Tokyo Three Generations

“Listen, you’re not going to do anything during this time. Just stay with your mother and wait until we’ve settled everything. Then you can go back to school and forget everything that happened. You’re not allowed to tell anyone a single word about it! Otherwise, I’ll punish you severely without anyone having to lift a finger!” Takasaki Jun said sternly, trying to scare her.

Then, he noticed that Nagasaki Motoyo seemed to want to say something but hesitated.

"What, do you have a problem with that?" he asked impatiently.

"I have no objection... it's just that Miss seemed a little unhappy just now." She cautiously reminded Takasaki Jun.

Jun Takasaki looked at her in confusion, not understanding what she was saying.

"Forget it... I'll apologize to her later." Nagasaki Motoyo hesitated, then sighed. "It's alright, thank you, really... thank you so much."

At this moment of near despair, someone was willing to lend a helping hand, and the feeling of "sending charcoal in snowy weather" made her extremely grateful.

"No need for thanks. I didn't do this for your gratitude. It's just because I'm happy." Jun Takasaki waved his hand dismissively. "Alright, go to the kitchen and prepare a midnight snack for us."

"Huh?" Nagasaki Motoyo was a little confused.

“When we arrived, you two seemed to be having dinner. Make me something to eat too. I’m hungry after all this work in the middle of the night,” Takasaki Jun said matter-of-factly. “You keep saying you want to thank me, so show me how.”

21. Integrity and Legacy

After receiving Takasaki Jun's order, Nagasaki Motoyo dared not delay and immediately ran to the kitchen to prepare a midnight snack.

Although Nagasaki Chizuru was still worried about her daughter's safety, she was relieved to see that her daughter was safe and sound after the two of them came out.

Although she didn't know what the two had just talked about, she was experienced in society and could guess that the young master Takasaki had taken pity on his daughter and intended to let her go.

If that's the case, then there's still hope...

Jun Takasaki didn't say anything more, but sat down at the table with Kenji Sakura and waited quietly.

Before long, Nagasaki Motoyo brought out all the prepared dishes again.

Unfortunately, there was very little food prepared beforehand. It was truly a case of "even a clever cook can't cook without rice." Even if she wanted to cook, all she could serve were fried dumplings, pickled mackerel, tamagoyaki (Japanese rolled omelet), and seaweed and tofu soup.

The steaming dishes were served, instantly transforming the previously somber atmosphere into one of warmth and family comfort, making it feel as if friends were simply visiting.

"I'm starting." Jun Takasaki didn't stand on ceremony. He first picked up a spoon and took a spoonful of seaweed soup. After tasting it, he poured some more soup into the rice and stirred it. Then he began to eat heartily.

Kenji Sakura was speechless at his young master's nonchalant attitude, but he didn't know what to say. He also didn't have much of an appetite, so he just ate a few bites as a formality without saying a word.

Nagasaki Motoyo, having already eaten something, didn't touch her chopsticks. She simply sat opposite Takasaki Jun, quietly watching him eat.

"Your cooking skills are really good. You can make such simple ingredients taste quite good." After eating for a while, Jun Takasaki looked up and praised, "I didn't expect that the young lady of Tsukimori could actually cook for herself."

His praise was genuine.

His mother often participated in various activities outside and didn't manage household affairs much. The family had always hired a housekeeper to take care of the housework, and her cooking skills were only so-so. He really didn't expect that Nagasaki Motoyo, who seemed so delicate, would have such good cooking skills.

“I’m not some rich girl. My parents divorced when I was young, and my mother was so busy, so I had to take care of her.” Nagasaki Motoyo answered with her head down. “We didn’t have much money back then… My mother only had the money to send me in later.”

At this point, Nagasaki Motoyo suddenly felt a pang of emotion.

She now understood why her mother had suddenly become so rich.

Now, the mother and daughter are paying the price for the gift that fate has bestowed upon them...

"Then you really should thank her." As if sensing what she was thinking, Jun Takasaki suddenly laughed and joked, "She risked her life to help you get ahead."

This joke, which wasn't exactly a joke, stung Nagasaki Motoyo's heart.

"I...I've never asked my mother for anything beyond what's allowed..." she couldn't help but defend herself. "All along, I've tried my best to meet my mother's expectations! Tsuki no Mori isn't something you can just pay money to get into; I spent sleepless nights trying to pass the exams!"

After a pause, she softened her tone, even becoming slightly tearful, "I'm not saying this to absolve myself of responsibility. I just want to say that whether we have money or not, I will love my mother the same, and I'm willing to live and die with her, because we are each other's only family in this world. Now that we've fallen into this situation, whatever fate may bring, I will accept it with my mother. But please, please don't say things like that anymore. It's too hurtful... I don't want to carry the guilt towards my mother until the very end... Please."

Nagasaki Motoyo's words did not anger Takasaki Jun; instead, they made him feel a sense of awe.

Despite her seemingly fragile appearance, the girl knew that her life and death were in the hands of others and she was at their mercy, yet she still dared to argue her case. In any case, she had quite a bit of backbone.

He admired this integrity, finding it even more radiant than physical appearance.

"Oh, sorry. Sometimes I make some rather nasty jokes, please don't mind." He then offered a brief apology and resumed eating.

Amidst the silence of the crowd, Jun Takasaki, with a relaxed attitude, devoured almost all the food that Motoyo Nagasaki had prepared.

Nagasaki Motoyo picked up the bowls and chopsticks and took them to the kitchen to wash, while Takasaki Jun turned his attention to Nagasaki Chizuru.

“Ms. Nagasaki, I’ve given you about an hour since I spoke with your daughter and we had a late-night snack. If you still haven’t remembered anything, then I’ll have to conclude that you’re not sincere—you shouldn’t disappoint me, right?”

Faced with his aggressive gaze, Nagasaki Chizuru dared not deceive him and hurriedly relayed everything he had recalled to Takasaki Jun.

After listening, Jun Takasaki nodded.

“We will verify everything you say. If it does work, then I can advise Mr. Takasaki to let you off the hook. If you remember anything else, just tell Kenji.”

After saying that, he added, "Also, don't think about running away, and don't try any other tricks on me. If you do, I'll just think you're not sincere, and then there's no need for us to cooperate anymore, understand?"

Chizuru Nagasaki nodded repeatedly.

Then, Junya Takasaki bowed slightly and left with Kenji Sakura.

========================

After leaving the apartment and going downstairs, Kenji Sakura, who had been silent until now, finally spoke.

"Young Master, do you want to save both of them?"

“Yes, I think there’s still room to persuade them to stay… Since they’ve already cooperated like this, there’s no need to be ruthless.” Jun Takasaki nodded. “What do you think?”

To his surprise, Kenji Sakura did not vehemently oppose his act of great mercy.

However, his starting point was completely different from that of Jun Takasaki: "If we can make an exception, I would agree. After all, if it really comes down to murder... it will be very troublesome to deal with, and we will have to owe someone an extra favor."

Why do you sound so experienced? Jun Takasaki didn't ask that question, because sometimes, if you don't ask, it's as if nothing ever happened.

“However, young master, although I admit that the girl named Nagasaki Motoyo is indeed quite pretty, compared to the reputation of the Takasaki family, she is insignificant. Your kindness has gone far enough. If any unexpected situations arise, I will not ask for your opinion again and will have someone handle it directly. Please be aware of this.” Sakura Kenji solemnly warned him.

“I just asked her, she’s Xiangzi’s classmate and friend, don’t treat her so casually…” Takasaki Jun shrugged.

"Miss Xiangzi?" Kenji Sakura was somewhat surprised.

“So, it’s better to be cautious. They’re not without leverage; they might have something on us.” Jun Takasaki gently patted Kenji Sakura’s shoulder. “But don’t worry, Kenji, I understand what you’re warning me. I’ll be careful and won’t let this mother and daughter threaten us.”

After speaking, Jun Takasaki looked down at the still deserted street below.

“Although this is a pretty good hiding place, it’s not entirely under our control, so it’s still not reassuring enough. And who knows when the investigators will come knocking? Kenji, prepare a suitable hiding place as soon as possible, come up with a relocation plan, and then we’ll move the mother and daughter there. Be quick!”

“I understand.” Kenji Sakura understood immediately.

Jun Takasaki looked up at the night sky again.

Now that things have come to this point, the next step is clear and simple—capture Kazuo Kuroshima as soon as possible, and then, by whatever means necessary, silence him forever.

“Based on the locations Nagasaki Chizuru just mentioned, we need to investigate as quickly as possible and capture Kuroshima Kazuo. Once we’ve dealt with Kuroshima Kazuo, not only will the Takasaki family be safe, but we’ll also have done others a favor… Do we have enough people?”

“We definitely don’t have enough manpower ourselves, and most of them aren’t good at this kind of thing.” Kenji Sakura shook his head regretfully. “At this point, we can only continue to rely on intermediaries. This not only costs a lot more money, but such a large-scale mobilization by a yakuza group is bound to attract attention from the outside world, and may even attract the attention of the Metropolitan Police Department…”

"Speed ​​is all that matters! If we drag things out, it will become a major problem." Jun Takasaki made a decisive decision. "As long as we catch Kazuo Kuroshima, we will be in a position of advantage, and any problems that arise after that will be easier to solve."

Kenji Sakura agreed with Jun Takasaki's approach.

Anyway, as long as the Takasaki family's reputation and status remain unshaken, everything else is negotiable.

"Yes."

“Alright, let’s arrange it this way—you act immediately. I’ll go and persuade Dad. Once you find Kuroshima Kazuo’s whereabouts, let me know and I’ll handle it with you.” Jun Takasaki gave his final order.

Then, as if remembering something, he asked again, "Although you told me not to ask too much about things over there, there's something I have to ask. Is my father's relationship with the yakuza really strong enough? Will they be willing to do their jobs properly? And... how can we ensure they won't leak information?"

Seeing that the young master was pressing him for answers, Sakura Kenji hesitated for a moment before deciding to tell him the truth—after all, he would find out about these things later anyway.

“This is a very strong relationship left over from the old man. Back in the 80s and 90s, the old man took good care of them, and they accepted this favor, so they helped us a few times at crucial moments.”

So it really was a gift from Grandpa... Jun Takasaki wasn't too surprised, he just sighed silently to himself.

No wonder. Given my father's character and way of dealing with people, it would be difficult for him to form any solid friendship with the yakuza. After all, the Takasaki family was built by my grandfather, Jun Takasaki...

Decades ago, when the Yakuza were at their most rampant, various groups fought tooth and nail for territory and projects. Politicians at that time were more or less involved with this illicit money. The Tanaka faction, which was at the height of its power at the time, was involved in almost all the major corruption cases of that era. As a member of the faction, my grandfather must have been a witness to and participant in all of this.

The "friendship" my grandfather forged back then has brought blessings to this day, which is truly touching.

After retiring in 2012, Jun Takasaki went into seclusion in his hometown of Akita. Jun Takasaki only saw him a few times a year. Looking back now, he realizes that there is still so much he needs to learn from his grandfather.

Ironically, although the Takasaki father and son are nominally from Akita, they are actually "Kyoto natives".

During the ancient Edo period, the Tokugawa Shogunate imposed extremely strict constraints on the daimyo lords of various regions. In addition to the requirement to come to Edo for "sankin-kotai" (attendance and reckoning) once every two years, the lords' wives and eldest sons were also required to remain in Edo as hostages.

Over time, most of the daimyo lords spent their youth in Edo, resulting in extremely weak control over their own domains. They could only rely on their retainers to rule, which was a major reason why the daimyo lords were often sidelined by their samurai during the late Edo period.

In modern times, the central government does not issue similar mandatory orders, but politicians from other regions often leave their children in Tokyo for education because it has the best educational resources, money, and connections. Only here can they cultivate the network of relationships they need from a young age.

Jun Takasaki's childhood and adolescence were naturally like this. Apart from being registered in Akita, he attended school in Tokyo all his life, only returning to his hometown in Akita for a period of time each summer vacation.

The long-term cooperation between politicians, businesses, and local forces has created a solid interest-sharing group among them. Even if these second and third-generation leaders stay in Tokyo year-round, they can still use powerful support groups to garner votes and firmly control their territory.

Now that his grandfather is old and frail, and who knows when he might pass away, Jun Takasaki suddenly realized that there is still so much he needs to learn.

22, Awakening

Under the tranquil sunset, an unassuming Toyota Yaris sedan departed from Tokyo, sped along the Tomei Expressway, and finally arrived at the seaside on the outskirts of Numazu City, Shizuoka Prefecture.

After the car stopped, Jun Takasaki and Kenji Sakura started walking together. The sea breeze that came towards them carried a unique slightly salty smell, as well as a lazy feeling after being warmed by the sun. It sprayed onto the tip of his nose, making him, who was already a little tired, yawn with weariness.

He mustered his strength and looked around.

This area is considered a scenic spot in Shizuoka Prefecture, so there are many villas and guesthouses along the coastline. Looking out, the distant sea sparkles, broken into shiny golden fragments by the setting sun and the surging waves.

Looking further into the distance, Mount Fuji, which was once covered in snow, has become a deep blue silhouette under the clouds, both magnificent and mysteriously charming.

"He really knows how to pick a location," Jun Takasaki couldn't help but remark.

If he had a choice, he would rather be a tourist enjoying the scenery than a messenger bringing death.

However, in life, there are inevitably times when we have "no choice".

With information provided by Nagasaki Chizuru and other sources, the Takasaki father and son mobilized all available resources and finally located Kuroshima Kazuo's whereabouts at noon today. Upon receiving the news, Takasaki Hiroshi did not delay and immediately sent his son and trusted secretary to handle the aftermath.

Although he and Kazuo Kuroshima had a fairly good relationship, now that things had come to this, in order to protect his own reputation, he did not hesitate to send his old friend off with the utmost respect.

The pointless reflections didn't last long. The two walked together to the gate of a seaside villa, and then Kenji Sakura rang the doorbell.

The doorbell rang for a while, but there was no response.

“Mr. Kuroshima, I am Kenji Sakura. I have important matters to discuss with you. Please do not turn me away.”

Although he spoke very politely, his expression was actually very serious, and several burly men in black suits had gathered behind him, clearly ready to force their way in.

Fortunately, he didn't need to force it, because soon, a lazy voice came from the doorway.

"Oh, it's Sakura. Come in."

Then, a soft click was heard, indicating that the electronic lock inside had been unlocked.

“It’s his voice,” Kenji Sakura whispered to Jun Takasaki after hearing it.

The two exchanged a glance. Although they didn't understand why the other was so calm, they wouldn't hesitate since the other was cooperating.

So, the group went inside together.

The villa is not large, but it is clear that it has been carefully renovated and maintained. In addition to the modern-style house with a viewing balcony, there is a sunbathing pool in the center of the courtyard. One can imagine that the owner here used to enjoy a drink and the sea breeze while admiring Mount Fuji by the pool.

Unfortunately, after today, he would never have the chance to experience such a joy in life again.

With a hint of wariness, Jun Takasaki followed Kenji Sakura into the house, where he saw the owner of the house in the living room. He was sitting by the French windows, watching the sunset that was about to sink into the sea.

After seeing several people enter, he turned around and looked at them.

Jun Takasaki had already seen Kazuo Kuroshima's appearance in photos before, so he recognized him at a glance.

This is an ordinary-looking middle-aged man, wearing black-rimmed glasses, with slightly graying temples. The only thing that makes him somewhat recognizable is his slightly receding hairline, which makes his forehead appear large and wide.

Rather than saying he looks like a big boss, he's more like an accountant who spends most of his time hunched over his desk.

However, at this moment, his condition was completely different from the well-dressed appearance in the photo. The coffee table next to him was full of wine bottles, his face was flushed from drunkenness, his hair was messy, and he looked extremely disheveled.

Jun Takasaki glanced around again and found that there was no one else besides him.

It seems that he has been hiding here ever since he received the news.

"I never expected you to hide in such an obvious place." Kenji Sakura shook his head, seemingly puzzled. "If you had hidden even more concealed, we would have had to put in much more effort."

"With so many people looking for me, where can I hide?" With a hint of drunkenness and an air of indifference, Kazuo Kuroshima chuckled and replied, "Since I'm going to be found anyway, why bother? It'll save me from causing trouble for others. Rather than living like a rat for a few more days, I might as well enjoy my last moments... and finish what I need to do."

Although it was obvious that the visitors had ill intentions, Kazuo Kuroshima was very polite to these uninvited guests—or rather, he seemed to have known all along that someone would come looking for him.