#nna terasu
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Insane how that's how Shikaba and Taira react to Terasu and Hibaru rightfully bashing Shikaba when he tries to fucking split Hibaru's head open afterward. And it's not a new, unusual thing for them either
Also â Taira wears heels!
#nna#negai no astro#astro royale#shikaba astro royale#shikaba yotsurugi#taira yotsurugi#taira negai no astro#hibaru yotsurugi#terasu yotsurugi#nna shikaba#nna taira#nna hibaru#nna terasu
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Sorry for the lack of posts guys, there's been little Kuran content *sobs*
But I've saved all the Kuran stuff for 3 chapters to make one big post about it so YIPPIE
Starting with the new Cover Page and omg

KURAN IN A SUIT HAS ME SO FERAL HELLO??? IM ABOUT TO START BARKING FOR THIS MAN LIKE WHY IS HE SO DAMN FINE AND NONCHALANT IN A SUIT, NOT TO MENTION HIS RINGS OMG
I'd give anything for a 5 chapter Kuran Fanfic đđ


Continuing for the last chapter, TORAZO WITH HAIR???
HE GOT ME FEELING SOME TYPE OF WAY NGL GROW YOUR HAIR BACK BBG MY GOD


Everybody being so supportive and loving for Hibaru even though he lied is so sweetđđ like they understood why he did what he did and are staying by his side no matter what
And once again, Kuran being unintentionally funny đ never change, baby never change

I wanna eat tiny Kuran he's just so squISHY RAAHHH

Also, I've found a new fondness for the twins (go figure right LMAO)



Chronic liar hibaru smh my head đ
Again, he did it for a good reason, tho so you can't blame him. Also, I know this post is out of order with how the chapter is set up I'm just trying to get back into posting so bear with međđ
I'll have to make a part 2 post with the other chapters I've missed, and I'll make a small Kuran appreciation post too because he's too damn CUTE AND I NEED ALL THE TINY/POUTY :< KURANS ON ONE POST FOR MY HAPPINESS
#astro royale#negai no astro#kuran yotsurugi#im going insane#kuran astro royale#nna kuran#ily#my hubby đ#kuranswife#hibaru yotsurugi#nna terasu#terasu yotsurugi#terasu negai no astro#torazo yotsurugi#kou yotsurugi#hibaru negai no astro#nna hibaru#my husband#kuran
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Heheheheehe
#negai no astro#astro royale#kuran yotsurugi#nna kuran#nna hibaru#hibaru yotsurugi#nna terasu#terasu yotsurugi#nna meme
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Negai no Astro - Chapter 8 Leaks
â˘â¤â˘â¤â˘â¤â˘spoilers belowâ¤â˘â¤â˘â¤â˘â¤
Starting off strong with a color art feature!!
PEEK THE MYSTERIOUS OUTLINE IN THE TOP RIGHT CORNERđ the glowing eye is so coooooool

Karanâs tail and Terasuâs shield colors are also cool! White and red / black and gold !

(I tried doing a rough translation for the pages with words, but some of the kanji/hiragana are too blurry for me to make out completely; so essentially the cop is telling them a spook story about Ghost Robbers!)
A HAUNTED HOUSE!! Kuran is so unbothered, while Hibaru looks like heâs about to fight for his life lmao
I couldnât fit all the leaked screenshots, but based on one i didnât post: the police looks distressed about something, and Hibaru gives him a reassuring smile, as though heâs chosen to go in to the house to help the police resolve something? My guess is to find a missing person?


OKAY WAKUI I SEE YOUâVE BEEN BRUSHING UP ON YOUR HORROR ART <333 itâs cute!!!
They are SO scared too my poor sons Iâm so sorry lmaoooo
GET CHOMPED, IDIOTS!! Why is this hilarious though đđ
TERASU FOAMING AT THE MOUTH HELP

And finally THE STAR OF THE CHAPTER!!! SHES HERE!!!!! Looks like sheâs helping them traverse the house safely? And it looks like her Astro is invisibility! How coolâŚ
Iâm really worried what her wish was that made her have this Astro though⌠âI wish I would disappearââŚ? Thatâd be so sadâŚ
I want to know her name so badddddd

And lastly; TERASU DROPS HIS ASTRO????!? SIR NO
ALSO??!!!??!?!?? WHO??? PICKED IT UP???
Overall, i am Really REALLY excited to read this chapter now!!! I laughed and had a grand time with so little; I imagine the full chapter will be even greater!
#negai no astro spoilers#negai no astro#Negaileaks#astro royale spoilers#astro royale#nna spoilers#nna#nna Hibaru#hibaru yotsurugi#nna Terasu#terasu yotsurugi#nna kuran#kuran yotsurugi
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negai no astro characters as song lyrics ⥠( but its biased to my music taste ) âĄ
hibaru yotsurugi ďž
" cause if boys will be boys, we do the best that we can cover for our brothers while we suffer from our own hands boys will be boys, that's the way that this thing goes mothers lose their sons and their fathers watch them go fathers watch them go "
ââ boys will be boys | benny
kongo yotsurugi ďž
" you can play this at my funeral tell my sister don't cry and don't be sad i'm in paradise with dad close my eyes and then cross my arms put me in the dirt, let me dream with the stars throw me in a box with the oxygen off you gave me the key then you locked every lock when i can't breathe, i won't ask you to stop when i can't breathe, don't call for a cop "
ââ r.i.p to my youth | the neighbourhood
shio yotsurugi ďž
" the power keeps you feeling high, but how low do you sink into your bed at night anchored down with guilt? do you toss and turn from all the bridges you've burned? or are you proud of all the hatred you've earned? a conscience buried deep beneath a heart stuck in a skeleton of greed and eyes that canât see that happiness is so far out of reach "
ââ dark storm | our last night
satsuki yotsurugi ďž
" here comes the debt collector seems you owe him again dollars and coins can't cut your cheque this time around here comes the debt collector and you owe him again kind words and lies won't save your head this time around, 'round, 'round "
ââ debt collector | jhariah
( jasper i hope you can see the vision in this one )
torazo yotsurugi ďž
" you gotta feel the courage embrace possession if it was easier to shatter everything that ever mattered but it's not, because it's your obsession be a fighter, backbone, desire complicated and it stings but we both know what it means and it's time to get real and inspired "
ââ cut the cord | shinedown
kuran yotsurugi ďž
" i wanna be your vacuum cleaner breathing in your dust i wanna be your ford cortina i will never rust if you like your coffee hot let me be your coffee pot you call the shots, babe i just wanna be yours "
ââ i wanna be yours | arctic monkeys
kou yotsurugi ďž
" 'cuz you see only what you want to your tunnel vision haunts you and you can't see what's wrong and you keep sleeping through the p.m. eyes wide open when you're dreaming you're sleepwalking, just keep talkin and maybe you can talk your way out of this deep end no b plan in your system just tell me what you're thinking i'm scared that you might fall but you're not "
ââ wake up | eden
terasu yotsurugi ďž
" i've dug two graves for us, my dear can't pretend that i was perfect, leavin' you in fear oh man, what a world, the things i hear if i could act on my revenge, no, would i ? some kill, some steal, some break your heart and you thought that i would let it go and let you walk well, broken hearts break bones, so break up fast and i don't wanna let it go, so in my grave, i'll rot "
ââ revenge | xxxtentacion
kiyochika gido ďž
" you're cold on the inside there's a dog in your heart and it tells you to tear everything apart you draw blood just to taste it you hold bones just to break them you ruin everything you touch and destroy anyone you love you're all over me "
ââ dog teeth | nicole doppleganger
botan ďž
" it's so hard to let go you can hear me but i'm invisible but if you dig out your eyes, maybe pain will subside the worst that could happen is you never see me again but the worst is yet to come, my friend "
ââ hickory creek | whitechapel
shunichiro fudo & kanjiro fudo ďž
" two birds of a feather say that they're always gonna stay together but one's never going to let go of that wire he says that he will but he's just a liar two birds on a wire one tries to fly away and the other watches him close from that wire he says he wants to as well, but he is a liar "
ââ two birds | regina spektor
kinpa yobana ďž
" scared of my own image scared of my own immaturity scared of my own ceiling scared i'll die of uncertainty fear might be the death of me fear leads to anxiety don't know what's inside of me "
ââ doubt | twenty one pilots
ââkokonoiis 2024
#â NEGAI NO ASTRO â ââ#â PEN MY PLOT â ââ miya#' no miya its not obvious you wanna hunt shio for sport '#thank you for lying to me#also some of these really dont make sense at all#if you can guess my favorite character from this i would genuinely be surprised#i think my top three is easy to guess#but my fave fave ? yall might not get it#astro royale#negai no astro#kinpa yobana#hibaru yotsurugi#hibaru negai no astro#kou yotsurugi#shio yotsurugi#terasu yotsurugi#torazo yotsurugi#kuran yotsurugi#shunichiro fudo#kanjiro fudo#kiyochika gido#satsuki yotsurugi#nna
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Whenever they bring up the Yotsurugi family code, I justâŚ
âWhen siblings disagree, they are to settle the matter with a one-on-one fist fight.â
likeâŚI just canât stop picturing situations where there were whole fist fights had over the smallest and pettiest things
Shikaba left the cap off the toothpaste, and Torazo is sick of it? Time to catch these hands.
Itâs Terasuâs turn with the SNES, no, Kou says itâs his turn? Time to brawl.
Like what an interesting rule to adjust to when youâre adopted into the family, like, sure, you get out the aggression youâre probably feeling, but that house just had to be so wild to grow up in and it had to have taken some serious adjustment seeing your brothers just throw down with each other over some mochi or something equally petty without holding back whenever there was a disagreement
#astro royale#negai no astro#just a knuck if you buck family#hibaru yotsurugi#terasu yotsurugi#nna thoughts
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LETHAL CRAVING
Shikaba x OC
ACT I CHAPTER 2 | THIS IS NOT WHAT LOVE IS
Abt. A watch, a mirror, in the elevator. Who knew that simple day would change her life for good. For Tsugumi, she would've never expected her life to take a turn. But is it for better or worse?
Chapter Synop. A painful memory kicks off Tsugumiâs eventful weekâ from her motherâs return to her sudden and frequent encounters with the Yokohama immortal, her world will begin to spin out of control, and she doesnât even know it yet.
cw. DARK CONTENT. dark romance. physical assault. physical abuse. asphyxiation. blood(?). nose bleeding(?). implied underage sex(not written in detail just stated that it happened). implied stepcest. gaslighting(kinda). talks of arranged marriage. misogyny. redpill talk. objectification of women. (1) kiss.
wc. 13.1k
r.18
[chapter 1] [chapter 3]
Tsugumiâs heart beat loudly against the walls of her chest. She turned quickly at the sound of his voice, hopingâ praying that he didnât see her face. Sadly, she reacted too late. Ankoku clenched his fist and quickly strode toward her.
He harshly grabbed her jaw, gasping softly at the sight of her reddening cheek and cut lip that now wobbled. Her body tensed in his tight hold. âWhat happened to your face?â He repeated, eyes filling with a growing panic. Tsugumi stayed silent. Maybe heâd go away if she didnât answer.
She could only hope to see such a fantasy come true, as her lack of response only served to replace his worry with anger. His hand moved to grasp her neck tightly, slamming her body into the bathroom door.
The impact knocked the wind out of her. She couldnât even gasp for air due to the pressure against her throat, his fingers pinching her airways. She could only dryly cough and struggle to pry his hands from her neck.
âWhat. Happenedâ He demanded a response. âG⌠Genji⌠roâŚâ She began, words breathless and almost silent. âSss⌠h⌠hit m-me⌠ughâŚâ She explained, scratching at his hand. Ankoku ignored the sudden burning sensations and pressed her further against the door.
âTake care of yourself!â His expression turned into one of worry again, the shift in his demeanor as terrifying as always. âI donât want to see any bruises or scars on your face! It kills meâ He whined. Tsugumi nodded quickly, knowing Ankoku hates to see his things getting damaged.
âMm⌠mmâŚâ Small hums were the only sound she could manage well. Ankoku grumbled softly, squeezing her neck tighter, in a sudden outburst groaning loudly and punching the door next to her head, cracking it slightly. Tsugumi squeaked and flinched, moving her head as far to the side as she could.
Even if she hadnât moved, she knows the hit wouldnât have connected with her face. Thatâs the one place Ankoku would never injure. He glared at her, pushing her with more force before finally letting go. Tsugumi took in a huge breath of air, coughing it all back up as she slid down to the floor.
She brought her shaky hand up to gently caress her sore neck while Ankoku stormed off to his room. She felt a wave of relief wash over her being, feeling lucky that he decided to leave it at just that.
She slowly picked herself upâ her body trembling due to lack of strengthâ and stumbled to her bedroom with her head hanging low. She could barely manage to push her door close, having to lean her weight on it, pushing herself back up after hearing the latch click.
Her cheeks burned as tears welled up again. She still refused to let a single one fall, rapidly blinking them away. Slowly, Tsugumi made her way to her bed, flopping down and lazily rolling onto her side. Exhaustion hit like a sudden tidal wave, and she easily drifted off to sleep.
âSo, can you help?â Genjiro asked, now seated at his office desk, his guest seated comfortably across from him. He was a rather muscular older gentlemen, likely in his late 40âs.
His hair was black and slicked back. It fell just below his ears, the left of which was pierced by a gold hook-shaped earring, with an undercut. His eyes were dark brown, shielded by round framed shades.
His had a thin mustache, and barely the stubble of a beard. He was dressed head to toe in designer, and a ring on almost every finger, excluding his thumb and ring fingers. Okamura Mahiru, a well known gangsters who commands a small yet famously powerful groupâ Yokoakuma.
He took a drawn out sip of his bourbon, courtesy of Kakihara, semi-melted ice sloshing around as he placed the cup down, breathing out obnoxiously. As if to show he was savoring the taste. âIt may be difficultâ He admitted, placing the cup down in the table, harder than necessary.
Genjiro frowned. âI need certaintyâ Mahiru clicked his tongue softly, shaking his head. âThatâs the problem with spoiled rich kids, thinking everyone has to bend to their willâ He complained.
âSo youâre saying you canât?â Genjiro raised, Mahiru snorting. âI never said thatââ a smirk grew on his face. ââitâd be difficult yes, but in this world anything is possible as long as the price is rightâ He rubbed his thumb and index fingers together.
âI already know that. Iâm willing to pay, so I just need you to get the job done properlyâ Genjiro nodded.
10:03am, bright and clear skies. At Toyogihashi High School was abuzz with life, its students currently in their morning classes. One class in particularâ the second year class 2â were in gym class, engaged in an intense game of boys vs girls dodgeball.
In the back, on the girlsâ side, Tsugumi stood boredly. As none of them had flew her way yet, she figured she was safe for the remaining minutes left, just under 30. She fiddled with the ends of her gym shorts, knuckles softly grazing her knees.
Gym was her least favorite class, right next to math. Every day she entered the gym, she wished itâd be her last class for life. But, it never panned out the way she wanted.
A flurry of red abruptly clouded her vision, flying straight toward her face brought her back to the moment she was in but she was too late. The red flurryâ the dodgeballâ hit her clean in the nose. It fell from her face just as quick as it flew.
It bounced away from her, the height lowering with each one, though continuing to echo through the suddenly quiet gymnasium. Tsugumi groaned softly, looking around to meet the wide eyes of her classmates.
Pins and needlesâ she felt a sudden sting build up in the back of her nostrils; irritating her enough to twitch her nose, while a cold liquid rolled down her lips. The gym teacher soon made it toward her, pulling napkins from his khaki cargo shorts on the way.
âInazuma! Are you okay?!â He asked worriedly. Tsugumi hummed softly, neither nodding nor shaking her head. He pat her back, gently pressing the stack of napkins against her nose.
He put the slightest bit of pressure in his hold, until she took the napkins from him, doing the work herself. âHold it like that and go to the infirmary. And donât lean your head too far backâ He reminded her, patting her back a few times.
Tsugumi walked slowly, somewhat thankful for the incident allowing her to skip gym class. The nurse also allowed her to stay there for the remainder of the period, to which she was also grateful for.
Now seated on of the infirmaryâs gurneyâs, near the window, she stared out at the blue sky. Her view was slightly blocked by the trees outside the school building, though she didnât mind it much.
Not as much as the itch in the back of her mindâ the feeling that she was missing something.
More accurately, that she did not belong. âWhat am I doing at school anyway?â She mumbled, clenching the bloodied tissue in her lap. She shook her head softly, dismissing the thought, where else would be this morning, if not at school?
Seated in the back of the car, after the school day had finally come to an end, Tsugumi only lamented that she couldnât rest in the infirmary for the entire day. Unfortunately, her nose bleed wasnât a serious enough injury for that.
At the moment, she and the chauffeur were waiting for Ankoku, who at the moment was saying his finally goodbyes to his friend, finally walking toward the car after waving for about the 20th time.
âHis name is Mogawa, right?â Tsugumi glanced at Ankokuâs friend once more before turning to look out her own window. Momiji was the only one of Ankokuâs friends sheâd remembered the name of.
Not only because heâd frequented their home as if it were his own, but because he was just asâ if not moreâ peppy and annoying as Ankoku. He finally arrived, the car ringing once he opened the door, only stopping once he slammed it closed behind him.
âHey!â He greeted happily. Tsugumi hummed softly, not tearing her eyes away from the greenery decorated in the schoolyard. âI heard you went to the infirmary. Is your stomach hurting?â He feigned a worry-laced tone, which actually made Tsugumi sick.
Though, not as much as his next words
âWas I too much last night?â
If she didnât want to have to look at his face, Tsugumi wouldâve turned to face him with wide, disgusted eyes. She clenched her teeth, deciding it best to not respond at all, and staring body out the window as the car pulled off.
Ankoku hummed loudly, leaning forward to get a better look at her face. He noticed her nose, that twitched every few moments, was red with a small bruise forming on the bridge of it. He now stared at her with wide eyes and mouth agape.
He was unable to think of anything to say, opting to lean back in his seat, his fists clenched atop his lap, teeth grinding in his mouth. Tsugumi was confused by the silence.
By now, Ankoku should be chatting her ear off, throwing in the occasional crude joke. But now there were crickets. She decided not to question it for a minute more and simply relish in the rare peace and silence she was granted while in his company.
For a moment, a creeping sense of deja vu tickled in the back of her mind. The car ride was short, once arriving home Ankoku was the first to exit, just barely waiting for the car to stop.
Tsugumi wondered what was wrong with him as she reached for her car door. Before she could even pull the latch, it was yanked open. She yelped as she fell forward, and before she could properly collect herself, her arm was yanked up as she was dragged out the car.
Looking up, she was faced with Ankokuâs back, confused as to why he was acting this way. She stumbled behind him, a bit lightheaded as he dragged her further into the house, through the foyer.
Disregarding the need to take off their shoes, Ankoku dragged her to the living room, tossing her onto the floor. âAnkoku⌠wait⌠not hereâŚâ Tsugumi pleaded, glancing behind him toward the door where the Chauffeur stood, averting his eyes once their gazes met.
Her eyes shakily moved back to Ankoku, who towered over her. He kneeled over her, knees on either side of her body. Tsugumi closed her eyes, pursuing her lips, accepting whatever he meant to do to her.
To her surprise, his hand shot straight for her neck and squeezed tightly. She instinctively latched her hands onto his wrist, squirming underneath him as she struggled to pull his hand from her neck.
âAnkoku⌠WhatâŚ? W-why..?â She croaked. âDonât act dumb!! Do I look blind to you?!â He shouted, his saliva spraying her face. âI-I donât know⌠what y-you⌠meanâŚâ She stuttered, continuing to struggle beneath him. âI can see your face just fine, Tsugumi!â He rolled his eyes..
Ah, that.
Of course it was obvious she was injured. But why was upset with her for that. âI just⌠g-got hit⌠b-by a⌠dodge⌠ugh⌠d-dodgeballâŚâ She explained. âWhy werenât you more careful?!â Ankokuâs face now showed confused.
âH-how was I sâposed⌠t-to⌠know that w-w-w⌠would⌠wasââ Tsugumi bit her tongue, letting out a strangled cry as he slammed her head against the floor.
The carpet did little to soften the blow, a pounding starting from the back of her head. âYour face..â He began, his tone much softer than his actions.
âItâs beautiful⌠so so beautiful, especially when you smileâ fuck I love your smileâ He grit his teeth. His lips curved into a smile, only for an instant, before his face dropped into a blank expression.
âSo why the hell would you get a bruise on your face?! Are you crazy?!â He asked, screaming into her face again. No. She wasnât crazy. But Ankoku⌠he was a different story.
âItâs perfect⌠and it needs to stay that way⌠Donât get hurt again, okay?â He asked, and Tsugumi cringed at the order. She realized there was no reasoning with him, and if he decided it was her faultâ it was her fault.
If he told her to be careful, she needed to be careful.
She nodded her head, and satisfied with her compliance, Ankoku released her. Tsugumi rolled to her right, coughing loudly while tears burned her eyes, her throat quickly becoming sore.
Ankoku grit his teeth, kicking her stomach, hard enough to push her back over on her back, pressing his foot down on her gut. Tsugumi groaned, sputtering saliva due to the sudden impact.
âIâm seriously, Tsugumiâ He glared at her, while she nodded quickly, hoping anything would get him away from her. âUse your wordsâ He told her, increasing the pressure on her belly. âO-okay⌠I w-wonât get hurt..â She stammered, sighing as he lifted his foot.
Again, she rolled over, not having the mental strength to even attempt to push herself upright. She glanced up at Ankoku, who seemed to be suspended in time, just staring down at her. What else would he want to do to her?
He knelt down, Tsugumi flinching as he reached his hand to her shoulder. He grasped it firmly, shaking her body softly. âTsugumi, get upâ He told her. Her eyes that burned with tears met his blank ones.
She couldnât ignore his order, weakly pushing herself almost upright, just until her arms were straightened. That took a lot of energy; as she pantedâ though trying her best to hide it.
His hand lingered against her shoulder as he repeated his order for her to âget upâ over and over, shaking her body back and forth.
âHuh?â
Tsugumi blinked, finding herself laying in down in her pitch black bedroom, as it was now night time, no light found its way in through the windows. Again, she blinked, startled by the sight of Ankoku leaned down next to her.
Ah, it was just a dream. A dream of the past.
She sat up, Ankoku leaned back only slightly, staring at her in silence for a few moments, taking in a deep breath when he finally decided to speak. âI⌠Iâm sorryâŚâ He began, pressing his thumbs together where they were between his legs.
Tsugumi stared blankly at him, her eyes now fully adjusted to the darkness. They were so close, that she could see the pain and turmoil on his face. She almost felt bad for him.
âI went too farâŚâ He admitted. âI-I shouldnât have done thatâ He reached for her face. She flinched and recoiled, this only serving to agitate him, quickly despite his calmness just a moment ago. âCome hereâ He ordered, and she obeyed with little hesitation.
She leaned toward him, as he placed his hand gently in her neck, wrapping them around the back of it. Using his thumbs, he tilted her head to the side in order to get a better look. There were three red marksâ three linesâ forming on the left side of her throat, and one shorter on the right.
As he continued to inspect them, he mentally kicked himself for doing such a thing to the person he swore heâd love and cherish. âIâm sorry⌠Iâm really sorryâŚâ He repeated, slowly dragging his hand down, letting it plop down on her left leg.
He looked up, wide eyed meeting hers that seemed glassy. His gaze flicked down to her lips, as he licked his own. Ankoku huffed softly leaning in to close the short distance between their bodies, pressing a soft lingering kiss against her lips.
Tsugumi neither leaned forward, nor backward, again flinching once his lips touched hers. Once he leaned away, he smiled sweetly at herâ heâd always enjoyed these intimate moments they shared. âGet some sleep, okay? I love youâ He huffed softly, pushing himself up.
He slowly walked toward the door, sparing one longing glance before finally leaving, closing the door gently behind himself. Once the latch clicked, Tsugumi felt a cold tear run down her burning cheek.
It was like the damn opened, and she wiped harshly at her eyes trying as best she could to stop cryingâ sobbing as quietly as she could listening to the sound of Ankokuâs furthering footsteps.
On yet another outing, Tsugumi was dressed in a baggy white shirt, the right side tucked up to reveal her midriff, and a light wash denim mini skirt. On her feet she wore white calf high socks and photon dusk high dunks.
She breathed out softly, the heat of the spring sun soothing in her skin. Almost soothing enough to distract from the whirlwind of yesterdayâs events. Luckily the bruises were minimal enough to cover by caking makeup over the marks, and pulling her hair in front of her shoulders.
She decided to treat herself to some cafe browniesâ the type that were fresh out of the oven and melted in your mouth, not the stale ones left on display for god knows how long. The ones currently placed in front of her on a white ceramic platter,
There was still a clear line of steam flowing from the pastries. Just in taking one bite, she savored the sweet taste, the gooey texture, along with a slight crunch from the chips scattered throughout. Once she finished one, she licked the residue from her fingers, reaching into her bag for her phone.
Just as she did so, the chair on the side of the table slid back, the sound of metal scraping across the concrete made her cringe. A huff fell from the mouth of the person, as they relaxed in the chair. Tsugumi looked up, eyes wide as she took in the sight of a familiar scar faced man.
âHey there~â He waved kindly, a grin as wide as that day. She dragged her tongue across her teeth and inner cheeks, assuring there was no chocolate left, and swallowed thickly before speaking.
âUh⌠heyâŚâ
âTskâŚâ
Ankoku scratched his head, looking down at his checking account. 30,000, given by Genjiro. It wasnât nearly enough to pay off the debt accumulated by him and Momiji. âOh, hey Ankoâ A sweet voice filled his ears.
He perked up, looking toward the entrance to the living room, where Koumeâ his step mother stood, dragging a suitcase behind herself. She was pale faced, and on the short side, but full formed. Despite being close on 40 years, she didnât look a day over 25.
Her hair was curly, falling at her shoulders, the color a darker brown than Tsugumiâs hair, with her bangs covered her thinly trimmed brows and swept to the left. Her eyes were a deep brown, the tiniest bit of red shining within them, with long lashes defined by dark brown mascara.
The more he looked at her, the bigger his smile became. âMom!â Ankoku shouted, rushing to hug her, his frame engulfing her body whole. She giggled softly, patting his back. Today was her first day back after her sudden and impromptu âvacationâ as Ankoku knew it.
Still, she could say every day she was gone she missed home more and more. âHave you guys been doing well?â She smiled as he released her. âYes maâamâŚâ He showed a shaky smile, scratching the back of his neck.
ââŚWhat is it?â She asked, leaning forward to try to meet his gaze. Ankoku frowned softly, unsure of how to explain the situation to her. ââŚTsugumi and I⌠we got into an argument yesterday⌠I feel really bad⌠I think I went too farâŚâ He mumbled, getting quieter as he went on.
âAwww~ Itâs alright~â Koume giggled, patting his arm softly. âYou know, since she was little, Tsugumi has always been mature and forgiving. It couldnât have been that bad, right?â He nodded along with her.
âRight. So Iâm sure if you just apologize and talk it out, youâll make up like thatâ She snapped her fingers. Ankoku smiled softly, sighing as if all of his worries washed away that instant. Koume just had a way with words.
âYeah⌠youâre rightâŚâ He nodded again. âIâll apologize when she comes homeâ He told himself, smile growing as he laughed quietly. âShe likes going on walks, right? Maybe Iâll take her on one too as an apologyâŚâ He nodded to himself.
âAlright, Iâve gotta unpack~â Koume motioned to her suitcase, before dragging it upstairs.
âSir, you have a phone callâ One guard entered his site office. He walked toward Genjiro handing him his cell from across his desk. Genjiro sighed, running a hand through his hair, ruining the style.
âHello?â
âG⌠Give⌠upâŚâ
A chill shot through his body, hearing the hoarse voice of the supposedly powerful Okamura. His voice was raspy and breathless as he coughed, before there was a thud on the other end and a moment of silence.
âTsk⌠yâknow, for an old man, you sure ainât wiseâ
The voice changed on the other endâ it being none other than Taira Yotsurugi, speaking in a clear tone of scolding.
âListen, donât play these dirty games with us. âCause weâre way better at âemâ
âTskâŚâ
âJust pay what you owe, and we wouldnât have to resort to our own tricks, which are far dirtier than you could even imagineâ
Genjiro could then hear the sound of inhalation, likely the drag of a cigarette.
âAnd you have to be careful. You know, with that pretty daughter of yours just free and out in the open~â
Genjiroâs heart dropped to the floor at those words. Flashes of a young, wide-eyed Tsugumi returned to his memory. Those silver eyes that immediately drew him to her, wanting to protect their shine.
Just the thought of her hurt, scaredâ or even worse⌠he shook his head at the idea.
âWhat⌠What did you doâŚ?â
His voice cracked desperately, just before a low beeping filled his ears. His body was overcome with a surge of rage as he chucked his phone to the wall across his office. âDAMMIT!!!â He slammed his hand on his desk, turning to the man.
âGet in touch with Kakihara and team security team B! Find Tsugumi! NOW!!â He ordered, the man wasting not a second before he rushed out the office to complete his new task.
Tsugumi sat, nervously and slowly rocking back and forth in her chair. Right across from her sat the man from the elevator, smiling gleefully. âNow I wish I brought it out with meâŚâ She thought, remembering that sheâd checked on it earlier.
Just to make sure no one had found or tampered with it. Afterwards, she simply pushed back underneath her bed before leaving. That decision, along with many others in the past couple weeks, caused her to face hardship after hardship.
Despite his laid-back demeanor, Tsugumi could tell this man had the ability to hurt her. Badly. That much made abundantly clear by how on edge her security team was. Had this been a threat they could handle, he wouldâve been apprehended by now, and she wouldâve been moved to a separate location.
âYoâ He turned to one of the men behind him, who stepped up. âGet me a strawberry milkshake with extra whip cream, and a French Vanilla latteâ The man bowed before entered the cafe. A milkshake sounded good right about now.
He then flicked his hand forward, the rest of his entourage stepping up to Tsugumiâs security team. She glanced around nervously as they seemed so easily taken care of, being backed away from her.
Her blood ran cold, as she straightened in her seat, teetering on the edge of it. âThatâs betterâ He smiled. âGetting to know each otherâs easier without an audience, hm?â Tsugumi nodded along with him.
âBy the way, my nameâs Shikabaâ
âI⌠Inazuma Tsugumiâ
âYou didnât look too surprised when I sat here. You wouldnât happen to already know why, would you?â He grinned widely, leaning his chin on the back of his hands. Tsugumi clenched her fists atop her lap, and bit her lip in attempt to calm herself.
ââŚIâm sorryâ She decided it best to apologize before anything else. âI-I know my excuse w-wonât make s-sense⌠ss⌠so I wonât even say itâŚâ She spoke slowly, trying to ignore her heart that beat wildly.
It would be difficult to explain that her step-brother gets violently jealous if he finds out about her having the slightest bit of contact with another man. âB-but I really⌠r-really didnât mean t-to⌠st-t-teal itâŚâ She finished, now gazing up at him earnestly.
Shikaba smirked, watching her trembleâ despite it being quite warm outside. âReallyâŚ?â He hummed. âAm I sâposed to believe someone can steal something accidentally?â He frowned playfully.
âI p-promise to g-give it⌠b-b-backâŚâ She nodded, avoiding eye contact again. âAnd I should believe you? A thief?â He combatted. Of course, Tsugumi knew he couldnât fully trust her. In fact he had no reason to trust her at all.
Not only was she a stranger, but she was a stranger who stole from him, without even trying to give an excuse, but she seriously doubted heâd believe her if she tried to explain it.
At the sound of sniffling, her head snapped up to face Shikaba. âAnd⌠that was my favorite watch⌠a gift from my dead grandpa, yâknow!â He sobbed dramatically, wiping at dry eyes.
Just then, the man returned with their order. Completely disregarding his act, he picked up his coffee cup, sliding the milkshake toward Tsugumi. She was still a little startled to find he was faking his cries, but gladly took the drink.
âUm⌠thank you⌠a-and ss⌠sorry⌠I w-will⌠seriously⌠um⌠g-give it backâŚâ She told him, swirling the white and red striped straw around the shake before taking a long sip. It was good, refreshing.
It wasnât often that she mixed flavorsâ chocolate brownies and strawberry shakes⌠sheâd never think to do it. Shikaba hummed softly, tilting his head at her. He seemed to be inspecting her face, as if he was in the middle of solving a difficult puzzle, or question on a quiz.
He then lifted the cup to his lisp, taking a sip from the sweet beverage, eyes never moving from her. âExcuse me, sirâŚâ The man coughed, alerting both their attention. âTskâŚâ Shikabaâs brows furrowed, glaring at the man.
The man flinched back as he met with his bossâ scrutinizing gaze, holding up a cellphone as if it were a shield. âS-sorry⌠but you have a callâŚâ He presented it.
Shikaba clicked his tongue, taking the device to his ear, it his knocking against his earring, he answered with an exasperated âhelloâ.
âIâm sorryâ
He smirked, the defeated tone of Genjiroâs voiceâs was music to his ears.
âListen, Iâm kinda busy. Hanging out with a friendâ
He glanced over at Tsugumi. The two locked eyes for a moment, before he swiped off the call screen, opening the camera app, turning the camera to face him. He lifted it, holding up with peace sign, being sure to get Tsugumi in frame.
She only stared confusedly at the camera, before he snapped the photo. He sent it, putting the phone back up against his ear.
âSee that? Ya jealous? Hm?â
âWhatâŚ??â
Genjiroâs, on the end, trembled as he looked at the picture. No matter how many times he blinked, no matter if he wiped any smudges from his screen, or his glasses, there was no mistaking it. That was Tsugumi.
He knew he wasnât seeing things, but there was no reason for the two of them to be together. âIâd know if they were acquainted⌠so he must be holding her hostageâŚâ He thought, gritting her teeth. He thought of a million ways to send someone after him.
âNo⌠calm down⌠she doesnât look hurt in the picture⌠and she can be used as leverage⌠letâs just calm down and try to negotiateâŚâ He told himself, putting the phone back up to his ear.
ââŚwhat do you want?â
Shikaba cackled loudly, startling both Tsugumi and Genjiro, attracting a few stares from people walking by. Grantedâ they were already staring due to the amount of men in suits all in such close proximity.
âI didnât ask you for anything, yâknow. Besides, youâre the one who called meâ
âSTOP MESSING AROUNDâ
âPhew! Youâre loudâ
Shikaba held the phone away from his ear for a moment.
âYouâre old, so maybe you donât knowâ but if you just talk normally into the phone, I can hear you just fineâ
âIâm serious! Leave Tsugumi out of this⌠sheâs got nothing to do with any of this⌠justâŚâ
âHm? But itâs no fun that way~ and thatâs not exactly trueâ
âWhat?â
âHeh~ Yâknow, I just realized. Sheâs your favorite, right? Iâm right, huh?â
âTskâŚâ
âAnyways, letâs talk later, yeah? Since Iâm out with a friendâ
Shikaba didnât even give him the time to respond before hanging up, tossing the phone to side. His subordinate struggled to catch it, while his attention returned to Tsugumi. âYou know some weird people~â He joked.
âWho was he on the phone with?â She thought, as she was unable to hear anythingâ mostly due to being lost in her own thoughts and fears about what this man might do to her.
âIâd know if he was friends with Ankoku⌠and Genjiro wanted me to avoid him so thereâs no way thatâd be him..â She told herselfâ her mother was definitely out of the question. âOh, hey!â Shikaba turned to the man next to them.
âThat call must mean Tairaâs all done cleaning up, right?â He asked, the man nodded silently. He sighed loudly and dramatically, his lips forming a wobbly pout. âI hate paperworkâ He grumbled, standing upâ chair scraping backwards as he it was pushed back.
âOhâŚâ Tsugumi whispered, carefully eying him. âI got some business to take care of, so I gotta goâ He nudged his head forward, the man offering her a small white card.
âNow, make sure you hold onto carefully. Donât lose it, or else youâll be in big trouble~â He spoke politely, placing a hand on her shoulder, leaning down next to her ear. His warm breath on the side of her throat made her shiver.
âAnd next time, donât take drinks from shady guys like us if you didnât see who made it yourselfâ He warned, Tsugumi now trembling for a different reasonâ eying the half drunken milk shake in front of her.
âNothinâ badâll happen this time, just be careful, kay?â He pat her shoulder twice, leaning up and turning around, waving one hand at her. âCiao~â He walked off, the manâ along with the rest that arrived with himâ quickly caught up.
âMiss!!â Tsugumiâs security team rushed back to her, while she was stuck in a daze, staring at Shikabaâs furthering back, until he and his men turned the corner. She looked down at the card in her hand.
âYokohama Immortal â Hands For Hireâ
Quite the ambiguous title, and underneath was a phone number. She sighed deeply, todayâs encounter making one thing abundantly clear.
Taking that watch got her in over her head.
Tsugumi leaned back on her bed, hands flat on the mattress and slightly behind herself. The first chance she got, as soon as she spotted a bin on the streets, sheâd tossed the card in there.
Just being near him, despite his relaxed and almost happy demeanor, Tsugumi could sense a dangerous vibe coming from him. And that âhands for hireâ bit didnât serve to dispute this. âIâll send one of the guards to give him the watchâ She nodded to herself.
Maybe one of the newer ones. The ones who most likely didnât feel much of a sense of loyalty to Genjiro, and wouldnât tell every single thing. That way she could keep the whole ordeal under wraps. They didnât hear the conversation anyways, so no one would be able to report about the watch.
Tsugumi, at the moment, depended on the team keeping their mouth shut to Genjiro in order to save their own hides. After all, each and every one of them abandoned their posts beside her, leaving her completely open to danger. She sighed deeply, stretching her neck.
âThe Yokohama ImmortalâŚâ The name was ridiculous. Like a child trying to sound cool, or the name of some delinquent filled biker gang. âTsugumiâ she flinched, snapping her head up to see Genjiro standing at her open door, his hands clasp in front of his waist.
ââŚyes?â She spoke softly, and hesitantly. Did they really tell him? He was quiet, the silence awkward for the both of them. ââŚAre you alright?â He finally asked after a deep breath. âHm?â Tsugumiâs eyes widened for a moment. She really didnât know how to respond.
She could tell he was nervous. Was he apologizing for yesterday? That was strange. Heâd usually act as if it never happened. âI meanâŚâ He spoke up again. ââŚhave you met any strange people⌠latelyâŚ?â He asked. ââŚNoâ She knew she was taking a risk by lying.
He mightâve already know, it may the reason heâs asking now. But sheâd get further into trouble if she admitted it after all this time. But, there was a tiny chance that there was a separate issue.
âI shouldnât say anything about itâ She convinced herself, depute knowing she could get in trouble if he ever found out about how much sheâd been lying lately.
She assured herself that even if the guards told him what happened, none of them could say for sure she knew him personally. For all they know, that couldâve been the first time.
She could lie and say he stopped to hit on her, and ordered her a milkshake. No one was too certain of any relationship, or lack there of, besides Tsugumi and Shikaba themselves. Genjiro huffed loudly, letting his hands fall to the side.
Tsugumi scanned his face, which seemed full of confusion. Was he upset? She couldnât tell. Genjiro bet his lip harshly, wondering what was going through her head. âWhy is she lying?! Or maybe⌠did he threaten her?! Or even hit her??â He frowned at the thought.
âHow could someone hit such a delicate girlâŚ?â He huffed again, meeting her shining eyes. âTsugumi, if you tell the truth, I promise you wonât get in troubleâ He sighed. His tone seemed earnest, but Tsugumi couldnât trust it. âI am telling the truthâ She tried to assure him, but sounded unsure of herself.
Genjiro pressed his fingers to his temple, rubbing circles on them. ââŚOkayâŚâ He let it go, quickly turning away. âIâm 100 percent sure he threatened her, and thatâs why sheâs not saying anythingâŚâ He thought, brows furrowing.
âEven those sorry excuses for a security team⌠they were separated so I canât get a proper report on what exactly was said between the twoâŚâ He shook his head, stomping down to his office.
As the sound footsteps faded, Tsugumi released a prolonged sigh. It was clear that Genjiro didnât believe her, based on how he continued to pry, but for the first time she was left unpunished for lying. It filled her with a sense of unease.
âWhatâs wrong with him?â
That she didnât know. But what she did know was the Shikabaâ The Yokohama Immortalâ was dangerous. It was the right call to throw the card away. Tsugumi gasped, her body tensing at the familiar sound of rushed footsteps up the stairs.
She easily recognized them as Ankokuâs, for second contemplating how fast she could get to the door to close it before he got up the stairs. But, that wouldnât deter him, because if he wanted her he wouldnât respect the privacy of a closed door.
She groaned mentally, watching nervously as he ran right past her room. She flinched at the sound of a door slamming from down the hall. ââŚthatâs weirdâŚâ She mumbled, blinking twice from her daze of consfusion.
Usually heâd come to her room. Especially with how fast he was running, she swore he was headed straight for her room. She leaned a bit further back. If only he could be like this for the rest of the day.
Or better yetâ for the rest of her life.
+45********** Hey~
Tsugumi Why are you texting me?
+45********** You keep asking the same questionđ
+45********** I said I wanna be friends with you.
+45********** You looked like you needed one too
Tsugumi I donât
In Tsugumiâs eyes, being around others was one of the most exhausting things in the world. Sheâd love nothing more than to run away, and live quietly without any more human interaction for the rest of her life.
But that would only be a dream come true; and none of her dreams ever came true. Well, none of the good ones anyways.
+45********** As your only friend, that hurts my feelings
Her self proclaimed friend.
+45********** But I only wanted to check up on you. Iâm busy so later~â¤ď¸
If they were so busy, there was no point in texting her at all. In fact, Tsugumi wouldnât mind if they never texted her again. She clicked her tongue softly, blocking the number again, although she had a feeling itâd be useless.
Still, if only temporary, it brought her some relief.
As soon as she pressed the block button, she got a phone call from a different numbers. She furrowed her brows, yet at the screenâ it was getting out of hand at this point.
âLeave me aloneâ
âOh~ You sound upsetâ
Tsugumi gasped softly, Rather than âIkkiâ it was Shikaba.
âItâs youâŚâ
She could only regretfully say.
âOh, did you confuse me for someone?â
Tsugumi could hear a soft whistle in the background of the call.
âListen. I told you not to lose it, but you went and threw it away. Why? Thatâs kinda rude, yâknowâ
âHow did you get my number?â
âAnswer my question firstâ
ââŚI just didnât want to get involved with youâ
âSmart, smart~ But you still owe meâ
âIâm having someone return itâ
âOh, really?â
He groaned dramatically. Tsugumi could visualize the likely exaggerated frown on his face.
âI thought youâd wanna come see me again. I thought we really hit it offâ
She scoffed at the notion. They didnât talk about anything really, so what was he talking about âhit it offâ? Itâs ridiculous.
âDonât you wanna be friends? Youâre surrounded by weirdos, so Iâll be your one normal friendâ
Tsugumi didnât respond, long enough to repeat âhelloâsâ into the phone, though she let that become background noise to her thoughts. It was now clear to her she couldnât avoid him all together.
âHe probably found out who I was through the hotel security camerasâ She thought, that much was obvious. But finding her exact location, and meeting her there in person is another story. Especially as someone always followed by a special security team.
Not only that, but he scared said security team, to the point where the entire group abandoned their post, given by their strict employer. âHe even knew that I threw the card away⌠that means he was testing me, because he already had my numberâŚâ Tsugumi frowned.
The most important thing in the situation seemed to be that Genjiro was afraid of the man. Or, at the very least, didnât want her involved with him. This meant he was likely someone who commanded a lot of peopleâ someone she should not offend.
She groaned at the thought of having to walk on eggshells around yet another person she didnât even want to engage with. Still, at the end of the day, she blame still lies with herselfâ after all she did take the watch.
âOkay, Iâll save your numberâ
âOh, you disappeared for a moment. But why the sudden change of heart? I didnât even get to threaten you yetâ
Yeah. Heâs crazy. So crazy that thereâs even a chance heâs looking at her right now. Tsugumi warily glanced around, looking out her window.
âI just think I shouldnât get on your bad sideâ
âI canât believe the youngest is the smartestâ
âWhat does that mean?â
âNothing for you to worry about~ Sâlong as I get my entertainment out of itâ
ââŚand your watchâŚâ
âThatâs a givenâ
ââŚrightâŚâ
âI look forward to seeing you again~â
Shikaba tossed his phone to the side, slouching down in his bed. âThat familyâs turning out to be some of the most entertaining people Iâve met~â He chuckled. Taira whistled, nodding from the lounge chair across the room.
âI wonder how sheâd feel to know sheâs just talked to the Yotsurugiâs third in commandâ He hummed softly. Shikabaâs ever present grin widened. âI kinda wanna mess with her some more. Get her all riled upâ maybe even hit me. Then Iâll tell herâ He sighed.
âI wonder if sheâs as easy to provoke as her fatherâŚâ He made a mental note to himself to try it soon. He turned his gaze to Taira, who lazily leaned his head back, arms loosely hanging over the side of the chair. âThink sheâll even beg on her knees to save her family?â He hummed.
âIf sheâs real loyal, she may even sell an organâ Taira perked up at these words. âIf sheâs healthy, her kidneys should go for a good priceâ He added, Taira laughing softly. âYouâre one crazy bastardâ He shook his head.
âWhatâs crazy is that an entire family has accumulated their own separate debts to meâ He rolled his eyes. âEver heard of one so in sync?â Taira shook his head. âOurs definitely isnâtâ He snorted.
Tsugumi bit her thumb nail, nervously staring at the new contactâ âShikabaâ. Sheâd prayed that Ankoku wouldnât go through her cellphone. A new number would set off some alarms in his headâ and one call would reveal that it was a man.
If that happened, sheâd then be on the receiving end of physical abuse. The sound of knocking at her door made her jump, yelping softly as she looked up, relieved by the face. She breathed softly and deeply in attempt to calm herself.
ââŚMomâŚâ She looked up at the smiling woman. âHey~â Koumeâs tone was sugary sweet as she walked toward the bed. Tsugumi hadnât seen her mother in a monthâ since they brought in the new year.
âYou feeling alright, baby?â She hummed, caressing Tsugumiâs cheek. As soon as Koumeâs warm palm reached her face, Tsugumi nuzzled her face into it. It soothed her. âI heard you and Ankoku got into a fightâ She tensed up at the words.
Is that what he told her? It was less of a fight and more of a one-sided act of violence. Tsugumi forced herself to smile as she sat up straight. âItâs fineâ She lied. âYou know, I had really hoped you two can get alongâŚâ Koume grabbed Tsugumiâs hands, smoothing her thumbs over her knuckles.
ââŚI know itâs been hard to accept them as your new father and brother⌠but we should all try to get alongâ She pleaded. Tsugumi could barely stop herself from screaming out. To say she was confused was an understatement.
Itâs been 6 years now, since this twisted family was formed.
This is the kind of talk youâd have, and that Koume did have, either right before or right after they meet. By this time they should already be performing as the âperfectâ family that Koume envisions. But time means little to a woman always too busy drowning in her own addiction to realize what goes on under her own roof.
Tsugumi sighed, struggling to keep up her shaky smile. âWe got over it alreadyâ She lied again, slightly comforted by Koumeâs beaming smile before being brought into a sweet embrace.
Tsugumi loved her mom. Even though she was completely oblivious to the things going on around her, whether it was purposeful or not, Koume was her one pillar in life. The one whose smile made all of her fears fade.
She wants desperately for Koume to be the best mother in the world, and pick herâ but she knows itâs unlikely. So for all these years sheâs decided to hide her pain and keep her mouth shut in hopes of never having to hear the feared line;
âYouâre lyingâ
She almost cringed at the thought. âHow are things otherwise?â Tsugumi blinked, tilting her head slightly. ââŚGood. Iâm okayâ She nodded. Sheâs anything but okay. But Koume doesnât need to know that. Koume, who now stared at Tsugumi with a worry filled gaze.
ââŚGumiâŚâ She almost said it out loud. She knew her daughter, better than anyone else could. She could tell Tsugumi was hiding something, and had been for the past few years. As Koume knew it, her daughter was always a closed off and silent child.
Since she could remember, Tsugumi would never ask for anything, and stayed to herselfâ she had little need for adult supervision so she knew sheâd be fine even if she had to leave her alone for a few hours to go out and work.
She often relied on the idea that Tsugumi would come and talk to her âwhen she was readyâ, whenever she needed it. She never tried to pry, and would always wait, with open arms and a lack of judgement.
So for now, all she would do is smile and hold her gently. âWell, Iâm overdue for a napâ She gave her a soft kiss on the forehead, Tsugumi breathing out an âOkayâ as she left the room.
âGen, you sure drive a hard bargain!â The man across from Genjiro laughed heartily. He was tall and plenty muscular, which he liked to boast about. His eyes were sharp, and orange, with thick brows above. His hair was short, and parted on the right.
His grin was wide, dimples more evident the further his smile spread. He was KyĹgoku Shigeo, the current CEO of Goku Technical Engineeringâ GTEâ owning 93 percent of shares.
Currently, Genjiro was looking to purchase a few, as well as draw up a collaboration agreement between the two companies. If the deal went through, I.J Security would be able to shift into the home security field with ease, and bring in more revenue.
More revenue that would help pay off their debts. âAlright, fine, Iâll agree. But, I do have some terms of my ownâ oh, but donât worry itâs definitely something to help solidify the deal, so youâll get what you want out of it as wellâ He smirked.
âWhat are the terms?â Genjiro asked. âIâm talking about marriage between our two familiesâ He chuckled softly. âHm? I wasnât aware you had daughtersâ Genjiro raised his glass of water to his lips.
âI donâtâ Shigeo shook his head. âIâm talking about between my eldest, Hyouga, and your daughter. Tsugumi is her name, isnât it?â He asked, Genjiro clenching the glass in his hand. âWith⌠TsugumiâŚâ He spoke softly.
He decided to place the glass down, so as not to shatter it and cause a scene. âWell, with all these rumors going around about my kid, especially last year when heâd supposedly gotten this woman pregnant, Iâm sure you remember that fiascoâ He ranted.
âOh, but Iâm sure youâve had to deal with your fair share of⌠rumors involving your childrenâŚâ He smirked, Genjiroâs jaw tightening at the implication. âWell, whenever itâs a rumor; itâs easy to disproveâ He remarked.
âOf course~ Of course~ So, anyways, Iâm thinking if we marry our two kids we wonât have to hear things like those ever again, would we?â Genjiro hesitated. Heâd made plenty of business deals over the years, but none of them involved marriage involving Tsugumi.
He himself never considered the possibility. He cleared his throat, pulling at his tie. ââŚisnât your son already in his mid twenties? Tsugumi is only 19â He retained a calm tone. âShe is an adultâ Shigeo almost cringed, masking the slip up with a smile.
âAnd I donât understand the talk of age gaps, especially considering youâre almost a decade older than your own wifeâ He smirked slyly. âStill⌠marriage for Tsugumi⌠Iâm a little hesitant to put her in that situationâŚâ He continued.
âWhat? But you werenât apprehensive at all about your son being marriedâ Shigeo combatted. Genjiroâs brows twitched as he smiled. âBoys and girls are different⌠and Tsugumi isnât even my real daughterâ He added.
âMarriage solves all, doesnât it? Thatâs how you got your beautiful daughterâŚâ He sneakily licked his lips. âItâll be fine. Letâs at least set up a meeting for the twoâ He pushed. ââŚI suppose that would be alrightâŚâ Genjiro finally conceded.
Shigeo grinned widely, a clear sign of triumph in his eyes. âPerfect! Howâs Saturday sound?â He asked. Thatâs two days from now. âSeems we have a dateâ Genjiro nodded. âYou mean they have a dateâ Shigeo joked.
Genjiro forced himself to laugh along with the joke. âI canât sell Tsugumi like this. Sheâs too sweet for this world⌠I have to keep her by my side, and protect herâŚâ He had no intentions on letting Tsugumi have a boyfriend, let a husband.
He was sure there were plenty of other tech companies to help with this issue. Heâd just have to hold out, and find another willing participant for the deal.
âYeah, Momijiâ
Ankoku held the phone between his shoulder and ear, as he flipped through one of the magazines heâd found on the living room coffee table. It was likely from one of Koumeâs subscriptionsâ but he notices there were plenty of fashion catalogues.
This particular one was full of hand bags and purses. He decided that rather than a walk, a bag may be better. She, as much as her mother, liked to shop.
âIâve got 70,000 to add to our fundsâ
Ankoku snorted, hearing the amount. He had yet to inform Momiji of his plans.
âDonât worry about that anymoreâ
âWhat?! Wait, you got enough?! How?!â
âEven better, I got someone to handle himâ
âWhat?! You did?!â
Ankoku laughed aloud, he couldnât help it. He was just too proud of himself for finding the solution to their little debt problem.
âAnko!â
âLook, I just paid off someone to take out a hit on himâ
âWhoâs crazy enough to take on a job like that?!â
âYouâve heard of the Yotsurugi?â
He picked up the red marker that sat beside him on the bed, taking the cap between his teeth to pull it off. He circled a white purse, the first that caught his eye in the middle of the 16th page, ripping it out before continuing his search.
âI was able to talk to their third in command. Yotsurugi Shikaba? Says heâll handle itâ
âReally..?!â
âYep. It seemed like he knew him. Like he already had his own problem with him. So donât worry about it anymoreâ
âAlright! Letâs go out for drinksâ
âItâs on me~â
Shikaba laughed loudly in his office, swirling back and forth in his chair. They certainly werenât lying when they told him to rush back home for a visitor. What he saw, he wouldnât have expected in a million years.
âYâknow, just laughing out of nowhere after being quiet for so long makes you look creepyâ Taira remarked, from where he stood at the door to the office. âMy bad~ Itâs just hilariousâ He wiped a real tear, chuckling softly.
âI mean, have you ever been hired to kill yourself before?â He asked, barely able to stop himself from laughingâ confusing Taira. âSometimes I forget people donât know the Yokohama Immortal and Yotsurugi Shikaba are one and the sameâ He shook his head.
âEarlier, they told me to rush home cause of a shocking visitor. Imagine my surprise to talk to Genjiroâs boy, asking if anyone can help get rid of little olâ me~â He chuckled. âTempting offer~ Itâs a lot~ so I told him yesâ He smirked, tapping against a metal briefcase on his desk.
Taira snorted, leaning back against the wall. âWhatâre you gonna do now? Whatâs the plan?â He asked, now too, smiling at the situation. âHmm⌠maybe I could waterboard myself. Or maybe toss myself in the ocean with cinderblocks for shoesâ He joked.
The both of them startled by the door slamming over, a burly man panting as he rushed up to Shikabaâs desk. âIâm sorry for barging in like that, sir! But you have to see this!â He panted, placing down a manila folder.
âHm? Looks pretty boring to meâ Shikaba mumbled, ripping the top open. Pulling out the contents, which were a stack of photosâ his smile grew wider as he surveyed each one. âHeh~ Taira, Iâm gonna have to postpone offing myselfâ He looked up at the taller man.
Taira hummed, walking up to see what was in the envelope. He too smirked upon seeing the images. âThereâs just too much entertainment in this world to leave it behind so soonâ He smirked.
âWe should pay our little friends a visit. Saturday is goodâ
âWill that be all today sir?â Ankokuâs eyes scanned the glass display in the jewlery store, inspecting the uniquely and intricately cut rings. Heâd already purchased a gold plated heart shaped pendant, as a gift for Tsugumi in addition to the bags heâd ordered.
Maybe a ring would be good as well. What caught his eye was a gold infinity loop ring, diamond studded on the upper left side. âWhatâs this one?â He hummed, pointing at it. The womanâs eyes wrinkled as she smiled widely.
âYou have a good eye, sir. The infinity love ring. Itâs very popular among couples. Many believe the infinity symbol signifies good luck and longevity in relationships. There is even a custom option, in which our customers can add initialsâ She explained.
âThatâs good. I want thatâ He nodded. âOf course. Iâd just need to get a phone number, email, and home address, and other information such as the initials themselves, ring sizes, and color preferencesâ She told him, pulling up a pen and note pad.
He told the phone number and address, as she flipped to the next page to write down the rest of the information. âOne should say an âAâ with the size 6. And the other a âTââ size 8â He spoke, the woman nodding along.
âOf course, sir. Someone will be in contact with you soon to give you updates on your orderâ She smiled, before he picked up his bag and left.
Tsugumi stood in the living room, untangling a few strands of hair from her right earring. She was dressed in a black ruched mini skirt, and an amore twist back sweater. For jewelry, she wore a black choker with a silver pendant and a few longer thin silver silver chains.
On her wrists were a few stacked silver bangles, and she wore silver tear drop earrings. The last thing she expected was to be woken up early this morning and told to start getting ready for a dateâ and she expected even less to be told it was at 1pm.
Currently it was 11:45 am, and Tsugumi could tell it would be an exhausting afternoon, but accepted it. Anything was better than being at home.
The door clicked softly, footsteps quickly approaching the living room. It seems Ankoku has returned, now stopping dead in his tracks at the sight of Tsugumi all dressed up. He was mesmerized.
She was gorgeous, the outfit now being one of the most beautiful ensembles heâd seen her in, a stark contrast to the usual casual fashion he was used to seeing her in. But in that moment it settled in why she may be dressed like this.
âWhat are you doing?â He dreaded hearing the answer he thought sheâd give. ââŚIâm going on a dateâ Tsugumi sighed. She hoped the guy wasnât as crazy as Genjiro or Ankoku, but seriously doubted her step father was acquainted with anyone sane.
âNoâŚâ He shook his head. âNo youâre notâ He told her. Tsugumi furrowed her brows, confusion written all over her face as Ankoku grabbed her wrist tightly. She flinched at the sudden pressure turned pain. âAnkoku, listenâŚâ She huffed, fearful of whatâs to come had he dragged her to any private area.
She tried to resist, but decided against it feeling her feet scrape against the carpet, hoping not to get rug burns. âPardon meâ A guard stepped in his path toward the steps. âMoveâ He ignored Ankokuâs order, standing firm under his scrutinizing gaze.
âIâm sorry, I cannot do that, sirâ He shook his head. âMr Kawasaki has ordered me to make sure Miss Tsugumi arrives on time, and itâs about time for us to leaveâ He explained. âTskâŚâ Ankoku threw down Tsugumiâs hand, storming off to Genjiroâs office.
âDad!â He shouted, bursting through the doors of Genjiroâs home office. âSetting Tsugumi up on a date?! Really?!â He shouted angrily. Genjiro sighed, not looking up from the paperwork on his desk. âCalm down, Ankoku. Itâs none of your business. You should feel happy for your sisterâ He spoke calmly.
Ankokuâs outburst hadnât moved him one bit. âHow am I supposed to be happy about some bastard taking Tsugumi on a date?! What if⌠what if he gets handsy with her?â He argued. âWatch your mouthâ Genjiro glared, finally looking up at him.
âThis isnât happeningâ Ankoku shook his head. âIt is. And what business is it of yours? Sheâs your sister. And an adultâ He scolded, the words leaving a bad taste in his mouth.
âSheâs an adultâ
He mimicked Shigeoâs words and it felt horrible. âTskâŚâ Ankoku stormed out, harshly slamming the double doors behind himself. Genjiro sighed, throwing his glasses down on the desk and pinching the bridge of his nose.
âI shouldâve raised him rightââ He leaned back in his chair, clasping his hands in front of himself. ââinstead of spoiling him, and letting him get away with whatever he wanted..â He mumbled to himself.
âStill, it doesnât matter. I have no intention of going through with the marriageâ
KyĹgoku Hyouga, the eldest KyĹgoku Shigeoâs three sons. He was very tall, likely over 190 centimeters, and muscular. His eyes were narrow as his fatherâs, matching in color as well. His hair was dyed a shiny gold color, short and parted on the right.
He also styled an undercut which revealed his natural black roots. He was certainly a lookerâ and it may have been a nice date if he didnât talk so much, and if his entire speech wasnât an abhorrent objectification of her.
From the moment he opened his mouth, it was clear he was a self-centered spoiled brat. He introduced himself to her, and without even asking her name, went straight into telling her how it was âgood that she matched his typeâ.
The only problem, he told her, was her height, but that was almost an easy fix by her never wearing heels. He told her he can ignore it though, because sheâs very pretty. He went on to tell her about his requirements for a wife.
To cook, to clean, and have 3 children, at least one was a boy, adding in that he was very apprehensive about having a daughter. On the topic of children, he then brought up how his woman needed to stay in shape, and drop the baby weight quickly.
That, of course, meant frequenting the gymâ saying that sheâd simply need to focus on weight loss, and stay away from weight lifting as too much muscles would turn him off. She has to be obedient, and not argue, he hates mouthy women.
After his tirade of what she had to do and not do in order to become his wife, he gave her no chance to respond and went straight into a rant about his âhobbyâ of partying on his yacht. As if partying can be a hobby, Tsugumi rolled her eyes at the thought.
He talked about his cars, his houses, and all the expensive things he owns but didnât actually work for, clearly in attempt to impress her. Tsugumi tuned him out 15 minutes into the date, now an hour in, and absorbed in the pasta on her plate.
She twirled it on her fork and swirled it around, yet never picked it up to eat it. âI wanna go homeâ She thought.
ââyourselfâ
âTell me about yourselfâ
That mustâve been what he said. Tsugumi boredly met his expectant gaze. ââŚYou donât have to pretend to be interested in meâ Hyougaâs smile faded after hearing her speak. âIâm fine being in an arranged marriage as long as we donât have to see each other a lotâ She shrugged, looking down at her plate.
Although he was annoying, he was probably the type to always be out and cheat on his spouse. Maybe sheâd get the peaceful life sheâd hoped for by marrying him.
Hyougaâs once giddy face contorted into an expression of confusion and frustration. âTch⌠Youâve got a bad attitude, you know. Sounds like you need a reality checkâ He told her, running a hand through his frayed locks.
âNo matter how cute you are, or how good your body looks, no man will want you if you talk like thatâ He scolded, pointing his fork at her. âI wish that were trueâ She rolled her eyes, the thought of Ankoku causing her to lose the rest of her appetite.
âIf you keep acting like this, youâll be 30 years old with no man or kids, and be miserable. Then when you want a man, you canât find one because youâre old and your eggs are all shriveled upâ He continued. Tsugumi could scoff if she didnât already expect this from him.
âThatâs the problem with daughterâ He grumbled. âTheir fathers spoil them so much that they think the entire world needs to bend to their will. No man wants a whiney womanâ At this point, Tsugumi began to tune him out again.
âI wish I could be home. I bet no one there will bother me this muchâŚâ
âGenji, dear? Do we have guests?â Koume walked down the steps after hearing a slight commotion in the living room. As she closed in on it, she couldnât see himâ or anyone in there. She shrugged her shawl higher up on her shoulders as she stepped onto the last step.
Further near the entrance there were a few unfamiliar men in suits standing there. Perhaps they were new hires. âAh, Koumeâ She froze hearing his voice, the shorter young man revealing himself from behind the group.
Shikaba, whom she first met as âThe Yokohama Immortalâ, grinning ear to ear. âI had a feeling he was talking about you. Glad to know I was rightâ He smirked. Koume could barely form any thoughts in her confusion.
Why was he here? It was close, yes, but the deadline had not come yet. First, it may be best to apology. âS-sorry⌠IâŚâ She stuttered. âRelax~ Relax~â He told her. âJust call everyone down. We can have a joint consultationâ He joked.
His laugh chilled her to the bone. âConsultation?â She spoke slowly. âAbout your debt. You remember, right?â He tilted his head, frowning with what seemed to be confusion. âY-yeahâŚâ She nodded. Of course she remembered her debt.
An astonishing 200 million is what she owed. Genjiro didnât know, of course. But what he was suggesting was that the others in this house also owed him? That couldnât be possible. She gasped at the thought of Tsugumi being apart of that group. There was absolutely no way.
She couldnât miss something like that⌠but⌠she did have a strange look in her eyes the other day⌠was this what she was thinking about? Koume hesitated to turn around, freezing once he spoke again.
âAnd donât try to get any genius ideas. Thereâs no you can go to get away from meâ He warned. Koume swallowed thickly, nodding as she slowly walked away.
âWell, imma go stretch my legsâ Shikaba grinned, nudging his head forward. Two of the men walked up behind him, joined by Taira as well. He led the group to the second floor, eyes locking onto the first door that was slightly cracked.
Without hesitation, he pushed it open. The rooms decor was minimalisticâ a queen sized mattress pushed up against the corner, next to the window; a vanity to its left. A few brushes and perfumes sat atop the shelf of it.
He stepped further in, seeing a mirror leaned on the wall next to the wall on his right with two doors to the far corner, and on the last wall a taller dresser. âIs this Tsugumiâs roomâ He wondered aloud, walking straight to the double doors.
âItâs boringâ Taira hummed, running his palm against the vanity surface. Shikaba pushed the doors open, inside a walk-in closet, packed with with designer clothes, shoes, bags, and hats. There was even a wall designated for jewlery.
âSheâs got a lot of clothes though⌠and bagsâŚâ He mumbled, leaning his head further inside. âDonât see the watch. Should we search the room?â Taira suggested, glancing all around. Shikaba stepped back, closing the doors and shaking his head.
âNah. I donât wanna mess up the roomâ The statement uncharacteristically polite, coming from him. âIâll let her give it back to me in personâ He shrugged, leading the group back downstairs.
His smile grew, seeing that Genjiro and Ankoku had joined Koume in the living room. âWhew~ Looks like the family reunion has already started. Only the daughterâs missingâ He laughed. Koume flinched, worried for Tsugumi, at the same time nervous because sheâd yet to explain her little âhobbyâ to Genjiro.
Shikaba glanced back at one of his men whoâd walked up to whisper in his ear. âOkay~ Weâll hit up that place afterâ He snickered. âYotsurugi ShikabaâŚ? Why are you hereâŚ?â Ankoku stepped forward confusedly. âOh! Did you handle what I asked?!â He smiled excitedly.
Genjiro and Koume turned to him with wide eyes. The pair couldnât believe, or understand what they were hearing. Everyoneâs attention then turned to Shikaba who cackled loudly. âDidnât think the heir to a company would be so stupidâ He wiped a tear.
âHowâre you gonna run things without a brain?â He taunted, tapping his temple softly with one finger. ââŚWhatâŚ?â Ankoku tilted his head, not following. âLet me reintroduce myselfâ Shikaba cleared his throat, pressing the top of his cane to his chest.
âMy nameâs Yotsurugi Shikaba. Otherwise known asâ The Yokohama Immortalâ He smiled gently, Ankokuâs heart and expression dropping. âWhatâŚ?â He whispered in disbelief.
âSurprise~â He shouted, doing jazz hands. The trio was silent and frozen with fear. âTsk tsk. Relaax~â He waved his hand at them. âWho has a meeting standing up, hm? Letâs all have a seatâ He tapped his cane against the floor, the sound muffled by the carpet.
The group slowly made their way to the couch, Shikaba plopping down on the recliner, slouching into it and resting his feet on top the coffee table. âPromise Iâll keep things civilâ He assure them, clasping his hands over one knee.
âNow listen up. As each of you know, maybe not about the others but definitely about yourselves, you owe me what you borrowed and then some. You all know how interest worksâ He rushed through, waving his hands.
âAnd you~ Miss Koume~â He peeked his left eye open. âYou owe me a looot~ More than you two can imagine.â He grinned, Koume cringing under their confusion filled stares. âCollecting outstanding debts must run in the family, huh?â He joked.
âI-I paid you, thoughâŚ!â Ankoku spoke up, Shikaba humming softly at him. âThat counts for something, doesnât it?!â He added, confidence building in his tone. âUnfortunately notâ Shikaba chuckled, Ankokuâs expression dropping again.
âSee, you didnât pay me with the intention to chip away at your debtâ but instead to kill the person you oweâ He began. âSo, Iâm sorry, that amount means nothing to your debtâ He frowned, as if to taunt them with his faux-sympathy.
The group trembled, each unable to speak, knowing any excuse wouldnât help them. âAww~ The moods so dim. I hate it~â Shikaba whined playfully. âDon't worry so much. I come with good news. I'm extending your deadlines to this fall. Isn't that great?!â He smiled, the three tensing at his words.
âAn extensionâŚ?! ReallyâŚ?!â Koumeâs expression brightened. âWhatâs the catch? You canât be doing this for no reason, right?â Genjiro asked warily. âWhat?!â Shikaba gasped, clenching his chest.
âHow dare you accuse me of having ulterior motives! Iâm doing this out of the kindness of my heart!â He shouted, almost too earnestly. He was a bad actor, really.
âNow, everyone lighten up, smile~ You'll live longer if you stress less, y'know~â He told them. Of course, his demeanor as relaxed as ever, yet they could sense the seriousness in his tone. It was an orderâ and so they engaged in an awkward burst of laughter.
âAnywaysââ He sighed, bringing his feet to the ground. âYou aren't the only ones I have business with, so I'll see you laterâ He waved as he walked, stopping only a few paces away. âOh, and AnkokuâŚâ The boy perked up.
âSorry, but I can't exactly take on that request of yours. You'll understand if I don't wanna kill myself, right?â He smiled, Ankoku slouching over again.
âLater~â
Tsugumi sat at the dinner table, alone now as Hyouga excused himself to the bathroom. Apparently what she suggested really upset him, though it wasnât like she cared. She was more concerned about when the date would end.
Her purse vibrated, and she rummaged through the small bag, pulling out her phone and reading the name rolling across the screen.
âShikabaâ
She decided to let it ring out. âIâll call laterâ She shrugged, pressing the power button. As soon as it finished ringing, it buzzed once more alerting her of a text message.
Shikaba Pick up now
Her phone rang again as soon as she read it, and as he told her to, Tsugumi answered.
âHello?â
âYouâre the best listener out of all of youâ
âWhat?â
âAnywaysâŚâ
He ignored her question.
âWhere are you?â
âI donât have to tell you that. And you canât find out for yourselfâ
If he found out where she was that dayâ at a random cafe in Yokohamaâ he can certainly find her location now.
âThat was a test. And you failedâ
âIt wouldnât be the first timeâ
He sighed softly, Tsugumi hearing the sound of rustling papers on the other end of the call.
âYouâre at Majesty. On a date with KyĹgoku Hyougaâ
Tsugumi nodded, despite him likely being unable to see her. But, she couldnât exactly rule out that he could see her.
âBy the way, that guys the type who thinks of a woman as his servant. So he probably wonât be that nice to youâ
âI know. I donât careâ
âReally? I thought women hated that kind of stuff. Reri doesâ
âI donât care because Iâm not his woman. And Iâm pretty sure no one will be from the way he talksâ
âWhat about when you do become his woman? Youâre on a date so that means you liked him at least a little, right?â
âI didnât want to be on this date, and itâs none of your businessâ
âBut it is. You still owe me, so I have to worry about youâ
âI said Iâd give it backâ
âWhat if your husband forbids you to talk to men? How will I ever get my watch back? Iâd suffer until I dieâ
Tsugumi rolled her eyes at his antic.
âHmm⌠5 minutesâ
â5 minutes? For what?â
She scoffed at the dial tone, placing her phone down in her lap. âTskâŚâ She mumbled, looking up at Hyouga who approached, glaring down at her barely finished dinner plate.
âI hope you donât eat too much. I already said I donât want a fat wifeâ He warned, sitting down with a loud sigh. âGood thing Iâm not your wifeâ She mumbled.
At this point, she began to feel sorry for any woman who'd be tricked into marrying this man.
âGood afternoon sir. Do you have a reservation with us?â The woman asked, showing a perfected business smile. âIâm just here to visit someoneâ Shikaba chuckled, confusing the woman. âIâm sorry, sir, I cannot allow you in without a reservationâ She furrowed her brows.
âTsk⌠why do they have to be so slow?â He pouted, further confusing her. The phone then rang. âPlease wait a moment sirâ She spoke, lifting it after the second ring.
âHello, Majesty, how may I be of service... ah... Okay... Okay... yes... Goodbye...â She nodded, placing the phone back down. âWould you happen to be Yotsurugi Shikaba?â She asked, and he nodded in response.
She hurriedly picked up a large stack of menus from the podium shelf. âWelcome, sir. Shall I lead youââ He cut her off. âNo thanks. I got itâ He shrugged, leading his group up the stairs to the third floor.
Inside were barely a few couples, despite the busy first floor. With one quick scan of the floor, he immediately spotted Tsugumiâs bouncing curls, sitting at a far tableâ in front of her sitting Hyouga. He almost skipped toward the table, placing a hand down as he faced her.
âHey~â He smiled, savoring the startled look on her face, paying no attention to how many times Hyouga scoffed at him. âDonât look so shocked. I told you Iâd be here in 5 minutesâ But thatâs not what he said. Heâd simply said the words â5 minutesâ.
It couldâve meant anything. âListenââ Hyouga began. ââI donât know if youâre blind, but weâre on a date if you donât mindâ He stated, clenching his fork and knife in his hands. âYou look happy to see meâ Shikaba grinned, leaning forward.
âYouâre seeing thingsâ Tsugumi spared a glance at Hyougaâs frustrated expression. âYeah, Iâm seeing joy and delight on your faceâ He nodded, and Tsugumi grumbled softly. Hyouga dropped his utensils, startling Tsugumi.
âHey! Donât ignore me!! What, are you deaf?! Listen, shorââ
Before he could finish his statement, Shikaba slammed Hyougaâs face into his soup platter, the liquid splattering around the table. Tsugumi flinched at the suddenly attack, and again as some of it splashed on her face.
Now the few groups around them stared at them. âHey, itâs rude to interrupt someone elseâs conversationâ Shikaba scolded seriously, as if that wasnât what he was doing at the moment. He snapped his fingers, pointing down at him.
His subordinates rush to the table, replacing his hand with their own, holding Hyouga down against the table despite his struggle. He lifted the neatly folded towel from the middle of the table, wiping off his face, as Tsugumi did the same with the one on her lap.
âHey, this placeâs boring, right?â He asked, dropping the towel on the table, bringing Tsugumiâs attention to him. âTime to goâ He told her. She nodded slowly. âI have to go to the bathroom, thoughâ She told him.
âSureâ He shrugged, leading the way. âHandle him properlyâ He told the group before walking away. Sheâd only spent about 5 minutes in the bathroom, shaking off her semi-dry hands as she left.
It all happened so fast, but now that sheâd gotten a moment to calm down and think, she was sure sheâd get in trouble for it later. If the guards werenât there, Hyouga would definitely complain to his father about the ordeal.
As she walked past him, lost in thought, Shikaba grabbed her forearm, yanking her toward where he stood on the wall next to the bathroom. Tsugumi gasped softly, as he slid his hands to her waist, now holding her close to him.
Close enough to feel each others breaths on their faces. Because of her heels, she was now a bit taller than him. âYou knowâŚâ He began, peeking his left eye open, meeting her nervously gaze.
âDealing with you guys makes my boring job so much more fun. Especially you. So unpredictable, itâs the best~â He chuckled, rubbing his thumbs against her soft, knitted top.
âReally?â She spoke, shakily breathing out. Shikaba hummed, eying down her body. She went on to say something about the watch, but he wasnât listening, preoccupying himself with inspecting her looks.
From the sweater that left just enough to the imagination, while at the same time enticing his unknown desires with an open back, down to the tight skirt that accentuated her plush thigh.
He slid his hands up, caressing her back. The coldness of his palm met her warm skin, sending shivers throughout her whole body. Tsugumi squeezed her eyes shut, muffling a short groan feeling her knees go weak.
She could barely catch herself, grabbing onto his shoulders for stability. Her eyes opened wide feeling her forehead hit his, and her lips just barely grazed his. Before she could say anything, Shikaba let out a breathy laugh.
âThatâs not how you kissâ
He leaned up, at the same time, pulling at her waist, pressing his lips against hers. Tsugumi was shocked, pressing down further on his shoulders for stability.
His lips were soft moving against hers. She followed along with his rhythm, opening her mouth to take his tongue into hers. The kiss was gentle, his tongue scraping against hers slowly.
Tsugumi moaned, tilting her head to the right. Shikaba hummed softly, his lips pulled up into a smile, reaching his hand up to grab the upper back of her neck, pushing her further down.
Their tongues clicked as they pulled apart, Tsugumi only leaning back a few inches while the both of them heaved, out of breath. âHeh~ Thatâs better~â He smirked up at Tsugumi, who now looked away, face burning with embarrassment.
#negai no astro#nna#astro royale#negai no astro x OC#astro royale x OC#Negai no astro angst#Negai no astro smut#Negai no astro fluff#shikaba yotsurugi#taira yotsurugi#reri yotsurugi#kou yotsurugi#shio yotsurugi#satsuki yotsurugi#kuran yotsurugi#hibaru yotsurugi#terasu yotsurugi#kongo yotsurugi#Torazo yotsurugi#goshiki yotsurugi#yakuza#organized crime#Shikaba yotsurugi x OC#Shikaba x OC#negai no astro OC#astro royale OC#dark content#dark romance#Meligumii.
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Ambos son unos mensos. Pero se quieren mucho.
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I've been kinda quiet lately bc new job is sucking my sleeping schedule (more than usual) so I don't have spoons for almost anything. I wrote some things that I'll try to post here this week, and I have A LOT to say about Negai No Astro.
But for today... Just this

#terasu babu i love you#the fact that you started to act all murderous only won me more ngl#but shikaba is my pretty beautiful troll#i wanna know more about him and his broyfriend tai#negai no astro#nna#ken wakui is doing it again and i'm totally in#please wakui-sense show me their traumas
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I really like this team can we make it the main one ?

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If there's one thing Wakui knows, is how to make the most adorable yet badass characters. I really like that! Also he's very thoughtful about their fashion sense. I'm overall so excited about NNA.
I love how this can refer to both Hibaru and Terasu too! Get you character's who can do both!




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NNA + Text Posts
#nna#negai no astro#astro royale#text posts meme#textpost meme#nna memes#negai no astro memes#astro royale memes#shio yotsurugi#kuran yotsurugi#terasu yotsurugi#kiyochika gido#nna shio#nna terasu#nna kuran#nna gido#shio negai no astro#terasu negai no astro#kuran negai no astro#gido negai no astro#shio astro royale#terasu astro royale#kuran astro royale#gido astro royale#manifesting the gido one
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HE DID IT
HE DROPPED MORE KURAN CONTENT

Yes ik it's just an art piece BUT PRAISE KEN WAKUI
HES MAKING US HAPPY
#astro royale#negai no astro#kuran yotsurugi#im going insane#kuran astro royale#nna kuran#ily#my hubby đ#kuranswife#hibaru yotsurugi#nna terasu#terasu yotsurugi#terasu negai no astro#kinpa#kinpa yobana#i love you kuran#kuran#nna hibaru#hibaru negai no astro#ken wakui
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Negai no Astro - bonus illustrations / Volume 1
(Let's goooooo yaay i am sooo hyped!!!)
#negai no astro#nna#astro royale#hibaru yotsurugi#terasu yotsurugi#kuran yotsurugi#kou yotsurugi#nna botan
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Bro thinks heâs so funnyâ AND HE IS LMFAO. THIS IS INDEED THE CORRECT ANSWER.
Screen-caps from Negai no Astro by Ken Wakui
#negai no astro#negai no astro spoilers#Negai no Astro Terasu#nna terasu#terasu negai no astro#Astro royale#Astro royale Terasu#terasu yotsurugi#terasu#Yotsurugi
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So.
I noticed somethingâ
#hibaru doesnt seem to have any kind of numbering on him. didnt check for goshiki. i hope that kid4&7 will have gotten rid of theirs when#we'll finally meet them (but that theyd have them in flashbacks. ofc. consistency.)#negai no astro#nna#astro royale#i may be late to the party and everyone in the fandom may have already figure it out BUT. pls excuse me if thats the case?#shio yotsurugi#satsuki yotsurugi#torazo yotsurugi#reri yotsurugi#yotsurugi sister#shikaba yotsurugi#taira yotsurugi#kuran yotsurugi#kou yotsurugi#terasu yotsurugi#nna shio#nna satsuki#nna torazo#nna shikaba#nna taira#nna kuran#nna kou#nna terasu#shio negai no astro#shikaba negai no astro#taira negai no astro#kuran negai no astro#kou negai no astro#terasu negai no astro
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