Navy and Azure
by Apple-chan

Disclaimer: Belated Merry Christmas, Hiroyuki Takei-san!^^

Warnings: PG-13 for adult situations and mild swearing.

Chapter 8 - Golden Realization


Ren stared darkly off into space as he sat in the lounging chair directly across the table at the main office of the CEO and President of the corporation who ran the plantation he had just finished visiting. It had been seven days since his arrival in Tokyo and he was getting decidedly impatient...not to mention, deeply annoyed.

He had been here for quite a long time, and yet...the main person he was supposed to be talking to as of current still hasn't shown. He had already finished touring the plantation involved in the whole investment venture, not particularly caring a damn whit what it was all about, nor of the kind of deal he was supposed to approve or disapprove of, just as long as he got the matter over and done with. Frankly, he couldn't even remember what in the world he had exactly seen and examined in the plantation for the past couple of days. He really hadn't been paying attention. He was quite distracted...and extremely preoccupied with much more important things.

Important to him, that is.

One good thing came out of this whole trip--at least as far as he was concerned. While he waited for the dratted plant President and CEO to finish whatever engagement he was involved with and discuss the deal with him, he was able to pay his sister, as well as his other friends, a visit at the Funbari Onsen Inn. They all seemed to be doing well--and he was glad for that. His Neesan seemed to be enjoying herself quite immensely, and that certainly kept his mind free of one particular worry.

For a bit of time, he was able to drop by Horo-horo and Pilica's fields outside of Tokyo as well. He winced a little as he remembered. If it weren't for Tamao's presence and effortless attempts at peacekeeping (no matter how futile), a two-man war involving bloodshed and possible mutual or one-sided disembowelment would have erupted between him and Pilica's older brother.

From the moment the Ainu shaman...sensed Ren's presence somewhere in the vicinity of the white fences enclosing the fields directly in front of the cottage, Horo-horo had rushed out immediately towards him, and demanded quite forcefully where in blazes his sister was and how in the world was she doing and why the FREAKING HELL hasn't she contacted them for the past three weeks?

Ren heaved a loud, long sigh. During that time, he had gone into semi-stuttering-semi-speechless mode, unable to give Horo-horo a straightforward answer, for he was just as clueless to her situation as her brother. He and Kang had been trying to contact her non-stop at the Estate, but for some mysterious reason that he was getting increasingly suspicious of, he still hadn't talked to her--and it was well over three weeks.

He really needed to get back home soon, else he was going to kill himself with worry.

Either that, he thought with irony, or Horo-horo would get to me first.

And honestly? He might just allow the Ainu shaman to do his worst--hurt him so bad that he'd come to his senses and suddenly...discern why in the world he had left Pilica when he was supposed to be with her. Pilica, Horo-horo's sister...the young woman he had loved for so long and waited such a long time to confess to--he'd left her inside the dark, imprisoning walls of his family's estate. And even worse, with his father. His father, Tao En, whose hatred for her was so strong, so intense that he could practically grasp it in his hands.

He really needed to get over the nearest concrete wall and rap his head severely and firmly until it bleeds or smashes or cracks, whichever comes first. Despite his warnings, despite his mother and grandfather's presence in the estate...and more importantly--despite the fact that he was the Clan Head and his father was obligated to respect and honor his wishes, En was still capable of virtually anything under the sun--and schemes to get what he wanted, plots to get rid of anything or anyone he hated were no exception.

He heaved another sigh--a frustrated one this time. He really needed to get home. And when he does...he was going to have to make it up to Pilica (and her brother, he added grudgingly) twenty-million fold.

But first, he needed to get himself hit on the head so that he could get back his rationality and REALIZE why he was allowing his father to manipulate him like this.

OR, at the very least, he needed someone to knock some sense into him...

A hard slap on the head would do him wonders right about now...

"OHAYO!" A familiar voice chirped loudly as the door to the office swung open. "...Am I late? My sincerest apologies. You see, I have been up since very early this morning taking care of a certain matter for my Otouto." A dramatic sigh. "My sister-in-law was being a BIT demanding, and I didn't want my head cut off, so I had no choice but to stay long...and I ALMOST completely lost track of time. I DO hope you will forgive me. I KNOW you have no cause to listen to my reasoning, but regardless--" The voice broke off abruptly.

"Well," the same voice began again after several minutes of silence. "This is quite a surprise." A pause. "Ren-kun, I didn't expect to see you here." Another pause, as the long-haired CEO-cum-President of the Nakatsugawa Corporation examined his visitor's face thoughtfully. "...Ren-kun?"

"Ren-sama," Kang whispered, tapping his employer's shoulder politely. "The President's here."

Quite startled, Ren looked up from his musings. "Huh? What?" He gave Kang a frown of inquiry.

The long-haired company President rolled his eyes to the ceiling and exhaled as he propped himself up on top of his office table, a small distance from his visitor. "Ren-kun, have you been like THAT all this time?"

"HAO?!?" Finally regaining his senses, Ren's face was the picture of disbelief. "What are YOU doing here?"

The long-haired shaman, known to many as Asakura Hao, gave a shrug. "I own this company." He replied matter-of-factly, crossing his arms over his chest. "And you?"

Ren gave an icy glare. "Getting this business deal over and done with, what else?" He answered curtly. "...Weren't you informed of this?"

"Of course I was." Hao answered smoothly. "...My assistant gave your father that proposal a month ago." He tapped the documents on his table meaningfully. "I had the whole nine yards of the deal mapped out in the portfolio I sent him." He gave Ren a look. "A tour wouldn't have been necessary as I made sure to hand him out ALL the pertinent details...although I DID suggest it," he admitted. "But you know..."

"What?"

"Well..." Hao eyed him keenly as he tossed his long hair over his shoulder. "I did inform your father that, positive or no, it was highly important for your family to answer this deal as soon as possible. Here in Tokyo," he added with a slight nod. "I also told him that it was mandatory to send someone with the power to represent your whole family...or at the very least, him or the Clan Head. But..." He shook his head in amazement. "I never expected that I would get to face the main Clan Head himself--you, no less." A flicker of amusement. "It's...quite something."

Ren gave him a dark frown, but he didn't answer.

Hao exhaled. "So," he began, clasping his hands together and leaning forward towards the Chinese shaman, "did you come here of your own free will?" He asked, sounding very much like a priest about to marry a couple.

"He put me on a guilt trip." Was the curt reply.

"And you LET him?" Incredulity laced Hao's tone. "Ren-kun, you're the head of your family, correct?"

Silence. And then, "...yeah."

"You're supposed to be in charge of everything concerning your family, NOT your father." Hao remarked with a quirk of an eyebrow. "Ne?"

Ren shot him a withering glare. "I know that!" He snapped. "But like I've already told you, he--"

"--put you on a guilt trip. Right, right." Hao finished dryly, with a dismissive wave of his hand. "And here I thought NOT a single strand of his opinion matters to you."

"...They don't." Ren raked his hair with frustration. "But he knows how to get to me. He knows how to get to EVERYONE." A sigh. "He plays by my weaknesses KNOWING full well that I can never refuse anything if he uses either Hahaue, Neesan, and now...Pilica...as his trump cards."

"If you knew ALL that, then WHY in the world are you letting him do this?" Hao wondered.

"BECAUSE they matter to me." Ren answered quietly. "But you wouldn't know about that," he added dryly, raising an eyebrow at the other man. "You've never encountered this situation before, and you probably never will." A pause. "Your father's terrified of you."

"THAT may be true," Hao admitted with a slightly sheepish grin. "...You can't blame me, though. Can I help it if I'm so powerful?" He shook his head dramatically. "But enough about me." He paused thoughtfully. "If I recall correctly, En-san is quite afraid of suffering through your wrath as well..." he gave the Chinese shaman a knowing look. "Am I wrong?"

Ren shook his head. "It really doesn't matter now. I'm HERE," he emphasized. "Let's just get this over and done with so I can go home." He flashed his secretary an expectant look. "The documents, Kang."

The secretary gave Hao a furtive look, then nodded at his employer as he stood up, armed with the portfolio. "H...here they are," he replied with a bit of uncertainty. "But Ren-sama..."

"Yes?" Ren gave him a questioning frown. "What is it?"

"N...nothing much." Kang said quickly. "It's just that there are details which--" he stopped abruptly as Hao flashed him a warning look.

"WHAT?" Ren persisted. "Kang, what DETAILS?" He demanded this time, looking back and forth suspiciously from his secretary to Hao, then, back to his secretary.

Kang cringed.

"Kang," Ren's voice held a warning note. "We don't HAVE all DAY. Why did you suddenly--"

"Now, now, Ren-kun," Hao interrupted in a cheery voice. "There is no need to persecute Kang-san like that. He means the details regarding the deal," he said with emphasis. "That's all there is to it, nothing more."

"Oh." Ren simmered down. And then, he gave Hao a questioning look. "...What's this deal all about, anyway?"

At this, Hao and Kang both sighed; the latter, with resignation; and the former, with exasperation. Hao rolled his eyes to the ceiling at the same time that Kang shook his head helplessly.

"Ren-sama, what am I going to do with you?" Kang moaned out loud.

"Ren-kun, you've just completely WASTED your time on that plant tour." Hao remarked with dismay.

"I didn't!" Ren protested. "I was listening--"

"You weren't paying attention to ANYTHING," Hao interrupted pointedly. "If you were, you wouldn't be asking me what this deal is all about. You would KNOW," he added emphatically. "Anyway, it can't be helped. We can't talk about this deal right now. I can't have you approving or disapproving something you DON'T even have any idea of," he shook his head. "That would be just plain WRONG. Goes COMPLETELY against my solid values of honesty." He declared.

Ren gazed at the long-haired shaman with surprise. Who would have thought he'd hear philanthropic statements from an ex-Destroyer, and Asakura Hao, no less? The world was certainly changing drastically. Except for Father, he added darkly. Still the same scheming, ruthless, and selfish excuse for a patriarch I've grown up hating. Still no different, no matter how many years pass, and no matter how many radical changes may occur in this world.

...And with the power to manipulate everyone around him...even me, he added morosely. And worse than that, -I'm- letting him.

Looks like I haven't changed much, either.

A hard slap on his head interrupted his train of thoughts. "OW!" He glared menacingly at Hao, who was flexing his right hand with triumph. "What was that FOR?"

"SOMEONE needs to bring you back to your senses," Hao told him firmly. "And I figured, since I'm here, then it might as well be me." He stood up and leaned forward until he was practically nose-to-nose with the Chinese shaman. "Get your act together," he said with an agreeable amount of seriousness. "You're quite obviously distracted with something, and ALTHOUGH I know WHO it is you're currently thinking of, and WHAT about, I'm not going to press the issue." He paused, tapping the documents in Ren's hand. "...Keep them. There will be no deals and agreements discussed today, nor at any other time in the next couple of weeks." He announced with a slight nod. "Go on home."

"WHAT?" Ren continued to look surprised. "Are you serious? I mean..." Recalling Hao's previous statements, he felt the urge to ask, "How do YOU know who I'm thinking of?"

Hao sighed hopelessly. "You and everyone else should just REALLY get used to the fact that I know EVERYTHING." He stated dryly. "It'd do you a bit of good. Keep you from being surprised all the time, at least," he added teasingly. "Anyway, I do believe Pilica-chan's been on your mind for the past couple of days, yes?" When Ren didn't answer, he continued. "...You've left her alone abruptly for...three weeks, is it? And you're worried about her, AND of what En-san might possibly do to her." He surveyed the other man's face critically. "Am I right?"

"The old man doesn't like her." Ren stated flatly.

"I figured as much," Hao shot back dryly.

A dark, foreboding frown. "He might be up to something." Ren paused. "Wait, let me correct that. I'm quite sure he's up to something."

"And sending you away is all part of his grand plans." Hao rolled his eyes with exasperation. "And I thought I was bad." He shook his head. "That's quite a father you've got." He paused thoughtfully. "You should really go home," he advised. "...And while you're at it, hold out your effort and gather as much GUTS and COURAGE as you possibly can." He suggested. "That way, when you see her, you'll be able to propose to her and marry her, thereby getting her miles away from your dear father's scheming eye!" He declared triumphantly.

Ren snorted. "Thanks for the advise," he said dryly. "Anyway..." He directed a suspicious frown at Hao. "Are you serious?"

"Extremely." Hao answered matter-of-factly. "What about you?" He grinned wickedly. "Are YOU serious about HER?"

"O...of COURSE I am!" Ren shot back hotly, his cheeks turning pink. "I love her, and I want to...it's just that I--"

"Ah," Hao nodded with understanding. "Just as I've suspected." He paused. "And like I've already said a while ago, you need to gather up your guts and courage." He added decisively. "So GO. ON. HOME." He said with emphasis. "Or do I have to hit your head another ten times for you to realize what I'm saying?"

"No." Ren said quickly. "I know what I have to do." he rolled his eyes. "You've just brought me back to my senses." He added dryly as he stood up.

"Hm." Hao sat back down on top of his table and smiled sweetly. "It had to take a handsome lunatic's privileged slap to make you realize how stupid you've been these past three weeks? Pretty hard to believe."

"Hn." Ren grunted. "Don't flatter yourself too much." He replied dryly as he nodded at his secretary. "Kang, let's go."

"But Ren-sama, wait." Kang protested as he rose up to follow his employer. He then turned to the other man. "Hao-sama...the deal...it was said in the documents that you needed to have it secured within this week...we need to talk about the details..."

Hao laughed. "This week?" He waved his hand dismissively. "That's just a scare factor I put in to make investors hasten up making their decisions. I can make an exception in your case." He was lying, but Ren didn't need to know that. He needed to get an answer for his proposal right now, but regardless... "Besides, some things are much more important than business deals, ne, Ren-kun?" He flashed the other man a wink.

"You know..." Ren raised an eyebrow at the long-haired shaman. "As much as I hate to admit it...you're right." He turned his back. "I'd better go." He prepared to leave, but he turned around to face Hao again. "I can't believe I'm saying this...but thanks."

Hao grinned. "Nothing to it." He studied Ren as he walked away. "Na...Ren-kun?"

"Yeah?" Ren paused in his tracks and turned his head slightly.

"Good luck." Hao smiled meaningfully. "...And just in case your father's done something...severe...NO killing." he added warningly. "Alright?"

Ren's face darkened. "Let's hope I won't have to resort to that."

"Oh. And one more thing, Ren-kun!" Hao called over the Chinese shaman's retreating back.

"What now?"

Hao grinned wickedly. "If you're ever in need of MORE guts and MORE courage, don't hesitate to give me a call, ne? I can provide you with lots."

Ren rolled his eyes. "I'll keep that in mind." He replied dryly. "I'll see you." With a brief nod, he walked out of the office, Kang trailing behind him.

*~*~*~*~*~*

The second Ren walked out of his office and out the building, Hao took hold of his phone and dialed his business assistant-cum-consultant-cum-events planner's number. "Ayame-san?"

"Yes, Hao-san?" A woman's voice spoke from the other line. "Anything I can do for you? How did that deal with the Tao family go?"

"Not good," Hao answered dryly. "They sent me a very distracted Clan Head," he said with a slight chuckle. "Needless to say, we weren't able to accomplish much of anything. But that's fine. Like I always say, some things..."

"...are much more important than business deals," Ayame replied with a laugh. "But Hao-san...didn't you also say that that particular deal was extremely urgent?"

"So I did," Hao admitted. "But who cares?" He added breezily. "There's nothing wrong with being lax sometimes." He declared. "I learned that from my twin brother." He told his assistant cheerfully.

Ayame laughed again. "...Yoh-san. That figures." She paused. "So what can I do for you?"

"Well..." Hao paused thoughtfully. "I remember how wonderfully...spectacular you were able to make my brother's wedding, six years ago." He smiled wistfully. "I will need you to do the same thing again in a couple of months or so...this time, for a friend of Yoh's."

"...And a friend of yours, too?"

"You could say that," Hao replied. "I'm not exactly sure when the wedding will take place, though." A grin. "Ren-kun will have to gather up his courage first...so it might take a while. But free up your schedule for me."

"Will do." Ayame answered cheerfully. "So who is this friend?"

"Well...remember the young man who caught the garter during my brother's wedding?"

"Yes, of course. Him." A pause. "So who is he marrying?"

"...Why, the young lady who caught the bouquet, of course." Hao responded, grinning slightly to himself.

TSUZUKU.

End notes:

Yes, I know. The chapter title sucks._ Couldn't think of any other title, so...pardon me.^^;;;

Just in case you don't have any idea what Hao is doing in this fic (and why he's doing business with Ren), I highly recommend checking out the early chapters of Celebrations. Chapter 1, at least. All the necessary explanations are there, so I'm not going into detail on that here.^_^ Yes, I'm plugging Celebrations. Just in case you haven't read it yet.^^;;;

And yep...BELATED MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE!^_^