Author's Note: Welcome back. This is a long one. Sit back and enjoy.
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xXx
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Date Posted: 12/12/2020
Trigger Warnings: Language – but hardly any if you can believe that.
The Way Forward - Chapter 12: Best In Show
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Saturday, May 14:
Early Morning, National Dog Show Venue:
I walked into chaos.
I decided not to come in until 7:30, so the marketing team could prep what they needed to without me looking over their shoulder.
Maybe I should have come in at eight.
"The electricity was working last night before we left."
"The breaker is being overused and continues to pop."
Gorou-san stood there, hands on her hips, talking to an obvious show organizer. "Then you need to move things around on the breakers. And quickly. We paid for electricity in our booth." She hadn't raised her voice, but the dead calm she spoke in delivered its own message.
The organizer bowed and scrambled away, talking into her radio.
"Anything I can do?"
She drew a long breath and smoothed her skirt. "I apologize, Fujioka-sama. There's a problem with the electricity."
"On their end, from the sound of it."
"Yes."
"Stay on top of them and see they get it fixed. I'm not worried. You'll have it right in no time." And I wasn't worried. This is why I hired someone who knows what they're doing.
The booth looks perfect, and I wanted to see the rest of the venue. After letting them know where I was going and that my phone was on, I walked around the exhibit hall. This place is huge. And not new. Why were they having an electric problem now? This dog show was most definitely not their first event here.
The brilliant lettering of the sponsorship signs clearly announced Petto Chinmi as a third teer sponsor. It was the best we could afford, and, quite frankly, we didn't need more than third. As a relatively small company, we aren't expected to be a huge name.
"Fujioka-san?" I turned to face one of the show runners. "It is you. Does the signage meet with your approval?"
"Yes, it does. It's exactly as promised."
"Good. I'll see you later for the sponsorship announcements." He trotted away so quickly, I didn't get a chance to ask what he was talking about.
Sponsorship announcements? That sounds like something I don't want to do.
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We finally had the electricity back when Fujioka-sama returned. She watched the monitors for a second. "Looks like we're up and running."
"Yes, we are." I didn't know what else to say. I'm only a junior member of the team. Her sponsorship coordinator. I'm here to fetch and assist.
"What exactly are 'sponsorship announcements'?"
That's easy. "Before the judging starts this afternoon, they will be thanking all their sponsors. You'll be up on a stage and acknowledged when announced."
Whoa. I do not like that look. What did I do?
"And you're only telling me this now?"
Oh, no. I assumed she knew. "I apologize, Fujioka-sama. I assumed, incorrectly, that you already knew about it." As I bowed, I could feel my eyes water. I will not cry. Not in front of her. She's my idol. My mentor. And she'd never cry in front of someone.
I heard her sigh and straightened. Her eyes were closed. When she opened them slowly, they were soft. She didn't look angry anymore. "It's alright. Nothing can be done about it now, but please take this as a learning experience and never assume I know anything about a sponsorship package without you telling me."
"Yes, Ma'am."
"Good. Now walk me through the booth setup. Where everything is, how everything works, and the plans for the meetings I have scheduled."
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Eiji-san sent Miwa-san, his second, over to the venue last night to sweep it with me. Now I'm showing the rest of the team around while Naka-san is with our primary.
"How are things at Petto Chinmi, Goto?"
"Boring," I smiled. "Just like every security guard wishes."
Eiji-san stopped and stared. "Remember, you are not a security guard. You are Fujioka-sama's bodyguard when she's on the premises. You do not work for Petto Chinmi, you work for the Morinozuka's."
"Yes, Eiji-san. I'm aware of my role. It was a slip of the tongue."
"Very well."
Being at Petto Chinmi all day, I don't interact with her regular security team that often. They hand her off to me when she arrives and come back when she's ready to leave. The only time I speak with Eiji-san is when there are questions regarding my reports, which isn't often.
"Is the loading dock secure?"
"You have to have a pass or be on a list. They check ID's."
The venue has its own security, so we will have a small presence here. Naka and I are here for both days. Miwa-san will be replacing Eiji-san tomorrow. Aside from the occasional autograph hunter, we're expecting little to happen.
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xXx
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SCIF, Black Onion Squad Headquarters:
When I came in Saturday morning, I wasn't surprised to see Ootori-sama already elbow deep in paperwork. This weekend will be long, tiring, and ugly. The depth of disgust I feel for what I found in those papers ate at my stomach for weeks.
Once the team was assembled, he stood up and addressed us. "We will be working through every bit of paperwork this weekend. I shouldn't have to remind you of the security level on this project or the nondisclosure agreement you signed. Rest assured, if anything is leaked about this, you will be arrested, prosecuted, and jailed for the rest of your lives." After catching each person's eyes with a glare, he moved on.
"The goal is to extricate the Ootori Conglomeration from all these activities. To do this, I need to know our legal exposure for each. Once I understand everything I'm dealing with, I'll develop a plan to move forward. Some of you might be involved in that, and some won't." He sighed and finished off his coffee.
"I've sorted through the stacks and organized them into categories." He walked over to the first group of stacks and put his hand on top. "Blackmail. First priority, finish building a file for each person being blackmailed and create a summary cover sheet. From what I've seen, there are several different types of blackmail. Women Yoshio had sex with or raped and then used that as leverage for information, women he had something on and used that to rape them, and businessmen and women he blackmailed for information or business advantages."
He moved to the next large group of stacks. "Actions taken. These are records of Yoshio's actions on information received through blackmail. Most are illegal, such as price fixing or insider trading, but some are gray. Each needs an analysis on legal exposure for the Ootori Conglomeration. Group them by type of action and company."
The next stack was smaller than both previous ones. "Miscellaneous—things that couldn't be easily categorized. These need to be researched to determine Ootori Conglomeration exposure and grouped the best they can."
He took off his glasses and cleaned the lenses before moving on to the last pile. "Criminal activity. Everything else can be classified as 'white collar crime', but this group is not. This group is dangerous. I need timelines, names, locations. Everything that can be teased out. Take your time and be thorough. I'll meet with this group late afternoon tomorrow."
Sitting back down, he nodded to me. "Nishmori-san will divide you up into teams. Let him or me know if there are any questions. Any mention of me or my siblings must be brought to my immediate attention." He considered the room again. "Starting Monday, BOS Security will run a background check on every name found in the records."
I grouped them based on their expertise and got them started. We're going to be here round the clock this weekend.
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If he wasn't already dead, I'd kill him again. Knowing that I kept him prisoner for months and drove him insane is of little comfort right now.
I saw his bedroom. I know what he did to mother. But I didn't know the full depths of his depravity until I went through all this shit last night.
"Tachibana?"
"Yes, Kyoya-sama?"
"I want the locations of all the blackmail pictures determined. Several are in the same room. I need to know where that is."
Room is a polite way of saying dungeon. The photos show various S&M paraphernalia and the women being subjected to various…I don't know what the fuck to call them. I must find that room and destroy it. It's probably full of DNA.
What am I going to do about these women? They're all Yoshio's victims and must be assured their nightmare is over.
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xXx
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Opening, National Dog Show Venue:
"3…2…1… That's ten o'clock. The venue is now open to the public. Be sharp, professional, and calm, and we'll make it through with a better reputation for Petto Chinmi than when we started."
I looked my team over and was proud. There are four on the team, including me, with three being women. Hitachiin-sama knows how to design clothes. Glancing around, I can see we're the best dressed here. Our new sponsorship coordinator, Ashida-san, hasn't completely integrated yet, but this weekend is the perfect bonding experience. Nothing like shared misery.
"Haruhi!"
There's Yoshida-san, the dog breeder that accompanied us to the other dog shows.
"Naoto-san. I'm so happy you dropped by." She gave him a big hug, then turned to the dog in the crate he was rolling with him. "I've yet to meet your champion."
"This is 'Buster'."
"An English name?" Her hands were closing in on the cage. "May I pet him?"
"Sure." He opened the crate door for her. "I went with an English name because he's an international champion. It's easier to pronounce."
"Hello, Buster." His tongue licked her hand, and she giggled. "Are you a good boy? Aren't you pretty? Are you going to win today, Buster?" All the while, he licked her, and his tail was wagging so hard it hit the sides of the crate.
"Well, Buster and I need to check in and get our number. I just wanted to swing by and see you before things got insane."
"I'm glad you did." Buster managed to lick her nose before she pulled back. "Good luck, Buster." She gave him another hug. "Good luck, Naoto-san."
"Thanks. Hopefully, you can come watch our judging today. We're in the non-sporting group. Judging starts at three."
"I'll do my best to be there."
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I quickly left, needing to get Buster to the woman who always shows him for me. I'm too nervous to do it myself and don't have the time to devote to his training and upkeep. He's still my pet and definitely one of my most popular studs, but the showing is all on her.
I smiled at Haruhi's new guard as I walked by but didn't see Eiji-san. They're a solid team. Haven't see them in action, but considering who her guardians are, I know she's safe.
She and I need to go out for dinner and a movie again. It relaxes her and takes her mind off her life and her father. I'm sure she'll think of him several times this weekend, wishing he could see her and what her company has become.
"Come on, Buster. Let's get you brushed."
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Dammit.
He's hugging her again.
After he left, I walked up to the booth. "How are things going so far, Haruhi-senpai?"
"Chika. I didn't know you were coming."
"Have to protect my investment." I smiled to let her know I was kidding. "Actually, I'm interested in the venue. The company that owns it and dozens of others both in Tokyo and throughout the country is considering going public. At least that's the rumor. Could be a good investment."
She beamed at me and put her hand on my shoulder. "You're quite the mogul. I wouldn't be surprised if you end up the most successful of all the hosts."
"Of course, I will." Then I did something I never do. I winked at her. Where did that come from?
"How long are you going to stay? Surely, inspecting the venue won't take that long."
"It's a slow weekend for me, and because the venue doesn't open until ten, I got an intensive workout in this morning. I thought I'd look around and spend time with you. We don't get the chance much." And I can keep an eye on her and that dog breeder.
"That's a wonderful idea, but please, don't call me senpai today. It reminds people that I'm still in high school."
"Alright, Haruhi-san. Or should I use Fujioka?"
With a half-laugh, she said, "Haruhi-san is fine, or just Haruhi."
"I'm going to sit in the café with a cup of coffee and follow up on some business rumors. You probably won't see me again until lunch." But I'll be watching you.
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Now to go eat some crow.
I recognize her from the pictures and the videos. "Fujioka-sama?"
That smile is even better in person. "Hello. How can Petto Chinmi help you today?"
I took a deep breath. "I'm the editor-in-chief for Dog's Life magazine. I wanted to apologize personally for your interview experience." I executed a perfect ninety-degree bow, showing respect and remorse.
"Thank you for coming in person." She reached under the counter of her booth and pulled out the new magazine. "The interview printed was exactly what I approved, so there's no more concern. I'm sure you didn't know what your reporter was going to do."
"I appreciate your understanding. Still, it happened under our name."
"Tell me, do you own a dog?"
Where did that come from? "My son and his children do."
"Please take this." She presented me with a small bag of dog treats wrapped with a ribbon. "There are no hard feelings, and I'd like to put the incident behind us."
How does a girl still in high school have so much class?
"Thank you. I'm sure their dog will enjoy them."
I stayed for a few more minutes and talked about future advertising in our magazine and the chance of future interviews. I left knowing Petto Chinmi is in good hands.
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"Is that Hitachiin Kaoru?"
"It's one of them. Not sure which."
"Well, his model is here with her company, so it's probably Kaoru."
"I can't wait until his suits are in the stores. I'm going to buy as many as I can afford."
"Me too. The designs I've seen are classic with a modern twist. They should carry through several seasons."
I heard the whispers as I walked through the exhibit hall trying to find Haruhi. Hope the suits look good, and I wanted to ask her something that she'll hate, so I thought in person would be best.
She saw me first. "Kaoru?"
I leaned forward and air-kissed her cheeks, whispering, "Follow my lead with this. I'm sure we're being recorded." She sighed but kissed me anyway.
"Everyone looks fantastic."
"They do, don't they. I'm sure they all want to thank you in person."
And they did. The three from the marketing team, her personal PR rep, even her assistant. I was told, over and over, about how comfortable the clothes are and how professional they all feel wearing them. It's a good field test.
Once they were done, I pulled Haruhi over to the side. "I need to ask you another favor."
The smile slid off her face. "Do I even want to know?"
"It's not that bad." When she didn't say anything, I pushed on. "I want to send a Hitachiin photographer over here today and tomorrow to take some pictures of you and your staff in the booth."
"A photo shoot? In the middle of the exhibition hall? You must be kidding."
I didn't get the words exact, but I predicted her reaction perfectly. "Not a photo shoot. Just candids. They won't use a flash, and it won't be a huge camera. They'll be discreet."
"What for?"
"My personal use. They'll give me ideas for ads to shoot and maybe for future designs. I want to see several of my suits in action, not faked like at a shoot."
Haruhi stared at me for a minute, running the idea through her mind. "I suppose it won't hurt if no one around here realizes he's doing it. I'll go check with the staff and make sure they don't mind."
While she was doing that, I wandered over to Eiji to say hi. "Looks boring."
"So far, but you have an audience."
"Yeah. I know. Happens almost everywhere." I flicked my eyes to his profile. "I'll be leaving soon so she won't be distracted."
Haruhi walked up and nodded. "They all say it's fine as long as the pictures are not published or shown to anyone not working on the line."
"They said that, or you said that?" I smirked.
Her cheeks turned a cute shade of pink. "Doesn't matter. Those are the conditions."
"No problem. I'll send him over. You probably won't even know when he's here."
I was about to leave when we were mobbed by a group of polite women of all ages complementing the line. These are my customers, my target audience. Haruhi and I signed pictures of her, and I stayed and answered every question.
Those pictures and videos people were taking better be hashtagged right when I see them.
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xXx
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Lunch, National Dog Show Venue:
"The staff looks great in the polos."
"I agree. Switching from t-shirts was smart. They look professional in a casual way rather than sloppy."
"How many have come by for tickets so far, Ashida-san?"
"Twelve."
Her confidence is back after I spoke to her about the sponsorship announcements. I hope I wasn't too hard on her.
How did she get a suit that I don't have? I love that red with black pinstripe. I sent Kaoru a quick text. Oh, crap. I sent it to that group text Tamaki-senpai started.
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Haruhi: Kaoru, I don't have the red and black pinstripe suit my sponsorship coordinator is wearing today. I love it. Can I get one?
Tamaki: My darling friend, you should have everything you want. If that crazy twin doesn't give it to you, I'll buy you one!
Haruhi: Senpai, they aren't for sale yet. It's Kaoru's line.
Tamaki: I'd still buy you one.
Haruhi: I know, Senpai. Thanks.
Kaoru: Now that that's settled, you don't have one because the red's the wrong color for your skin. I'd give you one, but you won't look your best.
Haruhi: Oh. OK.
Renge: I've seen that one, and Kaoru's right. It's a little too rosy of a red for you to pull off, but it would look great on me…
Kaoru: It would. I'm sure you can afford it when it comes out. ;-)
Renge: You're no fun.
Honey: Would it look good on Cho-chan? Maybe I should buy her one.
Renge: It's not a pink red, but she definitely could pull it off.
Cho: That's so sweet, Honey-kun.
Hikaru: That's our Honey-senpai. Sweet as cake.
Honey: Oops. I wanted it to be a surprise.
Cho: It's alright. I'll just forget about this text.
Honey: You're the best!
Haruhi: I'm at the dog show, so I'm muting this conversation.
Renge: Good luck!
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I must remember to never do that again. It's like poking a beehive. They all get stirred up and chat forever.
"Haruhi-san, when are you going for lunch?"
Chika walked up with his hands in his pockets. He looks sharp today. Black slacks, maroon button-down. Not overly business-like, but professional enough for here.
I scanned the booth quickly. "I'm free now but need to be back in less than an hour. I have meetings this afternoon."
"There's a concession stand, a café, and vending. Which works for you?"
"Vending's probably the fastest."
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I chose soba, and Haruhi-senpai picked ramen and that bottled tea she likes.
"I'm surprised you'd eat out of vending machines."
"Lots of experience at karate competitions. Sometimes it's the only thing available."
She smirked. "Makes sense. I forget you get out into the real world more than some of the others." After a few bites, she asked how my day's been.
"Quiet. Researching new investments has taken up almost all my time. There are a couple out there that deserve further study."
She gave a confused nod. I expect she'll never get into the complexities of investments.
"I may be able to buy your shares back sooner than I thought." My brow furrowed. Is she worried about that? "Kaoru has another photoshoot lined up, and he insists on paying me a crazy amount of money for the shoot and the ads, although he claims it's a new model rate."
"Well, I know some models get paid extremely well, so I'm not surprised. But don't worry about buying my shares quickly. I'm fine waiting until it won't strain your finances."
We don't see that shy smile of hers very often. "Thanks, Chika."
"No problem."
"I should be getting back." We threw away our trash and headed for her booth, but we were cut off my several people rushing by. Next thing I know, Haruhi-senpai's on her hands and knees.
"Ow."
"Haruhi, what happened?" I crouched down beside her. "Are you hurt?" That was a stupid question.
"My knee. I landed on it." She reached out a hand and I helped her up, waiving Eiji off. She stood and almost fell over again, but I grabbed her.
"Great. My shoe." I looked down and sure enough, the heel of her shoe had broken off. "What now?"
"Well, you can't walk like that." I looked around the floor. It's not as clean as it could be, and her toes could get crushed if she goes barefoot.
"Here," she handed me her other shoe, "can you break off that heel?"
"Sure." It wasn't hard.
"Thanks."
I helped her get back to her booth. It was slow going with her knee banged up and walking on those shoes without heels. The soles aren't made for that.
"Haruhi-sama, these are for you."
She peeked into the bag Eiji handed her and gave him that full wattage smile. "Where did you…"
"We always have a spare set in the car." Morinozuka and Haninozuka guards are ready for anything. There's an entire spare suit in my limo.
"And they're flats, too."
She put on the spare pair of shoes and tossed the others in the trash. "Thanks, Eiji."
"How's the knee?" He handed her a cold pack
"Just bruised." She sat in the meeting area of the booth and put it on. "I'll be sitting for most of the next couple hours. It should be fine."
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xXx
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SCIF, Black Onion Squad Headquarters:
"We've sorted through the blackmail piles and have files for everyone."
Each group has a head lawyer, and they are the ones reporting to me.
"Excellent. Walk me through them."
This is worse than I thought. How many more times am I going to think that? I expect the worst, but there's always more.
"This pile is women who he had sex with first and then used that as leverage." He anticipated my next question. "Some of the records indicate they were originally coerced…"
"You mean raped."
"Yes. Some indicate the act was consensual, but they didn't know they were being photographed or recorded."
There are literally dozens in this stack.
"The next pile are women he had different leverage over and used that to force them to have sex with him."
"Rape. Use the correct terms."
"Yes, Sir. He used the leverage to rape them."
"And the next pile?"
"Businessmen and women he blackmailed for information. No sex involved." He moved to the last pile. "Government officials, police officers, etc. that he blackmailed for information or favoritism."
"Shit."
"Yes, Sir."
I let it all roll through my head, attempting to make sense of it all. I really wish I could kill him again.
"The leverage he had on them. Can it be categorized?"
"Yes." He pulled out a legal pad and read it to me. "There are things that are embarrassing but not illegal, minor illegal acts, and gross violations of the law, some being violent and involving coverups."
"Group each pile by they type of leverage. We'll go through them case by case and determine what needs to be turned over to the authorities and what can be returned to the victims."
I stood and left the room, my head spinning. I knew he was disgusting, but now I knew he was evil.
I need a shower.
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xXx
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Afternoon, National Dog Show Venue:
"Congratulations."
"Yes, congratulations," I said to the dog breeder who's hugging Haruhi-senpai again. To be fair, she started it, but. "So, this means that Buster's in the finals?"
"Yes. The best in show will be held tomorrow night."
"The exhibition hall closes tomorrow afternoon, so I'll definitely be there to cheer you on."
Just then, Buster and his handler walked up to us. Haruhi-senpai crouched down and scratched him behind the ears. "Congratulations, Buster. You are such a good boy. Yes, you are." I couldn't stop myself. I smiled and rolled my eyes. "You're so pretty. Yes, you are."
"Here, Haruhi." He handed her a dog treat. "Give this to him."
"Good, Buster. Here's a treat."
I don't like him calling her by her name without honorifics. I've known her longer and am living in the same mansion, and I still call her 'senpai'.
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"I'm honored by your request, and Petto Chinmi is a perfect match to partner with your dog parks."
"Thank you, Fujioka-san. I look forward to a productive business relationship."
As the owner of several outdoor dog parks throughout Tokyo left the booth, I turned to Fujioka-sama. "Well done. Having our food and other products in vending machines in his parks will definitely increase our profile."
"Thank you, Tanaki-san, and thank you for your assistance during the meeting. I don't have all those statistics memorized yet."
"Of course." I frowned as she rubbed her knee. "Still hurts?"
"Just annoying at this point. Can't believe I fell over like that. How embarrassing."
Probably not as much as it would be if she knew it was already posted and hashtagged. At least the posts seem to be sympathetic. Gorou-san and I decided to not tell her. She needs to keep her mind on her meetings, and there's nothing to be done about it anyway.
"Maybe we should consider vending in public dog parks. It will only expand our customer base."
"Interesting idea." I waved Gorou-san over.
"How did it go?"
"Excellent. Fujioka-sama closed the deal. Our products will be featured in his dog parks." I indicated a chair. "She has another idea."
We discussed vending until the next meeting.
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"It's a rare dog that isn't even slightly frightened by thunder."
Thunder? I stopped to listen in.
"That's so true. My little sweetheart shakes for the whole storm. Fireworks aren't any better."
"We're still in the testing phase, but our product will wrap around the dog and comfort it."
"Wonderful. When will it be on the market?"
"Soon. We're still looking for investors. Are you interested?"
"Oh, no. We'll stock the product when it comes out, but our company isn't in the position to invest."
"Alright. Thank you for your time."
There's my cue. "Excuse me. This product will keep the dog calm during a thunderstorm?"
They gave me the prepped speech, but I could tell they were just going through the motions. I'm a junior in high school, and actually look younger. Why waste their time on someone who they think can't help them?
"Do you have an investor prospectus?"
"Well…"
"My father's friend's company might be interested."
That got me the prospectus. I hadn't thought of dogs being scared of thunder, just Haruhi-senpai. She's used the sound-proof room my uncle had built for her several times. I joined her once and showed her some aps for her phone.
"Thank you for your time. I'll be sure to pass this along."
Continuing my walk around the exhibits, I considered the investment. I got the prospectus for me, not Haruhi-senpai. Petto Chinmi isn't in the position to invest in products like that. Not while they're still transitioning into a private company and considering bringing grooming salons into some of their stores.
So far, I've only invested in companies through their stock, but investing directly is the next logical step. I'd need to go through a middleman of sorts since I'm still a minor. What about an investment company, like a venture capital firm? Then I'd really get the chance to spread my wings.
An exciting idea. I shot off an email to my investment manager.
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"Welcome. How can Petto Chinmi help you today?"
"Oh, Fujioka-san, are you alright?"
"Excuse me?"
"Your knee. We saw the video. Are you alright?"
Video? Crap.
I gave them my best host smile. "I'm fine, thank you. There's a video?"
"On YouTube. It looked like a nasty fall."
"I winced when I saw it. I can't believe the heel broke of a Hitachiin shoe."
Hitachiin? "I'm sorry. I believe you are mistaken. Those shoes weren't Hitachiin. The 'Every Woman' line doesn't include shoes. Those were just a random pair I had in my closet."
"Oh. That's good. I'd hate to think the line was that poorly made."
"The line is amazing quality." I waved my arm towards the staff in the booth. "We're all wearing it."
They looked over the clothes, even asking me if they could try on my jacket. It's a good thing I love Kaoru like a brother, or I wouldn't have been so accommodating. After some selfies and an autograph, they were on their way.
"Haruhi-sama, there's a man over there taking pictures of the booth."
I turned to see my new guard standing next to me but staring at a man with a camera. "It's fine, Naka-san. That's a Hitachiin photographer taking pictures of the staff for Kaoru. He wanted some pictures of the clothes in use."
"Alright. Thank you."
As I was pulling out my phone to see the video, a text notice popped up. I'd muted the notifications, but not the notices.
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Tamaki: My darling friend, are you alright? The fall looked quite painful.
Haruhi: I'm fine, Senpai.
Hikaru: Fall? What happened?
Renge: I saw it too.
Haruhi: The heel broke off my shoe and I fell. That's all. I'm fine.
Kaoru: Just pulled up YouTube. Looks like it hurt.
Haruhi: It did, but I'm fine. A little ice took care of it.
Cho: How's everything else at the show?
Haruhi: It's going well, but I need to get back to it. I'll tell you all about it on Wednesday.
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I closed it, but I'm sure they kept on going. Sometimes I check it and they've been texting forever. Now, what does the video look like?
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xXx
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Medical School Library:
The smile Yuki-chan gave me was coy and sweet. I'd tapped her foot with mine and our eyes met when she looked up.
Studying together like this might not be the best idea.
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Akito-kun's so studious, he barely looks up from his books. But then he nudged my foot with his and I smiled.
With his nose in his book, I don't think he's noticing the looks we're getting. I'm obviously younger than him and not in medical school. I wonder if they think I'm his little sister.
I don't think studying here is a good idea. The looks are making me uncomfortable.
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xXx
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Late Afternoon, National Dog Show Venue:
"Gorou-san, there's a problem with the dog treats."
I spun around and asked Ashida-san to explain.
"We're running out. There's only around twenty left."
"Twenty? We brought a thousand." I started looking under the counter and behind the displays. "Are you sure you haven't overlooked a box? A thousand was supposed to last us both days."
"They've been extremely popular."
Now we're both searching, and Tanaki-san came over. "What's going on?"
"We're almost out of treats, and we'll have none for tomorrow." I told Ashida-san to keep looking, and I pulled Tanaki-san off to the side. "There's only about twenty left out of the thousand that should have lasted all weekend."
I do not like the glare he's giving me, but it is my fault. A thousand was my decision. "What are we going to do to fix this?"
"I'm not sure. These were specially wrapped for the exhibition."
"I'll call the warehouse manager and see if there are any left over there."
And I went back to the booth and pulled the remaining from the tables and put them behind the counters. We'll still give them to those that ask, but I don't want to run out before we close. Fortunately, that's in about an hour.
.
Fujioka-sama was at the booth when I came back. "I called the warehouse manager at home. He's going in to see what he can find."
"Did we misplace some?"
"I don't believe so. They were more popular than I expected."
Fujioka-sama stared at Gorou-san with narrowed eyes and no other expression. Then she frowned before taking a deep breath, but my phone rang before she could say anything.
"It's the warehouse manager," I told them, answering the phone. It was not a pleasant conversation. They'd just resupplied all the stores with treats and had none in the warehouse. The next shipment from Korea wasn't due until Tuesday.
"Here's what we're going to do…"
Ten minutes later, Fujioka-sama sent her assistant, me, and one of the drivers who luckily had been wandering the venue, to the closest store to get all the treats they had, and Fujioka-sama went to the 100-Yen store for ribbon and small bags.
There was no choice but to make up more giveaways for tomorrow.
.
Let's see. Fifteen hundred gift bags, seven hundred meters of ribbon, scissors, tape, and some other random things we might need. At a hundred yen for ten cellophane bags, this is going to cost a fortune. I bought all they had.
I stared out the window on the ride back, wondering what was going to happen next. Obviously, things go wrong all the time, but my knee was killing me, and we shouldn't have had to scramble like this. This was a planning issue.
Ten minutes on my phone, and I had the attendance numbers from last year's national show. Based on these numbers, a thousand would never have been enough. We're lucky they lasted through today. Gorou-san should have known that. Was this a legitimate mistake or incompetence?
.
We arrived back as the show was closing for the night. Vendors had another hour before they had to leave.
"We needed two cabs to bring back the treat boxes. I put the driver in one cab and your assistant in the other." I handed Gorou-san the paperwork for her to deal with. The company needed to change the numbers for the shipment to the store.
"How many total?" Fujioka-sama didn't look up from her notebook.
"Two hundred boxes. Ten per box."
"Not enough. Send the driver back to the warehouse to get a truck. He needs to get at least three thousand treats—three hundred boxes—more from other stores."
"Five thousand?"
Fujioka-sama fixed her with a glare any grizzled soldier could be proud of. "The attendance numbers for last year's show had over three thousand people attending the finals, not including the owners, dog trainers, other exhibitors, and those here to do business, not watch the competition."
She turned back to me, completely dismissing Gorou-san. "Go with him and explain to the mangers. Call them in to open the stores if you need to. I want all the supplies here at seven tomorrow."
At this point, the driver and her assistant joined us pushing two carts full of treat boxes.
"Imai-san?" Her assistant looked up from unloading the boxes. "Do you have a company credit card?"
"No, Fujioka-sama."
Gorou-san cleared her throat. "I have one, Fujioka-sama."
She held up a finger, asking for a minute. I could read her thoughts as they flashed across her face. She was so angry at Gorou-san, she didn't want her involved anymore, but we need everyone to solve this.
"Alright." Pinching the bridge of her nose, she continued, "Gorou-san and Imai-san will go to as many 100 yen stores as needed to get enough bags and ribbon. I was able to get fifteen hundred bags and seven hundred meters of ribbon. I figure we'll use one meter for three bags." She gestured at her purchases. "Get more of the same thing I bought."
"Haruhi-sama." One of her guards handed her a cold pack. "You should use this again."
"Thanks, Eiji," she smiled and sat down to treat her knee.
"I'll stop by the office tonight to get any remaining stickers we have. Where are they stored?"
Gorou-san started to answer, but Imai-san cut her off. "In the office supply room, far left, waist-high. We just got an order of ten thousand in."
"Perfect." She waived a guard over. "Goto-san will go with me, so I don't accidently set of the alarm." He nodded. "And you'll need to order more, Imai-san."
"Already on my list, Ma'am." She'd pulled out a notebook and started writing after the driver said he'd unload the boxes for her.
Fujioka-sama introduced herself to the driver. "Sanada, Ma'am."
"Sanada-san, I'd like you to accompany Tanaki-san tonight to get more treats. I realize we're intruding into your personal time. Does your schedule allow for that? Obviously, you will be paid for these hours."
"Yes, Fujioka-sama. I can do that."
"Thank you."
"Alright." She clapped her hands once to get everyone's attention. "Everyone will report here at seven tomorrow morning. We'll unload the new treats and repackage them for the show."
She and I discussed others that could be brought in tomorrow morning, as six of us weren't enough. I'll call them from the truck as Sanada-san and I drive to the stores.
As we left, Fujioka-sama called after us, "Don't forget. Seven tomorrow morning."
.
xXx
.
Himura Syndicate Compound:
"Ritsu, are you even trying?"
"Of course, I am."
"Really? Then you totally suck."
"I never said I was any good at basketball."
"Yeah, but can't even hit the rim, much less actually sink the ball."
"Listen, you crazy chick…next time I pick the sport."
"You sure you want to try that? I've won dirt bike riding, running, and basketball. Is there anything you're actually good at?"
"Swimming. Tomorrow. My place."
"You just want to see me in a bikini."
"Damn straight."
.
xXx
.
SCIF, Black Onion Squad Headquarters:
"Where did he get all this information? All the leverage he used?"
"There are vague references in the blackmail files, but nothing concrete."
"Excuse me." I stood and left the room, heading for the BOS Director's office.
.
Ootori-sama burst into my office, already barking orders. I stood and bowed.
"I want a full debriefing of every BOS member that was on staff during Yoshio's tenure. I need a list of everything they were ordered to do that isn't in the BOS files."
"Everything is in the files, Ootori-sama."
The glare I got sent a chill down my spine. "Don't be an idiot. Yoshio ordered illegal surveillance and the gathering of blackmail materials. None of those orders turned up in the files I reviewed."
I stood quietly, waiting for him to put it together.
"I didn't see all the files, did I?"
"No, Sir."
"What didn't I see and why didn't I see it?"
"Ootori Yoshio-sama's personal files were archived after his death. His instructions were to let no one see them."
He took a huge breath and walked to my window. It was a full five minutes before he spoke again.
"Have all those files brought to the active SCIF."
"Yes, Sir."
"There better not be anything else you're keeping from me."
"No, Sir."
.
xXx
.
The night was full of self-recrimination:
Gorou (Marketing Director):
How could I have let that happen? With five minutes of research, it wouldn't have happened. We'd have had plenty of treats.
But no…I based my orders on the previous dog shows. Regional shows. Smaller shows.
I wouldn't be surprised if Fujioka-sama fires me.
Ashida (Sponsorship Coordinator):
I really stepped in it today. Everyone in the office knows she doesn't like public speaking or interviews, and I didn't tell her she'd have to get up on stage and be acknowledged for the sponsorship.
Fortunately, she took pity on me and told me it's a learning experience. I'll definitely learn from it. I'll never do anything like that again.
But Gorou-sama and those treats. That was a huge mistake. Is she going to be fired?
BOS Director:
That could have gone better. Yoshio-sama never wanted anyone to see those files, and I turned them over to Kyoya-sama. I know everything that's in there. I helped him build some of those files. My name is in them, along with others.
Will I have a job after this weekend? Will I even be able to find work in this country after this weekend?
Kyoya:
I decided to come home for a workout, shower, and nap. I couldn't take looking at those files anymore.
What that bastard did…pure evil.
Most important thing now is to keep the Ootori name and conglomeration clean and reassure the victims we can that they have nothing more to fear.
There was a time when I wanted to be him. Then I started to turn into him. Then I ruined my life by acting like him with Haru. And now…now I want nothing more than to be my own person. To have no trace of Yoshio in my life.
But who am I? Who is Ootori Kyoya?
Or, more importantly, who do I want Ootori Kyoya to be?
Tachibana:
I watched Kyoya-sama closely today and was not reassured. Outwardly, he's as businesslike as always, but I know different.
His anger towards the director is clouding his mind. That man is clearly more involved than we realize. What else is he holding back?
I'll discuss my concerns with Kyoya-sama in the morning.
.
xXx
.
Sunday, May 15:
Early Morning, National Dog Show Venue:
When my guards and I pulled up to the back entrance for vendors, Gorou-san was waiting by the door, dozens of bags from 100-yen stores at her feet.
"Please allow me to apologize, Fujioka-sama. This treat issue is entirely my fault." She bowed and waited.
When I got back to the Morinozuka's last night, I took a long, hot bath and ran yesterday through my mind. Yes, it is her fault. There's no question. However, I'm undecided how to deal with it. Gorou-san has been an exceptional employee, with this her only large mistake. Letting someone go over something like this doesn't sit well with me, but it can't happen again. That's as far as I got before I started to fall asleep in the bubble bath.
"Thank you for your apology. Let's get through today and discuss this sometime next week."
She stood and nodded. "Of course, Fujioka-sama."
Three hours later, with the help of several additional staff, we'd repackaged almost four thousand dog treats. The rest would be completed in the back of the booth throughout the morning.
What a mess. There wasn't one of us without a bandage over a blister on a finger. But the important thing is that none of our visitors will know what happened.
.
xXx
.
SCIF, Black Onion Squad Headquarters:
"We've sorted through all the blackmail files and these," I pointed to the smaller of the three piles, "have leverage that needs to be turned over to the police. Crimes run the gamut from hit and run, bribery, child pornography, insider trading, and spousal abuse."
Ootori-sama filled is coffee cup again and drank half of it. He obviously didn't sleep much last night.
"Fine. Hand that stack over to one of the lawyers. I want a plan for turning the information over without our name attached, and I want it by Friday."
"Yes, Sir."
He leaned back in his chair, but his shoulders remained tense and his jaw tight. "The others?"
"The largest stack is the women he blackmailed either with or for sex."
"Rape isn't sex."
"No, Sir, but sex is how he saw it." He grunted and I continued. "All leverage here is personal, not criminal. I recommend returning it all back to the women and reassuring them it's over."
"Do any of them need some type of monetary compensation?"
"He did have a few of them fired to make them more dependent on him."
"Turn that pile over to another lawyer. I need recommendations for letting these women know it's over, but not giving them the ammunition for turning around and blackmailing us."
"Yes, Sir." I pointed to the middle pile. "These have gray area leverage. Things that aren't necessarily illegal or those that the statue has run out. I recommend this stack be analyzed case by case. Some should be turned back to the victim while others you might want to turn over to the media."
"I'm not comfortable with that. We live in a big glass house and can't throw stones. All of this must be handled with the upmost discretion."
.
Next, I moved on to the things Yoshio did with the information. Insider trading, corporate espionage, price fixing, ruining competitors, etc. The lawyers spent yesterday and last night analyzing our legal exposure for each incident.
"The statute of limitations has run out on all the crimes in this pile." It was a fair size pile, but not the largest. "Other than keeping these quiet, there's no action to take."
"Good. Next."
"This pile," he pointed to the smallest one, "contains those that are gray. Not a crime, but shady, nonetheless. A few require small actions to bury them, while the rest require no actions."
I nodded, thinking I'd leave the lawyers that did the analysis to take those actions.
"This last pile are the crimes that can still be prosecuted."
"All those?" There had to be a couple hundred.
"Yes." He pulled the top three off the pile and sat down next to me. "These three are typical examples, two instances of insider trading and one of corporate sabotage."
I flipped through them, my stomach churning faster and faster. Individually, each wouldn't cause that much of an issue, but taken together they could ruin the entire conglomeration.
"Recommendations?"
"Have a defense prepared for each case, do what can legally be done to hide each crime, and hope no one discovers them before the statute runs out."
"That's not reassuring."
"It's not meant to be, Ootori-sama."
Shit.
.
xXx
.
Morinozuka Dojo:
"Where were you Friday night, Satoshi?"
"Dancing."
"You need to focus on your training."
"And you're just upset I kicked your ass once."
Taka didn't say anything as we continued to spar. Practicing with him is getting boring. It's all he does now. His assistant sits over there, bored out of his mind.
"Maybe you should let loose once in a while. No one can practice 24/7."
"They do if they want to win."
.
xXx
.
After Opening, National Dog Show Venue:
"Is that the last interview, Endo-san?"
"No. There are two more that Gorou-san set up, one before lunch and one after."
If I didn't know better, I'd swear I heard Fujioka-sama growl. "We need to speak privately." I followed her to a quiet corner of the exhibit hall.
"That reporter needs to be watched carefully." She shot a glance over her shoulder to make sure no one was close. "He used the phrase that other one did. 'Darling of the pet industry'. Where did he get that? Is he involved with that other one?"
"I caught that too. I'll call the office and have him checked out."
"Thank you. We do not need another interview like that, especially in public."
"Yes, Fujioka-sama."
.
"We have an appointment with Fujioka-san and Tanaki-san." The obvious head of the group handed me a card.
"This way, please." I led them to the meeting area and offered them a drink. Fujioka-sama and Tanaki-sama came over and joined us.
"Imai-san, please stay and take notes." I nodded and sat off to the side.
"Thank you for meeting with us." Introductions were made and I wrote down all the names. "Our firm has taken quite an interest in Petto Chinmi as its profile has increased lately."
I checked out this company when the appointment was made. A quick search showed this company as a mid-level marketing firm based in Toshima City, Tokyo. Their list of clients were also mid-level companies.
We have a marketing department. Why would Fujioka-sama want to meet with an outside firm? I was surprised when she accepted the appointment. And why isn't Gorou-san here? Is she being let go after her mistake yesterday? Fujioka-sama did her best to hide it, but she was furious.
"Our research into your market shows a need for a new ad campaign, and we'd like to help you with that."
She nodded. "Please continue."
He detailed everything that he thought was wrong with our current advertising and kept assuring her they could do better. She's quite gracious to someone that's basically insulting her company.
"In conclusion, we'd like to set up an appointment for you both to come to our firm for a new advertising and marketing presentation. Petto Chinmi will greatly benefit from an overhaul of its current efforts."
I watched a frown pass quickly across her face. Is she wearing eyeliner today? Nope, her face is completely clean. I'd kill for skin like hers. It takes me way too much time in the morning to make myself presentable.
"I appreciate your time, gentlemen." She and Tanaki-sama stood. "Revamping our advertising is a critical decision, and I think it's best to carefully consider your offer. I hope to get back to late next week regarding a decision."
Oh, he did not like that. I'd bet anything he's my grandfather's age and being turned down by someone still in high school is setting him off. He took a deep breath to calm down.
"Thank you, Fujioka-san. We look forward to your call."
They left quickly after that.
.
I asked Tanaki-san to join me for a cup of coffee in the café, not wanting to discuss that meeting around any other staff.
"Are you considering letting Gorou-san go and hiring that firm as consultants?"
I leaned back and crossed my legs, running my finger over the edge of the coffee cup. Was I considering it?
"What would be your recommendation?"
"It's two separate decisions. If you decide to go with an outside marketing firm, I wouldn't recommend that one. He spoke to me more than you and was upset you didn't give him an immediate, positive response."
"Yes," I smirked, "I noticed that."
"As for Gorou-san, she made a mistake, but it was fixable. Other than this, her performance has been exemplary."
Good. Our opinions match. I'm still learning so much about being the owner of a company. "I agree on both points. I took their meeting because I was curious, not because I wanted to replace our marketing department, and Gorou-san's performance this weekend didn't change that. If companies let employees go every time they made a mistake, there'd be no employees. However, if she doesn't learn from this, action will be taken."
"That's well-reasoned."
"Thanks, I'm learning."
.
xXx
.
Kasanoda Indoor Pool:
"Told you I'd kick your ass."
"It's not a surprise you're better at the breaststroke."
The bastard waggled his eyebrows at me. "What are you? Twelve?"
"Could a twelve-year-old make you feel this good?"
His hands slicked down my back and into my bikini bottoms to grab my ass. My head fell back, and he attacked my neck.
All I could do was moan.
.
xXx
.
Afternoon, National Dog Show Venue:
"Haruhi, that interview was perfect." Renge-chan was so excited we managed to catch one. "You handled it well and dismissed your fall yesterday easily."
"The fact that I'm clumsy isn't relevant to how I do business. I fail to see everyone's interest."
"That's our Haruhi." She gave her a quick hug before I grabbed her
"Tamaki, can't…breathe…."
Renge-chan smacked me in the arm. "Let her go. You didn't ask, and you're embarrassing her in front of her staff."
I let go and stepped back. "My apologizes, Haruhi."
"It's alright."
Then something hit me. "Did you call me Tamaki?"
"I hope you don't mind. Using 'senpai' reminds everyone I'm still in school."
I'm sure I'm blushing. My darling friend called me Tamaki. "It's fine."
"Thank you, Tamaki-san."
She introduced us to her staff and gave us a tour of the venue, finishing at the show floor. "They're judging the toy group right now."
"Oh, Tamaki-kun, those dogs are so cute. Look at them!"
"Antoinette's head is larger than that one."
"I have to get back for a meeting. Your tickets for the exhibition hall include the group judging. Have a seat and enjoy."
.
Walking back, I had to weave through a large group and got bumped a couple times. The crowd this show is drawing is huge.
"Fujioka-san?"
I merged right towards my name and caught sight of an older woman dressed in a blazer and comfortable shoes. She's either already shown or will show a dog today.
"Fujioka-san, please allow me to introduce myself." I took the card offered—a dog shower. "I'd like to thank you in person for supporting that child in his efforts to train his dog. It's easy to become discouraged at that age, and to receive encouragement from someone in our position boosts confidence more than his parents ever could."
"Every child needs encouragement and validation. I just did what comes naturally."
"And that's why it's so valuable." She ran a hand through her hair and shoved it in her pocket. "I wanted you to know you're inspiring children."
"Thank you. Have you been by our booth?" She shook her head. "Please come with me, and I'll make sure you have some dog treats for your contestant."
.
When we arrived at the Petto Chinmi booth, she handed me a bag of treats. "My dogs love these."
We were discussing how dogs are trained when we both heard, "It's the dog lady!"
She spun around and smiled at a group of kids. "How are all of you doing today?"
Five kids, ages six to eleven, started talking over each other, and I watched her eyes bounce among them, somehow managing to follow the conversation. After a group selfie, they left with treats and t-shirts.
"You're a natural with children."
"So I've been told," she smiled.
.
I watched Fujioka-sama frantically searching the booth and patting her pockets. "Is something wrong?"
"Oh, Miwa-san, I think I've lost my phone."
"No problem." I pulled mine out. "I'll track it." Her eyes widened, obviously she forgot we have it tagged.
The blip on the screen was moving slowly around the exhibition hall. "Looks like someone found it. I'll go see who."
Jerking my head to Goto-san, telling him to follow me, we left her with Naka-san.
"Someone has her phone. She thinks she lost it."
"Doubtful. Fujioka-sama is careful."
When we got closer, I recognized the face. "Shit. I know him."
"He's one of the stalkers on Twitter. I recognize him from the reports."
I grabbed his shoulder. "Nice phone." He was swiping through the pictures.
"Thanks, I just got it."
"Yes. From my employer's pocket."
The color drained from his face like someone had pulled a plug. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Goto-san plucked the phone from his hand. "I believe you do."
"I found that phone in the café."
"Try again," I said. Fujioka-sama hasn't been near the café in hours.
His breath quickened as his eyes started to dart around. My hand tightened around his upper arm. "You're not going anywhere."
Twenty minutes later, we'd had the surveillance pulled and found him bumping into her and lifting the phone. The police were called, statements taken, and he was being escorted off the property. After talking to Eiji-san, we decided not to press charges because we didn't want to inform Fujioka-sama of the incident. Morinozuka security will follow him; I'd managed to clone his phone. No need to cause her more anxiety than necessary.
.
Toward the middle of the afternoon, I was sitting at the booth meeting table fleshing out my notes from different meetings and ideas that had randomly popped in my head. Chika had stopped by again and was sitting with me on his phone.
My head jerked around when someone tapped on my shoulder. "Naoto. It's good to see you."
"You too, Haruhi."
His hands were shaking. "Is now the time?"
"Wish me luck," and he walked off towards Naka-san, who's leaning against the wall watching over me.
"What's going on?"
"Just watch."
I don't know the exact words he was using, but from the body language, I can guess how it's going. Naoto reintroduced himself, and they gave each other a shallow bow. They talked about the show. I could tell because they were gesturing around the room.
It's obvious Naoto is building up his courage. His weight keeps shifting from foot to foot. His hand has a mind of its own, going into his pocket, coming out and running through his hair, straightening his tie. Finally, Naka-san's eyes widened, and he gave a small smile.
They spoke for a few more minutes, then Naoto turned and nodded to me before he walked off.
"What was that?" Chika asked.
I couldn't keep the silly grin off my face. "Naoto got himself a date."
.
The hell?
Yoshida-san is gay? He's not trying to date Haruhi-senpai?
The lightbulb crashed down on my head as so many things started to make sense. Haruhi-senpai's comfort around the guy after what Ootori did to her. Why he never seemed to get around to asking her out. Why they both treated their dinner and movie outings like no big deal.
Well, I can put that worry to bed. I held back my evil smirk. Should I tell the other guys?
.
Finally, the exhibition hall closed, and we started packing up the booth. A driver is coming with a truck in a couple hours and we'll see it all safely back to the office tonight.
"Fujioka-sama, may I make a suggestion?" As the sponsorship coordinator, I'm not sure if I can.
"Of course."
"Children are quite taken with you. They call you the 'Dog Lady' and want you in their selfies." She smiled. "Perhaps we should more actively market to children. In a family, they are often in charge of the pets and might be responsible for purchasing food."
"Or at least have input to their parents," Gorou-sama said.
"Interesting. What would you suggest?"
"More children in the ads has been discussed, but what about some type of collectible that children can get from the stores?"
We kicked around ideas until the booth was on the truck, then tabled the discussion for next week.
Now I need a good meal, a hot bath, and a lot of sleep.
.
xXx
.
SCIF, Black Onion Squad Headquarters:
And now for the truly ugly.
After analyzing the information from the 'Accountant', the decoded files, and seeing everything else he was involved in, Nishmori-san and I concluded Yoshio was selling prescription drugs to the yakuza.
And not just any yakuza. The Sendo Syndicate. The syndicate that came after Kasanoda when he was a first-year.
What the hell am I going to do about that? If I go to the authorities, it will end up going public. There will be no way around that. If I just end it, I'll be looking over my shoulder for when, not if, something happens.
"Tachibana, call Tetsuya with Kasanoda security. I need a meeting with him and Kasanoda Ryuu."
I wish I could kill that asshole again.
.
xXx
.
Best in Show, National Dog Show Venue:
"Kaoru, why are we watching a dog show?" Hika flopped across the bed and sighed. "This is boring."
"Haruhi's supposed to be in the audience. As the face of my line, I want to know what she's up to."
"Follow the damn hashtags then."
"I've been doing that all weekend."
.
"Taka, would you quit and come watch the dog show finals with me? Haruhi-senpai is going to be in the audience. Maybe we'll see her."
"No. I'm not finished with the weights."
"You don't want to see her?"
"I'll check the hashtags later."
"Whatever."
.
"Suck it up, Asshole. We're going to watch the show. Who knows, we might see Haruhi in the audience."
"Why the fuck do you want to watch a dog show?"
"Because you don't want to. Now sit."
.
"How did training go, Honey-kun?"
"This new group of soldiers learns quickly."
"Thank you for the late dinner."
"Nothing but the best for my Cho-chan."
"Eating in a dog café with the national show finals is a terrific idea. I hope we see Haruhi-chan in the audience. Her hashtaged pictures look great."
.
"And the winner of Best In Show is the shiba inu, Buster!"
We both jumped up, and Naoto threw his arms around me and spun.
"Congratulations!"
"Thanks, Haruhi." He gave me a kiss on the cheek and went down for the presentation.
.
"The hell?"
"Satoshi! Language!" my aunt gasped.
I turned to hide my smirk.
This is going to be fun.
.
xXx
.
Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Ouran High School Host Club. I do, however, own any original characters and the plot of this story. I also do not own, nor am I making any money from, the following: Olympics, Lego, Duplo, Dog's Life Magazine, any real restaurant, business, food product, or really anything else that exists.
Author's Note:
This was a long one, but I didn't want to break up the weekend.
I toyed around with the idea of having something catastrophic happen at the dog show but couldn't come up with something that made sense. I ended up with several smaller things happening. I've both worked booths and organized shows…they never happen without something going wrong.
Who guessed where I was going with Naoto the dog breeder? In my mind, he's been gay this whole time, but I wanted to mess with the guys. Should Chika keep quiet?
And what's up with stealing her phone? Anyone famous can talk about their stalkers. Are they right to keep it from her?
I'm laying the groundwork for a big plot with Kyoya. This is the most detail you'll probably get about Yoshio's paperwork as an overview. I'll delve into a few of the specific ones for his arc.
beancounter22765 guessed the yakuza connection with Yoshio. (I think they've hacked into my outline file.) Cleaning up this mess and the rest of Yoshio's shit will not be all sunshine and roses for Kyoya.
.
Next Chapter:
Fallout from the show…Meeting the Kasanoda…and more with the grandparents.
.