XXV

When he was 10 Heisuke's friend broke a window at school. Despite being the only witness, he kept silent and received equal punishment. At 15, a senior involved in illegal activities started a brawl. He was just passing by but saw his classmates are in need of help. He stepped in. The police came but his classmates were too afraid to speak up against their upperclassman. He got suspended. At 18, his childhood friend confessed his unfaithfulness. He consistently covered for him. But women are cunning creatures. They can smell secrets, especially ones you try hard to hide. Heisuke got caught and went home with swollen burning cheeks.

He can be a loud mouth and is the least likely candidate to be trusted with secrets. But he values his friends and their secrets are his own. Hence, he instantly felt conflicted when he was asked by old man Yukimura to spy on Souji.

There was discontent in Yukimura's face when after two weeks the reports are still short and bland. It bothered Heisuke who was unsure of the situation.

What should I say? There's really nothing for me to report. He reasoned to himself with a sigh. At the back of his head though, he was at least 70% sure of what his employer would like to know. If that's the case, then things really are more complicated.

He scratched his head with both hands then cursed at himself.

"Need to get your head checked, Heisuke?"

He looked up and found that the source of the voice is the subject of his thoughts. "What do you want?" he said, slightly startled as he watched Souji make himself comfortable next to him.

"We should clean the rooms we rarely use more often" Souji noted as he examined the light layer of dust on the music rooms floor. "I should return the question to you"

"Huh?" Heisuke dumbly looked at his pal.

"You've been staring at me earlier as if there's something on my face" he snickered "Don't tell me that you've suddenly fallen for me"

"What?!" Heisuke cleared his throat. He debated whether he should tell Souji of the task he was given. "It's nothing important" he chose to stay silent. He then felt a hand on his head, ruffling his well styled hair.

"Hey, I heard your sister has been in and out of the hospital again lately. Going back to your hometown would do her good. The air is far from fresh in the city. She could also use some rest"

"I also told her that but she insisted on staying. She'd reason that the doctors are just coming up with illness to milk cash from us" Heisuke frowned at the thought of his older sister whom he's attached too.

"I share her sentiments on doctors" Souji laughed then turned serious. "If you need help, don't hesitate to ask me. Ok? I may not be able to lend you a huge amount but if it's for meds, I can help"

"Thanks Souji…" he muttered.

~~~o~~~o~~~o~~~

The idea of having lunch with her father brightened Chizuru's day. When he invited her out, she was surprised. It's rare that they share a meal, so she accepted.

It was an 80 year old restaurant, well maintained, traditional and private. They removed their shoes before heading inside an exclusive room. Souji and her father's guard were led to a separate waiting room. Chizuru took a seat across her father. Her eyes wandered around the room. She noticed that the rice paper was adorned by patters of cherry blossoms falling in spring time. The soft thud the shishi-odoshi made can be clearly heard from where she was. The woman assigned to assist them opened the sliding door on their left. She gave them just enough glimpse of the serene setting outside. Bamboo fence bordered the garden. Greens, sand, pebbles and finely crushed gravel completed the view.

Lunch opened with the usual conversation starters. She learned that her father has been busy with the overseas expansion plan. He went on to detail as to how he managed to partner with an industry giant abroad. He also explained in theory and in practice how the current market shift would benefit their company in the near future. She listened attentively, stopping him a couple of times to ask him about things she was not clear on and nodded on the points she agrees to.

"You are looking for a job now, correct?" Yukimura, dabbed the napkin on his lips.

Chizuru nodded. "Still looking but I'll keep trying"

"How about working for the company? Just choose which department you'd like to start on"

She waived her hands in front of her with a coy smile. "That's a tempting shortcut but I can't take the offer"

"Kaoru also rejected my offer" he sighed. A smile played on his lips as he watched his daughter across him "You both grew up so fast"

"Father...I know you're worried but I know we can survive" she replied putting in some confidence to her words "When I did my internship, I realized a lot of things. I learned to rely on myself and to be more responsible"

"I heard Chikage was pleased with your performance"

The mention of Kazama's name placed an apple on her throat. She was reminded of their current status. "I tried my best" she responded and thought of shifting the topic so that it won't linger on Kazama.

"I bumped into him the other day. He's quite a busy man these days, does he still have time to go out with you?" he paused and waved a hand when he noticed his daughters reaction. "I shouldn't intrude this much right?"

Chizuru noticed how warm her father was at the moment that she was tempted to spit out her secret. She thought that maybe he'd also just wave a hand at it and tell her that he couldn't care less of who she's with. Of course, that won't be the case. Besides, she agreed with Kazama that they'd do it together.

"I'm actually curious" she muttered, getting her father's attention.

"What about?" he popped a salmon ball into his mouth then gracefully rested his chopstick on a hashi-oki.

"Why did you chose Kazama to be my fiancé?" she clasped her hands together under the table.

"His father is a good friend of mine. I know their family and felt that he would surely grow up to be a splendid man" he straightened his back and looked his daughter in the eyes. "I can't hand my only daughter to just anyone"

"Weren't you worried that he might find someone else or…or I won't fall in love with him?" she blurted as calmly as she can manage.

"I was and still am" he cleared his throat.

"And if either happened?" she made sure to not sound innocently curious.

"Chizuru, is there a reason for these questions?" his eyes narrowed.

She laughed, a bit more nervously than she intended. "It's nothing really. I've just always wanted to ask you these but never got the chance too."

He sighed. His daughter's got a point. They never had much of this father-daughter time and he should take her curiosity as a signed of interest on the topic which she usually shy away from. "Chikage, he's indeed brilliant. Both I and his father agreed to it. He's a bit older than you and we also thought that he won't take your engagement seriously. We were surprised and delighted when you started dating seriously upon his return." He cleared his throat. "I'm happy that you two are together" he paused. "Chizuru, Chikage is the only person I know who can protect you and provide you with the life you deserve. There will come a time when I can't look after you anymore…when that happens I trust that he'd do whatever it takes to keep you smiling. That's what he told me when he asked for your hand formally when you just started going out"

"That's…" a smile formed on her lips. "I see." She uttered. But that was years ago. I also liked him then.

A chirpy tone snapped her out of her thoughts. It was his father's phone. She giggled at how corny the tone was.

He frowned. "I guess I should be off to another meeting"

"I could change your ringtone if you like" she offered.

He scratched his head with a beam. "Really, maybe you should. I've been getting looks from the staff lately. Seems like tunes like these are out of style."

~~~o~~~o~~~o~~~

A man in his late thirties stood in the bustling preparation room, for a while he watched food and people come and go. The restaurant prides itself for the privacy and security it offers. It was the go to place for politicians engaging in off the radar meetings, celebrities on rendezvous and members of high society. Pretending to be a delivery man made it laughably easy for him to slip into the kitchens. A quick change in the store room and he's now blended in as a waiter. He checked his watch and grinned. He lifted a tray with cups filled with steaming tea. He slipped out of the preparation room and into the short set of stairs that led to a labyrinth of private rooms.

His heart pounded as he got closer to his destination. In his head the map of the place was etched and the man who fed him with the information was very detailed with his instructions. The corridors were silent, only hushed sounds slip through the walls. He went up another short set of stairs and headed straight for his target.

~~~o~~~o~~~o~~~

Souji barely drank the tea that he was served. It was too bitter for his taste. Besides, tea wouldn't ease the grumbling of his stomach. He promised to get himself a full course meal right after. To distract himself, he turned his attention to the man who is yet to utter a word. He noted that the man must be quite new; this is only the second time he's seen him.

"What?" asked the man harshly, obviously not comfortable under Souji's curious eyes

"Nothing" he replied. "Just glad I finally got you to say a word"

"Hnn" the man resumed with his deep thoughts.

"So, what's your name?" Souji continued. For some reason he felt like he needed to know more about the man.

"I don't like small talk" came the straight faced response.

"Ouch, you're the friendly type aren't you?" he snickered and got a sneer as reply. Souji decided not push for a conversation but something about the man was making him feel uneasy. When his instincts tell him that something is wrong, he just naturally keeps his guard up.

The exchange was followed by silence until the man pulled out his phone. The widening of the man's eyes didn't escape Souji. The man got up in a hurry.

Souji raised a brow. "Where are you going?" He noted the twitch in the man's left eye.

"The toilet you nosy little brat" he replied and continued to the door.

Souji was next to the man on an instant. A fist came his way which he flawlessly dodged. The man's reaction confirmed that unsettling feeling in his gut. And no, it was not hunger.

"Screw it you bastard" the man cursed, a fist planted strongly on his gut.

His opponent was at least a head taller than him, bulky and trained. Souji knew that a punch won't suffice to put him down. The man threw him on the floor, but he broke his fall perfectly and the tatami floor was a good cushion. He noticed the cup next to him, grabbed it and threw the lukewarm tea on his opponents face. The distraction gave him time to get up and attack. He delivered a kick, aiming to damage the man's hamstring. He followed up with an upper cut.

Same time as the man's body fell on the floor, crashing sounds spilled from the room across.

Wide eyed and adrenaline pumped, Souji rushed out.

~~~o~~~o~~~o~~~

Her ears perked at the sound of an exchange from the room across. Souji's voice, then another man's, then thuds and groans. Something's wrong and the alerted look on her father's face was her cue to get up. Her father grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her to escape.

It happened too quickly. The door opened. A man greeted them with a beam. He dropped the tray and pulled out a gun. In that split second she felt several emotions rushing through her veins. Her father asked who sent the man and got no response. The originally pointed gun at her father was now directed towards her. She felt her fingers froze and the rest of her body followed. A scream was trapped in her throat.

She closed her eyes then felt an almost dreamy falling sensation. Something heavy was pushing her down. Is this how it feels to die? She thought releasing a deep breath and slowly opened her eyes. She was sure she heard the silenced gunshot but when her vision cleared she realized that she was alive and not in pain. Her eyes followed her father who just pushed himself away from her. She sat up in panic.

"Father?" she uttered, eyes scanning the man for wounds. He father was already up and his focus was on the man writhing on the floor.

Her eyes trailed from her fuming father to the man on the floor to Souji who stood above the man with the gun in his hand. She watched him kick the man on the face, making him spew blood on the floor. Groans, coughs and wheezing breath filled the room as Souji continued to attack the man on the floor. She knew her father was interrogating the man but his words were a mess to her. There was so much blood and it was making her sick. Souji bent down and pointed the gun at the back of the man's head. NO! she screamed in her head but her lips won't open. She looked at her father who showed no emotion at all. She then turned to Souji. This was a side of him that she hasn't seen. He looked furious but blank. She felt really scared.

"Please…" with shaking voice she tugged at her father's sleeve. "Stop it…" her tears finally fell.

"That's enough Souji" her father instantly commanded.

Her eyes met her lovers. This was another first, a look of shame and sadness. He quickly looked away.

A group of uniformed men bearing the restaurants crest on the pin resting neatly on their lapel entered the room moments later. They carried the bloodied men out without a word. Her father pulled her up and assisted her out of the room. Cleaning ladies silently went in after they left.

Her father decided to talk to the restaurant's manager before leaving. Observing everyone's reaction, they seem to be used to this kind of situation. The restaurant was known for the privacy they offer. She can now only imagine the things that can take place in its secrecy.

~~~o~~~o~~~o~~~

Souji can only watch Chizuru be scared. In front of her father, he was not even sure if he can openly hold her. When their eyes met, he felt her fear. He didn't want her to see him like that. At that moment, he wanted to be next to her, to wrap her in his arms and tell her it's alright. Her steps were wobbly. She depended on her father's support as they walked down the corridor. He bit his lip in frustration.

Before leaving, old man Yukimura had a closed door meeting with the manager. In this situation, he was tasked to be her bodyguard again. He watched her pale figure, sitting quietly on the lone ottoman next to the management door. He can't think of anything to say. He knelt on one knee in front of her and placed his hand on hers. Her eyes widened, startled at first then were at ease.

"Souji…" she started sobbing. "I thought for a second that I died"

He cleared the hair that stuck on her damp cheeks. He knew that her father might step out any moment soon but he just can't stand and watch her cry. "I won't let that happen. That's why I'm here to watch over you right?"

She circled her arms around him and cried on his shoulder. He placed a kiss on her ear then the side of her head and patted her back. "You're quite heavy Ojou-sama" he said jokingly. No response. He sighed. "You got scared having a gun pointed at you…but I know that you also got scared of me back there I'm sorry"

She pulled away and wiped her eyes with the back of her hands. If not for the situation he would have pulled out his phone and took a photo of her red puffy eyes. Her lips opened but she hesitated with her words. The doors of the manager's office clicked open, Souji didn't got time to get up but Chizuru pulled her hands away from him just in time.

Her father's eyes moved from her to him. His employer patted her daughter's head and assured her that things are settled. He followed the two closely as they left.

They dropped off the old man at his office. Yukimura advised that he needs to take care of something immediately. Souji already knew what that meant. He answered positively to his reminders to keep his daughter safe no matter what.

The drive back to the mansion was as quiet as late nights on the country side. When they arrived he decided to walk Chizuru to her room. She stopped in front of her room and turned to him. She clasped her hands in front of her and with eyes cast downward she muttered, "I got scared of you…really scared"

Souji frowned. He felt bad and ashamed. He didn't want to hear her say it but it was expected. To his surprise, she wrapped her arms around his waist. A bold move that caught him off guard.

"Sorry…and thank you" she pushed herself up so that her lips would meet his. She gave him an assurance that nothing changed. He responded with a deep and a bit aggressive thanks.

~~~o~~~o~~~o~~~

This was probably what his employer wanted to know when he was tasked to watch Souji closely. He already suspected it before but to witness the two in such an intimate moment got him washed away by a wave of confusion. Questions kept popping on his mind and part of him wanted to dismiss the fact.

I should tell them later that the hallway is the worst place to exchange a kiss he slammed the door of his room. Should I have taken a picture as proof? But why the hell will I tell on them…Ojou-sama has been really kind to us and while Souji can be a bully at times, he's a good reliable friend. Heisuke jumped on his bed and hid his face on the pillow. How long has this been going? Those two are really sneaky. To think that Chizuru will fall for Souji. What kind of trick did he freakin' use at her?

He rolled on his back and blankly stared at the action figure on his desk. I should do what I have to do…this really sucks.

~~~o~~~o~~~o~~~

There was a new variety of sweets in the small glass bowl on his employer's desk. It was those chewy ones with chocolate fillings he liked most. Usually, he would have reached for one immediately but the tension on the tip of his fingers made the candies wrapped in clear plastic seems miles away.

"Heisuke, are you listening to me?" Yukimura's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Yes…I'm just…surprised that someone would attempt to harm you in broad daylight" he answered, straightening himself at his seat.

"I couldn't charm everyone you see. Very well, any news for me this week?"

His feet were sweating. "Like usual there's nothing to report"

"I see" obviously looking more unconvinced than dissatisfied with the response he got.

Heisuke raised his hand. "If you don't mind and with all due respect…why are you keen on having an eye on Souji?"

"He's sly and makes me feel uncomfortable. I don't exactly want him around my daughter. She's at ease with him and that's good…and bad" He paused and took a puff at his cigar before putting it to rest. "After last week's incident, I saw how she openly cried in front of him. He was there closely in front of her. A wolf in sheep's clothing, waiting for his prey to be weak, a right timing to put his paws on her"

I'm sorry but the paw has long been touching her. Heisuke thought and was briefly reminded of what he witnessed. "Souji…isn't as bad as you think he is" he felt his employer's glare

"I know, but I met him before any of you did" Yukimura tented his fingers. "He ran errands for me at 15. He was one of the best runners but he tried to kill me once"

Heisuke's jaw dropped. Why would Souji do that?

Yukimura continued. "Even a loyal dog can bear it's fangs at his master" he leaned forward and looked Heisuke in the eyes. "But you see, Souji can get the job done. That's why I kept him" he reached for the glass of bourbon to his right and took a good swig. "And you young man, I expect you to do the same."

Heisuke nodded, a sweat slid down his brow to his chin. "I understand"

"It's not like I want you to find dirt on him so I can find a reason to eliminate him but…I'll triple your pay if you bring me something interesting" Yukimura offered with a straight face.

Mentally calculating how much it is, Heisuke failed to hide how shock he was of the offer. He would be lying if he'd say that he didn't need the money. It's as easy as him opening his mouth and telling the truth. There will be consequences for the two but they brought it upon themselves. Ojou-sama will be really sad but it might be best if she don't end up with Souji. Kazama, he has been cheated on all this time. But I don't care much about him. Heisuke stopped and cursed himself for the thoughts he just had. I don't even know half of the story. Chizuru and Souji are like family to me now. This is easy money though. I can probably ask him not to punish the two. And they won't know that I was the one who spilled their secret.

"Is something wrong?" Yukimura refilled his glass. He offered his glass to his employee. "You see, I'm not cheap. You follow my orders I'd give you the reward you deserve. Simple"

Heisuke received the glass but didn't drink. He looked up at his employer and placed the glass on the table.

Yukimura has always trusted his instinct and felt that he's on to something. Sinister smile formed on his rather dry lips. He sat back, all ears to what the young man has to say.