament. After his fourth win, it was clear to anyone with an eye that he was out for blood and Morinaga wasn’t having it.

In hindsight, it was kind of hilarious knowing that he’d somehow gotten his ass handed to him by a man nearly half his body weight but the guy dealt a sobering uppercut. Then, had the civility to offer him a round of drinks afterwards– under the condition that he spent the remainder of operating hours as a spectator and maybe talked about what the hell his problem was. 

Morinaga’s idea of a truce confounded him. At first, he assumed it was simply to protect his bottom line but after finding himself effortlessly opening up to the man, he realized that he was once again protecting him in a way.

That time, protecting him from himself. 

And… It felt good, talking about himself, talking about his mother, talking about his rage– how unfair life could be, how cruel ‘God’ was, and all to a man who had no dog in the fight. His gut assured him that Morinaga simply wanted to understand him. It had been a while since he met anyone with intentions like that.

Masato left The Fray that night with a new outlook on the loss of his mother and a new respect for the quiet man that used to take his money, barely offering him much of a second glance. 

Initially, Morinaga’s words– “If I believed in a God, and I asked for what you asked for, I’d wonder if that was their way of offering mercy. Sure, you may be hurting but she’s not anymore... Isn’t that what you wanted?” –made him furious!

The idea that his mother’s death was an example of God’s so-called ‘grace’ and ‘mercy’ was enough to boil his blood. Wasn’t He who caused her to suffer for so long in the first place? 

On the ride home that night, using what little clarity he had left to mull it over and he came to the conclusion that- God or no God, she was at peace.

Free of seizures. Free of pain. Free of frustration and confusion. Free of guilt. 

Finally, she was free of it all.

Wait, was that what his dream meant? Did she want him to see how pain-free she was? Is that what they mean when they say that the departed are in a better place? Not about Heaven, Hell or Purgatory- just free of the burdens that life slings their way, burdens like illness?

Although he went to bed the night prior wishing he could wake up to her singing the birthday song in the silly way that she used to, or spend the evening listening to their favorite music and dancing, or eating their favorite food and getting tipsy, or waving off her annoying questions about finally getting himself a new girlfriend and imagining her first grandchild before he ‘gets too old’, he knew that that version of his mother was nothing more than a fond memory. Even if she had been alive, she would have been too weak to celebrate in a way that she would’ve liked to.

So, he’d let her have her peace. Even if that meant that their only time together would be bound to the dream realm, he’d learn to accept it.

Masato swiped at the tear rolling down his cheek more aggressively than he intended and managed to force a small smile, recalling how beautiful and healthy she appeared. 

Yeah, as long as he’d get to see her just like that, he could accept it…

Tossing his sweat-soiled pillow onto the pile of clothes nearest the wall, he finally swung his long, thick legs over the side of the bed and allowed himself a deep side body stretch before checking the digital clock on his crowded nightstand, perhaps even messier than the floor.

8:56, ughh. Couldn’t he have slept in as a birthday gift to himself at least?

Bzzzzzzz. Bzzzzzzz. Bzzzzzzz.

The cell vibrated so aggressively that had he left it unanswered, it would have dropped off the edge. Even so, it was curious to think that he’s slept through that same sound numerous times. When he flipped it open, he didn’t even bother to check the caller ID.

“Marcos!”

“...Yeah?”

No one ever called him by his birth name beside his mother or his Brazilian friends, but for a moment, he couldn’t tell who he’d just spoken to. 

“Mornin’! Happy birthday, man– 29 now, huh?”

He blamed the lingering drowsiness that dulled his ability to immediately register the rasp of the male's voice as none other than Enzo Ruiz, a former coworker and friend.

“Shit, morning– yeah, 29. You remembered?” he asked, somewhat coy.

Enzo had always been a great friend to Masato, one of his closest and they knew each other almost as well as they’d known themselves, which was why it was a shock to hear from him so early. He might have been a good friend, but he was horrible with important dates. Masato could recall at least 2 instances of having to remind the man of his own wedding anniversary. If people ever wanted Enzo to show up to anything, it was a better practice to invite him the day of, rather than days in advance. 

“Ha! Nah, I had my girl put it in my memo so I could make sure I wished you a happy birthday, man!”

Masato chuckled at the thoughtfulness but responded with, “Augh! What’s up with this sweet shit?”

“Buttering ya up so I can ask for a 50% cut of all monetary gifts you get today.”

“Ah ha, yeah. That’s more like it.”

“Whatcha up to?” he began, his reception choppy, leading Masato to press the phone closer to his ear. “Nah, let me guess… You're still in your dusties curled up in the bed like a fat cat, huh?”

He smiled, leaning back onto the bed, supporting himself using his palm. 

Well, he was partially right.

“You installing creep cameras in people’s houses now, man? Look if you need a gig, I could talk to someone to hook you up, ya know?”

“Ha, as if anyone would wanna creep on you– much less me! You’re not my type, big boy.”

They continued their banter, each joke proving to be more crude than the last until Enzo let out a long, thoughtful sigh.

“29.. Can’t believe you were just 20 when we met– baby-faced and a mean mug! Never seen anything like it.”

“No, I was about 19, then. You guys lied that I was 20 so I could go out drinking with you.”

“Hell, bro. You were close enough! What happens in a year that magically makes you man, huh? Wait– don’t answer that.” Enzo laughed.

“Somehow, I got hitched to the worst senpai there is.” Masato shook his head.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah! Listen, it’s been 10 years. Let’s celebrate! We can round up the guys and do whatever you want– the night’s on me. Whattaya up for?”

Now it was his turn for a long sigh. He anticipated that an invitation or two would extend themselves at some point but he never got around to scripting what the answer would be when they had. Knowing Enzo, he wanted to go out, get wasted and try, then fail to encourage him to end the night at some dank love hotel with the first girl to catch his eye, despite him being fully aware that that wasn’t his style. 

And while none of that really appealed to him, he did know for certain that staying home alone all day wasn’t a better option.

“I wanna fight.” he said, the words tumbling out before he could give them any real thought and the silence to follow was a real long and heavy one.

It was Enzo who introduced Masato to The Fray a few months after his 20th and since then, he’s expressed his regret in doing so an innumerable amount of times. Not once has it ever really registered.

They were younger and dumber and they could afford to constantly be on the prowl for shit to stick their grungy noses into but Enzo, was more or less a changed man now. He sort of had to be. He was a husband now, a father of two. It was far easier to explain himself after getting shitfaced for a pal’s birthday than it would’ve been trying to explain why he returned home with a black eye and a fat lip. 

He didn’t even trust himself to spectate anymore. 

“Marcos, man… Ya gotta know when to sit your ass down.” he said, sounding less like a friend and more like an elder brother who was really getting tired of repeating himself. 

“I take it you’re not comin’?” 

“You knew that before ya even asked!” he spat, “Why do you even want to go tonight? Seems to me like ya just wanna burn off some steam.” 

“I can go alone.” Masato interrupted. “Spare me the lecture.” 

He knew what was coming next but even so, that didn’t stop his teeth from grinding. 

“...Will he even let you fight like this?”

Now his teeth were fully bared, “What the fuck do you mean ‘let’ me? I can do whatever I want.”

“Arentcha the one always bitchin’ that he doesn’t even let ya fight if he ‘suspects’ ya got the wrong intentions?”

He clenched his jaws, gaze burning a hole through the wall as he fought against the urge to snap his phone in half. 

Ever since Enzo decided to ‘clean up his act’, he’d been trying time and again to set him straight too. He wasn’t so blockheaded that he couldn’t at least see where the man was coming from but at times like this, it took everything out of him not to tell him to shut the fuck up and mind his own business. 

It was just as Enzo said though. Morinaga did scrutinize him more than any other fighter on the roster. He can’t accurately recall the number of times he issued a 24hr banishment simply because he suspected him to be in the ring with a cloudy head. Even when Masato swore he was wrong, it didn’t matter. 

That old man was damn near impossible to reason with. 

“‘Dead men don’t make money.’” he quoted before hissing out a curse, “I’ve never come close to killing anyone in that fucking ring.”

“I beg to differ, kid. I think you're forgetting a veeeery important detail–” Enzo said, “I’ve seen you in action… Maybe you should sit this one out. Maybe you should stay far, far away from that place at least until next month or somethin’?”

There was yet another lengthy silence between them because that was the last thing that he wanted to hear. 

“It’s my birthday, right?” he said in a haughty tone. “This is my business.”

Enzo let out a breath, long and airy before responding. “Listen, bro, you’re right. You’re a grown ass man. So, I can’t tell you which way to go but as your friend, I want you to sit the fuck down and take it easy. At least for today… Think about her. Do you really wanna break your mother’s heart like this?”

Masato’s eyes began to sting and though he felt a nasty curse burning the tip of his tongue, he couldn’t bring himself to speak through the constricting sensation in his throat. 

When the line remained silent, Enzo spoke again, fully resigned to the notion that he couldn’t sway him. “Alright, well... Unless you’re down to hit up a bar or club or something, I guess you can count me out… If ya change your mind, and I really hope ya do, I’m just a buzz away. I’m keeping the day clear for ya, alright?”

Still, Masato couldn’t bring himself to speak and to that, Enzo wished him a happy birthday once more before ending the call. 

Slapping the phone shut, he threw himself back onto the bed and tossed it, not caring which way the damned thing went. He hoped that wherever it fell, it was on something that would muffle the sound because he’d lost interest in taking any other calls.

The towel that had been covering Masato’s face as he rested his head back against the rim of the tub had grown too cool to enjoy and the water itself was well on its way too. He filled a small bucket then dumped the lukewarm water over his head before dropping it to the floor, then used his hands to wipe what he could from his face. 

How long had he been lounging in the tub? 

An hour, maybe two?

From the deep pruning of his fingers, it was clear that no matter the approximation, it was clearly long enough. Even so, he couldn’t bring himself to get out. In fact, he was beginning to find the idea of running a fresh bath and maybe even napping there very attractive. 

He was reaching a pruny hand for the plug when he heard a loud thump, thump, thump that startled the hell out of him. 

There weren’t any plans to have guests over and he couldn’t imagine who would just pop up at his place unannounced like this. The only person who would, had no need to knock as he’d given him a spare key. 

Perhaps it was a salesman, and if that were the case, he definitely had no interest in answering. 

The thump, thump, thump rapped again and this time it sounded slightly more aggressive. Frowning, he finally unplugged the tub and pulled himself before toddling over to retrieve the towel from the warming rack.

He secured the towel around his waist then stomped to the front door to investigate, completely disregarding the amount of water he and his bare feet were tracking through the hall. Through the peephole, he spotted Morinaga gearing up for another harsh round of knocks and sighed, contemplating if he even wanted to open it then swiftly caved in. 

Flicking the latch, he yanked the door open but the man on the other side of it appeared completely unphased.

“Huh... That explains what took you so long,” He said, eyes quickly running over Masato’s state of dress, or lack thereof. “I don’t suppose you mind if I let myself in, do you?”

Without allowing the opportunity for him to respond, he pushed past him with ease. Sighing, Masato resigned himself to lock the door behind him. 

“Guess not...” he mumbled.

Morinaga had been carrying something large inside of a thin red cloth but from the way it’d been tied, Masato had no clue what it could’ve been or why he brought it in. He clenched the towel, noting how low it’d been hanging around his waist then worked toward securing it a little higher to avoid an awkward moment. 

“What’s in the box?” he asked, twisting the towel so that the slit was placed in a less compromising position.

“A little something from my home to yours.”

“I’ll just take it here, then.” He said, reaching toward the man who simply took a step back.

“I’m afraid you won’t be getting rid of me that easily…” Morinaga smiled faintly. “It’s probably best that you open this in the kitchen.”

He couldn’t fight the frown tugging at his lips. Why the hell didn’t he just hand it over at the door? “Alright..”

Ignoring Masato’s sigh, Morinaga turned toward the kitchen, leading himself through the house as if he owned the place. He always did. Just as he reached the hall, he slowly turned back to face Masato,“Though, I do hope you prefer to open your birthday presents in something more decent than a flimsy, wet towel…” 

Pushing yet another sharp breath through his flared nostril, the younger man agreed. 

When he met Morinaga in the kitchen, he'd been sitting at the dining table cross legged, flipping through an old picture book that hadn’t been moved since Maria passed. 

“You really did look like a punk before getting yourself a decent haircut.” he said, sizing him up again and was clearly unimpressed with the white tee and old blue jeans Masato had changed into. “If only we could do something about that wardrobe...”

“I’m home, Morinaga-san.” Masato groaned as he cleared the table, annoyed at the prospect of having to hear another lecture about getting himself proper shirts, shoes and slacks. “There’s no rule in your imaginary handbook that says I can’t look like a slob in the comfort of my own home, is there?”

“Page 78, section 13B…” He responded sarcastically, the corner of his lip curling as he flipped to another page, “I must say…It would've been hard to imagine you were ever such a cheerful child if I didn’t have the proof right here in my hands.” 

Without another word, Masato snatched the photobook from him to which he responded by raising his hands as if to say ‘ok, ok’.

After returning the photo book to its rightful place on the counter, he finally joined Morinaga at the dining table, and was immediately taken with the birdhouse through the window as he recalled the blurry version of it from his dream. When Morinaga suggested that he open the gift, there was a delay in him shifting his attention. 

“...Didn’t peg you as the gift-giving type.” he mumbled, noting how neatly the red fabric had been tied, likely for easier transport.

“And you’d be correct.” he chuckled in that small, quiet way he often did. “It’s not from me… This is from the girls.” 

“The–” He was filled with an excitement that he hadn’t felt all day, “Really?”

He simply nodded, eyes lifting at the corners. 

Some time after Morinaga unofficially took him under his wing, he made the risky decision to introduce him to his family– his wife and two daughters, Misaki and Sayori, ages 9 and 25, respectively. He’d never spent much time around the wife as she’d been fairly distant, not just to him but their family too.

However, the girls were taken with him almost immediately and the feeling was certainly mutual. Misaki had become the little sister he always wished he had. Not once has he ever hesitated to protect that little girl when Morinaga wasn’t around to do so himself.

As for Sayori, the pair were fast friends, which was impressive considering she’d been the one Morinaga warned him about– ‘Sayori doesn’t like anyone’. Hah! The woman latched onto him without even putting up a fight. It was hard to imagine that there were ever any doubts they’d get along. 

Not delaying a second further, Masato tugged at the knot and once it unraveled, each corner fell to reveal a clear cake carrier.

“Morinaga-san, did they– they made this?” 

“They did.” he answered, opening his wallet in search of the folded sheets of paper that he’d been storing there and slid them across the table. “There’s also this.”

Finding it hard to control the smile splitting his lips, he quickly popped open the carrier and lifted the lid, exposing a beautiful cake with a white buttercream frosting and strawberries with whipped cream to top it off. 

“They made this?” he asked again. This time it was less a question of whether or not Morinaga’s daughters were capable of making something so lovely but, more so his way of expressing his bewilderment that they’d ever go to such trouble for him.

Morinaga loosened the red tie around his neck and began to roll up the cuffs of his white dress shirt, “Well, aren’t you going to read the notes?”

“What do they say?”

“I’m not sure. I was hoping you’d tell me.” he chuckled, “They made me swear not to read them... I kept my word.”

Morinaga had always been something of a softie when it came to his kids but the way his features softened as he looked down at the cake hinted at something that he’d only heard the man say once after a drink too many. He was proud to have raised daughters as kind hearted as they were, in spite of himself and their mother.

Masato often wondered if the love they both had for their respective families, regardless of how differently they looked, was what led them to look after each other the way that they did– protecting one another so that they could carry on protecting their homes…

At least, that’s what he used to think, when he had a home to protect. 

He shook the thought away and immediately reached for the notes. The first he opened was written in a purple glittery ink, lavished with dozens of hearts and stars, complete with a drawing of himself and the Morinaga family dog, Benji. That alone was enough to get a chuckle out of him. 

TOP SECRET

Dear Uncle Masayan, 

Happy birthday from Misaki! Me and Sayori worked really, really, REALLY hard on this cake to make sure you don't feel sad today! It’s got all your favorites! Cream and strawberry and chocolate and more cream! My sister says that you’re gonna get sick from how sweet the cream is, but that’s just because she doesn’t understand how much we like sweets! This cake is Misaki-approved!!!! So, I know you’re gonna love it! 

P.s. I asked daddy if I could also go to deliver the cake to you because I really, really, REALLY wanted to see the look on your face when you had the first bite! But, Sayori said she thinks you will have your head up your ass today. So, you’ll have to come see us when you feel better! Feel better fast! AND don’t have your head up your ass, okay? 

Happy birthday!!!!

Misaki <3

Masato couldn’t stop himself from laughing and it stirred Morinaga’s curiosity but the moment he reached for the note, Masato folded it and slipped it into his pocket. 

“No can do, Morinaga-san. Mii-chan says it’s top secret. So, I guess I gotta keep this one between us.” he said, patting his pocket.

“Oh, whatever.” he spat, a smile still creasing his eyes as he lifted himself out of his seat. “I’ll grab the knife.”

The second note came from Sayori.

Hey, you asshat. Don’t you go doing anything stupid or I’ll have my dad punch you. Then, I’ll punch you…

Ok, fine. Don’t stop reading. I’ll be serious, alright?

You know how much I hate the sappy stuff but, I kinda wish we could’ve spent the day together– Misaki, you, me and dad.

You’ll get more birthdays though, right? We’ve got plenty of time. Well… I don’t know how to close this note… So, I’ll just say that I hope when you have a slice of this cake, you’ll be reminded of us and how much we care about you and stuff… And hopefully that alone is enough to keep you out of trouble, at least for today.

That is, unless Mii-chan’s icing kills you… 

Happy birthday, Masa. Check in with us soon?

Sayori

“And I take it I can’t read that one either?” Morinaga asked, not really expecting a response. 

“Isn’t it bad enough I’ve apparently gotta share my birthday cake with you?” he barked, eyeing the plates that had been laid out for them. “You gotta read my notes too?”

“Your only child is showing.” 

“My what?”

“You’re selfish…” he said, slicing a large cut of cake to serve to the younger man. “In a way that only an only child knows how to be.”

Masato refolded the note and slipped it into his pocket as well, making a mental note not to wash his jeans before he emptied them as he narrowed his eyes, thinking of a snarky retort. Then, simply sighed and picked up his fork when he couldn’t summon one.

“So,” Morinaga said, now cutting his own much thinner slice. “The plan for today is…”

The men stared at each other in silence. Masato knew that when he phrased his questions that way, trailing off without actually asking anything, it meant that he already knew the answer and was testing him to see if he’d be stupid enough to say it aloud.

“I’m…” he began, forcing a forkful of cake into his mouth, finally averting his glare as if he was a teenager again conceding to a stand-off with his stepfather. “going to The Fray.”

The man scoffed, “To do what?”

He scowled, speaking though his mouth was full. “To fight, obviously...”

“Good luck with that.” he smirked, resting his chin on his hand as he leaned onto the table. “You’ve been blacklisted for the next two weeks.”

“Two weeks?!” 

“I’ve told you, Aizawa. I refuse to allow you to sort out your shit using my ring. You’re nearly 30 years old. Stop acting like an unruly teenager because you don’t know how to grieve. Be an adult for once and learn how to control yourself.”

“Oh, fuck y– You know what? That’s bullshit!”

“Oh?” He said, sarcasm deep within his furrowed brows. “Shall we run back the incident that occured on January 12th?”

He should have predicted that Morinaga would use that against him. Him going overboard in the ring that night and dislocating the shoulder of one of The Fray’s top competitors had nothing to do with the fact that it was his mom’s first birthday since her passing! The guy was an asshole and they’d had it out for each other for months! Had Morinaga stopped for once to hear him out instead of acting like some brilliant sage that knew it all, he’d have known that the guy had it coming.

He ground his teeth, gripping his fork so tightly he swore it began to bend.

“Whatever.” he managed, shooting him a dirty look before stabbing at the slice that his mouth had grown too dry to enjoy anymore. “When are you leaving anyway?”

“Once I receive the call that the final bout has concluded, I’ll be out of your hair.”

“The hell?” he practically growled. “That’s not gonna be ‘til like 3 in the morning! No way. That’s too long. I’m already tired of seeing your snobby mug.”

Morinaga folded both arms on the table, expression hard, “Then, I guess you'll just have to force me out… Maybe then, I can give you the fight you’ve been itching for all day?”

Once more, the pair engaged in a silent staredown and again it was Masato who broke the silence, “Nice to know I have an option, right?”

“Sure. When you’re ready for a nap, I’ll be happy to oblige.” The other man winked, rising from his seat. “Until then, I guess I’ll sort out what sort of dinner is appropriate for a toddler on their 30th birthday.”

“Twenty-nine.” he corrected, clicking his tongue as his deep set eyes followed the man to the other side of the kitchen. “So, what? You’re just gonna babysit me?”

“Unfortunate, isn’t it?” Morinaga said, tugging open the refrigerator door. “Twenty-nine, and you can’t even be trusted to behave…Pitiful, really.”

Masato wanted him to catch the nasty snarl on his lip but the other man was too busy rifling through his fridge to notice and even if he had, he likely wouldn’t have cared very much. He was perpetually unphased by him. The guy seemed more moved by the mackerel he retrieved from the freezer than anything.

“Well, I suppose if you’re going to act like an insolent child, it’s only fitting that I treat you as such.” he finished, clearly amused with himself. 

Just when Masato parted his lips to finally hurl the string of expletives that had been building up since he announced his impromptu sleepover, a dark shadow flew past him, catching his attention. Furrowing his brows, he turned to follow it to the window and there he spotted a round bodied bird with red feathers landing on the roof of the birdhouse. 

The shadow must have caught Morinaga’s attention as well because shortly after it landed, positioning itself to face the window, he let out an odd sound of surprise and walked back over to the dining table. 

“Would you look at that…”

Masato was relieved to know that he’d seen it too or else he might have wondered if this was yet another dream.

“Pretty little thing.” Morinaga mumbled, “Have you seen it around here before?”

He’d begun to tell him about the dream but trailed off just after the words, ‘I think’, not sure if he’d sound insane if he told him that he was certain he’d seen that exact same bird in a dream just this morning.

“I’ll bet it’s someone’s pet.” the older man continued on. “It’s not often you’ll see a cardinal out and about like that.”

The cardinal commanded his full attention and all he could think was, what were the odds of someone’s pet bird going missing the same morning he dreamt of his mother pointing at one through this very window?

“In some cultures, they say that seeing one of those means that a loved one is looking over you in the next life.” Morinaga told him, and it wasn’t uncommon for the man to hurl random trivia at him but this time he seemed to be saying something without actually saying it.

He turned to check Morinaga’s expression to double check that he wasn’t teasing him but the small smile on his face and the light tap on his shoulder before walking away reminded him just who he’d been talking to. 

A joke like that, on a day like today, would’ve been much too far for a man that held such deep reverence for the deceased.

He practiced suspending his disbelief and imagined a world where it wasn’t silly to think that his late mother was visiting him on his first birthday without her in the form of a beautiful, tiny red bird. The thought alone was enough to both bring a smile to his face and a tear to his eye. Maneuvering his chair so that he could comfortably sit and watch the birdhouse, he reached for the cake that remained on his plate until the image of his mother sipping from a mug crossed his mind and it was then that he decided precisely how he’d spend his birthday.

“Since you plan on being a pain in my side all day, I guess I’ve got no choice but to put on some coffee.” he called over his shoulder to Morinaga who didn’t skip a beat in response to his banter.

“Ah, deciding to play the role of the gracious host all of a sudden? Honestly… I thought I’d have to make it myself.”

He feigned annoyance as he made his way over to the cupboard to retrieve a couple of mugs. 

Though his original plans for today were thwarted, Masato was content with spending the day doing what his mother loved, having coffee and admiring the watching the birds. Whether his mother had come to visit in the form of a cardinal, or simply watched over him from elsewhere, he hoped that she saw that he wasn’t alone and that no matter how they showed it– he had people who cared for him. 

He was confident that someday he’d find his peace just as she found hers. 

[madsscreenshots]

yakuza 5 (2012)

[tatteredgod]

Hurtcember part 15

Prompt: Dizzy Summary: Part 15/?. Daigo's enemies plot to dipose him, and Daigo tries to cope with his injury and circumstances. Yashiro warns his fellow bodyguards not to get attached to the Sixth Chairman, which only raises tensions between the team. As night deepens over his first day as interim Tojo Chairman, Kiryu can't shake the uneasy feeling that their foes are closing in on all of them. Illustrated by the author. NOTE: Canon Divergence

Read Part 15: The Weight of Fear (AO3)

Preview:

“Shut the fuck up,” Majima snapped at them. “I got serious news. HQ got word this mornin’ that fuckin’ Omi spies have been sighted in Kamurocho. Ya know what that means, don't ya? Word’s gotten around that our Sixth Chairman is a sittin’ duck right now, thanks to the news. That he's vulnerable. Those Omi rats are LOOKIN’ for ‘im. Tryin’ to sniff ‘im out. That means he could be attacked any time now. Any hour. Day or night. So I need ALL o’ ya to fuckin’ step up. Up yer game. As ya shoulda been doin’ already.” His gaze slowly went over those who were on night shift.  “Especially ya night-shifters. Nikuma, Jinzen, I mean ya two as well. We all know that when the first assassination attempt comes, it'll be at night. I don't care how bored an’ tired ya get durin’ yer shift. I don’t give a single fuck. Yer concern is the Sixth Chairman's safety only.” Majima raised his voice. “An’ that goes for all o’ ya. The second ya saw yer name on that shortlist, ya know what that meant? It meant ya agreed to throw yer life away. For him. It means yer life is now worth less. Less than his. Do ya understand? His life is worth everythin’. Yours is nothin’. All o’ ya are replaceable to me. He is not. Not to me, not to Kiryu-san, not to Saejima-san.” He glared at them, his eye glittering.      

Read from Part 1 | Read Part 14

[refinedstorage]

I've been hearing interesting things about the Gaiden............

[atanx]

I will cope over Hanawa forever it'd just be funny for him to survive being shot twice despite his frail constitution and damsel-in-distress tendencies c'mon guys... c'mon... also small potential addition to the Morinaga pile, that cosplayer who met Yokoyama and Yokoyama Allegedly just outright saying he was Morinaga while the other staff Allegedly got concerned over him saying that — @0nsyu-archive

Lmao fr! It would have been SO GOOD to have him survive, like I get that they maybe kind of needed him out of the way but they could have just put him in a coma or sth smh. I love how you put it "damsel in distress tendencies" ur so right and I love that for him. But yeah it would have been really cool (and funny) to keep him around bc he and Kiryu have an interesting dynamic and we've barely had him for 1 1/2 games!! (Well, 2-ish if we count Y5)

But Yokoyama (Allegedly) saying that is SO wild I didn't know about that holy shit!! That's fucking gold I'm so all for that! We need him alive more than ever bc as if they just drop hints and meta-hints and then don't ever follow up on it like cmooon...

[lmermerl]

[danielladigitalbunny]

[tsukimino]

RGGO Card Story: Yu Morinaga, A Man Concerned About the Tojo Clan

In a story set before Yakuza 5, a near-death experience forces Morinaga to consider whether the Sixth Chairman might actually have what it takes to lead the Tojo Clan after all.

Before the calamity that engulfed Japan’s five major cities…

[Morinaga is talking with a generic goon in the hallway at Tojo HQ.]

Tojo Clan Member: …You’re here, Morinaga.

Morinaga: I received an urgent summons from Chairman Dojima and rushed over. Do you have any idea why we were called in?  

Tojo Clan Member: Nope. Seems like everyone who works under the Chairman got the call — that’s all I know.

Morinaga: Hmm. Well, I guess we have no choice but to go and hear it from him directly.

Tojo Clan Member: Everyone who got the summons is already here. Let’s go — the Chairman’s waiting in his office.

[Daigo is standing in an office. There’s a knock at the door.]

Daigo: Come in.

[Morinaga and a bunch of generic goons enter.]

Tojo Clan Member: Chairman. Everyone’s here.

Daigo: Alright. First off, I have a mission for you all. 

Morinaga: A mission…?

Daigo: That’s right. Let me start at the beginning. Last night in Kansai, someone attacked several Tojo Clan members who were there for a meeting. The victims were a man named Tomokawa and four of his associates.

Morinaga: Tomokawa?

Daigo: He’s the man in charge of accounting at Tojo HQ. He’s a key figure in the management of the Tojo Clan’s finances, so he was probably the target of the attack. After Tomokawa’s meeting wrapped up, he headed for Osaka Station to return to Tokyo, but he was attacked en route. His entourage was killed, but apparently he managed to escape, because I’ve just received a call from Tomokawa himself asking for help. So, I’d like you all to travel to Kansai and bring him safely back to Tojo HQ.  

Tojo Clan Member: In other words, our mission is to escort Tomokawa back here. 

Morinaga: Chairman. May I ask a question?

Daigo: What is it?

Morinaga: Why do we need to mobilize every man at HQ just to rescue one single accountant?

Daigo: Tomokawa may be a Tojo man, but there’s no man alive who won’t cough something up if you hit him hard enough — and he’s been the clan’s accountant for years, so he has a lot in him to spew about our organization’s underbelly. That’s why we need to keep him from getting caught.

Morinaga: I see.

Daigo: And this mission must be carried out with utmost secrecy. If the executives find out that Tomokawa was attacked, the hot-headed ones might start coming out of the woodwork.

Morinaga: …

Morinaga: Chairman. Doesn’t it feel like other organizations have been walking all over the Tojo Clan lately?

Daigo: Walking all over us?

Morinaga: Yes. The other clans look down on the Tojo, so of course they’re showing up to attack us. There was a time when no one would’ve dared to go after the Tojo Clan. Wouldn’t it be better to put them in their place?

Daigo: You’re Morinaga, right? I appreciate that you’re speaking out of concern for the clan, but I think the old way of doing things is going to make things harder for us in the long term — so please have a little faith in my approach.

Morinaga: I understand.

[Out in the hallway, Morinaga talks with his fellow goon again.]

Tojo Clan Member: Morinaga, what was that all about? A grunt like you, questioning the Chairman’s methods!

Morinaga: …You don’t have any concerns about the Chairman’s policies?  

Tojo Clan Member: Concerns?

Morinaga: Frankly, I’m not satisfied at all with the way things are going under the Sixth Chairman. In order to protect the clan, the Chairman’s reaching out to the Omi and other organizations to build alliances and cooperate with one another. But why should the chairman of a clan as big as the Tojo personally go begging for an alliance with a bunch of low-ranking yakuza out in the sticks? That self-abasement is exactly why no one takes the clan seriously.

Tojo Clan Member: I support the Chairman’s methods. I don’t have any complaints, and there are lots of us who believe this is the right way of doing things.

Morinaga: I’m sure there are lots of men who trust Chairman Dojima. But there are more than a few who share my complaints. This is why the clan’s authority is dissipating by the day… And it’s the Chairman’s fault that the Tojo Clan’s grown so weak.

Tojo Clan Member: Morinaga…

Morinaga: It’s time. We’ll be leaving for Kansai shortly.

[The screen fades to black.]

Six hours later, at a certain hotel in Kansai…

[Morinaga shows up in a hotel hallway with two goons.]

Morinaga:  Room 902… Tomokawa’s hiding in here.  

[Morinaga knocks on the door.]

Morinaga: Tomokawa-san. We’re Tojo men. We’re here to pick you up under Chairman Dojima’s orders.

[Tomokawa opens the door.]

Tomokawa: You guys sure took your sweet time… Is it safe to leave this place?

Morinaga: It’s fine — we’re with you. We have a car waiting out in front of the hotel, so let’s get you out of here. 

Tomokawa: A-alright, got it… I’m counting on you.

[The screen fades to black; we hear the sound of a car starting. When we fade back in, Morinaga is sitting in the car, making a call on his phone.]

Morinaga: Chairman, this is Morinaga. We’ve just secured Tomokawa and are in a car en route to Tokyo. We have several other cars in a convoy around our vehicle, so everything is under control. 

Daigo: Alright. Please be careful out there.

[Morinaga hangs up.]

Morinaga: Don’t worry, Tomokawa-san. All that’s left is to drive back to Tokyo.

[Tomokawa is snoring.]

Tojo Clan Member: He’s asleep.

Morinaga: I guess having a security detail allowed him to relax. He probably hasn’t been able to catch a wink since yesterday’s attack. 

Tojo Clan Member: Hey, Morinaga, can I ask you a question? You came from another clan, right? Why did you decide to join the Tojo?  

Morinaga: …I admired the clan’s strength.

Tojo Clan Member: Admired?

Morinaga: Yes. The Tojo Clan I admired was intimidatingly strong. Its charismatic leaders kept things under control. Their strength and authority were unsurpassed. Under their power, Kamurocho became a sanctuary, an absolutely inviolable city, and they preserved the peace in Kanto by keeping all the smaller organizations in line. That’s the Tojo Clan I admired, and the one that I left my old family for.

Tojo Clan Member: I see.

Morinaga: I came from a small-time family, so I know what I’m talking about. A strong clan can protect its members; that’s the kind of power the Tojo had. But these days? So much of the old guard that supported it is gone. The clan’s power and command are nothing but shadows of what they once were. The Tojo Clan that I know has never been weaker, and it’s Chairman Dojima’s fault that it…

[Before Morinaga can press this seditious monologue any further, there’s the sound of tires squealing on pavement.]

Tomokawa: Huh? What’s going on? Why’d we stop?  

Driver: There’s a bunch of cars parked on the road ahead of us. The way’s blocked — we can’t get through!

Morinaga: What?

[There’s another sound of squealing tires.]

Driver: And now another car’s come up behind us! We can’t push forward or go back!

Morinaga: Don’t tell me they were lying in wait!

[The scene shifts outside for a moment; we see three goons with guns lined up. As the sound of gunfire plays, the scene shifts back to the interior of the car.]

Tomokawa: Eek! Th-they’re shooting at us!

Morinaga: They’re probably the same guys who attacked you before. It’s dangerous to stay in the car.

Tojo Clan Member: We’ll go out and use the car as a shield while we fire back, Morinaga. Let the guards in the other cars know.

Morinaga: Got it… let’s go!

[Morinaga heads outside and, instead of doing what he’s told, makes a phone call.]

Daigo: Hello, this is Daigo Dojima.

[More guns fire in the background.]

Daigo: Huh? Was that gunfire…!?

Morinaga: This is Morinaga. The convoy was attacked en route. We’re in the middle of a shootout on the road.

Daigo: What’s going on? Give me a detailed status report.

Morinaga: Right now, we’re sustaining fire from the front and the rear, and we’re using several cars from the convoy as shields.  

Daigo: Can’t you use one of your cars to break through?

Morinaga: Not possible. They’ve got the road completely blocked with their vehicles. We’re hemmed in on all sides.

Daigo: I see…

Morinaga: We’re running low on bullets here, and the other guards in the convoy are going down one-by-one.

Daigo: Alright, listen up, Morinaga. I’m sending you some backup right now. Just hold out for a little longer.

Morinaga: Backup!? There’s no way they’ll make it in time! We’ll be wiped out before they even get here! Our priority should be to get Tomokawa out!

Daigo: No. Pull yourselves together and hold the line. That’s the only way to get all of you out of this.

Morinaga: !

Morinaga: (That’s today’s Tojo for you: even in a situation like this, the Chairman’s still taking his soft-hearted approach! Ugh, I can’t go along with this — we should be prioritizing the mission even at the expense of our lives.)

Morinaga: Chairman. It’s high-risk, but I’m going to take Tomokawa and escape into the brush by the road. It’s the best chance we have of getting him out of here alive.

Daigo: Wait, Morinaga! That’s only going to make you a target! Hold off until the reinforcements arrive!

Morinaga: I’m prepared to accept the risk. If we stay here, things are only going to get worse. Right now, our priority should be to keep Tomokawa alive.

[Morinaga hangs up; more guns fire.]

Tojo Clan Member: The hell are you doing, Morinaga?! Hurry up and fight back!

Morinaga: Listen. I’m going to take Tomokawa and make a break for the thicket at the side of the road. You guys fire some shots to draw their attention.

Tojo Clan Member: What?! Were those really Chairman Dojima’s orders?

Morinaga: No. The Chairman said to wait here for backup, but there’s no way that’ll keep Tomokawa safe, so I’m taking him and getting out of here. This is our highest priority, so I’ll also be taking your bullets.

Tojo Clan Member: Hold on a second! Those are all we have left!

Morinaga: Tomokawa-san. Please follow me and do your best to keep up.

Tomokawa: R-right!

[Tomokawa bolts for it with Morinaga while the hapless Tojo goon looks on in alarm.]

Tojo Clan Member: W-wait, Morinaga! Morinagaaaaa!

[The screen fades to black. We shift to a nighttime scene out in the wilderness. Tomokawa is standing with Morinaga.]

Tomokawa: Hah… hah… I can’t do it. I’m too tired to keep going…

Morinaga: We’ve been on the run in the mountains ever since those men attacked us. But at least we’ve managed to shake them.  

Morinaga: (Well, I was right. If we’d stuck around to wait for help, Tomokawa would definitely be dead.)

[Morinaga’s cell phone rings; he answers the call.]

Daigo: Hello, Morinaga? Are you safe?

Morinaga: Yes, Chairman. Somehow, I managed to escape with Tomokawa. 

Daigo: I see… That’s great news. I’ve just arrived at the scene of the attack with my men. Unfortunately, there were quite a few casualties.  

Morinaga: Oh…

Daigo: I’m sorry… If I had just gotten there earlier, we wouldn’t have lost so many.

Morinaga: Well…

Morinaga: (If he’d gotten there earlier? …That’s absurd. The Chairman made a bad call. He told me to wait for backup so he could save everyone, but if I’d done that, Tomokawa and I both would’ve died. It was risky, but I was right to prioritize the mission. I knew his soft-hearted approach wouldn’t work.)

Morinaga: Chairman, there’s one thing I’m wondering about.

Daigo: What’s that?

Morinaga: This escort mission must have been top-secret clan business, but somehow the attackers were lying in wait for us along the route. In other words, inside information is being leaked. Or someone on the inside was behind the attack.  

Daigo: …It was probably an inside job.

Morinaga: Any ideas as to who?

Daigo: Actually, yesterday, it came to light that Tomokawa’s been cooking the Tojo Clan’s books.

Tomokawa: Huh!?

Morinaga: Cooking the books…?

Daigo: That’s right. Tomokawa was in charge of summing up the monthly dues paid by the families to Tojo HQ. But he was colluding with someone in one of the direct-line families to falsify the records and pocket part of the profit for himself.

Morinaga: Is that true, Tomokawa-san?

Tomokawa: Urk…!

Daigo: When I uncovered Tomokawa’s scheme, I ordered my subordinates to take him into custody right away. But immediately after that, someone attacked him. …That’s pretty convenient timing, isn’t it?

Morinaga: In other words, whoever was helping Tomokawa to skim a little off the top tried to shut him up by having him killed?

Daigo: It’s very likely. Tomokawa holds the evidence — if he were to be caught and confess, that’d be it for his accomplice, too. So, to keep any traitors from leaking information about this rescue mission, I assigned the job to a group of trustworthy men who reported directly to me.

Morinaga: So that’s why the job was top-secret.

Daigo: Are you listening, Tomokawa? After I take you in, you’re going to tell me everything about your crimes against the clan. You’ll be punished accordingly, but I don’t intend to make you pay with your life, so I hope you’ll come back here with Morinaga without trying to run off.  

Tomokawa: U-understood… I don’t want to get killed by those guys… I’d rather accept your punishment.

Morinaga: Tomokawa-san. Who was working with you to forge the records and skim the profits?

Tomokawa: Ahh, he’s the head of one of the clan’s direct-line fa—

[To no one’s surprise, there’s a bunch of gunfire. To our surprise as readers, Tomokawa is not shot dead by a cutscene gun before revealing an important piece of information; everyone just stops in surprise.]

Morinaga and Tomokawa: !?

Attackers: There they are! The guys who got away! Everyone, grab them!

Tomokawa: They found us! A bunch of them are coming down the mountain!

Morinaga: Ugh! If we don’t hurry and get out of here…!

Daigo: Morinaga, where are you right now? 

Morinaga: We’re in the mountains. I can see city lights in the hills not far from here.

Daigo: I’ve just checked a map, and there’s only one town in the area. Alright, head to the town in the foothills, Morinaga. I’ll make my way there right now to help!

Morinaga: Huh? You’re coming personally!? That’s ridiculous — please reconsider!

Daigo: Morinaga. I wasn’t able to save my men before, but no matter what, I want to make sure I at least save you. I’m always ready to put my life on the line for my men’s sake. …So, Morinaga, please hold out ‘til you get to that town.

Morinaga: Chairman…!

Morinaga: (Imagine — the head of the Tojo Clan himself trying to rescue a couple of underlings! That’s definitely his soft-hearted style, but he’s got the strength to risk his life for it. I thought he was just some pampered little brat, but this guy might actually have what it takes to lead the clan…)

Daigo: I’m sending my men ahead of me to the town’s entrance. Stay safe and make your way there.

Morinaga: Understood. Let’s go, Tomokawa!

[The two of them make a break for it. The screen fades to black. When we return, Morinaga and Tomokawa are on a dark city street.]

Tomokawa: Hahhh… Hahhh… We made it to the town. What about the guys on our tail?

Morinaga: I don’t see them, but they must be following behind.

Tomokawa: The Chairman said he’d send backup to the town’s entrance, right? Hurry up and call him!

Morinaga: Actually… I dropped my phone in the shootout back there.

Tomokawa: Huh!? Shit! That means we’re gonna have to make our own way there.

Morinaga: Yes, but when we get there, help will be waiting. Let’s get going.

[They run off in another fade-to-black. The scene opens on a different dark city street.]

Morinaga: The entrance we saw on the way down should be in this direction. If we turn onto this road and go straight, we’ll be right there.

Tomokawa: Alright! Just a little further and we’ll be saved!

[Naturally, the second he says that, three goons with guns show up.]

Morinaga: Ah! It’s the guys from before! Were they lying in wait for us…!?

[The goons’ leader shows up, too.]

Man: For shit’s sake! You had us running all over the mountains!

Morinaga: You… you’re one of the direct-line heads… Shiromoto-san!? What are you doing here?

Tomokawa: T-that’s him! That’s the guy who was helping me to embezzle the money and forge the records!

Morinaga: What?

Shiromoto: That’s right. Tomokawa helped me bleed the clan dry for years. But now they’re onto our scheme, and if they catch him, they’ll find out I was in on it, too. I figured I’d kill the guy and get rid of the evidence, but my boys screwed it up and I had to come all the way out here to take care of it myself — so how about you just go and die, already?

Morinaga: But how did you find this place? Only the Chairman and his men knew about it.

Shiromoto: We tapped the Chairman’s cell phone. Thanks to that, we knew all about your convoy’s route and this meeting spot. But that’s enough blabbing — boys, let’s clean up this mess before the Chairman gets here!

[Shiromoto’s three gun-toting goons show up again.]

Shiromoto Family Members: Hah!

Morinaga: Shit! Tomokawa, get behind me!

[The screen fades to black as guns fire and fades back in on our protagonists.]

Morinaga: Tomkawa-san, we can’t go this way — let’s take a detour to the town’s entrance!

Tomokawa: A-alright!

Shiromoto: Tch. After them! Don’t you dare let them get away!

[Morinaga and Tomokawa make a break for it; they arrive in another part of town.]

Tomokawa: Ahh, we made it! There’s the entrance!

[A couple of generic goons in suits show up.]

Morinaga: There they are! Those are Tojo pins… They must be the backup the Chairman sent.

[Tomokawa runs toward one of the goons.]

Tomokawa: Hey, over here! Help me!

Tojo Clan Member A: Huh…? That’s him! Tomokawa!

[In an upset that no one could’ve seen coming, the goon pulls a gun.]

Tomokawa: Huh?

Morinaga: Tomokawa, get down!

[Luckily, Morinaga still has those bullets he took from his fellow men back at the shootout; he fires his gun.]

Tojo Clan Member A: Ugh! The bastard shot back!

Morinaga: Are you alright, Tomokawa-san? Were you shot!?

Tomokawa: I’m alright… b-but why did they shoot at us!? Aren’t they our allies!?

Morinaga: Worry about that later — let’s get out of here!

[They run off again.]

Tojo Clan Member A: Shit! They’re still alive!

Shiromoto: Hey, you! What happened?

Tojo Clan Member B: Sorry, boss — they got away.

Tojo Clan Member A: What should we do? The tappers say the Chairman’s gonna be here soon…

Shiromoto: Ugh, I’ll have to pull back for a bit. Go put on a good show for the Chairman.

Tojo Clan Member A: Got it.

[Daigo pulls up to the meeting spot in a car to discuss things with Tojo Clan Member A, who’s now been revealed to be Shiromoto’s ally.]

Daigo: You still haven’t found them?

Tojo Clan Member A: Sir, we’ve been waiting here for a while and they still haven’t shown up. Maybe they were attacked along the way and they didn’t make it…

Daigo: Damn it! Comb the area around the town for them. They might��ve been attacked and taken a detour.

Tojo Clan Member A: Understood. Please wait in the car, then, Chairman.

Daigo: No. I’ll look for them, too. They came here under my orders — I have to protect them!

[We return to Morinaga and Tomokawa, who are still on the run.]

Tomokawa: Hahhh… Hahhh… We got away somehow. But why did those guys attack us? They came here to save us, didn’t they!?

Morinaga: They must be with Shiromoto. He probably bought their loyalty.

Tomokawa: What?! You mean they’re traitors, too!?

Morinaga: (But for the Chairman to have traitors among his own men… That’s what you get when you go with his soft-hearted approach. No matter how much you think of your men as family, that alone isn’t enough to keep your subordinates in line. A pile of money’s all it takes to get your comrades to turn on you… Everything the Chairman says is just idealism. I knew the man was useless; he’s not fit to lead the clan.)  

Tomokawa: Hey, what should we do now…? If we ask the Chairman for help again, they’ll tap the line…

Morinaga: That’s enough — we’re not relying on the Chairman anymore. From now on, we have no choice but to take care of things ourselves.

Tomokawa: Eh? Are you serious!?

Morinaga: We can’t tell who the enemy is, so we’re done with being on the defensive — we’re going to go on the offensive, now.

[The screen fades to black yet again. We fade in on a scene in an office. Shiromoto is talking to one of his underlings.]

Shiromoto: It’s been two days since you let Morinaga and Tomokawa slip and you still haven’t found them?

Shiromoto Family Member: Sorry, boss. Word is they got back to Tokyo yesterday, but we’ve got no clue where they are.

Shiromoto: Have you heard anything from the guys on the Chairman’s wiretap?

Shiromoto Family Member: Nothing. Seems like Morinaga hasn’t contacted him at all.

Shiromoto: Damn it, if I don’t get rid of Tomokawa soon, they’re gonna find out I helped cook those books. I’ve gotta do whatever it takes to figure out where they’re holed up before those Tojo guys do. 

[Shiromoto’s phone rings; he picks it up, and a conversation ensues.]

Shiromoto: Yeah, it’s me.

Shiromoto Grunt: Boss, it looks like they’re in Kamurocho.

Shiromoto: What? Is that true?

Shiromoto Grunt: Yeah, I’m sure — I got this info from a trustworthy source.

Shiromoto: Got it. I’m heading for Kamurocho right away.

[Shiromoto hangs up and addresses the goons standing there.]

Shiromoto: Listen up, boys! We’re booking it for Kamurocho!

Shiromoto Family Members: Got it, boss!

[Shiromoto and his goon squad head out. The screen fades to black; when we fade in, Shiromoto and company are in Kamurocho, and Shiromoto himself is on the phone with his underling again.]

Shiromoto: We’re in the Champion District — where are you now?

Shiromoto Grunt: I’m at the informant’s place. Sorry I couldn’t make it there, boss, but I’ve got some new information. Morinaga’s got Tomokawa hidden somewhere in the Champion District, on Pink Street, or on Suppon Street. I’m sending you a list of safehouse addresses that I got from my guy — try these.

Shiromoto: Good work.

[Shiromoto’s phone vibrates.]

Shiromoto: …I’ve got the informant’s info. We don’t have time to visit these places one-by-one — they might run off somewhere else in the meantime. We’ll split up and search the addresses I got. You guys check Pink Street and Suppon Street.

Shiramoto Family Members: Got it, boss!

[The goons head out to their assigned places.]

Shiromoto: The rest of you, come with me. They’re probably hiding at this address.

[Shiromoto and his goons break into an empty office.]

Shiromoto Family Members: There’s not a soul here, boss.

Shiromoto: Tch, what a bust. This is where Tomokawa and I used to meet up to mess with the ledgers. I figured they’d be holed-up here…

?: I expected you to think as much, so I laid an ambush here.

[A gun fires, leaving Shiromoto’s goons all bloodied.]

Shiromoto Family Members: Augh…!

[The goons all collapse to the floor. Morinaga steps in.]

Shiromoto: You’re… Morinaga!

Morinaga: I’m glad you fell into my trap so easily, Shiromoto-san.

Shiromoto: Trap!?

Morinaga: Yes, it’s elementary. After I got back to Tokyo, the first thing I did was nab a Shiromoto Family man. I roughed him up and made some violent threats so he’d listen to what I had to say. All that was left was to send you an eyewitness report about Tomokawa along with the leads from before. I was certain that after so many failed attempts, you wouldn’t trust your men to finish the job and would come here yourself.

Shiromoto: So you heard about this place from Tomokawa…

Morinaga: That’s right. I predicted that if I stuck that one place that you and Tomokawa both knew in with the false information, that’s where you’d go yourself. And if you sent your men to the red-herring addresses and spread your forces thin, it’d be easier for me to take you down.

Shiromoto: Huh. You’re saying you’re gonna settle this on your own, without asking Daigo Dojima for help?

Morinaga: Indeed. That man has already let me down, so I decided to end this myself. If I don’t take matters into my own hands, my dream of returning the Tojo Clan to its former glory will remain just that.

Shiromoto: Huh? What the hell are you talking about? Where’s Tomokawa?

Morinaga: He’s hidden someplace safe. If you want to know where that is, you’ll have to pry it out of me.

Shiromoto: Sounds good — my forces might be spread thin, but I’ve still got a bunch here with me. Get him, boys!

Shiromoto Family Members: Ha!

[A fight ensues; Shiromoto and his goons are thoroughly thrashed.]

Shiromoto: S-shit…!

Morinaga: It’s over, Patriarch Shiromoto.

[Without any further ado, Morinaga shoots him.]

Shiromoto: Ugh…!

[Shiromoto collapses.]

Morinaga: …

[Tomokawa comes in.]

Tomokawa: Looks like it’s over, Morinaga. But I was surprised — you really took them down on your own.

Morinaga: Are you satisfied, Tomokawa-san?

Tomokawa: Yeah, I’ve always hated that bastard Shiromoto. Glad I got to see him die with my own two eyes.

Morinaga: I see. Well, that’s good.

[He turns his gun on Tomokawa.]

Tomokawa: Huh!? Wait, why are you pointing that at me?!

Morinaga: You and Shiromoto are part of the rot that’s festered in this clan’s soft heart. I can’t allow men like you to live.

Tomokawa: What’s this nonsense you’re spewing!? You were ordered to protect me! How in the world do you intend to explain this to the Chairman!?

Morinaga: Don’t worry about that; I’ve thought it all through.  

[Morinaga shoots Tomokawa.]

Tomokawa: Agh…!

[Tomokawa collapses.]

Morinaga: Tomokawa-san, I owe you my thanks. This incident has made it clear to me: our current chairman’s way of doing things is wrong. It’s how vermin like you infest the clan, and it’s how men come to betray their own comrades so casually. And that soft way of thinking, that desire to save everyone, that’s what leads to so many men losing their lives… don’t you think?

[The screen fades to black.]

The day after… at Tojo HQ.

[We fade back in on a meeting room at Tojo HQ, where Morinaga is giving a report.]

Daigo: So, Morinaga, to summarize… Shiromoto’s wiretap kept you from meeting up with me. And after you’d given up getting in touch, the two of you decided to head for Tojo HQ, but you were attacked again and Tomokawa was abducted. So, you tracked Shiromoto down to defeat him, but Tomokawa was already dead?

Morinaga: Yes. I’m sorry, Chairman. This all happened because I wasn’t able to protect him…

Daigo: No, I’m the one who should apologize. I took over in the middle of things, and I wasn’t of any help. Shiromoto probably kidnapped Tomokawa to get him to reveal where he’d hidden the evidence of their collusion.

Morinaga: That’s likely the case.

Daigo: …Are you alright, Morinaga?

Morinaga: Is something wrong?

Daigo: Well, something about you just seems different since you left for this mission.

Morinaga: …

Daigo: I apologize; you’ve just lost a number of comrades. It was a difficult job. We’ll take it from here — you go home and get some rest.

Morinaga: Alright. I’ll take my leave, then, Chairman.

[Morinaga leaves the room, then pauses in the hallway.]

Morinaga: …

Morinaga: (Chairman Dojima, your way of doing things will never protect anyone. You’ll sail your ship out and try to save all your friends from drowning, but the way you’re going, it’ll capsize someday, and you’ll drag the entire clan down with you. …That’s how weak this vessel is.)

Morinaga: (I’m going to reform the Tojo Clan before that can happen. Not in your way, but in my own…)

[The screen fades to black.]

After this, Morinaga joins the Omi Alliance’s Seventh Chairman Kurosawa’s faction and turns on the Tojo Clan in order to return it to its former strength.

[End.]

[they-have-the-same-va]

In Japanese, Shiki from Samurai Shodown (2019) shares a voice actress with Noodle Sarako / Celestia Noodlina from Yu-Gi-Oh! SEVENS.

Voiced by Chitose Morinaga

[kriosv]

Major, I mean MAJOR spoilers for LaD: The Man Who Erased His Name

Okay, so Hanawa has his line about knowing Kiryu as Taichi Suzuki back in Yakuza 5. Now, full disclosure, 5 is one of the games I've played the least(4 and 5 I only played through once each), so I decided to look up the actor.

Apparently the actor played Yu Morinaga in 5. Is this supposed to be Yu? I can't tell from the models, are they supposed to be the same? I don't think they look alike, but why would they have the actor for the character then?

[kulemiwrites]

Masato Aizawa & Yu Morinaga

The Dynamic, Headcanons and Lore

After finishing my fic Cardinal, I got the courage to share more of my headcanons and lore pertaining to Aizawa and Morinaga! Some of it is serious, some of it is silly. Think of this as me info dumping about as many of my ideas about my little dynamic duo as I can!!!

Warning: Some light spoiler action going on down there!

◈The pair’s relationship predates their time at the Tojo Clan by anywhere from 4 to 12 years depending on how specific you want to be about it. They technically met in 2000 but didn’t really interact outside of the exchange of cash until about 2003. However, it wasn’t until 2008 when they became sort of a packaged deal. 

◈Around 2010-2011, Morinaga recruited Aizawa into the family that he’d been a part of since he was in his teens. The patriarch of said family had been looking after Morinaga since he was about 16. Morinaga only recruited Aizawa to help him introduce some structure back into his life, not because he thought that ‘the life’ was a good fit for him. In fact, he wrestled with the thought for a while because he genuinely believed that it was an awful idea but ultimately decided it was better than waiting for him to crash and burn on his own.

◈Obviously, Aizawa didn’t swear up out of loyalty to the patriarch. He only did so to follow Morinaga and was disciplined often because he hated most of the men in the family and merely tolerated the patriarch because he saw how much Morinaga respected him. In fact, he didn’t really give a shit about the yakuza life as a whole, but joining presented him more opportunity to repay Morinaga for saving his life all those years ago.

◈‘The family’ was the smallest of small fries. It was roughly about 70 men and they often joked that the family was born by accident. Most of them were loyal to the Patriarch because of the ways he’d protected them when he got nothing out of it and those that didn’t experience that, were brought on by someone who was– essentially the case of Morinaga and Aizawa, respectively.

◈Morinaga’s decorum and tact is no performance. It was something that was instilled (read: beat) in him when he was young. Seeing it as a virtue, the patriarch showed him how to further refine these behaviors and use it to his advantage. 

◈Morinaga was still a student when the man took him in, but shortly after finding out what he did for a living, he dropped out to follow him which infuriated the man. He took him in because he wanted him to get more out of his life and worried that living on the streets would have led him to give up on himself, not because he wanted him to join his family which was really only starting out at that time. Morinaga however, was too young and short-sighted to listen.

◈The family’s territory quietly held some underground businesses, among those were one that sold counterfeited items and eventually a fight club. Morinaga tended to lend his hand to both to make extra money, not just for the family but for his literal family. He oversaw operations at the shop and worked the counter at the club. Later, he would become the owner of the fight club which was called The Fray– this was where the topic duo met, actually.

◈Funny random tidbit: Up until Aizawa joined, the only person who was able to read Morinaga’s handwriting was the patriarch. Most of the men were too intimidated by him to tell him that his penmanship was practically illegible. They would just take their best guesses and end up fucking shit up, which would of course result in Morinaga validating their fear of him.

◈Whispers around Morinaga tended to pertain to not only how tough he was but also, how freaking intelligent he was. He was often told that he was wasting his potential behind such a small fish of a leader, even Aizawa held this sentiment when he came along.

◈Morinaga might have been a smaller guy but he was surprisingly strong and willing to take on anyone if the need presented itself. Aizawa might have died laughing when he first challenged him if not for the fact that he was drunk out of his mind and lit with rage about something completely unrelated. It took getting his ass kicked by him for him to finally accept that size wasn’t everything.

◈The patriarch trusted Morinaga more than his own captain. So much so that when the captain was expelled, there were rumors that he would eventually take the position. However, it was never made official and when the patriarch unexpectedly died, everyone turned to him expecting that he would carry the torch since there wasn’t anything in writing. He didn’t accept though, feeling that accepting the role over pure conjecture would have been disastrous because he didn’t feel fit to head up a family. The men tried their best to carry on for about a year but without any solid structure, it essentially dissolved over time. The timing of it all was sort of crazy though because not long after, Aizawa was approached by his deadbeat father with an opportunity that he begrudgingly accepted after discussing it with Morinaga.

◈There wasn’t much out there that Aizawa didn’t trust Morinaga with. After all, Morinaga had become something of an anchor and compass for him whether he wanted to be or not and in return, he would be his sword and shield when needed. Though it was unspoken, Morinaga was very much aware of his aspect of their dynamic but he never took advantage of it. As far as he was concerned, while Aizawa was clearly in need of some decent mentorship, he could take care of himself.

◈After his mother’s breathing problems began, Aizawa gave up smoking but he couldn’t go without a vice for long. He’d always had a sweet tooth but hard candies became something entirely different for him and he was never seen without any. Morinaga on the other hand wasn’t much for sweets. Despite this, he still accepted when Aizawa would offer him some… He was never really sure why.

◈Morinaga became a father at a young age. He was just 15 when his first daughter, Sayori was born, but he didn’t get to be a part of her life until she was about 6 because the woman he’d gotten pregnant moved back to her hometown without telling him shortly after she learned she was carrying a child. After learning about his daughter’s existence, he worked harder to provide for them and asked the mother to marry him so that she could grow up in a more stable home. Some time later, the couple had their youngest daughter, Misaki. (As of 2012/Yakuza 5, Sayori is 27 and divorced with a child of her own, a son named Sho who is 2 and her sister, Misaki is just 11.)

◈Pre-Aizawa’s recruitment, he was introduced to the Morinaga family but kept his distance aside from greetings as he came and went. However, after accidentally walking in on Sayori’s husband at the time abusing her and beating the man bloody and half conscious, he became more interactive during visits. His opening up led him to become super close to them and though it went unspoken, Morinaga trusted him with his family regardless of him being home or not.

◈A big part of why Morinaga could easily handle Aizawa and his short temper was because in fury, he often saw bits of his younger self within him. The man that took him in used to knock his head sideways over it too, much like he’d begun to do with Aizawa. He credited the patriarch with teaching him how to compose himself but really, he thinks it had more to do with fatherhood. His own father was horribly cruel to him when he was angry– and the man was always angry. He used to promise himself that if he ever had children, he wouldn’t treat them that way and it led him to being a massive softie with his daughters. However, sometimes when he’d think on the way he’d handle Aizawa after losing his own patience from time to time, he questioned if he would have become more like his father had he been given sons instead… The thought alone was enough to give him chills.

◈When it came to numbers, Morinaga was often deemed something of a genius but he always downplayed it. He didn’t care much for math but he was immensely passionate about Japanese history and literature. He spent lots of his freetime with his nose pressed into a book and he had an amazing memory. Aizawa often joked that the guy was a walking encyclopedia because he knew random trivia for nearly every topic. It was all fine and dandy until Aizawa wanted to talk about something but found himself getting corrected when he botched the details.

◈Aizawa had been cooking ever since he was young because his mother wanted him to be comfortable with every domestic skill he could possibly use. The only thing about that though was that she could really only teach him to cook Brazilian dishes. Sure, he was able to learn some Japanese recipes too once his step-father was around but since that was so short lived he tends to blame Morinaga and his family for him knowing as much as he does due to the fact that they’d make him help out in the kitchen anytime they invited him for dinner.

◈Both of them grew up being really into sports but they differed in their interests. Aizawa was more of a soccer and rugby guy, while Morinaga preferred baseball. At some point, they’d found themselves growing to like the same sports but that only gave them something to fight over because they never rooted for the same teams.

[madsscreenshots]

yakuza 5 (2012)

[tatteredgod]

Hurtcember part 14

Prompts: Desperate, Panic Summary: Part 14/?. Kiryu has a near-disastrous first day as interim chairman of the Tojo Clan, with no one but himself to blame. As news of Daigo's weakened condition spreads outside Tokyo, Kiryu, Majima and Saejima learn of enemies closing in on him. Majima butts heads with HQ officers & staff which does nothing to improve the mood. Recovering at home, Daigo bonds with his bodyguards and thinks over his situation. With some illustrations by the author! Continues from Part 13, begins from Part 1.

Read Part 14: The Shadows Gather on AO3

Preview:

Majima paused for air, then raised his voice. “Ya bunch o’ snakes dare to question my motives? Ha! As if all of ya aren’t sharpenin’ yer knives behind yer backs, waitin’ for the axe to fall on the poor Sixth Chairman’s neck! Waitin’ for an assassin to pop ‘im in the head! Maybe one ya paid for yerselves!” The room erupted. Several officers stood and began shouting at Majima, cussing him out. Aoyama looked at the ceiling. Majima raised his voice to a shout. “Keep playin’ innocent! I can see right through all o’ ya, an’ I’m half-blind! The Sixth Chairman can see it too! That's why he made me his second – he doesn't trust any of ya as far as–”   “Majima!” Kiryu thundered. He put a hand on the back of the man's neck, and gave a warning squeeze, causing him to grunt. Kiryu brought Majima’s head close to his own, speaking in a tight whisper only the two of them could hear.

[refinedstorage]

“a traitor in our ranks...” 

[atanx]

INFINITE WEALTH SPOILERS À PROPOS CHAPTER 9 ENDING

I'm sorry, but I don't buy that Hanawa is dead.

Like, we've literally canonically got two dickheads that were 1) machine gun kissed by a helicopter 2) shot right in the forehead, and I'm to believe that getting shot in the abdomen killed Hanawa?

Not to mention how gunshot wounds have been treated before - in Yakuza, Kiryu continuously just walks them off, and in LAD, Kasuga straight up gets shot in the chest but it's totally fine bc idk Arakawa got that Daigo crackshot aim.

Like excuse me but defeating the Barracuda Gangzhe thugs took less than thirty seconds. They didn't even get a turn. And I'm not rly overleveled considering the areas the story wants me to go to. You expect me to believe that somehow Hanawa managed to kick it during that time? Wong Tou, I believe. Dude was shot in a location that to my very amateur eyes looks very very close to the heart. And I get that irl, abdominal trauma is very often fatal and extremely serious, but if I'm to believe that that applies to Yakuza/LAD as well, maybe they should start consistently treating it like that.

Like Hanawa/Morinaga has survived being shot before. (Guys they have the same voice actor, who hasn't voiced anyone else in Yakuza/LAD afaik, and also this explains how Hanawa could have met Kiryu in 2012 this drives me insane no it's not canon but IT COULD BE-)

[qentin-fuckre]

Yakuza 5 Rewrite

https://sites.google.com/view/yakuza5rewrite/part-iv-goro-majima

My friend finished Yakuza 5 and had a blast but agreed some of the writing choices were...messy to say the least. So I’ve decided to share my Yakuza 5 rewrite just in case anyone’s interested in that after my yakuza 4 one. Almost everything in Kiryu, Saejima, and Haruka/Akiyama’s sections are unchanged, but things get drastically different after that so I’m gonna link straight to where things differ. Major changes include but are not limited to;

1. I’m sorry Shinada I love you but you didn’t need to be in this game. Shinada’s story can be its own spinoff, while the final playable character of this game would be Majima. After how much Majima factors into the other playable characters stories’, imo it makes sense to have him be the final playable piece in the fight, allowing him to grapple more with issues like him getting older, his past with Park, and his dynamics with Saejima and Kiryu a little more.

2. Morinaga has a larger role as an antagonist (AND DOESN’T DIE OFFSCREEN???) and Aizawa is not the final boss because why the FUCK did that happen idk man

3. Keeping continuity from my Yakuza 4 rewrite, Mine is alive and plays a supporting role

4. I’ve changed Baba’s backstory a bit. The story he tells Saejima about him killing a man for his aniki to advance the ranks is true. But that aniki turns out to be Morinaga, who then later contacted Baba in jail and promised him a way to return to the yakuza if he kept an eye on Saejima and got him to escape jail at the appointed time. Baba’s internal conflict is then between the aniki that he sacrificed everything for, and Saejima, whom he’s grown to care for.

So yeah, feel free to check it out.