Chap 21: Game start

The thick crimson liquid was moving slowly inside the glass.

The scent of lily invaded the room, soft and fresh.

The yellow light from the chandelier covered everything. A romantic color.

Deathly...

The manly face was carved by darkness. A sweet smile tugged at the corner of his lips. But it didn't reach his eyes. Cold brown eyes, flashing in the dark. He was angry...

"So you're saying that Yuki has been missing?"

The man kneeling on the floor shivered and bowed his head. "Yes, Yamato-sama." He tried to keep his voice steady as he answered. He knew he shouldn't feel like this. The silver hair man in front of him was just a former math teacher even though he would soon become the son-in-law of Higa Otori, his master. He had no reason to fear this man that much. But one glance at said person's face and he quickly bowed lower, even lower than when he bowed at his master.

"How? Didn't he go with you guy?" The voice was sweet but he could sense poison in it. He swallowed "Yes, sama. But he left the battle to chase the leader."

"Oh, and all of you let him go alone? Such good comrades you are." The last sentence would be a sarcasm, even a joke if not for the icy voice saying it. It was a threat.

Sweat wet the back of his shirt. Never in his life had the man felt such urge to defend himself "W-We just didn't think he needed help since Yuki-san was too good. Afterwards, we went to find him but couldn't find any hint. Please forgive us, Yamato-sama!" He said those last words almost desperately.

Dead silence followed. The only thing the man could hear was the sound of his heart beating madly inside his chest.

"Are you sure you didn't find anything?" Yamato finally spoke idly, swayed the glass between his fingers.

"Yes, sama."

"Huhm, I see. You're dismissed."

The man wasn't aware that he had let out a loud sigh as he quickly stood up and bowed at Yamato before rushed out of the room. The moment the door shut behind him, the glass in Yamato's hand snapped.

Fuji had been missing. With no hint left.

There was no doubt that purge was a trap.

The question now was who? And what's motivation?

It absolutely wasn't kidnap for ransom. It probably wasn't revenge of the clan either, otherwise Higa Otori and his daughter would more likely be the victims. Yamato contemplated the possibility of Mizuki doing that to avenge himself but excluded this thought since that man wasn't capable of capturing Fuji. Besides, if it's really the case, he would've found Fuji or worse, the slender man's corpse by now. But there was highly chance of Mizuki being involved in Fuji's disappearance one way or another. After all, it was that man who requested the purge. But Yamato would think about it later.

Now after considering all the chances, the conclusion Yamato came to was that this trap had aimed at Fuji and Fuji alone. And that meant only one thing...

His enemy had found out. Tezuka Kunimitsu had found out.

Yamato gritted his teeth, his hands balled into tight fists making some small pieces of the broken glass pierce through his skin but the silver hair man didn't feel anything.

So the game had begun. He had wanted to take it slow, to savor the moment but Tezuka was the one making him to hasten this game. But it didn't matter. Slow or fast, he would still be the winner in the end.

Because Fuji was his. And Yamato would not let him go even if he died.

But first it was the time for a small revenge.

Higa Mizuki sat comfortably on his big armchair, sipping his champagne idly. He was in a good mood. That bitch Yuki had disappeared in the purge and still was missing by now. Served that man right for humiliating him in front of all clan members.

And now that brat Yamato had lost his right-hand man, it would be much easier to eliminate him. Mizuki let out a sneer. A math teacher should have known better than to enter the underworld.

He should reward his inferior tomorrow for giving him the idea about that purge. Definitely. Though he couldn't remember who had said that. But it didn't matter. He was a generous leader so he would reward all of them, Mizuki thought with a grin.

Too caught up in his own world, Mizuki didn't notice the very small sound of the window behind him being opened nor did he sense the presence of another person in his room. He was only aware of it when a cold, solid thing pressed against the back of his head and it was too late.

"Hello, cousin." A familiar greeting. Too familiar for comfort.

Blood ran cold in his veins. Mizuki opened his mouth to scream but the words died down in his throat as the bullet pierced through his head.

The wooden door was pushed open and an authority middle-aged man stepped inside. Yamato stood up from behind his desk and bowed respectfully at him.

"Higa-san."

"Why did you kill Mizuki?" The older man asked harshly, anger flashed in his black eyes.

"I don't know what you mean Higa-san." Yamato replied with a polite smile.

"Don't fool around! I know you did it, Kujo Jun!" Higa Otori hissed and Yamato's eyes narrowed as hearing the older man call him by his real name "Don't ever think you can do whatever you want in this clan just because you are my future son-in-law now and that includes killing my nephew. I only accept you because my daughter loves you and because of my former friendship with your dead father-"

"You accept me because I can help you eliminate your enemy, Higa-san." Yamato cut the old man off bluntly "You only accept me because of your desire to gain back the power your clan once had. We both know this so stop pretending otherwise. And I don't know why you insist that I killed Mizuki. Your nephew was annoying but he was a useful fighter. I have no reason to kill him. Moreover," he looked at the other man with defiant in his eyes "do you really think that he was worth my attention?"

Higa Otori was silent and he seemed to calm down gradually though his eyes kept looking doubtfully at Yamato. The silver hair man just shrugged and said in a nonchalant voice "Believe me or not it is your choice but let I remind you, internal division at this time is not a wise action." Yamato smirked as he continued.

"Because the game has already begun."