Yakuza 0

Chapter three The Real Estate Broker In The Shadow

Tachibana pic above

[Tachibana leads Kiryu to his home. Kiryu takes a shower and goes out in a bathrobe.]

Tachibana: I assume you have not eaten? You are welcome to join me, if you like.

Kiryu: Sorry, but I don't have much appetite. Not big on taking food from strangers.

Tachibana: You have my assurance that I am no threat to you, Kiryu-san. Please, make yourself at home.

Kiryu: Where are my clothes?

Tachibana: They were in need of cleaning, so I took the liberty. I will have them back to you momentarily.

Kiryu: Tachibana-san, was it?

Tachibana: That's correct. Please, be at ease. I am a civilian. I operate a real estate business in Kamurocho.

Kiryu: And what does a real estate guy want with me?

Tachibana: Are you certain you won't eat? My right hand is prosthetic. Please excuse my table manners. I lost it years ago, and now it aches in the cold months. A curious thing. I feel it throbbing, down to the fingertips, even though it's gone. Painkillers have no effect. So I simply live with the pain. In time, grimacing became tiresome, so I stopped.

Kiryu: I don't recall asking.

Tachibana: Kiryu-san, are you familiar with the term, "pseudanthium"?

Kiryu: Pseudo... ?

Tachibana: Pseudanthium. A botany term referring to a cluster of many flowers, gathered to form a single, large flower. You are intimately acquainted with one such flower, as it happens.

Kiryu: What are you talking about?

Tachibana: The sunflower. Each large bloom is in fact a collection of tiny flowers, each petal its own entity. A fitting name for a place where children gather. A fitting name for a place where children gather. Was it Kazama-san who named the orphanage "Sunflower"?

Kiryu: ...Who are you?

Tachibana: You and Nishikiyama-san grew up as brothers at the Sunflower Orphanage. A young woman named Sawamura, Yumi-san as well. You and Nishikiyama-san regarded Kazama-san as a father, in time following in his footsteps to join the yakuza. And now you find yourself framed for murder, with Kazama-san facing the risk of expulsion as a result.

Kiryu: That's enough! You proved your point. It's obvious you've got quite the network to dig all that up. What I don't get is why. What are you after?

Tachibana: There's only one thing any real estate broker in this town is after. I want the Empty Lot.

Kiryu: That place again...

Tachibana: I would like for you to join me, Kiryu-san. If the Dojima Family lieutenants acquire the Empty Lot, Kazama-san's expulsion is a certainty. But if I can beat them to it... I can protect Kazama-san. And then there is also the matter of proving your innocence. The reach of my Kamurocho network is considerable. Join me, and you will have the means to bring the culprit to light.

Kiryu: Why go to the effort of winning me over? What is it you're really after here? I'd like my clothes back, Tachibana-san.

Tachibana: So you are rejecting my offer?

Kiryu: It's too good. Too convenient. In this town, that's when you have to be careful, if you want to survive.

Tachibana: I see. It would seem I was naive. Still, I have faith that you will reconsider in time. For now, I would ask only that you accept my card.

Kiryu: Yeah... right.

Tachibana: I will have your clothes brought up immediately. If you'll excuse me...

[Outside.]

Kiryu: (I should let Nishiki know I'm not dead yet. He's probably still at the Kazama Family office.)

[He walks to the headquarters of the Kazama family and sees Kashiwagi looking at him from the window and then leaving.]

Kiryu: Kashiwagi-san...

[Nishikiyama approaches Kiryu.]

Nishikiyama: Kiryu!

Kiryu: Nishiki...

Nishikiyama: You're okay!? I can't believe you made it out of there alive!

Kiryu: Yeah, I'm not dead yet, anyway. But it's official now. I'm out of the Dojima Family.

Nishikiyama: Yeah? So Kazama-san's in the clear, right?

Kiryu: Not yet. The family intends to hold him accountable until I can prove I was set up.

Nishikiyama: What? Why!? You're out of the organization now!

Kiryu: I know. Still, this is a step forward. Now that I'm not yakuza, I'm free to take action. I'll pay Kuze a visit and make him hand over the killer.

Nishikiyama: Yeah... Yeah, that makes sense. Well, first we should go fill Kashiwagi-san in. Come on.

Kiryu: No... I've been expelled from the Tojo Clan. I can't be in the Kazama Family office. You go tell him for me.

Nishikiyama: Oh, come on. Don't be like that. It's fine, come inside.

Kiryu: This is about me taking accountability, Nishiki. Let me do this right.

Nishikiyama: Accountability for what, though? You didn't do anything. Fine. You're heading back to your apartment then? I'll meet you there in a bit. You can fill me in on everything.

Kiryu: All right.

Nishikiyama: Okay, see ya later.

[He walks away.]

Kiryu: (I should head home for tonight. From here, it'd be fastest to walk north through the Hotel District.)