Seated on low cushions nearest Honjowara -sama are Yoshida Mabuchi, head of Yoshida -kai , and, opposite him, Toki Bentaro, head of Toki- gumi . Yoshida Mabuchi is often referred to as "oyabun," father or parent, or simply "boss." With his antique vested suit and glasses, he looks like a shopkeeper, or a banker, and his fear of personal injury is well-known, but his mind is clever and his words can be very sharp. Toki Bentaro, the more progressive of the pair, prefers a title more in keeping with Honjowara -sama's New Way, that of "chief executive." He styles himself like a modern corporate executive, a team player, and he is careful to avoid any suggestion of impropriety, yet where the private ventures of the Toki- gumi are concerned he can be very selfminded, and ruthless.