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It was early in the morning, and the day outside was absolutely splendid. The heat seemed to have eased a bit, although the Sun was still shining in all its glory. Bernard had just arrived at his familyās establishment, greeted by the ever-refreshing atmosphere that always prevailed there. He was somewhat knackered from the dayās work and, on top of that, worried, conjuring up all sorts of catastrophic scenarios regarding his sisterās health, who had gone for her routine check-ups alone. To top it off, without knowing if it was good or bad, he had left work a tad earlier than usual that day. After all, today he didnāt have to teach classes or organise any plays, just a meeting with his bosses and some potential special guests for upcoming events. In any case, he now found himself with nothing to do during the day, and that stressed him out even more.
Bernardās relationship with those blasted ā¹ā¹days offāŗāŗ was bittersweet: if he wasnāt doing something, they turned into his worst torture, so he simply kept himself busy with anything, no matter how trivial. Normally, he would take the opportunity to get ahead with work, create new projects, or organise something fun and creative to break the routine, but when some of his plans didnāt pan out, his desperate option was to do anything to stay occupied. Perhaps he had become too accustomed to always being busy, and his sense of self-worth depended on being productive, so it was easier for him to memorise entire scripts in a matter of hours than to allow himself a break āunless it was one of those planned breaks like a ā¹ā¹special occasionāŗāŗ the kind that includes face masks, long massages with aromatic oils, and snacks while enjoying a hot tea and watching a film; in that case, the story clearly changedā.
In any case, in his eagerness to stay active, he didnāt hesitate for a second to lend a hand at the family establishment. Therefore, as soon as he arrived, he simply asked his cousin to tell him how he could help. It wasnāt new to him either; besides, when they first arrived in Japan, they helped out at the family establishment while they settled in, so he was no stranger to how everything worked there. And, well, there was never a shortage of things to do in such a large, busy place with three different areas in one structure. So, he helped by seating customers at tables, moving some items from the storeroom to the kitchen area for Kenichi and the professionals to handle later, and even doing some bookkeeping, despite clearly detesting anything related to numbers and mathematics. But it was good that he could easily adapt to such things. And between needing to feel productive for his own personal satisfaction and finding a way to drain the nerves of having left Genevieve alone on a consultation day, anything was good to distract him. In fact, it seemed his presence was a godsend for his cousin, as several employees had taken the day off, and they were quite busy in the most crowded areas of the establishment.
As the day wore on, Bernard found himself back at the bar, his usual haunt and the place he knew like the back of his hand. His greatest solace in that space was the live music, which kept the bar lively alongside the band. However, that afternoon he was alone, so he contented himself with playing the double bass to set the mood and unwind a bit while doing something he loved.
The bar was much quieter at that hour, with only a handful of patrons compared to the bustling restaurant or the patisserie a few floors below. And it was a far cry from the evening crowd, when the place would be heaving. But there was something comforting about the tranquillity, perhaps due to the vintage decor that made it feel like a cabaret frozen in time.
As he finished one of his pieces, Bernard noticed a familiar silhouette entering. It didnāt take him long to realise it was the leader of Aichi, who seemed to be looking for someone. Bernardās spirits lifted at the sight of a familiar face, especially that of a fellow D.R.B. member, even if they were from rival divisions.
āāMr. Takeda! Over here!ā,āhe called out cheerfully, carefully setting down his double bassā. āSplendid to see you here!ā
He hopped off the small stage and approached with enthusiasm to greet him. It was a delight to see the leader of Aichi again. The first time they met was at an impromptu gathering on the beach, which turned into a truce between several divisions āincluding Bernard's dear Rikka Kurosaki, the lady to whom he wrote poems and whom he wished could courted with thoughtful gifts and bouquets of roses. He missed her, but that was a tale for another timeā. Anyway, what a fun time that was for the different divisions that met on the beach. And well, it was already more than obvious that Shouta had some kind of relationship with Raiden, indeed, everything pointed to the fact that maybe he was hoping to meet him there today.
āāIām afraid Raiden wonāt be coming today; I reckon heās at workā, āhe apologised politelyā. āItās nigh on impossible to predict when heāll show up, especially at this hour when the bar is so quiet. Although, youāre sure to catch him on Friday nights and weekends, you know, with the band and all thatā, āhe informed as he guided Shouta through the spaceā. āBut please, make yourself at home! Can I offer you something? Perhaps a drink? Consider this place your own.ā
And so, ordering a few drinks to share, they began to chat. Trivial conversations and somewhat absurd jokes filled the air. Bernard, with his naturally inquisitive nature, couldnāt help but snoop a bit and ask about him and Raiden. He found it amusing to think there was more between them than they admitted. Although he didnāt want to be too nosy ā or at least not be too obviousā, Bernard was weak when it came to gossip. He loved hearing the latest news in the lives of his friends, and this was no exception. For Bernard, it was like watching a romance novel or a play, enjoying the thought of Shouta and Raiden as the protagonists of a sentimental adventure, discovering their true feelings and perhaps parts of themselves they believed hidden.
āāWell, without a doubt, you two look lovely together, I must admit. Although, itās rather odd to see Raiden so concerned about someoneā¦ In fact, itās very odd. At first, I didnāt believe it much when Issey mentioned it to me, but on the day at the beach, it was blatantly obvious that something had changed with you aroundā,ā Bernard said subtly and kindly, making the leader of Aichi chuckle and blush as he took a sip of his drinkā. āRaiden is a carefree and a little narcisistic soul, and although heās still reluctant to admit anything or drop his bad habits straight away, Iād swear that whenever he talks about you or comes back from meeting you, his eyes sparkle and his whole vibe shifts from being a rogue to being like a lovestruck teenager! Blimey, itās so odd to see him like that, but I do enjoy watching his reactions! You know, talking so much about you, giving nicknames, planning dates, being jealous of Benikoā¦ Oh my goodness! If you could see him squabbling with Beniko, itās quite the show!ā.ā He laughed, thinking about his teammate and the jokes that had arisen from his recent fixation on Shoutaā. āOf course, Iād also recommend you keep an eye on him and set boundaries, and give yourself the respect you deserve. Raiden is a complicated person, as you must already knowā¦ You have to get the measure of him, or heāll get the measure of you, but itās also true that somehow youāve gotten into his head. It must be for a reasonā¦ Perhaps you should be a bit cautious, but if necessary, just try to beat him at his own game to reach him. After all, I think Raiden is weak for you, and if you ask me, thatās adorable.ā
The playwright took another sip of his whiskey and then feigned innocence, realising he might have said a bit too much.
āāBlimey! Iāve gone and let my tongue run away with me again! Well, if Raiden asks, this never came out of my mouthā, āhe exclaimed, making Shouta laugh, who seemed to enjoy the new information about the flirtatious tattoo artist he was now so close toā. āOh! Look at my manners! I forgot to ask about your division mates! How have they been? Eiji and Issey? I hope theyāre both doing very well, theyāre incredible ladsā. āBernard said with a smileā. āI donāt know if Iāve mentioned it, but Iām really grateful to Issey for helping my sister that day, heās a great lad. Although I admit I almost ended up in the emergency room myself from the panic attack I had knowing Gene had a crisis in the middle of the street, with how bad she gets when her levels drop suddenlyā¦ But itās comforting to know there are still young gentlemen in this world willing to lend a hand.ā
And while the conversation seemed calm between the two leaders, suddenly a voice so thunderous and powerful that it was impossible to mistake made its presence known. Both leaders turned to see the source of the voice, only to confirm if they had heard the same person. Even upon confirming their suspicions, they looked a bit surprised to see none other than Tetsuya entering the place with one of the leaflets in hand, wondering if he had indeed ended up in the right place. Shouta immediately frowned, not too pleased with the presence of the Kagoshima leader; it almost seemed as if his spirits were dampened a bit. On the other hand, Bernard, although somewhat wary of the slightly aggressive and imposing personality of the Kagoshima division leader, tried to at least be political and diplomatic. Moreover, he still considered him an enigmatic character; someone who truly piqued his curiosity and seemed one of the most peculiar people he had met in a long time. Perhaps this would be his chance to find out a bit more about Tetsuya and what he hides behind that troublesome faƧade.
Taking a deep breath and preparing to surely be insulted, he raised his hand, waving to catch his attention. Shouta looked at him as if he were mad.
ā "Hey! Mr. Yashiro!", āhe greeted Tetsuya enthusiastically. He hoped he was in the mood for a new truce and to share a bit. When the Kagoshima leader finally spotted them, his face twisted again into an expression of annoyance and irritation, clearly not too happy to see themā. "Itās good to see you again! Howās everyone in your division? I hope Jinwoo isnāt still miffed about the beach prank", āhe said, trying to create a welcoming atmosphereā. "What brings you here? Hopefully, you can enjoy-ā¦"
Automatically, the other interrupted him, completely ignoring his attempt at a warm welcome. Only coarse language and insults were the response from the imposing Tetsuya, questioning what those two were doing there without knowing that, in the first place, the place belonged to the family of the Itabashi leader. Bernard sighed, frowning, and Shouta didnāt hold back, responding in kind, starting an exchange of insults between the two, who seemed to have short fuses in each otherās presence. Bernard, since the day at the beach, knew that between Tetsuya and Shouta, if there was anything, it was a lack of patience and old grudges, although he didnāt know exactly what or how it had come to that. The situation was a bit awkward; he didnāt much like these kinds of hostile interactions, especially considering they were already attracting the attention of the few customers at that hour in the bar and the staff. He had to come up with something to calm those two down, or they would surely be thrown out.
āāOh, wait, wait, wait! Calm down, you two!ā,ā exclaimed, stepping between themā. āWhy donāt we try to get along for a moment, uh?ā,ā he suggested with a theatrical grin, attempting to create a peaceful atmosphere.
The response was a silence filled with disapproving glances. Neither seemed keen on the idea. He felt a bit daft, more than usual. Perhaps the leader of Aichi, who was somewhat more reasonable, could be his anchor. Meanwhile, Bernard was trying to figure out if Tetsuya wanted to insult him again, punch him, or storm off in a huff; maybe all three at once, who knows. He sighed again, a tad frustrated.
āāCome on, donāt you think we could have another truce today? Since weāre all here, we could have a natter, create a good dynamic as leaders of our divisions, find ways to prepare for the D.R.B. day. See it as a chance for group and personal growth, make a change in this society, share expectations, fears, and ideas about that day, form a bond of understanding for a fair competition and-ā¦ā
His peace speech didnāt seem to be working. Pulling a face, he cut himself off as he noticed the other two were getting bored. Each day confirmed that, as a leader, he might be the one lacking the most character and a bit of competitive spirit. Moreover, it seemed his attempt to gossip about others wouldnāt come to fruition, at least not this time.
āāAlright, forget what I said. Can we at least have a drink in peace?ā.āThe leader of Kagoshima still wasnāt convinced, sending annoyed looksā. āMy treatā.ā he added, hoping for a change that wasnāt forthcoming. He sighed again and furrowed his browā. āEverything. Iāll pay for everything you both orderā.āhe finished, somewhat frustrated. That seemed to buy Tetsuyaās attention for a moment and even lifted his spirits a bitā. āWell, at least itās somethingā¦ Tell me what you want, and Iāll fetch it. Maybe some snacks or something to eat; if we keep drinking without eating first, weāll be in a right state. You can also help yourselves to whatever you fancy from the barā.
Among them, they made a quick list, and soon enough, the leader of Itabashi stood up, ready to fetch the items. Meanwhile, he eyed them with a hint of suspicion, narrowing his eyes and sighing. He had a bad feeling about leaving them alone, but he wanted to give them a vote of confidence. So, he decided to go for the food and snacks to prevent the alcohol from hitting them too hard. After all, they were civilised adults; they wouldnāt do anything untoward in such a place, right?
He spent a couple of minutes chatting with his cousin, ordering a few things and waiting for them to be ready. In fact, Kenichi seemed thrilled to know that an acquaintance of Jinwoo was finally stepping into his familyās establishment, perhaps hoping that one day the stylist himself might drop by.
However, just a few minutes after Bernard had gone downstairs, some loud noises began to echo. Kenichi, while handing the order to Bernard, heard them too. When they saw one of the drunken customers coming down, laughing hysterically, alarm bells started ringing.
-Inspirational pictures taken from Pinterest-.
āāThose two are absolutely bonkers!ā āexclaimed the man, laughing as if he were watching a comedy showā. āI havenāt laughed this hard at a couple of idiots brawling in a bar in ages!ā
āāDo you want me to handle it?ā, āasked his cousin, who, although usually calm and sweet, knew how to deal with difficult customers.
āāDonāt worry, youāre already doing enough, Kenichiā¦ā
āāI say this because our parents will kill us if anything happens. First you, then me for being the main person in charge.ā
āāTheyāre supposed to be my D.R.B enemy-mates, or so I want to believe we are matesā¦ Iāll handle itā,āhe tried to think positively and brace himself for the adventureā. āCome on, it canāt be that hard, weāre responsible and reasonable adults. Itās only teenagers without self-control or those with alcohol issues who make such a sceneā.
A louder noise was heard, and Kenichi raised an eyebrow, doubting that statement.
āāIt sounds like theyāre killing each otherā¦ā āKenichi murmured, worriedā. āAnd I know youāre not used to this sort of thing either.ā
āāYou say that as if you are, Kenichiā. āHis cousin looked at him, expecting him to answer himself. Bernard thought for a moment. He knew he had seen more than one fight in the place, and on top of that, his brothers were the first to start brawls of that calibreā. āUgh! Donāt look at me like that! I know, I know, but Iāve also helped you deal with your brothers. I can handle this.ā
āāAlrightā¦ Iām counting on you. Just shout if you need help.ā
Bernard left the items with Kenichi for a moment, cursing the situation under his breath. He saw some of the other customers leaving, some laughing as if it were a show, others horrified. When he went upstairs, he saw the few employees standing paralysed, watching Tetsuya and Shouta trading blows and hurling insults at each other. In fact, they were pointing at them, expecting Bernard to do something urgently.
āāOh, bloody hellā¦ā,ā he muttered, pondering how to separate them. They looked like two rabid dogs. He took a deep breath, confident it would be easy, like in a play when an actor gets too into character and needs to be brought back to realityā. āAlright! Thatās enough, you two! This sort of behaviour is utterly unacceptable!ā
But seeing they werenāt paying him any mind, too engrossed in their brawl, he approached with the intention of separating them once and for all. Between their fury and the free rein theyād had at the bar, the situation had spiralled out of control.
āāHey, you two! Youāre behaving like a pair of brutes! Stop fighting in this place! Youāre wrecking the bar and scaring off the customers! Separate right now orā¦!ā. āBut he never finished the sentence, as when he tried to get closer, he took a punch square in the face, hitting him right on the nose. The pain was immediate and intense. The worst part was they didnāt even realise theyād hit himā. āBrilliant, just brilliant! I thought you were better than these irrational, disrespectful cavemen! But clearly not! Do you want to finish pulling the hypnosis microphones out once and for all? So you can really go at it?ā, ā exclaimed, clutching his nose in painā. āJust fucking bloody hell, this is just what I needed!āā he shouted, giving up.
Angry, in pain, and resigned, he went to the bar, grabbed a bottle, and slumped into a distant, corner chair, starting to drink. He didnāt even think about telling his cousin; he had utterly failed to handle it on his own. Tears streamed down his face, and though he wanted to keep up the appearance of being angry and furious, he looked more like a helpless child with tears and a pout. Theyād hit him too hard, or it was just a particularly sensitive spot āthough he wasnāt used to this kind of fight anywayā.
āāIdiotsā¦ And I wanted the three of us to get alongā¦ā, āBernard muttered to himself, taking a swig from the bottleā. āI donāt like fightsā¦ Ugh, this situation brings back some bad memories. Damn it!ā.ā He gasp, grabbing his nose againā. āBloody hell! Just because I like dramatizing fight scenes on stage doesnāt mean I like them in real life! The punches hurt like hell, and thereās no fake blood that tastes like jam! I hate them! Thatās it, Iām done being the peacemaker! You lot and your pathetic show! You donāt even look good fighting, idiotsā¦ā
He kept watching them for a while, then raised the bottle towards them.
āāWell, here I am, trying to be the peacemaker~, the one who sees competition as an opportunity to grow~. And what do I get in return? A punch in the face and two idiots brawling like childrenā¦ No, not even! Like animals! In fact, animals are more reasonable!ā ā Bernard takes another sip, and more tears slide down his cheek from the pain. At this point, he was talking to himself, like in a monologueā. āWhy do I always have to be the one trying to keep the peace? Does no one else see the value of healthy competition? Am I destined to be the fool clown in this tragicomedy?ā, ā he sighs, annoyed and resigned, while looking at Shouta and Tetsuya who continue fightingā. āUghā¦ This is the worst, such a lack of class and education. Iām proving Issey right that I always end up looking like an idiot for trying to make everyone get along. At least, I have my drinkā, ā he takes another sip and frowns childishly and dramaticallyā. āCheers to you two! For your strong spirits and your incredible divisions that deserve the best, to achieve victory and, from what I see, also a psychologistā¦ or a psychiatrist, whichever suits you bestā¦ And cheers to you, Bernard, for your noble but useless efforts.ā
Bernard raises his glass in a solitary toast and takes another sip, while tears continue to fall down his face as he watches them fight. In the end, he collapses onto the table, crying like a child, taking it all too much to heart and, in some way, it was also pathetic to see him talking with himself in such a dramatic and melancholic way, like he is making a monologue.
And there they were, the three leaders of the divisions of Aichi, Kagoshima, and Itabashi: two of them fighting and the other crying and drowning in alcohol to avoid the frustration of not having been able to do anything to prevent it.
The fight went on and on, and only stopped when those two were so tired of hitting and insulting each other that they simply collapsed wherever they could in the bar. They were exhausted from the encounter. Some of the tables ended up overturned, some things broken, and the employees had long since fled, leaving the bar even more desolate. Only Tetsuyaās voice was heard calling Bernard and asking about what they had ordered. He looked at him with an incredulous smile at the irreverence of the matter.
āāSe...Se....Seriously~...? A-a-a...After all this com...Commotion, you only ask about that as if nothing happened...? You... Must be a fuc-ā¦ā; ābut he stopped himself, trying to maintain his composure. His head was spinning from almost finishing a bottle by himself, how little class he was showing himself. He slurred his words and, if he normally didnāt speak Japanese well, now he was even less understandable. He rubbed his swollen eyes from crying, all his makeup had fallen offā. āI sho...should throw you out...~ for this scandal....ā, ā he says and finishes the bottle. Perhaps the fact that he was somewhat drunk also prevented him from throwing them out, although he had every intention of doing so on this occasion; he wanted to kick them out before his uncle made a massacre over the mess in the placeā. āAre...Y...You going...~ to stop acting like irrational beings...? If so, I might consider itā¦ As lo...lo...long as the rest of the day is without more of this....this~...this distasteful situation!ā, āadds, trying to look angry, but at that moment he didnāt have the head to put on a convincing act that could have come out well if he were in his right mind.
And just as the fight had started out of nowhere, it seemed to stop just as abruptly. Bernard, with a mix of resignation and determination, began gathering the things. Despite the chaos, they tried to keep a stiff upper lip. In the end, his cousin had to help him, for when he saw him, he knew the plan to āstop the fightā hadnāt gone well at all. Bernard knew a good telling-off was coming his way, although Kenichi was usually his partner in crime.
The three of them settled in, and it was as if the fight had been just a mere formality between them, something casual, like an everyday occurrence. Insults, punches, and then acting as if nothing had happened. Although the three looked as if theyād been hit by a lorry, and even though Tetsuya and Shouta seemed miffed at first, they somehow reached a tacit and half-hearted truce, just to enjoy the drinks and have a bite. They even took a photo as a memento of another moment when the three divisions maintained a sort of truce to coexistā¦ If such a disaster could be called a truce.
āCollab with the amazing @kagoshima-division and @aichi-division <3ā
Of course, they still had a long way to go and a lot of patience to learn when it came to living together outside the D.R.B. But at least they could laugh about the ridiculous situation later. At the end of the day, the three leaders ended up drunk, battered, and with the bar area in shambles, but with some fun at the end of it all. When it was time to leave, they once again found themselves with two types of people: On one hand, the leader of Kagoshima, who didnāt seem very remorseful or embarrassed, and the leader of Aichi, who looked a bit more sheepish about the whole mess. Bernard, for his part, was the one who didnāt know how to manage the crisis, as heād never been in a fight, but he tried to at least make a pleasant farewell for everyone.
āāW-well, wellā¦ Itās over now....~ I hope next time wonāt be so...So chaotic and we...we...we can get along a bit better... Ma-m-maybe even invite the others to m-mingleā¦ā,ā he murmured, trying to stay upright due to all theyād drunkā. āTake care on your way home and give my regards to the other lads!ā,ā he said, kindly slurring his words.
Those two were about to go their separate ways whenā¦
āāWait! Mr. Takeda, Mr. Yashiro!ā,ā Kenichi exclaimed, coming over with two bags full of packaged itemsā. āPlease take these! To share with the guys in your division!ā,ā explain, approaching with some bags full of sweets and some takeaway dishes as a memento and a sign that there were no hard feelings, perhaps also to smooth over any remaining rough edges with something good to come out of it allā. āAnd well, Mr. Yashiro, Iāve sent some special things to Jinwoo, theyāre marked with-ā¦ā.ā But seeing Tetsuyaās annoyed face, he simply cut his speech shortā. āN-Never mind! I hope you enjoy them!ā
Everyone said their goodbyes, and at the end, Kenichi cast a theatrical grimace at Bernard.
āāYou look absolutely dreadful, honestly,ā āhe remarked, noticing his cousin still had tears in his eyes, wobbling and in painā. āItās clear youāre still a bit of a shambles with some thingsā¦ā
āāI...It caught me off...guard~....! Besides, they landed a punch square on, I couldnāt do muchā, ā Bernard whinged, his tone pitiful. You couldn't understand him well what he was saying.
āāI thought your forte was improvising on the fly.ā
āāN-not exactly in a real fightā¦!ā, ā Bernard tried to excuse himself, sighingā. āBut...You know, you k-know... In the end, w-we managed to have a bit of a chinwag~! A....And it didnāt escalate! We all came out on top in a win-win situation!ā
Kenichi looked at him doubtfully.
āāWell, if you call this winningā¦ suit yourself,āā he said, looking at him with some disappointment, but then shifted the topic to something more pressingā. āAnyway, now I hope youāll put whateverās left of your sober mind to improvising something to stop my parents from killing us. So, either we start tidying up, or youāll have to give the performance of your life to convince them,āā he said, patting Bernard on the back as they headed back to the barā. āAnd Iāve got a feeling Genevieve will be the one looking after you tonightā¦ I sense youāre about to keel over any moment.ā
āāC-cousin, stop it...~. I know I look...Loo...Look bad! But you know itās not an everyday...T-thing! These things just happenā¦ā āBernard murmured, feigning innocence and then chuckling a bitā. āWell, in any case, it was pe-peculiar hanging out with Shouta and Tetsuya... Theyāre quite the characters...~!! T-to be honest. And at least I got a bit dis...dis...distracted from the nerves and not k-knowing what to do for the rest of the day!ā
āāI supposeā¦ Though you three have a long way to go if you really want to be good leadersā¦ā
āāYes, I know, but at least weāre learning. An-and....And I promise this w-would never h-hap...Happen again...~āā they both arrived at the bar, and Bernard sighedā. āWellā¦ Time to clean up this messā¦ Iāll come up with something if your parents arrive first.ā
āāYouād better, you know how intense they get about the place. So itās that or theyāll have our heads.ā
āāYesā¦ And that would be a shame, we wouldnāt want you dead before your little gift reaches Jinwoo, would we...~?ā,ā Bernard teased, making his cousin blush like a beetroot.
āāBernard, shut up and start cleaning! You know I get daft!ā āKenichi exclaimed, blushing, hurrying to fetch some cleaning supplies to start tidying up the place.
Bernard mimicked his actions, laughing and almost falling over in the process. It seemed it would be a long while tidying everything up. Though at least he was glad to have spent a bit more time with his colleagues from other divisions. Perhaps not in the best way, but at least they could chat more civilly afterwards. He wanted to believe that was progress.
ā Thank you again for the collab and for everything, @kagoshima-division and @aichi-division you both are the best <3333 ā
