Gladiolus

Chapter 21

Disclaimer: Any company names that I mention in this chapter do not have anything to do with the ones in real life.

-x-

Narita Airport

"Ready to meet with your sweetheart?"

"She is just a friend to me."

"And you stay in the small village in Hokkaido, even when you were the top graduate from the best university in Tokyo? Was it because she asked you to never see her again?"

"Shut up! I went there because I respected her decision."

"And now you are coming back to Tokyo to meet her. Wasn't it because you were curious as to why she suddenly asked you to leave?"

"I am here because you say you have a job for me. She doesn't have anything to do with this."

"If I told you, that your job will require you to meet with her, will you give my money back and return to your little village in Hokkaido?"

"I can't give you back that money"

"I am not a bad person, I gave you a chance to take her back and take the life that you should have if you stayed in Tokyo. "

-x-

"What is my agenda for tonight, Satsuki?"

"It is a late dinner with the representative from a company that holds 8 percent of stocks in our company. I believe it is Oasis Desert." Momoi read from her journal. "Should I attend this dinner too, Akashi-kun?"

"Yes."

"But, Tetsumi-chan is the one who usually meets with the representative there." Momoi regretted her decision after seeing a fire in Akashi's eyes. Momoi heard that Akashi and Kuroko had a little fight that afternoon and the two of them were not talking at all since then.

The two of them were really 'professional' about their fight, no one would realize they were fighting even when the two of them were facing each other. The only thing that could tell whether the two of them were fighting would be that Kuroko hadn't entered Akashi's office and Akashi was asking Momoi to accompany him for the rest of the day that day was the day that Akashi had full appointments on his schedule. He even had lunch on the go between meetings. While Momoi had been typing or writing non-stop for twelve hours, Akashi scolded her few times since she need time to read Akashi's schedule.

"Can you do some simple secretarial work, Momoi Sastsuki?" Akashi asked her with his stern voice. Momoi jumped back a bit and she accidentally hit someone that was walking behind her.

"Sorry."

"hoaah" Momoi just stood there, she is stunned by what she saw. There is a tall girl with her black colored hair; she is probably almost as tall as Murasakibara, or even taller than he is.

"Isn't it rude to stare" the woman said sternly to Momoi

"I… I am sorry" Momoi found herself to be overwhelmed by this woman's presence. Her cold grey eyes look at her as if she is about to pierce Momoi.

"Are you looking for someone?" Akashi asked the woman. Rather than looking prideful, she looks scared after seeing Akashi.

And the woman flees.

"Interesting" Akashi said as a smile gracing upon his lips.

-x-

"Kurokocchi, do you know if we somehow accept new workers this Monday?"

"I don't think we need a new employee."

"Aka-chin said that the human resource department is short on staff. So he let them interview one." Murasakibara said as he gave Kuroko his weekly report.

"But, his office is in the same floor as us." Kise said again.

"How is that possible?" Even Midorima stopped what he was doing and look pretty surprised. "Do you know anything about this, Kuroko?"

The whole team knows that this floor is reserved to Akashi's personal guard and to prevent any suspicion; the rest of the team pretended to work as part of Akashi's personal assistants. And they were considered one of the highest ranked in that building. And the floor they were working in had been specially designed for each of them, and they expected no newcomers unless one of them was dead.

"Is it a he?"Kuroko asked Kise again.

"Yes? But this person's files suddenly appeared in the employee lists! What should I tell Akashicchi?"

"Are you really a genius? The people from lower floor's IT departments can do much better than you." Midorima said as he read the file that Kise just showed to the bigger screen. "This data looks corrupted."

"That's why! I don't know what to tell Akashicchi!" Kise said desperately. "Kurokocchi…"

"If this turns out to be real person that will work in our office, cancel his contract. And if the human resource department already accepted him as permanent employee, fire him."

Kuroko's reaction was definitely something that beyond their expectation.

"Are you sure about this, Kuroko?" Midorima asked.

"I am sure. Because I am sure that man is not an employee in our place." Kuroko said but her eyes were still looking at the picture in front of her. "And there is another security breach, make sure you get whoever that behind that."

"I have an idea who it is." Kise said but he seems to be hesitating before he continues to talk "But who is this person, Kurokocchi?"

"Don't act like you don't know about it, Kuroko." Midorima said harshly. "You do know this person."

"That's none of your business, Midorima-kun."

"It is when it involves my employer. We are working for Akashi and you need to share information about someone that could potentially harm our boss." Midorima insisted. Kise tried stop the two from fighting, but what Midorima said definitely made sense.

"You have to see this." Aomine suddenly came to Kise's office room and put a USB stick into Kise's CPU. New pictures came to the screen.

"Aominecchi!" Kise came running towards Aomine and hugged him. Because of Aomine's worst timing, he managed to divert Midorima and Kuroko's attention to the new picture in the screen.

"What is it with you?" Aomine pushed Kise away forcefully. "Kuroko, you know this person, right?" Aomine pointed at one of the picture.

"He is one of the shareholders in Akashi-kun's company."

"My friend who works in his family said that there is a fight over inheritance between his three sons. And the entire family managed to hide this from the media."

"It shouldn't be a problem to Akashi since they will resolve their problem and report it back to us on what to do about their stocks." Midorima said to Aomine.

"If that is the case, I won't make a big deal out of this!" Aomine paced back and forth as he tried to calm himself. "Satsuki sent me a message that she will be meeting with this man." Aomine pointed at the man that was supposedly dead. "And it is a dinner in a restaurant with Akashi"

"Then?" Midorima asked impatiently.

"Then, how is a dead man supposed to be meeting with those two? Are they going to see a ghost?"

"Aomine-kun, are you trying to tell a joke?"

"Don't you see the problem in here, Kuroko? Those two will be going to a dinner to meet with a dead person!" Aomine hit the screen that shows the picture of that man. "What if they get spirited away and disappear?"

…

..

.

"Aomine-kun, stop reading your comic books and start finishing your weekly reports. You owe me three months worth of weekly reports. Even Murasakibara is able to finish his report."

"What? Are you really doing your report?" Aomine turn to look at Murasakibara, who is busy eating from a lunch box. "And since when do you use a lunch box?"

"Because this is delicious." Murasakibara answered as he took another bite from the food in his lunch box.

"That is too cute for you! And why are you doing your report?" Aomine ask once again.

"Because he is not a complete oaf and makes a big deal out of something like this." Midorima went to change the picture back to the previous picture.

"But it does make sense." Kise spoke before Midorima can change the picture "Why would Akashicchi go to that dinner with Momocchi? Akashicchi usually knows everything, right?"

No one said anything.

"Then Akashicchi should have known about the death news. Even Momocchi should have known about it."

"Why would Akashi go on a meeting with someone that he knows shouldn't be there?" Midorima said after he gave it a thought.

"That's what I told you! Why did Akashi decide to go?"

"Aomine-kun, Momoi-san texted you that Akashi-kun told her to go with him?" Kuroko asked Aomine who was still feeling a bit annoyed.

"Yes, and they went there using a car from that man's office." Aomine give his phone to Kise and Kise showed the whole conversation Aomine had with Momoi

Satsuki: Maybe using a sedan?

Aomine: too lazy. Why can't you use the same car to go back to the office and I will wait for you in the office?

Satsuki: Akashi said that he might call his family driver to drive him back home. And I might miss the last bus. Please Dai-chan, I beg you.

Aomine: there is always a taxi

Satsuki: can't you just take me back? Ahomine

Aomine: just call a taxi, and you will be fine. You can snap his hand into two before he can do anything to you

Satsuki: STUPID AHOMINE

"But Aomine-kun." Kuroko said softly after she give Aomine his phone back "Akashi-kun's driver just told me he asked Akashi –kun for a week off because he just celebrated his twenty-fifth year anniversary with his wife."

-x-

"Welcome to my restaurant, Akashi Seijuro."

"It is an honor to meet you, Arata-san" Akashi greeted the black haired man back but with a slightly impolite tune. "I am here to meet with your father."

"I am sorry to tell you that my father is no longer available." Arata said as he take a look at Momoi "And it seems you also changed your companion, can I have the last one you brought with you here?"

"Then I have no need to be here."

"Why the rush, Seijuro?" Akashi realized there were guards and all of them were heavily armed. "This place is reserved to us."

"Don't move, Satsuki." Akashi ordered as Momoi prepared to attack the guards around her.

"Yes Satsuki, don't you dare to move a muscle." Arata said as he circled Momoi "I will have a hard time to choose between you and the other girl." He said after he take a look at Momoi from up to toe.

"I know, maybe I can call her to come and then I can choose between the two of you. What was her name?"

"Don't you dare—"

"Satsuki, shut up." Akashi stopped Momoi before she could say Kuroko's name.

"Aw, it seems you like that girl more than this one" Arata said and Akashi soon realized his mistake. "Then, you won't mind if I take this one?"

-x-

"How are we supposed to find Satsuki then?"

"Aominecchi, you forgot about Akashicchi."

"There is a way. There is always a way." Midorima sounded very positive about it. "We can track Akashi's GPS and find him from there."

"But Akashicchi's phone signal is coming from this office."

"What?" Kuroko finally said. Her pale complexion looked even whiter after she heard what Kise just said.

"Ah—" Murasakibara said as if he realized something. He opened the door and a tall dark haired woman come to the room. Aomine can feel himself gaping like a goldfish after seeing the woman.

"Kane-chin give me the phone." Murasakibara said to the woman. He seems to not get affected by the woman's overwhelming presence.

"Sorry Atsushi" that woman said as she give the phone to Murasakibara's hand. "old habit die hard"

"There is someone that can steal from Akashi?" Aomine is completely surprised after Murasakibara gave the phone to Kuroko and Kuroko confirmed that it is really Akashi's phone.

"But I think I have seen you from somewhere" Kise said as he take a good look at the woman from head to toe. "Have you appeared in any tv shows?"

"If you ever recognize me, then you are on a very good term with the Interpol. There should be a picture of me in one of their files"

"Interpol?" Midorima asked, he seems very impressed by what he had heard.

"I am clean now" she raised her hand as she walk to Kise's computer and search something from the search engine "Have you ever heard of Grifter?"

-x-

"What if I told you I also favor this one?" Akashi said as he pull Momoi closer to him. "I shouldn't show any favoritism between my workers."

"True." Arata said to Akashi but he suddenly look very displeased "You don't have your phone with you?"

"I got pick pocketed on my way here." Akashi said calmly, even when Momoi looked very surprised.

"You? Aren't you supposed to be super strong boss?"

"I am just a normal businessman. Nothing more." Akashi said with a smile.

"Nothing interesting from her phone too." Arata said as he threw Momoi's phone to the floor. "How am I supposed to threaten you?" Then he stepped on Momoi's phone and cracked the screen.

"If your father dies, you will have to split his inheritance with your siblings. I will have nothing to do since your father's share in my company is still eight percent." Akashi said to Arata.

"That's the problem Seijuro." Arata said before he pulled out a knife from his pocket "I need all of my father's assets. But those lawyers said I might not get any of his assets since my lovely brother is more suitable to inherit my father's business."

"You can have a nice family meeting with your brother." Momoi said out loud to gain Arata's attention.

"My other brother will inherit my father's house." Arata said with an annoyed tone. "Don't you get it? I will get none of my father's money! I will be poor."

"Then you should have realized the truth before you killed your father." Momoi yelped as Akashi went to stop the knife that was flying towards Momoi's direction.

"I apologize for my employee's behavior." Akashi said in another disrespectful tone as he threw the knife to the floor. There is a few drops of blood dripping from Akashi's hand

-x-

"You have quite long resume" Aomine said after they saw what was supposed to be this woman's achievement from her past sins.

"I have retired and decide to be a good girlfriend" that woman said happily.

"Girlfriend?" Aomine, Kise and even Midorima asked her.

"Yes" that woman said as she run to where Murasakibara has been standing while holding his food. "Atsushi-chan is my boyfriend"

No words can explain the look on Midorima, Aomine and Kise's face after they hear what Murasakibara just said.

"Kane-chin. Why are you keep using that shoes?" Murasakibara is scowling after seeing that she is taller than him with the skyscraper heels she uses.

"Because you are too tall."

"Take those shoes off"

"Are you going to carry me?" She say to Murasakibara. On the corner of her eyes, she saw Kuroko is watching her, almost to the point of glaring into her.

"My name is Akane" She finally introduce herself to the whole team. "I am sorry for taking your boyfriend's phone" she said to Kuroko.

If looks could kill, Akane will already be six feet under with the way Kuroko has been glaring at her.

"I am not happy with what you have done but I am thankful to you." Kuroko said after she take a look at Akashi's phone. "Let's go Aomine-kun."

"Wait, I need to ask that girl something." Aomine said but Kuroko managed to drag Aomine away from the room and give Aomine his receiver.

-x-

"Are you saying you have been with Murasakibara for a while?" Aomine said to Akane, who has been given one of the receiver for the team to communicate.

"Yes, we have been together for three months."

"This is completely crazy." Aomine still refused to believe Murasakibara manages to catch someone's attention. He can imagine Murasakibara with a plain looking girl, but this woman is completely on the whole new level.

"Aomine-kun, eyes on the road." Kuroko reminded Aomine.

"I can be a bit of help." Akane offered

"We don't need a pick pocket." Midorima said through the receiver.

"I was a grifter, not a pickpocket."

"it is the same thing!" Aomine insisted.

"Aomine-kun, eyes on the road" Kuroko remind him once again.

"You are getting on my nerve" Akane said to the receiver.

"Oi, why are you glaring at me, Murasakibara?" Aomine asked when he saw from the rear mirror that Murasakibara is glaring at him.

"Aomine-kun, stop flirting and start driving faster" Kuroko sighed. "at this speed, we are slower than snail and we will be there in the morning"

"IT IS 140 KILOMETERS PER HOURS!. AND I WASN'T FLIRTING"

-x-

Meanwhile in the lobby in Akashi's building

"Excuse me." Akane stopped talking to her receiver and take a look at the brown haired man that seems to be looking for something. "Are you a worker for Akashi's company?"

"Can I help you?"

"I am looking for someone." That man said sheepishly "I know most of the employee should be home at this hour and there are lots of employees."

"I will try my best to help you."

"Thank you." that man said as he pulled out an old photo from his wallet. There were two people in that photo; the first person was that man while the second one was someone Akane knew very well "I am looking for this person. I know this is an old photo but she shouldn't have changed that much from this photo."

"Can I ask who is she?"

"She is someone precious to me." That man showed Akane his happiest smile

"I think I have seen her somewhere." Akane said as she gave back the photo "Can I ask for your information, in case I bump into her tomorrow?"

"Thank you Miss, I hope you will meet with her. I need to go to my interview tomorrow and it will be weekend the day after that. I really wish to be able to meet with her soon."

"I am sorry but I need to finish something." Akane said to the man after she received that man's information. She bid that man her good bye and went to the elevator.

As soon as she went out from the elevator she threw the paper with that man's information to the trash bin.

-x-

AN:

Big thank you for phoebe for editing this story.

What do you think about Murasakibara's partner? I hope you like her~

Next chapter there will be more about Kuroko's past~

So don't forget to leave a review and do please enjoy this story