Chapter 14: The Mountain Rebellion! The Fierce Man, Toyo Matsushige!

Chapter 14: The Yamayichi Struggle! The Fierce Matsushige Yutaka!

Some people possess a truly unique aura.

The moment the woman clad in a cherry-colored kimono appeared, Takeshi Iwata’s attention was irresistibly drawn.

It wasn’t because of her fair skin.

Nor was it due to the captivating charm between her brows and eyes.

And certainly not because, despite wearing a kimono, her ample bosom was difficult to conceal.

Perhaps it was because her temperament clashed starkly with the vivid atmosphere of Red Romance.

Yet, from the reactions of the other staff, Takeshi knew that this woman was the “okami” of Red Romance.

The term “okami” refers to the proprietress or female manager.

Generally, the madams of such establishments dress similarly to the hostesses, but the boss lady must wear a kimono.

Why, then, did Suo and Moriyama treat this peculiar madam with such particular attitudes?

Thus, the tall waiter wearing a mask occasionally moved about nearby, carrying a tray.

...

“Please don’t call me ‘big sister,’ it makes me quite uncomfortable.”

Though the woman addressed as “Madam Takenaka” still wore a broad smile, a hint of awkwardness had crept in.

“No, no.” Moriyama was always impatient by nature.

Suo interrupted his junior brother with a warm smile and said, “Madam, no need to worry. We are merely observing the proper etiquette. As for other matters, we won’t take up your time; we’ll get straight to the point.”

He spoke plainly but did not continue immediately.

After a brief hesitation, Madam Takenaka nodded.

Only then did Suo proceed with great politeness.

“Since the ‘Yamayichi Incident,’ many of our brothers in the group have been... dissatisfied. To be frank, very dissatisfied! That Yamamoto fellow is utterly unfit as a leader; his position is illegitimate! Many of us harbor deep discontent...”

Yamayichi?

Yamamoto fellow?

The masked waiter seemed to understand.

In the original timeline, there was a significant event known as the “Yamayichi Struggle,” which had a profound impact.

Those familiar with the “Young and Dangerous” manga would surely recall the yakuza boss Takenaka Masahisa.

In the manga, he was assassinated by Risshin Jin, but the process was downplayed as if he were insignificant, merely serving to buff up Risshin.

In reality, Takenaka Masahisa was far from a pushover.

To begin with, after the third-generation boss was shot by that reckless youth, his health declined, and the successor was supposed to be Yamamoto Kenichi.

Had everything proceeded normally, Yamamoto Kenichi would have taken over without issue.

Unfortunately, he was incarcerated at the time and died before taking the helm.

This formed a closed logical loop: Yamamoto Kenichi was imprisoned because he led a retaliation against the assassination of his boss.

With the designated heir deceased, “Empress Dowager” Fumiko had no choice but to elevate Takenaka Masahisa.

Yamaguchi Fumiko, effectively ruling from behind the curtain, was a formidable woman with an official status as a yakuza heiress—not ordinary by any means—but such a state could not last indefinitely.

Takenaka Masahisa was a notoriously fierce figure; in appearance, resembling a fierce version of Yue Yunpeng.

His demeanor was entirely different; he dared to openly scold a large group of police officers—something even Yue Yunpeng wouldn’t dare.

His arrogance had a solid reason: he originally held little power within the Yamaguchi-gumi, merely a minor player.

He had to relentlessly assert his presence and demonstrate his strength.

At that time, the strongest figure was Yamamoto Hiroshi.

Yamamoto Hiroshi and Yamamoto Kenichi were not on good terms; despite sharing a surname, there were many Yamamotos, including the old gambler Yamamoto Isoroku.

They were unrelated, but when the third-generation boss was alive, Yamamoto Hiroshi was considerably stronger than Yamamoto Kenichi and should have inherited the position.

The third-generation boss and Yamamoto Kenichi both died, and these scoundrels wanted to push through a petty thug instead—clearly refusing to give the position to Hiroshi.

There was no room for negotiation. The conflict erupted.

Gunfire incidents became frequent, creating a tense atmosphere.

This event was extensively documented in documentaries and films; one even featured narration by Erika Sawajiri.

But in this timeline, things changed.

Yamamoto Hiroshi won.

Hence, the group was renamed the Yamamoto-gumi.

Even in the original timeline, Takenaka Masahisa inherited the position but was soon assassinated.

Originally, Yamamoto Hiroshi was taken down, leading to the dissolution of the Yamaguchi-gumi.

Now, it was reversed.

In truth, Yamamoto Hiroshi’s strength surpassed Takenaka Masahisa’s; his victory was not surprising.

Before Takenaka succeeded, Hiroshi served as acting boss.

However, Hiroshi’s claim was illegitimate, and many beneath him refused to accept his authority.

The masked waiter recalled this information as he overheard...

“I’m sorry, but I cannot agree to what you’ve said.”

“Madam, honestly, the brothers would really like you to take the helm!”

“Exactly, Madam. After all, Takenaka was the rightful heir according to custom! That Yamamoto scoundrel not only usurped the position but even changed the group’s name! How outrageous!”

“But I’m merely a woman. My current surname is Shinoda.”

“What does that matter? We all know you’re the descendant of Takenaka. That’s enough.”

“Indeed! If you call out to us, many will rally behind you!”

“Please don’t say such things—I truly would find it very troubling.”

“No need to worry, Madam!”

“Please believe in us!”

At this, the woman in the cherry kimono—Madam Takenaka, or Mrs. Shinoda as she referred to herself—could no longer remain seated.

Yet, she displayed sufficient politeness, leaving Suo and Moriyama little to add.

The tall masked waiter, holding his tray, was about to leave, having obtained what he wished.

Unexpectedly...

“That kid, bring the drinks over.”

This command forced him to turn back.

Suo pulled out a cigar, and a follower came to light it.

He took a long, harsh drag.

Moriyama appeared flustered. “Boss, Takenaka...”

Suo waved his hand, smiling. “What are you trying to say? Haven’t you noticed?”

“Oh? Notice what?” Moriyama’s face was puzzled.

Suo leisurely drew on his cigar. “Although she declines, I can tell Madam Takenaka still has a backup plan.”

“Really?” Moriyama brightened.

But Suo fell silent again.

The masked waiter set down the drink and turned to leave; what Suo whispered afterward was lost to him.

...

What would happen next?

The tall, genuine waiter standing outside the restroom was growing anxious.

The door before him had been knocked countless times, each knock sending a jolt through him.

It was truly uncomfortable—he wished he hadn’t insisted on this.

Surely, he had caused much trouble.

Not bothering others was a virtue of theirs.

But the thought that someone might have wet themselves because of it brought an involuntary smile to his face.

Finally, a gentle knock came, and soon after, his clothes were passed through above.

The person had returned at last.

He returned the clothes to the other party.

Then...

When the door to the cubicle opened, the mask was nowhere to be seen, and the two finally came face to face.

The tall genuine waiter had met the man before and knew his fierce appearance—but he never expected that the man would...

“Do you know you look very fierce?”

Huh? How dare you say that to me?

But the man was truly intimidating, and the waiter nodded timidly.

“Yes, that’s true.”

The man continued, “With such a face, you must often get into trouble, right?”

“Yes... I actually enjoy performing, but because of this face, I rarely get good roles.”

Perhaps unnerved by the other’s severity, the waiter revealed his hobby.

Then, unexpectedly, the man extended his hand.

Was he going to shake hands?

“May I ask your name?”

“Hello, I’m Matsushige Yutaka.”

Instinctively, the waiter shook his hand.

Matsushige Yutaka, though fierce in appearance, was a polite man.

Of course, at this moment, he had yet to realize the significance of this handshake.

Later critics would call this the historic handshake between two of the most fearsome figures in Japanese cinema history.

The Red Romance Grip!

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(End of Chapter)