Chapter 2: Bribing your Bestie

Summary:

Masumi tries to persuade his best bro to take on his secret identity

Chapter Text

The Vice President of Daito was kept awake well past midnight by depressing matter which had him standing in his library, eyes on the fireplace, waiting for his guest to arrive. He lost himself in the contemplation of the flame that were licking black the edge of the hearth, trying to retain his last strand of self-control.

He had summoned Hijiri in the middle of the night, without a word of explanation, and the Shadow had obeyed blindly, as he always did. The man's loyalty was undeniable, which was precisely why Masumi had chosen him for the task ahead, and why he now needed to stare at the fireplace to maintain a semblance of calm. Hijiri was going to accept and he was going to be left alone, regretting it for the rest of his life. Knowing that all too well, he used the few remaining minutes until Hijiri's arrival to gather his thoughts and silence his emotion, focusing on his priority: Maya's happiness.

Happiness...did he only know how it felt like? Would he ever?

He scoffed bitterly. Without Maya, there was no point even considering happiness.

"Hayami-sama. Hijiri-san is here."

"Let him in."

After two long minutes of heavy silence Hijiri decided to stop waiting for instructions and to speak first: «Sir, you know I'm at your complete disposal. Nevertheless, I confess I found your call concerning. Summoning me in the middle of the night, not wanting to mention the matter over the phone. Even now, you seem preoccupied. Please tell me how I can be of assistance."

"Hijiri...I've reached a decision and..." His voice was low, his eyes still on the fire. He leaned an arm on the mantelpiece and heaved in a deep breath. "I wanted you to hear it, or rather I wanted to say it out loud once before I changed my mind. Set things in motion and be done with it"

The tone wasn't reassuring. Something was wrong, Hijiri could feel it. Waiting for more, he remained silent. A minute went by. Then another. Eyes closed, Masumi finally went on. "There is a file on the desk. Open it, it's a picture"

The "file" was in fact a clean official looking white card with golden lace decorating it. Hijiri raised a curious eyebrow and complied.

"She's...beautiful..." Really was the only comment he could make about the woman. A mysterious smile on her lips, her fair complexion enhanced by a colorful kimono, she portrayed traditional Japanese femininity to perfection. "May I ask: who is she?"

"Shiori Takamiya. Granddaughter of the Chairman of Takamiya Group. I'm to marry her, eventually."

It took ten seconds for Hijiri to understand completely, and even then he wasn't sure. "Sir? Did you just say you're going to….marry this woman?"

"Yes, Hijiri. That's what I said. The marriage is to be arranged by our two families"

Hijiri tried to guess how he would fit into this horrible setting, and went for the most probable option "Do you wish for me to investigate her? Find her weaknesses that could put an end to the arrangement?"

He heard his master cough out a faint, joyless laugh. "No, I mean to comply with my father and accept the omiai."

Hijiri's mind went blank for a minute, as this answer didn't figure among all the options he was envisioned. Finally he spoke " How..." How could he continue without sounding disrespectful? "How do you think Mr. Purple Rose feels about this...turn of event?"

"He agrees"

"I see…"

He allowed himself to lay his fingertips on the corner of the desk for support and tried to maintain his composure as he asked "What about Maya-sama, sir?" Undoubtably, his master had taken the young actress into account, as these past few years he had been thinking of barely anything but her. "Do you intend to keep sending her roses even after…"he drew another breath as he carefully placed the picture back where it had been "after you are married?"

"Of course not!" Snapped Masumi, his hand slapping the mantelpiece.

He finally gathered the courage to turn around and face his Shadow, his friend. The pain had altered his expression so much that Hijiri took a step back. There clearly wasn't any reproach he could attack Masumi with that he hadn't already inflicted upon himself. "Then in that case...what are you going to do, Masumi-sama?"

Masumi could hardly face him. He paced around the library and stopped at the desk, a few feet away from Hijiri, hands resting on the mahogany and eyes on Miss Takayama's smile. He couldn't find it within himself to say it, yet he had to. Hijiri was obedient, but he was fairly certain that what he was about to ask of him would earn him his contempt or worse, his pity.

"The girl hates me, Hijiri. She truly does. She will never forgive me. In her eyes I'm her enemy, The Man Who Killed Her Mother. Of course, she's right…" Masumi felt a sharp pain in his chest, and promptly dismissed it. "But she wants to meet Mr Purple Rose. She has been waiting for that day patiently and for years. She...misses him, in a way, or so it would seem. How she got attached to a stranger like that is...lost on me. It would seem that the longer she waits, the more she seeks him. With normal people, it's 'out of sight, out of mind', but not her!" he smirked. Trust Maya to be the exception to every rule. "No, she wants him. I caught a glimpse of that when I set her up to meet with an opera singer a few months ago. She was convinced she was going to meet him and when she realized she wasn't going to, her disappointment was bitter, I saw that. I'm afraid that one day my...his everlasting absence will hurt her."

He paused. "I've already hurt her plenty, for years. I will not let Mr Purple Rose do the same."

It was time. He had to say it now. He raised his head and met Hijiri's confused gaze. "I decided it's time she meets with him."

His friend widened his eyes in shock, and Masumi waited for the horror to settle in. Only instead, Hijiri stepped toward him with a warm expression on his face.

"Masumi-sama, are you finally going to meet her?"

"It cannot be me, Hijiri!" He had intended to yell, but let out a moan instead. "It cannot, I cannot be him, Hijiri, can't you see? I cannot be Mr Purple Rose, it would wound her so much, and she would never recover!"

Hijiri took a moment to analyze the meaning of these words, and found himself without an answer. His master had decided to marry a woman he doesn't know, and at the same time, reveal the truth to the love of his life, Maya-sama. All of this, without Maya realizing that it's him she's meeting - so not revealing the truth then. How was he going to manage that feat? This made no sense, unless…

"Do you intend to blindfold her, like last time?"

"For the love of…" How could his servant manage to make him laugh at times like these? "Hijiri, when will you believe me, the blindfold was her idea to begin with!" His friend doubtful expression echoes to his faint smile "And no, I'm not going to do that. I've told you, it's not me she'll be meeting with."

"I'm...not following…sir"

Masumi sighed. Would he really have to spell it out for him? Of course he would, the whole idea was barely making any sense to him, and he was the mastermind. He dropped his eyes on the desk again, looking for support and trying to hide his expression at the same time "I decided that someone else would take over, as Mr Purple Rose. Someone I can trust. Someone that can watch over her. Be by her side." He added with a muffled breath as his own words pierced him like a red-hot blade.

Finally, horror showed in Hijiri's voice. "Sir, do you really mean that?" Masumi nodded. "But sir! That would be betraying her trust!"

"What trust, Hijiri? I told you, she hates me. The ones she trusts, the one she wants...that isn't me."

"It is you, Masumi-sama!" Hijiri raised his voice without noticing. "Mr Purple Rose is part of you, you can't just ask anyone to...anyway who exactly, who in the world is trustworthy enough in your eyes for such a mission? Who is so reliable that you can hand him over the one you love?"

To this, Masumi raised his head and realized Hijiri was standing just next to him. Their eyes met. Hijiri took a step back.

"No…"

"Hijiri…"

"Sir, you cannot ask me this."

"Karato!" Masumi grabbed his arm before he could recoil any further. "It was your idea remember? You wanted to become a bridge between us!"

"Yes! Sir, I wanted to become a bridge! I wanted to help you communicate with her, deeper the bond between you. Help you!"

"Then help me! Help her!" Masumi wasn't even trying to hide his despair.

Hijiri shook his head and turned his eyes away from him. Was his servant really going to refuse him?

"You are my Shadow." To this Hijiri met his gaze again, an intense emotion triggered by the sound of his status in his master's voice "So far you've been doing anything and everything that was necessary to Daito's success, no questions asked. Most of the jobs we told you to handle were not honorable, to say the least. But with Maya it was different. With Maya, you knew that what you did actually helped someone. You could do so much more. Your entire life would be different. You'd have a proper identity, a decent job, a way back to the light. Something my father never offered your family! And you'd be...making Maya happy. Making her smile!" He tightened his grip on Hijiri's arm as he said that. He was giving him Maya, and the man was refusing. His servant was making him beg. A rush of rage electrified his muscles, suddenly he wanted nothing more but to sink his finger into Hijiri's throat until he bled. Hijiri seemed to notice his emotion, and the defiance in his eyes melted.

"Sir...What you are asking me to do...it means taking on your identity."

"I know, Hijiri." Masumi let go of his arm, calming down "I already thought of everything. Where you'd live, what you're story would be, your past, your identity, the paperwork that follows. Of course, you'd also have my lake house…"

Memories came rushing back as he thought about that house, that day of summer. Maya's face against his chest.

"You are asking me to seduce her."

Hijiri had to say it out loud, make it as clear as possible that this was in fact what he was really talking about. If he was to become Mr Purple Rose, and pretend to have such a deep connection with Maya-sama, there was a good chance the relationship could evolve in that direction.

To this Masumi strengthen his stance and stood so straight he seemed almost taller. His eyes hardened as he said "No. I can trust with this mission because I know your loyalty is without limits. You will not seduce her, not even if she wants you to. What I am asking you is to take care of her, to support her within the bounds of relationship a patron has with his protegee. Can you do that?".

Hijiri knew he was sincere. He also knew he couldn't refuse him anymore, not when it costed Masumi so much to even ask. He would not add insult him to injury. He knew he had to accept, but his voice just wouldn't obey him. To take on this mission would change forever his relationship with Masumi, the man he respected and admired the most in this world. As if sensing his dilemma, Masumi expression softened and he added:

"Think about it, will you? Tomorrow, go see your new apartment. Everything is already there. Take a day off and think about it."

By apartment, Masumi meant the penthouse of one of the tallest building in Shibuya. The entire place was sunbathed through an enormous bay-window and in the center of the main hall was a splendid spiral staircase leading to the rooftop, a magnificent purple rose garden with a view of Tokyo so wide Hijiri was convinced you could see Fujisan around the horizon on clear winter mornings. Inside, the loft was modern, every ray of sunlight bouncing on the wooden floor before a paper screen stopped them here and there. Yet, there was a warmth in this place, offered by a number of colored lamps, cushions and carpets. There was a remarkable amount of flowers as well, mostly purple roses, and a grand piano staged near a few armchairs and a sofa.

As he discovered the place, Hijiri felt a knot in his stomach. This place wasn't just designed for him alone. It was designed for her as well. Someday, Maya was going to come there, live there even. On shelves near the piano, dozens of books about theatre reinforced his alibi. There was a copy of every single play Maya had acted in. Even her yearbook from high school, and next to it her diploma were on display. A gift meant for Masumi, he thought. The real Purple Rose.

To make the whole farce official, there was even a list of instructions laying on the piano.