°•❇•° ℍ𝕒𝕝𝕗 𝕋𝕣𝕦𝕔𝕖 𝕠𝕣 ℕ𝕠 𝕄𝕠𝕣𝕖 𝕋𝕣𝕦𝕔𝕖 𝕒𝕥 𝔸𝕝𝕝 °•❇•°
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 family’s establishment, greeted by the ever-refreshing atmosphere that always prevailed there. He was somewhat knackered from the day’s work and, on top of that, worried, conjuring up all sorts of catastrophic scenarios regarding his sister’s 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 didn’t 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.
Bernard’s relationship with those blasted ‹‹days off›› was bittersweet: if he wasn’t 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 didn’t 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 –unless it was one of those planned breaks like a ‹‹special occasion›› 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 changed–.
In any case, in his eagerness to stay active, he didn’t 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 wasn’t 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 didn’t take him long to realise it was the leader of Aichi, who seemed to be looking for someone. Bernard’s 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.
—“Mr. Takeda! Over here!”,—he called out cheerfully, carefully setting down his double bass—. “Splendid to see you here!”
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 –including 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 time–. 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.
—“I’m afraid Raiden won’t be coming today; I reckon he’s at work”, —he apologised politely–. “It’s nigh on impossible to predict when he’ll show up, especially at this hour when the bar is so quiet. Although, you’re sure to catch him on Friday nights and weekends, you know, with the band and all that”, –he informed as he guided Shouta through the space—. “But please, make yourself at home! Can I offer you something? Perhaps a drink? Consider this place your own.”
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, couldn’t 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 didn’t want to be too nosy — or at least not be too obvious—, 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.
—“Well, without a doubt, you two look lovely together, I must admit. Although, it’s rather odd to see Raiden so concerned about someone… In fact, it’s very odd. At first, I didn’t 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 around”,— Bernard said subtly and kindly, making the leader of Aichi chuckle and blush as he took a sip of his drink—. “Raiden is a carefree and a little narcisistic soul, and although he’s still reluctant to admit anything or drop his bad habits straight away, I’d 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, it’s 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 Beniko… Oh my goodness! If you could see him squabbling with Beniko, it’s quite the show!”.— He laughed, thinking about his teammate and the jokes that had arisen from his recent fixation on Shouta—. “Of course, I’d 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 know… You have to get the measure of him, or he’ll get the measure of you, but it’s also true that somehow you’ve gotten into his head. It must be for a reason… 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, that’s adorable.”
The playwright took another sip of his whiskey and then feigned innocence, realising he might have said a bit too much.
—“Blimey! I’ve gone and let my tongue run away with me again! Well, if Raiden asks, this never came out of my mouth”, —he exclaimed, making Shouta laugh, who seemed to enjoy the new information about the flirtatious tattoo artist he was now so close to—. “Oh! Look at my manners! I forgot to ask about your division mates! How have they been? Eiji and Issey? I hope they’re both doing very well, they’re incredible lads”. —Bernard said with a smile—. “I don’t know if I’ve mentioned it, but I’m really grateful to Issey for helping my sister that day, he’s 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 suddenly… But it’s comforting to know there are still young gentlemen in this world willing to lend a hand.”
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 façade.
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.
— "Hey! Mr. Yashiro!", —he 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 them—. "It’s good to see you again! How’s everyone in your division? I hope Jinwoo isn’t still miffed about the beach prank", —he said, trying to create a welcoming atmosphere—. "What brings you here? Hopefully, you can enjoy-…"
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 didn’t hold back, responding in kind, starting an exchange of insults between the two, who seemed to have short fuses in each other’s 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 didn’t know exactly what or how it had come to that. The situation was a bit awkward; he didn’t 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.
—“Oh, wait, wait, wait! Calm down, you two!”,— exclaimed, stepping between them—. “Why don’t we try to get along for a moment, uh?”,— 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.
—“Come on, don’t you think we could have another truce today? Since we’re 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-…”
His peace speech didn’t 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 wouldn’t come to fruition, at least not this time.
—“Alright, forget what I said. Can we at least have a drink in peace?”.—The leader of Kagoshima still wasn’t convinced, sending annoyed looks—. “My treat”.— he added, hoping for a change that wasn’t forthcoming. He sighed again and furrowed his brow—. “Everything. I’ll pay for everything you both order”.—he finished, somewhat frustrated. That seemed to buy Tetsuya’s attention for a moment and even lifted his spirits a bit—. “Well, at least it’s something… Tell me what you want, and I’ll fetch it. Maybe some snacks or something to eat; if we keep drinking without eating first, we’ll be in a right state. You can also help yourselves to whatever you fancy from the bar”.
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 wouldn’t 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 family’s 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-.
—“Those two are absolutely bonkers!” —exclaimed the man, laughing as if he were watching a comedy show—. “I haven’t laughed this hard at a couple of idiots brawling in a bar in ages!”
—“Do you want me to handle it?”, —asked his cousin, who, although usually calm and sweet, knew how to deal with difficult customers.
—“Don’t worry, you’re already doing enough, Kenichi…”
—“I say this because our parents will kill us if anything happens. First you, then me for being the main person in charge.”
—“They’re supposed to be my D.R.B enemy-mates, or so I want to believe we are mates… I’ll handle it”,—he tried to think positively and brace himself for the adventure—. “Come on, it can’t be that hard, we’re responsible and reasonable adults. It’s only teenagers without self-control or those with alcohol issues who make such a scene”.
A louder noise was heard, and Kenichi raised an eyebrow, doubting that statement.
—“It sounds like they’re killing each other…” —Kenichi murmured, worried—. “And I know you’re not used to this sort of thing either.”
—“You say that as if you are, Kenichi”. —His 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 calibre—. “Ugh! Don’t look at me like that! I know, I know, but I’ve also helped you deal with your brothers. I can handle this.”
—“Alright… I’m counting on you. Just shout if you need help.”
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.
—“Oh, bloody hell…”,— 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 reality—. “Alright! That’s enough, you two! This sort of behaviour is utterly unacceptable!”
But seeing they weren’t 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 they’d had at the bar, the situation had spiralled out of control.
—“Hey, you two! You’re behaving like a pair of brutes! Stop fighting in this place! You’re wrecking the bar and scaring off the customers! Separate right now or…!”. —But 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 didn’t even realise they’d hit him—. “Brilliant, 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?”, — exclaimed, clutching his nose in pain—. “Just fucking bloody hell, this is just what I needed!”— 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 didn’t 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. They’d hit him too hard, or it was just a particularly sensitive spot —though he wasn’t used to this kind of fight anyway—.
—“Idiots… And I wanted the three of us to get along…”, —Bernard muttered to himself, taking a swig from the bottle—. “I don’t like fights… Ugh, this situation brings back some bad memories. Damn it!”.— He gasp, grabbing his nose again—. “Bloody hell! Just because I like dramatizing fight scenes on stage doesn’t mean I like them in real life! The punches hurt like hell, and there’s no fake blood that tastes like jam! I hate them! That’s it, I’m done being the peacemaker! You lot and your pathetic show! You don’t even look good fighting, idiots…”
He kept watching them for a while, then raised the bottle towards them.
—“Well, 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 children… No, not even! Like animals! In fact, animals are more reasonable!” – 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 monologue—. “Why 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?”, – he sighs, annoyed and resigned, while looking at Shouta and Tetsuya who continue fighting—. “Ugh… This is the worst, such a lack of class and education. I’m proving Issey right that I always end up looking like an idiot for trying to make everyone get along. At least, I have my drink”, – he takes another sip and frowns childishly and dramatically—. “Cheers 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 psychologist… or a psychiatrist, whichever suits you best… And cheers to you, Bernard, for your noble but useless efforts.”
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 Tetsuya’s 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.
—“Se...Se....Seriously~...? A-a-a...After all this com...Commotion, you only ask about that as if nothing happened...? You... Must be a fuc-…”; —but 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 didn’t speak Japanese well, now he was even less understandable. He rubbed his swollen eyes from crying, all his makeup had fallen off—. “I sho...should throw you out...~ for this scandal....”, – 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 place—. “Are...Y...You going...~ to stop acting like irrational beings...? If so, I might consider it… As lo...lo...long as the rest of the day is without more of this....this~...this distasteful situation!”, –adds, trying to look angry, but at that moment he didn’t 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 “stop the fight” hadn’t 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 they’d 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 coexist… If such a disaster could be called a truce.
—Collab with the amazing @kagoshima-division and @aichi-division <3—
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 didn’t 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 didn’t know how to manage the crisis, as he’d never been in a fight, but he tried to at least make a pleasant farewell for everyone.
—“W-well, well… It’s over now....~ I hope next time won’t be so...So chaotic and we...we...we can get along a bit better... Ma-m-maybe even invite the others to m-mingle…”,— he murmured, trying to stay upright due to all they’d drunk—. “Take care on your way home and give my regards to the other lads!”,— he said, kindly slurring his words.
Those two were about to go their separate ways when…
—“Wait! Mr. Takeda, Mr. Yashiro!”,— Kenichi exclaimed, coming over with two bags full of packaged items—. “Please take these! To share with the guys in your division!”,— 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 all—. “And well, Mr. Yashiro, I’ve sent some special things to Jinwoo, they’re marked with-…”.— But seeing Tetsuya’s annoyed face, he simply cut his speech short—. “N-Never mind! I hope you enjoy them!”
Everyone said their goodbyes, and at the end, Kenichi cast a theatrical grimace at Bernard.
—“You look absolutely dreadful, honestly,” —he remarked, noticing his cousin still had tears in his eyes, wobbling and in pain—. “It’s clear you’re still a bit of a shambles with some things…”
—“I...It caught me off...guard~....! Besides, they landed a punch square on, I couldn’t do much”, — Bernard whinged, his tone pitiful. You couldn't understand him well what he was saying.
—“I thought your forte was improvising on the fly.”
—“N-not exactly in a real fight…!”, — Bernard tried to excuse himself, sighing—. “But...You know, you k-know... In the end, w-we managed to have a bit of a chinwag~! A....And it didn’t escalate! We all came out on top in a win-win situation!”
Kenichi looked at him doubtfully.
—“Well, if you call this winning… suit yourself,”— he said, looking at him with some disappointment, but then shifted the topic to something more pressing—. “Anyway, now I hope you’ll put whatever’s left of your sober mind to improvising something to stop my parents from killing us. So, either we start tidying up, or you’ll have to give the performance of your life to convince them,”— he said, patting Bernard on the back as they headed back to the bar—. “And I’ve got a feeling Genevieve will be the one looking after you tonight… I sense you’re about to keel over any moment.”
—“C-cousin, stop it...~. I know I look...Loo...Look bad! But you know it’s not an everyday...T-thing! These things just happen…” —Bernard murmured, feigning innocence and then chuckling a bit—. “Well, in any case, it was pe-peculiar hanging out with Shouta and Tetsuya... They’re 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!”
—“I suppose… Though you three have a long way to go if you really want to be good leaders…”
—“Yes, I know, but at least we’re learning. An-and....And I promise this w-would never h-hap...Happen again...~”— they both arrived at the bar, and Bernard sighed—. “Well… Time to clean up this mess… I’ll come up with something if your parents arrive first.”
—“You’d better, you know how intense they get about the place. So it’s that or they’ll have our heads.”
—“Yes… And that would be a shame, we wouldn’t want you dead before your little gift reaches Jinwoo, would we...~?”,— Bernard teased, making his cousin blush like a beetroot.
—“Bernard, shut up and start cleaning! You know I get daft!” —Kenichi 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.
— Thank you again for the collab and for everything, @kagoshima-division and @aichi-division you both are the best <3333 —
