#円 ❛ safekeeper of the tojo ; ( ic. )

[okanefutan]

anonymous inquired: do you forgive haruka for gettin happy slappy with you mine

     ❝ ⸺ Somehow, I doubt it's my forgiveness that would be sought out. ❞

He should have been the one to apologize for his rash behaviour, right? Far be it for him to hold a grudge against a child whose home was threatened ( although, the memory of being slapped by a leech  .  .  .  no, he was different now. Irate as recollecting the sting on his cheek left him, he wouldn’t debase himself into blaming her for his actions ). After all he’d experienced, his views been challenged and had his very world crash down around him, if there was thing he could admit, it was to his faults.

He had been in the wrong. He had behaved in a manner that was unbecoming ( and, quite frankly, undeserving of the object of his devotion ).

     ❝ ⸺  .  .  .  If anything, I suppose I am the one who owes her an apology. ❞

#anonymous #円 ❛ safekeeper of the tojo ; ( ic. ) #円 ❛ cash flow ; ( asks. ) #円 ❛ maybe in my next life... I'll have what it takes to earn your respect. ; ( v: Survival ) #sdalfkjhg 'happy slappy' I'm in tears #also mine beefing with children is also hilarious to me

[okanefutan]

anonymous inquired: ' Dare ' + I dare you to tell Daigo that you purposely endangered Kiryu's life and refused to protect him as ordered. // [x]

Mine knew full well he was on thin ice as far as Daigo was concerned. That he was fortunate to not only have his favour, but to have managed to retain it in the wake of his self-destruction  .  .  .  so why this? Why deliberately sabotage him after the efforts he’s made to make amends? His blood ran cold, palms growing clammy at the sheer notion of confessing to not only his disobedience, but his purposeful disregard of the ex-chairman’s wishes. 

Although by this point Mine knew better than to doubt Kiryu wouldn’t have been able to handle the ambush, reinforcements and all, he was staunchly under the belief that, at the time, he would have died had Mine not had a change of heart. Had he not dealt with the reinforcements himself, forever keeping his involvement in Kiryu’s endangerment behind the scenes.

     ❝ ⸺ I  .  .  .  Did what I believed to be best for the sake of the Sixth Chairman, and by extension, the Tojo Clan as a whole. ❞ That had been his rationale at the time, hadn’t it? But that wasn’t the entire story. He was bitter. He had seen all the extent to which Daigo had gone out of his way to defend the man, and for what? Mine was well-aware Daigo’s position was not one he’d ever asked for. It was thrust onto him, Kiryu having left him to suffer in a role he could have easily assumed himself.

Daigo’s good graces, at the time, felt undeserved. Something Mine now understood was far from his place to act upon. That bond between them both was something Mine should never had tried to sever, regardless of his intent.

     ❝ ⸺ I don’t have much of a choice here, do I? ❞ It’s a somber thought. One that had him defaulting to detachment from the situation. Whatever would come of this, he wholeheartedly knew would be deserved; and he would face it head on if need be. 

     ❝ ⸺ @sixthxchairman​. This hardly needs much deliberation; this was back when I was sent to Okinawa to aid the bodyguards you had hired. ❞

#anonymous #円 ❛ safekeeper of the tojo clan ; ( ic. ) #円 ❛ cash flow ; ( asks. ) #円 ❛ maybe in my next life... I'll have what it takes to earn your respect. ; ( v: Survival ) #going straight for the throat LMAOOO #im sorry for the tag i don't know what the etiquette for this is #but since it pertains to your muse dawn

[okanefutan]

@stovthearted asked: " kiryu vc: i love you don't kill me "

     ❝ ⸺ . . . I beg your pardon? ❞

#stovthearted #円 ❛ safekeeper of the tojo ; ( ic. ) #円 ❛ cash flow ; ( asks. ) #円 ❛ fuck them kids ; ( crack. ) #i restrained myself from making a 'saying this he threw away his large knife' joke

[okanefutan]

@stovthearted inquired: " i won’t hate you. i know you think that’s what you deserve but it’s not. " // [x]

Kiryu was candid, but relatively sympathetic ⸺ surprisingly so given their history, and, contrary to the older man's words, very much not what he deserved. He didn't deserve the sympathy, didn't deserve Kiryu's understanding; he deserved every bit of hatred the dragon could physically harbour in his heart towards him. Hatred was something Mine understood all too well ⸺ so why did Kiryu continue to try with him?

The other's attempts at reassurance was met with the beginnings of a smirk ⸺ dry, humourless, cynical. This man who he had marked as such a liability to Daigo had seemingly endless reserves of empathy for those who'd wronged him. He seemed every bit the liability he had considered him to be, and yet, he was powerful in his own right; perhaps Mine had been mistaken in his judgement.

They were a lot more similar than the entrepreneur had initially thought. They had both given him far more chances than he had deserved, had an untraditional charisma about them that swayed others to their sides, and Mine couldn't help but think back to that very first encounter he'd had with the chairman, watching how his men had laid their lives down without so much as a second thought for his continued wellbeing.

     ❝ ⸺ . . . Why? ❞ he finally asked, head bowing as he shook it, chuckling despite himself. ❝ I've done wrong by you too many times to count. So why? You have every right to hate me. ❞

#stovthearted #円 ❛ safekeeper of the tojo ; ( ic. ) #円 ❛ cash flow ; ( asks. ) #円 ❛ maybe in my next life... I'll have what it takes to earn your respect. ; ( v: Survival )

[okanefutan]

@seeasunset inquired: ❝ What brings you to the Compass? Surely you don't mean to relax for the night, but for business of some sort.❞ (You're getting this AU cause I need to try it out. :3c If that's okay!)

The host’s assumption was correct: the entrepreneur had little interest in visiting the establishment as a client to entertain himself. Cabaret and host clubs alike were far from his scene, and while he may have very much looked the part of the regular, wealthier clientele the club undoubtedly received, his unwillingness to loosen up and enjoy himself alone set him apart. Needless to say, he knew he stood out like a sore thumb, but the host’s words only served to further cement that fact in his mind.

     ❝ ⸺ You would be right. ❞ He took the opportunity to bask in his surroundings; the club was on the smaller side when compared to its many competitors in Kamurocho. Small, but quaint, well-decorated with enough pretty faces to keep with the booming business. It was no wonder it had thrived and prospered for as long as it had in the district.

Which is precisely why Mine had first set his eyes on it as a potential business venture.

    ❝ ⸺ I was meaning to speak with the owner. Are they by chance in right now? ❞

#seeasunset #円 ❛ safekeeper of the tojo ; ( ic. ) #円 ❛ cash flow ; ( asks. ) #lmk if you need anything changed!

[okanefutan]

@poppydedicant​​​ inquired: “I did not attend his funeral, but I sent a nice letter saying I approved of it.” // [x]  

Although this individual was an absolute stranger as far as Mine was concerned, he couldn’t deny the attitude was one he could personally get behind. He quirked a brow and locked eyes with the other, but gave no indication of his amusement ( let alone acknowledgement beyond that ). Unlikely of a story as it were, the businessman could still entertain himself with the thought of such a letter being sent to a funeral reception ⸺ morbid? Maybe so, but not once was he to claim his sense of humour didn’t encroach on darker territory.

It wasn’t often he indulged others in conversation these days. Far be it for him to approach anyone at a bar, so drinks were often shared with colleagues he too kept at an arm’s length, if at all. It had crossed his mind to drive the stranger off, focus on his own drink alone, and continue enjoying his evening as he had initially intended, but something about that opener compelling him to press. 

    ❝ ⸺ I don’t suppose you received a reply in return. ❞ Never mind retaining any contact between himself and those who had suffered the loss. Taking his eyes off the stranger, Mine set his gaze ahead of himself, raising his glass level to his lips as though to take another drink ⸺ pausing only to speak again.

   ❝ ⸺ Perhaps I will have to take a page from your book next time I’m expected to attend a funeral. ❞ Probably not, but it was a nice thought to evade such an obligation when, chances were, he had no attachment to either those in attendance mourning, nor the unfortunate soul it was being held for.

#poppydedicant #円 ❛ safekeeper of the tojo ; ( ic. ) #hope this is okay! #lmk if you need anything changed

[okanefutan]

anonymous inquired: 😶 + do you wish that Daigo had never found out that you survived, Mine? would it be easier if he hadn't, or are you glad that he did? // [x]

     ❝ ⸺ Were you to ask me this before it’d happened and had phrased it as whether or not I’d want Daigo-san finding me, my answer may have been different. ❞ After all, he’d gone into this with the idea in mind that, as far as the world was concerned, Mine Yoshitaka was dead and gone. He’d accepted that he would never see those he’d once had known again, and never would he have imagined he and Daigo would cross paths out of sheer luck so far from home. 

His aversion to meeting the other again had been born of his uncertainty. That innate fear of Daigo wanting him removed from his life and potential of hearing it confirmed. Who knows if his heart or his already fragile psyche would have been able to endure a blow like that. If nothing else, it’d been a tremendous weight off his shoulders, and whatever followed he was confident the two of them could work through.

     ❝ ⸺ But as things stand now, I can safely say I’m glad he did. My only regret when it comes to us reuniting is it not happening sooner. ❞

#anonymous #円 ❛ safekeeper of the tojo ; ( ic. ) #円 ❛ cash flow ; ( asks. ) #円 ❛ maybe in my next life... I'll have what it takes to earn your respect. ; ( v: Survival )

[okanefutan]

@stingslikeabee inquired:

It wasn't Melissa's first rodeo as Mine's stand-in plus one for some corporate event where he was supposed to bring a guest of the female variety - although it made for a rather interesting picture if only because her hostess persona worked wonders to have her smiling and being friendly to mostly everyone within the room, whereas Mine was... More selective in terms of who merited his time or attention.

The fact that both of them could speak English also meant that, sometimes, she purposefully shifted to that language to make certain comments that she'd rather not have anyone else listening to - such as now, with the brunette leaning into his side, taking advantage of their linked arms and craning her head to speak close enough to the yakuza's ear.

"By the champagne fountain, three o'clock," she murmured, indicating a guy who seemed to be all alone for the time being. He was tall, dressed in a very nicely tailored suit, with just the right amount of facial hair that set him apart from the average men in the room, not to mention a certain look in his eyes that seemed to announce an interesting past (or at least some personality), "Is he more to your liking? There are hundreds of guys here, there has to be someone you find attractive, Mine-kun."

A brow rose the moment she’d leaned in to whisper to him in English, eyes following the location she had marked to the man in question. Tall, dark hair, and a short enough beard to have the stranger feeling reminiscent of someone else he was familiar with  .  .  .  How uncanny. Far be it from him to deny the stranger was attractive ⸺ handsome, even, difficult as it was for Mine to discern whether that was of his own merit or due to that resemblance he just couldn’t seem to shake off.

Was that his type? What nonsense. Handsome or not, he just wasn’t interested, truthfully. Although he was more than capable of admitting to one’s physical charm, he had no desire to act upon baseline attraction. He was a busy man ⸺ far too busy to entertain a romantic pursuit ( at least, that was what he would tell himself, contrary to his yearning for an honest connection that just seemed so far out of reach ).

Mine couldn’t understand what Melissa had to gain when it came to pointing people out to him just like this; first women, and then shifting to the various men she’d found interesting enough herself. The sentiment was nice. That much he could acknowledge, but his true thoughts on the matter felt far too convoluted for him to express in the moment, never mind verbalize as a whole. 

     ❝ ⸺ Doubtful, ❞ he was quick to dismiss the notion of finding anyone he felt enough of a draw to for him to want to so much as entertain conversation with. With their arms still entwined, he inclined his head to whisper similarly to how she had. ❝ As open as I am to networking, I’m hardly looking at anyone here in the manner you’re suggesting. ❞ 

Mine considered for a moment, before adding, ❝ You’re free to go socialize with him if you’d like. Don’t let me stop you. ❞

#stingslikeabee #円 ❛ safekeeper of the tojo ; ( ic. ) #円 ❛ cash flow ; ( asks. ) #円 ❛ I intend on moving forward in the way I see most fit. ; ( v: Yakuza 3 )

[okanefutan]

@seeasunset inquired: ' Swordplay ' // [x]

For as adept a fighter as the yakuza was ( contrary to what most may have assumed based off appearance alone), it was rare Mine would be seen exerting himself outside of his private workout sessions. Rare he would indulge anyone in the context of a spar, and even rarer he would reveal his cards ⸺ let alone to the host.

Memory as to how the altercation had started eluded him. Mine, at the very least, had the courtesy not to aim his punches at the other’s face, knowing its importance when it came to his work. To his credit, the host himself seemed far more adept at combat than his looks betrayed ⸺ the two of them seemed easy enough to underestimate, but for all Vasco’s supposed fighting prowess, it would appear Mine still had the upper hand.

A well-aimed punch to the gut, and he hooked his leg around the other’s to throw him off balance, ultimately sending them both to the ground with him on top. Momentarily, he kept Vasco pinned, and although his breathing was slightly elevated  .  .  .  Through the way he glowered down at the other, it would seem he’d barely broken a sweat. He allowed his victory to linger, basking in what, to him, was expected overall, before he moved to remove himself from the other’s figure, straightening out his tie as the rose to his feet.

     ❝ ⸺ I’m a lot stronger than I look, ❞ he mused, and a keen eye would have been able to catch the hint of a smirk growing at the edges of his lips. ❝ I do believe we’re done here. ❞

#seeasunset #円 ❛ safekeeper of the tojo ; ( ic. ) #円 ❛ cash flow ; ( asks. ) #i just realized i accidentally reblogged this straight off of you #i am SO sorry for that

[okanefutan]

@stingslikeabee inquired: 🔥? // [x]

As if she really needs him fluffing her ego. As a hostess she was undoubtedly highly sought after ( even if it’d been by her very niche clientele, those men would sing her praises to the high heavens ). Although her looks may not have coincided with all of Japan’s traditional norms where it pertained to beauty, while Mine may have appeared very much the traditional businessman, he, in reality, was far from it. He could acknowledge her beauty, see how and why a very particular demographic would have sought her out by name, and perhaps if things were different, would have very much succumbed to her wiles himself. 

But surely she didn’t need him of all people telling her that.

     ❝ ⸺ She’s fine. ❞ A simple, almost dismissive answer. Not by any means a negative, because truthfully, he had nothing negative to say in regards to her appearance. ❝ Another pretty woman in a field where they’re ubiquitous. One would expect no less. ❞

#stingslikeabee #円 ❛ safekeeper of the tojo ; ( ic. ) #円 ❛ cash flow ; ( asks. ) #円 ❛ I intend on moving forward in the way I see most fit. ; ( v: Yakuza 3 ) #the rare occasion i give melissa a little bit of a hard time #i think he just likes making things difficult for her. just a little.

[okanefutan]

@sixthxchairman inquired: 🔥? // [x]

This one should go without saying. 

That’s almost the response he gives. Emotionally stunted as Mine may feel he is, he’s, by this point, certain the ex-chairman is well-aware of Mine’s thoughts in regards to how attractive he finds the other man. At this point, he may have even been offended had he not known.

Obviously, he found Daigo attractive. While they were relatively lowkey when it came to their connection, forgoing PDA and maintaining that air of professionalism in public ( as though that aspect of their lives had never changed ), there was never a conscious effort to hide things either. Perhaps it was just due to Mine’s secretive and distant nature ⸺ he was still adjusting to that semblance of normalcy when all his past relationships were anything but.

    ❝ ⸺ Of course. ❞ For all of the sheer weight of his words, they’re spoken deceptively easily, calm, and were it not for the faint beginnings of a smirk the edges of his lips twitched upwards into, one could assume he was just parroting common knowledge. ❝ I’d even go as far as to say he’s the most handsome man I’ve had the fortune of being acquainted with. ❞

#sixthxchairman #円 ❛ safekeeper of the tojo ; ( ic. ) #円 ❛ cash flow ; ( asks. ) #円 ❛ maybe in my next life... I'll have what it takes to earn your respect. ; ( v: Survival )

[okanefutan]

@seeasunset​​ inquired: “A good motto to live by: ‘Always try not to get killed.’” // [x]  

Well, that was just a given, wasn’t it? Most people weren’t actively in pursuit of their deaths ⸺ most had some sense of self-preservation, but whether or not Mine could be considered the exception to that rule had yet to be determined. Time and time again, it seemed, he’d been left without purpose in life. His own life had little value, as far as he was concerned, and were it not for that man giving him a newfound sense of purpose all those years back, chances were his blatant disregard for his life would very well have gotten himself killed the first time Kanda had left him to die. 

But that was in the past, wasn’t it? What was there left to motivate him? To keep him from doing just as the other had suggested? “Try not to get killed”  .  .  . 

How laughable.

How foolishly optimistic. The ever-stoic pillar of a man could’ve legitimately laughed at the notion, had it not left such a sour taste in his mouth. “Try not to get killed.” It would seem time and time again his actions had resulted in the polar opposite. Jumping off what felt like a building spanning a hundred storeys ( the impact had certainly felt that impression ) should have been a testament to that, and yet, there he was.

Despite everything, he’d survived. Even when he hadn’t wanted to, even when he’d actively sought death, death itself seemed not to want him ⸺ and where had that left him? A broken, shell of a man scrambling for purchase at whatever purpose he could. 

     ❝ ⸺ A good motto to live by  .  .  .  ❞ he’d parroted through his self-reflection, mouth twisting into a wry smirk. It was an empty look, devoid of warmth, giving no impression that he’d agreed contrary to his words. ❝ Yes. I suppose you would be right. That is how most people live, is it not? ❞

Clambering for survival, looking for any means to keep themselves safe, keep themselves thriving. Like vermin, very few people were exceptions to that rule.

#seeasunset #円 ❛ safekeeper of the tojo ; ( ic. ) #円 ❛ cash flow ; ( asks. ) #円 ❛ maybe in my next life... I'll have what it takes to earn your respect. ; ( v: Survival )

[okanefutan]

tag dump ;

#円 ❛ man of few words ; ( ooc. ) #円 ❛ safekeeper of the tojo ; ( ic. ) #円 ❛ return on investment ; ( prompts. ) #円 ❛ kirin-ji ; ( about. ) #円 ❛ a life driven by money ; ( musings. ) #円 ❛ pinstripe and gold ; ( aesthetics. ) #円 ❛ fuck them kids ; ( crack. ) #円 ❛ prodigy entrepreneur ; ( char: Mine ) #円 ❛ so I'm prepared to put everything on the line if it's for you. ; ( char: Daigo ) #円 ❛ I wish we could have met sooner. I really do. ; ( char: Kiryu ) #円 ❛ I intend on moving forward in the way I see most fit. ; ( v: Yakuza 3 ) #円 ❛ maybe in my next life... I'll have what it takes to earn your respect. ; ( v: Survival )

[okanefutan]

@dojimakaichou inquired: " i’ll still be here when you wake. " // [x]

The past few months had been a tumultuous time for the pair. It was to be expected, given how Mine had practically appeared before Daigo like a ghost long-since passed ( unintentional as it may have been on the entrepreneur's part ), but between their busy schedules ( of which Mine was fully prepared to drop it all to return to Daigo's side ), it was decided that the former chairman would be the one to make the global commute to and from Japan to meet with Mine fairly regularly.

Mine would've argued, insisted that the CEO's time was too valuable to put aside for his sake, but there was something in Daigo's eyes when he'd made his assertion that told him it wasn't up for debate. That, if anything, the arrangement would be beneficial to the man who appeared aged well-beyond his years ( but nevertheless remained handsome, Mine would note ). He needed the space from his work. To work away from his colleagues, that room to breathe and relax and enjoy himself in a capacity outside his work, and Mine by no means would be the one to deprive him of that opportunity.

It took some adjustment, but given the mere range of what they'd gone through leading up to this point, this very well may have been the closest to actual peace they'd manage to find. Yet, it would be dishonest for Mine to act as though he'd fully acclimated; it still felt bizarre ⸺ well beyond surreal, even, for him to wake by Daigo's side. Sleep had never come easy to the high-strung capitalist, but as of late it'd been exasperated not by nights where he could feel and hear the air passing him by at increased velocities while the ground rapidly drew near, but rather, the thought of waking up to an empty bed as he had countless nights before.

Mine would have never considered himself an easy read, but Daigo's dark eyes on him left him feeling as though the other man saw through him effortlessly. As though his soul had already been bared on full display of its own volition; never would he hesitate to offer all to the other, both body and mind if he so desired, but Daigo never asked. He needn't ask, and judging by the words that followed, he certainly could read Mine far better than he could read himself as it were.

I'll still be here when you wake.

     ❝ ⸺ And here I thought I'd been subtle. ❞ Mine's eyes shifted back to where Daigo laid beside him, lips thinning as he seemed to consider his next words.

     ❝ ⸺ I must confess, I can't help but wonder sometimes if this is all a dream. Never would I have imagined . . . ❞ That he would have ever been gifted with the opportunity to see Daigo again. That Daigo would have mourned and missed him in his absence. That he would find himself in a position where he could see the other man in this new light. Where words failed his heart soared, and although he'd indefinitely trailed off, a faint smile broke through his stoic exterior; something far softer than he would have ever consider suiting for his own face.

It was reassuring to hear he'd still be there. Even if Mine wouldn't voice it, he'd sought that comfort, that warmth and concern that extended to anyone Daigo commanded ( or even associated with ) over the years.

     ❝ ⸺ I can't begin to express how lucky a man you've made me. ❞

#dojimakaichou #円 ❛ safekeeper of the tojo ; ( ic. ) #円 ❛ cash flow ; ( asks. ) #円 ❛ maybe in my next life... I'll have what it takes to earn your respect. ; ( v: Survival )

[okanefutan]

@kamurobroker inquired: gay gay homosexual gay

❝ ⸺  .  .  .  ❞

❝ ⸺ Not one for positive first impressions, are you? ❞

#kamurobroker #円 ❛ safekeeper of the tojo ; ( ic. ) #円 ❛ cash flow ; ( asks. )

[okanefutan]

anonymous inquired: "Mine ! What is your favorite color? & why do you like it?"

     ❝ ⸺ Red. ❞ An easy enough answer; as for why he would consider it his favourite is up for debate. ❝ Although I wouldn’t boil down my affinity for it to this, I see it as a strong colour. One that embodies passion, wrath, vigor, anger. ❞

     ❝ ⸺  .  .  .  That being said, I can’t say I’m particularly picky when it comes to colours. I do tend to lean towards warmer ones, I’ve noticed. ❞

#anonymous #円 ❛ safekeeper of the tojo ; ( ic. ) #円 ❛ cash flow ; ( asks. ) #thank you for the ask!