Chapter 3
Haku POV
"So Kohaku." Said the old man in front of me. Master Riku had come into Chihiro's office a few minutes after I had made my oath. He had not been surprised to see me there at all. In fact he looked rather happy about it. Chihiro had introduced us and he had then told her that a man named Kasuto had come to see her about some paperwork. Chihiro excused herself and said that she would be right back.
"Master Riku, it is an honor to meet you." I said while bowing to him.
"I got a message from Zeniba, a good old friend, saying that you were coming. I have to tell you that I'm very glad that you have." He started walking towards one of the windows . "Even though Chihiro is very skilled on her own, and has been able to avoid any major attacks, she is not indestructible. I worry about her safety." A sad smile adorned his face now.
"That is why I'm here sir. I will do my absolute best to make sure that Chihiro is safe. She has already done so much for me." My voice lowered a bit and I got a little melancholy. "It is the least I can do to start repaying her."
Master Riku looked back at me then. "Right you are. I trust that you will take good care of her, Kohaku."
"I will."
We looked at each other for a few seconds.
"We should probably join her now. I'm sure this will be very interesting." He then walked to the door and I followed.
Chihiro POV
Holy Mother of everything colored by the rainbow! Did that really just happen? Nigihayami Kohaku Nushi just pledged his loyalty to me. And became my bodyguard! Wow!
I don't really like the idea of having a guard with me all the time, but on the upside he seems much nicer than the others the council has sent me. And far better looking. My lord he is handsome. You would think he has been blessed by the goddess of beauty herself.
"Stop it! You need to focus Chihiro. Kasuto is waiting for you. Focus on what is ahead of you."
I walked into the foyer and found the man standing near a mirror on the wall checking his tie. "He's a little too into his looks if you ask me." He was a businessman in his mid thirties. Always in a suit and styled hair. Whenever the government had an update for me, Kasuto would always be the one to bring it for me.
"Hello Kasuto." I greeted him warmly. "I hope you come bearing good news for me today."
The older man turned to face me. "Ah Chihiro. So good to see you. And may I say, you look absolutely stunning as always." He smiled at me. That smile had deceived me before, but I knew very well now not to trust it. I was just wearing some old skinny jeans and a white button up shirt that I was pretty sure had gotten very wrinkled from sitting at my work table all day. Nothing impressive.
"So, what do you have for me?" I asked, anxious to know what the people who held the financial part of my project had decided on this time. Surely if it was a minor thing, they could have just called me on the phone.
"I don't think you're gonna like it. The board has decided that they are not going to send you the last 900.000 Yen. They do not.." But I cut him off. (About the same as 8.000 USD)
"WHAT?!" I yelled. "We had a deal! They can't cut the funding now. We've almost reached our goal." He looked indifferently at me while handing me the paperwork for this new development.
"They do not deem it necessary, saying that the funds they have already given you should be sufficient." He explained further with a fake smile so transparent, it was all too clear he was bored.
"But they have already invested so much, why can't they see the project to its end?"
"Well that is exactly why. They feel that they have already invested too much, and would like to get some of the money back, but given that they already give it to you to spend, they are willing to let that go."
Now I was starting to get enraged. Without me knowing it Kohaku and master Riku had entered the foyer and were watching from behind me.
Since I didn't trust myself not to yell I stayed silent. After all, Kasuto was just the messenger. No point in trying to chew his head off. After a few seconds of me not talking but just looking at the papers with anger in my eyes, Kasuto spoke again.
"Look I apologize for having to be the bearer of bad news, but I really don't think you are going to convince them to change their minds. I better go, I've got a meeting to get to. Good luck Chihiro." Kasuto then bowed his head slightly towards me, then to the people behind me, and let himself out.
I sank down to the floor. Kohaku came and knelt beside me. "Are you alright Chihiro?"
"This is a problem. I need that money to be able to pay the workers. If they don't get their money, they don't turn up for work. I need another way to get that money. Shouldn't be too hard to do, it's not that much. But even with my own savings I would still have to find at least 700.000 Yen." My voice was low and almost inaudible. I was calculating, but I needed a temporary distraction so I could come back to the issue a little later and be able to see the whole picture. Right now the whole thing was still a little too fresh to take in one bite.
I looked up at Kohaku. "Do you like ice cream?" I could tell I had taken him by surprise.
"Uhmm.. I don't know. I've never had ice cream before." This time it was my turn to be surprised.
"You've never had ice cream?"
"No." He said a little questionably. "But Chihiro, shouldn't you.."
"I need a distraction. And we don't have any here. So it's decided then. You and I will go get ice cream, because personally I think it's a crime that you have never had it."
I stood up and took his hand to drag him along. "So come on then. Let's go." I turned in the doorway. "See you later master."
He waved back. "Have fun you two".
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