Chapter IV
As the limo pulled over into a fancy Italian restaurant for lunch, I saw Anna step out from their car first to talk to the manager. I was wondering why there aren't any customers around. When it was our time to get out of the vehicle, I learned that the restaurant was reserved for the sole purpose of serving lunch for Mr. Kazuya Mishima and the rest of his crew. I remembered he did this sort of thing pretty much a lot before. And so everyone poured in the quaint but nevertheless charming place to have lunch. These people are very lucky to work with someone like Kazuya, I thought. We were seated on a separate table, just like the usual thing that Kazuya does from our previous stop overs. I saw Anna and Bruce laughing and whispering things to each other. It doesn't look like they're hitting on each other because they were looking at us, particularly me. When Anna noticed I was looking at them she raised her fist, as if saying "go, go, go!". She was truly a fan of Kazuya and me, and that made me laugh inside, to the demise of my inner demons. As everyone ate, the SMS from a while ago struck my mind, telling me that it wasn't just some jackass who sent the message to the wrong number. I decided that I would see what would happen in two days, as what the SMS had said, just for the record. What if... Jun's not really dead, and in two days she will come back? I definitely have to look forward to that, but for now, I would just immerse myself in this wonderful meal of mutton chops and wine.
Kazuya recalled his bitter childhood while we consumed the soul of our lunch, and on some instances I had to snicker, specially the part where he was thrown by his dad off the cliff. I don't know why I find it funny, but everytime I imagine what he looked like during that time (he was twelve) I had to contain myself. He gave me a sharp look when I started to cover my face to control myself from laughing. "Was there anything funny about what I said? Come on, I'm suffering here!" He said, finding some sympathy from me, but I only told him that he should've looked so cute back then. "Damn you! My bones are broken and I'm bleeding to death, there's nothing cute about that!" He must've said it loud enough because everyone looked at him weirdly, and he was standing from his chair. I shook my head and continued to bury my face in my hands. The bodyguards laughed at their boss who was acting childishly at that moment. He silenced them with a loud "SHUT THE FUCK UP!", and so they did. I still continued to shake with laughter, which is a very rare thing for me to do, considering I don't even smile. "Do you still have pictures when you were a kid?" I asked him, but he just gave me a "hmph" and ignored my question. "Fine, I'll search for them myself." I said, waiting for his reaction. He just continued to put food in his mouth and look away. Oops, I didn't mean to piss him off. It was still surprising, though, that he showed no sign of fuming anger, and his right eye wasn't raging red, either. He just finished his food, wiped his mouth, and stared at me. "What?" I said. He looked like he was searching for my soul.
"I wonder how long could I keep you." He finally spoke, his eyes showing a worried expression. I was surprised by the sudden outburst, but it also made me ask myself how long would this thing go on. I mean, people are judging, narrow-minded assholes waiting to pounce on every bit of a small opening that reveals a relationship that isn't only going to cost us both of our reputations and our careers, but also on the way of how our lives would be lived. I felt like I was lost in that moment. I stared back at him, speechless. People are bad.
"These scars don't mean nothing." I replied. "There's no reason to give up the fight." Why would we? We made it this long in this one hell of a relationship, and there's no turning back. If it means that we would spend the rest of our lives together in secrecy, then so be it. But that is, until one of us lets go, and moves on. On my side, it isn't gonna be me. The very few, close friends that I had always thought I was in it for his money and his power, but I beg to differ. I'm no gold digger, and I won't be one ever. If I was one of those cheap man-whores found scattered around I would've accepted what they say, but they don't know anything about me, or Kazuya. He isn't the kind of person you can just approach as you wish and tell him "hey, fuck me, big boy." Clearly enough, he is a well-educated, class powerhouse on his own, and not everyone, even the most prominent world leaders can just come up to him and shake his hand. They all admitted that if it wasn't for him and G Corporation, this planet would've been immersed in an endless battle, so they all look up to him as a savior; a hero. I can say that I was lucky enough to be approached by him first, though it started roughly during the infancy of this relationship. They are so judgmental, they don't even know the feeling of waking up and seeing his face the first thing in the morning, the feeling of running your hands across the massive scar on his chest, feeling the touch of his hand, his mouth, and him inside. Nobody will ever appreciate the sound of his voice, the feeling of his kiss, and his childish behavior. All they see is an evil, homicidal, devil-possessed bastard that thought nothing but death, blood, and mayhem. They couldn't see that frail, timid boy who grew up in anger and loneliness, despite of possessing all the material things that the world has to offer. Nobody knows a single fucking good thing about him. And I bet no one ever will. Until I die, all of those stuff will be buried along with my name and my reputation, and no one will know our biggest secret. Nobody will ever know the real human side of the both of us... except maybe for Jun. Thinking back at all the thoughts that suddenly came streaming through my brain, I realized that I can't stand to see him get hooked up with anyone else, and although it isn't really obvious, I can say that I'm pretty possessive, and he knows that. Considering his looks and all that he has, a lot of women have been trying to take advantage, but they have to go through my dead carcass first-- that is, if they can.
I snapped out of my melancholy when it was time for us to leave. Anna thanked the restaurant manager, a small and stout old man with a killer moustache. His kissed Anna's hand and waved goodbye to the convoy. He gave a salute to Kazuya who was just staring blankly into the sky. Once back inside the limo for the rest of the trip, I finally had the chance to ask him those questions. When he sensed that it was coming, he shifted his weight in his seat uncomfortably.
"Were you hooking up with other girls while I was gone?" I started, moving in closer to him, just to feel him getting tense. Although surprised at the sudden interrogation, he was calm. He looked at me and sighed. "If I did, what would you do?"
I really wouldn't know. My past lovers should give a decent testimonial on experiencing the wrath of my jealousy, and they all didn't like it. I'll give Kazuya a chance to tell me if he did or if he didn't. I certainly hope he would give me the latter as his answer. It was my first time to see him laugh nervously and then sudeenly get serious.
"No sir, I didn't. I can't... I just can't." He replied. Good. I wish I collected videotaped testimonials from my exes so that Kazuya can watch them and think twice on hooking up with another girl / guy. Even though I know Kazuya can also throw a jealous fit much worse than mine and I need to be careful as well, things must be fair and he should be careful too. If only trust can be bought. I nodded at him. He got hold of my hand and squeezed it tightly.
"I always knew you would ask those damn questions. I thought you trust me?"
"Hey, every person in a serious relationship has the right to, doesn't it?"
"Yeah, but... why now? Why so quick?"
"Nothing... just thinking out loud."
"What if I did?"
"You may have the worst tantrums in the whole world when you get angry, but trust me, I'm no different."
"What if you did cheat on me when you got back to Russia? Do you know what I would do?"
"No. And for your information I didn't cheat on you."
He let go of my hand and held my jaw.
"Don't you dare try it. You'll be a cold corpse before I give you up to another one but me."
As usual, blackmailing to show his possession. During the time when he admitted that he liked me, he showed his interest in a rather peculiar way. He planted two nice holes on my neck, he was threatening me and talking about killing me first before letting me go, blah, blah, blah. Those holes are still pretty visible, by the way, and everytime someone asks me what the hell are those I only told them I accidentally got hit by a two- pronged fork. They made jokes about it then I change the topic so that they would forget all about the vampire holes, but I hope he won't do it again because it hurts like hell.
"Yeah, yeah I get it." I snatched his hand away from my jaw and patted his lap. He calmed down and sat back.
"Sergei, don't get silly and do things when my back is turned, even in this tournament." He said, breathing deeply.
"Do you really think I'm like that?" I was getting a little annoyed, and he was getting it. "No, look... I'm... sorry. It's just too hard for me to be letting you go out there and roam around as you wish. I have to tell you this for the first time, but your presence is intimidating in a way that, you know... men and women can easily like you." He apologized, as if he wasn't any different. We both sighed to clear the growing tension in the air. I don't like arguments, and I know he doesn't too, but it can't be helped. He held my hand again and put it in his cheek. "Sorry." I hope I can record this on camera. You won't see a guy like him apologize frequently.
"Apology accepted." He was holding my hand for the rest of the trip, like a kid scared of getting lost in the mall. I wondered why he was acting like that.
But then, I totally hope that the ridiculous guy from a while ago was looking at me as an opponent.
The convoy finally arrived in G Corppration's downtown Tokyo branch. It was a fairly large facility, though not as huge as the main branch. Workers ran around the place, carrying boxes and other industrial things. But to my surprise, Kazuya told me that it was only a front and that it was really an umbrella facility, with large, winding halls that branch all throughout underground. This is where the main operations and transactions, whether legal or illegal, are made. The main branch was actually serving up the minority of the company. He also said it goes as deep as a hundred feet below the ground, adding up pressure and lack of oxygen. Out of all the rooms in the facility, the oxygen and pressure rooms are the most well-maintained. Talk about working in a waiting graveyard. As the elevator traversed deeper below, the branch's general manager explained everything to Kazuya; the company's newest acquisitions, raises and declinations in stocks, and new potential allies and enemies. Kazuya listened as he signed various papers. I hate it when he's in corporate mode. He's stubborn and sarcastic, and he looked liked he wasn't thinking of anything else but the company and power, but I was just being too selfish. We were in the tenth underground level where a meeting was about to be held.
The large ebony sensor doors opened and revealed a number of people sitting in a large rectangular table. An old man suddenly appeared in front of us. His balding head and funny-sounding voice made me remember him as Heihachi Mishima, Kazuya's nutcase of a father. "I thought you'll never come!" He said. Even though he was half-laughing, I still think he's evil for throwing my poor devil boy down that cliff.
