Chapter Text
If there was one thing Kiryu Kazuma never expected, it was becoming a single father.
It was still a recent, hard thing to cope with. His wife’s death was a tough blow to take, and their daughter, while well behaved, was still reeling from the change in their lives. Yumi had been their pillar and Kiryu felt like he was drowning taking care of Haruka on his own. Ten years of togetherness just gone. Sometimes he wondered how he managed.
“Dad?! You aren’t up yet?!”
Well, he supposed he did know how.
Haruka barged into his room, her little feet running across the floor to the window to pull open the curtains. The light of the sun hit him dead in the eye and Kiryu groaned, rolling over to bury his face into the pillows.
“I’m going to be late! And so are you. You said you’d walk me to school today since the bookstore was on the way,” Haruka said as she yanked at the blankets he desperately tried to keep over him.
“I don’t even work today,”
“Yes, you do. It’s on the calendar,”
“Is it?” Kiryu smirked as he lifted his head. “Ah…guess I’m just going to have to call—“
“No!” His daughter yanked harder, completely removing the blanket from his body. “You’ve been living off savings this whole time! What would mom think if you didn’t show up to your first day of work?!”
“She’d be a lot kinder than you!”
“That’s a lie and you know it! Now c’mon, dad! You still have time to get dressed! I even packed you a bento,”
Ah, well, maybe she was doing just fine. Maybe it was him that was reeling.
Holding her hand as they made their way down the street to her school, Kiryu couldn’t help but glance down at himself. He used to be a high-class kind of guy. Business orientated, maybe a little too business orientated, if he was being fair. Nights out at the bar to make connections, getting into drunken brawls, and coming home to a wife who would just put her hands on her hips and shake her head at the blood splatter on his suit knowing well that she’d be spending the night cleaning it. And now? He was wearing jeans, sneakers and a damn sweatshirt. Underneath he wore the black polo shirt associated with his new job.
Bookstore clerk. Barista. It would be almost embarrassing if his absolute meltdown after Yumi passed hadn’t been the worst of his downfall. He didn’t have the time to dedicate to his job anymore, and he drowned fast. Getting fired and having to downsize and take care of his daughter alone, it just…wasn’t what he expected.
He grew up in a time when the women took care of the house and well, he just wasn’t sure if he was ready to find another woman to do all of that. Not to mention, his depression era wasn’t much of a catch. Haruka told him as much. Apparently eating ramen cups and drinking beer in his pajamas while watching crime dramas wasn’t attractive. According to all her little classmates, he was a loser, and they all had high expectations of the future boys they’d turn into their husbands. Respectful, well dressed, taking care of themselves and able to read their minds.
He couldn’t even remember if Haruka had a club event.
Kiryu sighed and squeezed her hand a little, making her look up at him as they approached the gate of the school.
“You can leave me here,”
“Are you sure? I don’t mind coming inside,”
“Nah. I’m good. You’re late anyway. Did you remember your wallet?”
“I thought I was your dad. Why are you mothering me?”
“You did…didn’t you…”
“…Yes,”
Haruka sighed and stomped her foot. “You’re lucky I remembered!” She said and took her backpack off to rummage inside and pulled out his wallet, handing it over.
“I’m sorry, Haruka,”
“It’s fine. I just don’t know what you’d do without me. Will you pick me up from school too, or are you going to forget again?”
Kiryu frowned. “Haruka…give me some credit…I’ll be off at three, which means I’ll make it back in time once all your activities and clean up are done,”
She looked up at him with her big, brown eyes and frowned. “Just don’t say you promise…You never do it when you promise,”
Ouch.
“Fine. I don’t promise. But I will be back to walk you home. And I’ll make dinner. Not Ramen,” Kiryu said and held his arms apart. “Do I get a hug before I go, or are you too old and cool for that now?”
Without hesitation, she wrapped her arms around him, and he squeezed her tight. Haruka slipped out of his arms after a moment and gave him a wave as she ran inside, leaving Kiryu standing there, contemplating just turning around and going back home. The anxiety of it all was just building. He didn’t want to let her down, but he didn’t know if he was cut out for all of this. He already felt like he failed her, that he could have prevented her from feeling the weight on her shoulders that she did if he had just held it together better.
Well, if he didn’t make an effort, could he say that he ever tried?
Yumi would scold him for not giving it his all.
Shoving his hands into his sweater pockets, he ducked his head down and continued down the road. He could do this. He could be average and normal. He didn’t have to be tough as nails business guy. He just had to be Haruka’s dad. The best dad he could be.
“So, all you need to do is run the cash register and when it’s quiet, stock the shelves. It’s an easy system, and if you have any questions, you can ask me,”
Kiryu listened intently, as his new boss, a young girl named Mina, explained his duties at the bookstore. Luckily, when it came to computer systems, he picked up the register quickly, probably thanks to his previous office job. It was the stocking shelves and running the small coffee bar that had him nervous. She’d already gone over his workflow for that, stating that it was rare to work alone, but when he happened to have a slower day, he would be in charge of everything, so knowing how to pour coffee was essential.
What would Yumi think of him now? From Hero to Zero, Kiryu used to be on top of the world. Now he was pouring coffee and scanning books. At least it was quiet. Most of the people there would come in, grab a cup of bean water and flip through some books. Some even brought laptops and schoolwork, using the quiet space to catch up on homework, writing and who knew what else.
“Oh! And one more thing!” Mina turned around, clapping her hands together. “We have a popular author coming in tomorrow for book signing! It will be a little busier for your second shift, but we have all hands-on deck,”
“We have authors come in too?”
“Yep! They do book signings and releases sometimes. This guy is very popular. He writes a very successful crime drama series,” She beamed, staring up at him. “Maybe you’ve heard of it? It’s called Like a Dragon, and it’s all about Yakuza and Cops and the corrupt world they live in. They’re so good! Have you heard of it before?”
Kiryu smiled and scratched the back of his head. “Unfortunately, no. I was pretty busy in my previous line of work. Not a lot of time to read,”
“That’s okay. We have several copies here for the release of his fourth novel, you’ll find him in M for Majima Goro, in the Crime and Drama section. If you’re interested in giving them a try. I recommend them!” Mina said and then motioned for Kiryu to follow her. “Anyways! On with the tour. I’ll show you to the back where you’ll take your break,”
“Wow, I’m surprised you remembered to come get me,”
“Have some faith in me as a father, Haruka,” Kiryu sighed, shoving his hands in his pockets. “How was school?”
“Uneventful,”
“Any homework?”
“Tons,”
“How was your club?”
“We started reading another series, but I don’t have the book and we were short copies,”
“You should have told me. I could have gotten one from the store.”
“Can you get me one tomorrow? We want to read at least five chapters by the weekend,” Haruka shifted her backpack on her shoulders and looked up at Kiryu. “If it isn’t too much…”
“It’s fine. You’re allowed to ask for things,” Kiryu took her hand, giving it a squeeze as they walked down the road. “I know things have been tough lately…but I would never let you go without,”
“I know, dad…I guess…I just worry about us…Now that mom is gone…You’ve been so forgetful and sad. I don’t want to burden you. You try so hard as it is,”
Haruka was wise beyond her years, a trait gained from Yumi. Kiryu didn’t deserve either of them, if he was being honest. Without them, though, he’d be so lost.
He smiled down at his daughter and tugged her closer to his side. “You have nothing to worry about. I know this new job isn’t as great as the last, but I’m going to make it the best I can. You just worry about being a kid, alright?”
“Okay…Hey…Dad?”
“Yeah?”
“Can we make Katsu tonight? For good luck?”
“Sure. Anything you want,”
The bookstore was busy, and Kiryu found himself wanting nothing more than to hide amongst the shelves and wait for it all to blow over. Mina and the other, frankly younger, employees, were all on duty thanks to the book signing, so the most he had to do was fill in where needed. He started on cash in the morning, scanning books and counting Yen, which he was thankfully good at. There were a lot of people there to see this Majima Goro. Mostly women. Whoever this guy was, they made him out to be some kind of sex magnet.
What kind of writer had idol status like this? It made no sense.
“Kiryu-san!” Mina called out to him and shuffled over to the register, smiling. “Do you mind putting the cart of books away? I want to make sure everything is in proper order before Majima-san gets here,”
“Yeah, sure,” He nodded, thankful that someone had heard his silent plea for peace.
It also gave him time to find that book Haruka needed.
Grabbing the cart of books to put back, Kiryu scanned each section, placing everything where it should be. It was almost like doing his previous job, but physical. He could touch each bit of information and put it exactly where he needed it to be. It made him miss those days. Meetings, big wigs coming in, the rush of wanting to network and set yourself up for further success. And then Yumi died. None of it mattered after that. How could he care if some rich guy from America was coming to check on the status of their company when his daughter was distraught at school, and he couldn’t even make a simple meal properly? How was he supposed to care about after-hours meetups at bars and fancy restaurants? Or booking a whole Cabaret Club so he and his coworkers could get sloshed and enjoy the attention of women?
His hand paused as he pushed a book back into place and he frowned.
What was there to miss besides his wife?
She’d laugh at him now, watching him fumble and screw up and be normal. It was almost humbling to be this low.
“Do you think Majima-san will wear the snakeskin today or the suit?”
“What if he wears something completely different? What if his looks have changed since the last book! It’s been a couple years…but I’m sure he’s still handsome,”
Kiryu frowned and turned his head to find a group of teen girls, who were obviously skipping school, crowded in the corner giggling.
“I wonder if the eyepatch is cosplay?”
“Oh! Like Mad Dog!”
“Yeah! You can tell he likes writing that character! His outfits always match!”
“The third book had me really concerned that we wouldn’t see Mad Dog again…”
“Right? I never expected how it went, and Dragon seemed so much more concerned for—“
“Y’know, eavesdroppin’ on young girls makes ya come off as a creep,”
Kiryu froze, a fearful shiver running up his spine as he quickly turned around to find himself face to face with an eyepatch wearing cosplayer. At least he looked like a cosplayer. With a silver snake on his patch, and snakeskin jacket over a thin turtleneck, the guy looked like he was straight out of the Yakuza. Black hair fell in his face, and he lifted his leather gloved hand to push his hair back with a smirk.
“Maybe they should be in school and not fawning over writers in a bookstore,”
“Hey now, we all got our favourite idols. I bet yer a real big fan of those city pop gals,”
“Maybe back in the eighties when I was a kid,”
“Ah, too old fer fun times now?”
“Just not into school uniforms,”
“Wha? What kinda guy isn’t into the whole schoolgirl thing?”
“A man who has a kid in school?”
“Got me there,”
They stared at each other a moment longer before Kiryu sighed and tried to put on his best customer service face.
“Sorry, did you need help finding anything?”
“Nah, just wanted to see the new blood. Didn’t think the store hired guys like ya,” the cosplayer shrugged.
“And what kind of guy do you think I am?”
“Business mogul type. Thinkin’ yer used t’ suits and expensive bottles of champagne…and definitely not someone who reads,”
“Hey, I read!”
“Yeah? More than the newspaper to check the stocks?”
Well, he got him there.
“I ain’t here t’ start somethin’ with ya. Just wanted t’ see who the new guy was. Ya standout in a place like this,”
“I try not to,”
“Heh, don’t we all?” The man chuckled and reached past him, leaning in close so that their faces were nearly next to each other and pulled a book off the shelf.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a sharpie, opening the cover and scribbled out a signature and a note before handing it over.
“I’ll pay fer it. Give it a try, yah?” He smiled. “Ya look like yer in need of an adventure,”
And with that the man was walking away, steel-tipped shoes clanking softly on the carpeted floor. Kiryu stood there, bewildered, as he held the book in his hands.
Like A Dragon.
Kiryu’s eyes widened, and his head snapped up as the man with the eyepatch walked over to their author table and the crowd of people in the store began to take their seats eagerly. The whole place was full of excited murmuring as he smiled at everyone and bowed his head.
“Thank ya fer comin’ t’ the book signin’ and release of my fourth novel, Like A Dragon: Heirs to the Legend!”
Majima Goro.
Majima Goro came up to him and signed a book for him and gave it to him. For free.
“Holy shit…”
The store was an absolute mess of people talking about the new book, holding multiple copies as they stood in line to check out. Kiryu wasn’t sure he even had a single thought of his own as he scanned and checked out each book, giving back change and waving the next group over. The chatter was just noise, noise he couldn’t comprehend, and he found himself falling back into his old habit of nodding along and smiling, nothing anyone was saying even penetrating his brain.
Once the crowd began to disperse, he let out a sigh and checked his watch. Almost time for a break.
Turning to see if Mina was nearby, he was immediately pulled back to what he was doing when a flash of yellow snakeskin came into view. Majima Goro, the cosplaying writer, stood before him with a swarmy grin, leaning heavily on the counter.
“You buying something?”
“Nah, just wonderin’ when ya might be going on lunch,” he said, rubbing the back of his head where his hair was shaved down. “Thinkin’ we could grab a cup of coffee or somethin’,”
“Uh…why?”
“Well, yer the only one that ain’t between the age of thirteen and twenty working here and after all of the fan girl chit chat, would be nice t’ talk to an adult?”
Kiryu snorted and shook his head. “And here I thought that most of your readers might be older men anyway. Having a younger female fan base should be a dream for you, right? A guy your age should love the attention,”
“Oi, what’s that supposed t’ mean? Ya callin’ me old?!”
“I’m not calling you young,”
“Yer kinda rude,”
“You’re the one asking a sad, nearly middle-aged guy out for coffee. I didn’t even know who you were a day ago,” Kiryu crossed his arms and leaned over the counter, smirking.
“Ah, well, maybe I find that nice. Y’know…not bein’ recognized. But seriously. Maybe if we grab coffee, the tweens that are in love with me will leave me alone. Plus, I’m kinda curious why a guy like ya is workin’ in a place like this,” Majima tilted his head and smiled. “Maybe…ya just got this whole aura of a guy who needs some friends his own age,”
Kiryu frowned and opened his mouth, trying to retort with something when Mina appeared behind Majima, waving at him.
“Ah! Kiryu-san! You can take your lunch break now,” she said with a smile and then turned to bow her head to Majima. “And thank you again for coming, Majima-san. It’s always a pleasure to listen to you talk about your series,”
“Bah, ain’t nothin’ to it. I’m happy t’ do it. Yer shop has always been perfect fer promotin’ my work,” He shrugged, smiling fondly at her before glancing back at Kiryu. “So, whaddaya say? Coffee?”
“Fine. Mina-chan? I’ll be back in thirty,”
As he rounded the counter, he noticed Majima give himself a little fist pump. Clearly the guy was starved for some manly conversation. Kiryu wasn’t sure he was that guy though. He didn’t really read and wasn’t much of a talker as it was. But he couldn’t deny that he was a sucker for a stray and Majima kind of came off that way. A loner looking for friendship.
Majima motioned him out of the store and Kiryu shoved his hands in his sweater pockets, following him down the road to a fancier little spot. An Italian coffee shop seemed to be his pick for the day, a place that he knew had some decent sandwiches and espresso. Kiryu pulled out his wallet and swore he saw a fly flitter out of the folds.
Crap.
“Hey, lunch is on me, yah?”
“Uh, sure? Thanks,”
They ordered two caprese sandwiches, while Kiryu got himself a black coffee. Majima seemed more into sweet coffees and got himself a latte. They sat down at the back of the shop, waiting for their order, staring one another down before Kiryu cleared his throat.
“So…Is this all cosplay for the book or…?” Kiryu scratched his cheek.
“Haw?! Cosplay?”
“Some girls said you seem to dress up like your characters when you do these book signings and releases,”
“I…I mean sure, sometimes, but this is usually what I wear,” Majima looked down at himself. “Something wrong with that?”
“Nah, I mean, ya look a little bit like a douche—“
“Whoa whoa whoa! A douche?!” Majima shouted, instantly bowing his head and apologizing to the older crowd in the shop. “What comes off as douchebag?!”
“The snakeskin to start,” Kiryu snorted. “Sort of Yakuza like. And the leather gloves and pants? Not to mention the shoes. And who even wears an eyepatch?”
“A dude with one eye!”
“You only have one eye? How did that happen?” Kiryu smiled, leaning forward.
“Oi! That’s a little rude to ask when ya first meet someone,” Majima pouted. “I thought I looked pretty cool,”
“I mean, maybe to teens. I’m used to a more…I dunno…”
“Depression sweats?”
“Hey!”
“Ya took a jab at me! It’s only fair,” Majima snickered and leaned back in his chair, kicking his foot out far enough to push himself onto the two back legs of his seat. “But, since we’re talkin’ ‘bout style, who wears cheap sweaters with a Rolex?”
Kiryu looked down at his wrist and frowned. “What’s wrong with wearing a sweater and a Rolex? I’m warm and can tell the time,”
“Most people use their cellphones for the time. Yer kinda old school, aren’t ya? Not too old, not too young, just the right age to benefit from the eighties bubble and keep climbin’,”
“Okay, so I used to work in finance and stuff. What of it?”
Majima shrugged. “I dunno. Yer the one workin’ at a bookstore now. Shouldn’t ya be livin’ it up, American Wall Street style?”
“I used to. Things just…didn’t work out,” Kiryu frowned and pointed to the pickup counter. “Our food is ready,”
Majima’s eye widened and he quickly got up, bringing their food over and sitting down again to dig in. There was silence for a while, which Kiryu appreciated, before the writer opened his mouth again after a big sip of his latte.
“So, why didn’t it work out?”
“Just didn’t,”
“So, you got a kid…what about a wife?”
“You’re pretty nosey. Looking for inspiration for a new character?” Kiryu huffed, setting his coffee cup down a little harder than he intended. “I have a life; it’s just shit right now. We aren’t close enough for me to talk about it. Why not ask something less personal?”
He watched as Majima cast his gaze down at his sandwich and shrugged. “Hey, man, I’m sorry, I just…heh…haven’t gotten t’ talk to someone in a long time. My bad,”
Kiryu winced and picked up his sandwich. Okay, so he was being a little harsh, but he couldn’t sit there and be bombarded about his failings as a husband and a man. It was bad enough that his daughter made dinner half the week. He was…struggling. He didn’t need to be reminded of it.
But Majima’s curiosity was genuine. Maybe he was just a lonely guy? Maybe he really didn’t have any friends?
“So, you really just have one eye?”
“Bro, you just got mad at me for diggin’ too deep,”
“Heh…you got me there,”
Kiryu watched Haruka run down the steps of the school towards the front gate. She stopped just short of him and held out her hands
“Book please,”
Kiryu placed the book in her hands, Like A Dragon still secure in his other hand. She eyed him curiously, pointing to it.
“What’s that?”
“A copy of Like a Dragon, by that Majima Goro guy,”
“Since when do you read?”
Kiryu huffed, putting a hand on his hip. “What kind of attitude was that? I read!”
Haruka shrugged and then pulled her backpack off, shoving her new book inside. “I’ve never seen you read is all,”
“You’re the second person who’s said that to me today,”
“Who’s the first?”
“Majima Goro,”
“Oh, oka— what?! The writer of the book?!”
“He was at the store today, promoting his new book in the series. We had lunch together after,”
Haruka raised her brows at him and then slowly began to smile. “Dad has a boyfriend,”
“I do not!” Kiryu huffed. “He offered lunch. We were the only two middle aged guys at the store!”
“So, you just made a friend?”
Did he make a friend? He hadn’t really hung out or seen anyone from the office since he was let go. In fact, none of the guys he thought were his friends even paid him any mind nowadays. Sometimes Nishiki did, but he also had a wife and kid. The only time they got together was for a beer at the bar and then he’d take a call and it was all business again. He hadn’t seen him in some time, and most of everyone else hadn’t bothered to speak to him since the funeral and his firing. So much for being friends.
“I don’t know,”
Haruka put her backpack back on and gently grabbed his hand, dragging him along back home.
“Well, I hope you did. I’m always worried about you, dad. You just stay home now,”
“That’s because I have to take care of you,”
“Yeah, but you used to see friends all the time. Ever since mom died, you’ve been quiet and alone. I wish you’d find someone to make you happy again…even if it’s just a friend,”
“Haruka…” Kiryu looked down at her and noticed she was frowning. She had the same frown Yumi did. It made his chest tighten. “You don’t need to worry about me. I’m an adult and I’m okay. You matter more to me than any friend I could have. I’d rather spend my time with you,”
She looked up at him, not convinced and he swore he saw a tear in her eye, but it refused to fall. Instead, she shook her head and dropped her gaze. Always the strong one.
“Can we watch a movie together then?”
“Of course, but you still have school in the morning, so we’ll have to watch it early,”
“That’s fine. I just want to watch something with you,”
They stopped by the video store on the way home, the city busier than usual, but not so much that it was a bother. Haruka, for being a child, seemed to enjoy Kamurocho despite it being more of a pleasure district. It wasn’t red light per se, but it was close enough.
But times were changing. When Kiryu was a kid, most of Kamurocho wasn’t safe for kids, with garbage that piled high on the sidewalk, yakuza wandering around every street, and the colour gangs hiding around every corner. Now things were brightening up, with the Millenium Tower looming over them all, the theatre district becoming more than just a yellowed eyesore and more of a hangout for the teens of this generation.
Haruka loved it here. So did Yumi.
“What do you want to see?” he asked, looking over the shelves of dvds. “They have some classics from when I was a kid,”
“I want to watch something newer,” Haruka said, standing up on her toes to try and look higher. “My friends are really into newer anime,”
“What’s wrong with the old stuff?”
“I dunno. It’s kinda…boring?”
“Ouch,”
“Oh! What about this?” She reached up and pulled a dvd down, holding it up. “My friends said that this one is good,”
“Whatever you want, it’s your choice. I’ll enjoy it because I get to spend time with you,” Kiryu said with a smile and Haruka couldn’t help but laugh.
“Daaaad! That’s so corny!”
“You love me and my corniness,”
“Yeah, I do. Never change, dad,”
Kiryu beamed, and turned around, just in time to see the yellow snakeskin of one Majima Goro pass by. He froze, as did the writer, and they stared at one another before Majima leaned to the side and grinned.
“Ya do have a kid!”
“You thought I was lying?”
“I dunno! Some people make up crazy stories to get out of being real with others,” Majima shrugged, and Haruka tilted her head.
“You’re the guy who took my dad to lunch?” She looked up at Kiryu and frowned. “You didn’t say he was a yakuza, you said he was a writer,”
Majima scoffed and looked down at himself. “I ain’t yakuza! We talked ‘bout this! Do I look yakuza?”
“Yes,” The two of them said in unison and the writer deflated.
“Man, if the kids think it, it must be true…no wonder everyone keeps givin’ me weird looks,”
“Majima-san…how are you not aware of how you’re dressed?” Kiryu sighed.
“I bought it on sale and thought it looked cool…” Majima sighed, scratching the back of his head. “Guess I should ditch the coat, but that’s a later problem. What ya rentin’?”
“Anime,”
“Sick. Which one?”
Haruka held it up and he nodded, smiling. “Great choice! Watched it recently. It’s really good. Oh! Ya know what else is a good one?”
He reached over to one of the shelves and plucked a dvd off, holding it up as he pointed to it.
Like A Dragon.
The Movie.
Kiryu snorted. “Promoting yourself, even now? I didn’t even know they adapted your book into a movie,”
“Just the first one, because it was so popular at first,” Majima smiled with a shrug. “It’s not totally faithful, but it’s a fun run. You two should totally watch it,”
“I’m not sure a yakuza film is appropriate for kids,”
Majima looked down at Haruka, his eye fixated on her uniform and then he hummed.
“Ain’t she in high school?”
“She’s twelve,”
Majima tossed the movie back on the shelf and snapped his gaze back to Kiryu. “Nevermind,”
Grabbing Haruka’s hand, Kiryu pulled her towards the cash register. “It was nice seeing you Majima-san, but we have a long way home still,”
“I have a car!”
“Oh, a car would be so much faster than walking, dad,”
“We can get a taxi,”
“Those ain’t cheap anymore,”
“Oji-san, do you want to come over and watch the movie with us?”
“No!” Kiryu snapped, the entire store looking at them now. He swallowed, looking around. “I mean…he’s probably busy. He’s a famous writer, Haruka, and we’ve been bothering him enough,”
Majima blinked, and as Kiryu looked over at him, he almost seemed a little deflated. He didn’t mean to hurt him if that’s what he had done, but he just met him. There’s no way he was letting a near stranger into his house. Plus, their apartment was a mess. It was unsightly, he had no hosting experience and the last thing he wanted was everyone thinking he was letting a yakuza into his home around his daughter.
“I actually ain’t got anythin’ goin’ on,” Majima mumbled. “It was gonna be one of those solo movie nights. Kinda pathetic,”
He laughed, but it sounded bitter, and Haruka immediately glared up at Kiryu.
“Then you can come over! My dad needs friends anyway,”
“Ya sure?”
“Yes! C’mon! You’re both making a scene and I still need to buy snacks and dinner!” She grabbed his hand, dragging the writer over, now a blushing mess, and Kiryu bit his lip, looking away.
So much for daddy-daughter time. What would Yumi think?
Majima insisted on driving them, which meant he had no choice but to give him his address. Kiryu wasn’t used to making friends instantly, let alone inviting someone he just met into his home. Back in the golden years, it took months for him to invite coworkers and friends home, allowing Yumi time to plan out hosting, preparing Haruka, and so on. This felt so…fast.
And yet Haruka seemed completely fine with this. She grabbed Majima’s hand the moment the door was unlocked and dragged him inside, throwing her backpack and shoes on the floor. She barely gave him time to take off his own shoes, forcing Kiryu to run after them with a pair of slippers for each of them. She took him to her bedroom, pointing out her idol posters, then showed him the bathroom, then back around to the main living area. Majima seemed invested, which Kiryu was beyond thankful for.
Usually, the men he considered friends ignored her, and it wasn’t her fault. Kiryu had been in the cooperate world, and the men there didn’t care about other people and their families. He was lucky that anyone even said thank you to Yumi after hosting dinner. Majima was the complete opposite, able to keep interest in everything she talked about.
“So, if ya got the bedroom, where does dad sleep?”
“Well…” Haruka looked back at Kiryu, who was plating their pizza. “He sleeps on the pull out,”
“Haw?!”
“The couch is a pull-out bed…We had a bigger place before but ever since mom—“
“Haruka, can you come grab your plate?” Kiryu cut in. “Please?”
Haruka frowned, and then let Majima go, rushing over to grab her plate. “Thanks dad,”
He smiled, placed his hand on her head, and ushered her towards the couch while he grabbed food for himself and Majima. He handed off the meal, placing his own at the small coffee table, and then got the movie running. Majima didn’t need to know about Yumi or why he was broke now. He didn’t need to know anything. They’d known each other for a day. It wasn’t time.
“Aahhhh! Still such a great movie! Ya pick ‘em good, Haru-chan,” Majima said with a stretch. “I think it’s time I headed home,”
“Good idea,” Kiryu stood. “Haruka, why don’t you get ready for bed. You have school tomorrow,”
“Fiiiiine,”
As she got up and shuffled her way to the bathroom, Kiryu began to grab their snacks and plates, Majima quickly jumping in to help.
“She’s a good kid,”
“Yeah…I don’t know what I’d do without her,” Kiryu smiled a little, placing everything by the sink. Another late night of dishes and chores. Then back to the grindstone.
“So, ya really sleep on the couch? Ain’t that kinda uncomfortable?” Majima raised his brow at him as he put his shoes back on and Kiryu shrugged.
“It’s not ideal, but I don’t mind. Haruka needed privacy. She’s twelve, heading into Middle School soon. I wanted to make sure she still had a place to call her own,”
“Right…” Majima nodded, standing and opening the apartment door.
“Oh, let me walk you down to your car,” Kiryu cleared his throat and ushered Majima out the door, shutting it behind him.
They walked down the walkway and then down the stairs, silence surrounding them. Kiryu didn’t know what to say. He knew there were questions. There were always questions. Where is your wife? How are you able to care for your daughter? Why do you live in a shitty apartment? They were questions he got all the time, and he tried his hardest to shield Haruka from it all, but it was getting hard. She was older, smarter. Yumi taught her well. But it wasn’t just her trauma. She was taking losing a mother the best she could, but he lost his best friend and partner in crime. His wife. And then his job. And then his apartment, his friends, his self-worth.
No one gave a shit about the widows and widowers.
Move on too quick and everyone thinks you never loved them. Don’t move on and suddenly everyone thinks you need to find someone as soon as possible. A man taking care of the house was weird and unheard of. Clearly, he needed a wife to support him and put him back on his feet. But no woman could compare to Yumi. Kiryu was pretty sure he’d never love again.
“Listen. I’m sorry fer pryin’. Ya just looked…” Majima‘a voice cut through the silence like a knife and Kiryu’s head snapped up.
They were by his car already.
“It’s fine. I’m not ready to talk about it,”
“Fair ‘nuff. Look, if ya wanna…y’know…do guy stuff? Call me,” Majima reached into his pocket and pulled out a business card. “I know it’s stupid professional. My agents wanted me t’ leave a good impression with publishers and shit. It’s my personal number though. Goes straight to my pocket,”
“I…thanks, Majima-no-niisan,”
“Bro…don’t say that. I ain’t that old!” Majima pouted. “And ya barely know me! I ain’t nii-san material,”
“What? You’d rather I skip the pleasantries and call you Goro?”
“Absolutely not. Call me anything but Goro,”
“Nii-san it is,”
“Fuck,”
The two men laughed and Kiryu let out a long sigh as he smiled.
“Thank you for leaving a good impression with my daughter. Most guys I know…”
“Would give her the time of day?” Majima shrugged. “I get it. The way I see it, no matter who I meet, I’m gonna treat ‘em like longtime friends. Everyone deserves some kindness, yeah?”
“Yeah,”
“Kids included. Love kids. Anyways, toodles. Call me if ya want, otherwise, I know where ya work and live!” he said, laughing as he got into his car and drove off.
Kiryu stared at his car as the headlights disappeared around a corner and then looked down at the card in his hand.
Majima Goro. Writer. And weirdo. He was already growing on him.