Chapter 1

* Cover
* Panel 1
* Panel 2

**EN Date:**
December 6, 2022 (Volume Release)
April 23, 2023 (KMANGA Release)

## Chapter Chronology

**"No Place for a Loser (Part 1)"** (負け犬に出る幕はない〈前編〉, *Makeinu ni Deru Maku wa Nai (Zenpen)*) serves as the inaugural chapter in both the debut volume and the entire series of *Yakuza Fiancé: Raise wa Tanin ga Ii*, a work written and illustrated by Konishi Asuka.

## Introduction

In Tokyo, a man received a photo of the Somei House Chairman's granddaughter and complimented her appearance. The person who provided the photo dismissed the man's admiration and suggested that the girl might be perceived as spoiled because of her grandfather's position. In response, the man expressed a desire for the girl to completely ruin his life.

## Summary

In Osaka. Yoshino entered her grandfather Renji's home with frustration, seeking him out. Renji warmly greeted her despite her evident anger. She presented a newspaper article titled "Kingpins of Kanto and Kansai Talk of Truce," highlighting an alleged oath of brotherhood between Renji, the Somei House Chairman, associated with the Kirigaya House, and Gaku Miyama, leader of the Miyama Family linked to the Tokusa Clan. Instead of reacting to this news, Renji proudly admired his own image in the newspaper, much to Yoshino's annoyance.

Yoshino read the article, revealing speculation about a romantic relationship between the grandchildren of Miyama and Somei, hinting at an imminent marriage announcement. To her surprise, she discovered that she was the mentioned grandchild. Despite having no intention of marriage and no prior acquaintance with the Miyama grandchild, Yoshino confronted Renji. He confessed to setting her up with a nice young man, believing that their union would symbolize unity between the west and east due to the long-standing feud between the two crime groups. However, Yoshino strongly opposed the idea, emphasizing her lack of interest in marriage.

He suggested to her that she doesn't have to rush into marriage but proposed that visiting their household might help her find a suitable partner. He emphasized that her attractive appearance, influenced by his genes, is an asset that she should appreciate. However, Yoshino expressed discomfort, recounting how her looks led to negative labels like "Umeda Night Club Hostess," "Divorced Mom," and "A Face That Gets Boring After Three Days" since middle school, causing her to feel disheartened.

Renji reassured his granddaughter, urging her to give the Miyama grandchild a chance, suggesting that he might be better than she assumes. Despite Yoshino's reluctance to meet a stranger, Renji insisted that not knowing anything about him is precisely the reason to consider him. Introducing the young man as Kirishima Miyama, Yoshino hesitated, expressing concern that the name sounded associated with a gangster. Renji clarified that Kirishima is not involved with the Yakuza and is still in high school, though Yoshino found his name resembling two surnames.

He shared that Kirishima's resemblance to Gaku Miyama, the leader of the Miyama House and his longtime acquaintance, initially surprised him. Despite their physical similarity, Renji emphasized that Kirishima and Gaku are different individuals with dissimilar personalities. Renji assured Yoshino that he wouldn't propose an engagement without knowing the character of the household involved, highlighting his familiarity with Gaku Miyama and his confidence in Kirishima's character despite their external similarities. Kirishima attends an esteemed school known for bright students and has a background in karate, making him quite versatile. This seemed to pique Yoshino's interest somewhat, a fact that her grandfather teased her about. Renji mentioned Kirishima's well-rounded nature and expressed anticipation about meeting Yoshino. According to Renji, Kirishima suggested that if they hit it off, he'd like Yoshino to consider living with him and contemplate a genuine marriage.

He encouraged her to give Tokyo a chance since the Miyama household is located there in the Kanto Region. This proposition surprised Yoshino, as the idea of swiftly moving to Tokyo with Kirishima caught her off guard. Renji dismissed her concerns as paranoia, insisting that Tokyo is a fantastic place with plenty of new experiences and fun opportunities. He playfully suggested that living there would make Yoshino bilingual in both standard and Kansai Japanese. However, Yoshino rejected the idea, prompting Renji to jest that she can't take a joke, jokingly attributing her single status to this trait.

A few months later. Yoshino nervously arrived at the Miyama household in Tokyo. Initially, her grandfather had informed her that the gangs in the Kansai Region were relatively new compared to those in Tokyo. While the Kansai gangs trace their roots back about a hundred years, the Tokyo gangs have a much longer history, dating back at least 400 years to the Edo Period. To illustrate, the newer generation gangs were likened to posh new hotels in the sticks, while the older ones were compared to heritage luxury inns. As Yoshino explored the household, she noted its traditional inn appearance, despite the presence of numerous security cameras, which she associated with the yakuza.

Lost in her thoughts, Yoshino was greeted by Gaku Miyama, the leader of the Miyama Family and a direct subsidiary of the Tokusa Clan. She was taken aback by Gaku's handsome appearance and enthusiastic greeting. During their conversation, Gaku remarked on Yoshino's striking resemblance to her grandfather, Renji. Yoshino acknowledged that people often told her she was a younger female version of Renji, prompting laughter from Gaku.

While observing, Yoshino inquired about Kirishima's whereabouts, expressing that it was fine if he was running late or not present. This puzzled Gaku, as Kirishima was already behind her. Yoshino turned around abruptly to find Kirishima, a guy in a three-piece suit with glasses, who revealed he had been so excited to pick her up that he missed the chance to introduce himself earlier. Gaku interrupted their interaction, instructing Kirishima to prepare tea for Yoshino. Kirishima then leaned on Yoshino, putting his left arm around her, smiling broadly as he apologized for not thinking ahead and offered to give her a tour. Yoshino was visibly shocked by his sudden approach.

While walking together, Kirishima held Yoshino's hand and pointed out recent renovations in the teahouse. However, Yoshino felt a bit uncomfortable with his overly familiar demeanor. As they continued their stroll, Kirishima noticed that Yoshino's way of speaking differed from others in Osaka. This led him to assume she might have been born elsewhere and moved to Osaka. Yoshino clarified that she was born and raised in Osaka but learned to speak standard Japanese as per her grandfather's advice to adapt to local customs.

Kirishima expressed a bit of disappointment, thinking it's a shame she doesn't speak in her dialect since he finds it cute. This caught Yoshino off guard, as she had never been called cute by someone outside her family, making her nervous as they entered a room. Kirishima proceeded to give her a tour of the kitchen, bathroom, and the entire outbuilding, emphasizing her freedom to use the space. The facility was equipped with gas, plumbing, and power, detached from the main house, allowing her independence. Kirishima had even customized the kitchen to suit her taller height, which overwhelmed Yoshino with gratitude.

Although thankful for Kirishima's efforts, Yoshino clarified that she hadn't made up her mind about staying. Kirishima promptly apologized, assuring her that declining the offer was entirely acceptable. He explained that he did everything out of genuine desire, not expecting any obligation. Kirishima acknowledged the idea of considering marriage before meeting was a bit unconventional, attributing it to their grandfathers' traditional views. He was also already expecting that she would likely decline, although he's glad that she came to meet him. He left her in the room, deciding to make tea for her.

Six months later, in April, Yoshino made the decision to relocate to Tokyo. While she found Kirishima a bit nicer during their initial meeting, her grandfather strongly influenced her choice, emphasizing that she might miss the opportunity to interact with men outside the family if she didn't take this chance. In disbelief, Yoshino pinned her hand to the wall, absorbed in her thoughts.

As she contemplated, Kirishima greeted her after arriving from checking his class placement. He suggested they go to the Staff Room together. Along the way, he complimented Yoshino on how well the uniform suited her, expressing that she looked nice in it. When she attempted to address him with a honorific, he preferred being called simply Kirishima without any suffix. Yoshino then inquired about having escorts to and from school, and Kirishima explained that while he usually takes the train, he happened to have one today. He suggested they consider arranging one for her but added that he could accompany her if she didn't mind traveling together.

Kirishima mentioned the possibility of getting her an escort if they attended different schools, but fortunately, a spot opened up in the arts class at Ouren School, where Yoshino enrolled. She admitted to not being exceptionally smart, entering the course with the lowest entry requirements, and feeling nervous about her application. Kirishima, however, was confident she would get in and expressed excitement about attending the same school, despite their different courses and separate buildings.

As they walked, Yoshino couldn't help but feel that the more she talked to Kirishima, the more he seemed like a genuinely good person. She couldn't believe he was raised in a Yakuza family, grateful for the positive impression he gave her.

Currently reviewing her class schedule, Yoshino was approached by three female classmates who requested a moment of her time, causing her to feel uneasy. This situation was a novel experience for her, as she had never had friends in elementary and junior high school due to people being apprehensive about her Yakuza connections. The girls initiated the conversation by mentioning that they had observed Yoshino and Kirishima arriving at school together in the morning and even getting out of the same car. Yoshino awkwardly confirmed these observations with a laugh. One of the girls inquired if she was Kirishima's cousin and mentioned hearing about her being from Osaka. Yoshino responded with a bit of awkwardness, clarifying that they were not cousins but their parents were close. The conversation took a more serious turn when one of the girls directly asked if Yoshino and Kirishima were dating. Yoshino found it hard to answer, given the complicated situation arising from the engagement suggested by their grandfathers. The girls urged her to provide a straightforward answer but left abruptly before she could respond, leaving Yoshino bewildered about the unexpected encounter.

Walking through the school hallways, Yoshino senses the attention directed at her. Throughout her elementary, junior high, and high school years, she experienced people whispering behind her back, never making any friends. However, the current situation is new to her; people no longer fear her, and although they are observing her, it is not out of morbid curiosity. The earlier encounter with the girls who approached her emphasized this change, and the girls, particularly, seemed to be watching her without attempting to conceal it.

Lost in thought, Kirishima appeared and greeted her with enthusiasm, garnering giggles from nearby girls who began discussing him. Yoshino remarked on his popularity with the girls when Kirishima inquired if something was wrong. She expressed surprise that they still treated him as like that despite knowing his status as the grandson of a yakuza. Curious if they were ever scared, Kirishima responded that they probably weren't, given the proximity of the police and their eagerness to apprehend yakuza members, making them less intimidating. Feeling icky about the situation, especially with Kirishima being a kind and handsome grandson of a yakuza, Yoshino questioned if he ever grew tired of the distant stares and if it annoyed him. Kirishima, however, stated he never really thought about it or cared. In that moment, Yoshino felt a bit different, but Kirishima's humble smile quickly erased that feeling as they descended the stairs together.

Yoshino is currently unable to sleep, and it's nearly 2 AM. Struggling with it, she reflects on Kirishima's recent change in attitude, noting his apparent indifference to the attention they receive. This shift in behavior makes him seem like a different person to Yoshino. Deciding to get up for some water, she leaves her room and notices car lights indicating someone's arrival at this late hour.

To her surprise, Yoshino sees Kirishima with both hands stained in blood, including his shirt, while holding a handkerchief. Worried about being spotted, she quickly hides when Kirishima glances in the direction of her room. Feeling nervous, she silently returns to her room and blurts out her observation that he looks exactly like a real yakuza.

## Quick References

### Chapter Notes

* Yoshino confronts her grandfather Renji about a newspaper article suggesting a truce and a potential marriage between the Somei and Miyama crime families.
* Renji encourages Yoshino to give the Miyama grandchild, Kirishima, a chance, emphasizing his good qualities and the symbolic unity their union could bring.
* Yoshino expresses discomfort with societal judgments based on her appearance.
* Renji highlights Kirishima's background, resemblance to Gaku Miyama, and versatile skills, piquing Yoshino's interest.
* Yoshino arrives at the Miyama household in Tokyo, noting the traditional appearance and associating security cameras with the yakuza.
* Gaku Miyama's appearance surprises Yoshino, and Kirishima's sudden, overly familiar approach shocks her.
* Kirishima gives Yoshino a tour, emphasizing her freedom to use the space and customizing it for her convenience.
* Six months later, Yoshino decides to relocate to Tokyo, influenced by her positive impression of Kirishima and her grandfather's encouragement.
* Yoshino faces questions from classmates about her relationship with Kirishima, experiencing an unexpected encounter with curiosity rather than fear.
* Yoshino notices a change in how people perceive her in the school environment.
* Kirishima's popularity with girls and his indifferent attitude toward attention puzzles Yoshino.
* Yoshino struggles with Kirishima's apparent change in attitude, observing him arriving late at night with blood-stained hands, resembling a real yakuza.

### Characters in Order of Appearance

**Aoi Tachibana**1st Appearance
**Kirishima Miyama**Debut
**Yoshino Somei**Debut
**Renji Somei**Debut
**Gaku Miyama**Debut
**Classmate 1**Debut
**Classmate 2**Debut
**Classmate 3**Debut