#1

#0: Prologue

"This is a story that changes perspective every time a character dies or gets taken out of the narrative... a story about two sets of best friends, one lost a life, the other lost her husband. An underling who followed and a boss who was victorious. A son who never met his father and the reason why."

Note: before reading, the (...) Notation after/before a paragraph means that the perspective changed. Enjoy!

#1: Kokuryuu [Manryuu no Jaryuu] Daisuke

I have a childhood friend that is very fragile… she is prone to going in and out of the hospital because of it… I swore that I will protect her at all cost, and so I lived my whole middle school life as a DQN, and continued being so in High school, all for her safety… for Hakuryuu Mana's safety.

During my first year in high school, my gang's boss passed the baton to me, making me the new leader. Our gang's mission is to conquer all of Kyoto's gangs and called ourselves [Manryuu gang]

As I was just placed as the leader, I chose my underling, Kiiryuu Shouko, to be my right hand man. She's very energetic and because she was energetic and strong by nature, she was called [ Manryuu no Ginryuu], or the golden dragon of Manryuu. I however is called [Manryuu no Jaryuu] or the evil dragon of Manryuu.

As time passed by, our gang was the biggest and most dominating in all of Kyoto. With more than 10,000 men who can take on at least three guys at the same time. But i never forgot my studies. I still visit Mana, to check how she is at her home.

There was a time that she spent a month inside the hospital. I like studying so I kept my grades high, being a DQN at the same time. I often go to her so that she can have a lesson, specifically, the ones we had for that day. She smiles every time I would accidentally make mistakes on a math formula, and it would be enough for me.

In our third year in high school, I became well known in our school as the DQN who studies, the [Nerdy Delinquent]. My meetings with Mana in the hospital are limited by her doctors, and so I agreed to meet her thrice a week, during mondays, wednesdays, and fridays.

That was the time that I wrote my first novel, and kept writing without publishing them.

Sadly, our meetings came to an end… we can't meet like we used to. I was late, too late, she died inside the surgery room, and I didn't even know that she had [Severe cystic fibrosis], a genetic lung disease that limits one's breathing.

In her funeral, her parents told me that she loves me very much. So much that she hid her condition from me just to keep me from worrying. "She enjoyed every day that she was meeting with you, unfortunately, she ultimately chose to hide her condition, to keep you smiling until the end of her days" her mother said to me. Her funeral took place three days before the graduation ceremony.

After our graduation ceremony, I quit my gang and left for a culinary college in Tokyo. There I would casually meet with Kiiryuu-san during day-offs as I mourn. She's also the reason why I met my wife, Matsuri Mitsuki, her childhood friend.

We hung out, we had cook-offs, because apparently she went to the same uni as I did. We had some classes together, and in the end, she confessed, and I accepted. After college, we applied for work and got accepted. In our uni, we had these apprenticeships that will help us look for work. The apprenticeships were set for us, so that we would get comfortable working in a restaurant kitchen.

We moved in with each other after a year of work, and our third year in a relationship. We got married after five more years. I was on and off the country because of my culinary career, teaching people in seminars and such.

My son, Shiki, was born 2 years after we got married, and I stayed home for 3 month after she gave birth. And is going to fly to France to give a seminar to a culinary school as a guest speaker.

I went to a Novel publishing agency to serialize my novels, except one, the last novel I wrote is one that my wife keeps. I told her to keep the novel, like a keepsake, like a last will before I die. My flight is in 48 hours

The day that I will fly to France, a vase broke before I departed from my house to the airport. My wife, Mitsuki, told me to go ahead, the housekeeper will handle it. When I left, I saw my wife's face with a tear streaking down her face…

#2: Hakuryuu Mana

...I have a childhood friend who always kept me safe, he was very protective of me, he didn't even let me go alone every time someone confessed to me. I am very fragile, which is why I am prone to being in and out of the hospital. The reason behind my fragile body is our family's genetic disease, [Severe cystic fibrosis]. Fortunately, my grandfather's surgery went well, and raised my father well. My father on the other hand, didn't get the family disease, my grandfather was very skeptical about my father being his son, so he sent a private investigator to take a DNA test on him and my father, as the results came out, he appeared to be his son.

My grandfather told me this story because he wanted me to know his hardships, just in case my surgery doesn't go well. When my childhood friend, Kokuryuu Daisuke, visited me, he just returned from a fight, his cheeks were bleeding from a knife wound, and so I told him to not fight anymore, he might die the next time he does. "Don't worry, I'll be fine" is all he said and put a plaster in his cheek and continued to teach me.

I love him very much, but I won't confess until I come out of the surgery room alive. My surgery is in one month, I just have to wait for a month until I can tell him everything.

My parents knew that I love him but I asked them to keep quiet about it until my surgery is a success, and I tell him myself.

A few days before my surgery, he visited one last time. I told him that whatever happens in the surgery room, he has to live his life protecting everyone he holds dear, like it's my last will just in case I don't come out alive. Telling him that took some burdens off my chest and proceeded to the surgery room…

#3: Matsuri Mistsuki

...I once had a Childhood friend who is very energetic, her name is Kiiryuu Shouko. We went to the same middle school but for some reason, she became a delinquent, following a boy with blond hair, which must be Hair coloring. Her gang was a bit rowdy, always gets into fights, and she rarely goes home without wounds or bruises.

But nonetheless, she was very smart, kind of like a tactician in the military. Some time later, when we were in first year high school, she became the right hand man of the same blond-haired boy, who became the boss of their gang. In the streets, their gang symbol was feared as they kept growing and growing in his reign. From what I've heard, the blond-haired boy made their gang indestructible, uncollapsible, and unfathomable. He was dubbed as the Evil dragon of Manryuu, with Shouko alongside him, they were called the [Manryuu no Ryuu-o] or the Dragon monarchs of Manryuu.

Two years later, I was attending the graduation ceremony with Shouko when she told me that she will be stepping down from her gang, as she no longer has a reason to attend it anymore. When I asked her why, she told me that their leader, the blond-haired boy was resigning as leader after the graduation ceremony. I asked why again "He's the same age as us, he's also a third year high schooler. And he's resigning" she replied.

A year later, Shouko and I went to Tokyo, where we jad college, I was studying culinary arts and she took Medicine. One day, she told me that she wants me to meet someone, and that someone is my husband, Kokuryuu Daisuke, a tall man with black hair, and pale blue eyes.

He seemed like a fine man, plus, we have the same classes too. The time we spent together was irreplaceable, he told me that Shouko followed him most of the time back in high school. And so I asked him if he has anything to do with Manryuu. "Yeah, I became the leader of more than 10,000 men before retiring, and having Kiiryuu-san as my right hand man, we drove every large gang in Kyoto out of business. But after my childhood friend passed, I no longer had any reason to stay in that gang, so I quit. I was supposed to give the baton to her but unexpectedly, she quit the same time I did" he said.

It broke my heart to hear that the reason he had connections with the Manryuu gang was because he wanted to protect his fragile childhood friend whom he loved so much. Time passed and the connection I had with him became stronger, and I confessed.

We started dating, but he still seems to be mourning for her friend. I told him that I won't replace her, but I will also not be a tool for him to mourn, I will keep him safe no matter what. But he responded with "It's not like that, I'm just thinking about her final words with me. [Protect all those I hold dear], like her…" and he bursts into tears in my arms…

A few days after, someone called for him, the girl looked like she didn't come from Tokyo, but still, he met her, she kowtowed to him and the first thought that passed my head was that the Manryuu gang is begging Daisuke to return to their gang, but ultimately, he refused.

Years passed, and we graduated from college, and on our way to apply for work when suddenly, he got a phone call. I asked him about it, and told me to go ahead as he needs to answer the call. I didn't mind and went ahead. A few minutes later, he caught up to me and we applied. When we got accepted, he let out a sigh of relief.

A few years later, five years after we got accepted to work, we got married. A few months later, I got pregnant. Daisuke was a very busy man, he toured around the world to give lectures in japanese cuisine and gave seminars out of the country.

When I gave birth, he had delayed his flight to France just to be there for me and out son. We named him "Shiki" from the colors, white (shi - shiro) and yellow (ki - kii).

Three months later, he gave me a novel that he didn't publish, while the others were already in serialization. He told me to do whatever I want with it since it's finished.

Two days later, a vase broke before he could step out of the house. I told him to go ahead and let the nanny clean it up. I didn't want to delay his flight any longer, so I told him to go.

I regretted that day for the rest of my life, as I didn't see the sign, the broken vase, and his death. The plane that he was on crashed in the Indian ocean. I heard the news and rushed to the area leaving Shiki with the nanny. wanting to see his corpse, I rushed. In vain, the corpses were never recovered, the only corpse to be recovered is the prime minister's corpse. I burst into tears knowing that my husband will have a funeral without his body present.

I raised our son as atonement for it. He became a good man 25 years later. He became vice-president of a smartphone company that his friend built.

A few years after my son became the vice-president, i was diagnosed with breast cancer, stage 3. I didn't know until then, I was afraid that my son would quit his job and take care of me instead, so I kept it secret from him.

A year later, on my son's 32nd birthday, I collapsed. The next thing I know is my son crying as I lie down in the hospital bed. I got treated and my son's fiance, Yukimura Shiori, Shouko's daughter, supported Shiki with his struggle…

#4: Kiiryuu [Manryuu no Ginryuu] Shouko

...I one had a boss, who never gave up on fighting, protecting those around him with brute strength. I first met him when some high-school-aged guys were hitting on me, he swooped in and told them to not mess with those that aren't a part of another gang. This boy's name is Kokuryuu Daisuke, he dyed his hair blond and rebelled against his school and became the top delinquent there. But he was also smart, so the teachers didn't have any problems with him apart from his looks. I told my childhood friend Matsuri Mitsuki that I will be like him, without telling her his name. A couple of days later, I joined their gang called "Kyoto Manryuu gang" and worked under the first division. The first division had Kokuryuu, and he is the boss.

A couple of years later, when we were in our first year of high school, I was made Vice-chairman by Kokuryuu as he assumed the position of Chairman. The old boss wanted him to take his place because of the reason "he can take our Kyoto Manryu gang to a whole new level" in which he did.

Only one year had passed and we had already conquered all of Kyoto's biggest gangs and Kokuryuu became the Chairman of more than 10,000 men.

Two days before the graduation ceremony, he told me that wanted to talk, but I didn't expect him to tell me that he would quit the gang after graduating high school.

I followed him and pursued my dream to be a surgeon. In Tokyo, we would casually meet, we would hang out and we would talk about the old days when he was still the big boss of the Kyoto Manryuu gang.

One day, I met with Mitsuki, I asked how she was doing with her culinary studies and she answered me "I'm doing well, but there is one thing that bothered me. I don't know what kind of cuisine I would want to excel in."

I burst into laughter as I told her that I want her to meet someone. That weekend, I called Kokuryuu to come meet somebody important to me.

I introduced the ex-big-boss of the Kyoto Manryuu gang to my childhood friend because of their career choice. But i never expected that Mitsuki takes the same classes as him.

They started going out for some reason after I hooked them up a few months ago. I met Yukimura Tokio again after 4 years because we had the same residency.

We hung out and started going out. After a few years, we became fully fledged surgeons and got married a few years after Kokuryuu and Mitsuki got married

About 2 years and one month later, I gave birth to my daughter, Shiori. Her birthday is one month younger than her son, Shiki.

As I was resting in my hospital bed, I saw the news about our old gang. "The former gang known as the Kyoto Manryuu gang, is now a crime syndicate that smuggles drugs, and unregistered weaponry"

I reported this to Kokuryuu and he didn't answer, maybe because he was too occupied with his newborn son… It was my biggest mistake, I didn't know that he died, I just heard his name in the news "Plane crashed with the prime minister and Chef Kokuryuu Daisuke. Prime Minister's body found, Chef Kokuryuu's body missing…"

I called Mitsuki and told her to be strong, and raise Shiki well. I mourned my former boss' death with his wife and my husband, he was tearing up, he didn't want to cry because "Real men don't cry" Kokuryuu told Tokio in high school…

#5: Kokuryuu Shikii

...I never knew my father, but I know that he is a great cook. My mother always told me that father is a honorable cook, and I can't help but agree after seeing my father's merits on the shelves.

I studied hard so that I can get a good job. I studied Computer engineering and graduated at the top of class. My friend made a computer parts trading company that turned into a smartphone company, i worked there and became the vice-president under my friend's orders.

A few years later, I proposed to my girlfriend and childhood-friend, Yukimura Shiori.

We were having a company meeting when my mother collapsed. I rushed to the hospital and the doctor told me that her breast cancer worsened, from the third to the fourth. I told my secretary that I won't be coming to work for a while because my mother needed assistance in the hospital and my friend, the company's president, permitted it.

I paid for my mother's treatment, and she got better. Before the wedding, my mother died, and she was buried beside my dad.

The wedding pushed through and me and my wife are now living peacefully, praying that my mother and father are watching over us from above…

#6: Yukimura Tokio

...I once had a boss who quit after he graduated high school passing the baton to me, Yukimura Tokio. He was very powerful, taking on 5 people head on and coming out with minimal damage. I looked up to him, and wanted to follow his footsteps. In doing so, my Kyoto Manryuu kept our 10,000 men and dominated all of Kyoto, soon after, we dominated Tokyo as well. I practiced surgery and met my wife-to-be again after 4 years after high school, Kiiryuu Shouko, the Manryuu no Ginryuu, the other half of the dragon monarchs.

When we dominated Tokyo's gangs, we became a crime syndicate, and pulled the old leader back in the ring. The evil dragon of Manryuu, Kokuryuu Daisuke, I put him in a spit higher than mine. As leader, I put him as the Monarch of Manryuu, I didn't want to bother my wife to join again and so he is the only monarch left.

I knew that he was flying all over the world to give lectures and seminars, and we used that to our advantage. We changed our gang's name to [Dai-Manryuu syndicate] with over 30,000 men.

Before Kokuryuu-aniki's flight to France, I called him, told him that our next target is going to the same plane as him, and plotted his death.

Kokuryuu made sure that his corpse won't be found, and our target, dead.

With his death being publicized, he changed his Identity to Jaryuu Hisui, and became the leader of the Dai-Manryuu syndicate. His face and voice was kept secret from the public, putting on a black dragon mask and lowering the pitch of his voice, he became the new face of Dai-Manryuu syndicate…

#7: Jaryuu [Kokuryuu "Manryuu no Jaryuu" Daisuke] Hisui

…I came to deliver my last novel for serialization, under my name, I gained a lot of income because my novels were good, and this last novel was to end them all…

#8: Author [Tokikaze-Sensei]

...Jaryuu serialized his last novel and left without a trace, the title of his last novel was "Lives in Different Perspectives"

-Fin-

#0.5: Afterword

Thank you for reading this one-shot novel. I wanted to write this because I wanted to try and write out of my comfort zone, and it seemed that I was quite okay. I was more at ease with this kind of genre, the romance-tragedy-psychological type of books. Anyways, Thank you again for reading this book, I have more novels released in my webnovel account. Please, read them if you'd like...

-Tokikaze Kohaku