02-02-2023, 11:18 PM
The news took a moment to impact. When Kiyohito stood suddenly, braced as though he meant to leave this very minute, Eido reached reflexively to steady his cup. His reaction was surprising, in part because he had previously been so stoic, but also because she had been uncertain to what ends he searched. It had been the motivation for her earlier questions; wishing to hear in the tone of his description whether he meant his brother good or ill will. Kiyohito had not answered that time, and rebuked her for the later effort, but now she read plainly enough that whatever his intentions ultimately were, the love for his brother was genuine. She began to wonder what she might do if Kōta ever went missing, but stopped herself when she realised that allowing the stir of empathy was a foolish endeavour.
She did not look at Kōta anymore. Once her hand retreated, she only gazed down at the table, pensive. She understood from the tone of her brother’s voice that there was more to be said.
“A man who looks much like that is running with the Edenokōji-gumi,” he said eventually. He sipped his tea in the meantime, placed the cup carefully back down, resolutely casual. Kiyhoito’s outburst might be considered rude, but Kōta was hardly a stickler for it. He adapted to Western ways very well, almost as though he found them a relief from the life they had been born into. Probably he was watching the gokudō for his reaction, but Eido was mired in her own considerations of what they might do next. A man caught between two Yazkuza clans was a quandary. He might burst like a powderkeg if they handled this wrong.
Eido considered, then, that Kiyohito appeared to be in Moscow alone. One clan would be careful of blithely stepping into the territory of another, which might explain it, but recalling their earlier words she wondered if his solitary appearance might be down to something else. She wondered what he might be atoning for.
“We will help as we may, if you wish it of us,” she said. The pledge came easily, but she was peripherally aware of the surprised look Kōta gave her in response. She ignored it.
He boomed amused laughter. “Korii-san, what have you done to my sister?”
But he shrugged his agreement. Where Eido led, Kōta inevitably followed. Such was the way it had always been.
She did not look at Kōta anymore. Once her hand retreated, she only gazed down at the table, pensive. She understood from the tone of her brother’s voice that there was more to be said.
“A man who looks much like that is running with the Edenokōji-gumi,” he said eventually. He sipped his tea in the meantime, placed the cup carefully back down, resolutely casual. Kiyhoito’s outburst might be considered rude, but Kōta was hardly a stickler for it. He adapted to Western ways very well, almost as though he found them a relief from the life they had been born into. Probably he was watching the gokudō for his reaction, but Eido was mired in her own considerations of what they might do next. A man caught between two Yazkuza clans was a quandary. He might burst like a powderkeg if they handled this wrong.
Eido considered, then, that Kiyohito appeared to be in Moscow alone. One clan would be careful of blithely stepping into the territory of another, which might explain it, but recalling their earlier words she wondered if his solitary appearance might be down to something else. She wondered what he might be atoning for.
“We will help as we may, if you wish it of us,” she said. The pledge came easily, but she was peripherally aware of the surprised look Kōta gave her in response. She ignored it.
He boomed amused laughter. “Korii-san, what have you done to my sister?”
But he shrugged his agreement. Where Eido led, Kōta inevitably followed. Such was the way it had always been.
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