Chapter 25 enjoy.

(Kaoru's POV)

"Where did you go?"

I glance down at Sophia. The two of us were lying in bed, one of my shirts hanging off her small frame. We had finished our celebration, dinner and drinks with friends. Of course, as everyone was under age the drinks were pop, energy drinks or anything else we grabbed off the non-alcoholic rack. Being a school night and the looming weight of final exams fast approaching killed any inappropriate yet fun ideas.

"Hmm?"

"At my tournament? You left."

Flash back

I lean against the seat, feeling the car slow down. My body stays still, glancing up at the large building before me, the large glass doors reflecting the outside world. Japans Police department. Within moments I'm out of the car, through the doors and standing before the blonde receptionist at the front desk. Her polished red nails clicking on the keyboard before her and her head tilted to her left shoulder to hold the phone with no hands.

When she hangs up, I speak. "Excuse me."

"Yes-" From the sudden way her words die in her throat and the dramatic bulging of her eyes I assumed she recognized me. "Ah- Um- I-"

The blonde looked about five seconds from peeing herself when a deeper voice speaks.

"Kaoru Hanayama." I turn, silently taking in Police Chief Morio Sonoda. His usual green suit and piercing black eyes bore into my questioningly "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to pick someone up."

While it wasn't a new thing for my men to end up in jail, having the head of the organization making a personal appearance was.

..

..

"Here he is."

Sonoda and I stood before the cell, staring at Sophia's father lying on the bench, arm tossed over his face. He'd been tossed in jail for brawling in a bar and judging from the blood on his hands and shirt it had been a bad one.

At the sound of words Sophia's father turns his head "Oh, what the hell are you doing here?"

I stand there, not bothered by this act of aggression in the slightest "I came to get you."

"Your bail is paid and your to be released into Mr. Hanayama's care." Sonoda says, still staring at the two of us questioningly.

"I'm not going with you," he hisses "I called my daughters phone."

"Sophia's in the middle of her kendo tournament. Even if she could I wouldn't let her leave, she's worked too hard for this."

"Wow…" he muses, sitting up with a struggle "You almost sound like you care about her."

My face remains the same as I look down on the man before me. It hurt to see him like this, to see the man Sophia so desperately needed wasn't there.

"My men will take you to the hospital, to get your injuries checked out, then they will bring you home."

"Like hell I am." When he goes to move I step before him, calmly staring at a man drowning in deep pain. A man content with dragging everyone else down with him. He laughs, staring at Sonoda "This is ridiculous."

"I'm not letting you see Sophia like this, she doesn't need this right now." I turn to look at two of my men "Take Mr. Jones to the hospital then home, and make sure he stays there for the evening."

"It's just some trouble at work."

She snuggles closer to me "Is everything alright?"

I wrap an arm around her body, pulling her a bit closer to me "Yeah…" I whisper, placing a kiss on her head "Everything's fine."

(Sophia's pov)

I slide my key into the lock and open the door. I shift a few things into my left hand and smirk when Takeda reaches over my arm to grab them.

"I got it,"

I chuckle but allow him to grab the rest. He places the papers into the large bag on his shoulder and adjusts the large trophy in his hand. I had asked him to place it at the Dojo with the others but considering the circumstances he thought it would my father some good to see it. I take in the two sets of shoes on the mat and place my beside them. I let Takeda get himself settled and shift through the mail I'd gotten moments before. Most of them were restaurant fliers and a few letters to Takeda.

"Hey Sophia?" I toss the mail onto the table

"Yeah?"

"Can you help me move some boxes upstairs?"

I say it for a moment, the last letter was hidden under the others but the bold red letters mostly covered by the others were hard to miss. DUE stared back at me. I move my hand, wanting to look at the rest of it when a loud thump was heard upstairs.

"Sophia?!"

I jump, turning to the stairs "Coming!"

..

..

When I came back down Dad was at the table, drinking black coffee to counteract his hang over. I glanced at the clock, biting back the urge to chide him as it was almost supper and pick up the mail. I flip through the mix of papers looking for the red lettering and do it twice before I notice its gone.

"Hey dad, is this all the letters?"

He glances up, rubbing a hand on his face "Why?"

"I just thought I saw one for me."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Well check again."

"I did."

"I'm not sure what you're suggesting Sophia." His eyes narrow slightly "The mail is right there."

We lock eyes, both waiting for the other person to speak. It was obvious he knew what I was talking about yet he outright lied. He was hiding something.

I shake my head, focusing on dinner instead of a fight "Never mind..."

Takeda enters the room, placing a hand on my hip, looking at the ingredients I'd pulled out this morning as he reaches up to grab the large mixing bowl.

"Do you want some food with that coffee Mr. Jones?"

Dad only groans, placing his head on the counter.

I walked down the hall, swerving around a few people. Kaizaki was hot on my heels.

"Sophia, you can't go in there! The boss is in an important meeting."

When he reaches for my arm I spin around, slamming the heel of my palm into his nose and watch him crumble "First of all, do not ever touch me again. You lost the right to that when you held a blade to my throat. Second, I am Kaoru's girlfriend and if HE says he can't see me then I will wait but considering he said I could come over that seems highly unlikely."

Kizaki moves, bringing a handkerchief to his nose as I turn and make my way quickly down the hall. I hear Kizaki move, trying to grab me again and I hit the door, opening it quickly and all but burst into Kaoru's office. Instead of multiple people or some video-chat Kaoru was sitting on his desk, computer shut off and three papers in his hands.

I can't miss the smile that graces his lips "Sophia."

My eyes are on Kizaki, the older male had stopped in the hallway, an unsure look on his face.

"What's going on?" Kaoru's head turns between the two of us.

"That's what I'd like to know." Kizaki sends me a look, a sure sign that this conversation was far from over but he relents, turning down the hall quietly.

"Is everything okay?"

I pause. While I'd been pissed at my father and this feeling was gnawing at my insides the longer I stood in this room the more it hit me. I pace watching Kaoru's face grow more concerned.

Back and forth.
Back and Forth
Baki and Forth. Just say the words.

"You look like your going to tell me your pregnant. An odd thing as we haven't had sex."

I snap him a look and feel laughter bubble over "Really?" he smiles and I force myself to relax "Okay, this is probably going to sound crazy and I know this breaks so many rules." I feel myself start to pace again "And I know that this is really unfair, I mean REALLY unfair! God!" I toss a hand to my head "I mean he might never forgive me but I can't ignore it anymore. And I've tried, I've tried SO hard to just shut up and MASH IT DOWN!" I squish my hands together "but I can't! I can't just sit in the house and act like everything's okay when I KNOW it's not!"

"Sophia?" he sighs, setting down his papers.

"You're going to think I'm crazy."

His eye brow raises slowly "Try me."

"I... I need you, to... look into my father's past."

He looks at me carefully "You want me to look into your father's past?"

"Past and present." I take in a slow breath and sit on the couch "I have never had a good connection with my father, he has never opened up to me about my mother or their separation and because I love him I respected it! But something is wrong, I can feel it!" I toss my hands up "He's hiding SOMETHING from me and I need to know what it is or I can't help him! And I know that your going to say but-"

"Okay."

I pause mid rant "What?"

Kaoru shifts, not bothered in the slightest by this and pulls out a book "I can have some people look into it."

"... Really?"

"Yes, we have a lot of members in this group, vetting people isn't that uncommon nowadays."

I chuckle, sitting on the couch "Oh, well I feel stupid now..."

"A little," he muses "You can be so dramatic."

I smile, standing up again and lean across his desk, placing a kiss on his lips. My hand moves to touch his cheek as he turns, kissing me back with as much enthusiasm.

I pull back, smiling softly "Hi."

"Hi."

I push the papers out of the way and crawl up onto the desk, Kaoru's hands grab my hips, pulling me across the desk easily and the chair rolls back to accommodate my body. I spread my legs over his lap, pulling him in for another kiss. I feel his large warm hands slide up my back, moving to hold my neck gently.

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