Chapter 10: Competition

It's official; Daiki is a miracle worker. He found the perfect place and out-bided Ruka on the property in the process, as well as arrangements for the construction company. I was set to meet with them just after graduation.

We'd also bought out a catering company that was about to go bust and a fashion house on the cheap. I'd sent out instructions via email, and the businesses were slowly but surely turning themselves around. Graduation was just around the corner and my '19th birthday' was as well. I was scheduled with lots of meetings today after-school and I had college applications to respond to.

My hair stylist had cut my hair shorter for my birthday and graduation after school. She was surprised at my request, but if I was serious about Ruka, I'd need to remove all ties to 'that woman' from my life, including the long hair she loved. I slicked my hair back and put my usual hat back on once she was done. I'll admit; I looked older, but in a good way. My meeting with the fashion house took a while, but I'd established with them that they needed more apprentice designers from colleges to bring something fresh to the company to improve sales, and the catering company needed a new, more experienced head chef if it was going to be part of my new hotel. We'd be expanding into restaurants to build a reputation over the coming months.

Tokyo University had accepted me for a business major. Everything was going according to plan. All I needed was the private detective to get back to me. I was finishing a history assignment when I got the golden call.

"Tell me everything," I said upon answering.

"You're gonna love this," he laughed, "your brother is not only guilty of embezzlement, but he's also guilty of insider trading and misuse of corporate property for personal gain."

"Good work," I grinned, adjusting the metallic ring on my right hand, "Are Ruka's assets involved in any of this?"

"No, but he's been pressuring her for a merger," he replied.

"See what you can do to prevent that from happening," I ordered, "Anything else?"

"Yeah," he replied, "Mr. Perfect…has a mistress."

I stopped my fidgeting and paused, "He. Has. A. What?!"

"A mistress," he repeated, "Houses her in a luxury condo in Hokkaido. It's been going on for a while; some American socialite."

"Send copies of your evidence to Ruka's club and my office," I demanded, "keep me posted on the situation should it develop."

He faxed the files over and I teleported to Ruka's club a few minutes later. I walked through the main lounge, looking up at the glass windows with the red curtain on the third floor and saw Ruka looking over the files. I picked up my pace and arrived outside her door to hear her scream and cry in pain. My chest tightened and I entered the office holding my breath. She was on her chaise lounge, in floods of tears, clutching the paper.

I shut the door quietly behind me and moved over to the drinks cabinet. I prepared two dirty vodka martinis while she calmed down. I sat across from her and placed the drink in front of her and sipped mine quietly.

She gradually slowed down to mere hiccups and downed her drink, throwing the glass at the wall. I quietly stood up and made her a whisky on the rocks, which she downed in a few gulps. She tried to light a cigarette but her hands were shaking too much. She gave up in frustration and threw her lighter onto the table and put her head in her hands. I sat down next to her, picked up her lighter, tilted her face up to me and lit her cigarette for her. She sat in silence, absent-mindedly smoking while I put an arm around her.

"You did this, didn't you?" she said finally, "You sent the files over."

"I had them sent over," I admitted.

"What did you think that would achieve?" she laughed bitterly, "That because I've let you bone me a few times I'd go running into your arms? That this information was going to make me another solid notch on your belt?"

"You're not a notch on my belt, Ruka," I replied, "and I sent the files over because you deserved to know the truth. You don't deserve this treatment. You never have."

"So, what's your plan hot-shot?" she sneered.

"I plan to crush Reiji in his own game and prove I'm the better sibling," I declared.

"For what?" she asked, rolling her eyes.

"For you," I confessed, "so you'll see me the way you see him, only better."

She laughed, "I'm a big girl, I can fight my own battles."

"Yes, but this isn't a battle just yet," I said, "It's a competition. And whether you like it or not, you're the prize. Reiji needs you, so he'll do whatever he can to keep you. If I steal you away from him, which I will, he'll have nothing left to stand on, contract or no contract."

"You knew about that?" she asked, bewildered.

"I suspected," I replied.

"It doesn't matter," she answered, "the contract will end in a few weeks and I'll publicly ruin him."

"We can do better than that," I smirked.

" 'We'?" she echoed.

"Yes, 'we' can utterly destroy him," I declared.

"And you think if I go along with this, I'll just fall into your arms and declare how much I love you?" she scoffed.

"No, but in time you will," I replied.

"What makes you so sure?" she smirked.

"Lust and physical pleasure are powerful things," I stated, touching the inside of her thigh and making her gasp a little, "I've already planted a seed a long time ago, and it's been festering under the surface. I can see it in your face. You either don't realise it or won't admit it, but I get under your skin. Your face flushes when I'm around and your breasts swell. Your body is conditioned to respond to me physically. It's only a matter of time before your mind and soul do too. This competition between Reiji and I will prove that."

2 hours later…

My face still stung from where she slapped me. But the important thing here is, she and Reiji are finished, and I now have leverage over him. He wasn't a genius businessman after all, he was only good for science experiments. He was a fake. I smirked at the fact that I was already proving to be the better man for Ruka. Daiki responded to my earlier text saying he'd found restaurant locations. By the time it was summer vacation, they'd be all set up and construction on the hotel resort would be starting.

My biggest concern right now was Reiji. Either he didn't suspect anything, or he was biding his time for his first move. If I was lucky, it was that first option, but the latter was more likely. Reiji is a lot of things, but he's not stupid. Not by a long shot. I needed to be prepared for whatever he had in store. There was another looming issue: my father. What was he planning? Svetlana was free from the mirror realm too, and Ruka was still too weak to face her. And without her abilities fully developed, it wasn't likely she would be if she came to face her any time soon. I needed to get stronger; for both our sakes…

Okay, bit of a boring chapter here guys. I'm sorry! But, the next chapter should definitely be more interesting. Laito and Ruka need to train to get their abilities in check, so I'll researching her to make that work. Feel free to give suggestions as well as plot ideas, I enjoy reading them in the reviews! :- ) I hope you're all looking forward to finding out what's going on with Karl Heinz, Svetlana and the founders!