Disclaimer: VF belongs to YA.

Warning: Light BDSM. Grammatical issues, as usual. :)

Chapter 23. A War Is Coming

"Takaba-san!" Fujii-san greeted me cheerfully the moment he saw me at his gate. His modest garden was still as pretty as I remembered it from my last visit to interview him many years ago. The small house looked the same. Its humble charm hadn't waned, promising a warm welcome to its visitors.

it saddened me to notice the absence of Fujii-san's wife. They had been such a loving couple, teasing each other like teenagers even after 2 kids and decades of marriages. They were the ideal picture of the couple I'd like to be when it was time for my own kids to leave the nest. I couldn't have imagined how heartbroken the old man had been when his wife passed away last year.

"Glad to see you well, Fujii-san," I told him with a smile of my own.

He laughed, "Eat healthy food, sleep well, and never worry too much. That's the secret of good life, Takaba-san. How are you since I saw you last? I was pleasantly surprised to hear again from you!"

When I had worked on "50 Years Journey of Japan's Organised Crime", I had struggled to get anyone to interview. The Japan underworld wasn't known to be the chatty type, especially to an outsider like me. It was out of sheer luck that I had found an ex-member of Uotsuri Group who had been willing to talk: Fujii-san.

Fujii-san had taken the disbandment of Uotsuri Group as the sign he had been waiting for to start a new journey as an honest man. He had wanted to provide a safer life for his then unborn baby and his young pregnant wife, Himiko. They both had moved to this small village —around an hour by car from Tokyo— bought a small land, and lived the rest of their life as simple farmers. It was not the glamorous life that he had dreamed of when his younger self had moved to Tokyo and joined Uotsuri Group. The farmer life was hard and challenging. But, his family and him had lived a happy and quiet life here, away from the violence he had been used to back in his days as a member of the infamous syndicate.

When I had reached out many years back, Fujii-san had agreed to be interviewed anonymously. He had politely refused a copy of my published article, claiming that the last thing he wanted was a reminder from his dark, troubled past. But, we kept in touch and I visited them from time to time.

"I am good, Fujii-san," I answered as he led me to the small table he had set on the wooden porch outside his house.

"So, what brings you to this small town?" he asked gently while pouring tea into my cup. "Missing some tales from the bad ol' days?"

I chuckled. "A little. I have a few questions about your time with Uotsuri group, if you don't mind."

He nodded. "It was not a period in my life that I was proud of. But if it can help others to learn from my mistakes, I am happy to share."

There was a certain weight in the calmness of his voice that made me feel guilty. It was clearly not easy for this man to talk about the ghosts he had left behind. I didn't want to take advantage of that.

"Honestly, it's more for my own, uhmm, understanding," I admitted with a grim, apologetic smile. "Not for an article."

Fujii-san raised an eyebrow in surprise. But, he waited for me to continue.

"I am wondering whether you know a man called Asami Ryuichi when you were still a member of Uotsuri Group."

There was no mistaken of the recognition in his eyes the moment he heard the name. He quickly asked, "And why are you interested in him?"

That was a question that would require more-than-15-years-worth of explanation and I didn't even know where to start. I cleared my throat and instinctively avoided his inquisitive gaze. "He is, uh, someone I know and…umm, he may be in danger. I thought that understanding his time with Uotsuri Group will help me to better understand the nature of…well, this danger."

He didn't respond right away. For a moment, he watched me carefully as I forced myself to look back at him, silently praying that he wouldn't kick me out of his house. Then, his eyes softened.

"Someone you know, huh?"

I slowly nodded, hoping that my easily-blushing skin wouldn't betray me and yet, knowing that the chance was fairly slim.

Fujii-san sighed and relaxed into his seat before asking softly, "So, Asami is in danger, you said?"

So, he did know Asami.

I didn't exactly expect much information to come out of this trip. Uotsuri Group had been a gigantic organisation after all. There was a possibility that Asami hadn't been high up in the rank back then. Fujii-san might have never heard of him at all. But, apparently I was wrong.

"Well, not directly. And he usually has a group of bodyguards with him at all time. So, theoretically, he should be safe. Right? Like, that's their job. They should protect him. But…"

I was rambling, I knew. But, it was always hard to explain our situation to an outsiders. They couldn't fully understand the risk Asami faced everyday. Regular people didn't usually have the fear of being literally back-stabbed by their colleagues. Unless you worked as a soldier, a firefighter, and any other roles where you were required to risk your life —in which case, I respect you a lot— most of us were at most worrying about losing our jobs, not our lives.

So, the blooming understanding in Fujii-san's eyes wasn't something I used to see.

He offered softly, "But, there's still a possibility that he will be hurt?"

The thought —of Asami being hurt, bleeding and dying alone in a place that I might never find— pained me like someone had actually squeezed my very own heart out of my chest. I had never felt this frightened in my whole life. My fingers trembled at the reminder that there was very little I could do to prevent it. That if someone decided to kill my husband today, I might not be there to comfort him before he took his last breath. I struggled to steady my hands as I took a sip of the aromatic tea, hoping the warmth could sooth me from within.

"My wife, may her soul rest in peace, used to have the same expression every time I went for work, back when I was still a member of Uotsuri Group," Fujii-san's steady voice anchored me back to the present. "She was the reason that pushed me to leave my shady life behind."

I gave him a weak smile. "If only Asami did the same back then, he wouldn't be in this mess."

He threw me a knowing grin in return. "But if he left the underworld then, you wouldn't have met him, would you, Takaba-san?"

And that realisation almost choked me. Because Fujii-san was right. I had met Asami because he had decided to stay and to build Sion Group. If he had decided to leave the underworld like Fujii-san had, our paths might have never crossed at all.

I took a deep breath to pull myself together. There was no point thinking of the what-if. The journey that had led us to this point was not all dark and gloom. There were moments of happiness and unexpected friendships we found along the way, too. I wouldn't exchange it for any other option.

"What can you tell me about his life in Uotsuri Group, Fujii-san?"

He stared at me for a while before shaking his head slowly, "Perhaps, this is a bad idea, Takaba-san. If a man wants to keep his past away from you, he might have a good reason for that."

I gritted my teeth in frustration. "Even if I can help him?! What am I, chopped liver?! I may not be wealthy or powerful, Fujii-san, but I have my own way to make things happen! He is just too stubborn to listen to me!"

This time, Fujii-san laughed. "Oh, that sounds just like him! Too stubborn to listen to anyone."

My rueful smile was gentler this time, "So, that's not a trait he acquired as he grew older, then?"

"No. No." Fujii-san's chuckles had a hint of fondness. "I swear, that smart-ass must be born stubborn. He always thinks that he knows better than everybody else. Oh, I still remember his first day. That brat had the nerve to tell my boss that he couldn't do math for shit!"

Fujii-san let out a loud guffaw as he remembered his old days. The wrinkles around his eyes deepened as he teared from laughter.

"Luckily, he has brain, that brat. After only a few beatings, he learnt when to keep his trap shut."

My jaw dropped at the idea of Asami taking a beating. This brat Fujii-san was talking about sounded completely different from the Asami that I knew. He had been powerless then, unable to defend himself, let alone to be the tyrant he was now. I smiled, imagining the young Asami who hadn't grown yet into the commanding man that he was today.

"How old was he then?"

Fujii-san hummed as he drummed his fingers against the table top, digging his way into his own memory, "Barely seventeen when he joined, I think."

I gasped. Seventeen was still a teenager, only two years older than my own sons. My heart ached for this kid who had to begin his life as an adult way too early.

Watching my reaction carefully, Fujii-san gave me a smile, "You are coming from a good family, aren't you, Takaba-san? I am a parent myself. I would rather be a beggar on the street than letting my kids do what Asami had to do at his age."

"Why did he join Uotsuri Group?"

Fujii-san shrugged. "Same as everyone else, I suppose. Poverty. Another youth leaders brought him in. Told us that he is smart. Well, he is indeed smart. Smartest person I've ever known in my life. He used to read thick books, you know. Like, finance, law, and some shit like that. University level books. Hard-working, too. Whatever tasks given to him, he would go the extra mile to deliver it. He climbed fast through the lower ranks. A few years before the group was disbanded, he was assigned as the personal bodyguard of Tsuji-sama's daughter. He was not exactly part of Tsuji-sama inner circle. Not yet. But, it was clear that Tsuji-sama had noticed his talent. There was a lot of speculation about Tsuji-sama wanting to give him a more important role within the group. Perhaps as fuku-honbucho. He deserved it, I'd say, although a few naysayers were not so happy about it."

I frowned, "Why were they not happy about it? Because it was too soon for him?"

Fujii-san sipped his own tea before asking me quietly, "How much do you really want to know, Takaba-san? Because there might be some answers that you might not want to know."

There was no hesitation in my voice when I replied, "Everything, Fujii-san. I need to know everything. I can only help him if I really know what it is exactly that he is facing."

Fujii-san let out a resigned sigh, as if he wanted to tell me how stupid I was to think that I was ready for 'everything'. But, he continued, "There were a few people who thought that he got promoted because he was, uh, sleeping with Tsuji-sama's only daughter, the heiress to Uotsuri Group."

My eyes widened. Whatever I had expected to hear, it wasn't this.

"She was a few years older than him. Asami thought that he was smart enough to hide his track. And he did, I guess. No one could find any proof. Whenever anyone asked, he always claimed that there was nothing going on. Nobody dared to ask the young miss, of course. So, it's hard to say for sure."

"But, no matter how good he was in cleaning up his trail, he couldn't hide the way the young miss was looking at him. I swear to god, Takaba-san, that was clearly a young woman madly in love. She can't even be in the same room with him without trying to glance his way at least once. She would take any opportunity to be near him. Honestly, it was almost painful to watch."

"Is it possible that it's just a one-sided crush on her side?"

Fujii-san stared at the far end of his garden, as if he was watching the ghosts from his past there. "That won't explain the love bites she tried to hide. Or the contraceptive pills hidden in her room. We mostly lived in Tsuji-sama's mansion and people —especially servants— talked, Takaba-san. It's hard to have a secret in such a crowded place."

Trained to look at a story from every angles, I couldn't help but asked, "How about a boyfriend, perhaps? Someone she met outside?"

Fujii-san scoffed. "Tsuji-sama guarded her like a princess. She didn't go out much aside from going to school. Even then, a bodyguard would always follow her. If she had a boyfriend, someone would definitely find out about it. Plus, she clearly already had her heart fixed on Asami."

"I see," I murmured as I sipped my own tea, thinking. If that was the case, it made sense that everyone had suspected Asami, the person who had the freedom to be with her all the time. "Did Asami show any sign of returning her affection?"

Shaking his head, Fujii-san said, "Not openly. He always kept his distance whenever someone was around. Always polite. Nothing untoward, you know, like he didn't notice her attention at all. Either that brat had an incredible self control or he was dumb beyond reason. Of course, nobody believed the later. Asami might be a lot of things, but dumb wasn't one of it."

"So, they thought that he slept his way up."

Fujii-san gave me a kind smile. "There were people who thought that way, yes. I personally think that he was a talented young man who didn't get a fair chance in life. He needed to use what little he had to get out of the slum. So, if he did climb the rank by bedding the young miss, I'd say 'good for him'."

Well, sleeping with the heiress to get a promotion did sound like something that Asami would have done. He might have mellowed for the last 15 years, but he still wasn't one who cared much about the consequences of his action. What did he said to me once? Oh yes, that he would eliminate those who stand in his way. Breaking some hearts along the way was definitely not something he would lose sleep over.

"And Tsuji-sama allowed this to happen?"

The old man shrugged, "Why wouldn't he? Asami was a promising young man. His daughter clearly loved him. Even I could see how it would benefit the group. It'd be a good match. Although…"

He cleared his throat, covering his mouth with his clenched hand as he murmured, "…there was a little problem with this plan."

"Oh?"

Raising an eyebrow, I waited for him to continue. I couldn't even guess what could that be. As he said, the two young love-birds seemed like a match made in heaven.

Fujii-san made a cheeky grin, "Asami have never wanted children and he made it very, very clear to anyone who has ears. He hated the idea with a passion, I'd say. 'Said he would rather cut off his own cock than to have his own offspring."

I almost choked on my tea.

He laughed at my reaction, "Oh, I am sure this is not a news to you, Takaba-san. Otherwise, he wouldn't be so agreeable to a male lover, would he?"

His knowing wink was meant to be friendly. Like a friend who knew your secret and promised to keep it to his grave. But, I still felt uneasy because this Asami —the one who hadn't wanted children— was not one I was familiar with these days. Two decades ago, perhaps yes. But now? His children was his entire world. He adored them. I knew without a doubt that Asami would die for them.

Thankfully, Fujii-san didn't notice my discomfort. He chuckled as he continued on his trip down the memory lane, "Oh, yes! I remember now. That asshole dared to give me condolences when I told him that Himiko was pregnant!"

After a round of laughter, the old man turned quiet. He shook his head, "And Tsuji-sama's line couldn't end just like that. If Asami was to marry the young miss, he had to have children. Everyone was actually putting a bet of how it would go. Most didn't believe that he would do it. As you said, he is stubborn and everyone knew it. Honestly, I was interested to see how it would unfold myself! The two of them had become our entertainment. More interesting that watching a TV drama, you see! How the young miss was crushing after him and how he was trying to remain foolishly respectful around her. We found them so adorable. Sometimes, we just wanted to smack the both of them and yell, 'just kiss already!'. If only…"

His voice suddenly trailed off into silence. There was sadness clouding his usually cheerful expression. A melancholy that had surrounded him every time I asked him about the time the group had been disbanded. I guessed, his past with Uotsuri Group hadn't been all dark and gloom as well.

He had never told me the reason of the disbandment before, but now I knew the truth. So, I prodded gently, "…if only Takamiya Kichiro didn't do a coup-de-eta?"

My question shocked him. His eyes widened and the question that he wanted to ask was clear on his suddenly cold face.

I quickly said, "I simply overheard. No one actually told me anything."

The tension in his jaw didn't disappear but he nodded without another word. So, that part was true. Takamiya Kichiro had killed Kaito Tsuji. A legendary group with hundreds of years of tradition had fallen overnight just like that, all because of greed. What a sad, fucked up world these men had been living in.

"So, Takamiya killed Tsuji-sama and his daughter, ending his line for good. He then disbanded Uotsuri Group and rebranded it into the new Takamiya Group." I concluded.

What a tragic end to the sweet love story. I imagined Asami as a young man, heartbroken from losing his lover and deciding to leave the group to build his own empire. Had he even allowed himself to cry her? Or, had simply drowned his sadness in liquor and long-working-hours, like he liked to do?

To my surprise, Fujii-san quickly shook his head. "What? No, Takamiya didn't kill the young miss."

The confusion on my face must be obvious because he quickly added, "Takamiya married Sakurako-sama. He didn't kill her. After all, Takamiya needed her to be acknowledged as the new leader."

My blood turned into ice.

"Sakurako-sama?"

He nodded carefully, "Yes, Tsuji Sakurako. Although, I believe now she was now called Takamiya Sakurako."

Fuck. Me.

I knew Takamiya-san was Asami's ex-lover. Asami himself had admitted it to me. But, I wasn't aware that she was also Tsuji Kaito's daughter. Not only that, but apparently Tsuji Kaito had wanted to matchmake the two of them into a fucking marriage. That the only reason the wedding bells hadn't been rung was because the young Asami hadn't wanted kids. And, before anyone could have convinced Asami otherwise, Takamiya had ruined this plan by murdering his own boss and forcing the heiress to marry him in order to gain control over the group, leading Asami to leave to build his own organisation.

I could still remember my meeting with Takamiya Sakurako at the hot spring resort. How she had wanted to humiliate me by always using the wrong names. How she had claimed that Asami had changed. How she couldn't believe that Asami was truly loving our children. Now it all made sense.

"Are you fine, Takaba-san?" Fujii-san asked. His eyes were filled with genuine concern. "You are so pale. I am sorry. Perhaps, I have said too much."

I felt too numb to answer. My brain was still busy processing this information. Sakurako and Asami had been lovers. People had cheered for them to get married until the tragedy struck. Then, that heartless bastard had let her marry her own father's murderer. He had chosen to leave rather than to protect her. Oh, and of course, decades later, he even had the gall to change his mind about having kids.

Shit.

No wonder she hated me so much.

It was almost dark when Fujii-san invited me for dinner. I was about to go inside his house when I heard someone shouting my name.

"Akihito!"

I turned around to find Tao standing at the gate to Fuji-san garden, breathless as if he had sprinted all the way from Tokyo. His unbuttoned coat was still billowing around him. Sweat were dripping down his chin. He had his phone pressed against his ear.

"I found him," he said shortly to whoever was at the end of his call before hanging up.

Tao run a hand through his ruffled hair, like he was trying to calm himself. As if he was trying to summon a great amount of patience.

"How did you—"

He cursed, then. In a few long strides, he grabbed my arms so tightly. His black eyes were blazing with anger. Shaking my body violently, he hissed through gritted teeth. "Why did you leave Soga behind?!"

I frowned. "I didn't—"

"You told him to drop you off at a neighbouring town then you took a train here without his knowledge! Don't you fucking dare telling me that you didn't leave your own bodyguard behind!"

O~kay. We might be friends for years. And according to the latest official story, we were lovers, too. Given that facts, I was supposed to like him, wasn't I? But, let me state a few reasons why I didn't like him very much at that very moment.

First, I didn't appreciate being shaken like I was a fucking cocktail in the making. His grips fucking hurt, goddamnit!

Second, his yelling didn't sit well with me. Who the fuck did he think he was? Even Asami knew better than expecting me to smile and nod when the bastard shouted at me.

My voice was icy when I told him, "Get your hands off me, Liu Tao. Now."

That stopped his ire for a moment. Long enough for Fujii-san to ask cautiously, "Is everything okay? Shall I call the police, Takaba-san?"

Tao moved his attention from me to the old man standing behind me, as if he didn't notice before that we weren't alone. Strange. Tao was usually very observant. What could have rattled his nerve to the point where he didn't pay attention to a big figure hovering near us. Fujii-san might be over 75 but he was still standing like a bull.

Tao asked slowly, each syllable dripping with threat. "And who the fuck are you?"

Shit. I didn't think about this possibility before, believing that no one would know that I had disappeared for a few hours. I didn't prepare any excuse. And the last thing I wanted was for Asami to find out that I had sneaked around hunting stories about his past behind his back. My heart begun to race. I wasn't a good liar. If Asami could see through my lies as easily as anyone can cut through a block of melted butter with a knife, Tao would be able to do so too.

But, while I was panicking over what to say, Fujii-san said, "You are the one who barged into my house. I believe it is only polite for you to introduce yourself first."

Tao narrowed his eyes slightly, like he was thinking whether it would be a waste of his bullet to shoot Fujii-san between the eyes. Fucking alpha men and their cavemen ego. It had never failed to annoy me when they became territorial like this. Like a dog who needed to piss around the garden to mark their ownership.

Finding no good excuse, I almost told him the truth. I didn't want to, but I also didn't want a bloodbath at the porch of someone whom I considered a friend. Beside, if Tao kept digging into my arms as if he wanted to tear it apart like this, I might need prosthetic arms soon. So, anything that would stop him acting like a lunatic might not be a bad idea.

Perhaps, Fujii-san noticed my dilemma. Or perhaps, he simply didn't like anyone else to know who he actually was. Whatever the real reason was, the old man suddenly sighed and added, "Takaba-san was asking about some hidden tourist spots around the area. I was merely answering his questions. Can you please let him go now? You are hurting him."

The steadiness in Fujii-san's request was calming. It gave me the courage to repeat my command one more time, struggling not to hiss from the pain. "Get your hands off me, Tao."

My pinched tone stopped him faster than my order. Tao turned toward me and blinked. His eyes began to clear, like he finally saw me —really saw me— for the first time since he had shouted my name earlier. He clearly was still angry with me, but he seemed more sane now. Not that he usually acted like sane people. But, at least, he was no longer in the shoot-first-ask-later mode.

Slowly, he loosened his grip around my arms, although he still didn't let me go. Something Fuji-san noticed as well, judging by the way Fujii-san's gaze remained focused at Tao's hands on my arms.

"I invited Takaba-san for dinner," Fujii-san continued slowly. "Do you want to join us too, young man? It's nothing fancy, though, just some vegetables I grow myself."

I had to admire Fuji-san's bravery. Only few could remain calm while talking back to men like Asami and Tao. They exuded this intimidating aura which would signal many that they were dangerous men to mess with. Like preys in front of a predator, I had seen big men trembling like flimsy leaves as they stood before my lovers. But, Fujii-san might've had a lot of practice back in his days with Uotsuri Group. Because the old man stood straight and tall. His usually warm gaze remained unwavering as he stared back at Tao.

I opened my mouth and begun to say, "Vegetables sound gre—"

Tao cut me off. "Thank you for the offer. But, we must go."

I glared at him "Oh, fuck off, Tao—"

His grips tightened slightly as he repeated, "We must go, Akihito."

The unusual sharpness in his gaze told me that this was serious. That something had happened. And my heart suddenly stopped beating. My lungs forgot how to breath. If Tao didn't hold my arms, I would have fallen onto the damp grass.

Was it Asami? Was he fine? Was he hurt?

A tiny voice in my head mocked me, was he even still alive?

Reading my face, Tao quickly shook his head. He said softly, barely audible, perhaps to avoid Fuji-san' attention, "He is fine. But, we must go."

Weakly, I finally nodded.

I turned around to Fujii-san, expecting judgemental look at how quickly I had turned into a mess. But, I found no such things in those kind eyes. Instead, there was something closer to understanding. And perhaps, a lot of sympathy.

Fujii-san had known Asami. He had seen Tao barging into his house without a care. He had heard that I had a bodyguard of my own. It wouldn't be hard for the old man to connect the dots. He had to realise that I was now trapped in the same cruel world he had used to live in. One where lives could disappear in a blink of eyes.

"I am sorry, Fujii-san," I said in a rush, wanting nothing more than to ensure that Asami was fine with my own eyes. "It seems I need to take a rain check."

The old man simply smiled. "I understand. Please take care, Takaba-san. Come visit anytime. I can show you the natural hot spring up in the mountain next time."

I gave him a tight smile and nodded. Fujii-san would usually slap my back as we said goodbye. Today, there was no time for that. Tao practically dragged me out of Fujii-san's house. I needed to jog to keep up with his long strides back to the main road of the village. His every step was as determined as a man in a sacred mission. His expression was grim as he quickly led me to his car.

He had parked his car at the small clearing further down the road. I realised there was a small crowd standing around his car.

His fucking Maserati car.

In a small farming village.

School kids were taking photos of it, most likely to post it in their social media accounts later. Adults were circling around it, jealously caressing it like it was the imperial jewel. They whispered to each other as if anything louder would disturb the slumber of this metal beauty. It was an understandable reaction, considering there were barely cars in this town, let alone one imported directly from Italy.

"Really, Tao? You really drove your Maserati here? Will it wound your alpha male pride if you can't show off your wealth for a few hours?" I asked in annoyance.

Tao didn't even bother to look at me as he muttered under his breath, "Didn't have the time to switch the fucking cars."

People parted and —ridiculously— bowed deep as he walked pass them, like he was the fucking emperor or something. Young girls giggled. A boy blushed, too, I observed. Tao didn't pay much attention to his admiring onlookers, though.

Without a word, he opened the passenger door —which would lead to the only passenger seat, because this was that kind of selfish car that could only fit two people in it— and pushed me in.

"Hey!" I complained. "What—"

He closed the door in my face before making his way to the driver side. He settled into his own seat in one fluid movement, like he was an actor posing for the camera. The only difference was that he wasn't posing. This was just routine to him. Still, people were staring, mesmerised by his grace. Perhaps, they were expecting a filming crew to come in and a director to shout 'Cut!' because Tao wouldn't be out of place in such a setting.

But, without bothering to greet the locals, Tao closed his door and people quickly moved out of the way. The engine literally roared to live as he started the car, to more amazement from the people watching on the sidewalk. I wouldn't be surprise if I found them clapping like we were some kind of a circus.

Thankfully, soon enough, we had left the small village.

"Is Ryu hurt?" I asked him the moment we hit the road.

"Asami-sama is perfectly well. He is in Sion Tower at the moment, waiting for us."

I bit my bottom lips nervously before starting to go through my list. "The kids?"

"Haruka sent them home right after school. They are doing their homework now."

Okay. They might whine about it but that was hardly life-threatening. So, what was the problem? What had rattled Tao like this?

"Kirishima? Suoh? I mean, you seem okay, unless you are somehow hiding a bleeding wound under that clearly overpriced coat. So don't expect me to ask about you."

Tao rolled his eyes. "Everyone is fine."

"Then, what happened?!" I finally asked impatiently after a few minutes of silence, annoyed with the lack of answer. Pulling teeth would be easier than this. "Because I swear to gods, Liu Tao, if your rudeness to that old man was all for nothing, I will strangle you in your sleep with your own cock down your throat!"

Instead of answering my inquiry, Tao growled, "You should have sticked with Soga, Akihito. You know the rule."

Frowning, I said, "Is all this drama simply because of that? This is not the first time I have gone out on my own."

His voice was tinted with barely controlled frustration as he said, "And you should stop doing it. Your bodyguard is there for your own protection. Let them do their job."

I sighed, knowing that nothing could placate him until I gave in to his unreasonable obsession with my protection.

"Fine. I will be more careful in the future. It's just hard to interview anyone with someone hovering over me, you know?"

It was a half-hearted promise and, unsurprisingly, it was met with an annoyed huff. "He is only to keep you in his line of sight and yet, he failed to do that one simple job."

There was something —a slight emphasise on the word 'failed', perhaps— that made me wary. Something told me that my little rebellion today had more implications than the usual consequences.

"Tao, where is Soga?" I asked carefully, fear slowly settling in my stomach.

He didn't even bother to look at me. Shrugging carelessly, he grumbled, "In a warehouse somewhere, I suppose. You don't have to worry about him. He will be replaced."

"Goddamnit, Tao! Why must you—ugghhh! Soga is not at fault! He thought I was only going to wander nearby. I told him to wait there! He was just obeying me! You can't punish him for that!"

"You should have thought about that before you decided to throw him under the bus."

That calm accusation hit me like a lightning strike. Guilt began to bloom inside me, festering like a wound that wouldn't stop bleeding. Soga had been my bodyguard for many years. He had been the only one I had allowed to stay because, unlike all his predecessors, he had never treated me as if I was only his boss' bedwarmer. Fuck, the man actually gave me some respect and now I had put him in trouble.

"Tao, please," I finally begged. "Be reasonable. He knew nothing. He didn't do it on purpose."

For a moment, there was no answer. I thought Tao would simply ignore me. But then, he said in a grim voice, "I am not the one you need to convince, Akihito."

And that was when I knew I was in trouble.

When I entered his office, Asami was leaning casually against the edge of his office desk. His face was dark with barely controlled anger. His arms were crossed and his fists were clenched. The man was clearly furious and he didn't even bother to hide it. Another man might look like a snob when they were behaving like this. But, Asami somehow managed to look like a brooding hero in his anger. How he could pull off even the most impossible look was one of life's mystery.

Kirishima was standing beside him, close enough to offer any assistance if necessary. For example, to pass his boss more verbal ammunitions that could shred me to pieces. Surely the secretary had a long list of my past crimes before adding my little antic today.

Both of them were staring at me, unmoving, as Tao led me to stand before Asami, like a butcher leading a lamb to slaughter.

Fine. I was perhaps being a little overdramatic. Asami wouldn't lay a hand on me. He might shout at me for a while, but he wouldn't hit me in anger. The asshole might have many faults, but he was definitely not a wife-beater.

Not that I was his wife, thank you very much.

"Hey, you," I attempted a casual greeting to lighten the bleak mood in the room. I even plastered an apologetic smile to pacify my forbidding husband.

Asami studied me for a moment, before he finally sighed and waved his hand to dismiss Kirishima. That could only mean that whatever scolding he wanted to give me would be bad enough that it might result in a domestic quarrel of epic proportions, something he hated to have in front of his men.

He didn't dismiss Tao, though. So, perhaps, I still had a chance to save Soga.

The moment Kirishima closed the heavy door behind him, I told Asami, "I am here. I am fine. I am not injured. There's no need to overreact. You must not fire Soga."

He directed his eyes upward towards the ceiling, as if he was looking for some divine guidance.

I added quickly before I lost the tiny window of opportunity to explain myself. "Look, Soga didn't know anything! I kinda made him think that I would only be around. You know, wandering nearby. So, it's really not his fault. He is a good man, Ryu! You know he is. It's hard to find an honest employee like him, isn't it? Well, you know what, you don't have to find another person! He can keep working for you. Please. I like him. I really can't take the rest of your henchmen. Please. Please. Please. I only want him."

Instead of responding to my pleas, Asami turned his attention at Tao who stood behind me. His voice sounded tired when he asked the other man, "Did he do this all the way here?"

I whipped my head to stare at Tao, asking in alarm, "Do what?"

Tao clearly understood what Asami was asking, because he shrugged and answered, "Well, he spent the first few minutes worrying about you, the kids, and everyone else until I assured him that everyone is fine."

"Excuse me, I'm still here," I said loudly, waving my hands between them. "Stop talking about me like I'm not."

Rather reluctantly, the two of them turned their attention at me. Their eyes scrutinising me in a way that made me think of a cat right before it pounced. Like they were assessing whether the creature before them would run or fight back. And they seemed to hope for the later.

I swallowed nervously. "What did I do this time?"

To my surprise, Asami actually gave me an answer this time. His voice was completely neutral, like we were just talking about our grocery list. "Babbling on about wanting another man. Are two cocks still not enough for you?"

The insinuation that I might want Soga to join my already crowded wedding bed made me open my mouth in disbelief. Feeling indignant, I snapped, "You know that's not what I meant!"

Asami's cold expression told me that he perfectly understood what I had meant. He was just too pissed to care.

"Soga knows that he made a mistake, Akihito," Tao said calmly from behind me. "He accepted his punishment."

I whirled around to face him. "He only obeyed my instruction!"

"Well, he should know better," Asami answered this time. "His carelessness put you in danger."

I switched my attention to my husband and insisted, "I told you I was perfectly safe! There was no danger involved, hence, he didn't put me in anything."

Tao's voice sounded much closer when he replied, "It could have gone differently. What if anyone wants to kidnap you? You make it so easy to find your whereabout by posting every little thing in Instagram."

"If there's a kidnapper here, it's you!" I protested over my shoulders. "A stupid one, I must say, because everyone in that village will remember your fucking Maserati when the police starts asking them questions!"

Asami's tone was ruthless when he commented, "Oh, if he really wants to kidnap you, rest assured there won't be any police coming in to ask questions after that. He can push you into a fucking box, kicking and screaming in front of everyone, ready to be shipped and sold as a slave to a rich old man somewhere, and no government authority will waste their breath trying to find you. Or, is that what you want, Akihito? To be a slave in a harem in the middle of nowhere? Is that why you are always so determined to escape your bodyguard?"

I was about to turn around one more time when I realised I had no more space to do that. At one point during this stupid arguments, they both had somehow trapped me between their two hard bodies. That was when I finally realised what they were doing.

"Are you guys trying to outnumber me?"

Letting out a low, cruel chuckle, Tao said in my ear, "What do you mean, trying? You are outnumbered two to one."

I looked up at Asami. At those golden eyes burning with anger. He sneered, "It's much easier to corner you when I have an ally."

I closed my eyes in frustration, forcing myself to count from ten to one in an attempt to calm myself. Have you tried to argue with two assholes at once? Trust me, it was almost impossible to stop yourself from committing a mass murder.

"Fine," I said, finally deciding to stoop as low as to bargain with them. But, hey, if bargaining worked with my kids, it should have worked as well with these two overgrown babies, right?

"If you have to punish someone, why don't you punish me? I am the one who is ignoring the rule, not Soga. If anyone is at fault, it's me. So, do whatever you want. Beat me or whatever it is you are planning to do with him. But, after that, I want him back —in one piece— as my bodyguard."

There was a reason why every fairy tale warned us against making a deal with the devil. Such deals would never lead to a good outcome. If you thought that you could outsmart the devils in their own game, you were fucking delusional. They were born to trick people into a bad deal. It's in their nature. The moment you agreed to make a bargain with them, you should know that you had already lost. And since I bedded two devils myself, I really should have known better.

But, I was too focused on saving Soga. Or at least, that would be my excuse tomorrow morning, when I was laying in my bed, wondering what kind of insanity had made me do such deed.

For now, let the demise of my dignity be your cautionary tale.

"Go on," Tao nudged me gently, but the villainous smile in his face betrayed his tenderness.

I glared at him, even when I knew that it was literally impossible to intimidate anyone when my bottom half was completely bare for everyone to see. Pulling down the front hem of my shirt —a futile attempt to cover my private parts, really— I tried to maintain an illusion of modesty as I slowly walked towards my husband.

Asami sat back in his office chair, with such a regal poise as if he was a king sitting in his golden throne. His legs were spread apart with both feet on the ground. He had taken off his suit jacket, but he didn't look less intimidating in his crisp dress shirt, wool vest, and pants.

He was a sight to behold, as always. Handsome. Wealthy. Powerful. Many would kill me just to get the opportunity to worship the muscular body hidden beneath layers of expensive fabrics. Most of the times, I had a similar urge.

But, at the moment, I just wanted to kill him. In fact, I did, multiple times, in my head. I imagined that I could mutilate his body in the dark room of my studio, put each piece in a separate ziplock bag, dump them in dozens of trash bins in different towns, and get away with murdering my own husband. It sounded like the perfect crime in my mind.

Of course, I didn't actually do that.

Instead, I took tiny steps towards him, because a wider stride would jiggle my bits. I tried to keep my legs together, as if that could hide whatever body parts dangling for his amusement, and failed miserably.

I knew I was blushing when I finally stood in front of him. Without a word, he patted his left thigh, signalling for me to lay my body over his knee. I didn't—no, I couldn't move for a moment. It was like, my brain was sending an order to move and the rest of my body decided to walk out of the building.

Asami tilted his head. "Having a second thought, Akihito?"

I moved my weight from foot to foot, anxious. My voice sounded small when I finally asked, "What if, in the middle of it, I can't take it anymore?"

"Then, you use your safe words."

I grimaced. "Right. Takamiya Kichiro."

The man who had back-stabbed Tsuji Kaito of Uotsuri Group and the only reason why Asami had to break up with his young lover. I had picked those safe words to mock Asami's rival, but now it felt cruel to use it against Asami. As if I had betrayed him.

Perhaps, the name reminded him of unpleasant memories, too, because he scowled for a brief moment. But, as quickly as it had appeared, the expressive emotion were gone from his face.

He simply said, "Yes. Then, we will stop and I promise I will still pardon Soga. I am not a brute, Akihito. This is not to beat you black and blue. It's just to remind you that breaking a rule —even one you don't believe in— has consequences."

Well, that sounded like as much assurance as I could ever get from the asshole. And saving Soga was the goal, for now. So, there's no point mulling over this.

I let him pull me over and position my body over his left thigh. Without a warning, Asami's left hand pushed my upper body down, until my body was bent in almost 90 degree angle. Then, he trapped both my legs under his right leg so I was completely immobile. The position put my bare ass up high on display, an easy target for his hand to spank.

It felt strange, hanging with my head down like that. Like I was going to fall to the floor if he didn't hold onto me. Instinctively, I reached out my arms, trying to brace my own weight on the warm parquet floor.

Once we were settled, I slowly assessed my situation. The position was humiliating, yes. But, strangely, there was a surprising sense of security from the strength of his grip alone. The strength of his body holding me down was actually arousing. And I quickly pushed aside that thought to the darkest corner of my brain, inside a metal box that I would try to ignore forever.

I had expected him to smack me right away, with fast and hard swats that would turn me into a bundle of tears within minutes. That would quickly show me who was the boss, wouldn't it?

But, no, he didn't. He took his time to knead my ass. Almost like he was massaging it. And fuck me, but it actually felt kind of nice.

"Okay, so far?" he asked after some time.

By then, I had almost melted under his expert touches. My own body was betraying me as it was trying to push itself into his hand. Embarrassed by my own reaction to this new experience, I merely grunted.

"Akihito," his tone now had a warning edge to it. "I need you to use your words."

Why did Asami always pick the most unfortunate time to check in with my feelings? Like, seriously. Where were this sensitive Asami when we were talking about some mundane domestic issues, like who should pick up the kids? Why did this persona have to appear only when I was in such a vulnerable position, which was exactly the only time in my life when I didn't want to talk about how I felt?

Feeling more and more uncomfortable with the conflicting emotions within me, I snapped. "Yes! Yes! I am perfectly chill over here! Just get on with it, will you?!""

Asami let out a weary sigh, as if I was the one who made this more difficult than it had to be. "I will start when I want to start and you will learn to follow my lead."

"Gods! Ryu, you are so infuri—"

The first smack was loud but it was nothing painful. It didn't even sting. So did the next one. And the one after that. And then, the one after that, too.

Asami kept going in a steady pace, making his next contact against my skin quite predictable so that I could align my breathing with it. They were just light slaps, nothing overwhelming. And I began to relax. Tension left my body as my brain slowly overcame my flight or flight instinct. I can do this, a voice in my brain whispered. And I started to believe it.

I couldn't be certain whether it was hours or simply minutes later when his spanking grew a little harder with each smack. But, by then, the fact that he was spanking me didn't seem the big deal I had made it to be. There was an unexpected peace in simply experiencing the sensation of his palm against my skin. How it stung for a brief second before the sensation disappeared. How my bottom gradually felt warm. How his left hand remained steady against my back, grounding me.

I was soon in tears. It was hard not to, even when it was not unbearably painful like what I had expected. There was just something raw in the knowledge that you had allowed another adult to spank your bottom. Something emotionally powerful that made me weep with each contact of his hand on my skin. Not necessarily in a bad way, if I could be honest with myself.

As he slowly hit harder and faster, there were moments when I thought it would soon be too much for me to handle. But, strangely, it had never reached that point of no return. Asami pushed my limit slowly and with such expertise that after a while, I found it hard to differentiate the pain from the pleasure. The sensations were mixed together and it just felt so damn good. I wasn't even sure when I started to moan. Or when I started to move my ass to meet his palm. I could hear my own voice begging him for more —please, oh, please, Ryu— but it didn't feel like real. It felt like…

Like I was flying.

Like I was soaring high through the sky.

And when I finally returned to earth, I realised that I was no longer bent over his thigh. I was half plastered against the front of his body. His hands were caressing my sides, carefully avoiding my bottom. His three-pieces-suit were soft and cool against my body, soothing me.

Yes, it was not all rosy. My ass cheeks felt hot like it was on fire. Trails of tears and snots were drying on my face. My throat was raw from crying, pleading, and groaning. But, overall?

Overall, I felt surprisingly content.

And aroused.

I swore I had never been that hard in my life. He chuckled when I was trying to get into his pants, gently pushing my hands away. "Not today, Akihito. This is supposed to be a punishment, remember?"

I wanted to complain, but a cool feeling against my burning bottom made me yelp in surprise.

"Just some ointment, Akihito," Tao said softly, "It will help a little. But, you still won't sit comfortably for the next few days."

I looked at him over my shoulder and gave him a grateful smile. Leaning down, he kissed the tip of my nose. The tender love in his eyes was unmistakeable. Gone was the anger in it. But now that I was relax and happy in the after-glow of…well, of whatever it was I had just experienced with Asami, I noticed that there was also fear in Tao's face. He looked drained. Like the world had just taken a few years of his life in a blink.

"What's wrong?" I mumbled sleepily as I reached out to caress his cheek.

He immediately leaned against my palm, closing his eyes as if he wanted to savour every moment of my touch.

Asami tightened his embrace slightly, careful not to touch my bottom. Kissing the top of my head, he murmured, "You scared us, Akihito."

I blinked to chase away the mind-numbing haze around my brain. "Just because you can't find me?"

"Yes," my husband answered.

I struggled to look up at him and the solemn look in his face caught my breath.

"Soga couldn't find you anywhere so he called Tao. I had never seen Tao that scared for as long as he has worked for me. If I could leave that fucking meeting, I would have chased you myself. Good thing you always post whatever photos you took along the way in Instagram. Well, good and bad, honestly. Others can track you down as easily as us. But for now, I will just be grateful for it and appreciate the fact that I have you here, safe in my arms."

I remembered how Tao had looked like when he had appeared at Fujii-san gate. Breathless and ruffled, as if he had run all the way from Tokyo. I realised now that it hadn't been pure fury that I had witnessed in his expression. That it had been mixed with terrifying thoughts. With horrors.

They both had been scared. They had feared that something bad had happened to me. And then, I had came back, annoyed and ungrateful, rambling on and on about Soga. Perhaps, I should give my men a little break.

"I am sorry," I whispered.

Asami held me tight, like he was afraid I would suddenly evaporate into thin air. "It's fine. You are here now. That's all that matters to me. But, never, ever do that again. From now on, you will stick with your bodyguard or the spanking I gave you just now will feel like a walk in the park. Do you understand?"

"Well, I can give it a try, I suppose," I said as I laid my head back on his sturdy chest, enjoying his scent filling my lungs. A mixture of his cologne and his favourite cigarette. The smell of home.

It was perfect, I thought as sleep took me over once again.

When I woke up next, it was to the sound of Kirishima's voice coming from Asami's intercom. The sound of the city had waned. It was pretty late, I thought to myself.

"Sir, the Takamiyas are here."

The short announcement was enough to make me jump, suddenly realising that I was still half naked. Although, now, I was at least covered by a soft, warm blanket.

"Why the fuck are they here?" I quickly asked Asami in my panic.

My husband didn't say anything as he pushed me aside. Tao's strong arms immediately surrounded me, steadying me until my wobbly legs could hold my own weight. I found that my ass had begun to throb. Tao was right, sitting would be hell for the next few days.

Asami told me, "Go home with Tao, Akihito. He will take care of you. He is your primary bodyguard from now on."

I opened my mouth, ready to protest, but Asami cut me off, "Yes, yes. Don't worry. I remember my promise. Soga will be returned to you in one piece. He will assist Tao with whatever is needed to keep you safe. Tao will pick two or three more people to follow you from a distance starting tomorrow."

Confused, I asked, "Why do I need so many bodyguards? You were fine with only Soga before. Are you still angry that I managed to escape him?"

He let out a sigh. "No. I punished you for that and I am not going to hold it against you or him anymore. This is a separate matter and you must trust me in this. I can't come home tonight, but I want you to stay with Tao. And when I say 'stay', I mean that you must be where he can see you at all times throughout the night. Do you understand?"

"I am not bringing him into our bed without you!"

Asami huffed impatiently. "Fine. Then you can put some pillows and beddings on the floor near our bed. Let him sleep there."

"Well, I can't do that, too! What is he, a dog?!"

"We do sometimes call him that, if you remember," Asami reminded me with a cocked eyebrow, clearly judging my hypocrisy.

"We called him that affectionately!" I argued. "I am not going to start treating him like a real dog. He is not Ghost and we are not the Morettis!"

Asami suddenly grabbed my arms and forced me to look him in the eyes. "Akihito, I don't care if you want him to sleep in my bed. He doesn't care if you want him to sleeps on the floor like a dog. Those petty things don't matter anymore to both of us. What matters is that you are safe. So, it's up to you. Let him sleep on the bed, on the floor, or on the fucking bedside table for all I care. All I ask is for you to stick with him until I return. He will protect you."

The fear in those golden eyes were surreal. Asami rarely showed his fear. In fact, the fingers in my right hand alone were too many to count such occasions.

So you could understand why it terrified me to ask, but I had to. "Why? Ryu, you asked me to trust you and I want to. But, I really need to understand why. All these precautions started to sound a little too paranoid to me. You can't just expect me to follow it blindly."

His jaw tightened as he gritted his teeth in frustration. There was an internal battle reflected in those golden eyes as he weighed his options. After a few minutes of silence, I began to believe that he would dismiss me as usual. But, he suddenly let out a deep, worn out sigh.

Then, he answered, "One of the two Takamiya's right hand men, Jiro, was murdered. His penis and balls were sent in a box to his girlfriend this morning, still erect and covered in dried cum. When the Takamiyas found out, they reached out to me, asking for my resource to search for the rest of his body. This was right before we got a call from Soga that he couldn't find you."

My body turned cold. I couldn't even feel anything when Tao tightened the blanket around my shoulders. No wonder they both had been so scared. I would be to, if our positions were reversed.

"We found the remaining of Jiro's body barely an hour before you arrived. It's been mutilated. They still can't find his tongue and fingers. It's Yakenonokarasu."

Why would a human do that to another human being? How much hatred would push someone into committing such savagery?

Not hatred, something in me whispered. Simply the lack of empathy. Isn't that how Asami is too? Or do you really believe that he is incapable of such brutality?

And as much as I wanted to deny it, I knew it was true.

Asami continued calmly, "I can't eliminate my enemies while worrying about you as well, Akihito. I have done such mistakes in the past and I won't repeat it again. This time, Tao will be there to protect you in my place. You will be safe."

Feeling numb, I argued weakly, "Eliminate your enemies…what-what are you talking about, Ryu? He didn't attack you or kill your men. You don't have to get involved!"

Chuckling, he shook his head, like he just couldn't believe my naivety. "He had been killing my contacts in the government for a while now. But, my partnership with them were very discreet, so nobody really cares that I didn't react. But this time he had murdered a trusted man of my ally. And before you start arguing, let me tell you this. As much as I don't like Takamiya, I have claimed him publicly as my ally. If I don't do anything after such provocation to him, nobody will respect me or Sion Group anymore. And honestly? I have enough of this creep. I have let him grow into a thorn in my side for far too long."

Dread filled my heart. Asami always had enemies. The list would be endless if I wanted to write them down. People were cursing his guts as much as they were admiring it. Other organisations were looking for a chance to stab him in the back without getting caught. The government was trying to put him behind the bars for decades.

But, this. This was a completely different level. Something beyond what we had experienced in the past. This—

"This is a fucking war, Akihito. And I need you to be safe so that I can focus on winning this war."

For once, I hated that I was right.