Chapter five

"I admire your passion to Onii-san." Hideyoshi stated while Akira sits beside him drinking tea now.

Akira chuckles. "I know." She paused and sighs. "But I didn't came here to convince you for his sake, I was aware of what happened. Okemia called me." She looked at him concerned. "Hideyoshi look, after Okemia told me everything, I felt nothing now for Benjiro." She half-heartedly looks at him and smiled. "I don't like him anymore."

Hideyoshi sighs. "Don't kid yourself Akira."

"All right." She huffs. "I'm annoyed for what he did to you." She insist. "I don't like him right now, I'm disappointed of him." She adds. "I'm on your side on this one, okay?" She tells him.

Hideyoshi curtly smiled and nods his head.

"Your the first one I genuinely became friends with and accepted my so called insanity, so we're cool." Akira crossed her arms on her chest and looks away as her cheeks tinted red.

"Good your back captain." Itsuki stated.

Ryoto rolls his eyes at the younger.

Itsuki only chuckles as his apartment is now filled by the rest of the ground zero division that consists of twelve dangerous individuals. The group opted to stay on his residence than rent any fancy hotel thinking with each other around is much safer than having security guards on a hotel that they can easily crack heads.

"Benjiro told me to tell you that you gotta protect Hideyoshi." Itsuki adds as behind him the other members we're holding suitcases setting it all near the couch while some ventures around freely as the last person closed the door shut loudly.

Ryoto sighs. "Why do I always get the most work whenever we're being called back here?"

Suzaku who was the last one to enter the apartment and closed the door walk towards their captain and patted his back softly. "Your the best, it seems a fitting title captain."

Ryoto pushed this subordinate roughly who only laughs in return and runs up the stairs leaving his suitcase stand beside Ryoto.

Ryoto's phone rings and he immediately answered it without checking the caller's I.D. "What do you want this time?"

"Get to work, Ryoto." Benjiro's cold tone replies.

Ryoto smirks. "I will, I just need to leave some of my stuff here in Itsuki's apartment. Jiro-kun your so uptight these days, want me to-"

"Shut up or I'll kill you for real this time." Benjiro firmly says and soon the call was cut off.

Ryoto shakes his head and sighs.

Itsuki looks at him narrowedly. "You throw ambiguous innuendo's at Benjiro ever since I've known you and nobody dares to call you off about it. I've been your vice captain now for years and I guess, I have the right now, to know and ask you this." He paused. "Are you gay, cap?" Itsuki then adds. "Cap I fully support whatever your preference is, it's just that as far as I remembered back in college Benjiro never entertained until now those beauties because no one can ever take his eyes off from his thirst for academic excellence and knowledge. No offense but my friend is the nerd of all nerds. I have ever known."

Ryoto laughs. "You don't understand me Itsuki, I never liked anyone too." He stated firmly.

Itsuki furrowed his brows. "Right!" He snapped his fingers. "You usually do one night stands whenever you saw beautiful chicks after doing missions." Itsuki nods his head.

Ryoto smirks. "After spending nights of fun. It still got me to feel nothing but." He paused. "There's only one person who's took my sole interest and that's your friend Benjiro."

Itsuki's eyes widen. "What the f-"

Suzaku runs down the stairs and give Itsuki a embrace interrupting the conversation. "Itsuki please let me borrow your laptop Keizer is not letting me use his!" Suzaku was the youngest in the group.

Itsuki removed Suzaku's hold on him as he then said. "Yeah go on, I don't care." He waves off.

Suzaku rushed out of the room happily.

Itsuki sighs in relief before his face turns serious. "Your admitting you like Benjiro then?"

"His interesting, I give you that but I don't like him from what your imaginative mind is thinking." Ryoto chuckles.

"I'm an open minded person, I support women empowerment and the lgbt community because I want my niece to live in a harmonious world-"

"Shut up now, your making my head ache." Ryoto dismissed him.

Itsuki smiled.

Akira admittedly lost her way back inside the mansion, on finding the comfort room. She is frustrated enough to go up the grand staircase and use any of these vacant rooms to get in and do her business. Her last step on top of the staircase and yet she halted as Ren got out from one of the rooms with a few man dressed in black suits who seems to belong from the security personnel.

Ren bows her head as the other two younger man followed. Ren then speaks. "Miss Akira, this is Danzo and Dave they are both in charged for the mansions security."

Akira nods her head.

Ren continues. "The things your bag contains we're thoroughly check by the two of them and as protocol, I was there to witness them also check the room you will be staying." Her hands gestured the room right where they had just gone out.

Akira raised her brows. "I don't get it, is this place a home or a prison cell for this over exaggerated rules."

Ren bows her head again. "Miss Akira please understand this is a mansion passed through generations from the family."

Akira scoffs. "Does Benjiro even care for this old relic?"

"Surprisingly, Yes." An unfamiliar voice was the one to answer.

The man stands in the middle of the grand staircase. "This mansion is passed down through generations from Watatsumi clan." The man shifted his brown orbs at Ren who gave a small smile and bows her head at him respectfully.

The man sighs. "Youngsters like you should know this fact, especially before entering this place."

Akira raised a brow. "I know that fact mister." She then adds. "Everyone knows the heir of Watatsumi clan from the main branch was an only child and a woman that back then prejudices against her we're given and yet she maintained her position on top and married in arrangement a business tycoon from Europe with the lastname Sanders. Having an only son Tatsuya Sanders which is Benjiro and Hideyoshi's grandfather."

The man gave her a nod. "Very well, Miss Akira." He paused and looked at her narrowedly. "Knowing that much then I guess you know who I am?"

Akira furrowed her brows as she take a good look at the man again but still nothing came to her, she was clueless.

The man smirks. "Remember this Miss Akira, never enter a place without knowing its safe."

Akira felt it, the emotion she had long not felt and that's fear. Something about the man does not seem right, his calm demeanor and sharp words towards her proves his disliked of her presence in the mansion. Especially his dead empty eyes got her goosebumps.

"Stop scaring her, Ryoto." Hideyoshi's voice echoes as he makes his way up the grand staircase.

Ryoto chuckles. "I never thought you'd opted to stay here Hideyoshi." He paused turning to face the younger. "Isn't this place hold such memories?"

Hideyoshi nods. "It does."

Ryoto smirks. "Ah..., this place was all covered in blood when Katashi-sama ordered me that day."

Hideyoshi sighs. "I need some sleep, let's talk tomorrow and next time please refrain from using the 'choper. It ruined my peaceful tea time at the gardens."

Ryoto shakes his head and bows. "Benjiro wanted me to rush here and guard you."

"I know." Hideyoshi replies as he moves passed him.

Ryoto stood up straight again. "Have a good night then Hideyoshi."

Hideyoshi clicked his tongue.

As soon as Hideyoshi left the scene, Ryoto stared back again at Akira.

Akira furrowed her brows. "Why would the ground zero division captain guards up Hideyoshi-kun, shouldn't you must prioritize Benjiro's safety as he is the head of the-"

Ryoto sighs. "Orders are orders miss Akira besides Benjiro can handle himself well."

"Benjiro-"

"Worry not about him, Miss Akira." He advised her. "Also forget about your little crush on him too. He loves his books more than you."

"Jiro if you truly want to protect this family, sacrifices must be made." Tatsuya stated after placing his cup of tea down.

Benjiro sits comfortably beside his grandfather while scribbling his answers on a grade three math problem. "Yes, sir." He answered.

Tatsuya clears his throat. Benjiro stops and looked up his grandfather. "Grandpa, I remembered okaa-san (mother in Japanese) said to protect the family too."

Tatsuya was pleased of his grandson agreeing.

"But." The child paused taking the elders attention. "I will only return what harm is inflicted upon and nothing more." He stared at his grandfather and beams a smile. "Grandpa can be too rough at times mostly whenever you punish those who wronged you, I've observed, that I do not like."

Tatsuya laughs finding humor on the grade schoolers statement. "Your smart, I see."

Benjiro wakes up in the middle of the night after experiencing a dream that was a memory. He runs a hand through his hair. "Old man we're family right?" He asks in a whisper alone in his bedroom. "Forgive me but I'd choose my Otōto."

"Couldn't sleep?" Ryoto asked.

Hideyoshi entered the kitchen and took a sit beside the man. "Bad dream."

Ryoto chuckles. "Same here."

Hideyoshi let outa sigh.

"Facing one's fear is brave of you but this place is still your family's home you can be honest here." Ryoto tells him.

"I am scared, I was a child. I didn't know any better." Hideyoshi's voice cracked. "I thought he'd also did to Otou-san, on what he done to that dead man." His knuckles turns white, his hands turning into fist on the table where a cup of tea and a tea pot is placed that clearly Ryoto was consuming before he came in.

"I get it." Ryoto replies. "But now your not innocent, you also killed people whenever you were aiding Katashi-sama back then." Ryoto looks at him. "What do you and Tatsuya-sama's difference?, I can tell it clearly and everyone does." Ryoto paused. "Tatsuya always knows what he wants, he does everything by all means to get it. He is a cunning man. The most dangerous but died in the hands of his grandson, the youngest." Ryoto sighs. "It's a simple act as self defense, if I think of it."

Hideyoshi turns to stare at Ryoto. "I killed-"

"Katashi-sama knew it'd be a bother for everyone to know what happened back here. Legal process is slow and it'll damage your family's reputation even if you we're proven not guilty." Ryoto stated. "It was easy for everyone to believe that somebody wants the main branch of the family dead, knowing already they got a lot of enemies."

"Right." Hideyoshi agreed.

Ryoto nods. "Katashi-sama is such an icon that's why I stayed."

Hideyoshi furrowed his brows. "Otou-san is no longer here then why stay?"

Ryoto shakes his head and let out a chuckle. "Your older brother seems interesting, want to see what he can do for this place... well if he can flourish it or burn it into ashes." He paused. "Think of me as someone who enjoys watching dramas." He beams a smile.

"Your complex and simple Ryoto that makes you dangerous." Hideyoshi tells him.

Ryoto smirks. "You got to be a little insane when you join the ground zero division Hideyoshi."

"I do agree with you, ground zero consists of lunatics." Hideyoshi replies.

Ryoto laughs. "Then I must be the craziest since I am the captain, wouldn't you agree?"

Hideyoshi couldn't help but nod as a small smile crept on his face.

The eleven years old Benjiro visited Ryoto in his designated hospital room. Ryoto got a few bruises from the terrible day of the massacre.

His eyes widen upon Benjiro's arrival the eleven year old locked the door as he walk towards Ryoto who had sit right up on his hospital bed.

"I know what happened." Benjiro calmly stated.

"Did Katashi-sama told you-"

Benjiro shakes his head. "He doesn't have too, Oshi's told me."

Ryoto clicked his tongue. "Your little brother can't keep secrets, I see."

Benjiro sighs. "I must kill you too then I see."

Ryoto smirks. "Very well, do it."

The door opened as Katashi walks right in and closed it back again.

Benjiro eyes widen. "I locked-"

Katashi shakes his head and sighs as he walk towards his eldest son and searched up him like a security guard, taking a scissor from his back pocket and safely putting it on the bedside table. He patted Benjiro's head softly. "There, there, be good Jiro-kun."

Katashi turns to beam a small smile at Ryoto. "Forgive my son, Ryu-kun. He's still young."

Ryoto hesitantly nods his head at the adult who then turns his attention to his own son and placed a hand on Benjiro's shoulder. "Jiro-kun remember that Ryoto only has us, be kind to him. Ryu-kun is a good kid." Katashi kneels down to meet his son, eye to eye. "I'd rather trust my life on Ryu-kun than anyone."

Benjiro slowly nods his head. "I understand, Otou-san."

Katashi chuckles as he removes his hand on Benjiro's shoulder then softly patted his cheeks instead as he turns back to look at Ryoto who witnessed the exchanged between the father and son.

Ryoto avoided eye contact and focused his attention on his own hands on the white linens.

"Ryu-kun, thanks for helping me back there." Katashi's voice calmly stated.

Ryoto once nodded his head as a respond still avoiding his boss eyes. Soon Ryoto heard footsteps leaving the room, next he heard the door opens and closed right back again softly.

Ryoto looks up and saw Benjiro sitting across the room alone without Katashi's presence.

"His our Otou-san, only ours not yours." Benjiro clicked his tongue.

Ryoto sighs. "I didn't even say anything, you brat."

"Then stop acting like your his son." Benjiro scoffs.

Ryoto turns his back at the younger, his heart feeling light and full at the same time hearing Katashi from thanking him. Ryoto had a small smile etched on his face as he whispered. "I wish Katashi-sama..., was my Otou-san."

"What are you mumbling there, huh?" Benjiro calls out.

Ryoto lies back on the bed and stares at the white ceiling, smiling.

"Lunatic." Benjiro scoffs.

This was the dream that wake Ryoto from his slumber, not sharing such memories to Hideyoshi who now seems calm beside him, drinking the tea he also made.

Hideyoshi eyes trails down the tea cup he holds. "Otou-san, no one can ever be greater than him, Ryoto."

This took Ryoto's attention as he turns to look at him.

"Otou-san sacrifices and dedicated his life in not only in his own family." Hideyoshi breaks a half-hearted smile.

"Agreed." Ryoto responded.