A/N: So here's the next chapter for my story. I hope you give it a chance :)
The next day, there was a cloudy overcast hovering above the city. The city air was cool and moist, perhaps foreseeing that the rest of the week would be just as dreary. Nonetheless, the streets of Tokyo were just as busy as the way they were before, and simply much like they always were. Countless people had destinations to reach and work to do. A building in the heart of Tokyo seemed to stand high above the rest, nearly reaching the thick clouds that were above. The height of the building matched with the company's reputation and status. In the city of Tokyo, the Usami Corporation really did seem to tower above everything else, as none other could seem to even come close to competing with their business. Its strong concrete walls and seemingly limitless height could only be achieved by such a select few. Inside the company building on the first floor, a large window looked down at the bust streets of the city, everything from its perspective insignificant and smaller than a spec. Standing in front of the large window was an older dark haired man wearing a perfectly crisp black suit. It was none other than the company's owner Fuyuhiko Usami.
He blankly looked down at the moving dots that were people going about their business. The man was deep in thought. The elderly Usami took a breath out and grabbed onto the base of his tie, loosening it. He was feeling suffocated, much like he always did after such a long day at work. Earlier today, he'd had a meeting with another large company in the district to discuss a possible merger contract. Fuyuhiko knew that the merging of the companies would increase the profits of the Usami Corporation by a very large amount but he was also well aware that the Sanchi Corp would be receiving the greatest benefit. One of his pet peeves were those who sought to rely on the strength of others to make their way in life, and he knew Sanchi Corporation was doing exactly that. For months…no for a few years now, the owner had been trying to convince Fuyuhiko to do business with the company. He admitted that the company had its strong points but he didn't see anything particularly special about it. Their figures never really increased until they merged with another company a few months ago. And now they want to merge with the Usami Company? Fuyuhiko had already guessed that their numbers were beginning to fall again…and he was right. Haruhiko had already confirmed it a few weeks ago. He rubbed his chin. The elderly Usami could either choose to do business with them or reject the offer. It was also quite possible that he could do work with them for a while and then simply buy their company later on…but he guessed that would make it much too easy for them.
Fuyuhiko already had to sit through a meeting with the owner of the company. He sighed again and sadly grinned. Damn. He couldn't even remember the man's name. However, Fuyuhiko did recall the man's overly earnest and too cocky attitude of his. He had actually brought a contract with on which his information was already filled out and already had an ex marking where his signature would go. He was so brazen…and also very, very foolish. Had he really expected him to sign his company to a partnership that easily? Fuyuhiko had gone through too much to get his hands on it. He remembered when he was barely in his twenties and his father had pushed a picture of a woman towards him, and simple told him that she was going to be his wife. But of course, being the obedient and power driven person that he was at the age, he willingly went along with. He had even come to acquire some feelings for the woman, despite his lack of feelings initially…and then she cheated on him. Good thing he was able to get a great consolation prize…the Usami Corporation that is. Now after all that work…how could he make careless decisions in such business matters? He was definitely going to say no to Sanchi's offer. There was really no point in it. Plus, he didn't much care for someone trying to use him or his company to get what they wanted. He'd just send them a farewell basket and be done with it. Fuyuhiko glanced towards the door at the sound of footsteps silently walking towards him. He already knew who it was. The elderly Usami turned to see his eldest son Haruhiko standing in front of him, cold faced and reserved as always.
"Yamashita called the line again", Haruhiko said.
"Don't secretaries usually do such tasks?", Fuyuhiko asked, rubbing his forehead.
"The secretary did call. I took her messages. Afterwards, Yamashita called himself", his son said.
"I told him you were away from the headquarters at the moment", Haruhiko said, walking closer.
Fuyuhiko nodded.
"Good. I will not do any sort of business with his company", he voiced.
"Should I prepare the basket?", Haruhiko asked.
"Maybe. Or I might call him myself. He's not the kind who gets a hint when given", the older man said.
"Understood. I will continue taking his calls until you're ready to reject the offer", the Usami son said.
He paused for a moment before speaking again.
"Their numbers have dropped again, this time by a larger amount", he said.
Fuyuhiko chuckled. So they were looking for a way out of another one of their holes they'd made…Fuyuhiko thought it would be better to make it bigger rather than helping to fill it up. Let the bad and useless drop through.
"Don't worry. We will not let this company go down with them. Schedule a conference call for me. You can call the other company merged with them…I think it's time we should take the weight off their shoulders. He already knew Haruhiko knew what he meant.
"Done", he said, placing a few papers on his desk.
Fuyuhiko glanced at his son. He was so efficient and more than intelligent to take over his company after he retired. All of the aspects of running a business and increasing profits…he knew them like his lung knew how to take in air. It just came naturally to him…but Fuyuhiko already knew that his son wanted other things, much like Akihiko had. He wondered how long it would be until Haruhiko broke free of him like his second son had. Though his oldest had not all out rebelled against him like Akihiko had…he had cut him off emotionally. Haruhiko never spoke a work to him unless it had something to do with the company. Their relationship with each other…with both of his sons had been this way for as long as he could remember. When Haruhiko was first born, he had told himself that he would make an effort to be completely different than how his own father acted towards his son. But life just got in the way, much like it always did. Like his father before him, Fuyuhiko was nearly completely absent from his two sons' lives, which resulted in the estrangement from Haruhiko and the hatred from Akihiko. He admit…it made him sad at times…but this was the way things were now…how they'd always be. In another moment, Haruhiko was gone, once again leaving Fuyuhiko to think of pointless things from his past.
It was 6pm sharp when Tanaka called to pick him up out front. He was always so punctual when it came to doing errands for him. A small smile spread its way across his lips, thinking of him. Fuyuhiko had tried for the fifth time to give the man a raise since working for his family, but Tanaka rejected the offer. Apparently, he was satisfied with simply serving the Usami household, as he had done for over thirty years. He was the most loyal man Fuyuhiko had ever met. It was the reason he thought of Tanaka as a friend, rather than just his butler. He took a few moments to gather his things, making sure he had brought copies of important documents that he would have to look over later. He rubbed his forehead, tiredly when he felt the full weight of the papers in his briefcase. He wondered what time he would be able to get to sleep tonight. Once he was done, Fuyuhiko walked through the doors of his spacious office and towards the elevator. As he made his way through the halls, employees politely bowed and bid him good evenings. Feeling extremely drained after the long day, Fuyuhiko could only smile and wave to them. As the elevator made its way down to the first floor, he rubbed his neck which had been aching since earlier this morning. The man didn't know if it was because he had been working too hard or if it was simply because he was getting up in age. His body had seemed to becoming increasingly stiff and painful, especially in the last couple of weeks. And of course, Tanaka had taken notice and had been insisting on him seeing his physician for it….and he would…right after he closed these deals and took care of Sanchi. Fuyuhiko quickly walked through the exit and breathed a sigh of relief once he felt the cool air hitting his face. Tananka had the car parked a few feet away. He waved once before walking over and getting in the back seat. Once he closed the door and felt the comfortable seat against his back, he leaned into the fabric and closed his eyes. Fuyuhiko was already so tired. He wondered if he would even be able to get an hour of work done before falling asleep.
"Hard day, Fuyuhiko-sama?", Tanaka asked, from the front seat.
"Harder than most", Fuyuhiko answered.
Tanaka nodded and pulled the car into the seat. Usually, he would ask where Fuyuhiko would like to go after work, but it was clear that the only place he wanted to go was home. The car made a turn onto the main road towards the direction of home. Fuyuhiko was already about to nod off in the back seat when he heard Tanaka's voice.
"Fuyuhiko-sama, I'm sorry to disturb you when you're so tired but have you seen the doctor about the pain yet?", Tanaka asked. The elderly Usami could already hear the concern in his voice.
Fuyuhiko sighed.
"Not yet. I'll go in couple of weeks", he said.
"Alright. Even at your age, you still put in such long hours. Please be sure to take care of your health", Tanaka said, making another turn.
The elderly Usami raised a brow.
"Are you calling me old, Tanaka-san?", he asked, chuckling.
He smiled more when he heard his old friend make a flustered noise. Tanaka was so easy to tease.
"Certainly not, sir. I simply meant that…you're not the same age you were twenty years ago", the butler said.
"So you are calling me old", Fuyuhiko said, laughing.
"I said it more politely", Tanaka said.
"Well, I appreciate your honesty", Fuyuhiko said.
"And I appreciate that", Tanaka said. He paused for another moment before speaking again.
"Have you had any pain in your hands today?", Tanaka asked.
Fuyuhiko looked down at his bandaged hands that covered the scratches he had gotten the day before after encountering a very rude young woman. He rubbed his head, remembering. She was carrying an armful of books and had ran straight into him without warning. Unfortunately, being the old man that he was…there was no way for him to keep his balance. Even after they both fell, the only thing she was seemed concerned about were her textbooks. What really caught him off guard was the utter defiance she showed him, not even willing to properly apologize to him. And her eyes…like liquid fire…they didn't show anything other than annoyance and disrespect. Most people who walked up to him, even if they didn't know who he was, ever treated him like that. Fuyuhiko had been told on countless occasions that he had an intimidating presence yet she seemed completely unaffected by it. She had basically called him an idiot and completely told him off in the most insulting way. It must be nice to be young…so full of life and enthusiasm. He could vaguely remember the time when he too was once like that. Suddenly, he found himself wondering what kind of person she was to be able to treat him in the manner, showing a complete disregard for who he was. The young woman definitely had to be the kind who would not back down from any kind of person who was standing in her way…which included him also apparently. Fuyuhiko was still in a slight state of shock after she pushed him down. He had to use his hands to catch himself, which was the reason for the marks on his skin. The second he got into the car, Tanaka had been frantic, asking why his hands were bleeding all over the seats. He rushed them both straight home to tend to them. As soon as he thought about it, he felt one of the larger cuts stinging. He'd have to have Tanaka disinfect them again for him tonight.
"Just some stinging on occasion", Fuyuhiko answered, squeezing one of his hands. They were already beginning to itch.
"Allow me to look at them later tonight", Tanaka said, as if reading his mind.
"Thank you", Fuyuhiko said, leaning back in his seat. As he did so, he suddenly heard the sound of Tanaka sniffing. That was then followed by a loud sneeze from the driver's seat.
"Tanaka-san, are you sick?", Fuyuhiko asked.
"No. My throat's just been acting up lately", the butler said.
"It should be fine in a few days", he said.
"Days off are legal in Japan, you know", Fuyuhiko said.
"That's quite all right. I'm feeling fine. Really", Tanaka answered. A second later, he sneezed three more times.
"Of course you are", Fuyuhiko said. They had been driving smoothly and heard barely passed and cars for the next fifteen minutes. He knew that there was nearing the Usami estate, which was located where few could afford to live in the area. The car pulled onto the familiar and perfectly paved drive way they led up to the mansion. Fuyuhiko could see the lush and well taken care of plants surrounding the area. Glancing to his far left, the elderly Usami could see the cherry blossom tree that had been on the property since he was a young man. There were so many useless and old memories surrounding the tree. It was a place he would often seek solitude when he was too immature to deal with his demanding life. Fuyuhiko was snapped out of his thoughts when he felt the car park. Another moment later, he saw Tanaka making him way towards the passenger door to open it for him, but he had to keep stopping to sneeze and cough. Why wouldn't the man just admit to feeling under the weather? Fuyuhiko finally opened his own door himself and stepped outside of the vehicle. He could see the butler wiping his nose with his handkerchief. He man eye contact with his friend but didn't say anything, and instead raised a brow, to let him know that he would have to admit to being sick sooner or later. They both walked towards the front door. As Tanaka was about to open the door, another sneeze escaped his mouth. Fuyuhiko reached out and opened the door for the butler, gesturing him inside. He saw Tanaka blush slightly, clearly embarrassed that the person he was working for was the one opening doors for him. As Fuyuhiko closed the door behind him, Tanaka coughed again.
"Fuyuhiko-sama, when would you like me to-", the butler began.
"Ami", Fuyuhiko said, turning to see one of the female workers watering one of the plants.
"Yes?", the woman answered.
"Could you please see, Tanaka-san to his room please? He's feeling under the weather", Fuyuhiko said.
"Sir, I'm-", Tanaka began but was caught off by a fit of coughing.
"You can take at least one night off. Go straight to bed", Fuyuhiko said.
"But your cuts…", Tanaka said. He sneezed a few more times.
"I'm sure I can manage for one night", Fuyuhiko said, squeezing his hand again.
Ami quickly took hold of Tanaka's arm and gently led him in the direction of his sleeping quarters. It was few moments before he could bring himself to actually go with her.
"I put some antiseptic in your medicine cabinet". Tanaka said, coughing again.
"You have to...", he went on and sneezed.
"Wash in warm water…and then wait to put it on…and", the man coughed again.
"Fresh bandages securely wrapped", Fuyuhiko finished for him. His friend was such a worrywart. Did he really think that he was so useless? He waved one final time at his friend, who then disappeared around the hall a moment later. He lingered for a bit longer before turning towards the staircase. As he made his way up them, he couldn't stop a yawn from finally coming out of his mouth. It may be better for him to just go to sleep and then wake up early to get a head start on work. Once he was inside his room, he unbuttoned his blazer and set it on the chair near the door. His room was very large and comfortable, with an impeccable layout of furniture that enhanced the relaxing ambiance. Fuyuhiko quickly undid his suffocating tie and threw it in the chair as well. He then rolled up his sleeves and headed for his large bathroom. The antiseptic and bandages were right Tanaka had said they were. He grabbed them and then made turned to the sink, putting on the hot water. Slowly, he unwrapped the bandages from one hand and then did the same for the other one. The cuts had not even begun to heal. There were patches of thin black skin in a few of them, having just begun to repair themselves. Most of them were red and puffy, a few having hints of blood rising to the surface. Fuyuhiko knew that he caught himself hard and felt the sharp concrete on his hands heavily, but he didn't think that it would be this bad.
Without thinking Fuyuhiko ran turned the handle to the left to let the warm water run, and stuck his hands underneath them. He immediately jerked backwards, realizing that he had turned the handle too far and not adjust it. Tanaka had clearly said warm water, not hot. He rubbed his eyes with his fingers, careful not to touch his cuts against anything. He really was tired after all. He gently blew on his hands to dry them. Once done, he picked up the antiseptic and dipped a cotton swab stick into the liquid. Fuyuhiko couldn't stop himself from grunting in pain as he applied it. He could feel his veins of his hand pulsing in pain. The elderly man grabbed his wrist tightly, completely forgetting he had wounds on his other hand too. He quickly released his hand and paced slightly around where he stood. It didn't hurt nearly as much when Tanaka did it for him. Once the pain had subsided a bit, he applied the medicine onto his other hand, slightly gritting his teeth. He had always hated medicine since he was a child. Afterwards, he grabbed the bandages and did his best to wrap his hands in them. Although he tried, they were nowhere as tight as they should be. He tried twice more but ended up with the same results. Finally, he gave up and just left them as is. When he was done, he quickly dressed in sleeping clothes, and made his way over to the large bed across the room, pulling the sheets away so that he could get in. The man plopped himself down in the well-padded bed, feeling the comfortable, silky bedding falling across his skin. With the lights off, he could already feel himself getting drowsy. Under the sheets, he could feel the pulsing pain in the cuts on his hands. Fuyuhiko couldn't stop his mind from thinking of the young woman with the fiery disposition that matched her passionate eyes. As he drifted off the sleep with the burning sensation still coursing through his hands, Fuyuhiko couldn't help but think that maybe he wouldn't mind this feeling for just a while longer.
A/N: Please Rate and Comment! ^0^
