Chapter 2

The weekend came surprisingly quickly, the day of the family dinner Kouen stepped out of his car and handed the keys to the concierge waiting outside his family manor. "Careful," he told the young boy, although it was more of a learnt habit than out of any real affection for the expense sport car. It worked and got him from point A to B, that's all that really mattered to him.

Yurie sat in the front passenger seat checking her reflection in the mirror before another concierge opened the door for her, she shot him a quickly look from inside the car and Kouen knew right away she was silently lecturing him. He could practically hear her voice is his ear 'You open the door for a lady you brute!". Instead, she just smiled and stepped out of the car, dressed in a stunning ivory dress with lace detail and matching heels she put one hand on the concierge's arm to help retain her balance. The boy immediately flushed a bright red, she just smiled at him and winked.

"Thank you," she said.

"N-Not at all," he managed to reply. Yurie let go of his arm and turned to her husband, taking her cue Kouen walked up to her and held out his arm, she linked her arm in his and rested her hands on the inside of his elbow.

"You really are bad at this," she said, her lips not moving. Kouen had on his usual emotionless blank expression, he wore a simple black pinstripe suit and a ivory tie that matched her dressed, she made him trim his goatee and grown the rest of his beard out a little more but the overall effect made him look less severe and stern. As he didn't have the same skill set as she did, Kouen leaned in and whispered in her ear.

"That's why you're here." Already in character Yurie laughed and gently pressed her forehead against his shoulder as if he'd just told her the funnier joke in the world.

"I guess so," she replied.

"Kouen!" a voice greeted as they entered the manor. They turned to see his cousin Hakuren with a broad smile on his face, he looked just like his older brother Hakuyuu with his dark hair and sea blue eyes. Hakuren was dressed in a suit as well, his a dark navy with an emerald tie.

"Hakuren," Kouen said in response, they shook hands and Hakuren slapped him on the back.

"How are you man! Didn't see you at the last one-" he cut himself off when he spotted Yurie who was playing shy and hiding behind Kouen. "Hello gorgeous, where have you been?" Yurie took a step closer towards her husband, hiding behind him.

Kouen took her hint and put an arm around her, pushing her forward and out of hiding. "Raira, this is my cousin Hakuren." Yurie looked up between her lashed and smiled.

"Hello," she greeted. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Hakuren, this is my wife, Raira," said Kouen, he held up her left hand showing off the large diamond ring on her ring finger and the wedding band on his. He'd gotten them online and through pure luck he'd gotten her size right. She had long elegant fingers and the diamond's diameter was almost as wide as her finger.

"You got married!?" exclaimed Hakuren. "When did this happen!? The ceremony? When? Why wasn't I invited?" he demanded. Yurie held onto Kouen's arm and smiled shyly.

"We haven't had a ceremony yet, just a piece of paper," she said quietly. She looked up into Kouen's eyes as if he was the only one for her. "We couldn't wait."

"Well congrats man!" Hakuren slapped his cousin on the back again. "I have to tell the other!" He turned to run to living room but Kouen grabbed and stopped him.

"I think we should deliver the news ourselves don't you think?" he asked in a way that suggested that it was more than just a request. Yurie suppressed a sigh, he needed to work on that, he easily took charge and gave orders but even if he was right people didn't like being told what to do. She reached out and put a hand on his grip on Hakuren's suit.

"Perhaps we should let him," she suggested. "That way the pressure will be lessened on us." She smiled at him but there was steel in her eyes, this was no mere suggestion. Kouen reluctantly let go of Hakuren. "I guess I'll leave it up to you then," she said to Hakuren.

"L-Leave it to me," he assured her hurrying off.

"Why did you do that?" Kouen asked in a quiet whispered.

"You need to learn that to win people over, you don't tell them what to do or give them things," she said. "You just ask them for help." Kouen frowned. "People want to feel appreciated, useful, giving important tasks to them show they have your trust, when in reality you don't give a shit."

"And they call me an ice man," Kouen scoffed. "You put me to shame." Yurie smiled.

"Now now, be nice," she chided gently. "Well, turnover, action!" she said as if they were actors walking into a scene.

"Action," echoed Kouen taking hold of her hand and gripping it tightly, she responded by locking her fingers with his to reassure him.

"You'll be fine."

Yurie had been smiling so much her cheeks hurt, her feet ached from her heels and her hand was sore from being gripped tightly by Kouen. She could tell he was nervous but he didn't let it show at all, he was as cool as a cucumber and kept an indifferent, casual expression on his face. They'd spent the last half hour introducing her and talking to Kouen's siblings and cousins, essentially the bottom of the Ren family food chain, Yurie gathered that they needed to be invited to greet the grown ups.

"You're dress is stunning," said Hakuei who was one of the cousins, she had long black hair and a mole on her chin like all her siblings. Yurie wasn't entirely sure, but she got the feeling she supported Kouen instead of her own brother, did she have feelings for him? It didn't matter to Yurie, either way she could take advantage of that.

"Thank you," Yurie replied. "Your kimono is beautiful." She seemed genuinely kind and happy for Kouen though, perhaps she just wanted what was best for the company, a selfless person, some people were strange like that. Yurie had met a few such oddballs in the past, some even left a lasting impression on her, however none could change her cynical outlook on life, she'd been through too much for that.

"So, how did you meet?" asked Hakuyuu. Yurie had seen him around the company a few times when she worked for the chairman as his personal assistant, they even interacted a bit which was particularly strange considering at the time he was on his way to becoming a director while she was just an intern. Yurie had run a few errands for him, such as picking out a birthday present for his then girlfriend or getting his dry cleaning, they were tasks many considered below her however she didn't really mind. Hakuyuu was always kind and his requests were always reasonable, above all she was always struck by how handsome he was… which may have affected her judgement. Not that Kouen wasn't handsome, however Hakuyuu was on an entirely different level, her husband had more of a warrior look to him while his cousin was a prince. Kouen had an uphill battle ahead of him, even in Yurie's eyes Hakuyuu was born to rule.

Before Kouen could stumble a lie together Yurie answered. "When I was working for you grandfather, right?" she looked up at her husband.

"Yes," Kouen agreed smoothly, they hadn't discussed it, which in hindsight was a terrible mistake.

"This was years ago," Yurie continued, she smiled and pretend to be embarrassed. "I always had a crush on him," she looked down shyly and blushed. "But I just never had the courage to talk to him. But you know how it is, after university I got a job at another company and I left and completely forgot about him for years." Catching where she was going Kouen helped elaborate.

"We just so happened to meet on the street-" he said in his usual gruff manner which came across quite 'matter of fact'ly, knowing she would interrupt him.

"I was so shocked that he remembered me," said Yurie. Hakuei gasped excitedly at exactly the right time and so did Kouen's sisters.

"You totally liked her too didn't you!?" accused Hakuei. "You did, I know you, you just couldn't suck up your pride and tell her!"

"No!" Kouen immediately denied, he quickly regretted it as he was worried it'd affect their story, since it was truth after all, however it had the opposite effect and all the girls swooned and ganged up on him.

"You so did," declared Hakuei while the rest giggled.

"This one just got dumped," Yurie rested her head against his shoulder and her arms around his arm, before he could say anything she secretly pinched him so he wouldn't say anything. "Some cosmetics executive or someone, so we went out for a drink, and here we are."

"Here we are," echoed Kouen. He looked down admiring at his wife who just barely reach his chin even in heels, she was an excellent liar, had it not been about his own life he would have believed it as well.

"It seems fate was on your side," said Hakuyuu with a smile however Yurie noticed that it didn't reach his eyes. Why was that? Yurie wondered, perhaps the prince charming wasn't as kind as he appeared.

Kouen wrapped an arm around Yurie and smiled, it didn't look entirely natural but it didn't look forced either, however considering that it came from the man known to be frigid hopefully it wouldn't be too obvious. "Yes it was." Yurie snuggled up to him and smiled contently, they were the picture perfect definition of an ideal couple.

"You're incredible," Kouen said admiringly as he got his wife and himself drinks from the bar. They somehow managed to separate themselves from the pack and have some alone time to talk strategy. Kouen had a rather straight foreword personality, lying and such elaborate deceptions in his private life were new to him, at work he could shut down his emotions and take charge but that was because he knew no one he cared for would get hurt in the process. Here however, he had no idea what the potential effects of his lies would have on his family, that unnerved him.

"You're not bad yourself," replied Yurie taking the glass of white wine from him. She seemed completely unshaken by what was taking place, that was good, at least one of them had to be.

"We should have discussed it," Kouen pointed out and taking a large sip of his bourbon.

"It all turned out well," said Yurie. Kouen watched her eyes scan and dart around the room, what was she planning? He didn't trust that look she had, she was plotting something, even though he knew it was for his own benefit he didn't trust her. She lied far too easily and someone like that would easily change sides, but for now, she had nothing to gain if she did indeed betray him. It would be easier if he knew what his grandfather promised her, but he doubted she would tell him. "Looks like I have an admirer," she suddenly remarked, Kouen followed her line of sight to a dishevelled looking young man with the same dark red hair as himself recognising him immediate he said.

"That's Koumei, my little brother."

"Well Koumei doesn't look too happy does he?" Yurie pointed out, and indeed he didn't, even under the laid back air that he gave off, Kouen could tell his brother was angry. "Should we tell him that this is all a lie and that his big brother really does love him and wouldn't marry someone without telling him?" she asked sarcastically. Kouen rolled his eyes at her.

"I can handle him," he replied.

"No, you can't, you're too honest for your own good," his wife said in response as they watch Koumei make his way towards them.

"I just lied in front of 20 odd people."

"To people whose opinions you didn't care about, family is another thing," Yurie answered. "Brothers in arms to be exact."

"Aniue," Koumei said as he approached them. Yurie immediately plastered on her fake smile and seemingly turned to Kouen for an introduction, however her eyes were daring him to take the lead 'go ahead, if you can' they told him.

"Koumei," replied Kouen. He stepped forward and put his arm around his wife. "Let me introduce to you Yurie Raira, Raira, this is Ren Koumei, my little brother." Yurie smiled and bowed politely.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Koumei-san." Koumei responded in the same polite tone and bowed in response however immediately Yurie sensed his suspicion of her, playing the perfect sister wasn't going to work on this one, he was too wary and far too cautious to fall for it.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you as well, I'm sorry but I had no idea of your existence since my dear older brother never told me of you," Koumei said pointedly at his brother. Kouen wanted to stare him down and say 'not now' however he knew it wouldn't fly, his grandfather had specified that no one was to know about their arrangement, not even Koumei who he considered his most trusted advisor.

"Don't feel bad, I wouldn't have known he had siblings either if I didn't use to work for your grandfather," Yurie replied bluntly she shared Koumei slightly displeased expression as she eyed her husband. "This one doesn't talk." Koumei immediately nodded as they two continued their stare down at Kouen.

"What?" he demanded instinctively, he felt as if he was being ganged up upon. Yurie turned her attention back to Koumei as she spoke.

"I made the mistake of asking him what he wanted for dinner, his exact response was 'as long as it's not inedible then I'm good'," Yurie sighed. "What does that even mean?"

"I know right," agreed Koumei. "I once asked him what he was studying at business school, he answered 'business related stuff'. What type of answer is that?!" Yurie nodded enthusiastically. "I'm sorry we never met sooner though, truly, who'd thought my brother was even dating let alone getting serious with someone."

"I didn't!" exclaimed Yurie she sighed again. "I didn't even have an idea of where we were going, one day he was just like-" she put on her bet imitation of Kouen. "-oi woman! Marry me," she said in a deep voice and indifferent expression.

"I didn't say that!" Kouen immediately protested, however Kouemi laughed.

"That sounds like how he'd do it." Yurie just shook her head.

"We were watching tv," she added. "Aside from the way he asked, timing! No warning at all! I look to my left, he tosses a box my way and says 'let's get married'."

Kouen didn't like the way she was portraying him, however Koumei was laughing and believing every word of it. Did people really have such an impression of him?

The next morning Kouen took a little longer than usual to get to his office from the carpark, using the extra few minutes to prepare himself for the storm that was brewing upstairs.

"People are bound to be curious at the news that you suddenly got married, you've been safe so far but now that the royal family knows, gossip is going to trickle down and soon the whole kingdom will know," Yurie had told him during the drive home. "So be prepared, there will be a bunch of 'congratulations' and people telling you that 'your life as you know it is over'."

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" Kouen asked, she thought for a moment.

"I don't know," she admitted. "I've never been married before."

"Me either," replied Kouen.

Ignoring his sarcasm Yurie continued. "The universal response seems to be 'I've never been happier', or 'thank you for coming to my wedding-"

"We didn't have one," Kouen pointed out.

"I know, so what you say instead is 'thank you'." He waited for her to finish but she didn't.

"That's it?"

"Yep."

"Thank you?"

"Yep."

"Just thank you?"

"Yep, just thank you, that and that 'you're the luckiest man on earth'," said Yurie with the sweetest smile she could manage, Kouen cringed at the last part and he knew very well that she was enjoying it. Raira who had managed to get her hands on his mobile phone was now fiddling with it. "Password?"

"1234, why?" replied Kouen, he could feel her roll her eyes. Aside from some business contacts there wasn't really anything on it, no personal photos not even games, he downloaded angry birds for a while however instead of entertaining him the game just made him angry and frustrated.

"Just making a few adjustments," she explained as she proceeded to take a selfie.

"Ren-senpai!" a voice called out to him. Kouen turned to see one of his juniors from university who joined the company after graduating running up towards him. "Good morning!"

"Good morning," Kouen replied he didn't remember his name, the two didn't really know each other however they seemed to always run into each other every morning so he made an effort to be friendly at the very least. They made their way towards the elevators, while waiting his junior turned and asked.

"I heard you got married, who managed to chain you down?" It seemed he fell into the 'your life is over' category.

"A woman," replied Kouen deliberately being vague, he fiddled with his wedding band, it was new and uncomfortable but turning it with his thumb seemed to calm him down.

"Awww, come on, don't be like that, what she like?" Kouen reached into his pocket for his mobile and showed his companion his wallpaper, his wife having prepared for exactly this scenario had changed it to a photo of herself dressed simply and with minimal makeup smiling up at the camera sitting in the middle of a grass field, it seemed to have been designed to look like Kouen himself took the photo and even her husband had to admit she looked stunning, however he'd watched as she photoshoped the image to make it perfect. "That's your misses, damn, no wonder she chained you down so quickly. She's beautiful."

"Thank you," Kouen replied, then he swallowed his pride and added. "I've never been happier." The words tasted bitter in his mouth, if his wife was here she'd smile that all too innocent smile of hers.

Kouen sighed as he sat down at his desk, he was already exhausted, who knew a bunch of people he barely knew coming up to him for the purpose of congratulating him on his marriage was so tiring. He knew gossip spread quickly in the company however it seemed his relatives had added fuel to the fire since more than one person had asked him when the baby was due. Reluctantly he reached into his suitcase and brought out a framed photo of his new wife to be placed on his desk, he couldn't help but feel that the mocking look the image gave him was intentionally chosen to piss him off. While they'd known each other for only a week it seemed like something she would do, Raira had a dry and dark sense of humour that loved to make fun and ridicule him, surprisingly enough he didn't seem to mind it, he'd just get her back.

"So do I get an honorary place on your desk?" Kouen had asked when she gave him the photo.

"Don't be riduculous," Yurie quickly replied. "No one at my work place needs to know I'm married."

"That's unfair."

"No it's not."

"How so? I have to look at your smug mug not just at home but at work now as well," said Kouen jokingly. Raira rolled her eyes.

"I'm not trying to take over the company that I work at," Raira explained.

"Oh! That makes sense...I guess," he admitted. "What about the ring then?" She didn't have it on her finger, Raira tugged at the long chain around her neck where her engagement ring and wedding band hung from. "Do people do that now?" he asked her.

"This way no one at work finds out and if I run into your relatives," his wife put on her sweetest smile. "This way I'm wearing it closer to my heart." She winked at him, Kouen's blank expression didn't change which only made her laugh.

"What do you do for a living by the way?" he asked.

"Why?"

"In case people ask I guess."

"Do people really care?"

"Don't know, do they?"

"I've never asked," Yurie pointed out.

"Neither have I, but we're not exactly the norm, are we?"

Yurie pondered on that for a while. "True," she admitted. "I'm a director at Barnsworth & Myrick Holdings."

Kouen paused as he processed this. "As in the New York based venture capitalist firm?" he asked, she nodded. "How old are you?"

"30," his wife answered.

"So you're the same age as me?"

Again she nodded. "Didn't you know?" Yurie questioned.

Kouen shook his head. "I thought you were 23, maybe 25," he said as he carefully looked his wife over. There was no way she was 30 years old! She looked like she just graduated high school. "Baby-faces need to have a limit." Yurie giggled.

"Should I be insulted or flattered?" she asked. "Honestly, I started worked as an assistant while you were doing internships at your grandfather's company during summer breaks in university."

"So that wasn't a lie then? Us having met at work?"

"No! Goodness, do I look like someone who'd tell lie without backing?" That was true, out of everything she'd said so far, only that convinced him that they were the same age.

"Did we actually met though?" questioned Kouen, Yurie quickly began to respond but stopped.

"I don't know," she admitted. "Probably, but I don't remember." She didn't want to say that she only had her eyes on his very handsome cousin.

"Still, a director at 30, that's impressive," Kouen said admiring her accomplishments.

"I was in the same orphanage as the CEO," Yurie admitted. "Tatsuya Barnsworth, he was adopted by an American family and moved to Seattle when I was 15."

"He sounds too old to be adopted," Kouen pointed out. Raira nodded.

"It's because his dad paid the orphanage an obscene amount of money to have him, he was the same age as me," said Raira, it was well known story, one that people whispered behind his back. "The old man didn't have an heir so he bought one."

"Damn," said Kouen. "What's he like now?" Raira shrugged.

"Cold, distant, he used to be so kind but…I guess his father beat that out of him," her voice quivered slightly. The marks on Kouen's own back ached from when he felt his father's belt. "I haven't really spoken to him for a long time, years in fact, even before he hired me at his company," she said quietly. "I got an email from him asking for my help around 9 years ago when I graduated from university and that was it, I see him at company functions and stuff but we haven't had a proper conversation in 15 years." There was something else to the story, something she wasn't telling him, Kouen wanted to ask but they weren't really close enough for him to do so, even the private story that she was telling him now didn't really belong to her.

"You have too many secrets for my liking," Kouen told the photo on his desk, the mocking smile it gave in return was more than enough of a reply.

"Kouen-sama," said his receptionist's voice from the intercom. Kouen reached to press a green button next to the speaker.

"Yes?"

"Hakuyuu-sama is here to see you," she answered. Hakuyuu? In the years he'd worked at the company his cousin never made his way to his office to see him.

"Let him in," Kouen answered. Instinctively he pushed the photo of Raira face down, he didn't need or want her input.

"Kouen," Hakuyuu greeted when he walked in the door, as per usual he was dressed in a tailored suit with every last stand of hair perfectly framing his face.

"Hakuyuu, what are you doing here?" asked Kouen while the two shook hands, he quickly indicated to the coach in his office but Hakyuu merely shook his head.

"No, I'll be quick," he said. "My wife didn't get to meet Raira the other day and she's been bugging me ever since to set up a double date, so I was wondering whether or not you'd be free for dinner tonight?"

No, was the first thought Kouen had, however he wasn't about to so openly reject the invitation. "I'd love to but I can't," he told him. "Raira said she has an important meeting tonight, with the time zone differences and all, it's been hard enough to schedule in the first place. I can't ask her to drop everything, sorry." Hakuyuu just smiled.

"No, it was inconsiderate of me to ask so suddenly, where does Raira work exactly? I never got to ask."

"My wife's a director at Barnsworth & Myrick Holdings," Kouen answered proudly.

"A director?! At such a young age?"

"She's the same age as us," Kouen replied, glad that he wasn't the only one who misjudged her youthfulness. "And we're both directors."

"Yes, however we have a familial advantage," Hakyuu pointed.

"True," said Kouen.