Chapter 14: The Clutches of Fate
Two years later. . .
Rin sighed as she heaped more paperwork onto an already growing pile of documents on her small cubicle desk. Of course, working for Yukari Shiraki was not the most relaxing position one could get at a law firm, but it certainly did have its exhilarating moments. It had been two full years since she had left Japan and arrived in New York with Kohaku, and despite feeling a strong sense of guilt for not visiting her parents and friends, the chance of running into him was more of a deterrent.
"Rin!" Kohaku's face lit up in a smile as he strolled over to Rin's desk. He leaned on the side of the cubicle separator, sucking in large breaths of air, trying desperately to regain his breath as quickly as possible. Rin noticed that Kohaku had been running a lot of errands for the firm in recent months and entertaining a large number of clients. Signs of stress and fatigue manifesting in Kohaku's disheveled appearance: his tie was crooked and loosened, his clothes wrinkled and he had dark shadows under his eyes.
"Kohaku . . . you look . . . tired."
"Yeah. . . I just came back to get some documents for a client to sign. I still have to deliver the finalized copies of the contracts to the client's office building by 5 p.m." Kohaku walked over to his cubicle across from Rin's and began to shuffle the folders around, giving a silent triumphant cheer when he found the correct folder. "Well I had better get going. See you later?"
"Definitely." Kohaku leaned forward and gave Rin a chaste peck on the cheek and dashed out the door. Rin looked at her wrist watch and sighed. 4:50pm, no wonder Kohaku was running.
"Rin," Rin gazed up from her work to find Ms. Shiraki standing by her cubicle, "come to my office, we have important matters to discuss." Rin nodded and quickly shuffled the documents on her desk into two neat piles before following her mentor. "Take a seat," commanded Yukari. Rin settled herself comfortably into a plush leather chair facing Yukari across the large desk. "Well, you must be curious about what this is about." Yukari paused as if waiting for a response but ploughed onward when Rin remained quiet. "Our firm has been commissioned to draft an extensive acquisition contract between an American based company, Concord, and a Japanese based company, but the two companies are still in the midst of negotiating the various clauses and terms. Due to the fact that your native tongue is Japanese, the firm has delegated this important task to you. "
Rin's eyes widened in shock as Yukari's words echoed in her mind. This all seemed so abrupt and beyond reason. Why would the firm choose to send her: a complete neophyte? Surely there were other excellent Japanese speaking lawyers in a firm of this scale, most having much more experience than she, especially Yukari.
"Rin, you've worked as my assistant for two years now, if you have something to protest, say it now." Yukari sighed and leaned back into her wide leather swivel chair, momentarily closing her eyes.
"Why me?" Yukari opened her eyes and stared at Rin thoughtfully.
"I thought I was clear when I explained the situation earlier."
"Yes, but there are far more experienced lawyers in this firm with excellent Japanese communication skills who all have a higher degree of experience that I. Why would the firm select me of all people?"
"Consider it a game of eliminating the possibilities. At this point in time, our firm only has five Japanese speaking lawyers who could be candidates to take on the responsibility of negotiating the acquisition, three of which include you, Kohaku and me. The remaining two are Sawatari and Takano, but Sawatari has signed with another firm and will likely be leaving within the next month whilst Takano has requested leave to take care of his wife in her last months of pregnancy. As for me, I have many obligations to clients that will keep me rooted in New York."
"What about Kohaku?"
"When the partners of the firm discussed this matter, they had intended to send both you and Kohaku as negotiators, but it appears that Kohaku is needed for a different project and will remain in New York for at least three more weeks. We cannot request that our clients put their pressing negotiations on hold due to our shortage of human resources, thus we have decided to designate you as the primary negotiator. Kohaku shall join you in Japan after his client's case has been completed."
Rin nodded uncertainly and shifted uncomfortably in her seat, despite the normally comfy leather backed chair.
"I know you aren't completely confident about taking on such a large case without much experience, but should you perform well, the reward will be significant and many doors of opportunity will be open to you. Show me the ambition and determination you brought with you when you first came to this firm two years ago. Don't disappoint me."
Rin nodded. This was simply not a choice. No matter how she had gone out of her way to avoid returning to Japan it was simply destined, fated, to be.
"Come in," Sesshoamru's baritone voice commanded, "you should know better than to lurk by my door, Kouga." Kouga stepped into Sesshomaru's office and fell into the leather settee, sprawling himself over the piece of furniture lazily. Despite Kouga's ostentatious flourish, Sesshomaru did not even spare the man a glance and continued to skim the document on his desk thoroughly.
"It's seven o'clock," sighed Kouga, "and I'm worked to the end of my wits. Is it not time that we call it a day and resume our endless endeavor tomorrow?"
"It's only seven o'clock," corrected Sesshomaru. "Surely you must know that a multibillion dollar corporation does not run itself, especially when there is an impending acquisition involved."
Kouga sighed, more loudly this time, and stared up at the ceiling of the office. Sesshomaru had been this way for a while now ever since Rin left. Although Sesshomaru had always upheld the reputation of a certified workaholic, Kouga had found that Sesshomaru's workaholic habits had become even more pronounced in these past two years. The man was probably working instead of sleeping, though he showed no visible signs of wear and tear. He had even moved out of his large manse in the suburbs and changed his permanent residence to a penthouse in downtown Tokyo, specifically one located five minutes from the company's head office. Kouga sighed and yawned several times more while stretching lazily on the settee as he waited patiently for Sesshomaru to finish his work.
A muscle on Sesshomaru's jaw tensed in irritation. "Will you voluntarily leave my office, or shall I have security escort you out?"
"So this is the kind of reception I get for visiting a good friend and colleague?" Kouga asked in a teasing tone. "It appears that I have the short end of the stick, but I'm determined to drag you away from your "lovers"," Kouga made a disgusted face at the tall stacks of documents awaiting perusal on Sesshomaru's desk, " for the evening, even if only for a short moment."
Sesshomaru's amber orbs looked up at Kouga for a moment with a cold glare. "What exactly are you plotting?"
"Nothing," replied Kouga, "I just wanted to have a drink with a friend after work. Should I have another motive?" asked Kouga feigning innocence. "A few drinks won't take long, and you'll have the rest of the lovely evening to spend with your . . ." Kouga gestured to the stacks of paperwork laid out in neat piles all over the office.
"Fine, a few drinks it is then." Sesshomaru donned his charcoal grey suit jacket and straightened his metallic blue tie. "Let's get it over with then."
The Ritz 7:00pm
Rin and Kohaku followed the maître d' into the cozy dining area where they were seated at a two person table with the violinist playing earnestly nearby. The atmosphere was perfect: the lights dimmed to cast the guests in shadows while the small roman candles at each table glowed vibrantly, the music wafted in the air, mingling nicely with the aroma of seafood and rich sauces. The maître d' dutifully pulled out chairs for Rin and Kohaku and placed two elegant menus in their hands before drifting off to help the next guests navigate through the dimly lit maze-like restaurant.
"This is quite a change," commented Rin, as she surveyed her surroundings. It certainly was quite a contrast to what she was used to when she went on a date with Kohaku. She knew that Kohaku did his best to organize romantic outings despite the limits imposed by their minimalistic salary, and effort was worth more to Rin that materialistic goods. This certainly was a contrast to the casual style dinner dates they usually had by the pizza parlor or picnics in the park after cycling, this seemed special, not to mention the fact that Kohaku seemed particularly nervous for some reason.
Rin and Kohaku opened up their menus and perused the items available, both sitting in a comfortable silence. They had developed a rhythm or dynamic of sorts with each other over the two years. Moments later, a waitress approached their table, poised and ready to take their order.
"I'll have the garden salad to start and a halibut with asparagus please." Rin said, closing the menu and handing it to the waitress.
"I'll have a Caesar salad and a medium rare steak please."
"Excellent choices," smiled the waitress, "please don't hesitate to let me know if you need anything."
"Kohaku, you know about the merger contract for the Japanese company, right?" Kohaku nodded. Rin would be gone for a good three weeks or longer and he would have loved to accompany her, but he was momentarily tied up.
"You'll be fine," reassured Kohaku, "and besides, I'll be joining you in three weeks. But, I'll still miss you like crazy," said Kohaku, his eyes twinkling in the candle light.
When their food arrived, Rin and Kohaku steered their conversation to the highlights of their day. It was a habit of theirs to share all of their troubles and to comfort each other. Rin enjoyed Kohaku's company, it felt . . . comfortable and safe, yet at the same time, she felt that something was missing, though she didn't know what.
Rin sighed in delight as she felt the textures and flavours assail her senses, the stress and shock of the day pushed to the deepest recesses of her mind, momentarily forgotten. Kohaku smiled. It always made him happy just watching Rin savour her food.
Later on in the evening when the cleared plates were removed the waitress brought them the dessert menu which Rin scanned briefly before closing.
"Have you decided?"
"I think I'll skip dessert today," replied Rin stifling a yawn. It had been a long day and she was ready to get some shut eye. She had to catch an early flight the next morning, but had yet to pack even her essential items, and at this rate, she would be reading the client information on the plane.
"But you love dessert," protested Kohaku.
"I suppose," Rin felt her resolve waver, "but I really don't know what to try."
"May I suggest the caramel cheesecake with raspberry ice cream? It's our most popular dessert," suggested the waitress. She also winked at Kohaku, though Rin was oblivious, engrossed in her task of scrutinizing the menu in the dimly lit restaurant. Shrugging, she gave up and closed the menu.
"Caramel cheesecake sounds wonderful; I'd love to try it."
"The same for me," added Kohaku. The waitress nodded and hurried off.
A few moments later the waitress returned to their table bearing two plates, each with an elegantly presented slice of caramel cheesecake topped with a few berries and chocolate decorations. The ice cream in a dome shape, sitting adjacent to the cheesecake slices, was topped with an elegant mint leaf and chocolate drizzle. Rin took a moment to admire the beautiful plate, concluding that it was almost too beautiful to eat, when she noticed an object which caught the light on her plate and sparkled. Curious, Rin looked more closely and discovered that it was actually a delicate diamond ring embedded in the ice cream.
"Kohaku?" Rin looked up in confusion.
Suddenly Kohaku was kneeling with one knee on the ground, staring up at her earnestly. "I know this seems sudden, but Rin," Kohaku held Rin's hands in his own, caressing them gently, "would you marry me?" Rin stared into the clear cerulean orbs for a moment, but broke the gaze and looked away.
"Kohaku . . ." Rin started, unsure how to continue, the feelings of uncertainty clouding her mind, "I-I need some time . . . to think . . ." Rin voice trailed off, her words fading into the din of the restaurant. Kohaku nodded slowly and got up from his kneeling position to return to his seat. Even though he smiled brightly and said that he understood, Rin could sense the feeling of dejection and disappointment despite his attempts to hide them. However, the worst part for Rin was seeing the momentary flash of hurt flit across his eyes.
"Well, why don't you keep the ring with you for now and you can wear the ring if you want to marry me, but you can return it to me if you don't."
Rin nodded silently and did not utter a single word more during the entire trip home. Even though the trip home only lasted twenty minutes it had felt like an eternity and the heavy, awkward tension that hung in the air between them had been suffocating. When Rin finally returned home she closed the door behind her and collapsed onto the floor, not bothering to turn on the lights, since the dark silence felt comforting. The diamond ring felt cool in the palm of her hand and seemed to sparkle even in the dimness of the apartment. Even though the ring itself was tiny and light, the momentous decision associated with it seemed to magnify the weight. Rin clutched the small ring to her chest. Kohaku, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you and it's not your fault. You've been wonderful, but I'm not ready, not ready to dive into a new marriage, not yet at least. . .
Club Zero 8 p.m.
The loud dancing music pounded painfully in his ears and the entire room smelled of perspiration and alcohol, to Sesshomaru's disgust. At one point in time he had frequented places such as these, but now he found he preferred a quiet glass of wine in the comfort of his penthouse as opposed to this . . . chaotic mess sprawled out before him. Why on earth did I cave in an allow Kouga to bring me to this slovenly place. This is a complete waste of my time.
Sesshomaru had intended to simply turn on his heels and leave the unseemly establishment, but to his annoyance the exit was nowhere in sight and the mass of bodies on the dance floor would make navigating through the club a pure nightmare. Suddenly, an arm grasped his shoulder and steered him towards the bar.
"Kouga."
"So . . . are you enjoying the evening?"
"Not in the slightest," replied Sesshomaru in a clipped tone. "It smells of perspiration and cheap alcohol, two of my least favourite scents."
"You're just being overly sensitive, because you've spent too much time smelling flowers in that mansion of yours. Besides," Kouga slid into the seat next to Sesshomaru, "there must be a reason why this is the most popular club in town. Look," Kouga gestered about him vaguely, "there are quite a few fine specimens tonight . . . like that one in pink with the long brown hair, she's been watching you the entire time. Well, she's even walking towards us."
Sesshomaru looked away, uninterested and hoped that the woman would understand his body language. Unfortunately for him, the woman did not seem discouraged and appeared next to him drink in hand.
"Not interested." Sesshomaru stated with finality. Crest fallen, the woman shrugged and sauntered away to search for her next target of the evening, holding her head high despite the destructive blow that had just been dealt to her ego.
"Well," muttered Kouga, "that went well."
"Of course, it was surprisingly quick and painless."
While Kouga disappeared into the sea of bodies with his scotch, Sesshomaru downed several glasses of vodka and a few shots of tequila before deciding to head back to his penthouse. He had left his Porsche at the office, and was forced to take a taxi instead.
When Sesshomaru arrived at his penthouse, he poured himself a glass of water and settled himself on the leather sofa. The penthouse was quite different from the mansion in that the décor was mostly modern: consisting of distinct lines and a monochrome colour scheme, whereas the manse boasted of fountains and elaborate columns, traits of classic European architecture. Oddly, ever since Rin had left, he would subconsciously wander around the gardens aimlessly his mind thinking about Rin, and the floral arrangements around the house had become echoes of Rin's presence. There was a haunting characteristic to them, and he had seriously contemplated throwing the floral arrangements out, yet he felt compelled to keep them, and so he was faced with an odd sort of agony. Sesshomaru turned on the music using the control to the state of the art surround sound system and closed his eyes, reveling in the rich chords of Chopin's masterpieces, trying to clear his mind of Rin.
Maybe Kouga was right . . . he had spent too much time smelling flowers.
John F. Kennedy International Airport 6:00 a.m
"One last check . . . plane ticket, passport, luggage, cell phone, laptop . . ." Rin rifled through the contents of her bags while mentally checking off important items. "Well, that's everything."
An intercom buzzed loudly and a woman's voice made a boarding call: "would the passengers for flight A960 to Takyo please proceed to departure gate B in an orderly fashion. We shall begin boarding for first class passengers and those with disabilities. Thank you for your cooperation."
That's my flight. Well, Tokyo here I come. Home, sweet home.
Once she was settled on the plane, Rin decided to peruse the thick folder of information and details on the merger, something which she had been meaning to last night, but the circumstances of the evening had caused her emotions to take over and her mind had become a jumble of mixed feelings: not the optimal situation for working.
Settling herself comfortably in the seat, Rin opened the folder and began to skim the background information on the two companies. Concord Construction Corporation and . . . Rin paused mid-sentence, her eyes widening in disbelief. It can't be. Yet there it was printed in black and white for the world to see: Taisho Corporation. Rin closed the folder and shook her head, burying her face in her hands, praying that she had misread or that there was a mistype on the information, but to her dismay when she opened the folder again none of the contents had changed. No . . . Rin's silent screams echoed in her mind and she wondered why fate could be so cruel to her. Suddenly, this trip held even less appeal now than it did a moment ago.