𝐈𝐈 - Never enough || It's all for you

36•It's been hard for me too

Chapter 36
It's been hard for me too.

Yakuza Village, Tokyo
Soma House

     Kazuo sat at the table center with all the officials from the Yakuza who worked with his father before. He already knew them well, so he wasn't nervous. It was the last gathering before he would join his friends to party. "I don't think that's necessary," he argued with the team. "There's no need for another vote about this. I still want to work with all of you," the new boss assured.

     One man cleared his throat. "Thank you for your trust. However, you should know that not everyone here agrees with your choices, Master," he said.

     Kazuo felt his tension rise already. "I can imagine. Who wants to go first, then?" he asked.

     An older man rose. "Young Master," he started. He was the representative of a former big clan before the big merge.

     Kazuo ticked from annoyance already. "It's Master, now," he corrected.

     The man didn't change his words. "With all due respect, your siding with the Yu brothers shows how little you care for this clan," he spat. "After all the trouble they've brought. After all the money lost... It was the most ridiculous decision to make. I'm not sure I want to remain a Soma after that," he said, earning a few sighs.

     Kazuo stared at him calmly. His tension was high. Yoru only waited for the command to smack that man's head onto the table. Kazuo hummed, nodding at the man's words. "Anything else?" He tapped his finger against his thumb repeatedly, holding back.

     The man nodded. "You decided to marry a random woman instead of the one your mother picked for you. She would have benefited the clan. I'm wondering how attached you are to the Soma. I'm not the only one who thinks so," he added, looking around the room.

     Kenichi had been quiet until that. He stood from his chair, ready to defend his son. "Are you ou-"

     "Father, stop," Kazuo raised his hand, interrupting his old man. "I don't need your help right now," he politely said.

     The troublemaker scoffed. "I highly doubt that..."

     Kazuo licked his bottom lip slightly before taking a deep breath, his index finger still tapping on his thumb. "I think..." he said before rising from his seat. "Your opinion is valid. I'd like to know who else shares it," he looked at the other representatives in the room as he pulled out his Glock and put it on the table. "Because you must think me a fool..." he added.

      Kazuo's opponent shook his head. "See... you must be crazy to resolve this that fast. My people would start a war," he threatened.

     Kazuo smiled bitterly. "Your people? You delusional fuck. Where your homies at right now, though?" he asked, loading his gun. He stepped closer to the representative.

     The man looked right into Kazuo's dark eyes. "If the Young master can't control his anger, we are doomed," he told everyone.

     Kazuo pressed the gun on the man's throat. "Let this become an example for everyone. He says he doesn't want to be a Soma... What do you think you will become then?" he asked him.

     The man gulped, unable to answer. "Don't be stupid, Young Master."

     "It's Master now." Kazuo smiled before pulling the trigger. The man fell, and his blood spurted all around the room. Kazuo's stained face remained expressionless. He only fixed his shirt before turning back to everyone in the room. "As I said, either walk with me or don't walk at all."