Chapter Text
Five men stand in a warehouse, around them are their sharply dressed armed guards with their suits stylishly concealing their heavy tattoos, others are unloading armored trucks with crates filled with various things such as cash and guns. A single man bursts through a door, his suit soaked with sweat and blood.
“THEY’RE HERE!” he cries out as he runs towards the group.
The bald man with a graying goatee looks to the one with a rounder face and square glasses and says, “Mr. Minatozaki, wipe everything.”
Mr. Minatozaki runs into the armored truck with his laptop tucked under his arm. The bald man then looks to the two other men, one with thin wire frame glasses and a stern expression who grabs a duffle bag and brings out an automatic rifle. The other larger muscular man with a military buzzcut as square as his features grabs a handgun out of his belt, he cocks the gun and gives a smirk though he's glistening with sweat.
“Mr. Im, Mr. Hirai, it seems the time has come.” The older bald man calmly looks to the large doors of the warehouse as gunfire and yelling resounds outside. His large armed guards gather around him and move toward the armored vehicle with the fifth man following close behind.
The doors of the warehouse blows off its hinges and men with heavy kevlar burst through and stream in to flank the group.
“POLICE, STAND DOWN NOW!”
A cacophony of gunfire and yelling bounces off the walls of the metallic warehouse. The two sides exchange fire meanwhile the armored truck holding the bald man and Mr. Minatozaki and his group starts up.
“Do you know how they found us?” The bald man asks Minatozaki as he’s speedily typing away at his laptop.
“I’m afraid not, Mr. Myoui,” he shakily manages to push up his glasses as the sound of bullets patter against the hull of the truck.
Mr.Myoui gives a slight laugh and shakes his head, “After so many centuries this is how we end.” He looks to the other man who followed into the truck.
“Isn’t that right, Mr. Yoo?”
-
“Strip down.” Mr. Hirai stands before a line of suited men who slightly quake at his request.
“NOW!” he barks and all the men fumble as they hurriedly get undressed in front of the Mr. Hirai, Im, Myoui, and Minatozaki who are kneeling and watching with armed guards flanking them. The dim fluorescent light slightly flickers above their heads in this room that almost resembles a bunker.
The men are all stripped down, the men watching give a quick glance over checking for any signs of rival tattoos. Hirai pacing up and down the line like a caged tiger as he quickly inspects each man.
“Alright, turn around.” The naked men do as they are told and again are inspected.
“Turn back.” The men do as they are commanded.
Mr. Myoui stands and walks beside Mr. Hirai while removing his white fedora and shaking it out slightly. “Gentlemen, thank you, you will have to understand to assure that in order for us to become family, we need loyalty.”
He walks down the line stopping at the last man and Mr. Myoui is smiling but he stares at this man intently in the eyes.
“Family requires loyalty and trust. As our accountants you will be handling information and materials so vital that we need our most trusted individuals. I hope you will give us the honor of your trust and loyalty as well.”
The men along the line nod vigorously except for the man Mr. Myoui stands in front of, he simply kneels down, his knees meeting the cold concrete as he folds his hands together and places them on the ground then presses his forehead to his hands. All the men along the line immediately follow. Mr. Myoui’s smile reaches his eyes looking down at this man before he too kneels and bows deeply.
-
“That man was Mr. Yoo, he’s a Korean who has come here evading a money laundering scheme.” Mr. Minatozaki taps on his laptop before handing it Mr. Myoui.
The four men had gathered in a ornate room decorated with black and red lacquered furniture pieces that line the walls of the room as they kneel on cushions around a low table.
“His record is pretty unspectacular, there’s not much to say about him.”
“That’s good.” Mr. Myoui continues scrolling through his record.
Mr. Hirai scoffs, voicing his displeasure.
“You don’t trust him Hirai?”
“No, I can’t explain it but I have a bad feeling about him.” Hirai crosses his arms.
Mr. Im slightly adjusts himself on his red seat and quietly spoke up “...I agree, especially for the operation we have coming up we have to really understand who we’re bringing on.”
Mr. Myoui closed the laptop and gave a long hard look down at the table.
“Brothers, I understand your concerns, we should look deeper to clear any suspicion.” The men nodded.
Myoui looked to the one of the guards who slips out of the room and a moment later returns with Mr. Yoo in tow.
“Mr. Yoo.” Mr. Myoui warmly smiles and nods to him. Mr. Yoo gives a bow. The guards set up a seat and motioned for him to kneel as the men in the room rearrange themselves.
“We felt since you are joining us, that we should know you better.” Mr. Yoo just nods.
“Mr. Yoo, how much do you value family.” Mr. Myoui continued.
“Very much, sir.”
Mr. Myoui gives a slight laugh, “There is no need to call me sir, we are your brothers here.”
Mr. Yoo nods again.
“Yes of course.”
“We are also all similar in age and all blessed with wives and children, I heard you have a wife and daughters as well Mr. Yoo.”
“Yes, I do —three daughters, actually.”
--
“Do you want to leave, boss?” The driver of the truck spoke up.
“No, drive up front and provide some cover.” The vehicle rumbled in front of the line of police, the bullets showering against the armored side like a heavy rain. The slight trickling of Minatozaki’s typing adding the symphony of sound.
“YOU ARE SURROUNDED COME OUT WITH YOUR HANDS UP!” The megaphoned voice cutting through the din.
“What do we do?” Mr. Hirai gritted as he clicked in a new clip into his gun.
Mr. Im grimaced and knelt down behind the crate for cover as bullets rip past them.
“Our children are the most precious thing in this world right, Mr. Yoo?” Mr. Myoui not breaking eye contact with the man.
Mr. Yoo nodded.
“We protect them the best we can so they may live a better life than we did. So they can take on what we have laid before them, but hopefully easier.”
Mr. Yoo nodded again calmly though Mr.Myoui spotted a slight quiver in his eyes as he looks back.
“But if they face challenges, we can only hope what we taught them is enough, to help themselves and that everything wasn’t for naught.”
Mr. Yoo could feel his blood run cold as he finally looks away from Mr. Myoui to Mr. Minatozaki as he closes his laptop.
“It’s done.”
--
YAKUZA SYNDICATE BOSSES INDICTED, the bold chyron of the news declares, Mina watches from her seat in the airport as the TV shows footage of her father being lead away convicted to spend the rest of his life in prison. At the age of 12, the idea of not just her father but those of her friends being locked away forever has not quite sinked in. There mothers could possibly receive the same fate as they were awaiting trial.
“Mina…no need to watch that.” Her attention turns back to the man who kneels down and pulls down his mask, to shut out the stale air of the airport and partially to conceal his identity, as he smiles at her though she can see his eyes are sad.
“It’s time to go now.” His voice is full of warmth as he motions her to the four other girls waiting nervously with their luggage.
“Yes Mr. Park, sorry.”
“It’s alright.”
He pats her on the head.
The group walk quietly to the private jet that was arranged for them, the girls hold hands tightly in a chain as if they are elementary students going on a trip.
“It’ll be alright, I’ll get your parents to write you as much as they can.” He hugs each girl tightly as they to board the plane. The last is his daughter who he holds for a bit longer.
He says to her muffled a bit by her coat, “Jihyo, you’ll be strong okay, especially for the other girls right?”.
Jihyo’s coat swishes against his rough jacket as she nods vigorously blinking back the tears in her eyes.
“Y-Yes dad.”
“Good, I’ll see you soon. I love you.”
“I love you too.”
The flight is very quiet as Sana leans her head on Momo’s shoulder the tears streaming down, every so often a quiet sob hiccups through her. Momo comforting her the best she can despite her own tears escaping as well. Nayeon sleeps while she holds onto Jihyo’s hand tightly, Jihyo looking across the aisle at Mina as she looks out the window to the clouds that pass by.
Their flight eventually passes over the mountains that signal their arrival to what will become their new home, Switzerland. A land of safety and more importantly neutrality.
Everything happens in an instant it seems and the girls are driven to their new boarding school where they will stay, for how long none can be sure. Before any of them realize they are in their dorm unpacking their things to be living and learning among peers as if everything is normal.
It’s an idyllic and massive property tucked away in the mountains with fresh air and vivid greenery. The school is populated with wealthy kids from all over the world dressed finely in their clean cut uniforms. All subjects taught by top tier professionals and offering all activities possible. The girls do moderately to exceptionally well in school and keep to themselves mostly. They receive letters and phone calls from their parents on occasion ,Mr. Park being the only one that can actually visit them, but any other contact with Japan is almost non-existent. Months turn to years as Mr. Park fights it out in court to get their parents sentence lessened and keep their organization from falling apart altogether.
Jihyo receives a phone call from her father while she’s studying in the courtyard accompanied by no one except the faint sound of the large fountain trickling water and some birds twittering in the trees, her friends absent as they are staying in their shared room.
“Once you finish your school there I want all of you to come home.”
“Really?” Jihyo sits up from the bench she was laying down on.
“Yes, I was talking with everyone and we agree it would be a good time for you all to come home.”
“That’s amazing! Were you able to figure something out in court?” Jihyo said hope creeping into her voice.
“...No I haven’t, I’m afraid...” Mr. Park’s voice trailed off, Jihyo hearing the the exhaustion grinding into his voice despite his best efforts to hold it back. Jihyo has developed an ear for it over these many years. It was no easy feat for her father to be the acting head of the group let alone to dodge being convicted himself.
“I… it's time to talk about the future for all of you.” Mt. Park continued.
Jihyo thought carefully considering the fact that she and Mina were close to turning 18 soon. “I understand.”
When Jihyo arrived back at the dorm she sat them all down and discussed with them what her father had called about. Momo and Sana jumped up and down cheering their soon return home. However, Nayeon and Mina looked to Jihyo with concern.
The girls finished out their school year and were on the same jet back to Japan. Jihyo couldn’t help but feel the sense of déjà vu as she looked around to her friends who were just as quiet and were seated the same way they were six years ago, however without the tears. Although there was a slight tension in the air as the anxiety over their return set in.
Upon arrival their fears seemed to melt away they were greeted by Mr. Park who smiled and embraced them each warmly, taking in a long strong embrace with Jihyo. He took them out to barbeque and then drove them as they happily chatted and told Mr. Park of various stories and antics that happened since they last saw him. It almost felt normal, no stern suited men, no heavy quiet just the fun and joy of spending time as if they were like any other family.
However, they all quieted down as they pulled up to a very familiar street and as the mansion that Mina grew up in that came into view. They had thought that all their property and possessions, were seized when their parents were arrested.
“I was able to get the house back, Mina.” Mr. Park said as he looked into the rearview seeing all the girls who were speechless and fighting back tears as they saw the house that seemed to be the center of their upbringing.
Once he parked in front they all got out and made their way to the front steps without saying a word. Mina cautiously reached out and softly took hold of the doorknob. As she opened the door, she and the rest of the girls were overwhelmed with the warm lighting and the ornate style of the large house. They walked around running their hands over the banister of the staircase and the familiar plaster of the walls. The feel of the hardwood floors under their feet. However, the silence seemed to both honor the space but also show the hollowness without their parents. The air smelling distant and stale of the usual warmth.
“Thank you so much Mr. Park.” Mina bowed to Mr. Park and was followed by the rest of the girls.
“Of course, I’m sorry I wasn’t able to get much of the furnishing back but soon enough this can feel like home again...But, I must show you all something.”
He leads them to a section of the wall in the dining room and presses on it. The wall recedes and slides to the side and he leads the girls down a series of stairs and sliding doors to the basement.
The room is painted black with ornate lacquered furniture with the low table and four cushions positioned around it. The girls gaped at the room as this was the meeting room they had heard about but never saw. Mr. Park brought two gold cushions and placed them side-by-side behind the black cushion.
“For decades your fathers and the many generations before them have met in this exact spot. We felt now is the time to understand your responsibility.”
The girls looked at each other and stood around the table. Mr. Park continued, “My time leading the family is over, now as their only children, it is time for you all to take the lead.”
--
Jihyo spoke up “I think I should make it clear that my role isn’t to take my father’s place as it is now, nor is it my right.” The four girls nod in agreement and Jihyo shares a look with Mina before sitting beside her father on the gold cushion.
There was a long silence that hung in the air as they all looked to each other.
Sana broke the silence, “I think it would only be right if we took our father’s place...the way it used to be...continue where they left off.” She searched each of the eyes, Momo the only one giving a nod. They remained rooted in their place however. Sana and Momo were in a quiet agreement so they looked to the others noticing how they were staring each other down intensely.
“I agree.” Mina spoke finally though almost at the volume of a whisper never breaking eye contact with Nayeon. The older girl paused, they could all see her eyes searching her thoughts before she hesitantly nodded.
Mr. Park then cleared his throat, drawing the attention away from each other. He motioned where each of them should sit: Sana kneeling on a blue cushion, Momo kneeling on the yellow one, and then Nayeon and Mina standing at the red and the black one respectively but neither of them kneeling just yet. They stared coldly at one another until Mina gracefully knelt down causing Nayeon to hesitate for moment before she followed.
Mr. Park went to a large black armoire that was along the wall, that was adorned with a painted crane and a red sun with swirling and ominous clouds. He opened it. The interior was bright red and contained a sheathed katana along with a quiver of arrows and a few printed scenes on scrolls which were yellowed and faded from age. Mr. Park took out a handful of arrows and the sword off its rack. He went to each of the girls and handed them a single arrow.
“I want you each to try to break your arrow.” He instructs simply. The room was silent until it was pierced by the sound of snapping, Momo was the first to shatter hers then the rest of the girls followed easily. Mr. Park smiled as the girls placed the remnants on the table.
“Now—” He took the remaining arrows in his hand and handed the bundle to Jihyo,
“break this.” She twisted and bent them the best she could to no avail and passed the collection around to each girl.
“We can’t break them.” Momo whines as she struggled to snap the arrows eventually handing them back to Mr. Park.
“Exactly, as individuals you are weak—” He snaps an arrow to punctuate the point, “but as a group—” bending the bundle “you are strong.”
He smiled warmly but then his attention was drawn as Mina gently raises her hand.
“Mr. Park, I’m sorry, may I?” He walks over to her and she deftly takes the bundle of arrows from his hands. She gathers them up neatly tapping the ends on the table for good measure to even them out.
“I was also told with the enough stress and the right amount of pressure—” Mina wringed the bundle before holding it to her knee and one swift motion.
SNAP!
All the arrows were splintered.
The girls looked at Mina in shock, as she apologized as she handed the broken pieces over. Mr. Park looked at the parts for a moment before giving out a low chuckle. All the girls redirected their shock.
“Mr. Im taught you that didn’t he?” Mr. Park said looking over to Mina.
Mina hesitated before she finally nodded, Nayeon raising an eyebrow before letting out an annoyed huff.
Mr. Park continued, “I shouldn’t be surprised, did he tell you what you should've learned from that?.”
Mina shook her head slowly, Nayeon letting out another quiet scoff that was cut off after Sana shot her a look.
“Of course, well, what do you think?” Mr. Park looked at the group for an answer, they all sat silently as they carefully thought.
Sana was the first to speak up, “A-adding more would make it stronger?”
They all shifted in their seats, Sana being the most obvious never made her the most correct.
“You’re right Sana!” Mr. Park said excitedly as he went to the quiver of arrows again and grabbed a few bending them and stressing them until they heard a cracking sound then he grabbed a few more making the bundle more sturdy.
“New strong arrows protect the old arrows even with all the stress put on them.” They all nodded in understanding.
“The challenge isn’t prevent them from breaking, it's to make it the most difficult condition to do so.” Mina said slowly and carefully.
“Yes, exactly!” Mr. Park said smiled and nodded patting them each on the shoulder before going to Mina’s side.
“For the next few years you all will have a lot to learn but I think you can do well— together.”
Mr. Park bowed deeply as he offered her the katana.
She deftly lifted it from his hands, unsheathing the blade ringing the metallic sound throughout the room.
--
Mina drums her fingers on the table idly and then looks up.
She spots a woman approaching the table wearing a black lace dress with a collar that goes up her neck. Though the collar is conservatively high the cut of the dress is short, showing off toned legs that seem to go on for days as they strut towards the table. The steps are confident, though Mina can see a bit of a waiver of inexperience in the high heeled ankle boots. This woman cooly ruffles out her short blond hair as her eyes land on Mina and there’s a charming twinkle in them as her lips curl up in smirk.
It’s amusing to Mina as she’s observing this woman walk with her back straight and chin held high, exuding moral superiority. She’s a cop. A very attractive one, no doubt.
Her men tense up —even Jihyo, who watched the newcomer take a seat at the roulette table, held her shoulders in a guarded manner. She looked to Mina, who only shook her head in response.
“Leave her,” Mina said. “Let her play.”
“Are you going to sleep with her?” asked Jihyo, eyeing Mina carefully.
It’s none of your business, Mina wanted to say. However, it is every bit of Jihyo’s business to know as someone whom she considers a sister but also as their organization’s lawyer.
She’s harmless, Mina wanted to say. However, it doesn’t escape her how this woman is the daughter of the same man that had her father and her friend’s fathers incarcerated for the rest of their lives in maximum security prison. The woman that they’ve kept a wary eye since the moment she walked into their casino. Yoo Jeongyeon.
“She’s cute,” was all Mina said, and that was the end of it, really.
Jihyo eyed Mina skeptically and gave a quick glance at Jeongyeon, before walking away waving off two guards who wanted to follow subtly telling them to stay with Mina.
It wasn’t uncommon for cops to come in to the casino, to gamble, to drink, and to lie. It was a casino afterall a realm of greed and hedonism, perfect for the corrupted cops from all over Asia to come through. Though Mina could tell, Jeongyeon wasn’t here for those reasons she was as straight-laced as they come.
Mina smiled when she caught Jeongyeon’s eye again, the short haired girl responds with a curt nod and the smirk that seemed to be ever-present on her face. Jeongyeon hands her chips over to the dealer as he explains the rules of the table. Mina amusingly watching Jeongyeon subtly fiddle with a chip as she listens intently to the dealer. The dealer finishes and looks to Mina who smiles, the dealer nods and signals for the start.
With an elegant wave of her hand Mina gestures, “Newcomer’s first.”
Mina notices Jeongyeon’s eyebrow twitch slightly and the smirk faltering for a moment.
“Thank you.” Jeongyeon continues to fiddle with her chip eyeing all the options on the table.
She finally places a few chips here and there, satisfied she nods to Mina.
Mina quickly places her most expensive chips on ‘black’, ‘odd’, and ‘1 to 12’, ‘32’, ‘13’, '18' and ‘00’.
“No more bets!” the dealer declares as he spins the wheel and then drops the small white ball onto the rim, the quiet whirring as it spins around the outside.
“You play often?” Jeongyeon breaks the silence that had fallen over the table as she looks away from the roulette wheel to Mina.
The ball is still whirling around the shiny mahogany surface.
Mina glances away from the wheel for a second, “Yes...it’s my favorite game actually.”
Her eyes go back to following the ball as it continues whirling.
“Why is that?” Jeongyeon said with genuine curiosity.
Ping! The ball finally bounces off the one of the metal bumpers along the rim.
“Because roulette is an equal playing field. You can’t cheat a true game of chance.” Mina says as her eyes never left the marble’s path.
Clack! Clack! Clack!
The ball noisily taps as it settles in a slot.
Jeongyeon gives a slight chuckle, “But the house always wins right?”
“13! Black!” The dealer declares, he pays out chips to Mina before clearing off the board for the next round.
Mina clicks the chips into a stack before she starts placing chips on the table again.
The wheel spins as the ball whirls around.
-
The dealer clears the table once again after many rounds. Only few pleasantries passing between the two at the table. The heavy quiet and focused concentrations of the two, deterring other players from their game though drawing some curious glances. One of Mina’s men steps away and brings her a glass of white wine, and she gestures the glass towards to Jeongyeon.
“No, thank you though.” Jeongyeon eyes Mina as she takes a dainty sip from her glass, Jeongyeon catches herself staring a bit too long before she quickly looks to the table and fiddles with the chip in her hand.
However, Mina gets up from the table, glass in hand and whirls her white dress as she turns to walk away not even bothering to gather her chips. She pauses for a moment to look past her two suited men and back at Jeongyeon, beckoning her.
Jeongyeon swallows down her better judgment as she gets up to follow.