Title: Sow and Reap

Author: Serena J

Rating: R for use of the f-word and some sexual content

Genre(s): Romance, Angst

Pairing(s): Primary Seto/Joey/Atemu

Spoilers: none

Beta: Mishiko

Disclaimer: Just the words, not the folks.

Summary: When Seto takes an impromptu vacation, he turns everyone's life upside down.

Chapter 20: Pleasant But Allegedly Bad for Me

Chapter 20

For a week, my life was more or less stable. As much as I disliked Honda's plans for employment, they had no real bearing on my own. When I wasn't at school, my time was split between the store, study groups and Pharaoh. My dreams about Joey eased – largely because I began spending my nights with Pharaoh often enough that I finally had to leave a change of clothes with him.

The girls were overjoyed and insisted that it qualified as 'Almost Living Together'. They advised – or more accurately 'instructed' – me on which clothing and personal effects should be at Pharaoh's and which should not. They seemed to be enjoying the relationship more than I was.

I wasn't enjoying much of anything.

I had friends – Honda, Mutou, Takahashai, Suzuki – and I had a lover. School would end soon, the arbitration would be decided any day now, and for better or worse, my future plans were in motion. Yet I was finding less to be joyful about as each day passed. It was infuriating.

The only thing more frustrating was my inability to contact Shuzo Otaki, KaibaCorp's CFO.

Four executives formed the second tier of KaibaCorp's control. Through them, my Father controlled his entire empire. There was a fifth man – Father's Executive Assistant, Kogoro – who controlled access to Father. Mokuba and I had always referred to the group as the 'KC Big Five' and tended to treat them as Father did, like one unit.

But if I intended to convince them to vote against Father's decision and allow me back into the corporate fold now, I had to appeal to them as individuals. I had drawn on my own experience for the first three, but I had not spent much time with Shuzo. Accounting was a discipline that I had no interest in. I understood financial statements well enough to recognize the bottom line and know if the numbers added up. In my view, one hires a competent accountant, fixes him to an ironclad contract, and sues him to death if he defrauds you. I was much more interested in the technical side.

All of which simply meant that Shuzo's vote in my favor was key to my future success. And I couldn't find the bastard.

I couldn't call his office directly without leaving a trace. If Father was currently suspicious of me – and I had to proceed under the assumption that he was – the Big Five's phone and e-mail records were being reviewed daily. Their home numbers were also undoubtedly under surveillance. My wolf had tried to make an appointment, but he was told that Shuzo-san was not available. His home address was an apartment three blocks from the KaibaCorp headquarters. Security could watch it from the comfort of their own offices. He was not married, had no children and did very little that didn't involve KaibaCorp. A year ago, his life would have seemed quite normal – even ideal – to me. Now it sounded lonely and empty.

According to Yamada's investigator, Shuzo's only outside interest was fitness. He jogged early in the morning, weight lifted at lunch, and had a yoga class in the evenings.

"Perhaps your friend Otogi-san knows his instructor," Yamada suggested.

"Why would he know the instructor?" I asked, baffled by the suggestion and impressed by Yamada's research.

"He teaches Yoga as well. And he has several clients in Tokyo. Domino is close enough to overlap."

"That's worth a try," I said, and hung up to call Otogi. "I need your assistance," I said when he answered.

"Why hello Kaiba; my goodness it's been ages since we've spoken," he replied. "I hardly recognized your voice."

"Yes, it has been some time. I need your assistance."

"So, how have you been?" he asked, ignoring my repeated statement.

"I don't have time for idle chat."

"Then I don't have time to help you."

"You don't know what I need. I have a proposition that may work out well for you."

"Tough! I don't take that kind of rudeness from my business associates either. Dungeon Dice is not for sale and especially not to you. Bye!"

"Wait!" I yelled before he could hang up.

"Yes?" he drawled.

I would never understand what Ryou saw in this man. True he was sexy, but a ripped chest and tight ass could be found anywhere. Especially for someone like Ryou. I sighed. "I haven't seen you since Mutou's engagement party." This would be pointless and boring. "What have you been up to?"

"Oh, you know," he said lightly. "Same old same old. How are you doing? Still seeing that yummy little Yami?"

"Yes. How is Ryou?"

"I wouldn't know. He hasn't had a weekend off in months."

"Oh." But that gave me my opening. "Perhaps I could help with that. Do you still teach yoga?"

"Yes. Since when do you care about that?"

"I started doing yoga during my recovery. I'd like to continue, but more, I think I'd like to expand the classes for KaibaCorp employees – when I return to the company, of course."

"Look, my game sales got a boost when you left. Why in the hell would I want you to go back? Happy little KaibaCorp employees don't help me at all."

"Yes, but since I don't want to sleep with Ryou…."

"Bullshit."

I amended. "I don't want to end your relationship."

"That, I'll believe."

"If I'm Ryou's supervisor again, then I'll want him focused on the job, not worrying about his love life. He'd be required to see you. And if you teach the class at KaibaCorp, you'd be practically living with him." Another thought struck me. "And, if you help me now, I'll lease you office space in any KaibaCorp building – at cost – and we'll carry Dungeon Dice products when we open KaibaGames retail."

He seemed to think about it for a moment. "You know, that really is one hell of an offer. It really is. So when I tell you to go fuck yourself, I want you to know that I understand how big a deal this is."

"I don't understand." I truly didn't.

"I don't want Ryou to see me because he's required to. I want him to see me because he loves me and he wants to see me. I'd rather not see him at all than see him because you pay him to see me. Is that it? Do you think that because people are paid to tolerate you that everyone has to be paid to spend time with friends?"

"I'm sorry if I've offended you." Something went very wrong in this conversation, but I had no clue what. "I need your assistance and I simply wanted to compensate you for your time and effort. I thought –"

"You thought you could buy me to do something sleazy?"

"I was hoping you had some information!" I snapped. "I don't know what you think I was proposing, but I assure you I am only interested in your professional skills."

"Fine! What?"

"Someone teaches a yoga class in the KaibaCorp building weekday evenings. Do you know who?"

"Sato Aya."

I sat there with my mouth open until he called my name. Did he actually know this or was he pulling the name out of thin air. "Are you sure?"

"Well, of course! I sub for her when she can't teach."

"You…sub? At KaibaCorp?"

"Not often. Sato's very reliable. Just occasionally. They honestly don't care so long as the class starts on time. So what did you want to harass her about?"

"I need to reach one of the students," I said, still a bit stunned. 'You never know who has useful information,' I reminded myself. "He's an executive named Shuzo Otaki."

"Big bruiser type? I know him. He doesn't look it, but he's very graceful. Not my type, but no accounting for taste."

"Can you get me into that class?"

"Well," he sighed, "oh alright! I promised Ryou I'd help you if I could. Oh, and by the way, has anybody told you what a dick you were to him? He offers to console you about the guy you dumped him for after he dumps you and you not only assume all he wanted was sex, but tell him you don't care about him on top of that? That was an awful thing to say and you're an asshole for saying it! Look I hate to tell you this, but not everyone wants to tap your skinny little ass."

"Ryou and I have some history."

"And that's all you have. If I ever catch you sniffing around my man, Kaiba, I don't care who you are, I will beat you like a drum."

I didn't actually credit the threat, but I appreciated the sentiment behind it. "I will keep that in mind."

"You do that. Hang on; let me call Sato." He switched lines and I pondered the conversation. I understood that Otogi wanted Ryou's attention for his own sake, but his anger over my reinforcement baffled me. Just as Joey's initial response to my trust. It was as if both of them placed more value on belief than on proof. It was completely irrational, but that seemed to be the case.

Faith and belief again. Relationships keep coming back to faith and belief. Smoke and mirrors. I don't believe in magic. I can't. It's not real.

"Kaiba?" Otogi picked up the line again, mirth lightening his voice. "Sato will actually let me teach it tonight. She says Shuzo is always asking about me anyway so it'll get his heart rate up."

"What do you mean?"

"Don't tell me you didn't know! Shuzo as queer as they come."

"Are you sure?" I thought about the man. I'd sat across from him in hundreds of meetings. I'd never got even the vaguest hint of homosexuality from any of my Father's close associates. "I've known the man for years."

"I'm like that comedian, Buddy Cole – if you're gay and our eyes meet, honey, message received." He chuckled to himself. "Ok, so do you want to meet me there – oh, right, you don't have a car. I'll swing by and pick you up. Wear something you can move in."

"Why?"

"Well, I'm not wasting my time over all this. You can tell him whatever you need after class. And if you're going, I'm not going to let you just hang around. And you're paying the 100 yen for the class, too. You can owe me until payday. I'll be there in 20; be ready." He hung up.

It was not the information I expected or a situation I would prefer, but I could not waste the opportunity. I changed clothes.

Recently, I had taken to doing tai chi forms in the morning and yoga before bed, both in the nude. My schedule had been disrupted some by my new sleeping arrangements and it was easier not to worry about workout clothes, but I found I had a loose pair of pants and serviceable shirt. I let Honda know where I was going and was waiting at the front door when Otogi arrived.

His eyes swept over me as I got in the passenger seat. "Well that will get his attention!"

"What will?"

He laughed as he pulled into traffic. "Oh my God! Ryou was right; you really are clueless, aren't you?"

I looked at myself. The pants were lightweight, white, but not translucent. The shirt was from the store – a light blue cotton t-shirt that was fit but not tight. "Is there something I'm missing about my appearance?"

"You mean other than your outfit screaming 'someone please take me to bed'? All you need is to mess up the hair and add a cigarette."

I looked at myself again. "There's nothing sexual about the way I look now."

"Ok," Otogi snickered.

The ride to the city was long but not unbearable. For most of it Otogi left me to my own thoughts. I knew nothing about Shuzo; convincing him to side with me would be difficult. I could offer to buy out his stock. Once the settlement was resolved, I should have funds available to buy out two of the Big Five if need be. More than that and I would have a problem. I was depending on...on faith and belief. Faith that these men would behave as they always had. Belief that they trusted my word more than they trusted my Father's. If there was such a thing as magic in the universe, then I was attempting the ultimate binding spell.

I smiled to myself. Real life was remarkably similar to dueling.

"Wakey-wakey sleepy head!" Otogi shook me and I woke with that sudden feeling of realizing you were asleep and knowing you shouldn't have been. "Relax, we're here and right on time." He got out of the car and, after a minute to focus, so did I.

He'd parked in the garage and we took the front elevator to the lobby level. I remember as a child getting excited to come in through the lobby because everyone always made such a fuss when Father and I arrived for a formal event together. Ordinarily, our driver took us to the back entrance and we took the high-speed elevator directly to the penthouse. There was no fuss when Otogi and I stepped into the glass and steel lobby but I still felt a tinge of excitement as I realized that, technically, I wasn't supposed to be in the building.

I grabbed Otogi's arm and pulled him back. "Until we leave, call me Tak."

He looked at me confused and then seemed to catch on. He rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Come on, Tak. I don't need to be late." He walked up to the security desk and pulled out his ID. "Hi. I'm here to teach the yoga class on the 4th floor." The guard glanced at the ID, then at the man himself and handed him the visitor logbook to sign. A second guard printed a visitor name tag.

My wallet was in my pocket, but it suddenly occurred to me that I didn't have any ID I could use.

"Well, come on Tak," Otogi called. "Let's go." I frowned and he came over to me. "Problem?"

"I've never had to go through security. I forgot I needed ID."

He laughed loudly making me even more nervous. "Oh you silly thing." He pulled me over to the guard's desk. "I have a small problem, guys. My, um, cousin forgot his ID. He's going to sit in on my class tonight and then he's going to stay with me for a little while."

The guards snickered. "Cousin, huh?"

"We're very close," he said. He looked at me then blew me a kiss, which was only slightly mortifying. The guards laughed outright as they printed another visitor pass. "Here, Tak-chan, sign the book." I felt my face burning as I approached the desk and took the pen. Otogi tousled my hair and whispered in my ear, "Sign it 'Yamada Taro' and they won't even look twice." Then he rubbed his face in my hair. "You have to tell me what shampoo you use, Tak-chan, I love that smell!"

He was right; the guards were too busy laughing at Otogi's antics and my embarrassment to care what I wrote down. They handed me the pass and chortled when Otogi patted my butt on the way to the elevator. When the doors closed he sighed. "Thank God you can act. I wasn't sure we'd get away with that."

"You humiliated me like that for no reason?" I nearly burst.

"Oh relax! Sometimes security is paying attention, but at this hour they're usually not. A pretty boy like you, with a man as fem as me? Please! They're taking bets right now on whether I'm bending you over already. Or the other way around. And believe me, no one recognizes you with all this hair!" He pulled a strand gently as the doors opened and then led the way to the room used for the class.

A dozen women were standing or sitting, waiting for the instructor. A few of them greeted Otogi by name as he started passing out mats and apologizing for Sato's absence.

Shuzo was in the back of the room, mat already in place, stretching. He wore a gi with a black belt and was barefoot. He appraised me and dismissed me in the same glance – which gave me ample time to appraise him.

He was a hulk. One usually pictures accountants as small, thin bird-like people but Shuzo was a bear. Easily six feet and more than twice my width, he was physically imposing and had always maintained the same unpleasant demeanor my Father had.

Otogi was right; his movements were surprisingly fluid. I found myself watching him throughout the class and more than once Otogi had to call me to keep my eyes 'front'. I wasn't attracted to Shuzo so much as I was fascinated by the strength of his body. He was nothing like either Joey or Pharaoh.

It was almost a relief when the class ended. Except that I realized that I still had no idea how I was going to approach the man.

He saved me the trouble by approaching me. "Tak?"

"Oh!" I was surprised and looked down, hoping he hadn't recognized me. "Shuzo-sama."

"You do work here," he said in a warmer baritone than I remembered him having. "I thought I recognized you. You seemed to have trouble with some of the forms. You are not strong enough."

"Yes, sir." I kept my head down. Would he have spoken to me that way if he knew who I was?

"Have you ever lifted weights?"

"No, sir."

"Come with me," he ordered. "The staff gym is closed, but I have access to the executive facilities. We won't be disturbed at this hour."

I risked looking up at him. He was smiling slyly at me.

I nearly laughed out loud. I had not considered simple blackmail as a method of coercion, but if he wanted to provide collateral, I would be happy to accept it. I looked away again, shyly I hoped. "I arrived with Otogi-san. Would I be here late?"

"If you are, I will have a car take you wherever you need to go."

"It can't be too late," I said just to seal his fate, "I have school in the morning."

"Then I think this evening will be educational."

'For one of us at least,' I thought. "Excuse me," I said and hurried over to Otogi. "I should have trusted your instincts. He wants me to stay with him," I told him quietly. "He wants to show me how to lift weights."

"And you want to stay?" I nodded. "You're kidding, right? What do I tell Ryou when you vanish into the night, never to be seen again?"

"You tell him I was an unappreciative little bitch," I said with a small smile.

Otogi rolled his eyes. "I tell him that already." He cleared his throat and spoke loudly. "But Tak-chan, I thought you wanted to stay with me tonight."

"I don't plan to keep him for long," Shuzo interjected smoothly. He crossed the room and joined us. "An hour. Or so."

"In an hour I'll be halfway home," Otogi complained.

"Then it's settled. You can be on your way. I will show Tak the proper positions and when I'm finished, I'll have a company car bring him home."

Otogi looked genuinely angry. "And I'm supposed to be ok with that? You 'position' him and then send him to me when you're done?" I started to speak, but he cut me off. "Don't. I know when I'm not wanted. Honda told me you were no good." He picked up his bag and stomped out of the room.

I looked away, at the floor, mostly to control the urge to laugh hysterically.

Shuzo made a disapproving sound. "Come," he ordered.

We went up to the 30th floor. The gym was small, but well equipped.

"Let's test you first. Sit here." He indicated a bench with an array of weights around it. We spent some time as I pulled or pressed, sometimes with my arms, sometimes my legs. Occasionally he'd stand over me to adjust something. Allegedly.

Mostly it gave me an opportunity to honestly admire his chest – when he took his shirt off – and catch his musky body scent.

I hadn't had a mindless, meaningless fuck in what seemed like years. Shuzo was older than any lover I'd ever had but arguably in the best physical condition. I was curious which of those details would matter most.

"You're stronger than I thought," he said finally.

"I was distracted in class." I had yet to meet his eyes. "I was not looking at sensei."

"Who were you looking at?"

I diverted my eyes again. "It's a little warm in here."

He moved away from me to the door, and locked it. "Now we won't be disturbed." He pulled off his pants revealing a rather frank pair of briefs. "There is no point to being shy now."

I stood and removed my shirt and pants. He studied my body for a few minutes. Then he began caressing me. "Good muscle tone. Healthy skin." Unexpectedly, he kissed me. "Soft lips."

"Shuzo-sama..." I whispered only half in character.

"Otaki," he corrected me.

"Otaki," I whispered. "I haven't…." I paused and he completed the sentence in his own mind.

"I'll show you. Don't be afraid."

"Oh, I'm not," I replied softly. "I just don't want anything to go wrong."

He smiled. For a moment he was almost handsome. "Trust me."

He was gentle. And slow. Strength turned out to be more important than age. Shuzo was large in every respect and I was not faking either my gasps of pain or my cries of pleasure. In truth, I couldn't be sure if what excited me was his skill as a lover or the knowledge that his career was over.

I told him I was still in school, he didn't ask my age. I implied that I was a virgin, he didn't ask my consent. He was under the impression that I was an employee and therefore he was in blatant violation of the 'no fraternization' policy. I was almost too excited when he 'lovingly' rolled over and let me fuck him. He didn't realize that it would be the first time, not the only time.

When I was sated and he was finished, we lay together 'cuddling'. I picked up my shirt and cleaned myself of some of his residue.

"What are you doing?" he asked sharply.

"It's ok," I tittered. "It's only my shirt. See?" I used it to wipe my residue from him.

"You little imbecile!" he roared. "You can't tell my gi from your cheap rag?"

I held it up, shocked. "Oh no!"

He snatched it from me. "You little idiot! It's probably permanently stained."

I couldn't help letting a snicker escape. "Like I am? Permanently stained – by you?" He frowned and muttered something about children who think they are clever. "Let me keep it," I cooed. "As a memento." I peeled the shirt out of his hands. "It still smells like you. You can keep mine."

"What would I want with –"

"Keep it to remind you of me." I quickly picked it up and stroked his chest and abdomen with it. "You could keep it under your pillow and late at night, wrap it around your cock and pretend it's me stroking you. I'm very good with my hands." I pushed the shirt downward but he stopped me.

"I think it's time for you to go." He took my shirt. He found his pants, pulled out his cell phone and called his secretary to have a car pick him up at the back entrance. He ordered a second car to get me from the lobby. He opened a locker and tossed me what must have been one of his workout shirts; it was a dress on me. "Here. Put it on. You can keep them both." He put my shirt in his pocket.

His phone rang. He checked the number and pressed a button. "Let's go." He pulled me, very un-gently.

"Otaki…" I whimpered.

"DON'T!" he growled as he virtually smashed the elevator down button.

"Of course, Shuzo-sama. Forgive me." I looked at the floor and hugged my new prize tightly. "Will I see you again?"

"Why?" he asked, callous, cold. It occurred to me rather unpleasantly that in similar past scenes, I had been the callous one. "What department are you in?"

"I'm administrative," I demurred.

"How are you with numbers?"

"I'm better with my hands." I reached for him again but he grabbed my wrist. I exaggerated a squeal of surprise.

"I'm not going to transfer some moron to my staff just because he gives good head." He let my hand go. "Don't be stupid. Take a few accounting courses. If you pass any of them, put in an application to transfer to my department. We'll see then."

"Yes, Shuzo-sama," I oozed. "Thank you, Shuzo-sama."

The elevator stopped on the fourth floor. "You tell anyone about this and you will regret it. And if you try to use that shirt to blackmail me, I will bury you in it." I had every reason to believe him.

But I wasn't worried. "Oh no, Shuzo-sama. This is just for me. I promise."

He looked at me for another minute or so. "I know I've seen you." He leaned over and kissed me one last time, deeply. The elevator began to buzz as we blocked the doorway and he let me go, swearing. "Come up to my office tomorrow. I have a test I want you to take."

"Yes, Shuzo-sama," I said, bowing as the doors closed. I waited until the car began moving to stand straight again. "You're an asshole, Shuzo-sama." I couldn't help actually giggling. I fixed my expression to look properly humble as I passed the security desk.

The guard who took the visitor pass stopped me. "Didn't you come in with the yoga sensei?" I nodded and looked away, properly embarrassed. "So why are you still here?"

"Someone with an office on the 35th floor wanted to see me," I whimpered. "Please, don't ask me who. There's a car waiting for me." I pointed to the limo – at least Shuzo had some class – that was sitting out front. The guard looked at his partner who nodded and went out to the car. He spoke to the driver for a moment and then he returned.

"Accounting," he said.

The first guard looked enlightened and they let me leave.

The driver held the door for me but looked at me oddly as I got in the car. I told him the commuter train station when he asked where I wanted to go. "I can catch the 9pm train if you hurry."

"I could simply take you home," he said. "They said take you wherever you want to go."

"I live almost two hours out. The train will be fine."

"I don't mind, sir."

Something in his tone made me look more closely through the partition. "I'm no one special. Please don't feel you have to go out of your way for me."

"I would do the same for any guest of Kaiba-san's." He winced visibly. "I mean, of Shuzo-sama. His secretary called for the car so you were there to see him, right?"

"Why would I be seeing such an important man at this hour?"

He hesitated. "That's not my job to know, sir. My job is to drive people from here to there. I don't mind taking you back to Chubu."

My jaw actually dropped. "How did you know…?" I looked at him more closely but he wasn't at all familiar. "You know me, don't you?"

He hesitated and looked at me in the rear view mirror. "Yes, sir. I doubt anyone else did, though."

"How did you?"

His shoulders slumped. "I've ferried you around for most of your life, sir."

"Stop the car!" I demanded.

"Sir?"

"Pull over NOW!" He stopped the car. "Get out," I ordered as I opened my own door.

"Sir?" He was confused but he obeyed.

I never noticed who drove my car. I was always much too concerned with anyone or anything else to notice the people who kept my life moving smoothly.

If Anzu and Honda had taught me nothing else, they taught me that the people around me are as just as important as I am. Just not as monetarily valuable.

I studied the man, committing him to a card in my mental 'friend' deck. "What's your name?"

"Nakamura, Sir."

"Nakamura, as I'm sure you are aware, my Father and I are going through a difficult time. I am in the process of resolving that. If I am successful –"

"You will be," he stated simply.

I paused. "Really. And why do you believe that?"

"You've never failed before."

I had to smile. "Neither have you." He looked confused. "That, I would have noticed." He tried not to smile. I went on. "If I am successful, I will be returning to the office. When I do, I want you to make a decision. You may remain here, as my personal driver, for as long as you wish. I will be doubling your salary regardless." He started to protest but I stopped him. "It has come to my attention recently that I am a dick to work for. Higher salary is the least I can give you for putting up with someone like me. You may keep this job or, you may move to a position you feel better suited for. I have no idea how our transportation is arranged but if you have a better idea for running the department, tell me and we'll try it. If you'd like to retire, we can arrange that as well."

"You don't have to do that, Sir."

"No, I don't. I want to." I looked at my watch. "I'm afraid I do have to ask you to drive me home. And, Nakamura, I was never in the office this evening."

"Oh, no Sir. I snuck off early to give a friend of my son's a lift back to school."

We got back into the car – I got into the front passenger seat. He started to comment then stopped.

A memory struck me. "Ichiro was your son, wasn't he?"

Nakamura smiled. "Yes sir. He was about your age and I thought it might be good to have someone to call a friend."

We hated each other. He clearly resented me – only now did I realize why – and I found his presence irritating and disruptive.

He glanced at me and chuckled. "Well, you can't blame a father for trying. My parents used to do that too. There was this girl in my village; they thought I should have married her when we were six."

"You disagreed?"

"She had crossed eyes and buck teeth." He laughed. "Owns half the village now too."

"But not you."

"But not me. I left when I was 17. Wanted to see Tokyo. The only thing I knew how to do was drive. I got a job with your father and I've been here ever since."

I decided to triple his salary; no one should suffer through two Kaibas.

He talked most of the drive, mostly about his family and other similar drivel. I stopped genuinely listening and simply made the appropriate noises when he paused. I began to wonder how Pharaoh spent his evening. And reminded myself that I should call Otogi; I wasn't sure if he was truly concerned for my safety, but his assistance had been invaluable so some thanks were in order.

"Sir?" Nakamura gave my shoulder a slight shake. "We're almost there, sir. Did you want me to pull up out front or stop a block or so away?"

I woke up a bit bleary. "I'm sorry. I must have drifted off."

"Always do."

I looked at him. "I'm sorry?"

"You always fall asleep in cars. If the trip's longer than twenty minutes and no one's actually keeping you awake, you've always gone out like a light. It used to seem like the only way you got any sleep. Sometimes I'd take the long way to get somewhere just to give you a few minutes." I never realized it. I never noticed. I decided to quadruple his salary. "This is the place, isn't it?"

I looked out the window; we were parked in front of Honda' building. "Yes. You have quite a memory."

"Well, it's not as good as yours."

"When was the last time you were here?"

"Oh, must have been the first week of October. Wheeler-san decided to stay with you at your old place so you asked me to bring Honda-san home."

"Then I would say your memory's at least as good as mine."

"Thank you, Sir." He smiled warmly. "Forgive me for saying so, Sir, but I think this vacation has done you some good."

I nodded. "I think it has too. But I'm ready to go back."

"We're ready to have you back, Sir."

"Good night, Nakamura," I said getting out of the car. "Thank you for the ride. I intend to see you very soon."