𝐲𝐚𝐤𝐮𝐳𝐚 & 𝐣𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐱 𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬

[龍が如く5] Daigo Dojima

"Until then, Patriarch Madarame."

It was early in the night when the Sixth Chairmen of the Tojo Clan calmly stepped out of the limousine, saying his departures to a family captain. The vehicle drove off as Daigo patiently waited along with one of the family captains in the Tojo Clan for his own ride. The official who was waiting beside him held open the door for the Chairmen when his car arrived. "No need. I just need some time alone. To unwind."

"Chairmen, it would be unsafe if you were to walk around alone," the clan official commented. Daigo simply walked off, carried away in his own world.

While Daigo walked away, the captain motioned silently for one of the guards to follow the Chairmen. It was his task to closely follow him so he doesn't get hurt. Now, if this bodyguard was anyone else, that task would have been executed much cleaner. The odds sadly weren't in his safety's favor. In many cases, (y/n) had hidden behind small crowds of people and clumsily turned behind alleyways of the city of Fukuoka. Tailing the Sixth Chairmen led the promising yakuza to an unoccupied bridge that stood over a small river. Unfortunately for the greenhorn bodyguard, the only object (y/n) could rely on for obscurity was a thin light post. He cursed at himself when Daigo took notice.

"You can come out now, (y/n). I know you're there." (y/n) heard the Chairmen calmly speak as he pulled out a cigarette. He didn't even need to turn away from his view of the city to notice his presence.

"Man, almost thought I was being sneaky." Daigo chuckled to himself, for a bodyguard of a high official he was quite amusing. (y/n) pulled a lighter out of his coat pocket and respectively lit his superior's cigarette. Daigo took a short drag of the cigarette and then spoke. "I have known you long enough to know that that isn't true." (y/n) made himself comfortable by leaning beside his superior on the railings and pulling out a cigarette of his own. He was technically doing his job and there wasn't anyone else around him to tell him to show respect, so it wouldn't hurt to kick back with a higher up.

"Well, you have to cut me some slack. There weren't many hiding places to work with. I was trying my best back there." Daigo took another a drag of his cigarette and muttered to himself. "If you were in my position that's all you can do." (Y/n) turned to his superior. "What was that, sir?" "Nothing." Then (y/n) turned back into his original position, paying that small comment no mind. (y/n) knew too well that he could never wrap his head around some of the things Daigo said.

"Also, you can stop calling me sir when we're alone. I wouldn't consider you a simple grunt anymore, (y/n)." Daigo said as he turned towards (y/n). A small smile was displayed on his face. "Just a little force of habit. Gotta look good in front of the other guys, you know." The Chairmen sighed to himself. "Just a word of advice, don't try too hard kissing up to clan officials. I've known too many people who've lost their footing going down that route."

"Oh, you mean like the first patriarch of the Nishikiyama family? I wasn't around during that time but I've heard the story. Wasn't it more than just kissing ass?"

"Of course I know that. It's just," Daigo paused to collect his thoughts, "I don't want anyone else to go down the same path as he did. I know the Fourth Chairmen held a great connection with him, but in some instances, I think about the possible ways that incident could have been avoided. Honestly, I think about how a lot of problems can be fixed, actually. In some ways that's my job." Daigo took another drag of his cigarette as he slowly came to admire the night scenery. Only, (y/n) couldn't really say anything. He wasn't very bright when it came to this kind of subject matter.

"Just so you can understand, I want you to move up in the ranks with your own merits. But knowing you, there won't be many of them to praise." Daigo deadpanned as he flicked his cigarette into the river and softly pushed himself off of the railings. "Hey! I know that you're my boss but do you really need to trash talk me like that?"

"It's the truth," Daigo smirked at (y/n) as he placed his hands in his pockets. "But the good thing is, you have a lot of room to learn. There are some punks I know who have no hope of salvaging." Daigo then turned away and started to walk off. (y/n) closely followed next to him, only after putting out his own smoke. "What I don't get is why you're trying to help me. I'm just a bodyguard." (y/n) said as he caught up to his superior. "Not sure. I just get a different feeling about you than other people." "Well, what can I learn from you that I don't already know?" Daigo stopped in his tracks and turned to (y/n).

"For one thing, you don't aim for a higher position, you get there through your own accomplishments. Take me for example. I lead hundreds of Tojo men against the Omi Alliance and won a war that could have completely unbalanced the Tojo Clan." (y/n) nodded in understanding. "Heh, well, of course, I know at least that much about you." "Then tell me, what is it you wish to accomplish?" (y/n) could only stand back and think about that question. "I don't know to answer that one, Daigo. You know I'm not that smart."

"You're the only one who can control where your choices take you. But once you get higher among the ranks, you will understand that stability is key. And it is also the responsibility placed upon my shoulders." Slowly, Daigo's tone began to soften. "Hey, I know you're just the Chairmen, but don't the family captains have some responsibility too?" "True, but the problem with that is when anything goes wrong they all like to point their fingers at me." "I mean no offense Daigo, but if I was in your position I would set them straight and tell them they have a certain position for a reason." Daigo stood silent for a moment before laughing at his subordinate's obliviousness. (y/n) could only stand confused "If only it were that simple." "Geez, this yakuza stuff is pretty complicated, huh?" (y/n) said as he scratched the back of his head.

"You have no idea." Daigo continued walking and (y/n) followed. "Well, what else is there to learn?" "If you'll bare with me, maybe you can find out." As they walked the streets of the unfamiliar city, Daigo felt a brief wave of nostalgia. This must have been how the Fourth Chairmen had felt toward me, Daigo thought. It wasn't a feeling he could explain, but somehow, the sixth Chairmen felt obligated to help this man to become a true yakuza. Or at the very least, let him discover the real meaning of what it means to be one.