Nemesis, Vol. 4

A Better Place

Don Ishikawa found himself sitting in front of a fireplace earlier that day and mentally preparing for the storm that has yet to come. 

He, much like anyone else who lives in luxury, had himself a butler, who brought him a glass of red wine while he sat in silence.

"Sir, do you know who will accompany you to the summit?" The butler asked.

"Sure, we all are required to take our hand's right?" Ishikawa asked. 

The seven crime families had a much easier synonym for their underboss' within the family. The hand was the second in command within a crime family, which was usually a family member being prepared to take the throne.

"Well, yes, as well as a limit of up to 40 other members." The butler said.

"Fine." Ishikawa said, he didn't sound too pleased with that detail. 

Another person who was eavesdropping on their conversation decided to enter the room.

"So that means I'm going too?" The man said. 

This man was none other than Kugo Ishikawa, the hand to Goketsu Ishikawa and his eldest son. He is wearing a track jumpsuit with a gold chain around his neck. He also has smooth dark blonde dyed hair.

"So who's gonna be in charge while we're gone?" Kugo asked.

"Jin." The butler said. 

Jin was familiar to both of them, he was none other than the eyepatched man that played guard earlier. Jin was much more important to the family than what he led on to the IJA agent. Jin was the head Capo of the Ishikawa crime family. 

A Capo within crime families are a lot similar to Maria's current position of Class Captain, that being that they both hold authority over lower-ranked members, and sometimes even given their own unit if necessary.

"No. Jin is doing something for me. Someone else." Ishikawa said.

"What the? Jin ain't going to the summit?" Kugo asked.

"No."

"What the hell do you see in that rat pops?!"

"He isn't a rat, I trust him. Why are you still here son? Shouldn't you be married by now?" Ishikawa said, throwing some digs at his son in the process.

"Pop, I'm busy with the family business, you know that."

"Jin could take care of this, don't you want something better than this..." Ishikawa said.

Clearly he expected better things for his son than what he currently achieved so far in his lifetime.

"Pop, I can't leave this, you know that."

"Where did I go wrong with you..." Ishikawa said. 

This wasn't received so well from his son, who was seconds from exploding on his father. The butler noticed this and eased the tension in the room with one simple word.

"Drink?" The butler asked Kugo as he held a platter with wine glasses on them. 

Kugo rips a drink off the platter and downs it in one shot.

"Thanks." Kugo said. 

Who gets mad enough to shoot their wine that way, clearly showing no class of doing so. 

Then suddenly two younger girls that look like twins rush into the room.

"Papa!!" The girls shouted as they huddled around Ishikawa.

"There's my girls!!"

The presence of innocence completely shifted the aroma from a foul odor to a pleasant sense of strawberries.

"How was school today?" Ishikawa asked.

"It was fun!"

"Where's your mother?" Ishikawa asked.

"I'm here hon." The mother walks in with the kid's bags in her hand.

"I'll need you to do something for me tomorrow."

"Alright... c'mon girls, let's go eat." The mother said.

"Ok..." The twins said.

"Kugo, just be prepared to go tomorrow." Ishikawa said.

"Alright pop."

I can't let them grow up like Kugo, nothing more than a hoodlum..., Ishikawa thought as he watched his two younger daughters exit the room.

Ishikawa had high hopes for his family, and hope for them to remain innocent even in the belly of the beast. Quite the unrealistic expectations, but nothing is wrong with optimism for light within darkness.

"Boss, I'm here." Jin said as he entered the room.

"Good. Don't forget, once we leave you have to complete the task I gave you."

"Alright, you sure you don't want me by your side at the summit?" Jin asked.

"You heard the man, he wants you here!" Kugo shouted.

"I don't think I was talking to you..." Jin said.

"What'd you say you damn rat?!" Kugo shouted. 

Clearly, these two mixed well like oil and water.

Jin puts his hand on his sword handle, preparing to cut down Kugo had this turned into a physical altercation.

"You heard me, I'm talkin to the boss, not you..." Jin said.

"Enough... It's fine Jin, your task is more important to me than the summit..." Ishikawa said.

"What?!" Kugo shouted, how is he favoring this third wheel over his own son?

"Stop Kugo, you're the hand, you have to go, you don't have a choice..."

"Tch..." Kugo sucked his teeth.

"And Jin, can you at least try to get along with Kugo..."

"Fine."

"We'll be at a better place soon..." Ishikawa said as he seemed tired.