Chapter Twenty Nine
It had been a long time since Makoto had worn a full suit. Yes, his work uniform was meant to be formal but this was different. He'd borrowed the suit jacket from Haru which meant the sleeves were a little short but then Makoto didn't want to buy something he really didn't need. Especially when his work pay had been meagre the past month due to the Sousuke based distraction.
He toyed with the cuffs as he waited outside the high rise building, Makoto unsure if this was the most stupid idea ever. He pretty much thought it was and he remembered how Sousuke had felt when he'd tried to get information out of Sei but this was different. This was something Makoto needed to do not as much for Sousuke but for himself. He needed to meet that man who had so destroyed his son.
The headquarters of Yamazaki Inc. was large and imposing and Makoto idly wondered about the large tall skyscraper being some form of compensation but then he schooled his features and walked through the revolving door, walking into a lobby of marble and glass.
It was so bright inside the lobby that the light shone awkwardly on his glasses and Makoto adjusted them prior to walking over to the reception desk, the sound of his shoes squeaking on the marbled floor.
The reception desk was all chrome and shining, manned by three women wearing headsets behind white computers answering calls. Makoto stood and waited until one raised an eyebrow and he sidled towards her.
"I have an appointment with Mr. Yamazaki. Tachibana."
Makoto was impressed with himself that his voice didn't shake when he said those words as really, he was nervous to be here, to be in such a place and he was even more nervous to meet Sousuke's father. The man who had pretty much destroyed so much of Sousuke. But he wanted to do this.
"Makoto Tachibana?" she asked.
"Yes… it's at 10.30 am."
She nodded and then handed a tablet for him to sign in on and a small visitors badge for him to pin onto his suit jacket. Makoto did so and then she gave him instructions to take the elevator to the 23rd floor and go to the reception desk there – a personal assistant would meet him and instruct.
Makoto thanked the girl and walked over to the elevator, fiddling still with the cuffs of his suit and the visitors badge and his glasses as he needed something to do with his hands. Once he was inside the elevator, the noise of the cheesy muzak reverberating around the metal, he felt for the flyer inside his jacket pocket, bringing it out and unfolding it as that was why he was here.
He'd gotten the appointment via Rin. There was no way he would've got one otherwise. Rin had begrudgingly done it when Makoto asked as it seemed Rin knew that Makoto's intentions were for the best. Even if Sousuke was likely to be a grumpy idiot about it all. Rin and Sousuke had been friends long enough that he knew Sousuke's family even though Rin hated their guts on Sousuke's behalf for all that they'd done to him. It meant when he'd called they'd agreed the appointment. Maybe it showed that they cared. Rin had said he doubted it.
The flyer didn't say much – it only had a faded image of Sousuke, his name and the time and date, and some tattoo patterns around the edges. Images of lotuses and koi. The flyer had been a joint venture between Rin and Haru and looked far more flashy than a standard flyer for a guy with his guitar. And Makoto was glad of that. It too looked good on a poster and Makoto had stolen one to put in his bedroom, Sousuke trying to steal it back and telling him it was embarrassing to see it when he stayed over, but Makoto was not relenting. As even when Sousuke wasn't in his bed, Makoto could open his eyes and see him stood, an acoustic guitar slung over his shoulder and his eyes pensive and distant. The very image of brooding and sexy.
The "ping" of the elevator made Makoto look up and he saw he'd arrived at his floor. He stopped staring at the flyer and instead folded it again and put it in his pocket as he made his way down a long corridor lined with art and other expensive looking collectables.
At the end of the corridor was a large imposing door and outside that was a small desk with a young woman with light brown hair sat behind it. She looked up as Makoto approached, smiling and nodding.
"He will see you in five minutes if you'd like to take a seat… would you like water?"
She offered everything so politely but Makoto declined. He just wanted to see Sousuke's father and be gone. He'd planned on going to Sousuke's place as soon as he was done and listen to him practice and probably some heavy making out at least prior to work tonight so he hated the stalling. He imagined it was the consequence of being a rich important man – the fact he could keep everyone waiting.
Fiddling again with his suit cuffs, Makoto didn't take a seat, instead, he wandered around the small waiting area and looked at the pieces of art on the walls trying to think of how the hell he was going to word this.
He didn't think just walking in and introducing himself as Sousuke's boyfriend would work but then he wasn't wanting to spend much time with Hideo Yamazaki as he had an irrational hatred for the man that seemed almost impossible for Makoto. He wasn't used to disliking people nor being angry but Sousuke's father produced those feeling in him and Makoto couldn't help digging his fingernails into his skin as he thought about the meeting that was about to take place.
"He's ready…" the woman said and the voice distracted Makoto from angry thoughts.
Makoto nodded, adjusted his suit and glasses one more time before he followed the personal assistant to the office of Hideo Yamazaki. He swallowed as he entered as it was as ostentatious as Makoto expected – large desk with engravings with a fancy looking computer on top as well as swords and art hung on the walls. There was a photo frame on his desk but Makoto was almost positive it would not feature Sousuke and as he got closer it was confirmed, the image featuring a beautiful middle aged woman who had Sousuke's eyes. It was clear she was Sousuke's mother.
The man didn't look up as Makoto walked towards him, instead, he was staring at some papers and ignoring him. The woman had closed the doors, the noise audible in the otherwise silent office and that was when Sousuke's father actually bothered to look up.
"I expected Matsuoka," he said stiffly as he met Makoto's eye and Makoto didn't answer for a second, sat staring at the man who had so royally fucked up his son just because Sousuke didn't "fit" into the conventional and stereotypical mould. "I expected perhaps he wanted to get money for my son or something…"
Makoto had felt nervous regarding this encounter and those nerves quickly evaporated due to the dismissive way Yamazaki senior talked. He could see some of Sousuke in the man – he was tall, broad shoulder and probably fit and toned underneath the navy blue suit. His eyes, though, were dark and harsh hidden behind thin rimmed glasses. They had nothing of Sousuke's warmth and Makoto couldn't see where that lazy smile came from – that droop of eye and quirk of lips that Makoto so adored.
"I'm… Sousuke's boyfriend," Makoto said, his voice firmer than he had intended it to be.
"You're here for money then… you plan to blackmail me?"
The response almost made Makoto recoil as he couldn't believe that a man who had just met him could assume the worst. Makoto felt his hands shake but instead of submitting to the harsh stare and the harsher words, he grabbed for the flyer, bringing it out of his pocket and unfolding it.
"No. I'm here because your son is trying to repair the damage that you did to him and start again. This is his show. He's talented. Come and see him if you want."
With a confidence he wasn't feeling, Makoto threw down the piece of paper on the desk, glad it landed on the wood rather than ending up on the floor due to his unsteadiness. Makoto then turned without another glance at Sousuke's father, not wanting to give him anymore time as he started to leave the office.
"Your name?"
Makoto heard the question, the smooth and authoritative voice and he stopped and looked over his shoulder. He saw the man with his fingers steepled, his chin resting on them and the flyer had been unfolded, the image of Sousuke on the shining lacquered desk.
"Makoto Tachibana."
There was no more conversation then as Makoto pushed at the door, leaving without looking back even though he felt the stare on the back of his neck. It was a cold stare, one that raised goose bumps on his neck and it made Makoto wonder what sort of childhood Sousuke had had. He doubted it would be like his own full of love and fun.
Leaving the headquarters of Yamazaki Inc. felt liberating and despite the cold, Makoto removed the suit jacket and undid the tie as he made his way to the metro and to Sousuke's place. He texted Rin on his way, letting him know that he'd left the flyer and little else – he didn't need to make the red-head angry. He was pretty sure he'd want to visit the man himself and give him a piece of his mind.
While Makoto travelled, the anger began to seep away replaced by the anticipation of seeing Sousuke as know it was different. They'd confessed their love, they were constantly staying at each other's places and they were together. It was exciting and different and a new territory for Makoto – a true proper relationship.
The way to Sousuke's from the metro was so familiar and Makoto walked quickly as he held the suit jacket. He didn't need to knock on the door at the apartment, using the key he'd been given and when he arrived, Makoto closed the door softly as he saw Sousuke was practicing. It had been all he'd been doing recently apart from his job at the pizza shop and spending time with Makoto and Makoto smiled as he watched Sousuke play.
As Sousuke was nothing like his father – not just because of the tattoos or the way he looked but because he was singing softly, his eyes closed as his fingers strummed the acoustic guitar and it sounded like his soul was on display for all. Makoto smiled as he put down his jacket, left his tie and walked towards Sousuke. As soon as Sousuke heard his footsteps, he looked up and smiled, those sparkling eyes crinkling in the corner.
"Keep going… I wanna listen," Makoto said as he took a seat on the fold out bed as Sousuke sat on the chair.
"You sure?" Sousuke asked, a small laugh on his lips, "you've heard it all so many damn times."
Makoto nodded and smiled in return. "I don't mind."
Relaxing, Makoto started to undo the top few buttons on his shirt, removing his shoes and folding his long limbs underneath himself so he could be comfortable as Sousuke began to play again. And listening to Sousuke play his songs, made Makoto forgot about the encounter with Sousuke's father and the feelings of anger it had brought.
