Tokyo Crazy Paradise
Hana to Yume
1996 vol. 19; episode no. 6
Translation by Yuki-chan

-----Those arms hold many weapons and fight alongside me.
-----That heart of yours silently watches me who lives in the world of light. When I fall into the depths of darkness, you give me strength so that I may not break, and lead me back towards the light.
As long as you are by my side, I can change the fate of the heavens.

If you are gone from my side, I would not fear even death. Beautiful as any noble person, the goddess of fighting and motherhood. She is the woman to be my wife.
-----Durga-----

At the Sumon residence. Asago bursts into her father's room.

Asago: "Father!" Her father is awake in bed, his whole upper body covered in bandages.

Sumon: "Asago..." He sees Ryuji and tries to get up.

Ryuji: "You don't have to get up. Just rest."

Asago: "Father, I heard that you were in a coma and I rushed home."

Sumon: "Coma? ... That's Aoki. He shielded me and was hit."

Asago: "And what about the people who shot at you!?"

Sumon: "...They got away."

Asago, very angry: "What worthless bodyguards! You let my father get hit and you also let them get away with it!?" She goes towards two bodyguards who happen to be in the room. "Weren't you by my father's side too!? What were you doing!?"

"...Sorry."

Tsukasa is watching this from a distance. {I can't take this. Even if you give your life up to protect someone, the only words you get in return is worthless? ...Or do bodyguards only have that sort of value... To them it doesn't hurt them if bodyguards are shot or killed... To them... To him... me too... This is driving me insane. Why is it that when I think about what I mean to him, it makes my head hurt like a rock was dropped on my head?...}

Ryuji: "Just rest."

Sumon: "But Sandaime..." Ryuji takes out a huge ice pillow.

Ryuji: "Use this. Gun shot wounds may cause fevers."

Sumon: "Th... Thank you." {How unusual. I've never seen this expression on his face. He's never even talked this much before either... ever since he was young...}

Ryuji: "Don't worry about whatever happens next. Get some rest."

Sumon: "...But..."

Ryuji: "That's an order."

Sumon: "...Yes..." {He always oppresses me with his silence... and it's strange that I never thought that he's only a child. To be the right hand woman to this man means you'll have to do a lot better Asago...} He glances at his daughter. She catches his eye and understands.

Tsukasa looks at her palm. {So he's only shows unconditional sympathy towards his own people...} She was charged 500 yen for a ice band aid while Sumon was given a free ice pillow... {I'm getting more angry. ...Not that I want Ryuji to be like that towards me but, because I know that's impossible me being who I am. But if that's true, then what is this I'm feeling...?} She leaves the room. Ryuji watches her go.

Out in the hall, Tsukasa sees a young guy standing in front of a painting. He sees her and glares. He walks away. [For the visually impaired, he has really small eyes, and dark hair that kind of stands up. He tends to glare a lot.]

Tsukasa: {What's with him? What a strange guy...} She glances at the painting he was looking at. It's a picture of a woman with ten arms astride a lion. Two of the hands are clasped as if in prayer while the rest hold weapons. Underneath the picture is a title. {...Durga...?}

Tsukasa, Ryuji, Asago, Bun-san and Kamo-san are discussing their next moves.

Asago: "Do you think the men who attacked my father are the same ones involved in that last event Ryuji?"

Ryuji: "...There was a warning shot from the front when he was suddenly shot at from the back right?"

Asago: "Yes."

Ryuji: "The bullet penetrated the bodyguard and hit Sumon... That would mean that the gun was fired from some distance away. If you were distracted by a scene in front of you and someone who wasn't supposed to be shooting did... It's not dissimilar to when my father was assassinated..."

Asago, horrified: "...Are you saying that there's a traitor among us?"

Tsukasa is listening. She suddenly pictures the guy she saw earlier. {Why... Why do I remember his face when the word traitor is mentioned?}

Ryuji: "Asago, check all the bodyguards who were by Sumon during the incident, but don't make it obvious. If there's someone in there... Hey Asago!" She starts. "This isn't a time to be moved! Take control."

Asago remembers what her father had said to her earlier about being worthy enough to become Ryuji's wife. "I will... U... Um Ryuji..." She looks up at him but his expression doesn't change. "Oh... forget it. It's nothing." She looks down away from him.

Ryuji: "... Do you mind if I stay over for the night? It's been awhile since I've been at your place..."

Asago, brightening: "Sure! Wait, I'll have a room made ready for you." She leaves.

Tsukasa glances out the window and notices that there are a lot of men in the yard.

Kamo-san: "After that kind of incident, well they're probably set up as guards."

Tsukasa: "I just hope that it doesn't cost lives. You never know if someone might let a guest in."

Ryuji: "We're not sure if this incident is like THAT one... Plus if there really is a traitor among them, they won't be able to do anything here since they'll never get out of here alive."

Tsukasa: {Well that's true but...} She looks again and notices the guy again. She thinks he looks about her age and wonders how on earth did someone so young get dragged into the lives of the yakuza. She keeps staring, and now both hands are on the window. Ryuji lights a cigarette and watches her.

Ryuji: "Is there someone out there that catches your attention?"

Tsukasa: "...Just a bit..."

Ryuji's face changes. He rushes to the window, dropping his cigarette. Both Bun-san and Kamo-san move to catch the cigarette (with plates that seemed to have come from their suit jackets) but only Kamo-san manages to get it.

Bun-san: "Kamojima-san, what fast reflexes."

Kamo-san, proudly: "Well I've been at his side for 14 years."

Back at the window

Ryuji: "Which one?" He frowns more.

Tsukasa: "The guy there with his hair standing up. He looks about 14 or 15."

Ryuji looks: "You... Do you have bad taste or what?" {HE'S your type? He's just a kid...} Ryuji seems to be forgetting that he's really just a kid too.

Tsukasa: "What are you talking about?" {Why do you look so angry saying that?}

A little while later.

Tsukasa and Asago: "HUH!?"

Ryuji: "Is there a problem?"

Asago: "Of course! I can't accept this! Why does this guy have to sleep in the same room as Ryuji?" {Why can't you stick him in the same room as Kamojima and Shibuya?}

Tsukasa: "I can't accept this either! Why do I have to sleep and wake up in the same room as you?" Ryuji glances at her. "What!?"

Ryuji: "...Didn't you hate the yakuza?"

Tsukasa: "Yes."

Ryuji, to Tsukasa: "Just a kid."

Tsukasa: "WHAT are you talking about?" {Why do I have to lectured by you e?}

Asago comes between them, pushing them apart. Actually, she sort of smushed Tsukasa's face. "If you're going to share a room with Ryuji, then I'd rather sleep with him myself! If you like you could use my room."

Tsukasa: "Really?" She brightens up.

Asago: "But even if I say that, you're just a bodyguard. You wouldn't have the nerve to really use my room. Don't tell me that you don't understand your position. If you're that baka, I'm sure your future (as bodyguard) is dim." She laughs.

Tsukasa is pissed. {My position... That's as bodyguard to Ryuji. So if I get shot or if I die in front of him, does my existence mean so little to him that it wouldn't hurt him?} She feels a black cloud descending over her head. She's outside now and takes her anger out on a rock. {Oh yeah!? Then I'll use your room! It's not like I became his bodyguard cause I wanted to! Obviously I don't understand my position!!!!}

Back in the room prepared for Ryuji.

Asago: "Ryuji, I asked around and found out that there were 2 main bodyguards, the driver and several young kumiin. This would exclude them and the kumiin that came to the scene after Father was shot as being suspects."

Ryuji: "That would leave the young ones... Do all the kumiin have clean records?"

Asago: "It seems like it. None of them were in other groups prior to this one. But I have heard that there's a new kumiin."

Ryuji: "What's he like?"

Asago: "I don't really remember, but I think he was a kid, about 14 or 15." She sits down on the bed where Ryuji is smoking.

Ryuji remembers the guy Tsukasa had pointed out earlier.

Asago: "How depressing... to have to accuse your own people..."

Ryuji: "You don't know that for sure."

Asago: "I... don't want to believe there's a traitor among us..."

Ryuji: "...I was like that too."

Asago: "Did you feel lonely...?" Ryuji doesn't answer. She starts. "I mean. Not that I'm lonely or anything!! I know I'm not in a position to be able to feel that way!!"

Ryuji: "I know..." {If... she wasn't at my side then... I may not have been myself...} He recalls the time when Tsukasa had helped him to find the killer of his father. He relaxes and half-smiles.

Asago notices this. {Ryuji looks content... When he's like that, I feel uneasy... What are you thinking about...? Who are you thinking about?} She hugs him. "Ryuji... Kiss me..." {Tell me...}

Outside, just underneath a window. The kid Tsukasa had pointed out is talking to some men.

"That room?"

"Yeah. I'm counting on you."

"We understand..."

Back in the house, Tsukasa is bragging to herself. She went and used the shower, using up as much soap and shampoo as she could. At Ryuji's place, she's also billed for the hot water and soap etc. she uses for bathing. She gets dressed and puts her protector on. At this point, only Ryuji, Kamo-san and Bun-san know that Tsukasa's a girl. She enters the room and notices the lights are out.

Tsukasa: {What's going on?}

Someone grabs her from behind and covers her mouth.

"Asago Sumon. Well have you come with us!!"

Tsukasa: {Asago!!? These guys are mistaking me for Asago!!!} She elbows the guy who's holding her and back flips out of his grip.

Tsukasa: {Who are these guys? To be able to sneak into the house like this. Are they actually people from Kuryugumi!!?} A guy suddenly clubs her on the back of the head. She falls unconscious.

Outside Asago's room. Asago is returning, talking to herself.

Asago: "Who asked to be kissed on the forehead? How insulting!" {He always treats me like a kid. Fine. I'll go sleep in my own room.} She notices a guy in front of her door. "What are you doing there?"

The guy turns. It's the young kumiin. He looks surprised to see her.

The guy: "Ojyosan... Where were you up until now...?"

Asago, turning red: "Why should it matter to you!?"

The guy: "Well... true."

Asago: "That's right. That face. Hey, aren't you new..."

The guy punches her in the stomach, knocking her out.

The guy: "The fun and games are about to begin Shirogami Ryuji!!"