Majima is from an older generation. A weirder one, one that doesn't acknowledge or even understand it's own feelings, so even just the insinuation means Majima has to do some thinking. And that's definitely not just the booze! He squints at Zhao, replaying the words in his head and the finger motions and all, trying to figure out what it means. He hates to assume, but the mix of being drunk and being the impulsive little shit that he is takes over once he thinks he's grasping the question.
He slams a hand onto the counter, craning his neck toward Zhao as he leans in like he might jump over the counter and ???? Start a fight maybe??? "What the hell do ya mean by that?!" he says and mocks the gesture Zhao did to him, pointing back at the guy and waggling his finger, blessedly not grabbing a knife to copy it more accurately.
"Kiryu-chan and I just respect each other a lot is all! He's strong, n' has a lotta conviction in his beliefs n' stuff! And I dunno, he must respect me too cuz he sometimes calls me up and relies on me for whatever!" That's all! It's respect! Respect is why Majima stalks Kiryu and pulls a knife on him and also jumps in front of knives for Kiryu and and and-
Okay, maybe he is a little obsessed. Majima flops back down in his seat, defeated. "Everyone loves Kiryu-chan. Hard not ta. Just get a load of the look on his face, always so serious. He puts everything into anythin' he does, never does anythin' by half-measures. Don't matter if it's fightin' fer his life, or karaoke, a shootout, or playin' a kid's racing game." It's not weird for him to think highly of Kiryu! Everyone does! Majima isn't special in that way! And he's not delusional enough to think that it goes both ways. Sure, it isn't like he's not important to Kiryu, but he sure as hell isn't any more important than anyone else to him. Kiryu loves everyone equally, Majima thinks. Ugh. Gross. He hates the fact that he might wish it were otherwise, so he will just stuff that feeling down somewhere.
"It's like Kasuga with you guys, right? The guy has a draw to him, but wouldn't know how to handle a woman if his life depended on it. Or a man, probably."
Zhao takes a hasty step back when Majima lurches up off his stool threateningly, erupting into a nervous giggle mostly against his will. Yikes.
But luckily (?), Majima talks himself down in the most depressingly relatable way possible, so Zhao is spared from having to fight for his life just for accurately describing the situation. He is not spared, however, from Majima rudely turning the tables on him. "That's not— I don't— ah, fuck." Zhao has never been one to lie to himself for long, no matter how embarrassing the naked truth is.
Because, yeah. It's definitely just a smidge humiliating just how easily he got charmed by the same things about Kiryu. How quickly watching him do what Kasuga-kun does—sweep into someone's life and put everything to rights just because he happened to bump into them in the street—made him more than willing to do insane shit, like haul his ass to frozen fishing villages and almost get murked by the very Yakuza Legend drooping in the stool across from him now. He, Saeko and Nanba have even fondly commiserated over drinks at Survive more than a few times about how similar hanging out with Kiryu is to getting dragged along all throughout the city by Ichiban's wild, generous whims. (Seonhee usually tries her best to loyally defend his choices until getting deep enough in her cups that she comes out giggling over them too.)
It really is hard not to love Kiryu at least a little bit, after meeting him. And he's certainly not wrong about Kasuga having no idea how to handle women, if Saeko's horror story (dragged out into the open after both Nanba and Kiryu left Survive early one night, abandoning her to Zhao and Seonhee's tender, nosy mercies and combined high alcohol budget) is to be believed. Poor Majima. And for four decades...
A chill runs down Zhao's spine at the thought of being stuck in the purgatory of crushing on Kasuga unrequited for as long as he thinks Majima has done for Kiryu, so he decisively crosses the tiny kitchen like he's escaping from those very sad thoughts. Finding himself next to the stove as a result, he flicks the fire on under a wok, and plants his hands on his hips while waiting for it to get searing hot so he can finally start working his magic. "Okay. Listen. Just because that's how it is now, doesn't mean it has to be like that forever, man! You need a plan." Surely they can fix this, but they have to start soon, because... well. Kiryu's whole situation. Normally Zhao is a go-with-the-flow sort of guy, but with enough booze in his system he's flush with the drunken courage required to make some truly stupid plans. And so what if he's projecting? Shut up! "Take him on a date. Not a fight, a date." (He has met Majima, so the stipulation feels necessary.) "He doesn't have to know that's what it is at first, you know? What's his favorite restaurant?"
ON A DATE?! Majima freezes at that suggestion, not sure if he should fight or flee. Yeah, he loves Kiryu alright, but he can't say it is anything like that. Taking him on a date is totally out of the question. Kiryu definitely deserves love and dates and attention and all, but he deserves it from someone better, someone even a little bit good, not the flaming dumpster that is Majima.
His face is all red, and it probably isn't the alcohol as he tries to casually wave the suggestion off, rolling his eyes and scoffing. "Ain't no way!" That's not a 'no, I don't want to' or anything, just an observance of facts! He's down horrendously bad for Kiryu, but what would something like that even look like? "Guys like me don't go on no dates, and we sure as shit don't get no happy endings", he just can't help but say. He's just kind of resigned to the fact. Besides, he's got it pretty good anyway, right? Saejima and Daigo still hang out with him, and Kiryu is at least seeking treatment now. That's the best ending he can think of for himself. He's no yakuza anymore, and can just live out the rest of his life as like.... a fisherman, when he feels like working.
"I consider it a blessin' that I ain't gotta ride out old age behind bars. Besides, Kiryu-chan's gotta have better prospects than an old dog like me." Someone like him? Good looking, good natured, strong and convicted. He just goes around helping everyone he meets, anyone would be lucky to have him. Not like Majima, who has spent most of his life scamming or beating folks.
Zhao groans, throwing his arms up in the air in exasperation. He's about 10 seconds away from booing Majima for that response with no mercy at all for his old man gay panic, but he manages to reign it in at the last possible moment (so he doesn't get stabbed) and switch gears to: "Come on, man! Didn't we all just learn a big important lesson about trying for a better life instead of resigning ourselves to fate, or whatever?" This is maybe not exactly the application of that lesson that anyone expected, but well, why not?
Because, sure. Maybe Majima doesn't 'deserve' a happy ending, whatever that means, but people get shit they don't deserve all the time: both in good ways, and in bad ones. Even Kiryu seemed to think he deserved to wither away and die of cancer while still on his feet, working off some debt to the shadiest bunch of suits Zhao has ever met (he's been in organized crime his whole life, mind you) but they both know there's no just world in which that's true.
So he scoffs, even as he reaches for the cooking oil and pours some in the wok which is now thoroughly pre-heated. "Majima-san, that's stupid. Who else can even, like, get him? The shit he's seen would probably make a civvie run screaming." Shared life experience is not exactly a guarantee of romantic compatibility, but with how things go in their business, it seems like it would really help. "And anyway, I bet he's spent his whole life having to run around saving everyone's ass, all the time. He seems real scared of putting anyone other than himself in danger, now. But you can keep up with him." Zhao casually chucks the shelled shrimp into the wok next, and immediately gets them moving with a spatula to keep them from sticking down to the surface and shredding apart later. The smell of hot oil and seafood finally starts to take over the lingering scent of cleaning supplies throughout the tiny restaurant, and over the sound of metal scraping against metal, he tacks on the extremely important: "Plus, you're hot as fuck. Who's gonna beat that?"
Majima is ready to continue denying, but 1. he is drunk and 2. Zhao did call him hot. He can't help but be a little flattered. How many 60 year old dudes get called 'hot' just in their daily lives? Especially since Majima is not doing anything to look nice right now. He gets fully distracted, smirking and touching a hand to his chest as if he's surprised to hear it.
"I'm hot am I?" Yes, flatter him more. He is happy to single that out and not look down the barrel of 'who else could get Kiryu better than you?' "Ya think I'm the best-lookin' prospect that Kiryu-chan has, eh? What about that little Geomijul Queen?" Probably too young for Kiryu, but it's fine! She's an adult, she could handle it if she wanted to. Though he supposes that would also be the last thing Kiryu would want. She's got a criminal empire to run! "I think Kiryu-chan is more interested in women anyway." Excuses, excuses. Anything not to have to be so vulnerable.
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Majima is from an older generation. A weirder one, one that doesn't acknowledge or even understand it's own feelings, so even just the insinuation means Majima has to do some thinking. And that's definitely not just the booze! He squints at Zhao, replaying the words in his head and the finger motions and all, trying to figure out what it means. He hates to assume, but the mix of being drunk and being the impulsive little shit that he is takes over once he thinks he's grasping the question.
He slams a hand onto the counter, craning his neck toward Zhao as he leans in like he might jump over the counter and ???? Start a fight maybe??? "What the hell do ya mean by that?!" he says and mocks the gesture Zhao did to him, pointing back at the guy and waggling his finger, blessedly not grabbing a knife to copy it more accurately.
"Kiryu-chan and I just respect each other a lot is all! He's strong, n' has a lotta conviction in his beliefs n' stuff! And I dunno, he must respect me too cuz he sometimes calls me up and relies on me for whatever!" That's all! It's respect! Respect is why Majima stalks Kiryu and pulls a knife on him and also jumps in front of knives for Kiryu and and and-
Okay, maybe he is a little obsessed. Majima flops back down in his seat, defeated. "Everyone loves Kiryu-chan. Hard not ta. Just get a load of the look on his face, always so serious. He puts everything into anythin' he does, never does anythin' by half-measures. Don't matter if it's fightin' fer his life, or karaoke, a shootout, or playin' a kid's racing game." It's not weird for him to think highly of Kiryu! Everyone does! Majima isn't special in that way! And he's not delusional enough to think that it goes both ways. Sure, it isn't like he's not important to Kiryu, but he sure as hell isn't any more important than anyone else to him. Kiryu loves everyone equally, Majima thinks. Ugh. Gross. He hates the fact that he might wish it were otherwise, so he will just stuff that feeling down somewhere.
"It's like Kasuga with you guys, right? The guy has a draw to him, but wouldn't know how to handle a woman if his life depended on it. Or a man, probably."
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But luckily (?), Majima talks himself down in the most depressingly relatable way possible, so Zhao is spared from having to fight for his life just for accurately describing the situation. He is not spared, however, from Majima rudely turning the tables on him. "That's not— I don't— ah, fuck." Zhao has never been one to lie to himself for long, no matter how embarrassing the naked truth is.
Because, yeah. It's definitely just a smidge humiliating just how easily he got charmed by the same things about Kiryu. How quickly watching him do what Kasuga-kun does—sweep into someone's life and put everything to rights just because he happened to bump into them in the street—made him more than willing to do insane shit, like haul his ass to frozen fishing villages and almost get murked by the very Yakuza Legend drooping in the stool across from him now. He, Saeko and Nanba have even fondly commiserated over drinks at Survive more than a few times about how similar hanging out with Kiryu is to getting dragged along all throughout the city by Ichiban's wild, generous whims. (Seonhee usually tries her best to loyally defend his choices until getting deep enough in her cups that she comes out giggling over them too.)
It really is hard not to love Kiryu at least a little bit, after meeting him. And he's certainly not wrong about Kasuga having no idea how to handle women, if Saeko's horror story (dragged out into the open after both Nanba and Kiryu left Survive early one night, abandoning her to Zhao and Seonhee's tender, nosy mercies and combined high alcohol budget) is to be believed. Poor Majima. And for four decades...
A chill runs down Zhao's spine at the thought of being stuck in the purgatory of crushing on Kasuga unrequited for as long as he thinks Majima has done for Kiryu, so he decisively crosses the tiny kitchen like he's escaping from those very sad thoughts. Finding himself next to the stove as a result, he flicks the fire on under a wok, and plants his hands on his hips while waiting for it to get searing hot so he can finally start working his magic. "Okay. Listen. Just because that's how it is now, doesn't mean it has to be like that forever, man! You need a plan." Surely they can fix this, but they have to start soon, because... well. Kiryu's whole situation. Normally Zhao is a go-with-the-flow sort of guy, but with enough booze in his system he's flush with the drunken courage required to make some truly stupid plans. And so what if he's projecting? Shut up! "Take him on a date. Not a fight, a date." (He has met Majima, so the stipulation feels necessary.) "He doesn't have to know that's what it is at first, you know? What's his favorite restaurant?"
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His face is all red, and it probably isn't the alcohol as he tries to casually wave the suggestion off, rolling his eyes and scoffing. "Ain't no way!" That's not a 'no, I don't want to' or anything, just an observance of facts! He's down horrendously bad for Kiryu, but what would something like that even look like? "Guys like me don't go on no dates, and we sure as shit don't get no happy endings", he just can't help but say. He's just kind of resigned to the fact. Besides, he's got it pretty good anyway, right? Saejima and Daigo still hang out with him, and Kiryu is at least seeking treatment now. That's the best ending he can think of for himself. He's no yakuza anymore, and can just live out the rest of his life as like.... a fisherman, when he feels like working.
"I consider it a blessin' that I ain't gotta ride out old age behind bars. Besides, Kiryu-chan's gotta have better prospects than an old dog like me." Someone like him? Good looking, good natured, strong and convicted. He just goes around helping everyone he meets, anyone would be lucky to have him. Not like Majima, who has spent most of his life scamming or beating folks.
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Because, sure. Maybe Majima doesn't 'deserve' a happy ending, whatever that means, but people get shit they don't deserve all the time: both in good ways, and in bad ones. Even Kiryu seemed to think he deserved to wither away and die of cancer while still on his feet, working off some debt to the shadiest bunch of suits Zhao has ever met (he's been in organized crime his whole life, mind you) but they both know there's no just world in which that's true.
So he scoffs, even as he reaches for the cooking oil and pours some in the wok which is now thoroughly pre-heated. "Majima-san, that's stupid. Who else can even, like, get him? The shit he's seen would probably make a civvie run screaming." Shared life experience is not exactly a guarantee of romantic compatibility, but with how things go in their business, it seems like it would really help. "And anyway, I bet he's spent his whole life having to run around saving everyone's ass, all the time. He seems real scared of putting anyone other than himself in danger, now. But you can keep up with him." Zhao casually chucks the shelled shrimp into the wok next, and immediately gets them moving with a spatula to keep them from sticking down to the surface and shredding apart later. The smell of hot oil and seafood finally starts to take over the lingering scent of cleaning supplies throughout the tiny restaurant, and over the sound of metal scraping against metal, he tacks on the extremely important: "Plus, you're hot as fuck. Who's gonna beat that?"
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"I'm hot am I?" Yes, flatter him more. He is happy to single that out and not look down the barrel of 'who else could get Kiryu better than you?' "Ya think I'm the best-lookin' prospect that Kiryu-chan has, eh? What about that little Geomijul Queen?" Probably too young for Kiryu, but it's fine! She's an adult, she could handle it if she wanted to. Though he supposes that would also be the last thing Kiryu would want. She's got a criminal empire to run! "I think Kiryu-chan is more interested in women anyway." Excuses, excuses. Anything not to have to be so vulnerable.