Chapter 04: Boom!

"Is she ready?" A basso voice inquired as a tall, masculine figure stepped into the small room. Carefully sliding the paper doors closed, Fuwa-sama moved closer to his most prised possession. He eyed her carefully, inspecting every detail for any remaining imperfections.

Kyoko looked breath-taking. The kimono that wrapped her snuggly was stunningly embroidered with dusty pink cherry blossoms against a midnight blue silk background. Loose petals of white and darker shades of pink cascaded across the fabric in an elegant design highlighting the setting. Vivid green leaves and the soft, golden hues of the moon completed the pattern. A cerulean obi was tied around her waist, along with a red obijime. The obidome below that was almost identical in colour and print to the kimono itself, adding subtle dimension to her attire. A pink haneri peaked out around her nape, highlighting the paleness of her bare skin and flush of her cheeks. Long, ebon tresses were pulled back in a fancy bun, exhibiting the shape and volume of a blooming blossom. A small strip of black hair rested along her right shoulder, styled into a perfect, sensuous curl.

Fuwa-sama nodded approvingly. When he laid his eyes upon her head, he realised that her outfit was missing an important detail. Glancing over his shoulder to the maid, Liang, he extended his left hand, palm out. Bowing slightly, she reached into her own kimono and pulled a small velvet box, without raising her gaze to her superior.

"There is one last thing required," he stated matter-of-factly. Flipping the box open, he retrieved a gold and pink kanzashi, in the shape of a sakura in full bloom. Two strings of pearls dangled down from the blossom. It was extraordinarily designed and of extreme value. Returning the now empty box to Liang, Fuwa-sama closed the space between him and Kyoko, reached up and tenderly placed the kanzashi into the base of her bun. Stepping back, he nodded once more.

"Now, you are ready."

When she didn't move, he placed his fingertips beneath her chin and lifted her face, forcing her eyes to meet his.

"You have nothing to fear, Kyoko-kun," he began, softening his voice. "You are a lovely, young woman. I have high expectations for you and the duties that I have bestowed upon you. Do you understand?"

Feeling her heart racing even faster, Kyoko acknowledged his words and forced a tiny smile to her lips.

"It is quite rare to have an outsider, particularly one of such immense wealth and station, to approach an inexperienced and pristine flower, such as yourself. You are the jewel of this oiran."

"I understand, Fuwa-sama," Kyoko replied quietly.

"Do you, in fact, understand? I must know if you fully comprehend the scope of what your new position will entail? Once the bargain has been completed, you must abide by everything asked of you from your Danna?" Fuwa-sama said adding a tone of authority to his inquiry.

This time Kyoko looked upon her boss without an ounce of fear or hesitation. "Yes, I understand, and I am willing to do what I must to make you proud."

Fuwa-sama smiled. "I'm glad to hear it."

He turned to Liang and nodded once more. Dropping his hand from Kyoko, he turned about and strode out of the room, leaving the women to their final preparations.


The Stranger stood when Sawara-san re-entered the room followed by a taller man. Within the first few seconds of laying his eyes on him, the Stranger knew that this had to have been Fuwa-sama. The man exuded an aura of strict authority and power unlike anything he had seen before.

Dressed immaculately in a dark blue yukata, with matching haori and striped hakama, Fuwa-sama reminded the Stranger of a malevolent lord from the Feudal era. Even his gait and facial expressions held a taut air of sophisticated discipline to them. Inwardly, the Stranger felt sick with rage. He continued to watch the man as he approached a white cushion across from where the foreigner was sitting.

"Thank you for waiting so patiently," Fuwa-sama addressed his guest politely, but the tone of an invisible warning touched each pronounced word. "I am the master of this oiran."

The Stranger bowed deeply. "It is an honour to finally meet you, sir."

Bowing in formal acknowledgment, Fuwa-sama gestured to the cushions. Both men took a seat, backs straight, brows lightly furrowed for negations to come. "I am Fuwa. What is your name, son?"

Inly sneering, the Stranger took a subtle breath to calm his storming emotions. "Tsuruga," he replied kindly. "Tsuruga Ren."

"A Japanese name. Does this mean that you have Japanese blood running through your veins?"

Tsuruga nodded. "My mother was Japanese, but she died when I was very little, so I'm quite unfamiliar with the Japanese ways."

"That's very interesting. It always saddens me to meet young people who have no culture. So much potential just wasted into thin air." Fuwa-sama mused.

Gritting his teeth, Tsuruga nodded once. "A sentiment shared by many of the older generation."

"Tell me, Tsuruga-san," Fuwa-sama moved on, ignoring the remark. "What, pray tell, interested you in our Kyoko-kun?" Fuwa-sama asked.

Tsuruga knew that this was a loaded question. He also knew that the answer crawling down his tongue was not something his father would approve of. Swallowing it away, he offered a charming grin and recited what was prepared.

"To be perfectly frank, Fuwa-sama, my father has unique tastes, which can no longer be satisfied by what is available in his region. He also has a peculiar interest in the unique and exotic. I believe those are the reasons why he has sent me here."

"And you have no personal issues with your father's rather delicate indulgences?" Fuwa-sama questioned boldly, momentarily ignoring the rules of propriety.

"No, I do not." Tsuruga answered flatly. "As long as he keeps me supplied with money, I don't really care what his personal interests entail."

Fuwa-sama grinned. "Interesting. Given your lineage, it does not surprise me that your father would return to a more dignified people for his intimate gratifications."

Tsuruga Ren opened his mouth for a spiteful retort, but it was lost with the sounds of the paper door opening. Turning his head to glare at the interruption, he was instead stunned to utter silence.

Kyoko walked into the room led by Liang. She strode into the space between the two men, turned to the guest and bowed deeply. As she stood back up, her eyes briefly met the Stranger's, catching her breath. Never before had she seen eyes of such a colour. Yet, without missing a step, she then turned to Fuwa-sama and bowed even deeper to him, before settling down on the dark purple cushion behind her.

"Tsuruga-san, I would like to introduce you to Kyoko-kun," Fuwa-sama introduced, beaming.

"Extraordinary," Tsuruga whispered, admiring the young woman, feeling mesmerised. After a few moments, the foreigner realised he was be sensationally rude. Clearing his throat, he returned his attention to the lord of the oiran. "How much?"

Taken aback, Fuwa-sama gaped at Tsuruga. "Straight to the point now that you have seen the prise, eh?"

Pressing his lips together, Tsuruga remained quiet.

"Don't tell me that a gift for the father will in turn be a jewel for the son?" When the Stranger remained silent again, Fuwa-sama laughed. "Well, Tsuruga-san, I assume that your father disclosed a price to you already. If you would relate that, I believe we can work out some sort of accord."

Narrowing his eyes, it was Tsuruga Ren's turn to exude authority and power. "With all due respect, Fuwa-sama, I asked you how much."

All remnants of mirth and laid-back chit-chat had suddenly evaporated from the room entirely. A strong air of tension began to settle down. These two individuals looked deeply and intently upon each other, attempting to read the hidden agendas and unspoken threats. After ten minutes or so, one of them broke the anxious atmosphere.

"I see now that I may have underestimated you, Tsuruga-san." Fuwa-sama stated.

"A mistake many of the older generation tend to make often," Tsuruga quipped "If you would be so kind, Fuwa-sama, how much?"

"Ten million yen," Fuwa-sama answered sneering.

Sawara-san who had been sitting quietly in the corner during this entire exchange, astonished by this new price, spoke up instinctively. "But Sir, that's far more than we disc—"

With a raise of his boss's hand, Sawara was silenced. He knew that he would be greatly punished for the insolence later. But this price was far more than anything the two men had discussed earlier. It made him severely uncomfortable not knowing the thoughts flowing through the superior's mind in that moment. Nervously, he looked to Tsuruga, but saw that he was not perturbed in the least.

"Done." Tsuruga Ren accepted without reluctance.

Dazed, Fuwa-sama could not help but stare at the man sitting across from him.

"Would you mind if I inspected her for my father?" Tsuruga asked, grin broadening. "Within your presence of course."

"By all means."

Standing, Tsuruga walked over to Kyoko, offered her his hand. Looking at his open palm, Kyoko wanted to glance back to ask what she should do. But she knew that from this moment onwards, she would be entirely on her own. Independent decisions were something she would have start doing henceforth.

Swallowing back her nervousness, she slid her hand into his much larger one and allowed herself to be pulled to her feet. Releasing her palm, she stood perfectly still as Tsuruga walked behind her, looking her up and down as if appraising a precious pet or jewellery. Suddenly she felt his hand on her shoulder, startling her.

"It's okay," he whispered very softly from behind, surprisingly close. "I won't hurt you," he added, the warmth of his breath cascading across her neck. "I apologise in advance," he added sadly.

As Kyoko began moving to face her purchaser, the paper doors slid open brusquely, causing everyone within the room to jump out of their skins.

"Kyoko!" Fuwa Sho shouted as he entered the room, a trail of male servants following behind. "Kyoko, please don't do it!"

Fuwa-sama found his feet, shocked, and outraged by his son's disobedient behaviour. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Fuwa yelled.

Violently brushing off the hands that tried to keep him from entering the room, Sho marched up to his father and scowled viciously. "I won't let you sell her like some fucking slave!" He shouted to his father. "You can't do this to her, I refuse!"

SLAP!

Slowly, Sho placed his right hand to his stinging cheek, tears burning behind brown eyes infused with fury. "Thank you," he muttered in reply.

Lowering his voice, Fuwa-sama addressed his son through clenched teeth and a seething ire. "I will have you beaten for you insolence. You will rue the day you loved her."

Meanwhile, Tsuruga watched the interchange very carefully. Stepping around Kyoko, his eyes widened at the influx of negative emotions surrounding them. When the Sho's eyes landed on Kyoko, Tsuruga noticed the writhing passion and affection he held for the girl blatantly painted all over his expression. Fuwa-sama matched his son's stare and then brutally grasped the boy by his arm, forcing him to the paper doors.

Interesting, Tsuruga thought. Throwing his gaze to the young woman, he noticed the concern and affection in her moisture-glazed eyes. This is very interesting. Well, well, well… This changes things quite a bit… he thought, victoriously and walked towards Kyoko.

"Let go of me!" Sho screamed, pulling out of his father's grip. Placing his hands on the elder's chest, he shoved the man backwards and moved to his beloved. "You can't have her. I'm taking her with me. If you have a problem with it, then you will have to kill me to stop me!"

Kyoko gasped as a strong, muscled arm came around and secured itself across her chest, pulling her back. "What are you doing?!" She asked. Grabbing at the arm, she tried to tug him off, but he was far stronger than she.

Sho halted, eyes widening in bewilderment and apprehension. "No! Please, let her go!"

Retrieving a hidden knife, Tsuruga placed the seven-inch long blade against Kyoko's pale neck, just below her chin, on the left.

"What the hell is this?" Fuwa-sama yelled, turning to Kyoko and Tsuruga.

"This is for my mother," Tsuruga said through gritted teeth. "This is for Juliena… Hizuri."

Fuwa-sama's eyes grew wide as his lips parted. "Hizuri…" he spat. "I should have known." After taking a second to ponder the situation, the old man began laughing madly. Reaching into his yukata, he pulled out a long barrelled .22 revolver and pointed it at Tsuruga. "What makes you think that a whore like her would mean anything to me."

Tsuruga curled his lips with contemptuous satisfaction. "Unlike you, I am not blind." Without breaking his stare from the Fuwa family, the Stranger nodded to Sawara. "Did you honestly think I would come here unprepared?"

"Wait…" Sho intervened, raising his hands to both. "Please, don't hurt her." He took a step closer to the foreigner. "Whatever your problems with my father are, they don't concern Kyoko!"

As his arm tightened further around her, Kyoko let out a small scream. Digging her nails into his arm, she continued to fight her attacker, but to no avail.

"Of course, it does!" Tsuruga shouted. "Didn't you see the lecherous way your father looks at her? Are you really that fucking blind?!"

Slowly, Sho looked to his father. "Bullshit! Right? That has to be bullshit! Tell me he's lying!"

Before any replies could be made, Tsuruga dragged Kyoko with him to the window in the back of the room. "Sawara-now."

Standing, Sawara pulled out a black cell phone from a hidden pocket and pushed a button on the keypad. A second later the entire building was rocked with explosions. Debris and cracks in the ceiling began falling all around them. Quickly, he slid across the tatami to Tsuruga and Kyoko.

The ensuing chaos—men and women shouting and running about, pieces of the building falling apart as micro-explosions rocked other areas of the building and compound-distracted both Fuwa men enough. Shoving Kyoko to Sawara, Tsuruga pulled a syringe from his pocket and injected the young woman in the neck before she had time to react. Soon, she went limp in Sawara's arm. Using his knife, he broke the glass window and shattered away the sharp edges. They were on the second floor. The fall wouldn't be fun, but it also wouldn't do too much damage, especially to those who've been trained.

"Stop them!" Fuwa-sama ordered to some of the men that began to spill into the room, while rushing towards the Hizuri assassin, raising his gun. But smoke was quickly occupying the space, creating limited visibility and causing difficulty breathing.

"Take her and jump," he ordered to Sawara. Deftly, he spun on his heel and raced towards his mother's killer. A shot rang out, but missed Tsuruga by a hair, giving him the opportunity he needed. Jabbing at the elder's inner-elbow, he then sliced at the wrist, eliciting an arc of crimson. The gun fell to the ground between them. Kicking it aside, he then punched Fuwa in the face, sending him backwards.

Sho ran up to him and attempted a tackle, but was roughly shoved aside, his inexperience in combat terribly obvious. Noticing the fallen weapon, Tsuruga, creatively slid his foot beneath the barrel, thankful for only wearing his socks. Out of respect for the oiran rules, he had removed them before entering this room. He flung the gun into the air and grabbed it skilfully. Taking aim at Sho, he pulled the trigger.

"No, my son!" Fuwa-sama screamed as he watched a red flower bloom across his son's chest, the shirt soaking up blood like a sponge.

Reacting to the basso voice, Tsuruga took place between father and son and raised the gun to Fuwa's head. "She never cared about you, you know." Tsuruga taunted. "Not once. She hated you every single day of her life for what you did to her family."

Fuwa-sama began to laugh maniacally, tears streaking his face. "I will never forget Juliena! She was my first whore. I will never forget the sounds she made as I took her. Nor the way her eyes glistened as I felt her life leaving her body."

Clenching his jaw so tightly, Tsuruga could feel the agony throbbing across his teeth and neck. "Fuck. You." Tsuruga Ren pulled the trigger and watched Fuwa-sama's head explode before him in a beautiful eruption of grey brain matter, scarlet spray, and fleshy chunks. Turning about, he knelt beside Sho, took his knife, and stabbed him in the stomach, all seven inches sunk deeply into his body like butter.

Sho screamed in agony, "Fuck! You… sonofa… bitch!"

Standing, Tsuruga moved to the window and climbed into the empty pane. Hearing the boy's voice behind him, he stopped momentarily and looked over his shoulder.

"I'll fucking kill you! If you… touch her, I'll kill… you…" Brown eyes slid back as pale lids came down, embracing him into darkness.

Fuwa Sho, Tsuruga Ren thought, remembering the name from a journal his mother kept a long time ago. Narrowing his eyes with pure hatred, Tsuruga contemplated slitting his throat. But as the building rocked with more unsteady vibrations, he looked down and nodded to Sawara. A couple of seconds later, just as Tsuruga jumped, the room shook with one last explosion.


Thank you for reading! Please note that this story will only get more intense. There will be some psychological aspects, as well as more violence, physical and sexual. Read at your own discretion. Thank you.