[. . . good. something eases in Edamura's shoulders when Rom confirms his understanding. truthfully, if he is talking about this at all, he'd much rather be direct. but. . . needs must, when the world (the. . . universe?) is watching]
That's one way to put it. [wry] The Shanghai and Tokyo branches didn't exactly get along. They played nice on the surface, but in reality absolutely hated each other.
[. . .]
. . . at one point, some associates of mine and I tried to relieve the Tokyo branch of some of their. . . merchandise. [the word is said a bit tightly, with a narrowed gaze and firmly set jaw. he feels a sense of nausea curl in his stomach at the mere use of that word, knowing that it is not right. even so. . . he does not elaborate on the nature of that "merchandise." that is a conversation for another day] My. . . father had offered to help us with this, but wound up betraying our intentions to the director of the Tokyo branch.
[fingers drum against the side of the French press as he waits for the coffee to finish steeping]
The director took us out into the middle of Sagami Bay, where my father. . . [. . .] . . . killed my associates right in front of me.
[. . .]
To prove my loyalty. . . and to seize upon the opportunity to take out an important Shanghai operative. . . the director gave me the opportunity to. . .
[he trails off, lapsing into silence, featured shuttered by a mask Rom has seen before. instead of finishing his explanation with words. . . he lifts a hand, index and thumb extended, and levels fingers directly at Rom's forehead]
no subject
That's one way to put it. [wry] The Shanghai and Tokyo branches didn't exactly get along. They played nice on the surface, but in reality absolutely hated each other.
[. . .]
. . . at one point, some associates of mine and I tried to relieve the Tokyo branch of some of their. . . merchandise. [the word is said a bit tightly, with a narrowed gaze and firmly set jaw. he feels a sense of nausea curl in his stomach at the mere use of that word, knowing that it is not right. even so. . . he does not elaborate on the nature of that "merchandise." that is a conversation for another day] My. . . father had offered to help us with this, but wound up betraying our intentions to the director of the Tokyo branch.
[fingers drum against the side of the French press as he waits for the coffee to finish steeping]
The director took us out into the middle of Sagami Bay, where my father. . . [. . .] . . . killed my associates right in front of me.
[. . .]
To prove my loyalty. . . and to seize upon the opportunity to take out an important Shanghai operative. . . the director gave me the opportunity to. . .
[he trails off, lapsing into silence, featured shuttered by a mask Rom has seen before. instead of finishing his explanation with words. . . he lifts a hand, index and thumb extended, and levels fingers directly at Rom's forehead]