Chapter Forty-Five

Flogged with files to go through and documents to read, I felt backed into a corner. Sure, it was easy for me to learn all of this information about Pandai, but that didn't make it any more interesting. However, with the obligation weighing heavily upon me, I was urged to carry on with it. For right now, all I needed to do was make sure a merger went through. Hokueisha was a successful company and had more than enough money to accommodate for the debt Pandai was in. I hadn't known until now that my father's company was in as much trouble as it was. It was no wonder his health was declining.

In the last week of my taking leave from college and learning everything I could about Pandai, I'd studied thoroughly this company we wanted to merge with. By the looks of it, they would be tough. This company didn't merge with just anybody from what I'd read.

I pulled together some files to go through at home and stuffed them into my bag. But I couldn't look forward to going home just yet since I still had to visit my father in the hospital. I'd been visiting him as often as I could squeeze in. My mother spent much more time than that with him, there at the hospital from the moment visiting hours began until they ended.

With that, practically everything was left up to Kotoko. Since I had to spend a lot of my time at Pandai, she was stuck with cleaning and cooking, though I had yet to see her seem displeased about it. In fact, she was more than willing to be doing these chores.

At the door on the way out of my father's office, Iwasaki Shigeki waited.

"On the way out, Irie?" He said. He'd had quite the trouble figuring out what to address me as, and had eventually just settled on my family name. I appreciated that those who worked with my father weren't rushing into using a formal name, accepting me as their official successor, though I knew already that the title would be mine. It was only a matter of time.

"Yes, I am. Have a nice night." I said.

"And you as well." Iwasaki nodded.

I headed off for the hospital as the sky began to darken. I wouldn't have much time to spend with my father before I should be going home to eat something less than palatable. Then I would be studying files for the rest of the night.

It was luckily still light out as I arrived. From what I could hear from outside my father's hospital room, he was not alone. And it was not my mother's voice I was hearing, but a man's.

My father went on speaking in mumbles with this man, then laughed. Judging by his suit, this man worked with my father, and that was the last thing he needed, to be talking about work.

"Dad, you should be resting." Was the first thing I said. I wasn't taking on the company just for him to keep his health on the fast track downhill.

"Naoki," he said, "This is Chairman Oizumi, the head of Hokueisha."

"I was nearby, so I decided to visit," Chairman Oizumi said, holding his hand out to me, "Pleased to meet you."

I took his hand and shook it, "Sorry for not introducing myself sooner. I am Naoki Irie."

"Irie?"

"Yes, this is my son. He's training at Pandai while I'm here." My father said.

"If that is the case, and everyone is here…" The Chairman looked me over from behind his glasses, "I should like to discuss something with you, President Irie. About the merger."

"Of course. Naoki, could you hand me those papers?" My father asked as the Chairman retrieved some documents from his briefcase.

"I don't mean to be rude, but my father needs to be resting. He's not in the condition to be working. On behalf of him, I would like to discuss the investment plan with you instead." I offered, more than capable of having this discussion with my non-stop training.

"You don't have to do that." My father argued. The Chairman eyed me, thinking about it.

"I am acting as President now. If you'd like to have this conversation, we can have it, just not in here." I said. He shoved the documents back into the briefcase.

"Excuse us," The Chairman said to my father, "I wish you a speedy recovery."

"Thank you for taking time out of your day to come here." The Chairman nodded out of the room and I followed him.

Down the hall and rounding a corner, we found an empty waiting area. He sat first and gestured to the seat beside him.

"Thank you for this opportunity." I said.

We got right down to it, discussing the financial situation Pandai was in, but how beneficial both of the companies could be to each other. I weighed in on the positive parts of Pandai and how his company could profit from ours quite considerably. He listened intently.

When I'd finished, he stared me down. He seemed to enjoy doing such.

"For merely a college student, you seem to know a rather lot about management. It was a well put-together presentation. Your teacher has done well." He said, glancing over some documents.

"Excuse me, but I'm in the science and engineering department. I taught myself management." I clarified. I doubted he knew yet just how quick of a learner I was.

"But aren't you planning on becoming Pandai's successor? Why the science and engineering department?" He looked genuinely confused. Many students who were going to take over a company went directly into management courses.

"I want to have a diverse range of knowledge. It's my belief that people with a narrow mind cannot survive in this society." I evened out some papers and slid them back into my bag.

"So, you are planning to run the company?"

I hesitated, not because I didn't know, but because I didn't like the answer, "Yes, I am." I said. And I would refuse to take back my word. I would do this for my father. I'd caused him nothing but worry up until this point, and I would do what I could to stop it. If that meant taking over the company, so be it.

Chairman Oizumi sat back in his chair, "If that is so, I would like to bring up a personal matter."

I wondered what kind of personal matter he would have to discuss with me, "Go on."

"I have a granddaughter around your age. Would you be opposed to having an arranged marriage meeting?"

I was confounded, silent. No way I would agree to that…

"She's beautiful, smart, polite, and she holds herself well. I think you two would get along." He added. Still, I was at a loss for what I should say. Of course, the answer was no. I loved someone else. But there was something tugging at the back of my mind, a harsh reality.

Marrying the Chairman's granddaughter would all but seal the deal for a merger.

It would save Pandai.

I'd already decided to keep my word, take all of this stress away from my father, and save the company, but what if the only way to do that was to have this meeting? If I turned it down, I would run the risk of possibly offending the Chairman and that was the last thing Pandai needed. As I sat without an answer, I wondered what the Chairman was thinking.

What would happen to Kotoko? I didn't want to hurt her.

Before I could go any deeper into those particular thoughts, I gave the answer I knew was best for Pandai and my father who I'd been letting down thus far.

"Absolutely," I said, my voice a little low, "I'd love to meet her." Uttering this lie caused my heart to sink. Trapped inside my head, I reminded myself of every advantage having this meeting would come with.

"Great," The Chairman grinned and scribbled something down on a piece of paper, "Call me if you have any questions. I'll be in contact to set a date once I know she's alright with it."

I took the paper and shoved it deep into my pocket. This paper, though, was as heavy as the doubt I now felt.

We stood and shook hands, and then he departed. I stood there for a short moment after he'd gone. I wasn't ready to go back to my father and probably my mother as well until I'd stomached what I'd just done.

I could sense Kotoko being hurt over this even though she didn't know yet. A marriage? Was I prepared to spend the rest of my life beside someone I didn't know, and all for monetary relief of Pandai?

It all came down to one question: My father or Kotoko? It was a question I couldn't answer. I took another moment for myself and sat down. There, I held my face in my hands and just thought.

And then a realization struck me.

Well, I thought, She doesn't know in the first place. What harm could come of me doing what she thinks will happen eventually anyway?

In a way, I guessed this resolved another issue. I'd wondered before if I would ever tell Kotoko how I felt, and now I wouldn't have to. I tried my hardest to convince myself that this was okay as I made it back to my father's room. But for the rest of the visit, I was not entirely there.

On the way home, my mind was a no-man's land of both guilt and relief. It couldn't decide if it wanted to dwell in the fact that the company would be saved, or in gut-wrenching disappointment. It would go back and forth, and sometimes a slip of hesitation would consider that I couldn't do this. I would have weighed my options except that there were none if I wanted to be positive about a merger with Hokueisha.

At the door, Kotoko rushed to my side and I was made aware of that hesitation again. How could I do that to her? I sat down to take off my shoes, my dark thoughts rearing its ugly head.

"Welcome home," She grinned at me, "You look tired. Are you okay?"

Silence.

"Irie-kun?" She sounded worried now.

"Yeah. I was just thinking about some things."

"Oh," She said, "I just finished making supper. We're having leeks. You know, leeks are supposed to make you smarter."

And then I did something that I hadn't done in a long time and that I had no control over.

"Then you should eat some." I said. Her smile disappeared and she said nothing more as she walked away. This made me even less happy.

Why did I say that? I'd thought I was past making remarks. Perhaps it was only because I was so stressed.

I felt awful, and then I had a thought. Maybe if she hated me, this would be easier. If she hated me, maybe I could hate her too.

Only, I couldn't really see that happening as the lone thing I hated was the thought of an arrangement with another girl.