rubestie

Season: Winter

Writer: Akira

Characters: Kohaku, Madara, Tsukasa

kohaku

Kohaku: GFK, huh… Ta think that we’d hear that name after all this time…

Madara: Right. The creator God of the idol industry, who reigned over the industry for many years was the man known as Godfather.

His successor, whom we nicknamed GFK, was erased by us as Double Face.

GFK’s enormous estate was largely devoured by ES - or rather, by Ibara-san and other powerful factions.

Kohaku: And because we eliminated those pests who were causing the industry to rot away, ES was able to make a breakthrough this year.

Well, ‘s not like we can boast about any of our hard work.

After all, we’re just doin’ ta sort of dirty, behind-the-scenes work that shouldn’t ever be brought into the light.

Madara: Exactly. I only intervened because GFK was causing trouble for my friend Leo-san, after all. And then since the enemy was such a big-shot, I ended up getting involved in something huge.

Kohaku: Ya ran outta luck when what was only supposed to be one night of secret business turned into an advertisement for Double Face as a unit.

Well, that was also a necessary condition for us ta fulfill the work given ta us.

And since we couldn’t exactly disband the unit once it took off like that, we’ve been draggin’ that connection of ours along until now.

Madara: Well, it’s never possible to tell which way luck will turn, but in hindsight, I’m happy with the way things turned out.

If I had let go of the “weapon” known as “Double Face”, I might not have had the necessary means to protect this child, J.

Kohaku: What, are ya sayin’ this is gonna turn into another dangerous situation?

The type of situation where I’ll hafta don my “Double Face” mask, and not my “Crazy:B” one?

Madara: Yes. This is a job suited only for our already dirtied hands.

Tsukasa: …I’d like it if you wouldn’t get our Oukawa involved in too many dangerous things.

This child has a bright future ahead of him. I still don’t know what to think about Crazy:B as idols, but from now on I’d like to let Oukawa do work in places where the sun shines.

Kohaku: That decision isn’t yours to make, bon.

It’s my life. I won’t let anyone interfere. Not the head of the great main family, not my older sisters, and of course not Double Face or Crazy:B.

I finally gained my own freedom. I won’t let anyone interfere with it.

Madara: N~. If that’s so, then maybe it really would be best if you didn’t have to get involved with any more dirty work.

The more crimes you end up committing, the less freedom you will end up having out in society, after all.

Kohaku: What’re ya sayin’ that fer after all this time? Don’t make me kick yer ass. That kid, J, is the son of the man we erased, isn’t he?

It’s just natural fer us to take responsibility for takin’ his parent away like that, don’t ya think?

There are certain principles people need ta follow, that are separate from laws and common sense.

If we lost sight even of those, then we’d be no different from some common criminals that bon hates.

Madara: Hahaha. I thought you might say something like that, which is why I reckoned you would end up helping me.

Kohaku: Yer a man consisting only of reckonin’ and calculatin’, ain’t ya? Despite always havin’ that empty-minded, free-spirited look on yer face.

Madara: Hahaha. Don’t you just hate Machiavellian men who do nothing but plot and scheme in hushed tones?

Kohaku: I ain’t discussin’ my preferences right now. I’m on this ship already, I won’t go complainin’ if the seas are rough.

The ships’ already sailin’ across ta ocean, it doesn’t stop ta think ‘bout the feelings of those on board.

Well then? What do ya need me ta do?

Madara: Thanks for hearing me out! First things first, we will need to prepare a safe hideout for you, and then-

tsukasa

Tsukasa: (Aah… The conversation keeps marching forward.)

(This happens every time Double Face gets involved with something. Oukawa keeps getting dragged deeper and deeper into places where my hands can no longer reach him.)

(He’s being swallowed up by the darkness.)

(...I will have to stop him now. Even though it’s already too late.)

(I am the head of the Suou family. I have a duty to protect Kohaku Oukawa.)

Kohaku: -Even if ya say that, it’s not like I have any authority. Fer now, I can get ya in contact with my older sisters, they might have a better idea.

Madara: That alone is help enough. Your family loves you, which is enough reason for me to trust them as well.

That’s a big difference between our families. If I asked my parents, they could easily arrange a safehouse for J, but after that I doubt they would ever give J back to us.

Kohaku: Just how little trust do ya have fer your parents?

Madara: They are merely strangers, or rather, enemies, who share my blood after all.

Tsukasa: Mi, Mikejima-senpai.

Madara: N? What’s wrong, Tsukasa-san?

Tsukasa: If you are in need of a hideout, how about my house? As you can tell, it’s a samurai residence, so it is built to be able to withstand sieges and the like.

Madara: Yeah, I saw there were many pine trees in your garden*. However, Sengoku era common sense isn’t applicable to modern warfare, where you may be attacked with assault rifles or explosives.

Kohaku: Are ya expectin’ to be attacked with those things?

Madara: It’s too soon to tell. But well, it doesn’t hurt to be prepared.

Some humans will do pretty much anything for the sake of money, to such an extent that even I would be appalled.

Kohaku: So this is about money? I see, havin’ GFK’s orphaned child means-

Madara: Yes. J is the sole and rightful heir to the still enormous inheritance left by GFK.

Up until now, ES and the like only managed to steal away a small fragment of GFK’s fortune, as much as they could whilst staying within the limits of the law.

Which means that the majority is still up for grabs.

This is like an untouched oil field, or like the hidden Tokugawa treasure**.

Kohaku: Meanin’ this conflict is about people tryin’ ta secure J in aims of stealin’ his father’s fortune?

Madara: Yes. If you capture this child and brainwash him into saying things like “I love my new dad ♪”, then you can oficially transfer his inheritance to yourself once he’s grown up.

And just like that you can gain the vast fortune GFK himself inherited from Godfather, who used to stand on top of the world.

This fortune is of such value that by borrowing even a small amount of it, ES was able to go from being a small, recently established company to standing at the top of society.

No. This inheritance is simply pure, overwhelming “power”.

And right now a bloody conflict is spreading all across the world to get ahold of it.

A war void of justice, where honor and duty hold no worth.

madara

-

TL-notes:
* - During the Sengoku period of Japanese history, Samurai mansions and castles often planted pine trees because the tree bark was nutritious and could be used as food during sieges

** - This is a real thing, allegedly the Tokugawa Shogunate buried its entire treasury at the end of the Edo period rather than letting the new Meiji government have any of it.

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