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cryingcow · 3 years

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Character Story - Saejima (1985)

Now for a Saejima story that’s much longer than the last :D Ch. 3 is set in Y5, so super minor spoilers for that (which makes this a Christmas story!). This will probably be my last for the near future, COVID situation-depending (or at the very least I’ll be much slower in translating lol cuz I really need to study and this story is just making me guilty XD).

Story: In the month before he attempts mass murder, Saejima gets to live out his dream of being a teacher.

Boy: “How do I solve this problem?”

Saejima, carrying a gun in his mouth: “Bluplaguhabulahebluwa.”

Boy: “I see! You know, you’re way more understandable than my actual schoolteachers.”

CHAPTER 1

One day in March, 1985 . . . one month before Saejima Taiga became the “Legendary 18-Count”.

Saejima: “Haa~. I might have had too much to drink with my kyoudai, because my head is fuzzy. Will I wake up if I drink some coffee? . . . Hm?”

Café Alps Waiter: “Sitting down with just 1 cup of coffee for hours! If you’re studying, do it at home!”

Boy: “I can’t concentrate at home! There aren’t many customers anyway, so it’s okay!”

Saejima: “Oi. Are ya picking a fight with a kid?”

Café Alps Waiter: “N-No. This kid has been sitting here since morning. Just 1 cup of coffee, for hours.”

Boy: “I was studying. I’m taking an exam soon. At home, my family is noisy and no good . . .”

Saejima: “Is that so . . . Ain’t it crowded at the café? Can’t you overlook him?”

Café Alps Waiter: “I can’t ignore this problem. What if the other kids copy him?”

Boy: “Hey, the mock exam is near, so 1 more hour! A good idea, right?!”

Café Alps Waiter: “It’s useless! Look, go over there! Shoo!”

Saejima: “. . . If you want to stay, why don’t ya order another cup? Look, I’ll get one, just let him study.”

Café Alps Waiter: “Eh? You?”

Boy: “Ojiisan! Is that okay?!”

Saejima: “Yeah.”

Boy: “Thank you! Ojiisan!”

Saejima: “. . . Brat. It’s not Ojiisan. It’s Saejima.”

Ichiro: “Saejima-no-ojiisan then! I’m Ichiro! Nishiyamada Ichiro!”

Saejima: “Ichiro. It’s time for you to study. There are people in this world who even if they want to study, they can’t.”

Ichiro: “Yup! I’ll work hard!”

----

|A few days later . . .|

Ichiro: “Stingy!”

Café Alps Waiter: “This is a business! If you’re not buying anything, then go home!”

Saejima: (Oi, oi. Not again.)

Saejima: “Are ya at it again?”

Ichiro: “Ah, Saejima-no-ojiisan . . .”

Saejima: “Ichiro, are ya studying at the café again?”

Ichiro: “Yup . . .”

Café Alps Waiter: “The other day, did you know that this kid stayed until closing after you paid for a drink? One extra drink is not enough . . .”

Saejima: “. . . It can’t be helped. Oi, Ichiro. You can’t study if you’re not in a quiet place, yeah?”

Ichiro: “Yup. That’s right, but . . .”

Saejima: “Then I know a place. Follow me, I’ll take ya there.”

Ichiro: “Eh? Is it a good place?”

----

Ichiro: “Ojiisan, what’s here?”

Saejima: “Ah, this place is . . .”

Saejima: (I can’t tell him it’s an abandoned hideout once used by the Family . . .)

Saejima: “Yeah, uh . . . it’s an acquaintance’s building. You can use it as much as ya like.”

Ichiro: “Hmm, all right. But . . . don’t you have a desk?”

Saejima: “How about those mandarin orange boxes over there? With cushions . . . we can use the cardboard box.”

Ichiro: “Yeah! . . . Somehow, this place looks like a secret base.”

Saejima: “. . . Didn’t ya say you were taking an exam the other day?”

Ichiro: “Yup. There’s a school I want to go to. So there’s a mock test soon . . . But I’m not good at studying. My grades don’t improve at all.”

Saejima: “Not good at studying, huh . . . Ichiro, how do you do it?”

Ichiro: “Um . . .”

{Ichiro demonstrates to Saejima.}

Saejima: “Hmm. That’s an inefficient method. I’ll teach you the right way. Let me show ya how.”

Ichiro: “Eh? Saejima-no-ojiisan? . . . You know how to study?”

Saejima: “Idiot. Even if I look like this, I was aiming to be a schoolteacher. When I was a kid, I was able to study well.”

Ichiro: “Eeh?! Really?!”

Saejima: “Really. Now let me show ya how.”

{Saejima demonstrates to Ichiro how to study Math.}

Saejima: “So, do it like this. The trick is to solve the same problem over and over again.”

Ichiro: “Wow! With Saejima-no-ojiisan’s teaching, it’s very easy to understand!”

Saejima: “Heh. Ain’t that right? Now, is Social Studies next? Let’s see . . .”

{Saejima continues teaching Ichiro.}

----

Ichiro: “Ojiisan, thank you for today!”

Saejima: “Sure. Do your best.”

???: “Oi, isn’t that Ichiro?”

Ichiro: “Ah . . .”

Saejima: “. . . Do ya know them?”

Ichiro: “Y-Yup. I think they’re friends of Oniichan . . .”

Thug-like Youth: “Ichiro-kun. We’re a bit short on pocket money. Will you lend us some again?”

Ichiro: “. . . I-I’m sorry. I don’t have any money.”

Thug-like Youth: “Lies! I heard from your Oniichan! Didn’t you have pocket money yesterday?! Hey!”

Ichiro: “Hiii . . .”

Saejima: “You guys . . . aren’t ya embarrassed to be asking such a thing from a child?”

Thug-like Youth: “. . . Ossan. It’s nice to look cool and all, but have you seen how many we are? If you’re going to pick a fight, maybe you should check out the other party first?”

Ichiro: “Sa-Saejima-no-ojiisan. Don’t do it. These guys are a group of runaways. They’re really strong . . . We should do what they say . . .”

Saejima: “. . . Ichiro. I’m not saying to get into a fight that ya can’t win. However . . . there are times when ya shouldn’t run away. Remember that.”

Ichiro: “Eh?”

Thug-like Youth: “Ossan, what the hell~, you think you can win? Just because you have a good body build? Then I’ll make you cry through sore eyes!”

{Saejima defeats all of the thugs.}

Thug-like Youth: “H-Hiii . . . Strong . . .”

Saejima: “You guys . . . try and lay a hand on Ichiro next time, and you’ll be sorry.”

Thug-like Youth: “U-Understood, damn it!”

{The thugs run away.}

Ichiro: “A-Amazing. . . . Saejima-no-ojiisan, you’re really strong too!”

Saejima: “It’s no big deal. How about you, Ichiro, are ya alright?”

Ichiro: “Y-Yup.”

Saejima: “. . . Geez. Shaking down a child. What bad friends. Ichiro, if they come after you again, tell me, okay?”

Ichiro: “Yup! Thank you! But I can’t just be protected by other people all the time. I have to become strong.”

Saejima: “Hm? Strong?”

Ichiro: “Actually, I want to be a police officer. A good police officer just like my dad.”

Saejima: “Wh-What? Officer? Your dad?”

Ichiro: “Yup. Is something wrong?”

Saejima: “N-No. So that’s what ya want. So ya want to be a police officer too?”

Ichiro: “Yup. My dad is a great police officer. He bravely confronts the Yakuza. It’s his job to protect the general public by not putting up with those bad guys.”

Saejima: “. . . A good father.”

Ichiro: “Yup. But I’m worried because he often gets hurt. Kamurocho is full of dangers.”

Saejima: “Well, that’s true. It’s a dangerous city . . .”

Ichiro: “Hey, Saejima-no-ojiisan. Teach me how to fight.”

Saejima: “What? How to fight?”

Ichiro: “Yup! I want to be strong like you so I won’t lose to bad guys!”

Saejima: “Yeah, but . . . how about ya don’t get into a quarrel with a bad guy? If you can do that, that would be the best.”

Ichiro: “But you have to be strong if you want to be a police officer! So Ojiisan! Make me your disciple!”

Saejima: “. . . And if I’m strict? Even then?”

Ichiro: “Yup! It’s fine! Thank you, Saejima-sensei!”

Saejima: “Ha, Saejima-sensei. I’m a bit tickled.”

Ichiro: “Fufufu. . . . Oh, by the way . . . what does Saejima-sensei usually do?”

Saejima: “Th-That is . . . it’s a freelance business.”

Ichiro: “Freelance? Hmm. I don’t really get it.”

-END-

CHAPTER 2

|One day in March, 1985 . . . 10 days before Saejima became the “Legendary 18-Count”.|

Saejima: “. . . Hmm. That Ichiro didn’t come today either. Did something suddenly happen in the past few days . . . ?”

----

Saejima: “. . . Hm? That’s . . .”

Ichiro: “. . .”

Saejima: “Oi, if it isn’t Ichiro.”

Ichiro: “! Sa-Saejima-sensei . . .”

Saejima: “What a miserable face. Ya haven’t come by the past few days to study, what happened?”

Ichiro: “. . .”

Ichiro: “Uugh. Uwaaaaaa.”

Saejima: “O-Oi, what’s wrong?”

Ichiro: “Uwaaaaaa . . . Saejima-sensei . . .”

Saejima: “. . . F-For now, calm down. Okay?”

----

Saejima: “What happened that ya suddenly started crying?”

Ichiro: “. . . Dad . . .”

Saejima: “Hm? What happened to your father?”

Ichiro: “. . . He was shot and gravely injured.”

Saejima: “Eh?! What do you mean?”

Ichiro: “He got mixed up with yakuza . . . He protected a woman who was likely to get shot, and . . .”

Saejima: “. . . And wh-what?”

Ichiro: “The place where he got shot was so bad that he might not be able to walk anymore . . .”

Saejima: (So that’s why I haven’t seen him the past few days.)

Saejima: “That’s heartbreaking . . .”

Ichiro: “. . . U-Uuuugh . . .”

----

Saejima: “Are ya alright? Can you go home alone?”

Ichiro: “Yup. I’m fine. . . . Hey, Saejima-sensei. It’s about your cram school . . .”

Saejima: “Cram school? Oh, that abandoned place? Did ya go there?”

Ichiro: “. . . I’m thinking of quitting. I don’t want to be a police officer.”

Saejima: “. . . That so . . . Is it because of your father?”

Ichiro: “Yup. That’s why teacher’s cram school . . .”

Saejima: “. . . Did ya get scared?”

Ichiro: “. . . Yup.”

Saejima: “. . . I see.”

Ichiro: “Saejima-sensei . . . what should I do?”

Saejima: “. . . That’s right. You’re having a hard time now, so how about ya sleep on it. However . . .”

Ichiro: “However?”

Saejima: “It’s no good to lose sight of the back ya want to emulate. If ya lose your way, I will guide you back myself.”

Ichiro: “Back . . . to emulate?”

Saejima: “That’s right, your father was a good police officer. That doesn’t change no matter what. What ya saw on your father’s back . . . it’s still a fine gate to aim for. Ichiro, having that in your heart should guide you when ya get lost, okay?”

Ichiro: “Saejima-sensei . . .”

Saejima: “But for now, you should take a rest. Don’t worry about the cram school.”

Ichiro: “. . . Yup. Thank you, Saejima-sensei.”

Saejima: (So, is it a yakuza-related crime? If I dig little, I can figure out who’s involved.)

----

Yakuza: “Haa . . . haa . . . Go away! Leave me the fuck alone!”

Saejima: “Wait!”

Yakuza: “Haa . . . haa . . . zee . . . zee . . . Damn it! What the hell are you?!”

Saejima: “The other day, a fight between yakuza took place behind Pink Street. Are you the yakuza involved in it?”

Yakuza: “Yeah?! What of it?!”

Saejima: “Were ya the one who tried to shoot a respectable woman? Moreover, the bullet that hit the cop on the scene . . . At the time, you escaped successfully. Did ya think that was enough?”

Yakuza: “Hey, are you a cop? You don’t look like one . . .”

Saejima: “No. Sorry. This is . . . revenge.”

Yakuza: “Revenge? Heh, interesting. In that case, I’ll throw it back at you!”

{Saejima beats up the yakuza.}

Yakuza: “Damn . . . strong . . .”

Saejima: “(For Ichiro, there is no relief. Even if I took revenge . . .)

----

|A few days later . . .|

Saejima: “. . . Hm? In that abandoned building I used with Ichiro . . . It seems the light is on, but it shouldn’t be . . .”

Saejima: “Oi, Ichiro.”

Ichiro: “Oh, Ojiisan. You’re here.”

Saejima: “Because the light was on. Rather, are ya all right?”

Ichiro: “. . . Yup.”

Saejima: “I see.”

Ichiro: “. . . Hey, Ojiisan. I’ve been thinking since then . . . I shouldn’t give up on my dream to be a police officer after all. Saejima-sensei taught me about ‘a back to emulate’. I still admire his.”

Saejima: “I see . . .”

Ichiro: “In addition, it’s not just my dad’s. The back that I admire.”

Saejima: “Eh?”

Ichiro: “Because it’s not just my dad that I admire, it’s also Saejima-sensei!”

Saejima: “! Ichiro . . .”

Ichiro: “So from now on . . . thank you!”

Saejima: “. . . Heh. Got it.”

----

|A few days later, at Saejima’s apartment . . .|

Phone: “Bururururu . . .”

Saejima: “Yes. This is Saejima. . . . Eh? Talk with me? Is it important? . . . Understood. I’ll head out.”

Saejima: (Something important to tell me? The hell could it be?)

----

Saejima: “. . .”

Younger Delinquent: “. . . Then, if you are decided, please contact me. Everything will be confidential.”

Saejima: “Yeah . . .”

Saejima: (I would do anything for Boss Sasai . . . is what I thought . . . To kill. The target is the leader of the Ueno Seiwa. My heart is set. But before that, there’s something else I have to deal with.)

----

Ichiro: “Eh? Ends today? Wh-Why?!”

Saejima: “. . . I’m sorry.”

Ichiro: “Why? Why?”

Saejima: “I’m not the kind of guy you should follow. I don’t want ya to chase my back.”

Ichiro: “. . . Ojiisan. I don’t know . . .”

Saejima: “Ichiro. I’m sorry. . . . Become a good police officer.”

Ichiro: “Ojiisan . . .”

----

|April 21, 1985. . . . Saejima Taiga kills the Ueno Seiwa leader along with many members. This is the incident that later dubbed him the “Legendary 18-Count”. Saejima will receive the death sentence for that crime . . .|

-END-

CHAPTER 3

|December 2012. Kamurocho. 27 years after Saejima’s 18 kills. Saejima escaped from Abashiri Prison in Hokkaido after learning of Majima’s death. When he returned to Kamurocho to find out the truth . . .|

Saejima: “Haa . . . haa. Tch, they can’t find me with this many people . . . !”

Police: “The jailbreaker is over there!”

Saejima: “Damn it!”

----

Saejima: “Phew. Somehow, I managed . . . hm?”

Punk: “It should be around here . . .”

Saejima: (It can’t be helped. I’ll have to hide until they leave.)

Male Voice: “Oi, did you bring it?”

Saejima: (. . . Police?)

Punk: “Oi, how much longer do I have to pay up?”

Police Officer: “Are you in a position to complain? If it wasn’t for me, you think you’ll be eating good food in a dangerous prison?”

Punk: “Shit!”

Saejima: (What? Is he giving money to the police officer? What’s he doing? I should go elsewhere.)

{Saejima steps on glass as he tries to escape.}

Saejima: “!”

Police Officer: “Who’s there?!”

Saejima: (Damn it. I’ve been found . . . !)

Police Officer: “. . . Sa-Saejima . . . sensei?”

Saejima: “Huh?”

Police Officer: “After everything . . . is that all? I heard you’d broken out of jail . . .”

Saejima: “. . . Y-You, no way . . . . . . Ichiro?”

Ichiro: “. . . Long time no see.”

Saejima: “. . . Did you become a police officer?”

Ichiro: “Yeah. As you can see.”

Saejima: “Really. That’s good. I want to rejoice in our reunion, but it’s not the best timing. . . . Ichiro. I’m sorry but can’t you overlook that ya saw me? I still have something to do. I can’t afford to get caught . . .”

Ichiro: “. . . Heh. Are you going to kill someone again? I was surprised you killed 18 people, ‘Saejima-sensei’ . . .”

Saejima: “!”

Ichiro: “You also kept it a secret that you were yakuza. Even so, you were a good teacher . . .”

Saejima: “No, that is . . .”

Ichiro: “. . . Very well. I’ll overlook you. I don’t know what you’re going to do, and I don’t care. But you’ll have to pay me 500,000 yen.”

Saejima: “Ichiro . . . you . . . Was the money you received from the punk earlier a bribe? Where did ya learn such a thing?”

Ichiro: “Saejima!! I’m no longer an innocent kid!”

Saejima: “. . . . . . Won’t your father be sad? Did ya become a good police officer?”

Ichiro: “. . . Murderers often bring that up. . . . Well, whatever. Just pay me.”

Saejima: “. . . Ichiro. I have no money to pay you now.”

Ichiro: “I see. . . . But you’re not going to come quietly, right?”

Saejima: “Yeah.”

Ichiro: “In that case, what to do . . . You guys! Time to make yourselves useful!”

Punk: “Eh?”

Ichiro: “Beat the hell out of Saejima. But don’t kill him.”

Punk: “H-Haa?! Why should we? Making us do such a thing on top of making us pay . . .”

Ichiro: “Robbery with assault. How long do you think you’ll get?”

Punk: “Ugh . . .”

Ichiro: “Do you want to eat smelly rice in prison?! Do you want to have the rest of your life ruined?!”

Punk: “D-Damn it!!”

{Saejima beats up the punks.}

Punk: “Im-Impossible! Impossible, impossible! This guy is as strong as a monster!”

Saejima: “. . .”

Ichiro: “What are you doing, you useless piece of junk!”

Punk: “B-But he’s too much for us! This guy’s strength is inhuman!”

Ichiro: “. . . If that’s the case, then use this. I confiscated this dagger today.”

Punk: “!”

Ichiro: “So stab Saejima! He’s not going to die!!”

Saejima: “. . . Ichiro. You . . .”

Ichiro: “Saejima! This is the price for betraying me! I’ll take the credit!”

Ichiro: “What’s wrong?! If you don’t do it, I’ll get rid of you too!!”

Punk: “. . . U-Uugh . . . . . . . . . . D-Damn iiiiiiit!! Cut it out, you fucking cop!”

{The punk points the knife at Ichiro.}

Ichiro: “What . . . What do you think will happen if you go against me?”

Punk: “Shut up! I’m going to mess you up! You’re dead!!”

{The punk rushes in to stab him.}

Ichiro: “U-Uwaaaaaa!”

Ichiro: “Eh?”

Saejima: “. . . Shit . . . as expected, it hurts.”

Punk: “. . . Ah. A-a-a-a-a-ah . . . Uwaaaaaaaaa!”

{The punks run off.}

Ichiro: “. . . . . . Wh-Why?”

Saejima: “Nothing to it. You were about to get stabbed. I can’t let ya meet your father like that, can I?”

Ichiro: “. . .”

Saejima: “. . . Kuh. Tch . . . He really used quite the force . . . stabbing that in . . .”

{Saejima falls to the ground.}

Saejima: “. . . Ichiro, what’s wrong? Aren’t ya arresting me? No way I can fight back now.”

Ichiro: “. . . . . . Ha, hahaha. You haven’t changed at all. Even though my hands are so dirty . . .”

Saejima: “! Ichiro . . .”

Ichiro: “. . . . . . 27 years ago . . . I didn’t want to believe it. I wanted to think they got it all wrong. . . . I was shocked. It was really because I saw your back . . . . . . But now, once again . . . I feel like it’s been shown to me.”

Saejima: “. . . Ichiro. . . . Uugh . . . shit . . .”

Ichiro: “I know an underground doctor. He’s just nearby . . .”

Saejima: “No. I don’t need this taken care of. I’ll do something about it myself.”

Ichiro: “No, but . . .”

Saejima: “Heh. Don’t look at me like that.”

Ichiro: “. . . . . . Then run away before anyone sees you. Is there something I can do?”

Saejima: “Something? Forget ya saw me.”

Ichiro: “Heh . . . I’m already dirty. After all this time, the least I can do is overlook you.”

Saejima: “. . . I’m sorry, Ichiro. But . . . if I can do what I need to do, I will atone for my sins. I will take responsibility.”

Ichiro: “. . . Atone for your sins . . . ? . . . Hey. Can I ask you something? Is it still possible for me to start over?”

Saejima: “Yeah. Humans can always start over, if they want to.”

Ichiro: “. . . . . . Really?”

Saejima: “Heh. I’ve been in prison for 25 years. Don’t doubt me.”

Ichiro: “Haha. That may be the case . . .”

Supporting Police Officer: “Over there! Saejima!”

Saejima: “Tch. They found me? Gotta go, Ichiro. Do your best!”

Ichiro: “Back at you. . . . . . . ‘Saejima-sensei’.”

Saejima: “! . . . . . . Haha. That really does have me tickled. . . . bye!”

{Saejima escapes.}

Ichiro: “Should I emulate that back . . . ?”

Ichiro: “. . . . . . Saejima-sensei. You really are . . . the best teacher.”

-END-

Masterlist

#Saejima's such a nice guy #RGG Studios please let this man live his dream instead of forcing him to be yakuza :(#rgg online #rggo lore #rggo #rgg #Ryu ga Gotoku #yakuza #saejima taiga

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