More spoilers! It’s been a wild day for both our boys and the fandom. Yoneda Kou is listed for the next issue so (fingers crossed!) we’ll see chapter 46 on Sept 30th!
They bring Kousuke to meet his brother. Here is a panel of everyone in the car on the way there and it isn’t awkward at all nope.
Once Kido is in their sites, interrogation ensues. Yashiro is quite dashing. They find out that the money Kido has been accruing is going to a group in Shin-Okubo which is the Korea Town area of Kabukicho. I wonder if that group has any relation to the group Hirata was getting the drugs from during his “fuck up Shinseikai” plan hmmmmmmm
In a blurry page that I haven’t posted here bc blurry, it’s revealed that Okuyama (the old Wakagashira of Sanwakai who thought he’d be the next leader and who had a falling out with the group once Tsunakawa took over) was behind Niki’s kidnapping. I feel he might be problematic in future chapters since Doumeki thwarted the kidnapping and damaged his men.
Also, at some point in the chapter, Nanahara tells Yashiro that he wants to go back to the group. Even though he’s techincally still in Doushinkai, he’s been on the side project of watching over Yashiro for the last four years, and our bright Sunshine Derp has grown up! Unlike Yashiro, Nanahara loves being part of the yakuza, he’s more like Kamiya in that regard, and after he fanbois Tsunakawa’s place and talks about “his dream for working for a traditional yakuza” it’s obvious that he wants something different.
Afterward, Doumeki drives back to Yashiro’s apartment to drop him off and they’re in the car alone ajsgaksgaasga. Of course, the conversation is tense and it goes from snarky to sexual with Yashiro hinting that Doumeki might have other intentions behind giving Yashiro “a ride” home. Doumeki knows just how to meet Yashiro’s challenge and asks him “why, do you want it?” and of course Yashiro is like NO and storms out of the car, where he has a introspective speedwalk about how much he actually does want Doumeki, thinking back to his post-shower jerk-off session in the previous chapter.
Doumeki isn’t one to be deterred and he follows Yashiro, stopping him in front of his building where they have an intense conversation about who wants what. Doumeki is trying to get Yashiro to admit that he wants him, wants anything, and Yashiro is refusing to play ball because he never admits his real feelings to anyone so why start now?
And with impeccable cockroach timing, Inami pulls up and calls out to Yashiro. When Doumeki turns, Inami recognizes him and comments on his scars. I hope he’s afraid. Very afraid. Otherwise I would love to see a repeat of the beatdown in chapter 16.
Remember the dream Yashiro had in chapter 40? Where he was walking, and Doumeki grabbed his arm and Yashiro jerked away? Well we have it here in parallel. Yashiro tries to walk to Inami and Doumeki stops him. According to Sexy Sources, the convo is basically: D “Do you need a man so badly you would go to Inami” Y: “that’s right what’s it to you?” Then Yashiro tells Doumeki that he’s hurting him and to let go.
This time, when Yashiro pulls away it’s not like the dream. Doumeki follows, rips him away from Inami and tells him “If it doesn’t matter who then it doesn’t have to be him/I will do” aklshalshlahl
I am BEYOND HOPING that there will be some touching in the next chapter. We have waited for so long. The setup is there; last time it was in Doumeki’s place, now they’re in front of Yashiro’s. Once Inami drives away (and hopefully dies) they’ll be alone with no Kamiya listening in to cockblock them and - let’s be real here - they were thisclose to getting down before they were interrupted so once things get heated nothing will stop them. Yashiro wants Doumeki so badly he can’t even stand a car ride without imploding and Doumeki is extra pushy now. This is the second time he’s asked “then why not me?” and I doubt Yashiro will be able to say no to him twice. I certainly couldn’t aklshalhsl
And finally, at the end of chapter 40′s dream Yashiro is left alone. It’s something he’s afraid of, something that truly hurts him, and it goes as far back as Tadayoedo, where Kageyama’s simple comment of “you’re all alone” hits him hard. It’s one of the reasons he won’t get close to Doumeki, why he won’t get close to anyone, and it only comes to light when he’s feeling vulnerable. Now that Nanahara wants to leave after being by his side for over a decade, Yashiro is feeling untethered, close to being alone again, and Doumeki will not let Yashiro reach out to someone who could hurt him, like he always does. Doumeki will be there for him because he never stopped loving Yashiro. Doumeki stayed in that world to be close to Yashiro, has been keeping tabs on Yashiro for four years, and now that Yashiro is so close, he’s not going to let him go.