AN: Thanks for anyone who already reviewed, favorite and followed. And big THANKS to my one and only editor Rabby-chan, who put up with my ramblings, nagging and make you to edit my horrible writing on your difficult time (big kisses and hug for you*_^)
I know this chapter is not much, hope you readers will enjoy it.
Dislaimer : as usual Finder series is not mine
"Asami-sama, Tadafumi-san has already arrived. He is waiting in the meeting room." Kirishima informed Asami.
Golden eyes looked up to meet the bespectacled secretary's. "Keep him waiting. I'll finish this first. What of the task I gave you, is it done yet?"
"Yes, Asami-sama, it is already in."
"Good, be vigilant, Kirishima."
"Yes, Asami-sama," Kirishima bowed before he headed out to inform Suoh.
After almost an hour later, Asami called Kirishima through the intercom "Kei, I'm done. Let's meet the old fox".
Kirishima and Suoh guided Asami through the hallways to the meeting room. The door opened to reveal a bulky, oldman with a completely bald head sitting on the couch, his face showing his annoyance at being kept waiting so long.
Asami gracefully sat on the opposite couch from Tadafumi. "Ah, nice of you to grace me with your presence at last, Asami-san," Tadafumi sneered at Asami.
Asami merely nodded. "I have some business that must be settled right away, and it cannot wait any longer. Time is of the essence, and I am not one of those people who have no work to do and can only leech off of others." Asami replied calmly.
Tadafumi face turned red "You…" He began but thought it wise to keep his anger at bay, and settled back into the seat. "Fufu...Asami-san, It's true you are a busy man. That's why you need us for the matter at hand."
"That's where you're wrong Tadafumi-san. I need nobody."
"What are you trying to say?!" Tadafumi almost shouted with anger. "I didn't come here to listen to your nonsense. If I remember correctly you said you do need us to open our routes for your incoming and outgoing shipments" Tadafumi spat, narrowing his eyes, trying to look menacing, only to fail miserably with his red face resembling a giant octopus ready to exploded.
"Ah...it's true that I want that route open, but I never said I need you or anyone else for that matter" Asami reply easily, sipping his scotch Kirishima had poured him.
"And how would you do that? That route is ours, it's in our territory. Even if you are like a King in Tokyo, you're nothing when it comes to our territory. Besides, with the election for new Prime Minister coming up, you can't use force if you want your candidate to win, right Asami-san?" Tadafumi countered smugly.
"Yes, you're right Tadafumi-san. But that's only because I have had so many hindrances removed in the past year, I don't want to add to my secretary's paperwork anymore. I'm sure you understand what kind of hindrances I am taking about. Too much paperwork can get to your 'scalp', right Tadafumi-san?" Asami replied with a smirk. It took Tadafumi a moment to realize the remark made about his bald head but before he could open his mouth to reply, Asami added with cold, menacing eyes, "And don't forget, it is not only you and your boss who can provide me with what I want. Even if your Clan is the biggest right now after mine, I can still replace it. And you know deep inside that small brain of yours, that I can and have the power to do it."
"You...you...Fine! What do you want?" asked Tadafumi, his face red with the rage he was still trying to control.
"I want that route, Tadafumi." Asami dropped the honorific showing that he has no respect for the man in front of him. "Not only that, I want full hold of half of your territory and access to certain areas. It's a win-win solution; you'll get what you want, with me as your back-up. Now take it or leave it"
Tadafumi was silent for a while, processing the offer. "But, I can't give the answer now. You know I must discuss the matter with him first."
"You have 24 hours, or the deal is off." Asami replied sternly as he stood.
"You better keep your promise Asami-san, if we agree to this. We want the new Rokudaime-gumi dead, so our leader can take over."
"No promises Tadafumi, but it can be done if your leader is as promising as you claim." Asami said, walking out of the meeting room door without looking back before giving instruction to his faithfully secretary. "And Kei, please send Tadafumi to our best hotel and see that he's comfortable while he's here".
"Yes, Asami-sama," Kirishima bowed. "Please follow me, Tadafumi-san. The car is already waiting."
"How is Asami-sama?" Kirishima asked Suoh who was guarding Asami's office door.
Suoh shook his head before replying, "Like usual; back to drowning himself in his work again."
"But at least, the meeting is over in no less than fifteen minutes with no bloodshed this time. I don't want a repeat of the last episode," Kirishima reminded Suoh. The last time Asami-sama had a meeting with that representative sent from another organization, it ended up with the meeting room unrecognizable due to all the blood that was splattered everywhere.
Suoh only give a gruff nod, him being the one who had to do the revolting cleanup then. But it hadn't stopped there; the entire organization had been wiped out at the crime lord's orders. "I couldn't agree more." Suoh said.
Inside the office room..
He felt his head was ready to explode. He gave a heavy sigh, placing his fountain pen down. He pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes as he waited for the headache to pass. After a while, he stood up from his leather chair and walked to his mini bar to pour himself a glass of scotch. Then he walked back to his office window, looking out at Tokyo city.
Every time he looked out of the window, his mind always wandered to one thought and to one person only: 'Even if I have all this, it's no use… No use at all when I don't have that person beside me to share it with.'
A knock to his door pulled him out of his thoughts and his loyal secretary came in. "Asami-sama, all the preparations are complete. Today's schedule only requires a visit the charity gala for the orphanage we sponsored for the upcoming Kaburagi Isaku elections."
Without turning to look at his secretary, he nodded while still looking out the window. He didn't feel like talking right now, not wanting his voice to give his sharp secretary any indication of where his mind had been just moments ago. He could already tell that Kirishima was not finished. He sighed and asked "What is it now Kei?"
Hesitant for a moment, the secretary replied "Asami-sama, forgive me for my bluntness, but I don't think working with Tadafumi will get us anywhere. Why don't we try to work directly with the new leader?"
"You know it's not possible right, Kei? You have already tried to get the information regarding the new oyabun, but have still come empty hand. This man came into power merely a year ago, only to replace the Godaime-gumi and claimed that he is the son and sole heir. While we all know that that old man's real son already died in the crossfire three years back. Despite all that, he has managed to spread his organization more just within the span of one year, without any help from others. Also, what intrigues me more is the fact that he has kept his identity unknown. A person this secretive is a dangerous one, not to mention hard to approach or negotiate with. It's better if we start from the bottom and work our way up. If this all goes well - and I will make sure it does -we can expand to Osaka, which was proving difficult when the previous leader was still alive."
Kirishima nodded and nudged his glasses a little before replying, "I understand all this, but I still feel we cannot trust this Tadafumi guy and his leader. If he can betray his own clan, he can do the same to us."
"Don't worry, if the route and territories are already in our hands, I will clean all of Osaka along with all their clans. You know very well how I deal with traitors. That mistake made once was already enough, no more." he replied and his eyes darkened.
Kirishima stiffened. "Yes, Asami-sama. I'll call you again for the gala event tonight," he said and hurried out from theoffice.
Asami could not blame his secretary; he too can feel that he was a changed man now, ever since that night. Even if his heart was beating, he didn't feel alive. Every time he killed or tortured someone now, it was to take his own pain away, to quench that thirst of revenge he can no longer take because he had already minced the bastards who took away those fiery hazel eyes from him. But he was angrier at himself because he let it happen before his very eyes. He was equally to blame.
'I've already fallen into the deepest layers of the abyss, and there is no way out this time. Not without you by my side, Akihito...'. He closed his eyes and rested his forehead on the cold glass of his office windows.
TBC...