Last Mission - Karmic Retribution 12

Season: Winter

 

Writer: Akira

 

Characters: Madara, Kohaku, Tsukasa

 

<A couple more days later. Airing day for episode 6 of “[MaM]’s Chronicle of Parenting Struggles”>

 

Madara: “Madara and J’s~♪”

 

“For the sixth time! “[MaM]’s Chronicle of Parenting Struggles”~!”

 

Kohaku: … (Silently exits the browser.)

 

Tsukasa: Oukawa.

 

Kohaku: …

 

Tsukasa: Kohaku~n? Let’s try to eat something, okay?

 

Kohaku: …I’ll have somethin' later if I feel like it.

 

Tsukasa: “If I feel like it” won’t cut it. If you don’t eat proper meals, you will fall sick.

 

Kohaku: Actually, why are ya botherin’ me instead of doin’ yer own work?

 

Yer the head of Knights, part of ES’ big three. Yer the head of the Suou family. There must be a mountain of things fer ya to do. 

 

Tsukasa: You are more important than work.

 

I have my priorities straight.

 

Kohaku: …

 

Tsukasa: Oukawa. I don’t know what happened between you and Mikejima-senpai, but-

 

Kohaku: Nothin’, really. That guy. It’s my loss fer ever gettin’ ta know him, I swear.

 

He said he didn’t need me an’ then he fired me. Who does he think he is, really. Just thinkin’ back ta it is makin’ me angry all over again.

 

Tsukasa: To be fair, a Unit’s Leader does have the authority to expel any Member.

 

Kohaku: What’s that? It’s hard ta hear ya when ya speak in italics like that!

 

Tsukasa: You should study English more. It is known as the lingua franca of the world, after all.

 

Kohaku: Hah, I wasn’t allowed ta go ta school due to my weird family circumstances, ya see.

 

Tsukasa: Oukawa.

 

Kohaku: Wh, what is it? Don’t cling to my back like that. What are ya, some weird yokai or bug?

 

Tsukasa: You’re both smart and kind, I’m sure you realize this yourself.

 

You’re not angry at Mikejima-senpai or your family. You’re angry at yourself for being unable to do anything.

 

Kohaku: …

 

Tsukasa: I’ve been through something similar myself. I didn’t realize I was angry with myself for being powerless, stupid, and unable to do anything, so I took my anger out on those around me.

 

The reason why you weren’t allowed to attend school is because your family feared that you would be targeted by us Suous due to you being the future head of the Oukawas.

 

Kohaku: …

 

Tsukasa: They feared that my grandfather, who wanted to erase the Oukawas, would find your existence as a future clan head to be an eyesore.

 

Your family hid you away to prevent him from learning of your existence.

 

Because they loved you, because they wanted to protect you.

 

Kohaku: …Of course, I know that much. I also realize that my family in the past, and Madara-han of the present, were actin’ based on the same emotions.

 

I know that, but I just can’t accept it.

 

…Bon. J is a lot like me.

 

Tsukasa: Yes.

 

Kohaku: That kid’s existence creates conflict an’ disaster even if he himself doesn’t want that.

 

A parent’s actions affect the kid. And that kid was forced ta carry a heavy burden ever since he was born.

 

I had it much better compared ta him. At least my family loved me. Those feelings came through.

 

Meanwhile. That kid’s father tried ta make it so he never existed, and on top o’ that he mercilessly abandoned his child.

 

Tsukasa: It’s the exact opposite of your family.

 

Kohaku: I feel sorry fer him.

 

Until I came out from my prison and got ta see the wider world, I thought I was the most pitiful person in the world.

 

And yet, I wasn’t even bad off. I didn’t have freedom, but I had love.

 

Meanwhile, J has lived all on his own, without bein’ loved by anyone.

 

He might not realize this himself, but fer a kid like that, Madara-han must’ve been exactly the kinda person he was waitin’ fer.

 

Even if it was just as part of that stupid project where idols played at bein’ staff at the Maizuru House, Madara-han was able ta see J, and reached out ta him. 

 

Ta top it off, Madara-han eliminated the person who abandoned J, the person J probably hated more ‘n anythin’ else.

 

He must’ve looked like a hero in that kid’s eyes.

 

And once rogues aimin’ for his inheritance started movin’ around him, the first thing J did was reach out ta that hero of his.

 

My role in all that was simply ta play the hero’s sidekick. I could easily be replaced.

 

What J wanted was Madara-han, and I was just a bonus. I know that much.

 

I also know that the settin’ where I and Madara-han act as J’s parents ta raise him just serves as fuel fer the underworld’s “anxiety”.

 

But even then. It’s too heartless fer ‘im ta tell me not to get involved with ‘em anymore just ‘cause of that.

 

I get the reasonin’ behind his decision. I even agree with it. But painful things are still painful.

 

My heart’s hurtin’ an’ I feel tired, so I’m lettin’ myself sulk for a bit. That’s all there is. I’ll feel better in time, so I want ya ta leave me alone fer now.



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Last Mission - Karmic Retribution 13

Season: Winter

 

Writer: Akira

 

Characters: Kohaku, Tsukasa

 

 

Kohaku: This is the “correct answer”. There was nothin’ else we could’ve done.

 

Double Face is a unit built on hurtin’ others. There was never gonna be a happy endin’ where we could all end things with a smile.

 

We don’t even have the right ta ask fer such an endin’.

 

Anyone who gets involved with us was doomed ta meet with misfortune.

 

An’ this time it just happened to be my turn ta be on the losin’ side.

 

And yet, my wounds hardly make up fer the chaos we caused by removin’ GFK, erasin’ that one person an’ distortin’ so many lives.

 

This level o’ pain doesn’t even qualify as karma. 

 

I’m just feelin’ a little lonely after bein’ separated from that kid I came to like just a little.

 

Not a single drop of blood has been shed. From GFK’s point of view, my pain probably isn’t even worth mentionin’.

 

GFK was probably angry as fuck down in hell, when he watched as the spider’s thread be given ta me by chance.

 

Tsukasa: The reason you were the one to climb out of there is because you have done enough good to earn that chance.

 

GFK is a devil who tormented many people, Leo-san included, and even went as far as to throw his own child away like garbage.

 

You are nothing like him.

 

No. Even if you were soaked shoulder-deep in a sea of blood, I would still love the parts of you that were still visible.

 

And then I would pull you out of there and help you wash until your whole body was clean.

 

Kohaku: That’s yer job, yer duty, as the head of the family, after all.

 

Tsukasa: It’s because I am your family.

 

If you are in pain, then say it’s painful, and cry to your heart’s content, Oukawa. I won’t make fun of you for it.

 

This is an old-fashioned expression, but there are several times in life when a man is allowed to cry.

 

When he is born. When he dies. When he is separated from his family, and so on.

 

Even if your circumstances were unconventional, and even if it was only for a short period. You and J, no, the three of you, were definitely a real family.

 

It’s natural to cry, to regret and grieve that loss.

 

But, crying also takes up a lot of physical strength, so please eat properly. If you were to ruin your health I would worry.

 

Kohaku: Ahaha. After all that you landed on the same message, huh.

 

Tsukasa: Yes. It’s important, Oukawa.

 

Kohaku: Well, they say ya can’t be a hero on an empty stomach. Watchin’ Niki-han has made me realize just how important food is.

 

Well then. I might not be able ta get much down my throat yet, but I’ll gratefully give it a try ♪

 

Tsukasa: …

 

Kohaku: …? What’s wrong, bon?

 

Tsukasa: No, uhm, I just got a message on my Smartphone.

 

But, why? The sixth episode should have aired without issue- Ah, but then this isn’t being broadcasted live, is it? So this must be referring to something that happened after they finished filming this episode, then?

 

Kohaku: Once again, what are ya talkin’ about? Did somethin’ happen?

 

Tsukasa: I just received an urgent message from Saegusa-senpai, who is on the set of “[MaM]’s Chronicle of Parenting Struggles”.

 

-It seems J-san collapsed.

 

Kohaku: Huh!? J!? What is Madara-han doin’, he said he would protect him!

 

How did that happen? Did the evil guys hear that I dropped outta the show and think ta attack now that the defense is weaker…!?

 

Tsukasa: No, uhm, please wait a little. Please calm down, Oukawa, I am checking the text thoroughly.

 

Kohaku: And how come the text was sent ta yer phone when J was the one ta get hurt? Seems like ya got real friendly with Ibara-han when I wasn’t lookin’, huh?

 

Tsukasa: Though I am loath to accept that person's ideology, I still have a lot to learn from his Business sense… He also mentioned that he was unable to contact Oukawa, so he had no choice but to contact me in your place.

 

Kohaku: Ah, I was pissed about bein’ forced ta leave the program, so I blocked the numbers of everyone involved in the project.

 

There must be somethin’ in my genes, I’m doin’ the same as my eldest sister when she starts sulkin’ and ignorin’ me.

 

Tsukasa: A, anyways, I don’t know all the details, but I’ve been informed that J-san was taken to the closest hospital to the TV station after collapsing.

 

It is quite a distance from here… However, in order to gain an accurate understanding of the situation, let’s head straight there.

 

I will ask the driver to get the car ready for us.

 

Kohaku: Yeah! Let’s hurry, bon! Double Face already disbanded, so I no longer have the right ta say this, but-

 

Double Face, reportin’ fer duty!

 

Protectin’ J was the last job we took on as Double Face. Even if I was fired, I’ll still see it through ‘til the end!

 

That’s what duty is all about!



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